Domestic Violence is a Serious Public Health Issue Essay

Domestic Violence is a Serious Public Health Issue - Essay Example Thus, focusing on the theory of mindful space, this essay will illustrate how domestic violence can be prevented, if not at least avoided, by focusing on its primary victim - women. Domestic violence is a serious public health issue that often leads to fatality for victims or serious emotional, psychological, and mental problems for survivors. However as research illustrates, such occurrence is not the result of a single isolated event, but the product of a continuing pattern of abuse that usually "escalates through time in severity and frequency", such that women usually ignore lesser acts of violence until it becomes destructive and unpreventable (cited in Health, 1998, p.1468). In this respect, domestic violence can be prevented if its would-be victims can detect the lesser forms of aggression and employ effective measures even before domestic violence becomes destructive. Such approach, however, is difficult to achieve given the definition that today's literature attaches to viol ence. As Burlae (2004) points out, most definitions identify violence only after it has begun, making it difficult for victims to stop them. Hence, by understanding violence in terms of intimidation, coercion, and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, women tend to ignore the lesser and less noticeable forms of aggression, allowing the aggression to escalate and become destructive. Such reactions from women can be attributed to today's patriarchal society where cultural norms, impose on them certain roles that make them vulnerable to these acts of violence. Using Virginia Woolf's phrase "angel in the house" description, Burlae explains that the roles women take within the family setting of being charming, sympathetic, selfless, and mindful of others illustrate "characteristics that are antithetical to the possession of one's own territory", making them vulnerable to acts of aggression (2004, p.87). Awareness, in this respect, requires more than disseminating information on what is domestic violence, but instead, re-orienting the victims', especially women, a perception of what constitutes violence. In this respect, Burlae proposes the "theory of mindful space" to help women identify cues early on and help them respond accordingly. As Burlae suggests, violence should be understood as an invasion of one's bodily, personal and cognitive spaces (2004, pp.94-97), which although not always violent per se can be damaging and destructive if left unchecked. Thus, while a husband being passive aggressive to his wife may not be violent itself, it is a violation of his wife's cognitive space, which could escalate to more violent behavior if allowed to persist repeatedly. Hence, he suggests being attentive to such violations of space and setting limits to determine when it is time to seek help, take action, or disengage from a relationship. In this respect, clinicians and social workers play an integral role in helping would-be victims identify invasions of space and craf t preventive strategies.  Ã‚  

Children Stay at Home for Entertainment Essay Example for Free

Children Stay at Home for Entertainment Essay The twenty first century held many changes for our life . This changes are different and multifarious . as well as this covered all aspects of life. The most effect was on the children that changed their life completely different rather than previous generation . Those children become spend a large amount of time inside their homes , playing computer games and watching television , rather than playing games and sport outside . This phenomenon is disturbing many people, therefore they ask what are the benefits , and what are the drawbacks in this case. This essay will talk about these views. To begin with ,there are two reasons may be most advantages for the children spend a large of time inside their home. Firstly , It is clear that children who spend more time at home for entertainment will be more safe from those who spend time outside, which may causes for them risk of theft or assault. Secondly , Children sit at home a long time help them to avoid many bad practices such as smoking or drug. On the other hand , there are many drawbacks in this instance , firstly , children who spend bulk of time inside their home, that means they will disappear from the sun for a long time, it may result in they have deficiency in vitamin D , which the sunlight is natural source for it , kids tend to stay indoor more days and play on their computers instead enjoying the fresh air . This mean their vitamin D levels are worse then previous years (S.Peace 2010)[1]. Consequently it lead to some diseases such as rickets , which this practice blamed for increasing numbers of children suffer from it . As well as these figures dismayed some scientists as well according to professor T Cheetham from Newcastle university[2] . Secondly, stay a long time in front of screen lead to fitness that the most common diseases among children. In conclusion can the children of new century enjoying with a new technologies , but they should not ignore the healthy practice which protect them from diseases . In fact I think the generation of this century is more lucky than their ancestors ,particularly if I compared him with our generation.

Fate, Destiny and Free Will in Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken Essay

The Road Not Taken:   The Paradox of Free Will Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken", is a profound philosophical approach illustrating the paradox of free will.   In the first line, Frost uses the metaphor "Two roads diverged" (1), to establish not only the dilemma of the traveler in the poem, but life itself.   The decisions we make in life, like the traveler in "The Road Not Taken", are not to be taken lightly.   There is a desire to be adventurous, yet we fear possible regret for 'what might have been'.   Either way, we must live with the choices we make.   "The Road Not Taken" is an ambiguous poem epitomizing the complex nature of individuality. The literal situation of "The Road Not Taken" concerns a traveler who is faced with   a very simple decision.   The traveler comes to a crossroads in "a yellow wood" (1). Two paths lay ahead of him, both "just as fair" (6).   The traveler desires to take both roads, but knows that he "could not take both" (2), and is disturbed by that realization.   He regrets being able experience both paths.   The traveler takes his time contemplating over which direction to pursue.   As he looks for sign to guide him, he notices an undergrowth hiding a bend in one of the paths.   This distraction in his line of vision was one of two differences in the roads that lied ahead.   The second difference is that the other road "wanted wear" (8).   Although the paths otherwise seem very similar, the adventurous traveler proceeds down "the one less traveled" (19). The traveler makes his decision, but is reluctant.   Instead of saying, 'it has the better claim', he says "having perhaps the better claim" (7).   The indecisiveness of the traveler is seen once again... ...cond practical literary device Frost uses is tone.   Tone reflects the writers attitude toward the subject being addressed. The obvious tone of the traveler is contemplation and hesitance. Frost is successful in using tone to communicate the mood not only of the traveler but that of the shaky situation:" I doubted that I should ever come back" (15). In conclusion, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, could not have developed the concept of individuality and choice any clearer. Frost is a great poet who has an uncanny ability to confound nature and life. "The Road Not Taken" has led me to consider more carefully the decisions I make.   The benefit of free will is the freedom to choose.   The misfortune of choice is the contemplation of regret.   Frost addresses this paradox in order to convey the complex nature of individuality and life itself.

E. E. Cummings :: essays research papers fc

The Poetry of E. E. Cummings E. E. Cummings, who was born in 1894 and died in 1962, wrote many poems with unconventional punctuation and capitalization, and unusual line, word, and even letter placements - namely, ideograms. Cummings' most difficult form of prose is probably the ideogram; it is extremely terse and it combines both visual and auditory elements. There may be sounds or characters on the page that cannot be verbalized or cannot convey the same message if pronounced and not read. Four of Cummings' poems - l(a, mortals), !blac, and swi( - illustrate the ideogram form quite well. Cummings utilizes unique syntax in these poems in order to convey messages visually as well as verbally. Although one may think of l(a as a poem of sadness and loneliness, Cummings probably did not intend that. This poem is about individuality - oneness (Kid 200-1). The theme of oneness can be derived from the numerous inezces and forms of the number '1' throughout the poem. First, 'l(a' contains both the number 1 and the singular indefinite article, 'a'; the second line contains the French singular definite article, 'le'; 'll' on the fifth line represents two ones; 'one' on the 7th line spells the number out; the 8th line, 'l', isolates the number; and 'iness', the last line, can mean "the state of being I" - that is, individuality - or "oneness", deriving the "one" from the lowercase roman numeral 'i' (200). Cummings could have simplified this poem drastically ("a leaf falls:/loneliness"), and still conveyed the same verbal message, but he has altered the normal syntax in order that each line should show a 'one' and highlight the theme of oneness. In fact, the whole poem is shaped like a '1' (200). The shape of the poem can also be seen as the path of a falling leaf; the poem drifts down, flipping and altering pairs of letters like a falling leaf gliding, back and forth, down to the ground. The beginning 'l(a' changes to 'le', and 'af' flips to 'fa'. 'll' indicates a quick drop of the leaf, which has slowed by a longer line, 'one'. Finally, the leaf falls into the pile of fallen leaves on the ground, represented by 'iness'. Cummings has written this poem so perfectly that every part of it conveys the message of oneness and individuality (200). In mortals), Cummings vitalizes a trapeze act on paper.

Leadership Approach Essay

Identify and discuss the six trait characteristics in the trait approach to leadership. If one does not have these traits, can he or she still be a leader? Explain your position Six traits characteristics of leadership are as identified by Mann(1959) study of leadership and small groups are as followed, intelligence, masculinity, adjustment, dominance, extraversion, and conservatism. There is many traits to leaders from numerous studies, but the focal point of those studies seem to lay with integrity, intelligence, self-confidence, sociability and are defined below. (Northouse, 2010) Integrity- Honesty, trustworthiness, and quality all traits of integrity give an employee a sense of trust and take responsibility for their actions. Self-confidence- Self-esteem and self-assurance and belief in ones competencies and skills have ability to make an impact. Sociability- Is a leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social relationships, friendly, outgoing, courteous, tactful and diplomatic. Determination- Determination and desire to get the job done initiative, persistence, dominance, and drive are all key characteristics. Overall when it comes to being a leader you don’t have to have a title to be a leader, as we all have probably been involved with people in leadership positions that are everything but a leader. I think that leaders are molded by their experience, environment and exposure to good and bad leaders and from leadership traits from above. I feel that if you don’t have any of the traits of being a leader you will struggle to be one, but I believe everyone has the traits of being a leader, you just have to dig inside and find that leader inside you. References Northouse, P. G. (2010). Leadership Theory And Practice / Fifth Edition. Los Angles: Sage Publication.

Cotton top Tamarin essays

Cotton top Tamarin essays One of the most endangered primates in the world, the cotton-top tamarin, Saguius Oedipus, is distinguished by its remarkable physical appearance. The animal belongs to the Callitrichidae family, the smallest and one of the most diverse of the New World monkeys (Savage, Natural 1). The tamarins unique appearance along with its dying habitat and biomedical possibilities led to the creatures endangerment. Physically, the cotton-top tamarin distinctly stands out among members of its family and the genus Saguinus. The animal is named for the striking crest of white hair running from its forehead to its neck, hanging over its shoulders, noticeable in contrast to the tamarins black face. The underside of the creatures arms and legs is white, while its back is black or brown. Tamarins posses claws rather than nails and have short tusked lower anterior dentition that allows them to suck sap out of trees (Savage, Natural 1). Being no more than 12 inches long and 7.26 cm tall, cottontop tamarins weigh less than a pound. Aside from physical appearance, location, behavior, diet, and reproduction help describe the tamarin and its ecosystem. The tamarin lives in only one location in the world, the rainforests of Columbia, South America. Like many other animals, cotton-top tamarins live in groups of 8 to 13 and spend their days traveling, looking for prey, and resting. The cotton-top tamarins diet consists of nectar, saps, fruits, vegetables, flowers, small animals, and insects (Savage, Natural 2). Its predators include Marten-like tayra, forest hawks, and humans. A tamarin normally lives between 13 and 14 years, and females can bear 2 offspring a year, usually twins. Despite the tamarins inherent value within its ecosystem, causes of its endangerment continue to thrive. The cotton-top tamarin's aesthetic benefits, unique susceptibility t...

Free Essays on Power Of The President

I feel that the President of the United States is too powerful. Some people may agree with me while some don't. I think the government has given too much power to just one man. It's sort of like having a king or some other type of monarch. This type of situation makes the possibility for corruption too great. Haven't we learned anything from the Watergate incident? Though there are many people who contribute to the laws and regulations of this country, our lives are actually in the hands of a single man. The President of the United States has the power to decide what we can and cannot do, what we eat, what we wear, and so forth. Though there are laws to protect us, the President of the United States has the power to make decisions that directly affect every person in his regime. Not only does the President make decisions that affect us here; he also makes decisions about our dealings with other countries whether they are political or military. The decisions that the President makes are ones that can be beneficial and/or detrimental to the citizens of the United States, as well as the countries with which we collaborate. The President, as Chief Executive, leads the executive branch of the federal government. He has ultimate supervision over various administrative agencies. Under the Constitution, he is military commander-in-chief, and director of foreign relations. Under statutes passed by Congress, he has considerable decision-making power, particularly in matters of foreign trade. To me, the role of the president isn't clearly defined. The constitutional provision whereby the President is proclaimed as the head of the executive carries a number of deficiencies. The President's political stature is thus lowered. Even providing that he is simultaneously the head of state, then in practical terms he becomes the head of the executive administration, which produces a correspond- ing attitude to that position. ... Free Essays on Power Of The President Free Essays on Power Of The President I feel that the President of the United States is too powerful. Some people may agree with me while some don't. I think the government has given too much power to just one man. It's sort of like having a king or some other type of monarch. This type of situation makes the possibility for corruption too great. Haven't we learned anything from the Watergate incident? Though there are many people who contribute to the laws and regulations of this country, our lives are actually in the hands of a single man. The President of the United States has the power to decide what we can and cannot do, what we eat, what we wear, and so forth. Though there are laws to protect us, the President of the United States has the power to make decisions that directly affect every person in his regime. Not only does the President make decisions that affect us here; he also makes decisions about our dealings with other countries whether they are political or military. The decisions that the President makes are ones that can be beneficial and/or detrimental to the citizens of the United States, as well as the countries with which we collaborate. The President, as Chief Executive, leads the executive branch of the federal government. He has ultimate supervision over various administrative agencies. Under the Constitution, he is military commander-in-chief, and director of foreign relations. Under statutes passed by Congress, he has considerable decision-making power, particularly in matters of foreign trade. To me, the role of the president isn't clearly defined. The constitutional provision whereby the President is proclaimed as the head of the executive carries a number of deficiencies. The President's political stature is thus lowered. Even providing that he is simultaneously the head of state, then in practical terms he becomes the head of the executive administration, which produces a correspond- ing attitude to that position. ...

The Experience of the Black and Minority ethnic group (BME) community in accessing mental health services The WritePass Journal

The Experience of the Black and Minority ethnic group (BME) community in accessing mental health services Literature Review The Experience of the Black and Minority ethnic group (BME) community in accessing mental health services from:   www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/NATIONAL-REPORT.asp?CategoryID=ProdID=EA59CF1B-0157-4cdb-BCA5-D9579C4DBFE5 Belliapa, J. (1991). Illness or Distress? Alternative Models of Mental Health, London: Confederation of Indian Organisations. Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Positive Practice Guide (2009), Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, January (2009). Bowes, A., Dar, N., and Srivastava, A. (2000). Family Support and Community Care: A Study of South Asian Older People. Scottish Executive: Central Research Unit, Edinburgh. Bowl, R. (2007). Responding to ethnic diversity: black service users’ views of mental health services in the UK. Diversity in Health and Social Care, 4(3), 201-210. Bradby, H. (2010). Institutional Racism in Mental Health Services: The consequences of compromised conceptualization. Sociological Research Online, 15, 8. Burke, A. W. (1984).  Racism and psychological disturbance among west Indians in Britain.  International Journal of Social Psychiatry,  30,  50  -68. Caught between Stigma (2005). Black and minority ethnic communities and mental well-being in Kensington Chelsea and Westminster. Recommendations for improved service delivery and partnership with local communities. A report by the BME Health Forum and the Migrant Refugee Communities’ Forum, January 2005. Chakraborty, A., McKenzie, K. and King, M. (2002). Discrimination, ethnicity and psychosis – qualitative study. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry. Chamba, R., Ahmad, W. Jones, L. (1998). Improving Services for Asian Deaf Children, Bristol: Policy Press. Chandler-Oatts, J., and Nelstrop, L. (2008). Listening to the voices of African-Caribbean mental health service users to develop guideline recommendations on managing violent behaviour. Diversity in Health and asocial Care, 5(1), 31-41. Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection, 2005, Count me in, Results of a national census of inpatients in mental health hospitals and facilities in England and Wales, November 05. Corrigan, P. (2004). How stigma interferes with mental health care. Am Psychol, 59, 614-625. Department of Health (2005). Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care: An Action Plan for Reform Inside and Outside Services and The Government’s Response to the Independent Inquiry in to the Death of David Bennett. London: DH. Desai, S. (2006). Accounting for difference: analysis of nine murder inquiry reports involving black people with mental health problems, Diversity in Health and Social Care, 3(3), 203-210. Edge, D. (2011). ‘It’s leaflet, leaflet, leaflet then, ‘see you later’: black Caribbean women’s perceptions of perinatal mental health care’. British Journal of General Practice, 61(585), 256-262. Fearon et al. (2006) Incidence of Schizophrenia and other Psychoses in Ethnic Minority Groups: Results from the MRC AESOP Study. Psychological Medicine, 36(11), 1541-1550. Fernando, S. (1984). Racism as a cause of depression. International Journal of Social Psychiatry,  30,  41  -49. Harrison, G. (2002). ‘Ethnic minorities and the Mental Health Act’, British Journal of Psychiatry, 180, 198-199. Hastings, R., Sjà ¶strà ¶m, K. Stevenage, S. (1998). Swedish and English adolescents’ attitudes toward the community presence of people with LD. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 42, 314. Hatton, C., Azmi, S., Emerson E. And Caine, A. (1997). Researching the needs of South Asian people with learning difficulties and their families, Mental Health Care, 1, 91-94. Jervis, M. (1987). Across the cultural divide. Mental Handicap Bulletin 65, 10. Kirkbride, J. B., et al. (2008). Psychoses, ethnicity and socio-economic status. British Journal of Psychiatry, 19(1), 18-24. Link, B. G., Phelan, J.C. Bresnahan, M. (1999). Public conceptions of mental illness: labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1328-1333. MacPherson, W. (1999) The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: report of an inquiry by Sir William Macpherson of Cluny. London. Home Office, 4262-I. Obtained 26 July 2012 from: archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm42/4262/4262.htm McKenzie, K. and Bhui, K. (2007). Institutional Racism in Psychiatry. Psychiatric Bulletin, 31, 397. McLeod, M., Owen, and Khamis, C. (2001). Black and minority ethnic voluntary and community organizations: their role and future development in England and Wales, Policy Studies Institute, London. McGrother, C. W., Bhaumik, S., Thorp., C. F., Watson, J. M. Taub, N. A. (2002). Prevalence, morbidity and service need among South Asian and White adults with intellectual disability in Leicestershire, UK. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46, 299-309. Mhemooda, M. (2011) Enjoy, achieve and be healthy : the mental health of black and minority ethnic children and young people. Africa Trust, London. Modood, T., Berthoud, R., Lakey, J., et al (1997). Ethnic Minorities in Britain: Diversity and Disadvantage. London: Policy Studies Institute. Nazroo, J. (1997)  Ethnicity and Mental Health. London: Policy Studies Institute. Netto, G. (2006). Creating a suitable space: a qualitative study of the cultural sensitivity of counselling provision in the voluntary sector in the UK. Journal of Mental Health, 15(5), 593-604. Neeleman, J., Mak, V. Wessely, S. (1997)  Suicide by age, ethnic group, coroners verdict and country of birth. A three-year survey in inner London.  British Journal of Psychiatry,  171,  463  -467. Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority (2003). Independent Inquiry into the death of David Bennett. Cambridge: Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA. O’Hara, J. (2003). Learning disabilities and ethnicity: achieving cultural competence. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 9, 166-176. Oommen, G, et al. (2009). Ageing, ethnicity and psychiatric services. Psychiatric Bulletin, 33(1), 30-34. Patel, K., and Heginbotham, C. (2007). Institutional racism in mental health does not imply racism in individual psychiatrist. Psychiatric Bulletin, 31, 367-368. Real Voices (2003) Survey findings from a series of community consultation events involving Black and Minority Ethnic groups in England, Department of Health. Retrieved July 27, 2012 from: lincoln.ac.uk/ccawi/esc/esc_web/assets/pdfs/mod5-realVoices.pdf Rethink (2007) Our voice: the Pakistani community’s view of mental health and mental health services in Birmingham: report from the Aap Ki Awaaz project, Care Services Improvement Partnership. Rimmerman, A. (1998). Factors relating to attitudes of Israeli corporate executives toward the employability of persons with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental, 23, 245-254. Sasidharan, S.P. (2003)  Inside Outside: Improving mental health services for black and minority ethnic communities in England.  London: Department of Health. Singh, S. P. (2007). Institutional racism in psychiatry: lessons from inquiries. Psychiatric Bulletin, 31. Soteri, A. (2002). Funding in London Women’s Organisations: A First Report. Centre for Institutional Studies, University of East London, Working Paper. Yee, L., and Mussenden, B. (2000). Best Value for Black Communities. Race on the Agenda, London.

Thomas Cook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Thomas Cook - Essay Example Thomas Cook Some of the important models such as McKinsey model along with the Pest analysis, SWOT and other models have been used to analyse the organisation. The main aim was to analysis the external and internal environment affecting the organisation. The leadership style along with the leadership style has been talked about and it can been seen that Thomas Cook has one of the cost effective organisational structure and follows a flexible business model so that it can be altered as and when needed. Finally the paper ends with recommendation and conclusion which states that the company should work according to the demand of the customers in order to stay competitive and maintain its number one position. The main aim of the report is to conduct an effective internal and external environmental analysis of Thomas Cook based on separate models. The analysis would help one understand the key competencies of the firm and also the areas where development is needed. Recommendations are also to be provided in due course to enhance the position. Thomas Cook, one of the largest companies in the field of leisure and travel is observed to operate along a large geographical segment pertaining to 22 countries round the world. The company has emerged out to be a key market leader in the leisure and travel category. Thomas Cook, during the financial year of 2011-12 earned total sales revenue emanating to  £9.8 billion from a total customer base of 23.6 million people around the globe (Thomas Group Plc, 2012). Company Structure Thomas Cook operates based on a decentralised structure where the board of directors are responsible for delegation of tasks and duties to subsequent committees and other sub-boards. The structure operates along a top-down or vertical integration fashion in the company (Thomas Cook, 2010, p.53). Main Activities Thomas Cook Plc works along several segments to render value-added services to the customers. The first or the core product segment contains of packaged tourism services where both flights and hotel services are grouped under one bundle and rendered to the customer. The second segment consists of independent packages that help in rendering consumers a larger flexibility in choosing the travel destinations, duration of tour and other value additions. The third product segment focuses on rendering financial support to the travellers in terms of foreign exchange or money transfers and also in tour assurance services. Fourthly the group also operates via retail houses that help in distributing tour packages and offers to the consumers. Finally the group also

Motivation Bhutanese Employees in the Hotel Industry Case Study

Motivation Bhutanese Employees in the Hotel Industry - Case Study Example To lose such an employee at any stage of the production process is suicidal for the organisation. Specific emphasis is therefore taken into account to make sure that such employees are kept for as long as they are required. The hotel industry is very challenging in nature. Research indicates that for employees in this sector to perform their best, they need to be highly motivated. (Armstrong, 2006) There are various factors that motivate Bhutanese employees to be productive in the hotel industry. They include financial rewards that are given to these employees who are in the hotel industry. This includes hospital insurance, annual leave etc. All these have played a great role in motivating the Bhutanese employees. Due to these factors, Bhutanese employees in the hotel industry have been greatly motivated. Workers need to be compensated for their performance in order to encourage them to keep up or improve on that performance. The moment the human resource establishes the performance of the worker, managers should reward to commensurate with the worker's achievement. These will ensure maximum production and effectiveness of the worker; current compensation programs that motivate Bhutanese employees in the hotel industry include mix of basic pay, equities and variable pay. (Beardwell, 1997) Among the factors that have motivated frontline Bhutanese employees to be productive in the hotel industry is good working environment. The employers in this industry have ensured that Bhutanese employees get good working environment. This is through ensuring that all the required facilities are available. The employers have ensured that the frontline Bhutanese employees have protective clothing when working. The employers have ensured that there is a good working environment for the frontline Bhutanese employees in hotel industry. (Cole, 1995) Human capital need to be motivated in order for the company to get the best out of them. An employee who is well motivated will easily stay in the organization and be more productive. For this to occur human resource have to attend to the financial and psychological needs of the workers by rewarding them well. Basic financial remunerations and working conditions are normally stated by the government or workers union. (Geen, 1995) There are various types of reward systems that are used in organizations. They may be as

Two Paths to Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Two Paths to Freedom - Essay Example 246). Both Martin and Malcolm criticized each other as a means of justifying his method of operation. Malcolm criticizes Martin by feeling that Christian ideologies were corrupt by promoting the white man. On the other hand, Martin reacted by terming Malcolm’s Nation of Islam ideas as a desperate reaction to segregation (Cone and Witherspoon, p. 245). Both Martin and Malcolm viewed human respect as the primary objective of their struggle. Martin felt that the connection was derived from religion and cultural identification while Martin felt that respect was acquired through socio-political power. We also further on realize that both leaders culturally identified with Africa as their place of descent (Cone and Witherspoon, p. 247). It can be observed that, Malcolm’s idea of black religion and social identity complements Martin’s idea of political power for equality. Malcolm’s idea of religion for equality was used by martin in the Montgomery bus boycott to advocate religious identity as Christians. Christianity on its part supported the idea of equality for all Christians (Cone and Witherspoon

How Raising a Child with High Self-Esteem Leads to Raising Narcissism Essay

How Raising a Child with High Self-Esteem Leads to Raising Narcissism - Essay Example On the hand, narcissism is a feeling of indifference, selfishness, egoism, or elitism to the disadvantage of others. There have been various definitions of the relationship between self-esteem and narcissism. This essay will show how raising a child with high self-esteem leads to raising narcissism. It will also show how high self-esteem leads to a lousy performance and the fact that they cannot combine well. The essay will achieve this by focusing on the article’s effective argument. There is a link between high self-esteem and narcissism. While having self-esteem is very fundamental in the growth of any child, parents know that egoism that closes relates to narcissism is detrimental. It is arguably true that people with high self-esteem are generally narcissist. This is because, most of the people with high self -esteem show it and would like everybody to recognize them. Indeed the issue is always about them, their achievements, character, their well-being, their interests, and such. Actually, raising a child with high self-esteem will always lead them to show their ego, elitism, indifference, and selfless as they believe they are the best and such everybody should praise them. Indeed, high self-esteem promotes narcissism. However, this correlation does not exist explicitly since in countries like Asia issues of self and ego do not surface from childhood. However, in America, where the children feel they are superior to other children in the world, raising high achievers will high achievers will create narcissist. Indeed, a survey from San Diego State University notes that too much self-regard/high-esteem has resulted in college campuses full of narcissists. On the contrary, people with low self-esteem will value themselves less in the society and as such will not have the guts to brag, remain indifferent, or exercise selfless since they would fear critics.  Ã‚  

Yz Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Yz - Coursework Example Marla believes that her classmate Bernadette is lazy and does not believe that this personality is changeable and therefore judges her. Additionally she has limited information and ignores the fact that there could be other circumstances and hence she is more likely than Jane to develop prejudices. Jane at least tries to relate Bernadette’s academics to the trauma brought about by her divorcing parents. The book gives an example of Joey, an older child, who keeps a stray kitten despite having been cautioned by her mother not to. She does this because her enhanced perspective taking and emotional understanding. She believes that the kitten might end up dying if she does not keep it and hence empathizes. By being able to take more information, children’s moral understanding is developed. For instance, a child may pretend to be sick only to avoid participating in a singing competition because he or she is a bad singer. However, this is done with the best of intentions because he/she does not want to be the one to hinder the team’s chances of winning the competition. I attended an integrated elementary school, and it is from the school that I noted how vital integration is in reducing ethnic and racial prejudice. Despite having had the notion that white children were superior to children from other races, no racial prejudices emerged from the children in the school. This is because teachers treated all equally and did not behave in a way that endorsed group status

How Raising a Child with High Self-Esteem Leads to Raising Narcissism Essay

How Raising a Child with High Self-Esteem Leads to Raising Narcissism - Essay Example On the hand, narcissism is a feeling of indifference, selfishness, egoism, or elitism to the disadvantage of others. There have been various definitions of the relationship between self-esteem and narcissism. This essay will show how raising a child with high self-esteem leads to raising narcissism. It will also show how high self-esteem leads to a lousy performance and the fact that they cannot combine well. The essay will achieve this by focusing on the article’s effective argument. There is a link between high self-esteem and narcissism. While having self-esteem is very fundamental in the growth of any child, parents know that egoism that closes relates to narcissism is detrimental. It is arguably true that people with high self-esteem are generally narcissist. This is because, most of the people with high self -esteem show it and would like everybody to recognize them. Indeed the issue is always about them, their achievements, character, their well-being, their interests, and such. Actually, raising a child with high self-esteem will always lead them to show their ego, elitism, indifference, and selfless as they believe they are the best and such everybody should praise them. Indeed, high self-esteem promotes narcissism. However, this correlation does not exist explicitly since in countries like Asia issues of self and ego do not surface from childhood. However, in America, where the children feel they are superior to other children in the world, raising high achievers will high achievers will create narcissist. Indeed, a survey from San Diego State University notes that too much self-regard/high-esteem has resulted in college campuses full of narcissists. On the contrary, people with low self-esteem will value themselves less in the society and as such will not have the guts to brag, remain indifferent, or exercise selfless since they would fear critics.  Ã‚  

There is no such thing as a rational decision. Discuss this assertion, Essay

There is no such thing as a rational decision. Discuss this assertion, and carefully justify the arguments and claims that you m - Essay Example This study aims at discussing rational decision-making and its existence from the roots. In order to throw light on every dimension of rational decision-making, the discussion would begin from understanding rationality, and will further assist in understanding what does rational decision signify. It will also include what elements assist one in understanding that the particular decision is rational enough. Apart from this, theories in relation to types of rationality would be discussed. The conditions considered for effective decision-making need to be understood in order to conduct a comprehensive analysis for stating whether rational decisions exist or it is just a myth. Rationality is considered to be a normative concept, which signifies any belief, desire or action. It signifies any conviction or concept, which is derived through proper reasoning (Adler, 1991). Rationality can be considered the characteristics of decisions which are supported by motives. Max Weber, a German socio logist proposed a theory of rationality, which explains four types of rationality. The first type of rationality put forward by him is purposive or instrumental rationality. This explains the expectation regarding the behavior of the other objects and the human beings present in the society. The second type of rationality is value or belief oriented. In this case the action is assumed to be essential for the person, such as ethics, religion, motives, etc. The third type of rationality is affectual, which assist in determining the specific affect of emotions or feelings. Weber considered this type of rationality to be meaningfully oriented rationality. The fourth type was habituation, which is traditional. Weber emphasized on these four types of rationality because he considered rationality and rational decision making to be the outcome of one of these types or a combination of these types of rationality stated by him. However, Weber’s point of view for rationality has been cr iticized by Habermansian, whose proposed theory was devoid of any social power or context, whereas Weber’s theory of rationality was strongly supported by values and power (Berg, & Hoffrage, 2004). A rational decision-maker actually chooses among the different alternatives or courses of action that are based on the ability of the decision-maker. This is because this process includes rational decisions that are not only backed by reasons but are also appropriate enough for achieving goals, and solving problems. While discussing the concept of rational decision-making, elements like rational choice and rational behavior of individuals needs to be also discussed. Rational choices are considered to be economic principles which are assumed to be made by those individuals who make logical and prudent decisions that benefit them and provide them satisfaction. This concept of rational decision-making is based on the rational choice theory. Rational behavior is the decision-making pro cedure which depends on the choices that would offer optimum level of utility or benefit. According to conventional theories of economics all those individuals who take part in any activity or action are rational. Rational decision does not always assist in generating profit because it is considered that sometimes

Compare the Love Language Used in Quickdraw Essay Example for Free

Compare the Love Language Used in Quickdraw Essay Quickdraw is a poem about the end and break down of a relationship. Specifically an argument between the speaker and their other half and the feelings felt by the speaker in the poem. It has many similarities and differences with In Paris with You a poem about a very negative relationship with the speaker who is desperately in love with someone who is just using them. The poem uses a play on words and anytime the words Paris and love are mentioned you have to switch them, so Paris means love and love means Paris. These poems have similarities and difference and these can be explored through language techniques and key themes. Both Quickdraw and In Paris with You explore negative sides to a relationship. In Quickdraw the negative side is the pain of the break up at the ending of the relationship â€Å"hear me groan You’ve wounded me† this shows the pain the speaker is going through during the breakdown and end of their relationship. In In Paris with you they explore a different side of a negative relationship, the love the speaker feels for someone and the way they are being used by that person â€Å"Yes I’m angry at the way I’ve been bamboozled I’m in Paris with you† this shows that although the speaker is angry at being used, she is still in love with them (I’m in Paris = I’m in love ). In In Paris with You the speaker expresses their love for the other person â€Å"I’m in Paris with You† (meaning â€Å"I’m in love with You) is repeated throughout the poem. But they also have differences such as, some other aspects of their structure, some of the themes of the poems. In Paris with You and Quickdraw both explore negative relationships, a relationship between a person absolutely besotted over someone who is using them and doesn’t feel anything back for them or the argumentative end to a relationship where both of them are hurling insults at the other and breaking u their relationship.

National Response Plan (NRP) Analysis

National Response Plan (NRP) Analysis Natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 hit New Orleans cause more damage and death, a notice of a change to the National Response Plan (NRP) was released, incorporating lessons learned from the 2005 hurricane season. Terrorist attacks are immoral evil and are premeditated. The attacks of 911 were hateful deliberate and the worst of humanity. After the 911 attacks modify the way, government officials felt the need to develop the Office Emergency Management. The National Response Framework (NRF) and the Department of Homeland Security revamped flexible and adaptable ideology in which coordinated key positions and responsibilities across the nation connecting all levels of local, state, government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. The idea intends to identify roles and guide key personnel in managing serious terrorist incidents to a large-scale catastrophic and natural disaster. People are informed well in advance and prepared for natural disasters during Hurricane season, Local, and state offices along with emergency management perform training simulation. These agencies advise the population on evacuation routes, shelter locations and the importance to prepared in the event of a natural disaster was to hit the area. Is evident that people panic some are forced to evacuate from their homes at a moment notice and others may not be able to return home. Protecting public health and safety has always been paramount in nuclear power plant design and operation. Robust structures, such as reactor containment buildings, protect the reactor. Safety systems, such as diesel generators, are redundant and independent. These design features provide excellent protection from external hazards, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, as well as nuclear accidents. The same design features also protect against potential acts of terrorism, making nuclear power plants among the most robust and well-protected civilian facilities in the country (2011 U.SNRC). Thousands of people volunteer to assist those in need when a major disaster strikes.   In a case of a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD), as an American Red Cross Volunteer Responder, one must follow the protocols in place in the event of a terrorist attack. Be off limits of the contaminated locations that has evidence for trained personnel to conduct investigations. Initiating a risk assessment and recognize characteristics and distinction of chemical, biological agents, radiological material. Using specialized equipment such as chemical devices and meter to detect radiation. Evacuations may be required to prevent further casualties from contamination. Temporary shelter in place and decontamination area is appropriate if there is a short duration of release of hazardous material and is determined to be safe for everyone to remain in place. Also, protective action to include victims who pose an infection hazard, quarantine of affected locations. Access to contaminated area is issue b y personnel   assigned to the Command Post delegated by the Incident Command In a WMD incident, protection of the lives of the victims, as well as the responders is a primary concern. To enter a location response teams need to safely enter with appropriate equipment to avoid any hazards of agents. They need to be in fully encapsulated for those areas that highly toxic; vapor protection suites provide skin and respiratory protection.   The three types of control zones are: Hot Zone-   Personnel entering this area must wear the highest level of protective equipment based on the substance involved. Referred as a restricted zone An area surrounding by hazardous materials incident, it extends far enough to prevent any hazardous material release from causing harm to personnel outside the area. Warm Zone- Decontamination area personnel working in this area with limited access to prevent or reduce contamination must wear appropriate protective gear, as they will be dealing with contaminated people and equipment. Cold Zone Contains the command post and other support functions deemed necessary to control the incident. Personnel working in this area do not have to wear protective gear but should have it available if needed. Decontamination procedures vary depending on the particular hazard because one procedure or method will not work for all hazards (Review of the Departments preparation to respond to a WMD incident (2010, page 3).

The Heroine of Louise Shivers Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail :: Here Get My Baby Out Jail

The Heroine of Louise Shivers' Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail Sleeping Beauty's father was a king who loved his daughter dearly. Unfortunately, however, he forgot to invite one of the oldest and most powerful of the fairies to the celebration of his daughter's christening. Because of his forgetfulness, the princess was sentenced to one hundred years of sleep and inactivity. She was saved by a prince who made his way to her bedside and awakened her with a kiss of true love. Of course, they celebrated a glorious wedding and lived happily ever after. Roxy Walston, the heroine of Louise Shivers' "Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail," like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella or Snow White, lived a fairy tale existence. All of the supporting roles were accounted for: her father, Will Stanton (the king); her mean stepmother, Ruth; her grandmother, Georgeanna (the fairy godmother); her husband, Aaron (the shining knight)' and her lover, Jack, as Prince Charming. Even the evil witch is symbolized by the aura of death and foreboding of the funeral home--always preyi ng, ready to devour the next unsuspecting victim. But unlike the princess in the fairy tale, Roxy's fairy tale ended when she was awakened from her "sleep" by Jack's kiss. The lovers had shared many a romantic, passionate kiss, but the kiss--the one which brought Roxy out of her trance--was the "spitty" one after Jack had confessed to murdering Aaron. At this moment Roxy awakened to her own self-awareness and freed herself from Jack's sensual, magic spell. Only then did she tap into the strength she never knew she had. It was that strength, at first as small as a tobacco seed, that enabled her to try to outlive her shame and move forward with her life as best she could. For one to understand and appreciate Roxy's vulnerability and passivity, a discussion of her childhood will place in proper perspective her family relationships. Will Stanton was a big-boned man, a giant with a soft heart. One can imagine the sheer delight of his little girl as he surprised her with tangerines at Christmastime. She would slip her hand down into his big pocket and feel the white sack lining, "looking for a Saturday nickel" (Shivers 119). In Roxy's eyes, her Daddy was omniscient, a virtual god. That idolization of her male parent is not unusual. Caryl Rivers, author of "Beyond Sugar and Spice," tells us that "to many a young girl, there is something magical about her father" (50).

The Importance of Creative and Cultural Industries in Britain Today Ess

The Importance of Creative and Cultural Industries in Britain Today The creative and cultural industries play a huge part in the everyday life of British society. In London, there is a variety of creative industries ranging from musical theatre in the west end, to mime artists working on the streets. There is dance, plays and much more for an audience to choose. This can be considered important, as these industries bring society together, and create a means of entertainment for the people of Britain today. The Arts Council of Great Britain was founded in 1946, one of the first national organisations of its kind in the world (Hill, O’Sullivan & O’Sullivan, 1995). Its aims are to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts, to increase the accessibility of the arts to the public throughout Britain, and to advise and co-operate with departments of government, local authorities and other bodies. The term ‘the arts’ includes, but is not limited to, music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing,...

Hisotry Exam 1

1. Karl Marx predicted that a socialist revolution could only be successful in the most advanced capitalist countries with a large proportion of factory workers – the proletariat (England, Germany, the U. S. or France). However , Contrary to his â€Å"scientific â€Å" prediction, the socialist revolution succeeded in the most backwards agrarian country – the Russian Empire. Answer : Karl Marx Stated that socialist revolution could only be successful in the most advanced capitalist countries instead of the most backwards agrarian countries.It is predicted wrongly to me because for socialism to work you need to exterminate a certain amount of the population and for that to work you have to exterminate the â€Å"middle class† because these people will fight hardest to keep their property and because the most advanced capitalist countries have the biggest Middle classes the system would never be able to work because of the vast power of the middle class.Why this w orked in the â€Å"the most backwards agrarian countries â€Å"like the Russian empire is because of the following reasons: Because the Tsarist regime pre-WW1 oppressed the lower classes there became more and more poverty among the lower classes and the rural agrarian peasants what made room for more strikes and strikes with the goal of securing ownership of the land they worked on, Second the incredibly industrialization that Russia was going through followed that the urban areas where getting overcrowded and the population had to live under horrible and unhealthy living standards resulted in even more strikes a year and that kept building up until the revolution. When World War 1 broke out the chaos got even worse and because the army Conscriptions took skilled workers and brought them into the army whereby these where replaced by unskilled peasants what had an impact on the productivity, And because of poor railroad conditions the city’s developed mass famines what resul ted into mass abandonment of the city’s in search for food.Because of this the supply of good to the army; for the war effort began to dwindle and the army started to suffer from lack of equipment and protection from the elements what led to the army revolting against the tsar to. The conclusion, Because the tsar misused his power to oppress the lower classes, and the poor conditions of the working class in urban area’s gave room for the idea of change, Change to equality, Change for more right to the lower classes and an opening to an ideology of Socialism what gave them that option, And because of desperation for that Change, that idea people where ignorant to see the consequences to what It could lead to. 2.The New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced in 1922 saved the young Soviet Union from the economic collapse and the Bolshevik government from being ousted. In spite of its success, in the end of 1920s NEP was dismantled, which caused a new wave of economic hardships and unprecedented terror. What made the Soviet government under Stalin’s leadership reverse this successful economic policy and resort to such drastic measures in the process? Argue your point Lenin realized that war communism had failed and that he had to choose a different approach to gain the trust of the people again, he therefor chose NEP ( The new economic policy ) he had to choose this system because the people started to revolt against the communist system and he was scared that he would lose control.NEP was planned from the beginning as a between step for Lenin as he says â€Å" NEP is a strategic retreat and a defeat that would be made up once the country was economically healthy† He gave back the free market system to the Russian people and this created the â€Å"kulaks† class the middle class they whir the major component for the incredible increase of the Russian economy with some impressive benchmarks, By 1925 agricultural production was at the sa me level as pre-war level, by 1923 private trade was responsible for about 90 % of foods and goods and by 1924 industrial production returned to the 1913 level. Lenin also started to change his enemy’s from not only the nepmen but also the kulaks because â€Å" Only big capital possessed the qualities that were useful to progress : its ability to organize on a large scale, its tendency to plan its sense of discipline. Therefor the kulaks and nepmen remained object of resentment, envy and suspicion. Even politically the NEP system was greatly feared because they considered it a return of Capitalism so Stalin came up with Collectivization after he thought that the economy was fully grown enough, he exterminated and imprisoned almost all of the Kulaks class he portrayed them as enemies of the state and used their labor as slave labor, The area’s that revolted against this had to pay for it, Stalin tripled the quota’s leaving famine in the area’s Ukraine, so uthern Russia and north Caucuses the people started to starve, Stalin called this â€Å"war by starvation† it was to break the resistance against Collectivism.Collectivism was used to support the massive industrialization by feeding the extremely big workforce that would give the soviets a massive modern military establishment, the heavy industry grew by 400 % making it into an industrial big shot, To support the industrialization Stalin created the largest slave labor ever seen in mankind. Conclusion; There was an idea that drove men like Stalin to horrific deeds like these and that idea was Communism where everyone was equal and everyone served the great nation, everything that came between these men and their idea’s where exterminated like the Nepmen in 1918 and the Kulaks in 1929 because they were a threat to the great idea because they supported Capitalism but why exterminate them?They supported the economy made sure the people whir happy by selling them goods and services. It was all because the threat that the government could not control their power and that they could revolt against the system if they became to economically powerful. So the best way was to exterminate them and give away their land so they would not be a threat anymore and the people would be happy because they would all get a piece of land. Another reason why Stalin chose to get rid of NEP and start collectivism was that he could use arrested kulaks as his slave labor force to reinforce the industrialization growth of soviet union because as he said it is cheap, substitutes machine and the most severe discipline could be used. Hisotry Exam 1 1. Karl Marx predicted that a socialist revolution could only be successful in the most advanced capitalist countries with a large proportion of factory workers – the proletariat (England, Germany, the U. S. or France). However , Contrary to his â€Å"scientific â€Å" prediction, the socialist revolution succeeded in the most backwards agrarian country – the Russian Empire. Answer : Karl Marx Stated that socialist revolution could only be successful in the most advanced capitalist countries instead of the most backwards agrarian countries.It is predicted wrongly to me because for socialism to work you need to exterminate a certain amount of the population and for that to work you have to exterminate the â€Å"middle class† because these people will fight hardest to keep their property and because the most advanced capitalist countries have the biggest Middle classes the system would never be able to work because of the vast power of the middle class.Why this w orked in the â€Å"the most backwards agrarian countries â€Å"like the Russian empire is because of the following reasons: Because the Tsarist regime pre-WW1 oppressed the lower classes there became more and more poverty among the lower classes and the rural agrarian peasants what made room for more strikes and strikes with the goal of securing ownership of the land they worked on, Second the incredibly industrialization that Russia was going through followed that the urban areas where getting overcrowded and the population had to live under horrible and unhealthy living standards resulted in even more strikes a year and that kept building up until the revolution. When World War 1 broke out the chaos got even worse and because the army Conscriptions took skilled workers and brought them into the army whereby these where replaced by unskilled peasants what had an impact on the productivity, And because of poor railroad conditions the city’s developed mass famines what resul ted into mass abandonment of the city’s in search for food.Because of this the supply of good to the army; for the war effort began to dwindle and the army started to suffer from lack of equipment and protection from the elements what led to the army revolting against the tsar to. The conclusion, Because the tsar misused his power to oppress the lower classes, and the poor conditions of the working class in urban area’s gave room for the idea of change, Change to equality, Change for more right to the lower classes and an opening to an ideology of Socialism what gave them that option, And because of desperation for that Change, that idea people where ignorant to see the consequences to what It could lead to. 2.The New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced in 1922 saved the young Soviet Union from the economic collapse and the Bolshevik government from being ousted. In spite of its success, in the end of 1920s NEP was dismantled, which caused a new wave of economic hardships and unprecedented terror. What made the Soviet government under Stalin’s leadership reverse this successful economic policy and resort to such drastic measures in the process? Argue your point Lenin realized that war communism had failed and that he had to choose a different approach to gain the trust of the people again, he therefor chose NEP ( The new economic policy ) he had to choose this system because the people started to revolt against the communist system and he was scared that he would lose control.NEP was planned from the beginning as a between step for Lenin as he says â€Å" NEP is a strategic retreat and a defeat that would be made up once the country was economically healthy† He gave back the free market system to the Russian people and this created the â€Å"kulaks† class the middle class they whir the major component for the incredible increase of the Russian economy with some impressive benchmarks, By 1925 agricultural production was at the sa me level as pre-war level, by 1923 private trade was responsible for about 90 % of foods and goods and by 1924 industrial production returned to the 1913 level. Lenin also started to change his enemy’s from not only the nepmen but also the kulaks because â€Å" Only big capital possessed the qualities that were useful to progress : its ability to organize on a large scale, its tendency to plan its sense of discipline. Therefor the kulaks and nepmen remained object of resentment, envy and suspicion. Even politically the NEP system was greatly feared because they considered it a return of Capitalism so Stalin came up with Collectivization after he thought that the economy was fully grown enough, he exterminated and imprisoned almost all of the Kulaks class he portrayed them as enemies of the state and used their labor as slave labor, The area’s that revolted against this had to pay for it, Stalin tripled the quota’s leaving famine in the area’s Ukraine, so uthern Russia and north Caucuses the people started to starve, Stalin called this â€Å"war by starvation† it was to break the resistance against Collectivism.Collectivism was used to support the massive industrialization by feeding the extremely big workforce that would give the soviets a massive modern military establishment, the heavy industry grew by 400 % making it into an industrial big shot, To support the industrialization Stalin created the largest slave labor ever seen in mankind. Conclusion; There was an idea that drove men like Stalin to horrific deeds like these and that idea was Communism where everyone was equal and everyone served the great nation, everything that came between these men and their idea’s where exterminated like the Nepmen in 1918 and the Kulaks in 1929 because they were a threat to the great idea because they supported Capitalism but why exterminate them?They supported the economy made sure the people whir happy by selling them goods and services. It was all because the threat that the government could not control their power and that they could revolt against the system if they became to economically powerful. So the best way was to exterminate them and give away their land so they would not be a threat anymore and the people would be happy because they would all get a piece of land. Another reason why Stalin chose to get rid of NEP and start collectivism was that he could use arrested kulaks as his slave labor force to reinforce the industrialization growth of soviet union because as he said it is cheap, substitutes machine and the most severe discipline could be used.

High school Essay

* â€Å"Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. â€Å"Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy. † (â€Å"Why Is Literacy Important? † UNESCO, 2010) * â€Å"The notion of basic literacy is used for the initial learning of reading and writing which adults who have never been to school need to go through. The term functional literacy is kept for the level of reading and writing which adults are thought to need in modern complex society. Use of the term underlines the idea that although people may have basic levels of literacy, they need a different level to operate in their day-to-day lives. † (David Barton, Literacy: An Introduction to the Ecology of Written Language, 2nd ed. WileyBlackwell, 2006) * â€Å"To acquire literacy is more than to psychologically and mechanically dominate reading and writing techniques. It is to dominate those techniques in terms of consciousness; to understand what one reads and to write what one understands: it is to communicate graphically. Acquiring literacy does not involve memorizing sentences, words or syllables–lifeless objects unconnected to an existential universe–but rather an attitude of creation and re-creation, a self-transformation producing a stance of intervention in one’s context. † (Paulo Freire, Education for Critical Consciousness. Sheed & Ward, 1974) * â€Å"There is hardly an oral culture or a predominantly oral culture left in  the world today that is not somehow aware of the vast complex of powers forever inaccessible without literacy. † (Walter J. Ong, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. Methuen, 1982) * â€Å"We expect the contradictory and the impossible. . . . We expect to be inspired by mediocre appeals for ‘excellence,’ to be made literate by illiterate appeals for literacy. † (Daniel J. Boorstin, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America, 1961) * Women and Literacy â€Å"In the history of women, there is probably no matter, apart from contraception, more important than literacy. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, access to power required knowledge of the world. This could not be gained without reading and writing, skills that were granted to men long before they were to women. Deprived of them, women were condemned to stay home with the livestock, or, if they were lucky, with the servants. (Alternatively, they may have been the servants. ) Compared with men, they led mediocre lives. In thinking about wisdom, it helps to read about wisdom–about Solomon or Socrates or whomever. Likewise, goodness and happiness and love. To decide whether you have them, or want to make the sacrifices necessary to get them, it is useful to read about them. Without such introspection, women seemed stupid; therefore, they were considered unfit for education; therefore, they weren’t given an education; therefore they seemed stupid. † (Joan Acocella, â€Å"Turning the Page. † Review of The Woman Reader by Belinda Jack [Yale University Press, 2012]. The New Yorker, October 15, 2012) * From the website of California Literacy, Inc. â€Å"The literacy rate in the US has many educators in search of answers about this problem that has plagued our country for decades. Instead of decreasing, the numbers of literacy has steadily increased over the years. This raises a lot of questions about our education system, how it is ran, and why there is such a problem with illiterate people in our country. † (quoted by The New Yorker, Nov. 22, 2010) Pronunciation: LIT-er-eh-see Language * Six Common Myths About Language * Key Dates in the History of the English Language * Introduction to Etymology: Word Histories Elsewhere on the Web * The National Institute for Literacy (US) * The Literacy Project * National Literacy Trust (UK) Resources for Writers * Reference Works for Writers and Editors * Grammar and Usage Advice Sites * Sites for Correcting Common Sentence Errors Related Articles * orality – definition and examples of orality * illiteracy – definition and examples of illiteracy * aliteracy – definition and examples of aliteracy * Adult Education – What Is Adult Education * Writing Degree – Do I Need a Writing Degree Richard Nordquist Grammar & Composition Guide * Sign up for My Newsletter * Headlines * Forum Advertisement. Related Searches achieving gender equality paulo freire education curbing population growth critical consciousness paulo freire personal empowerment Explore Grammar & Composition Must Reads * What Is Grammar? * Euphemisms for Death * Commonly Confused Words * 400 Essay Topics * Introductions to 30 Figures of Speech Most Popular * What Is a Metaphor? * Writing Topics: Argument * Top 20 Figures of Speech * 400 Writing Topics * metaphor See More About: * english language By Category * Writing Tips * Business Writing * Correcting Errors * English Grammar * Punctuation & Mechanics. * Composing Sentences * Words * Composing Paragraphs * Composing Essays * Rhetoric and Style * Exercises and Quizzes * Readings and Resources * Grammar & Rhetoric Glossary Grammar & Composition 1. About. com 2. Education 3. Grammar & Composition 4. Grammar & Rhetoric Glossary 5. Icon – Lower Case 6. literacy – definition and examples of literacy * Advertise on About. com * Our Story * News & Events * SiteMap * All Topics * Reprints * Help * Write for About * Careers at About * User Agreement * Ethics Policy * Patent Info. * Privacy Policy * Your Ad Choices  ©2013 About. com. All rights reserved. The Greatest Literacy Challenges Facing Contemporary High School Teachers: Implications for Secondary Teacher Preparation Mary B. Campbell Saint Xavier University Margaret M. Kmiecik Saint Xavier University Secondary teachers face significant challenges in their efforts to increase the literacy levels of adolescents. Encouraging teachers to speak out about these challenges and to recommend initiatives that may improve literacy practices for adolescents is vital for future reform efforts. This study examines the questions: â€Å"What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? † and â€Å"What will help to diminish these challenges? † The data collection questionnaire was distributed to teachers in eight high schools throughout the greater Chicago area. A discussion of the findings suggests compelling directions for secondary teachers and teacher educators. 2 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) WHILE SEVERAL REFORMS in higher education teacher preparation have made a difference in more teachers being highly prepared and qualified (Smylie, Bay, & Tozer, 1999), preparing teachers to meet the literacy demands of secondary students still remains inadequate. Improving literacy learning in our nation’s high schools needs serious elevation as an educational priority at all levels. The 2002 NAEP (National Association for Educational Progress) Report indicates that 36 percent of students in grade 12 performed at a proficient level, indicating that only a little over one-third of our nation’s high school seniors can understand challenging material (Feller, 2003). This was a decline in performance from 1998 when the NAEP reported the percentage of seniors who performed at the proficient level as 40 percent (U. S. Department of Education, 1999). Additionally the 1998 report states that no more than 6 percent of the adolescents performed at the advanced level which demonstrates students’ ability to analyze and extend the meaning of the materials they read. The NAEP data further show more than one-third of the students did not demonstrate competence at a basic level of literacy. The International Reading Association has taken a substantial leadership role in elevating attention to middle school and secondary literacy issues by establishing the Commission on Adolescent Literacy in 1997 (Rycik & Irvin, 2001). The work of this Commission resulted in the published document, Adolescent Literacy: A Position Statement (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999), which recommends principles for teachers to consider when supporting the literacy growth of secondary students. Still much more comprehensive work needs to be done as challenges still persist and â€Å"teachers, administrators, and staff developers have asked for more examples of practices that might renew and revitalize their efforts for middle and high school students† (Rycik & Irvin, 2001, p.4). Teaching has greatly increased in range and complexity over the last decade. Teachers now find themselves in highly pressured environments (Pincas, 2002). Faced with the reality of overcrowded classrooms, high stakes testing, and standards-based environments, using instructional practices that move students to higher levels of thinking through more â€Å"authentic† forms of learning are lost. Additional factors Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 3  that compound the situation are high student mobility, absenteeism, minimal student engagement, misbehavior, missing homework, cultural and linguistic diversity, special needs, and increasing numbers of students from poverty and single parent households (Alvermann, Hinchman, Moore, Phelps, & Waff, 1998). Regardless of the number or degree of challenges, teachers still remain accountable for fostering literacy growth among all students. Efforts to improve literacy learning for secondary students must take seriously the realities and challenges persistent in today’s high schools. Reform theorists who suggest â€Å"improvement can be made through a series of workshops, enhanced technology, sanctions and the like,† (Smylie, Bay, & Tozer, 1999, p. 59) are naive at best. A new paradigm requires comprehensive and systemic change. It also requires a serious re-orientation towards broad organizational, political, and economic presuppositions on which definition and acquisition of change must be based. Moreover, it involves a commitment to putting teachers at the forefront of the reform process. Valencia and Wixson (2000) argue that it is time for the voices of teachers to be heard. Without empowered professional voices, we lose the potential for constructing serious reform. Emerging Directions If students are to achieve high literacy standards, evidence strongly suggests that what teachers know and can do is one of the more important factors influencing student achievement. (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p. 228). Research also makes it clear that â€Å"if teachers are to negotiate the demands of new standards and new students, they must have access to a deeper base of knowledge and expertise than most teacher preparation programs now provide† (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p.229). While several studies have looked at reform in teacher preparation programs, Schwartz (1996) concluded that reform changes in teacher preparation have resulted in â€Å"little more than adjusting on the margins† (p. 3). Particularly troubling, in secondary teacher preparation, is the limited attention given to the challenges existing in schools in which future teachers must help students to achieve literacy, and the problems 4 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) of schooling in a broader social context. Moreover, in many states, secondary teacher preparation programs include a requirement of a content area reading course, whereas in other states there is no equivalent requirement. This has remained literally unchanged for years, even as secondary students continue to struggle with reading and writing throughout the high school curriculum. The wide-spread standards movement has made some impact in requiring newly certified teachers to demonstrate competency on specific literacy knowledge and performance indicators. However, the depth of what is needed to teach content area literacy in secondary schools requires more than one course, and/or a few standards. Connecting Two Distinct Communities Education can no longer be seen as an exclusive function, and the traditional structures cannot remain isolated from social change. Faculties in colleges and universities and the practicing teachers in secondary schools have no choice but to adjust to new paradigms. While it is now more common to find partnerships and institutional collaborations between university faculty and secondary teachers, many of these need redefinition. In many partnerships, â€Å"practicing teachers have related there has not been a high level of reciprocity, as the universities are too dominant† (Campbell, 2002, p. 22). Each entity must put into the equation improvement strategies that are meaningful to their respective organizations; that is, they need to identify areas where they truly need help from one another. Then institutionally and programmatically, they need to find ways to work together to make those intended improvements a reality (Howey & Zimpher, 1999, p. 299). High school teachers and teacher educators alike are looking to move beyond  yet another â€Å"good idea† to realize reconceptualization and transformation for secondary literacy education. This means engaging high school teachers in the process of secondary teacher preparation, determining what factors pose the greatest challenges to literacy development and using this knowledge as a cornerstone for improving Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges literacy practices in schools. Failure to confront these challenges effectively will undoubtedly compromise the ability of teachers to serve as effective agents of change. Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the problems secondary teachers face that impede literacy learning in the classrooms and to yield information that may inform the preparation of future secondary teachers. Two broad questions emerged to guide this study: o What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? e What will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? The Study ParticipatingS chools and Teachers The schools that participated in this study included eight high schools, seven public and one private. The researchers purposely selected the schools to ensure ethnic diversity as well as urban and suburban representation. Six of the high schools represented grades 10-12 and two included grades 9-12. The school principals granted permission to graduate students enrolled in a Masters Degree Program in Reading to place the High School Literacy Survey in the school mailboxes of the teachers. A total of 450 questionnaires, including a cover letter and a stamped return envelope, were distributed to 9-12 teachers. Two hunared and two questionnaires were returned, realizing a return rate of 45 percent. There were no follow-up attempts to obtain a higher return rate. Most respondents (71 percent) had advanced degrees beyond the B. A. or B. S. : among these were 68 percent with a M. A. and 3 percent with a Ph. D. Teachers from 18 different subject area fields responded to the survey. English (18 percent), mathematics (16 percent), and science (15 percent) teachers comprised the majority of participants. The remaining teachers represented the following subjects; art (3 percent), 5. 6 ReadingHorizons, 2004, 45, (1) business (4 percent), technology (4 percent), driver’s education (1 percent), foreign language (6 percent), history (7 percent), library (1 percent), music (1 percent), physical education (3 percent), reading (1 percent), radio/television (1 percent), social studies (8 percent), special education (3 percent), theology (3 percent), and vocational education (4 percent). Teachers with more than 10 years of experience accounted for 63 percent of the sample, while 37 percent had 10 years or less. Teachers working in suburban areas surrounding the greater Chicago area comprised the majority (67 percent) of the sample population, with the remaining 33 percent coming from urban schools. Forty-four percent described their schools as predominately diverse (> 50 percent), 32 percent considerably diverse (30-50 percent minority), 17 percent somewhat diverse (10-30 percent minority) and 7 percent primarily white (less than 10 percent minority). The Questionnaire We collected the data from a survey instrument, High School. Literacy Survey, designed and constructed by us. The questionnaire requested two types of information: * objective, relating to educational degrees, content field of study, years of teaching experience, diversity of school population * subjective, relating to opinions and values in teaching and learning The subjective portion of the survey was comprised of two broad questions. The first question asked teachers to identify 5 of the 20 factors that posed the greatest challenges in helping their students to attain literacy in their subject field. Respondents wrote the numeral 1 next to the statement representing their greatest challenge, the numeral 2 next to the statement representing their next greatest challenge, and so forth through the numeral 5. (See Appendix) The twenty statements, defined as challenges, were derived from the literature on content area reading. An extensive review of the literature Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 7 resulted in identifying twenty challenges, however, these may not represent all possible factors and they may not represent factors that teachers would have included if they were to construct the questionnaire. A space was provided for teachers entitled â€Å"other† for their convenience in identifying additional factors that pose as challenges. Since no specific theory was identified to serve as a foundation for the selection of factors, they represent an eclectic representation. Additionally, the factors were not defined on the questionnaire, indicating that a singular definition cannot be assumed and that the factors may represent multiple meanings in the field. The second question invited the teachers to respond openly to the question, â€Å"What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? † Findings Percentages were used to report the data on the high school teachers’ perceptions about the factors that challenge them most in helping their students to achieve literacy in their subject area. Table 1. Percentage Responses of Factors that Represent the Greatest Literacy Challenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Assessment of student learning 2 1 1 2 2 8 Classroom environment 1 2 – 1 2 6 Classsize 4 4 6 8 5 27 Cultural and language diversity – 1 – 1 – 2 among students Curriculum – 1 2_ 1A _3 7. 8 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Helping students to construct. meaning from text Helping students interpret graphics in text Helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills Helping students to locate and organize information Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary Homework issues Integrating technology for teaching and learning Selecting materials for teaching and learning Organizing and managing the classroom for learning State/district/school standards for students Struggling readers Student motivation/interest/attitudes 3 6 6 7 7 1 1 – 3 2 16 8 12 11 12 1 5 5 4 3 8 3 6 11 12 5 8 10 6 7 1 5 2 1 3 – – 1 – 4 1 2 – 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 9 9 8 8 8. 33 17 17 8 7 1 5 5 5 3 19 29 7 59 18 40 36 12 5 8 6 42 82 Students with special needs Secondary Teacher Literacy Chiallenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Students who lack study skills 11 13 13 13 7 57 Writing skills of students 2 8 5 7 8 30 (A ranking scale, with 1 meaning â€Å"greatest challenge,† 2 â€Å"next greatest challenge,† and so forth) The top five challenges as reported in Table 1 were: * student motivation, interests, and attitudes (33 percent) o helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills (16 percent) o students who lack study skills (11 percent) o struggling readers (9 percent). o helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary (8 percent). The least perceived challenges were cultural and language diversity among students (2 percent) and selecting materials for teaching and learning (5 percent). Examining the data of the largest responding groups of content area teachers, English, mathematics, and science, yielded similar findings. All three of these groups identified the same top two challenges as did the total group. The English, mathematics, and science teachers’ third, fourth and fifth rankings were: * English > (3) homework issues > (4) students who lack study skills. > (5) writing skills of students o Mathematics > (3) students who lack study skills 9 iO Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) > (4) homework issues > (5) helping students to locate and organize information e Science: > (3) students who lack study skills > (4) helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary > (5) helping students to construct meaning from text The teachers were also asked to respond to the following openended question, â€Å"What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? † Seventyseven percent of the teachers wrote responses to this question. The resppnses were grouped by similar topics from which themes emerged. Table 2 reports the percentages of the most frequently occurring responses to the open-ended question. Table 2. Themes and Percentages of Responses for Confronting the Greatest Challenges Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Better basic skills instruction in elementary schools 64 More parent responsibility and support 58 Mandatory inclusion of critical 39 thinking questions on all assessments Study skills classes for incoming students 33 I Iimprove teacher preparation/more methods for 28 secondary teachers. Greater respect and support from society 20 Practical/useful staff development 11 Secondary TeachterLiteracy Challenges ‘ 11 Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Teacher task forces making policy decisions 9 instead of politicians and administrators Complete restructuring of the current traditional 7 education model A center at each high school for struggling readers The most common responses cited by the majority of teachers to confront the greatest challenges (Table 2) were better basic skills instruction in elementary schools (64 percent) and more parent responsibility and support (58 percent). Sample responses given by less than 50 percent of the teachers were mandatory inclusion of critical thinking questions on all assessments (39 percent), study skills classes for incoming students (33 percent), and improvement of teacher preparation with more methods for secondary teachers (28 percent). Discussion The results of this study provide insight for the continuing efforts to improve the literacy levels of secondary students. They are, however, neither exclusive nor exhaustive. They are offered with no claim for the universality or total generalizability, but they are offered as a common ground for thinking. Student Motivation andA ttitudes High school teachers identified student motivation to read, write, and do other literacy-related activities as their greatest challenge. The teachers’ written comments on questionnaires indicated that much of the class-assigned reading is often boring and not relevant to the student’s own interests and experiences. They also stated that the students who will not read are as much at a disadvantage as those who cannot. Student 12 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) motivation was ranked the greatest challenge of all for the participating teachers. The dilemma of identifying and implementing strategies to motivate adolescents is not new to literacy practice. The data from this study confirm what the research (Alexander & Filler, 1976; Au & Asam, 1996; Benware & Deci, 1984; Collins-Block, 1992; Guthrie & Alao, 1997; Schraw, Brunning, & Svoboda, 1995) has documented over time: that student motivation, interests, and attitudes are indeed authentic challenges. Teaching adolescents to become active, motivated, and selfregulated learners is a continuing issue in secondary schools. It is during the adolescent years when reading motivation and attitudes appear to worsen, especially for poor readers (McKenna, Kear, & Ellsworth, 1995). Serious attempts to advance literacy skills require interventions that address motivation and attitudes as much as interventions that assure cognitive changes in the learners (Verhoevan & Snow, 2001). This generally does not happen. Motivational constructs are usually not given significant vigilance in relation to student cognition and thinking, and at best, are given only passing and superficial attention. A further problem is that standard reading texts and uniform curricula make life somewhat easier for teachers and administrators, but they make it very difficult for students to get involved with the material at the level that is right for them, and therefore to find intrinsic rewards in learning. In the classroom, the teacher is the key element in motivating students to learn. The responsibility is great and the ramifications even greater, yet many responding high school teachers stated they were not adequately prepared in their teacher preparation programs with the knowledge, skills, and instructional strategies to ignite the spirit of their students. These teachers indicated they want more ideas, support, and freedom within the school curriculum to take the lead, and more ways to experience first-hand, in-field, motivational issues in their teacher preparation programs. Critical Thinking Skills. Teaching critical thinking skills was the second greatest challenge for teachers. Large numbers of teachers indicated they feel underSecondary Teachter Literacy Clhallenges 13 prepared in pedagogical methods to help studenis conceptualize problems and solutions. Assisting adolescents to become proficient with these skills is a prodigious challenge for secondary teachers. The capacity for abstraction, for discovering patterns and meanings, generalizing, evaluating, and theorizing is the very essence of critical thinking and exploration. For most students in the United States and throughout the world, formal education entails just the opposite kind of learning. Rather than construct meaning for themselves, meanings are imposed upon them. Frequently, students often accumulate a large number of facts along the way, yet these facts are not central to their education; they will live their adult lives in a world in which most facts learned years before (even including some historical ones) will have changed or have been reinterpreted. Whatever data they need will be available to them at the touch of a computer key. If students are to learn critical thinking skills, teachers must teach them and engage their students in genuine problem solving discussion. Generally these skills are best, and likely only taught and assessed, through extended discourse. This is difficult to do in crowded classes where it is near to impossible to carry out extended discussions. The commitment to teaching these skills in all content areas means gaining support from the public. It also means that teachers must gain the knowledge and skills to do so through teacher preparation programs and inservice education, taking into account the real-life situations and parameters in today’s classrooms. Study Skills Students who lack study skills ranked as the third greatest challenge to teachers. The importance of study skills has been documented over time in the professional literature (Flood & Lapp, 1995). What is known is that many people of all ages have difficulty reading and learning, largely because they are not using appropriate techniques or good learning habits. Often, the adolescents who are dropping out of schools are doing so because they believe they carnot learn. For the majority of these students, they lack suitable reading and study techniques, which 14 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45(1) impede their growth in learning and contribute to their negative beliefs about themselves and school. Although most secondary teachers have a thorough understanding qf their subject, many responding teachers in this study indicated they lack the knowledge of instructional/study strategies by which to help students internalize the concepts. Research shows that with an organized system of study, students can increase their comprehension of subject matter up to 50 percent (Annis, 1983). As nations seek to assist adolescents in gaining higher levels of literacy, the knowledge and skills that teachers need to teach their students effective study habits and strategies may likely become central to the curriculum in secondary teacher preparation programs and in the curriculum of secondary schools. Struggling Readers Struggling readers ranked as the fourth greatest challenge to the high school teachers. Teachers responded that these students can be found â€Å"hiding out† in content classrooms. They frequently are passive and disengaged. , Many have found coping strategies to help (them get by, but they do not significantly improve their literacy skills or their knowledge in the content areas. I Although comprehension of text material is difficult and sometimes impossible for struggling readers, there are research-based strategies that have proven to be successful when used with struggling readers. One such strategy is instructional scaffolding, an effective strategy that gives students a better chance to be successful than if left on their own (Vacca, 2002). Pedagogy, which includes instructional techniques for diverse learners, is glossed over in many teacher preparation programs for secondary teachers. However, it is as important in the preparation of high school teachers as is cognitive knowledge (Darling-Hammond, 2000). If high school teachers are to make substantial contributions to all adolescents, it will require more knowledge of relevant instructional methodologies. Darling-Hammond (2000) found that teacher subject-matter knowledge was related to student achievement only up to a certain point. Secondary Teacher Literacy Challenges 15 Marzano (2003) asserts that the importance of the relationship between pedagogical knowledge and student achievement has been consistently reported in the research literature. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Ferguson and Womack (1993), they found that the number of courses teachers took in instructional techniques accounted for four times the variance in teacher performance and student achievement than did subject-matter knowledge. Teachers stated that more information about how to assist the struggling readers in their classrooms is sorely needed in preservice teacher education programs. Additionally they need to know that the strategies and support to assist these learners are realistic for today’s classrooms. Key Concepts and Vocabulary Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary ranked as the fifth greatest challenge. Every subject area has its own vocabulary and modes of argument, and its language is the common denominator for learning subject matter knowledge. Vacca and Vacca (2002) agree: they state, â€Å"Vocabulary must be taught well enough to remove potential barriers to students’ understanding of texts as well as to promote a longterm acquisition of the language of a content area† (p. 160-161). Teachers want more knowledge about ways to teach vocabulary and concepts to adolescents, strategies that will provide adolescents with a deeper and richer entry into the content area of study, and strategies that will work in the classrooms of today. Intriguing Findings It is a noteworthy finding that the cultural and language diversity among students in the classrooms was not identified among the greatest challenges. The majority of teachers in this study were from diverse schools, and yet only two percent ranked this to be a challenge. Equally notable was the fact that state, district, and school standards, writing skills, and integrating technology were not identified among the greatest challenges. 16 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1). Of all the findings, the most revealing was that provided by the driver’s education teachers: whereas every other content-area group of teachers, albeit art, music, business, foreign language, etc. , ranked student motivation as the greatest challenge, they did not. This is not surprising as it supports the findings of this study as well as long standing research in the field, as cited in Marzano, 2003. The hypothesis being that when motivated, students strive to learn.

HR Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HR Strategy - Essay Example In this paper, I will be analysing the internal and external fits approach to HR strategy. Strategic human resources management (SHRM) takes a strategic approach to organisational human resource management. SHRM concerns itself with the design and implementation of internal policy practices that consistently enhance the human capital’s ability to contribute to the bigger organisational goals (Wei, 2006). The strategic aims of HR revolve around cost containment and management of business risks. To achieve this, the HR function attempts to recruit highly talented, able and willing employees and managing these human resources optimally. The most critical asset for any organisation is therefore its human capital; productivity and profitability greatly depend on the motivation and desire people to perform as well as the support they get from managements. Strategically, HR strives to attain and manage two kinds of fits i.e. internal and external fit. On the perspective of external fit, the HR function’s systems, structures and management practices should be consistent with the particular firm’s stage in development. Organisational needs change with growth; having an understanding of just how the organisation is changing with growth makes it easier to understand the necessary human resource adjustments. From the approach of internal fit, the structure, systems and HRM practices need to be synergistic i.e. the HR function must put in place structures and systems that support and complement one another while contributing to organisational objectives. The HR function must therefore ensure its strategy enables the organisation to perform, attain competitive edge and ultimately make profits (Lloyd and Ilan, 1998). According to Pfeffer (1998) effective people management can tremendously enhance organisational performance both financially, socially and economically. He describes seven organisational characteristics consistent in most if not all firms