Public School Education free essay sample

Public education in the United States has become one of the largest and most dynamic quality control problems in our modern society. Despite our access to the technological advances of our time, we have been unable to maintain our preeminent status among the world’s most educated societies. The Department of Education published data demonstrating that our rank has dropped from the leader in the educational field to the unthinkable rank of 19th in the world today (1). I would dissolve the present management system of decentralized and many times disconnected educational standards and implement a superior system which vertically integrates curriculum selection equivalent to the highest international level with teacher efficiency measurements and rewards to resurrect the United States public school education programs. Our governments departments of education could implement and regulate the quality of public education throughout the United States. Our current methodology allows individual states to implement standards, select curriculum programs and set qualification minimums for their teachers. We will write a custom essay sample on Public School Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The result is that few if any of the states concur on the best academic solution for their students. Currently, a universally defined program of curriculum and instructor effectiveness measurement that is homogenously implemented by all states does not exist. Beyond the philosophical differences that state leaders may have, the three main issues which seem to be the most obvious hurdles are the unequal budgets, unequal certification standards for teachers, and a dearth of institutions within the states to train teachers to harness modern technology sufficiently and specifically. A possible solution to these issues would be to create a national program that not only standardizes curriculum programmatically but also regulates teachers unions and teachers groups to achieve the same standards and requirements of teaching acumen and curricula throughout the public school systems all over the United States. Establishing and implementing a pay scale for all teachers based on data that includes personal educational achievements, performance of their students on standardized tests, the difficulty of the curriculum that they are teaching as well as length of service as a teacher is the best resolution of teacher pay disputes. From this scale, which would have regionally measured cost of living benchmarks, teachers will be paid a set amount uniformly all over the United States. This solution would assist the boards of education of states in which the teachers have unionized and often wield their power detrimentally. Teachers need to have a uniform set of performance standards, uniform protocol and sequencing for implementing the curriculum, and a uniform menu of world class curriculum to follow. This renovated approach would ensure that the public education in the United States is in fact meeting higher standards and is equitably administered, regardless of the state in which one lives. If these new regulations were enforced, the system would eliminate much frustration and disharmony amongst teachers, reduce or negate teacher strikes which can be detrimental to the learning process of the students. Furthermore, taxes and fees originating from the nation’s tax base would be both indisputably disseminated by following the measurement matrix mechanism and consistently available on an annual basis. With these types of regulations and changes, it would ensure that students living in financially poor states would have the same opportunity to world class education as the students in a financially stable state. This system would raise the standards of public education, level the playing field for all students and allow them all an equal opportunity to succeed on a globally competitive scale. (1)-US Department of education

An Outline for Business School Essays

An Outline for Business School Essays In the previous page we discussed the importance of creating a personalized writing schedule for your school essay. Now that you have (hopefully) completed that task, I would like to introduce the next step in the application essay process: producing an outline. Producing a quality outline is crucial in writing a noteworthy composition. In my opinion, the more defined the outline, the better the essay. Regardless of what type of school essay you are planning to write, it always helps to first develop an outline. For the sake of argument, lets say that you are writing a business school essay. Business school essays are no different from any other types of essays in terms of the creative process. Like any composition, you must first create an outline. An outline is simply a condensed treatment of a particular subject. In this case, the subject is business school essays. Therefore, the formula for your business school essay might include a section on the personal events in your life which led you to direct your studies towards a degree in business administration. Whatever the topic, make sure that your outline includes specific instructions on what youd like to include in your composition. Create your school essay as you would a road map. Be precise, be defined, and above all be logical. From business school essays to undergraduate admissions compositions, one thing is for certain: the better the outline the better the paper. I recommend that you take a few days to create your outline. Once you feel confident with your treatment, you can advance to the next step. In the meanwhile, if you have any questions about MBA essays or if you would like to see samples of quality admissions essays, I suggest that you access the adjacent link.

What Are the Benefits of Earning an IB Diploma?

In past posts on the blog , you may have noticed that when we talk about AP courses and exams , we sometimes mention another acronym that may not sound as familiar to you: IB. This stands for International Baccalaureate , and represents another advanced educational option for high school students that exists alongside the AP program. While the IB program isn’t as popular as the AP program in the United States, it can definitely be a worthwhile option for those who have access to it. In particular, earning an IB diploma, which requires that you take certain courses and fulfill additional academic and extracurricular obligations, can be an impressive qualification to add to your resume. Read on for more information about the IB Diploma Programme and how an IB diploma can enhance both your high school experience and your college prospects. International Baccalaureate is an overarching organization that administers a number of different educational programs for students ages 3 to 19. Its curricula are used by specially trained teachers at certified schools throughout the world, and it prides itself on providing â€Å"rigorous, high-quality education† to its students. The most familiar IB program to high school students in the United States is the IB Diploma Programme, or IBDP, which is offered to students between the ages of 16 and 19. When you hear about â€Å"IB courses† being offered at a high school, it means that that school has been certified to offer the IBDP. (Students may be able to take some IB courses without enrolling in the full IBDP curriculum.) In some ways, the IB program is similar to the AP program—it’s a way for high school students to take advanced, rigorous courses. However, there are two main differences. For one thing, the IB program is much less popular than the AP program among high schools in the United States, and you since you can’t self-study IB courses, its availability is limited. In addition to this, the IB program is far more focused on presenting a cohesive overall curriculum with specific requirements that culminates in a diploma. While the AP program offers a similar option in the AP Capstone Diploma , most students don’t approach the AP program in that way. For a more detailed explanation of the International Baccalaureate organization, and especially the IB Diploma Programme, check out the Beginner’s Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program . The IBDP is a two-year academic program that, as we’ve mentioned, is open to students aged 16 to 19—in other words, high school students. Upon successfully completing the program and all its requirements, students can earn the IB diploma, which is a significant credential for college applications and other purposes. Academically, the IBDP requires students to take courses and pass exams in six specific subject areas. Three or four of these subjects must be taken at the more challenging â€Å"Higher† level, while the rest can be taken at the â€Å"Standard† level. In addition to this coursework, the IBDP has three more major requirements. First, students must write a lengthy essay based on independent research. Second, students must take a Theory of Knowledge course, which covers critical thinking and epistemology. Third, students must participate in a certain number and range of extracurricular activities. Earning the IB diploma means that you’ve done much more than take a few IB courses. Instead, you’ve undertaken a particular kind of high school education that is meant to teach you not only history, math, and other subjects, but also how to better analyze and understand the information you’ll encounter in school and beyond. Along with this stated purpose, an IB diploma can be an asset for you in a number of different ways, especially as you take on the college admissions process. Below, we’ll go over some of the main benefits of working toward and receiving an IB diploma. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. The IBDP is well-known throughout the world for the high quality of the coursework it offers. The strength of the IB curriculum, as well as the extensive training that IB teachers and school administrators are required to undergo, help the program to maintain this high standard. The respect that the IBDP enjoys means that no matter where you go, colleges will understand and positively view the effort you’ve put into earning your IB diploma. College admissions officers in particular will be familiar with the program’s reputation, making an IB diploma an excellent way of demonstrating your academic prowess. Strong performance in school is, of course, an important component of what competitive colleges look for in applicants. This is typically represented in your application by your GPA , transcript, and class rank. However, since every high school is different, colleges can’t always be sure what your grades actually mean compared to those of other applicants. Programs like the IBDP help colleges to evaluate applicants by providing a single curriculum that’s used worldwide, allowing admissions officers to more precisely assess your performance. Since this program is known to be rigorous, doing well in your IB courses and earning your IB diploma indicates to colleges that you’re an objectively strong student. Earning an IB diploma also shows you’re willing to take on special academic challenges. You’ve chosen to go beyond the typical high school curriculum and pursue a goal that asks more of you, including substantial independent work on topics of your own choosing. This is something that every competitive college values. As we’ve mentioned, the IB program is less popular and well-known in the United States than, for example, the AP program. You must take IB courses at a certified high school—self-studying is not allowed—which limits the number of students who can participate. The expense and training required to get certified as an IB school can also contribute to its relative rarity at high schools. What this means for you is that if you have an IB diploma, you’ll be among a relatively small portion of the college applicant pool with this qualification.   This distinction shows that you’ve not only taken on academic challenges, but done so through a program that’s widely known to be reputable and rigorous and require a good deal of independent work from its graduates. Not every student can present such a prestigious qualification when they fill out their college applications, and this relative uniqueness is an advantage. In addition to the novelty of IB participation itself, certain elements of the IB Diploma Programme may give you the opportunity to do especially interesting and original academic work that will give you additional chances to set yourself apart from other applicants. As we mentioned, you’re required to complete a substantial independent research project in order to receive your IB diploma. Your choice of topic for this project can say a lot about you, and your ability to handle the challenges of independent work and create something truly original will render you a unique and recognizable candidate come application season. One particular perk of the IB program is that it can be useful not only in the college application process, but also once you get to college. Like AP test results , your IB courses can sometimes be used by colleges to determine placement and credit. Depending on your school, you may be able to be placed in higher-level courses as a result of your IB experience, or you might receive credit outright for your IB courses, which can enable you to save time and money in getting your degree. Colorado and Texas have even passed laws requiring colleges in those states to award college credit to students with IB diplomas. If you’re interested in attending college outside the United States full-time (as opposed to on a short-term basis as a study abroad student), an IB diploma may be particularly useful to you. Since other countries have different academic systems and pathways to a university education, it can be difficult for students from the US to gain entrance. The international recognition of the IB diploma can help to bridge this gap. Some examples of countries that accept the IB diploma for entrance into universities are France, Spain, Italy, India, and Turkey. Additionally, some universities offer scholarships specifically for IB diploma holders. While each country and school has additional requirements you’ll need to meet, an IB diploma can be of great help in the process. Finally, aside from college admissions concerns, getting your IB diploma can simply be a very satisfying intellectual experience in its own right. The IB program is designed not only to provide you with rigorous course content, but also to help you learn how to think, analyze, and critically consider materials in the way that your college will eventually expect. The independent projects that are part of the IB curriculum can be enjoyable as well. Some high school students don’t get many opportunities to focus their energies on the topics they consider interesting. Studying a topic that really moves you can bring out your intellectual best in a way that your daily classwork may not. Going through the full IB Diploma Programme isn’t for everyone, and as we mentioned, it isn’t available everywhere. If you have access to this option, however, it can be a strong addition to your college application profile as well as an aid to your intellectual development. You can find more advice on whether IB is right for you and handling your IB coursework in these posts from the blog : To learn more about IB, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program . You can also visit the official International Baccalaureate website at www.ibo.org . Looking for more personal assistance with managing your high school goals? Check out our Student Mentorship Program to see how our experienced near-peer mentors can help you to identify your passions and prepare for the college application process.

Enforced Democracy under American Occupation Essay

Enforced Democracy under American Occupation - Essay Example control of the nation reversed Japan's zealous colonial ambitions earlier in the twentieth century to subjugate neighboring Asian populations in the name of Hakko Ichiu (Nishi 22). The moral goal of Hakko Ichiu, construed by the Japanese national religion of Shintoism, was a perceived mandate of manifest destiny for Japan as the first created Asian state, to bring the corners of the world together under kodo, the unity of the Imperial Way, in subservience to the divine Emperor. In fact, Japanese military aggression in the Pacific purportedly had the inspired objective of freeing Asian neighbors from western European and American imperialism to create a peaceful and prosperous eastern constituency. Japan's war-time government envisaged an imperial empire as the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (Tsunoda 294). As outlined explicitly in the plan: It is necessary to foster the increased power of the empire, to cause East Asia to return to its original form of independence and co-prosperity by shaking off the yoke of Europe and America, and to let its countries and peoples develop their respective abilities in peaceful cooperation and secure livelihood. (Tsunoda 294) At the At the dnouement of the ill-fated endeavor, with Japan forced to laid down its arms, the nation was occupied by foreigners for the first time in the long annals of its history. Townsend states that the fact that the Supreme Command of the Allied Powers was short of qualified personnel to administer Japan compelled General MacArthur to make judicious use of the time-honored Japanese civic structure and existing public agencies to implement his post-war objectives (207) after first purging vast numbers of Japanese military and civilians who had been complicit in the war. MacArthur dismissed five million Japanese troops from military service, set hearings for war crimes, identified nationals as known co-conspirators within the military command and suppressed the zaibatsu, but discreetly spared Emperor Hirohito (Townson 207). In the years before surrender the Japanese people had lived under a repressive regime whose fierce ambitions were fueled by an obsessive nationalism through its radical misreading of Japan's future as embodied in the manuscripts of its ancient Shinto religion. The prominent zaibatsu controlled almost all its commerce (Price 18). Journalism had been censored, academic freedoms were curtailed and dissidents had been mercilessly suppressed by the secret police, while every facet of Japanese social life had succumbed in subservience to the self-sacrificing civic compliance mandated by the war effort (Nishi 22). The zaibatsu were powerful family-owned banking and industrial syndicates that played key roles in Japanese economic development in the decades before the onset of World War II. By 1937 the four chief zaibatsu had cemented tight relations with the main political parties and firmly dominated half of all Japanese shipbuilding and maritime transport, a third of all bank assets, a third of all foreign trade, and virtually all of Japan's heavy industry (Sugita 21). Under the U.S. occupation, the termination of the zaibatsu topped one of the chief objectives in the postwar strategy of the

Contribution of Motivation in Reducing Employee Turnover in the Essay

Contribution of Motivation in Reducing Employee Turnover in the Banking Sector - Essay Example In turn employees expect fair pay, good working conditions, proper tools and equipments, secure career, fair treatment, advancement training, power, as well as involvement in making decisions amongst many other needs (Nandanwar, Surnis, and Nandanwar, 2010: p9). Expectations from both employees and employers vary with organization and individual thus the burden experienced by top management in ensuring that there is no conflict of the interests and needs. Addressing employees’ expectations requires understanding of employee motivation. Employee motivation is one aspect of human resource management with its main function being uplifting the morale and spirit of work amongst employees (Sara, Katharina, and Sverke, 2009: p4). Uplifted spirit and morale enhance meeting of set targets, objectives, aims, goals, and standards while at the same time following established rules and regulations. Notably, employee motivation reduces movement in an out of an organization (Wilson and Madse n, 2008). In fact, employee motivation enhances retention of individuals within a firm hence reduction of employee turnover, which has so far proved to be very costly in terms of time and other resources. Banking industry is a very sensitive sector as it deals with customers’ money and other valuables. ... Within this proposal, research aims and objectives coupled with an overview of the literature to be used in the final dissertation is provided. Moreover, this dissertation proposal outlines the proposed research plan, which will include overall research strategy, underlying assumptions, research methodology, critical discussions, and conclusions. Aims of the Study Based on the above introduction, the major aims of the proposed dissertation are improvement-related. Particularly, these aims can be listed in the following chronological list. i. Identifying various aspects of employee motivation. ii. Identifying factors resulting into differential employee needs hence motivation. iii. Finding out relationship between motivation and employee turnover in the banking sector iv. Identifying how motivation reduces employee turnover in banking sector Objectives of the Study i) To identify the role of motivation in reducing employee turnover in the banking sector ii) To understand how motivatio n reduces employee turnover in the banking sector Research Questions i) How are employees in the banking sector motivated? ii) What determines employees’ motivation in the banking sector? iii) How do employees respond to motivation in the banking sector? iv) How does motivation contribute to reducing employee turnover in banking sector? v) Is motivation the major factor in reducing employee turnover in the banking sector? Chapter 2: Overview of the literature According to Rynes, Gerhart, and Minette (2004: p1), contrary to expectations of some employers contemporary employees do not place much emphasis on financial rewards. As a result, many employers have found motivation of employees very difficult despite reviewing of their financial rewards upwards (Emery and Oertel, 2006: p2). It

Pop Culture Essay Essay Example for Free

Pop Culture Essay Essay There are many movie genres out today than there were before in earlier years. Movie genres are basically different types of movies, such as: horror, suspense, mystery, drama ,romance, etc. Today it seems that most peoples favorite movie genre is horrow or action. Action movies have a lot of different stuff in them that is pleasing to the eye. Action movies are typically loud and have a lot of fighting, racing, and adventurous things in the film. Horror movies on the other hand have a lot of scary things in the movies. Their big thing is that the more blood they have the better it is to the audience watching. Even though horror and action may be the top picks of the rest of the country, I have my own genre of movies that I particularly like the best. My favorite genre of movies is romance. In a romance based movie, it is filled with love and a lot of laughter throughout the whole movie. While most romance movies start off bad and end up with a happy ending, some start out good and end good as well. Most romance movies today start out being bad and then it ends up in the happy ending that you suspect from the title of the movie. Romance movies go through every movie genre there is. There is suspense and sometimes a little horror as well. Sometimes, and most of the time, they contain a lot of drama. The best romance movies are the ones full of drama that is fun to watch. Every woman around the world enjoys a good romance movie. Many women around the world love romance movies, including myself. Simply because they meet the cravings that every woman has sometime throughout their lives. Each and every romance movie touches a woman in some way or another. Every girl dreams of having that guy from a love story. They want them to be loving and caring and when we watch these movies we imagine ourselves being the girl in the movie. Some movies, even make a girl feel better after a breakup. However, some of the real love stories can make it worse than ever before. Also, romance movies will make you cry if it is one of those that are filled with sad moments throughout the whole movie. As a girl, sometimes we feel the need to cry, whether it is stress or PMS. The  romance movies are a good way to bring out the inner emotions and in the end, make you feel a whole lot better. Drama is another movie genre that gets included into romance movies. Drama can be funny and it can also bring out deeper thoughts and emotions. Everyone and especially women, have a fair share of their love for drama. Women like to gossip and chick flick, love stories are filled with it. Gossiping is a way to let things out and to give out information that can be bad or good. It just depends on who is saying it or what is said. The good thing is, the drama in the romance stories are usually not true. Even though we all get a good laugh at the stupid ones in the movie. In conclusion, romance genre movies are a favorite. They can make you happy or sad or bring out different emotions. Romance movies are twisted with drama along with romance to bring out laughter or anger in the audience. Everyone will have their own personal reaction to every single romance movie that comes out. Therefore, in my opinion, romance genre movies are the best because they contain many qualities that other genres do. Meaning that they satisfy almost every â€Å"craving† that a person has for a good movie.

Spirituality and Nature Essay -- Writing Religion Nature Essays Paper

Spirituality and Nature Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. (Psalm 148:7-12) When considering the reading that we have done so far in class I am struck by the relationship that is drawn in many of them, between the appreciation of nature and spirituality. While I am not a Christian in the typical sense there is still no doubt in my mind that there is a benevolent and loving higher power, whatever its name may be. What reason do I have to say this? For me, like Wordsworth in "Tintern Abbey", and like Radcliffe's Emily, I feel a connection with a higher power in my own interactions with nature. There is no other place in which I feel God more strongly than in the natural world around me. Last summer, working on my aunt and uncle's farm, I would have moments early in the morning, working in crisp air under a light blue textured sky, in which I would be overcome with feelings of insignificance in the face of such vastness. Another moment that stands out in my memory is walking in the valley between Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh as a snow storm visibly moves over the top of the Seat and down into the valley around me, evoking feelings that I can only characterize as sublime. The experience, of which the prior are only two examples, makes my problems cease to matter and makes me feel connected somehow to an ineffable, eternal and co... ... is a personal and subjective phenomenon that to me involves spiritual reflection and the feeling of being part of something much bigger than myself. The feeling is one that is valuable to me, the understanding of myself as a spiritual person and the understanding of my relation to the world around me. Based on my own experience, I will continue to believe that "God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what he has made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). Works Cited Radcliffe, Ann. The Mysteries of Udolpho. Ed. Jacqueline Howard. London: Penguin Books, 2001. The Student Bible, New International Version. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996. Wordsworth, William. "Tintern Abbey". Romanticism. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1998.

Leadership model

Malcolm Muggeridge, towards the end of his life, reflected: â€Å"Looking over my 90 years, I realize I have never made any progress in good times. I only progressed in the hard times.† While this may not be easily acceptable in today’s ears, in leadership, whatever progress in personal goals is made and sustained most of the time, not in good times, but during difficult times. Leadership Behaviors to Sustain Momentum Firstly, leadership has something to do with change, stimulation of ideas, enthusiasm and encouragement for the tasks, and influence. I wish to enumerate three vital traits, each one linked with a specific function for leaders (Beckhard, R. 1969). 1. The imagination to innovate To promote innovation, successful leaders assist in cultivating novel view, the ideas, paradigm, and applications of expertise that makes an organization distinct. During the course of the implementation this particular trait is important especially that there will be delays, resistance to the change process that normally occurs. A good leader is ingenuous to create something which will contribute to enhance and sustain the momentum. 2. The professionalism to perform. Leaders offer personal and organizational capability, assisted by personnel preparation and education, to implement impeccably and dispense worth to ever more difficult and exacting customers. There will be criticisms to come, many personal-all of which can possibly help if the leader knows how and what to do with them. He is a professional, and an important virtue that he should characterize is to be able to deliver and keep his cool whenever difficulties arise. 3. The openness to work in partnership. Leaders create associations and linkages with partners who can enlarge the organization's contact, improve its contributions, or strengthen its systems. Since an organization is composed of people, this leader knows a lot about human nature and behavior in group settings so he can appropriately anticipate and plan as well as adjust to various personalities. Authors Sullivan and Decker, wrote a very effective communication piece in the 2005 book Effective Leadership and Nursing Management in Nursing.   The authors tried to convey the idea that the practical application of the skills comes in two important aspects and that they are indispensable as well as distinct and inseparable. The authors identified that organizations are designed in their specific arrangements as they function and these are pertinent in how the people working in their specific areas are handled and led. According to Dr. Jacques (1997), there are prime values placed on every part of the organization which he postulated in his stratified systems theory. When he called for the individual responsibility, he meant that whether the person in the spotlight may be the rank and file individual or happens to be the plant manager, the type of leadership that is seen is expressive of this core value. Management then implies the adoption of accountability and this summarily implies leadership knowing as mentioned in the preceding page on influence and exercise of power, when a person exercises accountability, he actually exerts leadership; leading by example and it is fundamentally ethical and transferable. Management and leadership are seen then, as interchangeable essentials, and according to Dr. Jacques, the existence and continuity as well as the perpetuation of a successful team depend much on the kind of leadership exemplified in the theory he posited. This need has never been brought about only by factors which inevitably affect not only the established structures and ways of doing things within the personnel area but also by the more meaningful and substantial task of managing the organization’s most important asset – the human capital. Among these factors are: stiffer competition in business; rapid changes in technological, competitive and economic environments; the explosion of technical and managerial knowledge; spiraling wage and benefits cost and so many others. These factors have no doubt been responsible for the emergence of the personnel function as a vital area in the implementation of corporate strategy. Conclusion The leadership approaches are important to imitate and assimilate as I go about my own quest for the implementation of leadership behaviors in my own workplace. Certain people who have been visible today who are worthy to emulate include men like Collin Powell and women like Oprah Winfrey. Although not all of their decisions are acceptable or popular, certainly their manner of leading have taken the world’s notice and made them trailblazers for others to follow. Reference: Permissions Department, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ07030 USA. Jacques, Elliot. 1997. Requisite Organization: Total System for Effective Managerial Organization and Managerial Leadership for the 21st Century. London: Gower. GBR Mulhauser, Greg. Management Skills and Leadership Skills. Accessed March 17, 2008. ;http://coaching.mulhauser.net/executive/manage-vs-lead.html#evidence; Sullivan, Eleanor and Phillip J. Decker. 2005. Effective Leadership and Nursing Management in Nursing, with Student Video (4th Edition). Leadership model I have never really had any father to emulate nor a family that could guide me.   Many would say that I was all alone and would never be a leader type because I never had any role models growing up.   Yet I beg to differ from the public stereotype of leadership role models because even given my difficult situation growing up I did find a leadership role model, my coach.   While this may not seem to be a conventional choice for most people, I firmly believe that it was because of my basketball coach that I have developed the leadership skills I have today and have become a leader myself.Before I relate why I think my basketball coach is the best leadership role model that I have had in my life, albeit arguably inexperienced, I feel that it is important for me to discuss just what I think a leader is and should be.Great leaders have been said to be catalysts of change because of their ability to motivate, to inspire and to make any group of individuals act as a cohesive working u nit (House, 2004).   While there are those who argue that a leader must always make waves in order to make a definite impact in any working environment, it has also been shown that an effective leader must be able to contextualize his actions and understand what the best course is given the environment he is working in (Warneka, 2006).Coach Smith, as we used to call him, was that type of leader.   He never insisted on making waves but addressed the needs of the players and motivated every single one of us.   Superstar egos on the team were shelved and the goals of the team always came first before personal glory.   At the same time however, he made the person who contributed to the success of the team feel and know that it was his great performance which made a difference and in doing so inspired that person to work harder, not only for the good of the team but for himself as well.This leadership style employed by Coach Smith is also quite similar to another great leader who achieved impressive results, Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines, the company he created, consistently fared better than its competitors, surviving the tough times for the aviation industry. One of the secrets to the company’s success is its unique culture that differentiates it from its competitors. At Southwest, there is a great emphasis on the people aspect of the business. In fact, Herb Kelleher in an interview with Babson Insight vividly demonstrated his commitment to the staff of the company by calling them People – in this way, written with a capital letter (Herb Kelleher, 2004).Coach Smith empowered people.   He never sought to tow people in line and force them to do their bidding.   In a way he inspired me and the other members on the team to do better, much like Kelleher who made people feel that they played a major role in the success of the company.   This quiet but inspiring leadership style proved to very effective as our team w on the local tournament.I realize know just how pivotal his leadership methods were for our team.   A leader does not necessarily have to make waves in order to make to facilitate change.   There are many types of leadership styles that do not call for the application of any drastic actions or forceful management techniques.   The problem with the idea that making waves is necessary to facilitate change is that the outcome and effect on the other members on the team may not react as intended and it may even have a negative effect (Torbert, 2004).   This may result in team members being unable to communicate properly with the leader or with decreased productivity due to the sudden changes and major changes in the working environment brought about by the waves.This was exactly the problem that Coach Smith was able to avoid when he took over the team and inspired us with his quiet leadership.   12 strong willed and capable individuals, each person playing for his own personal glory, to rack up the most number of points or even the league Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, would hardly make an efficient and effective team.   Yet Coach was able to harness the individual talents of each player but still make the unit function as an effective team.In popular leadership models such as Situational Leadership which was developed by Blanchard and Hersey in the late 1960s, the need for a flexible leader who was able to adapt leadership practices to suit the needs of the working environment was emphasized (Argyris, 1976).   A good leader must be able to assess the situation and determine what the best approach is, whether it is by making waves or quietly empowering and inspiring the team members.   Leaders do not need to make waves to facilitate change.   Other flexible and more effective means of quietly inspiring change are available and may even prove to have more of an impact than simply making waves.I like to believe that my leadership style today is similar to that which my Coach practiced or that of Herb Kelleher.   I have consciously patterned my leadership methods with the way that these great leaders have led others and inspired them.   The reason I have done so is because I believe that a person cannot motivate a team to feel good about their work if you, as their leader, do not. Similarly, team members will not feel ownership or go the extra mile if you do not. You must set an example by demonstrating passion about your work and displaying confidence in the team to do a good job.   Leaders must practice personal integrity and fairness. Model it and expect it from others. People who feel they can tell the truth, without fear of reprisal, grow as they experiment and experience success and failure (Cran, 2003).This approach to leadership of mine has as much to do with the great influence that Coach Smith has had on me as has my background.   As I mentioned earlier, I come from a broken family and my mother has been battling with cancer since I was young.   This led me to grow up in an environment that was all but bereft of role models and leaders.   There was no support and I had to work for everything that I had and still continue to do so.   It is this that has also led me to choose this style of leadership for myself because I believe that everyone had potential in them and with the proper motivation and inspiration it can be brought out, not only for the benefit of the team, the business or the company but also for the individual himself.Today’s follower-leader relationship shows that followers want trust and are not motivated by what the leader think they want, but rather by what each specific follower wants (Bain, 1982).   Motivation is generated internally, and a leader merely taps into the internal power of the follower (Thach, Thompson, and Morris, 2006).   Followers determine their commitment to organizations by reflecting on how hard they will work, what type of rec ognition and reward they might receive (transactional), and if that reward will be worth it (Strebel, 1996).Today I am a leader, I may not be a great leader but I am confident that I can develop my leadership skills to be one.   My leadership style is in motivating people and in quietly inspiring change and developing the talents and abilities of the people around me and in my organization.   This is the style that I have chosen because I feel that it is the most effective method.   I do not choose to be excellent or wealthy or powerful, I choose to lead and that makes all the difference.References:Argyris, C. (1976) Increasing Leadership Effectiveness, Wiley, New YorkBain, D. (1982). The productivity prescription.   New York: McGraw-Hill.Cran, C (2003). Eight Ways to Motivate Your Team. Retrieved 11/14/2006, from   http://www.refresher.com/!ccmotivate.htmlHouse, R. J. (2004) Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, SAGE Publications, Thousa nd OaksNorthwestern University. (2004). Herb Kelleher. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from http://www.transportation.northwestern.edu/programs/patterson/lecturers/97kelleher/kelleherBio.htmlThach, E. C., Thompson, K. J., and Morris, A. (2006).   A Fresh Look at FollowershipTorbert, W. (2004) Action Inquiry: the Secret of Timely and Transforming Leadership, San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Warneka, T. (2006). Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today. Asogomi Publications Intl. Cleveland, Ohio

Intellectual and cultural life of colonial Mexico Essay

Mexico is a land whose history is as rich and diverse as its people. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards to Mexico the natives enjoy great progress and technology. They’ve printed books, made paper and pigments, painted murals and manuscripts, cultivated crops, made structures and lavish designs in architecture that some historians say even outdates that of Egypt, engaged in medical practice and planted botanical crops. However with the invasion of the Spanish Empire that happened between the year 1521 to 1600 the natives who posses such technologies were suppressed by the Colonialist. Various indigenous groups disappeared since the Spaniards pushed to promote Catholicism in the country in their attempt to eliminate anything that links the people from their â€Å"Pagan past†. They also brought with them superior technology from Europe which hindered the progress of technologies that they have developed before. The diversity and development of Native Mexico is shown as manuscripts of maps of the different areas in Mexico are found in â€Å"the six Relaciones Geograficas maps†. The rich text combines native and European colorants a clear manifestation of their rich technology even before the colonialist came to the country. The inhabitants of Mexico today can be classified into two groups, the Indigenous Peoples who lived before the 14th century and the Immigration people who arrived with the Spanish conquest. The former, which are the indigenous peoples are the Toltec, Omeca, Zapotec, Maya, Aztec, Huichol, Purapecha, Tarahumara and etc. The later on the other hand are a mix of different cultures due to the wave of migration brought about by the Spanish Conquerors. For us to fully understand the impact that colonization has brought to the natives, we need to discuss their culture and practices in terms of social stratification, culture, religion and economy prior to the coming of the Spaniards. Native Mexico Mexico was the site of some of the earliest and most advanced civilizations in the western hemisphere. Its human history began with the aboriginal people we call American Indians or Amerids. Archeological records date back to older than that civilization of Egypt. They were scattered groups of nomadic hunters. The Amerids then became diverse and divided into sub classes differentiating in culture, legend and practices. These are the Toltec, Maya, Omeca, Zapotec, Aztec, Purapecha, Huichol, Tarahumara and etc. Clash of cultural minorities happened and led to the fall of different empires. When the Spaniards came to Mexico the Maya and Aztec groups where predominant in the region. Their economy greatly relies on agriculture and herding. It was a society divide into three classes: slave, commoner and nobility. However, far different from that of the Spaniard, the slaves can buy their freedom and when he manages to escape from his master and makes his was safely to the royal palace he is then given immediate freedom. Social mobility was also practiced by all the classes regardless of race as long as one has enough money and resources to do so. With regards to religion, they have numerous Gods. In Aztec society in particular, their gods are Uitzilopochtli (sun god), Tlaloc (rain god), Coyolxauhqui (moon goddess), and Quetzalcoatl (inventor of writing and the calendar and also associated with the planet Venus and with resurrection) . Animal and human sacrifices were also made to honor warriors during the war and for religious ceremonies. Prisoners were also sacrificed for less important rituals. The Spaniards found the ritual horrendous since it involves human sacrifices which are against Catholic faith. The ritual would take place on top of a pyramid where the human sacrifice is placed on a convex stone and the priest would reap their hearts out using a knife (Almanac, 2005). As of press time, the modern Aztecs people number for over a million and are the largest aboriginal group in the country. Most of them are farmers who have no access to education and most are illiterate.

Educational Gap essays

Educational Gap essays Todays children are the children of the future; they are the children of tomorrow. That is why it is extremely important that each child has the opportunity to be educated. They deserve to be educated in the best schools, with the best teachers, and have the best resources. Throughout my experience at volunteering at David Hill Elementary, Ive observed that each child is willing and eager to learn. That is why I am deeply concerned about the unequal opportunities that some of the students at David Hill are facing. Children living in Poverty do not have equal opportunities when it come to education, and this creates a gap that makes it extremely difficult for them to break the cycle of poverty. Coming form the richest school in Oregon, I have never experienced some of the issues that create this gap. Although, through my volunteering, Ive seen firsthand some of the issues that come up. David Hill Elementary is a run-down school surrounded by a run-down neighborhood. The majority of the students at David Hill are Mexicans, and is enlisted in the free lunch program. It wasnt until last week when a boy named Tony helped me realize that a problem exists. I met Tony on the first day I volunteered and from that day on I have been working with him. Tony is a shy, sensitive, 8 year old boy, who needs a little extra attention with his reading. Last week to my surprise, I noticed something was different about Tony; there was a glow in his face, and a un-shyness in his voice when he asked, Sarah, do you like me new glasses? I said, Yes Tony, did your mom take you to go get them? His response surprised me when he said, No my teacher took me. This comment aroused my curiosi ty and has helped me understand that an educational gap does exist. The definition of Education: Instructing a societies member in the knowledge values a ...

Religious Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religious Studies - Essay Example Religious Definition by Steve Bruce: In his book â€Å"God is Dead: Secularization in the West†, 2002, Steve Bruce defines religion as â€Å" beliefs, actions and institutions predicated on the existence of entities with power of agency (that is gods) or impersonal powers or processes possessed of moral purpose (the Hindu notion of Karma), which can set the conditions of, or intervene in human affairs†. Comparison of the Definitions: My definition starts with the element of sharing, whereas in the definition of Steve Bruce there is no element of sharing. From the perspective of individuality and extreme secularization the element of sharing in my definition is a weakness. It makes it necessary that religion is not individualistic, but a shared activity of a group. From my perspective I do not find this a weakness. Social living is an essential part of human existence. Social interaction and society developed from sharing of common factors that bound a group of humans together, which included religion. With time, in more advanced societies tolerance of members with belief in other religions became a norm and so no longer was it necessary that all members of a society or community shared the same religion. Still religion is shared and is not an individualistic belief and action, as even Steve Bruce makes institutions a necessary part of religion. In my definition religion needs to answer the purpose of existence and having served this purpose to the satisfaction of the almighty, what happens after death.

New Zealand accounting standards Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New Zealand accounting standards - Assignment Example International Accounting Standards Board conducts public meetings to ensure transparency in order to produce new or updated financial reporting standards.This procedure has been adopted to ensure transparency and to involve the opinion of the public. The procedure ensures constant engagement with the stakeholders like investors, analysts, regulators, business leaders, accounting standard-setters and the professional accountants and auditors at national and international levels (Smart, Bourke, & Awan, 2008). ANSWER 2a: External Reporting Board (XRB) is an independent crown entity developed under section 22 of the Financial Reporting Act 1993 (as amended in 2011). Main responsibilities of XRB are: Development and implementation of the overall strategy related to financial reporting standards, auditing and assurance standards. Responsible for preparing and issuing of accounting standards. Responsible for preparing and issuing of auditing and assurance standards (XBR, 2011). Other respon sibilities of XRB include preparing and issuing of ethical and professional standards and providing guidelines for conduct. Liaising with organizations on national and international levels on matters that apply functions that are in correspondence with or share similar features with those presented in XRB (NZICA, 2011). ANSWER 2b: Initially, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountant (NZICA) was responsible for development and implementation of financial reporting standards. ... It has been planned to achieve the same in the current year, i.e.2012. Under the Financial Reporting Act 1993 (FRA), the responsibilities for financial reporting standards setting have been divided between two bodies which are: New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) and the Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB). Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB) is also an independent crown entity. The mechanism has been changed and the new mechanism is as follows: 1. The Financial Reporting  Standards Board (FRSB), which is a board of NZICA,  will submit the draft standards  to the Accounting Standards Review Board (ASRB) for consideration.    2. NZICA is responsible for setting up of auditing and assurance standards for its  members. 3.   The Professional Standards Board (PSB), which is another board  of NZICA, submits draft standards to NZICA’s Board for consideration and approval. 4. Standards approved  from NZICA are then obligatory on members.    5. Non-members of NZICA can  carry out statutory audits provided they belong to an overseas professional  accounting body, providing that the Registrar of Companies has approved the  individual or the professional accounting body to which they belong.    6. Hence, the standards approved by the NZICA Board do not form any binding in formal status in relation to  overseas-qualified auditors who are not members of NZICA (NZICA 2010a). ANSWER 2c: On whole, it is expected that External Reporting Board (XRB) will provide better quality of financial reporting standards. It is expected because of the reason that the new financial reporting arrangement has recently been approved by Minister of Commerce of New Zealand and it has been considered as a significant milestone in the establishment of the new