The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams Essay

The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams - Essay Example Jim O'Connor, the gentleman caller, bears the same name as the young man who called on Rose Williams, before her descent into insanity. The action takes place in a small apartment in a poor district of the city, crowded outside and in, surrounded by many dark alleys and fire escapes, exploring the illusory lives of the three main characters as they attempt to achieve their dreams, only for it all to end in failure and disappointment. It has been interpreted variously as a psychological drama portraying a dysfunctional family, the tragedy of a fragile psyche (Laura) edging into madness, and a socio-political statement, "his personal testament to the Great Depression" (p.20, Hale, 1998). It is all of these as becomes apparent as the action moves from the past to the present as Tom's recollection are recalled and Character Analysis - Tom Wingfield: Tom is a poet, working in a boring low paid job in a shoe factory, the main economic support for his mother and sister. Despite his position as the main provider, an adult male, he is denied that status, simply by how his mother perceives things should be, rather than what they are, and by her demands on him to be that provider until another appears (a husband for Laura). He is complex, shy and intelligent, his creativity dismissed and ridiculed by his mother. He seeks escape through the illusions of the movies, but recognizes the reality of the times in which he seeks his dreams: Tom: "Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a darkened room and watches them have them! Yes, until there's a war. That's when adventure becomes available to the masses!....Then the people in the dark room come out of the dark room to have some adventure themselves-...." (Williams, 1936, Scene Six, p. 282) Some connection to socialist values appear when Tom paid his dues to the Union of Merchant Seamen, rather than the electric bill - thus highlighting a belief in the unions and socialism, as opposed to capitalism. His relationship with his mother is volatile, as she is the nagging presence preventing his escape and fulfillment. He loves his shy, fragile sister and the most telling example Williams's lyrical language and symbolism which elicit poignant imagery and the emotion of guilt can be found as he reflects on his escape. Tom: " I didn't go to the moon, I went much further - for time is the longest distance between two places...Perhaps I am walking along a street at night, in some strange

Teaching Values in the Classroom

Teaching Values in the Classroom Replace an empty mind with an open one Malcolm Forbes simple quote above explains one important aspect of education which is that of broadening the mind. This could be one purpose of education but not the only one. A purpose could differ from one society to another or even from one time period to another. I shall illustrate this using the contrast between Singapores education system of the past and present. In the 1800s under the British colonial rule, education was present to make the social structure more efficient through vernacular schools. Later in the post-war period (1950s), schools were re-established to ensure societal progress on the road to self-governance. From 1960s onwards, education was seen as an essential tool for gaining the technical skills and competencies needed to face a more industrialized Singapore. Education was thus necessary to gain employment and possibly alleviate the family economic status. In the late 1970s however, there was a change proposed by late Dr. Goh Keng Swee to embrace a more efficiency-driven education where the purpose was to cater to the different learning abilities of the students to make them learn at their own pace. The present education system however has evolved to be more holistic that prepares one to be a more globalised citizen. This ultimately links to globalised job opportunities. It can be clearly seen that the purpose of education has changed from that of improving literacy rate and getting a stable job to that of gaining the 21st century values, knowledge and expertise to work in a contemporary globalised world. Purpose of Education The purpose of education does not have to be the same for each individual because it ultimately depends on what one gains from the education he receives. In my view, the purpose of education is to acquire knowledge, values and skills of the 21st century that would prepare one to face the challenges of a contemporary globalised world of today and to motivate one to pursue life-long learning. John Deweys Philosophy This purpose which is largely relevant to the current Singapores context and time frame has been mostly derived from John Deweys philosophy of education. John Dewey, a famous philosopher and educational theorist, believed that education is a process that should enhance the quality of life. He conceived an approach to education that would equip individuals with the skills and outlook that he believed were necessary for taking on the hardships and possibilities of life and thereby for building a better world. He introduced the idea of an informal educational approach whereby the teachers would centre on the curriculum, instructional settings and the physical setting of the learning experience. Hence, teachers could select and come up with innovative learning activities that would stimulate the students to process and apply their curriculum content in more creative and original ways. John Dewey also states that education involves reconstruction of a students prior understanding and knowledge as he/she asks new questions and explores other perceptions of the like. This makes education a transformative process where one does not gain new knowledge but rather expands on his existing one. This transformation would continue so long as new knowledge and information is discovered and learnt. His theories therefore suggest that education has to be practical, engaging and transformational on top of just knowledge acquisition. Since his philosophy is more in line with Singapores educational system and cultural context, I have used it as a foundation for developing my purpose of education. Positive Implications Students The educational purpose does have its implications on both the teaching and learning community in Singapore, in particular to teachers and students in Singapore schools. The purpose can be split into two components, firstly the acquiring of 21st century competencies for a globalised world and secondly the motivation for life-long learning. The former would allow students to become global players on an international platform. This would open the doors for better job prospects in the near future and thus render them internationally employable since job expectations have increased tremendously to include social communication, information technology, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The latter would make individuals active learners as they are more independent of their learning process and will not depend on the teachers for spoon-feeding information. Thus when they are encouraged to find out for themselves, it will become a quest for knowledge. How is this implied? The Ministry of Education (MOE) has shifted its focus to adapt a more holistic educational approach by introducing the 21st century competencies and desired outcomes framework which illustrates the skills and values that an individual would possess after completing his education in Singapore. My main focus would be the inner red ring which represents the socio-emotional values that students will develop together with their core values and the outer orange ring which represents the 21st century skills that the students will gain. These are similar to the purpose that I have pointed out above which is that of acquiring the knowledge, values and skills of the 21st century. Schools have therefore revamped their teaching styles and approaches so as to equip students with these competencies. With the implementation of the Teach Less, Learn More policy in 2004, teachers have taken one step back from the traditional teaching approach and started taking the role of a facilitator in the classroom. For instance, there have been project works being introduced as part of the course curriculum as it enhances students knowledge and enables them to acquire skills like collaboration, communication and independent learning. They would also be making links across different disciplines and applying the knowledge without just memorising the facts and figures for regurgitation during examinations. Knowledge Aspect A simple example would be the Integrated Project Work (IPW) that has been initiated in Bukit Merah Secondary School. It is a group project assignment for the lower secondary students which integrates three different subjects together namely English, Science and Humanities such that the students use the content from their Science and Humanities and their language power of English to come up with a project idea based on the task assigned. The final marks would then be split equally for the three subjects. No doubt IT skills would also come into play during the research stage where internet is the main resource and the presentation stage where PowerPoint, video and other visual aids would be used. IPW has also been used in North View Primary School as well as Republic Polytechnic. Skills Aspect Another MOE initiative would be Information Communication Technology (ICT) in schools. I would use my own secondary school, Crescent Girls School (CGS) as an example. It was one of the first schools to introduce Mobile Learning (m-learning) through the use of tablet PCs in 2003. These PCs replaced the normal textbooks used by students as digital textbooks came into play and specialised software applications were installed as additional learning tools for Mathematics, English, Art and Geography. For instance, when preparing for our Oral Examinations, we recorded ourselves reading out a text and uploaded it as a podcast in our schools web portal. Our English teacher then gave us her comments for improvement after hearing it. This method increased the efficiency as it could be done outside curriculum time with no individual consultations with the teacher while also making preparations for exams more fun. Group discussions were further facilitated by the portable PCs. These Tablet PCs al lowed students to easily obtain information, expand their learning environment, find resources for innovative ideas and think critically. Values Aspect Lastly, I will look at the Social Emotional Learning programmes that are in place in schools. Compulsory Community Involvement Programmes (CIP) and Service-Learning initiatives allow students to gain awareness of their community and possibly the global environment. They can hone their core values such as graciousness, courtesy, integrity, care and concern which define an individual. Values like resilience, perseverance and confidence which are needed to overcome the challenges ahead are also instilled and developed via workshops. Just focusing on the skills and knowledge alone does not guarantee success so one must not ignore the values that shape a person. These 3 aspects help to explain how my purpose has actually been achieved through some policies and pedagogies being effectively carried out in the local schools. 1) Negative Implication Students Stress On the other hand, there is the stress factor. As students have to learn the content as well as develop their other areas to face the globalised world, they would undoubtedly encounter the pressure of meeting deadlines and studying for their examinations. I believe that more time has to be set aside for revision for exams as these grades are clearly reflected in our academic certificates. When projects are assigned, more time should be allocated to prepare for the presentations and yet it has to be ensured that they do not clash with other deadlines and exam dates. Proper organization is of the essence here. Hate studying attitude Secondly, pushing the potential of students at a young age could possibly make them hate studying. An example would be the introduction of Science in Primary 1. Although this move was to allow students to gain an exposure before being formally taught the subject in Primary 3, it would only confuse students especially since they have only stepped out of kindergarten into a new territory, the Primary School. Being bombarded with new information at this age could terrify them. I feel that it is better to familiarise them with the foundational subjects such as English, Mathematics and Mother Tongue first and let them get a grip on these first. 2) Positive Implication Teachers Boost for creativity Moving on, the next level of the school fraternity is the teachers. My purpose of education would give teachers the freedom to conduct their lessons in a more interesting and engaging way that is more effective for the students learning. Teachers can retain their formal role as an educator by imparting content knowledge but deviate from the conventional teaching method of reading from and writing on whiteboards to encouraging role-play and debates in the classroom setting. Thus, teachers come up with innovative indirect teaching approaches that will largely boost their own creativity and originality in planning lessons. It would give them the opportunity for trial-and-error as they try out new ideas to reach out better to their students. Professional Development As teachers motivate their students to be life-long learners, they themselves are motivated in the process to learn as they teach. This brings about professional development on the teachers part which can be seen as another positive implication as the former principal of CGS, Mrs Lee Bee Yann once mentioned that Teachers have become more confident and reflective practitioners when asked about the impact of m-learning on teachers. The teaching career would also seem more fulfilling and rewarding as they teach students important life skills infused with content knowledge rather than just English, Mathematics and Science alone. 3) Negative Implication Teachers Stress Trying to mould each individual to acquire the required 21st century competencies and motive them to be independent learners can be seen as not an easy task since each individual differs in their own set of strengths and weaknesses. This may contribute to stress of a different kind that relates to the question of How to teach as creatively as possible yet ensuring that the student gains the necessary skills out of it? Attending educational forums overseas could help teachers see how teaching is done in other schools on a worldwide scale and implement them in their schools. Also via cooperative learning, ideas can be shared among colleagues. Moreover it will not seem to be a daunting task once the psychological behaviour of students are understood and their motivational factors are identified as these would aid in getting them to acquire the knowledge and skills while shaping their values. Conclusion The purpose of education, which I derived from John Deweys philosophy, is that of acquiring knowledge, skills and values of the 21st century that would prepare one to face the challenges of a contemporary globalised world of today and that of being motivated to pursue life-long learning. However, the purpose has both positive and negative implications for the teachers and students in Singapore Schools but there are possible suggested solutions which can minimize the negative effects. My purpose may not be the only purpose of education. As I mentioned earlier different individuals will have their own purpose depending on their future goals. It may be subjective but most definitely not wrong.

agape love :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hair Pulling on your hair with a brush, blow drying it, and using a flatiron to straighten curls can cause split ends, excess dryness, frizziness and breakage. To help your hair you should deep condition at least twice a month to moisturize and banish frizz. Short hair is healthier because you’re constantly cutting off the split ends. Cropped cuts also keep you hair from knotting and tangling. Turning tresses brown is definitely easier on your hair than becoming a blond. Hair needs time between treatments to recover and regain its natural oils. When you chemically straighten you hair wait at least six weeks before hitting the color bottle. The day before your dye job do a protein rich conditioning treatment to heal the hair cuticle. When you perm your hair hold off on the permeant color for six weeks. But you only need to wait two days before using a semi permeant color since they have lower ammonia levels and have no bleach. When you hate your new dye job, before you head back to the salon. Try using a semi permanent rinse, which you can do immediately. If your still unhappy wait for the semi permanent color to fade before going for a new dye job. Keep in mind that you might just need a few days to get used to your new hue. Why is it that 90% of hair products seem to be created to make your hair do the opposite of what it does naturally? We think everyone’s hair can be beautiful without all the fuss, including the pin straight variety. Its sophisticated, sleek and down right sexy. So whether you have bangs, a blunt cut, soft layers, or all one length style, unplug your hot rollers and embrace your kink free destiny. Straight hair really shows of the cut, so find a stylist you trust and get trims often. If you need help keeping your amazing cut smooth, rub in teeny bit of light stylist cream. And because this type of hair usually tends to shine on its own, you can skip the glossy sprays. Chances are, you already look like you belong in a shampoo commer cial. You may not believe it, but fine hair has many enviable qualities. For one thing, its the softest and silkiest in the world. For another, it dries in a flash. WE have one warning though, each strand is fragile, so you’ve got to be careful.

A Dissertation Proposal Essay

Chapter One: The Problems and Its Components The problem to be investigated in this study is school climate, considering and comparing teacher perceptions of both the actual and ideal psychological environment in three different African American private schools. The literature indicates that an open climate with lines of communication that are established at all levels, staff freedom, professional interest, and participatory decision making, among other similar factors, will lead to positive teacher attitudes and improved teacher performance. The relationship between teachers’ perceptions of the actual and ideal psychological school environment has not yet been tested for African American private schools. See more: Examples of satire in adventures of huckfinn essay Problem Background As explained by Beachum and McCray (2004), school climate has a significant impact on the attitudes and performance of teachers in that it influences professional growth and development in academic and social terms, influences the ability to handle work pressures, and ultimately can lead to attrition if the climate is not open and does not have adequate lines of communication. The school’s value systems, work pressures, participatory decision making, resource adequacy, growth opportunity, and student support all play a part in the overall climate of the school (Cole-Henderson, 2000). The study of this climate is of critical importance to the well being, positive attitudes, and professional development of the school’s teachers. The current need to provide every child with qualified and committed teachers in the face of a national teacher shortage supports the importance of conducting research on factors influencing teacher attitudes and stressors in the teaching profession, particularly those that might affect burnout and turnover. It is also clear that a healthy school climate–a school with a strong academic emphasis and a principal who has influence with superiors and is willing to use it on behalf of teachers–is conducive to the development of teachers’ beliefs that they can influence student learning and make a difference. It is also clear that work pressures can exert additional stress on a teacher if the school climate is perceived in a negative light. Numerous studies (Harris, 1999; Jamal, 1999; Ma & Macmillan, 1999; MacDonald, 1999; Remy, 1999) have focused on teacher stress. According to Remy, research has shown that 40% of new teachers leave the profession within 5 years. These studies also have shown that approximately half of all teachers leave the profession within the first 7 years because of job-related stress. Because teaching is a stressful occupation (Ma & Macmillan; Remy; Weiss, 1999), teachers often self-select out of the profession. Schools must then scramble to replace these teachers. Remaining faculty and the school district become further strained in the attempt to make up for the shortage. Knowledge of how teachers perceive the current school climate and what teachers think the ideal environment should be would be of invaluable importance. Theoretical Orientation The literature review will focus on both the conceptual framework of the study and the major variables of concern. The conceptual framework will be based on attribution and motivation theory. The major variables of concern are the ideal and actual perceptions of the school climate by teachers. Initially, attribution theory was presented as a theoretical process in the late 1970s and middle 1980s (Frieze, 1976; Weiner, 1979, 1985, 1986). It provided the framework for examining the responses of teachers to such academic outcomes of students as failure or success in the general education classroom. Since that time a number of studies have been conducted that provide empirical support of its principles. According to Graham (1990; 1991), both ability and effort have been identified as the major perceived causes of individual teacher failure or success. In other words, failure can be overcome by effort, while success comes about as a result of personal competence. Teacher ability is comprised of aptitude and learned skills in an academic context. Effort, on the other hand, is the amount of exertion applied to a learning situation. Attribution can be applied in situations in which teachers try to understand their own behavior. It can also be applied when teachers try to assess the classroom performance of students in order to increase their teaching success (Graham, 1990, 1991). When teachers’ expectations are not met, the instructors may resort to any number of actions. They may often be tardy or absent. In fact, attrition is often the end result. The individuals may also withdraw from teaching psychologically–that is, not concentrate, do no more than absolutely necessary, and have no interest or initiative. As a result, the quality of teaching in general may suffer. Vroom (1964) stated that motivation is a product of the anticipated worth that individuals place on a goal and the chances they see of achieving that goal. According to Vroom, three factors influence achievement: force, valence, and expectancy. Force equals valence times expectancy. Force is the strength of the teachers’ motivation while valence is the anticipated satisfaction from the result. Expectancy is the probability of achieving the outcome. The impact of force depends on both valence and expectancy. For example, if teachers show indifference in achieving a goal, the valence becomes zero. Specifically in his expectancy theory, Vroom (1964) suggested the following: Motivation = Perceived Probability of Success (Expectancy) x Connection of Success and Reward (Instrumentality) x Value of Obtaining Goal (Valance, Value).   From this formula it is clear that a high value for one variables of the formula will result in a high motivation value and vice versa. In Vroom’s (1964) view, the three variables must exist for motivation to take place. Thus, when teachers do not think they will be successful at a task or do not value the results of becoming successful in their school or do not perceive a connection between their attitude and the school climate, it is more than likely that they will not apply themselves to the teaching activity. Organizational theory also relates to the proposed investigative study in terms of communication. According to this theory, restrictive and closed climates with closed lines of communication relate to poor teacher performance (Cole-Henderson, 2000). The school system is an organization, and thus communication theory applies. When lines of communication are closed teachers do not communicate with administrators or students, and school management does not communicate with teachers other than giving orders from the top down. Communication only flows from the top down. In such a school system, the perceived motivational climate is negative and achievement goals suffer (Bennett, 2002). Clearly, when there are open lines of communication, there is more interest in teaching and thus knowledge has more meaning. This translates into improved achievement on the part of both the teacher and the student. It is clear to see that school climate has a decided bearing on teachers in a number of different ways. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to evaluate teacher perceptions of the climate of three independent Black private schools in relationship to the actual and ideal climate. Thus, the purpose is three-fold: 1. To determine if teacher perceptions of the actual school climate differs between and among the three African American private schools included in the study. 2. To determine if the teacher’s perceptions of the ideal or preferred school climate differs between and among the three African American private schools included in the study. 3. To determine if there is a correlation among teachers who teach at different levels in the three schools included in the study regarding their perceptions of their school climate. Research Questions The major research question can be stated as follows: â€Å"Is the actual school climate of independent African American private schools adequately meeting the perceptions of its teachers regarding their ideal school climate perceptions?† From this question several sub-questions have been formulated. These may now be listed as follows: 1. Do teacher perceptions of the actual school climate differ between and among the three African American private schools included in the study, as determined by scores on the actual environment answer form of the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ)? 2. Do teacher perceptions of the ideal or preferred school climate differ between and among the three African American private schools included in the study, as determined by scores on the ideal or preferred environment answer form of the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ)? 3. Is there a significant correlation among the perceptions of teachers employed in the three schools included in the study in terms of their view of their school climate, as determined from both answer forms of the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ)? 4. Do the perceptions of teachers differ for those who teach at different student grade levels, as determined by a comparison of results from the School Level Environment Questionnaire for teachers instructing at different levels? Limitations and Delimitation One limitation of the study relates to the fact that the research has no control over the teacher participants’ reliability. It will be assumed, however, that the teachers will answer the survey questionnaire items honestly and to the best of their ability. There is also a certain weakness associated with only the use of a survey questionnaire to obtain data for analysis. Researchers do suggest the use of two or more sources–that is, triangulation – to produce better support data (Babbie, 2003; Creswell, 2003). With respect to delimitations of the study, the data source of this case will be limited to three independent Black private schools located in an urban city. Definitions Several common terms and designations are used uniquely in the proposed study. These are defined as follows: Independent Black private school. This term refers to a school owned by African Americans which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment (Mahiri, 1998). School climate. This term refers to the school atmosphere. In restrictive and closed schools, authority emanates from the top down through hierarchical levels. Communication is restrictive and closed. In an open school climate, communication reaches all levels and moves in all directions (Moeller, 2005). School climate perceptions. Teacher views of their school environment will generally influence their motivation to teach, grow professionally, participate in decision making, and handle work pressures. In this study, the term will be operationally defined by scores on the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ)? Self-concept. Self-concept is considered the most basic and crucial components of personality and can be influenced by environment. Self-concept can become positive in an open school climate; conversely it can become negative in a closed and restrictive school climate. The proposed study views self concept in this context (Branden, 1999). Staff development. For this research project, this term pertains to any activities that attempt to improve the teacher’s ability to implement a new instructional program. Staff development includes an emphasis on attitude, competencies, and knowledge that enhances learning (Sykes, 1996). Teachers’ perceptions. In general, perceptions in the present study pertain to teachers’ thoughts, beliefs, and feelings about professional development training, work pressures, participatory decision making, innovation, staff freedom, student support, professional interest, and affiliation, among other related variables. Their thoughts and beliefs affect their teaching approach and presentation. Teachers are active information processors who affect classroom events as much as they are affected by them (Chance & Costa, 1998). Importance of the Study African American students are not doing as well in school as others and this may be related to their teachers (Tatum, 2006). The findings of this investigative study may provide valuable knowledge about the teachers of these students. Also, other independent schools can use these outcomes to improve their educational programs for teachers and improve teacher productivity. In addition, the implications may insure that the professional and development needs of the teachers are met at school. The proposed study will add to the scholarly research. School reform and restructuring as it relates to professional development of teachers have gained momentum in the United States for the past 2 decades (Sparks, 1997). Meaningful educational reform cannot occur, however, unless teachers are integrally involved in the reform process and unless they have the time and resources to conceptualize the implementation of the changes need in their classrooms. But more research is needed to identify the ways in which the school climate can become more open and conducive to these needs. The significance of the proposed study lay in its ability to add to the database in this respect. The significance of the study and its potential results touches a number of areas and addresses several different audiences. As noted, the findings will add to the scholarly research. For example, understanding factors that influence teacher perceptions of climate in African American private schools can help reveal the underlying logic that influences their motivation, professional development, and perhaps their participation in the decision making processes. Chapter Two: Review of Literature It is important to note that educational researchers have consistently found unequal levels of achievement between African American and Caucasian students (Bankston & Caldas, 1997; Graybill, 1997). Educational specialists such as Hurd (2001) refer to the problem faced by African American students, as the achievement gap and further point out that in today’s school systems less than 60% of African American high school students graduate in 14 years. Joseph (2000) noted that if Caucasian students were dropping out at the same rates as African American students, we would declare a state of crisis in teaching these students. According to Tyson (2002), it is time to require teachers and administrators to address the problem and to consider issues related to achievement motivation among African American students. According to Baldwin, Coney III, and Thomas (1993), the eleven areas of school effectiveness are â€Å"effective instructional leadership, clear and focused mission, safe and orderly environment, positive school climate, high expectations, frequent assessment/monitoring of student achievement, emphasis on basic skills, maximum opportunities for learning, parent community involvement, strong professional development, and teacher involvement in decision-making.† In these areas of school effectiveness, school climate is one of the most important things wherein it has been subject to extensive research. School climate is a term referring to the â€Å"personality of a school,† according to Hoy and Miskel (1982). It is a characteristic of a school which includes the school’s physical structure of its buildings and the interactions between students and teachers. These are the two factors that both affect and help to define the concept of school climate according to Marshall (2004). Les Gallay and Suet-ling Pong (2004), on the other hand, viewed school climate as â€Å"the part of the school environment associated with attitudinal and affective dimensions and the belief systems of the school that influence children’s cognitive, social, and psychological development.† They also cited Ashby and Krug (1998) and Griffith (2000) on what school climate is a how it affect the society. According to Ashby and Krug (1998), school climate is reflected in the social interactions within the classroom and within the school community. According to Griffith (2000), values, attitudes, beliefs and communications are subjective matters; many researches rely on the perceptions of the participants (teachers, students, parents) to measure the effect of school climate. For many years and up to the recent days, the concept on school climate influencing significantly in educational outcomes is still being researched by many researchers. Perceptions on school climate influence many people (e.g. students, teachers, parents) which may also influence the processes and outcomes in a physical, social, and learning environment. Research shows that both teacher and student perceptions of school climate influence student achievement. An early study by Fraser (1989) laid the groundwork for this research. Fraser (1989) studied the effects of classroom environment on student achievement, for example, and found that student outcomes could be improved by creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning. Classroom environments studied by Fraser (1989) used student perceptual data to assess the school environment and reach conclusions. A number of studies have been conducted since the 1980s showing a relationship between students’ perceptions of the school climate in various terms and their achievement in one form or another. In 1995, the study of Bulach, Malone, & Castleman on the investigation of variables related to student achievement showed that there is a significant difference in student achievement between schools with good school climate and schools with poor school climate. On schools with positive school climate, students develop a positive perception on school climate, making them comfortable with the learning environment they are in. On separate studies conducted by Hirase (2000) and Erpelding (1999) on the relationship between school climate and achievement of students, both studies came up with same result that schools with a positive climate had a higher academic achievement as compared to schools with negative climate. Another case presented by Freiberg (1998) showed that the students’ perceptions are important especially during the transition from one school level to another (e.g. elementary to high school). According to him, attending a new school can be frightening for students which could affect their perceptions on the school climate which could consequently affect their learning outcomes or performance. With that, the research showed that having good or positive school climate will result to an easy transition or adaption to the new school environment and a good performance of students may be easily achieved. This chapter will focused more on the theories and studies related to the teachers’ perception on school climate in order to have critical views on it. In addition, this chapter will also present and analyze established studies on the influences made by school climate on teachers’ perceptions and subsequently to the effect of having these perceptions to the assessment and improvement of the students’ performance in school. Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of the study is related to attribution, motivational, and organizational climate in terms of lines of communication. According to attribution theory, teachers’ perceptions of their school teaching experiences will generally influence their achievement motivation and performance development more than the actual objective of those experiences (Weiner, 1985). School climate is also an important aspect of learning and effective instruction (Freiberg, 1998). When teachers are more empowered, students are able to voice their concerns and learn from the experience. When questions and answers are free flowing, the school climate is open. For example, understanding factors that are influenced by an independent Black school climate such as academic achievement can help reveal the underlying logic that influences teacher motivation and performance (Joseph, 2000). Motivation on the part of teachers is an important aspect of effective instruction (Joseph, 2000). Vroom (1964) defined motivation as a product of the anticipated worth that individuals place on a goal and the chances they see of achieving that goal, as mentioned in Chapter 1. According to him, three factors influence achievement: force, valence, and expectancy. Force is the strength of the teachers’ motivation while valence is the anticipated satisfaction from the result. Expectancy is the probability of achieving the outcome. The impact of force depends on both valence and expectancy. In his view, the three variables must exist for motivation to take place. Thus, when teachers do not think they will be successful at a task or do not value the results of becoming successful in their school or do not perceive a connection between their attitude and the school climate, it is more than likely that they will not apply themselves to the teaching activity. But when teachers are motivated to perform competently in the classroom, they will have more positive attitudes resulting to a positive result to the students. As noted by Banks (2001), school climate can also impact teacher identity. Banks reported that, â€Å"The school climate communicates†¦the school’s attitudes toward a range of issues and problems† (p. 24). School values not in agreement with those of its teachers and a lack of communication and perceptions of shared power and control on the part of administration (teachers and principals), may negatively influence teachers’ attitudes about the school itself and their chances for professional development (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1993). When the climate of the school promotes a harmonious value system that is in agreement school wide, and when high levels of communication exist, teacher attitudes are more positive. Thus it can be seen, as Karpicke and Murphy (1996) have noted, a positive school climate has a great impact on success of both teachers and students alike, significantly encouraging achievement on the part of all. Lynn and Hassan (1999) examined pedagogical practices and beliefs of African American teachers and students at a private middle school in an affluent African American community. Their investigative study provided a portrait of the school and the students in an attempt to raise the critical consciousness of the students. From their observations and interviews, they found the role of alignment between the school mission and teacher beliefs and practices was high. Also, there were shared views about the principles taught regarding the development of moral, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of students. According to attribution theory, teachers’ perceptions of their school climate experiences, whether they be the actual objective of the experience or not, will generally influence their attitudes toward teaching (Weiner, 1985). In other words, teachers try to explain their failure or success by relating (attributing) this to certain school climate characteristics. Weiner (1986) also linked attribution theory to achievement motivation in specific steps. In Weiner’s view, the first step starts with an outcome realization. Deciding whether or not the outcome is negative or positive represents the second step of this sequential process. During the third step, specific information about the outcome is gathered. Next, the search for a cause takes place. This involves a determination as to whether the outcome is the effect of a specific strategy, conscious effort on the part of the student in question (i.e., the doer), or just plain luck. In this way, achievement motivation is explained. McClelland (1985) also linked attribution theory to achievement motivation, but carried the analysis as well as the theoretical orientation a step further. McClelland identified variables or component parts that comprised achievement motivation and subsequently acknowledged some common characteristics. These included (a) concern for personal achievement over concern for external rewards for success, (b) an ability to set obtainable goals, (c) the desire for performance related feedback as opposed to attitudinal feedback, and (d) consistent thinking about ways in which progress can be made which thus increases their achievement levels. Expectancy theory as related to achievement theory is yet another theoretical orientation of the present investigative research. It should be explained that the emotional feelings of achievement and satisfaction are actually determined by each individual. Teachers decide on the degree to which their learning experiences are satisfying by comparing them with their own expectations (Whaley & Smyer, 1998). Aspects of learning that fall short of these expectations can cause discontent. Often teachers compare their perceptions of their school climate to their perceptions of what it should be. If a teacher’s subjective evaluation or perception of ratio of school climate inputs to output (e.g., positive attitudes and satisfaction) is lower than the comparison, the teacher is very likely to be dissatisfied. Expectations and comparisons of perceived worth, however, are subjective, and often biased or even erroneous. Private Schools As the achievement gap grows larger, African American parents have also lost faith in public school education, especially those who have enrolled their children in private schools (Sander, 1997). This is because of some factors such as racial discrimination of the white teachers and white students to black students, low interest of students to go to school for a reason that they develop low self-esteem in school because of diverse ethnicity, and many other more. Black and White parents alike believe that attending private schools would rid their children of such problems as bullying, skipping school, high dropout rates, and would give their children a better chance to higher academic achievement. According to National Center for Education Statistics (2008), there are 28, 384 private schools in the United States now with 6.1 million PK-12 students enrolled. Over 25 percent of the nation’s schools are private schools and about 11% of all students are enrolled in these private schools. On the other hand, the National Center for Education Statistics, which periodically test the grade 4, 8, and 12 students’ skills and knowledge using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), showed their analysis on the score of students from private and public schools. Based on their results, students in private schools consistently score well as compared to public students. There are many factors that could affect students’ achievement. Factors may include the type of school the student is enrolled, number of students in a classroom (class size), the efficiency of the teacher teaching the subject, the student’s classmates, and many other more including family and social factors that could hinders students’ achievement (Betts et. al, 2003). However, one of the most influential on students’ achievement is the way the teacher is teaching the subject and the values he/she taught to the students. With this reason, the teachers’ perception on their school climate will greatly influenced the way they will teach the students for their perceptions will determine factors that motivates them to teach such as job satisfaction or secured environment. Attribution Factors in Terms of School Climate A number of attribution factors influencing achievement motivation are identified in the literature and are examined in the research. These include (a) school climate in terms of lines of communication, (b) peer influence, and (c) perceptions of educational experiences. Each has an important influence and is considered to be an important attribution variable influencing achievement motivation. With respect to school climate, perceptions are related to their overall educational experience. Studies have shown that perceptions of school climate affect a wide variety of social and academic success factors, and vice versa. For example, the social environment and climate of the school and the actions within those environments influence students’ perceptions of their own effort and success in school (Kaufman, 2004). Moeller (2005) found that students’ perceptions of school climate and their own sense of responsible behavior are correlated. Studies also found that school climate can be effective in many ways. Researchers found school climate positively affect academic performance/achievement. They also found that it influences the behaviour of a student and the decision to remain in school (Monrad et al., 2008). Similarly, according to Kuperminc et al. (1997), a positive school climate showed association with fewer behavioural and emotional problems for students. Smerdon’s (2002) study, which collected data from a nationally representative sample of high school students, discovered that students who may need perceived school membership and open school climate the most and may benefit most from it perceived lower levels of membership than did their peers. The cultural environment in schools can also contribute to African American students’ poor academic performance. Teachers often comment on the fact that these items give them little chance to help African American students in meaningful ways: (a) they often can only maintain minimal order in the classroom, (b) school violence is on the increase, (c) with curriculum requirements teachers have little time to help student’s to fulfill the requirements of the curriculum, and (d) these students become discouraged and very often drop out of school (Hale-Benson, 1996). Voelkll (1995) examined the influence that participation and creating a warm school environment would have on academic achievement. The study included a nationwide sample of 13,121 eighth graders. The finding showed, â€Å"that there was a direct relationship between warmth in the classroom environment parent involvement in the school and students willingness to participate. It seems that participation in class has a distinct and crucial influence on the relationship between students’ perceptions and achievement† (p. 112). In addition, on the study conducted on school climate in urban environments by Haynes & Comer (1993) showed that a positive school climate and is conscious of cultural differences can significantly improve academic success or performance among the urban students. Hoy and Woolfolk (1993), on the other hand, assessed teachers’ perceptions of the school climate as related to organizational health. Specifically, the researchers examined the relationships between two dimensions of teacher efficacy (general and personal teaching efficacy) and aspects of a healthy school climate as defined in terms of institutional integrity, principal influence, consideration, resource support, morale, and academic emphasis. The sample of the study consisted of 179 teachers from 37 elementary schools in New Jersey (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1993). A modification of the Organizational Health Inventory was administered to the teachers to obtain the data for analysis. The researchers concluded from their data analysis that a healthy school climate (strong academic emphasis and a principal who was able to influence superiors on behalf of teachers) was favorable to the development of teachers’ beliefs that they could influence student learning, â€Å"Thus, teachers’ confidence that they can reach students was supported by organizational factors that help teachers manage and teach students† (p. 355). Studies have shown that a positive school climate is associated with increased job satisfaction for teachers (Taylor and Tashakkori, 1995; Ma & MacMillan, 1999), level of work efficacy, and teacher autonomy. Teachers found satisfied in their jobs have more positive views or perception about school climate as compared to those teachers who were not satisfied (Bahamonde-Gunnell, 2000). While on the research conducted by Hirase (2000), the researcher found out that teachers working in a school with positive school climate have greater sense of work-efficacy. The research conducted by Erpelding (1999) found that there is a strong relationship between teacher autonomy and school climate. Same with the studies of Bempah et al. (1994) and Rosenholz (1989), when teachers feel that they have some power or autonomy and also involves into school-level decision-making, they are less likely to leave. Consequently, when teachers feel powerless and alienated, their efficiency to teach lowers (Ashton & Webb, 1986). With an increased in job satisfaction, work-efficacy, and teacher autonomy, teachers will be able to educate the students with quality education, thus, increasing the students’ performance or success in learning and making the school successful too. To support this favourable development of teachers in positive school climate which can lead to successful school, studies also found that a having a positive school climate is related to indicators of school success such as standardized test scores (Monrad et al., 2008). Chapter Three: Methodology Previous chapters introduced the problem of the study, explained the purpose, provided the theoretical orientation, and reviewed the literature pertinent to the major variables. The purpose of this chapter is to detail the methodology that will be employed to collect and analyze the data. Thus, this chapter presents the design, procedures, and analysis plan for carrying out the study. Research Design The method for this study is based on a non-experimental design that focuses on the use of data collected using scores from the SLEQ in a selected population. Thus, the research approach of the study will be descriptive and will essentially represent a quantitative study. Research provides us with a variety of perspectives from which to see things and a way of empirically analyzing our findings (Rinaldo, 2005). It enables use to see from where we have come, provides us with a description of where we are now, and gives us some semblance of the direction in which we seem headed (Rinaldo). Quantitative and qualitative research is vital part of any investigation. Quantitative research is defined as the collection of numerical and statistical data (O’Neil, 2006). Quantitative research is frequently used to investigate research questions. This research often starts with the collection of statistics, based on data, observations, or surveys. One popular quantitative technique is the survey. Surveys can be administered by telephone, face to face, mail, or more recently by the Internet. Quantitative data is described by O’Neil as data which can be sorted, classified, measured in a strictly objective way. The relationship between these variables is expressed using effect statistics, such as correlations, relative frequencies, or differences between means (Hopkins, 2000). The researcher is a very valuable component throughout the collection of data. According to Glesne and Peshkin (1992), when conducting a quantitative study, the researcher is described as being detached, impartial, objective, and portrayal. The researcher’s purpose is to generalize, predict, and provide causal explanations. There are several approaches the research can use. Some approaches are subject to hypothesis, theories, manipulation and control, experimentation, deductive, and component analysis (Glesne & Peshkin). According to Hopkins (2000), in a descriptive study, subjects are usually measured once and no attempt is made to change behavior or conditions; things are measured as they are. Hopkins stated that the aim in quantitative research is to distinguish the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable in a population. Selection of Participants Babbie (2003) indicated that it is appropriate for a researcher to conduct purposeful sampling because of the researcher’s knowledge of the population, its elements, and the nature of the research objectives. In addition, Babbie (2003) suggested that a researcher may want to study a small subset of a larger population in which members of the subset are easily identified. It is for this reason that three African American private schools in one urban area in the United States were selected for inclusion in the study. These will be named A, B, and C to ensure anonymity. Together, the study population total will be 67 teachers instructing preschool through twelfth grade. All will become the target population. Those who agree to participate in the study will become the sample. Their responses will provide data regarding their perception of the climate in their school, both actual and ideal. School A focuses on educating students ages 2-12 and strengthening basic educational components to prepare students to be competitive in a global society. The co-educational school enrolls 121 students in grades prekindergarten to fifth grade and employs 20 teachers. The student to teacher ratio is 9.3:1. All of the students are African American. School B is a Christian school. The co-educational school enrolls 220 students in grades prekindergarten to twelfth grade and employs 26 teachers. The student to teacher ratio is 7.8:1. Ninety-eight percent of the students are African American. School C has built its program around the concept currently known as African-Centered education, a holistic approach based upon the premise that children excel academically and intellectually when the curriculum, teaching methodology, and environment reflect the builders of yesterday and the ideas of the future. The co-educational school enrolls 215 students in grades prekindergarten to eighth grade and employs 21 teachers. The student to teacher ratio is 10:1. Ninety-eight percent of the students are African American. Instrumentation Data used in the proposed study to analyze the perceptions of teachers will be collected through administration of a test instrument, the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ), as developed by Fisher and Fraser (1990) and published in the Handbook of Tests and Measurement in Education and the Social Sciences (2000). The SLEQ is comprised of 56 items that measure teacher’s perceptions of the psychological environment of a school. As explained by the originators, the SLEQ consists of two answer forms–one that measures the actual environment as perceived by teachers and the second that measures the ideal or preferred school environment. Three different teacher samples assisted in the development of the test instrument (Fraser, 1989). Alpha coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.81 were provided as an estimate of the internal consistency of each of the eight subscales. These subscales include student support, affiliation, professional interest, staff freedom, participatory decision making, innovation, research adequacy, and work pressure. Each subscale consists of seven items which, when added together, provide a separate score. The scale development for the SLEQ was derived from the Work Environment Scale (Fraser, 1989). It is divided into three basic dimensions. These include relationship, personal development, and system maintenance and system change dimensions. As reported by Fisher and Fraser (1990), these broad dimensions were used for the development of the SLEQ. Non-participatory decision making (suggesting a closed school climate) is indicated, for example, by such items as â€Å"I have little say in the running of the school† and â€Å"It is very difficult to change anything in this school.† Resource inadequacy is indicated by responses to such items as, â€Å"Tape recorders and cassettes are seldom available when needed† and â€Å"The supply of equipment and resources is inadequate.† Assumptions It will be assumed that all study subjects will answer the survey questions honestly and to the best of their ability. It is also assumed that the students in the three schools where their teachers are being surveyed will be representative of the larger population of African American students attending an independent Black private school. Procedures Data will be collected by the researcher from the teachers at each school at a time selected by the administrators and researcher. The purpose of the study will be presented to the teachers and the questionnaires will be distributed. The researcher will remain until the teachers have completed the questionnaires and will collect the completed forms before leaving the meeting. Those teachers who agree to participate and return completed survey forms will become the sample. All respondents will be asked not to sign their name. In this way this researcher can assure anonymity. Those who wish a copy of the results when the study is completed will be asked to provide an e-mail address to be used for this purpose only. Data Processing and Analysis Data collected from survey questionnaires will be assessed to determine whether teachers’ perceptions of their actual school climate are similar to their perceived ideal school climate. The perceptions will be compared. Teachers’ view of the ideal and actual psychological environment will also be compared across the three African American private schools included in the proposed study. Findings from the analysis of data will be reported as descriptive statistics. These include standard deviations, percentages, mean averages, and others of a similar nature. From this information, implications and conclusions will derive from the teacher perceptions. Findings from schools will be compared to each other and to those in the literature. References *Anderman, E. M., & Maehr, M. L. (1994). Motivation and schooling in the middle grades. Review of Educational Research, 64, 287-309. Ashby, Dianne E., and Samuel E. Krug. (1998). â€Å"Understanding and Promoting School Climate and Culture.† Thinking Through the Principalship. New York: Eye on Education Inc. Ashton, P. T., & Webb, R. B. (1986). Making a difference: Teachers’ sense of efficacy and student achievement. New York: Longman. Atkinson, J. 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Jean Paul Sartre Essay

For Jean Paul Sartre, existence meant to become progressively more individualistic (Sartre, 175). Sartre believed this individualistic existence caused everyone to travel along a path toward self-realization and this process, he noted, had three stages. These stages being, Ethical, Religious and Aesthetic, as â€Å"All human beings are currently at one of this stages, depending on the extent to which they have achieved their life-project (Sartre, 175). † By more individualistic, Kiekega means that through each stage individual gain a higher understanding of self than they had before and it is through the privileged perspective provided by the assessment of and graduation from the previous stage that allows the person to attain this new form of self. Sartre goes on to further note that, â€Å"Each stage is a way of seeing life, a way of understanding the world. They are different ways of living out one’s existence, independent spheres of life, situations which embody a certain stability. Living fully in the aesthetic sphere will never lead to the ethical one, and the upholding of ethics will never open the door to religion. † He closes by pointing out that no one stage can completely dominate and individual’s life and if one were to allows this to happen they would stay stagnant and not progress through the stages. The first stage of Sartre’s progression of existential stages is aesthetics recognized as the ‘immersion in sensuous experience; valorization of possibility over actuality; egotism; fragmentation of the subject of experience; nihilistic wielding of irony and skepticism; and flight from boredom (Stanford, p1). † This stage of existence is a very selfish one that involves excessive self-indulgence. Sartre refers to temptation and the appreciation and distraction of beauty a lot in this section. Ethics in Sartre’s work has more than one meaning, â€Å"It is used to denote both: (i) a limited existential sphere, or stage, which is superseded by the higher stage of the religious life; and (ii) an aspect of life which is retained even within the religious life (Stanford, p1). † This is basically the stage where one starts to asses their life and view themselves objectively. It is recognized as the stage of reasoning this stage is ‘limited’ in that it is the stage that comes before the religious stage, but it is retained within the religious stage in that the traits used in the ethical stage must also be used to make the valuable choices in the religious stage. Ultimately the final obligation to transition from Ethics into the religious stage is to completely relinquish one’s reliance on reason for one’s trust in faith. The final stage of existence that Sartre recognizes is the stage of Religion, and specifically Christianity. Sartre believed the most important aspect of this stage, and in life in general, was faith and the passion one has for being morally responsible. It is also in this stage that Sartre stresses the value of choice. As noted, â€Å"Anxiety is a two-sided emotion: on one side is the dread burden of choosing for eternity; on the other side is the exhilaration of freedom in choosing oneself. Choice occurs in the instant, which is the point at which time and eternity intersect — for the individual creates through temporal choice a self which will be judged for eternity (Stanford, p1). † Here we see the concept of self changing once again and the self that was once perceived objectively with eyes looking from the Ethical stage onto the aesthetic stage from a more intellectual position, now in the religious stage is much more spiritual. Aesthetics/Ethics It is through the stage of ethics that aesthetics is recognized for its shallow and delusional ways. â€Å"This type of aestheticism is criticized from the point of view of ethics. It is seen to be emptily self-serving and escapist. It is a despairing means of avoiding commitment and responsibility (Stanford, p1). † Despite the selfish nature of the aesthetic stage Keirkegaard does not completely disregard its value, he recognizes that the aesthetic stage of existence is what makes the higher stages of existence necessary. This can specifically been seen with the transitional relationship between the aesthetic stage and the ethical stage. The stages work together by canceling each other out within other stages. For example, it’s noted in Sartre’s pseudo-dialectic that â€Å"the aesthetic and the ethical are both annulled and preserved in their synthesis in the religious stage. † This is how the transition between the ethical and the religious stage comes about in that the religious stage encompasses room for both previous stages within its borders. Descartes like Sartre is a highly respected philosophical thinker. His most famous work Meditationes de Prima Philosophia (Meditations On First Philosophy). Published in 1641, poses the main argument that â€Å"Every belief based on the senses (beliefs about the external world) is such that we could conceive it to be false (Descartes, p1). † By the external world being debatable, then one is forced to contemplate and examine the existence of reality. This closely relates to Sartre’s’s concept that the aesthetic stage can only be assessed from the ethical stage. Descartes adopts the ideal that one can only know they exist for sure through the process of examination one’s life through thought, because the existence of one’s thoughts is undeniable and not debatable. I can relate to Sartre’s ideas in that they are universal and applicable to every individual. The main concept they teach is the value of moderation. The fact that no one stage can on its own dominate one’s life completely. The religious stage is not at all relevant in one’s life without the conflict drawn from the clash between the aesthetic and the ethical. Without the aesthetic there is no need to stop outside of one’s own pursuit of personal pleasure to become self-aware, and without this reasoning one c an never become aware of the choices available to them to achieve salvation in the religious stage. I do think since Sartre was such a proponent of the Christian faith, there is no reason why his thinking can’t be promoted more in the church. For the most part many Christian churches avoid this type of in depth assessment as it pertains to individual growth. In sum, Sartre’s philosophies have stood the test of time because they are still applicable. His work pays homage to Descartes, as well as Socrates, who both promote the importance of the examined life. Walking through one’s life blindly only in the pursuit of meager pleasures or even over analyzing one’s every experience without fully embracing the moment, both can be detrimental to the value of one’s existence. Sartre, like many of the philosophers before him, has setup a model that all individuals can live by, and each stage feeds off the one prior. In addition to teaching that there is a value in our actions, Sartre also proves that there is a path to better understanding of one’s self through the constant self-evalutions of those actions. Work Cited SARTRE, S. , La maladie a la mort, in Oeuvres Completes, Editions de L’Orante, Paris, 1984, vol. 16, p. 175. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy â€Å"Jean Paul Sartre† First published Tue Dec 3, 1996; substantive revision Fri May 8, 2009 (Stanford, 2009)

Free Essays on Self-medication The New Epidemic

Self Medication: The New Epidemic Untold damage and suffering is caused by alcohol and drug abuse. Each year substance abusers, as well as their families and friends are suffering needlessly. The suffering may continue, treated as addiction rather than as an underlying physical or psychological disorder. The substance abuser may have many reasons to abuse their substance of choice. To the substance-addicted individual, these reasons are valid. The purpose of reasoning usually is to rationalize repeated use of the drug of choice. Rationalizing allows a chemical abuser to exceed commonly consumed or prescribed quantities.â€Å"I self-medicated with alcohol for more than thirty years and became addicted to prescription painkillers for about ten years in a foolish attempt to gain enough control so that I could manage to keep working. The self-medication became the only way, over time, that I could manage to sleep or remain in control enough to function† from Will3481forum member (Bailey, Bi-Polar ForumsWebsite). Although all drugs seem to affect the abuser in similar ways, the purpose for repeated abuse may have an underlying but illusive cause. One cause for self-medicating may be psychiatric in origin. At the 1996 U.S. Psychiatric & Mental Health Congress, Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, reported that "substance abuse occurs in 30% to 60% of patients with bipolar disorder and is more likely to co-exist with bipolar illness than with any other Axis I psychiatric disorder" (1996). Dr. Brady goes on to add, "2% to 4% of alcoholics and up to 30% of cocaine abusers meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder†. Agnes B. Hatfield, Ph.D., approached the statistics from a different view stating that "as much as 50 percent of the mentally ill population also has a substance abuse problem" (Bailey, Bi-Polar Forums Website). Physical pain may place a pers... Free Essays on Self-medication The New Epidemic Free Essays on Self-medication The New Epidemic Self Medication: The New Epidemic Untold damage and suffering is caused by alcohol and drug abuse. Each year substance abusers, as well as their families and friends are suffering needlessly. The suffering may continue, treated as addiction rather than as an underlying physical or psychological disorder. The substance abuser may have many reasons to abuse their substance of choice. To the substance-addicted individual, these reasons are valid. The purpose of reasoning usually is to rationalize repeated use of the drug of choice. Rationalizing allows a chemical abuser to exceed commonly consumed or prescribed quantities.â€Å"I self-medicated with alcohol for more than thirty years and became addicted to prescription painkillers for about ten years in a foolish attempt to gain enough control so that I could manage to keep working. The self-medication became the only way, over time, that I could manage to sleep or remain in control enough to function† from Will3481forum member (Bailey, Bi-Polar ForumsWebsite). Although all drugs seem to affect the abuser in similar ways, the purpose for repeated abuse may have an underlying but illusive cause. One cause for self-medicating may be psychiatric in origin. At the 1996 U.S. Psychiatric & Mental Health Congress, Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, reported that "substance abuse occurs in 30% to 60% of patients with bipolar disorder and is more likely to co-exist with bipolar illness than with any other Axis I psychiatric disorder" (1996). Dr. Brady goes on to add, "2% to 4% of alcoholics and up to 30% of cocaine abusers meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder†. Agnes B. Hatfield, Ph.D., approached the statistics from a different view stating that "as much as 50 percent of the mentally ill population also has a substance abuse problem" (Bailey, Bi-Polar Forums Website). Physical pain may place a pers...

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century Introduction The selected reports address the need to reform the Australian Apprenticeship system to give participants the right skills that will impact the Australian labor market positively. The report of the Panel chaired by Mr. Jim McDowell titled A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century mentions that there is need to come up with a system that is more efficient and capable of producing a large number of highly trained, skillful and highly inspired workers (McDowell et al 2011).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other reports echo on this sentiment, for example, the report by Amy Simons titled Report savages apprenticeship system blames the current system for causing young Australians to relinquish their occupations (Simmons 2011). The reports stress the need to simplify and streamline the system to impart skills tha t are crucial to the growth of the Australian economy (Evans 2011), similar calls are made by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) (ACTU 2011). The Housing Industry of Australia (HIA) contends that plans to reform the system are welcome, but the industry must be involved in coming up with a better system that ensures apprentices get employment opportunities (HIA 2011). The final report by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) commends the report by McDowell et al and says that it presents ‘the opportunity for real reform of the apprenticeship system after many years of tinkering’ (Ai Group 2011). Points or Arguments The reports agree on one issue: the Australian Apprenticeship system needs urgent reforms, and the recommendations by the government-appointed panel chaired by Mr. McDowell are vital towards achieving the reforms. The reports cite several weaknesses in the current program as a justification for the reforms, majorly, the low completion rates. Simm ons mentions that more than half of those enrolled in apprenticeship programs drop out of the system. This anomaly is due to the low pay rates. Senator Evans mentions that since 42 percent of those enrolling in apprenticeship programs are aged 25 and above, there is need for a new system that recognizes previous experience or skills, this will motivate more persons to enroll in the program (Evans 2011). Quoting one of the recommendations by the panel, HIA reports that reforms will address the issue of high dropout rates and the will make the system simpler. The reforms will reduce Australia’s over-reliance on imported labor and meet demands of Australian labor market (ACTU 2011). A weakness of the current system is that it contains many difficulties and inconsistencies, and hence the reforms are vital towards overcoming the obscurities (Ai Group 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the Australian Apprenticeship system continuously provides skilled labor to the market, there is a need for urgent reforms that will lead to the production of a skilled and flexible labor force that has the ability to meet the challenges of the Australian economy in competing with other global economies (McDowell et al 2011). Besides, the new system will meet the changing skill requirements as well as the ambitions and anticipations of the participants. Factors that might Influence the Perspective of the various Stakeholders The assertion that the Australian Apprenticeship system requires urgent reforms is a genuine. However, to win the vote of the various stakeholders in effecting the reforms, the following points must be said of the current system: There have been high dropout rates among persons who enroll in apprenticeship program under the current system. The low completion rates are caused by low wages, a lack of motivation among the particip ants, and receiving education that is obsolete, especially with the constantly changing labor market requirements. In some jobs, an apprentice receives less that $200 a week, this discourages other individuals from taking up apprentice programs. Globalization has increased the movement of labor across the world, the situation is no different in Australia. The current system does not impart knowledge required by the economy, hence it has had to import skilled labor. If this situation persists, the more than 400,000 students enrolled in the Vocational Education and Training (VET), or nearly 4% of the workforce, may lack employment. The youth form the largest proportion of our economy, yet, this is the group that suffers most from unemployment. In the future, social ills and poverty may begin to crop into our society if the current situation is not rectified. This is a wake up call and the first step towards averting the future disaster is to reform the apprenticeship system to avail j obs. References Australian Council of Trade Unions. (2011). Apprenticeship reforms are long overdue  and must be acted on to provide a skilled labour force. Available from actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/Apprenticeshipreformsarelongoverdueandmustbeactedontoprovideaskilledlabourforce.aspx Australian Industry Group. (2011), Apprenticeship report an opportunity for real reform. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/features/70-education-a-training/1638-apprenticeship-report-an-opportunity-for-real-reform.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=4434ffbfd083e7deb3fe4ae3022cc686 Evans, C. (2011). Reforming the Australian Apprenticeship system. Available from deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Evans/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_110221_112019.aspx Housing Industry of Australia (2011), National Apprenticeship Reform Needs Industry  Input. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/the-news/1637-national-apprenticeship-reform-needs-industry-input.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=048772114661331 d1aaa6c5f232214af McDowell, J., et al. (2011). A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st  Century. Available from www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Simmons, A. (2011). Report savages apprenticeship system. ABC News, February 2011. Available from abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/21/3143831.htm