Multicultural Education Essay - 753 Words

Multicultural Education What is multicultural education, and how is it relevant to science instruction? Over the past decade, educators have ignored this question and instead, they have focused on ways and methods of incorporating multiculturalism in the humanities. In the most recent assessment of Virginias Science Standards of Learning, Virginia received a grade of D, almost failing, in part because of the absence of a multicultural approach towards instruction. In research and discussions with professionals in the fields of both elementary science and multicultural education, we learned and discussed numerous ways for teachers to consider this crucial element in their classrooms. In particular, Virginia educators must stress the†¦show more content†¦In an interview with Dr. C, a leading educator in multicultural issues, we learned that recognizing diversity facilitates a more active learning experience for the student because it emphasizes understanding in terms of different perspectives rather than just learning the facts. Children are not all the same, and consequently, the way that they all do science will not be the same. According to a computer science professor, Were up against something cultural (Cone, P. 1, 1998) as far as diversity in science fields. As a result, teachers must find a way to make science appealing to everyone, and multicultural education is one way to facilitate communication in all subjects between students, their teachers, and the rest of society. In Virginia, the Standards of Learning mostly ignore the issues of multiculturalism in science and this must change in order to ensure the development of multicultural education in the Virginia sciences. It is vital that students understand not only the hows and whys of science, but also the whos. Children have a strong image of a white male, with glasses and messy hair, as the standard scientist (Chambers, 1983), but it is our job to erase that image and show them that scientists look just like them. In fact, there are scientists of every race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic background. Teachers need to provide thisShow MoreRelatedMulticultural Education And Multicultural Schools1210 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction There have been multiple definitions for Multicultural definition which has become so imperative. Multicultural education alludes to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from differe nt cultural backgrounds (Bank).America is considered to be a â€Å"melting pot† because of the many people who have immigrated in search of a better life. Immigrants have brought with them their own unique cultures. Different gendersRead MoreMulticultural Education : A Multicultural Classroom960 Words   |  4 PagesAn additional aspect to a perfect education system would be the use of multicultural education in schools. Multicultural education creates a comfortable environment for students of all races and ethnicities to learn in by combining a variety of ideals about teaching. According to Geneva Gay, the creator of multicultural education, one of these ideals is understanding the cultural characteristics and cultural contributions of different ethnic groups, such as the values of different ethnic groups,Read MoreA Multicultural Education956 Words   |  4 Pagesstatics in the Kim article were staggering. Being in education for 17 years I have personally seen the change in the student demographics. However Kim summarizes the truth that the demography of the educators has not changed. The introduction focuses on the state of crisis in education involving the achievement gap. This study is focused not just on ethnicity, but also socioeconomic status. From this study the cause to look at multicultural education is very evident. The main area of the paper willRead MoreMulticultural Education And Educational Education770 Words   |  4 Pagesthe definition of multicultural education is defined in sociopolitical context and relates to comprehension of school reform. Namely, the multicultural education works in reforming schools and providing an equal and excellent education for everyone. Likewise, the author gave a definition of multicultural education based on her experience surrounding education environment. She divides multicultural education into seven basic characteristics: antiracist education, basic education, important for allRead MoreIssues in Multicultural Education900 Words   |  4 PagesIssues in Multicultural Education Effective instructors must understand the issues that impact multicultural education in the United States. The significance of providing an eminence instruction in an unbiased approach to all of their students is essential. The tide of demographic changes in the United States has affected most classrooms in our schools. As a result, some classroom teachers realize they must quickly acquire a comprehensive understanding of ethnic, cultural, and social-class diversityRead MoreEssay on Multicultural Education1681 Words   |  7 PagesMulticultural Education History/Past Challenges: One of the major goals of the American school system is to provide all children with equal educational opportunity. However, with regard to minority students, meeting this particular objective has presented a real challenge to educators as they have been confronted with the task of reshaping education in the multilingual, multicultural society that characterizes the United States. Many significant events contributed to the needRead MoreThe Problem Of Multicultural Education Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesProblem in Multicultural Education The common topic of the three articles is multicultural education. In the article, â€Å"Faculty perceptions of multicultural teaching in a large urban university,† the authors believe that â€Å"lack of understanding of multicultural teaching is evident in spite of the growing literature on theories of multicultural education and data documenting best practices† (Bigatti, S. M., et. al, 2012, p. 78). The authors of this article defines the meaning of the multicultural teachingRead MoreMulticultural Education And Its Importance1205 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural Education and Its Importance in Schools and Society. Multicultural education is a term used to describe a wide variety of programs and practices. Multicultural instruction may be a thought alternately an idea that know understudies ought to have an rise to good fortune to take in over class in any case about their gender, social class, Also racial/cultural qualities. Multicultural training will be likewise a instructive change development. It includes downright one school alternatelyRead MoreMulticultural Education Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural education refers to applying various aspects of different learning styles and techniques to reach children of different racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Because the extent of these variations is so diverse, educationists have begun to integrate material within the classroom to ensure each child is efficiently and equally benefitting scholastically. There are some Americans however, who disagree with multicultural education; these people think that multicultural educationRead MoreThe Goals Of Multicultural Education1169 Words   |  5 Pages1. There are three goals in multicultural education. None are necessarily more important than the other but they are vital to ensuring that every child, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, age, or ability, are granted the same level of education they need to succeed. The first is tackling inequality and promoting access to an equal education. Many minority children will have already been faced with some form of discrimination by the time they’ve reached the classroom. It is the teacher’s job to

Disaster Analysis And Prevention Of Husky Energy Essay

Problem Statement Husky Energy has hired you for the purpose of updating their disaster analysis and prevention. What do you change in their system(Tabid/Abdi) to ensure that a problem will not be overlooked? How can you improve their follow up systems(Delmar/Abdi) to ensure that the problem can be identified? Also, it is important to convince the public that this kind of incident should never occur in the future(Ghelle) should all the systems you put in place be properly implemented, what kind of strategies can you implement to gain back the trust of the general public? What do you change in the system so you can ensure the problem won’t be overlooked? On 20 July 2016, a Husky Energy, Inc. pipeline released 200 to 250 cubic meters (around 52,850-66,050 gallons or 1,2601,570 barrels) at a crossing with the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone, Saskatchewan, Canada. Recent estimates put the number of people with at-risk drinking water supplies at 70,000. The cities of North Battleford, Prince Albert, and Melfort (Saskatchewan) were forced to close their municipal water intakes along the North Saskatchewan River; residents of rural areas and the Muskoday First Nation were also impacted. According to Husky, the company s monitoring system picked up pressure anomalies in several sections of the pipeline during a pipeline startup on the evening of 20 July 2016. These variations commonly occur during startup procedures; however, crews were sent to check the pipelineShow MoreRelatedBp Sustainability Essay28986 Words   |  116 PagesSustainability Review 2010 bp.com/sustainability 2 A letter from our group chief executive / 4 How BP is changing 6 Gulf of Mexico oil spill / 14 How we operate / 22 Energy future 30 Safety / 34 Environment / 38 Society Within hours of the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP teams were working to stop the leak. We also acted to minimize the spill’s impact on the environment by containing, removing and dispersing oil offshore, protecting the shoreline and cleaning up oil that came ashore. And weRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrateRead MoreTestbook Answers112756 Words   |  452 Pages$420.00 Capital asset 0.00 $420.00 Thus, the shareholders’ wealth is the same at time 2 whether the firm pays a year 1 dividend or not. An identical analysis applies if the low state is realized in year 2. Shareholders’ wealth is $320 at time 2 regardless of whether P.V. Ltd. pays a dividend at time 1. A similar analysis applies if the low state is realized in period 1. Therefore, regardless of the state that is realized, shareholders are indifferent to dividend policy. As long

Socio

Socio-political play Essay Our performance was a socio-political play as we explored the social and legal implications of taking a foster child away from the home that she grew up in and giving her back to her biological mother at the mothers requests without taking her requests and views on the situation into account. Socio-political plays discuss and delve into issues in society which can have social and political effects in the society which we live in. The genre forces people to question what they think about certain subjects and can make them re-think their ideas on certain subjects concerning society. Our performance is not naturalistic as we felt that by creating extreme characters the audience would be more likely to empathise and relate with aspects of their personality such as Moths sullenness, Chloes immaturity and Carols kindness. By creating these big characters they are thrust upon the audience and so the audience cant ignore what theyre saying even if it makes them uncomfortable. We also chose not to perform in a naturalistic style as our plot spans over a larger period of time and in two separate houses and so we felt that the best way to do this without running the flow of the performance or distracting the audience would be too use two tables in order to represent the separate houses. Whilst creating and devising our performance we used several rehearsal conventions in order to further the development of our characters and the plot of our performance; for example we hot seated each of the characters so we could discover things about each others characters and develop our own characters backgrounds and mannerisms. This gave our characters more life and enabled us to change their personalities to fit the performance and their backgrounds as we learnt new things about them. We also used A Day in the Life of so we could determine the relationship dynamics between the characters and find out what each of our characters would do on a normal day. By doing this our interactions with each other became much more realistic and less rehearsed. We also included improvised scenes which meant that we were able to develop our characters further and showed us how they would react in unfamiliar situations. Due to this our performance was more realistic as we knew more about how our characters would react which helped up prepare for if someone forgot a line or key. During our performance we used split scenes to represent how Carly and her foster family were physically split from each other and also to show how both the new family and the foster family were coping with similar things and situations in ordinary life i. e. eating lunch. The split scene allowed us to convey to the audience that although they are at separate houses the foster family is coping with the loss of a child and Chloe is fighting every step of the way to return to them. Monologues were also used to convey the characters thoughts and emotions on the subjects as well as to introduce the story and explain what was happening. Moths monologue at the beginning told the audience what was happening before the characters even new. The monologues were useful as they allowed more closed off characters to express their emotions to the audience in a way that they wouldnt have done when interacting with the other characters. The monologues also directly address the audience and so they involve them and provide an insight into the characters minds. We used improvisation to plan out all of our scenes as we felt that doing this would allow the performance to run more naturally and realistically, preventing any scenes that would appear awkward or forced to the audience as this would break their belief and concentration in the performance, reducing its emotional impact. Through improvising we had the idea of playing a game of tag whilst running around the audience. .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .postImageUrl , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:hover , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:visited , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:active { border:0!important; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:active , .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5 .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0dc6e965aeb0c3264b6adaed1f5cf2f5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Homeless: What Has Been Done To Decrease The Probl EssayThis allowed us to move about and made the performance more energetic and also made our characters more believable. Improvisation allows the actor to feel more comfortable performing as their character and so this creates more believable characters which make them more likely to achieve the desired intention on the audience. Improvisation also prepares the actor in the event that another cast member forgets their lines or something similar happens they know how their character would react and can continue the performance without coming out if character.

The Punishment of Child Abusers free essay sample

A discussion of child abuse and the treatment of abusers in America. This papers addresses issues related to the punishment of child abusers, the first step of which is identifying the abusive parent. Factors that prevent this are outlined. The effects of violent and sexual abuse are discussed. Legal issues are raised. A little boy is sitting on a park bench. He is covered with bruises. His mouth is swollen and his eyes are purplish-black. His arm is wrapped in a white cast. His eyes tell a message that many adults do not seem to hear to hear, Help me! I cannot help myself. Can you please help me? A little girl is sitting on her bed with her arms wrapped around her bear. She is crying because she knows what is coming next. Soon her father will be in to have her take care of his needs-the sexual needs he feels he has. We will write a custom essay sample on The Punishment of Child Abusers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Jimmy Smits--A Biographical Summary.

Jimmy SmitsA Biographical Summary. On July 9, 1955, one of the most prominent Hispanic actors was born. His name is Jimmy Smits, a.k.a. Detective Bobby Simone on NYPD Blue. Smits has helped increase the visibility of Hispanics in non-typecast roles on television. He has also made his appearance in several movies, and he lends his support to groups concerning themselves with Hispanic issues.Jimmy Smits was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father came from Surinam, and his mother came from Puerto Rico, where he spent most of his childhood. Smits eventually returned to Brooklyn and attended Jefferson High School. Jimmy played football at firststanding six feet, two inches tallbut decided later on that acting was more important to him. He quit football and joined every dramatic production he possibly could, even at other schools.No one in Smits' family went away to college, but he changed all that by going to Brooklyn College to study drama and earn a B.A.Jimmy Dean and Large DogsAfter that, he attended Cornell to earn an M.A. in theater. As an ambitious young actor, Jimmy's dream was to perfect his craft and work on high-quality projects with high-minded people. In reality, however, he spent his first years in the business playing roles that did not meet his artistic expectations.At that time, many Hispanics and African Americans were not given that much of a chance in acting. Sure, they got parts, but the roles they played were misleading toward their race. After landing a part in L.A. Law in 1986, Smits changed all that. More and more Hispanics were appearing in films and television shows. Soon after Jimmy's debut on L.A. Law, he landed parts in Running Scared, The Believers, Stamp of a Killer, and Glitz in only three years!Then, in 1994, Smits joined the cast of NYPD Blue,

Attention Deficit Disorder †Psychology Research Paper

Attention Deficit Disorder – Psychology Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Running head: Attention Deficit Disorder Psychology Research Paper Are you having a problem staying focused? Can’t control impulsivity? Do you have a â€Å"things to do† pile on top of your other â€Å"to do† pile? Do you have trouble just sitting still? Welcome to the world of ADD, attention deficit disorder. ADD is characterized by limited sustained attention, minimized impulse control, excessive task-irrelevant activity, time-management problems, and limited self-talk and behavioral control. The disorder originates in childhood and manifests itself across the life span (Smith, Polloway, Patton Dowdy, 2004). There are three classifications of ADD, each differentiated by the unique characteristics that accompany the inattentiveness (Salend Rohena, 2003). The first type is ADD with hyperactivity (ADHD), which is accompanied by constant motion or inability to sit still. The second type is ADD with inattentiveness (ADD/IA), which is accompanied by distractibility. The last type, ADD with a combination of hyperactivity and distractibility (ADHD-C), is the most common type of ADD (Salend Rohena, 2003). As the disorder is most commonly referred to in both prevalence and diagnosis as ADHD, I shall herein make reference to the disorder as ADHD. The rate of ADHD identification is skyrocketing. According to a Mayo Clinic study, children between the ages of 5 and 19 have at least a 7.5% chance of being identified as having ADHD, with boys being three to nine times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. This will amount to nearly 5 million kids with ADHD (Kluger, Cray, Klarreich Whitaker, 2003). It is estimated that about 5% of adults, roughly 8 to 9 million, have ADHD but have yet to be diagnosed (Tsao, 2004). ADHD carries no bias, as it tends to occur at the same rate across the ethnic spectrum and socioeconomic stratum. Although there is no known cause, many theories exist to explain the cause of ADHD. Research on the disorder is diverse, as it should be, so that we might gain a better understanding of the disorder. Some researchers are looking at genetics for similarities in ADHD sufferers; others are researching the high rate of other mental illnesses that often accompany the disorder, such as depression and anxiety (Tsao, 2004). Data suggests that genetics play a significant role in ADHD, as evidenced by a higher prevalence rate in some families (Smith, et al.). One study found that if just one biological parent has ADHD, there is a 57% chance that their child will have some form of the condition (Smith, et al.). However, ADHD is increasingly being viewed as a neurological disorder. The reigning theory is that attention deficits are related to faulty biochemical communication in the brain (M.S.-M, 2004). In ADHD patients, the chemical balance goes askew. Dopamine and norepinephrine, which aid in attention control and short-term memory, are â€Å"sucked up by vacuum-like molecules, and thus cannot play their usual role in communicating thoughts.† (M.S.-M, 2004) There are two different classes of drugs prescribed for ADHD sufferers, stimulants that focus on dopamine transmitters and non-stimulants that work on the norepinephrine system. Some stimulant medications like methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, and Metadate) may slow down that vacuum cleaner and increase the amount of available dopamine. Others, like the amphetamines (Dexedrine, Adderall), simply increase the amount of available dopamine so that even overactive vacuum cells cant suck it all up (M.S.-M, 2004). By allowing the brain and nervous system to communicate effectively attention span improves, as does concentration and motor control (â€Å"Attention deficit,† 1994). The newer non-stimulant drugs, such as Strattera, act on norepinephrine just as Ritalin acts on dopamine (M.S.-M, 2004). So who is taking the drugs? Though the long-term treatment effects have not been well studied, it is predominantly our children who are treated with these drugs, while only an estimated 5% of adults are currently on a drug therapy (Tsao, 2004). Not having knowledge of the effects of long-term treatment only adds to the growing concern of just how incompletely formed a child’s brain is. We now know from imaging studies that frontal lobes†¦dont fully mature until age 30. (Kluger, et al.) Similarly, magnetic resonance images have already shown that the brain volumes of children with ADHD are 3% smaller than that of their non-ADHD peers (Kluger, et al.). Though not all children diagnosed with ADHD are put on a treatment regiment, â€Å"it is estimated that about 85 to 90 percent of students with ADHD are taking stimulant medication†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Santrock, 2004, p. 309) If the students are not countering the prescription medication side-effects, which vary from sleep difficulties to weight loss, they are trying to counter the affects of ADHD in the classroom. So how does ADHD affect learning? â€Å"Studies demonstrate that the ability to concentrate and focus is a better predictor of academic success than other measures of academic ability.† (â€Å"Attention deficit,† 1994, p.7) Educational performance is hindered by the ADHD students’ inability to utilize learning strategies because they can’t stay focused. As they often have trouble singling out important information, they easily lose the main idea amidst a barrage of trivial information (Salend Rohena, 2003). As the ADHD student often cannot concentrate attention because they cannot remain still for long, this differentiates them from other learning disabilities that have attention deficits for other unknown reasons. Thus, an estimated 10 to 33 percent of all children with ADHD also have some type of learning disability (â€Å"Attention deficit,† 1994). Quite often the ADHD students’ inability to control their own behavior in the classroom may alarm others. The sometimes aggressive, anti-social behaviors leave them feeling rejected by their peers, causing them to feel isolated. As a result, their self-esteem suffers (Slavin, 1994). When esteem suffers, education suffers as well. Students with ADHD have a failure rate 2 to 3 times higher than that of their peers. About one-half of those diagnosed will repeat a grade level and one-third will end up dropping out of school (Santrock, 2004). Some studies suggest that children with untreated ADHD have been linked to higher rates of substance abuse and trouble with the law, as well. (Kluger, et al.) Distinguishing the ADHD from learning disabilities and behavioral disorders is a continuing challenge, especially since students with learning disabilities often have attention, emotional and behavioral disorders as well (Slavin, 1994). ADD is considered a psychiatric diagnosis as opposed to a disability category, and thus is not classified as a learning disability in and of itself. Often the ADHD student is eligible for special services through the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) if they have an accompanying learning disability. If a student with ADHD is not eligible for services under Part B of the IDEA, he/she may meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Under Section 504, if it is determined that ADHD substantially limits major life activities including learning, then the student would qualify for 504 benefits (â€Å"Attention deficit,† 1994). Both IDEA and Section 504 require the schools to make modifications to meet these students’ educational needs. Since no two children with ADHD are exactly alike, a wide variety of interventions and service options must be utilized within the school and classroom to meet their needs (Smith, et al.) This diversity challenges the teachers to be more knowledgeable about the unique characteristics of each student. Students need organizational tactics, self-management techniques and learning strategies, as well as social skills training (Smith, et al.). General teachers should work with special education teachers to establish methods for adapting their classroom, curriculum, and instructional techniques to meet these needs. Effective teachers should provide a positive classroom environment. To help a student succeed, the teacher will need to utilize a range of interventions to promote positive behavior and socialization (Salend Rohena, 2003). Many teachers and parents use a form of positive reinforcement in which the child is rewarded for good behavior. Other helpful strategies may range from proper group management strategies to modifying the physical room arrangements which helps to keep the students focuses and on-task. The curriculum should be stimulating to include experience based learning as well as problem solving activities (Smith, et al.). By linking experiences to lesson topics, the teacher provides the student with much needed memory tools. Likewise the experience based curriculum teaches the students how to apply or incorporate the information into life situations and functions. Teaching individual behavior management techniques also helps to develop a higher self-esteem, and thus improves the student’s learning environment. Instructional adaptations are a must as well. The general teachers need to modify their own behavior and strategies to include novel and stimulating activities while maintaining structure and consistency. They must adapt their assessment techniques to include cooperative learning situations and allow physical movement as frequently as possible (Smith, et al.). Ultimately, as teachers learn the strengths and needs of their students with ADHD and develop workable intervention strategies, they create a positive learning environment. It is the understanding that follows recognition of ADHD and all its related aspects that will lend itself to the collaborative effort of all involved working together for the good of the student. â€Å"As a team, they can guide the child in developing techniques that can turn repeated failure into continuous progress.† (â€Å"Attention deficit,† 1994, p. 2) After all, isn’t that why we are here? References Attention deficit disorder: adding up the facts. (1994). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved August 1, 2004, from ldonline.org/ld_indepth/add_adhd/add_doe_facts.html Kluger, J., Cray, D., Park, A., Klarreich, K. Whitaker, L. (2003). Medicating young minds. Time, 162, p. 48. Retrieved August 1, 2004, from EBSCOhost Electronic Journals Service. M.S.-M., M. (2004, April 26). Tuneups for misfiring neurons. U.S. News World Report, 136, p. 55. Retrieved August 1, 2004, from EBSCOhost Electronic Journals Service. Salend, S. Rohena, E. (2003). Students with attention deficit disorders: an overview. Intervention in School Clinic, 38, 259-266. Retrieved August 1, 2004, from EBSCOhost Electronic Journals Service. Santrock, J. (2004). Life-span development (9th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Slavin, R. (1994). Educational psychology theory and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Smith, T., Polloway, E., Patton, J. Dowdy, C. (2004). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settings (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Tsao, A. (2004, April 29). Bigger than depression. Business Week Online. Retrieved August 1, 2004, from EBSCOhost Electronic Journals Service. Research Papers on Attention Deficit Disorder - Psychology Research PaperThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part OneBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfDefinition of Export QuotasRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

High performance team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

High performance team - Essay Example They are unaware of the knowledge being delivered to each team member for fulfilment of goals and objectives (Heathfield, 2007). 3. Lack of appropriate leadership style by the manager can also harm the team spirit and divert them from their established goals. The manager needs to adopt a specific leadership style to help and maintain the team’s enthusiasm and expectations. The ultimate goal for building a high-spirited team is to strive for improving customer satisfaction. Listed below are successful characteristics of building self-directed and high performing teams (Heathfield, 2007): 7. Control is an important empowerment for fulfilling the task as it develops the awareness that recommendations made by the team members will be scrutinised by their manager as the final decision rest with him (Buchholz, 1987). 1. Prevention and resolving conflicts: A safe and supportive organisational environment can build mutual trust and respect for its fellow team members. It can enable the members to express their opinions and problems with each other. For prevention of conflicts, following steps can be taken to make it a positive influence on the team (Fernandez, 2011). A collaborative agreement for negotiation between the team members and the manger can divulge a win- win situation. It is positive for both the interest and leads to total satisfaction for the high performance teams as well as the management (Fernandez,

Twitter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Twitter - Research Paper Example The very first thing that must be considered within the topic is how Twitter has modified our communication. The issue is very important as Twitter plays a crucial role in society, because people usually rely on the information they read there and carefully select the information they post on twitter themselves. As far as more and more portable technological devices like smartphones and tablets are getting released almost every single day, availability of communication has the biggest rates than it has ever had. Personally I use my smartphone most of my time no matter where I am, because the device is always with me and I have a constant access to the Internet. The Twitter application allows me to stay in touch with the rest of the world any time I want, because I always can open my Twitter account and read what’s new happens, and not only in my friends’ lives but in the world in general. I also use tablet, because it is convenient to share news with my friends by posti ng links to my news feed through it. The availability of technological gadgets in fact impacts the way me and all the rest of people perceive communication nowadays. In the article â€Å"Evolution of Communication: From Email to Twitter and Beyond† Alex Iskold points on the fact that Twitter is not only a simple communicational tool but it is a service that is both a messenger and a blog (n.pag). Thus it turns out that Twitter users can post any information that concerns their lives without any requirement to get any response to it. This nuance makes Twitter a kind of social networking that has notifying character. For instance, when I want to interact with a particular person I may send a message on Twitter, which the person is supposed to read; although I do it publically and I get the person’s response that everybody in my news feed can also read. This kind of communication destroys the boundaries of privacy in relationships and in fact even

The Lord of the Rings and Journey Essay Example for Free

The Lord of the Rings and Journey Essay A journey will always consist of travelling from one place to another, whether it be physical, where you actually embark over a distance or inner, where you learn something new from your campaign. Throughout my speech I will be talking about 2 texts that resemble a journey in different ways and text types. My prescribed text is Touching the void. Touching the void is a docudrama composed by director Kevin McDonald. And my chosen text is the book Lord of the rings by author J. R. R Tolkien. The book of lord of the rings, consists of many mini journey. Both these texts outline the main points of the concept journey. Touching the void is about a pair of climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, who go on a expedition up the treacherous Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. It becomes a survival story after Joe breaks his leg and is cut loose by Simon. Kevin McDonald uses a variety of film techniques to convey and explore the different details of the concept of ‘journey’. At the beginning of the climb, you can see that these two men aren’t truly prepared for what they are about to take part in. Kevin has purposely used quotes such as ‘we climb because it’s fun’ because it gives the viewer the impression that Joe and Simon did not expect everything to go wrong so badly, and therefore not be prepared. Lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring by J. R. R Tolkien, is an imaginative book about a great journey, a journey to destroy the evil ring of power. At the beginning of the book a young hobbit named Frodo is given the ring by his uncle Bilbo, not aware of its history and power. Gandalf, a wizard sees the ring and tells Frodo to leave the shire. Even though Frodo was warned of the rings power he did not leave straight away, whether it be because he was scared or not ready. This gives the impression that Frodo really did not know what he was getting himself into and wasn’t truly prepared. This relates to Joe and Simon not being prepared for their journey up the mountain in touching the void. Both Joe and Simon and also Frodo learn now that in order to overcome something you have to be prepared. This signifies that they have all embarked on an inner journey and learnt something from it. Kevin uses the non-diagetic sound of music to first set the scene of the movie. The music provokes the feeling of mystery and fear, like you don’t know what’s going to happen. This is what a journey needs, it needs mystery because mystery is travelling into the unknown and out of your comfort zone. Tolkien also used this image of mystery but through different techniques. The quote â€Å" it’s a dangerous business going out of your door, you step into the road and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you’ll be swept off to† , also represents mystery. Tolkien and Kevin both knew that in order to properly symbolize a journey they needed this mystery, it provides the best way to keep the audience intrigued. To represent how enormous a task the climb is going to be for Joe and Simon, Kevin uses a wide angle rolling shot over Siula Grande, this gives the impression that its huge and treacherous and that they have a massive and demanding journey ahead of them. Kevin also uses a wide angle shot to zoom to a close up on Joe and Simon as they climb, this represents how insignificant and small they are compare to the giant mountains that surround them. this directly relates to some of the concepts in Lord of the Rings. To depict the treacherous and demanding landscape, Tolkien uses imaginative and descriptive metaphors and similes, also he describes each characteristic of the environment with great detail. A good quote that supports this is â€Å"looking ahead they could only see tree trunks of several sizes and shapes, straight or bent, twisted, leaning, smooth or rough, knurled or branched and all the stems were green or grey with moss and slimy shaggy growths†. This is heavily descriptive and is a great example of how Tolkien uses descriptive language to describe the physical journey of the fellowship. When Joe and Simon make it to the mountain peak they become overwhelmed with the feeling of accomplishment and relief. There are many indicators to what they are feeling in this scene. For one the facial expressions and laughter of the actors in the scene, they seem very happy, secondly, the music in this also produces the feeling of overwhelmed bliss, a almost heavenly tune coupled with the wide/high angle pan shot overlooking the mountains, giving the indication that, yes these mountains are massive and intense but we finally had overcome them, and we are happy. This links to the dark forest chapter in lord of the rings. After being lost for days, Frodo, Sam and pippin find an opening. The opening is an old bonfire area, this has the same effect on the hobbits, as the mountain peak had on Joe and Simon. The quote ‘it seemed a charming cheerful place, compared to the forest’ is an indication of their relief. As they went into the forest they had little hope of making it out but as they did, it shows a great deal of physical and mental toughness in the hobbits. And that they have overcome another physical and mental journey. In conclusion both these texts are great examples of the concept of journey, the composers use different techniques to get their stories across but both effectively show the inner and physical journey of their characters in great detail. â€Å"We don’t receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us†.

The Benefits of Team Sports Participation Essay -- argumentative, persu

There are many benefits gained from participating in team sports. Team participation can build self esteem, promote social interaction and help one gain a sense of responsibility. Being involved in a team sport can also help you to attain personal fitness goals and maintain wellness. The time spent practicing with a team, will improve your skills and give you countless hours of enjoyment. Participating in a team sport can increase one’s self esteem. By being part of a team, you will give and receive praise. Receiving recognition from a team mate or a coach will boost your self esteem because you have been acknowledged for your efforts. As you are praised for your efforts, you will become more confident, thus improving your self esteem. Often times, the bond formed between team mates on the field translates into a friendship off the field. As team mates come to depend on each other and know that they are depended on, their level of commitment or responsibility to the game and skills needed for the game increases. Perhaps you have decided that you want to lose weight or just become more physically fit. Being involved in team sports can help you achieve this goal. First of all, decide on a sport that you enjoy. Secondly, start practicing and playing with the team on a regular basis. Last but not least, incorporate healthy food choices into your diet. As you become more active, you will lose weight and become more fit. After you have achieved your goal weight and level of fitness, maintain it by continuing to stay active and committed to a team sport. Having a fun, physical activity to share with friends, such as team sports, will help you maintain wellness. An article titled â€Å"The Benefits of Team Sports† fro... ... in a meeting that there is an upcoming project and that everyone must contribute to the completion of the project, he expects for all the employees to work together to finish. When it comes time to present your project and everyone else had completed their assigned task to specifications but you have gone off and made your own plans for how to complete the project, then it isn’t going to be completed or presented correctly. Because of your inability to listen and follow directions, you could run the risk of you being fired or possibly risk someone else’s job. You will also receive a poor performance review that could end up affecting your paycheck ultimately. Works Cited Alan Smithee, â€Å"How Participation in Team Sports Impacts People’s Lives† Found at www.helium.com Lucy Rector Filppu, â€Å"The Benefits of Team Sports† Found at www.education.com

Swot Ryanair

Miriam Mennen An Analysis of Ryanair’s Corporate Strategy Essay Document Nr. V145623 http://www. grin. com/ ISBN 978-3-640-56879-6 9 783640 568796 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air An Analysis of Ryanair’s Corporate Strategy Executive Summary Ryanair was founded in 1985 as a family business that originally provided full service conventional scheduled airline services between Ireland and the UK.The airline started to compete within the confines of the existing industry by trying to steal customers from their rivals, especially the state monopoly carrier Air Lingus, outlined by Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne (2004) as â€Å"Bloody or Red Ocean Strategy†. Ryanair seemed to follow a â€Å"me-too strategy†; according to Osborne, K. (2005), they â€Å"tried to be all things to all people†. Even they started restructuring; their strategy was not enough differentiated and their cost advantage was too low to be profitable. In 1986, th ey got â€Å"stuck in the middle†, outlined by Porter (1985) as they had a limited cost advantage and no service advantage.Ryanair then created a competitive advantage through the alignment of the three components of business systems; 1) Creating superior value for their customers (outside perspective) 2) Supplying their superior value-adding activities in an effective and efficient manner (which jointly form the â€Å"Value Chain†) 3) Possessing over the resource base required to perform the value-adding activities, (inside perspective) According to Porter (1987), â€Å"corporate strategy is what makes the corporate whole add up to more than the sum of its business unit parts. It is seen to be concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the organisation and to meet the expectations of major stakeholders. All aspects of Ryanair’s value chain are important to the company and their shareholders as Ryanair’s decisions add value to both. The following re port outlines the three perspectives of shaping Ryanair’s business system. The value creation dimension of Ryanair’s business model will be outlined, considering the theories of Porter and the more recent authors Kim and Mauborgne (2004).Further, the linkages in the airline’s value chain and their resource base will be analysed, considering Hamel and Prahalad’s (1990) core competency model (inside-out approach). 1 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air In section 2, the future challenges of the airline are considered. Ryanair’s strengths and weaknesses will be analysed, internal value creating factors such as assets, skills or resources, to consider how the airline can create alignment to its opportunities and threats, external factors.An stronger â€Å"outside – in† approach for Ryanair’s future corporate strategy will be considered, applying Porter’s five forces model, placing the market, the compe tition, and the customer at the starting point of the strategy process. I An evaluation of Ryanair’s key strategic perspectives 1) Creating superior value for their customers The low cost market segment Ryanair has found a source of leveraging a competitive advantage; the knowledge about the opportunities associated with implementing the low cost strategy, which was created by Southwest Airlines.The Texas airline found a unique approach to the market through reconceptualisation of market segments. In 1990, Ryanair successfully applied their model in the European market, becoming a â€Å"no frills† airline, focussing on short haul destinations and keeping its planes in the air as frequently as possible in a 24 hour period. The new low price market segment, which did not exist before in Europe, could be described as the development of a ‘blue ocean’, uncontested market space through the expansion of boundaries of the existing industry, outlined by Kim and Ma uborgne (2004).Ryanair’s low fares created demand, particularly from fare-conscious leisure and business travellers who might otherwise have used alternative forms of transportation or would not have travelled at all (Case Study, p. 3). The competition became less relevant and allowed Ryanair to develop and sustain high performance in an overcrowded industry. Up to now he airline benefits from the early profitable and rapid growth within the blue ocean and successfully executes the low cost business model, which became obvious when the airline announced that it has beaten its own downbeat forecasts to record a 29 % increase in pre-tax profits and 19 % passenger growth, having carried more than 27. 6 million passengers in the past financial year (Jameson, A. , 2005). 2 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air Ryanair’s position within the industry However, ‘blue oceans’ are not easily protected and Ryanair has been facing competitors that try to copy their low cost approach.Further, Ryanair has always been competing within the ‘red ocean’, by targeting a broad range of customers, e. g. the business segment and â€Å"stealing customer from rivals†. This outlines that Kim and Mauborgne’s strategy approach cannot be seen as exclusive. Competing with new entrants of competitors (and differentiators), Ryanair was able to launch an â€Å"all out war†, lowering prices and remaining profitable whilst increasing the frequency of flights and establishing new routes (Case Study). According to Porter (1980, 1985), the relative competitive position within an industry lies at the core of success or failure of firms.He defined two basics types of competitive advantage; cost leadership and differentiation (and focus). Ryanair set out to be best in the budget market segment, becoming the lowest cost airline in its industry (cost focus), e. g. no paper tickets, no passenger meals, no pre-arranged sea ting, enabling to cope and remain profitable, even on low yields. The airline constantly strives to reduce or control four of the primary expenses involved in running a major scheduled airline; their aircraft equipment costs, personnel productivity, customer service costs, airport access and handling costs.The airline deals successfully with competitive forces and is Europe’s leader in low fares by generating a superior return on investment (Osborne, 2005). This supports Mintzberg’s argument of price leadership being more relevant to competitive advantage than cost leadership. Planning to turn into a â€Å"no-fares-airline† by offering flights for free (Case Study), Ryanair can be argued to follow price leadership as one of the six ways to differentiation outlined by Minzberg.According to Mr O’ Leary (2005), new planes will enable him to drive down average fares by 5% a year causing a â€Å"bloodbath†. We are going to show up in your market and tra sh your yields. † (â€Å"Ryanair rolls out plans for European domination†, 2005). Differentiation through price outlines the superseding of Porter’s generic strategies by the resource/competence-based strategy frameworks. In addition to low prices, Ryanair’s branding emphasises on punctuality and efficiency, which is mainly achieved through operating from secondary airports.According to Ryanair, their success is not just due to their low fares â€Å"but also a winning combination of our No. 1 on-time record, our friendly and efficient people and our new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft† (Ryanair, 2005). It can therefore be argued that in a globalized competitive environment, even cost leaders need to differentiate 3 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air their message (‘hybrid strategy’), contradicting Porter’s original idea of fundamentally different routes to competitive advantage.International expansion Ryan air further constantly created value for customers by following generic growth and internationalisation strategies; they moved their operations into more and more countries, expanding the route system from its primarily Irish-UK emphasis to serve 86 destinations on 133 routes across 16 countries. According to Mr. O’ Leary (2005), they â€Å"will deliver 34m passengers from 12 European bases and have identified a further 48 potential bases. † The airline expanded recently by placing an order for 70 more Boeing 737-800 aircraft to keep growing at 20% a year (â€Å"Ryanair rolls out plans for European domination†, 2005).Ryanair can compete on price, as the airline has besides its low cost product offering an activity system and resource base that match the price positioning, opposite to traditional airlines that seem to get â€Å"stuck in the middle†, as outlined by Porter, when undergoing severe cost cutting which affects their areas of differentiation, e. g. Aer Lingus. 2) Supplying superior value-adding activities in an effective and efficient manner The â€Å"Value Chain† As Ryanair’s low cost/price pproach leads to overlapping value chains, the company is a perfect example of linking its opportunities, as outlined by Campbell and Goold (1998, in Meyer and de Witt, 2004). From a Value Based Management point of view, Porter's Value Chain framework can be seen as one of two dimensions in maximizing corporate value creation, outlining how well a company performs relatively towards its competitors (‘Relative Competitive Position’). Even Ryanair subscribes to a similar basic model compared to e. g. Easyjet, the airline has an entirely different value chain.Ryanair’s low cost/price approach adds value to most of Ryanair’s processes, e. g. clear corporate identity and brand image in addition to limited organisational complexity, increasing the differentiation towards their competitors. Ryanair main tains their efficient, high quality and low cost services through operating from secondary airports and by exploiting the advantages of outsourcing, a strategic management model, transferring the business processes of services to outside firms, e. g. passenger and aircraft handling, ticketing. This allows the 4 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air ompany to achieve competitive rates at fixed prices and to stay focused on its core competencies. Further, outsourcing can improve customer satisfaction (primary activity), mitigate risks, and add value to their reputation, accessed skills and technology, increased overall visibility of accounting and performance (controlled infrastructure), and avoided capital investments. Their strategy is to deliver the best customer service performance in its peer group, having just six staff in their customer care department; one for every two million passengers compared to British Airways which has 10 times the coverage (Ryanai r, 2005).Porter’s Value Chain Firm Infrastructure Support Activities Human Resource Management Technological Development Procurement M g ar in Primary Activities The technology of the company’s Internet booking system allowed to capture more value from its operations, to improve its contact with its customers (outbound logistics) and to increase control over the quality of their services. According to Mr O'Leary (2005), Ryanair saves 15% on the price of every ticket by using direct booking through the internet.For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, Ryanair generated virtually all of its scheduled passenger revenues through direct sales (Ryanair, 2005). All value-creating activities that transform the inputs into the final service of Ryanair are kept extremely lean. Ryanair does not interlink its operations with competitors, avoiding costs of trough service and delays and their Human Resource Management is tailored to continually improving the productivity of its alr eady highly-productive work force whilst controlling their labour costs. 5 M Logistics Logistics ar gi n InboundOperations Outbound Marketing & Sales Service Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air Ryanair focuses on centralised recruitment and training. In the year ended March 31, 2004 productivity calculated on the basis of passengers booked per employee continued to improve by 21% on the year ended March 31, 2003 (Ryanair, 2005). Ryanair emphasizes on modest base salaries and productivity-based pay incentives, including commissions for on-board sales of products for flight attendants and payments based on the number of hours or sectors flown by pilots and cabin crew personnel.Employees can participate in Ryanair’s stock option programs (worth up to 5% of the share of the company, Ryanair 2005). Ryanair even adds value to their low cost reputation through the refusal to recognise trade unions whilst having a competitive advantage over the heavily unionis ed nature of employment of the state owned Aer Lingus. (Ethical considerations, outlined in section 2). Ryanair has extremely low airport access fees by focusing on secondary and regional airport destinations that offer competitive cost terms, e. g. ess expensive outdoor boarding stairs, and allow for higher rates of on-time departures, faster turnaround times, fewer terminal delays, which maximises aircraft utilisation, eases restriction on slot requirements and on the number of allowed takeoffs and landings, adding value to customer satisfaction. Ryanair further added value to their infrastructure, procurement and reputation through negotiating favourable contracts with Boeing (inbound logistics); knowledge that is difficult to codify and replicate for competitors, as it is not only observable facts or data but complex and difficult to specify (core competence).Ryanair is said to be paying less than half the Boeings list price of $66m each (Money Telegraph, 2005). The procurement with Boeing 737-800s allows the airline to benefit from synergies through fleet commonality, limited costs associated with training (Human Resources), maintenance efficiency, and greater flexibility in the scheduling of crews and equipment (inbound logistics). Again, the new aircrafts provide the newest technology; blended winglets that reduce drag and drive down 2% of the fuel cost, driving down the average fares by 5% a year (O’ Leary, 2005).Ryanair’s business model as a whole is distinct, having an entirely different configuration altogether, in relation to their competitors in the airline industry, increasing the barriers to imitation or substitution. According to Teece, Pisano and Shuen (1997, in Meyer and de Witt, 2004, p. 253), â€Å"even if competitors are successful at identifying embedded competences and imitating them, the company with and initial lead can work at upgrading its competences in a race to stay ahead (‘Dynamic capabilities view’).R yanair seems to have â€Å"outpaced† their 6 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air competitors through upgrading its resources, activity system and product offering more rapidly, as outlined by Gilber and Strebel (1989). Ryanair’s unique firm resource; their knowledge of demand for the low cost airlines, made it possible to implement their strategy before others and to benefit from first mover advantage, outlined by Lieberman and Montgomery (1988). ) The resource base required to perform the value-adding activities Ryanair’s resource heterogeneity In general, the airline industry is characterised by supply side similarity (Kay, 1993, in Meyer and de Wit, 2004), as only marginal differences between air carriers can be displayed, particularly in a deregulated environment. Ryanair's business model was designed to challenge the limitations of these constraints. The airline focuses on value-adding process or resources, which give them a superior position relative to its competitors and which seems most appropriate to draw boundaries in the airline industry.Ryanair’s internal characteristics are most relevant in achieving sustained competitive advantage, outlined by Barney (1986, 1991). In contrast to Porter, Barney assumes that firms within an industry or group may develop long-term superior resources that can be protected in their mobility across firms by some form of isolating mechanism. According to the resource based view already outlined by Edith Penrose (1959, in Meyer and de Wit, 2004) and extended by Wernerfelt (1984, n Meyer and de Wit, 2004), Ryanair can be argued to have a sustained competitive advantage, as their competitors in the same segment are unable to duplicate the benefits of their strategy. The â€Å"winner-takes-all† dynamic (Case Study, p. 15) in the low cost segment, seems to have only worked in combination with this first mover advantage. Ryanair’s assets, e. g. their capabilit ies and attributes, are not successfully implemented by any current or potential competitor, e. g. negotiation for airport deals, employee contracts and fleet prices.Budget airlines that attempted to enter Ryanair’s market segment lost money or were taken over, e. g. Go’s foray into Dublin (Case Study). Their main competitor easyJet has carefully differentiated by focussing on different geographical markets and higher value through better transfer situations of main airports, addressing the business segment. However, Ryanair’s external environment, e. g. a saturated market and changing customer demands, can threaten Ryanair’s future growth (outlined in section 2). 7 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan AirRyanair’s Core Competence Approach Ryanair can be argued to follow the core competencies model of Hamel and Prahalad (1990), (inside-out perspective), as they build their strategy around their strength of distinctive competences , which offers an attractive base of competitive advantage, e. g. secondary airport approach. Ryanair competitiveness derives from an ability to build their competences at lower cost and more speedily than competitors. The real sources of Ryanair’s advantage are to be found in O’Leary’s ability to consolidate corporate-wide skills into competencies.Ryanair has strong relationships with their suppliers and a strong corporate identity. The airline can be argued to follow a strategic ‘stretch’ as they are overall resource led and create new opportunities, e. g. ancillary services. Strongly focussing on their core competences allowed for high strategic capability and potential access to a wide variety of markets, making a significant contribution to the perceived customer benefits of the end service and limiting the risk of imitation. The corporate centre tightly controls and co-ordinates by enunciating the strategic architecture that guides the compete nce acquisition process, e. . outsourcing. Ryanair’s resources include all means at the disposal for the performance of value-adding activities, e. g. through the acquisition of Buzz in 2003 (Case Study, p. 5), the airline gained a range of resources, e. g. know how, outlined by Preece as learning. The airline benefited from increased infrastructure and value-chain activities (leaning), integrated operations (leveraging), closer co-ordination of their vertical activities (leaping), expanded market opportunities and reduced competitive pressure (locking out). Resources consist of tangible assets, e. g.Ryanair owns all of its aircraft and holds net cash of 286 million euros (Money-telegraph, 2005), leading to the advantages that large firms have from large volumes enabling them to spread their costs (economies of scale), and intangible assets, e. g. the human capital; skills, competences and capabilities. Ryanair’s resource heterogeneity towards their competitors hinders other firms to conceive and implement the cost focus strategy, as outlined by Barney. Ryanair takes advantage of leveraging its resources, e. g. relationships and reputation, which are not readily transferable.They are inheritably attributed to O’Leary and his team and are influenced by the airline’s culture and governance. Ryanair possesses over a range of funny value-adding stories which defined their past, e. g. how Mr O’Leary ‘went to war’, driving in a military jeep to his competitor (Case Study). Personal involvement in battles of O’Leary against lobbying politicians, EU commissioners and competitors are part of the company culture and promote their aggressive 8 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air low cost image.Ryanair’s reputation for commitment to Safety and Quality Maintenance, not having â€Å"a single incident involving major injury to passengers or flight crew in its 20- year operating historyâ₠¬  (Case Study), is another value adding aspect. Ryanair’s distinct activity system provides the base for competitive advantage and raises the barriers to imitation. In conclusion, Ryanair does not follow a linear ‘inside – out’ or ‘outside – in’ approach. On the one hand, the airline continual upgrades its unique resources; on the other hand, it occupies specific market positions to emain competitive, creating superior value by closely fitting their services to customers’ needs and focussing on a relatively limited set of businesses and markets (narrow competitive scope). Ryanair increasingly focuses on exploiting market opportunities in their business environment though, e. g. expansion and horizontal integration, leaving their original organic growth model and benefiting from all aspects of the framework of international strategic alliances, outlined by Preece. External forces, e. g. he industry deregulation in 1997 that allo wed the airline to go continental and the technological advancement of the internet, also strongly influenced the airline’s success story (external value adding activities). Ryanir can be argued to have a discrete organisation perspective, emphasising on competition over co-operation, having high bargaining power and a highly independent approach with distinct firm boundaries. The airline has an essentially logical structure, characterised by planning and control, prediction and forecasting.Especially in relation to the dynamic hostile environment, the airline has a relatively deliberate strategy that is based on rational thinking. The limited complexity of the system is characterised by few organisational levels and centralisation. The airline benefits from the entrepreneurial spirit of O’ Leary who seemed to understand the activities that are likely to have a significant impact on Ryanair and that build valuable internal linkages within the boundaries of their busine ss model (organisational leadership perspective). So far, he was highly successful in understanding the low cost attributes that made Ryanair unique. Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air II An evaluation of the future strategic direction of the company The sustainability of a firm’s competitive advantage is said to be threatened by the development in the market. Customer needs and wants are in constant flux. The SWOT analysis of Ryanair, a tool for analyzing the internal strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats (see Appendix), outlined the paradox for Ryanair of creating alignment either from the outside-in (market-driven strategy) or from the inside-out resource driven strategy). So far, Ryanair has been strongly focussing on their core competences. Considering their environment, opportunities and threats, as the starting point when determining their strategy (outside-in perspective), is crucial though; to re-check the fit be tween their competitive advantage and the environment, as outlined by Rumelt, (1980). The model of ‘environmental consonance’ seems of great importance to the airline, outlining the requirement of continual adaptation of the business system to the demands and new opportunities in the market place.As outlined by Leonar-Barton (1995), Ryanair’s core competences seem to be simultaneously Ryanair’s core rigidities, locking them out of new opportunities (in Meyer and de Wit, p. 253), e. g. Ryanair’s â€Å"Dublin saga†, the fight over the desired second low cost terminal at Dublin airport instead of considering the creation of a new lucrative base in continental Europe, threatening easyJet’s. Ryanair should consider market development, outlined by Ansoff, e. g. Greece and Turkey, which have a combined population of around 70 million people and offer extremely profitable market opportunities through year-round and holiday flights.The airline should further initiate additional routes from the U. K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe that are currently served by higher-cost, higher-fare carriers. Market opportunities of new domestic routes within EU countries, especially new member countries, and increased frequency of service on its existing routes will allow Ryanair to remain focussed on low cost/price and prolong its unprecedented and high levels of growth without jeopardising their core competences. Rivalry among existing players could be reduced by damaging the package tourism industry, e. . Thomas Cook, Lunn Polly and Neckerman (Porter’s 5 forces). Further acquisitions should be considered in the long-term. Ryanair seems to have enough power to counterbalance the demands of buyers and suppliers, to outperform rival airlines in their market segment, and to discourage new firms from entering the business. Their main 10 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air challenge will b e threatening easyJet in its home market, currently serving Athens, and to fend off the â€Å"Value for money† segment that threatens to substitute Ryanair’s services (Porter’s 5 forces).The industry attractiveness for long-term profitability, outlined by Porter (1985), will have a strong influence on Ryanair’s profitability. Porter had ignored the aspect that differentiation strategies can be used to increase sales volumes rather than to charge a premium price. With negative forecast for the low price market, with growth rates of no more than 20 to 25 % of the total market, market saturation is said to be not far off for budget airlines in Western Europe (Ottink, 2004). Instead of the lowest price, the optimal balance between service and price is seen to be the growth market of the future.Value market share will eventually hover around 60 % of the total market (Ottink, 2004). Regarding this threat, the main challenge will be to respond to changing demand s and at the same time to ensure consistency, effectiveness and the coherence of Ryanair’s low cost strategy. At this stage, Ryanair should not compete on service advantage by entering the value market, turning into a portfolio organisation. They should so far seek for other niches, than compromise their low cost approach by reactively adapting to the unpredictable development in the current market.Retrenchment involves cutting back to focus on your best lines, often referred to this as â€Å"sticking to the knitting†. Ryanair should consider the mistakes of their competitors entering new market segments, e. g. Lufthansa by offering deeply discounted flights to Mallorca and Nice, standing up to easyJet. Ryanair should therefore further engage in market penetration and strengthen their market development approach, rather than diversify their services, as outlined by Ansoff (Product Market Framework).However, Ryanair should be aware that its knowledge is a fluid mix of f ramed experience, values, contextual information and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information, as outlined by Davenport and Prusack. Even the company’s formula has been highly successful in the last decades; Ryanair has to check whether their organisational routines are still valid in the new markets (double or tripleloop learning), e. g. the way Mr O’Leary aggressively promotes the low cost strategy.Especially in the new EU member countries his practices, which are said to threaten industrial peace and put EU ministers at unease, need to be revised. 11 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air The self interest of Ryanair might be best served by developing attitudes to ethical issues before they become acute, as the airline is especially vulnerable to hostile campaigns (Value Chain). Ryanair should consider ethical corporate behaviour and social responsibility, currently facing the para dox of profitability (shareholder value perspective) and responsibility (stakeholder value perspective), e. . policies regarding disabled passengers, employee rights and environmental standards. At the moment, the simplicity inside the company does not seem to match Ryanair’s complex environment. Ryanair has to differentiate its message to fend off competitors, e. g. the airline should consider the co-operation with environmental organisations, offering passengers the possibility to pay the price of competitors in the value segment and paying the difference to the original Ryanair price to an organisation that invests in solar energy to reduce the world emissions.Ryanair’s Boeings could be green and the message should be â€Å"flying cheap and doing good†. Customers that might otherwise have switched to the value segment do not mind the voluntary environmental charge and are likely to accept more difficult transfer situations for the â€Å"feeling of doing good †. This differentiation aspect will add value to the company’s reputation and public relations. Ryanair can become the first mover in an industry that will sooner or later need to address the issue of emissions. Creativity and radical innovation are a strategic orientation to sustained competitive advantage.Ryanair should further consider the involvement of employees in the search for unsatisfied customer demand, as outlined by Kim and Mauborgne (2004). Free exchange and flow of information will foster new creative knowledge and help the airline to continually transform itself, e. g. the contact between flight attendants and management should be increased to foster a climate of openness and trust and to capture opportunities. The concept of organisational learning, as outlined by Senge (1990) and extended by Pedler, Bourgoyne and Boydell (1991) and Wang and Ahmed (2003), is crucial to nurture new and expansive patterns of thinking. 2 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air References Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management. Vol. 17, No. 1, p. 99–120 Oklahoma State University. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Campbell and Goold (1998). Why Links Between Business Units Often Fail and How to Make Them Work. Capstone Publishing Ltd, Oxford. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context.An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Gilber, X. and Strebel, P. (1989). From Innovation to Outpacing. Business Quarterly. Summer pp. 19-22. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C. K. (1990). The Core Competence of the Corporation. May-June 1990. Vol 68. Harvard Business School Publishing.In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Jameson, A. (2005). Ryanair confident of European goal. [Internet] Times Online. Available from: (http://business. timesonline. co. uk/article/0,,8209-1635966,00. html). [01/06/2005] Kay, J. (1993). Foundation s of Corporate Success: How Business Strategies add value. Oxford: Oxford University Press. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning.Kim, W. C. and Mauborgne, R. (1999). Strategy, Value Innovation, and the Knowledge Economy. Sloan Management Review. 40 (3), pp. 41-54. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Kim, C. and Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blu e Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Liebermann, M. B. and Montgomery, D. B. (1988). First Mover Advantages. Strategic Management Journal. 9 (1), pp. 41-58. In: De Wit, B. nd Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Porter, M. E. (1980, 1988). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. The Free Press. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. 13 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air Marquardt, M. and Reynolds, A. (1994). The Global Learning Organization: Gaining Competitive Advantage through Continuous Learning. New York. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Money T elegraph (2005) Ryanair lands better result than forecast. [Internet]. Available from: (http://money. telegraph. co. uk/money/main. jhtml? xml=/money/2005/02/25/cnryanair25. xml) [5 June 2005]. Osborne, A. (2005). Ryanair rolls out plans for European domination. [Internet]. Business Telegraph Available from: (http://www. telegraph. co. uk/money/main. jhtml? xml=/money/2005/02/25/cnryanair25. ml enuId=242=/portal/2005/02/25/ixportal. html). [1 June 2005] Ottink, F. (2004). Winner in the wrong market. [Internet]. Yeald Available from: (http://www. yeald. com/Yeald/a/29541/ryanair__winner_in_the_wrong_market. html) [5 June 2005] Rumelt, R. P. (1980). The Evaluation of Business Strategy. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. Ryanair (2005). Strategy. [Internet]. Available from: (http://www. ryanair. com/site/about/invest/docs/Strategy. pdf). 27 May 2005] Teece, D. J. , Pisano, G. , and Sh uen, A. (1997). Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management. Strategic Management Journal. 18 (7). Pp. 509-533. In: De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy: Process, Content, Context. An International Perspective. 3rd ed. London: Thomson Learning. 14 Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air Appendix: SWOT- Analysis Strength – Quality processes and procedures: features important to the clientele, e. g. punctuality, few cancellations, few lost bags, frequent departures, baggage handling and consistent on-time services. low cost – low fares approach (differentiated service) – Low aircraft equipment costs – Lower maintenance costs and low depreciation costs due to ownership of aircrafts – Fleet commonality – Focus on low cost alternative airports; low airport access and handling costs – Low customer service costs; Internet booking system avoiding costly systems, commissions and sales headcount – Low marketing costs – Revenue enhancing and cost-cutting features, e. g. no seat pockets to allow faster turnaround times – Relationships to suppliers; strong bargaining position with respect to aircraft procurement, e. g. argain price of Buzz acquisition, airport deals and staff recruitment – Concentration on core business through outsourcing – Low labour cost through performance related pay structure; high personnel productivity / staff efficiency ratio – Overall high value and profitability – Location of business; focus on Europe's largest airline market; the UK, in particular the London Area – Increased take-off and landing slots trough acquisition of Buzz, KLM subsidiary – Increased number of seats per plane, enabling lower individual fares but higher per plane income – Short turn-around times increasing the available operational hours per plane. Strong brand and low fare reputation -foreign exchange hedging in transactions invo lving the euro, UK sterling and the US$ Weaknesses – falls in fare yields – Transfer situations from Airports – reputation – no non-essential extras – falling load factors due to continuing decline in unit costs – Decreasing frequency of flights due to need for high load factors, reducing business travel – climate protecting charge on aircraft taking off and landing in the EU, environmental fee might double no-frills operator’s fares, disproportionately greater effect on budget airlines – Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility 15Global Corporate Strategy – A Case Study on Ryan Air Opportunities – initiating additional routes from the U. K. or Ireland to other locations in continental Europe, currently served by higher-cost, higher-fare carriers – Developing European market for budget sector with large population base / expansion into 10 new EU states – New domestic routes within continenta l Europe. Strongly moving into intercontinental business â€Å"using the principle of simplification and cherry picking† – increasing the frequency of service on its existing routes – considering possible acquisitions that may become available in the future, e. . Lufthansa – connecting airports within its existing route network -Exploiting profitable destinations with both a tourist as well as business segment – Conversion from low fares to a no-fares airline – Fall in average ticket price and increased threat of entry for competitors – loosening of regulations – Decreasing competition – Increased ancillary service revenues – Increasing in-flight sales on longer flights – employee loyalty – focus on environmental issues – innovative marketing for differentiationThreats – Limited market in the North of Europe resulting in low occupancy levels and efficiency of usage of planes – To ugher competition from the traditional and charter airlines which offer cheap hard to beat all-in holiday packages in continental Europe. New competitors in home market – Adaptation of Ryanair’s business model by competitors and innovative substitute services – Incumbent airlines selectively copying the tactics of Ryanair’s on competition routes – small potential markets – high speed trains, subsidised by the state in GER and France, – high speed rail plan in Benelux region -good highway connections in the major market around cities in the Middle and Southern Europe – Scarcity of appropriate located, low cost airports around major cities / decreased bargaining power of airlines – Price war – increasing landing charges – Dependency on world jet fuel prices – war and terrorism – epidemics – EU commission decisions – lobbying politicians – formation of a trade union for pilot s – the weakness of sterling against the euro – Mergers between competitors, e. g. Air France and

Analyze the main character’s positive and negative qualities in “To build a fire” Essay

Based on real experiences, Jack London’s stories of high adventures have been appealing to millions of readers worldwide. With naturalism mode of fiction and a common topic – vigorous nature – in his works, the great author always took great care to depict his characters and the struggles with nature to expose man’s qualities in formidable situations. â€Å"To build a fire† is a good example. By creating a context of severe weather with white frost dominating throughout the story, Jack London was successful in portraying his protagonist Tom Vincent with all positive and negative qualities. The character’s positive qualities were revealed from the beginning of the story. In the first page, readers can easily perceive that Tom Vincent was a strong man. The protagonist was described as â€Å"a strapping young fellow, big-boned and big-muscled, with faith in himself and in strength of his head and hands.† With good descriptive words, the writer created a vivid picture of a young man who was strong both physically and mentally. He was brave and always ready to cope with difficulties with a firm belief in himself. He did not hide from the severe elements; instead, â€Å"he was out in it, facing it, fighting it†. Furthermore, Tom Vincent was a smart and clear-headed person. He knew how to protect himself in the freezing weather. Realizing the biting cold, â€Å"he leaped to his feet and ran briskly up the trail†; also, he rubbed his nose and cheeks till they burned with the returning blood, which made him warmer. When he felt the cold water strike his feet and ankles, he knew â€Å"the thing to do, and the only thing to do, was to build a fire†. Though failing to set a fire many times and almost hopeless with his numb hands, Tom Vincent could keep his mind sound enough to come up with the idea of burning his hands to regain their feeling and continued to build another fire. Obviously, Tom was a man who could react to difficult situations quite flexibly and smartly. The most remarkable quality of Tom Vincent is his strong survival instinct with great patience and perseverance, which was vividly described through the character’s continuous attempts to build a fire in freezing weather. When Tom was aware of his dangerous situation, he didn’t think so much but  concentrated on building a fire – the only thing that could save his life at that moment. In the first attempt, he kneeled down to kindle his fire. Despite his unmittened stiff fingers, he told himself not to hurry things and cherished his fire with the utmost care. However, the frost forced him to suffer more. His young flame, his little light of hope, was soon buried under the snow that fell down from the pine boughs. In spite of the fear and panic growing larger and larger inside him, he kept his presence of mind. He did not allow himself to be overwhelmed by the adversity and started at once to rebuild the fire. Unfortunately, he failed at the very beginning when h e dropped the match in the snow and could not pick it up again with his numb fingers. Desperate, but he, though painfully, stood up, stepped to one side to avoid being disturbed by the falling snow from the pine boughs, â€Å"beat his hands violently against a tree-trunk†, and made another attempt. Still, the aggressive elements kept troubling the miserable man. Tom’s tiny flame was quenched one more time in his shaking hand due to the severe cold. After consecutive failures, Tom virtually collapsed with despair, but quickly, he ran up the trail to look for help. He still believed there was another solution available somewhere. Even when he had recognized that there was no help, no sign of help but the emotionless white frost and the brazen silence, his hope of being rescued promptly ignited again when his eyes chanced upon another high-water lodgment of twigs and branches. He started over to build a fire! He tried to overcome the condition of numb hands with all fingers straight out by â€Å"pressing the wrist of the other hand against them† and finally managed to ignite the match. Regrettably, the flame burned into the flesh of his hand, which made him involuntarily relax his hold and helplessly watch the match fall into the snow. The fire went out. Again, he ra n, in his most terrible panic, but the only thing he could find was an empty shelter of moose-hunters. This time, he felt so badly frightened that he sank down and sobbed, nearly accepting that everything was over. When all the doors seemed to be closed, his love of life burned strongly than ever. He â€Å"sprang again to his feet†, thinking quickly, and found out a way to save his life – burning his hands to regain their sense. He set his teeth to bear the pain caused by the fire licking his flesh. Apparently, that he writhed around with the torment, yet held on the fire, was the greatest evidence of his tough survival instinct. The heroic measure and the amazing bravery to  act over the extremity saved him from death. Through Tom Vincent’s continuous attempts to build a fire, readers can see clearly the character’s durability and iron will. Despite the severe hardship, he made great efforts; despite the great efforts, he made continuous failures; desp ite the continuous failures, he always gave himself another opportunity to survive. Beside the positive qualities, readers could see the presence of negative traits in the character’s personality, which brought him very close to death. Tom Vincent was exposed as an overconfident, subjective and arrogant young man. Ignoring the precept of the north, â€Å"Never travel alone†, Tom, by himself, started his journey in a severe weather condition with just a light pack on his back, a pair of moccasins on his feet, and an over-optimistic attitude on a new, strange and lonely route. At the beginning of the journey, he was swinging along the trail and enjoyed it with all his great excitement. He was fearless with the thought that â€Å"there was no possibility of getting lost† and considered a nose-strap â€Å"feminine contraption†. Although the nature did warn him of its killing freezing cold, Tom enjoyed the exultation with a complacent attitude. He assumed that he was stronger than the elements and considered himself as master of the elements. â€Å"He laughed aloud in sheer strength of life, and with his clenched fist defied the frost†. It was his overconfidence that made him take all miseries afterwards. Tom was a strong and smart young man; nonetheless, it was not enough for him in the fight against the cruel nature. In the dual with Mother Nature, he was just a child. He failed to estimate all dangerous accidents that did happen to him during his journey. First of all, he hadn’t known how harsh the weather was and afterwards felt the need of a nose-strap that he had scorned before. Moreover, he built a fire under a pine tree with snowy boughs that blotted out his flame. Also, he couldn’t imagine that his hands and his body would become such numb and worthless ones that prevented him from building a fire. Ultimately, he regretted ignoring the precept of the north and wished to have a comrade whose feet were not freezing to start a fire that could save him. After experiencing continuous bitter failures, Tom, a strapping man, sank down and sobbed like a child. Jack London was successful using contrast to paint his character: one arrogant at the beginning and one miserabl e at the end. Through that, the author showed us  the consequences of his character’s shortcomings. Though thinking that Tom Vincent deserved to pay for his arrogance, readers feel sorry for him. If he had been a good listener – traveling with a companion or starting the journey in a better weather condition, he wouldn’t have fallen into such a life-threatening situation that nearly took his life away. The story ended with a Tom Vincent surviving but totally different from the Tom at the beginning. He became â€Å"sensitive to frost† and â€Å"lays down the precept of the North†. He finally took a bitter lesson from Mother Nature. After analyzing the character’s positive and negative qualities, we can learn valuable lessons: a will of iron is a weapon that helps us overcome difficulties in life, even in the worst situation; however, never underestimate potential risks around us, and be a good listener. A man with all good qualities like Tom Vincent could be a very successful person in the modern world today; nevertheless, it is the arrogance that will destroy all his success. Hence, a man can succeed only when he understands the rules of nature and the rules of life to take appropriate actions in all adventures during his life.

What Teachers Do Beyond the Classroom Is Critical

What Teachers Do Beyond the Classroom Is Critical Many people believe that teachers have an easy job in part because they have the summers off and multiple days off for several holidays.   The truth is that teachers spend almost as much time working when students are gone as they do when students are in class.   Teaching is more than 8-3 job. Good teachers stay at school late into the evening, continue to work once they get home, and spend hours on the weekend preparing for the upcoming week.   Teachers often do amazing things beyond the classroom when no one is looking. Teaching is not a static job where you leave everything at the door and pick it back up the next morning.   Instead, teaching follows you wherever you go. It is a continuous mindset and state of mind that is rarely turned off. Teachers are always thinking about their students. Helping them learn and grow consumes us. It causes us to lose sleep sometimes, stresses us at others, yet provides us joy constantly.   What teachers truly do is not completely understood by those outside of the profession. Here we examine twenty critical things that teachers do once their students are gone that makes a significant impact.   This list only offers some insight into what teachers do once their students leave and is not comprehensive. Actively Participate on a Committee Most teachers set on various decision-making committees throughout the school year. For example, there are committees in which teachers help formulate a budget, adopt new textbooks, craft new policies, and hire new teachers or principals.   Sitting on these committees can require a lot of extra time and effort, but give the teachers a voice in what is happening within their school. Attend Professional Development or Faculty Meeting Professional development is an essential component of teacher growth and improvement. It provides teachers with new skills they can take back to their classroom.   Faculty meetings are another requirement held several times throughout the year to allow collaboration, present new information, or simply to keep teachers up-to-date. Breaking Down Curriculum and Standards Curriculum and standards come and go. They are cycled through every few years.   This ever revolving door requires teachers to break down the new curriculum and standards they are required to teach constantly. This is a tedious, yet necessary process in which many teachers dedicate hours to conducting. Clean Up and Organize Our Classrooms A teacher’s classroom is their second home, and most teachers want to make it comfortable for themselves and their students. They spend countless hours cleaning, organizing, and decorating their classrooms. Collaborate with Other Educators Building relationships with other educators are essential. Teachers spend a lot of time exchanging ideas and interacting with one another.   They understand what each other are going through and bring a different perspective that can help solve even the most difficult of situations. Contact Parents Teachers call email and message parents of their students continuously.   They keep them up-to-date on their progress, discuss concerns, and sometimes they just call to build rapport.   Additionally, they meet face-to-face with parents at scheduled conferences or whenever a need arises. Extrapolate, Examine, and Utilize Data to Drive Instruction Data drives modern education. Teachers recognize the value of data. When they assess their students, they study the data, looking for patterns, along with individual strengths and weaknesses. They tailor lessons to meet the needs of their students based on this data. Grade Papers/Record Grades Grading papers is time-consuming and tedious. Though it is necessary, it is one of the most boring parts of the job.   Once everything has been graded, then they must be recorded in their gradebook.   Thankfully technology has advanced where this part is much easier than it once was. Lesson Planning Lesson planning is an essential part of a teacher’s job.   Designing a week’s worth of great lessons can be challenging.   Teachers must examine their state and district standards, study their curriculum, plan for differentiation, and maximize the time they have with their students. Look for New Ideas on Social Media or Teacher Websites The Internet has become a focal point for teachers. It is a valuable resource and tool full with new and exciting ideas. Social media sites such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter also allows a different platform for teacher collaboration. Maintain a Mind of Improvement Teachers must have a growth mindset for themselves and their students. They must always be searching for the next great thing. Teachers must not become complacent. Instead, they must maintain a mind of improvement constantly studying and looking for ways to improve. Make Copies Teachers can spend what seems like an eternity at the copy machine.   Copy machines are a necessary evil that becomes even more frustrating when there is a paper jam. Teachers print all sorts of things such as learning activities, parent information letters, or monthly newsletters. Organize and Oversee School Fundraisers Many teachers conduct fundraisers to fund things such as equipment for their classrooms, a new playground, field trips, or new technology.   It can be a taxing endeavor to count and receipt all of the money, tally and submit the order, and then distribute all of the merchandise when it comes in. Plan for Differentiation Every student is different. They come with their own unique personalities and needs. Teachers must continuously think about their students, and how they can help each one. It takes a lot of time and effort to accurately tailor their lessons to accommodate each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Review Instructional Strategies Instructional strategies are a critical component of effective teaching.   New instructional strategies are being developed all the time.   Teachers must familiarize themselves with a wide variety of strategies to meet each of their student’s needs. Strategies that work well for one student or class may not necessarily work for another. Shop for Classroom Activities and/or Student Needs Many teachers invest hundreds to thousands of dollars out of their own pocket for materials and supplies for their classroom every year.   They also purchase materials such as clothing, shoes, and food for needy students.   Naturally, it takes time to go to the store and grab these items. Study New Educational Trends and Research Education is trendy. What is popular today, likely will not be popular tomorrow. Likewise, there is always new education research that can be applied to any classroom. Teachers are always studying, reading, and researching because they do not want to miss an opportunity to improve themselves or their students. Support Extra-Curricular Activities Many teachers double as coaches or sponsors of extra-curricular activities. Even if they do not draw an extra-duty assignment, it is likely that you will see several teachers in the audience at events. They are there to support and cheer on their students. Volunteer for Extra-Duty Assignments There are always opportunities for teachers to assist in other areas around the school. Many teachers volunteer their time to tutor struggling students. They keep gate or concession at athletic events. They pick up trash on the playground. They are willing to help out in any area of need. Work Another Job As you can see from the list above, a teacher’s life is already very busy, yet many work a second job. This is often out of necessity. Many teachers simply do not make enough money to support their family.   Working a second job cannot help but impact a teacher’s overall effectiveness.