Importance of Parental Involvement on the Academic Performance of Grade V-VI Pupils

Parent involvement is absolutely essential to student achievement in school and in life. The overwhelming studies and research indicate that there are positive academic outcomes stemming from parental involvement with benefits beginning in early childhood throughout adolescence and beyond (Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Patrikakou, Weisberg, Redding, & Walberg, 2005).The impact that parents can have on their child's learning and achievement transcends income levels and social status. â€Å"In fact, the most accurate predictor of a student's achievement in school is not income or social status, but the extent to which that student's family is able to: 1. Create a home environment that encourages learning; 2. Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children's achievement and future careers; 3. Become involved in their children's education at school and in the community.† If two of these three criteria are accomplished, children of low income families will achieve at o r above the levels expected of middle class children.Parental involvement does not only mean that it leads to higher academic achievement, but to better attendance and improved behavior at home and school as well. When school and home, work together collaboratively, and using a competent approach to education, it can make a huge difference in student achievement. Students value their education when they see the interest shown by their parents. When children achieve, everyone benefit.As children excel, the school is recognized, the teachers are recognized and the parents and other family members of those children are encouraged to extend their knowledge by going back to school. The purpose of this study is to reveal how important is parental involvement on the academic the performance of Grade V-VI pupils at school. This aims to show the readers that parents can be a great supporter and a big help for their children to become inspired to study harder.

How does Walkers presentations of Womanism Affect Your Interpretation of the Novel? Essay

Alice Walker is one of the most prominent contemporary writers in America. Her masterpiece, The Color Purple, wins her Pulitzer Prize for her ideology of â€Å"womanism†. Walker’s â€Å"womanism† has four characteristics: anti-sexism, anti-racism, Afracentrism and humanism. Afracentrism refers to the review of Afro-American history and culture while humanism emphasizes on love and forgiveness to both friends and enemies. Through analysis of the black women’s plight, struggle, and survival as well as their hope, this idea illustrates four characteristics of womanism. Walker’s womanism enriches feminism and provides a new perspective for understanding women’s liberation. Walker has demonstrated the new perspective through the form of Celie’s letters. The letterform used in The Color Purple is not only a literary tool used by Walker to catch the reader’s attention and make the story seem more realistic. If one looks at the letters from the perspective of Celie the interpretation takes on a new turn. Celie’s letters begin when she is raped and silenced with the words of her stepfather: â€Å"You better not tell anybody but God. I’d kill your mammy†. This leaves her with only one way out; namely to tell God. And with this act a new door opens into a world of opportunities, freedom and justice. When Celie writes her first letter one can say that a new body is created. Whereas her physical body suffers from violence and rape which is shown in letter one â€Å"You better shut up and git used to it†. But the new invisible body is safe and can’t be harmed. So her letters work as a â€Å"second body† where the wounds inflicted on her are able to heal and she can develop an identity. Within these letters she is allowed to be as honest as she wants and she can express her feelings, which otherwise are oppressed. The letters are the only way of finding purpose in an otherwise meaningless existence. In the Color Purple the history describes black women’s living plight in America and the Olinka tribe, such as rape and incest, isolation and desperation, and alienation and absurdity as well. The black women’s suffering and misfortune reflect the female consciousness of womanism. The Olinka tribe don’t believe in educating their women, as shown in letter sixty-two â€Å"The Olinka do not believe girls should be educated†, and although there’re no reports of abuse against women by men in Nettie’s letters, woman subservience is unchallenged, and the demeaning opening ceremony continues without contest. Similarly, this is also shown when Celie was being denied an education in America after falling pregnant due to rape, shown in letter eight â€Å"You too dumb to keep going to school†. In the Olinka tribe women are not allowed to be educated as education leads to knowledge and then dissatisfaction. The Olinka men want the women to continu e to work without question, something best achieved when they are uneducated. In the Color Purple it describes sexism and racism in America and the Olinka tribe. Walker explores the interpretation of anti-sexism and anti-racism consciousness of womanism through the letters. In the letters Walker valiantly and determinedly stands up to the pressure exerted upon her for her endeavour to interpretation and finally eradicate all the iniquity parts of the black world, dedicating the novel to a cause that is the breaking down of all the bondages on the blacks. In letter sixty-two the Olinka think a woman is nothing until she marries and she should stay uneducated as she is inferior to men. This is shown when Nettie was describing the daily life in Africa, â€Å"A girl is nothing to herself; only to her husband can she become something†. Black women in The Color Purple along with black men enjoy no equal rights as whites and even racial segregation is carried on extensively in America. In the south, black people can’t even sit side by side with whites in a car. But it turns out not to be so different even in the northern big cities such as New York, where black people are treated differently from whites as second-class citizens, who are called â€Å"Niggers†. In letter fifty-six Nettie writes to Celie about New York: â€Å"What can I tell you about New York or even about the train that took us there †¦ Only white people can ride in the beds and use the restaurant. And they have different toilets from colored.† Walker deeply penetrates the racial politics employed by racists, and uses Nettie’s journey through America and Africa to illustrate the racial and sexual consciousness of womanism. In the Color Purple Walker discusses the black women’s root-seeking travel to Africa which then includes the interpretation of Afracentrism of womanism. Once Afro-Americans entered the United States, they lost their identity. When they stepped foot in the new land they had no friends, no relatives, and no culture. Therefore, womanists support Afracentrism which denotes the review of Afro-American history and culture, mainly slavery culture and regression to African culture and tradition. In letter fifty-five, Nettie’s journey to African indicates her search of the lost black identity and culture. â€Å"The little I knew about my own self wouldn’t have filled a thimble!† illustrates Nettie’s view of her losing her black cultural identity. When she didn’t even know that her brothers and sisters were sold from Africa in trade for money she stated that she was ever so â€Å"ignorant† and that she had to learn everything to make herself useful. Through description of Nettie’s root-seeking travel, Walker urges Afro-Americans to promote African culture. In this way Walker hopes to provoke the national consciousness of the blacks, carry forward the famous tradition of Black Nationalism. In letter fifty-seven Nettie expresses her views of the materials made from the black people and that â€Å"it is hard to imagine that the people who made them don’t still exist.† Walker illustrated this through Nettie’s letters as she wanted to discard the black people’s ancestors’ ignorance and prejudice, and finally strengthen the national pride and unity of the black people. Through description of kindness and beauty of women and redemption of men Walker provides the readers with an ideal living pattern for the human beings which show humanism consciousness of womanism. When Celie and Albert were sewing together in letter eighty-seven Walker advocates the spirit of tolerance where both men and women finally reconcile and accept each other. This shows the theme of liberation and shows that tolerance is a noble human quality and a performance of humanism. Furthermore, this illustrates Walker’s ideal living pattern and her desire to build a harmonious world filled with understanding and love, which is shown in the relationship of Albert and Celie. The Purple Color is a successful literary practice of Walker’s womanism and also is a development of feminism in regard to black feminism. Through supporting of anti-racism, anti-sexism, Afracentrism and Humanism, Walker conclusively sets up an ideal harmonious living pattern by celebrating a unity of men and women in spite of their colour and race. A harmonious relationship between men and women, human beings and society, human beings and nature is the recreation of womanism and also is its true implication.

African American culture

African American Culture The African American culture is one of the more diverse cultures out there. Many of these people practice different beliefs. African Americans live in all parts of the world and just like other cultures African Americans have people that live in what is considered poverty some that are considered middle class and some considered upper class. African Americans come with a lot of interesting thing like the language they speak which is called Ebonics and all the different stereotypes with black American some being negative and some positive. There are three main religions practiced in the black American culture. The first is the most common and that is Christianity, Which is known as the black church. Christianity started back in the slavery days. Many slaves that were brought over were stripped of the African belief system and denied free religious practice; this forced them to become Christians. However slaves managed to hold onto some practices by putting them into Christian worship in secret meetings that were held. These practices include dancing, shouts and African rhythms and enthusiastic singing. Another religion practice in the black culture is Islam. Islam was founded in Detroit Michigan in the 1930’s by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad. Many blacks converted to Islam because they believed that Christianity was what the white slave owners used to control the minds of blacks. Today Islam in the black community is made up of black Americans that come from various backgrounds. The last most common religious practice is Judaism. There are a little over 150,000 African Americans that practice Judaism today. Some of these are members to mainstream Jewish groups like the reform, conservative, or orthodox branches of Judaism. Others belong to non-mainstream Jewish groups like black Hebrew Israelites. The socioeconomic status in black American is a lot different from other status in the American culture, somewhat to the lower end. The median of income in the African American families is just over 34,218, the lowest of any racial group. One out of every five black families lives in poverty. Black men in America hold the highest rate for unemployment, nearly doubling for Caucasian men. Black men that are employed have the second highest median earnings of any other minority group. Single black women with children median income is 29,958. Nearly one out of every three black households is headed by a single woman, highest in female-headed households. Forty percent of the black single mothers are considered poor. African Americans make up 12. 9 percent of the United States population. They are the second largest minority population, following Hispanics. Majority of the blacks live in the south totaling up 55. 6 percent of the black population. The top three states being Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia. The state that has the highest population of African Americans is New York. The African American culture is much bigger than a micro culture. This is because a micro-culture is a small group of people who share the same values, beliefs, and behaviors. The reason why the African American culture is not a micro culture is because there are all types of black Americans of all different types just like any other race. For example you have African Americans the practice different religions. You also have black Americans that come from all over the United States in different cities and neighborhoods with different ways of living and growing up. There are a few concepts in the text that are relevant to the African American culture. The first concept is one of the biggest and that is stereotyping. The systematic study of racial and ethnic stereotypes began in the United States in the 1930s with a study conducted by David Katz and Kenneth Braly. They presented college students with a list of 84 adjectives (lazy, ignorant, and stupid. ) and the traits that came up for black Americans were superstitious, lazy, happy go luck, ignorant, musical, religious. They found out all those traits came up consistently on each students list. Since then there has been a number of different researchers that have replicated Katz and Braly work. In today’s world you find and still here a lot of the stereotypes such as blacks are more athletic, their very loud, they all live in bad neighborhoods, they don’t work. There are a lot of different explanations and ideas why stereotypes on African Americans seem to dominate people’s way of thinking. For example stereotypes are well established in children’s memories well before they acquire the intellectual ability to question or evaluate them. By seeing how parents act and talk about the black community. We also get stereotype ideas by what is on the television and movies now days. The movies and shows always seem to try to make the â€Å"stereotypical† black man or woman. Another Concept that is relevant to the black American culture is the Black English dialect, and Ebonics. A primary way in which members of culture group define themselves and establish in-group and out-group identities is through verbal language. African American differs in their use of language, which is labeled as â€Å"Black language†, â€Å"Black Dialect†. The term Ebonics was first brought up in 1973 and refers to a grammatically complex African American speech pattern. Ebonics or Black language is a unique language created by the slaves. According to John Rickford an Ebonics scholar. He explains Ebonic pronunciations include the omission of the final consonant in words like pas (past) or han (hand) and the pronouncement of the vowel in words like my ride (mah rahd). Overall the African American speech acts are more animated, lively, and forceful than a lot of other cultures speeches. The last relevant concept that will be discussed is the culture and cognition. Culture and cognition refers to people from different areas and backgrounds and how they view and see things. This comes into play with African Americans that grow up in poverty or live with a single parent. Even though this can be associated with any race and culture its more likely with black Americans. With watching an interview on real sports with Bryan Gumble there was a black American on there and he explained the difference between black children growing up and every other culture you had to focus on only one thing to get out of poverty, his reference was â€Å"the hood†. He explained that growing up the only thing that could get black children out of the hood was sports. It wasn’t good grades and doing well in school because that was just a bonus. He said good grades wouldn’t pay for college but a football or basketball scholarship would. By all that he didn’t think a lot of other cultures had to worry about those things, that’s what made African American think and act different in different situations. In conclusion, the African American culture has many different religions they practice; they stay in all parts of the United States and just like multiple other cultures, people seem to stereotype. All in all the African American culture is one of the more diverse cultures out there.

Wholesale Medical Marijuana Distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wholesale Medical Marijuana Distribution - Essay Example The farm produces the marijuana and sells it to retail stores in Denver and Colorado. The farm processes its product to improve its quality before selling it to producers. The company aims at the production of high quality marijuana that satisfies the target market demands. The targets of the business include the adult recreational marijuana users and the medical institutions that require marijuana (Hutchison, 2014). The company aims at satisfaction of customers and improved quality in the marijuana medical products. The mission statement of the business is the selling of high-quality marijuana to the market and foster customer satisfaction. This through customer valuation and enhancing accountability in the delivery of the product. The priority of the company are the customers, rather than the company. The marketing goals are to deliver the medical marijuana at all medical institutions in Colorado and Denver by the end of the year. The goal is also to provide customer satisfaction through the evaluation of the customer demands in different business settings (Beesley, 2013). Another goal is to ensure that the potential customer is informed about the business and its value in the medical field. The company is among the few that have been allowed to deliver marijuana on a wholesale scale in Colorado and Denver. The online market has been incorporated into the company to ensure easy access to the product. The medical market has also revolutionised and has a high demand of marijuana. Beesley, C. (2013). Sole Proprietorship – Is this Popular Business Structure Right for You? The U.S Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/blogs/sole-proprietorship-popular-business-structure-right-you Hutchison, B. (17th January, 2014). Medical Marijuana Production in Canada set for Dramatic Change. National Post. Accessed 31st August 2014. http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/01/17/medical-marijuana-production-in-canada-set-for-dramatic-change/ Krizman, R. (2009).

Blood Pressure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Blood Pressure - Essay Example Diastolic pressure is a result of ventricular diastole or relaxation and this pattern was observed because the arteries in the working muscles started to dilate rather than constrict. The decrease in the diastolic pressure observed was a result of working at a less than maximum heart rate. In the same observation the heart rate at rest was measured at 61. This measurement spiked to 108 and 147 at 1kg and 2.5kg workloads respectively. This increase of heart rate during exercise was a result of the withdrawal of vagus nerve tone & sympathetic stimulation of the heart. Resting heart rates and maximum heart rates differ from one person to another depending on the age, gender and fitness level. The double product (also called the rate pressure product – RPP) is obtained by multiplying the heart rate by the systolic blood pressure. Since both the heart rate and the systolic blood pressure increased with increased activity during the experiment, the double product inevitably also increased from 6,710.00 (at rest), to 12, 960.00 (at 1kg workload) and finally 20, 580.00 (at 2.5kg workload). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average arterial pressure in a single cycle (the average blood pressure in an individual). It is obtained from the addition of the product of the cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance to the central venous pressure. In the experiment, the mean arterial pressure at rest was 83.33 at rest then dropped at steadied at 73.33 during both 1kg and 2.5 kg workloads. The mean arterial pressure is observed to stay constant because increased flow of blood through exercising muscles is compensated for remarkably well by an increased cardiac output and adjustments to

Compare and contrast two Jazz Big Bands Research Paper

Compare and contrast two Jazz Big Bands - Research Paper Example With these elements Jazz music introduced a new ‘Swing Style’ which spread across the country making Jazz even more popular and enjoyable. In this research paper I have chosen to discuss two very important Jazz bands – The first one is the ‘Benny Goodman and his Orchestra’ and the second is a modern Jazz band which is the ‘Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra. 2 The years of Jazz that followed held great significance as major Jazz figures with their own inimitable style, aesthetic sense and technical skills emerged. Some of these greats on the Jazz scene were – Louis Armstrong (1932), Duke Ellington and others who set the stage for the progress of Jazz music. (Schuller, Gunther, 1989, pg.3) The socio-economic backdrop with the Depression on one hand and the Wall Street Crash on the other provided potent ground for the flourishing of Jazz. (Schuller, Gunther, 1989, pg. 4) The economic conditions were poor and unemployment was rampant and musici ans found it hard to make ends meet. It was during this difficult period that the ‘Swing Era’ emerged when Jazz became synonymous with American Popular Culture. Benjamin David ‘Benny’ Goodman, clarinetist and bandleader of the group, was crowned the ‘King of Swing’ in History during this period. Born in Chicago on May 30th, 1909, Benny went on to lead one of America’s most popular Jazz orchestras. (Benny Goodman- The King of Swing, www.bennygoodman.com/) It was his popularity that epitomized the Swing Era because his music was heard by both the Blacks and Whites equally as he strived hard to quench the thirst for Jazz music for the new mass audience and finally emerged as a ‘symbol of the era’. (Schuller, Gunther, 1989, pg. 6) Benny Goodman’s career began when he joined the Henderson band which was one of the best bands of that time whose form, style and sound was so remarkable and unique. An alliance was formed and t he Benny Goodman band went on to create history by shaping the future of Jazz. 3 Teenagers were swept off their feet as they craved for swing music and very soon they had a good fan following of Jitterbugs who went crazy for his music. (Benny Goodman, www.jazzhotbigstep.com/45801.html) One of his popular numbers that I listened to was ‘Swingtime in the Rockies’. It was an interesting dance number that was so foot tapping that I felt like dancing myself. It was rhythmic from beginning to end filled with staccato snatches from the clarinets and trumpets which were joined in by the trombones. The drums kept a steady rhythm right through the composition which was so energetic as it was fulfilling. (Benny Goodman, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL47798F00A3AF3280 The music of Benny Goodman and his Orchestra is unmistakable because most of the compositions are so lively and energetic. One of the other songs I listened to is ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ which featured in a f ilm titled ‘Hollywood Hotel’. Besides Goodman, the other players were Gene Krupa on the drums and Harry James – Trumpet. The song was fast paced and rhythmic and the orchestra played it flawlessly with the entire group joining in the last piece. (Sing, Sing, Sing’, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJ4dpNal_k The Benny Goodman Orchestra was the most popular swing

2000 word outline research proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

2000 word outline research proposal - Essay Example Till 9/11 happened, apparently US didn’t really catch up with the seriousness of the issue. There have been instances like the US embassy bombings in different parts of the world. But such instances were considered mainly as failure of those nations in safeguarding the interests of USA, and nobody actually thought that one day, two US commercial flights full of passengers will collide with its own twin towers and result in killing around 3000 citizens of the world. They were office workers, waiters, police, firemen, moms, dads, friends and neighbors. Thereafter began an era of hunting for the terrorists and their links. It involved gathering info from everywhere with techniques like cyber-snooping. Attention was diverted towards Afghanistan because there was no regime as such. The ruling combine called Taliban did not believe in human rights and controlled the country with terror at gun point. Women were treated like third class citizens, not allowed to attend public functions and schools. One prosperous sheikh from Saudi Arab called Osama Bin Laden was there to help the regime with finances and arms. He had his own set of people ranging from nuclear scientists, engineers, villagers and other trusted lieutenants around him. They had their own ideology of calling the countries like US, UK, India, Israel etc. as the enemies of Muslims. For this very reason they gave calls for Jihad against these countries in particular. Afghanistan has the misfortune of being in news for all the wrong reasons since the late 1970s. It was in 1979 that Soviet troupes from the then USSR invaded Afghanistan and engineered a regime change. These forces remained in Afghanistan for the next 10 years, b ut not before resistance forces were armed with lethal weapons and trained manpower. Thereafter began a bloody era of revenge when the erstwhile President was hanged in broad daylight in the middle of the road. This bloody has not stopped since then. The areas bordering

Usability of a Principles of Marketing Course in the Field of Research Paper

Usability of a Principles of Marketing Course in the Field of Information Technology Project Management - Research Paper Example Project stakeholders as well as the target group will only be aware of the progress following the project marketing. This is where the Principles of Marketing Course comes in. it is very important in this field in various other ways. The course gives solid foundation on marketing management principles and the relationship with marketing research which is very vital in the field of information technology project management (Autor, 2000). Principles of Marketing Course can be used in the field of information technology project management in defining tasks of marketing management and process planning that will be used in delivering the project goals and objectives to the stakeholders and the clients. The course can also be used in explaining and defining the research methods and the primary marketing information need in the management of the project. Through this course, a specialist in the field of information technology project management will be able to market effectively and efficiently in order to capture the attention and interest of the stakeholders, who are concerned with the results of the project (Autor,

Punishment and Re-education of Juvenile Offenders Research Paper

Punishment and Re-education of Juvenile Offenders - Research Paper Example Children and adolescents are individuals who are undergoing a radical change in all aspects of their lives. Child development principles must be understood by the juvenile system. These formative years form the developmental trajectories for every individual (Arredondo, 2003). Children are likely to undergo irreversible damage in the application of punishment and deterrence inflicted without proper guidelines. However, the juvenile system has the potential to impact its detainees in a positive manner. Correction officers are charged with a unique responsibility. Expectations on them dictate that they have to reform delinquent youth. Juvenile systems have universal punishments for offenders. That means that the justice system is an offense based rather than offender based. Correction officers, therefore, have to apply uniform punishment and deterrent methods to different offenders. Juvenile offenders have unique needs. Their characters are not fully formed. This means that inappropriate punitive measures are likely to harm the development of the child. It is difficult for the officers to gauge which sanctions are appropriate for each juvenile detainee. The situation is very confusing when dealing with juvenile inmates in an adult correction center. Adults have complete characters. That means that severe punishment is likely to effect a change in their characters. The juvenile system is supposed to offer structure and support to its detainees. Most delinquents originate from homes where the adults are unreliable. These homes have no structure and pay no attention to the needs of the growing children. The children realize that they can push boundaries without suffering the consequences of their misdeeds. Correction officers, therefore, have the prerogative to follow up each offender during their rehabilitation. This is, however, difficult as the officers are charged with a large number of detainees. They are unable to provide consistent and predictable attention to their detainees. Juvenile inmates in an adult institution suffer from lack of structure. The system is designed to correct adults who can take responsibility for their actions.

Domestic Violence and Social Class Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence and Social Class Essay Domestic violence is something that happens every day around the world. Young, old, rich or poor, this is an issue that we must look at to better ourselves as a country. One of the things that we look at is how domestic violence relates to the different social classes of the country, this being upper, middle, and lower. Some would thing that it would be more common in lower classes, but the reality of it is domestic violence is a problem across all social classes. In this paper I will discuss different articles about domestic violence and its relation to social class. It is clear to see that any of the articles on this topic focus around women as victims and men get put into a category of the only ones committing violence. From different articles you can see that social class has a relation and an effect on domestic violence. To begin with we need to understand what domestic violence is. The National Domestic Violence Hotline describes domestic violence as pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone. Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married, living together or who are dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels (The National Domestic Hotline). This is one of the best definitions you will find. Its important to realize that Domestic Violence can happen to anyone. The focus on economic background is important; there is not one ocial class that domestic violence does not occur in. It is key that we keep this in mind, otherwise we begin to label and fit certain social groups into categories. And as we will find out this is not the case at all. In Gender, Status, and Domestic Violence, by Kristin L. Anderson she discusses many issues related to domestic violence. In her article she talks about social economic status and how it can affect domestic violence. The section on social class begins with how gender and social class play very big roles with each other, or how each social class helps determine the resources available to men for the construction f masculinity (Anderson, 1995). Anderson begins with the working and lower class and how their position they hold at work lacks power and authority. This can lead to violence in the home because they search for positions of power in other aspects of their life. And many times the search for power and masculinity starts in their home life. This could be one explanation for the cause of domestic violence among low income social class. It is very clear that society even thought changing for the better over the years, still puts the man as the breadwinner of his family. And if a man annot produce for their family I agree with her that that will look for other places to find there masculinity and in some cases this is accomplished with violence against their partner. Next Anderson discusses middle and upper class together. She states with reference from another article that Middle and upper class notions of masculinity focus on ambition, responsibility, and professional employment (Segal, society. The research done in this article shows that men or women with low income jobs and less resources are more likely to be violent in their home as a means to gain the lack of power in their life. Men who have fewer resources then there female partners will be more likely to commit domestic assault than the men with resources equal or greater than their female partners (Anderson, 1995). We can see for the research done by Anderson that she focuses on the reporting of violence. I would have like to have seen some numbers on education and or employment in ration to domestic violence. But it is clear and can be understood that men base their masculinity on their economic social status, and if that status is low they begin to search for other ways to gain power, and often that is in the means of domestic iolence against their partners. Social class plays a key role in everyday life of millions around the world. So it is clear that social class would play a role in domestic violence. Knowing that domestic violence knows no boundaries it is correct to say that wealth does not protect against violence. In the article Economic stress and Domestic Violence by Claire M. Renzetti from the National Online Resource Center on Violence against Women, they bring social class and domestic violence into clear view. One discussion in the article which we have to take into account when looking at social class and domestic violence is ell put when she stats the data we have about domestic violence comes from samples to which researchers have greatest access, such as individuals who use social services and these individuals are more likely to have low incomes (Renzetti, 2009). With this in mind it is clear to see why there are so many articles on low income violence. As she states from a study done by Benson and Fox (2003) from analyzing data from the National Survey of Household and Families, the family income increases the likelihood of domestic violence decrease. It is becoming clearer hat even though we know that domestic violence knows no social class, The National Crime Victimization Survey reports the chance of violence in a low income household is five times great then the households with the highest incomes (Renzetti, 2009). As stated earlier it seems that the relation to domestic violence and employment takes a big part of the problem with violence among the social classes. In the article by Anderson early discuss she makes it clear that the feeling of power is directly related to the males economic standing. Renzetti state that sever studies have documented hey deliberate sabotage to their partners efforts to maintain paid employment (2009). We can tie that back to how males base their masculinity and power on their economic status. Women have reported that their attempts to obtain paid employment outside their homes only aggravated their partners. It is becoming clear that men see power in being the main provider in the house and to lose some of that power is demining in some ways, and can result in violence against their partners. She references an article by Bush (2003) say that paid employment if a female intimate partner is threatening for some men, especially men who are unemployed r in low paying Jobs. Renzitti states that some researchers have argued that social class has a greater influence on domestic violence risk than race/ethnicity, and that even the social class of your neighborhood plays into account. Disadvantaged neighborhoods domestic violence rates are significantly higher in neighborhoods By now it is clear that there is a relation between social class and domestic violence. In domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking by Walby Allen (2004) they discuss how it could be the domestic violence that is causing the low economical status. This is a little broader thinking then our other authors but still Walby Allen tie mans need for masculinity and power into the equation. But first to look how they discuss domestic violence as the cause for low social status, the lack of economic resources is clearly associated with domestic violence against women. But it is how we see one leading to the other that they discuss. Walby Allen purpose that maybe it is the other way around. For example that poverty and low social status are the consequences of domestic violence. Women who leave behind their homes and partners in order to escape violence will be much more ikely to be poorer as a consequence of the loss of their home and of their partners income (Walby Allen, 2004). This is a new concept to think about but can easily be seen as possible. From what we have learned low income family are more prone to domestic violence, it is clear to see if the victim does get out of this relationship they have no means of economic support. In return this Just keeps them in poverty and most likely sinks them deeper down the status pool of the world. As Walby Allen (2004) report that eventually making their way back into the abusive elationship because they have no economic support. It seems that the affect that social class and domestic violence have on each other is a never ending cycle. As we found in the research social class plays a big part in domestic violence and in some cases domestic violence plays a big part in social class. Whichever way that you look at it one constant held true across all of the articles, this being that men have been socially constructed by society to have to have the need for power in relationships. And when that power is lacking a nd they feel there masculinity is in eopardy we see domestic violence. Now a lot of the focus of the articles was on the lower class, showing that the economic stress had a direct relation to man and the need for power. We need to understand that the lower social status groups are not the only ones with a domestic violence problem. Like I said earlier domestic violence can happen across any social class, rich or poor. Most of the research that is done focuses on women in poverty because that is where the easy samples are. We know that there is a problem there, we need to move on to research that examines women ofa higher social standing. When we open up to who is we look at then we will begin to get a real grasp on the social class and domestic violence issue. Now I know that that depends on if they are willing to report, but that is a whole different topic for a different day. We have to be careful not to stereotype individuals into this field Just because of the economic standing, but it is clear that social class and domestic violence show a clear and direct relation with each other.

Tire Industry Capstone Project Marketing Essay

Tire Industry Capstone Project Marketing Essay The report examines the global Tire industry. the industry is dominated by 10 firms controlling 95 of the global market. First, the report analyses the fundamentals of the industry followed by an analysis of each of the companys performance. The report later analyses the key success factors and indicators for the industry and makes recommendations as to the way forward. Introduction The tire industry is a large-scale market that produces high quality original and replacement tires with the use of natural and synthetic rubber. These tires produced from natural materials and synthetic rubber is greatly utilized by motorcycles, trucks, cars, earthmoving equipment, aircrafts, bicycles, and scooters. The tire industry is divided into different sections that include America, the Asia-Pacific, and Europe. This constitutes about 95% of the worlds market. Our list of ten selected public companies has their headquarters represented among these markets, and thus the percentage of their sales per market varies. Despite a global recession, a number of these tire firms has demonstrated a strong performance, and the recovery has especially been pronounced in the Europe and markets of Canada, United States and Mexico. The contents will reveal in what areas these ten public firms are particularly delivered, and some ways in which they are still struggling, or have room for some improvement. While the growth has traditionally been viewed in the West, the emerging markets in Asia such as China prove to be a battleground for revenue and sales growth of the future. The relative leaders in this industry are Michelin and Goodyear, with the lowest performing firms as Kumho and Yokohama. Some of the firms decisions have placed them in a favorable position to dominate opportunities around the globe, while others have an overwhelming amount of disadvantage in meeting such goals. Performance requirements such as high-speed test, endurance test, low pressure test, road hazard impact test, bead unseating test, and accelerated aging test. The endurance test show that the test results increase linearly in stringency based on the number of tire failure. However, the top performing firm is the Michelin meeting the performance criteria with over 90% in all the criteria. Michelin is technologically a better tire company compared to the rest, while Kumho is the least performing tire company. List of the Ten Public Firm in the Tire Industry The top ten tire firms include: 1. Bridgestone Corporation 2. Compagnie Gà ©nà ©rale des Établissements Michelin 3. Good year Tire and Rubber Company 4. Continental AG 5. Pirelli C. S.p.A. 6. Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. 7. Yokohama Rubber Company, Limited 8. Hankook Tire 9. Cooper Tire Rubber Company 10. Kumho Tire Co. Ltd Key Success Factors and Key Success Indicators For the purposes of this research paper, we will analyze three key success factors namely the financial factors, human resource and customer satisfaction. For each of the KSF identified for analysis, there are at least three key success indicators as listed below; Customer Satisfaction Customer average rating as given through company annual surveys Awards for crucial success Position among top 20 in the country Human resource Employee count growth Proportion of workers who have higher education Revenue per worker Key Financial factors Return on equity Return on asset Leverage ratio Gross margin ratio Annual sales growth The ability to adapt to new technology Investment in IT In-house staff training BPR change initiatives Customer satisfaction Average score Awards received Position in top 20 Sustainability indices as reported in the respective companies sustainability report for the last year. Percentage of material reused Percentage of material recycled Reduction in material use In their similar research work, Ghosh, et al. (2001) came up with a distinctive formula for awarding the weights to individual critical success indicators. For the purpose of this paper, Ghosh, et als weightings on the respective KSI are adopted. The scores of these tree factors are given equal weight at 33.3% due to their perceived equal importance in the industry. However, the key success indicators in each of the three categories are given different weights as per their perceived importance in the realization of the respective KSF. All the KSF along with their associated KSI are scored in the excel sheet and weighted totals calculated. Some of the key KSFs that we have identified include sustainable practices, public perceptions, consumer responsibility, the economy, in addition to environmental stances and practices. The KSIs include the market share that each firm possesses, the number of countries in which they operate, the percentage of business devoted to tires, as well as the number of employees per dollar of revenue and diversification of the board in terms of country of origin. These KSF and KSI were selected to effectively evaluate the relationship that between other external factors that will make tire production in the industries thrive. A key success factor could also include dealer or brand loyalty, and how well companys can retain their customer basis. It is believed that sustainable practices of how the wages and benefits exist will greatly promote the success of tire production, in addition to how the merchant network or tire distribution is handled; considering the fact that production is directly controlled or is dispensed out on a franchise basis. When it comes to public perception, this deals with whether the brands from a specific region are favored, due to their ascribed value. In addition, the devotion to advertising in terms of dollars on a by-region basis would be an interesting KSI under the KSF of public perception. Consumer responsibility is how they respond to incentive programs offered by merchants, or where they turn to purchase whether they go in store or defer to online shopping. One other interesting KSF that we are concerned with is the environment. What this means in terms of a KSI is the method and rate of scrap tire disposal. In addition, interest is the consumption levels of electricity, water, fuels or others necessary for disposal and manufacturing. However, it is anticipated that this KSF will majorly determine the long term success of tire firms. When it comes to the KSF of the economy, differentiating it from the internal finance of companies is not certain, using the KSI and KSF to assess and analyze performance in the tire industry is justified. Factors Driving Profitability The players in the tire manufacturing industry are operated out of a number of major centers, and in order for them to earn and maintain a profit, they must ultimately transact with corporate or smaller-consumers. Analyzing the growth rate and operating margins of the firms reveals that just as they are dispersed in where their boardrooms, headquarters, plants, and branches are located they likewise differ on where such revenue and sales are captured. To further complicate factors, some of the weaknesses confronting these firms are regionally based, while others have a global reach and threaten the whole of their operations. Thus, the mixture of strengths and weaknesses facing the firms is ripe of both extreme differences in addition to some unavoidable similarities. Undoubtedly, one of the major factors that seem to affect all the participants is the increase of prices of raw materials. In this context are crude oil, rubber, and other inputs to the manufacturing process. While it is deserving of a separate discussion altogether, the price of one barrel of crude oil has been on the rise amidst global conflict, uncertainty, and other issues. This is a necessary input in the manufacturing of tires and it is not easily replaceable. A direct result of this factor that drives (or threatens) profitability is that the price of products tends to increase as the surge in cost of raw materials is passed on the consumers. Another factor driving profitability then is the type of market segments on which the tire manufacturer focuses on. For example, some of the firms such as Kumho and Yokohama have placed much dedication towards niche markets such as construction, or others, that may be willing to fork over more money for a higher quality product. Due to the diverse approach of these tire manufacturers; we placed much emphasis on the financials aspect. More than the fact that these figures were, on the whole, easy to locate, they are closely connected with a phenomenon that will soon confront the industry. This issue in the horizon is that of so-called unfunded pension and retirement benefits. As a result of this impending crisis, we determined that the financial conditions of firms would be closely related to how they may overcome such. One other reason we determined that this was a crucial factor of performance was that the baby boomer generation concept would imply that a large group of full-time workers would, at the same time, attempt to cash out on such benefits. It means that firms with a high debt-to-equity ratio have less leverage to move around funds to overcome a shortfall when it comes to paying out employees on a mass-scale. Likewise, those with relatively lower revenues would have a particularly challenging time to maintain their operations and to fund such retirees. Some other key performance indicators we determined had significance was the relative market share of each firm, in addition to the number of countries where operations existed. We figured these were important given that some of the more successful firms such as Bridgestone are more diversified geographically. The reason this is important can also be understood in the context of global economics. If one is operating a firm such as Kumho or Yokohama and the Korean or Japanese region respectively endures some domestic market turmoil, it is unlikely that the average trend of sales from international markets will be able to keep them from reporting negative financials, or even facing insolvency. A damaging annual period will not only weaken a firms reputation or brand image, but will also cause the company to struggle to keep the support of investors potentially coming with major consequences. On the other hand, as Bridgestones record demonstrates, having equal or at least some level of balanced representation across the globe means that the only way they will significantly suffer is if there is a financial crisis or some type of market volatility on a global scale. Even so, it is unlikely that such a disaster would have equal effects in each continent or country, or that it would occur simultaneously. It means that in the wake of disaster, a firm that is well-spread across the globe would be able to earn a profit in some areas, while losing in others, and be able to maintain its existence. A further key performance indicator of interest is the customer segments facing the tire manufacturing industry. For example, there has been the trend for companies teaming up and pooling their productive resources in order to transact with high-ticket market segments such as the airline industry. We determined that this key performance indicator is derived out of the Porter force of bargaining power of buyers. It is also directly connected and can help firms individually, and overall, to overcome the struggles that come from increasing raw material and commodity prices, globally. If carefully constructed, such agreements between rivals can assist in overcoming their mutual threats, and allow them to devote more resources and attention to important fields such as research and development, or creativity. Subsequently, more useful technologies and more desirable products will be churned out, in a mutually (or internationally) beneficial manner that will allow each industry player to ma ximize their own chosen attribute of differentiation. For example, some firms may devote much energy towards passenger cars, while another focuses on non-highway equipment, or high performance tires. If working together can help to alleviate the hurdle of increasing input prices in the manufacturing process, there will be a net benefit on the industry in the quality and the number of products disseminated to the market segments. Bibliography Datamonitor: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin. Company Profile. Publication Date: 5 Aug 2011. Datamonitor: The Yokohoma Rubber Co., Ltd. Company Profile. Publication Date: 24 Feb 2012. Datamonitor: Bridgestone Corporation. Company Profile. Publication Date: 29 Jul 2011. Ghosh, B. Liang, T., Meng, T., Chan, B. (2001). The key success factors, distinctive capabilities, and strategic thrusts of top SMEs in Singapore. Journal of Business Research. Vol. 51(3): 209 Marketline: Kumho Tire Co. Inc. Company Profile. Publication Date: 31 May 2012. Porter, M. E. The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, January 2008. Appendix and exhibits Tire Industry: NAICS Code: 326211 Top Ten Companies: 1. Bridgestone Corporation 2. Compagnie Gà ©nà ©rale des Établissements Michelin 3. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company 4. Continental AG 5. Pirelli C. S.p.A. 6. Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. 7. Yokohama Rubber Company, Limited 8. Hankook Tire 9. Cooper Tire Rubber Company 10. Kumho Tire Co. Ltd

Background of Circuit City :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circuit city was founded in 1949 by Samuel Wurtzel under the original name or Ward’s. Due to Wurtzel’s business skills, President Kennedy appointed him to the U.S. Foreign Trade Mission to Switzerland and Austria. Originally opened as a television store, Circuit City has come to sell almost all electronic goods ranging from television and video products to cell phones and car stereo equipment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circuit city competes in a consumer electronic market. The main competitors of Circuit City are Best Buy, Comp USA, Wal-Mart, RadioShack, and Amazon.com. Second in sales in this industry, Circuit City operates more than 600 stores nation wide and an additional 1,000 stores in Canada under its subsidiary InterTan Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While Circuit City normally sells a wide variety of products from different companies, in 2004 it stated carrying their own product line. This line includes LCD computer monitors through their Liquid Video brand, other consumer electronics through Verge, and easy, simple, affordable products through ESA brand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circuit city grew rapidly between the 1960’s and 1980’s. During the 1990’s the sales rate leveled off and in 1999 their revenue passed the $10 billion mark. They have been trying to revitalize the chain by eliminating certain products, such as appliances, and by lowering operating costs. Currently Circuit City is at a maturity level with declining sales and revenue. Over the past 55 years Circuit City has transformed from a small local television store to an international chain of superstores. Circuit City will continue to be a competitive company in the consumer electronics industry as long as they offer a strategic plan that leads to larger sales.

Alan Cromer’s Connected Knowledge Essay -- Literature Science Debate E

Alan Cromer’s Connected Knowledge A prospective reader casually thumbing through the pages of Alan Cromer’s Connected Knowledge: Science, Philosophy, and Education, would probably expect the book to explore how science and the philosophy of science should inform educational practices and pedagogy. Indeed such an exploration takes place, but the reader might be surprised to find that it is in the form of a vehement crusade Cromer wages against constructivism with science and a scientific habit of mind as his sword and shield. In battle like style, Cromer starts on the defensive, trying to debunk the postmodernist interpretations of modern physics often used to declare science and thus all other academic pursuits â€Å"subjective.† After defending his own territory (Cromer is a physics professor at Northeastern University), Cromer goes on the offensive against those he deems largely responsible for constructivist thought--the â€Å"highly fragmented† sociological disciplines. First he sets ou t to demonstrate that by using a scientific habit of mind he can create a social theory of human behavior valid across a wide range of cultures and social contexts. In other words, even in the social sciences, everything is not relative. Then he aims to use the tools of psychologists, maze rats and intelligence testing, to discredit constructivism in favor of standardized education. The Defense The amazing transformation the study of physics underwent in the two decades following the turn of the 20th century is a well-known story. Physicists, on the verge of declaring the physical world â€Å"understood†, discovered that existing theories failed to describe the behavior of the atom. In a very short time, a more fundamental theory of the ... ... and in-class performance mediates movement between the groups. Response As the tone of the above discussion probably made clear, I rather enjoyed the first part of Connected Knowledge, which challenges many of the popular misinterpretations of modern physics. Cromer’s arguments are cogent even for the non-scientist, and it is clear that this is his field of expertise. But when Connected Knowledge ventured out of the realm of physics into that of social science, I found the discussion somewhat arrogant. In his attempt to discredit constructivist thought, Cromer offers only one way of understanding the world. I find such a view too narrow and too restrictive. I am not a relativist in that I think all approaches are equally valid, but I don’t believe that science provides the only route to understanding and should be the basis of every decision we make.

Weber in Singapore :: essays research papers

Imagine that Max Weber has been resurrected and is on a visit to Singapore. How would he interpret the various facets of Singapore society in relation to his theories and prognosis about the future of modern society? As we begin the twenty-first century, there is a growing recognition that Max Weber is our foremost social theorist of the condition of modernity. His pre-eminence stems from the scope, the depth, and the intensity, which he brought to this project. In short, Weber sought to explain the place of the modern individual in the world. Behind this deceptively simple foundation, lay a gigantic enterprise. Precisely so then, the beginning of this essay is devoted to underlining and illustrating the principal themes of Weber’s sociological investigations, especially those that would be used in interpreting the various facets of Singapore society. Next, this essay attempts to show how a resurrected Weber would interpret the various facets of Singapore society in relation to his theories and prognosis about the future of modern society. The concluding part offers criticisms, if any, and asks the importance of Weber in this modern age. Weber, it is often said, conceived of sociology as a comprehensive science of social action. As such, Weber distinguishes between four major types of social action. In zweckrational action, or action in relation to a goal, the individual rationally assesses the means to attain a particular goal. An engineer who builds a bridge as the most efficient way to cross a river often exemplifies it in the literature. A more relevant example would be the modern goal of material sought after by many young people today. Many recognize that the most efficient way to attain that success is through higher education, and so they flock to the universities in order to get a good job. Wertrational action, or rational action in relation to a value, is characterized by striving for a goal which in itself may not be rational, but which is pursued through rational means. The traditional example would be the brave captain who goes down with his ship. More relevant then is a person who attends the university because he or she values the life of the mind – a value that was instilled in them by parents, previous teachers, or chance encounter. Affective action is anchored in the emotional state of the individual rather than in the rational weighing of means and ends.

Capstone: Foster Care and Amp Essay

Abstract The project was designed to address high increase in homeless youth not transitioning into adulthood successfully. In fall 2011, a review of the literature confirmed the existence of high rates of homeless youth not transitioning into adulthood successfully. The literature attributed the problem to several causal factors of low income jobs, unemployment, and lack of formal education. There has not been a prototype project conducted within the literature. A need assessment survey of the target population and a data extraction tool was used to represent the target population indicated that new program would help in addressing this problem. A change project was designed at the beginning of the semester, and the objectives were to increase the knowledge of basic life skills by 10%. Evaluation findings showed that the new program increased the level of knowledge of basic skills and rate of youth returning to homelessness decreased by 10%. Table of Contents Chapter Page Number I. Introduction 5 II. Review of Literature 7 III. Needs Assessment 19 IV. Project Implementation 38 V. Project Evaluation 44 VI. Institutionalization and Stabilization 51 VII. Integration of Relevant Concepts 52 VIII. References 53 IX. Appendices 59 Chapter I: Introduction Background of the Problem Today, experiencing homelessness has nothing to do with a person’s intrinsic worth. Homelessness is a complex social issue with many variables. Unfortunately, for those experiencing homelessness, the impact of the values of the 1640s are still pervasive. In America many still hold to this tenet, that one only needs to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and into the pursuit of the American dream and for those who cannot, they deserve to be destitute for they bring no ‘added value’ to society (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010). Homelessness means not having a home, living in a place not intended for habitation, or unstably housed. Homelessness in the United States is primarily addressed by providing emergency and transitional shelter facilities that do not directly address the cause of homelessness (Culhane & Metraux, 2008). The Industrial Revolution starting in the 1820s-‘30s people began migrating from the farm to the city in search of j obs. Philadelphia and New York had many people walking the streets causing the country’s first pan-handling ordinances. City jails became de facto shelter systems. Poor safety regulation caused a lot of physical disability and death. Those disabled and widows, many with dependent children had no means to provide for themselves and nowhere to turn. The 1850s brought the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of whom were kicked out of their homes because their providers could no longer afford to raise them (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). Systemic issues have been established over time. People living in generational poverty do not have the resources and support to become educated and move out of poverty. Racial divides still occur in the areas of healthcare, education, access to mortgages, access to equal paying jobs among many others (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). There has been an increase in homelessness among African American male and female adolescents in the City of Philadelphia. In doing this research, the purpose was to address homeless youth transitioning into adulthood globally and locally. In looking at homelessness globally and locally, there are many causes, contributing factors, and possible interventions to decrease homelessness not only in America, but in the world. Youth who are homeless are in the situation for many reasons that do not attribute to their own doing. Homeless youth transitioning into adulthood have a difficult task, when one doesn’t have or wasn’t taught the skills to do so in society. In Philadelphia, youth that age out of foster care placement at age 18 are left to go to emergency shelters, house hop between family members, or resort to life on the streets. The range of the housing problems among adolescents who have left foster care may be underestimated as 12% to 14% of young people experience homelessness within a few years after they leave the system (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). The need for housing placement, education, and employment are services that homeless youth lack in their lives (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). ). The research states some causes and contributing factors range from familial abuse, conflict, or neglect, mental health issues, sexual orientations, lack of education, lack of employment, lack of affordable housing, and housing programs ending at 21 years of age. Homeless youth have trouble with completing school due to the lack of adequate housing. In addition, due to the lack of housing these youth limit their opportunities for gainful employment. In doing this research, the focus is on ways to prevent or decrease homelessness in youth who are aging out of foster care or aging out of housing programs at 21. The information given by the research will provide a frame of reference of the causes and solutions to homelessness. Throughout the study, the results will determine if the research has covered all causes, possible solutions, and limita tions to those solutions in dealing with this issue of homelessness. Chapter II: Review of Literature Homeless has been the label given to adolescents that are discharged from foster care, too old for the group homes, or kicked out of parents homes placing blame on the youth. This literature review will address the problem, the causes, and the solution relating to Homeless Adolescence successful transition into Independence. This review will conceptualize the problem, considering various approaches and interventions that might decrease the levels of homeless youth in the United States. The information in this review will cover the years between 2007 and 2012. Authors with similar presentations will be compared and those with differing views will be contrasted. Overview Today, those experiencing homelessness has nothing to do with a person’s intrinsic worth. Homelessness is a complex social issue with many variables. Unfortunately, for those experiencing homelessness, the impact of the values of the 1640s are still pervasive. In America many still hold to this tenet, that one only needs to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and into the pursuit of the American dream and for those who cannot, they deserve to be destitute for they bring no ‘added value’ to society (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010). The Industrial Revolution starting in the 1820s-‘30s people began migrating from the farm to the city in search of jobs. Philadelphia and New York had many people walking the streets causing the country’s first pan-handling ordinances. City jails became de facto shelter systems. Poor safety regulation caused a lot of physical disability and death. Those disabled and widows, many with dependent children had no means to provide for themselves and nowhere to turn. The 1850s brought the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of whom were kicked out of their homes because their providers could no longer afford to raise them (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). Systemic issues have been established over time. People living in generational poverty do not have the resources and support to become educated and move out of poverty. Racial divides still occur in the areas of healthcare, education, access to mortgages, access to equal paying jobs among many others (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). One approach to combat homeless was in New York City. Shelters were used to house many homeless men, women and children on the streets. In 1979, Robert Hayes brought a lawsuit against a homeless man. Through this lawsuit, he cited Article XVII which declares that the aid, care, and support of the needy are a public concern and shall be provided by the state. This lawsuit provided homeless men with shelter if they had any psychical, mental, social issues (Jannson, 2009, p. 585). Another approach to solve the problem of homelessness is to increase affordable housing. According to Milburn, Rice, Rotheram-Brous, Mallet, Rosenthal, Batterham, and Duan, in Western developed nations, the normal developmental trajectory for adolescents has been well documented. From early to late adolescence, young people increasingly move toward independence and autonomy with the relationship and/or the relative influence of families, friends, and social institutions as socializing agents shifting over time. By early adolescence, the role of family has changed while the importance of peers and friends, as well as that of teachers and others in institutional settings, increases Scope of the Problem Homelessness means not having a home, living in a place not intended for habitation, or unstably housed. Homelessness in the United States is primarily addressed by providing emergency and transitional shelter facilities that do not directly address the cause of homelessness (Culhane&Metraux, 2008). Over one million youth are without a stable residence on a given night and more than 750,000 are of school age (Tierney, Gupton, &Hallett, 2008). Tierney, Gupton, and Hallett (2008) state a little over 5 percent of all youth in America who are under 18 will experience homelessness at some point before adulthood. Estimates indicate that approximately 1.7 million youth are homeless in the United States (Oliveira & Burke, 2009). However, according to Fowler, Toro, and Miles (2009), approximately 3.5 million American youth are homeless and the number does not seem to be decreasing despite growing initiatives to stem growing rates of homelessness. Fowler, Toro, and Miles (2009) state that fund s are available for those leaving foster care with help from Chaffee Foster Care program and the states, however the states opt not to do so and fail to provides services that prevent homelessness. Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, and Williams (2010), state that homeless adolescents are some of this nation’s most vulnerable youth and estimates the numbers between 500,000 to 2 million youth homeless in the U.S. Homeless youth is a rapidly growing population in the U.S. Within the scope of homelessness is immense not only in its commonness but also in the terms of its impact on young people’s psychosocial functioning (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). Homeless youth find themselves lonely and lacking emotional support as they attempt to deal with life on the streets (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010).Homeless adolescents experience mental health symptoms ranging from anxiety, ADHD, and developmental delays (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010).Slesnick, Min, Bonomo, and Prestopnik (2008), reported that only 28% of street youth reported accessing medical services, 10% accessing substance abuse treatment and 9% accessing mental health servic es. Studies suggest that 39-70% of homeless young people abuse drugs and alcohol (Thrane, Chen, Johnson, &Whetbeck, 2008). The lack of transportation and knowledge of services creates a problem for homeless youth to access services. Youth who are homeless and gay, lesbian or bisexual are one of the most disenfranchised and marginalized groups in our society (Gangamma, Slesnick, Toivessi, &Serovich, 2007). In comparison of homeless sexual minority youth with homeless heterosexual youth, 53% of the homeless gay male youth reported at least one suicide attempt compared to 32% of the general homeless male youth (Walls, Potter, &Leeuwen, 2009). The range of the housing problems among adolescents who have left foster care may be underestimated as 12% to 14% of young people experience homelessness within a few years after they leave the system (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). The need for housing placement, education, and employment are services that homeless youth lack in their lives (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). Homelessness is not only urban problem because it is also experienced in rural areas. However, compared to urban areas it is seen as invisible. When dealing with rural homelessness the same obstacles are experienced as those confronting urban youth (Skott-Myhre, Raby, & Nikolaou, 2008). Nonetheless, homeless youth are seen as inferior to service providers, law enforcement, and society. Youth homelessness presents a particular challenge for several reasons, including the fact that there is very little definitive data on the population, as this group often doesn’t interact with standard homeless assistance programs or government agencies. Lopez and Allen state that adolescents in foster care experience complex health care needs and face multiple barriers in receiving the necessary and appropriate health care services. When the adolescent ages-out of foster care at 18 or 21 years-old they are expected to make a transition to independence with no financial resources, poor access to health care, few personal and family connections and little if any support from the foster care system. This places them at risk for poor physical and mental health status, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. No formalized system of transition planning has yet been established to meet the needs of adolescents before discharge from the foster care system. Homeless youth are significant and several causes are frequently presented in this research.

Synthesis of Cis-Norbornene-5, 6-Endo-Dicarboxylic Anhydride

IntroductionThe Diels-Alder reaction is a [4+2] cycloaddition of a conjugated diene and a dienophile. This type of reaction was named for Otto Diels and Kurt Alder who were the first to investigate this reaction (Weldegirma, 2012). The Diels- Alder reaction is one of the most important reactions in all of organic chemistry because of the applicability of it. This reaction can form new carbon-carbon bonds and new stereocenters.The Diels-Alder reaction has high synthetic utility for making unsaturated 6-membered rings (Kahn, 2011). The more electron-withdrawing elements there are in the reactants, the faster the reaction will move forward. In the case of cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride, the reaction takes place quite quickly due to the many electronegative oxygen present in both reactants.Mechanism:Side Reaction: Experimental:Table of Chemicals: CyclopentadieneMaleic AnhydrideEthyl AcetateHexane66.10 g/mol 98.06 g/mol 88.11 g/mol 86.18 g/mol MP: -90 º C BP: 39-43 º C MP: 52.8à ‚ º C BP: 202 º C MP: -83.6 º C BP: 77.1 º C MP: -96–94 º C BP: 68-69 º C Cyclopenta-1,3-diene Furan-2,5-diene Ethyl Acetate HexaneResults:The crystals obtained through the Diels-Alder reaction were not plate-like, as were expected. We obtained crystals that were a small and more powdery than plate-like. Even though our crystals did not turn out as we had hoped, the melting point range for our crystals was very close to the literature value.The calculations for the percent yield are as follows: First, the moles of the reactants must be calculated:Through these calculations we can see that the cyclopentadiene is the limiting reagent is the cyclopentadiene because the reaction between cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride is a 1:1 reaction. Thus, the maximum amount of moles of cis-Norbornene-5, 6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride we can produce is:Now that the theoretical yield has been calculated, we can compare the experimental yield with the theoretical yield:DiscussionTh e literature value for the melting point of cis-Norbornene-5,  6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride is 165 º C. The experimental value we obtained through the Diels- Alder reaction was 160- 163 º C. We were only able to produce a yield of 20.2%. A yield this low was not expected, but was enough to measure the melting point to see if we had indeed produced cis-Norbornene-5, 6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride.As cyclopentadiene is left out over a period of a few days, the molecules slowly dimerize and thus become dicyclopentadiene. Dicyclopentadiene would not result in the desired product, cis-Norbornene-5, 6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride, so this must be remedied. In order to un- dimerize dicyclopentadiene, it must be heated to just under its boiling point to make fresh cyclopentadiene. With our melting point being so close to the literature value for cis-Norbornene-5, 6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride, it is very likely that the desired product was obtained.This reaction does not seem to be ver y efficient at all. By using 0.2mL of cyclopentadiene, we only were able to produce about 0.05g which, at a 20.2% yield, is very low.Conclusion:The Diels- Alder reaction is one of the most important types of reactions in organic chemistry (Weldegirma, 2012).This reaction is so important because of its ability to form new carbon-carbon bonds.Diels- Alder reactions are used constantly in the medical field due to its diverse uses. It has been in studies of ribozymes and creating ribozymes synthetically (Jaschke, 2000).I believe that we did accomplish what we set out to do in this lab. We were able to form cis-Norbornene-5, 6-endo-dicarboxylic anhydride crystals and were able to achieve a very pure product.

Social Work Narrative

Personal Narrative Statement 1)How do you account for your interest in social work? In your response, discuss paid or volunteer experiences that support your choice of social work as a profession? My interest in social work developed during college. I always had a interest in helping others in one way or another. I joined a sorority in college, Delta Sigma Theta, which is based off of community service. During the week I would volunteer to tutor children that were struggling in certain areas of school. I would talk to these children and explain to them the importance of education and try to influence them as much as possible to try their hardest in everything that they do. I would also go to nursing homes, with other member of our organization, and play bingo with their residents. We thought it was important to spend time with the elderly and/or sick as well. Just knowing how much it meant to those residents for us to come and spend time with them was a phenomenal feeling. After college I worked for the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility (Girl School) as a Youth Service Officer (YSO). I gained a lot of hands on experience at the Girl School and I was able to work in more depth with the youth. I worked with at least 35-40 troubled teenagers each day. I was their guidance counselor, teacher, disciplinary, and sometimes I felt like their parent. I enjoyed being able to talk with each individual and I learned how to communicate with each of them effectively. Through all these individual experiences I developed a strong desire to become a social worker so that I can help improve people’s lives by helping them cope and solve issues in their everyday lives. )Social work is committed to social justice. What is social justice? What experiences have shaped your interest in advancing social justice? In the future, how will you help advance social justice? Social justice is concerned with equality or equal justice, not just in the courts, but in all aspects of society. This concept demands that people have equal rights and opportunities and this includes everyone, from the poorest to the wealthiest. Social justice refers to a concept of a society that gives individuals and groups fair treatment and fair distribution of advantages, ssets, and benefits among all members of a society. On a positive note, one experience in particular that have shaped my interest in advancing social justice is the inauguration of the first African American President, President Barack Obama. This has had such a positive influence on the minority communities because it has allowed us to see how much things have changed. It has given individuals hope that may have never thought that there would be a Black President or a president outside of the ethnic background of Caucasian. In the future, I hope to be a part of a movement that advances social justice even more. I would like to be a part of something that helps our children in need, employs our workers in need, helps our disabled and heels are criminal justice system. I currently work for a job where I experience inequalities because of my job title or skin color. There are times where I feel that I am not valued as some of my other co-workers due to the difference of our job classification. There are situations that have occurred that I feel like I was misunderstood because of my skin color and some of the negative stereotypes that comes along with it. As a social worker, I would like to establish job confidence, meaning that I would like to implement a system within all jobs that allows all employees no matter of your race, class or gender that allows you maintain the confidence needed to perform your job duties without the ridicule or stereotypes from those of higher positions. 3)What is your perception or understanding of social work as a profession? Elaborate on how you understand social workers intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and political entities? Professional social workers are found in every facet of community life including schools, hospitals, mental health facilities, prisons, military and all other public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. Social workers assist individuals, groups or communities restore or enhance social functioning through creating living conditions favorable to their goal or need. Social workers are trained professionals that help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges such as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, educational issues, mental illness, disability, unemployment, etc. They accomplish this through counseling individuals, families and communities; teaching them how to cope with the stresses of everyday life. From a political standpoint, social workers spend time and money on campaigns that elect public officials that are committed to social work values. Sound public policies enable social workers to meet human needs, be fairly compensated and promote social justice. Overall I perceive social work as a â€Å"take action† profession. Often times, we as human beings complain and talk about what needs to be done but do not do anything beyond that. Social workers are hands on. They are not just talking about what â€Å"should† be done but they are doing something to better our communities. Social workers are about making a difference in society by helping others out that are in need for various reasons. If you are very sick and in need of assistance to perform normal, everyday functions, social workers can assist you in finding a home, affordable to you and your family so that you can have that need met. Social workers assist children that may have been a victim of abuse or witness of domestic violence by removing them from that destructive atmosphere into a much safer environment while providing counseling to aid in the healing process. They provide food, shelter and clothing for those that are down in their luck because of unemployment, disabilities or all other poverty related issues. There are a wide variety of activities that can be considered social work and professional social workers are employed in many different environments but they all possess one common goal and that is â€Å"helping people†. 4)The concept of cultural pluralism emphasizes respect for diversity of values, heritages, customs, and lifestyles. We are interested in your experiences with people from diverse populations. For each of the following diverse groups, describe how you have worked with each. If you have gaps in your exposure to diversity, what is your plan to broaden your effectiveness to work respectfully and effectively with each of these populations? a)Ethnicity (race, culture) – I have worked with many different ethnicities and cultures in several way. I have worked with different ethnic groups at work, school and everyday life. As a minority, I was raised to treat everyone how I would like to be treated so outside of their physical appearance I look at everyone as my equal. I have different ethnic backgrounds in family which does not seem to be uncommon at all in these days and times. I believe that different backgrounds and cultures is what make our world so beautiful and diverse. b)Spiritual tradition different from your own – Although I don’t understand all of the different spiritual traditions and backgrounds, I definitely have worked with different ones at one time or another. I have dated an individual with a different spiritual background than myself and I learned that although we may have worshiped in different ways; we worshiped for the same purpose. I know that this may not be true of all spiritual backgrounds but I feel that it is important to respect each person spiritual preference even if I don’t agree with their values. I currently work for a hospital and in our registration process we ask each patient if they have a certain spiritual preference that they would like us to note on their chart. We ask this question not to be judgmental but to provide that option if the patient wants to seek clergy while hospitalized. c)Age – I have worked with a variety of ages throughout the year. Currently I work with a wide variety of age groups. I work in a laboratory and there are both older and younger age groups. Our younger employees respect the older employees because we have learned a lot from their experiences. I, personally, have never been discriminated against because of my age, as far as I know, and it does not seem to be a major issue from my experiences. I have also worked over a lot of juveniles in a correctional facility setting. I found this job to be quite challenging at times because these individuals required a lot of attention and redirecting. However, the experience within itself was priceless. d)Disability – Working in a hospital setting has allowed me to encounter a lot of patients with several different disabilities. Watching these patients struggle with things that the average human being might take for granted is a mind-blowing experience within itself. Seeing and hearing these individuals talk about their disabilities has made me become more appreciative of the little things in life like walking, driving, talking, working, being able to dress and bath myself, etc. Although working with people with disabilities can be disheartening, it is also very rewarding because it makes you feel really good to be able to assist another person in need. e)Socio-Economic – I have worked with people with different socio-economic backgrounds or statuses because I have experienced different socio-economic statuses. Both of my parents came from family households containing at least 6 or more children and as a result neither one of my parents had much, economically, as a child. My parents got married and started a family at a young age so as a esult I was raised on a lower socio-economic status then some of my peers. Living in a time where new technologies are developed constantly and wealth and greed are at an all time high, I am constantly striving to achieve more. However, I know to achieve more wealth or higher socio-economic status one must lay a strong educational background foundation which is why I would like to further my education by achieving a M asters Degree. f)Sexual orientation – Sexual orientation is usually divided into 3 groups: Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual. We live in a time where all three groups are becoming more predominant, especially homosexual and bisexual groups. Regardless of my sexual preference I feel that it is important to respect individual’s decision and not to judge them by it. As a phlebotomist I have to draw all patients regardless of their sexual orientation. I do not treat homosexual’s any different than I treat heterosexual’s when taking precautions against exposures. Actually I was trained to treat all patients as if they had a communicable disease to lessen my risk of exposing myself to contaminants. I have also worked around individuals that outwardly discuss their sexual preferences and I don’t think that they should not discuss it if it is not considered the â€Å"norm†, however I feel that all sexual orientations should be able to express themselves as long as it’s considered appropriate conversation considering the environment. 5)When social workers are in a situation where they must choose between two relevant, but competing choices, and where each choice may have an undesirable consequence for the parties involved, this is called an ethical dilemma. Describe an ethical dilemma you have experienced. Discuss your decision-making process and factors which contributed to the ultimate outcome. Please protect confidentiality, and DO NOT reveal names of individuals or organizations. I worked for my previous job for more than 7 years as a phlebotomist and I gained a lot of training and insight through this experience. With the economy becoming so bad my employer was having to cut back so they had hiring and wage freezes. I was working without insurance because the hiring freeze would not allow me to change my status from PRN to full time so that I could receive benefits. Suddenly, the hospital that I was working for through my employer decided not to renew their contract with my company which had my department in fear of unemployment. The hospital decided to open up their own laboratory and hire their own staff. This had a great impact on my employer because it was a great financial loss for our company which meant more possible cut backs. I was forced to make a difficult decision because I had a lot of experience with the company I was employed for but I needed benefits and the hospital was offering full time status plus benefits. Due to the short notice my current employer was insuring us that if we left them to work for the hospital that we will not be allowed to return there for employment. Do I stay or do I go was the question I would ask myself over and over. What if things didn’t go well with this new laboratory? How long will the hiring and wage freeze last? After a few months of deliberating I finally chose to work for the hospital. I thought this would be a great opportunity for me and I would be able to receive the benefits that I desperately needed for myself and my child. As of now, I have not regretted this decision. Our laboratory is a success and I am currently receiving the health benefits that I was seeking. I make a lot more money than I did with my previous employer and I also receive bonuses, vacation time and holiday pay. This ethical dilemma turned out in my favor after all and I have no desire to return to my previous employer. 6)Social work is a profession that has considerable emotional demands on the practitioner. How do you handle stress and what coping skills do you anticipate using as a competent practitioner? I handle stress the best by remaining calm and focused so that I can think clearly and make good decisions. I like to reflect on what I think is causing the stress and figure out the best way possible to minimize that stressor. As a competent practitioner in the social work profession I plan to have stressful situations therefore I’m not surprised or caught off guard when they occur. I will remain calm and level-headed as much as possible so that I can provide what is necessary. Through my experience I have noticed that people react better to individuals that are calm, confident and in control. People feel a lot safer when they are in the hands of a profession that is in control of the situation and that knows how to remain strong but sensitive to whatever the circumstances may be. 7)Graduate school provides learning opportunities that require an investment of time and energy. Plan to spend an average of 36 hours per week on homework for a full-time load of four courses. In addition, three semesters of field practica require approximately 20-24 hours per week. Discuss why you are prepared to attend graduate school at this time in your life/career. Please describe plans that you are making to adjust your personal and professional life in order to successfully participate in: a)The coursework, class preparation and assignments. Academic pursuits require approximately 9 hours a week per class. b)Two separate field practica of approximately 20-24 hours per week for 3 semesters. These practica must be completed at practicum agencies during daytime hours; rarely do practicum sites offer night/evening/weekend hours. It has been 6 years since I graduated from college after completing my bachelors and I have now decided that I am ready to go back to college to receive a masters degree. Since relocating back to my hometown I have had trouble finding a job in my major, Criminal Justice, and would like to expand my knowledge by returning for a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW). As a single mother of two children I plan on making a lot of adjustments in order to make this work out for me. I am currently working full-time, 40 hours or more a week, on dayshift so I don’t have to adjust my hours for this program but more or less the amount of hours so that I can focus and have time to complete my assignments. )My children are enrolled in school and daycare so I plan to do a lot of the homework during their school/daycare hours to prevent distractions. I also anticipate a lot of late hours of studying beginning after I lay my children down to sleep at night. My biggest goal is to prevent and form of procrastination from hibernating within myself. I want to stay on top things so that I am not cramming and falling behind in my classes. Organization is also an import ant goal during this endeavor. Remaining organized will prevent me from missing assignments, due dates and all other important factors that may apply. b)The most difficult challenge I am facing during this program will be the field practica of approximately 20-24 hours per week for 3 semesters. I am concerned that financial constraints may develop during this period of unpaid work. Therefore to prepare for this challenge I am currently saving as much money as possible while working full-time now. I want to be able to be focused on my practica and not financially stressed while trying to concentrate on my studies. I also plan on applying for financial aid so that I can receive assistance to help pay for my living expenses or room and board. I was in a similar situation when I did my internship for my bachelors program except for that required 40 hours a week of unpaid time. I successfully completed that task through the methods mentioned previously so I’m confident that everything will work out with this program. When I was a child my parents would always use this quote: â€Å"Where there is a will there is a way† and since I am very much willing I know that my faith will guide me the entire way.

People Love To Have Pets, But What Do Pets Want Essay

There are many animals that would prefer to stay as far away from the indoors as possible! Even though some people keep their pets inside most of the time, they would much rather be outside living in their natural habitat. Many animals are covered in fur to protect them from cold weather and to keep animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and mice is unethical treatment from humans when they would rather be outdoors where they were intended to live with other animals. There are those humans who simply don’t want to take their animals outdoors, and then there are others who enjoy caging wild animals, such as snakes, turtles, mice and lizards for their own enjoyment. It is unnatural for many animals who haven’t adapted to existing in an enclosed environment and it is unethical treatment against wildlife to hold them indoors, against their will. It is sad when you hear about people who mistreat animals and are careless to the pet’s desires of wanting to roam around in their natural habitat. There are occasions when animals are never allowed to go outdoors and are strictly kept in cages and fed manually by the pet owner. â€Å"We humans create homes that feel, smell, sound and look good to us, not our cat,† Ingrid Newkirk explains in her book, â€Å"250 Things You Can Do To Make Your Cats Adore You. † The author relates that our pets are not always comfortable and happy just because we are. We need to consider the comfort of every pet.

Case Against Reinstating the Military Draft Essay

Case Against Reinstating the Military Draft - Essay Example Case Against Reinstating the Military Draft New York Representative Charles Rangel, who is a Korean war veteran, introduced a bill back in 2003 that would bring the military draft back into the lives of our young male population. (Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft, 2003). It is his firm belief that a forced military draft is the only way that the young men of America can prove their allegiance and loyalty to the country that they call home. His bill, which is still pending in congress to this very day would draft young men between the ages of 18-26 into forced military service. With exemptions being granted only to those still in high school so that they can graduate. College age men are expected to enter military service under his proposed bill (Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft, 2003). This particular bill is was supported in the senate by South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings. These two men both believe that being drafted into the military would build the character of our young men and democratize what they call the â€Å"citizen soldier†. According to Douglas Bandow (Forum: Should the Draft be Reinstated?†, 2003) who was a former special assistant to President Reagan â€Å"As a veteran, I strongly believe that fighting for our country must be fairly shared by all racial and economic groups. Nobody wants to go to war, but the burden of service cannot fall only on volunteers who, no matter how patriotic, are attracted to the military for financial reasons. We cannot continue to pretend it is fair that one segment of society makes all the sacrifices.† Records show that most of the members of our Armed Forces are part of the lower income class families who join the service because it is the only job they know that they can have. Rep. Rangel indicated (Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft, 2003) that as of 2003 30 percent of the minority population serve in our military services on a voluntary basis. Therefore, there is a discrepancy in the social strata representa tion in our military and it is Rep. Rangel and Sen. Hollings belief that drafting all available young men would be the best way to get all the social classes represented in the military. I find it amusing that these two highly respected lawmakers would use that kind of requirement in drafting their military draft bill because most of the male high school graduates from low to lowest income families often choose to opt for volunteer military service in order to keep a roof over their head and a regular salary with which to pay their daily expenses. Others who support the draft such as retired general and former commandant of the Army War College and historian Robert Scales Jr do so because they believe that our domestic / homeland security forces lack in numbers when it comes to protecting our own soil. He has claimed that â€Å"Even before the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, our military was severely overstretched in fulfilling its missions. But more important, we have done nothing s erious about homeland defense in the war against terrorism. We need guards for our nuclear power plants, dams and public facilities. We have done little to create the necessary border patrollers, customs agents and cargo-ship inspectors†