Norway - Population Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Norway - Population - Research Paper Example Furthermore, 39.8% of the country’s total population is in the age group of 25-54 years (CIA, 2013). The population growth is slow recorded in 2013 at 0.33% (CIA, 2013). Therefore, any business must not expect any major shift in the demographic conditions of the country. Any strategy that is formulated and implemented at present could remain effective for next few years. These groups are considered to be the target market of ARIO that is launching its wristband collection in Norway. Moreover, ARIO plans to launch its business in Oslo, which is the capital city of Norway, and it is important to highlight demographics of the city. The capital hosts a population of around .875 million individuals (CIA, 2013). The city portrays of the country’s heritage. However, in the recent years, the city socio-cultural setup has been very much affected by Western influences. The younger population of the country is following the contemporary trends (Oslo, 2013). The country spends 6.8% of its total GDP on education (CIA, 2013), which is significantly high amount of expenditure. This also implies that a high proportion of the country’s population is literate and has access to all types of information. 100% of the population can read or write, which is phenomenal. This is crucial as ARIO depends upon the ability of participants of the targeted market to understand fashion trends and follow them in their purchases. It is understood that target population that has some form of education are more likely to be aware of fashion trends. There is no poverty found in the country as every individual in the country is living about the poverty line (CIA, 2013). The country’s per capital GDP is $53,000 (CIA, 2013) that is very high and reflects people’s ability to generate income and spending in high volumes. Although, the country experienced a slowdown in its economy as an outcome of the recent financial crisis and economic downturn in major

Models of Strategic HRM: British Airways Case Study

Models of Strategic HRM: British Airways Case Study Strategic human resource management may be observed as an address to the management of human resources that furnish a strategic framework to sustain long-term business goals and outcomes. The approach is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. Comparison with the Model: Fiedler Contingency Model Bath People and Performance Management Leadership membership Relationship which is the most important variable in determining the situation favourable (Accept and respect by followers) The development and successful implementation of high performance work practices, partially those concerned with job and work design, flexible work resourcing (recruitment, Selection and Talent Management), employee development (increasing skills and extending the skills base), reward and giving employees a voice; The degree of task structure which is the second most important input into the favourableness of the situation(structured task) The formulation and embedding of a clear vision and set of values (the big idea) The leaders position power obtained through formal authority which is the third most important dimension of the situation.(Great deal of Authority and power are formally attributed to the leader position) The provision of support and advice to line managers on their role in implementing HR policies and practice. Reason for the importance of HRM in Organisation: Human resources are great significance to organizations in 10 specific areas, to extent from strategic planning to company goodwill. HR practitioners in a small business who have well-balanced expertise equip a number of services to employees. The areas in which HR maintains control can enhance employees perception of HR throughout the workforce when they believe HR considers employees to be its internal customers and renders services with that in mind. There have ten importance of Human Resource Management in the organization. Strategy Compensation Benefits Safety Liability Training and Development Employee Satisfaction Recruitment Selection Compliance Strategy HR improves the companys bottom line with its knowledge of how human capital affects organizational success. Leaders with expertise in HR strategic management participate in corporate decision-making that underlies current staffing assessments and projections for future workforce needs based on business demand. Compensation HR compensation specialists develop realistic compensation structures that set company wages competitive with other businesses in the area, in the same industry or companies competing for employees with similar skills. They conduct extensive wage and salary surveys to maintain compensation costs in line with the organizations current financial status and projected revenue. Benefits Benefits specialists can reduce the companys costs associated with turnover, attrition and hiring replacement workers. They are important to the organization because they have the skills and expertise necessary to negotiate group benefit packages for employees, within the organizations budget and consistent with economic conditions. They also are familiar with employee benefits most likely to attract and retain workers. This can reduce the companys costs associated with turnover, attrition and hiring replacement workers. Safety Employers have an obligation to provide safe working conditions. Workplace safety and risk management specialists from the HR area manage compliance with U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations through maintaining accurate work logs and records, and developing programs that reduce the number of workplace injuries and fatalities. Workplace safety specialists also engage employees in promoting awareness and safe handling of dangerous equipment and hazardous chemicals. Liability HR employee relations specialists minimize the organizations exposure and liability related to allegations of unfair employment practices. They identify, investigate and resolve workplace issues that, left unattended, could spiral out of control and embroil the organization in legal matters pertaining to federal and state anti-discrimination and harassment laws. Training and Development HR training and development specialists coordinate new employee orientation, an essential step in forging a strong employer-employee relationship. The training and development area of HR also provides training that supports the companys fair employment practices and employee development to prepare aspiring leaders for supervisory and management roles. Employee Satisfaction Employee relations specialists in HR help the organization achieve high performance, morale and satisfaction levels throughout the workforce, by creating ways to strengthen the employer-employee relationship. They administer employee opinion surveys, conduct focus groups and seek employee input regarding job satisfaction and ways the employer can sustain good working relationships. Recruitment HR recruiters manage the employment process from screening resumes to scheduling interviews to processing new employees. Typically, they determine the most effective methods for recruiting applicants, including assessing which applicant tracking systems are best suited for the organizations needs. Selection HR professionals work closely with hiring managers to effect good hiring decisions, according to the organizations workforce needs. They provide guidance to managers who arent familiar with HR or standard hiring processes to ensure that the company extends offers to suitable candidates. Compliance HR workers ensure that the organization complies with federal state employment laws. They complete paperwork necessary for documenting that the companys employees are eligible to work in the U.S. They also monitor compliance with applicable laws for organizations that receive federal or state government contracts, through maintaining applicant flow logs, written affirmative action plans and disparate impact analyses. Explanation and analysis of an HRM framework Explanation of an HRM Framework: External Context (Fixed Effect) Labour Law Labour Market Condition Characteristics of labour supply. Factory Specific Characteristics Location, size, age, capital investment, product, vertical integration, buyers and work place philosophy. Defect Rate, Employee Turnover, Absenteeism and Production efficiency. Productivity Output , Sales, Profits. Explanation of the HRM process and how strategies are developed Human Resource Management Process There could sub functions in the HRM Process in practice. The key areas of HRM Process are Human resource planning Attraction also called as recruitment Selection Directing Training and development Performance appraisal Promote, demote or transfer regarding to performances The HR Strategy development process should contain the following steps: HR Information Gathering The team has to complete the information about different HR Processes, their performance and their impact on the profitability of the organization. The profitability can be difficult, but the team can always make a good estimate about the impact of the process to the results of the organization. Organizational Development Information the information about the development of the organization in the past and its current status. Each organization has several stages in its organizational lifecycle and some trends in the organization are healthy and some trends are extremely dangerous and can impact the future profitability. HR Workshops when the input information are gathered the HR Team has to organize the workshops inside Human Resources, where the piece of the new HR Strategy can evolve. The teams should discuss the findings one by one and all the ideas should be gathered as they can impact the overall HR Strategy. HR Managerial Workshops the information from the previous HR Workshop with employees should go to the next level and the HR Managers should talk about the trends and the topics, which should be included in the HR Strategy and what is the impact on the whole organization and the HR team. The results of the HR Managerial Workshops have to be recorded and the priorities of different parts of the story have to assign. Preparation of the HR Strategy a dedicated HR sub-team has to prepare the story of the HR Strategy from the approved outcomes from the HR Managerial Workshops. The story has to be strong and appealing for the audience and HR employees. HR Strategy Feedbacks the HR Management Team has to present the pre-final version of the HR Strategy to the fellow managers in the organization and their feedback has to be appreciated and fully and honestly discussed with the managers. The same session has to be organized for the HR employees as they can say their feedback to the HR Strategy Story. HR Strategy approval the HR Strategy has to be approved by the top management as they are the final customers of Human Resources and they should fully agree with the way, the HR wants to operate in the organization within several years. An Assessment of the Roles in Strategic HRM HRM is central to a firms strategic management policies. For starters, the business cannot implement its operating strategy, however astute, without the full cooperation of its personnel. Consequently, corporate leadership makes sure to get employees buy-in before rolling out operating tactics. HRM also enables organizations to take a peek at what rivals do and what personnel management strategies they use to trump others. Another HRM advantage is that it allows a firm to ensure regulatory compliance in its operations, which is generally a money saver and reputation builder. Assignment Two British Airways Human Resources (HR) strategy a. Human Resources Management (HRM) models There are many HRM models out there (Harvard, Michigan, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦) but there are mainly three different approaches (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2008) to achieve competitive advantage through HRM. The universalist approach described by Guest (1989) as a one size fits all i.e. derived from the best practices philosophy also supported by other academics e.g. Delery and Dory (1996), Pfeffer (1994) but some others are also questioning how easy it may be to shift focus of the organisation (Whipp 1992) and even to achieve the goals (Purcell 1991). The fit or contingency approach that can be found in Fombrun et al (1984) is based on both internal and external fit and focus on selection, appraisal, development and reward. This model has been criticised mainly because of its one-way relationship with organisational strategy. The resourced-based approach (Boxall 1996) is built on attributes of resources. To achieve competitive advantage, resources should be Valuable, Rare, Inimitable and N on-substitutable (VRIN). B. British airways HRM aspects: To define the HR model used by British Airways, we should first analyse the main aspects of its HR Management: creating motivation and commitment of all employees which continue to play a major part in the success of the company. some of HR measures are clearly designed to improve and support employees motivation (British Airways Plc. 2010). a remuneration scheme with profit sharing and encouraged share ownership, this is an effective way for employees to feel more involved in the companys results (British Airways Plc. 2010), training and development are instrumental to ensure resources will be able not only to feel valued in the company but also will be able to enable business objectives achievement (British Airways Plc. 2010) diversity and inclusiveness is seen as a key aspect in the recruitment strategy, this includes genders, ethnicities, religions, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ (British Airways Plc. 2010) c. HRM model used by British Airways: The aspects depicted in the previous paragraph show that the internal resources are linked (KPIs, ownership, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦) including the human resources. As described above we also realise that human values are in the middle of British Airways strategy. As quoted page 236 of the 4th edition of Managing Change (Burnes 2004), Hax and Majluf (1996 p. 10) state that: The essence of the resource-based model â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ [is] that competitive advantage is created when resources and capabilities that are owned exclusively by the firm are applied to developing unique competencies. Moreover, the resulting advantage can be sustained due to the lack of substitution and imitation capabilities by the firms competitors. British Airways used a Resourced Based Model to achieve above average profitability by developing VRIN (Value, Rare, Inimitable, Non-substitutable) resources (Barney 1991). To substantiate this (Parker 1999), let us go back to the mid-nineties when the group started a portfolio analysis and defined the level of criticality of its operations. Based on this review, decision has been made to outsource resources (including human resources) that are not key to the core business. As other major corporations, they retained the strategic components (VRIN) and outsourced the routine activities. This decision helping the group to achieve outsourcing goals i.e. costs reduction, higher quality of services, agility and better focus on core business to meet the business objectives as defined in the introduction. d. Limitations of the Resource-based model There is no perfect model, or else there would only be one. But what are the ones of this model used by British Airways? Burnes (2004) mentions the lack of empirical support and also the complexity and ambiguousness of the resources definition. By design, the model is more focusing to the internal resources than on the external competition e.g. there is no link with the product markets, it may be difficult to find VRIN resources. There is also little evidence that many firms have adopted the model. http://sdbplus.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/british-airways-hr-management/ Task 2: British Airways merged with Iberia in 2011. Analyse the impact of the merger on strategic HRM at British Airways. This MA briefing note provides an overview of the merger of British Airways and Iberia which led to the formation of a new firm International Airlines Group (IAG) Background BA and Iberia had developed strong links over many years: BA acquired a 13% stake in Iberia in 1998 BA Iberia started co-operation and route-sharing in 2003 BA first made a bid for Iberia in 2007 Impact of the continued economic downturn led to the resumption of merger talks in 2009 The Deal The initial announcement: Merger of British Airways and Iberia announced in November 1999. BA shareholders get 55% of the new company; Iberia shareholders get 45% BA and Iberia to  continue  their existence as airline brands New company called IAG plc, with shares listed on both the London and Madrid stock markets IAG initially estimated  £349 million of annual cost savings by the fifth year after the merger A quarter of the cost savings to come from IT and back office efficiencies + savings on maintenance and purchasing Implementation cost of the merger estimated at  £350 million. The final merger agreement Definitive (legally binding) merger agreement finally signed in April 2010: Merger details took two years of complex and often strained negotiation Creates Europes third-largest airline group: behind Lufthansa (90 million passengers p.a.) and Air France-KLM (70 million passengers p.a.) Combined scale would have an aircraft fleet of 408 planes, carrying more than 58 million passengers a year Willie Walsh (previously CEO of BA) to become the new CEO of IAG On the day that the shares of IAG first traded (Jan 2011), the market capitalisation of the firm was  £5.6bn Key motives and  drivers  of the merger: Very much a merger that looks to the long-term. Industry consolidation a process that has already begun and is expected to continue over the next 10-20 years 2010: combined airline losses (whole industry) of almost $3bn in 2010 BA and Iberia seen as well-matched businesses that complement each other BA strength: North American Asian routes and destinations; Iberia strength: Latin America BA gains better coverage of key routes in Latin America Structure designed to allow IAG to participate in further consolidation (i.e. more takeovers) Further takeovers by IAG would be judged on whether they could meet or enhance a target of 12 per cent return on capital. What happened next? IAG takeover of British Midland International (BMI) Announced November 2011 BMI a loss-making subsidiary of Lufthansa (losing approx  £160million per year) Deal subject to  clearance  from the Competition Commission and the European Union Significant opposition from  Virgin  Atlantic   the main competitor affected by the deal Main rationale BMIs extensive landing  slots  at Heathrow which will be used to add British Airways flights to destinations in emerging markets A possible short-term drawback to IAG: the takeover adds to the groups capacity at a time of weak demand for air travel The main risks facing IAG Unforeseen external events (e.g. disruption to travel caused by volcanic ash) Industrial relations a constant thorn in the side of management at BA Iberia BAs pension fund liability a shortfall of  £3.7bn The global economy demand and profits closely linked to the global economic cycle Key quotes relating to the merger Prof Peter Morrell (Cranfield University): Theyve come up with various cost savings that they can get out of the merger of the companies. These are on things like procurement, IT, maintenance. These are the things they can get from a merger which arent really available from alliances. Ashley Steel, head of transport at KPMG: the creation of IAG heralds the start of an exciting era of airline consolidation, with further marriages of convenience as pressures on costs and revenues continue to increase. Willie Walsh on the day the merger was confirmed: Our goal is for more airlines-but, importantly, the right airlines-to join the group. Today is the first step towards creating a multinational, multi-brand airline group. http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/comments/6-essential-ma-cases-ba-iberia-merge-to-form-iag, 23/12/2012, 20:46 PM Impact of Merger in British Airways: British Airways and Iberias stock stopped trading Friday as the BA-IB merger officially took effect, to be replaced in both the London and Madrid markets by International Airlines Consolidated Group stock on Monday. Based on combined passenger count, IAG is now Europes fourth largest carrier group after Lufthansa Group, Air France KLM Group and Ryanair. Both airlines shareholders approved the merger in late November (ATW Daily News, Nov. 30, 2010). The carriers will continue to be separately branded. The commencement of IAG was clouded Friday by Unite unions notice that BA cabin crew voted overwhelmingly to take further strike actions, the latest salvo in the long-running dispute between the airline and its flight attendants (ATW Daily News, Dec. 22, 2010). Surely BA management must now wake up and listen to the voice of their skilled and dedicated employees, Unite stated.This dispute will be resolved by negotiation, not litigation or confrontation, and it is to negotiation that BA management should now apply itself. We are ready. The union said 75% of 10,220 eligible voters cast ballots, with over 78% voting in favor of more work actions. http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/ba-iberia-merger-formally-takes-effect-ba-flight-attendants-vote-strikes-0

What Christians can do in a world of cultures in conflict? :: Religion

What Christians can do in a world of cultures in conflict? The main topic of this book is â€Å"worldview†. What’s â€Å"worldview†? It’s not easy to find completed answer. There is a story like that. King of Siam was surprise about story of Dutch ambassador that in winter elephant could walk on river. It’s hard for King of Siam living in the tropics to believe. The King’s worldview could not allow him to accept this. The aim of this book is to help reader will gain a better understanding of his own worldview. This book seems not interesting for me at the first time I read. However, I realized that sometimes I had asked myself such questions. After chapter 2 I gradually understand. In chapter 3 tell about â€Å"the secular world view†. It means the world without God and spirits. The rest tell about modernists’ thought. Some of these are Ludwig Feuerbach (1804 - 1872) he said: humanity created God. Another one is psychologist Richard Gregorg said that body is hardware and â€Å"mind† is software. The other is human is consider a biological mechanism. Sometime I surprise with assumption from it. This non-answer question I asked myself sometimes. The rest of chapter 3 tells about community, value (ethic), Marxism and why the secular worldview influences around the world, and the imperfect. In community, the worth of each member is more important than that of family and social responsibilities. Laws and ethical values are based upon man-made assumption. The Marxism’s view is â€Å"nothing remains exactly the same† or the new generation is better than previous generations. According to this, communism is better than capitalism. Nex t, the reason why secular worldview influences most the world is affecting the economy and technological development. Therefore, this affects the country economic in specially. However, this worldview has some weakness. The secular worldview has result in major scientific develop but it has failed to provide answer to some of the basis question of human life. In chapter 4 tell about the traditional worldview. I read this chapter very quickly because I live in a traditional worldview. This chapter compares secular and traditional worldview. For example, person‘s soul is external which differ to Western worldview. In traditional worldview community or society is more important than individual desires. I always believe that important decisions are made by the community as a whole and age is important and respect. However, some thought is not up to date such as the viewing time of traditional worldview.

Lie and Story Tartuffe

Brenda Duran Honors English Mr. Carpenter Per. 2 Tartuffe In the story Tartuffe by Moliere, the audience can view many foil characters. It seems as if every character had a foil, meaning opposite character. The two foils that most stood out were Tartuffe and Cleante. These characters show completely different personalities and everything about them is actually the opposite. One is a hypocrite about religion and the other one is very pious. The more you learn about the characters, the more you realize how different they are. Cleante is both a wise man and a wise guy: he's a perceptive, learned, and intellectual.Although he is very wise, is also very humble. â€Å"Brother, I don't pretend to be a sage, Nor have I all the wisdom of the age. There's just one insight I would dare to claim: I know that true and false are not the same† (1. 5. 9-11). Cleante spends most of his time telling Orgon how wrong he is about everything. He wants his brother-in-law to see the real Tartuffe, bu t Orgon is ignorant about this entire situation. . He yells at his brother-in-law, â€Å"Good God, man! Have you lost your common sense – / or is this all some joke at my expense? † (1. 5. 7). Cleante is also a very pious man.Cleante remains the voice of reason and a role model for Christian behavior throughout the play. Moreover, his Christian sentiments are sincere. Tartuffe's reputation precedes him. His name is the title, and the characters of this play spend all their time talking about him. His fundamental lack of suavity is what makes Tartuffe a memorable character. He is an extremely hypocritical man. His failed seduction of Elmire is nothing short of pitiful. He actually tells her that he's â€Å"no angel,† as if that will make her see him, a supposedly holy man, in a whole new light (3. . 29). Tartuffe pretends to be very pious but he is nothing but a phony. He says that committing adultery can be forgiven and is not that big of a deal. This of course is all lies. In conclusion, in Moliere’s story Tartuffe, we can see that these men are very different and are quite the foil characters. Cleante and Tartuffe is complete opposites. Cleante is the voice of reason and honestly and Tartuffe is just full of lies. Tartuffe is the most hypocritical man in this story. There is no honestly in him, when Cleante is full of it.

Partnership with parents Essay

In recent years, an array of legislation and guidance has emerged under the present new Labour government to bring together a co-ordinated framework of services to address the care and educational needs of children. The government has expressed its intention, DfES (1997) and DfES (2003) to place schools at the heart of a new multidisciplinary approach to children’s services with improved communication and consultation between schools, together with other service providers, and parents, as one of its principle aims. Many commentators such as Nind et al (2003); Williams (2004) and Berk (2004) have noted the importance of parents as the prime educators of their children and the issue of establishing successful partnerships between schools and parents has been addressed through a number of different perspectives. It seems that the strategies employed to overcome barriers and build constructive relationships must be situated within a school ethos of genuine inclusion which values parents’ views and contribution which, in turn, can only enhance children’s attitudes to learning. Effective Home-School collaborative education stimulates and imbues children with a positive culture of learning. Brooker (2002) and Mayall (2002) have noted the ways in which children, and parents, are effectively socialised into the pedagogical ethos of their child’s school and suggest that parents’ conformity to this ethos has commonly underpinned many models of parental involvement. As Brooker (2002) argues, an â€Å"open door† policy which ostensibly invites parents in to see classroom practice and consult with staff does not necessarily constitute a climate conducive to genuine collaboration in the educative process. The research presented by Brooker (2002), whilst focusing primarily upon early years learning cultures, has provided some useful insights into the ways schools conceptualise their relationships with families and, conversely, how parents experience schools. She found that, from early on children’s schooling, school staff attitudes towards parents were highly influenced by their own perceptions of the extent to which parents expressed their interest in, and became involved with their children’s education. Brooker (2002) identifies a wide gulf between the beliefs and values of formal educators and what she calls the â€Å"mountain of invisible investment  made by parents†. She cites the work of Vincent (1996), for example, highlighting the negative perceptions of parents by teachers and suggests that, essentially, teachers tend only to welcome the involvement of those parents who do not contest school policies and practices or undermine their authority. In similar vein, Beveridge (2004) asserts that teachers’ attitudes can often be negative and stereotypical regarding parental motivation, competence and skills in the educative domain and furthermore, parents are often aware of this and are adversely affected. She suggests that parents experiences of schools and school staff will inevitably be enhanced when they â€Å"feel respected in their own right as parents, and equally importantly, when they perceive that their child is a positively valued member of the school† (Beveridge, 2004). Congruently the more involved parents are in what goes on in the classroom; the more likely they are to understand the teacher’s goals and practices. Warren and Young (2002) identify five broad areas presenting barriers to forming home-school partnerships. Firstly the ever-changing fluid nature of family demographics impinges on the development of dynamic partnerships. Secondly an entrenched â€Å"school ethos† often creates barriers to effective â€Å"culture-change† and schools are too set in their ways to embrace parental involvement in affairs of curriculum, decision-making and administration. Thirdly, the financial burden of developing partnerships with parents is a strain some schools feel cannot be justified and resources need to be channelled into more pressing areas and some teachers are unable to relinquish any degree of control to parents in the classroom. Fourthly, parents may lack the necessary skills to assist their children’s educational development. Finally, communication is a pivotal building block of home-school partnerships and critics often point to the unequal relationship between schools and families in this area; communication is one-way traffic from the school to the parent and there is not enough thought or dialogue given to the way parents can provide input to the school or children’s learning. The development of partnerships between home and schools with the mutual acknowledgement of the diverse but essential roles of the other is not an easily accomplished task but neither is it an impossible task. School staff attitudes, and indeed school ethos, seem central to the quality of relationships that can be developed with parents (Beveridge, 2004). Research conducted by Bastiani (1992) and Coleman (1998) found that whilst parents commonly expressed their need for information about the progress, attainments and possible difficulties regarding their children’s schooling, they also wanted reassurance that school staff understood their child’s personal and social needs, as well as their academic needs. Beveridge (2004) extends this view and draws from her own research into parents’ views, suggesting that teachers need to acquire the skills to â€Å"elicit and respond to parents’ own in-depth knowledge, perspectives and insights† about their children’s needs. This implies that teachers should be equipped with a high level of sensitivity and interpersonal skill vis-à  -vis the parental perspective so that they may provide honest, clear and accura te information about the learning and behaviour of individual children at school. Hornby et al (1995) and Hornby (2000) reiterate this point and argue for an extension of teachers’ skills to incorporate the principles, drawn from the counselling arena, of active, non-judgemental listening and joint problem-solving techniques. Hornby (2000), for example, calls for â€Å"skilled assertiveness that allows teachers to be both direct and diplomatic in their interactions with parents, and to respond constructively to disagreements and criticisms when these occur†Hornby (2000) argues for a reciprocal, inclusive framework of home-school links within which every family has a place, not just those few whose own culture and practices are in line with those of the school. Parents’ knowledge of their children, together with the contribution they can make to teaching, is seen as strengths universal to all families. Hornby (2000) and Nind et al (2003) argue it should also be recognised, however, that parents have different levels of need in terms of information and support. Beveridge (2004) agrees that parents’ accumulated, in-depth knowledge about their children can greatly enhance teachers’ understandings. In her discussion of parental involvement in the monitoring and assessment of children’s academic progress, Beveridge stresses that teachers need to include areas of comparative strength and ways in which these can be built upon, rather than a sole focus on difficulties and deficits. Whilst Beveridge is primarily discussing those children deemed as having ‘special educational needs’ here, this observation equally well  applies to the assessment of all children’s progress. Although it seems clear that discrepancies inevitably will exist between the views of parents and teachers, a striving for mutual understanding and a greater accentuation on the â €˜positives’ can do much to engender positive attitudes for both parents and children. The current Head Teacher of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Mr Mullan stressed the purpose of the home-school partnership in terms of making an agreement between the school, the family and the student which will help parents staff and students to work successfully together and help improve standards of education for pupils. This is done through a variety of ways ranging from regular homework for parents to complete with their children and for pupils with learning difficulties a variety of visual and auditory activities are sent home. Each term targets are set for the pupils and parents are sent copies to help them support learning, an example cited was the suggestion parents allow their children to handle money and pay for the weekly shop to help increase their understanding of money in relation to maths. Pupils also have a home school communication book. The school runs workshops throughout the academic year to help parents participate in their child’s education and have included in the past Sing-along training or Literacy and ICT workshops. The school also places great emphasis on parental help in the education process in the form of parental â€Å"class assistants†. The school takes great pride in the fact several parents have gone on to forge a career as a teacher after starting out as â€Å"class assistants†. The Head Teacher stressed the partnership revolved around good lines of communication between both parties. In the arena of parent/teacher consultations, Bastiani (1992) identified particular pre-requisites for success in ensuring that both parties are heard. Firstly, she suggests that parents must have sufficient information about the nature, purpose and length of the convened meeting and an opportunity to clarify and add items to the agenda. Secondly, a constructive focus needs to be established and decisions on subsequent actions to be taken understood and agreed by all participants. It must be recognised that some parents will require more support in these matters than others.  Finally, as highlighted by DfES (1997), schools need to consider carefully the range of opportunities they can provide for parents to become involved and also the forms of assistance that might be needed to enable parents to participate fully. Tizard et al (1981); Hannon (1985); Mills (1996) and Beveridge (2004) are keen to stress there is much evidence for the effectiveness of well-planned schemes of parental involvement in the teaching of reading. Moreover Mills (1996) highlights the crucial role that parents can play in developing literacy skills with their children, pointing out that the â€Å"one-to-one† relationship is clearly more valuable to the child than the â€Å"30 to one† ratio typical in the average classroom. Mills (1996) suggests that simply sending books home is insufficient but also notes that â€Å"parents may sometimes need support and advice about effective models of hearing their children read†. As Warren and Young (2002) succinctly advocate â€Å"appropriate instructional materials and teaching methodologies should be utilized. Gregory (2000) echoes this view and expresses concerns that traditional schemes may not be suitable for all families. She recommends that schools consider different approaches which might better fit the needs of families. For example, a sole focus on story books might be extended, or replaced, by making use of other kinds of literacy experiences at home and also to include other members of the family and community. The aim here is not simply to follow the school’s approach to literacy, and indeed other curriculum goals and activities, but to build bridges between home and school. Such home-school partnership arrangements may foster literacy acquisition but it has to be noted this makes inherent presuppositions about the abilities of parents from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures to support the literacy development of their children. Not all parents possess the motivation let alone the cognitive ability to enhance the literacy acquisition of their children. Warren and Young (2002) draw attention to the importance parental involvement plays in boosting positive learning attitudes amongst children in Mathematics, Science and Technology because â€Å"academic learning activities  that are completed at home promote the child’s achievement at school† and this further impacts on a positive learning culture as â€Å"parent and child attitudes about school become more positive through academic interactions†. Parents who embrace an unrestrained joy for a particular area of the national curriculum and who transmit such infectious enthusiasm to their children need to be harnessed by schools. This is what Freud (1991) terms â€Å"projection† or the transference of an emotion or character trait onto another person. Parents who project positive learning attitudes onto their children need to be nurtured by schools because they help foster an intrinsic motivation within children to learn for the sheer pleasure of it. Recent government initiatives such as â€Å"Every Child Matters† and â€Å"Higher Standards, Better Schools for All – More Choice for Parents and Pupils† has urged schools to be a more socially cohesive and responsible participant in community relations as well as fostering closer home-school partnerships. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is at the forefront of facilitating this challenge and connecting home and school through an array of initiatives. Firstly it offers wholesale opportunities for children by providing continuity of learning outside regular school hours and parents provide appropriate mentoring, challenge and support. This presupposes the ICT infrastructure within schools can cope with the rapid growth of collaborative learning and schools need to formulate cohesive and appropriate e-learning strategies. Secondly it empowers parents to support their children’s learning vis-à  -vis responsibility, informed choice and appropriate support. Impact on the engagement of parents can be profound through skilful use of a school’s website or virtual learning environment to suggest how parents can supplement and support the national curriculum. There is the scope for wider engagement as long as ICT is used in a meaningful way. It has benefits for both parents and schools; parental participation will increase if they are given a real voice which in turn provides schools with raw data on how best to serve the interests of its pupils and their parents. Thirdly, the home environment is a hub of learning powered by the dynamics of  the internet and schools can provide valuable advice and guidance to parents on the use of ICT to support pupil learning outside the classroom. Some schools have set up homework clinics and utilize parents as â€Å"on-line experts† to bring together the rich tapestry of ICT and parental resources in educating children. Again this presupposes parents have a tacit and intimate relationship with ICT skills and such skills have to be framed around legitimate data protection issues. Finally, it acts as a focus for a culture of learning within the community as a whole but this almost presents more challenges than rewards. For instance, should the level and location of remote access be fixed or mobile or perhaps a combination of both, what are the logistics of this and what are the financial costs of such access, how can secure and safe access to personal work files be guaranteed, how can genuine collaborative engagement with other learners be rendered, how do parents interpret and respond to the assessment of their children’s e-learning and how and who will provide appropriate parental training to enable them to fully support ICT home-school practice. Nevertheless a modern ICT home-school partnership offers up an abundance of resources outside the remit of traditional teaching methodology and offers substantial potential for fostering positive learning attitudes amongst children. Mills (1996) has recorded that whilst many schools have developed strong home/school links with parents, especially through reading schemes, there has been less success in minority language communities and suggests that â€Å"schools have found that cultural and linguistic differences have created barriers to collaboration† and this has impacted negatively upon children’s academic progress and motivation at school. Similarly, Berk (2004) observes that many ethnic minority parents are uncomfortable about going to school and often â€Å"lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to support their children’s progress in majority culture language work†. Ofsted (2000) claims black and ethnic minority pupils are disadvantaged by an education system that perpetuates inequalities. This then creates a barrier to fostering sufficient levels of parental involvement amongst ethnic minorities. Mills (1996) describes the experiences of Asian parents in Birmingham, most particularly those from Pakistani, Northern India and Bangladeshi cultures. Evidence from initiatives in two Birmingham primary schools to foster home-school links yielded a number of recommendations for schools in minority language communities. These include the development of books and information in a variety of local languages as well as the use of multicultural materials and activities within the school for all pupils to generate an atmosphere of greater understanding and inclusion for all children, regardless of cultural background. Most importantly, as Mills (1996) asserts, parents need to feel positively welcomed by the school through the creation of a genuinely open environment. Berk (2004) underlines this view and suggests that teachers must make extra efforts to integrate â€Å"ethnic minority values and practices into classroom life and regularly contact parents who don’t come to conferences and school events†. Many commentators have situated the notion of partnership between schools, parents and the community within the wider context of school ethos and inclusive practice. Dyson (1997), for example, has observed that many of the educational difficulties experienced by children, such as disaffection, disruption and underachievement are associated with social disadvantage. Croll (2002) underlines this and highlights the clear links, also, between parental socio-economic status and social, emotional and behavioural problems, as well as the learning difficulties which come under the banner of â€Å"special educational needs†. Parents’ experience of high levels of stress, perhaps in poorer, â€Å"run-down† neighbourhoods, can adversely affect not only their interactions with their children but also their dealings with education and related services (Beveridge, 2004). Teachers may hold stereotypical, negative views of such families which impede the quality of home-school relationships. Bastiani (1997) points out the increasing recognition that there is a diversity of successful parenting styles and that teachers can acknowledge this and adopt a more positive approach which builds on parents’ own strategies for raising their children. Ball (1998) and White (1997) have reported on successful Portage schemes for parents of children with learning difficulties involving short-term learning  targets agreed with parents. Beveridge (2004), however, highlights the potential stigmatising effects of these schemes when they are limited to families with children deemed as having ‘special educational needs’ and argues that these specific strategies should be available for all families. The current push for schools to be placed at the centre of the community (DfES, 2003) has been championed by Berk (2004) as a prime opportunity to nurture the collaborative work of teachers, parents and children. She cites Connors and Epstein (1996) who argued that â€Å"when parents are involved in school activities, talk regularly with teachers, monitor their child’s progress and help with homework, children show better academic achievement† (Berk, 2004, p.206). It seems that the strategies adopted by schools to establish strong home/school links must be situated within the wider educational ethos and practice of the school in order to be truly effective. Factors such as co-operative dialogues, joint problem-solving, staff training and support are flagged up as key objectives for the whole school in order to provide â€Å"experiences for children that are as encouraging, enriching and educative as possible†. (Berk, 2004). Within the true spirit of partnership, however, the ethos of the â€Å"learning community† demands that all those involved in this inclusive enterprise of educative enrichment need to play an active role. Thus, as Berk (2004) suggests, parents also have a responsibility to become knowledgeable about what constitutes high quality education and they can then press for better classroom experiences for their children. Teachers and parents, together with children, need to build bridges and it seems crucial that each plays an active role if their strategies are to be truly reciprocal and successful. Further to this the child’s perspective is an integral part of this reciprocity. Children are active social agents and not merely passive recipients of learning processes and they have a â€Å"personal perspective on their own experiences, aspirations and needs which cannot be inferred from having adults speak on their behalf† (Beveridge, 2004). In conclusion, then, primary schools can do much to engender strong home/school links, particularly through the cultivation of more positive and  non-judgemental attitudes towards families, in recognition of the contribution that all families can make towards their children’s education whatever their social and cultural background. As commentators such as Beveridge (2004) and Berk (2004) have highlighted, however, true partnership implies that all those involved, adults and children alike, have a role to play in the development of successful collaborative strategies. In terms of the particular role played by primary schools, it would seem that strategies rooted in a â€Å"whole school† philosophy of genuine inclusion which values and respects the views of parents and children are those which are most likely to make a positive difference in terms of children’s attitudes to learning. Bibliography Ball M. (1998) School Inclusion: the School, the Family and the Community. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, YorkBastiani J. (1992) Working with Parents: a whole school approach. NFER-Nelson, Windsor. Bastiani J.(Ed (1997) Home-School Work in Multicultural Settings. David Fulton, London. Berk L. (2004) Awakening Children’s Minds: How Parents and Teachers can make a difference. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Beveridge S. (2004) Children, Families and Schools: Developing Partnerships for Inclusive Education. RoutledgeFalmer, London. Brooker L. (2002)Starting School – Young Children Learning Cultures. Open University Press, Buckingham. Coleman P. (1998) Parent, Student and Teacher Collaboration: the power of three. Paul Chapman, London. DfES. (2003) Every Child Matters, Green Paper. HMSO, London. Freud S. (1991)The Essentials of Psychoanalysis.Penguin, London. Gregory E (2000) â€Å"Recognising differences: reinterpreting family involvement in early literacy† in Combating Educational Disadvantage: meeting the needs of vulnerable children. Ed Cox T. Falmer Press, London. pp. 45-50. Hannon P. (1995) Literacy, Home and School: research and practice in teaching literacy with parents. Falmer Press, London. Hornby G. (2000) Improving Parental Involvement. Cassell, London. Hornby G, Davis G, Taylor G. (1995) The Special Needs Co-ordinator’s Handbook. Routledge, London. Mayall B. (2002) Towards a Sociology for Childhood. Open University Press, Buckingham. Mills J. (Ed) (1996) Partnership in the Primary School. Routledge, London. Nind M, Rix J, Sheehy K, Simmons K. (Eds) (2003) Inclusive Education: diverse perspectives. David Fulton, London. Ofsted.(2000)Educational Inequality: Mapping Race, Class and Gender. A Synthesis ofResearch Evidence. Ofsted, London. Tizard B, Mortimore J, Burchell B. (1981) Involving Parents in Nursery and Infant Schools: A Source Book for Teachers. Grant McIntyre, London. White M. (1997) â€Å"A Review of the influence and effects of Portage† in Working with Parents of SEN Children after the Code of Practice. Ed Wolfendale S. David Fulton, London. pp. 32-36. JournalsCroll P. (2002)†Social deprivation, school-level achievement and special educational needs†. Educational Research. Vol. 44. pp. 43-53. Dyson A. (1997) â€Å"Social and educational disadvantage: reconnecting special needs education†. British Journal of Special Education. Vol. 24, No. 4. pp. 152-157. Warren E, Young J. (2002)†Parent and School Partnerships in Supporting Literacy and Numeracy†. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. Vol. 30, No 3. pp. 217-228. Williams F. (2004)†Commentary on Every Child Matters, DfES Green Paper† Critical Social Policy.Vol.24, No 3. pp 55-66. WebliographyWeb reference 1DfES (1997)www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/parentalinvolvement

Free Essays on Casino Dispute

â€Å"Casino Dispute† If you live in the United States of America, does the constitution apply to everyone or just a certain race or group of people? I think that if you live here you must follow the same rules and regulations as every other American citizen or pay the consequences. The Native American people are building casinos on their reservations and are disputing whether or not they have to pay taxes like everyone else. I say they should because there is a popular statement that says, †You only have to do two things in life, pay taxes and die.† And just because our ancestors put them through hard times and killed off a lot of the Indians when they arrived in America doesn’t mean we owe them anything in the 21st century. I think the states that are holding these reservations with the casinos on them should have the right to tax them just as they do the African Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians or whatever race you are. We put the African Americans through a lot more hardships than we ever did the Natives and I strongly disagree with them not having to pay taxes like the rest of us! I am eighteen years old, and I was paying taxes before I became an adult. I know that is their land the government set aside for them to go about their lives on, but they are not even responsible enough to hold down a job. Because the statistics show that 50% of them are unemployed and 73% of them that do work make less than 9,000 a year. To me that is ridiculous because I am responsible enough to get up every morning, go to school and then to work. If they can’t find a job on the reservations getting paid more than that I would find a job with the rest of the population. I would have no problem with them not being taxed if it was on the reservation and only Indians that lived there could gamble, but they are doing this to attract people from all over and make 100% profit. I do think this is a positive thing for their community ... Free Essays on Casino Dispute Free Essays on Casino Dispute â€Å"Casino Dispute† If you live in the United States of America, does the constitution apply to everyone or just a certain race or group of people? I think that if you live here you must follow the same rules and regulations as every other American citizen or pay the consequences. The Native American people are building casinos on their reservations and are disputing whether or not they have to pay taxes like everyone else. I say they should because there is a popular statement that says, †You only have to do two things in life, pay taxes and die.† And just because our ancestors put them through hard times and killed off a lot of the Indians when they arrived in America doesn’t mean we owe them anything in the 21st century. I think the states that are holding these reservations with the casinos on them should have the right to tax them just as they do the African Americans, Hispanics, Caucasians or whatever race you are. We put the African Americans through a lot more hardships than we ever did the Natives and I strongly disagree with them not having to pay taxes like the rest of us! I am eighteen years old, and I was paying taxes before I became an adult. I know that is their land the government set aside for them to go about their lives on, but they are not even responsible enough to hold down a job. Because the statistics show that 50% of them are unemployed and 73% of them that do work make less than 9,000 a year. To me that is ridiculous because I am responsible enough to get up every morning, go to school and then to work. If they can’t find a job on the reservations getting paid more than that I would find a job with the rest of the population. I would have no problem with them not being taxed if it was on the reservation and only Indians that lived there could gamble, but they are doing this to attract people from all over and make 100% profit. I do think this is a positive thing for their community ...

5 Great Part-Time Jobs for College Students

5 Great Part-Time Jobs for College Students Let’s face it: college isn’t cheap. From tuition, room and board, and books to incidentals like travel expenses, social activities and the occasional beer or two, the costs add up. You could sell your organs, but there are easier ways to make a quick buck. Not only that, but the right part-time job looks terrific on your resume and just may position you for career success after graduation. Let’s take a closer look at five of the best part-time jobs for college students. 1. College Tour GuideJust how good is this gig? USA Today actually ran an article on the many perks of being a tour guide. Not only do you get great swag and access to exclusive events and social networking opportunities, but you also have the opportunity to hone your communication skills. This practice will come in handy whether you’re delivering an in-class presentation or undergoing a job interview.The competition may be steep for these jobs, but the rewards are big, and will continue to pay off in professionalism, confidence and leadership.Even better? According to some reports, college tour guides make as much as $13/hour - not too shabby for backwards walking through the hallowed halls of your institution.2. Library/Computer Lab MonitorLove books? How about peace and quiet? If so, a library monitor position may be the ideal fit for you. Library monitors have a number of different responsibilities - from checking out books at the circulation desk to scanning, sorting and shelving them. Organization is a helpful trait for library monitors, as is helpfulness: you will likely be frequently called upon to help other students do everything from use the school computers to find information on academic topics.If library stacks feel like home to you, a library monitor job may be the perfect fit.Computer monitors and library monitors share many common responsibilities, although computer monitors should also have strong computer literacy.And while library monitors and co mputer lab monitors might not haul in the biggest bucks, they typically come with an ample amount of downtime meaning the opportunity to pursue your own studies while on the job.3. Fitness InstructorIf fitness is already a large part of your life, why not get paid for it? Whether you are devoted to your yoga practice or enjoy the energy of Zumba, university recreation centers are always on the lookout for enthusiastic talent. If you love helping people discover their own personal passion for health and fitness, this job offers the perfect opportunity to make a different while honing your leadership skills and making more than $15/hour.4. Residential AssistantToday’s employers are always on the lookout for tomorrow’s business leaders and innovators. One way to stand out from the crowd? Apply to be a residential assistant (RA).RA positions are coveted, and with good reason: not only is your room and board typically covered as compensation, but this job also gives you the tremendous opportunity to play an important role in the lives of incoming students. You will also have the chance to learn the ins and outs of everything going on around your campus while interacting with diverse people and learning valuable life skills in the process.5. TutorWherever there are students, there are people in need of some extra academic help. Whether you’re an ace at math or a whiz with the written word, there are plenty of opportunities for tutoring jobs - both on and off campus. The hours are flexible and can be done either online or in person.An added benefit? Parents are willing to fork over big bucks to help their kids succeed in in their academic studies. Tutoring is also a great way for you to revisit past materials for mastery.Get paid to share your smarts.There are many great-part time jobs for college students depending on your strengths, skills and interests. Want a jump start on finding the perfect one? Sign up for the TheJobNetwork’s Real- Time job matching, which connects job seekers with employers based on your individual needs and preferences.