Set up Your Elementary School Classroom for the First Day of School

Set up Your Elementary School Classroom for the First Day of School With the start of each school year, teachers get a fresh chance to arrange their classrooms for a new group of students. Every choice you make sends a message to your students, their parents, and anyone who visits your classroom. Through furniture, books, learning stations, and even desk placement, you communicate the values and priorities of your class. Follow these steps to deliberately maximize the organization and efficiency of your classroom set-up. What You Need Classroom furniture (desks, chairs, bookshelves, etc.)Textbooks and reading books for the class libraryPosterboard for sharing class rules and other key informationAn alphabet/handwriting poster for easy student referenceMaterials for decorating bulletin boards (butcher paper, die cut letters, etc.)School supplies (paper, pencils, dry erase markers, erasers, scissors, and more)Optional: Computers,  class pets,  plants, games 1. Decide How to Place Student Desks If you are going to emphasize cooperative learning on a daily basis, youll probably want to move the student desks into clusters for easy discussion and collaboration. If you want to minimize distractions and chatting, consider separating each desk from the one next to it, leaving a little buffer space to discourage misbehavior. You could also place the desks in rows or semi-circles. Whatever you choose, work with the room and materials you have, leaving plenty of aisle space for you and the students to move around with ease. 2. Strategically Place the Teachers Desk Some teachers use their desks as a central command station, while others use it primarily as a paper pile repository and rarely sit down to work there. Depending on how your desk functions as part of your teaching style, choose a spot where your desk will meet your needs. If its very messy, consider placing it in a less conspicuous spot. 3. Determine What Belongs up Front Since students spend most of their days facing the front of the classroom, be very deliberate about what you place on the walls up front. Perhaps you want to emphasize discipline by placing the class rules on a prominent bulletin board. Or maybe theres a daily learning activity that requires easy-to-view space that all students can see. Make this prime time space engaging, but not distracting. After all, all eyes should be on you, not necessarily a colorful explosion of words and images that distract from the core instruction at hand. 4. Organize Your Class Library Just like a public library, your classroom book collection should be organized in a logical manner that will be easy for the students to maintain throughout the school year. This could mean sorting the books by genre, reading level, alphabetical order, or other criteria. Labeled plastic bins work well for this. Also consider providing a little comfortable reading space for students to lounge with their books during silent reading time. This could mean some inviting bean bag chairs or a dedicated reading rug. 5. Set Aside Space for Your Discipline Plan Its wise to post your class rules in a prominent spot for all to see each day of the school year. That way, theres no opportunity for argument, miscommunication, or ambiguity. If you have a sign-in book or flip chart for rule offenders, set up a station for this activity. Ideally it should be in an out-of-the-way spot where curious student eyes cant easily stare as a rule-breaking student signs in, flips the card, or otherwise does his or her penance. 6. Plan for Student Needs   Make sure basic school supplies are strategically placed for easy student access. This may include various types of writing paper, sharpened pencils, markers, erasers, calculators, rulers, scissors, and glue. Organize these materials in one clearly-delineated part of the classroom. 7. Define the Role Technology Plays in Your Classroom Placement of your computer center communicates the role technology plays in your teaching. If you aim for a more traditional approach to instruction with technology as an occasional compliment, the computers likely belong in the back of the room or a cozy corner. If you integrate technology into most of the lessons, you might want to mix the computers in throughout the room so theyre easily accessible. This is a personal choice based on your beliefs about teaching in the 21st Century in combination with how available technology is on your campus. 8. Express Yourself Through Bulletin Boards Almost every elementary school classroom has bulletin boards on the walls, requiring themes, displays, and regular rotation. Consider designating one or two bulletin boards as seasonal, and thus focus on keeping those boards timely and relevant to current holidays, instructional units, or class activities. Make it easy on yourself by keeping the majority of the bulletin boards evergreen and constant throughout the school year. 9. Sprinkle in Some Fun Stuff Elementary school is primarily about learning, for sure. But its also a time for fun personal touches that your students will remember for a lifetime. Think about having a class pet and make space for cages, food, and other required materials. If a pets not your style, place a few houseplants around the room to add life and a touch of nature. Make a game center for educational activities that students can use when finished with their work. Pop a couple personal photos from home on your desk to express your interests and personality. A little bit of fun goes a long way. 10. Minimize Clutter and Maximize Functionality Before your new students (and their parents) enter the classroom on the first day of school, take a look around your classroom with fresh eyes. Are there any little piles that could be put into a cupboard to tidy up? Does each part of the room serve a clear, functional purpose? What messages are you sending with your classrooms overall appearance at first glance? Make tweaks as necessary. Check out your colleagues classrooms Visit the classrooms of other teachers on your campus for ideas and inspiration. Talk to them about why they made certain organizational decisions. Learn from their mistakes, and dont be shy about copying any brilliant ideas that will work with your teaching style and resources. Similarly, dont feel pressured to adopt any aspects that arent a good fit for your personality or approach. As a gesture of gratitude, share a few of your own best tips with your colleagues. We all learn from each other in this profession. Strike the right balance An elementary school classroom should be engaging, colorful, and expressive. However, dont go overboard and end up more towards the overstimulating end of the spectrum. Your classroom should project a sense of calm, organization, and positive energy, as well as a seriousness about learning. If you gaze around your room and feel overwhelmed by too much color or too many focal points, your students will feel scattered, too. Find a balance between chaotic and stark. Aim for cheery, but focused. Your students will feel the difference each day they walk into the room. Dont be afraid to make changes at any time Once your school year gets underway, you may find that certain aspects of your classroom set-up arent working quite the way you initially envisioned. No worries! Just eliminate any parts that now seem obsolete. Add in the new functionalities you now know you need. Briefly introduce the changes to your students, if necessary. Every so often, reevaluate with a practical, flexible attitude, and your classroom will be a vibrant, organized place for learning all year long.

Battle of Camden - American Revolution

Battle of Camden - American Revolution The Battle of Camden was fought August 16, 1780, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Having withdrawn from Philadelphia to New York in 1778, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, commanding British forces in North America, shifted his focus south. That December, British troops captured Savannah, GA and in the spring of 1780 laid siege to Charleston, SC.   When the city fell in May 1780, Clinton succeeded in capturing the bulk of the Continental Armys southern forces. Raiding from the city, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton defeated another retreating American force at the Battle of Waxhaws on May 29. Having taken the city, Clinton departed leaving Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis in command. With the exception of partisan groups operating in the South Carolina backcountry, the closest American forces to Charleston were two Continental regiments commanded by Major General Baron Johann de Kalb at Hillsborough, NC. To rescue the situation, the Continental Congress turned to the victor of Saratoga, Major General Horatio Gates. Riding south, he arrived in de Kalbs camp at Deep River, NC on July 25. Assessing the situation, he found that the army was lacking in food as the local population, disillusioned by the recent string of defeats, was not offering supplies. In an effort to restore morale, Gates proposed immediately moving against Lieutenant Colonel Lord Francis Rawdons outpost at Camden, SC. Though de Kalb was willing to attack, he recommended moving through Charlotte and Salisbury to obtain badly needed supplies. This was rejected by Gates who insisted on speed and began leading the army south through the North Carolina pine barrens. Joined by Virginia militia and additional Continental troops, Gates army had little to eat during the march beyond what could be scavenged from the countryside. Armies Commanders: Americans Major General Horatio GatesMajor General Johann de Kalb3,700 men British Lieutenant General Lord Charles CornwallisLieutenant Colonel Banastre TarletonLord Rawdon2,200 men Moving to Battle Crossing the Pee Dee River on August 3, they met 2,000 militia led by Colonel James Caswell. This addition swelled Gates force to around 4,500 men, but further worsened the logistical situation. Approaching Camden, but believing he greatly outnumbered Rawdon, Gates dispatched 400 men to aid Thomas Sumter with an attack on a British supply convoy. On August 9, having been informed of Gates approach, Cornwallis marched out from Charleston with reinforcements. Arriving at Camden, the combined British force numbered around 2,200 men. Due to disease and hunger, Gates possessed around 3,700 healthy men. Deployments Rather than wait at Camden, Cornwallis began probing north. Late on August 15, the two forces made contact approximately five miles north of the town. Pulling back for the night, they prepared for battle the next day. Deploying in the morning, Gates made the error of placing the bulk of his Continental troops (de Kalbs command) on his right, with the North Carolina and Virginia militia on the left. A small group of dragoons under Colonel Charles Armand was to their rear. As a reserve, Gates retained Brigadier General William Smallwoods Maryland Continentals behind the American line. In forming his men, Cornwallis made similar deployments placing his most experienced troops, under Lieutenant Colonel James Webster, on the right while Rawdons Loyalist and Volunteers of Ireland militia opposed de Kalb. As a reserve, Cornwallis held back two battalions of the 71st Foot as well as Tarletons cavalry. Facing off, the two armies were constrained to a narrow battlefield which was hemmed in on either side by the swamps of Gum Creek. The Battle of Camden The battle commenced in the morning with Cornwallis right attacking the American militia. As the British moved forward, Gates ordered the Continentals on his right to advance. Firing a volley into the militia, the British inflicted several casualties before surging forward with a bayonet charge. Largely lacking bayonets and rattled by the opening shots, the bulk of the militia immediately fled the field. As his left wing disintegrated, Gates joined the militia in fleeing. Pushing forward, the Continentals fought vigorously and repelled two assaults by Rawdons men (Map). Counterattacking, the Continentals came close to breaking Rawdons line, but were soon taken in the flank by Webster. Having routed the militia, he turned his men and began assaulting the Continentals left flank. Stubbornly resisting, the Americans were finally forced to withdraw when Cornwallis ordered Tarleton to attack their rear. In the course of the fighting, de Kalb was wounded eleven times and left on the field. Retreating from Camden, the Americans were pursued by Tarletons troopers for approximately twenty miles. Aftermath of Camden The Battle of Camden saw Gates army suffered around 800 killed and wounded and another 1,000 captured. In addition, the Americans lost eight guns and the bulk of their wagon train. Captured by the British, de Kalb was cared for by Cornwallis doctor before dying on August 19. British losses totaled 68 killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. A crushing defeat, Camden marked the second time an American army in the South was effectively destroyed in 1780. Having fled the field during the fighting, Gates rode sixty miles to Charlotte by nightfall. Disgraced, he was removed from command in favor of the dependable Major General Nathanael Greene that fall.

Ethics of Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics of Engineering - Essay Example The engineering profession makes significant contributions to the everyday work and life of the government, private and public companies, as well as the general public. As Weil, in discussing the types of questions presented to citizens, companies, and policy makers, states: â€Å"How should aircraft producers, airlines and the government regulatory agency deal with wiring insulation problems that have surfaced? What will be the consequences of changing our pollution-control strategy? Suppose that instead of attacking outflow of pollutants at the pipe end, we target input at the front end? (Weil, V. 2002: 59). All of these types of questions fall at the feet of the engineering profession. The impact engineers have on safety could not be more dramatically demonstrated than the space shuttle Challenger disaster. It is common knowledge that the engineering staff was against the launch because it feared the effect of cold weather on the O-rings. Every engineer involved knew that if the O-rings failed, there would be an explosion and the mission would be lost. When the engineering staff notified command authorities that they were recommending postponement of the loss, the managers pressured the engineers to change their minds. In the end, the engineers capitulated and the launch went forward as planned—with disastrous results. Why didn’t the command staff listen to the concerns of the engineers? Why did the engineers change their position? If the engineers had such great concerns, why didn’t someone blow the whistle? All of these questions carry ethical implications that cross professional and occupational lines—including the duty of all engineers to preserve the integrity of the profession, the firm or industry for whom they work, and the safety and wellbeing of the individuals who will use their designs. In this case, the very lives of the astronauts were at stake. When that

Online discussion for Human Resources Management in Healthcare Essay - 1

Online discussion for Human Resources Management in Healthcare - Essay Example Hence, this shuns the manager from thinking of ever increasing the employees’ monetary rewards but result to other ways to retain the staff. Medical field owing to its dynamic nature, which keeps in pace with technological knowhow; mostly prompts practitioners into developing themselves in their respective careers. Therefore, the plan will be effective if it motivates medical practitioners in the firm to advance in their careers (Zipf & Engle, 2008). However, due to the firm’s limited budget, managers can organize internal training sessions where more experienced practitioners are able to share their knowhow especially with the juniors. To arouse this desire, the healthcare facility ought to create an environment where people are free to interact and even organize internal workshops for their juniors or the new recruits. Workers’ health is extremely essential despite them being the one who would work towards the wellness of the patients. Therefore, the management ought to ensure that, the healthcare facility has effective wellness initiatives meant for workers wellbeing. This does not imply management should strain the already limited budget, but introduce cheaper programs. These may encompass internal workouts days, campaigns against certain health predicaments (like obesity) besides organizing medical check ups for the practitioners. However, these initiatives should not turn to be an extra financial burden to the budget but should be within its limit. Employees usually feel appreciated and motivated especially if the organization’s management recognizes their exceptional contribution towards attaining its goals (Zipf & Engle, 2008). This is especially when they devise something new and uncommon in other organizations that will aid in raising their competitive advantage. This recognition plan may entail sometimes

The central ethical issue Essay Example for Free

The central ethical issue Essay At first glance, it can be difficult to immediately discern and identify the main, or central, ethical issue that revolves around the case (‘Parenting Parents’) that chronicles Mary’s struggles pertaining to her parents’ problem about substance use and abuse. It is because there are some other issues that can also be of ethical and moral concern. Firstly, we can directly question the integrity of Mary’s parents by giving their children a â€Å"burden† because of their being alcoholic. Moreover, although they can fulfill their functions as parents and as members of the community, it is evident that they did not live as a good example to their growing children because of their inclination and addiction to alcohol, which caused worries to their children, especially to Mary. On the other hand, since Mary’s parents were able to consult their physician, they should also have received an adequate advice, aside from receiving a mere prescription of medication, or perhaps a referral to a specialist, in order to correct their alcohol abuse and alleviate their condition. Unfortunately, in Mary’s eyes, the condition of her parents seemed to have been aggravated with the addition of the narcotic medication into their system (body). In this regard, a greater responsibility is now placed on the prescribing physician due to the fact that Mary’s parents believed that there was really nothing wrong with the dosage and that it was â€Å"legally prescribed†. Therefore, the central ethical issue in the case must be on the appropriateness, or otherwise, of the actions of the prescribing physician (by prescribing higher dosage of narcotic medication), as well as the fact that there was no sufficient information given to them about the treatment regimen, thus leaving inadequate knowledge and augmenting Mary’s apprehension about the status of her parent’s health. II. Research 1. http://www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/articlerender. fcgi? tool=pmcentrezartid=1769525 The research-article by Robert L. Fine (2007) entitled ‘Ethical and practical issues with opioids in life-limiting illness’ explores the vast ethical and practical concepts pertaining to narcotic pain management. The article presented a substantial connection of ethics and practice through purposeful application of knowledge and evidence-based practice. Further, the article also refutes some common psychosocial and practical misconceptions about narcotics such as the beliefs that these medications cause respiratory depression and addiction. Moreover, the said article is especially relevant to this paper because it renders a significant idea about the higher dosages of narcotics to alcoholic patients, which, according to Fine, is because of their â€Å"incredible tolerance to opioids or narcotics†, thereby necessitating an increased dosage to effectively manage their pain while having a â€Å"strict dosing protocols and written contracts†. Hence, the article emphasized that patients who are substance abusers (like Mary’s parents) should be managed with compassion and suggested the importance of providing information and conducting proper education, not only to the patients but also to their families and significant others, regarding the overall effects of the medication in order to correct the underlying misconceptions and lessen their anxiety, as well as referring them to addiction specialists or psychiatrists. 2. http://www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion9032. shtml The above link represents a portion of the American Medical Association’s Code of Ethics, specifically the subtitle on ‘Reporting Adverse Drug or Device Events’ (American Medical Association â€Å"Opinion 9. 032†). In this manner, it is stipulated in this portion that the physicians have an ethical responsibility to report actual or potential adverse reactions of a certain medication or a devise to the broader medical community. Moreover, the said article augments that physicians belong to a group that could best monitor and report any adverse or untoward reactions, as well to communicate relevant information about to a certain drug or medication (American Medical Association â€Å"Opinion 9. 032†). Thus, this article poses its relevance to the central ethical issue in this paper since it highlights the physicians’ responsibility to provide and communicate information to all stakeholders. 3. http://clinicalcenter. nih. gov/participate/patientinfo/legal/bill_of_rights. shtml The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center’s article on the ‘Patient Bill of Rights’ is the one that is represented by the above link. In so doing, the so-called patient bill of rights typifies the right of the patients to complete current information pertaining to all aspects of their care, which must obtained from the physician. Moreover, all the necessary information must be given in â€Å"easily understandable terms† (National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center â€Å"Patient Bill of Rights†). As such, the said article is relevant to this paper because it highlights the importance of providing information about the patients’ treatment, which fairly includes the medication regimen that is particularly involved in the discussion of the central ethical issue of this paper.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Essay -- Crib Death SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a mysterious phenomena that has managed to confound science so far. SIDS is defined as the sudden death of any infant or young child that is unexpected by history and in which a thorough post mortem examination fails to demonstrate an adequate cause (Hunt & Brouillette, 1987). It is the leading cause of death in infants in developed countries occurring at a rate of almost 2 per 1000 births. It most often occurs in infants between the ages of one month and eight months with the highest occurrence in the 4-6 month range. Several behaviors have been associated with this syndrome such as prolonged sleep apnea, increased risk of breath inspiration pause, excessive periodic breathing, diminished ventilatory sensitivity to hypoxia, and impaired arousal response to hypoxia, but none of these have stood out as the definitive cause or as a screening device (Hunt & Brouillette, 1987). Instead it appears SIDS may be the result of a collection of factors tha t in the right circumstances results in infant death. This paper will examine some of the factors that appear to be associated with SIDS as well as some hypotheses on the cause. Recent findings have shown that one cause of what has been labeled SIDS is suffocation or carbon dioxide rebreathing (Kemp et al, 1993). Technically this is not SIDS but it is often misdiagnosed as the cause of death if the physical scene is not examined, and it may also be a significant cause of SIDS. It seems that the practice of placing infants in the prone position, common in America and Europe, may be detrimental to the infant’s well-being. Studies of rabbits placed in this position on various surfaces have shown death to ensue as a re... ...s in human hypothalamus in relation to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Progress in Brain Research: 93, 167-188. Lagercrantz, H and M. Ranold. (1991) Hypoxia and Neuropharmacology of Breathing. Developmental Neurobiology of Breathing, New York. pp. 661-679. Naeye, R., J. Olsson and J. Combs. New Brainstem and Bone Marrow Abnormalities in Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. J. Perinat.: 9, 180-183. Ponsonby, A., T. Dwyer, et al. (1993) Factors Potentiating the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Associated with the Prone Position. N. Engl. J. Med. :329, 377-382. Schechtman, V., R. Harper, and D. Southall. (1992) Sleep State Organization in Normal Infants and Victims of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Pediatrics; 89, 865-870. Ward, S., D. Bautista and T. Keens. (1992) Hypoxia Arousal Response in Normal Infants. Pediatrics: 89, 860-864.

The Colossal Statue of a Pharaoh

Katherine Mordan Art Survey Research Paper Prof. Lindt 10/23/11 The Colossal Statue of a Pharaoh The Colossal Statue of a Pharaoh is a piece of Middle Age Egyptian art and it was the piece that caught my eye at the MET. The statue was made around 1919b. c-1885b. c. to represent the reign of the 12th dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat II. It is made out of stone, a stone called Granodiorite. It was carved in Aswan and was completed in Memphis near Cairo. The sculpture is a sculpture in the round, meaning that it is a three dimensional figure that is carved out of block. The statue has smooth texture and large in size. It's an normous statue that raises over a crowd of people, which adds a symbol of power towards it. I saw that it's Amenemhat II sitting on his throne; you can see some damage to the sculpture due to time and moving around of the sculpture. It's missing a nose and its beard. The Pharaoh is wearing a kilt and wearing a belt that has a bull's tail attached to it. To Egyptians a bul l’s tail is a symbol of their strength according to researchers at the Met. He is wearing a royal head cloth with a royal cobra symbolizing the ruler's power. At the foot of the cubes throne is a bunch of scriptures symbolizing it's meaning to the kingdom. The statue was made for the Pharaoh Amenemhat II who ruled in the 12th dynasty. This was the most important period in the middle kingdom, he ruled from 1919- 1885 b. c. He first started his reign with his father and then took over a country that his father kept stable and economically stable. One of the things that pharaoh Amenemhat II did was conduct a military campaign in Syria getting prisoners to build pyramids for him. He would also conducts trades with other countries for goods, copper, wood , and stones. During this time art was gaining popularity in Egypt. Some of the Fine jewelry made came from this time. Stone sculptures like the large Sphinx came from Amenemhat's time. Several years after his reign the sculpture of the Pharaoh was moved from place to place and other kings would alter the statues features to look like theirs; they would carve their names on the statue as well. During the time of the Pharaoh's in Egypt, the kings made sure that the public knew how powerful they were. They made sure that all their artwork symbolized who they were and what strength they had to control an empire. Figures such as a sphinx, lion, snake, bull's tail and falcons, were figures of strength, power and longevity. These were symbols that were used in these pieces to represent the kings. Since the king's seemed all mighty and powerful the people of the country would continue to praise and follow the kings; bringing the king's power and prosperity. The colossal statue of a Pharaoh represents power and strength of an almighty king of king's. Amenemhat II wanted his public to know that he was worthy to be king and that he had the power of control. He wanted his people to believe in him and believe he would bring prosperity. Most important of all is that he wanted people to know that no ne could knock him off of his throne; he was the ruler and could do what ever he pleased. In this type of society, in Egypt king's needed to show their public how powerful they were so that people could not overstep their boundaries and knew they were under strict control. Every social class needed to know were they stood; the rich with rich and the poor working for the rich. This piece really caught my eye due to i ts large size and wonderful detailed structure. It fascinated me to think about how this enormous statue was created back in ancient Egypt and I wanted to share this piece with everyone else.

Hrm Reflective Writing

Reflective writing and theories of Reflection There are several types of reflection. As mentioned by Taylor, All types of reflection are important and a combination of these may be used to make sense of practise and to bring changes. Technical Reflection is generally used to look at clinical practices and procedures along with the scientific knowledge. However, values play no part in this. Practical Reflection on the other hand judges human experiences and assumptions. It also develops common values in-line with organizational values.Emancipatory (Critical) Reflection involves critiques of the assumptions on which our social, political and cultural beliefs are based with the prospect of changing them. Reflective Practice is concept developed by Donald Schon. There are also several models of reflection used to draw lessons out of experiences. In 1978 Argyris and Schon established the idea of single loop and double loop learning. In the former concept the organization or the individual follows the current techniques or strategies even after corrections are made to the current errors.However, the late concept involves modification of techniques and strategies. Later in 1984 Schon coined the concepts of Reflection – in – Action (RIA) and Reflection – on – Action (ROA). RIA is a concept when the practitioner is faced with an issue he makes a decision based on his feeling and prior experiences. On the other hand, Reflection – on – Action is an idea where the practitioner analyzes the experience after it is over. Personally, I have experienced both the concepts during several situations in life knowingly or unknowingly.Specially, during our ALE1, we were given an opportunity to reflect on our performance after every task. This depicted our practical implementation of Reflection – on – Action. By implementing the learning from previous task in the later task we have also exercised the concept of Reflection  œ in – Action. To mention an example, in the first task we were given a sheet of instructions which were tricky. However, we went to perform the task without analysing the rules and we failed to finish the task within the given time.After the reflection session, when we went on to perform the second task, we made it a point to read and understand the rules carefully. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle is another great contribution to this concept. This learning cycle has four stages (Concrete Experience, Reflective, Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation Observation) and the reflection takes place after the situation has occurred. In the first stage the practitioner concentrates on something that they have done and later reflects and explores the new ideas to better perform the task.In the third stage he forms new ideas and experiments them in the fourth stage. This loop is continued from one task to another. is another process where the practitioner not only describes the situation but analyses it. Unlike the other models it also has an action plan stage where the reflector mentions the actions that he would like to change if the same situation occurs. Jhon’s model of Reflection on the other hand involves sharing the experiences with a colleague. It has two stages ‘Looking in’ on ones thoughts and emotions and ‘Looking Out’ at the situation experienced.Reflection on my Personal Development : Initially, when we were given learning logs for our ALE, I didn’t know the importance and advantages of it unless we started writing the reflective log after every task. After learning that this is one of the best and easy ways to change oneself, I have stated using the reflective writing tool every time I wanted to develop the way I work and think. During our ALE we have used several tools to better understand ourselves. During our feedback session, we were asked to use Johari Window to know our intern- personal relationships and communication.Though I was happy about the adjectives mentioned in the public session, the adjectives mentioned in the Blind Spots section were quite surprising to me. The blind spots for me were ‘complex’ and ‘proud’. When I tried to find the reasons from my colleagues for the same, I was told that though I am a friendly, work-oriented person, I sometimes get too much into detail in a group task or assignment and it’s difficult for them to understand me. This may be because though I am clear about the topic, I sometimes find it difficult to explain which confuses the other people.Also, the feedback I generally receive from most of the people after few days of being with me is that â€Å"I thought that you are a very proud person when I initially met youâ€Å". The reason for this is, when I meet new people or enter a new environment, I take some time to get acquainted and unless I know them, I don’t initiate a con versation with people. Though this perception of them changes at a later stage, it gives a negative vibe to people in the initial stage. Also, according to Belbin Self-Perception Inventory, the team roles I have similarity towards are ‘completer’ and specialist’. These two roles reflect my working style rightly. I always try to learn more and specialize in the subject area of my interest. Also, because I am good at analysing and pay a good attention to details, I am always given the responsibility of doing the last minute polishing and editing in our group assignments. However, there are also negative sides to these team roles which I am aware of and are part of my development plan. As a ‘specialist’ though I learn in-depth about the subject of my interest, I neglect other subjects which I am not interested in.Also, the blind spot ‘complex’ that I have mentioned earlier can be related to the weakness of the completer. As a completer thou ght I try to get the every detail of the report correct, I sometimes take the perfectionism to the extremes. According to Honey and Mumford’s Learning Styles, I am a Reflector. As a reflector I like to learn from activities that let me think, watch and review. However, I find is difficult to concentrate on a lecture unless I find it interesting. This can be linked to my weakness as a Specialist.According to the MBTI my personality type is ISFP (Introversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving). This shows that I am a people’s person who is friendly and dislike conflicts. But, I like to have my own space. The MBTI and IDAP grid show me on the People Caring part of the grid. This is little contradicting. Though I am comfortable working in a team, I prefer to work on my own. I find it difficult to convey a message as I feel that contradicting with others views may create problems personally.As part of the self-development, I would like to develop a skill to converse a messa ge in a soft way and would like to learn to maintain a professional relationship with other people in team as most of the work in organization is team based. Also, would like to develop my networking skills. Reflection on my managerial skills: According to Reynolds Reflection â€Å"is a management tool for problem solving†. Also, the following quote depicts the importance of management in an organization. â€Å"Make your top managers rich and they will make you rich†.Robert H. Johnson A question that many people ask is why we should we study management theories? Personal traits, values, beliefs and attitudes are the core personal competencies which may enhance or weaken one’s ability to manage others. Also, it is the behaviour and talent of the individual that has major influence on the performance of the company. Hence, an understanding of managerial theories is very helpful for someone who aspires to be a manager as most rational decisions are based on theorie s.An extensive study of the theories available is also very helpful for a manager in order to better manage their team as theories provide info about how to behave and help change the behaviour. Theories also provide a common framework and idea about practices. Over a period of time the purpose of work and the way the work is conducted is changing in the organization. The management styles have to be changed accordingly. Minor says that â€Å"the more that is known about organization and their methods of operation, the better the chances of dealing effectively with them.Understanding may be more advanced than prediction, but both provide the opportunity to influence or to manage the future. Theory provides a sound basis for action†. Hence, an understanding of management theories and knowledge about organization are important for a manager to better perform their tasks. Mullin in his book, Management and Organisational Behaviour has followed a frame work of four main approache s to explain the Management Theory. The Classical Approach which emphasises on the purpose and formal hierarchy of management.The classical writers concentrated on improving the operational efficient in an organization. Brench, a classical writer also provided a concept of practical approach to organization structure based on tried general principles as opposed to the concentration on specific cases. Evaluation: The classical writers are criticised for not taking the personality factors into consideration and for creating an organisation structure in which people exercise a limited control. Also, providing a set of principles to perform management duties has been subjected to criticism. Two Major sub-groups of classical approach are :Scientific Management: This concept was developed by Taylor who was a believer in the Rational-economic needs concept of motivation. The emphasis of this was on obtaining increased productivity from individual workers through the technical structuring o f the work and providing monetary incentives as a motivator for higher levels of output. Though this concept has given a way to management thinking and the development of organizational behaviour, it was widely criticised by workers. Bureaucracy: This concept was defined by Weber. He didn’t define the concept of Bureaucracy.However, he attempted to identify the characteristics of this type of organizations. He emphasised on the importance of administration based on expertise and discipline. In this concept, the tasks of the organization are allocated as official duties among the various positions. There is an implied clear cut division of labour and a high level of specialization. Evaluation: Over-emphasis on rules and procedures becomes more important in its own right than as a means to the end. Argyris says that bureaucracies restrict the psychological growth of the individual and cause feeling of failure.The growth of bureaucracy has evolved through the increasing size and complexity of organisations and associated demand for effective administration. This theory is founded on a formal, clearly defined and hierarchical structure. However, with rapid changes in the external environment, empowerment and greater attention to meeting the needs of customers, there is an increasing need to organise for flexibility. The Human Relations Approach: While the main emphasis of classic writers was on structure and formal organisation, the emphasis was shifted to social factors at work and the behaviour of employees at work i. . human relations during the 1920s. The turning point in the development of the human relations movement came with the famous Hawthorne experiment at the Western Electric Company in America. During the experiment a better work environment and a concern for workers’ complaints has increased the productivity. Be Evaluation: This theory was also subjected to severe criticism. One of the criticisms is the lack of scientific approach. The Hawthorne experiment was criticised on methodology and on failure of the investigators to take sufficient account of environmental factors.After all the criticisms, the experiment did generate new ideas concerning the importance of work groups and leadership, communications, output restrictions, motivation and job design. Systems Approach: With this theory attention has been focused on the organization as systems with a number of interrelated sub-systems. This approach tries to bring together both classical and human approaches. Attention is focused on the total work organization; inter relationships of structure and range of variables within the organization.This encourages the managers to view the organization as separate parts and as a whole company as part of the large environment. The Contingency Approach: In contrast to both classical and human relations approach, this approach showed renewed concern with the importance of structure as a significant influence on organizational performance. The Contingency Approach that can be seen as the extension of system approach highlights possible means of differentiating among alternative forms of organizational structures and systems of management.This approach implies that organisation theory should not seek to suggest one best way to structure or manage organisations but should provide insights into the situational and contextual factors which influence the management decisions. DUCAMUS Leadership Development – was set up by Chris Rigby in June 2007 to plug gaps identified in many leadership development programmes during his research. As part of this Leadership Intervention, they use Downstream 9+1 model to support the critical reflection skills. John adair's action-centred leadership modelGenerally represented by three overlapping cycles, Adair’s three circle model is about balancing and managing Team, Task and Individual. Three core responsibilities in this model are: Achieving the task, Managing the team and Managing individuals. It helps to improve the quality of work, morale and productivity. Theory U is another change management method targeting leadership as process of inner knowing and social innovation developed by Otto Scharmer and originally based on a process known as the U-Process. It offers both theoretical perspective and Practical technology.As a theoretical view, it suggests that the way in which we attend to a situation determines how a situation unfolds. Practically, it provides a set of principles and practices for collectively creating the future that wants to emerge. It involves sensing and presence. There are seven stages in this theory and they are Suspending, Redirecting, Letting Go, Letting Come, Crystallizing, Prototyping and Institutionalizing. Moving down the left-hand side of the U is about opening up and dealing with the resistance f thought, emotion, and will; moving up the right-hand side is about intentionally reintegrating the intelligence o f the head, the heart, and the hand in the context of practical applications. An understanding of these theories not only helped me learn how the management theory is formed and changed over a period of time, it also helped me understand the effects of these changes on organizational working styles. Also, an understanding what happened in the past prepares me for changes that may occur in the future. It also gave me an idea about the skills that I need to develop to better manage others.I lack skills like creativity and inter-personal effectiveness which are very important to manage others. Career Development Model Career management involves the matching of individual career plans with organization needs and the implementation of activities to accomplish these joint objectives. Individual Career Development is another constructive model that helps in planning the career through self-analysis. It has several stages such as Life Planning, Career Interests, Goal Planning and Developmen t of abilities and skills.Though I always knew which field I want to get into and what I want to do in future, I never had a logical reason for my selection. This tool has helped me to analyze my interests, strengths and weaknesses and chose a career plan for myself. This development plan consists of several questionnaires about my Career Planning Values, My interests, skills, knowledge and a Priority Grid to prioritize my choices. After analyzing my inputs, I have decided a career of my interest. I always aspired to be a HR practitioner.After analysing my skills, I realized that I like Strategic Orientation and Team Orientation skills that are required to be a HR Practitioner. I will mention a development plan at a later stage along with the action plan that I am going to follow these skills. In a team environment, I can also use this model to know more about my team members career choices. Conclusion: I would like to conclude it by saying that this whole experience of reflective w riting was very pleasant and helpful in knowing me with a logical reasoning and my skills.It provided me with a tool that I can use life-long to develop myself. Few of my key learning’s from this exercise are : * A better understanding of myself * Understanding of several tools to know myself and people around me * A simple but effective Career Planning Model that I can use to know me and people around me Development Plan Skill| Action Plan| Effective communication| I have already started a lot articles about effective communication skills and started self practicing when I am along. However, in future I’l try to speak in public whenever I get a chance. Adaptability| I will try to be little open and go introduce myself to other people without thinking about what they might think as that is the thought that stops me from talking with strangers. | Inter-personal effectiveness| I have already improved a lot on this skill. However, I am not perfect yet. In future I am plan ning to take advice from tutors on how to develop this skill as it is very important for me in my desired profession. | Team Orientation| Though I prefer to work alone, these days I have started participating actively in the team activities and have already received positive feedback about the same from my friends.However, I am still putting in efforts to better perform. | Strategic Orientation| I am using the technique of writing an idea on a sheet of paper and think of several strategies to about it to develop my strategic skills. However, I am not being quite successful on this task. However, my efforts are still on to develop this skill| Creativity| This is one skill I lack completely. I can think logically and make appropriate decisions. However, lack of creativity is still my negative and I am quite not sure about developing this skill. | References : * Management and Organisational Behaviour by Laurie J Mullins, 8th Edition. Argyris, C. and Schon, D. (1974) Theory in practice : Increasing professional effectiveness, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. * Argyris, C. , ; Schon, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley. * Kolb D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. http://www. goodreads. com/quotes/tag/management-theory * F. W. Taylor (1856-1917) * Wester Electric Company (1924-32) * Elton Mayo (1880-1949) * Otto Scharmer * Chris Rigby

Learning to Listen

Learning to Listen Free Online Research Papers Listening, the process of taking in what we hear and mentally organizing it to make sense of it, is invaluable component of the communication process. Listening is an essential skill for those who want to be successful in work and in life ( Janasz, 2006, p138 ). Especially for us international students, listening plays an irreplaceable role in our daily life. If our listening is poor, we can not understand what locals are talking about, and we won’t know what is going on, just like we are living in a world with noise, not with language. So the first step is to practice and improve our basic listening skills. Listening to the radio may be an effective way to improve listening. It will provide us information about the local events, local culture, and most importantly the local accent. It is a fact that we Chinese students are much more familiar with American English than British English, because we have been learning American English and American sound since secondary school, and in one time I was a little confused about British sound. Now I am in Australia, the same thing happens again. The very first word I heard from the local was â€Å"Today†, which made me feel like he was saying â€Å"to die†. This astonished me at first, but later on, I felt free to hear that â€Å"die† sound. Another way to improve listening I think is to talk with locals as much as possible. If we only practice listening over the radio, we never talk to it, and the radio never gives a feedback. However, things are different when we make conversations with locals. We learn their ways of expression, their accent, and even their ways of thinking. It is true that we eastern people think differently from the western people, because of the different cultural and educational background. So it is necessary for us to be aware of the western ways of thinking and their customs. Talking with local people will provide us good opportunity to get all the useful information, and our listening is improved meanwhile. When the basic listening skills are improved, we go to the next step, to be a good listener. We need to pay attention to the tone of voice, body language, and other nonverbal messages. These will help us understand what is being said. The final step is active listening, and in active listening, it is common for the listener to be an active participant in the conversation, asking and probing for details in such a way that the speaker feels both supported and encouraged to share more information about a situation. Enhancing both the speaker’s and listener’s understanding of what is taking place ( Janasz, 2006, p139 ). It will be a little hard for me to be an active listener, because English is my second language, but I will try to take part in the conversations and not to be a passive listener. I think by the end of this semester I will make some progress in my listening, and be an active listener by practicing the basic listening skills. Research Papers on Learning to ListenThree Concepts of PsychodynamicStandardized TestingMind TravelAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductPETSTEL analysis of India

How to Say ___ in French - French Translation Help

How to Say ___ in French - French Translation Help If youre wondering how to say something in French, youve come to the right place. I get a lot of questions about how to say this or that in French; Ive provided links to answers to the most common of these at the end of this article. But of course I cant anticipate every question, so here are some tips and resources to help you find out how to say anything in French.1) If you speak some French, your best bet is to use a French dictionary - but the right way. French word order and syntax are very different than English, and if you just look up a bunch of different words and string them together, youll probably end up with nonsense.2) You can also try searching this site - with over 6,000 pages, its a good bet that Ive written a lesson including the word or phrase youre looking for. Just type your search in the box in the upper right corner, and click search.3) If you dont speak any French, you might be tempted to use an online translator, but this, too, is a tool that must be used w ith caution. 4) The best way to find out how to say something in French is to ask a native speaker. If you dont know any, youre in luck: our forum is filled with French speakers who are ready to answer your questions - within reason. While we wont translate paragraphs or write letters for you, we are happy to answer your questions, translate short passages, and offer corrections. Common Questions How do you say Happy birthday in French?How do you say Hello in French?How do you say How are you? in French?How do you say I love you in French?How do you say please and thank you in French?How do you say Merry Christmas in French?How do you say no in French?How do you say to be in French?How do you say what in French?How do you say yes in French?How do you say the colors in French?How do you say the months in French?How do you say the numbers in French? And if youre wondering how to say how do you say ___ in French? in French, its comment dit-on ___ en franà §ais  ? You can hear a sound file of this and other useful phrases in my essential French lesson.

Learning & Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Learning & Development - Essay Example ave become increasingly varied, fluid and emergent as people make career decisions within a highly dynamic organizational, societal and global economic milieu’ Carter, Cook and Dorsey’s (2009, p. 12). As such, learning and development should be an integrative part in planning my career path to place me in the right track and to keep me always a valuable asset to my industry. In fact in the hospitality industry, hotels, themselves, aim to become learning organizations through constant coaching and self-development at all levels that one of the essential job descriptions of hotel employees is no other than for them to ensure their own learning and development; more than that, employees should ensure that what they learn is of high quality standards (Andrews 2009, p. 179). In short, employees are responsible for their own learning and development. They owe it first and foremost to their selves because today learning and development defines the future of employees in the or ganization; perhaps, this is true not only to employees but to organizations, themselves. Clearly so, learning and development is essential in defining one’s career path. Why this is so is the heart of this paper. To put matters in the right perspective, important terms, such as career, career path, career planning and development, and learning and development need to be defined. Career is viewed differently by many people. In fact according to Adams (1991, p. 3-5) since the 1960s defining this term has been a topic of many researches, yet until today, no single definition has been agreed upon. Nonetheless, Adams cited four basic definitions from which the term career can be understood. First, a career is viewed in relation to advancement. Meaning, a career is perceived as a sequence of upward or broadened movements in an employment’s hierarchical ladder during the time of one’s work life. Second, career is perceived in relation to a profession that allows promotions and advancements.