The Road to Becoming a Teacher Essay Example For Students

The Road to Becoming a Teacher Essay Shayne McCormickMr. KatzSenior Project Research PaperJanuary 8, 2002The Road to Becoming a TeacherTeachers bear the heavy responsibility of molding the minds of our nations most precious resource, its children. The road to becoming a teacher is a long one, involving post-high school education, people skills, and a desire to change lives. These traits, when accompanied by experience and good techniques, form the foundation for an effective, life-altering educator. Before anything else, teachers must have a desire to impact the lives of their students (Education). Some teachers teach because they want to help children learn and grow and would like to make a contribution to society. Others have an intellectual fascination with a certain subject (such as math or history), have been inspired by one of their own teachers, or feel they have a sense of commitment to their country (Recruit). One thing is certain, teachers that go into the profession for selfish reasons will find it hard to commit to their career. The salary for a teacher is not likely to make a person rich, so their motives must be based on helping improve the minds of future generations (Kizlik). If there is a desire to be a teacher, it must also be coupled with education, training, and preparation. To serve as a public school educator, one must have obtained at least a bachelors degree, completed an approved teacher education program, and be licensed (School Teachers). These qualifi cations are universal for all fifty States and the District of Columbia. Instructors may be licensed to teach the early childhood grades (usually nursery school through grade 3); the elementary grades (grades 1 through 6 or 8); the middle grades (grades 5 through 8); a secondary education subject area (usually grades 7 through 12); or a special subject, such as reading or music (usually grades K through 12) (School Teachers). We will write a custom essay on The Road to Becoming a Teacher specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The requirements for licensing differ from state to state. However, it is a necessity to complete an approved teacher-training program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits as well as practiced teaching, supervised by an official. In addition, nearly all States demand applicants for teacher licensure to be tested for competency in basic skills such as reading, math, teaching, and subject matter proficiency (School Teachers). Most states use a standardized version of this test, known as the PRAXIS exam (Recruit). It is recommended that prospective teachers take 24 to 36 credits in an area of specialization and 18 to 24 credits in teaching courses (Princeton). Teachers also must be able to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, motivate, and understand the educational and emotional needs of their students (School Teachers). Potential educators are advised to gain skills in communications, organization, and time management (Princeton). The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accredits more than 500 teacher education programs in the United States. In most cases, four-year colleges require students to wait until their sophomore year before applying for admission to teacher education programs. The traditional education programs for kindergarten and elementary teachers include courses in mathematics, physical science, social science, music, art, and literature, as well as prescribed professional education courses such as philosophy of education, psychology of learning, and teaching methods. Hopeful secondary school teachers have two options. They may either major in the subject they plan to teach while also taking education courses, or major in education while taking their subject courses (School Teachers). In addition to traditional licensure, some states offer what is called Emergency Licensure. These licenses bypass state licensing requirements. They are usually granted to individuals who teach in high-need subject areas, such as mathematics, science, special education, or bilingual education, or for high-need geographic areas such as urban schools (Recruit). .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .postImageUrl , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:hover , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:visited , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:active { border:0!important; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 { 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; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:active , .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .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; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8 .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub18abeba62476886c2a2362a45c231b8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Diversity EssayThere are several programs for future teachers who have received their bachelors degree. One of the major ones, known as a Professional Development School, is a partnership between a university and a secondary school. Students enter the program and receive the privilege of merging the theory they have learned with practice by teaching a yearlong class first-hand (School Teachers). After receiving their education and license, a potential teacher must work to get a job. Though the need for teachers has risen in the past years, finding a job as an instructor can prove to be difficult. The process of identifying and applying for teaching positions requires knowledge, research, organizational and interpersonal skills, determination, creativity, and patience (Recruit). Teachers can apply for teaching positions through their colleges placement office or directly to their chosen school district (Princeton). Some suggested ways of finding employment as a teacher include searching the Internet to find districts with job openings or looking for work in geographic areas like the South or Southwest where the population is growing rapidly. They may also use the more traditional method of answering ads in newspapers (Recruit). Before accepting any position, soon-to-be teachers should be aware of the responsibilities of their job. Teachers are expected to serve as more than just instructors. They must fill the shoes of a communicator, a disciplinarian, a conveyor of information, an evaluator, a classroom manager, a counselor, a member of many teams and groups, a decision-maker, a role-model, and a surrogate parent, to name a few (Kizlik). Teachers must be ready to deal with an array of students with different needs. Their day usually begins around 8 a.m. where they face the difficult task of waking up their tired students and getting them ready to learn. They must find interesting ways of presenting the subjects that students often find tedious (Princeton). Affective teachers use interactive discussion and hands on learning to help students understand the material (School Teachers). A teachers day does not hardly end when the school bell rings. Active teachers are usually involved in after school meetings, committees, assisting students, grading homework, assignments, and projects, and calling parents. These tasks all require a certain amount of personal sacrifice (Kizlik). There have been many changes in education. Even today, the face of education is being changed and refined. Classes are becoming more and more less structured with students working in their own groups. The idea is to prepare students to enter the workforce by teaching them the skills to interact with others, adapt to new technology, and logically think through problems (School Teachers). Even with the experience of the teacher-training programs mentioned earlier, nothing can fully prepare a person to become a teacher. According to Dr. Bob Kizlik, Each of the roles a teacher plays requires practice and skills that are often not taught in teacher preparation programs. Not all who want to be teachers should invest the time and resources in preparation programs if they do not have the appropriate temperament, skills, and personality. Teaching has a very high attrition rate. Depending on whose statistics you trust, around forty percent of new teachers leave teaching within the first five years. It is obviously not what they thought it would be. Elementary school teachers usually are responsible for teaching the same group of children in all subjects. In some cases, two or three teachers all take responsibility for the same group of students. Teachers in secondary schools, however, focus on one subject and dive more deeply into the foundation set during elementary school (School Teachers). The outlook for jobs in the field of education is very good. The number of teachers needed is growing more and more. As stated earlier, nearly forty percent of all teachers will quit within their first five years of educating (Kizlik). This year alone, experts estimate there will be 150,000 to 250,000 openings in the nations elementary and secondary schools. It is also predicted that there will be a need for 2.2 million teachers over the next ten years (Recruit). .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .postImageUrl , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:hover , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:visited , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:active { border:0!important; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d { 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; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:active , .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .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; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2d8fa2b2569a10bd79ef8f73909a136d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Final Exam EssayThe greatest need for teachers occurs in rural and urban areas. There is also a great shortage of teachers in specific subjects, such as math, science, bilingual education, and English as a second language (Recruit). Despite this need, teaching is still considered to be one of the most underpaid professions for college-graduates. The average salary for a teacher in the United States in 1998 was $39,347.00 per year. California, however, is the eighth-highest paid state for teachers, receiving an average of $44,585.00 per year (Salary). Though the pay is not high, the rewards of being an instructor are like no other. Teaching provides a person with the opportunity to give back to their community and to impact a significant number of lives. Teachers have a great responsibility laid at their feet. But, with a desire to change lives, a likeable temperament, and the proper education there is now doubt that one can find true success in the field of education. Words/ Pages : 1,434 / 24

Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature

Archeology Affecting Literature Since the beginning of time men have wondered about the lives of people who came before. Numerous archeologists have discovered various objects made and used by past civilizations which have supplied us with vital information about our past. Many of those discoveries have helped to clarify bits and pieces of our world and its people. As men marvel and try to understand how our ancestors lived, these artifacts can help. Many of these past discoveries from archeology digs can perhaps sometimes be substantiated by physical evidence. To what degree do these discoveries discredit or support the information presented? Contemporary archeology is greatly affecting the validity of literary works previously considered fictional, as well as disclaiming the thesis of some non-fictional works. Discoveries made due to archeological digs affect the validity of (1) American, (2) British, and (3) Greek works of literature. Barry Fell’s publication of American B.C. is an account of our earliest settlers in North America and how their origins are tied to the Mediterranean littoral. About 3,000 years ago Celtic mariners crossed the Atlantic to settle in New England and other areas. Other colonist followed speaking many different languages and settled in other parts of the United States. In 1975, in the northwest region of the United States, discoveries of ancient Celtic inscriptions were found on areas of buried buildings and they were believed to be temples to the Celtic God’s. Indian culture developed and formed from these European and the Middle East influences. A tablet found in an ancient Indian burial mound in 1874 was another mystery that brought clues that we could use to help us understand past civilizations. â€Å"For on it are inscribed astronomical instructions in three ancient languages –Egyptian, Iberian Punic, and Libyan† (Fell 4). Barry Fell’s findings have caused much contro... Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature Free Essays on Archeology Affecting Literature Archeology Affecting Literature Since the beginning of time men have wondered about the lives of people who came before. Numerous archeologists have discovered various objects made and used by past civilizations which have supplied us with vital information about our past. Many of those discoveries have helped to clarify bits and pieces of our world and its people. As men marvel and try to understand how our ancestors lived, these artifacts can help. Many of these past discoveries from archeology digs can perhaps sometimes be substantiated by physical evidence. To what degree do these discoveries discredit or support the information presented? Contemporary archeology is greatly affecting the validity of literary works previously considered fictional, as well as disclaiming the thesis of some non-fictional works. Discoveries made due to archeological digs affect the validity of (1) American, (2) British, and (3) Greek works of literature. Barry Fell’s publication of American B.C. is an account of our earliest settlers in North America and how their origins are tied to the Mediterranean littoral. About 3,000 years ago Celtic mariners crossed the Atlantic to settle in New England and other areas. Other colonist followed speaking many different languages and settled in other parts of the United States. In 1975, in the northwest region of the United States, discoveries of ancient Celtic inscriptions were found on areas of buried buildings and they were believed to be temples to the Celtic God’s. Indian culture developed and formed from these European and the Middle East influences. A tablet found in an ancient Indian burial mound in 1874 was another mystery that brought clues that we could use to help us understand past civilizations. â€Å"For on it are inscribed astronomical instructions in three ancient languages –Egyptian, Iberian Punic, and Libyan† (Fell 4). Barry Fell’s findings have caused much contro...

The Definition and Knowledge on Youth Culture Research Paper

The Definition and Knowledge on Youth Culture - Research Paper Example Today, the youth engage in too much activity and have access to a lot of information that they refrain from following the advice of their elders; in fact, they believe they are old enough to make their own decisions even at early stages of adolescence (Harvey 228). As a result, the culture of the youth has vastly changed over a short period as compared to customary practices when people had to attain self-sufficiency and follow the right path in order to survive. Assertively, this essay entails a comprehensive assessment of facts supporting the notion that the culture of the youth continues to change over time. These facts will be a general evaluation of the journey from adolescence to adulthood that dictates the culture that the youth adopt. Significantly, the youth culture was not a topic of discussion until late in the 20th Century where it became a historical phenomenon based on an evaluation of past practices relative to the adolescence to adulthood experience. Since then many p rofessionals have come up with theories on the evolution of the youth culture based on the core influential factors i.e. history, economy and psychological traits. According to some of these theories, the changes in youth culture emanated from the introduction of schools as a compulsory way of education. The overall idea is that this isolation of the youth created a completely new experience of the adolescence to adulthood mostly because it led to limited interactions with adults. Contrary, problems such as those identified in the ‘How Long Will I Cry?’

Self-Disclosure, Gender, and Communication Essay - 2

Self-Disclosure, Gender, and Communication - Essay Example This can be done verbally, writing and even sign language. As long as information has been conveyed from one person to another, this is considered communication (Derlega & Berg, 1987). The above defined terms are relevant to one if they are to use during interactions and relations to other individuals in the society. For example, close relationships existing between a man and woman will have fewer arguments if they communicate properly and open up to each other by expressing their emotions and thoughts. I have read the article, â€Å"Shared Talking Styles Herald New and Lasting Romance† and I admit that I was fascinated by the information presented. Each time I read the article, I understood it better. This article suggests that individuals who are conversationally aligned are most likely to pair up. In speed dating, pairs who had the same language style agreed to meet again afterwards. From the article, ‘Critique of shared talking styles’, experts suggests that a large portion of the message conveyed from one individual to another is not contained in the words used, but instead in the vocal elements. The vocal elements include tone of voice, accent, speed, volume and inflection. This has made me understand why I sometimes felt angry or sad after having a conversation with my girlfriend. At that time, I could not comprehend why I felt sad even though she did not say any offending word. After reading the article, I understood that non verbal communication is also noteworthy (Giri, 2004). I think the article gives detailed means of communication between two people. For example, it is true that women usually have an emotional tone and mannerism in a conversation that increases their chances of being liked. This information should be made available either as books or websites for other people to read. This will change the way people communicate and relate to either their friends or lovers (Bowers, 2010, p. 1). The writer also makes me

Henry V Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Henry V - Essay Example â€Å"Henry V† grossed 10 million dollars in the United States. Branagh was nominated for Oscar for Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role; Phyllis Dalton won the British Academy Award and Oscar for Best Costume Design. The soundtrack to the movie by Patrick Doyle is noteworthy; it is became known on its own. The film also received other awards such as European Film Awards and awards from the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle. The movie tells the story of the young King of England Henry V. He, being stirred by high church officials and advisors is contemplating to start a war with France on the ground of claims for the throne of France. At the time when the King is talked into the war, he is also insulted by the King of France. French think of Henry as of a young boy they have no reasons to be afraid of, so the Dauphine of France sends him tennis balls as a royal gift. King Henry seizes the opportunity for a war as a chance to change his ima ge and to live up to expectations of his people, so he leads his troops into battles against France. He has to deal with treason, lack of supply and exhaustion of his soldiers, their morale lowering. He is a good commander of his army, loved by his soldiers, firm and cruel with those, who break the law and noble in his interactions with French. He also has to face his own uncertainties and find strength in communion with God. The culmination of the war is the Battle of Agincourt, won by handful of English man compared to the large French army. Then, the treaty is signed between England and French, and King Henry woos princes Katherine into marriage. â€Å"Henry V† is considered to be one of the most historically accurate movies ever filmed. However, there are a few inconsistencies. The source of historical information for Shakespeare’s play was the â€Å"Chronicles† of English history written by Raphael Holinshed. But, to create a dramatic and intriguing story, authors had to take liberty and change some of the details, albeit, not significant. The events, portrayed in the movie, took place in 1415. The film presents accounts of only a portion of a long lasting unresolved conflict between France and England, known as the Hundred Years’ War. The beginnings, origins and causes of the dispute were very complex, but the reason for an open conflict was the argument over the rich and beautiful French territory of Gascony. According to the play and the movie, the immediate cause of the war was Henry’s claim to the French throne. However, the claim to the French throne was made earlier than that. The French king Philip VI made an unsuccessful attempt to retake Gascony, but the defeat of the Scottish uprising in the battle of Halidon Hill literally crossed out all his plans. Embarrassed and humiliated, he decided to eliminate all English influence from the territory of France. After scouting English settlements on the English Channel, he gathered enough courage to challenge English authority. In retaliation, King Edward claimed that he was de facto the legitimate heir to the throne of France. Phillip, of course, was furious by this proud claim and formally declared war to England. So Henry V was not the one who made the allegation to the French throne; he only continued the demand of his ancestor, Edward, which began the war in the first place. Also, the movie shows the two nations supposedly living in peace with

Business Aligning And Business Impact Information Technology Essay

Business Aligning And Business Impact Information Technology Essay There are many views on what constitutes business strategy. Definitions for business strategy and its features include the following. A business strategy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ should encapsulate a statement of an organisations mission or vision so that there is a clear and consistent point of focus (King, 1978); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ provides a deliberate plan of action (Kaplan Norton, 1996: Henderson Venkatraman, 1993, King 1978); 2)Definition of IS/ IT Strategy Figure 1: IS/IT Strategy. The figure describes the where, what and how of the planning Source: Source: Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991; Ward Peppard, 2002, p.41 IS Strategy IS strategy can be defined as a strategy to implement information systems that recognizes organizational requirements, in other words demand for the information and systems to support the overall business strategy and its plan to gain or maintain the advantage (Rackoff, Wiseman Ullrich, 1985; Ward Peppard, 2002; Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991). An IS strategy should include the business needs for the future aligned closely to the business strategy. It should also define and prioritize the investments needed to achieve the application portfolio. IT Strategy IT strategy is the supply to the demand created by IS strategy. It outlines the vision of how the organizations demand for information and systems will be supported by technology (Ward Peppard, 2002). They further suggest that the IT strategy is concerned with the IT capabilities and services like IT operations, systems development and user support. Luftman (2003) refers to the IT strategy as a set of decisions made by IT and functional business managers that either enable or drive the business strategy. It leads to the deployment of technology infrastructure and applications, and human competencies that will assist the organization in becoming more competitive. Figure2: Inputs and outputs of IS/ IT strategy Source: Edwards, Ward Bytheway, 1991 Literature on IS and IT Strategy In view of Clarke (2005), The role of Information Systems (IS) has developed during the years. The original formation was of automation of existing manual and precomputer mechanical processes. This (automation of existing manual processes) was quickly replaced by the rationalisation and integration of systems. In both of these forms, IS was regarded primarily as an operational support tool, and secondarily as a service to Management Clarke (2005) further suggests, Information Technology (IT) had been critical to the implementation of an organizations strategy. The dominant sense in which the term is used is that a strategic information system (SIS) is an information system which supports an organization in fulfilling its business goals. Ward and Griffiths (1996, p1) say that it is essential for the organizations to understand how the role of technology based information systems has evolved. With time, organizations have realised that there is a need to approach IS/IT more tactically by understanding the role of IT in business, and making IT a part of business. As suggested by Ward and Peppard (2002, p1) the organizations are looking at the application of technology not only to underpin existing business operations but also to create new opportunities that provide them with a source of competitive advantage and propose a strategic approach for managing their systems. Kearns and Lederer (2003) have supported the critical and strategic role of IS/IT by stating that, Recent surveys of CEOs (Chief Executive Officer) have shown that, despite numerous failed investments, information technology has assumed a critical and strategic role in their organization. If IS/IT is to fulfil its role, the CIOs (Chief Information Officer) need to adopt Strategic Information Systems Planning. SISP began during 1970s and organizations began using IS/IT in ways that changed the functioning of their businesses. Bruns and McFarlan (1987) thought that, Information Technology has done more than just enhancing the existing processes within the organization. IT has provided the spark that caused the managers to rethink their business strategies. The organizations that have changed their control systems and structures have seen a transformation in the effectiveness of the business processes. Bruns and McFarlan (1987) further suggest that, they have found ways to channel the power of information to the muscles of their corporations. IS/ IT- Business Alignment For an organization to achieve competitive advantage it is important that the business use IS/IT to support the main business processes and become dependant on IS/IT. It is also important that there is IT participation in business planning (BP) and vice-versa. Chan and Huff (1993) say alignment of an IS plan and the business plan is very important and it leads to IS efficiency and value. A closer look at the aims for adopting a IS/IT strategy according to Ward and Peppard (2002) suggests that the SISP process is used for aligning IS/IT with business and gain competitive advantage from business opportunities created by using IS/IT. However, not all IT projects are implemented and many factors have been identified that contribute to IT failures. One of the main failures that have been highlighted is that the 14 failure to implement is due to the planning process and its practices (Hartono et al.2003). Another major problem that has been seen in SISP is failure to translate goals and objectives into action plans (Teo Ang, 2001 in Hartono et al., 2003) and lack of support for IT architecture and also the duration of SISP have been viewed as factors contributing to low rate of implementation. According to Reich and Benbasant (1996) is a process. It is unique to each organization and uses both the IT and business knowledge to support business objectives. Thus, it is important to bring IT into the main business stream and let IT function as an entity in the business. For this to happen, the senior executives in the companies must work together and define the business needs and frame an IS/IT and business strategy to support the business goals and objectives. Thus, for an organization to achieve competitive advantage and improve business performance it is important to align its IS/IT plan with the business plan, and IS/IT systems should be used in accordance with the resources and the capabilities of the organization in times of environmental changes. SISP is a way to implement those IS/IT systems not only to achieve competitive advantage but also for proper functioning in the ever-changing business environment. Business Aligning and Business Impact of IS IT Because of the complexity of the strategic information systems planning process and uniqueness of each organization, there is no one best way to tackle it. Vitale, et al. (1986) classify SISP methodologies into two categories: impact and alignment. Impact methodologies help create and justify new uses of IT, while the methodologies in the alignment category align IS objectives with organizational goals. 1) Impact Methodologies Value Chain Analysis: The concept of value chain is considered at length by Michael Porter (1984). According to him, every firm is a collection of activities that are performed to design, produce, market, deliver, and support its product. All these activities can be represented using a value chain. Porter goes on to explain that information technology is one of the major support activities for the value chain. Information systems technology is particularly pervasive in the value chain, since every value activity creates and uses information. A firm that can discover a better technology for performing an activity than its competitors thus gains competitive advantage (Porter, 1985). Thus value chain analysis: (a) Is a form of business activity analysis which decomposes an enterprise into its parts. Information systems are derived from this analysis. (b) Helps in devising information systems which increase the overall profit available to a firm. (c) Helps in identifying the potential for mutual business advantages of component businesses, in the same or related industries, available from information interchange. (d) Concentrates on value-adding business activities and is independent of organizational structure. Strengths: The main strength of value chain analysis is that it concentrates on direct value adding activities of a firm and thus pitches information systems right into the realm of value adding rather than cost cutting. Weaknesses: Value chain analysis suffers from a few weaknesses, namely, (a) It only provides a higher level information model for a firm and fails to address the development and implementation issues, (b) Because of its focus on internal operations instead of data, it fails to define a data structure for the firm. 2) Alignment Methodologies Business Systems Planning (BSP): The methodology focuses on business processes which in turn are derived from an organizations business mission, objectives and goals. Business processes are analyzed to determine data needs and, then, data classes. Similar data classes are combined to develop databases. The final BSP plan describes an overall information systems architecture as well as installation schedule of individual systems. Steps in a BSP study are: Barlow (1990) and Ledrer and Sethi (1988) have discussed strengths and weaknesses of BSP. Strengths: Because BSP combines a top down business analysis approach with a bottom up implementation strategy, it represents an integrated methodology. In top down strategy, BSP develops an overall understanding of business plans and supporting IS needs through joint discussions. Weaknesses: (a) BSP requires a firm commitment from the top management and their substantial involvement. (b) It requires a high degree of IT experience within the BSP planning team. ((e) Major weakness of BSP is the considerable time and effort required for its successful implementation. About the Assignment The past few decades have witnessed major changes in the way we do business. Increased competition and the pursuit of ever-greater performance have forced businesses to focus on quality, efficiency, and productivity, while encouraging innovation and creativity. In addition, there have been significant changes in global economies and in the structure of the business worlds that exist in those economies. As a result, a variety of disparate approaches and methodologies for evaluating and restructuring business enterprises has emerged. The terms reengineering and business transformation have taken on amazing significance. In many company like Dell, those terms mean the complete assessment, restructure and redesign of entire businesses, including information technology (IT) and Information System its Management (IS) In Below assignment we are going to focus on Business strategies and Information strategies of Dell Company, we are also going to look into Advantage and Disadvantage of Business strategies, Information System and Information Technology in general. Company Overview Dell, a Delaware corporation, was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell on a simple concept: by selling computer systems directly to customers, Dell could best understand their needs and efficiently provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Dell is based in Round Rock, Texas, and conducts operations worldwide through its subsidiaries. Unless otherwise specified, references to Dell include its consolidated subsidiaries. Dell operates principally in one industry and is managed in three geographic segments: the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific-Japan regions. Vision Statement: Its the way we (Dell) do business. Its the way we (Dell) interact with the community. Its the way we interpret the world around us-ours customers needs, the future of technology, and the global business climate. Whatever changes the future may bring our vision Dell Vision will be our guiding force. Dell needs full customer satisfaction. In order to become the most successful computer company, they need the newest technology and loyal customers. Mission Statement: Dells mission is to be the most successful Computer Company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Highest quality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leading technology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Competitive pricing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual and company accountability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Best-in-class service and support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flexible customization capability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Superior corporate citizenship à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Financial stability http://retailindustry.about.com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile.htm Business Strategy of Dell Dells business strategy combines its direct customer model with a highly efficient manufacturing and supply chain management organization and an emphasis on standards-based technologies. This strategy enables Dell to provide customers with superior value; high-quality, relevant technology; customized systems; superior service and support; and products and services that are easy to buy and use. The key tenets of Dells business strategy are: A direct relationship is the most efficient path to the customer.  A direct customer relationship, also referred to as Dells direct business model, eliminates wholesale and retail dealers that add unnecessary time and cost or diminish Dells understanding of customer expectations. At www.dell.com, customers may review, configure and price systems within Dells entire product line; order systems online; and track orders from manufacturing through shipping. Customers can purchase custom-built products and custom-tailored services. Dells flexible, build-to-order manufacturing process enables Dell to turn over inventory every four days on average, and reduce inventory levels. Dell is the low-cost leader. Dell maintains the lowest cost structure among its major competitors, and to pass those savings to its customers. Non-proprietary standards-based technologies deliver the best value to customers.  Dell believes that non-proprietary standards-based technologies are critical to providing customers with relevant, high-value products and services. Focusing on standards gives customers the benefit of extensive research and development from http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/826083/000095013405004423/d22995e10vk.htm Information Systems Strategy of Dell Information systems were critical to Dell. The information systems supported the Dell Direct business model by providing a range of tools from order entry to production integration. Information systems provided the means for delivery of instant information to employees through e-mail or over the intranet. And information systems were a way to connect suppliers to the business, to collect and analyze information collected from the marketplace, and to support decisions on everything from hiring practices to product offerings to pricing. IT is an enabler to make the business model work, The backbone of the information system was an architecture called G2 (See Exhibit 3). Data Engine Message Broker Application Server Wed Based Client Application G2 Model The G2 architecture was an object-based infrastructure, with a web browser front end interface. It had a single point of connection and was built in small pieces. There was local control of functionality but a global view of the business. The primary components of the G2 architecture were commonly available applications such as Microsoft office, database engines, and Internet servers. The G2 architecture was similar in design to the Dell organization structure, which was also built in small pieces, with local control but a global view of the business. The Dell business model resulted in a different production profile than other business models. The direct model implied that every production run is unique in some way, and hence every lot was of quantity one. http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Analysing Business Aligning in Dell To show Business aligning in Dell we will use value chains analysis The value chain in place at most firms assumes a make-to-forecast strategy. That is, standard products are produced from long-term forecasts of customer demand. And in the case of Dell Computer corporation Michael Dell made business model, which allows the company to build each product to order. Dell is well-known for its ability to mass-produce computers that are customized to a customers order. This production and operations process is known as mass-customization or, in a value-chain context, a build-to-order (BTO) strategy. In its build-to-order strategy, Dell assembles the product only after the customer has placed the order, . At Dell, this process depends on computer systems that link customer order information to production, assembly, and delivery operations. BTO frequently requires a change in organizational culture, managerial thinking, and supplier interactions and support. Inevitably, the process begins by acquiring a better understanding of customer demand; then improvements in information flow will produce the ability to increase responsiveness in all areas of the value chain. http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/msabet/c12_Turban_0471705225.pdf Advantage and Disadvantage Of Business Strategies There are numerous advantages you can extract from the marketplace if you know how. And the marketing plan is an excellent tool for identifying and developing Business strategies for extracting these advantages. 1) Advantages of Business Strategies of Dell: Identifies needs and wants of consumers Determines demand for product Aids in design of products that fulfil consumers needs Dells inventory turnover rate of 60 times per year compares to 12-15 times for most indirect vendor. Dell can develop direct customer relationship. Dell knows who the end user is, what equipment it has bought from Dell, where it was shipped, and how much the customer has spent with Dell. Dell uses that information to offer add-on products and services, to coordinate maintenance and technical support, and to help the customer plan its PC replacement and upgrade cycle. 2) Disadvantages of Business Strategies of Dell: Leads to faulty marketing decisions based on improperly analyzed data Creates unrealistic financial projections if information is interpreted incorrectly Identifies weaknesses in overall business plan http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/advantages_mark.htm Advantage and Disadvantage of IS and IT 1) Advantages of information technology and Information System Dell Inc Dell Inc company realizes Internet-associated efficiencies throughout its business, including procurement, customer support and relationship management. At www.dell.com, customers may review, configure and price systems within Dells entire product line; order systems online; and track orders from manufacturing through shipping. At valuechain.dell.com, Dell shares information with its suppliers on a range of topics, including product quality and inventory. Dell also uses the Internet to deliver industry-leading customer services. For instance, thousands of business and institutional customers worldwide use Dells Premier Dell.com Web pages to do business with the company online. http://e-learning.dmst.aueb.gr/mis/Cases/Dell/index.htm 2) Disadvantages of information technology and Information System for Dell Inc The Internet has also created entirely new markets and formed the basis for thousands of new businesses and that is biggest disadvantage for Dell Inc. Internet technology is based on universal standards that any company can use, making it easy for rivals to compete on price alone, due to which profits have gone down. Information is available to everyone on internet, due which it raises the bargaining power of customers, who can quickly find the lowest-cost provider http://www.prenhall.com/behindthebook/0132304619/pdf/Laudon%20Feature%203.pdf Barriers in implementation of IS and IT in Dell Company Dell Co business model was unique in its way and the company did not had time to think differently because the company was growing by about $1 billion every 9 weeks. Dell had a limited time for classroom training of new Information systems to employees. The Dell business model resulted in a different production profile than other business models. The direct model implied that every production run is unique in some way, and hence every lot was of quantity one. Dell was not able to have a centralized structure, because the local business units had to have their own IT people. As such, the information systems were highly decentralized. No programmers reported directly to the CIO. Instead, each division and business had some IT people. http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Conclusion Dell has increased the opportunity for revenue and the increased access to information, which potentially translates into new product and service offerings. The advantage to the customer is the traditional one-stop-shopping arrangement for products and services, offloading these tasks from information systems organizations, and freeing the IS management up to concentrate on core business issues rather than procurement and services. http://i.dell.com/sites/content/corporate/secure/en/Documents/FY10_Form10K_Final.pdf Recommendations To get a successful IS and IT Strategy program will rely on (1) Senior managements commitment; (2) The full support and participation of the IT IS team (3) The competence of the IS and IT team, which must have the expertise to apply the specific site and system, identify mission risks, and provide cost-effective safeguards that meet the needs of the organization; (4) The awareness and cooperation of members of the user community, who must follow procedures and comply with the implemented controls to Safeguard the mission of their organization (5) An ongoing evaluation and assessment of the IS IT-related mission risks. http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pdf Authors Reference Barlow, J.F., Putting Information Systems Planning Methodologies Into Perspective, Journal of Systems Management, July, 1990, pp. 6-9. Bruns Jr., W. J., McFarlan, F. W. (1987). Information technology puts power in control systems. Harvard Business Review, 65(5), 89-94. Chan, Y. E., Huff, S. L. (1993). Strategic information systems alignment. Business Quarterly, 58(1), 51-55. Clarke, R. (2005). The path of development of strategic information systems theory. Retrieved 24/04/2011, from http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/SOS/StratISTh.html Edwards, C., Ward, J., Bytheway, A. (1991). The essence of information systems. London: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from 24/06/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Hartono, E., Lederer, A. L., Sethi, V., Zhuang, Y. (2003). Key predictors of the implementation of strategic information systems plans. ACM SIGMIS Database, 34(3), 41-53. Henderson, J.C. Venkatraman, N. (1993) Strategic alignment: Leveraging information technology for transforming organisations, IBM Systems Journal, Vol 32 No 1, pp 472-484. King, W.R. (1978) Strategic planning for management information systems, MIS Quarterly, Vol 2 No 1, pp 27-37 Kaplan, R.S. Norton, D.P. (1996) Translating strategy into action The Balanced scorecard, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA Kearns, G. S., Lederer, A. L. (2003). A resource-based view of strategic IT alignment: How knowledge sharing creates competitive advantage. Decision Sciences, 34(1), 1-29. Ledrer, Albert L., and Sethi, Vijay, The Implementation of Strategic Information Systems Planning Methodologies, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3, September 1988, pp. 445-460. Luftman, J. N. (2003). Competing in the information age align in the sand (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Porter, M.E., Competitive Advantage, Free Press, 1984. Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf Porter, M.E. and Millar, V.E., How Information Gives You Competitive Advantage, Harvard Business Review, July-August, 1985. Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf Rackoff, N., Wiseman, C., Ullrich, W. A. (1985). Information systems for competitive advantage: implementation of a planning process. MIS Quartery, 9(4), 285-294. Reich, B. H., Benbasat, I. (1996). Measuring the linkage between business and information technology objectives. MIS Quarterly, 20(1), 55-81. Teo, T. S. H., Ang, J. S. K. (2001). An examination of major IS problems. International Journal of Information Management, 21(6), 457-470. Vitale, M., Ives, B. and Beath, C., Identifying Strategic Information Systems, Proc. 7th Intl Conf. Inf. Sys., San Diego, December 1986, pp. 265-276. Ward, J., Peppard, J. (2002). Strategic planning for information systems (3rd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley. Retrieved on 25/04/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Ward, J., Griffiths, P. (1996). Strategic planning for information systems (2nd ed.). Chichester: John Wiley. Retrieved on 25/04/2011 http://www.coda.ac.nz/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000context=unitec_scit_di Website reference http://retailindustry.about.com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile.htm Retrieved on 30/04/2011 http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/826083/000095013405004423/d22995e10vk.htm . Retrieved on 01/05/2011 http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://inventors.about.com/od/licensingmarketing/a/advantages_mark.htm Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://www.smallbusinessbible.org/advan_disadvan_informationtechnology.html Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://www.kppartners.com/documents/zerotime-dell_case_study.pdf Retrieved on 02/05/2011 http://i.dell.com/sites/content/corporate/secure/en/Documents/FY10_Form10K_Final.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/msabet/c12_Turban_0471705225.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://www.prenhall.com/behindthebook/0132304619/pdf/Laudon%20Feature%203.pdf Retrieved on 04/05/2011 http://e-learning.dmst.aueb.gr/mis/Cases/Dell/index.htm Retrieved on 04/05/2011

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed :: College Admissions Essays

The Journalist, a Rare Breed Indeed "Hello?" The police dispatcher answers the phone. "Hi there," I say brightly. "My name is Aaron Mesh, and I'm from the News Chief. Could you please transfer me over to Major Thomas? I need to ask her a few questions about the wreck over on Havendale Drive this morning..." This is my job. I'm an intern reporter at the News Chief, a daily newspaper in east Polk County, Florida. I've been on the job for the past 27 months. Once a week, I come into the Chief's newsroom and get to work: conducting interviews, gathering information, writing stories. Most of my life, I've had a strong interest - some would call it an obsession - with newspapers and journalism. From a young age, I was drawn to the paper, running out to grab it off the driveway and devour the contents. I may be the only 17-year old with an edition of the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual sitting in his bedroom for light reading. Working for a newspaper has helped develop one of my best skills: working with information. I've always enjoyed gathering facts, interpreting them, and explaining to others what I've learned. My internship at the News Chief has let me discover what it takes to find out what's going on in the world, and to understand and relate events to people in a fair, objective way. Weaker areas have also been strengthened by my News Chief work. I have become much better at working in a group setting, making friends and generally being socially adept. (On the other hand, I still haven't learned to type properly. We all have our faults.) Although my News Chief employment is far from my only interest - I could spend multiple paragraphs relating my love of the 4-H program, for starters - working with a newspaper has been a unique and defining facet of my high school experience. Perhaps most importantly, it has helped solidify my goals for the future. My love of the print media has congealed into a desire to work in that media. My goal, at least at this point of my life, is to become an educated, well-rounded journalist - one with a strong grasp of history, philosophy and literature. This understanding will allow me, while recording and dispersing the facts about current events, to communicate the truth in a deep in meaningful way.

Fredrick Douglas and Harriot Jacobs

CONTACT US | SITE GUIDE | SEARCH April 22, 2013 Freedom's Story Essays 1609-1865 The Varieties of Slave Labor How Slavery Affected African American Families Slave Resistance The Demise of Slavery Rooted in Africa, Raised in America Beyond the Written Document: Looking for Africa in African American Culture How to Read a Slave Narrative Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs 1865-1917 Reconstruction and the Formerly Enslaved â€Å"Somewhere† in the Nadir of African American History, 1890-1920 Racial Uplift Ideology in the Era of â€Å"The Negro Problem† PigmentocracySegregation The Trickster in African American Literature 1917 and Beyond African American Protest Poetry The New Negro and the Black Image: From Booker T. Washington to Alain Locke The Image of Africa in the Literature of the Harlem Renaissance Jazz and the African American Literature Tradition The Civil Rights Movement: 1919-1960s The Civil Rights Movement: 1968-2008 Freedom’s Story is made possible by a grant from the Wachovia Foundation. Freedom’s Story Advisors and Staff Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs: American Slave Narrators Lucinda MacKethanAlumni Distinguished Professor of English Emerita, North Carolina State University National Humanities Center Fellow  ©National Humanities Center Frederick Douglass During the last three decades of legal slavery in America, from the early 1830s to the end of the Civil War in 1865, African American writers perfected one of the nation’s first truly indigenous genres of written literature: the North American slave narrative. The genre achieves its most eloquent expression in Frederick Douglass’s 1845 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave and Harriet Jacobs’s 1861 Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.Like all slave narratives, Jacobs’s and Douglass’s works embody the tension between the conflicting motives that generated autobiographies of slave life. An ironic fact or in the production of these accounts can be noted in the generic title â€Å"Fugitive Slave Narrative† often given to such works. The need to accomplish the form’s most important goal—an end to slavery—took narrators back to the world that had enslaved them, as they were called upon to provide accurate reproductions of both the places and the experiences of the past they had fled.White abolitionists urged slave writers to follow well-defined conventions and formulas to produce what they saw as one of the most potent propaganda weapons in their arsenal. They also insisted on adding their own authenticating endorsements to the slaves’ narrations through prefaces and introductions. Yet for the writers themselves, the opportunity to tell their stories constituted something more personal: a means to write an identity within a country that legally denied their right to exist as human beings.Working cautiously within the genre expectations developed by and for their white audiences, highly articulate African American writers such as Douglass and Jacobs found ways to individualize their narratives and to speak in their own voices in a quest for selfhood that had to be balanced against the aims and values of their audiences. (See also â€Å"How to Read a Slave Narrative† in Freedom's Story. ) Harriet Jacobs A comparison of the narratives of Douglass and Jacobs demonstrates the full range of demands and situations that slaves could experience.Some of the similarities in the two accounts are a result of the prescribed formats that governed the publication of their narratives. The fugitive or freed or â€Å"ex† slave narrators were expected to give accurate details of their experiences within bondage, emphasizing their sufferings under cruel masters and the strength of their will to free themselves. One of the most important elements that developed within the narratives was a â€Å"literacy† scene in which the narr ator explained how he or she came to be able to do something that proslavery writers often declared was impossible: to read and write.Authenticity was paramount, but readers also looked for excitement, usually provided through dramatic details of how the slave managed to escape from his/her owners. Slave narrators also needed to present their credentials as good Christians while testifying to the hypocrisy of their supposedly pious owners. Both Douglass and Jacobs included some version of all these required elements yet also injected personalized nuances that transformed the formulas for their own purposes.Some of the differences in the readership and reception of Jacobs’s 1861 narrative and Douglass’s first, 1845 autobiography (he wrote two more, in 1855 and 1881, the latter expanded in 1892) reflect simply the differing literary and political circumstances that prevailed at the Prescribed formats governed the publication of slave narratives. time of their constructio n and publication. When Douglass published his Narrative of the Life, the Abolitionist movement was beginning to gain political force, while the long-delayed publication of Jacobs’s Incidents in 1861 was overshadowed by the start of the Civil War.Douglass was a publicly acclaimed figure from almost the earliest days of his career as a speaker and then a writer. Harriet Jacobs, on the other hand, was never well-known. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl disappeared from notice soon after its publication, without a large sale, while Douglass’s first book went through nine editions in its first two years and eventually became the standard against which all other slave narratives—even his own later ones—are measured.Douglass’s 1845 narrative grew out of the story of enslavement that he honed as a speaker for the Massachusetts Antislavery Society. â€Å"Discovered† and hired to lecture on the abolitionist circuit by William Lloyd Garrison in 18 41, three years after he had made his escape from Baltimore, Douglass developed rhetorical devices common to sermons and orations and carried these over to his narrative, which abounds with examples of repetition, antithesis, and other classical persuasive strategies.His narrative was the culmination of Douglass based his narrative on the sermon. his speech-making career, reflecting his mastery of a powerful preaching style along with the rhythms and imagery of biblical texts that were familiar to his audiences. Douglass also reflected the Emersonian idealism so prominent in the 1840s, as he cast himself in the role of struggling hero asserting his individual moral principles in order to bring conscience to bear against the nation’s greatest evil.In addition, his story could be read as a classic male â€Å"initiation† myth, a tale which traced a youth’s growth from innocence to experience and from boyhood into successful manhood; for Douglass, the testing and jo urney motifs of this genre were revised to highlight the slave’s will to transform himself from human chattel into a free American citizen. Harriet Jacobs, on the other hand, began her narrative around 1853, after she had lived as a fugitive slave in the North for ten years.She began working privately on her narrative not long after Cornelia Grinnell Willis purchased her freedom and gave her secure employment as a Jacobs modeled her narrative on the sentimental or domestic novel. domestic servant in New York City. Jacobs’s manuscript, finished around four years later but not published for four more, reflects in part the style, tone, and plot of what has been called the sentimental or domestic novel, popular fiction of the mid-nineteenth century, written by and for women, that stressed home, family, womanly modesty, and marriage.In adapting her life story to this genre, Jacobs drew on women writers who were contemporaries and even friends, including well-known writers L ydia Maria Child and Fanny Fern (her employer’s sister in law), but she was also influenced by the popularity of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which appeared in 1851. Stowe’s genius lay in her ability to harness the romantic melodrama of the sentimental novel to a carefully orchestrated rhetorical attack against slavery, and no abolitionist writer in her wake could steer clear of the impact of her performance.Jacobs, and also Frederick Douglass in his second autobiography of 1855, took advantage of Stowe’s successful production of a work of fiction that could still lay claim to the authority of truth. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl did not fictionalize or even sensationalize any of the facts of Jacobs’s experience, yet its author, using pseudonyms for all of her â€Å"characters,† did create what William Andrews has called a â€Å"novelistic† discourse,1 including large segments of dialogue among characters. Jacobs used the devices of sentimental fiction to target the same white, female, middle-class, northern audiences who had been spellbound by Uncle Tom’s Cabin, yet her narrative also shows that she was unwilling to follow, and often subverted, the genre’s promotion of â€Å"true womanhood,† a code of behavior demanding that women remain virtuous, meek, and submissive, no matter what the personal cost.Gender considerations account not only for many of the differences in style and genre that we see in Douglass’s and Jacobs’s narratives, but also for the versions of slavery that they endured and the versions of authorship that they were able to shape for themselves in freedom. Douglass was a public speaker who could boldly self-fashion himself as hero of his own adventure. In his first narrative, he combined and equated the achievement of selfhood, manhood, freedom, and voice.The resulting lead character of his autobiography is a boy, and then a young man, who is robbed of family and community and who gains an identity not only through his escape from Baltimore to Massachusetts but through his Douglass focuses on the struggle to achieve manhood and freedom. Jacob focuses on sexual exploitation. ability to create himself through telling his story. Harriet Jacobs, on the other hand, was enmeshed in all the trappings of community, family, and domesticity.She was literally a â€Å"domestic† in her northern employment, as well as a slave mother with children to protect, and one from whom subservience was expected, whether slave or free. As Jacobs pointedly put it, â€Å"Slavery is bad for men, but it is far more terrible for women. † The overriding concern of Jacobs’s narrative was one that made her story especially problematic both for herself as author and for the women readers of her time.Because the major crisis of her life involved her master’s unrelenting, forced sexual attentions, the focus of Jacob s’s narrative is the sexual exploitation that she, as well as many other slave women, had to endure. For her, the question of how to address this â€Å"unmentionable† subject dominates the choices she delineates in her narrative—as woman slave and as woman author. Like Douglass, Jacobs was determined to fight to the death for her freedom.Yet while Douglass could show â€Å"how a slave became a man† in a physical fight with an overseer, Jacobs’s gender determined a different course. Pregnant with the child of a white lover of her own choosing, fifteen year old Jacobs reasoned (erroneously) that her condition would spur her licentious master to sell her and her child. Once she was a mother, with â€Å"ties to life,† as she called them, her concern for her children had to take precedence over her own self-interest. Thus throughout her narrative, Jacobs is looking not only for freedom but also for a secure home for her children.She might also lo ng for a husband, but her shameful early liaison, resulting in two children born â€Å"out of wedlock,† meant, as she notes with perhaps a dose of sarcasm, that her story ends â€Å"not, in the usual way, with marriage,† but â€Å"with freedom. † In this finale, she still mourns (even though her children were now grown) that she does not have â€Å"a home of my own. † Douglass’s 1845 narrative, conversely, ends with his standing as a speaker before an eager audience and feeling an exhilarating â€Å"degree of freedom. While Douglass’s and Jacobs’s lives might seem to have moved in different directions, it is nevertheless important not to miss the common will that their narratives proclaim. They never lost their determination to gain not only freedom from enslavement but also respect for their individual humanity and that of other bondsmen and women. Guiding Student Discussion Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American S lave (1845) is available, along with introductory material, at http://docsouth. nc. edu/neh/douglass/douglass. html Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861) by Harriet Jacobs is available with introductory material at http://docsouth. unc. edu/fpn/jacobs/jacobs. html [+] Title page A fruitful place to begin a comparison of these two classic narratives is their title pages. What appears there reveals much about their authors’ strategies and visions. Douglass’s title is front and center, announcing his â€Å"Life† as an â€Å"American Slave. Given his clear affinity for â€Å"antithesis† (the juxtaposition and balancing of contrasting words and ideas), the words â€Å"Slave† and â€Å"American† placed up against one another dramatize his untenable position in the â€Å"home of the free. † Jacobs’s title immediately offers a contrast. It announces that this will be not the story of one person’s full life, but a selecti on of â€Å"incidents. † Students can think about what this selectivity on the part of the author might mean, with its intimation that she reserves the right to withhold as well as reveal information.Their titles alone can show students that both writers are making highly conscious decisions about self-presentation and narrative strategy. What do they make of the fact that Jacobs refers in her title to a â€Å"slave girl,† not an â€Å"American slave,† even though the voice that will be telling the story is unquestionably that of a woman who has survived a horrifying girlhood and identifies herself most often as a slave mother. Finally, one of the most important questions that both title pages raise concerns the claim â€Å"written by himself† and â€Å"written by herself. Many of the narratives attest to the slave’s authorship in this way, but why was such an announcement necessary? Is it believable, given all the prefatory matter by white sponso rs that accompanies the narratives? What power does the claim of being the â€Å"Writer† of one’s own story give to a slave author? [+] Title page Jacobs’s title page contains other references that raise the issue of gender contrast in relation to Douglass: she includes two quotations, one by the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, in which he exhorts â€Å"women† to rise up and hear his voice.The speaker of the second quotation is identified only as â€Å"A Woman of North Carolina,† who asserts that slavery is not only about â€Å"perpetual bondage† but about â€Å"degradation† (Jacobs’s italics). What might students make of these remarks, especially if they know that the author (who is not going to reveal her true name or identity anywhere in the narrative) is herself â€Å"a woman of North Carolina?The fact that the title page singles out â€Å"women† to be the hearers of a prophetic voice, and that just such a voice, iden tified as a woman’s, precedes Isaiah’s words, can help students see Jacobs manipulating her position through concealment and secrecy, as she will throughout her narrative. Students can begin to think about what â€Å"degradation† means, and whether it means different things for a man than for a woman who have been enslaved; they can also address matters of peaking, having a voice, and being forced into silence as these issues relate to men and women—in the mid-nineteenth century as well as in their own time. A particularly interesting gender comparison can be made of Douglass and Jacobs through examining the identical disguises that they wore as they maneuvered their way to freedom in southern port cities that were their homes (Baltimore and Edenton, NC, respectively). They each appeared in their city’s streets wearing the outfit of a merchant seaman.This costume enabled Douglass to board a boat and sail away to freedom. In Compare disguises. his f irst narrative, Douglass actually refused to give any details of his escape, insisting on his power, as narrator, to withhold or reveal information as he saw fit, so his sailor disguise emerged only in later versions of his story. 2 Jacobs, her face â€Å"blackened† with charcoal, wore her costume only long enough to walk through her town unrecognized on her way to her free grandmother’s house, where she was to spend seven years of hiding in a crawl space over a storage shed.Jacobs’s brief gender transformation through cross-dressing, followed by her long â€Å"retreat† into total physical concealment, is telling evidence of how differently an enslaved man and an enslaved woman responded to the challenges of their lives as slaves as well as autobiographers. By bringing together other specific scenes from each text, students can follow, for a time, what Anne G. Jones calls in her article (sited below) â€Å"the forking path of gendered binary oppositions. Do Douglass and Jacobs, in their lives and in the stylistic features of their writing, conform to our stereotypical expectations regarding how men and women respond, speak, and act? Jacobs is of necessity much more deeply concerned with her own family, with the community that surrounded her as a â€Å"town† slave, with the wellbeing of the children and grandmother who depended on her. Like most other women of her time, her life was more private, her sphere of action more limited to the home, her relationships with others more interdependent, less autonomous, than men’s.Douglass’s circumstances were as different as his gender; he had few family contacts, he lived on remote plantations as well as in a town, he was of a different â€Å"class† as well as gender from Jacobs. So which of the two slaves’ opportunities were related to gender, and which to time, place, class, or other forces? Beyond gender and circumstances, students can see the narratives of Jacobs and Douglass as remarkable works of both literature and history. In these arenas, what do the narratives show us when compared to other works of their time? Slave narratives and students. What do they tell us about life in our own time?Has an understanding of slavery from the perspective of the slave him/herself become irrelevant? Another way to study the narratives fruitfully is to see the many different expressive purposes they embody. They functioned in their own time as propaganda as well as autobiography, as Jeremiad as well as melodrama. In our time, can they bring the past alive in ways that invigorate students’ understanding of history? Can they show students how to imagine their own selfhood and circumstances through writing personal stories that takes them, through trials and struggles, on a journey to freedom and fulfillment?Can the slave narratives show students how to argue forcefully for what they believe in, how to attack major problems in their soci ety? Few writers illustrate better, through more powerful voices, the threat to as well as the promise of the American dream of freedom. This is perhaps the most important legacy they have left for students to ponder. Changing Approaches to the Study of the Narratives After the Civil War ended, the narratives written by fugitive slaves inevitably lost much of their attraction for most readers.As historians began to study the institution of slavery in the early twentieth century, they unfortunately tended to dismiss the slaves’ life writings as unreliable propaganda or as too heavily edited to be considered valid testimony from the slaves themselves. The most important of these early historians, Ulrich B. Phillips, indicated in his authoritative American Negro Slavery (1918) that the slaves’ narratives as sources were untrustworthy, biased accounts, and assessments such as his helped to keep them in relative obscurity until the 1950s.In 1948 Benjamin Quarles published t he first modern biography of Douglass, which was followed in 1950 by the first volume of what was ultimately a 5 volume work from Phillip Foner: Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass. These texts were part of the new consciousness that began the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s, and the black studies programs that followed in the 1960s and 70s brought about more re-evaluations asserting the centrality of the slave narratives to American literary history.In this new era, Douglass’s 1845 narrative, given its first full, modern publication in 1960, was considered the classic example of the genre. 3 Among historical studies, works such as John Blassingame’s The Slave Community: Plantation Life in Antebellum South used the fugitive slave narratives, Douglass’s works prominent among them, to provide much needed credibility for the slaves’ perspective on bondage and freedom.Ironically, Blassingame spurned Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents as unreliable prima rily because he found it to be too â€Å"melodramatic,† and he voiced suspicions that the narrative was the work of Jacobs’s friend and editor, Lydia Maria Child. In this dismissal of Jacobs’s authorship he ignored the fact that Child, in her introduction to Jacobs’s work, stressed that she had made only the most â€Å"trifling† editorial changes and that â€Å"both ideas and the language† were Jacobs’s own.Incidents began receiving new interest with a 1973 edition (published by Harcourt Brace). However, its complete recovery of as an authentic slave-authored account was not accomplished until historian Jean Fagin Yellin, through extensive archival research published in a 1981 article, proved the truth of Jacobs’s story as well as the painstaking process involved in her struggle to write and publish her book. 4 Yellin has continued to lead in the reclamation of Jacobs’s work, publishing her own Harvard University Press i n 1987.Beginning in the late 1970s, book-length studies began to stress the importance of the fugitive slave narratives, including prominently both Douglass’s and Jacobs’s, as literary works valuable not only as historical evidence but as life writing that employed a wide range of rhetorical and literary devices. Frances Smith Foster's Witnessing Slavery (1979), Robert B. Stepto's From Behind the Veil (1979), and two collections of essays—The Art of the Slave Narrative (edited by John Sekora and Darwin Turner in 1982) and The Slave's Narrative (edited by Charles T.Davis and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. , 1985)—provided the critical groundwork for bringing the slaves’ texts into the American literary canon. William S. McFeely’s 1991 definitive biography assured Douglass’s status as a major historical figure, as did Yellin’s biography of Jacobs, published in 2004. William L. Andrews's definitive To Tell a Free Story: The First Century of Afro-American Autobiography, 1760-1865 (1987) marked a significant new stage in the study of the written antebellum slave narrative.In a single, comprehensive book he traced the development of and changes in the form from its eighteenth century beginnings, offering closely detailed readings of individual texts, including particularly innovative analyses of Douglass’s first two autobiographies and Jacobs’s Incidents. By the late 1980s, as well, feminist critics following Jean Fagin Yellin’s lead, began to stress the value of Jacobs’s work in expressing the specific problems of women’s voice and experience, often contrasting her narrative’s structure and style, as well as her story, against Douglass’s masculinist vision in the 1845 Narrative. Important articles continue to appear, some of them gathered into collections such as Deborah Garfield and Rafia Zafar, eds. , Harriet Jacobs and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: New Criti cal Essays (1996), Eric Sundquist’s Frederick Douglass: New Literary and Historical Essays (1990), Andrews’s Critical Essays on Frederick Douglass (1991), and The Cambridge Companion to Frederick Douglass (2009)

A Critique on Drug Testing in Employment by Joseph Desjardins Essays

A Critique on Drug Testing in Employment by Joseph Desjardins Essays A Critique on Drug Testing in Employment by Joseph Desjardins Paper A Critique on Drug Testing in Employment by Joseph Desjardins Paper Joseph Desjardins   Employment Essays In the article entitled Drug Testing in Employment by Joseph Desjardins and Ronald Duska, an interesting take on the relationship between the right to privacy and drug testing is made. Privacy, as the authors argue, is essentially an â€Å"employee right†. The right to privacy in the workplace pertains not to the owner of the establishment or in this case the employer but rather to the employee who works for the employer. These conventional views rather support the theory that mandatory drug testing can be implemented in the work place but under certain conditions, one of them being that it must be job related. This short discourse will tackle a few of the points made by the authors in the article and will present an alternative view with regard to the issue of drug testing in employment. As mentioned in the article, there are essentially two views concerning drug testing in employment, the first view allows mandatory drug testing within the workplace as long as a causal connection can be established between work or job performance and the use of drugs. This is further justified by the statistic which shows that over US$25 billion is lost every year due to decrease in productivity from the use of drugs by employees. The second view argues that drug testing should be allowed if it harms the employer, the employee and the public. Furthermore, the authors support this second view by citing certain allowable restrictions on this right to drug testing so as not to be offensive to the Constitutional Right to Privacy. The main argument of the Desjardins and Duska revolves around the restrictions that must be imposed on the mandatory drug testing. They essentially argue that in order for drug testing to be acceptable in the workplace there must be certain limits that must be set in place. One of these limits is that no employee should be compelled to submit to drug testing. While there is a drug testing program that is implemented in the workplace, no employee can be required to submit to it. In relation to this, the authors present situations wherein it is allowable to request an employee to submit to drug testing but again it may not be required of the employee. Also prohibited are the use of coercive measures to make the employee submit to drug testing such as the threat of losing employment or even certain employment benefits. It must be pointed out that while the authors do take a stand for the protection of the privacy of employees, the arguments that have been presented must be rejected for lack of sufficient basis and alternatives for the following reasons. First of all, no right, even those granted by the constitution, is absolute. Every right that a person is granted is always subject to certain limitations and restrictions. In the same way that a person’s right to privacy may be invaded on the strength of a search warrant. The setting of being in a workplace is not so much different that it is capable of being given a different treatment. In fact, more restrictions on the right to privacy can even be imposed because of the setting. It must be remembered that in the sphere of human rights, there is a correlation between the rights of one individual and that of another. One is only free to act within the bounds of his privacy or rights as long as such acts do not unduly or excessively interfere with the rights of other people. As the authors would argue, drug testing can be implemented but the participation by the employees must be voluntary. This view cannot be sustained in line with the argument that no right is absolute. The reason behind this is that there is a greater concern behind all of this and this is public safety. While it may be a restraint on one’s privacy, it is for a greater cause; a cause that everyone in the country has submitted to and vowed to uphold. The second and perhaps more compelling reason why drug testing should not be made voluntary is the fact that it does not technically violate the constitutional right to privacy. The authors extend the coverage of the right to privacy to drug testing. In a long line of cases decided upon by the United States Supreme Court, it has been consistently held that physical testing of an individual can be compelled. There is no violation of the right to privacy in this case unless the test was carried out without due process. In this case, requiring an employee who is suspected of taking harmful drugs or those that can affect work performance can be required without worry of violating the employee’s right to privacy. While the arguments presented by the authors are not clearly substantiated in the article, the must, however, still be lauded for their efforts in trying to uphold the individual’s right to privacy. Drug testing can be used as a means of harassing employees or even as a way of firing those employees who are unsatisfactory without going through the entire legal process of giving notice. No legal system, no business model is perfect. There will always be a struggle between rights of employees and that of the employers. The solution may or may not be far away but one thing remains clear. Until and unless a certain compromise can be made to thus balance these corresponding rights there will be more controversy surrounding this issue. The employee is already well protected under the Labor Laws of this land and his effort is greatly appreciated yet one must also consider that without the employer or capital most of these employees would not have any jobs at all.

Assimilation and Accommodation Essay Essay Example

Assimilation and Accommodation Essay Essay Example Assimilation and Accommodation Essay Essay Assimilation and Accommodation Essay Essay Assimilation and Adjustment Jean Piaget viewed rational growing as a procedure of version ( accommodation ) to the universe. This happens through: * Assimilation. which is utilizing an bing scheme to cover with a new object or state of affairs. * Accommodation – this happens when the bing scheme ( cognition ) does non work. and needs to be changed to cover with a new object or state of affairs. * Equilibration – occurs when a child’s scheme can cover with most new information through assimilation. However. a province of disequilibrium occurs when new information can non be fitted into bing scheme ( assimilation ) . Equilibration is the force which drives the larning procedure as we do non wish to be frustrated and will seek to reconstruct balance by get the hanging the new challenge. ( adjustment ) . Once the new information is acquired the procedure of assimilation with the new scheme will go on until the following clip we need to do an accommodation to it. Example A 2 twelvemonth old kid sees a adult male who is bald on top of his caput and has long crisp hair on the sides. The kid will absorb the adult male as a buffoon. This is assimilation. And when the male parent explain to his boy that the adult male was non a buffoon and that even though his hair was like a clown’s. he wasn’t have oning amusing costume and wasn’t making thing to do people laugh. This is adjustment. And with this new cognition. the male child is able to alter his scheme of â€Å"clown† and do this thought fit better to a standard construct of â€Å"clown. † Harmonizing to Piaget. instruction can back up these development procedures by phases of Development. A child’s cognitive development is about a child development or building a mental theoretical account of the universe. Jean Piaget was interested both in how kids learnt and in how they thought. Piaget studied kids from babyhood to adolescence. and carried out many of his ain probes utilizing his three kids. He used the undermentioned research methods: Naturalistic observation: Piaget made elaborate observations of kids. and from these he wrote diary descriptions charting their development. He besides made Clinical interviews and observations of older kids who were able to understand inquiries and hold conversations. Piaget believed that kids think otherwise than grownups and stated they go through 4 cosmopolitan phases of cognitive development. * Sensorio-motora: desde EL nacimiento hasta los 2 anos aproximadamente. En esta etapa Se caracteriza Al nino como extremadamente egocentrico. donde no comprende el mundo de otra forma que no sea su propio punto de vista. El desarrollo chief nut esta etapa Es el entendimiento de que los objetos existen independientemente de su relacion con EL objeto ( permanencia del objeto ) . es decir que EL nino es capaz de mantener una imagen mental de una character u objeto a pesar de no estar presente O seeable. En esta etapa los bebes aprenden principalmente a traves del ensayo Y mistake. El objetivo de Piaget epoch investigar a que edad los ninos adquirian esta â€Å"permanencia del objeto† . El metodo que uso fue esconder un juguete debajo de una sabana Y ver Si EL nino buscaba EL objeto escondido. Esta busqueda del objeto epoch una prueba de la permanencia del objeto. Piaget supuso que EL nino solo podia buscar EL objeto escondido si tiene una representacion mental de el. * Etapa Pre-operacional: desde los 2 a 7 anos aproximadamente. En esta etapa los ninos desarrollan gradualmente el uso del lenguaje Y La capacidad parity pensar en forma simbolica. Sus pensamientos nut esta etapa suelen ser egocentricos. Egocentrismo hace referencia La incapacidad del nino de ver una situacion desde otro punto de vista que no sea el de el mismo. Segun Piaget. un nino egocentrico supone que Las personas ven. escuchan o sienten lo mismo que el. Piaget quiso descubrir a que edad los ninos dejan de tener esta actitud. * Operaciones Concretas: desde los 7 a 11 anos aproximadamente. En esta etapa EL nino Es lo suficientemente maduro parity pensar logicamente en operaciones unidireccionales. Pero pueden aplicar La logica solo con objetos fisicos. Los ninos Se vuelven menos egocentricos Y entienden las leyes de conservacion. esto significa que comprenden que aunque la apariencia de un objeto cambie. no significa que cambie el objeto en si . * Operaciones Formales: desde los 11 anos hasta La adultez. Cuando los adolescentes entran en esta etapa adquieren la capacidad de pensar de manera abstracta. de combinar clasificar los elementos de una manera mas sofisticada. y la capacidad de razonamiento de orden higher-up. Ademas desarrollan una identidad Y Se muestran mas interesados en temas sociales.

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Care Reform - Essay Example This took place after fruitless attempts by several Democratic presidents for decades, which made the moment very significant in the long legislative contest.  This Health Care Reform legislation is expected to cover around thirty million Americans who do not have access to it. It requires Americans to make sure that they have health insurance cover and for low and middle-income persons, it would subsidize private coverage. Furthermore, it would include approximately sixteen million more Americans to the Medicaid rolls. As Wolfe (2010) notes, the Health care Reform legislation is of great significant to children and young adults, as regards to health care access and cover. To start with, beginning 2010, new private plans must offer preventive care free of charge. It does not permit them to charge deductibles or co-payments for preventive services. This is also the case for Medicare starting from 1 January 2011. It therefore places more children at an advantage of getting access to well-child health checks for earlier detection of potential health problems.

Measures a Business Takes During a Disaster Assignment

Measures a Business Takes During a Disaster - Assignment Example Federal assistance from the fire department and police department came to assist after being contacted together with the locals’ and nearby hospital personnel. A series of actionable items on the plant was given to know the way forward and the business continuity plan that would make certain that the business gets back on its fit once the emergency plans prove to be successful. As the Safety Operations Director, the recommendation I would make to the Chief Executive Officer of the manufacturing plant and warehouse is to appoint a temporary disaster management executive committee which will be involved with the safety of the employees and the company’s data stored in computers as these are the company’s priorities. The steps to be taken when beginning recovery efforts by this committee include (1) ensuring the safety of employees by taking a roll call to account for everyone so that none is left unattended, (2) ensuring the safety of the company’s data in computers by backing them in external hard disks and sending them to personal emails, (3) contacting the families of the injured ones to inform them of the situation, (4) assessing the damaged assets, the ones at risk and the resources left, (5) relocating company tracks and employees to safe locations (6) reducing financial loss and (7) rushing the injured to nearby hospitals for treat ment. All these steps are to be conducted by the disaster management executive committee, chairpersons, coordinators and departments/ branch leaders, drawn from the institution’s available personnel resources that are to provide effective leadership and administration of the institution’s recovery effort, making decisions and giving directions. It is the duty of these people to restore the entire organization’s ability to operate and re-open its components testing and revising the process upon results, resuming and replacing damaged equipment, saving lives, contacting the family of the workers and maintaining law and order for possible looting.  Ã‚