Its Time for Transitional Education Essay -- Education Reform Essays

   The educational standards in the United States are deteriorating quickly, students from around the world disgrace the students from the United States in every scholastic competition. Students in the United States today mostly encounter only one type of teaching technique a traditional technique overrun with chalkboard lectures and unenthusiastic teachers. This uneventful classroom structure forces students to act like the receptacles Freire described in "Pedagogy of the Oppressed." Now, students function as trashcans for a teacher's input. Children do not express or think for themselves anymore. Today's students only know how to act subservient to their teacher's will. Drastically separate stages compose a reality known as life. Thus, to produce an education beneficial for life the United States must educate its children with an array of techniques mirroring life's developmental stages. In the life of all schooled persons, a transition must occur from a traditionally focused educatio n to a "de-centered" education to fully develop that student for life in the real world. To fully understand the nature of traditional and de-centered educational techniques one must comprehend their structure and style. Simple, yet drastically different traits characterize traditional and de-centered educational techniques. Chalkboard lectures taken straight from the text prove to be a common trait of the traditional education. Many traditional teachers usually lack passion about their subjects. Teachers utilizing traditional techniques rarely incorporate visual media into their lectures. In a traditional classroom, stimuli such as pictures, maps, diagrams and videos never crucially affect the teacher's goals for the course. Thus a traditiona... ...dent reaps from his education. To better mold the view of education, a concerted effort should take place not to mirror one educational technique used in the world today. Instead, our educational leaders should compile facets of all of the educational techniques to once again make the United States an educated superpower. Once this transitional form of education takes hold in the country, students will no longer stand for being receptacles but will start to think on their own and argue with their teachers. Transitional education should not focus on the big life questions. Transitional education needs to focus on everyday problems and techniques used in manipulating those problems. Once this transitional educational system develops in this country, students will come out of institutions as smart people who are energized about the real world and its challenges.

Helping Children with Incarcerated Parents Essay -- big brother big si

A serious issue facing this country today is the 2.7 million children currently being left behind with incredible pain while their parents are being placed behind bars (Maier 91). They are left behind with not only pain, but the struggles of living day to day life without the guidance of their parents, as well as having to find a new home. According to child development specialist and the founding director of the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents, Denise Johnston, â€Å"there are over 10 million minor children in the United States who have dealt with parental incarceration over the course of time† (91). The Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS) program needs to take the initiative in the process of reunification between parents who have been incarcerated, and the children which whom they leave behind. The Big Brother Big Sister program is designed to nurture children that have not had that sense of connection before, also helping them to recognize their potential, as well as helping them to build a bright future. The BBBS program serves many children in the world that deal with various challenges in life, but one program in relation is the Amachi program. â€Å"The Amachi program specifically helps children with an incarcerated parent to broaden their perspectives on what they can achieve in life and help them to overcome† (Big Brother Big Sister). Along with the responsibilities they possess, the Amachi/BBBS program should also help to reunify these children back with their parents once they are released from incarceration. Ultimately, having these BBBS mentors there to encourage these children to visit their parents is creating an easier path to complete reunification. According to R. Anna Hayward and Diane DePanfilis of the Univers... ..." Social Work in Public Health. 27.1-2 (2012): 12-28. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. Maier, Katrin. â€Å"Children of Incarcerated Parents.† Taylor & Francis Online. 12.1 (2006): 91-105. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Merenstein, Beth, Ben Tyson, Brad Tilles, Aileen Keays, and Lyndsay Ruffiolo. "Issues Affecting the Efficacy of Programs for Children with Incarcerated Parents." Journal of Correctional Education. 62.3 (2011): 166-174. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. Osofsky, Joy D. Young Childrn and Trauma: Intervention and Treatment. New York: Guilford Press, 2004. eBook. Reed, Diane F., and Edward L. Reed. "Children of Incarcerated Parents." Social Justice. 24.3 (1997): 152-169. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. United States. U.S. Government Accountability Office. Child Welfare: More Information and Collaboration Could Promote Ties Between Foster Care Children and Their Incarcerated Paents. Washington: , 2013. Web.

How Far Libraries in Primary Schools Assist in the Education System Essay

Education all over the world has evolved into a more complex system of teaching methods, areas of learning to be taught, curriculum, tools to be used in the mode of instruction chosen, language to be used in the instruction, and many more. As schools respond to these needs, a parallel program to upgrade the states of the schools’ libraries is also necessary. Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between library programs and levels of performance among children in the primary schools. Thus, the advocacy in pursuing strategic plans to better equip the libraries in primary schools is growing. Libraries have organized into a solid association as they seek the support of the government not only in terms of legislation but more so on adequate funding to rehabilitate the libraries of primary schools. A primary school library serves as the media center for students, faculty, staff, and parents that serve each of their purposes and interests. For a student, the school library is the place where he gets information relative to classroom assignments and projects. It could also be the source for a student’s interest in children books, caricature books, comic books, adventure books which he usually shares with his friends and classmates. For the faculty and staff, the primary school library is the source of relevant materials such as stories, poems, songs, and structured activities which serve to enhance the teaching method and enrich teaching modules. For parents, the primary school library serves as a refresher forum in order for them to catch up with their children’s assignments and works. A good primary school library is a place where children are taught how to love reading. There is focus on the enhancement of reading habits among children. Some early rewards system may be established to grow the reading habit. There should be a significance of motivation in promoting student reading. Meanwhile, teachers and parents are coached on how to support the child’s learning how to love reading. Guidelines in improving reading promotion programs are in place. (Johnson, J. Creating fat kids who don’t like to read. Sept/Oct 1999, Vol. 18 Issue 2 p96). LITERATURE REVIEW The availability of materials in this subject matter is not broad. However, studies conducted in this area showed more or less identical results. These findings only strengthen the thesis of this work. Most of the materials that can be used in research studies on primary school libraries are on fund-raising activities in order to grow the number of books in the primary school libraries. Only a handful could be read on the focus and evaluation of primary school libraries. In a documentary by Pat Miller, he discussed on how librarians can attract children to the library where interest from among these children seems to have faded. The perception among children that the library is the home of antiquated and boring books should be dis-abused and re-aligned to the basic truth and tradition that children needs to develop the habit of reading to equip them for a better future. Moreover, she suggests librarians to make library a kid-friendly by taking cues from their electronic lives–providing library games, encouraging student chat, teaching with video and audio, and making the books relevant and personal. Moreover, she recommends librarians to cater all learning styles and to consider factors like gender appeal in taking steps to enhance the students’ interest in library (Miller, Pat. Is your library kid-friendly? Library Media Connection. Worthington, Mar 2008. Vol 26, Issue 6 pg22). In Jesuit schools like the Ateneo de Manila University, the primary school library serves as the resource center for teachers as they weave stories into the everyday lessons aimed at building at total formation of the child. This is in conjunction with the school’s strategy of promoting a class teacher scheme of imparting knowledge. The self-contained classroom develops students through integration of subject matters using reading skills and values as the thread. Storybook weaving approach is the key in achieving a self-contained classroom strategy. In this context, the primary school library provides various and extensive collection of storybooks for both the teachers and the students. The purpose of a school library according to The School Library Association (January 2006) is to provide a wide range of multimedia resources to support teaching and learning throughout the key stages, ad foster a reading and information culture that promotes independent motivated readers and learners for life. One of the main objectives of a primary school library is to cultivate interest for reading among children with the end of developing the habit of reading among them as they grow into well-informed adults. Developing enthusiasm for learning through reading is the focus of library work (Dubber, Geoff. Cultivating Curiosity: information literacy skills and the primary school library. Januray 2008). The use of a rewards system in creating interest for reading among children may be a good incentive at the beginning. But weaning children from getting rewards for their reading habit should be done at an earlier stage. The enthusiasm to be in the library to read books should be out of a habit and personal interest cultivated in the child through earlier intervention programs. This updated and revised Guideline, taking account of the 2007 Government literacy teaching objectives, explains the importance of embedding information literacy into a whole school, ICT and curriculum context. It outlines and explains the processes of research for young children and shows ways that teachers and librarians can develop and promote information literacy and related ICT skills through the primary school library and link it to classroom practice. It also includes a very useful and practical case study, some templates, and a reading list. (Dubber, 2008). Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a sample of more than 20,000 children who started kindergarten in fall 1998, researchers found that many children do not experience key elements in their schools that maximize their learning outcomes: * 30 percent of all children attend elementary schools that do not have strong principal leadership * Just over half of all children are in schools where their teachers meet together regularly to plan sequenced and coordinated instruction. * 15 percent of children are in schools where teacher turnover is a problem (Peckham, Suzanne. â€Å"Specific School Traits linked to Elementary Achievement Scores. † The Education Digest. Mar 2008. Vol 73 Issue 7 pg 76). In other parts of the world, like China, learner-centered teaching is as a way to nurture active learners who can innovate and solve problems. Teacher education programs are beginning to adopt learner-centered methods as well. In the U. S. , learner-centered approaches, which emphasize teaching for meaning, have been promoted for some time. Primary teachers now get three years of training, and the eventual goal is for all teachers to have at least four years of training. Traditionally, Chinese teacher education has concentrated on subject matter. In the last decade, however, there have been calls for expanding professional preparation by establishing closer links between schools and universities, by having prospective teachers study educational theory and apply their skills through practice teaching, and by having teacher educator’s model effective pedagogy. Meanwhile, U. S. policy makers have been promoting shorter, alternative routes to teaching, including on-the-job training (Preus, Betty. â€Å"Educational Trends in China and the United States: Proverbial Pendulum or Potential for Balance. † Bloomington: Oct 2007. Vol. 89 Issue 2; pg115). The library department should take the initiative to create and implement simple activities that attract children to their school library. These activities should point back to good old books like literature and establish a connection of the lessons, phrases, morale of these books to the present times. This would create an impression in the minds of children why these books are still read up to this day. (Weisburg, Hilda and Ruth Toor. â€Å"Brush Up your Shakespeare. † School Librarian’s Workshop. Berkeley Heights: Spring 2008. Vol 28 Issue 5; pg 16). The primary school library serves as the motivator of interest in children while it is a data center for adults like teachers and parents. The former brings about awareness and interest while the latter reinforces needs to bridge the gap between children and adults. The interest that is developed in a child should be continuously strengthened by an unconditional support from the parents, teachers, and other significant others. Support from parents may be through a grant of some additional time for the child to enjoy the library. The physical set-up of a primary school library is a determining factor in achieving the goal of creating interest and enthusiasm among children insofar as their need to visit the library is concerned. Library design plays an important role in the realization of a primary school’s goal of cultivating the habit of learning through reading among primary school children. The tangible and the intangible goals of a primary school library go hand in hand. (Dewe, Michael. Ideas and Designs: Creating the Environment for the Primary School Library. October 2007). It is very essential that the government or other non-governmental entities give support to the initiative by giving funds for the rehabilitation of public libraries. The government units may also have a parallel program in which to recognize and appreciate children who read books and other materials in the library. A well-resourced school library plays a key part in assisting learning across the school and is essential to support the wealth of opportunities for studying the locality. An accessible, attractively presented collection of local materials that includes a range of formats will enhance effective learning and raise the status of the library within the school and beyond. (Southcombe, Dianne. Setting the Scene: Local Studies Resources in the School Library. 1999). The presence of a teacher-librarian would help in the pursuit of good library programs. To maximize the impact of a primary school library in aid of the school curriculum, a regular updating of the library’s policy and development plan are necessary. The aim is to develop the library as the school’s resource and focus for learning. (Harrison, Kay and Tricia Adams. Practical Paperwork: Policy Making and Development Planning for the Primary School Library. February 2007. ) Achieving a successful school library is a bit like gardening: â€Å"little and often, with regular input to obtain healthy growth and year-round interest. (Harrison and Adams. 2007). The school’s annual calendar should include such events as would introduce the children to the use of its primary school library. Making children aware of the existence of a good primary school library in their vicinity is the first step towards the goals of establishing a good primary school library. School programs like book events should be included in the school’s calendar of activities for the year. (Dubber, Geoff and Elspeth Scott. Brilliant Books: Running a Successful School Library Book Event. 2nd edition. April 2005). A library is only as good as the material it contains and the access it provides for its users, so efficient stock management is essential for effective resource provision (Lemaire, Kathy. Shelf Life, Shelf Matters: Managing Resources in the School Library. 2nd edition. October 2004). Times are changing and libraries need to keep abreast on recent development in technology. Otherwise, there would be a gap between children and the libraries in general. With the advances achieved by the new information technology systems as well as the prevalent use of mobile phones for SMS, primary school libraries need to go beyond; than just providing children resource materials for reading. (Murphy, Richard. Going online: Developing LRC Web Pages. May 2003). The introduction of the Internet and its associated information handling/literacy skills is quickly becoming a key development in the effective use of primary school libraries. Many schools are realizing the potential of the Internet as an exciting and dynamic curriculum resource for raising pupil attainment, developing a pupil awareness of ICT for a real purpose, and promoting literacy. (Dubber, Geoff, et al. The Internet, the Primary School Library, and the Independent Learner. 2002). The rehabilitation of libraries includes those in the public schools. The funding from government is necessary (Ward, Helen. Book bonanza spurs pupils to test success. The Times Educational Supplement. London: October 26, 2007, Issue 4760. pg 15). Accessibility and ease of use of the primary school library are focus areas that need to be addressed as well by the school as it aims to develop awareness and interest among children. There are systems and tools which are available in the market to address this concern. This will help in ensuring confident use of the primary school library among children. Additionally, teachers would be aided in the instructional process of guiding children towards the regular use of the library. The school’s direction in integrating library use and school curriculum will dictate the degree of interest that the school provides in addressing ease and accessibility concerns on the use of its library. (Lemaire, Kathy. Issue Systems for the Primary School Library. 2nd edition). A key results area always requires a key process indicator to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiencies of the program. Performance measurement is being required by some governmental agencies to ensure continuous improvement of standards and attainment of objectives. Measuring the success of the primary school library in its ultimate end of awakening and cultivating interest and enthusiasm to learn among children is a real opportunity to evaluate the success thus far and to continuously strategize for improvements. (Scott, Elspeth. Measuring Success: How Effective is your School Library Resource Centre? 2001). â€Å"Enjoyment of reading at the youngest possible age sets us up for life as full members of a literate society† (Attenborough, Liz. Project Director of the National Year of Reading. As cited in Primary School Guidelines, 2002). A research study conducted by California School Libraries Association from 1993 to 2005 showed that where there is a library overall program consisting of quality and adequate staffing, flexible hours of availability, and collaborative support to school curriculum, the goal for establishing any library for that matter is achieved. In addition, 99. 4 percent of grades 3-12 students in Ohio believe school libraries and their services help them become better learners [Ohio: Todd, Kuhlthau and OELMA, 2004]. The relationship between school library program services and student achievement was not negated by other school or community demographics, [Missouri: Quantitative Resources, LLC, 2003]. The relationship between school library program development and test scores is not explained away by other school or community conditions at the elementary or middle school levels or by other school conditions at the high school level, [Oregon: Lance, Rodney, and Hamilton-Pennell, 2001] (Cited in California School Libraries Association. School Libraries Do Make A Difference. Research Studies from 1993 to 2005 in Sixteen States). In 2001, a research study was conducted among Texas school to examine school library resources, services, and use, on the basis of School Library Programs and how these made an impact on the students’ performance measured in the reading portion of Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. The research study showed that in schools were a good library program exists; students got higher percentage performance than those who had poor library resources and programs. (EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001). The same study shows that where there is collaborative work between Library Staff and the teachers, higher percentage performance among students’ reading skills is achieved. (EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001). The Texas Library Journal Volume 77 No. 4, Winter 2001 reported on the state of the libraries in Texas and how the government committed its support in the rehabilitation of their libraries. Texas believes in the necessity of transforming libraries in order for them to meet the requirements of the present. While books would still be books and the love of books would always be there, the Association of Texas Libraries advocate for the application of advance technology in their libraries to ensure wider reach and expanded services. (Texas Library Journal, 2001). I will end by returning to the question I posed in my introduction. Will â€Å"the love of books† disappear? There is the love of the content of books, and there is the love of books. For those for whom the two are inseparable, the answer must be no, the love of books won’t disappear; but perhaps eventually all the people who love books in the traditional form will disappear. I think that could take a very, very, long time. Weeks asks: â€Å"If it has no pages, just a magic tablet that emits sounds, sights, smells and tastes, is a book still a book? †13 For me, the answer is yes. I can accept â€Å"a substantial compilation of ideas or actions commonly displayed on a viewing device† as the future definition of â€Å"book. † As a librarian, I must be a philistine: I’ve always loved the content more than the package. [Juergens, Bonnie, Executive Director of Amigos Library Services](Texas Library Journal, 2001). he ex Libraries are vital to children’s achievement in school. As they need to develop their informational needs and reading habits, children need libraries and good library programs. But they would not be able to use these available materials on their own. They need the supportive details from adults like the Librarians, their teachers, and their parents. A collaborative work among these three significant others of children are necessary. (Newman, Susan. â€Å"The role of school libraries in elementary and secondary education. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: October 2002. Vol. 30 Issue 1, pg 74). The Library Power Program at Chattanooga TN’s Lakeside Elementary School has found a direct correlation between students’ use of the library and the level of their test scores in reading comprehension and reference skills (Anonymous. â€Å"Positive correlation between student library use and test scores. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: Jan/Feb 1999. Vol. 26 Issue 3. pg61). The Lance Model and the Alaska study focused on evaluating the impact of good librarianship to the reading capabilities among primary school children. Several key findings were reported in these studies which point to the direct relationship between good library programs and student’s level of reading performance. (Williams, Doroty, Louisa Coles and Caroline Wavell. Impact of school library services on achievement and learning in primary schools. A critical literature review. 2002). At Lincoln Elementary School in Hawaii a program which involves children from the 5th and 4th grades are given the opportunity to work as library aides†¦ The current library aides conduct this recruitment meeting where they talk about their duties and responsibilities to help students decide if being an aide is something they really want to do. Applicants go through a rigorous one-week training period that tests their commitment and desire to serve as library aides. Throughout the training, the aides take notes and provide the trainees with individual scores for their attitude, respect, and knowledge. (Muranaga, Karen and Emmi Masumura. Library Aides: Building Character, Advancing Service. Worthington. Jan 2008. Vol 26 Issue 4 pg10). METHODOLOGY Several works are undertaken to assess the direct correlation between library programs and the reading performance among primary school children. The methodology in all these researches is more or less similar. Research study methods are used to gather data either for quantitative or qualitative analysis. The validity and availability of this data cannot be questioned and denied. Test measurements, especially those required by the state for regulatory purposes, are extensive and widely represented. Case study research is the recommended methodology to use in library studies. Researchers could use the case study method to further study the role of the librarian in implementing specific models of service. For example, case study research could examine how information-seeking behavior in public libraries compares with information-seeking behavior in places other than libraries; to conduct in-depth studies of non-library community based information services to compare with library based community information services, and to study community networks based in libraries. (The Case Study as a Research Method. Uses and Users of Information LIS 391D. 1. Spring 1997). Case studies are complex because they generally involve multiple sources of data, may include multiple cases within a study, and produce large amounts of data for analysis. Researchers from many disciplines use the case study method to build upon theory, to produce new theory, to dispute or challenge theory, to explain a situation, to provide a basis to apply solutions to situations, to explore, or to describe an object or phenomenon. The advantages of the case study method are its applicability to real-life, contemporary, human situations, and its public accessibility through written reports. Case study results relate directly to the common reader’s everyday experience and facilitate an understanding of complex real-life situations. (The Case Study as a Research Method. Uses and Users of Information LIS 391D. 1. Spring 1997). The method of Convergent Analysis simply uses a set of questions based on the area of study being undertaken. These questions are set in a standard format. A parallel run is made by reviewing relevant studies and setting them in the same format used for the set of questions prepared for the study. Analysis is done by comparing the results of the two standard formats and assess on convergent points. (Norris, Cathleen, et al. Convergent Analysis: A method for extracting the value from research studies on technology in education. Peer-Reviewed. 1999) Review of relevant studies and a re-examination of the original search strategy. It is also recommended that a kind of longitudinal study of impact of primary library provision on learning, based on the implementation of appropriate standards be also undertaken. It is also recommended to conduct a quantitative study used in the USA for use with KS1 and KS2 SATs and pilot to establish whether the methodology is transferable to the English primary education. A qualitative evaluation of the intervention using standards and any indicators may also be developed. (Williams, Dorothy, Louis Coles and Caroline Wavell). Impact of school library services on achievement and learning in primary schools. 2002). A study conducted by ETI used varied assessment tools in attaining its objective, namely: data collection through surveys; fieldwork through questionnaires and interviews; observation of children in selected settings; case study method (â€Å"Evaluation of Public Library Summer Reading Program. † The Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation. Final Report. December 2001). Fieldwork method may also be used in ascertaining the questions in the area of study. This fieldwork may consist of questionnaires distributed among selected representative population and interviews conducted among selected authorities in the area of study. (Dubazana, Khanyi. Integration of the school library into the curriculum. Education Library and Information Technology Services). CONCLUSION From the foregoing literature sources, we can safely say that there is indeed a need for a well structured primary school library. The structure includes not only the physical set-up but also the books inside the library, the library staff, and more importantly, the library program. These are the pillars of a good primary school library that supports the early development of the school child. Children believe what they see. If they see lines and lines of good attractive books then it would already create the interest in them to check out the books and go through the pages of some of them. They cannot be forced to read in an environment that is not conducive to reading. In the latte case, the inadequacy of the library would backfire any effort to arouse the interest in the child and develop the reading habit. The presence of warm and hospitable library staff would sustain the interest in the child-reader. The program that the library can offer to children is a factor that sustains the child’s interest and children would keep on going back to the library which would be as second home to them. A comprehensive work on the area of direct correlation between good library program and reading skills among primary children is relevant today. The educational trend nowadays is towards the extensive use of advance technology even in the primary schools. Reading books has become a thing of the past for many as more and more have shifted to reading information, data, stories, and news from the internet. But this shift from the good old printed material to the easy access to internet sources should be seen on a positive note. There is an opportunity to still arouse the child’s enthusiasm through the implementation of a good program. The library staff should not feel demotivated by this trend. Rather, the Library staff should continue to introduce innovations and attract children to access the library more often. The results of the study as mentioned in the above discussions should serve as an eye opener for all schools and government agencies to work collaboratively in developing the young minds into future reading-individuals. The habit of reading should be sustained all throughout the stages of his life. The shift from print to media sources of reading should be addressed positively. Awareness and campaign strategies as well as the use of a reward system in order to promote interest in reading among primary school students. The use of the internet and the advancement of technology, policies, strategies should be seen as complementing strategies in the total development of the child. The shift from printed materials to web reading among children should be addressed in order to eradicate the confusing stand on this issue; there is never a substitute for reading good printed books. Thus, while we embrace the advances of technology in the field of learning and education, we should not forget the solid foundation of reading good books from an early age. This is not only for learning and cognition. Rather, reading is very much a part of a child’s growing up with family bonds, societal norms, and tradition. The role of primary school libraries has always been to create an environment that arouses the child’s interest in books. A good library physical set-up and programs would be a good answer to the proposition – children perform excellently in the primary schools where school libraries collaborate with the school’s curriculum. It is time to begin reshaping our vision for 21st-century school library media programs, and the best way is to assemble a study group, a professional learning community, a district group of teacher-librarians, or just yourself. Compare and contrast these standards documents and then read your own mission statement. What essentials remain the same? What are different? Who needs to know? What should happen next? (Loertscher, David. Find Out What Should Work. Teacher Librarian. Seattle: December 2007. Vol 35 Issue 2 pg 40). REFERENCES Anonymous.â€Å"Positive correlation between student library use and test scores. † Teacher Librarian. Seattle: Jan/Feb 1999. Vol. 26 Issue 3. pg61. Attenborough, Liz. Project Director of the National Year of Reading. As cited in Primary School Guidelines, 2002. Cited in California School Libraries Association. School Libraries Do Make A Difference. Research Studies from 1993 to 2005 in Sixteen States. Dewe, Michael. Ideas and Designs: Creating the Environment for the Primary School Library. October 2007. Dubber, Geoff. Cultivating Curiosity: information literacy skills and the primary school library. Januray 2008. Dubazana, Khanyi. Integration of the school library into the curriculum. Education Library and Information Technology Services. Dubber, Geoff and Elspeth Scott. Brilliant Books: Running a Successful School Library Book Event. 2nd edition. April 2005. EGS Research & Consulting. Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. April 2001. â€Å"Evaluation of Public Library Summer Reading Program. † The Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation. Final Report. December 2001. Harrison, Kay and Tricia Adams. Practical Paperwork: Policy Making and Development Planning for the Primary School Library. February 2007. Juergens, Bonnie, Executive Director of Amigos Library Services](Texas Library Journal, 2001. Lemaire, Kathy. Shelf Life, Shelf Matters: Managing Resources in the School Library. 2nd edition. October 2004. Loertscher, David. Find Out What Should Work. Teacher Librarian. Seattle: December 2007. Vol 35 Issue 2 pg 40. Miller, Pat. Is your library kid-friendly? Library Media Conne

How Great Was Alexander The Great?

What is a truly great leader? It is someone with courage, discipline, creativity, remarkable achievement, and integrity. Unfortunately, Alexander the Great does not have any of these valuable traits to be called a â€Å"great† leader. Even though Alexander left a mark in history’s book, it was a mark of a brutal tormenter. Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C.E. in a kingdom on the edge of northern Greece called Macedonia. (B.G.E.) His parents, Phillip and Olympia, constantly adored and spoiled him.They hired a famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, to teach him academic subjects, politics, sports, and warfare. (B.E.) As he grew older, an inner beast was growing inside of him and at last it exploded when his father died, and Alexander was only then able to take the throne. But who would want an unjust leader, who is an egomaniac, a ruthless narcissist, and whose empire would not last?Alexander the â€Å"not-so-great† was a psychotic maniac with a huge ego. He wa s conceded and had absolutely no concern for others. For example, when Alexander’s army was struggling across the hot, dry desert of sand, he could’ve taken them around the desert, so they didn’t have to suffer. (doc.D)Also, every new place Alexander went to he founded a new city and named it after himself†¦.. Alexandria!!! In total he named eleven cities after himself. Because he was spoiled and everyone treated him like he was royalty at a very young age, he came up with the idea that he was part god and told everyone to treat him that way. (B.E.)There were always consequences for when people tried to stand up against Alexander. One example is in the battle with Tyre, when they refused to surrender, so he wouldn’t let them be and ordered his army to destruct and destroy all of Tyre into little pieces.(Doc.C) Therefore, because of his lack of concern for others and huge ego, he was proven, once again, to be Alexander the â€Å"not so great†!! !A second reason Alexander was not great at all was because he was a ruthless narcissist who had savage relish. Evidence to prove my opinion is how he  killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people that were slaughtered by Alexander and his army in only four major battles.(Doc.E)Alexander’s main goal was to conquer many territories. Also, during the battle of Tyre his army killed thousands of people and sold the thirty thousand remaining survivors into slavery. How is that the act of a â€Å"great† leader? To add on to all the other horrifying murdering he also crucified two thousand men who didn’t even harm him!!!This shows that Alexander was nothing but a brutal murderer!Many people wonder why Alexander’s empire did not last. Well, I will tell you why! The first thing that Phillip the Second of Macedon did was name an heir to the throne after he died and it was Alexander. But as soon as Alexander gained the throne all he cared about was conquest and he didn’t seem to plan ahead, because after he died he didn’t name a successor who would expand the empire, therefore his whole empire collapsed. (Doc.E)Besides an empire as vast as his took at least 11 years of hard work and conquering to build. Unfortunately it only took 10 years to destroy it which showed what a poor job Alexander did with leadership. Because of Alexander’s ignorance and foolishness towards his empire, he became an irresponsible leader, instead of a caring, great man, as the world thinks he is.In conclusion I believe that Alexander should not be called great anymore and that people should see the villainous side of him. Though, he did have some good points in his life. For example he built an incredibly vast empire, spread Greek art and literature, and was a major influence on Julias Caesar.However, the three reasons presented above- he was a big egomaniac, a ruthless narcissist, and his empire did not last- show that when all is said done, Alexander is not at all what our history books claims him to be. In my opinion I don’t think Alexander the Great should be called a â€Å"legend† of history, but a moronic monster!

Uneployment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Uneployment - Assignment Example extreme levels to an extent of posing major security threats to the respective countries since unemployment is recognized as the mother of courtliness ills like dishonesty, corruption and falsehood. It makes humans develop the dark side of their character. This paper is going to explore the issue of unemployment into by first describing the link between the unemployment rate and the GDP growth rate in Greece and in Australia during the period 2003-2012; explaining causes of structural unemployment in Nigeria as well as evaluating policies adopted by the coalition government since 2010 to reduce unemployment in the UK. Using relevant statistics, describe the link between the unemployment rate and the GDP growth rate in Greece and in Australia during the period 2003-2012 ( You are not expected to compare the two countries Sources show that Australia’s unemployment rate began to climb at the same time carbon tax started to increase. The carbon tax began on July 2012 and since then the rate of unemployment that had been dormant for two years started increasing dramatically. Australia’s GDP is said to have been outperforming that of major developed countries in the year 2011 and 2012 since its economy was accelerating upwards an impressive rate not until the carbon tax was implemented. In 2012, the rate of unemployment in Australia was 5.2% Unemployment in Nigeria is among the most critical problems that the country has been facing for many years. The rate of unemployment in the country is at alarming levels despite the fact that Nigeria is endowed with diverse and infinite resources, both human and material. According to a study that was conducted in 2010, the secondary-school graduates consisted of the principal fraction of the unemployed accounting for nearly 35% to 50% with the average the rate of unemployment within the age group of 20 to 24 years being 40 % while that for persons between 15 to 19 years was found to be 31 %. There exists a number of

Organizational Analysis on Wal-Mart Research Paper

Organizational Analysis on Wal-Mart - Research Paper Example The prime intention of the organization of Wal-Mart is to offer best products at lowest price so as to make its customers happy and contended. It mainly targets the customers of modest incomes rates but desiring to live a better life. Due to which, the organization expanded its operation by opening numerous stores in different countries. Wal-Mart comprises of almost 11,000 stores in more than 27 countries that helped the organization to amplify its customer base and distinctiveness in the market among others (Wal-Mart, 2014). The organization of Wal-Mart always desires to offer best quality of products to its customers in order to amplify their reliability and uniqueness in the market among many other rival players. This is done, in order to save the revenue of its target customers that may amplify its brand image and reputation. Moreover, by offering the products at a competitive price, the organization of Wal-Mart desires to enhance their life style and living standard to a significant extent. By doing so, the level of dependency and switchover costs of the customers might get reduced thereby amplifying their profitability and productivity of the organization of Wal-Mart among others. However, in order to become the leader in the segment of retailing, the organization of Wal-Mart need to offer best products at an effective price. Only then, it might become successful in amplifying its dominance and position in the market among others. But in order to fulfill the mission statement of the organization in an effective way, the human resource management offer significant concentration over certain areas such as planning, staffing, human resource development, compensation, employee relations, safety, security and risk management. This means, in order to offer best products, the organization tries to satisfy all the needs and demands of its employees effectively such as presenting

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Assignment - Essay Example Historical research design, on the hand, entails trailing the development of a given idea and making conclusions out of such data. In causal designs, a relationship is hypothesized between two variables. In such a circumstance, there must be a one dependent variable and one or more independent variables (Turksen 2006, p. 143). The nature of such a relationship is essential for making given conclusions. For instance, a researcher may ask if one wants to explore the perceptions about a given social phenomenon and how such perceptions link to other outlooks. Besides, the researcher may ask if one wants to use a distinct field method for studying a given group and use another method for studying another subset of a population. Brannen defines research design as a context of inquiry. In this sense, she means a research design determines the process and structure of investigation. It is essential to highlight the logic of the study that drives the inquiry process. In this sense, the researcher should clearly define whether one wants an inductive system or a deductive system (Tolk 2013, p. 113). However, it is essential to note that mixed methods may still involve both of the logics. For instance, survey research may involve both deductive and inductive logics. In qualitative designs, the research tests ideas and generate new ones. She also argues that this phase involves framing researchable questions. These are not actual research questions but questions that will guide the kind of investigation a researcher chooses (Siraj-Blatchford 2010, p. 467). In a project, researchers may ask different types of questions. In the end, the hybrid nature of the questions influences the choice of a method or the choice o f a set of methods. Ercikan and Roth emphasize on the dichotomy of qualitative and quantitative research designs. They argue that this is a primordial basis for constructing any given research. Polarization usually occurs by terming quantitative research as