Winter Holiday Activities for Middle and High School

How can teachers, especially in public schools, use the many December holidays to their advantage without excluding any groups of students? One way is to celebrate the rich customs and holidays of the season from around the world with students through a variety of informational activities.   Try these meaningful and fun activities in the weeks leading up to winter break to keep your students engaged and teach them about a few common end-of-year celebrations and customs. Christmas According to Christian belief, Jesus was the son of God born to a virgin in a manger. Countries celebrate the religious aspects of this holiday in very different ways. Christmas is also a secular holiday of which the figure Santa Claus is often the focus. Santa is believed by many children to travel in a sleigh drawn by flying reindeer to deliver them presents on Christmas Eve. Learn more about Christmas around the world by reading the traditions of these countries, both religious and secular. Have your students investigate their unique customs. United States Christmas trees, real or artificial, are usually put up in homes early in December in the United States. They are often decorated with multi-color lights and ornaments. Stockings, a decoration in the shape of a sock, are also hung. On Christmas Eve, many children set out cookies and other treats for Santa Claus and his reindeer. On Christmas morning, children rush to the tree to open gifts. England Santa Claus is known by the name Father Christmas in England. Here, Christmas trees are decorated and stockings are hung as well. A spiced cider drink called  wassail  is usually served. On Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26th, the tradition is to give to those less fortunate. This day is also the feast day of St. Stephen. France A popular dessert called the Bà »che de Noà «l  or Christmas log is consumed on Christmas day in France. Often, a feast called the rà ©veillon takes place just after Midnight Mass, a Catholic time of worship, on Christmas Eve. Gifts are given to children by Pà ¨re Noà «l, which translates to Father Christmas. He travels with a man called Pà ¨re Fouettard, who tells Pà ¨re Noà «l how children behaved during the previous year. In some parts of France, gifts are given on both December 6th (St. Nicholas feast day) and Christmas day. Adults also give gifts on New Years Eve. Italy Christmas in Italy is celebrated with a large feast after a 24-hour fast before Christmas. Children do not typically receive their presents until January 6th, the day of Epiphany. This day symbolizes the day that the Magi visited Jesus Christ at the manger. Gifts are brought by Le Befana or Befana, a woman who flies around on a broom. The legend goes that Befana, a housewife, was visited by the Magi on the night they visited Jesus. Kenya Great quantities of food are prepared and goat is especially abundant during Kenyan Christmas celebrations. A flatbread called chapati is often served. Houses are decorated with paper decorations, balloons, and flowers. Many children in this African country also believe in Santa Claus. Groups frequently go from house to house singing and receiving gifts of some kind from the houses occupants in the days leading up to Christmas. On Christmas day, they give any gifts they received to their church. Costa Rica The weather is warm at Christmastime in Costa Rica, making it a beautiful holiday full of life. As Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic, Christmas is customarily observed as both a religious and commercial affair. Most Costa Ricans attend Misa de Gallo, Midnight Mass, and display nativity scenes. On Christmas Eve, children leave their shoes out to be filled by the baby Jesus or Nià ±o Dios. Tamales and empanadas are commonly eaten at celebrations. Christmas-Related Projects These are only some of the ways that students will enjoy studying Christmas traditions. Remember not to assume that your students celebrate this holiday themselves. Investigate the legend of Santa Claus in a given country.Study different aspects of the Christmas celebration including the tree, decorations, stockings, carols and more.Perform or translate Christmas songs in at least one other language.Research traditional Christmas foods of a culture and make them for the rest of the class to sample.Present skits representing the origin story of each cultures version of Christmas.In many countries, Christmas celebrations are becoming more like those  in America. Debate whether the loss of traditional celebrations is positive or negative.Read O.  Henrys The Gift of the Magi and discuss its meaning.Journal prompts such as:Worst/best Christmas experienceFamily traditionsImportant aspects of the holiday for themHas Christmas become too commercialized?Should people be allowed to say Merry Christmas wherever they want to? Hanukkah This holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated over eight days beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.  In 165 BCE, the Jews, led by the Maccabees, defeated the Greeks in war. When they arrived to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem, they found only one small flask of oil to light the  Menorah. Miraculously, this oil lasted for eight days. Hanukkah Traditions Today, Hanukkah is celebrated in many different ways. One common tradition is, for every night of the eight days of the festival of Hanukkah, lights are lit on a  Menorah  to commemorate the miracle at the Temple over 2000 years ago. While working during this time is no longer prohibited as it was many years ago, people generally refrain from working while Hanukkah lights are lit. However, working within one hour of lighting the candles is not allowed. The  dreidel  is used by many Jewish families to play a game. This game is said to have been invented as a way for Jews to conceal their Torah studies from Greeks in a time when this was outlawed. There are many rituals performed by Jews in their homes with only their families, such as reciting blessings each night and lighting the candles. Those celebrating the holiday traditionally eat  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹oily foods, such as gefilte fish and fried potato pancakes, to commemorate the miracle of the oil. Children are often given presents and money during this holiday, often for each day of the Hanukkah festival. This custom arose as a way to reward children for studying the Torah. Hanukkah-Related Projects Try these Hanukkah-themed projects with your students to get them thinking about this religious holiday. Research the origins of Hanukkah.Compare and contrast Hanukkah with another major Jewish holiday.Study the traditional foods of the holiday and prepare them for the class.Identify differences between how Hanukkah was celebrated shortly after its origin and how it is celebrated now.Study the relationship between the Jews and the Greeks around 165 BCE.Research the Jewish calendar and note key differences between that and the Gregorian calendar.Speculate as to why the oil was meaningful to the Jews that celebrated the first Hanukkah. Kwanzaa Kwanzaa, which translates to the first fruits, was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga. This professor wanted to give African Americans a holiday dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and promoting African American culture. Though not as old as other holidays, it is rich in tradition. Kwanzaa focuses on seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. The most emphasis is placed on the unity of the Black family. This holiday is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. Kwanzaa Traditions On each of the seven days of Kwanzaa, greetings are exchanged in Swahili. People celebrating Kwanzaa ask Habari Gani?, meaning What is the news?. The answer is the principle of that day. For example, the first days answer would be Umoja or unity. Gifts or zawadi are given to children and these include a book and a heritage symbol.  The colors of Kwanzaa are red, black, and green. Seven candles in a kinara are lit, one for each day of the holiday. These are called mishumaa saba. The candle that is lit first is black and represents the people. Three red candles are placed to the left of the black candle representing the struggle of African Americans. Three green candles are placed to the right of the black candle representing the future and hope of African Americans. After the center candle, the black candle, has been lit, the rest are lit from the outside in, alternating from left to right. Kwanzaa-Related Projects This holiday might be unfamiliar for many of your students and thats why its especially important for them to explore. Discuss each of the seven principles of this holiday and why they are important to Black Americans.Invite speakers to come in and share about Kwanzaa and how it is celebrated.Discuss the role of group identity in this holiday.Study traditional Kwanzaa celebrations and choose one to recreate.Talk about the Civil Rights movement in relation to Kwanzaa.Examine the ways that the origin of this holiday differs from the origins of others such as Christmas.Debate whether Kwanzaa should be considered a public holiday.

The Effect Of Emotional Intelligence On Decision Making...

Abstract In recent years, the emotional intelligence has become a very hot topic, especially in regard to how it affects today s decision making. In fact, many experts now believe that a person’s emotional intelligence quotient may be more important than their intelligence quotient and overall happiness. The current study design is a quantitative correlational study, aiming to measure the effect of emotional intelligence on decision making among head nurses. Methodology, The sample was composed of 77 head nurses, working in inpatient departments of the Mansoura University Main Hospital (52), Beni Suef University Hospital (25), and using two tools 1) The emotional intelligence quotient profile questionnaire, and 2) the decision making questionnaire. The results of the present study revealed that, there was a highly statistically significant correlation between emotional intelligence and decision making. Conclusion In the light of the study findings, it can be concluded that, there is hi gh mean score and standard deviation of total decision making score especially in following decision making steps and technique with emotional intelligence scale. The study recommended to design emotional intelligent training programs to facilitate and improve competence for individuals, especially leaders, and decision makers. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, Decision making, and Head nurses Introduction The ability to accurately recognize and respond to emotional signals is essentialShow MoreRelatedNursing Manager Role Essay4395 Words   |  18 PagesRunning head: NURSE MANAGER ROLE Nurse Manager Role Abstract The aim of this paper is to discuss the advanced practice nurse manger role. 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Human Resource Development Organizational Diversity in Workplace

Question: Discuss about the Human Resource Development Organizational Diversity In Workplace. Answer: Introduction Diversity management plays a vital role for ensuring success in todays unpredictable marketplace. Firms at present is contended with strong growth, ability to hire qualified people, generating fresh ideas and should have positive image of the firm. The organizations are characterized by increasing diversity in relation to workforce by attracting and retaining employees that is now a priority. When a workforce is diverse it can have a competitive edge in competition by transforming the organization. This helps in producing leaders for future that works best in increasing profitability, reducing turnover and cost thereby, enhancing market value. Hence, diversity managing is about diagnosing how to manage the workforce by generating benefits by enhancing learning and effectiveness. When development and learning occurs it should be ensured that it is well managed as workers with the right time and skills will be delivering the objectives as per the outcome set. Thus, it helps in meeting challenges by implementing HR policies that are effective in approach. Diversity in Workplace- Development and Learning Strategies Diversity is growing at a faster pace in workplace than it is associated or addressed as the beliefs and culture is constantly changing (Littrell and Salas, 2005). Human resources (HR) have to be utilized fully by taking their optimum use and managing their heterogeneity. In simple terms diversity is a combination of differences and similarities that includes but is not limited to geographical location, religion, race, gender, working style, education and income level, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status etc. Globalization is changing the faces of either small or large companies by increasing competition from the foreign organizations for sustain in the competitive marketplace. A change in the workplace related to diversity cannot be incorporated unless management is moving forward by being susceptible by being associated with groups that can be outside or within workplace (Cummings, 2004). In the modern workplace diversity is linked with what the organization achieves has direct link with the policy set by human resource department. This is nothing less than a challenge as the commitment is fostered by top management by implementing in organization as it is a continuous process. The employees should feel safe and secure by having an opportunity for growth by working on the benefits. When working in teams individuals generate fresh ideas by solving the problem creatively as they have diverse backgrounds. Employees are having varied experience and knowledge that is used in a collective mode for generating ideas. When workers are satisfied with their job the effectiveness of the workplace increases as potential of the individuals combine with their talents that gives rise to innovation and productivity (Bassett-Jones, 2005). As the firms are expanding their reach in the international or global market the business is improving its image by attracting workers from different locations. The organization invest on public relations by having a positive attitude by valuing diversity as it helps in attracting employees, customers and investors. Diversity management is associated with community welfare by generating interest in the business. Thus, HR should retain skilled workforce by recruiting skilled workforce from diverse background for meeting and filling needs. Equal Employment Opportunities Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) ensures that employees are free from all sorts of harassment and unlawful discrimination. Another is conducting programs by assisting EEO groups by overcoming disadvantage that has occurred in the present or past (manly, 2006). This policy is framed by the Council for potential employees and all employees so that they are treated fairly at workplace. It involves benefits, ensuring all is equal in terms of qualification and skill and opportunities for training in organization. In simple terms it is recognizing of cultural and social backgrounds of staff, employment practices resulting in staff satisfaction and improving productivity by developing and training as per employee needs. The policy is about providing employment opportunity to ethnic minorities, Torres Strait Islanders, people facing disability, aboriginal, minority groups from NESB and women too. The ethical implication states that when discrimination takes place whether direct, systematic or indirect it affects employee. Judging an individual on the basis of racial background should not be the HR policy of the workplace as it distorts diversity (Maier, 2005). When an employee is excluded in workplace the work gets affected in terms of productivity. The performance degrades as the work environment is not cooperative by making the workforce engages. Practices and Policies by HR in Ethical Context Additionally, diversity is termed as differences that may be invisible and visible existing between people that belongs up on the perception of individual within the working environment. The policies incorporated by CPA Australia for having an inclusive and diverse workforce are set up on different parameters. The first being recruitment, selection and promotion for specific roles when hiring candidates. No discrimination is entertained in the above process for any position. The second being compensation that will be on the basis of work received in exchange. Third is reviewing performance based on the work provided as per set standards or benchmark (cpaaustralia, 2011). Fourth being work flexibility by providing them such responsibilities and roles that are able to manage work-life balance. The policies and practices have to be measured on the existing human resource management practices for developing effective policy. Training and Development of Supervisors and Managers The challenges associated with the changing workplace and nature of job requires the employees to be knowledgeable and skilled by focusing on future. With this the employees has to be focused, flexible and adaptable. Diversity in workplace is a challenge to manage so manager and supervise needs to be trained in each department by functioning properly. A supervisor is having the responsibility of managing both people and processes. They help in building specialist skills by training and developing the staffs for enchaining their knowledge and skills (Fujimoto, 2013). The companies promote itself as knowledgeable and productive by providing the opportunity for growth in career by retaining them. This contributes towards business growth by aligning it with organizational goals. Thus, it helps in acquiring new skills and competencies by using the human resources efficiently. Factors Associated with Failure and Success in Link to Diversity Management Programs The success of organizational diversity is dependent up on integration on the quality and nature of leadership. It is associated with training and developing the workforce for achieving the objectives. In conducting effective operations multinational companies have to conduct the operation overseas too so diverse groups have to be formulated. On the other hand, failure is due to the fact that the programs are not designed as per the requirement of the individual. According to Au, (2016) in Australia it is stated that the diversity is a strategic objective for 56.5% of hiring managers in HR. The two biggest challenges that are seen at present in Australia for long-term are attracting the right talent for achieving the objectives and collaborative leaders by being inclusive. Diversity Challenges in Workplace Diversity sounds simple but the term encompasses how people are perceived by others and themselves. Managing diversity is a challenge in itself as it promotes a new way towards thinking by setting a frame of mind by being excited and potential in workplace. This perception is governed by interaction by communication with others irrespective of any hindrance in the process. One of the most crucial is discrimination that can be sexual, direct, indirect and systematic (Patrick and Kumar, 2012). When an employee is discriminated the needs are not being fulfilled and the individual does not feel secure and safe. It affects workers performance as they are not treated at par with others. Sometimes the manager has to take legal action that loses the personnel by losing its value too. A management has to support diversity implementation for generating profits, being competitive and managing workforce. The decision should come from the top management to middle and lower level by making the workers incorporate it. They have to recruit and select people from varied culture and background for expanding their reach. If the organization is unable to implement it its reach is very limited within the specific zone. The management has to understand the importance of diversity as it results in reducing the cohesiveness in groups ultimately that result in employee turnover (Patrick and Kumar, 2012). For example the male workers working in environment that is homogeneous are more inclined to jobs and co-workers. The organization might be suffering from cultural issues a biggest hindrance when the organization is expanding. A workplace should not be culturally bound as it will not attract diversity in management in terms of employment contract, arranging positions, conducting interviews, employment conditions etc. An employee should not be discriminated under color or race, origin (ethnic, descent and national). 1 in 5 Australians in their lifetime have experienced race talk and to handle racism 86% of the Australian population takes action (humanrights, 2014). Discrimination is faced more by individuals in workplace who are born in countries where English is not the primary language. The two main challenges faced in cultural diversity are people and knowledge management as recognizing people talents and valuing them is difficult in approach. Similarly, knowledge acts as a resource so it needs to be enhanced by providing value so that is does not get diminish. Managing people is an art that is not every individuals cup of tea as it has various advantages for being competent. In the labour market people needs to be attracted, selected and retained efficiently by being competitive at the same time. When enterprises implement strategies for diversity management for the minority it benefits by reducing annual turnover, improving reputation, retaining skills and saving money in the industry the business resides (amf, 2010). But, it is not the truth in Australian society as the workplace is having social problems towards minority groups by displaying racist attitude and discriminating. Another barrier that is invisible is glass ceiling that is separating minorities and women from rising to positions in top management. These obstacles are present in the society that is blocking the advancement of some groups mentioned above. Therefore, diversity in organization should be valued by extracting the benefits by inculcating it in the system. The employees attracted should be recruited by reaping the benefits of the fruits by boosting the employee skills and attitude. The workforce has to be protected by governing their rights as per the legislation by incorporating strategies to build them for future needs. The employees should be treated equal in all aspects in workplace by communicating with them for creating a friendly work environment (Nataatmadia and Dyson, 2007). Conclusion From the above discussion it can be concluded that organizational diversity is varied in nature and aspects. A workplace should incorporate policies and practices that are beneficial for the employees. Human resources have to be deployed efficiently and effectively so that it meets the needs of the organization. A diverse workforce attracts talent and ideas by solving problems faster than any other organization not having diverse workforce. Hence, a good management implements modern practices in different cultural groups by sharing work and knowledge. Understanding knowledge by sharing it between employees from different backgrounds including race, religion, language etc. leading to collaboration successfully (Groschl, 2011). The human resource development (HRD) professionals should properly train their staffs by handling complains as generated. When a workplace is free of any discrimination it attracts diverse talent by contributing to its success. A healthy environment attracts competitive advantage over other workplace by involving full optimization of human resources, creating opportunities, fostering creativity and innovation, solving problems and having career development. Cultural diversity is about managing the needs of the individual rather than managing groups in workplace. The major components of diversity are organization structure, flexibility, policies and empowering employee through mentoring and training. In todays environment organization is getting better by developing it effectively and generating alternative ways for managing workforce (Groschl, 2011). Hence, it is recommended that workplace should change their method by taking initiative for having open attitude. In the long-term leadership positions should be promoted by encouraging employees to express ideas. The policy of diversity should be shaped as per the management policy by utilizing it properly. In the long-term the strategies adopted is having customized approach for employee satisfaction by being successful by building it. The economy is becoming global with the diverse workforce as it is increasing for the success and competitiveness. References Amf.net.au. (2010).Managing Cultural Diversity Training Program Resource Manual. [online] Available at: https://amf.net.au/library/uploads/files/MCD_Training_Program_Resource_Manual.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. Au.hudson.com. (2016).Why Are Workplace Diversity Initiatives Failing? | Hudson Talent Management. [online] Available at: https://au.hudson.com/for-employers/talent-management/talent-management-workplace-diversity [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. Bassett-Jones, N. (2005). The paradox of diversity management, creativity and innovation. Creativity and Innovation Management, 14, 169-175. cpaaustralia.com.au. (2011).Organisational Diversity and Inclusion Policy. [online] Available at: https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/~/media/corporate/allfiles/document/about/organisational-diversity-inclusion-policy.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. Cummings, J.N. (2004). Work groups, structural diversity, and knowledge sharing in a global organization. Management Science, 50, 352-364. Fujimoto, Y. (2013). Organizational Diversity Learning Framework:Going Beyond Diversity Training.Academy of Management Proceedings, 2013(1), pp.15341-15341. Groschl, S. (2011).Diversity in the workplace. Burlington, Vt.: Gower. humanrights.gov.au. (2014).CULTURAL DIVERSITY. [online] Available at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/FTFCulturalDiversity.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. Littrell, L.N., Salas, E. (2005). A review of cross-cultural training: Best practices, guidelines and research needs. Human Resource Development Review, 4, 305-334. Maier, C. (2005). A conceptual framework for leading diversity. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 5, 412-424. manly.nsw.gov.au. (2006).Equal Employment Opportunity Policy. [online] Available at: https://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/Equal_Employment_Opportunity_Policy%5B1%5D.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. McMahon, A.M. (2006). Responses to diversity: Approaches and initiatives. [online] Available at: https://www.shrm.org/hrresources/whitepapers_published/CMS_017028.asp [Accessed 21 Sep.2016] Nataatmadia, I. and Dyson, L. (2007). Managing the Modern Workforce: Cultural Diversity and Its Implications.Journal of Information Technology, [online] pp.580-582. Available at: https://www.irma-international.org/viewtitle/32666/ [Accessed 21 Sep. 2016]. Patrick, H. and Kumar, V. (2012). Managing Workplace Diversity: Issues and Challenges.SAGE Open, 2(2).

Is the U.S. Economy Healthy free essay sample

This paper is an analysis of the health of the current American economy. This paper examines several components of the U.S. economy from 2000-2002 in order to gage whether or not it is healthy. The economys health prior to 2001 is discussed in detail in order to give the reader a good basis for understanding why certain materials are included in this paper. The author looks at GDP, the unemployment rate and inflation in order to examine their affect on the current economy. Any new monetary and fiscal policies that have been introduced to help deal with problems arising are then presented and analyzed in order to judge their efficiency. According to Encarta Gross Domestic Product is defined as total value of goods and services produced in a country over any given period of time. GDP is calculated in one of three ways: (1) by adding up the value of all goods and services produced, (2) by adding up the expenses on goods and services at there sold, or (3) by adding up manufacturer earnings from the sale of services or goods. We will write a custom essay sample on Is the U.S. Economy Healthy? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This variable is important when examining the health of the economy because it measures the countrys standard of living. If GDP increases at a higher rate than the population, standards of living are rising. If the population is increasing at a greater rate than GDP, living standards are falling. (Encarta) The following table shows U.S. GDP over the last 18 months: Starting with the fourth quarter of 2000 ending with the fourth quarter of 2001.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example

Compare and Contrast Essay Example Compare and Contrast Essay Compare and Contrast Essay Jamar Jenkins Comp 1-003 K. Bennett 10 Nov. 2012 Compare and Contrast Clothing has many different styles and sizes, but it is also alike in many ways. For one, clothing is needed by everyone. Clothing has evolved a lot since if first became used. A difference would be that not everyone wears the same type of clothing. For instance, American Eagle and Hollister are two types of clothing brands which have many similarities and differences. First of all, American Eagle has some things that Hollister dose not. The clothing is much cheaper in American Eagle than in Hollister. With cheaper clothing, they draw in more customers, which gives them an opportunity to make sales. They also carry a few more colors than Hollister does. For instance, American Eagle sells black, but Hollister does not instead they have navy blue. With them having a wider variety of clothing colors, they are allowed to fit the needs of more customers. Another good thing about American Eagle is the music, it is upbeat and not so loud like Hollister. This is good because when older people come in they will not get a headache, like they would in Hollister. Technology drove them to destruction. The story states, â€Å"Among the ruins, one wall stood alone†¦ (pg4)† nature started the fire and burned technology to one remaining wall. Technology’s level of danger is all based on how it’s used, and nature was affected greatly in this story. The narrator states, â€Å"A dog whined, shivering, on the porch†¦ (pg2)† Mankind destroyed its own chance for living. The dog had a routine of being able to come back for food and shelter that it kept coming back long after the people were gone. Many â€Å"pets† wouldn’t know what to do without human assistance. Bradbury’s internal thoughts can be seen throughout many of his works but in the stories â€Å"A Sound of Thunder† and â€Å"There will Come Soft Rains† there are three main themes. The themes of mankind, technology, and nature all expressed slightly different in each story. In the stories a theme of mankind is the cause of each effect. In addition, technology was seen negatively on the world. Finally, the theme of nature is being altered and destroyed. The stories have the same three themes but express them negative ways. compare and contrast Essay Example compare and contrast Paper compare and contrast Paper It was my seventh year of school and it felt like my twelve.Buzz the alarm clock sounded. With every thing Ihad I slowly rolled out of bed and hit the snooze button on my alarm clock and fell back into my bed.Buzzthe alarm sounded again so I had to get up this time or I would be late for school.I crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. As I fully opened my eyes Iwet my face and thought about what I will be doing this weekend.Every morning it was a constant battle between me and my self to get out of bed and ready for school. After I was finally ready for school I slowly walked to the kitchen to get some breakfast. The door bell rang as soon as I got the cereal out. I glanced at the clock and it was time to go. So I grabbed my book bag and rushed out the door to meet up with my friends.The further I got in School ,the less motivation I had. I was a freshman at I. S. 75 in Brooklyn.I dreaded weekday mornings.Summer break and other school holidays was all I looked fo rward to. I had a very immature look at school.I was very unmotivated until my sixth grade English teacher had changed my whole out look on school.she looked like a zillion years old. Ms. Grancio was a old teacher.But she was very energetic, and could grab your attention with her style of teaching. The work was difficult. She was a very strict teacher. But she was very influential.She told a lot of stories about what she seen through her years of teaching. One morning one of her old students had came to the class and spoke to us how she helped him head in the right direction.When he spoke to the class, he talked about how he hated school until Ms. Grancio was his teacher.

Skid Row

Skid Row Skid Row Skid Row By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Is it â€Å"skid row† or â€Å"skid road,† and what’s the proper usage? The expression â€Å"skid row† is the common term in modern usage, but it’s thought to derive from an earlier term associated with the logging industry. In Washington State and other centers of the lumber industry, loggers built roads out of logs and then skidded newly cut logs down these â€Å"skid roads.† As time went on, saloons and brothels sprang up along the skid roads and the term took on the meaning, â€Å"a district abounding in vicious characters and the practice of vice.† When the expression migrated to urban environments, road became row, perhaps in imitation of established streets with names like Park Row and Tryon Row. During the economically terrible years of the 1930s, the term skid row was applied to city districts where the unemployed congregated: the Bowery in New York City, the Tenderloin district in San Francisco, and areas along West Madison Street in Chicago. New construction and gentrification have altered the old city conformations. Except in Los Angeles, the term â€Å"skid row† is usually used to mean â€Å"any run-down area of a town where the unemployed, vagrants, alcoholics, drug dealers, etc., tend to congregate† or â€Å"the lowest possible social and economic state of existence.† Alone among large US cities, Los Angeles still has a geographical skid row called by that name: The city maintains more than 1,400 bins on Skid Row to store belongings seized during street cleanups or voluntarily stowed by homeless people. - LA Times They rarely think of Skid Row, a 54-block area on the downtown’s outskirts that has the highest concentration of homeless people in the country. - The Daily Beast Skid Row’s homeless are estimated to make up 10% of LA’s downtown population.  - The Guardian Skid Row  is an area of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2000 census, the population of the district was 17,740.  - Wikipedia Skid row evokes a state of penniless, homeless, uncared-for destitution: Joe Roberts, known as the Skid Row CEO, went from living under a bridge in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in 1989 to becoming a Canadian millionaire before he turned 35. Now it [a rundown lighthouse] had the look of a dowager who, through no fault of her own, had somehow found herself on skid row.   Most [jail occupants] are addicts,  skid-row winos, homeless people, or a mixture of all three. The Street with No Name is a 1948 black-and-white  film noir. The movie, shot in a semi-documentary style, takes place in the  Skid Row  section of fictional  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Central City.† This film [Dementia], with no dialogue at all, follows a psychotic young woman’s nightmarish experiences through one skid-row night. Another expression with the word skid is â€Å"to be on the skids†: to be in a state of decline. The idiom is often seen in the media in reference to some celebrity’s marriage: Randy Jacksons  marriage on the skids.   Kardashian is said to be beside herself with loneliness and boredom, resorting to food binges to cope with a marriage on the skids. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Homograph ExamplesHomogeneous vs. HeterogeneousEducational vs. Educative

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - Essay Example The theories of CSR discussed are ethical, instrumental, political and integrative. The strategies currently used by the company are categorized under ethical, legal and economic groups. Based on the stakeholder management analysis using salience model, H & M should pay more attention to financiers, shareholders and customers in that sequence, followed by other stakeholders. However, according to freeman stakeholder theory, the interest of all stakeholders should be met in order to ensure sustainable success. The recommendations for H & M to fulfil its social responsibilities are categorized into ecological strategies, social welfare strategies and employee recruitment and retention. Erling Persson founded Hennes & Mauritz ( H & M) in 1947. It is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. H & M is a multinational retail clothing organization, known for its quick mold apparel for men, ladies, youngsters and kids. Besides the continuous efforts to improve the company’s financial performance, it exerts equal effort toward ensuring that the peoples’ well-fare and environmental safety is considered. On that note, the paper seeks to present a report to the Board of Directors of H & M Ltd. The primary focus of the report is on corporate social responsibility strategies to be implemented. The report will analyse how the proposed strategy will assimilate ecological responsibilities, social welfare, and recruitment and retention of employees (Sustainability.hm.com 2015). The idea of social obligation includes putting endeavors to tackle the issues made, by organizations, during the time spent generation of products and administrations. Organizations acquire the generation inputs from the earth. An uncontrolled asset extraction brings about consumption, which contrarily influences nature. For example, exorbitant blundering devastates the downpour catchment ranges. The movement adversely influences nature by diminishing

Storage device Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Storage device - Essay Example RAM, graphic card memory and cache are the common primary storage devices, and they hold data from secondary devices while it is being used by the computer. The primary memory does not store data for future use due to its small size and lack of capability to store data permanently since they require continuous electric current as opposed to magnetism in secondary devices. RAM has high speed and is accessed with minimal delays due to its direct connection to the CPU via memory buses. RAM is mainly used to store data located in programs and operating system and hence it is necessary that every computer has a secondary device for data storage. Secondary storage is also known as auxiliary storage and is defined as any storage devices that are volatile and may be located inside or outside the computer. Secondary storage devices serve as an addition to the primary memory, and their function is to store data permanently. Secondary storage devices can store data ranging from megabytes to petabytes depending on their storage capacity (Matick 18). Such devices store the installed applications, the operating system, drivers and any other information that the computer user is willing to save. Secondary storage devices do not have a direct connection to the CPU and instead they receive and send data to the CPU through I/O buses. The speed of the secondary storage devices is considerably as compared to that of the RAM and hence cannot transfer data quickly. These devices are advantageous since they store data magnetically, and it is retained once the computer is switched off. The most common type of secondary storage device is an internal hard drive, but there exists many other forms of secondary storage e.g. DVSs, floppy disks, external hard disks, am flash discs. Most secondary storage devices have speeds ranging from 3600RPM TO 7200RPM and are nonvolatile therefore being reliable in data storage and backup (Matick 18). Hard disks are advantageous because they are normally

Grocery, Inc. Essay Example for Free

Grocery, Inc. Essay Grocery, Inc. is a retail grocery store chain based in Any State; U.S.A. Grocery has stores throughout the United States. Grocery has written contracts with many different vendors to purchase the products they sell in their stores. Vendors range from individuals to international corporations. Tom works as the produce manager for the store in My Town, U.S.A. Jeff, 17 years old, is spending his summer vacation working for Tom in the produce department. A.) Does Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) apply to the contracts between Grocery and its vendors? Do common law contracts apply? Explain, in detail, why or why not. Your answer should compare and contrast common law contracts and UCC Article 2 contracts. Yes Article 2 of the UCC does apply to the contracts between Grocery and their vendors. Article 2 applies to all contracts for the sale of goods (2-102). The code contains a somewhat complicated definition of goods (2-105); the most important thing to understand is that the term goods means tangible personal property. Article 2 does not apply to contracts for the sale of real estate or stocks and bonds and other intangibles. The drafters of the code also tried to promote fair dealing and higher standards of behavior in the marketplace. They attempted to do this in several ways in Article 2. The Code imposes a duty on everyone making agreements under the Code to act in good faith (1-203). The Code also imposes certain standards of quality on sellers of goods as a matter of law. Common law contracts would also apply to the Grocery and their vendors, due to the mixture of goods and services. Common law would apply to the service element that is predominant in the contract with regards to the delivery of the goods. (Barnes, J). The difference between Article 2 and common law is that if the contract is for the sale of goods then Article 2 would apply, if it is not then the principles of common law under contracts would apply. Article 2 reflects an attitude about contracts that is fundamentally  different from that of the common law. The Code is more concerned with rewarding peoples legitimate expectations than with technical rules, so it is generally more flexible than traditional contract law. A court that applies the Code is more likely to find the parties had a contract than a court that applies contract law (2-204). In some cases, the Code gives less weight to technical requirements such as consideration than is the case in contract law. (Barnes, J). B.) Grocery contracted with Masterpiece Construction to renovate the store on Main Street in My Town. Masterpiece, unable to complete the renovation within the six month time limit due to a sudden increase in jobs, sub-contracted the entire job to build them to fall. Grocery was unaware of the sub-contract. When Grocery realized (due to poor quality of work) that Build, not Masterpiece, was handling the renovation, Grocery petitioned the court for an injunction and then sued Masterpiece for breech of contract and specific performance. Masterpiece argued that it had a right to delegate the duties of the contract, or in the alternative, to discharge the contract due to commercial impracticability. Who wins? Explain your answer. Based on the information provided by Grocery would win the case based on breech of contract and specific performance. Under breech of contract, promissory must perform their contractual duties in the manner they have promised to perform them. Since Masterpiece did not perform the duties in the manner in which they promised they are liable for breech of contract. The courts recognize that there are three basic degrees of performance: complete or satisfactory performance, substantial performance, and material breech of contract. (Barnes, J). A contract consists of both rights and duties. A contracting party has the duty to perform his or her own promise and the right to receive the other partys promised performance. These rights and duties can usually be transferred to third persons. When rights under a contract are transferred, this is called assignment. The transfer of duties is called a delegation. Not all contracts are assignable  over the objection of the promissory. The promissory who delegates duties is still liable to the promise if the party to whom the duties were delegated fails to satisfactorily perform them. This would make Masterpiece liable for the quality of work that Build them to fall produced for Grocery. The only exception to this rule would have been if the parties had entered into a novation which is a new, separate agreement by the promisee to release the original promissory from liability in exchange for a third partys agreement to assume the promisors duties. As for Masterpieces claim that they had a right to delegate the duties to Build them to Fall under commercial impracticability they would have to show that unforeseen conditions would have caused a delay or inability to make delivery of the goods (make performance impracticable), then they would have been able to claim commercial impracticability. In the absence of compelling circumstances, the courts do not readily excuse parties from their contractual obligations, particularly where it is clear that the parties anticipated a problem and sought to provide for it in the contract. Since Masterpiece had contracted to perform the work for Grocery and then had a sudden increase in jobs this would not be considered compelling circumstances for sub-contracting the job to a company that would perform a poor quality of work. C.) At the end of the summer, Jeff had earned enough money to put a down payment on a car. He decided to continue working part time during school to earn money for the car payments. Jeff purchased a car from Steve at the local used car lot. Steve did not ask Jeff how old he was; but assumed he had reached the age of majority. Jeff paid the down payment and signed the contract stating that he would make payments of $200 each month. Six months later Jeff lost his job and could no longer make the payments. Jeff took the car back to Steve and said he wanted to cancel the contract and that he wanted his money back. What are the possible outcomes? Explain your answers. Jeff was a minor at the time of the contract. Therefore, Jeff is considered not to have the capacity to enter into contracts. Steve made the deal in good faith that Jeff was old enough to enter into the contract.  Unfortunately, the contract is voidable. Jeff was correct that he could disaffirm the contract. And upon the disaffirmance, Jeff had to return the vehicle to Steve. Even though the right to disaffirm a contract was meant to protect minors, some states have rejected that idea because that view creates a hardship on the adult involved. Under the case of Dodson v. Shrader, 824 W.2d 545 Tenn. Sup. Ct. 1992), Steve would be allowed to recover the depreciation of the vehicle from the monies that Jeff has paid. Especially considering the fact that Jeff has had the vehicle for six months or more. The states defer on the idea that the minor needs to be reimburse the innocent adult for dealing with the minor. However, many times minors can pass as adults at approximately 14 years of age and up. Minors also get fake IDs to get things like buying beer. Therefore, by allowing the minor to get away with not paying the debt he or she willing entered or lied to the adult to sign a contract, is not in the best interest of society to allow the minor not to suffer the consequences. Therefore, holding the minor responsible for his or her actions is one way for the minor to learn responsibility. D.) Grocery has a written contract with Cereal, Inc. to purchase 20 cases of cereal per month at $22 per case. The contract does not state the types of cereal or how the 20 cases will be divided up between Grocerys 20 stores in Any State. After a flood, Cereal suffers severe water damage in its warehouse. With the exception of Soggy Flakes, Cereal does not have enough undamaged cereal to comply with its Grocery contract. On the day delivery was due, Grocery receives 10 cases of Soggy Flakes at the three stores located in My Town and two stores in Your Town. Twelve days before delivery was due, Grocery had requested, by facsimile, that 15 cases containing a variety of cereals be delivered to the five stores listed above with the remaining five cases going to Grocerys warehouse in Corp Town. Grocery wants to reject the shipments of Soggy Flakes and cancel its contract with Cereal. Discuss Grocerys rights under contract law. Cereal argues that based on the gap-filling rule, it had the right to modify the terms of the  contract. Analyze the gap filling provisions of UCC Article 2 as they pertain to the terms of this contract. What rights and/or defenses, if any, does Cereal have under contract law? Analyze the remedies available to Grocery and/or Cereal. Explain all answers in detail. Grocery has the right to reject the shipment. Grocery has to notify Cereal that the shipment was not adequate and is being rejected pursuant to Article 2-602. The notice must be accomplished within a reasonable time and preferably in writing [Article 2-602]. Grocery has the right to reject the shipment and cancel the contract.. However, Cereal must notify Grocery that due to unforeseeable circumstances, the shipment will consist of Soggy Flakes and only ten cases of cereal will be delivered. Cereal must notify Grocery that Cereal intends to replace the shipment within a reasonable time (gap-filling rule). However, under the circumstances, Cereal may not know how long Cereal may be without the correct product. Furthermore, Cereal needs to decide what it wants Grocery to do with the product (whether to sell the product, destroy the product, or store the product for later pick-up). Grocery does not have to pay for return shipment. If Grocery feels that Cereal cannot meet the obligations incurred, Grocery can demand an assurance that the contract will be performed. If the assurance is not forthcoming within 30 days, then Grocery can repudiate the contract [Section 2-609]. If Grocery later decides the Cereal can meet the terms of the contract, Grocery can decide to continue wit the contract if Cereal can show that Cereal intends to meet the obligations of the contract. E.) Tom spent his time away from work on his hobby, model trains. His train set was very large and consisted of rare and one-of-a-kind trains. One day, while visiting with a fellow train hobbyist Harry, Tom said, When I retire in two years from Grocery, Im going to sell my trains and spend the rest of my years traveling on real trains. Tom then told Harry that he was the only person he planned to offer his trains to because he knew Harry would take good care of them. Harry said he looked forward to the day when he could buy the trains. Harry then spent the next two years and most of his savings  building a new 2,000 sq. ft. room onto his house to make room for the trains. When Harry told Tom that he was building the new room, Tom just smiled. Tom also heard that Harry had borrowed money from his aunt to buy the trains. When Tom retired, he sold his trains to David. Harry sued Tom claiming breach of contract, or in the alternative, for promissory estoppels. Who wins? Explain your an swer. Although Tom and Harry did not have a written contract about the purchase of the trains, they did have a verbal contract. Breach of contract is described as any failure to perform that is not excused (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, Langvardt, 2004). When Tom told Harry that Tom would sell his trains to Harry, Harry had the reasonable expectation that Harry would receive the trains. Harry then spent a large amount of money building an addition to his house in order to have room for the trains. Harry also had borrowed the money to purchase the trains from his aunt. Promissory estoppel is an equitable doctrine that protects those who foreseeably and reasonably rely on the promises of others by enforcing such promises when enforcement is necessary to avoid injustice, even though one or more of the elements normally required for an enforceable agreement is absent (Mallor, et al, 2004, glossary). In this case an injustice to Harry did exist because of the money he spent in building onto his house and expectation he had of receiving the trains. Harry wins the case based on the recognition of promissory estoppels in section 90 in the first Restatement of Contracts in 1932 (Mallor, et al, 2004, 338). The court would see the injustice to Harry by Tom failing to fulfill his promise to sell his trains to Harry. F.) Jason shipped a truckload of peaches from his orchard to Grocery using an independent trucker. In route, the truck broke down and the shipment was delayed three days. The peaches were spoiled when they arrived. The terms of the contract were F.O.B. Who bears the risk? Explain your answer. F.O.B. (Free on Board) means the seller is responsible to deliver the goods  free of expense and at his own risk to the designated place of delivery. In this case Jacob was responsible for the shipment until it reached Grocery. Grocery would be able to file a suit against Jason for damages. Jason would, however, be able to file a suit against the independent trucker for the damages to the peaches. This case is similar to the case in the textbook Windows, Inc. v. Jordan Panel Systems Corp. In this case, however, the term FOB is not used. The windows were to be properly packed and shipped, but were damaged due to load shift during transport. The buyer, Jordan, expected to receive the windows in good condition, ready to install. When the windows were delivered in bad condition, Jordon filed against the trucking company and did not pay Windows for the order. Jordan then ordered a duplicate order to be shipped that Jordan received with no problem. The error in this case was that Jordan did not pay Windows for either order and Windows had to file suit against Jordan in order to be paid for the shipments. Judgment was affirmed in favor of Windows. G.) Discuss the different warranties that apply to Grocerys business. Explain your answer in detail. Grocerys business operates under the implied warranty of merchantability. This warranty is one that the legal community has created, not one that is operating under a written or accepted contract. The warranty operates under UCC section 2-314(l) . Section UCC 20314(l) reads: [A] warranty that the goods shall be merchantable is implied in a contract for their sale if the seller is a merchant with respect to goods of that kind. (Mallor, Barnes, Bowers and Langvardt, 2007). Under this warranty, Grocerys implied warranty is that the products sold will be useable for the purpose intended. Grocery would be held responsible for products like canned goods, meats, bakery items, and the like because Grocery is in the business of selling these goods. Section 2-314 states the products must meet the following criteria. (1)In the trade, the product must pass inspection without objection. (2)The product must be fit for the purpose for which the product wasintended;(3)The product must be of even kind, quantity (same size unit), and kind (like boxed cereal). (4)The product must be adequately packaged and labeled (must list things like the calories per serving). (5)The product must conform to the packaging and labeling regarding any promises or statements that may be stated (the cereal must be Rice Krispies and not Cheerios if the box is marked Rice Krispies). (6)If a product is perishable, the product must be of fair quality. If goods do not conform to the above standards, a consumer may pursue legal remedies. Goods that do not function as intended are not merchandisable and would not meet the above standards. Furthermore, Grocery would be responsible for the goods sold at the store, not for computer products since the normal business of Grocery would be for canned goods, bakery items, meats, and the like. H.) Supplier Inc., a large wholesaler, had a contract with Grocery. Supplier sued Grocery for breach of contract when Grocery failed to place an order for goods by a specific date as specified in the contract. Each order was worth at least $550. Grocery contended that the contract Bill Green signed was a standard preprinted supply contract without specifics regarding time of order and quantity. Green had authority to sign a standard supply contract, but could not authorize specific terms. This was unknown to Supplier. Supplier argued that terms were boilerplate and therefore could be modified by acceptance. Supplier offered oral testimony at trial to prove that Green agreed to the modifications. Is there a contract? If so, what are the terms? Explain your answer. 1. Yes, there is a contract. The contract that Green claims to be a standard  preprinted supply contract and Suppliers claim can be modified by acceptance. 2. The terms are that Grocery was supposed to purchase goods by a specific date. 3. Each order is worth at least $550. a.) Also, discuss the use of Suppliers oral testimony at trial. 1. The use of Suppliers oral testimony can go either way. Oral testimony can be very effective if Supplier can prove that what Supplier is saying is true. Oral testimony can also be detrimental to Suppliers case if it is proven that Supplier is lying. 2. Presenting to the courts and the jury that the copy of the actual contract is always a good idea. It will be up to the courts to decide if the original contract stands or if it is void. References Edition e-text] Prentice-Hall Publishing. Retrieved August 25, 2005, from University of Phoenix, Resource BUS/415-Business Law Web Site:https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary/content/eReader. Mallor, J.P., Barnes, A.J., Bowers, T., Langvardt, A.W. (2007). Business law: The ethical, global and e-commerce environment, 13e. The McGraw-Hill CompaniesUniversity of Phoenix. (Ed) (2005). Business Law [University of Phoenix Custom]

Lesbianism in Buffy the Vampire Slayer :: TV Television Show Essays

Given that lesbian desire has often been associated with the monstrous in horror and vampire genres, and that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is seen as having reworked the conventions of these genres, it is worth considering how the narrative of lesbianism is dealt with in this series to contemplate if and how this desire has been resignified. This paper is concerned with critically analysing the overt representations of lesbian desire and identity as they are manifested through the Willow (played by Alyson Hannigan) and Tara (Amber Benson) characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the coming out narratives as they unfold in Season Four. It attempts to address several questions: How has Buffy the Vampire Slayer reworked the representation of lesbians in the vampire genre? How are the themes of lesbian desire and coming out as lesbian dealt with in the series? Finally, has the show challenged stereotypical representations of lesbianism, or merely perpetuated them? I start this paper with a sense of ambivalence about how the lesbian characters and lesbian desire are constructed in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because on the one hand I gain pleasure from watching these representations, but on the other hand I suspect that the series perpetuates some homophobic concepts about lesbianism. I am mindful that representations in horror and fantasy television programs and films are creative images and manifestations of ideas, mythologies and narratives. They are not perfect reflections of society, although the writers may attempt to deal with some social issues and identity politics within generic frameworks. However, fictional representations are still important sites where viewers negotiate personal and cultural concepts of sexuality and subjectivity. This queer reading of Buffy the Vampire Slayer investigates the disguised homo-erotic tensions between the out lesbian characters in the series. It avoids an elaborate search for homoerotic and non-normative sexual couplings between other characters in the series. If I were to do such a queer reading, I would probably concentrate on the Willow and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), or Faith (Eliza Dushku) and Buffy relationships as Farah Medlesohn has done in her essay, "Surpassing the Love of Vampires"(2002: 45-60). Alternatively, I might focus on the sadomasochistic relationship between Spike (James Marsters) and Buffy, or the bizarre love triangle between Andrew, Warren and Jonathan in Season Six. Instead, this paper is more concerned with analysing the blatant representations of lesbian desire and sexuality as they are constructed through characterisation, metaphors, narrative and stylistic devices in particular episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to consider how these themes have b een integrated into a youth-orientated, television program.

A World of Poor Choices

The exciting novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger expresses the free will of choice. Salinger cleverly conveys how decisions can alter a person’s perspective of their peer. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, is a young teenager who has emotional instability and behavioral concerns. Holden acts immaturely extensively throughout the book. Holden invents a world where adulthood is the emblem of superficiality and â€Å"phoniness†, while he chooses to convey childhood as a world of innocence. Holden’s observation of himself being the catcher in the rye is highly symbolic. When Holden states he wants to walk off beyond the cliff and catch the children playing in the rye, it can be seen as him exceeding the line of puberty and becoming a young adult. There are a multitude of instances that portray Holden’s childhood as an unvarying plateau. Holden’s interrogation Carl Luce as if they were back in Whooton School, the symbolism of the ducks in the lagoon and the Museum of Natural History, and the contradicting message in the carousel scene, paradigms of his constant immaturity are shrewdly portrayed by Salinger. Holden conveys his immaturity primarily with his appointment with his old school companion, Carl Luce. Holden and Carl had gone to high school together and Holden remembers Carl as the guy who knew everything and anything there was to life. Holden insisted on asking Carl questions as if they relived high school. Carl becomes very disappointed in Holden on account of his lack of maturity. J. D. Salinger displays Holden’s immaturity when he portrays him asking Carl â€Å"How’s your sex life† (144). Carl’s response to Holden was â€Å"†¦ just sit back and relax, for Chrissake† (Salinger 144). Holden’s persistence exacerbates his circumstances with Carl. Carl blatantly asks Holden â€Å"when are you ever going to grow up? † (Salinger 144). Holden didn’t have an acceptable answer for any of Carl’s questions. Shortly after a brief discussion Carl told Holden that â€Å"naturally, your mind is immature† (Salinger 147) and decides to leave him. This scene inevitably illustrates Holden’s immaturity on an escalating level. In an excerpt â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye Should Not Be Censored† by Edward P. J. Corbett he states â€Å"the language is crude and profane in the Catcher in the Rye. It would be difficult to argue, however, that such a language is unfamiliar to our young people or that it is rougher then the language they are accustomed to hear in the streets among their acquaintances, but there is no question a vulgar message in print is much more shocking than if it was spoken† (Corbett 102). Donald P. Costello also agrees that Holden’s language embodies the typical teenage speech. But, the â€Å"overpowering degree of his language helps characterize him† for whom he truthfully is (Donald P. Costello 83). Holden’s vulgar language â€Å"reveals his age, even when he is thinking he is older† (Costello 84). Holden feels he obliged to use â€Å"Chrissake† and â€Å"goddam† to illustrate a strong expression. In the sense of Holden’s language a clear display of his adolescence is portrayed. Holden’s refusal to believe in change and disappearance renders his immaturity immensely. There are several symbolic encounters that demonstrate Holden’s rebuttal of change. One encounter is when Holden visits the Museum of Natural History he is engrossed in the Eskimo figures. The Eskimo figures are appealing to Holden because they are molded into their places and therefore unchanging. The museum is Holden’s fantasy world because it is a world where everything is simple, and fixed. Another symbolic occurrence is the death of his brother Allie. The death staggers Holden because it required change and disappearance. Another powerful illustration of Holden’s immaturity is the symbolization of the ducks in the central lagoon. The ducks in the lagoon vanish every winter and return every summer. This cycle shows that change does not last forever. Out of curiosity Holden asks his cab driver â€Å"do you know where the ducks go when it gets all frozen over? (Salinger 60). The pond resembles the midpoint between two states in reference to Holden’s position between childhood and adulthood. In these scenes, Holden’s attitude aids the reader to discover that his childhood is his predominant state, and it prevails over his chances at becoming an adult. In the passage â€Å"Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye† Clinton W. Trowbridge believes â €Å"Holden has tested several ideal images of himself only to find each of them phony† (Clinton W. Trowbridge 43). When Holden proclaims that he wants to be the catcher in the rye, it sounds outlandish. The suggestion of Holden becoming the catcher in the rye has remarkable significance and conveys two images. The first image conveys as Holden â€Å"being a savior and his religious idealism† (Trowbridge 45). Secondly, it analyzes Holden’s perspective of good and evil. Childhood represents the only good characteristic, surrounded by perils. The evil cliff signifies the transition over from childhood to adulthood. Holden fears â€Å"the children will plunge into the evil adulthood unless stopped† (Trowbridge 45). Holden’s immaturity is most evident though his fear of falling off the cliff. At the books climax, Holden allows Phoebe, his ten year old sister, to ride the carousel. While riding the carousel the objective is to reach off your horse and grab the gold ring. Phoebe rides the carousel and begins trying to retrieve the gold ring. Typically most parents would not let their child strive for the gold ring because they have a high risk of falling off. Holden notices Phoebe going for the ring and doesn’t care to reprimand her. Holden thought to himself â€Å"I was sort of afraid she’d fall off the goddam horse, but I didn’t say or do anything† (Salinger 211). Holden’s attitude misguides readers into believing that Holden has matured. However, one must consider that he has been immature most of his life, and will always struggle with acquiring a sense of adulthood. At the end of the story Holden says â€Å"that’s all I’m going to tell about. I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how I got sick and all, and what school I’m supposed to go to next fall, after I get out of here, but I don’t feel like it. I really don’t. That stuff doesn’t interest me right now† (Salinger 213). Holden blatantly admits, within this quote, that he is still the same Holden Caulfield, the one that was always uninterested in school and academics. Clearly the carousel scene manifests in the revelation of the fact that he will always be a child at heart. In the excerpt â€Å"Robert Burn’s Poem Comin’ Thro’ the Rye and Catcher† Luther S. Luedtke believes that Holden has learned â€Å"innocence and goodness, epitomized in the condition of the child, are not static conditions; just as the child must grow up through adolescence into adulthood, so must innocence and goodness risk this passage through experience and evil† (Luedtke 49). Luedtke is telling the readers of his excerpt that Holden has matured greatly by allowing Phoebe to grab the golden ring. Holden’s ironic confession in the final chapter tells otherwise. Holden states that he is not interested in achieving academic goals anymore. In J. D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, Holden’s heartless approach toward the world around him blockades his path to maturing. Through Holden’s talk with Carl Luce, the symbolization of the lagoon and the Museum of Natural History, and the contradicting message in the carousel scene all prove Holden’s immaturity throughout the novel. Although Phoebe’s conscientious struggle to aid Holden in maturing did not succeed, Phoebe shouldn’t be held responsible for his immaturity. Holden’s immaturity comes with his free will of choice and his plateau of juvenile behavior that he cannot surpass. Holden’s judgmental personality toward adults authenticates his immaturity to a towering extent. Holden’s failure to emotionally evolve throughout the entirety of the novel ultimately barricades Holden’s depression within himself and results in his unhappiness.

Gustav Flaubert and Ivan Turgenev

The Romantics is a culturally inclined book written by Pankaj Mishra. The publication deals with life's differences and how people came to know more about their own respective cultures. It brings out every reader into a journey of culture. life and the true meaning of existence. The main character Samar, made his move while he is in a juxtaposition of cultures. One may find himself in the shoes of Samar who wanted to engage in more discoveries. Samar, is a fresh graduate who arrived in Benares, also known as the holy city in 1989.He wanted to continue with his solitary life with his book as he chose to stay in a room there. Samar loves to deal with his friends namely Edmund Wilson, Gustav Flaubert and Ivan Turgenev. But on the place where he stays, he lives adjacent to a woman from the west, Catherine. She is a French young woman who had a great impact on Samar's life. She made a vast change on his outlook in life and dealing with what the good world awaits for him. He was able to re cover from the past that he wanted to escape but then the conflicting part is that he falls for the wrong woman.Catherine is already committed which made the story interesting. It was really a big frustration for him to know the truth since he fall in love for the first time since he never believe in the set up of love before. In Benares he discovered many things that changed his life. Starting from the ancestors Brahmin down to practices and political issues. He was able to contemplate on the commonality of people who are there. They all wanted to escape their past. Going back to Samar and Catherine, the two had a chance to become lovers but then Catherine decided to cut their relationship off.Good thing Samar was able to recover and took a teaching job for young Tibetan children. When he was reunited with an old friend from Benares after seven years, he told himself that he is apart from those people who lives there. He is now far from the old tradition and on his way to recuperat ing for a better future. The Romantics tells about the clashing of culture in contemporary India. The author attempted to explore how people during the time differ from their backgrounds, culture and how it is romanticized to unveil the mysteries of India.

Biotechnology Essays - Dairy Products, Lactobacillaceae, Free Essays

Biotechnology Essays - Dairy Products, Lactobacillaceae, Free Essays Biotechnology: The way we use living organisms to producer useful substances. Many traditional foods, like bread and cheese, are products of biotechnology. Microbes can reproduce and convert raw materials into products very quickly. Many foods, like yoghurt and soy sauce, are products of fermentation technology. Fermentation is the key reaction in many biotechnological processes. Plants continue to act as a source of drugs of important medicinal value. Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Biotechnology: The way we use living organisms to producer useful substances. Many traditional foods, like .. and .., are products of biotechnology. Microbes can reproduce and convert raw materials into products very quickly. Many foods, like .. and .., are products of fermentation technology. .is the key reaction in many biotechnological processes. .. continue to act as a source of drugs of important medicinal value. Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Vitamin C: made by fermenting sugars by the bacterium Acetobacter. Carrageen: a red seaweed; used to make a gelling agent that holds foods together. Invertase: used in the sweet industry, made by the yeast Saccharomyces. Citric acid: made by a genetically engineered variety of the fungus Aspergillus niger; used to give flavour and fizz to fruity drinks. Microbial products Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Vitamin C: made by fermenting sugars by the bacterium . Carrageen: a red seaweed; used to make a ..agent that holds foods together. : used in the sweet industry, made by the yeast Saccharomyces. ...: made by a genetically engineered variety of the fungus Aspergillus niger; used to give flavour and fizz to fruity drinks. Microbial products Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Pasteurised milk is used because most bacteria are ... The yoghurt is kept at 40C to: reduce the . level give the best . for the Lactobacillus bacterium. Lactobacillus works best in .. conditions. The yoghurt become ready after Yoghurt Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Pasteurised milk is used because most bacteria are Killed The yoghurt is kept at 40C to: reduce the Oxygen level give the best temperature for the Lactobacillus bacterium. Lactobacillus works best in anaerobic conditions. The yoghurt become ready after hours. Yoghurt Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi Pasteurised milk is used because most bacteria are killed. Lactobacillus bacteria are used to convert milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid. The low pH and the enzyme chymosin causes the milk protein to thicken into a curd. The cheese is preserved by adding salt. The cheese ripe and bacteria start to break down the proteins and fats in the cheese to give the characteristic texture and flavour. Cheese Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi milk is used because most bacteria are killed. .. bacteria are used to convert milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid. The low pH and the enzyme .. causes the milk protein to thicken into a curd. The cheese is preserved by adding . The cheese ripe and bacteria start to break down the proteins and fats in the cheese to give the characteristic ..and .. Cheese Mr. Salman Al-Kofahi

Sacred Heart University Admissions and Acceptance Rate

Sacred Heart University Admissions and Acceptance Rate Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut admits over half of the  applicants each year. Those interested in applying to the school will need to submit an application, letters of recommendation, and official high school transcripts. While SAT or ACT scores are not required, prospective students can submit them if they would like. Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Sacred Heart University Acceptance Rate: 57  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for Sacred Heart Admissions: Sacred Heart University does not require applicants to submit standardized test scores with their application. You are welcome to do so if you want them to be considered.Northeast Conference SAT score comparisonNortheast Conference ACT score comparisonCompare SAT scores for Connecticut collegesCompare ACT scores for Connecticut colleges Sacred Heart University Description Founded in 1963, Sacred Heart is a relatively young Catholic university. The 69-acre campus is located in Fairfield, Connecticut, 90 minutes from Manhattan. The university has a 13 to 1  student/faculty  ratio  and an average class size of about 22. Sacred Heart has  45 degree  programs. Among undergraduates, business and psychology are the most popular. The school frequently ranks well among northeastern colleges. On the athletic front, the Sacred Heart University Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division I  Northeast Conference. The school fields 31 Division I teams, and students can also participate in 28 club sports. Enrollment (2015) Total Enrollment: 8,532  (5,428 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 36 percent male / 64 percent female88  percent full-time Costs (2016 -17) Tuition and Fees: $38,300Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $14,450Other Expenses: $2,650Total Cost: $56,600 Sacred Heart University Financial Aid (2015 -16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 99 percentLoans: 68  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $15,033Loans: $11,047 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Athletic Training, Biology, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, English, Finance, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology What major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 83 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 58 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 64 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Fencing, Football, Wrestling, Volleyball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, BaseballWomens Sports:  Rowing, Rugby, Fencing, Golf, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Bowling, Basketball, Cross Country If You Like Sacred Heart, You May Also Like These Schools Boston University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSouthern Connecticut State University: Profile  Yale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNew York University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphQuinnipiac University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAlbertus Magnus College: Profile  Hofstra University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWesleyan University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphProvidence College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Connecticut: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Haven: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Sacred Heart University Mission Statement Read the complete mission statement at sacredheart.edu/pages/115_mission_statement.cfm Sacred Heart University is a coeducational, independent, comprehensive institution of higher learning in the Catholic intellectual tradition whose primary objective is to prepare men and women to live in and make their contributions to the human community. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Quorum sensing in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium Essay

Quorum sensing in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium - Essay Example The influence of environmental factors on quorum sensing as seen by the influence of glucose metabolism on the production and degradation of the signal shows that through quorum sensing the cells communicate their growth phase as well as the metabolic potential of their environment. Strain AB 1157 of E. coli and strain LT2 of S. typhimurium grown in 0.5% glucose containing LB broth for the assay was removed from the medium and checked for activity that resulted in expression of luminescence in V. harveyi. 10% cell-free culture fluids from the two strains demonstrated maximal induction of luminescence in the V. Harveyi reporter strain BB170 which has the phenotype for quorum sensing, sensor 1-, sensor 2+ which induces luminescence exclusively through the signaling system 2 detector. The response was similar to that from V. harveyi BB152 culture fluid with E. Coli showing 106% and S. typhimurium showing 237% activity of the control activity. The signaling factor was not produced and the luminescence expression not induced when the bacterial strains were cultured in LB broth without added glucose and substitution of 10% LB medium containing glucose respectively. Candidates for signal including glucose, cAMP, amino acids, acetate, ÃŽ ±-ketogluterate, homoserine lac tone and other keto acids also produced no activity suggesting V. Harveyi BB170 respond to some signaling substance secreted by E. coli AB1157 and S. typhimurium LT2 grown on glucose containing LB medium. An analogous experiment performed with V. Harveyi reporter strain BB886 (sensor 1+ , sensor 2-) which is a wild type strain that do not act in response to signaling molecules that function through the signaling system 2 detector. Addition of E. coli AB1157 and S. typhimurium LT2 cell-free culture fluids showed only a respective 1% and 5% increase above control level (control used V. harveyi BB120 spent cultures which produces system 1 autoinducer).These results shows that E. coli AB1157 and

Literature for Research - Impact of diabetes among the lebanese Essay

Literature for Research - Impact of diabetes among the lebanese community in sydney - Essay Example In 2004-05, 3.6% of the Australian population, approximately 700,000 persons, reported that they had diabetes. This figure has gone up. The estimated number of Australians with diabetes will be 1.23 million by the year 2010. Statistics show that the prevalence of diabetes is higher among people born overseas compared with people born in Australia (AIHW 2003). ABS data shows that in 2004-05, among persons born overseas, rates of diabetes were highest for persons born in Southern and Central Asia (8.7%), North Africa and the Middle East (6.6%), South East Asia (5.7%) and Southern and Eastern Europe (4.9%) (after adjusting for age differences). By comparison, the rate of diabetes for persons born in Australia was 3.3% (ABS 2006). The increasing cases of diabetes amongst Lebanese people are also a cause of worry. Sydney is host to a large number of Lebanese people, migrated to the country, hence the city, in search of better job opportunities living standards. There are many studies indicating increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in these families. These have been ascribed to hereditary factors, food habits, prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and increased consanguinity over many generations (Abou-Daoud, 1969). Acculturation is a social phenomenon where family values tend to play important roles, and social and cultural factors related to the immigrant race determine the patterns of acceptance or resistance of newer cultural norms (Bhugra, 2004). This means community, family and social life will have an important impact of the disease on the family and quality of life of the individual (Dept Human Services (Vic), 2004). Diabetes in any population is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, economic , cultural, and social impacts on the person, family, relations, and the community (Zalloua, 2003). Therefore exploration into these factors can discover the qualitative indicators that are

Review and Response of the Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review and Response of the Reading - Essay Example She then goes on to talk about some of the more provocative art forms, especially in context of African Americans. Her detailed analysis of the various African American arts, which challenge the established morals of the society is very enlightening. I was particularly impressed by her thorough research in the field, as she refers to a number of artistic displays, some of them long since extinct. According to her, these arts, which were created by the African American, may be considered by many to be pornographic on the face of it, but when you look at these at another level, you realize that through these provocative art forms these African American artists are trying to point out how there bodies were used and abused over the years of slavery. Most of these artistic displays are extremely provocative, like the play by Robbie MacCauley’s â€Å"Aunt Sally’s Rape†, where she poses nude. To the upholders of false morality, this play may seem to be pornographic, but it has a much deeper meaning in that brings out the humiliations faced by the African American slaves who had no right even over their own body. This and several other arts mentioned by Fusco serve to bring out the irony of African American fate whose bodies were abused for the viewing pleasure of the white audience even as they had no control over it and than the moralistic people denounced these very black people for being pornographic. Nayland Blake in his dialogue with talk about some his similarly provocative arts. The most outstanding of his works is the â€Å"Gorge† where we see him being fed continuously for sixty minutes on the video. The fact that Blake is legally Black and the person feeding him on the video is also black is discussed in details in this dialogue. According to Blake, the notion of race has led to the African Americans being subjected to a number of horrors historically. Both Fusco and Blake talk about the horrors

Advantages And Disadvantages Relying On Field Notes English Language Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Relying On Field Notes English Language Essay At the first step of this assessment I have to answer what the advantages and disadvantages are of relying solely on field notes, in comparison with producing a transcription of an audio or video recording. During the second half of the twentieth century, there was a huge growth in the amount of educational research and the emergence of a substantial methodological literature on how best to pursue it. The educational research became quite diverse, not only in the topics examined but also in the methodological and theoretical approaches that are used. Perhaps not surprisingly, disagreement is closely associated with such diversity, and there are even differences of opinion over what is and is not research, and what is and is not educational research(E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 63). Field notes or transcription of an audio or video recording are characteristics of reflective practice and of what is often referred to as action research. Nevertheless, a great deal of educat ional enquiry is carried out as a separate task from educational practice, even when it is designed to inform practice directly. In this matter, the researchers may not be educational practitioners themselves, although they frequently are (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 63). Concerning the range of strategies that can be used to pursue educational research it is a wide range of issues such as laboratory and classroom experiments, large-scale surveys of the behaviour, attitude, etc. The results of the research, i.e. the data may be the product of direct observation on the part of the researcher or it may be produced by others, and can take a variety of forms, such as answering questionnaires by ticking in boxes on interview or observational schedules, numbers as recorded in published statistics, text from published or unpublished documents or from field notes written by the researcher during the course of observations or interviews, audio-or video-recordings and transcripts of these(Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p.26). A common way of conceptualizing this diversity is the distinction between quantitative and qualitative approaches and it is necessary, however, to emphasize that it is a very crude distinction and one that is potentially misleading. The most obvious distinction between the two sorts of research is that the former deals with numbers whereas the latter does not or does to a minor degree. Going back to the main point of the question I have to deal with the qualitative research since field notes or audio video recording are within this category. As interview transcripts are made and field notes of observation compiled the researcher continuously examines the data, by highlighting certain points in the text or making comments in the margins. The important points are identified by the researcher noting contradictions and inconsistencies, comparisons and contrasts with other data and so on. At this point the researcher is not just collecting data, but thinking about it and interacting with it. Much of these first attempts at speculative analysis will probably be discarded, but some ideas will no doubt take shape as data collection and analysis proceed. Much of this early activity may appear chaotic and uncoordinated, but such `chaos is a prolific seed-bed for ideas (Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p. 68). However, sometimes, because of the pressure of time, the notes the researcher makes may be little more than a scribbled comment, or a one-word `indicator particularly as the research goes on, one might write longer notes or memos or summarize parts of data that go together and that could be one of the disadvantages for the field notes. On the other hand, by writing the notes down, the researcher has the advantage of memorising better the outcome of the interview. Concerning though the audio video recording as it used to happen in the past, qualitative researchers relied primarily on written field notes as a source of data. However today, they use audio or video recorders, although they often supplement these recordings with field notes in order to provide additional information that may not be evident in the recordings which is one of its disadvantages. In addition, this might include such things as the layout of the setting, what happened before the recording began, talk that was too quiet to be picked up by the microphone, who was speaking to whom, non-verbal behaviour of various kinds, and behaviour that may be obscured on the video recording. Generally speaking, the aim when writing field notes is to provide as detailed and accurate an account as possible of the nature of a setting, and of what was said and done while the observation was being carried out (E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, p. 8). Another advantage of the audio video recording is the opportunity the researcher has to play over and over the interview and clarify more what he hears. In contrast, by audio video interview, the interviewee loses his own privacy since an interview is more or less a confession. (824 words) Question 2 During the second half of the twentieth century, educational research has moved away from the use of the quantitative method and the associated reliance on positivist ideas about methodology, and towards various kinds of post-positivist approach although neither quantitative research nor the influence of positivism disappeared completely. Educational research came increasingly reliant on relatively unstructured forms of data, such as audio and video recordings, open-ended field notes, and published or unpublished documents even using material from the internet. This data was analysed in ways that did not rely on quantitative method, being designed instead to produce accounts that are similar in basic character to those written, for example, by historians (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 81). As a result, qualitative researchers work mainly with relatively unstructured data which is not framed in terms of analytic categories at the point of data collection. Researchers are using observational data produced in the form of open-ended field notes describing what is observed in plain and concrete language, and/or through audio or video recordings which are then transcribed. In addition researchers may use data from relatively unstructured interviews in other words, those that do not involve asking a set of pre-specified questions, or offering informants a choice from pre specified answers. Instead, for the most part, their aim is to encourage informants to talk in their own terms about matters that may be relevant to the research. Once again, the data is recorded by means of field notes, and/or more usually by audio recording and transcription (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 104). Moreover, observation as a source of data uses most kinds of documents, observation requires the researcher to record the data by means of field notes, audio or video recording. Whenever electronic recordings are used, these usually must be transcribed, which in a sense are time-consuming activities that must be carried out before the even more time consuming activity of analysis starts. Very often observation in qualitative research uses audio or video recording which usually provides a more accurate and detailed record than the use of field notes. However, these techniques still do not record everything. For example audio recordings omit nonverbal behaviour that may be very significant in understanding what is being expressed. On the other hand, camera angle will make some things visible and others obscure or out of focus. Furthermore, both audio and video recordings need to be transcribed, and errors can be introduced here. Even transcription involves inference (Ochs, 1979, p.2). The researchers have to be very careful when interviewing people and collecting data. In other words, they reject the idea that interview data can be used either as a window into the minds of informants or as a source of information about the social worlds in which they live. At this second part of my assignment the question which is needed to be answered is what would be lost by relying on audio recording rather than a video recording. Up to now, I have tried to analyse the usage of the audio video recording by the researchers and pick point advantages and disadvantages of this method. There is a need for more time to be consumed when we do the transcription of an audio instead of a video recording due to the fact that we can only listen to the audio instead of listening and watching a video recording. In addition, with the audio recording we lose important non-verbal and contextual information. Unless we are familiar with the speakers we may also find it difficult to distinguish between different voices. Wherever possible, supplement audio-recordings with field-notes or a diary providing contextual information. Moreover, audio recordings omit nonverbal behaviour that may be very significant in understanding. What is happening while a researcher is asking someone something that could be seen in the video recording is easier to be interpreted. Laughter or coughing could be very important on the ground of what it is said but is missing from the audio recording since both need to be transcribed and errors can be introduced here easier with audio recording since transc ription involves inference. Moreover, the usage of the audio recording may mislead the researcher since he only has the voice and not a picture of the interviewee. However it is more intimidating to video record an interviewer and it goes without saying that permission should be sought before any audio or video recording. (736 words) Question 3 Coming to the third part of the assignment, I have to point out the advantages and disadvantages of the structured interviewing. Structured interview falls into the educational research. According to Stenhouse A research tradition which is accessible to teachers and which feeds teaching must be created if education is to be significantly improved.(An introduction to Curriculum Research and Development, 1975, p.165). Furthermore, David Tripps words are very significant as he mentioned the importance of the educational research by saying that there is no doubt if educational research seeks to improve practice it needs to be grounded in educational events and not in academic theories (Critical Incidents in Teaching, 1993, p. 152). From my own experience, this is very important to me, since I recognised the fact that I had been very successful in the classroom while being ignorant of what academics considered knowledge essential to teaching. I actually became aware of the difference betw een knowledge of academics and knowledge of teachers after I had taken educational lessons in pedagogy as part of the compulsory pre service course so that I could continue teaching. Additionally, improving teaching is by grounding in educational research in realities of teachers everyday experience. We are all familiar with interviews from everyday life which basically the interview is an interactional format that consists of an interchange between one or more people by asking questions and a person (or a number of people) answering them. An interview can be distinguished from a test or an oral examination in that the aim is for the person questioned to provide information or opinions, while the interviewer does not usually make any explicit evaluation of the answers beyond what might be required for the sake of politeness (E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, p. 10). Even though interviews are described in broad terms, we also recognise when an interview is taking place and it is also important to understand the considerable variation in their character. This is not just about differences in purpose but even research interviews may vary considerably in a number of ways. As it was mentioned before, it is possible to interview one or more persons simultaneously thus marking the distinction between individual and group interviews. Another significant difference concerns where an interview takes place on whose territory, for example. In structured interviews characteristic of survey research, interviewers in general, reveal as little as less possible about themselves, in contrast of what can be read from their appearance and behaviour. However, this is the case during the formal part of the interview; there is more to be disclosed in informal interchanges before or after the interview. However, in qualitative interviews, with their more unstructured format, it is common for interviewers to provide more information about themselves. In addition, some commentators have argued that they are obliged to do this, as part of an appropriate reciprocity that ought to operate between researcher and researched (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 234). Another fact that the researcher should take into consideration when he or she is preparing a structured interview is the design of the interview. To avoid mistakes piloting is very necessary. Observation schedules and the way the researcher records observations also ne ed to be reliable, since it needs to mean the same to others as it does to you. You need to make sure that you negotiate with each other to arrive at mutually agreed definitions of the behaviours and situations you want to concentrate on. As Coolican points out: We know that each persons view of a situation is unique and that our perceptions can be biased by innumerable factors. An untrained observer might readily evaluate behaviour which the researcher wants reported as objectively as possible. Where the trained observer reports a hard blow, the novice might describe this as `vicious' (Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, 1990, p.63). Coming back to my working experience, as an assistant head master, I experience structured and semi structured interviews almost every day. Being with young students from 15 to 18 years of age as educators we are in constant discussion with them. While I was studying for the structured interview my mind always goes back on the first days of each year for the first year students in school. Every assistant head master normally is responsible for at least 25 first year students; as a result, I always have freshmen at school that I have to interview them so I can have a brief idea about them. The interview is developed as a structured one and many questions could be answered by either answering yes or no or by filling in with a few words. The most important for me is to drain as more useful information as possible. Furthermore, based on the given participants answers to my questions, I have to determine not only the students personal problems, hobbies and interests but also oral fluency, vocabulary strengths, and general communication skills. This assessment target, which in a sense is not part of the structured interview it is a tool which I have to develop so that I can comment at the end of the interview for myself. As it is obvious, the interviewees are often nervous and sometimes are shy. I usually put a lot of effort to get as more as possible from the interviewee and this sometimes becomes more and more difficult for me. As Mcnamara mentioned the interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participants experiences and the interviewer can pursue in-depth information around the topic but it is also useful as follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses. (General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews, 1999, p. 12). Whenever I come to the end of the interview, a lot of thoughts go through my head. The fact that I learn more about my students could become an advantage or a disadvantage for me or any interviewer. However, this part should stay with me or any other interviewer and I should explore more strengths or weaknesses of this method. As a starting point for the advantages of an interview I should mention the fact that all participants are getting equal chances to answer on the same questions and present themselves as best as possible since all the questions are set up in such a way to give them the opportunity. Face-to-face structured interviews are quicker to conduct and they give better opportunity to assess the interviewees meaning and interpretation of the questions. They also help to identify any confusion that might come up from the so asked question or answer, more easily and efficiently. In addition, they allow the chance to present material to interviewees and get their reactions. Furthermore, face-to-face structured interviews are generally better than mail questionnaires with interviewees with unknown educational skills that may not be clarify for the questions asked. They are also helpful when sensitive information is looked for since interviewers normally can establish a trust with the interviewee and they are able to drain answers to questions that the interviewee may otherwise be negative to answer or to answer truthfully. In addition, where less is known about the way in which interviewees think about an issue or about the range of possible answers to a question, structured interviews has the chance for interviewers to ask additional questions, if needed to get reasonable answers. Moreover interviewees are asked the same questions in the same way. This makes it easy to repeat (replicate) the interview. In other words, this type of research method is easy to standardise and provides a reliable source of quantitative data. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages from the structured interview such as the associated one with obtaining data from tests, questionnaires and structured interviews. These methods are often aimed at capturing dispositions, such as respondents abilities, attitudes or tendencies to act in particular ways. However, peoples responses to particular questions or test items on particular occasions within the research context may be different from what they would typically say or do in other circumstances. In other words, their responses may be generated by particularities of the research context, and may not apply more generally. Even where the responses are the product of a disposition, researchers will not know exactly under what conditions this disposition is acted on (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 148). However, interviews also develop the dynamic for an interviewer to intentionally or unintentionally influence results and violate consistency in measurement. The survey interviewees are very sensitive to cues given by the interviewers verbal and non-verbal behavior. As well, an interviewer has the opportunity to ask further questions or give clarifications and may undountefully influence the expected answers. Although they are faster to conduct than mail questionnaire surveys, face-to-face interviews are costly due to the amount of staff time required to conduct interviews and to the cost of travel. Coming to my interviews, I am, however, generally able to make fairly accurate judgments about students background and abilities. In most cases, I also get feedback as interviewer. Many participants said they found my tone of voice and my encouraging approach very helpful. That kind of feedback certainly helped me as the interviewer. (1540 words) Coolican, H. (1990) Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, London, Hobber and Stoughton. E891 Educational Enquiry, Media Guide, (2007), The Open University. 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