Employee Motivation †A Short Case Study Essay

Rohit Narang joined Apex Computers (Apex) in November after a successful stint at Zen Computers (Zen), where he had worked as an assistant programmer. Rohit felt that Apex offered better career prospects, as it was growing much faster than Zen, which was a relatively small company. Although Rohit had enjoyed working there, he realized that to grow further in his field, he would have to join a bigger company, and preferable one that handled international projects. He was sure he would excel in his position at Apex, just as he had done in his old job at Zen. Rohit joined as a Senior Programmer at Apex, with a handsome pay hike. Apex had international operations and there was more than a slim chance that he would be sent to USA or the UK on a project. Knowing that this would give him a lot of exposure, besides looking good on his resume, Rohit was quite excited about his new job. Rohit joined Aparna Mehta’s five-member team at Apex. He had met Aparna during the orientation sessions, and was looking forward to working under her. His team members seemed warm and friendly, and comfortable with their work. He introduced himself to the team members and got to know more about each of them. Wanting to know more about his boss, he casually asked Dipti, one of the team members, about Aparna. Dipti said, â€Å"Aparna does not interfere with our work. In fact, you could even say that she tries to ignore us as much as she can.† Rohit was surprised by the comment but decided that Aparna was probably leaving them alone to do their work without any guidance, in order to allow them to realize their full potential. At Zen, Rohit had worked under Suresh Reddy and had looked up to him as a guide and mentor – always guiding, but never interfering. Suresh had let Rohit make his own mistakes and learn from them. He had always encouraged individual ideas, and let the team dicover the flaws, if any, through discussion and experience. He rarely held an individual member of his team responsible if the team as a whole failed to deliver – for him the responsibility for any failure was collective. Rohit remembered telling his colleagues at Zen that the ideal boss would be someone who did not interfere with his/her subordinate’s work. Rohit wanted to believe that Aparna too was the non-interfering type. It that was the case, surely her non-interference would only help him t grow. In his first week at work, Rohit found the atmosphere at the office a bit dull. However, he was quite excited. His team had been assigned a new project and was facing a few glitches with the new software. He had thought about the problem till late in the night and had come up with several possible solutions. He could not wait to discuss them with his team and Aparna. He smiled to himself when he thought of how Aparna would react when he told her that he had come up with several possible solutions to the problem. He was sure she would be happy with his having put in so much effort into the project, right from day one. He was daydreaming about all the praise that he was going to get when Aparna walked into the office. Rohit waited for her to go into her cabin, and after five minutes, called her up, asking to see her. She asked him to come in after tem minutes. When he went in, she looked at him blankly and asked, â€Å"Yes?† Not sure whether she had recognized him, Rohit introduced himself. She said, â€Å"Ok, but why did you want to meet me?† Rohit started to tell her about the problems they were having with the software. But before he could even finish, she told him that she was busy with other things, and that she would send an email with the solution to all the members of the team by the end of the day, and that they could then implement it immediately. Rohit was somewhat taken aback. However, ever the optimist, he thought that she had perhaps already discussed the matter with the team. Rohit came out of Aparna’s cabin and went straight to where his team members sat. he thought it would still be nice to bounce ideas off them and also to see what solutions others might come up with. He told them of all the solutions he  had in mind. He waited for the others to come up with their suggestions but not one of them spoke up. He was surprised, and asked them point-blank why they were so disinterested.  Sanjay, one of the team members, said, â€Å"What is the point in our discussing these things? Aparna is not going to have time to listen to us on discuss anything. She will just give us the solution she thinks is best, and we will just do what she tells us to do; why waste everyone’s time?† Rohit felt his heart sink. Was this the way things worked over here? However, he refused to lose heart and thought that maybe, he could change things a little.  But as the days went by, Rohit realized that Aparna was the complete opposite of his old boss. While she was efficient at what she did and extremely intelligent, she had neither the time nor the inclination to groom her subordinates. Her solutions to problem were always correct, but she was not willing to discuss or debate the merits of any other ideas that her team might have. She did not hold the team down to their deadlines not did she ever interfere. In fact, she rarely said anything at all! If work did not get finished on time, she would just blame her team, and totally disassociate herself from them. Time and again, Rohit found himself thinking of Sureshm his old boss, and of how he had been such a positive influence. Aparan, on the other hand, even without actively doing anything, had managed to significantly lower his motivation levels. Rohit gradually began to lose interest in his work – it had become too mechanical for his taste. He didn’t really need to think; his boss had all the answers.  He was learning nothing new, and he felt his career was going nowhere. As he became more and more discouraged, his performance suffered. From being someone with immense promise and potential Rohit was now in danger of becoming just another mediocre techie. Questions for Discussion 1.  What, according to you, were the reasons for Rohit’s  disillusionment? Answer the question using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. 2.  What should Rohit do to resolve his situation? What can a team leader do to ensure high levels of motivation among his/her team members?

Field Experience Report

General Outcome: 1. 0 The student shall spend 15 hours in observation in a school setting. Specific Measurable Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this unit, the student shall be able to: 1. 1 Review an existing lesson plan prior to the lesson. After reviewing an existing lesson plan prior to the lesson implementation by your cooperating teacher, address the following: 1) Record the subject, grade level and the goal of the lesson plan. 7th grade Civics. Goal: 1. Identify the key issues discussed at the Constitutional Convention;? . Describe the problems and solutions that were addressed by the Great Compromise of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. How did this lesson plan differ from the required lesson plan of this course? Much less detailed, in fact I would even call it vague. 2) Did the plan include an assessment? Not really, he had â€Å"Evaluation† and that was to be determined by student’s participation. Observe the implementation of the lesson an d address the following: 3) Did the actual teaching/learning process take place as outlined in the plan?Why or why not? The teaching process took place as outline, however the learning process is hard for me to gauge without a formal assesment. 4) Did the teacher feel as if the lesson was successful and the objective was met? Yes, he did, he seemed satisfied. But to be frank, I don’t believe so. 5) Would you have done anything differently from the teacher? If so, what? Yes, I would definitely be more detail oriented with my lesson plans. I find his plans to be too vague for my liking. 1. Observe a cooperating teacher in large and small group instructional setting. After observing a cooperating teacher in a large and small group instructional setting, address the following: Large group instructional setting: 1) Did you observe any of the following instructional strategies: integrated curriculum, thematic teaching, cooperative learning, critical thinking/problem solving, or dif ferentiated instruction? He used differentiated instruction for a gifted student in one of the classes I observed.For example, he would assign the same chapter from the Civics book for all the students, but he would assign the gifted students, additional questions to answer at the end of the chapter, and in fact, they were what I would consider â€Å"higher order† questions. 2) Describe what you observed. (If none of the instructional strategies listed above were observed, describe what strategies you did observe. ) Small group Instructional setting: 1) Did the cooperating teacher use small group instruction? If not, why do you think it was not used?Yes, he did use small group instruction. In one of the classes I observed, there was 5 ESOL students, he grouped them together to get the extra help needed in reading chapters and comprehension of the material, with an ESOL teacher aide. 2) How could you use small group instruction with this class of students? It could be used by divinding kids into different small groups, I would divide them not by grouping skill levels together, but by group different skill levels together. That way, they could collaborative learning could be implemented.If so, describe the teaching strategies in the small group. I would use collaborative learning and use higher order thinking skills as my primary goal in the small group. I would act more as a facilitator, guiding them on the journey. 3) What criteria was used to form the small groups? He sepereated the ESOL group, however you could also use small group instruction for differential instruction for gifted students. How did the instruction in the small group compare to that of the large group? The small group was much more interactive.The large group listened to a lecture, while the ESOL group participated much more among the group and interacted much more within the small group, as compared to the large, which did not interact. 1. 3 Observe and describe the classroom learni ng environment. A student-centered learning environment is one that is safe, organized, inclusive, equitable, flexible and collaborative. Describe what you observed by addressing the following: Did the teacher†¦ * provide an organized classroom with well-managed space?Yes, I believe so; the only thing I did observe was that there were not enough textbooks for all the students, so in one class about 4 students always had to share a book. This is not really something that the teacher can control, but it did surprise me. * convey high expectations to students? Somewhat. He always repeated to students that Civics is important, that in order to be good citizens, one must have an understanding of Civics. Also he discussed with them the importance to study and the need to study a lot for success. maintain a climate of openness, inquiry, and fairness? Yes, I believe so. The students were never reprimanded without reason. Also, he did encourage them to answer questions, even if they wer e wrong. * adapt the environment to accommodate different needs and diversity? Yes, he did try; he would often separate the ESOL students so they could sit in a group with their ESOL aide. Also the teacher had a student who was gifted and he accommodated his needs by assigning him higher-order questions from the book. * model clear oral and written communication skills?Most times, though I do think at times he could have been even more clear, because sometimes the kids were completely lost as to what chapter they were on, and on what dates things were do. Obviously there is a miscommunication somewhere. 1. 4Observe the teacher use materials in the teaching/learning process. Observe a lesson and describe the process that was used to utilize instructional materials by addressing the following: 1) List the materials used in the lesson. He used a website called â€Å"ConnectEd† which is a website associated with the Civics book used.They also had a workbook that was used. 2) Did the materials enhance the lesson and stimulate interest? To some extent. Some of the kids did not have computers and or Internet access, so they were not able to utilize the â€Å"ConnectEd† website. The book is a standard Civics book, so the extent that it can stimulate interest is limited in my opinion. 3) Did the teacher use the materials for demonstration only or were children able to use the materials? Yes, children could use the website at home, if they had Internet access and/or computer, which not all did. ) Would you use materials differently or would you use different material? Explain. I would use different materials as well as more materials. The lessons could be boring since they were mostly lectures and going over questions in the book. With Civics you could use creativity and hold a mock election, or maybe have the class write their own class constitution etc. I would implement those sorts of ideas to try and make the classes more interesting for students. 1. 5 Observe the teacher – learner and learner – leaner interaction.Mutual respect and good communication between students and teacher are vital to an effective learning environment. Address the following that you observed in your cooperating teacher’s classroom: 1) How did the teacher encourage open communication? He always waited patiently for students to answer the questions and never criticized students if there answer was wrong, he would say something like â€Å"No†¦you are getting there though†¦Ã¢â‚¬  so even if the student was wrong, there were not made to feel bad and this I believe created a sense of comfort and confidence in the classroom for the students. ) Was learner-learner interaction a vital part of the instructional strategy? Not in the large group, however he did have ESOL students that were separated into a small group, and there was a lot of learner-learner interaction in this setting. 3) Did you observe cooperative learning? No, this is not something I observed during this field experience, perhaps I will next semester. 4) Was the teacher more of a facilitator or a lecturer? Explain. I think he was a little of both.He did seem to lecture a lot, but by the same token, even though he did lecture, he also asked questions of the students every once in a while, which gave them opportunities to do critical thinking and thus, in that sense, he became a facilitator. 1. 6 Read to individual children or groups of children. A. Choose the book recommended by the cooperating teacher. Develop at least one question from the higher order questions (Bloom’s taxonomy) to ask the children. Describe the experience. If you are at a middle or high school setting, you may discuss a current book, article, or perhaps a poem that a student has read.We read the Bill of Rights during my lesson on the Constitution. One of the higher order questions I asked was: What are some of the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and how hav e these rights affected your life? Explain. 1. 7 Listen to individual children read. Discuss with your cooperating teacher some instructional strategies that you can use to concentrate on vocabulary skills, fluency or comprehension. What were the suggestions? Describe the experience. During one of my visits the class read aloud a chapter in the book. Some students were better readers than others.The teacher makes a vocabulary list every week, based on the reading. He instructs the students to make vocabulary cards from index cards, with definitions for students to study weekly. Then, on a weekly basis, they have a1 vocabulary quiz. 1. 8 Work with individual or small groups of students to provide a review on previously taught materials. Discuss with your cooperating teacher a review lesson that you could implement with an individual student or a small group of students. With approval, implement the review and reflect on your experience.I had the opportunity to do this activity with a student that had been out a couple of days because of illness. I went over some of the lessons in the chapter with him that he missed, than the cooperating teacher wanted me to work with the student to answer the questions at the end of the lesson. This went well, since it was just one student, it was nice to have the personal interaction with him. However he was quite shy and I did have to work to get more than a 2-word response from him. 1. 8 Reflect upon the educational theory and philosophy observed in the field based school.Your textbook describes four philosophies that influence today’s education. The subject-centered philosophies are perennialism and essentialism. The child-centered philosophies are romanticism and progressivism . Have a discussion with your teacher about his/her guiding beliefs of how teaching and learning occur in the classroom and address the following: 1) Which philosophy comes through in the discussion? During our discussion he told me that he is most influenced by the progressivism philosophy. He believes that students students learn best by doing. 2) Which best describes the reality of the classroom that you observed?In reality, the cooperating teacher seems to lean more toward perennialism or essentialism. Certainly not progressivism because I did not once observe them doing any work on their own, other than answering questions at the end of a chapter reading. He relies most on lecture, and some discussion. 1. 9 Review curriculum guides, teacher manuals, etc. Ask your cooperating teacher for an instructional focus calendar or a teacher manual for you to review. After reviewing the selected material, address the following: 1) What guide, manual or material did you review?He showed me an IFC (Instructional Focus Calendar) for 8th grade US History, which was not a class I observed, but that he has taught. 2) What information did your teacher give you regarding the use of the material? He explained to me that it outlines for a teacher what their focus should be on every given week. For example, for weeks 2-3 of the school year, the teacher should be focusing instruction on Early American Settlements up to 1625. 3) Did you find the material beneficial? Explain. I believe so, I liked that the IFC, outlines for teacher what benchmarks they should focus on, what topic should be covered and in what order.I think it helps make the job of a teacher easier in the sense that you always know what you should be covering and what benchmarks you should be focusing on. 1. 10 Select for observation and interview one of the following: music, art, physical education, or exceptional education teacher; guidance counselor; speech pathologist; or other professional staff. I was not allowed by the school to observe any other teacher other than my cooperating teacher, however in order to at least be able to answer the questions, I did observe the art teacher at my daughter’s preschool, she teaches an after-school enri chment art class â€Å"Little Chagall†.After the observation and speaking to the educator, answer the following: 1) How is his/her instructional preparation different from the regular classroom teacher? She decides week by week what they will focus on (her class is held once a week). One week they might cover Picasso and Cubism and another she may do sculptures and the renaissance. She does not have a formal plan per se and is pretty much allowed free reign on what she would like to focus on. She also does not have to focus on benchmarks, nor does she have to worry about covering material for standerdized tests. ) Do the students respond differently in these settings? Absolutely. This class is completely different than my 7th grade class for Civics. Besides the fact that the students are 3 and 4, this is indeed a class where the progessivism philosophy’s influence is seen. Children are encouraged to be creative, think for themselves and to experiment. 3) What methods a re used to measure student progress? Less paint on the floor means that progress is being made (Just kidding! ) She says that she mainly focuses not only on their creativity, but also on building their fine motor skills.Usually after the first year the students are much more adept at holding paint brushes and they even paint more neatly. The objects in the paintings become more recognizeable as the objects that they were painted to be. (I. E. faces will actually start to have more defined features, as opposed to â€Å"blobs†). 4) What resources are available to help include special needs students? Her class is quite small, only 5 students. So she is available to give a special needs student more attention if it is needed. 5) Describe the classroom management technique. If the kids are not paying attention she says â€Å"1,2,3 eyes on me! She says it works well and helps bring the kids back to focus. 1. 11 If appropriate, attend PTA, faculty, and grade level/department meetin gs as well as participated in field trips. If you are able to participate in any of the listed activities, address the following: 1) What was the activity or meeting? Faculty Council Meeting 2) List the date, time and duration. 11/8/12, @8:30 AM to 9:20AM 3) What topics were discussed? FCAT, Computer carts, outdated teacher laptops, mistakes when placing students (gifted student was placed in a class for the earning disabled), lack of security (2 security guards for 1200 students). No response for student referrals. 4) Who was in charge of the meeting? Mr. Morrina (cooperating teacher). 5) What did you learn from the experience? I didn’t realize that there were so many problems inside schools. The teachers feel very frustrated, especially with the lack of security, their outdated equipment, and the fact that when they refer a student for bad behavior, nothing is really done about it. 1. 12 Assist in the preparation of bulletin boards, charts, transparencies, PowerPoint presen tations and other instructional aids.Describe and discuss how you assisted the cooperating teacher in any of the above listed items. Discuss what you learned from the experience. . I assisted with making a bulletin board using some projects the kids had done. While of course I learned to be creative and such while doing the bulletin board, what I learned most was the value of doing a bulletin board with the student’s projects. They really enjoyed seeing their work displayed for the world to admire. And that is not what I was expecting to take away from it initially. 1. 13 Provide assistance to the teacher by grading papers, record keeping, taking attendance, etc.Describe and discussed how you assisted the cooperating teacher in any of the above listed items. Discuss what you learned from the experience. 1. I assisted the teacher with taking attendance. He takes attendance by assigning each student a number, from 1 to however many kids are in the class, in this case 22. Each c hild calls out their number starting with 1, if there is a missing number, he looks up who the child is and marks them absent. To be frank, it seemed to me much easier just to make a seating chart or just taking roll. With this method, some times the students forgot their numbers and we had to stop and start over.It just became too much of a time waster. I think it’s more efficient just to quietly check attendance without making a group activity out of it. 1. 15 Know the policy and procedure in an emergency situation. Each school has a list of emergency situations and emergency procedures. Obtain and read a copy of the school's emergency procedures manual. Address the following: 1) Which of the identified emergencies occur most frequently? According to the school’s emergency report, the incidents that occur the most are crime related emergencies, for example, gangs, bullying or fighting. ) Write a brief summary of the recommended procedures for a fire drill. When alarm sounds, teacher immediately direct their class to the nearest exit as indicated in the fire escape route map in the classroom. There is no running or talking while exiting the building. Teachers must take with them the attendance records and the lesson plan records as these are official legal documents indicating the number of students who are present at the time. Furthermore, teachers must be aware of students who are not in the classroom at the time of the alarm and must be able to obtain their whereabuts.If student is missing, an administrator must be contacted immediately. Classes should remain at the designated wait spot until given the â€Å"All clear†. 3) Write a brief summary of at least one other emergency procedure. In the event of a Hurricane watch being announced and students have not been picked up, at least two staff members must remain until all students have been picked up. Students should be taken to areas with no windows, such as hallways. Once the building is empty, custodians should prepare and secure the building.

Addressing Employee Motivation Essay

Executive Summary Tom was seen to have a loss of motivation at work which was investigated. An analysis showed the main cause to be a lack of communication from his manager, a need for role definition, and a lack of publicity for the success of his project initiative. Recommendation is for Tom’s manager to be informed so they are hopefully able to address these issues and retain and develop Tom’s skills. A problematic work situation relating to a HRM concept in Book 2 1.1 A description of the work problem Tom has a well paid job as a project manager. He created an idea and initiated a project to design and implement a website. After setting up the design and defining the stakeholders, without discussion, another person was brought in to chair the project meetings and keep track of actions for the software team. He felt a lack of clarity in his role and without clear guidance and credit did not feel motivated to push the project as hard as before. Weekly work hours fell back to a normal 40 hours from 50 or 60, and his other ideas were not pushed to management with the same enthusiasm. Motivation was clearly falling. This example relates to motivation and Session 1 of Book 2 can be used to analyse what motivates Tom to go to work. See more:  First Poem for You Essay 1.2 Analysis of my experience using my chosen concepts To understand Tom’s motivation level’s I have analysed his situation using Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs (1954) from session 1 (The Open University, B120 Book 2). According to Maslow, â€Å"a satisfied need is not a motivator†. Matching which needs are met on the pyramid of five categories will give an indication of which unmet need should be a motivator. Figure [ 1 ] Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs pyramid, and summary of Tom’s status within it. Figure 1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs pyramid, and summary of Tom’s status within it. According to Maslow’s theory, Tom has reached the 3rd level, but the lack of communication and feedback has stopped him achieving ‘Esteem’. Maslow states that â€Å"Not meeting these needs has a negative effect on our mental health† and this could explain the low motivation that Tom’s behaviour indicates. Tom was also under the impression that his idea and the quick success of the project would be publicised by his manager and would open up opportunities to be involved in other senior projects within the business. This did not materialise, and the senior management was not made aware of any plans to utilise Tom’s skills. In fact Tom’s manager was based in another country and was often not reachable for consultation either by phone or email. This expectation and its failure to materialise also causes low motivation, as explained in the concept of a ‘psychological contract’ from The Open University (2012). By applying this concept, we can understand that Tom had reason to believe that a successful project would lead to acknowledgement and higher esteem within the company, and even though this was not part of a formal employment contract. When this did not occur Tom felt his psychological contract had been violated, and that his hard work was inconsequential, leading to his low motivation to keep working hard. 1.3 Proposed solutions to the problem The analysis above has identified possible causes of Tom’s low motivation. With this understanding of these reasons, each can be addressed with the right actions. . * Problem : Low motivation, * caused by : Perceived low likelihood of achieving Esteem (on Maslow’s hierarchy) * caused by : lack of communication about tasks. * Classified as : Broken psychological contract If we can determine the cause for the broken contract, we may be able to restore Tom’s motivation to work hard. Also relevant is the Job Characteristic Model from Hackman and Oldham cited by The Open University (2012) which lists five core job characteristics that contribute to satisfying work. If Tom’s work is missing any of the core characteristics his attitude to his job could be affected. Figure [ 2 ]. Hackman & Oldham JCM The lack of regular communication between Tom and his manager suggests that there is insufficient â€Å"Feedback from the Job†. B120, Book 2, Study session 4, highlights the importance of â€Å"Constructive feedback†, which â€Å"involves praising strengths and achievements†. Arranging another person to chair project meetings could also mean that â€Å"Task Identity† was not clear. To solve these items, Tom’s manager should take the following actions: * clarify Tom’s role and tasks within the project * Provide regular opportunities for feedback and communication, including praise of achievements when applicable. * Publicise Tom’s contributions to raise his profile in the senior management team and allow development of his career. Relevant Web sites http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/maslow-and-herzberg.html (accessed 28-Nov-2012) This shows how a successful company has used Maslow’s hierarchy and Herzbergs two factor theory to try to keep employee motivation high. Herzberg could be summarised as â€Å"If you want people to do a good job for you, then you must give them a good job to do.† The Times is a reputable publisher which lends credence to this site, but this is a case study utilising the theories in this report, and not and original source. http://gmx.xmu.edu.cn/ews/business/management/chapter16.htm#what (accessed 28-Nov-2012) This site was chosen because it contains some interesting definitions of motivation factors, and summarises a collection of different theories on analysing motivation in employees. The information is not verified but some theories corroborate with other sources. References The Open University (2012) B120 An introduction to business studies, Book 2 ‘An introduction to human resource management in business’, Milton Keynes. Web source 1: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/maslow-and-herzberg.html dated unknown (accessed 28-Nov-2012) Web source 2: http://gmx.xmu.edu.cn/ews/business/management/chapter16.htm#what dated unknown (accessed 28-Nov-2012)

Cross-Ethnic Friendships in Schools Make Youths Feel Less Vulnerable, Assignment

Cross-Ethnic Friendships in Schools Make Youths Feel Less Vulnerable, Safer - Assignment Example It is important in any age, but it is especially important for teens. The psychological problems a child may face can result in serious conflict that can influence student’s study progress. In this situation a person can become lonely and this loneliness can influence his life greatly. It is necessary this issue should be analyzed properly. In the modern world psychological problems are closely connected with multicultural relations. This problem was depicted in the article under consideration. Analyzing primary and secondary sources we will try to prove that cross-ethnic environment is very beneficial for children. The number of researches has been devoted to the issue of cross-ethnic friendship in schools. Schools are the places, where the identity is formed. Here the children learn the main principals they will follow in their life, they learn how to communicate and how to behave. The work that was conducted in the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Groningen in the Netherland has revealed the interdependence between the concepts of friendship and vulnerability. Researches state: â€Å"we propose that cross-ethnic friendships might partly account for the relation between classroom ethnic diversity and perceived vulnerability. Forming friendships with classmates from different ethnic groups as classroom diversity increases (greater availability) can help ward off potential harassers from those groups as well as buffer the negative effects of peer harassment† (Graham & Munniksma, 2013, p. 2). It can be easily explained that the representatives of different cultures try to unite and organize communities, where they may feel safe. The professors, who work in the abovementioned universities underlined such cross-ethnic communications and friendship can bring only advantages to students. However, it is essential to take into account a great number of peculiarities. The school program and other facilities should be formed cons idering special characteristics of every ethnic group in order to make the study comfortable for them. Such approach can solve many problems connected with the education itself as far as with the psychological issues. The researchers emphasize that the cross-ethnic friendship is not a rare phenomenon today. It is enough to visit an ordinary American middle-school class to see the diversity. The studies have shown that the more diverse the class, the more protected the children are. It means they do not feel themselves vulnerable. Real friendship is not temporary issue, and certainly it should not be considered such. People who have real friends are lucky ones. Those who have friends are psychologically stable. Friendship provides the emotional security and some kind of shelter. The study reveals that person who has at least one friend is not so helpless, is more self-assured and not psychologically vulnerable. The interesting question arises on the matter of similarity and dissimila rity between the students who study in semi diverse class and those who study in multi diverse one. In the most cases people choose friends considering their special characteristics, like gender, ethnicity, the color of skin etc. Actually, this is the main reason of discrimination which arises in our society today. The next important issue is propinquity. â€Å"

Video analysis presentation and paper about selfy Essay

Video analysis presentation and paper about selfy - Essay Example To get more comments and likes, some of these photos are usually edited to make it look more casual and flattering. The title of the short film is Aspirational’ featuring Kirsten Dunst and two unknown girls. The video is about two selfie-obsessed girls meeting Hollywood star Kirsten Dunst. Boys are not so much accustomed with selfie as compared to girls. In this video, all these two girls wanted from the Hollywood star were to have a selfie taken with Kirsten Dunst. In fact, these two girls didn’t seem to care about the state and feelings of the Hollywood star. The video is reflecting on how our behavior as human beings is changing due to the effects of social media. In the current world, life is increasingly becoming dependent on selfies to mark important life events. In relation to the chosen video, these two girls were using the selfie to mark an important event of their lives upon meeting the Hollywood star. It is apparent that if you ever happen to meet the star in the streets, the first thing to carry out is to take a selfie with the celebrity. Basically, their main intention of these two girls was to make their friends believe that they have personally met a celebrity. The Hollywood star is on the road waiting for a car to pick her up. She is spotted by another car occupied by two young girls. The girls are star struck after seeing her. The two girls awkwardly jump out of the car and attempt to take selfies with her. The two girls completely ignore the Hollywood star Kirsten Dunst’s presence. They don’t even bother if she is breathing and if she is a living person, which makes the situation sad. It is even uncomfortable to watch because it’s disturbing. Because of the positive and negative sides of selfie, the description of the video narrates that one has to think twice before taking a selfie. Based on the video, selfies have lost the real meaning selfie as a

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 54

Case Study Example In Washington State in particular, tobacco and marijuana have continued to be most widely smoked by youth (Washington State Health Youth Survey, 2011). The percentage of those who smoked everyday decreased gradually between the years 2005 and 2010 from 17.5 percent to 11.0 percent (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). This implied that many people had quit smoking in this period while others had changed from smoking every day to smoking in some days only. The ability to purchase cigarettes is a product of individual income. Tobacco control advocates have seen an increase in the prices of tobacco resulting to a decline in smoking among the population (Shelly, 2010). Taxes are imposed on tobacco products increasing the price of tobacco and hence increase the cost of smoking. This reduces the smoking practice among no income or low-income adults as affordability of tobacco become quite hard (Chaloupka, Straif & Leon, 2011). This could be a reason for people to quit smoking or reduce the rate of smoking. Cigarette smoking among high school seniors declined by a quarter among male students and a half among female students between the years 2001 and 2011 (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). The number of people who smoked some days in Washington, increased from 2.4 percent to 4.2 percent. This was not gradual as the number had increased to 5.9 and 5.0 percent between 1995 to 2000, and 2005 respectively (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Because smoking had become expensive between those years, some people may have reduced the frequency at which they smoked from every day to some days. The numbers increase implied that a number of every day smokers and non-smokers had begun to smoke on some days. The percentage of non-smokers in the state had gradually decreased from 29.9 to 25.5 percent between the years 1995 and 2010 (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).

Specialist community public health nursing Essay

Specialist community public health nursing - Essay Example There is the need to confront numerous barriers and other potential risks in order to attain the best and most appropriate results in each scenario (Campbell, 2008). Thus, in this essay, there will be a critical examination of the two concepts: leadership and change management in order to identify how they intersect in the healthcare sector in a practical manner. Statement of Purpose.This essay gives an account of the theoretical and practical processes a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) in the development leadership potentials and competencies as a Health Visitor (HV) relating to a specific issue or case. This report will draw into experiences and activities that were encountered during service implementation relating to male-victim domestic violence. This will involve a discussion and analysis of the problem of domestic violence and how an SCPHN can assist in dealing with it through HV and other practical affairs and matters.The report will critique the leadership a nd management roles that exist in SCPHN and how they intersect with various concepts of leadership and change management in dealing with this practical problem or situation.In order to examine an important and significant element, the research will focus on an actual change that occurred in the health visit and this will provide the impetus for important analysis and evaluations of the theories of change management.

CHILD TUTORING cASE sTUDY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CHILD TUTORING cASE sTUDY - Essay Example The children are divided amongst the women depending on his or her age group. I was allowed to choose the grade level I preferred to work with and so I chose second grade. Therefore, I was assigned to tutor in Ms. Sally’s room. The children in this room ranged in age from six to nine years old. I worked with a nine year old African American girl that I will call Kayla. Kayla is in the third grade at a Birmingham public school. When I first met Kayla, I would have never guessed that she was only nine years old. Kayla is a very bright and intelligent child. However, she craves love and attention. I immediately noticed that she had a very firm tone and wanted things done her way or no way. So, I decided to just observe her on the first day, before beginning the tutoring. This allowed me the opportunity to observe her characteristics and how well she worked with other children. I engaged in â€Å"best practices† by using data and collecting information to find a selective approach to building a partnership with her. Kayla has a very distinctive personality and used her superior strength to intimidate others. She would walk in the classroom and demand items from the other children who were intimidated by her. This led me to believe that Kayla had older siblings, family m embers, or friends that treated her roughly. According to Dr. Jane St. Clair, children who act out in this manner are referred to as bullies. â€Å"Bullies usually have a sense of entitlement and superiority over others, and lack compassion, impulse control and social skills. They enjoy being cruel to others and sometimes use bullying as an anger management tool, the way a normally angry person would punch a pillow† (St. Clair, n.d.). I didn’t want Kayla to think I was there to just interview her, so I carefully made conversation and asked questions that gave me enough insight on her background. For example, I told Kayla I had one sister and two brothers. This

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Reflection - Assignment Example Ideally, holographic evidence enhances the decentralization of understanding, which has no center of control (Morgan, 2006). However, the author notes that the brain is holographic and specialized. For instance, according to split-brain research, the right and left-brain hemispheres specialize on certain aspects but also participate in any given activity (Morgan, 2006). This manifests in our organization where I specialize on advanced nursing but also offer healthcare to all women and infants under 1 year old. Indeed, it is through understanding that patterns and order emerge in an organization just as in brains. More so, organizations just like brains, involve information processing and understanding. Indeed, organizations are information-processing brains (Morgan, 2006). Additionally, we can also translate the results of the modern brain into established learning organizations, which defines understanding of ideas. We can also see how modern technology develops advanced understanding in global and local organizations. Indeed, modern technology affects understanding by offering powerful images to create organizations that suit the digital age. At the same time, organizations and brains require the freedom to evolve for them to gain autonomy and derive advanced understanding (Morgan, 2006). The author equally reckons that for any organization to self-organize, it must have valuable capacity/ free space to support innovation. As such, an understanding of the brain would help us to understa nd our organization. This leads us to the discussion question, which seeks to establish how organizations self-organize and regenerate themselves without losing their effectiveness. More so, we can derive another discussion question, which will address how a holographic organization distributes its capabilities, control, and intelligence for purposes of ensuring that every single unit is significant to the overall operations of an

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Macroeconomics - Essay Example Both are equally bad for the national economy. Current GDP, Inflation and Unemployment Rate The US GDP in year 2012 is estimated at 15.68 trillion. Real GDP in the US increased by 3.6 percent annually in the third quarter of 2013 over second quarter and the inflation rate is estimated at 1 percent in the month of October, 2013 that is lowest since October 2009. Similarly, unemployment rate is estimated at 7 percent in November 2013 down from 7.3 registered in the previous month (US Inflation Rate). Unemployment Rate in Past 10 years The following graph taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides unemployment rates for last 10 years period in the US (Source: http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000). It is interesting to note that during boom period of economy between 2003 and 2007, unemployment rate continued to slide. Post financial crisis it began rising rapidly and went up to almost 10% during 2009 and 2010. As of now it is hovering around 7 percent. Inflation Scenario in Past 10 years The US Federal Reserve states, "Inflation is a general increase in the overall price levels of the goods and services in the economy" (Federal Reserve). The Fed takes into account several price indexes while calculating inflation. The monetary policy is governed by the Federal Reserve and it aims at achieving maximum employment, low inflation and moderate long-term interest rates. The following graph shows inflation rates for last 10 years in the US. Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/inflation-cpi It is amply clear that inflation rates vary significantly in last 10 years. During financial crisis, it touched to as low as -2 % in 2009 and prior to that it was at its peak at 6 percent in 2008. For last several quarters, the inflation rates are hovering between 1% and 2%. The Federal Reserve employs tools of monetary policy to control inflation and bring down unemployment rates as its major objectives. Monetary Policy Influences Inflation and Unemploym ent Usually, the Federal Reserve influences the federal funds rate that banks charge each other for short-term loans. These changes in short-term rates are eventually passed on to the businesses and households for their borrowing needs. Short-term rates also influence long-term rates such as residential mortgage rates, car loans etc. When the federal fund rate is reduced it triggers demand for goods and services. More demand for goods and services tend to generate more employment reducing unemployment rate that exist. Higher demand of the goods and services will also push the wage increase. Post 2007 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve took drastic steps to stabilize financial system and thereby the US economy. In this process, short-term interest rates were brought to near zero. Low interest rates aim at supporting businesses and households to finance new spending and thereby boost the economy and reduce the unemployment rate. However, in this process, there is possibility that i nflation rate would also start going up. As far as inflation rate is within the targeted rate, the Fed rate will keep using the tool of lowering the interest rate to boost the economy and generate the employment. The moment inflation starts exceeding the target rate, the fund rate will move in the reverse direction to cool down the economy and thereby control the inflation rate (Monetary Policy). Post 2007 financial crisis, when the economy was shattered the Fed resorted to the

The experiment safe Essay Example for Free

The experiment safe Essay In every day lives we come across a number of different objects that are bouncing, colliding and in motion. All these are attributable to the energy changes involved in the process thus obeying the law of conservation of energy. The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and that the sum total of energy in this universe remains constant. This scientific method of looking at energy changes can be associated and implemented on a variety of simple things and one among them being observation of bouncing objects. This motivation has lead me to investigate, understand and analyse bouncing of a ball on a surface. However, understanding the bouncing mechanism is not as simple as it appears, because there are several factors involved during the bouncing action. For example, the material of the ball, the type and nature of surface over which it freely falls, frictional factors due to air resistance, temperature affecting the surrounding air molecules as well as during the ball-surface interactions. Preliminary Investigation Looking around practically made me notice a variety of different types and sizes of balls. There were golf balls, tennis balls, footballs, sponge balls, cricket balls, bouncy balls, etc. I observed them carefully and noticed that none were similar in any way. The cricket balls were the only ones made out of leather, the bouncy balls were made out of dense rubber, and the golf balls were made of plastic. I tried to test the bounce of these balls on different surfaces like carpeted flooring and wooden flooring. I found that each ball when dropped on these flooring was bouncing to different heights. I felt that each of these balls when dropped on a given flooring surface had different factors that influenced their bounce. Also I noticed that the ball being dropped constantly bounced almost at the same height. This made me feel that I could use this as my chosen experiment for further investigations. As mentioned earlier, the bouncing of balls may look simple, but the energy conversions are quite complex. In simple terms, the work done during a bouncing ball system involves three possible energy sources, 1) Gravitational potential energy (energy due to its position) 2) Kinetic energy (energy due to its motion) 3) frictional energy (lost due to production of heat and sound). The ball acquires Gravitational Potential Energy because of its position and also the ball is working against the gravity to acquire this position. Kinetic energy is gained during the motion of the ball. The frictional energy is lost due to the production of heat and sound. In fact, the conversion of the potential energy results in the kinetic energy of motion until the bounce is over and this potential energy is regained as ball acquires the next position or height. However, on each bounce over a given surface energy of impact is transferred to the surface on which it bounces. Also energy is used up in over coming the air resistance. The energy of impact can be split into sound energy, heat energy or light energy (spark) in the case of very heavy balls (for ex. Iron balls striking iron plate surfaces). This can be totally called as frictional energy loss. The process of bouncing continues with frictional loss occurring on each bounce and this effect could be known as damping. Damping means the loss of height on each bounce on a given surface. The damping effect decreases until the ball attains the minimum potential energy. The damping effect influences the speed and so it tends to slow down the ball each time it impacts the surface. To observe this effect experiments were planned to drop large bouncy balls on different surfaces and to note the rebound heights. Preliminary Results Bounce Quality Number Balls used Carpet flooring Wooden flooring 1 Golf Ball Low Medium 2 Tennis Ball Medium Medium 3 Football Low Low 4 Sponge Ball Low Low 5 Cricket Ball Low Low 6 Bouncy Ball Medium High Below are the formulae of different types of energy and work done: Potential Energy: PE = mgh 1) Where, m= mass of the ball (kg) g= acceleration due to gravity () h= height of the bounce(m) Work Done: Wd = F x d -(2) Where,F= Force (N) d = bounce height (m) Also as part of my preliminary work I did some work using a CD Called Science Investigations. This was very useful as I could see how the ball rebound height would differ if I changed the temperature of the ball. The ball being used was a squash ball. The results I gained were as follows (assuming that the drop height was kept the same-1metre): Temperature(i C) Rebound height(cm)Â   (The rebound height was measured from the bottom of the ball. ) As you can see, these results seem fairly realistic and accurate. As the temperature inside the squash ball increased, the rebound height increased. This was the case in all of the tests. Also using this CD I could investigate the different amounts of energy bring used up when a ball bounces. A ball has 100% gravitational potential energy when it is in your hand. As soon as you release it the amount of gravitational potential energy decreases and instead, 100% Kinetic energy is formed. However, when the ball hits the ground there is no kinetic energy or gravitational potential energy. Instead, there is only elastic potential energy and heat/sound energy. After the ball hits the ground, kinetic energy is regained again, but it is not a full 100%, it is only 80%. 20% of the energy was used up as heat/sound energy. So when the ball is caught in your hand again, the gravitational potential energy returns, but there is only 20% of what there previously was, so the ball does not reach its drop height. Safety: To make the experiment safe, I will have to make sure of the following: That the nail that supports the ball is tightly secured in its position. That the balls are used in a proper manner in all situations. The equipment like the clamp and stand are fixed to the workbench securely. To make this test fair I will have to make sure of the following: That the metre rule is straight and not at an angle. That I release the ball from the given point. E. g. Place the bottom of the bouncy ball in line with the one metre mark, the 0. 8 metre mark etc. Just release the ball without adding any extra force. Keep the temperature in the room constant. Make sure that there is very little air movement. Make sure that you have the same experimental conditions for all the three trials. The factor I will be investigating is the height I drop the ball.

School Choice Initiative Essay Example for Free

School Choice Initiative Essay Perceivably, the verbal communication in the school selection initiative is considerably astounding as that of any glitch any fairy tale might have played to offer the brood to their remorseful providence. Many critics have deliberately emphasized that the real intent of Proposition 174 revolves around the connotation that â€Å"All parents are hereby empowered to choose any school, public or private, for the education of their children . . . – concisely, that is not exactly how many tend to see the light of the thought. Although it may seemingly utter as that which is piously beneficial and helpful to the contemporary masses’ parents of a child in an inner-city institution, it is like giving the students a somewhat subliminal way of saying a that all shall get the passes towards the prestigious institutions as that where most popular icons earned their degree in college. In such case, the choice will not be dependent on the learner (child) not the parents. Private schools shall be given the prowess to decide upon who shall be admitted or not hence ‘public school’ children shall then be given the same chance (Nevins, 2001). †¢ It would bring up a tight and healthy competition thus commencing a challenge to public school system towards the aim for academic excellence. †¢ The state shall save 2% transfer rate from public schools since that education in private schools are cost-effective hence allotting more on the appropriation for several improvements such as parks, school libraries and other sort of the like. †¢ It shall offer families a genuine alternative to â€Å"all† levels of the society, the vouchers will give all the chance to get a glimpse of â€Å"standard† education. †¢ The school will get to choose those who are to be admitted in the school, with this, the students shall be challenged to earn good grades in high school to earn the reward. †¢ It will give rise to quality education not only for a limited few, but for all. References: Nevins, J. (2001). Searching for security: Boundary and immigration enforcement in an age of intensifying globalization [Electronic Version], 28, 132. Retrieved September 4, 2007.

Examining The Mentor Relationship Between Students And Nurses Nursing Essay

Examining The Mentor Relationship Between Students And Nurses Nursing Essay   There are many faces to nursing. The nursing role includes various responsibilities, including more than nursing patients, all  having the same objectives with the aim to producing whatever might improve the development of nursing, which will eventually be of benefit to patients.   Patients do not realize that nurses need to prepare and guide students to help them become competent nurses. Student nurses have to go through a three year program to become a nurse, but the academic side of learning is not enough to become a good nurse. A nurse must practice to master all the skills required to be able to care for patients in a professional manner. The educational nursing process has continued to evolve and new challenges are being raised.   One of the great challenges in development is the process of mentorship and supervision of nursing students, where the main goal is to guide students through their clinical placement, to make sure that they become the most competent practitioners. This process is called mentoring. A mentor is a practitioner who facilitates learning by supervising and assessing the nursing students in their clinical practice area.(English National Board For Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Department of Health (2001) Preparation for Teachers and Mentors: A New Framework of Guidance. ENB/DH, London.). Mentors helps to bridge the gap between the theory and practice, and so nursing students develop an understanding about their profession. There are clinical tutors available from  nursing universities who can guide students in clinical practice, but mentoring by the nurse working in the ward of practice has the most advantage since the latest techniques, tools and protocols are familiar and used continuously. Jarvis (1992) argued that teachers of nursing cannot be up to date with practice if they are not practicing. A mentor who is non active cannot give expertise guidance to real life scenarios. A  relationship needs to be formed between the nurse and the student, which should be motivated by the fact, that by sharing their knowledge, they are helping to improve the entire health system, through improving the quality and quantity of more competent newly qualified nurses, who will eventually become their own colleagues. Consequently, the more reliable new colleagues will be, the more responsibility and workload in the ward can be shared, and managing the ward can become straightforward. Managers should be more understanding and compliant to mentoring in the wards, as  lack of time is the biggest restriction that obstructs supervising. Time which nurses can dedicate to mentoring is very limited in the wards, as these have to perform their nursing duties as usual. In the past mentors did not exist and student nurses had to learn the hard way, many times through trial and error, which frequently could have been detrimental to the patients. There was no one delegated, with the duty to guide the student nurses, who were young, fragile and afraid when entering this real life scenario. Due to lack of staff, student nurses were used as an extra pair of hands, sometimes doing tasks which they had not mastered.  Some  were so naive,  even confessing to the patient this is the first time Im doing this procedure, and the patient already frightened from being in hospital, has to endure the knowledge that he is being used as a guinea pig. Nowadays patients are not going through these experiences anymore. Today nursing students are in hospital to learn and acquire experience under supervision and are not given tasks to practice on patients, unless a mentor is convinced the student has acquired the ability to perform such tasks. Procedures are explain ed to the mentee so that they can understand while observing their mentor and later bring forward any difficulties or suggestions.   Part of mentoring is being a role model, to be of inspiration to others. A role model does not need to be in the highest rank, just a qualified nurse who carries out a role in a manner that makes others desire to be just like him/her.   Gordon (2003) suggests that role modelling, has a very strong influence on forming how students perform. We are all inspired to become a role model and finding one, who fulfils our expectations, gives us a clear vision of what we want to achieve and what we want to become. Students who are well motivated and have a sound theoretical knowledge can learn a lot through observing a good nurse while practicing. It is easier for the student to retain practical knowledge when it is visualized than when it is thought in the classroom. Students will realize what has been learned from observing, only when given the opportunity to try out the procedure for themselves under supervision. Producing competent professionals, with all its complex combinations of knowledge, performance, skills and attitudes needs contribution from nurses, patients and managers. Without effective mentoring, and knowledge acquired through the professional education, it is difficult to achieve this state of competence   Beyond doubt mentors have a leading role in our profession; their importance is vital in the continued success of nursing and to make the student feel connected to the placement area. A mentor can be seen as an advisor, teacher, role model and counsellor, adapting to different situations. Allowing students to participate in patient care under supervision, while giving them opportunity to experience and practice a variety of skills, will surely result in better quality care delivered to patients.   To conclude Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction John C, Crosby (1859-1943). American politician

Mother Courage and her Children Essay -- Bertolt Brecht Plays Tragedie

Mother Courage and her Children "Mother Courage and her Children", by Bertolt Brecht, is a play which can be seen from varying perspectives. Some consider it to be a comment on the socio-economic aspects of war, others as a criticism of bourgeois capitalism intended to encourage change in modern society. The somewhat tragic events of the play enable critics to consider it a "tragedy", but one which, to some extent, diverges from the Aristotelian definition. Aristotle believed that tragedy must revolve around a central character: the "tragic hero", on whom the plot focuses and who exhibits certain characteristics, which leads to his, though in this particular case, her, downfall. The role of such a figure is pivotal to the presentation of a play as a tragedy; yet it remains largely unclear with which character within the play this identity lies: Mother Courage herself, or her daughter, Kattrin. Perhaps the most obvious potential tragic figure is the lead character within the play: Mother Courage. She demonstrates an ability to survive, through which the audience recognizes her strength of character and instinct of self-preservation. This links closely with her sense of capitalism, which she prioritizes over alternative, more virtuous qualities presented within the play, such as Swiss Cheese's honesty and Kattrin's selflessness. Mother Courage's rigid capitalist stance can be interpreted as her "tragic flaw", or "hamartia", the term Aristotle uses to describe the mistake leading to the protagonist's downfall. It is a flaw that Mother Courage consistently exhibits and a mistake which occurs thrice in the deaths of her children, as she is absent conducting business on all three occasions. However, despite her apparent detachment towards her children, it is evident that Mother Courage harbours genuine concern for the well-being of her children: in a discussion with Cook over fu ture prospects, she states, "all I'm after is (to) get meself and children through all this with my cart". In the juxtaposition created by the reluctant combination of the roles of the mother and the tradeswoman, it is perhaps foremost a tragic contradiction within Mother Courage's character, rather than her role as a tragic heroine, that is emphasized. Alternatively, this contrast could be interpreted as an indication that Mother Courage is morally "neither all good nor all bad"... ...her tragic flaw. There is a clear obstacle in Kattrin's position as a tragic heroine in that she is not the central character, making it difficult to envisage her as the true tragic heroine of the play. However, she could not realistically carry the lead role in such a play due to her muteness, as it would hinder characterization and plot development. Nevertheless, Kattrin is on stage for a considerable proportion of the play, suggesting that although she may not hold the most prominent position, she acts as a closely connected tragic antithesis to the lead role, Mother Courage. In conclusion, it could be argued that either of these two women in "Mother Courage and her Children" could be described loosely as a tragic heroine, but I believe that Kattrin displays the heroism and virtue that are required to be considered worthy of this title: Mother Courage is absorbed in a society where the possession of heroic qualities is not only impossible, but irrelevant. The combination of tragic circumstances with Brecht's "Verfremdung" technique prevents tragedy from overpowering other aspects of the play, which accounts for the difficulty in identifying a true Aristotelian tragic hero.

Capital Punishment Essay - Beyond Horror and Incivility -- Argumentati

The Death Penalty: Beyond Horror and Incivility       "Capital punishment is the infliction of the death penalty on persons convicted of a crime" (Americana 596). Killing convicted felons has been one of the most widely practiced forms of criminal punishment in the United States. Currently, the states that do no practice the death penaly are Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin. However, for the remaining states that do practice the death penalty, it has been a topic of debate for many years. There are two parties who argue over its many points, including whether or not it is a fitting and adequate punishment, whether or not it acts as a deterrent to crime and whether or not it is morally wrong. These two classes of people can be grouped together as the retentionists, or the proponents, and the abolitionists, or the opponents (596). For the retentionists, the main reasons they are in support of the death penalty are to take revenge, to deter others, and to punish. They are most concerned with the protection of society from dangerous criminals. In spite of all this however, the death penalty is not a good form of criminal punishment for many reasons: it is morally wrong, it does not act as a deterrent for crime, it is irreversible and can be inflicted upon people who are innocent, it is more expensive than imprisonment and those who are convicted commonly use the costly process of appealing the decision and there is no chance to make restitution to the victim and/or the victim's family.    "People that favor the death penalty agree that capital punishment is a relic of barbarism, but as murder itself is barbaric... ...pectacle of publicly sanctioned killing has cheapened human life and dignity without the redeeming grace which comes from justice meted out swiftly, evenly, humanely" (Draper 44).    Works Cited Amnesty International Report. The Death Penalty. England: Amnesty International Publications, 1979. Bedau, Hugo Adam. The Death Penalty in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982. "Capital Punishment." Encyclopedia Americana. 1990 ed. Draper, Thomas. Capital Punishment. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1985. Horwitz, Elinor Lander. Capital Punishment U.S.A. New York: J. B. Lippincott, 1973. Jayewardene, C. H. S. The Penalty of Death. Massachusetts:Lexington, 1977. Meador, Roy. Capital Revenge: 54 Votes Against Life. Philadelphia:Dorrance, 1975. "Violent Crime Control And Law Enforcement Act of 1994." 3/8/95(date retrieved).   

My Last Duchess :: Robert Browning, My Last Duchess

Robert Browning is remembered for his mastery at capturing the essence and power of the dramatic monologue. Through symbolism, structure and technique, Browning creates the model of the ideal dramatic monologue in the poem, "My Last Duchess." "My Last Duchess" was published in 1845. "Ferrara" is the subtitle of the poem and assists in disclosing the design of the poem, a portrayal of Alfonso II, the fifth Duke of Ferrara. The historical life of Alfonso II fits intricately with the events and happenings within the poem. Alfonso II married Lucrezia de’ Medici who is the daughter of the Duke of Florence. The Duke’s family has a long credited name and wealth that had been around for ages. The affluence and power of the duchess’s family had been newly acquired, and when comparing the two families, the Duke’s was much more significant, at least in his eyes. The Duchess of Alfonso II died of poisoning in 1561. Three short years later the Duke arranged to marry Ba rbara, a niece of the Count of Tyrol. The speaker of the dramatic monologue is an egotistical and pompous Duke. He speaks to an envoy of the Count throughout the monologue. At the beginning of the poem, he slowly draws back the curtain and reveals a portrait. This portrait, he asserts, is his "last Duchess†¦looking as if she were alive" (lines1-2). The Duke continues by addressing the look upon her face and the many reasons for her blushing cheeks. Continuing the description, he depicts the duchess’s ways, including her virtues of innocence and unspoiled beauty. Examples are given by the Duke of how easily she is impressed by nature and the simple pleasures of life. He claims he is disgusted by her ability to see natural beauty as an equal delectation with his name and matrimony. Then very subtly he tells the envoy how he gave orders to have "all smiles stopped together" (line 46). The envoy is completely aware of the truth about the ordered killings and the Duke’ s greedy reasoning for marrying the niece of the Count. The contemptuous way of the Duke is made perfectly clear to the envoy, and the envoy begins to leave. The delegate is completely aware of the truth about the ordered killings and the Duke’s greedy reasoning for marrying the niece of the Count. The Duke elaborates his reasoning for marrying the duchess, by declaring it is only for the dowry.

Out of School Youth Essay

ASEM Trust Fund for the Asian Financial Crisis Implementation Completion Memorandum Philippine Out-of-School Children and Youth Development (POSCYD) Project ASEM Trust Fund No. 023514 Background and Objectives: In the Philippines, the trend for the past ten years show that for every 10 pupils who enroll in grade school, only 7 graduate. The same ratio is experienced among the high school students. Main reasons cited for dropping-out are mostly poverty related. While basic education is free, many poor families are unable to finance the ancillary school needs of their children. Deprived of completing high school education, the out-of-school youth are further marginalized from acquiring technical skills. As mandated by the law, technical education in the Philippines is a post secondary course. The continuing inability of many poor young people to complete basic education and/or undertake technical education, consign them to the vicious cycle of poverty. Their lack of education constrains their access to better-paying jobs or ability to succeed in entrepreneurial pursuits, all of which require higher degree of literacy. Workers with solid foundation in technical education, have better chances of landing jobs. Amidst increasing incidence of out of school youth exacerbated by political and economic crises, the project seeks to: 1. develop and test mechanisms that will enable children in the age group 7 to 14 to be schooled or remain in school; and 2. pilot the implementation of an employment and entrepreneurship program for youth in the 15 to 24 year age group, integrating technical skills development with life skills development. TF no. 023514 was implemented in conjunction with TF no. 023513, which is bank managed. Achievement of Trust Fund Objectives1 Under TF no. 023514, a total of 16 sub-projects were funded from ASEM World Bank grant to the POSCYD Project. Of the 16, two (2) sub-projects focused on bringing back out-of-school children and youth back to formal in-school and another two (2) through alternative learning system for their basic education. Eleven (11) sub-projects provided integrated technical education and one (1) provided formal in-school basic education and integrated technical education to different sets of beneficiaries. In addition to the 16, a youth summit held in the 16 regions in the country led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development was also funded. Please see attachment for list and briefs of the 16 sub-projects funded under TF023514 1 A total of 566 poor out-of-school children and youth went back to formal primary or secondary school through three (3) sub-projects. They were provided with ancillary school needs such as uniforms, shoes, bags, notebooks and subsidy for school fees, transportation expenses, school projects and field trips. For those who have no access or cannot attend regular classes, alternative learning systems in basic education were provided. The Accreditation and Equivalency (A & E) Program of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, Department of Education (DepEd), was offered to a total of 753 out-of-school youth who wanted to achieve an equivalency of high school education and another 300 participated in the Angelicum College Home Study Program, a private initiative. A total of 1,290 high school dropouts were enrolled in integrated technical education . All of the technical education courses undertaken by the target beneficiaries are tied up with skills that are in demand by different industries and provide for on-the-job training and employment assistance. Alternative learning system, to resolve deficiencies in basic education and life skills training, to enable the youth to cope with personal and interpersonal conflicts are incorporated in these courses. A â€Å"Skills for Life† Program, specially designed for the Filipino Youth, was developed with assistance from the International Youth Foundation (IYF). Except for one (1), all sub-project proponents sent participants to the teacher’s training course conducted in May and November/December 2001 by a consultant of IYF. In cooperation with the DepEd, training for Non-formal Education A & E Program instructional managers was provided to teachers from 11 integrated technical education sub-project proponents. The Youth Labor Demand Study was completed and now serves as reference material for the POSCYD Project Team and is made available to other interested parties. The 16 sub-projects funded were implemented with counterpart resources from government, business sector and civil society organizations. Concerted resource generation and complementation has, however, not been achieved at the national level and to a limited extent at the local level. The POSCYD Project has an Oversight Board that provides direction and general policies and does the final review of sub-project proposals for funding through its Executive Committee. There is also a Technical Working Committee that recommends to the Oversight Board general directions to take and sub-project proposals for approval. Together with direct beneficiaries of the TF # 23513, the POSCYD Project exceeded its target of 3,000 by 1,872 for a total of 4, 872. With the average trend of about 15% dropout rate, the resulting net direct beneficiaries is 4,119, exceeding the 3,000 target by about 37%. It must be noted, however, that one integrated technical education proponent, the Laguna State Polytechnic College, a government school (funded under TF #23513), offered the curriculum it developed under its POSCYD Project funded subproject, as a subject to high school graduates taking information/communication technology courses. The said sub-project has total of 553 students who finished or are still undertaking the subject. Execution Experience and Results The formal start of the Project was delayed by about eight (8) months due to the need to design a working arrangement, as articulated in the memorandum of agreement, acceptable to both the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Children and Youth Foundation of the Philippines (CYFP). Both institutions, DSWD (representing government) and CYFP (representing civil society) were new to the working and funding arrangements that involved financial and technical support from a multilateral organization like World Bank. Furthermore, there were no precedents to use as references. 2 Most competency building programs in the country for the out-of-school children and youth are addressed to those in especially difficult circumstances or are of above average intelligence and diligence. Furthermore, technical education is a post secondary course in the Philippines. Except for one, it was the first time for all the sub-project proponents in integrated technical education to accept substantial numbers of high school dropouts as trainees. Given the opportunity, most poor out-of-school children and youth, are interested to undertake basic and/or technical education. Among those who took advantage of the initiatives of the POSCYD Project, however, many were forced to dropout again. They are usually the ones who have to help augment family income, regularly perform household chores and/or take care of their younger siblings. Others could simply not afford out-of-pocket expenses such as transportation expenses despite the subsidy that some of the sub-project proponents provided. Among the estimated 15% of the out-of-school children and youth who were assisted to enroll in formal/non-formal basic education and integrated technical education that once more discontinued their studies, poverty is still the most prevalent reason. They are said to come from the poorest of the poor who sometimes go to school without breakfast, would eat candies for lunch and hardly have any transportation money. Money they spend is usually money that is taken away from the daily food needs of their families, thus they opt to work if jobs are available. Among the out-of-school children and youth who were brought back to formal school for their basic education, the dropout rate is 13%. If compared to the estimated national average dropout rate in school year 1997-98 of 7. 42% for grade school and 10. 76% in high school, the experience of the POSCYD Project would seem high. It must, however, be noted that the base used in the computation that resulted to 7% national drop out rate included all students, not just the poor ones. Without the initiative of the POSCYD Project, its total of 870 beneficiaries (TF 23513 & TF 23514) in formal in-school basic education would have remained out-of-school. Home based alternative learning system is an answer to the basic education needs of those not willing or could not go back to formal school for different reasons. About 12% of those who enrolled in the A & E program of Department of Education implemented by a proponent, discontinued their studies. Finishers of this system who pass the Department Education testing can work with the government and/or enroll in specific universities for their college education. Demand for this type of basic education is relatively high in places like Maguindanao and Cotabato City where there is serious peace and order problem and suffering from lack of secondary high schools. The A & E sub-project based in these areas and funded under TF no. 023513, requested to increase their target beneficiaries from 300 to 400. The proponent eventually had a total of 433 A & E enrollees. It is noteworthy to mention that among the 1,156 who finished the A & E Program, 82, pursued higher A & E lessons, 111 attended vocational education, 124 enrolled back in formal school to finish basic education, 38 went on to college and 98 found employment/self-employment. Another alternative learning system in basic education is the Home Study Program of Angelicum College. It follows its regular curricula for elementary and high school, but specially designed for those who could not attend regular classes in a formal school due to poverty, distance from school, need to work or illness. Students study at their own paces and are assisted by any tutor who has had higher education. Some of its clients are young prisoners. Out of the total 300 enrollees from different areas, 19. 7% dropped out. Main reasons cited are inability of tutors to reach participants from far-flung areas, transfer of residences and lost of interest. Among the enrollees in integrated technical education, those prone to dropping out again are the ones in especially difficult circumstances and those undertaking courses with more than six (6) month time frames. If the beneficiaries of the Laguna State Polytechnic College (who catered to high school graduates and offered curricula developed as a subje ct in tertiary education) were to be deducted from the total 3 integrated technical education beneficiaries of the POSCYD Project, the dropout rate would increase from 15% to 17%. This is high compared to the national average, which is said to be below 10%. 2 Inspite of the attempt of several sub-project proponents to provide additional subsidy such as transportation money and meals, dropout rates continue to be high. Since they are considered of age (16 to 24 years old), often, there is pressure from their own selves and/or their parents to earn to help augment family income. Among the poor Filipino families, it is not unusual for the elder children to sacrifice opportunities for higher education to help send their siblings to school or provide for their basic needs. To minimize a repeat of their dropping out of school or alternative learning systems, sub-project proponents intensified their support services by the providing the beneficiaries with support activities such as tutoring/remedial classes, mentoring, counseling and student and parent participation. The sub-project proponents of the Project are all well experienced in the implementation of basic education and/or technical education programs. Most of them, as mentioned earlier in this report, had no previous program for the out-of-school youth or high school undergraduates. The sub-project proponents had to beef up and intensify certain support services which they normally do not offer to their target beneficiaries. It was further observed that many of them tend to lack skills in planning, monitoring and evaluation. Thus, they were provided with technical assistance and training in these functions of project management to improve the effectiveness of their education programs. To further improve their effectiveness, selected proponents were provided with training in the implementation of the NFE A & E Program of the DepEd, Skills for Life Program for Filipino Youth and the first phase of Building Local Tri-Sector Partnerships. To maximize the employment of graduates of technical education graduates, priority in the selection of sub-projects, was given to institutions with existing industry tie -ups or are willing to tie -up courses offered with industries. These tie -ups include not only providing opportunities for apprenticeship and employment of graduates, but in the revision of curricula to suit the specific labor needs of the industries that are in demand. The worsening economic situation is negatively affecting these industry tie -ups. Some companies that used to offer allowances to technical education students undergoing apprenticeship can no longer afford to do so. Many of those who considered employment of technical education graduates have served notice that they cannot absorb new workers. An assessment done by an outside agency showed that despite the bad economic situation in the country, the trend in employment/selfemployment rate of technical education beneficiaries of the POSCYD Project is 70%, compared to the national average of 44% In terms of partnerships, sub-project proponents were able to tap resources from more than 200 different institutions that belong to the government, civil society and/or business sector. Among the contributed resources are technical assistance, training, tools/equipment, materials, use of facilities, community participation and to a limited extent, allowances of students. Of the overall estimated value of counterpart resources infused into the POSCYD Project from the three (3) sectors, about 9% each came from government and business sector, 18% from civil society and 27% from the sub-project proponents. About 39% of the resources of the POSCYD Project came from the ASEM Fund financial grant. Based on this experience, it is obvious that there is a greater need to find more strategies on how to tap resources from government and business sector. The planned building of local tri-sector partnerships did not materialize as projected. The initial attempt to organize regional consortia was rejected by institutions from the three (3) sectors consulted in the five (5) target regions. They advised that with limited resources, the POSCYD Project must focus on 2 Estimated national dropout rate of less than 10% is based on experience of technical schools that offer courses to high school graduates and which do not necessarily focus on poor out-of-school youth. 4 localized tri-sector partnerships. Thus, the Project is now focusing on assisting proponents in the development of local tri-sector partnerships that will revolve around the out-of-school youth and the specific education services offered. Only two (2) of the five (5) planned local tri-sector partnerships were organized. The Philippine Peso steadily devaluated from P38 to P50 per US$1 resulting to shortfall in the usage of the US$780,000 ASEM Grant from World Bank. In Philippine Peso term, however, the Project was able to spend more than the original budget with concurrence from World Bank. Emerging Lessons The experience in the initial pilot phase of the POSCYD Project points to the following emerging lessons in building the competencies of the out-of-school children and youth: 1. Government, civil society and business organizations come from different cultures, but with patience and openness, these three (3) sectors can closely work together to maximize Project benefits. 2. The ordinary poor out-of-school children and youth who are basic education dropouts is a relatively neglected sub-sector. 3. Poor out-of-school children and youth have special learning needs brought about by their deficient cognitive experiences and lack of psycho-social skills that must be understood by all those who will be involved in their education. In addition to meeting their ancillary education expenses, they need to be provided with support services such as mentoring/tutoring, counseling and life skills training. 4. Youth and parent participation have also been determined as important factors in minimizing discontinuance in the education of former out-of-school children and youth. 5. The dropout rate becomes even higher for students in especially difficult circumstances such as extreme poverty, victims of abuse and those coming from dysfunctional families. These types of students would need a lot of financial and intensified support services for them to sustain their education. 6. There is a big demand for alternative learning systems in basic education, specially in areas where there is prevalence of abject poverty (slum areas), critical peace and order situation and/or lack of access to elementary and high schools. Government should encourage, cultivate and recognize the private sector’s initiative to develop innovative learning systems to meet varying demands of the youth. 7. Direct tie -ups with industries for curriculum development/revision, apprenticeship of students and employment of graduates are important to ensuring high employment rates of beneficiaries. 8. One-on-one partnerships with different organizations from government, civil soci ty and business e sector can be successful. However, partnership with government is affected by patronage politics and with business sector, by the economic situation in the country. 9. Building organized local tri-sector partnership can be realized, but difficult to start and even more difficult to maintain. There is a need to identify and work with â€Å"champions† from the target sectors and a point person within the organization who can devote time to crucial activities. 10. Institutions providing competency build ing opportunities to the youth can be good in implementation, but usually need strengthening in terms of project planning, monitoring and evaluation and adaptation of support mechanisms necessary for out-of-school children and youth beneficiaries. Activity Sustainability At the local level, sub-project proponents are being assisted in the building of tri-sector partnerships that will take the lead in generating and complementing resources for out-of-school children and youth concerns in general, and the education services offered to them in particular. It is envisioned that to large 5 extent, organized tri-sector partnerships shall enable the sub-project proponents to maximize generation of resources and not become entirely dependent on funding agencies. It is, however, a reality that generation of local resources can be limited, especially in small cities and towns and poorer provinces. Thus, sub-project proponents must be referred to other funding agencies At the national level, there is a need to promote actively out-of-school children and youth concerns and strategies that will enable them to go back to school or undertake technical education. In this way, more institutions from the different sectors of society will hopefully put more focus in allevia ting the situation. The large number of out-of –school children and youth underscores the need for government, civil society and business sector to jointly remedy the situation. Overall Assessment Over-all, we believe that the project was successful in meeting its objectives. The results show that it has exceeded its physical targets. Long-term benefits are expected to be felt by the recipients and important lessons have been generated which will assist the various stakeholders in designing future interventions for OSY. Data Sheet Trust Fund No: TF23514 Project ID No. : P065823 Project Title: PILOT PROJECT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH Recipient Country: Philippines Project Executed by: Recipient Sector: Education Task Team Leader: Teresa J. Ho Managing Unit: EASHD Grant Approval Date: Grant Amount: (in US$) Grant Agreement Date: Closing Date: April 29, 1999 US$780,000 June 7, 2000 October 31, 2001 FY Disbursements (actuals in US$) (as of reporting date) 2000 Amount US$ 78,000. 00 FY 2001 Amount US$ 521,285. 95 FY 2002 Amount US$ 26,665. 70 6 1. Lists of consultant contracts awarded: 1. 1 Erda Tech Foundation, Inc. 1. 2 Mary Help of Christians – 1st sub-project – 2nd sub-project 1. 3 Phil. NGO Council on Population Health & Welfare 1. 4 Angelicum College, Inc. 1. 5 Ayala Foundation, Inc. 1. 6 Pearl S. Buck International, Inc. 1. 7 Valenzuela City Gov’t. 1. 8 Paranaque Dev’t. Foundation, Inc. 1. 9 Center for Social Research-VISCA 1. 10 National Training School for Boys 1. 11 Salesian Society of St. John Bosco-Borongan 1. 12 Department of Social Welfare & Development (Youth Summit) 1. 13 Taguig Jewelry Producers, Inc 1. 14 Meralco Foundation, Inc. 1. 15 Holy Trinity College 1. 16 Don Bosco Technical Institute-Makati( 2nd subproject) 1. 17 Phil. Business for Social Progress-Evaluation of Sub-projects 1. 18 Center for Labor Education, Advocacy, and Research Development Foundation, Inc. 2. Visibility (mention of funding sources in Contracts, publications, seminars, etc. ) -Partners Orientation & Planning workshops -Accreditation & Equivalency -Building Local Tri-Sectoral Partnership -Sub-Project Assessment -Post Project Evaluation 3. Incremental Operating Costs-CYFP Amount: (in US$) 46,796. 91 25,833. 86 22,108. 50 35,484. 06 17,158. 54 42,094. 84 15,917. 21 6,994. 66 31,830. 23 17,313. 81 14,359. 84 16,686. 42 39,153. 70 20,277. 63 36,713. 63 27,462. 82 52,491. 02 16,634. 10 8,867. 61 19,913. 01 Nationality: Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino American Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino Filipino 111,963. 36 Filipino _________ TOTAL $ 626,055. 76 1. Compliance with visibility provision (as notified to you upon internal approval of the proposed grant) Proponents of sub-projects were oriented that funding for the POSCYD Project came from ASEM-World Bank. In documents that specify grants received, ASEM-World Bank is always acknowledged as the source of funding. In the POSCYD Project Orientation meetings held in the five (5) target regions and for different interest groups, ASEM was always mentioned as the source of the World Bank Grant for the Project. The same holds true for workshops conducted. In the mid-term Project assessment review attended by the President Gloria MacapagalArroyo and leaders from government, civil society and business sector, the affair was labeled as the POSCYD Project ASEM Grant Mid-Term Review. The ASEM Grant to the POSCYD Project is always acknowledged in all reports prepared. 7 BRIEF PROFILES OF ASSISTED PROJECTS under the ASEM $780,000. 00 GRANT Formal Basic Education Project Title and Brief Basic Education Project for Out of School Children and Youth or Children and Youth at Risk of Dropping Out of School (Subic, Zambales and San Jose del Monte Bulacan – Region 3) A replication of the on-going sponsorship project in Ormoc City, aimed at bringing back out-of-school children and youth to formal school in elementary and high school. The project shoulders the basic education of 300 OSCY and CYRDOS. Proponent’s Profile Pearl S. Buck International, Inc. Pearl S. Buck International was founded in 1968 by the late Nobel and Pulitzer-prize winning author Pearl S. Buck. It has set up various offices around the country including one in Ormoc City. Among PSBI’s educational activities include: early childhood care and development, enhancing families ability to manage and sustain their children’s education, school attendance support, and a study now pay later assistance to vocational and college students. It also offers livelihood skills training, micro-credit assistance and savings mobilization, and job placement services. Paranaque Development Foundation, Inc. Paranaque Development Foundation, Inc. (PDFI) was organized and registered in the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 28, 1968. The organization is focused on the organization of grassroots groups as well as the integration and synchronization of the various social service organizations. PDFI aims to mobilize the different sectors in creating a mutually loving, caring, and sharing community that will provide the poor the capabilities to be self-reliant. Inputs of Partners Rustan Corp. and Little Caesar’s Corp. have pledged sponsorship assistance for beneficiaries who intend to pursue vocational courses. These companies have also promised to provide financial support for the life skills training of the learners. Integrated Project for Marginalized OSCY (Paranaque City – NCR) A formal education project aimed at bringing back out-of-school children and youth to formal school in elementary and high school. The project sponsors the basic education of 300 Paranaque-based OSCY . Parent volunteers have committed to assist PDFI in recruiting beneficiaries, assessing project implementation, and monitoring of project accomplishments. Save the Children – US and Terre des Hommes have expressed willingness to fund the training on peer counseling and life skills, and family/community support respectively. The local barangay council has been tapped to provide assistance to the health seminars. The Japanese Embassy has committed to provide sewing machines and other equipment for the training of adult members of the trainees’ families. The Rotary Club of Paranaque shall be tapped to fund the training. Accreditation and Equivalency (A & E) – ALS Non-Formal Education – Accreditation and Equivalency for the Out of School Youth (Bacoor, Cavite – Region 4) A facilitation and conduct of the Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education–Department of Education, Culture and Sports, aimed at preparing OSCY in Bacoor, Cavite in attaining equivalency for their educational level. The project facilitates the A&E education of 700 OSCY clients. Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc. PNGOC is a registered private voluntary organization founded in 1987 by 17 national and local population NGOs. The organization was envisioned to create self-reliant and socially responsible Filipino families. PNGOC embraces five program thrusts namely: networking, advocacy, organizational development, human resource development, and provision of technical and financial assistance to small NGOs in the countryside. The DECS-BNFE provided the framework of the Non-Formal Education – Accreditation and Equivalency and facilitated the training of the PNGOC instructional managers (IMs). The local government of Bacoor, Cavite provided the learning centers being utilized by the learners as well as developed and disseminated the advocacy information on the project. 8 Home Study Program – ALS The Home Study Program (Palawan, Leyte and Occidental Mindoro) A formal alternative learning system that shall enable OSY to graduate from elementary and high school with an Angelicum Diploma without hav ing to attend school every day —they can attend to schoolwork within their homes. Selflearning modules based on a formal education curriculum are provided the learners. The project assists 300 OSCY in pursuing their basic education through formal ALS. Angelicum College Angelicum College was founded on July 5, 1972 as an alternative school that veers away from the traditional educational system. Through the efforts of Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, proponent of the Home Study Program, the school was able to solicit funding from former President Joseph Estrada’s Social Fund. Consequently, the school was able to offer the Program, for free, to out of school youth. From July to August 2000, the total OSY enrolled in the Program has reached about 2000 in 50 different areas throughout the country. Three partner implementors, Runggiyan Foundation (Leyte), Plan International (Mindoro), and Holy Trinity College (Palawan) are managing and coordinating the operations of the Home Study Program in their respective areas. With support from the LGUs, Sangguniang Kabataan, and community elders, the partner implementors identified, recruited, screened, and selected the OSY beneficiaries, and identified, recruited and deployed the volunteer coordinators and volunteer tutors. The LGUs pledged to assist the partner implementors follow up and monitor the Volunteers. Technical Education PALIHAN III: Technical and Vocational Skills Training for OSYs (Metro Manila, NCR) A technical skills training and placement for urban poor out-of-school youth in Metro Manila. â€Å"Palihan† means anvil or mould. Hence, it embodies the ideal of molding the OSY to become productive and responsible citizens. Technical courses offered include: Food Processing, Food Service, Leather Craft, Cons truction Work, and Glass Etching. The project intends to assist the non-formal technical education of 200 OSY. Empowering Disadvantaged Women in Pampanga (Mabalacat, Pampanga, Region 3) A technical skills training in industrial electronics for sexually abused and prostituted young women in the province of Pampanga and their placement in electronics firms at the special economic zone. The project purposes to benefit 80 female OSY who are enrolled in formal technical education. ERDA TECH Foundation ERDA TECH Foundation, established in 1996, is a non-stock, not for profit foundation dedicated to assisting children and youth age 12 to 18 years old who are disadvantaged by poverty. The Foundation’s main goal is to get children and youth, from the streets and from poor communities, who are interested in pursuing a secondary education with a vocational program that will train and nurture them into becoming productive members of society — meaning, being able to earn a living, becoming physically and emotionally stable and prepared to start a decent family life. Mary Help of Christians-Technology Center for Women The Mary Help of Christians – Technology Center for Women was established in 1993 to provide a home and school for disadvantaged young women where they can learn various employable technical skills. In hopes of molding trainees to become good and productive Christians, the Center has integrated the technical education course with values education, ethics and Christian Living. The Center has a 100% placement rate and has since graduated 120 young women who are now regular employees in various companies. Jewelry Skills Training and Placement Project for OSY in Taguig (Taguig, National Capital Region) Taguig Jewelry Producers’ Cooperative The TJPC is the pioneering group of skilled jewelry makers in Metro Manila, having been TJPC was assisted by TESDA, which arranged for the use of the training venue and other training facilities. Congessional funds shall help cover the administrative cost of the The technical education of the trainees is a collaborative effort between ERDA TECH and the Marikina Institute of Science and Technology (MIST). MIST provided training facilities and equipment needed for the training. Jollibee Foods Corp. has committed to accept the trainees for the in-plant training as well as their job placement. Enzio, Corp. has also agreed to employ the graduates of the training course. Spencer & Co. shall help shoulder the transportation and meal allowances of the trainees in the in-plant training. As part of the business sector’s contribution to the project, the post-training employment of the young women will be at the follow ing semicon companies: American Power Conversion, National Electronic Corporation, Amertron, Inc. , Sanyo Semiconductors, Luen Thai, and Computer Data Center, Inc. The Municipal Mayor of Mabalacat town in Pampanga provided the transport allowances of the trainees. 9 A technical skills training in jewelry making for OSY in Taguig and their placement in jewelry firms in Metro Manila. For its initial batch, the project aims to graduate 35 OSY trainees in jewelry making. registered as a cooperative in July 1994. TJPC is composed of 28 members/ shareholders and boasts of a strong network of 3,337 cooperatives in the Metro Manila area where it can draw support in terms of dealership or marketing of jewelry products.