Thursday, August 27, 2020

4 Teaching Philosophy Statement Examples

4 Teaching Philosophy Statement Examples An instructive way of thinking articulation or training reasoning proclamation is a short article that all almost forthcoming instructors are required to compose. Vanderbilt University clarifies: An instructing (reasoning) proclamation is an intentional and intelligent exposition about the author’s showing convictions and practices. It is an individual account that incorporates not just one’s convictions about the instructing and learning process yet in addition solid instances of the manners by which the person in question authorizes these convictions in the study hall. A very much made instructing articulation gives an unmistakable and special picture of the creator as an educator. Ohio State Universitys Center for the Advancement of Teaching further clarifies that a training theory articulation is significant on the grounds that an away from of educating can prompt an adjustment in showing conduct and cultivate proficient and self-improvement. Instances of Teaching Philosophy Statements Test 1 This section is a case of a solid articulation of showing reasoning since it puts understudies where they have a place in instruction: at the up front of an educators center. A writer who composes, for example, an announcement is probably going to constantly analyze and confirm this philosophyâ by continually guaranteeing that understudy needs are the essential focal point everything being equal and homework. My way of thinking of instruction is that all kids are one of a kind and must have an invigorating instructive condition where they can develop genuinely, intellectually, inwardly, and socially. It is my longing to make this kind of environment where understudies can meet their maximum capacity. I will give a protected situation where understudies are welcome to share their thoughts and face challenges. I accept that there are five basic components that are helpful for learning. (1) The instructors job is to go about as a guide. (2) Students must approach hands-on exercises. (3) Students ought to have the option to have options and let their interest direct their learning. (4) Students need the chance to rehearse aptitudes in a sheltered situation. (5) Technology must be consolidated into the school day. Test 2 The accompanying articulation is a genuine case of a showing theory on the grounds that the creator accentuates that all homerooms, and without a doubt all understudies, are one of a kind and have explicit adapting needs and styles. An educator with such a way of thinking is probably going to guarantee that she invests energy helping every understudy accomplish her most elevated potential. I accept that all youngsters are one of a kind and have something unique that they can bring to their own education. I will help my understudies to communicate for themselves and acknowledge themselves for what their identity is, also grasp the distinctions of others. Each homeroom has its own novel network; my job as the instructor will be to help every youngster in building up their own latent capacity and learning styles. I will introduce an educational program that will fuse each unique learning style, just as make the substance pertinent to the understudies lives. I will consolidate hands-on learning, helpful learning, ventures, subjects, and individual work that draw in and actuate understudies learning.â Test 3 This announcement gives a strong model on the grounds that the creator accentuates the ethical target of instructing: that she will hold every understudy to the best standards and guarantee that every one is steady in her examinations. Suggested in this announcement is that the educator won't abandon even a solitary hard-headed understudy. I accept that an educator is ethically committed to enter the homeroom with just the most noteworthy of desires for all of her understudies. In this way, the instructor augments the positive advantages that normally join any unavoidable outcome. With devotion, constancy, and difficult work, her understudies will adapt to the situation. I intend to bring a receptive outlook, an uplifting mentality, and elevated requirements to the study hall every day. I accept that I owe it to my understudies, just as the network, to bring consistency, industriousness, and warmth to my activity with the expectation that I can eventually motivate and support such qualities in the youngsters also. Test 4 The accompanying explanation takes a marginally extraordinary tack: Classrooms ought to be warm and caring networks. In contrast to the past articulations, this one limits the uniqueness of understudies and underlines that, basically, it take a town to cultivate genuinely network based learning. All showing techniques at that point, for example, morning gatherings and network critical thinking, follow this way of thinking. I accept that a homeroom ought to be a sheltered, caring network where kids are allowed to express their real thoughts and bloom and develop. I will utilize systems to guarantee our homeroom network will prosper, similar to the early daytime meeting, positive versus negative order, homeroom employments, and critical thinking abilities. Instructing is a procedure of gaining from your understudies, associates, guardians, and the network. This is a deep rooted process where you learn new methodologies, new thoughts, and new ways of thinking. After some time, my instructive way of thinking may change, and that is alright. That just implies that I have developed and learned new things. Segments of a Teaching Philosophy Statement A training theory explanation ought to incorporate a presentation, body, and end similarly as you would expect of your understudies on the off chance that they were composing a paper. However, there are explicit parts that you have to remember for any such proclamation: Presentation: This ought to be your theory explanation where you talk about your general conviction about instruction, (for example, I accept all understudies reserve an option to learn) just as your standards according to educating. You should start with the end, says James M. Lang in an Aug. 29, 2010, article named, 4 Steps to a Memorable Teaching Philosophy distributed in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Lang says you ought to consider what the understudies will have adapted once they withdraw your class, in the wake of having been guided by your showing theory and systems. Body: ​In this piece of the announcement, examine what you see as the perfect homeroom condition and how it makes you a superior educator, addresses understudy needs, and encourages parent/kid communications. Examine howâ you would encourage age-fitting learning,â and how youâ involve understudies inâ the appraisal process. Clarify how you would put your instructive ​​idealsâ into practice. Lang says that you ought to plainly express your objectives and goals for understudies. Design explicitly what you trust your encouraging will assist understudies with accomplishing. Be explicit by recounting to a story or offering a definite depiction of an inventive or intriguing encouraging system you have utilized, says Lang. Doing as such, enables your peruser to see how your training theory would happen in the study hall. End: In this area, talk about your objectives as an instructor, how you have had the option to meet them before, and how you can expand on these to meet future challenges. Focus on your own way to deal with instructional method and study hall the board, just as what makes you one of a kind as a teacher, and how you wish to propel your vocation to additionally bolster training. Lang takes note of that, while you dont need to utilize official reference style, you should refer to your sources. Clarify where your instructing theory began for instance, from your encounters as an undergrad, from a personnel tutor you worked with during your instructor preparing program, or maybe from books or articles on encouraging that affected you. Organizing Your Statement Notwithstanding thinking about the sort of instructing theory to compose, Ohio State University offers some broad designing recommendations. The Ohio State University Center for the Advancement of Teaching states: Articulation Format There is no necessary substance or set format. There is no set in stone manner to compose a way of thinking proclamation, which is the reason it is so trying for a great many people to keep in touch with one. You may choose to write in exposition, utilize axioms, make visuals, utilize an inquiry/answer position, and so on. There are, be that as it may, some broad guidelines to follow when composing a showing theory proclamation, says the universitys educator preparing division: Keep it brief. The announcement ought to be close to one to two pages, as indicated by the Ohio State University Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Utilize current state, and compose the announcement in the principal individual, as the past models outline. Maintain a strategic distance from language. Utilize normal, regular language, not specialized terms, the college exhorts. Make a striking picture that incorporates methodologies and techniques ... (to enable) your peruser to bring a psychological look into your study hall, includes the Ohio State University Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Also, ensure you talk about yourâ experiences andâ yourâ beliefs and guarantee your announcement is unique and genuinely depicts the techniques and theory you would utilize in educating, the college includes.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

National Security Strategy Comparison

Mid-Term Essay †Compare/Contrast European Security Strategy (ESS) with US National Security Strategy (NSS) By James E. McDonald Regional/Cultural Studies Lesson 03 24 Mar 2013 Instructor: Col (ret) Frank Belote Air Command and Staff College Distance Learning Maxwell AFB, AL The Security Strategy of the United States has checked likenesses and contrasts to the Security Strategy of Europe. This can be adequately followed to the similitudes and contrasts between the two societies themselves, especially in the social variables of religion, modernization, ethnicity/patriotism, and geography.The US and Europe have various reactions to the modernization of fighting from conventional (ships, armed forces, tanks, airplane) to â€Å"asymmetrical† (psychological warfare, digital fighting), to a great extent from contrasts in geology: With the eminent special cases of Pearl Harbor and the World Trade Center, our foe danger has been a great many miles away, while Europe has seen two b leeding â€Å"world wars† and demonstrations of dread submitted directly on home soil.However, for the motivations behind this paper, I will concentrate on religion and ethnicity/patriotism, and how these two components influence vital culture. Culture is significant. It characterizes what’s imperative to a gathering, or country. It develops in expressed tenet, laws, procedure. It characterizes what our identity is. There are regular perspectives, interests, needs, and verbiage in both Security Strategic reports. Significant forces find a sense of contentment. The world economy has developed; globalism is progressively significant. We should lessen reliance on remote energy.We have a guarantee to union with one another (US and Europe) through NATO (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). NATO has made a solid tie between the US and Europe since it was made to contain the Soviets, coordinating Europe and the United States strategically and militarily (Friedman, 2011, 1). Truth be told, â€Å"For any sort of military arranging and tasks as to Russia, the Europeans will like to act through NATO instead of the EU. † (Valesek, 2008, 1)In complexity to the above shared traits, the United States report, while recognizing that â€Å"no one nationâ€no matter how powerfulâ€can address worldwide difficulties alone†, more than once shows looks at â€Å"Nationalist† hints with proclamations, for example, â€Å"Our nation has the characteristics that have bolstered our authority for decadesâ€sturdy collusions, an unequaled military, the world’s biggest economy, a solid and advancing popular government, and a unique populace. † (Obama, 2010, 1-9). The European archive, then again, straightforwardly and over and over calls for â€Å"Unification† and â€Å"Cooperation† (European Security Strategy, 2003, 1-8).The United States can draw from European strict history and ethnic source, whic h gives it some social likenesses. Simultaneously, the introduction of our country was a lot more later, thus significantly not quite the same as the start of European history, that it’s no big surprise there are major contrasts in culture. Indeed, even before the Declaration of Independence (â€Å"God† and â€Å"truth† referenced) or the US Constitution were drafted (â€Å"freedom of religion†), early America was established in Christianity. The primary Pilgrims fled strict abuse in Europe.Christian tenet has been cited in talks given by American pioneers from the earliest starting point (Governor John Walthrop, Massachusetts Governor, 1630), to later/present-day Presidents (Reagan, GW Bush, Obama), The United States has been alluded to as something â€Å"different†, a brilliant illustration all the world to see and copy, a â€Å"city on a hill†. (Walthrop, 1630, 1). America, from its beginnings to today, while inviting decent variety, keep s on being a predominately Christian culture, taking into account strict suggestions in national records (generally obvious through reference to â€Å"values†, and â€Å"truth†).Europe then again, in its test to bind together the 27 nations that structure the European Union (Rosenberg, 2011, 1), must proceed with caution so as not to estrange or outrage any segment of the contemporary mix of Christian, Muslim, and â€Å"Secular† societies (Rubenstein, 2011, 1). Both the US and Europe are ethnically and racially various. Many wonder about the capacity to hold heading and center despite such assorted variety. Early America shaped migrants into a â€Å"melting pot†, blending chronicled roots into a soup that turned out to be particularly â€Å"American†.Nowadays, the inclination is to clutch ethnic contrasts and depict the outcome as a â€Å"mosaic† or â€Å"salad bowl† †separate pieces that, when seen all in all, make a bigger pict ure (Branigin, 1998). Regardless of this ongoing movement to hold ethnic uniqueness, America appears to effectively classify this into its frontiersman â€Å"rugged individualist† mindset, yet in evading division along racial lines, figures out how to effectively grasp all gatherings into a feeling of particular â€Å"nationalism†.Europe then again, battles to adjust 27 countries, each with their own feeling of patriotism, without giving noteworthy inclination to any one culture. A definitive effect of these strict and ethnic/nationalistic contrasts is that, truly, the US National Security Strategy peruses uniquely in contrast to the European Security Strategy. The change in foundation brings about various wording and position, various explanations behind why we do what we do, and the ideal outcome. This can cause misconstruing, and even doubt between these two incredible entities.However, it’s imperative to presume that by and large, we BOTH have a similar extr eme purpose: a proceeded with pledge to trans-atlantic relationship, globalized economy, diminished reliance on outside vitality, and, above all, harmony and security to our reality (Obama, 2010, 1-9) (European Security Strategy, 2003, 2-14). Taking everything into account, numerous world analysts (counting Samuel P Huntington in his guide of â€Å"The World of Civilizations†), while recognizing social classes on the planet, bunch the US, Canada, Greenland, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand as â€Å"the West† (Huntington, 1997, 26).Due to the accentuation on solid strict roots, faith in right, show fate, and ethnic decent variety in the United States, our expressed targets and self-distinguished job on the planet is one of a kind. Be that as it may, generally speaking, European †US procedure and culture are not all that strikingly unique. Book reference Branigin, William, â€Å"The Myth of the Melting Pot: America’s Racial and Ethnic Divides. Worke rs Shunning Idea of Assimilation† (Washington, DC: Washington Post, 25 May 1998), http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/national/longterm/meltingpot/melt0525a. htmEuropean Security Strategy, A Secure Europe in a Better World, (Brussels, 12 December 2003), 2-14 Friedman, George, â€Å"The Crisis of Europe and European Nationalism† (Austin, TX: StratFor Global Intelligence, 13 September 2011), 1, http://www. stratfor. com/week after week/20110912-emergency europe-and-european-patriotism Huntington, Samuel P. , â€Å"The World of Civilizations† The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York, NY: Touchstone, 1997), 26-27 Obama, Barack, National Security Strategy (Washington, DC: Whitehouse Archives, 2010), 1-9Rosenberg, Matt, â€Å"European Union Countries† (About. com, 09 December 2011), 1, http://topography. about. com/od/records/an/eumembers. htm Rubenstein, Richard L. , â€Å"Islam and Christianity: The Roots of Europe’s Reli gious Identity† (New English Review, December 2011), 1, http://www. newenglishreview. organization/custpage. cfm/frm/102790/sec_id/102790 Valesek, Tomas, â€Å"Europe’s Defense and its New Security Strategy† (Center for European Reform Bulletin: London, England, Dec 2007-Jan 2008), 1, http://gees. organization/documentos/Documen-02705. pdf Walthrop, John, â€Å"Modell of Christian Charity† (Massachusetts, 1630), 1,

Friday, August 21, 2020

4 Growing (and Lucrative) Blogging Niches for Professional Writers

4 Growing (and Lucrative) Blogging Niches for Professional Writers Make Money Online Queries? Struggling To Get Traffic To Your Blog? Sign Up On (HBB) Forum Now!4 Growing (and Lucrative) Blogging Niches for Professional WritersUpdated On 13/04/2018Author : Ram kumarTopic : BloggingShort URL : https://hbb.me/2JGnC95 CONNECT WITH HBB ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow @HellBoundBlogBloggers are a pretty chatty bunch, so it’s not surprising that the Internet is littered with advice (and gripes) about setting up and running personal and professional blogs. No one blog article can possibly hope to cover all the bases for aspiring online scribes.You’d need an ebook for that, at least.One step at a time. Before you write a single line of copy on your brand new blog, you need to make a fairly consequential decision: what to write about.If you plan to monetize your blog, it’s helpful (though not essential) to have a tightly defined niche. These four are among the most popular, lucrative, and easy to turn up.1. Crypto BlockchainYou’ve heard of crypto. Blockcha in rings a bell. But what are they, really?This is an “if you have to ask” situation â€" unless you’re willing to immerse yourself in the already voluminous and rapidly expanding literature on the (potential) underpinnings of our post-fiat future. The key here is legitimately knowing more â€" or at least being better equipped to relate â€" than the average crypto-blockchain booster. (And there are a lot of them.) If you can’t add value to the conversation, stick with what you know, no matter how enticing the payoff appears.2. Travel BloggingYou definitely don’t need an advanced mathematics degree to make a living as a travel blogger. All you need is an eye for detail, an unquenchable wanderlust, a way with words, and perhaps a premium airline credit card.Travel blogging is a competitive space, to be sure. You’ll want to think carefully about your niche; the path of least resistance is rarely the most lucrative. Most successful travelistas play up the lifestyle aspects of their travels: think #vanlife (ethical and practical issues notwithstanding). Without a tightly defined niche, effective monetization is elusive. Plan accordingly.READ9 Reasons Behind Slow Website Loading Times And How To Fix Them ?3. CybersecurityLike crypto and blockchain, cybersecurity is a technical, timely topic. The barriers to entry are a bit lower, though, since the broad-spectrum concepts underpinning digital security are intuitive and don’t require specialized training to understand. And there’s enough material to run a thousand spy novel imprints. If you’re intrigued by the ongoing arms race between white hats and black hats, the involvement of criminal rings and nation-states, and the pitfalls of seemingly sound cyber-defense strategies, this domain is fertile ground.4. Personal FinancePersonal finance is that rare blogging domain that’s both insanely popular and extremely lucrative for those who do it right. The secret sauce: monetization opportunities galore, from partnerships with financial advisors to affiliate relationships with credit card issuers to value-added content and products for sale through your blog and third-party platforms like Amazon. Find your niche â€" frugal homemaking, credit card hacking, early retirement â€" and you’ll go far here.Find Your NicheA lot flows from your blog niche. While it’s not impossible to reorient or expand once you’ve chosen an area of focus, it’s not always easy: you may need to register new domains, rework your themes, rejigger your site’s layout, and put up a slew of new pages.Do yourself a favor and take your time with this decision. You’ll be thankful you got it right.

Monday, May 25, 2020

The Techniques of Advertising Essay - 458 Words

The Techniques of Advertising Advertising There are obviously a lot of techniques used for adverting such as getting the attention of the reader or viewer. Advertising has been used for decades; however different techniques are slowly being introduced. As example of this would be that in the 60s, companies had a low budget to advertise, whereas now a days they have multi-million pound budgets to advertise their product. In a companys business plan, a large portion of their money is spent on advertising. This is firstly done to get them in a safe stable place n their market. This is the main factor why they risk a lot of their money into investing in advertising. The reason for doing†¦show more content†¦The reason for this as some members of the public found them to graphic for everyday ads. There are many different ways a product can be noticed, they range from Bill Boards to Pop-Up adverts on a website. All different companies will use the web to advertise, and better known brands such as Coca-Cola will advertise on popular television stations that will be viewed thousands of times. There is one main body that controls advertising; this is called the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency). The ASA is the independent, self-regulatory body for non-broadcast advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK. They administer the British code of Advertising, sales promotions and direct marketing to ensure that advertisements are legal, decent, honest and truthful. As example of the ASA enforcing these laws is with 24/7 Locksmiths. They advertised with the headline Call and we are thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and stated Free call out 24 hours, 7 days a-week, 365 days a year. However the complainer had paid a  £50 deposit and was then told by them that they could not replace his locks and his deposit was non-refundable. Due to this the ASA removed the Ad. All adverts have their own way of attracting the viewers attention, however they usually appeal to out basic instincts or needs. To do this adverting agencies reflect them in the advert. There are otherShow MoreRelated The Techniques of Advertising Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesThe Techniques of Advertising Advertisings are created to make us buy things. All the companies want to sell their products, because they want to make profit. When a company knows that a product that it manufactures is not very good they do not share that with their customers. On the contrary, they make a very impressive advertising for the product, because all they want is to sell it. Everyone knows that advertising a product is not really done because the product is just wonderful and everyoneRead MoreThe History of Advertising and Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Advertising Techniques1744 Words   |  7 Pagesmedia includes the internet. 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In the article â€Å"Propaganda Techniques in Today’s advertising,† Ann McClintock describes different types advertising techniques in her essay that are used currently by the advertisers and by theRead MorePropaganda Techniques Of Today s Advertising By Ann Mcclintock Essay906 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"Propaganda Techniques in Today s Advertising† by Ann McClintock, the author discusses how Americans are being brainwashed by advertisements and the different techniques they use to catch our attention. Ads are simply everywhere we look, it is impossible to get through the day without seeing one. All advertising companies put tons of research into how consumers spend money or even vote. Once these companies finish their research, they create advertisements that appeal to the masses. The basicRead MoreThe importance of marketing and advertising in business. 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They will use inspiring words that are very vague that the consumer would not really understand what the product would really do to benefit them but would be inspired to buy it anyways. Another technique mostlyRead MoreThe Role and Importance of Advertising967 Words   |  4 PagesInvestigate the role and importance of advertising 1a.Explain and demonstrate how advertising can be designed to differentiate,remind,inform and persuade†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. .page 3 1b.Evaluate appropriate uses and applications for advertising in two given situations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 3 1c.Evaluate the role,organization and functions of agencies in the advertising process†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...page 3 Read MoreThe Most Effective Form of Media Essay1493 Words   |  6 Pagesyour eye and they may interest you. 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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Learn More About Conjugations for the Italian Verb Sposarsi

sposarsi: to get married; go well together; match Regular  first-conjugation Italian verbReciprocal verb  (requires a  reflexive pronoun) INDICATIVE/INDICATIVO Presente io mi sposo tu ti sposi lui, lei, Lei si sposa noi ci sposiamo voi vi sposate loro, Loro si sposano Imperfetto io mi sposavo tu ti sposavi lui, lei, Lei si sposava noi ci sposavamo voi vi sposavate loro, Loro si sposavano Passato remoto io mi sposai tu ti sposasti lui, lei, Lei si spos noi ci sposammo voi vi sposaste loro, Loro si sposarono Futuro semplice io mi sposer tu ti sposerai lui, lei, Lei si sposer noi ci sposeremo voi vi sposerete loro, Loro si sposeranno Passato prossimo io mi sono sposato/a tu ti sei sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si sposato/a noi ci siamo sposati/e voi vi siete sposati/e loro, Loro si sono sposati/e Trapassato prossimo io mi ero sposato/a tu ti eri sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si era sposato/a noi ci eravamo sposati/e voi vi eravate sposati/e loro, Loro si erano sposati/e Trapassato remoto io mi fui sposato/a tu ti fosti sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si fu sposato/a noi ci fummo sposati/e voi vi foste sposati/e loro, Loro si furono sposati/e Future anteriore io mi sar sposato/a tu ti sarai sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si sar sposato/a noi ci saremo sposati/e voi vi sarete sposati/e loro, Loro si saranno sposati/e SUBJUNCTIVE/CONGIUNTIVO Presente io mi sposi tu ti sposi lui, lei, Lei si sposi noi ci sposiamo voi vi sposiate loro, Loro si sposino Imperfetto io mi sposassi tu ti sposassi lui, lei, Lei si sposasse noi ci sposassimo voi vi sposaste loro, Loro si sposassero Passato io mi sia sposato/a tu ti sia sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si sia sposato/a noi ci siamo sposati/e voi vi siate sposati/e loro, Loro si siano sposati/e Trapassato io mi fossi sposato/a tu ti fossi sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si fosse sposato/a noi ci fossimo sposati/e voi vi foste sposati/e loro, Loro si fossero sposati/e CONDITIONAL/CONDIZIONALE Presente io mi sposerei tu ti sposeresti lui, lei, Lei si sposerebbe noi ci sposeremmo voi vi sposereste loro, Loro si sposerebbero Passato io mi sarei sposato/a tu ti saresti sposato/a lui, lei, Lei si sarebbe sposato/a noi ci saremmo sposati/e voi vi sareste sposati/e loro, Loro si sarebbero sposati/e IMPERATIVE/IMPERATIVO Presente — ​ sposatisi sposisposiamocisposatevisi sposino INFINITIVE/INFINITO Presente: sposarsi Passato: essersi sposato PARTICIPLE/PARTICIPIO Presente: sposantesi Passato: sposatosi GERUND/GERUNDIO Presente: sposandosi Passato: essendosi sposato 1001 Italian Verbs:  A  |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F  |  G  | H |  I  | JK |  L  |  M  |  N  |  O  |  P  |  Q  |  R  |  S  |  T  |  U  |  V  | W | X | Y |  Z

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

3 Important Factors in Sociology - 1655 Words

Sociology Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity. For many sociologists the goal is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure. Many philosophers , such as Karl Marx , changed Sociology , with their respective points of view . The list can go on and on , with Comte , Durkheim , Spencer , etc . Also , the perspectives on†¦show more content†¦How much am I making ? Is MY family ok ? Marx said that Political Revolution was a vital necessity in the evolutionary process of society and that it was the only means by which the improvement of social conditions could be ac hieved . (Marx; 1818-1883; 28 ) . Deviance is another interesting subject of sociology . Not only is it one of the main components in early day and modern day sociology , but it defines our societys limits . Deviance describes actions or behaviors that violate social norms, including formally-enacted rules for example , crime , as well as informal violations of social norms , for example rejecting folkways and/or mores . Deviance actually , more often than not , helps society as a whole , more than it causes damage . Deviance helps define the limits of social tolerance. ( Durkheim ; 1894 ;193-194) . For example , if a kid is talking too much in class , or someone gets arrested , that is defying the limits of social tolerance , because they are testing society , to see what they can get away with . Another example of functions of deviance in society is that Deviance can increase the solidarity and integration of a group . (Durkheim ; 1894 ;194 ). September 11th , 2001 was an act o f deviance , because as a nation , focused on the twin towers in New York . At that very moment , when America watched the news on what had happened , America was integrated . Other main functions of social deviance include a safety valveShow MoreRelatedPrevalence And Growth Of Cohabitation756 Words   |  4 Pagesa senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, and D’vera Cohn, a senior writer and editor at the Pew Research Center, reports on the increasing trend of cohabiting couples. The research shows that the number of couples cohabiting has doubled, from 3% to 7%, over the past 15 years. The study was conducted by the Pew Research Center, and from what I have read there seem to be no gaps or omissions in the research presented. 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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Effective Business Communication Training on Presentation Skills

Question: Discuss about theEffective Business Communication for Training on Presentation Skills. Answer: Introduction: Effective Business Communication (EBC) is much essential for a successful interaction within a company. The scope of such successful practice not only depends upon the words used, but it also depends on upon the body posture, style (attitude) of communication, the tone of voice and clarity in the message (Mason Leek, 2012). In order to establish a good and efficient business communication following factors are necessary (Mishra, Boynton, Mishra, 2014): Efficientiveness in speaking- This is one of the most important factors in the establishment of an effective business communication. The speaker should express the message according to the situation and understanding potential of the listener. Clear message- With clear communication, an individual seldom gets an opportunity to express their views. Furthermore, it is necessary for them to express their point in an apparent way which can be understood by every listener. Brief and complete message- In a business communication, the message delivered should be brief and to the point as per the requirement. Confidence- Confidence is the foremost factor for a speaker to deliver information in an efficient An individual needs to express their views in clear and strong voice to add integrity to the information Notably, both verbal, as well as non-verbal communication skills, are essential within the interactome framework to enhance the information flow among the employees, customers, collaborators, and other personal outside the firm (Kanihan, 2013). The commonly used tools in this regard include face-to-face communication, presentation, emails, and written reports. It is noteworthy to mention that EBC helps to frame good relationships with other companies, collaborators, customers, co-workers and vendors, which is always reflective in terms of operational management, mitigation strategy, information flow across the organisation, and avoiding the risk of confusion. Scope of Present Training Session The scope of the present training session mainly focuses on the delivery of effective presentation in the meeting. This training session will be helpful to the employees in order to boost up their confidence level and that they can effectively deliver their presentation. In this training session, employees will be provided information on tactics and approaches, to improve their communicative skill with their corresponding audience while giving a presentation (Castells, 2013). Steps Involved in Delivering Presentation Steps necessary for delivering an effective presentation includes: Preparing slides- Slide preparation dictates the whole theme and interest of presentation. The titles of the slide and its contents should coordinate each other and must be in accordance with the speakers word. The presentation should be prepared to fit into the given time period, and it must contain all the necessary information (Hamilton, 2013). Doing a thorough research- Critical research on a subject enhances the knowledge and makes master on that particular topic. Providing the facts which are known to others is a piece of waste; in contrary, the speaker should try to provide their opinion or comment regarding the topic, along with the known information as evidence to convince their facts (Lingard Driessen, 2015). Clear presentation of evidence- An effective presentation must include all of the 7 Cs, which are (i)Clear (ii)Concise (iii)Confidence (iv)Complete (v)Conversational (vi)Considerate and (vii)Check (Castells, 2013). The presentation must include facts and figures as evidence to convince the audiences. Good source of information- The data collected for presentation must be peer-reviewed data, or else it might not be accepted by the audiences. The data gathered for the presentation must be relevant and genuine from all aspects. Knowing the audience- Understanding the audience before any presentation is necessary for any individual so that there will be better The speaker should possess the ability to appeal the emotions of the audiences (Lingard Driessen, 2015). Be organised and determined- It is important to be organised and determined for any presentation. Doing rehearsal or giving a presentation in a simulator approach before the actual event is necessary to be confident in front of the audience (Tropman, 2013). Collecting feedback (Question and Answer) - Collecting feedback from the audience about the presentation is necessary for further improvement. Additionally, before closing any presentation, the speaker can ask the audience for questions to improve the communication with the audience (Ruck Welch, 2012). Be confident and stick to the point- Nervousness gives rise to confusion, which ultimately ruins the whole presentation. To become credible, the speaker should possess the ability to stay on track starting from till beginning till the end (Ruck Welch, 2012). Hence confidence is the only key to a successful and productive Benefits to Audiences Work Related Activities This training session is indeed necessary for the audiences to enhance their knowledge and communicative skills. Optimal usage of EBC is thus requisite to make communication clear and fruitful with the corresponding audience. Employees are also benefited through this training session in the following ways: Offers platform for explicit information sharing- Through this training session, employees of the organisation gets an open platform to share information. They can share and exchange their views and opinions. They get the opportunity to express their thoughts into words (Hamilton, 2013). Increase confidence- Confidence level is also boosted up with this training session. They get confidence as to how, where, when and whom to communicate. Likewise, the corresponding mitigation strategy can be framed with accuracy because of clear communication (Lingard Driessen, 2015). Share knowledge among peers- It helps to build communication among the staffs and share their knowledge and experience between them. In other words, this helps in framing trustworthy relationship (Reynolds, 2013). Improvement in personality- This training session increases the confidence level of individual, which ultimately change their personality (Hamilton, 2013). Conclusion EBC is an essential element for any business as it helps in framing trustworthy relationship and offers a clear prospect of information flow. While making a presentation, the individual must be attentive towards the requirement of research, clear articulation of opportunity, displaying evidence, collecting feedback. In addition to the verbal tactics, the strategy for EBC also include non-verbal strategy such that the audience must perceive a good feeding in conjunction to listening to the presentation. The advantage of these practices is that communication flow will be clearer that helps in developing shared knowledge framed, effective decision making, accurate risk identification and assessment. On the whole, this training session proves to be productive for the organisation as well as its employees in various aspects. References: Castells, M. (2013). Communication power. OUP Oxford. Hamilton, C. (2013). Communicating for results: A guide for business and the professions. Cengage Learning. Kanihan, S. F., Hansen, K. A., Blair, S., Shore, M., Myers, J. (2013). Communication managers in the dominant coalition: Power attributes and communication practices. Journal of Communication Management, 17(2), 140-156. Lingard, L., Driessen, E. (2015). 22 How to tell compelling scientific stories: tips for artful use of the research manuscript and presentation genres. Researching Medical Education, 259. Mason, K., Leek, S. (2012). Communication practices in a business relationship: Creating, relating and adapting communication artifacts through time. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(2), 319-332. Mishra, K., Boynton, L., Mishra, A. (2014). Driving Employee Engagement The Expanded Role of Internal Communications. International Journal of Business Communication, 51(2), 183-202. Reynolds, G. (2013). Presentation zen design: simple design principles and techniques to enhance your presentations. New Riders. Ruck, K., Welch, M. (2012). Valuing internal communication; management and employee perspectives. Public Relations Review, 38(2), 294-302. Tropman, J. E. (2013). Effective meetings: Improving group decision making (Vol. 17). Sage Publications.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Moraliy Of Frankenstein Essays - Fiction, Literature,

Moraliy Of Frankenstein Morality. It has been questioned by people, honored by people and revered since the beginning of time. Yet even today not one person can say what is morally right. It is a matter of opinion. It was Dr. Victor Frankenstein's opinion that it was alright to create a monster. Frankenstein's creation needed a companion. Knowing that his first creation was evil should the doctor make a second? With the knowledge at hand, to Dr. Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. Looking at this probelm with his family in mind, the doctor begins his work on the second monster. The first monster threatened Frankenstein and even his family. The monster angrily said to Frankenstein, I can make you so wretched. (pg. 162) Trying to scare Frankenstein for not creating his mate the monster resorted to threats. If the good doctor does create a companion for his first creation he may be endangering others. The miserable monster whom I had created, (pg.152) says Victor upon looking back at his work. If there is another monster there will be twice the power and possibly twice the evil, which could hurt or kill his family. When and if Frankenstein commits the moral sin of creating another monster he may be rid of both monsters forever. With the companion you bestow I will quit the neighbourhood of man,(pg 142) promises the morally corrupt monster to the doctor upon the completion of his partner. When the doctor, if and when he, finished his first creation's mate there is a chance that the monsters will not keep their promise and stay in Europe envoking fear into townfolk. The good doctor, trying to act morally, destroys the monster for the good of the world. The monsters can potentially take over whatever they please. A race of devils would be propegated,(pg. 163) thinks Frankenstein to himself in his study. The monsters, if powerful enough, could possibly take over Europe. Frankenstein realizes that he can not possibly doom the world to benefit himself. Shall I, in coold blood, set loose upon the earth a daemon..(pg. 162) argues Frankenstein with his creation. It is not morally right for one person to unleash such a terror on the world to benefit only himself and his family. Frankenstein will not let any example change his mind on the point that the monster is and will always be morally corupt. Continuing on his point that the monster was too evil to duplicate, Frankenstein says, Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness; but they confirm me in determination of not creating you a companion in vice.( pg. 163) Frankenstein will not sacrifice his morallity because of persuation from a monster. Although beholding the threat of death and misery Frankenstein held his ground and did not sacrifice his moral. When and if Frankenstein creates another monster he can not feel as if he has done the morally right thing. From creating the monster Frankenstein will some how be making people other than himself unhappy. I consent to your demand, on your solem oath to quite Europe forever, and every other place in the neighbourhood of man,(pg. 143) says Frankenstein as he sees the power that the two could possibly possess. The good doctor sees that with his own hands he could possibly scar the world forever. The doctor wants, if anyone, himself to be unhappy instead of all of man kind. Begone! I do break my promise, (pg. 162) states the doctor angrily. Not thinking about himself but the world unselfishly breaks his promise to the monster. Possessing such a great mind the doctor is able to realize that a greater evil will be realesed upon the earth then upon himself. Your threats cannot move me to do an act of wickedness,(pg. 162) says the doctor as he argues his point with his creation. The doctor sees that a greater and more horrible result can come from him making the second monster than not. With the knowledge at hand, to Dr.Frankenstein, it is not at all morally correct to bring another monster into the world. On the one hand if the second monster was created Frankenstein's

Monday, March 9, 2020

Schools as Loosely Coupled Systems

Schools as Loosely Coupled Systems Free Online Research Papers Course Name: DYNAMICS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION Exam 2: Respond in detail to the following questions (no less than 3-4 pages per questions: 1. Define the term loosely coupled systems and give a specific example of how this concept is used to understand school organizations 2. In a school where you are the principal, illustrate how this school has a positive school climate. In your response, identify the four primary dimensions of school climate according to Taguiri’s model. For each of these dimensions describe how it is implemented in this school to produce a positive climate, and give at least one specific example for each dimension. Finally, indicate how you, as principal, continually assess the climate relative to these dimensions. 3. As the principal of a school (you choose the grade levels), propose a plan for school renewal using organizational development as a change strategy. For the past several years, the students achievement test scores have declined and the school overall has had very low test scores compared to similar schools in the district. In your response, identify at least three of the 10 concepts that characterize ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT and for each illustrate how these will be used to improve the school. 1. The management of schools are perceived to be bureaucratic. Typically, the school structure is a hierarchically connected pyramid of units under strong central control. However, scholars of organizations have found that schools are characterized by structural looseness, that schools in a district have an element of sovereignty and freedom, and that the management of teachers under a principal is much more broad and wide-ranging as thought before. Charles Bidwell has pointed out that, given the nature of the school’s task, clients and technology, that this structural looseness is a functionally necessary arrangement. Karl Weick and James G. March indicated that schools do not consist of hierarchical units as in true bureaucracies, but are loosely coupled as systems. â€Å" The beauty of this depiction is that it captures a different set of realities within educational organizations than are caught when these same organizations are viewed throughout the tenets of bureaucratic theory.† ( Owens / Valesky: 2007:165) Rational concepts, such as planning, goal-setting, job descriptions , evaluation and reward systems fail to adequately describe how schools function. This fact brings a receptiveness to understanding schools by non- traditional ways, such as the notion of loose coupling. Loosely coupled systems are subsystems in the institution that are connected to each other, but still sustain their own identities and function independently. Their interaction is weak, and relatively insignificant . For example, the guidance office is supposed to report to the principal’s office, but interaction between them is seldom, and responses to these interactions are slow. The coupling may hence be described as loose . Another example of loose coupling could be the school library and the principal’s office. The librarian is supposed to report to the principal’s office, similar to the cafeteria manager, or school nurse, or other non-instructional facets of the school. The librarian is responsible for resources, and smooth functioning of all aspects of the library. The librarian seldomly reports to the principal unless there is some unusual situation that calls for the principal’s direct involvement. By the mid-80s, consensus were reached that the concept of loosely coupled systems might describe previously misunderstood concepts of organizations. It is however, still not adequate description of how schools function. Many aspects of bureaucracy can still be found in schools . It is crucial to understand that institutions are loosely coupled in some ways, and bureaucratic in others. John Meyer and Brian Rowans found bureaucratic mechanisms such as teacher evaluations, peer observations, observation feedbacks, cooperative grade level planning and teaching, absent in American schools in 34 school districts. Evidence of other forms of supervision, reminiscent of the No Child Left Behind Act, such as student evaluations, detailed specification of curriculum, checking student mastery of precious grade’s work, were found. Instruction is the central being of schools . Contrary to bureaucratic notions, it is loosely coupled because administrators do not exercise direct control over it. Although school managers are held responsible for the curriculum and instructional programs, they have limited power to control content of, and method of instruction. Since the advent of labor unions , their power to do so, have significantly diminished. Meyer and Rowan reported that only 12% of school managers indicated they could make decisions concerning what teachers teach, and only 4% felt they had considerable power to decide instructional methods. They do have indirect influence on instructional behavior by bureaucratic means , such as, Control of time: time schedules, frequency of interruption of lessons, pulling out of students for special activities, paperwork to be completed, How many and what kind of classes to assign Grouping: Heterogeneously or homogeneously, self-contained or team-teaching, Control of resources: Assignment of teaching space, availability of equipment and supplies Teachers have increasingly sought protection from these mechanisms, and to have some participation in it through collective bargaining. School managers have considerably more control over non-instructional activities, such as bus schedules, issuing of paychecks, and attendance . This is described as tightly coupled because they are scrupulously monitored. 82% of principals reported involvement in scheduling, 75% in student assignment, and 88% in hiring of staff. Contemporary scholars conclude frequently that loose coupling is faulty, and that schools should stick to the classical norm. Hence many political initiatives demanded toughening up of standards. This was seen in the form of new curriculum additions, more testing, and more specifications of teaching methods. The focus is on understanding educational institutions in their current state of being in order to yield better comprehension of institutions and organizational management. Studies show that a more subtle , powerful method exists to exert power over instructional activities, that is, the development of organizational culture. 2. School climate is the heart and soul of a school. It is that essence of a school that all role players to love it and to look forward to being there each school day. It helps people to feel feel personal worth, dignity and importance, while simultaneously helping to create a sense of belonging to something beyond ourselves. The climate of a school can promote resilience or become a risk factor in the lives of people who work and learn in a place called school. A school’s climate can define the quality of a school that creates healthy learning places; nurtures children’s and parents’ dreams and aspirations; stimulates teachers’ creativity and enthusiasm, and elevates all of its members. ( Freiberg and TA Stein: ) Schools have their own distinctive characteristics. Organizational climate has triumphed over other terminology such as ethos, atmosphere, personality and tone in attempts to describe the idiosyncratic nature of schools. Climate generally describes the traits of the environment in its totality. According to Renato Taguiri, the environment consists of 4 dynamically interrelated dimensions. He presented culture as one of four components of organizational climate, along with ecology, milieu, and organization or structure. If I was principal of an Elementary School, (grades K-6), I would try to utilize these dimensions to enhance school climate in the following ways: Ecology refers to the physical and material elements of a work place: building, technology, facilities, furniture, and so forth. There is a need to provide â€Å"something more than mere housing†, the need for esprit de corps , which means â€Å"spirit of the body†, a common spirit of enthusiasm, a liveliness of mind and expression among the members of the group. I would attempt to use the ecology and physical elements of the school to create an inviting and friendly atmosphere , thereby fostering a positive climate. A building can be old, and traditional, yet be clean, tidy and well-organized. Hallways and classrooms should be attractively decorated with student work, information about upcoming events, study themes and field trips. In terms of the safety aspect, an evacuation / emergency plan should be posted in strategic places, and all teachers and students should practice the fire/tornado drills, as well as know what to do in case of a lockdown. All available space should be optimally utilized. Classrooms should be well-equipped with facilities and technology to maximize the teaching and learning environment, is vital. Modern-day classrooms are equipped with smartboards, computers, and have internet access. Resources, such as textbooks should be available to teachers and students, as well as a well-resourced library. Classroom size should be manageable, and teachers should be able to print, and photocopy as needed, within reasonable limits. The bell-schedule is another important aspect of the day, without which a typical school day could be chaotic. Even the teacher’s lounge or cafeteria should reflect emphasis on a well-organized environment, because this is where relationships between teachers, learners and other staff are formed. The second dimension of school climate, is milieu: It is the social aspect, and refers to the people in an organization: number of employees, socio-economic status, race, education, salary levels, and so forth. An administrator’s task is people-related, so good interpersonal relationships must exist between people in the school, and the right type of climate should exist so people would feel mutually committed to organizational goals. Firstly, I would make sure all staff can utilize their skills. All staff should feel they have support from management, and that there are channels and structures, through which they can vent. Teachers should feel they have some input in decision-making with regards to curriculum, instructional methods, fundraising, budget expenditure and so forth. As school manager I would make sure that there are no ambiguity with regards to expectations about hours, responsibilities, and procedures. All staff should feel they are treated fairly, and with dignity and respect, and that a complete absence of favoritism exists. I would like the perception of teaching as a profession to be elevated as it is perceived as lower status and income as others, and thereby help teachers to feel more pride in their chosen profession. Salary is a public indication of a profession’s status, and teachers’ remuneration is low relative to other professional groups. This is something I could address with bargaining councils. Yearly retreats and end of term functions with a focus on problem-solving, rather than problem prevention, reaffirm commitment to common goals. These retreats should be open to all employees, and reaffirm commitment to learners and each other. The third dimension of school climate is social system, which refers to the organization, administration, decision making procedures, and communication patterns. Owens and Valesky find the word organization as more aptly descriptive of dimension than social system. Level of organization stems from factors that are directly controlled by leaders, therefore there is a close link between their management choices, and the resulting organizational climate. Some consider social system as a disorganized natural order of things, whereas organization accentuates the manager’s responsibility clearer. Modern day research tends to focus more on the role of culture in shaping organizational climate. In a school where I’m principal, I would encourage staff members to feel the freedom to present ideas for development as long as it fits in with the school’s curriculum and policies. I would try to find strategies to enhance teacher involvement in decision making and to improve the quality of work life. I would strive to give teachers input into decision-making re. curriculum, text book selection, course content, special programs, but also into managerial decisions such as hiring and budget matters. I would strive to provide clarity about expectations and work direction, but not so much as to provide a sense that work is routine. If teachers are assigned tasks, I would grant them some freedom to implement them without interruption by their immediate superiors. Teachers expect substantial autonomy in their work, and to be allowed a degree of initiative and creativity. I would afford them the opportunity to utilize their own special abilities and talents, and be allowed to see the results of their work. I would like teachers to look upon me as their principal as a colleague in the sense that I provide information and support , as well as evaluate their work performance. I would attempt, to the best of my ability, to take into account teachers’ opinions, and suggestions. I would make teachers aware of advancement opportunities in recognition of greater levels of expertise. It is important to include opportunities for advancement as a work environment dimension for professionals. Rationality of fairness of advancement appears to be an additional work environment concern. The more teachers feel that they have opportunities for advancement, the more committed they are to the organization. The forth dimension of school climate is culture: There are several definitions of the word â€Å"culture: â€Å"Culture is to the organization what personality is to the individual – a hidden, yet unifying theme that provides meaning, direction, and mobilization† . Kilman, Saxton, and Serpa (1985b). According to Edgar Schein, organizational culture refers to the tried and tested corpus of solutions which are taught to new employees as the correct way of dealing with issues – the way we do things around here. Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that interrelates to an organization’s employees, structures and control systems to generate behavioral standards. Culture and Climate both consider the interrelation of recent experiences and intangible powers in the organizations’ environment. Culture refers to the behavioral standards, hypotheses and beliefs , and climate refers to the observations of role players within the organization to exhibit those beliefs. Owens and Valesky define organizational culture in several ways: Organizational culture is the rules of the game: the unseen meanings in the rulebook that insures unity. Culture consists of the conclusions a group of people draws from its experience. An organization’s culture consists largely of what people believe about what works and what does not. As school principal, I would attempt to improve the school culture, firstly by developing a mission statement that reflects the purpose and the shared vision of the schoo. I would have students recite the mission statement, along withsinging of the National Anthem, every morning before classes commence . To encourage a school culture and climate that promotes individuals who are bonded together by natural will, and who are together bound to a set of shared ideas, and ideals then principals must strengthen their efforts towards improving connections, coherence, capacity, commitment, and collaboration among their members (Sergiovanni, 2001). I would encourage a supportive climate in these ways : Continual sharing of ideas with regards to instruction, curriculum, testing, school organization and the value of specific knowledge. Collaboration by allowing teachers to become involved in team teaching and other collaborative efforts in program development, writing and research Equality_ by dispensing with formalities and allow anyone to vote in a department meeting. Practical application by teachers constantly reflecting their practices Organizational culture is usually studied through observing organizational behavior and environmental elements. The study of symbolism is central in an examination of organizational culture: the rituals, myths, traditions, rites and language through which values are perpetuated. A school can be perceived as holding particular values, principles that have a strong impact on its role players. It is vital to understand which techniques organizations employ to enforce desired behaviors, if one wishes to comprehend organizational culture. Artifacts and symbols are representative of the culture and history fot he school so I would have trophies, cultural artifacts, medals and photographs displayed in school hallways and foyers. The country flag should be displayed in each classroom, and students should sing the anthem each morning. The school would participate in celebrations relative to their history such as National Day, (UAE), Independence Day (USA), and Freedom Day,( SA). Other relevant celebrations are of a cultural nature, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Awareness of global matters could be celebrated by participating in Arbor Day ( planting a tree day) and Earth Day. To promote reading, I would encourage events such as Dress up as a Favorite Story character and have teachers devote a section of the school day to reading. The teaching of History should incorporate telling of myths, fables, and stories related to the country’s history. 3b. How would I as principal evaluate the climate relative to these dimensions: Improving school climate requires a consistent effort and reflection upon the issues that have led to current conditions. School climate should be measured from multiple perspectives, and throughout the school year, so that each person responsible for the education of youth can see how healthy the learning environment is and what needs to be changed or sustained. There are universal questions faculty and students could reflect on when evaluating school climate: How the school arrived a t a particular junction, what changes have occurred since and what adjustments are needed, and the role of each person in sustaining a healthy learning environment? Direct ways to measure school climate, are -survey instruments, stories, discussions, cases, student drawings, teacher and student journals, interviews, video and ambient noise check lists to describe what is occurring in school and classrooms collect climate data. -the use of climate surveys, classroom observations, interviews, video taping, journal narratives, student drawings, and focus groups Indirect measures are Analyzing existing data sources kept by the teacher, school or local education authority, including attendance records of students and teachers; visits to the nurse’s office (which are measures of student stress levels); discipline referrals to the office; suspensions and expulsions; teacher and administrator turnover rates; student achievement; student mobility rates and the like. I would endeavor to draw up a plan for school effectiveness, i.e. decide which outcomes I want to pursue, and then define their climate and effectiveness factors as instruments to achieve their intended outcomes. The Dutch checklist for the assessment of the quality of classroom and school climate factors is another useful tool to get a clearer picture of strong and weak points of the school and classroom climate. 3. Organizational Development is the process by which a learning organization adjusts to evolving changes in the environment as well as an attempt to increase the self-renewal capacity of school districts and schools. For the purpose of this assignment I will focus on three of the concepts OD involves:, and to show how I would implement them into a plan for Organizational Development: 1. The goals : To improve the functioning of the organization in order to facilitate decision-making , and to develop a work-oriented culture that will increase the involvement of the people in the organization in these areas. Firstly, I would select a group to work with me to set the goals to be obtained. It is imperative that all role players should agree on the organization’s goals and how to accomplish them. There are distinct benefits to having a clear set of organizational goals. Goals -serve as guidelines for action, directing and channelling of employee efforts. provide constraints in the organization. Choosing specific goals reduces discretion in pursuing other goals. legitimize an organization’s activities and existence. define standards of performance and if they are clearly stated, they set standards for evaluation. motivate: By presenting a challenge and how to achieve it, organizational goals act as behavioural incentives. If goals are set as a group, people will support them and be responsible for what they help create. Greater commitment and motivation can be expected. There will be a clear understanding of the goals and rationale for selecting the group. If all members contributed to the goal setting, it will represent a group consensus instead of one person’s ideas. This is how I would go about setting the goals with my group: 1. Brainstorm a list of potential goals as a group. 2. Choose from the brainstorm list which to be worked on 3. Prioritize. 4. Determine objectives for each goal and plans of action for each objective 5. Move into action, follow through. The next step is to develop an Action Plan. The following needs to be determined: 1. What is to be done and how is it to be accomplished? 2. Availability of resources 3. People responsible for completing each task 4. What is the deadline and how will results be measured? Once the Action Plan is in place, I will now designate people to specific tasks, set up a time frame, and plan regular feedback opportunities. It is also important to consider what alternative actions could be taken should parts of the Action Plan not function properly. 5. System renewal: To enable the organization to initiate and adjust to change, develop problem-solving abilities, have an increased sense of purpose and direction and to impact the environment. The postmodern culture is characterized by many contradictions that have direct implications for educators.: -Many parents have given up responsibility for the very things they want schools to emphasize, for example, they demand more literature graduates, but allow their children to watch television for hours. -Businesses often fail to use the skills that it demands schools produce. The economic world is dominated by transnational corporations, national education systems encourage national curriculum and standards. Society demands more flexible work skills, and multicultural diversity, and expect schools to consider multiple intelligences, different learning styles, heterogenous grouping, and the integration of special needs students into mainstream. I propose six principles of school renewal that take these contradictions into account: 1. Moving missions: Common missions that require complete consensus, and have to appeal to so many different interests, can become weak. Mission statements can become too fixed to enable satisfactory responsiveness to changes in policy mandates, personnel, or student populations. Teachers and schools should therefore review and renew their purposes over time. 2. Policy realization: Teachers must have sufficient scope to continuously review and renew their moral purposes. Policy decisions should be determined at the immediate level where people will have to realize them . 3. Reculturing: In order for collective action and dialogue to occur, relationships that form the culture of the school, must be built among teachers and others. To develop or adjust these relationships, is to reculture the school . Two kinds of cultures have traditionally existed among teachers ? Cultures of individualism, where teachers have worked largely in isolation, but sharing few resources and ideas, and ? Balkanized cultures, where teachers have worked in self-contained subgroups- like subject departments, and compete for resources and principals favors Both cultures fragment professional relationships, making it hard for teachers to build on one anothers expertise. They also stifle the moral support necessary for risk-taking and experimentation. I would endeavour to reculture the school to create combined cultures among teachers and with the wider community. My aim is to create an atmosphere of trust in which teachers can share resources, deal with complex issues, and celebrate successes. Teamwork also promotes the development of a mutual professional language. I would recognize that diverse expertise contributes to learning, problem solving, and critical inquiry. I would have an orientation workshop in which the value of diverse expertise and viewpoints will be discussed. 4. Restructuring: Cultures are grounded in structures of time and space, which shape relationships. Structures of teacher isolation have their roots in schools in which children are moved through prescribed curriculums, from grade to grade, teacher to teacher. Similarly, balkanized teacher cultures are often a product of subject department structures based on the system of Carnegie units, devised in the United States in the 1920s .If the schedule does not allow teachers to meet during the regular school day, they may become worn down and captives of their schedule,. Consequently, collaboration becomes exhausting and unnatural rather than based on genuine commitment and working relationships. These are some of the strategies I propose to solve the structural problems with : Routinely coordinated planning times to bring together teachers who teach the same grade or subject. Place 1st and 6th grade teachers in adjoining classrooms can begin to break down stereotypes and the confines between the upper and lower ends of elementary school. Peer tutoring to bring together students of different ages as well as the teachers who supervise them. Teacher teams, multi-age groups and shared decision-making teams Block-scheduling, mini-schools or sub-schools 1. Organizational learning: Working together builds relationships , collective resolve and it’s a source of learning. It helps people to see problems as things to be solved and to value the different voices of less important members of the organization. Collaborative cultures turn individual learning into shared learning. Some teachers are regular explorers, ardent readers, keen conference-goers, and willing committee and task force volunteers. Others make small changes with their own classes where they know their efforts will make a difference .Change and continuous learning are important but so are consolidation and routine. Schools and teachers, however, have to deal with many mandates they do not control, but are frequently blamed for poorly designed tests or inappropriate curriculums If organizational learning is to help us in school renewal, the concept ought to be renewed in ways more suited to public school realities. 6. Positive politics Teachers exercise power over their students, administrators exercise power over teachers, and the smarter teachers know how to manipulate or maneuver around administrators. Schools are becoming more subject to the pressures of diverse groups with single-issue interests. The moves toward site-based management are also making schools and what they do more overtly political. Although many teachers feel that getting involved in politics is selfish and objectionable, not all politics is bad. Here are some ways I would encourage teachers to apply positive politics to benefit students: ? Understand the political configuration of your school. Who has formal and informal power? How do they exercise it? How are resources allocated? ? Act politically to secure support and resources for the good of your own students and, indeed, all students. Use diplomatic tactics, trade favors, influence power brokers, build alliances, lobby for support, introduce proposals before presenting them in detail, and be sure how to meets the interests of others. ? Empower others to be more competent. Assist students through cooperative instruction, active involvement in innovation, and by allowing self-assessment and peer assessment. Empower parents by communicating with them in plain language, building partnerships with them , and keeping them informed of new developments.. Empower colleagues by working with them, involving them in decision making, sharing leadership, and sharing with them your weaknesses , and uncertainties as a leader as well as your triumphs. ? Accept conflict as an intrinsic part of change. Fruitful conflict exposes differences, shows sensitivity to opposing interests and positions, prevents false consensus, and promotes movement beyond early fears about ones own threatened interests. ? Regain the discussion of education. Challenge the business rhetoric and express your principles through memorable phrases, vivid examples, and simple stories. A systems approach: Schools consist of subsystems, and to effect long-term change, the whole system should be changed as any alteration in one subsystem affect others. Issues should be dealt with as manifestations of interrelated forces. The administrator should deal with the existing patterns’ of human behavior, and by analyzing the specific field of forces. Schools develop a broad range of systems that help people function amidst the complexity. I would seek to strengthen the organizational goals by making sure that: all organizational leaders clearly understand what results they are accountable for, and that it matters that they should deliver expected results . Should there be some discrepancies between accountabilities, they should be resolved. I would attempt in the following ways to endure that decisions are made by knowledgeable people. a reporting structure is designed to fit the needs of the strategy and the values of the organization. Timely feedback is given, and use the performance appraisal to summarize feedback given throughout the year An approval system is established that evaluates projects rigorously, and that frees the organization to make good decisions. The criteria and process of the system should enable all to make better business decisions. -Spending authority is allocated to people’s accountabilities and the need of their jobs, and also that there are good controls in place for spending authority at any level. References: 1. Robert G. Owens/ Thomas H. Valesky:2007: 9th Edition: Organizational Behavior in Education: Adaptive Leadership and Reform 2. Freiberg, H. Jerome. School Climate : Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. 3. Best Practice BRIEFS No31, Dec 2004: Betty Tableman / Adrienne Herron 4. Building a Learning Community: The Culture and Climate of Schools: Angus MacNeil, Valerie Maclin 5. The Role of Organizational Climate and Culture in the School Improvement Process: A Review of the Knowledge Base: Ronald Lindahl Course Name: DYNAMICS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION Exam 2: Respond in detail to the following questions (no less than 3-4 pages per questions: 1. Define the term loosely coupled systems and give a specific example of how this concept is used to understand school organizations 2. In a school where you are the principal, illustrate how this school has a positive school climate. In your response, identify the four primary dimensions of school climate according to Taguiri’s model. For each of these dimensions describe how it is implemented in this school to produce a positive climate, and give at least one specific example for each dimension. Finally, indicate how you, as principal, continually assess the climate relative to these dimensions. 3. As the principal of a school (you choose the grade levels), propose a plan for school renewal using organizational development as a change strategy. For the past several years, the students achievement test scores have declined and the school overall has had very low test scores compared to similar schools in the district. In your response, identify at least three of the 10 concepts that characterize ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT and for each illustrate how these will be used to improve the school. 1. The management of schools are perceived to be bureaucratic. Typically, the school structure is a hierarchically connected pyramid of units under strong central control. However, scholars of organizations have found that schools are characterized by structural looseness, that schools in a district have an element of sovereignty and freedom, and that the management of teachers under a principal is much more broad and wide-ranging as thought before. Charles Bidwell has pointed out that, given the nature of the school’s task, clients and technology, that this structural looseness is a functionally necessary arrangement. Karl Weick and James G. March indicated that schools do not consist of hierarchical units as in true bureaucracies, but are loosely coupled as systems. â€Å" The beauty of this depiction is that it captures a different set of realities within educational organizations than are caught when these same organizations are viewed throughout the tenets of bureaucratic theory.† ( Owens / Valesky: 2007:165) Rational concepts, such as planning, goal-setting, job descriptions , evaluation and reward systems fail to adequately describe how schools function. This fact brings a receptiveness to understanding schools by non- traditional ways, such as the notion of loose coupling. Loosely coupled systems are subsystems in the institution that are connected to each other, but still sustain their own identities and function independently. Their interaction is weak, and relatively insignificant . For example, the guidance office is supposed to report to the principal’s office, but interaction between them is seldom, and responses to these interactions are slow. The coupling may hence be described as loose . Another example of loose coupling could be the school library and the principal’s office. The librarian is supposed to report to the principal’s office, similar to the cafeteria manager, or school nurse, or other non-instructional facets of the school. The librarian is responsible for resources, and smooth functioning of all aspects of the library. The librarian seldomly reports to the principal unless there is some unusual situation that calls for the principal’s direct involvement. By the mid-80s, consensus were reached that the concept of loosely coupled systems might describe previously misunderstood concepts of organizations. It is however, still not adequate description of how schools function. Many aspects of bureaucracy can still be found in schools . It is crucial to understand that institutions are loosely coupled in some ways, and bureaucratic in others. John Meyer and Brian Rowans found bureaucratic mechanisms such as teacher evaluations, peer observations, observation feedbacks, cooperative grade level planning and teaching, absent in American schools in 34 school districts. Evidence of other forms of supervision, reminiscent of the No Child Left Behind Act, such as student evaluations, detailed specification of curriculum, checking student mastery of precious grade’s work, were found. Instruction is the central being of schools . Contrary to bureaucratic notions, it is loosely coupled because administrators do not exercise direct control over it. Although school managers are held responsible for the curriculum and instructional programs, they have limited power to control content of, and method of instruction. Since the advent of labor unions , their power to do so, have significantly diminished. Meyer and Rowan reported that only 12% of school managers indicated they could make decisions concerning what teachers teach, and only 4% felt they had considerable power to decide instructional methods. They do have indirect influence on instructional behavior by bureaucratic means , such as, Control of time: time schedules, frequency of interruption of lessons, pulling out of students for special activities, paperwork to be completed, How many and what kind of classes to assign Grouping: Heterogeneously or homogeneously, self-contained or team-teaching, Control of resources: Assignment of teaching space, availability of equipment and supplies Teachers have increasingly sought protection from these mechanisms, and to have some participation in it through collective bargaining. School managers have considerably more control over non-instructional activities, such as bus schedules, issuing of paychecks, and attendance . This is described as tightly coupled because they are scrupulously monitored. 82% of principals reported involvement in scheduling, 75% in student assignment, and 88% in hiring of staff. Contemporary scholars conclude frequently that loose coupling is faulty, and that schools should stick to the classical norm. Hence many political initiatives demanded toughening up of standards. This was seen in the form of new curriculum additions, more testing, and more specifications of teaching methods. The focus is on understanding educational institutions in their current state of being in order to yield better comprehension of institutions and organizational management. Studies show that a more subtle , powerful method exists to exert power over instructional activities, that is, the development of organizational culture. 2. School climate is the heart and soul of a school. It is that essence of a school that all role players to love it and to look forward to being there each school day. It helps people to feel feel personal worth, dignity and importance, while simultaneously helping to create a sense of belonging to something beyond ourselves. The climate of a school can promote resilience or become a risk factor in the lives of people who work and learn in a place called school. A school’s climate can define the quality of a school that creates healthy learning places; nurtures children’s and parents’ dreams and aspirations; stimulates teachers’ creativity and enthusiasm, and elevates all of its members. ( Freiberg and TA Stein: ) Schools have their own distinctive characteristics. Organizational climate has triumphed over other terminology such as ethos, atmosphere, personality and tone in attempts to describe the idiosyncratic nature of schools. Climate generally describes the traits of the environment in its totality. According to Renato Taguiri, the environment consists of 4 dynamically interrelated dimensions. He presented culture as one of four components of organizational climate, along with ecology, milieu, and organization or structure. If I was principal of an Elementary School, (grades K-6), I would try to utilize these dimensions to enhance school climate in the following ways: Ecology refers to the physical and material elements of a work place: building, technology, facilities, furniture, and so forth. There is a need to provide â€Å"something more than mere housing†, the need for esprit de corps , which means â€Å"spirit of the body†, a common spirit of enthusiasm, a liveliness of mind and expression among the members of the group. I would attempt to use the ecology and physical elements of the school to create an inviting and friendly atmosphere , thereby fostering a positive climate. A building can be old, and traditional, yet be clean, tidy and well-organized. Hallways and classrooms should be attractively decorated with student work, information about upcoming events, study themes and field trips. In terms of the safety aspect, an evacuation / emergency plan should be posted in strategic places, and all teachers and students should practice the fire/tornado drills, as well as know what to do in case of a lockdown. All available space should be optimally utilized. Classrooms should be well-equipped with facilities and technology to maximize the teaching and learning environment, is vital. Modern-day classrooms are equipped with smartboards, computers, and have internet access. Resources, such as textbooks should be available to teachers and students, as well as a well-resourced library. Classroom size should be manageable, and teachers should be able to print, and photocopy as needed, within reasonable limits. The bell-schedule is another important aspect of the day, without which a typical school day could be chaotic. Even the teacher’s lounge or cafeteria should reflect emphasis on a well-organized environment, because this is where relationships between teachers, learners and other staff are formed. The second dimension of school climate, is milieu: It is the social aspect, and refers to the people in an organization: number of employees, socio-economic status, race, education, salary levels, and so forth. An administrator’s task is people-related, so good interpersonal relationships must exist between people in the school, and the right type of climate should exist so people would feel mutually committed to organizational goals. Firstly, I would make sure all staff can utilize their skills. All staff should feel they have support from management, and that there are channels and structures, through which they can vent. Teachers should feel they have some input in decision-making with regards to curriculum, instructional methods, fundraising, budget expenditure and so forth. As school manager I would make sure that there are no ambiguity with regards to expectations about hours, responsibilities, and procedures. All staff should feel they are treated fairly, and with dignity and respect, and that a complete absence of favoritism exists. I would like the perception of teaching as a profession to be elevated as it is perceived as lower status and income as others, and thereby help teachers to feel more pride in their chosen profession. Salary is a public indication of a profession’s status, and teachers’ remuneration is low relative to other professional groups. This is something I could address with bargaining councils. Yearly retreats and end of term functions with a focus on problem-solving, rather than problem prevention, reaffirm commitment to common goals. These retreats should be open to all employees, and reaffirm commitment to learners and each other. The third dimension of school climate is social system, which refers to the organization, administration, decision making procedures, and communication patterns. Owens and Valesky find the word organization as more aptly descriptive of dimension than social system. Level of organization stems from factors that are directly controlled by leaders, therefore there is a close link between their management choices, and the resulting organizational climate. Some consider social system as a disorganized natural order of things, whereas organization accentuates the manager’s responsibility clearer. Modern day research tends to focus more on the role of culture in shaping organizational climate. In a school where I’m principal, I would encourage staff members to feel the freedom to present ideas for development as long as it fits in with the school’s curriculum and policies. I would try to find strategies to enhance teacher involvement in decision making and to improve the quality of work life. I would strive to give teachers input into decision-making re. curriculum, text book selection, course content, special programs, but also into managerial decisions such as hiring and budget matters. I would strive to provide clarity about expectations and work direction, but not so much as to provide a sense that work is routine. If teachers are assigned tasks, I would grant them some freedom to implement them without interruption by their immediate superiors. Teachers expect substantial autonomy in their work, and to be allowed a degree of initiative and creativity. I would afford them the opportunity to utilize their own special abilities and talents, and be allowed to see the results of their work. I would like teachers to look upon me as their principal as a colleague in the sense that I provide information and support , as well as evaluate their work performance. I would attempt, to the best of my ability, to take into account teachers’ opinions, and suggestions. I would make teachers aware of advancement opportunities in recognition of greater levels of expertise. It is important to include opportunities for advancement as a work environment dimension for professionals. Rationality of fairness of advancement appears to be an additional work environment concern. The more teachers feel that they have opportunities for advancement, the more committed they are to the organization. The forth dimension of school climate is culture: There are several definitions of the word â€Å"culture: â€Å"Culture is to the organization what personality is to the individual – a hidden, yet unifying theme that provides meaning, direction, and mobilization† . Kilman, Saxton, and Serpa (1985b). According to Edgar Schein, organizational culture refers to the tried and tested corpus of solutions which are taught to new employees as the correct way of dealing with issues – the way we do things around here. Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that interrelates to an organization’s employees, structures and control systems to generate behavioral standards. Culture and Climate both consider the interrelation of recent experiences and intangible powers in the organizations’ environment. Culture refers to the behavioral standards, hypotheses and beliefs , and climate refers to the observations of role players within the organization to exhibit those beliefs. Owens and Valesky define organizational culture in several ways: Organizational culture is the rules of the game: the unseen meanings in the rulebook that insures unity. Culture consists of the conclusions a group of people draws from its experience. An organization’s culture consists largely of what people believe about what works and what does not. As school principal, I would attempt to improve the school culture, firstly by developing a mission statement that reflects the purpose and the shared vision of the schoo. I would have students recite the mission statement, along withsinging of the National Anthem, every morning before classes commence . To encourage a school culture and climate that promotes individuals who are bonded together by natural will, and who are together bound to a set of shared ideas, and ideals then principals must strengthen their efforts towards improving connections, coherence, capacity, commitment, and collaboration among their members (Sergiovanni, 2001). I would encourage a supportive climate in these ways : Continual sharing of ideas with regards to instruction, curriculum, testing, school organization and the value of specific knowledge. Collaboration by allowing teachers to become involved in team teaching and other collaborative efforts in program development, writing and research Equality_ by dispensing with formalities and allow anyone to vote in a department meeting. Practical application by teachers constantly reflecting their practices Organizational culture is usually studied through observing organizational behavior and environmental elements. The study of symbolism is central in an examination of organizational culture: the rituals, myths, traditions, rites and language through which values are perpetuated. A school can be perceived as holding particular values, principles that have a strong impact on its role players. It is vital to understand which techniques organizations employ to enforce desired behaviors, if one wishes to comprehend organizational culture. Artifacts and symbols are representative of the culture and history fot he school so I would have trophies, cultural artifacts, medals and photographs displayed in school hallways and foyers. The country flag should be displayed in each classroom, and students should sing the anthem each morning. The school would participate in celebrations relative to their history such as National Day, (UAE), Independence Day (USA), and Freedom Day,( SA). Other relevant celebrations are of a cultural nature, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Awareness of global matters could be celebrated by participating in Arbor Day ( planting a tree day) and Earth Day. To promote reading, I would encourage events such as Dress up as a Favorite Story character and have teachers devote a section of the school day to reading. The teaching of History should incorporate telling of myths, fables, and stories related to the country’s history. 3b. How would I as principal evaluate the climate relative to these dimensions: Improving school climate requires a consistent effort and reflection upon the issues that have led to current conditions. School climate should be measured from multiple perspectives, and throughout the school year, so that each person responsible for the education of youth can see how healthy the learning environment is and what needs to be changed or sustained. There are universal questions faculty and students could reflect on when evaluating school climate: How the school arrived a t a particular junction, what changes have occurred since and what adjustments are needed, and the role of each person in sustaining a healthy learning environment? Direct ways to measure school climate, are -survey instruments, stories, discussions, cases, student drawings, teacher and student journals, interviews, video and ambient noise check lists to describe what is occurring in school and classrooms collect climate data. -the use of climate surveys, classroom observations, interviews, video taping, journal narratives, student drawings, and focus groups Indirect measures are Analyzing existing data sources kept by the teacher, school or local education authority, including attendance records of students and teachers; visits to the nurse’s office (which are measures of student stress levels); discipline referrals to the office; suspensions and expulsions; teacher and administrator turnover rates; student achievement; student mobility rates and the like. I would endeavor to draw up a plan for school effectiveness, i.e. decide which outcomes I want to pursue, and then define their climate and effectiveness factors as instruments to achieve their intended outcomes. The Dutch checklist for the assessment of the quality of classroom and school climate factors is another useful tool to get a clearer picture of strong and weak points of the school and classroom climate. 3. Organizational Development is the process by which a learning organization adjusts to evolving changes in the environment as well as an attempt to increase the self-renewal capacity of school districts and schools. For the purpose of this assignment I will focus on three of the concepts OD involves:, and to show how I would implement them into a plan for Organizational Development: 1. The goals : To improve the functioning of the organization in order to facilitate decision-making , and to develop a work-oriented culture that will increase the involvement of the people in the organization in these areas. Firstly, I would select a group to work with me to set the goals to be obtained. It is imperative that all role players should agree on the organization’s goals and how to accomplish them. There are distinct benefits to having a clear set of organizational goals. Goals -serve as guidelines for action, directing and channelling of employee efforts. provide constraints in the organization. Choosing specific goals reduces discretion in pursuing other goals. legitimize an organization’s activities and existence. define standards of performance and if they are clearly stated, they set standards for evaluation. motivate: By presenting a challenge and how to achieve it, organizational goals act as behavioural incentives. If goals are set as a group, people will support them and be responsible for what they help create. Greater commitment and motivation can be expected. There will be a clear understanding of the goals and rationale for selecting the group. If all members contributed to the goal setting, it will represent a group consensus instead of one person’s ideas. This is how I would go about setting the goals with my group: 1. Brainstorm a list of potential goals as a group. 2. Choose from the brainstorm list which to be worked on 3. Prioritize. 4. Determine objectives for each goal and plans of action for each objective 5. Move into action, follow through. The next step is to develop an Action Plan. The following needs to be determined: 1. What is to be done and how is it to be accomplished? 2. Availability of resources 3. People responsible for completing each task 4. What is the deadline and how will results be measured? Once the Action Plan is in place, I will now designate people to specific tasks, set up a time frame, and plan regular feedback opportunities. It is also important to consider what alternative actions could be taken should parts of the Action Plan not function properly. 5. System renewal: To enable the organization to initiate and adjust to change, develop problem-solving abilities, have an increased sense of purpose and direction and to impact the environment. The postmodern culture is characterized by many contradictions that have direct implications for educators.: -Many parents have given up responsibility for the very things they want schools to emphasize, for example, they demand more literature graduates, but allow their children to watch television for hours. -Businesses often fail to use the skills that it demands schools produce. The economic world is dominated by transnational corporations, national education systems encourage national curriculum and standards. Society demands more flexible work skills, and multicultural diversity, and expect schools to consider multiple intelligences, different learning styles, heterogenous grouping, and the integration of special needs students into mainstream. I propose six principles of school renewal that take these contradictions into account: 1. Moving missions: Common missions that require complete consensus, and have to appeal to so many different interests, can become weak. Mission statements can become too fixed to enable satisfactory responsiveness to changes in policy mandates, personnel, or student populations. Teachers and schools should therefore review and renew their purposes over time. 2. Policy realization: Teachers must have sufficient scope to continuously review and renew their moral purposes. Policy decisions should be determined at the immediate level where people will have to realize them . 3. Reculturing: In order for collective action and dialogue to occur, relationships that form the culture of the school, must be built among teachers and others. To develop or adjust these relationships, is to reculture the school . Two kinds of cultures have traditionally existed among teachers ? Cultures of individualism, where teachers have worked largely in isolation, but sharing few resources and ideas, and ? Balkanized cultures, where teachers have worked in self-contained subgroups- like subject departments, and compete for resources and principals favors Both cultures fragment professional relationships, making it hard for teachers to build on one anothers expertise. They also stifle the moral support necessary for risk-taking and experimentation. I would endeavour to reculture the school to create combined cultures among teachers and with the wider community. My aim is to create an atmosphere of trust in which teachers can share resources, deal with complex issues, and celebrate successes. Teamwork also promotes the development of a mutual professional language. I would recognize that diverse expertise contributes to learning, problem solving, and critical inquiry. I would have an orientation workshop in which the value of diverse expertise and viewpoints will be discussed. 4. Restructuring: Cultures are grounded in structures of time and space, which shape relationships. Structures of teacher isolation have their roots in schools in which children are moved through prescribed curriculums, from grade to grade, teacher to teacher. Similarly, balkanized teacher cultures are often a product of subject department structures based on the system of Carnegie units, devised in the United States in the 1920s .If the schedule does not allow teachers to meet during the regular school day, they may become worn down and captives of their schedule,. Consequently, collaboration becomes exhausting and unnatural rather than based on genuine commitment and working relationships. These are some of the strategies I propose to solve the structural problems with : Routinely coordinated planning times to bring together teachers who teach the same grade or subject. Place 1st and 6th grade teachers in adjoining classrooms can begin to break down stereotypes and the confines between the upper and lower ends of elementary school. Peer tutoring to bring together students of different ages as well as the teachers who supervise them. Teacher teams, multi-age groups and shared decision-making teams Block-scheduling, mini-schools or sub-schools 1. Organizational learning: Working together builds relationships , collective resolve and it’s a source of learning. It helps people to see problems as things to be solved and to value the different voices of less important members of the organization. Collaborative cultures turn individual learning into shared learning. Some teachers are regular explorers, ardent readers, keen conference-goers, and willing committee and task force volunteers. Others make small changes with their own classes where they know their efforts will make a difference .Change and continuous learning are important but so are consolidation and routine. Schools and teachers, however, have to deal with many mandates they do not control, but are frequently blamed for poorly designed tests or inappropriate curriculums If organizational learning is to help us in school renewal, the concept ought to be renewed in ways more suited to public school realities. 6. Positive politics Teachers exercise power over their students, administrators exercise power over teachers, and the smarter teachers know how to manipulate or maneuver around administrators. Schools are becoming more subject to the pressures of diverse groups with single-issue interests. The moves toward site-based management are also making schools and what they do more overtly political. Although many teachers feel that getting involved in politics is selfish and objectionable, not all politics is bad. Here are some ways I would encourage teachers to apply positive politics to benefit students: ? Understand the political configuration of your school. Who has formal and informal power? How do they exercise it? How are resources allocated? ? Act politically to secure support and resources for the good of your own students and, indeed, all students. Use diplomatic tactics, trade favors, influence power brokers, build alliances, lobby for support, introduce proposals before presenting them in detail, and be sure how to meets the interests of others. ? Empower others to be more competent. Assist students through cooperative instruction, active involvement in innovation, and by allowing self-assessment and peer assessment. Empower parents by communicating with them in plain language, building partnerships with them , and keeping them informed of new developments.. Empower colleagues by working with them, involving them in decision making, sharing leadership, and sharing with them your weaknesses , and uncertainties as a leader as well as your triumphs. ? Accept conflict as an intrinsic part of change. Fruitful conflict exposes differences, shows sensitivity to opposing interests and positions, prevents false consensus, and promotes movement beyond early fears about ones own threatened interests. ? Regain the discussion of education. Challenge the business rhetoric and express your principles through memorable phrases, vivid examples, and simple stories. A systems approach: Schools consist of subsystems, and to effect long-term change, the whole system should be changed as any alteration in one subsystem affect others. Issues should be dealt with as manifestations of interrelated forces. The administrator should deal with the existing patterns’ of human behavior, and by analyzing the specific field of forces. Schools develop a broad range of systems that help people function amidst the complexity. I would seek to strengthen the organizational goals by making sure that: all organizational leaders clearly understand what results they are accountable for, and that it matters that they should deliver expected results . Should there be some discrepancies between accountabilities, they should be resolved. I would attempt in the following ways to endure that decisions are made by knowledgeable people. a reporting structure is designed to fit the needs of the strategy and the values of the organization. Timely feedback is given, and use the performance appraisal to summarize feedback given throughout the year An approval system is established that evaluates projects rigorously, and that frees the organization to make good decisions. The criteria and process of the system should enable all to make better business decisions. -Spending authority is allocated to people’s accountabilities and the need of their jobs, and also that there are good controls in place for spending authority at any level. References: 1. Robert G. Owens/ Thomas H. Valesky:2007: 9th Edition: Organizational Behavior in Education: Adaptive Leadership and Reform 2. Freiberg, H. Jerome. School Climate : Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. 3. Best Practice BRIEFS No31, Dec 2004: Betty Tableman / Adrienne Herron 4. Building a Learning Community: The Culture and Climate of Schools: Angus MacNeil, Valerie Maclin 5. 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