The Declaration of Independence Free Essay Example, 1000 words

The Declaration of Independence as the single most significant event (from 1450 to 1887) of The Declaration of Independence as the single most significant event (from 1450 to 1887) The United States of America is undoubtedly the most powerful and one of the most advanced countries in the world. It is obvious that this status was the result of taking on the status of an independent nation in 1776. A series of events and prior to this event had occurred with regard to America and subsequently the United States over the years. The paper is an essay thesis regarding the significance of the Declaration of Independence with a timeframe that lies between the years 1450 and 1887. Thesis statement: The Declaration of Independence is the most significant event that has happened in the history of the region and the nation and hence should not be given a lesser status as a fight for equal rights and justice. â€Å"Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nations most cherished symbol of liberty and Jeffersons most enduring monument† (National Archives n. d)1.We will write a custom essay sample on The Declaration of Independence or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now A study of literature reveals that the fundamental principles embedded in the Declaration of Independence are the concepts of freedom, independence and interdependence (Armitage)2 are the components of liberty. This provides solid evidence of its significance as to being the most important of all American documents which includes all the concepts mentioned above. It is argued that the three concepts which form the foundation of the Declaration is extremely significant when compared to other events that occurred in the country. The article by Armitage provides examples of the three concepts as given below. The Declaration of Independence wanted the America to become a free and independent state, the freedom to indulge in all acts that a free nation state indulges in, have the legitimate authority to do so, and interdependence in the form of free trade and interaction with other nation states. As one author puts it, the Declaration of Independence was for independence and not for rights (Garry 2012)3. The author goes on to add that the founding fathers responsible for the Declaration were not sufficiently informed about the concepts of natural rights and hence the argument for independence and liberty. The Declaration of Independence and the wordings in the actual document had an influence in the eventual abolition of slavery in the country. For example, people and groups across the United States, especially in the North justified abolition on one of the central concepts of the Declaration.

Inclusion For Students With Disabilities - 834 Words

Inclusion Position Paper Valerie Simmons University of West Alabama SE 506 Dr. Nichols July 1, 2015 Inclusion in the classroom is a widely debated issue in education today. Inclusive education means that students with disabilities are supported in chronologically age appropriate general education classrooms in schools near their home. These students also receive the specialized instruction outlined by their individualized education programs (IEP s) within the context of the core curriculum and general class activities. Inclusion was developed to make sure students with disabilities go to school along with their neighbors and friends. These students are also receiving specifically designed instruction and support to achieve and succeed as learners. Is inclusion in the classroom beneficial for both general and special education students is the issue. I believe that there are positive and negatives about inclusion but overall it is beneficial for some students. The issue many parents and educators face is inclusion in the classroom the best for all students. Parents and educators have to work together to make the best decision for the student. They have to decide if inclusion in the classroom is the least restricted environment that the student can learn in. I believe special education students should be included in the regular classroom as long as it is beneficial for the students. I believe some special education students have disabilities that limit theirShow MoreRelatedInclusion Of Inclusion For Students With Disabilities Essay1533 Words   |  7 PagesIt is imperative that inclusion techniques be implemented in the classroom. Studies and research show that implementing inclusion techniques in the classroom have immense positive impacts on all students. As a result of these findings there is a rise in legislation being passed that fosters inclusion on a broader scale. Furthermore, it is necessary to apply inclusion techniques from a young age in order to ensure the greatest success. In my opinion the application of inclusion technique’s in classroomsRead MoreInclusion Of Students With Disabilities2882 Words   |  12 Pages in the American Public School, is the move toward full inclusion of students with disabilities. There has been a rapid rise in the number of students with disabilities who are spending their school day in a general education classroom under the guise of full inclusion. The practice of inclusion came about as a â€Å"natural outgrowth of the Mainstreaming movement,† during the 1960 s (Fruchter). Inclusion is based on the â€Å"rights of the students and the social benefits† that they receive from being inRead MoreInclusion Of Students With Disabilities1075 Words   |  5 Pagesdecade Inclusion in special education has been a controversial topic among administration, teachers, and parents. Inclusion represents the belief that students with disabilities should be integrated into the general education classroom whether or not they cannot meet traditional curriculum standards. The purpose of the study is to examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of inclusion of students with disabilities into the general education classroom. The hypothesis is that students with disabilitiesRead MoreInclusion Of Students With Disabilities1252 Words   |  6 PagesI am extremely in favor of inclusion of students with disabilities. Inclusion can be defined as an option in which the education of a child is taken into consideration. For example, it involves the students with disabilities pursuing most or all of their education within an ordinary school setting with their other classmates that do not have disabilities. Inclusion has many objectives, but the most important objective of inclusion would definitely have to be in that it is a program that supportsRead MoreInclusion Of Students With Disabilities Essay1837 Words   |  8 Pagesmove toward full inclusion of students with disabilities. There has been a rapid rise in the number of students with disabilities who are spending their school day in a general education classroom under the guise of full inclusion. Inclusion is purported to be based on the rights of the students and the social benefits that they receive from being in a general education classroom. There are many who see this as a solution to the problem of how to best educate children with disabilities. Is includingRead MoreInclusion Of Students With Mental Disabilities1551 Words   |  7 Pagesis a term that expresses a commitment to teaching children with physical, mental, and learning disabilities in the classroom they would attend otherwise (to the greatest extent possible). In inclusive schools, support services are brought to the students as opposed to them leaving class to receive the help they require. This paper is going to focus on the inclusion of students with mental disabilities who are usually separated in special education classrooms. For parents and educators alike, theRead MoreInclusion For Students With Disabilities And Benefits For The Students Essay1987 Words   |  8 Pageshave inclusion in an early childhood classroom. There are benefits for the students with disabilities and benefits for the t ypically developed student. Not only are their benefits for the students, but teachers also benefit from inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion also shows diversity and shows the differences between peers. Teachers will have to differentiate their instruction and support the needs of all their students. Some people will believe there are too many concerns for inclusion in theRead MoreEssay on Inclusion of Students with Disabilities 2995 Words   |  12 Pagesschools are aiming to implement is inclusion in the classroom because of the benefits inclusion could bring. The implementation of inclusion is strongly connected by people’s attitudes whether they are positive or negative. However, while inclusion is being widely implemented, there is comparatively little data on its effectiveness. It may be that inclusion benefits some areas such as reading and social skills, more than it does others. In order for inclusion to be implemented properly it is importantRead MoreInclusion For Students With Learning Disabilities2259 Words   |  10 Pages 12 [Inclusion for students with learning disabilities] [Inclusion for students with learning disabilities] 13 The Inclusion for Students with Learning Disabilities in Special Education Lehigh University Bowei Chen Many researches show that students with learning disabilities have a high rate of victimization. This paper gives few case studies about how elementary schools implement the policy and guidelines to inclusive the students with learning disabilities. The purposeRead MoreInclusion Of Special Needs For Students With Disabilities1173 Words   |  5 Pageseducation system to include students with disabilities, there has being an ongoing research topic of inclusion. Inclusion, in this area, means the full inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom. The research and the debates about the issue of whether or not there should be full inclusion of Special Education students in all general education classrooms in all public schools throughout the United States rages on. The number of students with special needs that are

Management Practice and Theory Knowledge Management

Question: Describe about the Management Practice and Theory for Knowledge Management. Answer: Introduction: Management is very essential part of an organization. An organization is considered to be successful if it has good managing team which is brought about by the people who manage the activities within the organization. Managing is essential in order to ensure proper coordination in between the people working in the organization. Since management becomes an indispensible part of an organization, the managerial task has been gaining significance and complexities too. People can gain financial success even without the proper theoretical knowledge in management. But it is always necessary to have basic idea of management in any association because it will always be productive in achieving the organizational goals and objectives more efficiently and effectively as well (Alexander 2013). Management abilities is very much significant in boosting an individual self esteem also , however managing abilities must not be confused with leadership because it is often mistaken to be bossy at times M anagement abilities promote excellence within the person himself/herself. Management is an art science of managing the activities of the people within an organization so as to ensure its proper functioning of the association. Body of the work: An organization might an issue which demand the attention of the managers , so we can say that in an organization mangers have a very vital role to play they are the ones who are responsible for the identification of the problem and then analyzing the issue and finally taking the remedial measures to solves those issues . Human resource management should be dependent upon the integration of the strategic human resource, assessment of the employees, proper communication in between the different sectors of the association. A manager has several characteristics whichdifferentiates him from a leader (Boylan 2013). A manager must be: A good motivator and a manager must have a vision, he must be enthusiastic, must have intelligence, must have self confidence, must be a good listener, and must be a good communicator. The ultimate goal of a manager is to attain organizational goals and objectives. Any organization has three basic duties which are required to be performed by the manager which includes the attainment of the goals of the organization in minimum expenses thereby gaining profits which results in a successful organization this is the prime function of the managers of the concerned association. The other important function is to look after the health and safety measures of all the staffs working in and out for the organization, then comes the maintenance and safety of the machineries of the organization, so only if these three fundamental duties are fulfilled by the managers an organization can be called successful (Bratton and Gold 2012). The fundamental function of a manager It can be integrated into five sub groups: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Leading, Controlling. It is known facts that management is the art of designing the environment where the individuals may be working in groups or individually achieve the objectives set forth by an organization efficiently and effectively. Planning is a forethought process where the managersparticularly plan for the organizational activities. It involves the formation of the effective plan, maintenance of that plan and also taking effective measures to execute those plans. Organizing involves creating intentional structure of roles forpeople to fill in the organization. In this process people are given tasks with the best of their abilities. Next is staffing which involves the filling of the employees in the organization which is brought about by identifying work force requirement, inventorying the available people, recruiting, selecting, appraising and promoting them. Leading is influencing the employees to work efficiently for organization. Controlli ng involves all the effective measures which are taken for maintaining the budget for expenses (Burke 2013). Also correcting the activities of the subordinates so as to ensure that the events conform to plans .Coordination is very important so as to maintain peace and harmony in the organization, so proper coordination in between different groups of employees working in different segment is very much essential for the overall success and accomplishment of the organizational targets. Now taking in view the goal of the managers we can say that the fundamental characteristics of a manager is to manage the activities within the organization keeping in mind all the factors which affect the profits margins, time , money , material ,personal dissatisfaction etc . Managers are charged with the responsibility of coordination amongst the groups for increasing the overall productivity with effectiveness meaning achievement of the activities (Cummings and Worley 2014). Manager is therefore a dynamic, life givingelement in every profit or nonprofit making institution. We can also say that performances o f the managers are largely held for an organization's success. The managers are grouped in hierarchy of authority to accomplish different tasks. 1) Top level mangers including the board of directors, president, vice president and CEO of the company 2) Middle level management includes the general managers, branch and department managers. 3) Lower level management involves the supervisors, section leads and others. Frederick Taylor and Henry Fayol theory: In this modern era women are nowadays playing a pivotal role in the organization and are also assigned with significant positions and authorities. As a result of fair employment laws ,equal income distribution the women have managed to climb up to the topmost managerial position ,however sexual discrimination have been unfair till now to the women. There have been theories which have been set for the management study. It involves variety of approach to the management analysis. Principles in management may be descriptive or predictive, they explain how variable are interdependent on each other. It also explains the understanding of what we experience (Foss and Knudsen 2013). First is the Frederick Taylor's theory, which started the modern management. He sought to overthrow the management by the ' rule of thumb' and emphasized on the fact that people should be assigned with duties in accordance with their skill and knowledge. Likewise, the managers should be given the task of science and performance, whereas the workers performing the labor, the load should be evenly shared between them which is best suited for them. He formulated science of work so as to replace the old rule of thumb, pay and reward method consequently resulted in accomplishment of the organizational goals ,work and responsibility to be divided equally in between the workers and management cooperating that is all we can say in a nutshell . Then comes the classical organizational theory school, it was formulated by the combination of the bureaucratic and administrative theory introduced by Max Weber and Henri Fayol respectively. Weber postulated that the western thoughts were changing from value oriented, traditional thinking to technocratic thinking, the organization was shifting to seek technical optimization at the expense of emotional content. The principles set by them were based upon ideal bureaucracy saying that an official jurisdictional areas, ordered firmly hierarchy of super and subordination management based on the written records, thorough training , official activity taking priority over other activities follows stable and knowable rules . Henry Fayol administrative theory focuses on the personal duties of management at a grainy level .In other words his work directed more towards the management layer (Hatch et al. 2013). It was based upon five principles. They are plan, organize, and forecast, command, coordinate. Forecasting and planning is the anticipation of the future events. Organize is the human and material development .Command is giving instructions to the people associated with the organizational goal , Coordination is employed to maintain the harmony , peace and balance in between the various sectors in the organization . Control refers to the controlling of all the activities within the organization in accordance with the rules and regulations set. There were fourteen administrative principles to be followed along with the five primary roles. These principles include specialization, authority with responsibility, discipline, unity of command, unity of direction, remuneration of staffs , centralization , line of equity (Nicolini 2012) . Fayol believed that a personal effort and team dynamics were an integral part of an ideal organization. His principles have been in practice up till date, however we find that his principles of 'unity of command' and 'unity of direction' have violated the matrix management. Elton mayo and Hawthorne theory: The behavioral school which was started by scholar Elton Mayo which was the outcome of Hawthorne Works, Mayo disapproved Taylor's beliefs that the one best way dictated by science that could be obtained by the controlled experiment. He determined the effects of lighting on worker productivity. His studies is showing those factors which was considered, when Mayo was working with a group of females included rest breaks, no rest breaks or fewer working hours in a work day. When these factors changed, the overall productivity went up, ultimately it proved five significant things including work satisfaction, communications, positive management response , encouragement or motivation and lastly the working conditions . It also disapproved Taylor's employee self -interest and it also showed that large-scale experiments involving 20000 employees gave positive response like expression of acknowledgement and working environment. And lastly he denounced that the 'rabble hypotheses' saying that t he society is a horde of unorganized individuals acting in manner so as to secure his own self- interest (OConnor 2015). The newer concepts like group work, group dynamics, social system from Mayo works in the mid -1920's. Recently many theories have come up like the system theory,contingency theory, chaos theory, team building theory building theory. The system theory being the most basic theory, this theory is helpful to the man9agers of the organization to look into the matter with a broader prospective. It has also enabled them in recognizing and organizing system's various parts and events. In the contingency theory the managers takes into account all the factors and current situation of the organization before handling a particular situation. The chais theory which was advocated by Tom Peters , it was incorporated for handling the chaotic events in an organization, it suggested that systems naturally go to complexity and as they proceed they become more volatile in nature and therefore there should be more energy to be spend on tackling its complexity . They seek more stability. This fashion continues until the system splits. However, it needs a very effective manager to tackle the situation falling worse. Lastly, the team building theory also was based on working in groups which had several stages. It emphasized on the quality circles, best practices and continuous improvement (Shafritz et al. 2015). McGregor theory: Lastly, the Douglas McGregor formulated two pairs of assumptions having two sharply opposite concepts to explain the human behavior and management style for motivation. It includes the managerial actions for motivating organizational work force involving certain assumptions hypotheses relating human nature and behavior. Theory X is the traditional theory of human behavior and indicates conventional approach to the managerial motivation and control; it assumed that people are lazy, dislike of work, lack ambition, resistant to change, not intellectual and imaginative. Theory Y propounded by Douglas with the optimistic assumptions. These optimistic assumptions of theory Yconceives man himselfas an end and that the organization should provide means to achieve 'end'. It had several assumptions like people might desire to achieve, work may be natural play for them, ambitious, they are committed towards work and they may also accept organization's goals and objectives (Witzel and Warner 2013). The essentiality of any organization is manager ship. Management is actually like practice like other practices be it medicine, engineering, accountancy .Briefly it is an art of managing the issues in a situation which needs to be looked after. Manager ship is an attribute of business performances. In an organization, the effective management involves proper functioning of different teams working under the manager. Formation of group is similar to the human life cycle. Like a person takes birth, grows, matures and finally declines (Tengblad 2012). Therefore, it can be said that in the same way the team formation happens into five stages including: Forming stage, Storming stage, Norming stage, Performing stage, Adjourning stage Forming is the first and foremost step of group formation, during this there are uncertainties , and the group members are uncertain as to group's objectives and their attainment . Storming is clearly the stage where the group members have conflict amongst themselves due to the difference of opinions and they need to search for resolution to their disagreements and conflicts. Then comes the norming stage where this stage is characterized with close relationship in between the group members, group cohesiveness and camaraderie ,then follows the performing stage where the members of the group perform as a whole for the organization and this is the fourth stage of group formation. It is fully functional in nature ,followed by this is the adjourning stage which marks the disbanding of the group activities ,in this stage the groups are dissolved where some members feel melancholy for the group disbandment , wh ereas others are happy for the task accomplishment by the formed group (Williams 2013) . At last, we can sum up by saying that any organization has a goal to create a surplus and be productive in achieving the favorable gain ratio in a specified time period so management is all about exercising the principles set forth by the managers of the association Conclusion: Management is nothing but the exercise of the principles which is set by the managers of the organization. The various theories discussed above is about the management principles and the motivation of the employees which forms an integral part in the proper functioning of the organization. Different theories provided different concept about the leadership skills and the way manager should lead the team. The knowledge depicted from the theories would provide the manager with the insight in handling the organization. Reference: Alexander, K., 2013.Facilities management: theory and practice. Routledge. Boylan, P., 2013. Introduction to the theoretical and philosophical basis of modern management. Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2012.Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. Burke, W.W., 2013.Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications. Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014.Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Foss, N.J. and Knudsen, C., 2013.Towards a competence theory of the firm(Vol. 2). Routledge. Hatch, M.J. and Cunliffe, A.L., 2013.Organization theory: modern, symbolic and postmodern perspectives. Oxford university press. Hatch, M.J. and Cunliffe, A.L., 2013.Organization theory: modern, symbolic and postmodern perspectives. Oxford university press. Nicolini, D., 2012.Practice theory, work, and organization: An introduction. Oxford university press. OConnor, E.S., 2015, October. Henri Fayol and the managerial point of view. InAnnales des Mines-Grer et comprendre(No. 3, pp. 93-95). FFE. Shafritz, J.M., Ott, J.S. and Jang, Y.S., 2015.Classics of organization theory. Cengage Learning. Tengblad, S., 2012.The work of managers: Towards a practice theory of management. Oxford University Press. Ulrich, H. and Probst, G. eds., 2012.Self-organization and management of social systems: Insights, promises, doubts, and questions(Vol. 26). Springer Science Business Media. Williams, C., 2013.Principles of management. South-Western Cengage Learning. Witzel, M. and Warner, M. eds., 2013.The oxford handbook of management theorists. OUP Oxford.

Is academic performance the best indicator of sucess in life free essay sample

The definition of success differs from person to person and field to field. One could take economics success as the ingredients to label a person successful in life. Others may look at it as a capacity to overcome challenges, irrespective of what someone ears and the nature of their private life. So who is a successful person and who is a failure? Do school choices and school grades provide way of predicting or ensure future success? If this is true should there be more emphasis on students to work hard and gain formal qualifications. But is this true? Aren’t some college drop-outs like Bill Gates and Richard Branson successful icons of success? And should we automatically consider the millions of young people who have not had the opportunity to gain academic certificates to be failures in life? First, success never depends on grades. If success was solely based on grades than employers and potential social partners would not ask for biodata and resumes. We will write a custom essay sample on Is academic performance the best indicator of sucess in life? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Why would employers bother interviewing prospects in order to find out what they are like as people? They would just hire based on the best paper qualifications. Certain people do very well in school however they spend their lives in a prison facility. So qualifications alone are never enough to determine a guaranteed success. Success also depends on physical characteristics, personality and motivations. Secondly, success is not a grade or a degree, if that was the case then why aren’t all graduates from Mc Gill, Ottawa U and University of Toronto not all successful? The rule of success is hard work and destiny. If a student gets good grades but is not effective in relationship building, solving crisis, and proper planning even though he might be successful at acquiring a job his life could lack the basics like love, family, stability and healthy relationships? Thirdly, if you look at the directory of successful people who are doctors, engineers and computer professionals then you could notice that many of them would dream to be employed by success icons like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckenberg, who have had great success in the corperate world. Bill Gates  has not stepped a foot in higher education however he is a successful entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs even benefit from not having academic qualification as going to college forces people to learn and think alike. This environment makes it more difficult for people to develop their insights and creativity. Adding to these people with gifts in the arts or in sports are sometimes not able to explore their qualities fully through academics. In conclusion, I am not in the belief that academic qualifications ensures success in life because nothing is guaranteed, family and friends are more important then money and success never depends on grades. You could have a degree but there will always be someone with something better and you will be in a competition with them. Do you think academic performance is the best indicator of success in life?

Golden Eagle Facts

Golden Eagle Facts The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a large diurnal bird of prey whose range extends across the Holarctic region (a region that encircles the Arctic and encompasses areas within the Northern Hemisphere such as North America, Europe, northern Africa, and northern Asia). The golden eagle is among the largest birds in North America. They are among the most popular of national emblems of the world (they are the national bird of Albania, Austria, Mexico, Germany, and Kazakhstan). Fast Facts: Golden Eagle Scientific Name: Aquila chrysaetosCommon Name(s): Golden eagleBasic Animal Group:  BirdSize: 2.5 to 3 feet tall, a wingspan of 6.2 to 7.4 feet  Weight: 7.9 to 14.5 pounds  Lifespan: 30 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  Mexico through western North America to Alaska with occasional appearances in the east; Asia, northern Africa, and Europe.Population:  Global breeding population is 300,000Conservation  Status:  Least Concern Description Golden eagles have powerful talons and a strong, hooked bill. Their plumage is mostly dark brown. Adults have a shiny, golden swatch of feathers on their crown, ​nape, and sides of their face. They have dark brown eyes and long, broad wings, Their tail is a lighter, grayish brown as are the undersides of their wings. Young golden eagles have white patches located at the base of their tail as well as on their wings.   When viewed in profile, golden eagles heads appear  relatively small while the tail seems quite long and broad. Their legs are feathered their full length, all the way to their toes. Golden eagles either occur as solitary birds or are found in pairs. Anton Petrus/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Golden eagles inhabit a wide range that stretches throughout the Northern Hemisphere and includes North America, Europe, northern Africa and the northern parts of Asia. In the United States, they are more common in the western half of the country and are only rarely spotted in the eastern states. Golden eagles prefer open or partially open habitats such as tundra, grasslands, sparse woodlands, scrublands and coniferous forests. They generally inhabit mountainous regions up to 12,000 feet in elevation. They also inhabit canyon lands, cliffs, and bluffs. They nest on cliffs and in rocky outcrops in grasslands, shrublands, and other similar habitats. They avoid urban and suburban areas and do not inhabit dense forests. Golden eagles migrate short to medium distances. Those that breed in the far northerly regions of their range migrate further southward during the winter than those that inhabit lower latitudes. Where climates are milder during the winter, golden eagles are year-round residents. Diet and Behavior Golden eagles feed on a variety of mammal prey such as rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, marmots, pronghorn, coyotes, foxes, deer, mountain goats, and ibex. They are capable of killing large animal prey but usually feed on relatively small mammals. They also eat reptiles, fish, birds or carrion if other prey is scarce. During the breeding season, pairs of golden eagles will hunt cooperatively when pursuing agile prey such as jackrabbits. Golden eagles are agile avian predators that can dive at impressive speeds (as much as 200 miles per hour). They dive not only to catch prey but also in territorial and courtship displays as well as regular flight patterns. Reproduction and Offspring Golden eagles construct nests out of sticks, vegetation and other materials such as bones and antlers. They line their nests with softer materials such as grasses, bark, mosses or leaves. Golden eagles often maintain and reuse their nests over the course of several years. Nests are usually positioned on cliffs but are also sometimes located in trees, on the ground or on high man-made structures (observation towers, nesting platforms, electrical towers). The nests are large and deep, sometimes as much as 6 feet wide and 2 feet high. They lay between 1 and 3 eggs per clutch and eggs incubate for about 45 days. After hatching, young remain in the next for about 81 days. W. Perry Conway/Getty Images Conservation Status There are large and stable populations of golden eagles in multiple locations around the world, and thus the species has a status of Least Concern. Much of the reason for their success is the result of conservation projects to protect both the birds and their habitats. The golden eagle has been a federally protected species since 1962, and several international groups dedicate themselves to the welfare of golden eagles and eagles in general. Bald or Golden Eagle? Juvenile bald eagles look very similar to golden eagles. They are about the same size with a similar wingspan, and, until bald eagles reach about a year of age, they have the same brown feathers covering their entire bodies. Juvenile bald eagles do have mottled underbellies, and they dont shine in the same way that golden eagles do- but its tough to spot these differences in a bird in flight. Its not until after their first year of life that bald eagles start to show their distinctive areas of white plumage. Because of this similarity, its common for birders (especially in the eastern part of the United States) to believe theyve spotted a golden eagle when theyve actually seen a juvenile (and more common) bald eagle. Sources â€Å"Golden Eagle.†Ã‚  National Geographic, 24 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/g/golden-eagle/.â€Å"Golden Eagle.†Ã‚  San Diego Zoo Global Animals and Plants, animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/golden-eagle.â€Å"Golden Eagle Demographics.†Ã‚  American Eagle Foundation, www.eagles.org/what-we-do/educate/learn-about-eagles/golden-eagle-demographics/#toggle-id-2.â€Å"Is That Golden Eagle Actually a Bald Eagle?†Ã‚  Audubon, 3 July 2018, www.audubon.org/news/is-golden-eagle-actually-bald-eagle.

Performance Based Pay for Teachers

Performance Based Pay for Teachers Performance-based pay for teachers, or merit pay, is a trending educational topic. Teachers pay, in general, is often highly debated. Performance-based pay ties teaching components such as standardized test scores and teacher evaluations to a salary schedule. Performance-based pay originated from a corporate model that bases a teachers salary on job performance. Higher performing teachers receive more compensation, while lower performing teachers receive less. The Denver, Colorado school district may have the most successful performance-based pay program in the nation. The program, called ProComp, is seen as a national model for performance-based pay. ProComp was designed to impact critical issues such as student achievement, teacher retention, and teacher recruitment positively. The program has been credited with boosting those areas, but it does have its critics. Performance-based pay will likely continue to increase in popularity over the next decade. Like any educational reform issue, there are two sides to the argument. Here, we examine the pros and cons of performance-based pay for teachers. Pros Motivates Teachers to Make Improvements in the Classroom Performance-based pay systems offer teachers a reward based on meeting set performance measures typically tied to student performance. These measures are based on educational research and are a set of best practices intended to boost overall student outcomes. Many of the best teachers are already doing a lot of these things in their classrooms. With performance-based pay, they may be asked to take it a little above what they normally do, or it may motivate low performing teachers to get their acts together to receive their bonus. Provides Teachers With the Opportunity to Receive a Higher Salary People typically do not become teachers because of the salary. But, it doesnt mean that they do not want or need more money. Sadly, a relatively large number of teachers across the country are picking up a second job to keep their family afloat financially. Performance-based pay not only provides teachers with an option to make more money but also motivates them to meet targeted objectives while doing so. It is a win, win situation both for the teacher and their students. The teacher makes more money, and in turn, their students get a better education. Invites Competition Thus Raising Student Performance Performance-based pay creates competition among teachers. The better their students perform, the more money theyll receive. Higher outcomes translate to higher pay. Teachers are often competitive by nature. They want their fellow teachers to be successful. But, they also want to be more successful then them. Healthy competition pushes teachers to become better, which in turn boost student learning. Everyone wins when the best teachers work hard to stay at the top, and mediocre teachers work hard to improve enough to be considered one the best. Allows Bad Teachers to Be Removed Easier Many performance-based pay systems include components which enable principals to terminate teachers who continuously fail to meet goals and objectives. Most teacher unions adamantly opposed performance-based pay because of this element. Standard teacher contracts make it difficult to terminate employment, but a performance-based pay contract makes it easier to remove a bad teacher. Teachers who are unable to get the job done are replaced by another teacher who may be able to get things on track. Aids in Teacher Recruitment and Retention Performance-based pay can be an attractive incentive especially for young teachers who have a lot to offer. The opportunity for higher pay is often too compelling to pass up. To passionate teachers, the extra work is worth the higher salary. Also, schools offering performance-based compensation typically have no problems attracting top teaching talent. The pool is usually bottomless, so they can get quality teachers from the beginning. They also keep their good teachers. The best teachers are easy to retain because they are well respected and likely will not receive a higher salary elsewhere. Cons Encourages Teachers to Teach to Standardized Tests A large part of the performance-based pay objectives rests in standardized test scores. Teachers across the nation are already feeling the pressure to abandon creativity and originality and instead to teach to the tests. Attaching an increase in pay only amplifies that situation. Standardized testing is all the rage in public education, and performance-based pay just adds fuel to the fire. Teachers skip once celebrated teachable moments. They neglect valuable life lessons and have essentially become robots all in the name of passing a single test on a single day during the school year. Can Potentially Be Costly to the District School districts across the United States are already strapped for cash. Teachers on a performance-based contract receive a base salary. They receive a â€Å"bonus† for meeting specific objectives and goals. This â€Å"bonus† money can add up quickly. The Denver Public School District in Colorado was able to start ProComp thanks to voters who approved a tax increase that allowed them to fund the incentive program. It would have been impossible to fund the program without the revenue generated from the tax increase. School districts would find it exceedingly difficult to maintain the funds necessary to run a performance-based pay program without additional funding. Dilutes a Teacher’s Overall Value Most teachers offer much more than just the ability to meet learning objectives or goals. Teaching should be about more than just a test score. Ideally, teachers should be rewarded for the size of the impact they make and for making a difference in the lives of their students. Sometimes those qualities go unrecognized and unrewarded. Teachers have a powerful influence on their students, yet theyre relegated to ensuring that their students are going to pass a test. It skews the real value of a teacher when you only base the job they are doing on meeting student performance objectives.   Fails to Consider Factors Beyond a Teacher’s Control There are many factors beyond a teacher’s control that influence student performance just as much or more than any teacher will. Factors such as lack of parental involvement, poverty, and learning disabilities offer real hindrances to learning. They are nearly impossible to overcome. The reality is that teachers who sacrifice to pour into the lives of these students are often seen as bad teachers because their students do not meet the level of proficiency that their peers do. The truth is that many of these teachers are doing a far superior job than their peers who teach at an affluent school. Sometimes they fail to receive the same rewards for their hard work. Can Potentially Harm High-Risk Areas Every school is not the same. Every student is not the same. Why would a teacher want to teach in a school surrounded by poverty and have the cards stacked against them, when they can teach in an affluent school and have immediate success? A performance-based pay system would keep many of the best teachers from pursuing jobs in those high-risk areas because of nearly impossible odds to meet the performance measures needed to make it worth the while.

Beowulf Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Beowulf Comparison - Essay Example Characterization entailed the poet’s imagination and the themes around those times with most poems having protagonists and antagonists. This is why the poems had aspects of heroes, battles, bravery, loyalty, feuds, meditations on fate and life including harsh aspects such as exile, monsters, as well as transience and treasure. ‘Beowulf’ is no different from Old English poems, one of them being ‘Battle of Maldon’. Both poems are written in Old English, which uses a different kind of grammar from the modern one. ‘Battle of Maldon’ is an old English poem written in Anglo-Saxon style (Bowman 91-115). The old English evolved to what is spoken in the present times and tended to be Germanic while exhibiting minimal French and Latin influence. In order to understand the poem in a deeper sense, students should be somehow familiar with Anglo-Saxon poetry rudiments. Anglo-Saxon poets used alliterative verse. This form of verse uses alliteration as the major stylistic device to join lines of poetry. This is the opposite of devices used in structuring rhymes. In alliteration, the a-verse or first half of a line is linked with the b-verse or second half via similar initial sounds. Additionally, a caesura divides the two halves. This is a pause usually represented in the form of a gap appearing on a page. The poems have reduced elements of internal rhyme but have repeated phrases, which they reused. Both ‘Battle of Maldon’ and ‘Beowulf’ are a series of stanzas, which narrate of heroic, mythical events from a Germanic past and end with the poet’s plight. The Anglo-Saxon style depicts a form known as accentual verse with four beats in each line meaning every half line has two beats. Alliteration is fulfilled in the poem through use of epithets, which is a formula of pronunciation different from the modern English. Another significant stylistic device in Beowulf is the