Buildings and Places Key Vocabulary in English

The words below are the most important words used when talking about different places and areas such as shops, towns and the countryside. Buildings, shops, and communities are categorized with an example sentence provided for learning in context.   Buildings People Live In apartment - I live in an apartment on 52nd Street.apartment block - Tom has a place in that apartment block over there.  block of flats (British English) - Three hundred people live in that block of flats.bungalow - The bungalow in the forest is so nice for a weekend getaway.cottage - He has a cute cottage by the sea. Im jealous!duplex (American English) - A duplex always contains two separate homes or apartments.flat (British English) - Alice has a flat in the center of London.floor on the ground / first / top floor - Jack lives on the first floor.house - Id love to own a house someday.  story - ten / multi-story building - He lives in a fifty story building. Other Buildings bar (American English)- Lets go to the bar and get a drink.car park - Ill leave my car in the car park and meet you at the office.castle - The queen lives in a castle.cathedral - The cathedral is always the most magnificent Catholic church in town.church - Theres a small church up on the hill.  office - He works in that office over there.  post office - Lets stop by the post office to send off these letters.pub (British English) - Shall we get a pint at the pub?restaurant - Id like to go to an Italian restaurant tonight.  skyscraper - That skyscraper is 110 stories tall!station - Can you pick me up at the station?bus station - I caught a Greyhound bus at the bus station.fire station - What would we do without the fire station?police station - The police station is located down this road.  airport - I need to get to the airport by six oclock.   Stores and Shops bakers - Id like to go to the bakers to get a cake.butchers - Can you pick up a pound of hamburger from the butchers?department store - Some people like shopping in a department store because they can find everything in one place.  dry cleaners - Ill pick up my shirt at the dry cleaners after work.  fishmongers - We bought three pounds of salmon from the fishmongers.  greengrocers - The greengrocers have some lovely celery at the moment.  grocers - She stopped by the grocers to pick up some food.  ironmongers (British English) - I need to buy a hammer at the ironmongers.  hardware store (American English) - Do you think the hardware store sells lawn mowers?shop - Id like to stop at that shop on the corner. Communities city - He lives in a big city.  capital city - Sharon lives in the capital city of Oregon.  port - Leghorn is a port on the Tyrrhenian Sea.  resort - My friend stayed at a resort on the beach.  holiday resort - Families like to go to holiday resorts for vacations.  seaside resort - Youll have a lot of fun at our seaside resort.  ski resort - The weather was fantastic at the ski resort. It snowed every day!town - I live in a small town near the border.  village - There are many charming villages in France.   Parts and Areas of Communities area - Thats a beautiful area.country area - Their house is in a wooded country area.  residential area - There are 200,000 people in this residential area.rural area - Rural areas are hard to reach by bus.urban area - The urban areas are where most jobs can be found.  center - He lives in the center of the city.city center - The city center is located just ten miles from here.town center - The town center has many lovely monuments.  district - The working district houses many firms.  outskirts - Our shop is located on the outskirts of Seattle.  region - The Pacific Northwest region is very hip.  suburb - Many people live in the suburbs, but would like to move to the city.

Student Loan Debt - 2542 Words

Student Loan Case 1) Summarize the student loan industry. Answer with respect to both public and private loans and be clear as to which you are referring to. a) What led to the inception of the student loan market? The inception of the student loan market started like any other loan market, there were a large amount of borrowers who needed money now to invest in college to make more later that were matched with lenders who had excess funds and wanted return on the funds. The National Defense Education Act of 1958 which provided loans to students in higher education institutions started the student loan market. This was supposed to help train students to get jobs that will help them succeed and in turn help our nation succeed. b) What†¦show more content†¦The Market size of student loans is $1.2 Trillion, private accounting for $0.2 Trillion and federal accounting for $1 Trillion. Student Loans taken out have been increasing, student loan debt outstanding has been increasing and average student loan debt per borrower has been increasing. Some believe that these may cause problems and increase outstanding debt and defaults which taxpayers have to pay. While government professionals may believe that taking a hit now to help consumers get higher paying jobs may be worth it in the long run so they can start consuming. 2) How have student loans been treated in bankruptcy historically and today? a) Include in your answer information about how the treatment impacts lending b) Include in your answer information about how the treatments impacts the economy c) There is some controversy here why does that arise? d) What might happen if the laws changed? Before 1976 student loans were dischargeable in bankruptcy; this policy did have some loopholes though and when it comes to loopholes in money you do not want to leave many. Student loans stopped becoming dischargeable because they were afraid that the students would take advantage of the opportunity to file bankruptcy and rid themselves of student loan debt and drain the system. Disallowing the discharge of student loan debt helps to increase incentives for lending since borrowers are stuckShow MoreRelatedStudent Loan Debt And Consumer Choice2824 Words   |  12 PagesStudent Loan Debt and Consumer Choice In today’s society, student loans are haunting the lives of millions of postgraduates all over the United States. Students who have carelessly taken out loans and those in serious need of financial aid for their college education are now burdened with thousands of dollars worth of debt. As the student debt average continues to increase in our nation, the budgets of postgraduates begin to dwindle and the amount of defaults grow dramatically. With the large studentRead MoreStudent Loans And Student Loan Debt898 Words   |  4 Pagestelevision. Unfortunately, at a staggering $1,200 per month in student loan repayment debt partly because she was misinformed of the terms of her student loan (55). Debt is foreseeable but student loan debt can leave borrowers distraught at the mere thought of the unrealistic terms (Hillstrom 55). All students entering college need to be aware of student loans and how they impact the future; either negatively or positively. For some students, a college degree is the key to success but for others theRead MoreThe Debt Of Student Loan Debt1168 Words   |  5 Pagesconsumer debt, which help contribute to the large sums of debt countless Americans find themselves faced with. Directly effecting many college students is student loan debt. Student loan debt is now the second largest form of consumer debt behind housing† declares the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Grisales). This is due to the fact that student loan debt grew 7.1% in 2014 to $1.2 trillion (Grisales). If this statistic alone is not worrisome this next one is sure to be. The amount of debt in theRead MoreStudent Loan Debt1074 Words   |  5 Pagesof Financial Literacy Available in Regard to Student Loan Debt This personal finance paper will concentrate on the insufficient amount of guidance that is available concerning student loans. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how prospective and current college students are ill prepared in their education and understanding of student loans. Three major issues that will be outlined in this paper include the large majority of college students are no longer able to pay for college out of pocketRead MoreStudent Loan Debt778 Words   |  4 PagesPersuasive Speech Rough Draft Outline Title: Student loan Debt Crisis Speaker: Markevia Lee Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience of their choice of taking out student loans. Thesis Statement: College is not something to put off until after you have graduated, students need to find ways to pay for college before they graduate. I. Introduction: Attention-getter: The increasing trend of college students graduating with significant more student loan debt than job prospects is both alarming andRead MoreStudent Loans And Student Debt1128 Words   |  5 Pagesthe moment for many students are student loans. Young college students who don’t have the money, don’t have enough scholarship money, or family who doesn’t have the money to pay, will apply for student loans each year. They amount the student receives can vary depending on the college and what the student has achieved academically. Though interest rates are low with subsidized being 4.29% and unsubsidized being 5.84% (Federal Student Aid Interest rates and Fees), student loans still have a huge effectRead MoreStudent Loan Debt: Is it worth it?1364 Words   |  6 PagesStudent Loan Debt: Is it worth it?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many high school students are beginning their senior year and have already started to stress about how they will pay for their higher education. Although many students will have scholarships and financial aid, a lot more will struggle to pay for schooling and will have to take out multiple student loans. Many people wonder if higher education is worth the debt the country and the students are in and it is, however, there are alternatives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Read MoreBenefits Of A Student Loan Debt991 Words   |  4 PagesWhen a student finally graduates from college there is this excitement that comes to you. You finally graduated and now can apply the things you have learned in the job or career you plan on. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, many graduating student finds themselves in hug student loan debt. The numbers are staggering: more than $1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt, 40 million borrowers, an average balance of $29,000. Men and women laboring under student debt are postponing marriageRead MoreStudent Loan Debt On College Students887 Words   |  4 PagesStudent Loan Debt on College Students Student loans are becoming more and more of a problem for college students all across the United States. As college tuition has significantly increased over the past years, it has become extremely common for most college students to finance their education through student loans. Tuition has become so expensive that it is almost unheard of for a student to pay for their tuition out of pocket or by working for their education part time. As the result ofRead MoreThe Student Loan Debt Total1736 Words   |  7 PagesThe student loan debt total was about nine hundred and two million dollars to one trillion dollars in the United States in 2012; the federal student loan debt made up about eight hundred and sixty-four billion dollars of the total debt (Driscoll and Clapp). Many people in the United States that cannot afford college tuition and additional fees take student loans and/or federal grants. Student loans are different from federal grants in that the loans have to be paid bac k with interest, while federal

Distribution And Sales Management Strategies - Click to Get Sample Sol

Question: Discuss about the Distribution and Sales Management Strategies. Answer: Introduction: After considering the provided case study, it is understandable that the concerned organization Tropicana Fishing Lodge mainly focuses on those customers, who are passionate about the hobby of fishing. It is evident from the case study that Tropicana Fishing Lodge expects guests who desire to stay more than five days, as the organization prefers to provide varieties of service and opportunities for catching fishes. Therefore, the selective distribution strategy would be most convenient for the organization. In the selective distribution strategy, a business organization or a particular manufacturer select a particular channel and a certain number of intermediaries for selling a specialized goods or service for a selective target market (Hollensen, 2015). In other words, selective distribution is considered as a product or service distribution strategy that lays between the extensive distribution and intensive distribution strategies (Pride Ferrell, 2016). Due to the reason that a strong intermediary can tactfully maintain the credibility of a distinct service provider as well as establish potential competitive advantages, it fundamentally forms selective distribution (Burns et al., 2016). The advantage of applying the selective distribution strategy is it helps an organization to save expenses, to earn firm control on marketing and improvise the existing marketing efficiency (Armstrong et al., 2014). Considering the case study of Tropicana, it can be said that the organization suffers from several lean seasons and the lodge needs to appraise its present marketing value too. Selective distribution would be appropriate for Tropicana based on the organizations selective choice of the target market, whose attributes are related with the hobby of fishing. Further, Tropicana only covers a particular geographical area, which is the Caribbean cost of Costa Rica. Selective distribution strategy would be convenient for Tropicana as the strategy helps retailers to cover a specific geographical area. Tropicana can make better market coverage, which will help them to give hard competition to two of the organizations chief competitors - Azul Grande and Casa Fantastica. However, one main constraint that the organization can face even after adopting this strategy is Tropicana can find it difficult to select proper dealers for distribution or broadcast who can match Tropicanas aim and requirements. After recommending a possible as well as convenient distribution strategy and considering the current situation of Tropicana Fishing Lodge, it is to say that a proper tactical plan for increasing demand in the lean season should integrate aspects like service modification, better promotional activities and customer feedback. In order to acquire more demand from the target market in the lean months, the organization would require integrating the above-mentioned aspects due to several reasons. For the rainy seasons, the organization can think of adding services regarding rainforest expedition as it can attract nature lover tourists from all over the country. The authorities can also think about expanding the guesthouse by taking some of the lands from the banana firm. With the particular modification, the income of the banana firm will be less though it would possibly exceed the earning of the guesthouse. Facilities for rainforest expedition, central air-conditioning and common room for leisure should be considered. At the same time, there is lack of attractions and services in comparison with the vacation areas. Moreover, better promotional activities are required as per the reason that the organization only advertises through online social media in the locality of San Jose. It is also understandable that Tropicana does not prioritize their guests feedbacks. The above-mentioned reasons are significant to address as per the reason that the major competitor of Tropicana, which is Azul Grande has better accommodation power than Tropicana as per the case study. Most significantly, Azul Grande promotes their service through selective outdoor magazine. It means the rival organization chiefly uses the selective distribution strategies and concentrates on providing better accommodation. Henceforth, a well-attainable tactical plan will be to improvise the current service standard. More precisely, Tropicana should invest for improvising its accommodation facility and at the same time should include varieties of fishing facilities, which can help guests in fishing even in the rainy months. In terms of improving accommodation, Tropicana can think about central air-conditioning and common room for leisure time. Next, the plan should include a better marketing procedure, which is to promote the new accommodation and fishing facilities through distinct magazines and online social media (Andrus et al., 2015). Online broadcast and use of social media should be an integral part of the plan, as it will be cost effective and later will help the organization to acquire customer feedback. In this respect, it is to mention that, right after applying the marketing initiatives as well as service modification measure, according to the plan, the organization would require customer feedback regarding their new service and advertising features. It would prove most convenient if the organization will provide options for online feedback to their customers (Boone Kurtz, 2013). Therefore, a tactful plan for Tropicana would be to increase the fishing facilities and improve the existing service, promote through online, social media and magazine and acquire customer feedback. References Andrus, D. M., Norvell, D. W., Ramnarayan, S. (2015). Distribution and Sales Management Strategies Related to International Involvement Levels. InProceedings of the 1989 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 465-468). Springer International Publishing. Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S., Kotler, P. (2014).Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia. Boone, L. E., Kurtz, D. L. (2013).Contemporary marketing. Cengage learning. Burns, L. D., Mullet, K. K., Bryant, N. O. (2016).The business of fashion: Designing, manufacturing, and marketing. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. Hollensen, S. (2015).Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C. (2016).Foundations of marketing. Nelson Education.

The Controversy Over Euthanasia Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Controversy Over Euthanasia Essay, Research Paper The contention over mercy killing is based on the same ethical and societal platform from which the arguments for abortion and capitol penalty root. These societal quandary all revolve around the holiness of life and how far authorities can travel in doing picks affecting single rights. Although the argument over mercy killing is merely heating up in the American judicial system, the pattern of assisted self-destruction has been around for centuries, Modern advances in medical specialty and engineering have helped physicians in protracting life. At the same clip these promotions can besides widen the deceasing procedure, which means that some patients could be populating in unneeded hurting if there is no opportunity for recovery. This is why the argument over aided self-destruction has late become a large-scale contention in the United States and all over the universe. The word mercy killing originated from the Grecian linguistic communication. We will write a custom essay sample on The Controversy Over Euthanasia Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The word itself translates literally to intend good-d eath. There are four different types of mercy killing. The most widely accepted of these four is inactive mercy killing. Passive mercy killing involves retreating some signifier of support and letting nature take its class. Often the life support or nutrient and H2O are removed and big sums of morphia are given to the patient to alleviate hurting. The following type of mercy killing is active mercy killing. This type of mercy killing takes topographic point when a individual requests action by another individual to do decease. Active mercy killing is most normally taken out shooting controlled substances into the patient. The 3rd type of mercy killing is called physician-assisted self-destruction. The physician supplies the information and/or the agencies of perpetrating self-destruction. The most celebrated American instance of this is Dr. Kevorkian, who coined physician-assisted self-destruction with the term voluntary inactive mercy killing. The concluding type of mercy killing is nonvoluntary mercy killing, when a individual is killed in resistance to their wants, which is fundamentally slaying.

The Holocaust History

The Holocaust History The story of the Holocaust can be traced back to World War I. The First World War was the end result of a series of miscalculations and wrong decisions. Germany was forced to fight Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States because it had an alliance with Austro-Hungary, Turkey and Italy. In the aftermath of the defeat Germany was humiliated through unreasonable demands by the victors such as the loss of lands that used to belong to the German people as well as restriction on their capability to build up a military force.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Holocaust History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More German patriots were not happy with the armistice and many were bitter. One of those who harboured ill-feelings towards his enemies was Hitler. But in his mind it is not only the foreign powers that must be blamed for the misfortune of Germany. Hitler said that the root cause of the problems wer e the despicable Jews of Europe. His plan to eradicate them led to the Holocaust. Adolf Hitler was a young soldier during World War I. He could never forget the humiliating defeat. He developed a plan to strengthen the military capability of Germany and to restore the state to her former glory. However, he had a more sinister plan hidden from public view. With full support from the Nazi party, Hitler developed a plan to systematically eradicate all the Jews in Europe. At the end more than 6 million Jews were eliminated while others were displaced and had to seek asylum from foreign governments. The Holocaust Hitler believed in his heart that he was not dealing with a moral issue. He was convinced that the problem is political in nature and must be dealt with in a business-like manner. Hitler used the ideas that he gleaned from social Darwinism theory that provided justification to racial profiling. Hitler believed that Jews are part of a race that has distinct characteristics. Hitle r also believed that these characteristics were inherited and the main reason why Jews behave and think in a certain way. Hitler despised the Jews and based on his reasoning he did not want their genetic makeup to be mixed with pure German blood. In his manifesto entitled Mein Kampf Hitler enumerated the reasons why he abhorred the Jews. Hitler said that he did not the way they look (Rash 37). He also said that he did not approve the way the Jews conduct their business (Rash 37). Finally, he said that overall they are an inferior people (Rash 37). Hitler concluded that the German people cannot intermarry with Jews because they will produce inferior children (Rash 37). Hitler devised a plan to segregate and isolate them. But in the end what he really wanted was to execute what he called the Final Solution. Hitler’s plan called for the construction of ghettos. When he gained success he was emboldened to carry out the other aspects of the Final Solution. At the height of Nazi po wer, Hitler shipped Jews as if they were cattle. At the end of their journey the Jews were exterminated or forced to work in concentration camps to produce products deemed necessary for the establishment of the Third Reich.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Millions of Jews were systematically murdered at the hands of Hitler’s elite soldiers. When the Soviets liberated a major concentration camp, the world saw the true extent of the Holocaust. It is easy to digest statistics especially when it comes to faceless victims. But when confronted with the personal belongings left behind by those who were victims of genocide, the reality sinks in. Consider the following items recovered from Auschwitz alone: a) 348,820 men’s suits; b) 836,255 women’s garments; c) 5,525 pair of women’s shoes; d) 38,000 pairs of men’s shoes; and e) huge quantitie s of toothbrushes, glasses, false teeth, gold caps and filling from teeth and 7 tons of hair (Fischel 117). The seven tons of hair forces the reader to see the evil of the Holocaust. It must be pointed out that it was not only the Jews who were targets of racial cleansing. Hitler wanted to preserve the purity of the German race from Jews, Negroes and Gypsies. In Hitler’s mind, these people have certain genetic flaws that compelled them to act in contemptible ways. Gypsies and Negroes were not Hitler’s priority because unlike the Jews, these people are not owners of business and influential members of society. Six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis and yet it is hard to believe that there was a government that could have authorized such a grisly plan. People must realize the severity of the crisis faced by the Jews during that time period. In order to fully comprehend what the Jewish people faced during that time, it must be pointed out that in 1933 the total popul ation of Jews in Europe were only 9 million. Hitler orchestrated a plan that made it possible to kill two out of three European Jews. d the magnitude of the genocide it is important to point out that in 1933 the Jewish population in Europe was estimated to be over nine million and therefore the Nazis orchestrated a plan to kill nearly two out of three European Jews (Griffiths 12). It can be argued that in the aftermath of the Holocaust there was no Jewish family that did not mourn the death of friends and relatives. Present Day Israel Hitler’s desire to eliminate the Jews in Germany and then, in Europe can be considered as genocide. It was an irrational action from an outsider’s point of view. It is difficult to understand the root cause of the hate and the aggression. The direct victims were the Jews but the rest of the world understood the consequences of inaction and the lack of resources to deal with a tyrant like Hitler. The Holocaust was not possible without Worl d War II or the rise of Hitler to power. Many realized that war could have been avoided if there was a mechanism to resolve conflict and diffuse a tense situation. If the German people were not agitated, Hitler could not have used their vulnerabilities to compel them to thrust him into power. Thus, in the aftermath of the Holocaust, global leaders pledged that the extermination of Jews will not happen again. A few years after Holocaust, the United Nations was established.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Holocaust History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The UN is an example of a mechanism that can help prevent wars and bloodshed. The United Nations is an international agency that helps resolve international disputes so that this will not lead to war. Before a conflict is decided in the battlefield, the UN demonstrates the power of diplomacy. The UN also serves as a guardian that assists member countries . If the UN was immediately established after, World War I bloodshed could have been prevented. It can be argued if the UN was already a functional entity during the time of Hitler, the pressure from the international community could have created problems for Nazi party’s plan to systematically eradicate the Jews. The UN served another major purpose in favour of the Jews. The UN paved the way for the creation of a new Israel. The survivors of the Holocaust were scattered all over the globe. But there were those who chose to go back to Israel. Those who yearned for a fresh start migrated to present day Israel. However, Jews were scattered all over the planet. The United States and Israel account for 82% of the total number of Jewish people (Dashefsky, DellaPergola Sheskin 14). Conclusion The main reason why Hitler was driven to systematically eliminate the Jews, Negroes, and Gypsies can be traced back to racial profiling as a result of studying the characteristics of human be ings. Hitler succeeded and the Nazi party became a formidable force in Germany. Hitler and the Nazi party were responsible for the murder of six million Jews and other members of the minority group. It was a tremendous blow for the Jewish community because two out of three European Jews were killed. Hitler was able to justify his actions and proved to all who listened to him that he had the power to make things happen. Hitler exploited the vulnerabilities of the German people. As a result, they granted him the power to change Germany. But Hitler used his new-found power not to build but to develop offensive weapons and tactics to provide the Nazi party the capability to systematically eliminate the Jews. Those who survived the Holocaust were scattered all over the world. But the majority of the European Jews who survived Hitler’s wrath, majority went to the United States and Israel. Dashefsky, Arnold, Sergio DellaPergola and Ira Sheskin. World Jewish Population  2010. CT: Connecticut University Press, 2010. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fischel, Jack. The Holocaust. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Print. Griffiths, Williams. The Great War. New York: Square One Publishers, 2003. Print. Rash, Felicity. The Language of Violence: Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2006. Print.

Effective Stage Combat Techniques

Effective Stage Combat Techniques Conflict is the essence of drama.  Onstage, many characters will fight with words only up to a certain point before physically expressing their frustration on something or someone.  Most plays include some element of violence: a slap, a punch, a stab, or just attempts at these types of strikes.  Some plays, especially classics, have complicated sword fights and mass battles.   To present such scenes- called â€Å"fight scenes†- on stage so that they look realistic, but do not actually harm the participants, actors learn and practice stage combat. No matter the number of moves in the fight scene- one move or fifty- stage combat is the term used for any act of violence done or attempted on another character. Armed and Unarmed Armed stage combat involves weapons, any type of weapon- rapiers, daggers, broadswords, quarterstaves, knives, guns, or found weapons. (Found weapons are exactly as they sound- an actor uses whatever is in reach to threaten, defend, or attack. This includes anything from a cushion to a clip board to a broom.) Unarmed stage combat refers to any and all moves that do not involve weapons: punches, kicks, slaps, grappling, and falls.  Actors and directors often mishandle unarmed moves because they appear less dangerous than armed attacks.  Unarmed fight scenes, however, are where most injuries occur. Slaps in particular have earned themselves a reputation as the most dangerous move in stage combat circles. In the hands of untrained actors, they can hurt when performed hand to cheek and leave giant red marks on faces. Just as with armed stage combat, behind each punch, kick, and slap, there are whole sets of moves and methods developed to produce a believable act of violence on stage.   A fight director is someone who has studied and trained in all or most of the stage combat disciplines. Fight directors can evaluate the actors, stage or performance space, and audience angles to plan and teach the best way to provide a realistic scene or moment of violence.  Like a choreographer who brings dance expertise, a fight director brings realistic looking combat moves and safety to stage performances. The most dramatic and poignant moments in a play often involve elements of stage combat. A good fight director can heighten those important climatic scenes and keep the audience thoroughly engaged in the dramatic action. Without the guidance of a fight director, two actors in a heated debate may be too obvious as they pull their punches (not hit as hard as possible), the actor who performs a crucial stabbing can clearly miss his mark, or an actor who has been shot in the back can fall the wrong way.  Fight directors know how to blend these combative moments believably into the audience’s experience. Stage combat is a fascinating and fun element of theatre.  Like many other aspects of theatre, its rich background and methods require study and dedication- all of which go completely unnoticed when a fight scene is done well!

Leadership and Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Leadership and Responsibility - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the article strives to demonstrate the relationship between historical leadership style and the leadership proposal of Smith, Montagno, and Kuzmenko and highlighting the support offered by the historical record for the proposal of Smith et al. also forms a part of this article. In an order to represent the important concepts like transformational leadership and servant leadership, the author has chosen to use two historical leaders in his article- Xenophon, who was a transformational leader and Chief Joseph, who was a servant leader. The research contained in this article may be considered valuable considering the efficacy offered by adding a historical approach for understanding such intricate leadership constructs as transformational leadership, which is considered to be more appropriate by the author when a definite organizational change is desired. The author stresses on the fact that the importance of contextual factors has increased in the recent yea rs and that they really play an important role in determining the effectiveness of certain leadership constructs. As Smith et al.’s proposal also stressed on using contextual factors for validating transformational and servant leadership, the research work in this article aims at presenting a historical approach for investigating the contextual complications, which is a strategy that never did appear in any management and leadership article before. According to the author, transformational leadership comes into practice when the interests of each individual become united for the overall interest of an organization. A transformational leader should be able to maintain his/her charisma and should provide a unique vision to his/her followers. The author tries to identify in the article that servant leadership style has some definite deficiencies compared to transformational leadership style because its topmost priority is based on serving others and then considering the step to lead others constructively.

How did Bill Gates became successful Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How did Bill Gates became successful - Essay Example â€Å"Bill Gates: Profile of a Digital Entrepreneur†). Bill Gates was born in an upper-middle class family of Seattle on 28th October, 1955. His father was a reputed lawyer in the town and his mother being one of the Board of Directors in the Interstate Bank of Seattle, played a vital role in many other significant and dominant institutions of the then society. Being monetarily and psychologically quite secured, Bill Gates developed his interest towards technology and especially computers. Gradually he became passionate about developing software which later emerged as a significant reason for his friendship with Paul Allen who afterward was recognized as his companion in personal as well as professional life. At an early age of only 13 years, Bill Gates and his companion Paul Allen were encouraged by the Computer Centre Corporation for the development of advanced software languages (Lockwood, B. â€Å"Bill Gates: Profile of a Digital Entrepreneur†). In his later years, Bill Gates improved his competitiveness. It was during this course of time that Bill Gates depicted his enthusiasm and early entrepreneurial skills supported with his desire for complete power to control. It is worth mentioning that his competitiveness and strong desire to innovate as well as to control the world of technology at a very early age, followed by a few denials along with supports and several arguments led to the recognition of the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation (Guth, â€Å"Raising Bill Gates†). Bill Gates is currently known as one of the wealthiest peoples in the world, an excellent software titan, the co-founder and present CEO of the multinational information technology giant company, Microsoft Incorporation. He is also an investor, author and philanthropist in his personal life. Many people may consider this as the success of Bill Gates. However, from an in-depth perspective, it is unequivocally observable that the main achievement of Bill

Comparison of Indirect Cost Multipliers for Vehicle Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Indirect Cost Multipliers for Vehicle Manufacturing Essay Disclaimer This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor The University of Chicago, nor any of their employees or officers, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of document authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof, Argonne National Laboratory, or The University of Chicago. COMPARISON OF INDIRECT COST MULTIPLIERS FOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURING INTRODUCTION In the process of manufacturing and selling vehicles, a manufacturer incurs certain costs. Among these costs are those incurred directly as a part of manufacturing operations and those incurred indirectly in the processes of manufacturing and selling. The indirect costs may be productionrelated, such as RD and engineering; business-related, such as corporate staff salaries and pensions; or retail-sales-related, such as dealer support and marketing. These indirect costs are recovered by allocating them to each vehicle. Under a stable, high-volume production process, the allocation of these indirect costs can be approximated as multipliers (or factors) applied to the direct cost of manufacturing. A manufacturer usually allocates indirect costs to finished vehicles according to a corporation-specific pricing strategy. Because the volumes of sales and production vary widely by model within a corporation, the internal corporate percent allocation of various accounting categories (such as profit or corporate overhead) can vary widely among individual models. Approaches also vary across corporations. For our purposes, an average value is constructed, by means of a generic representative method, for vehicle models produced at high volume. To accomplish this, staff at Argonne National Laboratory’s (ANL’s) Center for Transportation Research analyzed the conventional vehicle cost structure and developed indirect cost multipliers for passenger vehicles. This memorandum summarizes the results of an effort to compare and put on a common basis the cost multipliers used in ANL’s electric and hybrid electric vehicle cost estimation procedures with those resulting from two other methodologies. One of the two compared methodologies is derived from a 1996 presentation by Dr. Chris Borroni-Bird of Chrysler Corporation, the other is by Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. (EEA), as described in a 1995 report by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), Congress of the United States. The cost multipliers are used for scaling the component costs to retail prices. ANL METHODOLOGY The ANL methodology described here is based on an analysis concerned with electric vehicle production and operating costs (Cuenca et al. 2000; Vyas et al. 1998). The analysis evaluated the cost structure for conventional vehicle manufacturing and retailing and assigned shares of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to various cost contributors. Multipliers developed from the ANL methodology are applied to the manufacturing cost of an individual component in order to scale the component cost to the retail price. Several cost contributors are included in the methodology, as summarized in Table 1. Some of the vehicle components for electric and hybrid electric vehicles would be procured from outside suppliers. This assumption is applied to electric drive components, excluding the battery; the vehicle manufacturer would produce the rest. Thus, two cost multipliers, one for the components manufactured internally and the other for outsourced components, are necessary to estimate the price of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Outside suppliers would incur some of the costs normally borne by the vehicle manufacturer. In the ANL methodology, we assume that the costs of â€Å"Warranty,† â€Å"RD/Engineering,† and â€Å"Depreciation and Amortization† are borne by the Page 1 suppliers of outsourced components. The outside suppliers would include these costs in their prices. The following two cost multipliers are computed by using â€Å"Cost of Manufacture† as the base: Cost multiplier for components manufactured internally = 100/50 = 2. 00. Cost multiplier for outsourced components = 100/(50 + 6. 5 + 5. 5 + 5) = 1. 50. Table 1 Contributors to Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price in ANL Methodology Cost Category Cost Contributor Relative to Share of Cost of Vehicle MSRP Manufacturing (%) Vehicle Manufacturing Cost of Manufacture 1. 00 50. 0 Production Overhead Warranty 0. 10 5. 0 RD/Engineering 0. 13 6. 5 Depreciation and Amortization 0. 11 5. 5 Corporate Overhead Corporate Overhead, Retirement and 0. 14 7. 0 Health Selling Distribution, Marketing, Dealer 0. 47 23. 5 Support, and Dealer Discount Sum of Costs 1. 95 97. 5 Profit Profit 0. 05 2. 5 Total Contribution to 2. 00 100. 0 MSRP METHODOLOGY DERIVED FROM BORRONI-BIRD PRESENTATION In his presentation, entitled â€Å"Automotive Fuel Cell Requirements,† at the 1996 Automotive Technology Development Customers’ Coordination Meeting, Borroni-Bird included charts on the â€Å"Typical American Automobile: Price/Cost Breakdown. † The charts provided a graphical breakdown of vehicle price, showing cost contributors and profit. We used the charts to arrive at percentage shares of vehicle price by various contributors. Table 2 shows the resulting allocation. Page 2 Table 2 Price/Cost Breakdown Based on Borroni-Bird Presentation Cost Category Cost Contributor a Vehicle Manufacturing Fixed Cost Selling Sum of Costs Profit MSRP a Material Cost Assembly Labor and Other Manufacturing a Costs Transportation/Warranty Amortization and Depreciation, Engineering RD, Pension and Health Care, Advertising, and Overhead Price Discounts Dealer Markup Automobile Profit. Relative to Cost of Vehicle Manufacturing 0. 87 0. 13 0. 09 0. 44 Share of MSRP (%) 42. 5 6. 5 4. 5 21. 5 0. 10 0. 36 1. 99 0. 06 2. 05 5. 0 17. 5 97. 5 2. 5 100. 0 These two contributors are scaled to sum to 1 in the third column, as in Table 1. In his presentation, Borroni-Bird did not evaluate the treatment of in-house or outsourced components. His methodology does not lend itself to easy computation of cost multipliers comparable with those in the ANL methodology, unless we make a few assumptions. We have assumed that â€Å"Material Cost,† taken together with â€Å"Assembly Labor and Other Manufacturing Costs,† would form the â€Å"Vehicle Manufacturing† base for the in-house components. The costs of â€Å"Transportation/Warranty,† â€Å"Amortization and Depreciation,† and â€Å"Engineering RD† would be borne by the suppliers of outsourced components. However, â€Å"Amortization and Depreciation† and â€Å"Engineering RD† costs were merged with â€Å"Pension and Health Care,† â€Å"Advertising,† and â€Å"Overhead† costs by Borroni-Bird. We assumed that half of the costs under this category would be borne by the suppliers of outsourced components. Our assumptions led to the following cost multipliers: Cost multiplier for components manufactured internally = 100/(42. 5 + 6. 5) = 2. 05. Cost multiplier for outsourced components = 100/(42. 5 + 6. 5 + 4. 5 + 10. 75) = 1. 56. These cost multipliers are very similar to those computed with the ANL methodology. Comparison of ANL and Borroni-Bird Methodologies The information from Tables 1 and 2 is shown in terms of cost categories in Table 3. Both methodologies use vehicle manufacturing cost as the base and add other costs to it. The share of MSRP attributable to â€Å"Vehicle Manufacturing† is 50% in the ANL methodology, compared with 49% in the Borroni-Bird Methodology. Borroni-Bird combined several cost contributors under â€Å"Fixed Cost. † These contributors include (see Table 2) â€Å"Amortization and Depreciation,† â€Å"Engineering RD,† â€Å"Pension and Health Care,† â€Å"Advertising,† and â€Å"Overhead. † Except for the inclusion of â€Å"Advertising,† â€Å"Production Overhead† and â€Å"Corporate Overhead† in the ANL methodology can be combined to form an equivalent category. ANL’s total of 24% by production Page 3 and corporate overheads is slightly lower than the total of 26% by Borroni-Bird. The ANL category of â€Å"Selling,† which includes â€Å"Distribution,† â€Å"Marketing,† â€Å"Dealer Support,† and â€Å"Dealer Discount,† is broader than that of â€Å"Price Discounts† and â€Å"Dealer Markup† specified by BorroniBird, and this category’s contribution is understandably slightly higher in the ANL methodology. The share of MSRP by â€Å"Profit† is the same in both methodologies. The absolute differences, computed as ANL value minus Borroni-Bird value, are 1% for â€Å"Vehicle Manufacturing,† –2% for â€Å"Fixed Cost,† and 1% for â€Å"Selling† cost. Table 3 Comparison of Vehicle Price/Cost Allocation by ANL and Borroni-Bird Methodologies ANL Methodology Cost Contributor or Category Vehicle Manufacturing Production Overhead Corporate Overhead Selling Sum of Costs Profit MSRP EEA METHODOLOGY The methodology of Energy and Environmental Analysis is summarized in the OTA report OTAETI-638, entitled Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions of a Super-Efficient Family Car, published in September 1995. The values of some cost contributors are not listed in the report. Moreover, depreciation, amortization, and tooling expenses are assumed to be case-specific and therefore must be computed for each case. In order to make the EEA and ANL methodologies comparable, some assumptions were necessary. These assumptions are described in the summary below. The EEA cost equations can be simplified as follows: Cost of Manufacture = Division Cost ? [1 + Division Overhead] Manufacturer Cost = [Cost of Manufacture + Assembly Labor + Assembly Overhead] ? [1 + Manufacturing Overhead + Manufacturing Profit] + Engineering Expense + Tooling Expense + Facilities Expense Retail Price Equivalent = Manufacturer Cost ? [1 + Dealer Margin] Borroni-Bird Methodology Share of Cost Contributor or Category Share of MSRP (%) MSRP (%) 50. 0 Vehicle Manufacturing 49. 0 17. 0 Fixed Cost 26. 0 7. 0 23. 5 Selling 22. 5 97. 5 Sum of Costs 97. 5 2. 5 Automobile Profit 2. 5 100. 0 MSRP 100. 0 Page 4 The report lists the following values for overhead, profit, and dealer margin: Division Overhead = Supplier Overhead = 0. 20 (We assume that division and supplier overheads are equal; only the supplier overhead is given in the report. ) Manufacturing Overhead = 0. 25 Manufacturing Profit = 0. 20 Dealer Margin = 0. 25 Because the documentation in the OTA report does not provide values for â€Å"Assembly Labor,† â€Å"Assembly Overhead,† â€Å"Engineering Expense,† â€Å"Tooling Expense,† and â€Å"Facilities Expense,† cost multipliers cannot be computed directly from these data. The â€Å"Assembly Labor† and â€Å"Assembly Overhead† share of MSRP is 6. 5% in Borroni-Bird’s presentation. The engineering, tooling, and facilities expenses can be taken as the sum of â€Å"RD/Engineering† and â€Å"Depreciation and Amortization† from the ANL methodology, at 12% of the MSRP. In deriving the division cost and price relationship below, we use the term Retail Price Equivalent (RPE) from the OTA report instead of MSRP. The RPE can be computed as follows: RPE = = = {[Division Cost ? 1. 2 + 0. 065 RPE] ? 1. 45 + 0. 12 RPE} ? 1. 25 Division Cost ? 2. 175 + 0. 268 RPE Division Cost ? 2. 175/(1 – 0. 268) = Division Cost ? 2. 97 Putting ANL and EEA Methodologies on a Common Basis As it was described in the OTA report, the EEA methodology did not provide enough data to compute the cost multipliers. We assumed some cost shares to be the same between the EEA, Borroni-Bird, and ANL methodologies while developing the above relationship between Division Cost and RPE. The EEA methodology is based on the material and labor costs of a division of the vehicle manufacturer, with other costs added on. The ANL methodology evaluates an assembled vehicle, using the vehicle manufacturing cost as the base cost. The ANL methodology also assigns additional costs to the outsourced components, whereas the treatment of such components is not clear in the EEA methodology. We have attempted to develop a common basis for the ANL and EEA methodologies by assigning shares of the final vehicle price, RPE in the EEA methodology, to individual cost categories similar to those listed in Table 1. Table 4 presents such a summary for the EEA methodology. Three cost contributors, â€Å"Division Cost,† â€Å"Division Overhead,† and â€Å"Assembly Labor and Overhead,† are combined under the â€Å"Vehicle Manufacturing† category. Two cost contributors, â€Å"Manufacturing Overhead† and â€Å"Engineering, Tooling, and Facilities Expenses,† combine to form the â€Å"Overhead† category. The â€Å"Dealer Margin† in the EEA methodology represents a factor applied to all manufacturer costs and profit. We assumed that this factor represents all costs of selling the vehicle. Although the profit is computed at the manufacturing level by EEA, we moved the profit to the bottom of the table to be consistent with prior tables. The cost allocation in Table 4 allows us to compute the in-house components cost multiplier as follows: Cost multiplier for in-house components = 100/(33. 7 + 6. 7 + 6. 5) = 2. 14 Page 5 To compute the cost multiplier for an outsourced component, one more assumption is necessary. In the ANL methodology, we assumed that the supplier will bear the costs of â€Å"Warranty,† â€Å"RD Engineering,† and â€Å"Depreciation and Amortization. † However, the EEA methodology does not identify the warranty cost separately. We assumed it to be half of â€Å"Manufacturing Overhead† at 5. 05%. This, with the earlier assumption related to â€Å"Engineering, Tooling, and Facilities Expenses,† led to the following computation: Cost multiplier for outsourced components = 100/(33. 7 + 6. 7 + 6. 5 + 5. 05 + 12) = 1. 56. These multipliers, adapted from our extension of theE EA information on vehicle costs, are very close to those derived from the ANL and Borroni-Bird methodologies. Table 4 Contributors to Retail Price Equivalent in EEA Methodology Cost Category Cost Contributor a Vehicle Manufacturing Overhead Selling Sum of Costs Profit Manufacturing Profit Total Contribution to RPE a Division Cost a Division Overhead Assembly Labor and a Overhead Manufacturing Overhead Engineering, Tooling, and Facilities Expenses Dealer Margin Relative to Cost of Vehicle Manufacturing 0. 72 0. 14 0. 14 0. 22 0. 26 0. 49 1. 97 0. 17 2. 14 Share of RPE (%) 33. 7 6. 7 6. 5 10. 1 12. 0 22. 9 91. 9 8. 1 100. 0 These three cost contributors are scaled to sum to 1 in the third column, as in Table 1. Comparison of ANL and EEA Methodologies The information from Tables 1 and 4 is presented in terms of cost categories in Table 5 for easy comparison. The â€Å"Vehicle Manufacturing† cost share is 46. 9% in the EEA methodology, compared with 50% in the ANL methodology. EEA’s RPE share of 22. 1% by overhead is lower than the ANL value of 24%. The cost of selling is 22. 9% in the EEA methodology, which is close to the ANL value of 23. 5%. The largest difference is in the RPE share by profit, which is 8. 1% in the EEA methodology, more than three times the ANL value of 2. 5%. According to Economic Indicators: The Motor Vehicle’s Role in the U. S. Economy (American Automobile Manufacturers Association 1998), the average net income before taxes for the three domestic manufacturers was 3. 9% during 1994-1997. Aside from vehicle sales, this value (3. 9%) includes income from spare parts sales and vehicle financing. Thus, the profit share appears very high in the EEA methodology. The absolute differences – computed as ANL value minus EEA value – are 3. 1% for component/material cost, 1. 9% for overhead, 0. 6% for selling, and –5. 6% for profit. Page 6 Table 5 Comparison of Price Allocation by ANL and EEA Methodologies ANL Methodology Cost Contributor or Category Vehicle Manufacturing Production Overhead Corporate Overhead Selling Sum of Costs Profit MSRP SUMMARY An attempt to put three methodologies for automobile cost allocation on a common basis is presented in this technical memorandum. This comparison was carried out to verify the reasonableness of the cost multipliers used in ANL’s cost models for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. When put into a common format, by means of certain assumptions, the three approaches yielded the cost multipliers provided in Table 6. Table 6 Summary of Cost Multipliers Computed on a Common Basis Multiplier for In-House Components Outsourced Components ACKNOWLEDGMENT Funding for the analysis presented here was provided by the Planning and Assessment function of the Office of Transportation Technologies of the U. S. Department of Energy, managed by Dr. Philip Patterson. This technical memorandum is produced under U. S. Government contract No. W-31-109-Eng-38. REFERENCES American Automobile Manufacturers Association, 1998, Economic Indicators: The Motor Vehicle’s Role in the U. S. Economy, Detroit, Mich. Borroni-Bird, C. , 1996, â€Å"Automotive Fuel Cell Requirements,† Proceedings of the 1996 Automotive Technology Development Customers’ Coordination Meeting, U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Transportation Technologies, Washington, D. C. ANL 2. 00 1. 50 Borroni-Bird 2. 05 1. 56 EEA 2. 14 1. 56 EEA Methodology Share of Cost Contributor or Category MSRP (%) 50. 0 Vehicle Manufacturing 17. 0 Overhead 7. 0 23. 5 Selling 97. 5 Sum of Costs 2. 5 Profit 100. 0 RPE Share of RPE (%) 46. 9 22. 1 22. 9 91. 9 8. 1 100. 0 Page 7 Cuenca, R. M. , L. L. Gaines, and A. D. Vyas, 2000, Evaluation of Electric Vehicle Production and Operating Costs, Argonne National Laboratory Report ANL/ESD-41, Argonne, Ill. (to be published). Vyas, A. , R. Cuenca, and L. Gaines, 1998, â€Å"An Assessment of Electric Vehicle Life Cycle Costs to Consumers,† Proceedings of the 1998 Total Life Cycle Conference, SAE International Report P339, Warrendale, Penn. , pp. 161-172.

Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers

Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002. Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002. Clean Coal and Its Potential Essay -- Energy Coal Fuel Essays Papers Clean Coal and Its Potential With the United States' increasing addiction for petroleum and imported energy, many organizations have begun to pressure government agencies to consider cleaner methods for fuel. As evident from recent government spending, the current administration favors the generation of electricity through a fossil fuel abundant in the United States; coal. Though coal is widely seen as a cheap source of energy, it contains many drawbacks: it’s emissions. Clean coal alternatives are available and they appear to have a promising future in the world of non-renewable energy. Coal, when used in the traditional manner, is the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet. The combustion of coal releases a combination of harmful emissions into the surrounding atmosphere. These include but are not limited to NOx, SO2, CO2, and trace amounts of mercury (Rinstinen). Effects of these emissions are seen in the accumulation of low-level ozone, global warming, and acid rain. Despite these devastating affects coal remains the largest single producer of energy in the US (Schobert). With so many coal burning plants already in operation, and the obvious benefits of coal’s energy potential, scientists have set out to harness coal’s good properties while at the same time protect the earth from it’s devastating short-comings. The answer to the current debate over coal’s future seems to lie in the idealist potential of Clean Coal. It’s potential is so great that President Bush has poured millions of dollars into the Federal Budget to stimulate Clean Coal development and initiatives. Currently, countless plants from the 1950’s and 1960’s have become decommissioned or are in need of replacements; the need to reinv... ...the non-renewable energies require too many additional processes to be considered a sustainable fuel for the future. Works Cited "Clean Coal Technology: How It Works." BBC News. 28 Nov. 2005. bbc.co.uk. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle." Cogeneration. 8 Jan. 2004. CogenerationTechnologies. 14 Feb. 2007 . "Prospects For CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) – Fact Sheet." Iea.Org. 15 Feb. 2006. International Energy Agency. 14 Feb. 2007 . Ristinen, Robert A., and Jack J. Kraushaar. Energy and the Environment. New York & London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Schobert, Harold H. Energy and Society. New York & London: Taylor and Francis, 2002.

Policing Levels, Roles, and Functions

As a Police Chief and seeing and experiencing a high degree of turnover in the department heads, and having to do a budget for the new fiscal year. This could be a trying time. Now the Mayor wants to hold a workshop with all the department heads and this is going to be tricky in getting everything done. The information that I will need to put together are:†¢Budget †¢Training †¢ManpowerIn addition, reports on crime and critical issues facing the city. Let us talk about the budget first! Here are the steps that I need to take: †¢I need to come up with a reasonable objective to the new fiscal year. As the Chief, I should have a preliminary figure and it should be realistic. I know that I can tweak it throughout the year. †¢I also know to consult other members of the department. For the reason that they know more about the day – to – day operation. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Analyze inflow. Realistic expectations of income require analysis of the preceding budge ts. Before inputting preliminary numbers, compare month – to – month, quarter – to – quarter, and year – to – year figures from the previous year.†(n.d., Withrow)†¢Analyze outflow. Determine the unexpected expenses that might have an important factor on the budget. For instance, anyone retiring, any layoffs, possible hiring, training and any cost training and equipment for new employees. In addition, is any office equipment in need of updating? †¢Now to prepare the budget. Before I do the final draft, I should consult with other department managers. For the reason it could have an impact on the budget.Budgets need to be adjusting in order to have everything you need to run an operation. Now let us talk about training. As more and more higher-level officers are approaching retirement age and are retiring early, this is a problem for many police departments. Some will ignore the problem or would not think there is a crisis. Now I need to implement a Succession Planning Program to replace those that are leaving. For the most part, I do  have a plan to replace people leaving the department, but I do not have one for supervisors and managers. â€Å"The successor program I need to develop are more critical path in replacing investigators, specialists, supervisors, and managers,†(June 2006, Michaelson). Usually the human resource is responsible for developing future supervisors and managers programs. It is to my benefit to help the human resource office in developing a new program for future leaders.We could â€Å"develop the necessary skills or competencies based experiential set of scenarios, assignments, rotations, mentoring and coaching opportunities, and evaluations not only to provide the candidates with this experience but also to enable the agency to gain the benefit from this experience and information.†(June 2006, Michealson). I can assign young officers with veteran officers and give them opportunity to carry out a few tasks:†¢Ã¢â‚¬ Plan an event †¢Write a training bulletin †¢Review and make recommendations to improve or update department policies or procedures†¢Conduct training †¢Conduct research †¢Write a proposal †¢Write a grant †¢Write a newsletter article †¢Manage a committee write a report on the committee's actions and recommendations, evaluate the committee's success, and make a presentation on the committee's findings. †¢Assess equipment and supplies, research replacement costs and options, and recommend replacing or updating them †¢Counsel peers†¢Become mentor to young officers and college students †¢Make a presentation to a local community group †¢Conduct a program evaluation with recommendations †¢Write contingency plans†¢Write after – action plans †¢Work on unit effectiveness report, to include use of statistical analysis †¢Review the department's and the jurisdiction's master plan †¢Review staffing and budget requirements for the current and upcoming fiscal year †¢Determine how staffing and budget will affect the role of Sergeants and Lieutenants.† (June 2006,Michaelson).Even doing this I cannot forget the responsibilities of the â€Å"individual preparation for leadership, which requires:†¢Undertaking a formal academic course of study †¢Taking a team leadership role in department activities †¢Participating and leading in civil opportunities, such as parent – teacher associations and civic clubs †¢Networking with peers †¢Engaging in intellectual discussion groups†¢Attending voluntary conferences and training sessions †¢Reading the professional literature †¢Studying national and local reports and analyzing the reports results †¢Using the Web as a resource †¢Serving as a guest lecturer in college class or accepting other speaking engagement †¢Engaging i n research and reporting the findings.† (June 2006, Michaelson).In developing all of this, I still need to have all of it documented. This way I have the accomplishments and failures of them. Then I can advance them as needed. If my police department ends up becoming short of officers due to them leaving, retiring, etc. I could implement a program called Part-Time Reserve Police Officers. â€Å"Their responsibilities would consist of:†¢City hall security detail †¢Police department lobby entrance staffing to assist visitors †¢Increased law enforcement presence during special events †¢Prisoners transport and guarding for court appearances, medical care, and interjurisdictional transports †¢Uniform patrol augmental when staffing shortages occur as a result of long – term illnesses, injuries, workers' compensation leave, vacations, training, and so on †¢Supplemental resource for section commanders when incidents or details develop †¢Resou rce for disaster  incidents such as floods.† (January 2012, Williams, Crowe, and Lowe)â€Å"PTR police officers have reduced employment costs because part-time employees do ot earn vacation or sick time, holiday pay does not apply, and health care and retirement benefits are not available. These officers are issued department equipment and are covered by workers' compensation insurance for work-related medical incidents.† (January 2012, Williams, Crowe, Lowe)Now for crime report and critical issues, my sergeants and lieutenants could give me this information. Therefore, I would do these things as Chief of police. In which the budget, work force, training, crime report and the critical issue report, would be met for the fiscal year and for the workshop.

Abercrombie & FItch vs American Eagle Essay

INTRODUCTION Fashion may be defined as a way of living, decorating, etc., which is popular today, but will soon lose their popularity. It is something passing and temporary, a simple craze of the moment to be looked down upon with dislike. For example, tight pants are the fashion today, but only a short while ago broad loose pants were the order of the day. If today a man appears in society wearing broad pants, he would be held up to ridicule, but only a few years ago they were the height of fashion, symbols of good taste and culture. American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) and Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) are two companies that play a major role in the clothing industry. The following discussion with compare and contrast the competitive advantages of the supply chain of the two companies. COMPANY HISTORY AEO American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., a billion dollar corporation, is ranked as one of the largest retail chains in America. With their central corporate headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and two other corporate facilities located in New York City and Tokyo, Japan, American Eagle, Inc. operates numerous mainline stores, factory stores, franchised stores, and distribution centers across the country and the globe. In 1977, brothers, Jerry and Mark Silverman, who owned and operated Silverman’s Menswear, a Retail Ventures, Inc. company, founded American Eagle Outfitters. Opening their first store in Novi, Michigan at Twelve Oaks Mall, the Silverman brothers were hoping to diversify their menswear line (AEO Management Co., 2013). Several stores were opened up and a catalog was created. American Eagle Outfitters continued to grow into 1990, when Jacob Price took over which led to the introduction of casual, private-label merchandise for men and women. In 1994, American Eagle Outfitters became  part of the NASDAQ stock exchange, which enabled the opening of 90 stores the following year (AEO Management Co., 2013). In 1996, new executives joined AEO and decided to modify the target demographics of the target market and reach more women, as well as focus on those who were between the ages of 18 and 32. Shortly after, American Eagle expanded to e-commerce with ae.com. By 2000, American Eagle operated 500 stores and revenues for the company quintupled to $1 billion. The Canadian market was penetrated in 2001 and in 2003 American Eagle expanded to Hawaii. Aerie, a brand extension of American Eagle, focusing on intimates for women, was launched in 2006. Another line extension, 77kids, which offered clothing for babies to pre-teen girls and boys, was established online in 2008 and the first 77kids store was opened in 2010. Today, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. operates over 1,000 stores, including 911 American Eagle Outfitters stores, 158 Aerie stores, and 21 77Kids stores, 21 of which are franchised around the globe. Additionally, ae.com, which includes links to Aerie and 77kids, reaches 77 countries. American Eagle Outfitters offers apparel, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. Clothing merchandise is comprised of denims, sweaters, graphic T’s, fleece and sweatshirts, outerwear, tops and shirts, dresses, and skirts. Shoe merchandise includes sneakers, boots, flats, sandals, slippers, clogs, heals, loafers and socks. Accessories merchandise consists of jewelry, hats, sunglasses, scarves, bags, perfume and cologne, purses, and wallets. Aerie offers merchandise for college girls that include dorm wear, such as sweats and pajamas, exercise apparel, bras, underwear, accessories, and some personal care items. 77kids offers apparel for infants, children, and preteen girls and boys (AEO Management Co., 2013). A&F Abercrombie & Fitch originated in 1891 as a retail sporting goods store based in New York City. It was known for its wide variety of expensive and often exotic sporting equipment and attire, ranging from tennis shoes to elephant guns. For more than half a century, the store’s apparel, guns, tackle, and other merchandise were the image of wealth and prestige. When it expanded, the firm confined its new branch stores to downtown areas of large cities and to resort areas. In the early 1970s, Abercrombie & Fitch attempted to widen its customer base by adding less-expensive items to its usual stock and by moving into the suburbs, where other stores had been building for some time. Although these steps did attract new customers, they came too late; Abercrombie & Fitch was in financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy in 1976 after 85 years in business (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2013). Oshman’s Sporting Goods, Inc. bought the firm in1978. In 1988 Abercrombie & Fitch was bought by The Limited, Inc (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2013). Repositioned as the trademarked â€Å"casual luxury† brand, it became parent to the subsidiary brands Abercrombie kids, a children’s line launched in 1998 and marketed as Abercrombie; Hollister Co., a line for younger teens launched in 2000; RUEHL No. 925, a line targeting post-graduate s launched in 2004; and Gilly Hicks, a women’s line launched in 2008. Following Abercrombie & Fitch’s overhaul, the company received significant criticism for its advertising and its clothing, which were perceived by many as encouraging its target audience to adopt a sexually promiscuous lifestyle (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2013). MISSION STATEMENT AEO American Eagle has a clearly defined set of â€Å"corporate values† which guides the actions of employees at all levels of the AE organization: PEOPLE The vitality of our company resides in our people. We collaborate, we engage, we achieve (About.com, 2013). INTEGRITY We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards. In the face of difficulties and challenges, we don’t compromise (About.com, 2013). PASSION Our passion infuses our actions and purpose. It transforms stores into places of energy and customer delight (About.com, 2013). INNOVATION We operate in a dynamic and competitive industry. We continually refine the unique processes that drive our business, and we use insightful research and analysis to balance our instinct and to guide our decisions. Our associates embody entrepreneurial spirit, develop creative solutions, and initiate change (About.com, 2013). TEAMWORK We work together – listening to one another, reaching consensus and supporting group decisions. We celebrate achievements. Because we respect and trust one another and commit ourselves to our company goals, our teamwork succeeds (About.com, 2013). Additionally American Eagle has a service goal that guides employees in their everyday retailing tasks: â€Å"We respond to the needs of our customer and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done (About.com, 2013).† A&F â€Å"Abercrombie and Fitch focuses upon high-quality merchandise that compliments the casual classic American lifestyle (About.com, 2013).†   But beyond that simple mission statement, Abercrombie & Fitch emphasizes its brand vision, brand attributes, and the value of the Abercrombie & Fitch brand, which has been of ultimate importance since CEO Mike Jeffries took on the leadership role. Abercrombie & Fitch has said this about its brand to its stakeholders: â€Å"The A&F brand is more authentic and relevant than ever. The brand is our lifestyle, our focus—it ensures growth and promises stability. A great brand is a center of growth and revenue—it represents a relationship with customers. It’s not a faddish chip to be cashed in on shortsighted gains. The value of having a great brand is far-reaching and cannot be overstated—it’s a snowball effect. The A&F label gives us the ability to evolve, creating endless growth opportunities. It helps us attract the brightest, most talented young people from around the country. It attracts millions to our website. It allows for greater profit margins. It lessens the risk of moving on new business concepts. It promotes innovation. It ensures long-term profitability. It adds built-in value to everything we produce. It accelerates growth. It stabilizes. It gives focus and direction. It produces an emotional response in consumers (About.com, 2013).† Comparing these two mission statements, it is clear that American Eagle Outfitters is focused more on just their merchandise, unlike Abercrombie & Fitch. AEO has a passion not only for their brand and employees but their consumers as well. While A&F, is only focused on their brand not on the  operational execution of its employees, or the experience of its customers. This holds true of A&F because recently their CEO, Mike Jeffries, came under fire for reportedly saying they only target to â€Å"thin and beautiful people† which is why they do not sell or make any size over 10 or large for women. Mike Jeffries has said, â€Å"That’s why we hire good-looking people because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that (Walker, 2013).† On A&F’s website, they claim to embrace diversity throughout the entire organization but what Mike Jeffries has been quoted saying, is contradictory of what the company claims they are about. â€Å"We are committed to embracing the diversity of our associates and management throughout our organization. On the surface, our dedication to maintaining a diverse working and shopping environment can be easily seen by walking through one of our stores, domestically and internationally. More notably, Abercrombie & Fitch’s commitment can be seen through our exceptional diversity programs, whether they are internal or external, and the results they yield. Diversity reflects the multidimensional insights we share collectively. Simply put, it is imperative to our growth that we staff our business with diverse talent and run our business with an inclusive mindset (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2013).† SUPPLY CHAIN AEO American Eagle Outfitters strategy to improve apparel factory working conditions starts with factory inspections based on their Vendor Code of Conduct. They then focus on remediating the issues they find during those inspections, which often includes additional factory training and capacity building programs (AEO Management Co., 2013). They partner with other brands and retailers, multi-stakeholder organizations, civil society groups, trade unions, governments, and others to better understand and address what is happening in the factories and countries where their clothes are made. By working together, they strive to  collectively develop more sustainable solutions to the problems they find (AEO Management Co., 2013). Finally, they are committed to being obvious about how they are doing. By reporting publicly on their efforts, this is one of the many ways they ensure that they remain focused on their goals, disciplined in their efforts, and accountability for their performance (AEO Management Co., 2013). A&F Abercrombie & Fitch has very tight control over the design and manufacturing of their clothing. To help the company keep control, have higher margins and protect the brand, they design their own ranges which are manufactured exclusively for A&F. The head office for A&F is located in Ohio and is called â€Å"The Campus†. At this location, there is a center known as the â€Å"Innovative Design Center†. Here, a dedicated team uses over 100 wash, quality assurance, lab and graphic machines (Webb, 2009). They are responsible for merchandise design and development. â€Å"Design packages† were created by the company to reduce the time and cost of product development (Webb, 2009). These design packages are then given to the vendors. By keeping strict control over design, manufacturing and product development, the company is able to protect the brand from being copied and having the image damaged. By having greater control, it allows A&F to deliver on their promise to the customer and consumer. This in turn creates a relationship based on trust and gives them a competitive advantage. Again, with Abercrombie & Fitch, they are more focused on keeping control of their brand and image, while American Eagle Outfitters are trying to improve factory conditions for their workers. This once again proves that A&F does not care about their people. CONCLUSION In summary, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters play a significant role in the clothing industry. While A&F’s practices are some  what contradictory and outlandish, AEO remains the opposite. A&F needs to take a cue from AEO and focus more on their consumers than just their brand. There is no question why it is that AEO is ranked at 649 on the Fortune 1000 List and A&F is trailing behind them at 651 (Salesforce, 2013). Works Cited Abercrombie & Fitch. (2013). Diversity Commitment. Retrieved from A&F Cares: http://www.anfcares.org/diversity/commitment.jsp About.com. (2013). Abercrombie & Fitch Mission Statement. Retrieved from About.com: http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/Abercrombie—Fitch-Mission-Statement.htm About.com. (2013). American Eagle Company Mission Statement. Retrieved from About.com: http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailbestpractices/ig/Company-Mission-Statements/American-Eagle-Mission-Values.htm AEO Management Co. (2013). AEO History. Retrieved from American Eagle Outfitters: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=81256&p=irol-history AEO Management Co. (2013). AEO Supply Chain. Retrieved from American Eagle Outfitters: http://www.ae.com/web/corpResp/supply_chain/our_strategy.jsp Encyclopedia Britannica Online. (2013). Abercrombie & Fitch. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1121/ Abercrombie-Fitch Salesforce. (2013). Fortune 1000 Company List. Retrieved from Data.com Connect: https://connect.data.com/directory/company/fortune/1000 Walker, T. (2013, May 08). Not available in XL. Retrieved from The Indepedent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/not-available-in-xl-abercrombie–fitch-ceo-mike-jeffries-accused-of-only-wanting-thin-and-beautiful-people-8608022.html Webb, B. (2009). Managing the Fashion Brand Case Study Assignment.

Early Literacy Education Essays

Early Literacy Education Essays Early Literacy Education Essay Early Literacy Education Essay There has been a popular phrase that purports that â€Å"music is a universal language†. Even in the past, the relationship between music and language has been addressed by musicians, philosophers, and scholars (Bernstein, 1976). The musicologist Curt Sachs (1943) proposed that â€Å"music began with singing†. Comparisons between music and language are prompted by the strong similarities between the two. Both have an inherent structure and evolve over a temporal continuum, both have a meaning for the listener, and are innate expressions of human capacities. In music and in language there is a phonetic, a syntactic, and a semantic level.When children go to school, their experiences extend and enrich language learning. While some children come to school with an extensive ability to communicate, others need help in developing a rich repertoire of shared meanings. The subjects in school are embedded in the development of many verbal communication skills. When mastered, the children can easily learn concepts through songs as they become an aid to thinking.In this case, we can deem that music and language are both modes of communication, yet they have different goals. Generally speaking, while the primary aim of language is to communicate thought, one of the main goals of music is to heighten emotions and express them aesthetically. Music is born out of the need to express ourselves and to communicate aesthetically through the abstractness and the characteristics of sound (Aiello Sloboda, 1994, p. 42). As young children enjoy listening and talking in natural settings, music can be a useful tool in the learning process of children. The lyrics of familiar songs and nursery rhymes give children the opportunity to repeat familiar words and phrases in a joyful way.The magnanimous impact of music to literacy has been supported by a study by Smith (May 2000). In the article entitled â€Å"Singing and Songwriting Support Early Literacy Instruction†, Smi th provided examples of singing and songwriting activities that can support early literacy instruction in the areas of letter names and sounds, phonemic awareness, print conventions, background knowledge, vocabulary, decoding, and writing. Smith recommended that these methods can aid readers to adapt and expand upon his ideas to create their own singing and songwriting literacy activities.Summary of Smith’s ArticleSmith (2000) obtained previous studies behind the advocacy of using the arts in education. He mentioned that Dean and Gross (1992), Eisner (1992) and Hanna (1992) all agreed that art, music, dance, and drama activities can be used effectively in a variety of academic, social, and personal benefits for students. Smith suggested that meta-analyses of arts education research studies inferred that music activities in particular are â€Å"strongly associated with nonmusical curricular outcomes†. In fact, many studies have proven that music activities can augment à ¢â‚¬Å"students’ academic performance (Miller Coen, 1994), social skills (Surace, 1992), and content learning (Kassell, 1997)†.Across the world, teachers are working to improve the literacy performance of their students. Many teachers have created and implemented innovative approaches to translate current research into classroom practices. Given the explosion of information available about early literacy development, teachers are considering new approaches to their instructional repertoires. For example, we know that a young childs developing literacy skills are exercised when â€Å"emergent readers hear, sing, discuss, play with, and write songs, they are building important background knowledge that they will draw upon during later reading and writing experiences. With each new song, students learn concepts and word meanings that they will encounter in print† (Smith, 2000).Smith revealed that educators have suggested ways to use music to help students learn â₠¬Å"alphabet sounds and letters (Page, 1995), develop phonemic awareness (Ericson ; Juliebo, 1998; Yopp ; Yopp, 1997), and build vocabulary (Jalongo ; Ribblett, 1997). McCracken and McCracken (1998) describe activities for using nursery rhymes and songs to teach print conventions and basic spelling patterns†. In a similar study by Jalongo and Ribblett (1997), they supported that reading teachers have looked upon children’s memorization of a favorite book as unconnected to â€Å"real† reading. This is why, educators now know, based on emergent literacy research, that an important breakthrough in the literacy process occurs when a child knows a few books so well that he or she can tell if any portion of the text has been skipped or altered. Teachers also recognize that the typical young child arrives at school with a repertoire of memorized song lyrics, both contemporary and traditional, and that this oral language, when supported by written texts and musical enjoym ent, can become a valuable resource for reading instruction (Jalongo ; Ribblett, 1997).This is why Smith (2000) identified several literacy instructions (letter names and sounds, phonemic awareness, print conventions, background knowledge, vocabulary, decoding, and writing) where singing and songwriting can suitably be used. Smith (2000) provided salient examples where songs can be an aid in these areas. For example, in letter names and sounds, Smith (2000) identified that â€Å"pointing to the letters on the ABC song chart while singing the song helps my students establish a visual representation for each letter†. He also suggested that â€Å"follow-up activities to further reinforce learning of the letter names include having students chant the letter names as the teacher points to them in random order, and matching activities with alphabet letter cards or plastic magnetic letters. As students become familiar with the letter names, they can use letter cards to reconstruct the ABC song chart on the floor or a tabletop†. Smith (2000) even shared his experience in using â€Å"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star† to help his first-grade beginning readers understand that vowel letters make both long and short sounds. More importantly, Smith (2000) suggested that songwriting activities could assist in reading instruction because it â€Å"complements the joys and learning opportunities associated with singing†. To enable students to create their original lyrics, or even â€Å"re-writing† lyrics to an existing song could be a participative activity for both children and teacher because the teacher can suggest the song’s text and melodic patterns to support students’ songwriting efforts. Thus, â€Å"repetitive and cumulative songs provide extra support for initial songwriting in the same way that pattern and predictable books provide extra support for initial reading†.Critique of Smith’s ArticleSmith (2000) liste d the various ways teachers can enrich their early literacy lessons through songs and songwriting. He enumerated specific areas of literacy (letter names and sounds, phonemic awareness, print conventions, background knowledge, vocabulary, decoding, and writing) where music can assist and how songs can be used in these areas. Smith (2000) backed his suggestions with previous studies and his own experiences to prove the viability of the suggestions. With this, we can laud the author’s success in making his point by suggesting these methods. Smith (2000) made sure that the â€Å"use and interpretation of information† in his article is effective because he provided clear examples and even included the song lyrics used in his examples. Moreover, the author’s logic and the coherence of the article are satisfactory enough to be understood by common people who could find a good use of the methods he suggested.However, nowhere in the article where readers can actually pr ove scientifically that indeed song and songwriting can indeed effectuate learning to students. What Smith did was just list down possible methods, without mentioning the â€Å"measurable† outcome of these methods when applied by actual teachers. Thus, Smith’s article can fall short of just being an enumeration of activities using song and songwriting to early literacy education, without mentioning the rate of effectiveness of these methods. It leaves everything to the teachers to do the trial-and-error work to know which of these lessons can be assured to work as expected.ConclusionIndeed, music can transform into an integral part of instruction for students with special needs because it allows all children to participate in an activity at their ability level and provides a sense of community. In fact, music is one of Gardner’s (1993) multiple intelligences and, as such, combines various modalities to enhance learning (Edwards, 2002). Music is fun. It is joyful , nonjudgmental, noncompetitive, and predicable. This is why Smith (2000) had observed it as a viable tool to aid the literacy education of children. One use of songs in literacy is that songs hook the children into reading and listening comprehension. Children can easily understand the story when they sing and act out the story line, determine sequence of events, analyze characters, and much more. Light (2004) even revealed that songs can even help students tune into directions by singing them. Traditional work songs were written to make jobs more fun. Use traditional tunes with your own words. For example, â€Å"This is the way we wash our clothes † can become â€Å"This is the way we get our coats † (Press, 2006).Despite the observed flaw of Smith’s article due to the fact that it just enumerated methods but did not quantify the efficacy of each method, it can still be considered as a valuable reading for early literacy educators because of the specific areas it identified where songs and songwriting can be useful. It definitely could serve as an effective springboard to future studies in the areas of early literacy education methods and this study could be extended by measuring the effectiveness of each method and used in different scenarios like bilingual early literacy learners.;

Why Teaching is Fun

Why Teaching is Fun Full Disclosure: Inspiration can come from anywhere. This morning I was telling my seven-year-old son that I had to write an article. I told him that I did not even know what I was going to write about. He immediately said, â€Å"Why don’t you write about why teaching is fun.† Thank you Kaden for inspiring me! Teaching is fun! If you are a teacher and do not generally agree with that statement, then perhaps it is time for you to find another career choice. I would agree that there are days when fun is not a word I would use to describe my profession. There are times when teaching is frustrating, disappointing, and disheartening. However, generally speaking, it is a fun profession for many reasons. Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because no two days are the same. Each day brings a different challenge and a different outcome. Even after teaching for twenty years, the next day will present something you haven’t seen before.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you get to see those â€Å"light bulb† moments. That is the moment where everything just clicks for a student. It is in these moments that students are able to take the information learned and apply it to real life situations.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you get to explore the world with your students on field trips. It is fun to get out of the classroom from time to time. You get to expose students to environments that they may not otherwise be exposed to.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you are instantly a role model. Your students naturally look up to you. They often hang on your every word. In their eyes, you can do no wrong. You have a tremendous influence on them.Teach ing is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you can see growth and improvement as a result of your time with your students.   It is amazing how much your students will grow from the beginning to the end of the year. Knowing it is a direct result of your hard work is satisfying. Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you get to see students who fall in love with learning.   It does not happen with every student, but for the ones who do it is special.   The sky is the limit for a student who genuinely loves to learn.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you grow, develop, and change as you gain more teaching experience.   Good teachers are constantly tinkering with how they operate their classroom. They are never satisfied with the status quo.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦because you help students set and reach goals. Goal setting is a huge part of a teacher’s job. We not only help students set goals, but we celebrate with them when they reach them.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because it gives the opportunity to have a positive impact on young people on daily basis.   Every day presents an opportunity to make a difference. You never know when something you do or say will make an impact.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you see former students, and they thank you for making a difference.   It is extremely gratifying when you see former students in public, and they share their success stories and give you credit for impacting their life. Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because you get to build close relationships with other teachers who share similar experiences and understand the commitment that it takes to be an excellent teacher.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because of a friendly school calendar.   We are routinely discounted for getting summers off when most of us spend time honing our craft during those few months. However, having holidays off and a lengthy transition period between school years is a plus.Teaching is fun..........because you can help recognize, encourage, and cultivate talent.   As teachers recognize when students have talent in areas such as art or music. We are able to steer these talented students towards the gifts they are naturally blessed with.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you see former students grow up and become successful adults.   As a teacher, one of your major goals is to have every student eventually make positive contributions to society. You succeed whe n they succeed.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you are able to work collaboratively with parents for the benefit of the student. It is a beautiful thing when parents and teachers work together throughout the educational process. No one benefits more than the student. Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you invest in improving the culture of your school and can see a significant difference.   Teachers work hard to help other teachers improve. They also work diligently to improve the overall school climate and provide a safe learning environment.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you see your students excel in extracurricular activities.   Extracurricular activities such as athletics play a critical role in schools across America. A sense of pride is developed when your students are successful in these activities.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..because you are given opportunities to reach a child that no one else has been able to reach.   You cannot reach them all, but you always hope that someone else comes along who can.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you have a creative idea for a lesson and the students absolutely love it.   You want to create lessons that become legendary. Lessons that students talk about and look forward to having you in class just to experience them.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when at the end of a rough day and student comes up and gives you hug or tells you how much they appreciate you. A hug from an elementary age or a thank you from an older student can instantly improve your day. Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you have a group of students who want to learn and mesh with your personality.   You can accomplish so much when you and your students are on the same page. Your students will grow exponentially when that is the case.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because it opens up other opportunities to be involved in your community.   Teachers are some of the most recognizable faces in a community.   Being involved in community organizations and projects is rewarding.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when parents recognize the difference you have made in their child and express their gratitude.   Unfortunately, teachers do not often get the recognition for their contributions that they deserve. When a parent expresses gratitude, it makes it worthwhile.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦because each student provides a different challenge.   This keeps you on your toes with no chance of being bored. What works for one student or one class m ay or may not work for the next.Teaching is fun†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦when you work with a group of teachers whom all have similar personalities and philosophies.   Being surrounded by a group of like-minded teachers makes the job easier and more enjoyable.