Classroom Instruction And Lesson Planning Process - 993 Words

Appropriate texts, knowledge transformation, and learner development are all connected under the umbrella of Content Area Literacy. According to Hodges (2015), comprehension is the ultimate goal of content area literacy and all of this attributes play part in reaching that goal. All are important concepts to apply to our classroom instruction and lesson planning process. It is not just about reading the text well, but actually understand what is being said by the writer. This can be understood in many of these concepts. I enjoyed reading about content area literacy because I never realized that content area teachers are also teachers of reading. This was very interesting because when we think of a science teacher we expect them to be good at science and understand only that subject area. Though at the same time they are trying to teach the student to understand the text being read. Many content area teachers do not know how to help their students become better readers of expository text. According to Wendt (2013), â€Å"Although much research exists on the topic of literacy, the wide scope of the field may confuse or intimidate teachers who serve areas that are not directly related to reading and language.† As a future teacher, I want to facilitate the importance of understanding what is read from the text whether I teach science, history, etc. I want to teach first or second grade, so this concept is still important because I need to teach students to transform their knowledgeShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Michael Ondaatje s Running Of The Family Essay927 Words   |  4 Pagesbe physically in a classroom, instead could be found wandering about aimlessly. I could never understand why they were all heralded as paragons in their field. They were never there. We once spent 3 days discussing the purpose of trees in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. From a student perspective there seemed to be very little organized planning, and most of it was student directed. Through, from a pre-service teacher perspective, I understand the absence of planning was probably due toRead MoreThe Platform Of Differentiated Instruction808 Words   |  4 PagesPlatform to Differentiated Instruction It is an instructor’s job to ensure students’ progress in their knowledge and abilities of the cirriculum by focusing on standards they must master throughout the school year. It is well known in the education world that successful teachers take time to know their students and develop well thought out lesson plans that consider their students individual needs as the focal point of design. Instructional scheme in a differentiated classroom is achieved through fourRead MoreEssay on Resources for Differentiated Instruction639 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction As described by Hall, Strangman, Meyer (2011), differentiated instruction [DI] allows teachers to build flexibility into their approach and understanding in adapting curriculum to the needs of the student, instead of requiring students to apply modifications they may be ill-equipped to complete (p. 2). In the alternative classroom, with a majority of students ELLs, teachers can adapt DI to set lesson and curriculum goals through a range of instructional and management strategies toRead More Classroom Dynamics Must Include Good Communication760 Words   |  3 PagesClassroom dynamics involves how a teacher and students interact in a classroom setting. Good classroom dynamics can help to create a positive and comfortable environment where students are learning and communicating with the teacher and other students. Every classroom is filled with diverse learners. The learning process for diverse students can be very different. Diversity can come in many forms: personality, race, ethn ic background, gender, religion, class, and many more forms. As a teacher, itRead MoreMy Ambition Of Wanting To Become A Teacher Originates From1682 Words   |  7 Pagesin their classroom, they were supporting and encouraging of my efforts to learn a new language and culture, and they accepted me as who I was. As I started to ponder my own future career, I thought to myself that this is something I want to be for someone else that needs it; be the consistent figure of comfort and kindness that a one can count on and learn from. I had my first practicum experience in May 2016, at St. Thomas Mores Catholic School in Kingston. I was in a grade 1 classroom for 3 weeksRead MoreFostering Communication and Literacy Development1095 Words   |  4 Pagesfeatures one 2nd grade student out of a class of 14 students ranging in grade level from kindergarten to 3rd grade; 4 girls and 10 boys. My class in a self-contained classroom teaching students functional academic as well as social/emotional skills. I have 2 teacher assistants that under my guidance assist me with the daily activities and lessons throughout the school day. This class consists of a diverse population of students; I have 4 Native American students, 1 African American student, 4 Hispanic studentsRead MoreThe Curriculum : Differentiated Curriculum Essay1554 Words   |  7 PagesDifferentiated Curriculum Classrooms today look very different than they did twenty years ago. Gone are the days of students sitting at their desks, copying notes as the teacher writes on the chalkboard. Children are entering kindergarten at varying levels of abilities and the gap between student aptitudes grows as children get older. Students with learning disabilities are mainstreamed into classrooms and, with the growing number of immigrant families, teachers are faced with students who doRead MoreInstruction Methods For Teaching Decisions864 Words   |  4 PagesI honestly thought that this lesson was going to be taught to teach to the class. I spent countless hours reading the information in the curriculum handbook and even collaborating with other teachers just to understand the material properly. I was thoroughly surprised at how well the lesson was received and it greatly boosted my self confidence in my planning and teaching decisions. This lesson was all about symmetry and dividing â€Å"crazy cakes† evenly between two people by looking for smaller shapesRead MoreCreating Engaging Literacy Lesson Plan1390 Words   |  6 PagesCreating engaging literacy lesson plans takes a combination of effective instruction and material interesting to students. Knowing your students is essential in the planning and implementing of any lesson to ensure it reaches all students .Reading Comprehension: What Every Teacher Needs to Know, states† Influential teachers are highly valued participants in the reading process. They know the importance of every student comprehending successfully.†(McLaughlin,2012 p. 433). Ensuring all students haveRead MoreLearning Theories Of Learning And Teaching Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesEducators are regularly introduced to new teaching strategies, curricula and rigorous standards in an effort to provide effective instruction to students. However, the pursuit of proficiency in mathematics and reading through the use of research-based methods requires an understanding of the learning models and theories that both drive instruction and learning in the classroom. In this paper I will address the evolution of ideas about learning and teaching in education as well as address the shifts in

Developmental assets Free Essays

Developmental assets can be defined in terms of opportunities, associations and personal traits that young people require so as to avoid risks and to be successful (Search Institute, 2010). Research has indicated that the number of assets that young people possess match up with the probability of their engagement in risky behaviors. The more the assets one has, the slimmer the probability of engaging in risky behavior and vice versa. We will write a custom essay sample on Developmental assets or any similar topic only for you Order Now Levels of assets are therefore useful in predicting ones engagement in risky behaviors and success. Adolescents frequently display socially undesirable behaviors. This is a stage for developing independence; most young people find themselves in trouble when they take advantage of the freedom given. In most cases individuals exercise their freedom wrongly by disregarding their parents or guardian’s rule, this leads in misconduct more often. Physical confrontations are also common among peers. Compared to other stages of development, this stage may require an individual to possess many assets so as to display socially acceptable behaviors. A risk factor increases the chances of getting into trouble. Peer influence can serve as a serious risk factor for adolescents (Scales, Peter Leffert, 1999). In most instances, this group of individuals find themselves in trouble due to peer pressure. In an attempt to fit in a particular group these individuals are forced to behave in a certain way, frequently they are forced to conform to socially unacceptable habits that are not approved by the society. Negative peer influence becomes hard to control at some point because the adolescents believe that they are old enough to make decisions on what path to take for their life. At this stage, positive peer influence is greatly encouraged. Young people need good friends at this stage failure to which may have very serious consequences. Lack of parental involvement in the progress of the students’ academic and social life poses a problem (Learner Benson, 2002). The parents in this case lack clear guidelines on what their children need, the parents may be too busy to have time for discussing academic and social issues. Parents are expected to be active participants in helping their children to succeed in school instead of leaving that responsibility to the teachers entirely. Parents need to be enthusiastically participating in observing their children’s progress so that they can correct them if they go wrong. High expectations on young people on tasks that are beyond their intellectual or proficiency levels can have negative implications. Inability to perform these tasks will make the young people to feel inadequate. Teachers or parents sometimes assign difficult roles that are beyond the student’s ability in an attempt to prompt their thinking and mode of performing tasks. Adolescents should be assigned roles that are challenging but not too challenging for them to handle. Peer influence can be strengthened by putting emphasis on the issue of physical boundaries and social expectations (Search Institute, 2010). These are external assets that can serve as good starting points towards changing the behavioral patterns on the adolescents. Family boundaries entail the rules and regulations that monitor the young persons’ movements. These assets also call for positive peer influence among the peers; this will encourage peers to display positive behaviors that can be imitated by others. Adult role models can be an effective tool towards fighting adolescent misconduct, one they display desirable behaviors adolescents can learn from them hence becoming better people in society. Support is an important aspect in adolescents’ lives. Majority of adolescents continue misbehaving because once they start misbehaving they are regarded as rebellious. No guidance is offered for them to change their habits. Family, peer and society support is important during this period. Schools that these students attend should have a favorable environment for learning. Caring neighborhoods, good learning environment, are among the aspects that support the normal development of the adolescents. These aspects should therefore be supportive of such growth (Search Institute, 2010). Young people’s commitment to learning should be motivated by reinforcing their efforts. This will enhance their ability to perform difficult tasks since they are motivated. They should be allowed to participate in several activities instead of restricting their school activities to books only. Healthy bonding with the teachers will ensure that the students develop love for school and eagerness to learn. Conducive learning environments generally motivate students to perform well in academic matters as well as co-curriculum activities. The school management should allow students to interact through youth programs. This could be through sports, clubs or organizations; this could be at school or outside school. Religious meetings are also important since they shape the adolescents spiritually. In such meetings youths come together to share experiences and encourage each other (Scales, Peter Leffert, 1999). Such organizations also ensure that the adolescents become aware that development is a natural process. The learning environment should be conducive by allowing students to participate in creative activities. This allows them to develop their talents. The students can therefore learn as they improve on their skills to perform various tasks. The learning process is balanced in this case since it also lays emphasis on the skills of the students. Adolescents should be allowed to have a sense of positive identity; this is an aspect that supports their growth. They should be made to feel that they are in charge hence they can perform tasks assigned to them. This will boost their self esteem. They further develop a sense of belonging so that they can feel wanted and appreciated. Peer pressure is a common negative feature that is common among adolescents. It may bear positive or negative implication to the adolescents, negative implications are more common. It is not easy to deal with peer pressure; however, effective guiding and counseling can be an effective tool to combat this problem (Learner Benson, 2002). The mode of combating it should never restrict the adolescent child from interacting with the peers; instead interaction should be encouraged since it is a healthy part of growth. Peer pressure is the major cause of adolescent misconduct hence the issue needs to be addressed seriously. Support offered to students is important; however this support should not exceed a given limit. Students should be supported and at the same time left to perform tasks that are manageable. Parents, guardians and teachers can be a source of adolescent misconduct by pampering them; adolescents can misuse independence as stated earlier. There needs to be a standard level of offering help to these individuals, this makes them responsible and develop keenness in conducting the roles assigned (Search Institute, 2010). For the learning process to run smoothly; the learning environment should be conducive. Teachers, peers and the location of the school determine the air surrounding the learning environment. Individual students can make the learning process interesting by actively participating in the learning process (Lerner Benson, 2002). The teacher can also make the learning environment conducive by using appropriate methods in teaching. Peer interaction in the learning environment also plays a role in enhancing the learning process. Adolescents frequently display undesirable habits. Developmental assets are an important part of their development since they bear positive impacts in their day-to-day activities. Positive peer pressure, parental support and a favorable learning environment are among the assets that support adolescents’ healthy growth. REFERENCES Search institute. (2010). Developmental Assets Tools. Search Institute. Minneapolis. Retrieved on 16th July, 2010 from http://www.search-institute.org/assets Scales, P. Scales, P. C. Leffert, N. Lerner R. M. (1999). Developmental assets: a synthesis of the scientific research on adolescent development. Washington. Search Institute. Lerner R. M. Benson P. L. (2002). Developmental assets and asset-building communities: implications for research, policy, and practice. NY. Springer. How to cite Developmental assets, Papers Developmental Assets Free Essays string(98) " the support of inside and outside of the school gives a greater chance of a child being at risk\." EDU360 Developmental Assets July 2010 Education is one of the most important aspects of any child’s life. One day I hope to be a positive and successful teacher, where children need and want to have me be a part of their learning and successes throughout their lives. Educational philosophy has changed over the decades, and still today, not everyone is in total and complete agreement on the subject. We will write a custom essay sample on Developmental Assets or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nevertheless, one thing is certain: philosophy is the groundwork of learning styles. All children learn differently and no one philosophy is completely correct. Children are not a one size fit all it comes in a verity of style and beliefs. If we start to guile them by being a good role model, you will be giving the needed equity’s to the young people, by giving the need path to go down for success life. There are four basic educational philosophies that exist including idealism, realism, pragmatism, and existentialism. These four philosophies are not the same, but they do attempt to aim for a similar if not the same goal. To put it simply, they are trying to better our educational system. Every teacher has a different style of teaching that can be reflected as their own. For every teacher that is in one way or another stand by the four basic philosophies. The more assets they have, the more they thrive and the less likely they are to take part in risky behavior. Physical characteristics of these children play a huge part it is formed from good relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities these young children will find essential to avoid risks and to thrive in their lives. Teachers most keep in mind that development and improvement of assets is an ongoing process. Not all children possess the same asset but all can grow and develop over time. We need to pass as many assets as we can to the children we encounter one time or daily. Teaching our children to make smart decisions, be responsible students and caring citizens is a goal for all educators. By teaching young children at a young age of kindergarten through third grade to me is the foundation once they are out of the home. Learning new things, through new soundings by teaching boundaries and what the expectations are to give a type of empowerment. With the start of strong relationships between adults and young children, peers are central to asset building. Everyone can build assets needed to success. All children, youth and even adults can and are building the required assets through community and family, by playing their own roles. It is done through positive support in a constructive, active home and school. By giving the core to their self-confidence, this will stay with them as they grow. It important to install empowerment to all children, this can be done by positive reinforcement. Complement day is a fun rewarding why to teach this. Developmental Assets are important for any child to learn to possess them betterThese are important characteristics for all children regardless of background, gender, economic status, ace or family situation (Webb, 2010 p. 227). To have these as early as possible help the children avoid risks and stay away from participating in risky behavior. It helps them learn how to make good choices and caring responsible adults (Schultz, 2006). It really is the foundation to represent to relationships opportunities, and personal qualities that all young people need not be a risk. There is a list of the 40 developmental assents web page is http://www. earch-institute. org/assets for all ages. Developmental assets are broken up into 20 External Assets and 20 Internal Assets. Each one dives into four categories. External Assets: Support, empowerment, boundaries, constructive use of one’s time and expectations these are needed to help give a rounded life. Teachers have the responsibility for these young so they end up with the creating internal assets too. There needs to be an allied commitment to nurture their core qualities, which will guide them to their choices, which will help generate a well-balanced self, capable of resolving issues, and focusing on opportunities. These four categories of internal assets are: a pledge to learn social skills, positive morals, and social skills and give them a positive identity about themselves. For teacher, developmental assets are is the foundation to a wide-range of children and adolescent growth, the ability to spring back for setbacks, and one social and mental health. The more assets young people have the better. Children with more assets at a young age will most likely grow up to be considerate of other, able to accomplish more and become responsible adults. These individuals contribute to their society with a meaningful purpose for their lives. So just by taking the time to know who they are gives a strong foundation the can build on. It’s important to help the children find their loyalty to learning with positive values. This can be done through social planning and decision making, which will give them a positive self-esteem. What it comes down to is that Developmental Assets are the ground work for basic life skills and traits that are a very important start for children to have successful growth and development. It is like giving them the tools to ensure that they have skills to deal with if experiences they will encounter on to make a successful adult. Capable of making good choices for themselves and being that positive influence needed for the others around them. The song the comes to mind is by Michael Jackson called I believe that children are our furthers, it is a example of what is need so badly in our community. The three risk factors I have chosen are low parental support, mentally ill parents, and participating in public assistance programs. Parental support/involvement in education and home is a vital fundamental start to a successful life. Without the support of inside and outside of the school gives a greater chance of a child being at risk. You read "Developmental Assets" in category "Essay examples" Just by attending parent-teacher conferences, showing interest, and setting expectations makes more of a difference to a child than one realizes. To me, school is important at any age, but a child with low parental support may never see the importance of it through the parent and needs to get support. Another way for a child to be at risk is having a mentally ill parent. Mental illness can have social problems causing many issues within families, school and work. It is not easy for a child to cope with a mentally ill parent. It can cause the role to be reversed the child take care of the parent, leaving no support in the schools and lack of a role model. The child can be neglected or put in to danger. There are children from broken homes that are at risk too. These children are at higher risk in education. There are a wide range of behaviors that come up with a broken home. It has a huge influence on academic performance, psychological and emotional suffering, social misbehavior and teen pregnancy to name just a few. There is a study that says â€Å"children that come from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorders than children form intact homes† (Schultz, 2006). Children model the behavior that they see the ones they look up to. If it is lacking the home it is the teacher’s role job to give them positive engagement that will develop the wonted assets. â€Å"Developmental Assets model is a philosophical approach to developing youth rather than criticizing them so they can avoid negative behavior and excel at positive behavior†(Codie, 2010 ). To be a mentor to students at the level they are in need of. Our children in school today have a growing need for stronger home to school connection than ever as the deal with a variety of situations, having anything from a mentally ill parent, to children that are dependent on different programs due to providers not having the finances, right down to having very little parental support. Our children are dealing with increasing choices and need a strong support system to depend on outside of school. Being a family with good communication skills gives children empowerment of safety and good resources that can be used in school and the community. As a school, there are lots of different ways to help children feel like they are fully capable of achieving their true potential. There are a variety of controversial situations children face each and every day inside and outside of schools. In school, there are small groups that play games that address situation they may face on a daily basis from bullying, dealing with anger and how to deal with it appropriate to the situation on the card. Some schools have exemplary programs for dealing with anger, showing them faces on a chart and how they are feeling and what the next step is to stop the anger. It is on the child desk or note book and every classroom wall. This is allowing the child in control of their behavior and letting them learn they can achieve this goal. The biggest thing is to get the parents involved in the handling of what is best for their child. Teachers can make a great impact on our world through the relationships with students. Teachers should help each student meet their fullest potential by providing an atmosphere that is safe, able to support risk-taking and encourages a circulation of ideas. To see the connection to learning through the eyes of the child taught by am inspire is the highest level of sat faction. In education it is a process and sadly some are overlooked. As a teacher, the students would be main concern, guiding me in my philosophy of teaching. It takes experiences and we all have much to learn but to strive to do to teach each and every child as I enter into the workforce. I think the environment should always contribute to an environment that is allowing the teacher to be the guide, it should also be a place that let the child natural interest are free to learn form and the finally one is to show respect for all. Helping students to find the inner nd support in their path success, on most be a mentor and teacher that helps all in need, and by doing this the world is going to be a better place. Class rooms should be about the students and what they can bring to their success. The surrounding that the students are in each day makes a different. When using pictures and things to relate to their class in a contributing to their educational needs. Visual aids are a way to let th e child bring success as a whole but for them self too. Showing the children of the future that they have the ability to learn with the tools available is the role of a teacher. A thriving classroom/school is to teach children how to communicate their own beliefs and nurture their own ideas. Children learn from teaches commination and it leads to trust and positive relations. A simple way to teach this by having a time set aside each week for the children to draw a name and to give a complement to the other students. It builds respect as well confidence for the speaker and receiver. In conclusion, it the student that come first and that is the foundation on which all teaching decisions should be booked. To keep an open mind is to be flexible, each and every one learns a little differently. We as teacher have to learn and change as to what the children’s needs are. We all have the potential to bring something unique and special to the table but when the door is open at a young age more doors will open. Through the use of assets using communication and treating them like we all want to be treated things work out for the best. All it takes is the time to find the common ground between you and any child. One life touch is one step closer to success. It’s like planting seeds for the future and instilling healthy balance in their life. References: Codie McLachlan. (2010, April 30). 0 Assets videos target adults as well as youths. Saint City News, 17. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Canadian Newsstand Complete. (Document ID: 2045205771). Gudrun Schultz (2006, January 16). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Schultz Gudrun (January 16, 2006). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Webb, L. D. , Metha, A. Jordan K. F. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed. ). How to cite Developmental Assets, Essay examples

Is the Media Biased free essay sample

Humans crave information, which is why the media is heavily relied upon. Without the media, news would travel at a much slower rate, leaving the population clueless as to what is going on in the world around them. The problem with media today is that it tends to be biased, meaning certain media networks have a particular tendency or inclination towards someone or something. Certain networks are considered more biased than others, leaving the population to decide what they would prefer to watch. Often times, the media is accused of being the most unfair while reporting news associated with politics, especially during presidential elections. People often wonder why bias within the media exists and why it is so hard to avoid. Different news outlets or media networks seek different information. For example, a famous athlete may be accused for failing a drug test. A news reporter may want to find out the facts, and a sports reporter might be trying to find out how the team will be impacted. We will write a custom essay sample on Is the Media Biased? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Each reporter is doing their job, but because they are telling the story to different audiences, they try to make their reports appeal to those audiences.() Another main reason why bias tends to exist in the media is due to editorials. These are opinionated sections of the newspaper that allows for biased opinions. Newspapers allow the general public to submit their opinions to be published. The book The News Never Stops states, They state the newspapers official opinion on important issues, such as who they think should win an upcoming election. Although most news networks are accused of being biased, not every station has a bad reputation. There are some networks that work hard to keep their news fair. PBS is one example of a news station that tries to report fairly and accurately since it is a public broadcasting station. They try to keep their viewers watching each and every day which is why they want to be as fair as possible. Another example of a un-biased news network is CNN. They tend to receive higher ratings because more people tend to tune in and watch it for unbiased news. Debate.com describes C-Span as being nothing more than an un-edited window into government proceedings. They then go on to say, Theres really no room for bias. More often than not, there are more biased media networks than un-biased networks. Fox News is a prime example of a biased news station. This network is accused of being biased towards conservative causes and politicians. (..) The Democratic National Committee chairman called Fox a right wing propaganda machine.(..) Being that Mitt Romney is a conservative republican, people accused Fox of showing more support for him throughout the election. On the other hand, MSNBC is a station that is accused of being biased towards the liberals and the democrats. Unlike Fox, the public believed that MSNBC favored President Obama during the election. A new Pew study finds that MSNBC is far more biased than Fox News(..) Many people argue that one is far more biased than the other, depending on their own personal opinions, but in reality they both tend to be equally biased. Another reason bias is seen on certain media stations is because the reporters working for these stations are using Twitter to express their own opinions. Twitter is a great way to send out information, but it is risky to do so because it can create a very biased atmosphere. The public associates certain reporters with certain stations, and when that reporter makes a biased remark on a social media site, citizens may accuse the news station as being biased as well. () There are many examples of biased news reports during the 2012 Presidential Election. There are a number of reports against President Obama . According to breibart.com, a campaign ad falsely accused Obama of eliminating the work requirement for welfare. Also, certain networks make people believe that Obama is a socialist and that his supporters favor socialism as well. There are also many reports that tend to be favor the president. A USA today headline stated, Economists See Less Pain in 2013 and the article that followed went on to talk about that happening if the president was to be re-elected. A poll conducted by CBS included more democrats than republicans leading to skewed results. This tactic was used to boost the Obama campaign () Senator Mitt Romney also faced biased reports during this election. There were just as many reports against him as there was against Obama. Several outlets showed a selectively edited video clip of Mitt Romney. Breitbart.com states, Romney’s 47% answer was cut off before completed, and is not picked up on the Part 2 audio video. Many networks accuse Mitt Romney of being in favor of the wealthy and the rich in America. Therefore, Americas middle class tends to be in favor of Obama due to the fact that the media makes them believe that Mitt Romney doesnt favor them. There are also reports that favor Mitt Romney. Fox News decided to broadcast one of Mitt Romneys speeches, but didnt broadcast Obamas speech that had taken place later that day. (..) Even after Romney had lost the election, continued to favor Romney. They blamed his loss to the biased fact-checkers. Fox News attacked the fact-checkers for debunking many of Romneys falsehoods. () Political news has brought about media bias since the time John Adams and Thomas Jefferson ran for president in 1796. It is almost impossible to avoid this situation since everyone has their own opinions. President Obama and Senator Mitt Romney faced the same type of bias that had existed within every single election in America. Both candidates had to deal with bias that was either for or against them, and were lucky if they faced none at all. Everyone news network in America had stories about the election during the campaign. After each presidential debate, the news channels covered the event the very next morning. Bias occurred when reporters decided who they thought won the debates. Not having to deal with bias would be ideal during an election, but it is too impossible to avoid. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions according the Constitution, which allows for freedom of the press. As can be seen, it is evident that the media is very biased. There may be some networks that can be very fair, but the majority of all media networks are unfair when they report news such as Fox News and MSNBC. Even when the reporters working for those stations are not on the air, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are outlets in which reporters can express their true feeling about someone or something. This makes it very easy for the general public to accuse certain reporters and networks as being unfair and biased. One can see a great deal of bias in the media when it comes to reporting political news. President Obama and Senator Mitt Romney faced a great deal of media bias, for or against them. Both candidates had networks reporting things that could either benefit or hurt them. Either way, it is clear that our society produces news that is often unfair and biased.

Slave Plantations Essay Research Paper A Plantation free essay sample

Slave Plantations Essay, Research Paper ? A Plantation was a World in Itself? It? s the dead of summer and perspiration trickles down the face of an Africa slave. His brickle castanetss are about to weak for him to walk another line of the cotton Fieldss, when he falls face foremost into the soil, and he screams for his life while he? s thrashed repeatedly by a whip. That is the image that appears in my head when I hear of slave plantations. The image of a plantation is a universe full of harvests, animate beings, slave huts, slaves, and the? Big House? . All of these elements of a plantation make a plantation a universe in itself. Where in a plantation full of slaves are all of the slaves suppose to be housed? Slaves were kept in an agreement of houses called slave row. On slave row, the houses were built for slaves and animate beings. We will write a custom essay sample on Slave Plantations Essay Research Paper A Plantation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There were no existent floors, and most of the clip there were no Windowss. The houses weren? T put together that great so when a storm hit it was a bad dark of slumber for all. They fit about 10-12 slaves per hut, and the kids slept on the soil. They had a individual cover, and a pillow made out of wood. Slaves were up really early to get down their work on the harvest Fieldss. The major harvests were maize and cotton. The slaves used mules to assist the plough the Fieldss to acquire their quota of 200lbs a twenty-four hours. Besides from mules you could happen Equus caballuss, ox nut, biddies? , poulets, and hogs. Slaves worked till the late dark before they went back to break ones back row for there short dark slumber. Slave proprietors live what was known as? The Big House? . The slave proprietors lived in a house that was considered to be a sign of the zodiac compared to break ones back row, but this was non ever true. Some Slave proprietors had little house because they didn? Ts have a whole batch of money, but still there conditions were still enormously healthier than what the slaves had to populate with. The slave proprietors were cruel to their slaves, when feeding clip came about the slaves were fed really little rations of nutrient. Since the plantation was so large and there were so many slaves, the slave proprietor hired work forces called over see? Ers to detect the slaves as they went through day-to-day modus operandis. The Elementss that make up a plantation, harvests, slaves, animate beings, slave row, and the ill-famed slave proprietor, are really common to a plantation in the South. As you can evidently see that the slaves got the short terminal of the stick when it came to lodging, sleeping, feeding, and work when it came to running a plantation. Slave proprietors had over see? Ers fundamentally run the plantation by looking over the slaves. In a slaves oculus the slave proprietor lays epicurean it the? Big House? as they find every last energy to fight to maintain the plantation up to outlooks, even when there life is endanger mundane.

A Time of Change essays

A Time of Change essays The enlightenment was a great time of change in both Europe and America. Some of the biggest changes, however, happened in the minds of many and in the writings of many philosophers. These included some of the beliefs of David Hume, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and Francois Voltaire. Writers during this time focused on optimism, which is the opinion to do everything for the best (Chaney 119), and the best for these philosophers was to stretch the minds of the ordinary. David Hume was Scottish and was born on April 26, 1711 and died in 1776. He states that he was not born into a rich family and was born into the Calvinist Presbyterian Church. However, after being influenced by the works of Isaac Newton and John Locke he began to draw back from the Church. He writes in Enquiry, "The idea of God, as meaning an infinitely intelligent, wise and good Being, arises from reflecting on the operations of our own mind, and augmenting, without limit, those qualities of goodness and wisdom." (Pomerleau 214) The questions he brought up against religion were that concrete experiences must lead us and that we must think about the quality of the stories that were handed down to us. He wanted everyone to only believe the actions that one experienced, there has to be proof. He also believed that there were four basic problems to the stories that we hear. First of all, the facts to the stories are never the same to everyone. Second, we stretch the truth to make everything interesting. Third, people who do not understand these stories tend to make things up. Finally, not all of the religions agree. Therefore, the stories conflicted each other leaving a person to not know what to believe. He believes that "Our most holy religion is founded on Faith, not on reason; and it is a sure method of exposing it to put it to such a trial as it is, by no means, fitted to Hume also believed...

How To Make Homemade Silly String

How To Make Homemade Silly String Silly string or ribbon spray is a polymer foam that shoots out of a can as colored string. The stuff you buy in a can is an acrylate polymer with a surfactant, although most of the can is filled with a propellant to jet the foam out of the container. Since pressurizing a can isnt something most of us can do, homemade silly string uses a simple, forceful chemical reaction to push strings of foam out of a bottle. The reaction is based on the elephant toothpaste chemistry demonstration. Silly String Materials You can get yeast and food coloring at any grocery store. Probably the best place to get the peroxide and the bottle is a beauty supply store. You need at least 30 volume peroxide, which is ten times more concentrated than typical household peroxide solution. jar of active dry yeast30-40 volume hydrogen peroxideplastic bottle with a screw on pointed tipfood coloring Make Silly String Fill the bottle with pointed tip most of the way full with the peroxide solution.Add food coloring, unless you want white string.When you are ready to make the silly string, add a spoonful of yeast to the bottle and quickly cap it. When the yeast and peroxide react, the resulting foam builds up pressure quickly, so if you dont cap the bottle right away, it will be hard to do it later.Shake the bottle to activate the foam. Point the bottle away from people, pets, furniture, etc. The peroxide is a strong bleaching agent, so its best to do this project outdoors. Safety Information Hydrogen peroxide is extremely reactive and can burn your eyes and skin, as well as bleach your clothes and hair. Wear safety goggles and gloves when preparing and using homemade silly string. Dont play with the foam or drink it and be sure to wash down the area after your project with lots of water. Glowing Silly String If you substitute fluorescent dye for food coloring, you can make the silly string that will glow brightly under a black light. Alternatively, you can use glow powder, which will glow on its own, although not as brightly because the pigment worked best when it is exposed to bright light beforehand. Fun Fact: Military personnel spray silly string to detect trip wires that could trigger explosives or traps. How Real Silly String Works If you have a way to pressurize a can, you can make your own real silly string. Over the years, the composition of the product has changed to improve its performance and eliminate the CFC originally used to propel the polymer. The original polymer for silly string was polyisobutyl methacrylate, extruded by forcing it through a nozzle with dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon-12). Since the original patent, manufacturers have replaced Freon-12, an ozone-depleted compound, with a more environmentally-friendly chemical.  The surfactant sorbitan trioleate kept the string from being too sticky. So, to make your own real silly string, you need an acrylate that will polymerize  in air, a propellant, and a surfactant. Go for it!

Unisys Corporation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Unisys Corporation - Term Paper Example Due to the fact that the company faced financing problems including a large debt, the procedure of this transformation proved to be not an easy task to accomplish. Today Unisys is a worldwide information technology services and solutions company. The company has presence in numerous areas of the world. On top of the company hierarchy are the Chairman and CEO, as well as the following leading positions: -Senior vice president, Worldwide Human Resources -Senior vice president / President, TCIS / President, WW Strategic Services -Senior vice president / President, Federal Systems (US government) -Senior vice president / President, Global Outsourcing & Infrastructure Services -Senior vice president & Chief Financial Officer - Senior vice president & Chief Information Officer - Senior vice president, Corporate Development - Senior vice president, General Counsel & Secretary -Vice Precident & Treasurer - Vice Precident & Corporate Controller At the subordinate levels there exists a number of Regional heads, that are responsible for specific areas of the world, and below them the country general managers. However the whole organizational structure not strictly vertical. There exist a number of company operations that are decentralized and others that are centralized. Competitors The main competitors of Unisys include the traditional large-scale computer manufacturers such as IBM, group BULL, Fujitsou and HP have been the main â€Å"traditional† competitors of Unisys in its Core business, the mainframes market. In addition during the resent years, those companies, as well as numerous new ones -e.g. consulting integrators such as Accenture - compete Unisys in the new market of Systems integrators and Integrated Solutions Providers. Problems of the Unisys Corporation Although... This essay stresses that most of the leading players realized that in order to maintain their leading position they had to become more client focused, i.e. more focused to the client needs than to just selling computer boxes. In that way they quite successfully transformed their products from just â€Å"computers† to solutions. Their marketing strategy changed in order to be service oriented rather than product oriented. Customers should now have to choose integrated IT solutions, not just IT systems. This is what made the difference. Unfortunately Unisys did not do that well in that field. Although the company did make efforts to become a systems/solutions integrator, by developing consulting services in parallel to selling products, it was not made possible to catch up with competition. As a consequence, the company profitability has fallen dramatically during the recent years. Financial results of the recent years have been relatively weak for a firm of such size. This article makes a conclusion that a new strategy and organizational change are required in order to reposition the Unisys brand name in order to create competitive advantage against its competitors, based on the improvement of the following main elements. Within the last decades Unisys has experienced certain problems due to its lack of solid strategy, increasing competition and market saturation. The company requires revising of its strategy and organizational structure in order to ensure its competitive advantage and leading position in its field in the years to come.

Choice of Brand Strategy for Metroville Cars Essay

Choice of Brand Strategy for Metroville Cars - Essay Example Lately, we have seen that brand strategy and brand identity is playing a very important role in marketing and selling products. You would be amazed to know that even in a recession, branded goods are doing more sales than generic or unbranded goods. History records that it was K-Mart who was the first retailer than asked Jaclyn Smith of Charlie’s Angels fame to endorse a brand (Anonymous, 2007). From then on, brand marketing has exploded and today there are celebrities like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Tiger Woods, David Beckham and others who have not only endorsed brands but also created some of their own. A variety of celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, the Kardashian sisters and Kanye West are also going into the retail clothing business and adding their own names and logos to these products. The reason is simply that people want to identify with these celebrities and buying their brands makes the consumer feel closer to these personalities- it’s a psychologi cal and emotional bonding of sorts. Branding thus is the best strategy to follow and I propose that we brand the Metroville by using a deer as a logo. This deer will form part of the car insignia and sit atop the vehicle in the same fashion as an angel atop a Rolls Royce. The deer are known to be sleek and fast and to be able to outrun and outmaneuver its prey by its quickness and agility and that is exactly what we are trying to convey with the Metroville. In fact, the deer often wins by tiring out its pursuers and zigzagging instead of running in a straight line. The ability of the Metroville that is small and lightweight but with a durable engineering and ergonomic design would appeal to the mass market of young consumers- from college kids getting their first car to newlywed families in the process of setting up their lives and homes. The deer is to be a prancing one, one who has leaped ahead and thereby avoided its pursuer. I would like Taylor Swift or Robin Williams to be the brand ambassadors for the Metroville. Taylor Swift has a squeaky-clean image, avoids scandals or cheap publicity and is an all round good and law-abiding country singer. She does not engage in risque behavior just to be in the limelight. She represents the younger generation. Robin Williams could also be considered as his witty image gives one the feeling of a good time, and that is what we want consumers to have in a Metroville. If you remember he recently scored a hit with ‘RV’ at the box office, so people would identify with his image as the fun-loving driver of a Metroville. For advertising purposes, we could use Robin Williams to appeal to the 40 and under crowd and the images and videos of the late Sam Walton to appeal to the crowd that is 40 and over and who are more concerned with cost-cutting and fuel economy in the recession. Metroville has been engineered for the best fuel efficiency possible and also supports alternative fuels, another thing that would appea l to the younger environmentally conscious generation. If the Metroville were a person, I would prefer it to be Robin Williams. He is small and quick, easygoing but intelligent, witty and will get you if you don’t watch out.  

How Are Dreams Proved to Be Futile in of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

How Are Dreams Proved to Be Futile in of Mice and Men Essay Dreams in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† is influenced under the poem â€Å"To A Mouse† by Robert Burns and the relationship between the poem and the novel is seen through the build-up to the characters hopes and dreams at the time of the great inflation and how they struggled to keep up with their ambitions. The context in both texts clearly portrays the death of the future plans the working class keep to at that time and the writers do this to illustrate the chances of normal people succeeding and how being born into a hierarchy means that you’re destined to a class in society. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie is introduced with a â€Å"shapeless face† and animal imagery is used to signify his strength, â€Å"bear drags his paws†, this portrayal of Lennie sets him apart from George in the hierarchy. As the story develops the readers understanding of George’s and Lennie’s relationship does to, the reader realises that the theme that keeps both the key protagonists motivated is the dream. This is further developed when Steinbeck introduces the dream for the first time, â€Å"I remember about the rabbits, George†, it is clear to the readers that Lennie is academically weak and in order for him to remember about the dream indicated how much it means to him and it’s possibly the thing that matters to him most. However early in the novel Steinbeck uses animal imagery to foreshadow the death of Lennie and the death of the dream, â€Å"shoot you for a coyote†, the author highlights his vulnerability and his death in the future to suggest that his weakness academically is what possibly lead him to his death. In the beginning of the novel George gets into a quarrel with Lennie about ketchup, â€Å"we ain’t got any†, during George’s rant he clearly emphasizes on what he sees as the American dream in comparison to what they both see. George leads on to imply that Lenny is a road block to his dream and this is partially true as it is what Lennie did towards the end of the novel that killed the chances of the dream. George’s dream can be considered as a typical working class dream as it isn’t very promising and has no future outlook. The death of the dream in Of Mice and Men seems to be blames on a certain individual, the death of George and Lennie’s dream is blamed on Lennie and later in the novel we learn that the death of Curley’s wife’s is because of her â€Å"ol lady†. In the novel Curley’s wife is portrayed as a social outcast alongside the â€Å"nigga† but this time because of her gender as they lived in a sexist society. However beneath her make up her interior reveals her dreams and how they were crushed as well, the reader also finds out that her sexual weapon is to grab the attention of the ranch workers as no one gave her the recognition she wanted. Curley’s wife’s dream is fully revealed towards the end of the novel with her explain it to Lennie, she clearly illustrates her very independent dream however it is also clear that she is very dependent on men when it comes to making the dream a reality. This maybe the reason why her dream was locked away and only brought out when she needed it to emotionally look back at it; considering that she lived in a men’s society it means that women are held back from what they wanted to do and were expected become a housewife. This is the main road block that Curley’s wife comes across making her dream futile. Throughout the novel the reader realises that the characters that we’re too eager for their dream (Lennie and Curley’s wife) reaches their destiny, quite dramatically, with their death. It seems that both characters had something in common – lack of power, the protagonists had a lack of power meaning that they were vulnerable to society however Curley’s wife attempted to cover it by putting on a lot of makeup but it is clear that your weakness will eventually go against you. Furthermore both characters dream was clearly futile from the beginning of the novel as both characters seemed to depend on another person in order for their dreams to succeed. In Lennie’s case it was George and Curley’s wife needed a man. Steinbeck reinforces the themes of Power and powerlessness with links to the dream to suggest that there is some sort of bond with making the dream and having the power to make it. This portrayal in Of Mice and Men illustrated not only the fact that succeeding during the Great Depression was very limited but the fact that without power or status, which both characters lacked in, the chances of making the dream was nil.

Schizophrenia Essay -- essays research papers

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic, and often disabling brain disease. While the term Schizophrenia literally means, "split mind," it should not be confused with a "split," or multiple, personality. It is more accurately described as a psychosis -- a type of illness that causes severe mental disturbances that disrupt normal thought, speech, and behavior. The first signs of schizophrenia usually appear as shocking or radical changes in behavior. Others may have severe psychotic symptoms listed above. But many people also show "negative" symptoms, such as decreased emotional arousal, mental activity, and inability to socialize. Schizophrenics often report a sense of strangeness and confusion about the source of their sensations. They feel great loneliness, anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of being disconnected from others. A schizophrenic person may think and communicate incoherently, jumping from one idea mixing a "word salad" of new words or jumbled phrases. It is common for schizophrenics to be suspicious and resentful. They may sense that their thoughts are stolen, broadcast aloud, Or replaced by new information from strangers seeking to control their behavior. They may describe voices that speak directly to them or criticize their behavior Schizophrenia often appears earlier in men -when they are in their late teens to early adulthood - and in women in their 20s and early 30s, but the disease affects men and women with equal frequency. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 2.2 million American adults or about 1. 1 % of the population age 18 and older in a given year have schizophrenia. Some people experience only a single episode and remain symptom-free afterward. More commonly, however, the course of illness fluctuates over several decades, with each recurrence leading to increasing impairment. Experts don't know what causes schizophrenia, but they agree that it most likely results from a complex interplay of genetic, behavioral, and other factors, similar to other diseases. It is widely believed that neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that allow communication between brain cells, play a role in causing schizophrenia, but the exact mechanism is not known. Most m... ...ns is often difficult for schizophrenics. They may deny that they are ill, or their disease itself may hinder their ability to take regular medication. Fortunately there are many ways for patients, doctors, and families to improve adherence. Some antipsychotic medications are available in long-acting injectable forms so that the patient can receive a dose of medication just once a month. Other useful tools include pillboxes or electronic timers that beep when medication should be taken. Families can also help by motivating the patient to take their medicines properly. Often, additional drugs, such as antianxiety medications or antidepressants, may be used to treat side effects of the antipsychotic medicines or other symptoms related to the schizophrenia, including stiffness, tremors, and depression. Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy by itself is of little value without medication, and vice versa. While medication can be effective in relieving psychotic symptoms, psychotherapy can help with behavioral symptoms such as socialization and communicating appropriately. Supportive and sympathetic psychotherapy helps these patients understand their disease and re-enter society and family life.

Problem & Solution in Time Management Essay

Time management is a way in which a person can set a diurnal schedule and keep their events and dates in order, and accomplished in a timely fashion.   The daily schedule of any person who has multiple responsibilities is very tight. Choices of scheduling can be dominated by scholastics, family, personal time, and career responsibilities.   With a limited number of hours in each week, a person must make due how one can as Tracy states, Perhaps the greatest single problem that people have today is â€Å"time poverty.† Working people have too much to do and too little time for their personal lives. Most people feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and activities, and the harder they work, the further behind they feel. This sense of being on a never-ending treadmill can cause you to fall into the reactive/responsive mode of living. Instead of clearly deciding what you want to do, you continually react to what is happening around you. Pretty soon you lose all sense of control. You feel that your life is running you, rather than you running your life (Tracy paragraph one). Without premeditation and a set schedule that should be adhered to every day procrastination can be the daunting factor in a time frame reference.   Once the framework of a schedule is procured it must be adhered to not only every day but also every week.   Thus a personal daily schedule can be obtained and followed, and a diurnal routine can be established.   Time enough for everyday tasks must be included in such a routine. A personal schedule must be similar each day so that a routine can become habit.   Such a routine should consist of personal hygiene in the morning and before going to bed, regular meals and the entire days obligations which can include exercise, school, work or family events, not to forget personal time, and time for reflection (Time Management Guide paragraph five). Managing time can also be difficult when the weekend is considered a different avenue for scheduling than are the weekdays.   It is during this time that leisure and relaxation are in order unless a previous commitment to a job is required.   Time management on the weekends is very important because it allows for a person to unwind from physical and emotional stresses of the week. Daily routines, that is, time management, should maximize a person’s ability to achieve daily success out of necessity.   The efficacy of a daily schedule and adhering to that schedule can limit unwarranted breaks and wasted time such as back and forth trips to town when one trip is all that should be needed.   Also, on the note of procrastination, a daily schedule allows a person to more effectively control where they place their time and gives certain allotted amounts of time to specific tasks such as cooking, tv watching, or internet use.   The obligations of life in general can sometimes become daunting, but with problem time management, the day’s priorities are accomplished and the next day’s priorities are sure to follow suit (Pavlina paragraph two). Due to procrastination being such a difficult thing to overcome, managing time wisely doesn’t only allow for work to be accomplished but also sets aside time for rumination, family, and this in turn lowers a person’s stress rate because they won’t feel as though they are spreading their selves thin and can rest at the end of the day because that day’s tasks were accomplished. People would rather spend their time away from work or academics leisurely and time management allows them to do this, as Torres (2005) states in In Good Time, â€Å"To get any system to succeed, you’ll have to make an effort–whether it’s organizing your incoming e-mails and voice mails or clearing out your inbox into to-do files. All that takes undivided attention, notes Clark. He suggests using a bulk of time in the beginning of your day (say from 9:15 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) to organize and plan your schedule. Let everyone in your office know you’re unavailable during that time. â€Å"After a while, when [people] see you’re really efficient, they’ll start respecting that [unavailable time window].†Ã¢â‚¬  (Torres) Everyone probably would like to spend less time at work; especially jobs which require overtime and work at home projects.   Although in such jobs a person is rewarded monetarily, they are also compromising their personal time.   Unrealistic job goals such as working eighty hours in one week don’t bode well for personal venues and family time.   Thus a set scheduled time allowable for after hours work would greatly benefit a person.    The goal in managing time is not only to permit for work but also to know when too much work is being done, as Torres states, â€Å"Divide your list into action items by order of importance and the time it’ll take to complete each task, says Clark. If you look at something in your e-mail inbox, ask yourself, â€Å"Can I complete this task in two minutes?† If so, do it, because it will take you longer than two minutes to file it. If not, take that time to file it and put it on your calendar.† (Torres) Managing time wisely can lead to a more fulfilling lifestyle; such aspects of this lifestyle include more time to devout to ones health such as working out, and nutritional watch.   The ability to attend a gym regularly is very much dependent on managing time.   Certain set dates must be put into practice and these in turn must be considered in respect to other pressing obligations, as Tracy states, Personal time management begins with you. It begins with your thinking through what is really important to you in life. And it only makes sense if you organize it around specific things that you want to accomplish. You need to set goals in three major areas of your life. First, you need family and personal goals. These are the reasons why you get up in the morning, why you work hard and upgrade your skills, why you worry about money and sometimes feel frustrated by the demands on your time. (Tracy paragraph six). A strong factor in time management is the ability of a person to dedicate a half hour to one hour segments to working out, and this can only be done through proper time management as Kallen (1999) states in Just Say Now,   â€Å"This kind of procrastination is no big deal if it happens only once in a while – but if it becomes a regular occurrence, it can seriously interfere with your workout goals. How do you keep an occasional bout of laziness from gradually pulling you toward the outskirts of couch-potato-land? We asked procrastination experts for some timely advice on the matter. Put the strategies they describe to work, and do it now† (Kallan)   Kallen also states that , â€Å"Chronic procrastinators tend to have high levels of anxiety, and Worrying about YOur workouts will just add to the pressure.   When you dwell on the sessions you’ve missed, exercise can start to seem like an odious chore. Instead, concentrate on enjoying your next Workout more than the last. Think about the â€Å"high† you’ll get when endorphins flood Your body, or anticipate the feeling of accomplishment you’ll have when you’ve gotten one step closer to your goal.† (Kallen). The article Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is actually a synopsis of the book â€Å"Is About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them† by Linda Sapadin, PhD.   The first style is dreamers.   These are people who live a dream world and want a pain-free life with no rules.   Their solution is to ground themselves in the present.   Worriers are procrastinators who fear risk or change.   They should focus on the possibilities of each new situation to overcome procrastination.   Defiers resent authority, albeit covertly.   They do not follow through with their promises, which gives them a sense of power.  Ã‚   The solution for them is to realize that true power lies in action (Sapadin).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Those procrastinators who create drama by waiting until the last minute are labeled crisis-makers.   They must increase their motivation thereby decreasing the emotional damage caused by waiting until the last minute in order to change.   Perfectionist are those who fear not measuring up, thus procrastinating is a way for them to put off judgment.   They should focus on the realistic and allow themselves to err occasionally and realize that life goes on.   Overdoers are procrastinators who try to do it all without any balance in their lives.   They need to learn to say no.   In summary, the article states to stop trying to do everything, but to do what you can. The article Putting An End to Putting it Off identifies underlying issues in procrastinating and gives steps in dealing with each one. The first source of procrastination is that of fear.   Becoming aware of this fear can help the procrastinator to dissolve it. Counteract the fear with remembrances of past successes.  Ã‚   Turn a weakness into a strength.   Another source is perfectionism. They fear they won’t measure up to their own standards. Perfectionists need to examine their values and recognize whose they are; their own or someone else’s, and to reset their goals accordingly.   Crisis making, yet another source, envelope those who thrive on deadlines and feel they can’t get motivated until the last minute.   They need to bring balance to their lives and increase their productivity and quality of work.   Another source of procrastination is expectation anxiety.  Ã‚     This person needs to accept themselves.   Overextending.   Those who overextend need to recognize what is most important and set goals.   They should under-promise and over-deliver.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are steps one can take in overcoming procrastination once the source is recognized.   They should schedule tasks by prioritizing a list.   Do a task daily and then reward themselves.   Taking action is another step (Chapman paragraph one).   This can be accomplished by visualizing they are not a procrastinator.   They should do an unwanted task for a least ten minutes and then decide to continue or not.   Procrastinators do well to be held accountable to a friend when lagging on a project.   Journaling is also a useful tool.   Here one can stroke their own ego for accomplishments, record mistakes to learn from, and write one’s frustrations. The article Beating the Big Put-Off begins by defining procrastination as the epidemic that can even cause an early death because people put off seeing their doctor.   The author continues by offering strategies to combat procrastination.   First, a person must understand what is wrong with procrastination (i.e. it stunts professional and personal growth).   The author then goes on to say that a person should stop procrastinating immediately.   Don’t allow any excuses.   He quotes a Middle Eastern proverb â€Å"Do today what you want to postpone till tomorrow†.   (Parachin)   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Realistic goal setting will bring more success than setting your sights too high.   One should also expect difficulties along the way as change is a challenge.  Ã‚   One must keep moving ahead.   Procrastinators need to prioritize responsibilities and objectives (Bates paragraph two).   Sharing their commitment to overcoming procrastination with a friend who will be supportive is a great aid. One should visualize their goals as completed. For this, the author gives a three-point plan: â€Å" visualize the steps needed to complete the task, see yourself carrying out those steps, and picture yourself with the end product in hand† (Parachin).   Rewarding themselves will help the procrastinator to continue.   The author concludes by stating that it is never too late to break the procrastination habit and a person will by happier by doing this.   Once procrastination is broken, and the once procrastinator follows these time management rules from dedicating segments to time to self, family, work, etc. then procrastination and not having time become problems in the past tense. Work Cited Bates, R.   Take Control of Your Day!.   Jewelers Circular Keystone.   September 2006.  Ã‚   Online.   Retrieved 23 November 2007.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3195/is_200609/ai_n18946809 Chapman, A.   Time Management Tips.   Business Balls.   2007. Online.   Retrieved 23  Ã‚  Ã‚   November 2007.   http://www.businessballs.com/time.htm Dominguez, L. R.   Putting an End to Putting Off.   HR Magazine.   1999. Heavey, B.   Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.   Men’s Health.   1997. Kallen, B.   Just Say Now. 1999.   Online.   Retrieved 23 November 2007.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parachin, V.   Beating the Big Put-Off.   Listen: Hagerstown.   1998. Pavlina, S.   Time Management.   Steve Pavlina.   2006.   Online.   Retrieved 23 November  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2007.   http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/time-management.htm. Time Management Guide.   Personal Time Management Guide.   Online.   Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   23 November 2007. http://www.time-management-guide.com/. Torres, N. L.   In Good Time: make the most of your precious minutes with a time  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   management system that works.   2005.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tracy, B.   Managing Your Time.   Money, Finance and Business.   2007.   Online. Retrieved 23 November 2007.   http://www.woopidoo.com/articles/tracy1time.htm

Rice Seeds

Table 1 Shoot and root length of a dicot and a monocot seedling Shoot Length (cm)| Root length (cm)| | 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| Average| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| Average| Day 1| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| Day 2| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 1. 1| 1. 0| 1. 2| 1. 0| 0| 0. 86| Day 3| 1| 0. 5| 1| 1| 1| 0. 9| 2| 2| 2| 2| 2. 1| 2. 02| Day 4| 1. 2| 1| 1| 1. 1| 1| 1. 6| 2. 5| 2. 5| 3| 3| 2. 5| 2. 7| Day 5| 2. 1| 2| 1. 3| 2| 1. 3| 1. 74| 3| 3. 1| 3. 2| 3. 2| 3| 3. 1| Day 6| 2. 1| 2. 1| 2. 1| 2. 1| 2. 1| 2. 1| 5| 3. 5| 4| 3| 5| 4. 1| Day 7| 2. 5| 2. 5| 2. 2| 2. 5| 2. 5| 2. 44| 5. 5| 4. 5| 5| 5| 5| 5|Table 2 Breaking dormancy of Leucaena leucophala seeds Treatment| % Germination| | R E P L I C A T I O N| | 1| 2| Average| Rubbing on sandpaper| 0%| 0%| 0%| Clipping| 0%| 1%| 0. 5%| Soaking in hot water (50 degrees Celcius)| 0%| 0%| 0%| Control| 6%| 0%| 3| The experiment has shown that by clipping the seeds perhaps germination of the seed can be attain. Rubbing the seed with sandpaper can break the dormancy as well as i t can also break and kill the seed. Soaking the seeds in hot water can also break the hardness of the coat of the seed thus can also kill the developing parts of the seeds of the plant.Clipping can be considered as an effective way of breaking the dormancy of the seed thus in some unexpected ways or inaccurate work, the seeds may be damaged and may not germinate. Table 3. 1 Effect of initial moisture content on the storability of rice seeds I. Effect of initial moisture content on the storability of rice seeds Treatment| % Germination| | R E P L I C A T I O N| | 1| 2| Average| | After 3 days| After 7 days| After 3 days| After 7 days| | 11% moisture content| 12%| | 12%| | 16%| 20% moisture content| 0%| 16%| 0%| 12%| 14%|The results have shown that the rice seed treated with 11% moisture content have higher percent of germination as compared with the rice seed treated with 20% moisture content. Rice seeds are known to be an orthodox type of seeds. Orthodox type of seeds are seeds whic h are needed to be stored with low moisture content under conditions at low temperature and low humidity. This means that in order to attain and make the seeds germinate these seeds must be maintained at low moisture content. Table 3. 2 Storability of recalcitrant seeds Treatment| % Germination after one week| Freshly extracted| 80%|Stored for one week| 0%| The results have shown that the cacao seeds which are freshly extracted have higher percent of germination as compared with the cacao seeds stored for one week. Cacao seeds are known to be recalcitrant type of seeds. This means that this type of seeds should have been planted after they are extracted. These seeds should not be stored long to attain a high percent of germination. Since the seeds are stored for seven days or one week the seeds will no longer germinate because it has already dried up and this type of seed must be stored without reduction in their moisture.

a critique of two concerts essays

a critique of two concerts essays Music is one of the most unique performing arts due to the way it has evolved. Styles and melodies considered unfit in one era are displayed prominently in another. The two concerts previewed in this report have two different and distinct techniques. The first performance that I attended was a symphonic concert playing a mix of contemporary and early 20th century works at Carnegie Hall. The second performance was an organ recital highlighted by the by the live performance of Bach's most well known pieces. Hopefully this term paper will objectively and subjectively critique and compare the two performances. An orchestra is a collection of a variety of instruments usually consisting of brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion sections. In the concert at Carnegie Hall, the music was abundant in tone color and a variety of pitches and moods. While the Bach music played by the organist could only demonstrate one type of sound, the multitude of instruments at the conductor's disposal can flood the listener with a variety of sound. The key pieces of music performed were "Music for Violin and Orchestra" by Maazal and "Symphony No. 1 in D major" by Mahler. Maazals piece pits the virtuoso, Maazal, against the entire orchestra. It seems to be a sophisticated concerto with the violinist and the orchestra dueling with each other. Unlike Baroque music, the mood changes constantly, at one moments the violin conveys a tranquil image only to be shattered by the dissonance created by the orchestra. While Toccata and Fugue in D minor is a piece of absolute music, Maazal's music is program music. The ma in theme is sort of a violinist's journey and struggle with the much more powerful monster-like orchestra. Objectively, the odd notes from the percussion coupled with the frequent use of low tone color instruments (e.g. bassoon, bass) created tension. The trills provided by the virtuoso and the strings section displayed a tension reserved onl...

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with W, X, Y, Z

Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with W, X, Y, Z Chemistry abbreviations and acronyms are common in all fields of science. This collection offers common abbreviations and acronyms beginning with the letter W, X, Y, or Z used in chemistry and chemical engineering. Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter W W - TungstenW - WattW5 - Which Was What We WantedWA - Weak AcidWAC - Weak Acid CationWB - Water BasedWB - Weak BaseWB - Weak BondWBA - Weak Base AnionWC - Water CosolventWCS - Worst Case ScenarioWD - Water DispersantWD - Water DisplacementWD - Wet/DryWIAP - Water In All PhasesWIN - Water Insoluble NitrogenWNA - World Nuclear AssociationWO - Weak OxidizerWP - White PhosphorusWPS - Water Phase SaltWR - Water RepellentWS - Wash SolutionWS - Water SolubleWSPI - Water-Soluble Phosphorous, InorganicWSPO - Water-Soluble Phosphorous, OrganicWSS - Water Soluble StabilizerWST - Weighted Settling TimeWSNZ - Water Soluble ZincWV - Water VaporWVDA - Water Vapor Diffusion AnalysisWVM - Water Vapor MonitorWVN - Water Vapor NitrogenWVP - Water Vapor PermeabilityWVT - Water Vapor TransportWW - Waste WaterWWIX - Waste Water Ion eXchangeWYOL - Write Your Own LabWYOLA - Write Your Own Lab AssignmentWYU - What You Use Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter X XAG - Silver Troy OunceXAU - Gold Troy OunceXAN - XANthineXDB - eXtra Dense BondingXe - XenonXLS - Xenon Light SourceXOD - Xanthine OxidaseXPD - Palladium Troy OunceXPT - Platinum Troy OunceXUM - X-ray Ultra-MicroscopeXYD - XYliDine Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter Y y - yoctoY - YottaY - YttriumYb - YtterbiumYBCO - Yttrium Barium Copper OxideYAG - Yttrium Aluminum GarnetYAP - Yield Analysis PatternYBG - Your Best GuessYCC - American Chemical Society Younger Chemists CommitteeYd - YardYIC - Yttrium Lithium FluorideYZN - Yellow ZiNc dichromate Chemistry Abbreviations Starting with the Letter Z z - zeptoZ - ZettaZn - ZincZB - Zinc BlendeZC - Zinc CompositeZCG - Zeolite Crystal GrowthZCR - Zinc ChromiumZCS - Zinc Coated SteelZDC - Zero Degrees KelvinZEKE - Zero Electron Kinetic EnergyZINC - Zinc Is Not CopperZK - Zero KelvinZP - Zero PressureZr - ZirconiumZRE - Zinc Responsive Element

Review of Literature Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Review of Literature - Dissertation Example Even if not all of the education content is retained, exposure to the education content can lead to additional knowledge that can be useful for both the child and to the society he or she lives in. Thus, attendance is crucial and measures to improve school attendance are just as crucial as education content itself. 2. Importance of Attendance Based on the data and analysis of the National Center for Children in Poverty, around 11 percent of children in the kindergarten and about nine percent in the first grade are chronically absent (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 7). Chronic absence means that the student has at least 11 percent absences during a 180 days schooldays (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 6). Chronic absence among third grade students is about six percent (Change and Romero, 2008, p. 7). The National Center for Children in Poverty researchers even believe that the estimates are even conservative because attendance data are missing among schools serving low-income and minority stude nts At the same time, Chang and Romero (2008, p. 4) pointed out that chronic absence can be masked even when average daily attendance appears high. In their elaboration, Chang and Romero said (2008, p. 4): â€Å"Suppose, for example, a school has 200 students and an average daily attendance rate of 95%. The same 10 students, however, are not absent for all 180 days as they would be dis-enrolled. Rather, it is quite possible that the 10 students missing each day occurs because the school is serving 60 students who are taking turns being absent but when absences are added together, miss a month or more of school over the course of the school year. In summary, even in a school with 95% daily attendance, 30% of the student population could be chronically absent.† ... In summary, even in a school with 95% daily attendance, 30% of the student population could be chronically absent.† The key point of the Chang and Romero analysis (2008, p. 4) is that an absences rate of even a very small percentage like 5% can imply that a large number of students may be chronically absent from classes. Unfortunately, however, the incidence of chronic absences are high although chronic early absences from school ranged from one percent to 54.5 across schools in a district where the prevalence of chronic absences among elementary students was about 13.8 percent overall (Chang and Romero, 2008, p. 7). Data from Yeide and Kobrin (2009, p. 2) proved that Chang and Romero (2008) were right about their analysis: in New York City, more than 30% of the youth were chronically absent during school year 2007-08 but the average attendance rate for each grade during the year was at least 90 percent. Yet, despite the high chronic absenteeism associated with the attendance r ate of at least 90%, many schools consider 90 percent attendance rate as an acceptable target (Yeide and Kobrin, 2009, p. 2). In addition, Yeide and Kobrin (2009, p. 2) reported that dropouts are excluded from truancy calculations. The combination of chronic absenteeism, truancy, and dropouts resulted to a situation in which only about two-thirds of ninth graders were expected to graduate in New York City during the year. Studies show that chronic absenteeism is a serious problem among elementary students in the United States. For instance, in New York City, more than 20 percent of elementary school students missed at least a month of school during school year 2007-2008. There even districts of the City where around 30 percent of

Judicial System of England and Wales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Judicial System of England and Wales - Essay Example The constitutional law of UK consists of statute law and case law where court of judges apply judicial precedent by interpreting the statute.(www.ilex.org) The judicial system of England and Wales comprises only of 24.9% and 6.9% are from the minority ethnic groups. It is also reported that 15.8% of judges are women whereas 3.4% are from ethnic minorities group. (Adrian Jack, 2004) According to the data retrieved from General Bar Council for the year 2008, it is reported that there were 3772 female barristers out of 12,136 self employed bar comprising 31.1% of the total employment. Among women barristers, White Britons, Irish and other white people accounted to 2750 while there were 108 from Indian origin, 63 from Caribbean, 44 of Pakistan, 43 of African origin and remaining others were from other Asian countries. Black Minority Ethnic in the self employment category comprised of 10.6%.(The Bar Council) According to same source, it is known that 89% of the self employed barristers were white whereas 11% constituted the BME group which included 14% women barrister. Under the employed barrister council, 85% of the employees were white in respect of 15% of BME group. Totally there were 46% of women in employed barrister category whereas BME women constituted only 19% and men 12%. And according to the statistics published in Judiciary of England and Wales, it is reported that there are 3820 magistrates out of which 727 were women accounting to only 19.03% and 156 were from ethnic minority groups which constituted for another 4.08%. Ethnic minorities were largely found in Deputy District Judges (MC) with 12 magistrates out of 167 wherein women were 40 only. (www.judiciary.gov.uk) It is also revealed from the reports that out of total 3820 posts, 2970 were occupied by Whites out of which only 525 were occupied by women. In regard to ethnic minority groups, out of 156 posts occupied, 51 were women and 105 were men which can further clarified as 3% ethnics in males and 7% in females, overall constituting only 4% which is very low. (www.judiciary.gov.uk) The data published in the Judicial and Courts Statistics 2007 shows that the Justices of Peace (JPs) in UK in 1990 was 28,667 out of which 16,090 were men and 12,577 were women which increased to 29,419 in the year 2008 comprising of 14, 672 males and 14,747 female JPs. The data further shows that the appointment of women in the JPs has been significantly more than men from 1990 itself which stood at 1063 as compared to 996 for men out of 2059 appointments. The present data of 2008 stands at 1899 appointments overall out of which 972 women were appointed and the remaining were men. The statistics does not reveal the number of ethnic minorities appointed during this period.( Judicial and Court Statistics 2007) Out of total magistrates in post, 92.7% were Whites whereas Black and Asian constituted only 3.8% and 2.4% respectively. (www.judiciary.gov.uk) The above data speaks volume about the gender discrimination as well as racial discrimination if not taken into consideration the data of Ministry of Justice in regard to appointment of JPs. Need for certain changes - Judicial System Adrian Jack

The End of the Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The End of the Vietnam War - Essay Example Nixon declared in 1969 that he would prolong the American involvement in the Vietnam War, in order to conclude the conflict and acquire â€Å"peace with honor† for the United States and for its partner, South Vietnam (U.S. Department of State, no date). Nixon defined his policy as â€Å"Vietnamization,† where the South Vietnamese aimed to attain greater combat functions, as Americans slowly withdrew from Vietnam (Simon, 2002). Vietnamization needed time, however, and to buy time, Nixon convinced the American public that the war had to be extended to attain peace. His popular vote margin in the 1968 election was â€Å"razor thin,† but to his advantage, the Democratic coalition was devastated in 1968 and political opportunities abounded (Simon, 2002). The administration maximized these opportunities through a â€Å"politics of polarization,† where they tapped the â€Å"silent majority,† while trying to isolate opponents and categorize them as differen t forms of extremists (Simon, 2002). This included defining the efforts of the anti-war movement in negative ways and maligning the media, whose role in influencing the support for the war had increased. America prolonged the war through bombing North Vietnam after failed negotiations efforts. Communist North Vietnam's leaders believed that they had time enough to delay the negotiations, which they did. In March 1972, they tried to sidestep negotiations altogether with a full-scale incursion of the South (U.S. Department of State, no date). The United States called it as the Easter Offensive and the North Vietnamese seemed to win. By late summer, nonetheless, Nixon's used American air power to dent the offensive. In response to this air power, the North Vietnamese started to negotiate once more (U.S. Department of State, no date). In early October, American and North Vietnamese representatives had a meeting in Paris. By October 11, they generated a peace agreement. The key component s included a cease-fire in place 24 hours after signing the agreement; U.S. forces and all foreign troops would pull out from South Vietnam no later than 60 days after signing the agreement; and American prisoners would be released concurrently with the pulling out of American and foreign forces. On October 22, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu stopped the talks. He did not support the cease-fire agreement, because it left thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers in South Vietnam, who could strategically continue the war, as the Americans departed (U.S. Department of State, no date). To get Thieu’s support, the Americans restarted negotiations with the North Vietnamese. The North Vietnamese got offended and negotiated other issues too and by December, the talks caved in. The War Raged On Nixon argued that with failed diplomacy, only force can be used to force Hanoi to negotiate with the United States. The President instructed his military commanders to mine Haiphong H arbor and to begin a nonstop air campaign in the Hanoi-Haiphong region. On December 26, the North Vietnamese decided to renegotiate with the U.S. on early January. On January 1973, the Americans and North Vietnamese reached a settlement and all parties signed the final agreement in Paris on January 27. America, however, was the only one who

IKEA Recruitment and Selection Process

IKEA Recruitment and Selection Process Ikea is a furnishing company whose vision is to create a better everyday life for the most people possible by offering a wide range of well-designed and functional standardized home furnishing at low prices so more people have access to its products. It was created 60 years ago in Sweden and traces of scandinavian culture are quite noticeable when looking at the companys management style. The company has expanded throughout the world and has become a global player in the furnishing industry. As far as Human Resources are concerned, the company adopts an extremely familial policy and takes good care in enabling each employee to exploit all of his or her capacities. As a matter of fact, IKEA has built its identity on a very strong nurturing management style that allowed to company to clearly stand out from its competitors on that level. IKEA and Human Resources Ikeas human resources teams are responsible drawing in and inspiring workers and creating a bracing environment in order to favor innovation and dynamism. The success of IKEA depends on the continuing development of IKEAs human resources policies and thus managers greatest efforts are indispensable to succeed on that path. Human Resources are present in all parts of the company and in every country where the company is established. They look after recruitment and training as well as they are also responsible for keeping and strengthening IKEAs culture, which is based on a specific set of values that help them develop and transform their vision and beliefs into a fact. With that end in view, recruiting and selecting candidates are two key aspects to keep up with the organizations reputation as it is important for the company to make sure that each and everyone of the candidates will be able to bring an added value into IKEAs family. This report aims at analyzing how the company manages to attract suitable candidates by describing its recruitment policy. The second topic that will be treated is the selecting process, meaning the way that the company manages to pick the best person for the job. I. Recruitment 1. General overview at IKEA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ISABEL IKEA is a company known internationally, and so are their values. it is a big enterprise that has all kind of job positions to be filled. The IKEA of Lille recruits around 100/150 people every year. Because IKEA is a well-known brand, it is obviously not very difficult to attract candidates for a job offer. However, the recruitment process aims at providing the company with the best suitable candidates by targeting appropriately these offers to candidates with relevant profiles. IKEAs reputation is a key point for its recruitment process; as said by their Recruitment and Competencies Development Manager when we interviewed her: Applications are usually spontaneous. They either come through our website or applicants bring their CVs directly to the store. But sometimes they come in response to an offer. In most cases, companies need to seek out their prospective employees.In this case, applicants tend to apply they wish to work for the company. This, linked to the fact that IKEAs turnover is very low can give us an overview of how successful IKEAs recruitment process is. 2 3. Recruitment policies and methods Recruitment at IKEA did not seem to be an issue. The HR Department of IKEA receives about 7 CVs every day, and 200 every month, most of them sent by e-mail through the IKEA recruitment web page, which clearly facilitated the process for applicants. In addition,external channels such as Pà ´le Emploi and local partnerships with associations and schools are also used at times. For instance, IKEA is starting to develop partnerships with Business and Communication schools in the area of Lille. IKEAs policy is to build a long-term relationship with its employees and help them develop themselves both on the professional but also personal level.   Therefore, one of the aspects of recruitment at IKEA is that they tend to privilege internal recruitment when a position is available. However when there is no potential within the body of employees, the Recruitment Officer that we met said that she has to go and search the candidates elsewhere, and this is where external recruitment comes in. Many directors nowadays started their career with part-time jobs at IKEA when they were still students and managed to climb up the companys ladder thanks internal recruitment. We were told that there is a floor manager for every department (kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc.), and when they feel like they could use one more salesperson in his department, they report their needs to the HR Manager who takes care of the recruitment and selection. With time and experience, the job analysis and information gathering are not necessary anymore, because the HR managers know exactly what type of people the floor managers want, especially for shop-floor workers. For managers, the question is trickier: when internal promotion is possible, the problems dont arise, candidates usually fit the job description, but when there is a need to go through external channels, the specifications and necessary competencies are stated very clearly, although IKEA employees do not have a typical profile. II. Selection 1. General practices and culture at IKEA à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ISABEL Selection represents the process of differentiating between applicants with the goal   to identify those with greater probability of success in the job, therefore for an enterprise such as IKEA it is crucial to keep on with an exceptional and reliable process in order to succeed. What makes IKEAs selection methods efficient is the fact that it is not based on the curricular information of the candidates, but rather on the motivation, capacities, skills, values and personality as said by the Recruitment and Competencies Development Manager. IKEA does not look for the typical profile, it is interested in people that share its values, people who can be inspired by the company to do greater things, people that bring something more to the company and helps it grow even more. IKEAs method is composed by several steps which will be explained below such as phone interviews, individual and group interviews or personality tests. 2. Procedure and Methods Procedure and Methods: Steps for shop floor workers: Steps for managers: The HR manager does not look for particular skills.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  First the candidates apply by mail and/or by the website of Ikea. Click here  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Then there is a pre-selection made by the HR department and based on CV and application form  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates pre-selected have a phone meeting with the HR department.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates receive a mail and they know if it is negative and positive to continue the selection process.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  When it is positive the applicants have a meeting generally only the HR manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  If the HR manager valid, there is a meeting with the floor manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  And finally for only permanent contract, the applicants have a meeting with the manager of the department. When there is a manager position to provide, the HR department focus on the internal candidates and they prefer promote the actual employees instead of external recruitment for managers positions.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  First the candidates send their CV (only for external candidates)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  There is a pre-selection based on CV.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The external candidates will have a phone meeting in order to be pre-selected.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The external candidates receive a mail and they know if it is negative or positive to pursuit the selection process.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates have a meeting with the HR manager.  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  If they pass the meeting they will have one with the Department manager  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  They will also have a recruitment day in an assessment center with personality test, exercises in group, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  The candidates selected have a meeting with the CEO of the shop (e.g.: Ikea in Lomme)  ·   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  And finally the candidates have a last meeting with the national CEO of Ikea.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The entire process take place within two or three weeks. There is no feedback for the negative answers by mail (step 4) but the candidates can ask for a feedback. The process for a position with responsibilities it longer and more difficult. For a manager position the decision of the HR manager is followed by 4 others interview whereas for a shop floor position there is only 2 interviews after the HR managers decision. (Je mettrai les bullet point en nombre pour montrer le nombre de step) 3. Final Decision The final decision is a shared decision between all the members that have been part of the process. This decision can only be achieved with a consensus and it is very important that no doubt whatsoever are remaining when selecting a candidate. As the decision process involves several people, it is supposed to be a guarantee that the candidate who is selected is a good fit for the company. In addition, this plurality of point of views are also necessary to ensure the fairness of the selection process. III. Beyond recruitment and selection 1. Fairness and Ethics When we met the Recruitment Officer at IKEA, she told us that she and the other interviewers were all experienced and intended to be as fair as possible, asking open-ended questions and reformulating so that they do not misunderstand what the candidates say. The selection methods used are diverse and the exchanges are multiple, which improves the fairness of the process.    However, she repeated that Human Resources remain Human Sciences, and are not accurate every time. 2. Strengths and weaknesses of the model Strengths Shows a real identity based on clearly stated values Several selection methods Multiplication of exchanges No typical profile Possibility for anyone to apply Feedback in case of rejection when asked for it, debriefing for managerial positions Preference for internal promotion Recent review of the whole process Employees retention plans Training for new employees Appraisal meeting after a few months Weaknesses   The applications and policies are more or less standardized and thus sometimes dont correspond when applied uniformly to all employees. Policies dont always match individual needs and requirements. Standardized policies   with universal appeal, that do not account for local culture and management differences 3. Suggestions à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ GREG IKEA has settled for an employee-centered policy which enabled the company to have a high satisfaction rate for their employees. Therefore, the recruiters take a really good care selecting people that would fit perfectly in the model of simplicity and conviviality they promote. However, the standardized model that IKEA has been relying on for decades doesnt allow to take into consideration all the local differences in terms of management. Indeed, that model, as nurturing as it could be, might not fit in every IKEA stores throughout the world. Assimilation is one of the major challenge that the company has faced and consequently, IKEAs Human Resources would certainly benefit from a higher customization of the model according to cultural differences. As a matter of fact, a more intense consideration of local management styles would definitely enable the company to get the maximum of each and every employee. Conclusion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ IRENE We can conclude saying the success of the company, the fair treatment of employees and   the good working conditions of IKEA makes the company receive quite a lot of applications. As a matter of fact, it is undeniable that IKEAs HR policies have been one of their strengths for a long time although sometimes on the antithesis of their reduced-cost motto. The concept of IKEAs one big global family has been running almost perfectly under the governance of its paternalistic founder Ingvar Kamprad. Good recruitment and selection methods are indispensable in the company as it enables IKEA to keep an equilibrium among its employees. The futur on the organization is based on those activities and this is why recruiting is not at all about filling positions but rather about finding people that can help the company progress and go one step further.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   ______________________________________________________________________ On the aim of recruiting, IKEA has preference among existing employees (which means they like their employees to feel valued)when there is a new vacancy although they also use external recruitment methods and they are trying to improve them , rising the number of possible applicants through partnerships with business schools and associations. About selection, IKEA uses different methods and steps for selecting the right candidates which means that for IKEA selecting the right candidates is a really important decision that will affect the long-term success of   the company Ikea is a furnishing company whose vision is to create a better everyday life for the most people possible by offering a wide range of well-designed and functional standardized home furnishing at low prices so more people has access to its products. History Ikea was created 60 decades ago in the south of Sweden, from all wood and materials come from, by a young man who wanted to start a business. It was in the 1920s when its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, started to sell furniture and matches to his neighbors and he discovered it will be cheaper and more profitable to buy them in Stockholm and then sell them in Sweden. Afterwards, in the 1940s-1950s he started to develop IKEA as a furniture retailer but it was in the 60s-70s when the IKEA company started to be known and opened new stores in Sweden until 1980 when IKEA expands globally to new markets such as USA, Italy and France. Since then, it has been growing and entering into new markets with its standardized and functional bedroom, kitchen and home furniture taking the form of what we know today as IKEA. Values As most of the products of the company are made with wood and other materials that affect the environment, IKEA is concerned with the sustainability of the planet so they work and produce their produce in a responsible and eco-friendly way investing on renewable energy and energy efficient technology to help the environment and diminish the impact on it. IKEA has what are called action-based values to protect the environment. IKEA and Human Resources IKEA companies needs down-to-earth, straightforward people who want to help them fulfill the IKEA vision to create a better everyday life for the many people. Their Human Resources teams lead the work of attracting and inspiring co-workers and creating a stimulating and enjoyable work environment. They are keenly aware that the continued success of IKEA businesses depends on the continual development of IKEA co-workers. Human Resources works in all parts of the company and in every country where they have markets. They look after recruitment and training, benefits management and succession planning. Human Resources is also responsible for safeguarding and strengthening the IKEA culture, which is based on a specific set of values values that help them develop and transform the IKEA vision into reality. Recruitment and selection are two key aspects of Human Resources. Recruitment aims at attracting the suitable candidates RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Overview How many vacancies does the company have to fill in every year ? The recruitment is defined and readjusted every months in function of the needs and the results of each department of IKEA, but they recruit about 100/150 people every year in Lille. How and who can apply ? The applications are usually spontaneous. They either come through the internet website or applicants send their paper CVs directly to the store. But sometimes they come in response to an offer. They also use the external channels such as Pà ´le Emploi (the French Governmental organization that links the demand with the offer in the labour market) and local and regional partners such as associations and schools. IKEA is starting to implement partnerships with business and communication schools in the area of Lille. Whats the typical profile of the candidates ? There is no typical profile. The company and the jobs is so diversified that it is not possible to set a typical profile for candidates. They have very variate backgrounds and competencies. What is the selection process, how do you break down the process ? Shop Floor Employees When the HR people receive the CVs, a first pre-selection is made. Those who passed this step go through an telephonic pre-selection, before doing an individual interview, either with the Responsible of Human Resources or directly with the HR and the manager at the same time. For the CDI (Contrat à   Durà ©e Indà ©terminà ©e, or permanent contract), the interview is done with the head of department. However, during the high recruitment periods, for example during the summer, the interviews for the employees are done in groups. Duration -> 2 weeks Negative answer -> max 3 weeks Managers, Direction First, there is an interview, then a personality test is performed, and the candidates have to participate to an Assessment center (tests), and finally they meet the Store Manager and the Functional Manager. How many stages does the selection process comprises ? About 6. How many of the applicants become candidates ? They receive too many CVs to count them all, but on the level of the interviews, about 1 on 2 or 3 persons are selected and can continue with the selection process. What do you base yourself on for the selection ? More on the CV or on the personality ? The CVs are used to start the conversation, but then what matters more is the motivation, the capacities, skills, values and the personality What are the typical questions that you ask the candidates ? 0 What are the selection methods ? CVs, Phone interviews, individual/group interviews, personality tests, Assessment center, meetings Are the HR people free to choose anyone they think fits, or do they have to follow some rules/standards ? No rules or standards Who takes the final decision ? The HR people do not take the final decision, however, if they say no to the CV, or after the phone interview, or after the first individual interview, its over for the candidate. Who is involved in the selection process ? HR people, manager, head of department, Store Manager, Functional manager Do you organize a selection day ? No Preference between internal selection vs. external for higher positions ? This depends on the structure of the company. They try to promote internal promotion, but when there is no potential within the employees, they have to go and search the candidates elsewhere, in the schools and universities for examples. Many directors now have began their career at IKEA when they were still students, working a few hours a week at IKEA. Do you outsource your selection to another company ? Only for very specialized or technical jobs. What are the differences between the selection methods to recruit shop floor workers and people with higher positions (management, direction) ? (see above) How many people drop out of the company after a short period of time ? (people who were hired for a long time and decide that they dont want to stay) How many quit before the end of their contract (Short term contracts vs. long term contracts) ? Very rare cases. Do you train people after they are hired ? (to make sure they stay in the company) Depending on the job, the newly hired staff has a trail period of 1, 2 or 4 months renewable. During this period, they have time to be trained and integrated in the company. Have the HR policies and the selection methods changed in the past years ? If so, why ? Everything was written down 5 or 6 years ago, and they reviewed everything 4 months ago. In fact, the Human Resources rules and traditions are lost with the expansion of the companies. Do you think the selection methods are fair and ethical ? The interviewers try to be as fair as possible, asking open ended questions and reformulating so that they do not misunderstand what was said according to their own view. However, Human Resources remain human sciences, thus they are inaccurate. The multiplication of the exchanges make it quite impossible to be unfair. Do you have comments or suggestions that you think could help us write our report ? Feed back is given when asked for. Always. For the managerial positions, a debriefing takes place obligatorily. They send a standard message in case of rejection, no time to do personalized answers. Juliette à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. We met the Recruitment Officer. Recruitment and competencies development Manager. At IKEA, the HR department help their employees to develop. Part time = 32% of the employees