Rounding Up With The Writers For Hire - The Writers For Hire

ROUNDING UP WITH THE WRITERS FOR HIRE Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at The Writers For Hire? The details of our weekly meetings are usually top secret, reserved only for those with the highest level of security clearance. Sometimes, though, things are just too good not to share. So, here it is†¦ some of the amazingly interesting things that we have discussed (and learned from each other) during recent meetings. What is the Longest Word in the English Language? Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. Do you know what that means? Neither did we! Thanks to an interesting article we found, not only did we learn the meaning; we also learned that Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest word in the English dictionary. We also discovered that there are â€Å"ghost words† in the dictionary, that literally have no meaning. If you want to read more about it, and learn some other fun facts, check out this blog from Grammarly. And as you can probably imagine, we are big language nerds, so we also found this article from Lingoda to be quite fascinating! Internet or internet? As writers, it is our job to know the rules pertaining to the written English language. It’s not always an easy task, though, when the rules keep changing. For example, according to this NY Times article, internet used to be Internet, but is now internet. Confusing, huh? Chaucer Says you CAN Say Ax Did you know that people have been saying â€Å"Ax† instead of â€Å"Ask† for 1,200 years (and that, contrary to what many believe, â€Å"Ax† is not incorrect)?!?Tweet this In fact, according to this Smithsonian article as well as this article from WNYC, even Chaucer used to say â€Å"Ax.† And really, who can argue with the Father of English Literature? The History Behind the Ampersand Have you ever sat and pondered where the Ampersand symbol came from? You know the one†¦ it’s that fancy â€Å"† symbol on your keyboard. Thanks to this article from Medium.com , we have found the answer to that question. Now we will finally be able to sleep at night! What is the right way to write? Whether it is spelling, pronunciation, or punctuation that is in question, it is always helpful to have guides to remind us of the â€Å"correct† way to write things. For example, knowing when to use Em dash vs En dash may not be something you inherently know. And keeping track of when titles should be underlined or italicized can cause even the most experienced writers to go crazy. Prompts for Preventing Writer's Block As writers, there are times when we just need a bit of a kick-start to get our words properly flowing onto paper. We found this article with 500 prompts for narrative and personal writing will help get those creative juices flowing. When the Misuse of Language Causes Legal Trouble Believe it or not, incorrect usage of language can cause major problems (as illustrated in the picture above). As a matter of fact, we found two examples of times when misuse of language could even be the cause of law suits. A company in Maine is learning the importance of the Oxford Comma, in a class-action lawsuit about overtime pay. And this blog from Barnes Thornburg’s Labor Employment Law Department discusses just how the use of emojis in the workplace can cause major legal issues. Who would’ve thought those cute little pictures could cause so much trouble?!? Just for the Love of Language As you can see, we at TWFH spend a great deal of time making sure that we are keeping up with the important changes involved in writing and language. We do try to keep things a bit lighthearted when we can, though. So, in the spirit of lightheartedness, we leave you with these 10 Perfectly Cromulent Words, for your enjoyment.

Composing the Executive-Level Résumé

Composing the Executive-Level Rà ©sumà © In the ever-competitive career world, the executive level career field is a whole nother ballgame when it comes to applying for and landing jobs in the over $100K realm. With the big bucks and greater responsibility of such positions comes the necessity for a bigger and better presentation when applying for such jobs. In short, the executive-level rà ©sumà © is not the same animal as the plain, concise document that lower totem pole positions might present.Breaking the cardinal ruleFirst off, the executive-level rà ©sumà © is not limited to one page. While most all rà ©sumà ©s in the less than executive realm rarely need to be more than a single page (unless youve got 20 years of work experience to present), the executive-level rà ©sumà © gives weighty details for potential employers to peruse. Additionally, a few meaningful sections are added for the executives rà ©sumà © that arent on other run-of-the-mill rà ©sumà ©s.Summary statementThe summary statement is often wron gly used by rà ©sumà © writers, stating some generic job desire one has, replete with career field buzz words to fill it out. However, the executive-level rà ©sumà © should be a succinct sales pitch in a sentence, letting potential employers know just who they are looking at. Essentially, if someone asked the executive to explain their career life and highlights in a short, descriptive paragraph, the summary is it.Core competenciesThis bulleted list of five to ten strong, relevant skills is a snapshot of your full professional experience. In essence, you want to brag about your most impressive abilities here, not simple tasks like administrative duties or general skills, like prospecting for customers. You want meaty, detailed descriptions of important job functions that show the employer you know your industry inside and out.Highlight those accomplishments!Naturally, everyone should be listing professional experience on their rà ©sumà ©. Whats vital to the executive-level rà ©sumà ©, however, is not just the what, where and when, but the accomplishments that you achieved while there. Executives need to boast, boast, boast their greatest accomplishments in the professional experience section, making sure to include important statistics like sales numbers and quotas reached and exceeded, awards gotten, promotions given (and how quickly), etc. Its a dog eat dog world, so employers are typically looking for the best of the best for their exec positions- you must show them that thats you.The rest of the documentOf course, Education and Organizations and Honors are certainly still meaningful categories to include on your executive-level rà ©sumà ©, or any rà ©sumà ©, for that matter. Whats key, again, is pointing out any extra, outstanding things about that education. Were you on honor roll or Deans List? Did you receive any specific awards or get accepted into elite programs while in college?Military experience and fraternal organizations are equally a s important when it comes to the Organizations and Honors details. Many a bond has been struck by an interviewer when they learn the potential new exec they are questioning is also an ex-Army man or Freemason. Dont miss the chance to point out such associations- they can give you that extra edge.Cover your basesFinally, always package your executive rà ©sumà © with a strong, positive cover letter highlighting your most impressive abilities and accomplishments. That letter should be a tightly written, one-page document that truly sells you as the best choice for the job. And finally, dont get discouraged when you dont land a job in the first few weeks, or even months, of your search. The executive-level job field is highly competitive and specialized, but with a strong rà ©sumà © and perseverance, youre bound to land that next top-notch position in time!

Hospitality Property Operations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospitality Property Operations - Assignment Example However, in reality, the previous stock is not fully utilized and wasted awfully and there is the overstock of supplies also been observed in the hotel of which some is spoiled as well. In order to maintain cleanliness and other satisfaction is driven parameters for the customers, the storeroom remains open all the time and everyone has the access to it. There is no proper placement of supply items in the storeroom rather there is a mess of supplies everywhere even in the telephone room. The supplies are not rightly used by the housekeeping staff like shampoos are used for cleaning the bathtub and furniture polish is used over Formica which though seems chemically effective but not the right way thus resulting in increased cost. Another issue is that things are not fully used that contributes to additional costs like everyday soap and shampoo is added to every washroom even previous is still there. Garbage bags of large size are often used that are half filled and thrown away despite using the smaller one to optimize their usage. The management structure needs to be autocratic and hierarchic to mold the behavior of the staff and to keep the check on them while using the supplies. A position may be created and the personnel may be dedicated full time for the purpose. There must be someone responsible for the storeroom and only limited access be provided to the staff. Another issue is that things are not fully used that contributes to additional costs like everyday soap and shampoo is added to every washroom even previous is still there. Garbage bags of large size are often used that are half filled and thrown away despite using the smaller one to optimize their usage.

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Final Exam - Essay Example The second speech talks intensively about the second largest wide celebrated international football, The Asian Cup. It explains the onset of the Asian Cup and their frequency of holding their sporting activities that happens every two years. The main aim of the speech is to address the soccer audience who are mainly the fans and the organisers of the Asian Cup football the benefit of holding their games at different times with the FIFA World Cup organisers. This in their view attracts more countries to take part in the competition thereby enhancing the football. This is noted as over the years, the number of countries participating in The Asian Cup competition increases. The strategy used in the speech is descriptive in nature. This is because the speaker clearly describes the origin of The Asian Cup competition, its expansion and the present stage and status of the competition as a unifying factor of many Asian countries which had been at wars with each other (King Lee 2004). The third speech focuses on the Asian Football Confederation, comparing its strength with other soccer confederation of the world. The speaker here illustrates the necessary requirements of taking part in the AFC Champions league tournaments. The main objective of the speech is to give clarity on the importance and position of the AFC Champions league in the world football. This is evident from the speech when he notes that the qualifiers in the AFC Champions league take part in the FIFA World Cup competitions, which is the worldwide celebrated football. The strategy employed in this speech that helps achieve the speakers objective is explanatory mode of speech delivery. This is noted in the way the speaker explains the necessity of participating in the AFC Champions League (King Lee 2004). The fourth speech clearly illustrates the challenges facing

In your opinion, and according to your own personal definition of Essay

In your opinion, and according to your own personal definition of feminism, how has feminism helped or hurt our society over the past thirty years - Essay Example last thirty years it has helped society by creating greater equality for women in the workplace, normalized their position in politics, and shifted general stereotypes. One of the most impactful areas in which feminism has benefited society is in the workplace. While by 1980 women had greatly left behind the entirely male dominated culture of the 1950s, one recognizes that there was still great disparity between men and women; much of which still exists today in lesser forms. Today, however, individuals such as Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, have made staggering contributions to the employment world. Additionally, salaries for women have increased progressively. Ultimately these changes benefit society in that more of our best and brightest minds can find equal access to employment and thus make contributions to the greater good. Another prominent area where feminism has contributed to society is in the political arena. Since 1980 there has been also an increase in the amount of women running and holding political office. While a woman still hasn’t been elected President or become Vice President of the United States it seems that feminism has greatly paved the way for this in the near future. One considers that the last Presidential election featured Sarah Palin as a Vice Presidential candidate. Additionally, for a period during the primaries Hillary Clinton was a front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Although it’s clear the country still has a ways to go before females gain complete equality in this arena, it seems that feminism has made significant contributions over the last thirty years. In addition to employment and politics, feminism has also been successful in changing stereotypes surrounding women. Women have received a large amount of criticism for being overly emotional and not implementing logic or rationality to the same extent as men. Such stereotypes have been used to oppress them in the workplace and political

Physiological Benefits Of Physical Activity Health And Social Care Essay

Physiological Benefits Of Physical Activity Health And Social Care Essay Introduction Over the past 25 years, the UK has seen an increase in individuals aged 65 yrs and over. In 2009, it was reported by the Office of National Statistics (2010) that the population aged 65 and over increased from 15% in 1984 to 16% in 2009, which is an increase of 1.7 million people. They predict that by year 2034 23% of the population is projected to be aged 65 and over compared to 18% aged 16 and under. The fact that people are living longer is associated with healthy active living, over the past 10 years health has steadily improved (ONS, 2004). It is reported that older adults who are physically active report a greater satisfaction in life (Weinberg Gould, 2007) this is due to retaining mobility and keeping their quality of life and independence (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). In 2008, the Department of Health (2010) reported that 39% of men and 29% of women aged 16 and over met the governments recommendations for physical activity, this was compared with 32% of men and 21% of women in 1997. However, evidence suggests that with an increase of age there is a decrease in levels of physical activity regardless of the well publicised benefits of the association with good health and well being (Berger, Der, Mutrie Hannah, 2005). Retirement can be a key time to focus on physical activity and well being. It is a time where people can review many areas of their life, including their health. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). As the older adult population is rising, maintaining a healthy life is a growing public concern (Acree, 2006) in year 2002, physical inactivity was reported to cost  £8.2 billion a year (NHS, 2008). A recent study by Chaudhury Shelton (2010) formed the basis of this study, the paper explains the data analysis from the Health Survey for England (HSfE) in 2006 and 2007 which focused on physical activity participation amongst 60 to 69 year olds and knowledge of the physical participation requirement. The study highlighted that older adults had unrealistic views of their perceived activity levels and reported that there was a lack of knowledge regarding the recommended physical activity guidelines. They examined the perceived barriers to physical activity participation and reported that barriers such as work and lack of time prevented them taking part in exercise. From the study they concluded that there needs to be more focus on health promotion and education particularly in the over sixties. In order to promote healthy living firstly, we need to understand why physical activity decreases with age. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and behaviours towards physic al activity with particular focus on 60- 69 year old. A qualitative study will provide the basis of this study. Qualitative methods offer the opportunity to explore an individuals experiences, perceptions, motives and barriers to physical activity (Thomas, Nelson Silverman, 2005). In addition, this study will review other studies which have been carried out associated with physical activity around retirement. Aim The aim of this study is to explore the attitudes and behaviours towards physical activity in people aged 60 69 years focusing on continuity and change around the time of retirement. Objectives 1. To explore knowledge of physical activity recommendations and attitudes to participation 2. To research continuity and change in levels of physical activity at retirement 3. To describe perceptions of sufficiency of own physical activity behaviour 4. Explore the perceived barriers to meeting governments recommended levels of physical activity, before and after retirement. Analysis from the data obtained from the interviews can be used to provide recommendations towards improving the transition to retirement in terms of achieving health promoting physical activity levels. Limitations There are limitations regarding the sample size and reliability of the information. The sample size was small and levels of activity were what participants perceived as being enough exercise however despite this the literature was consistent with our findings. Literature Review Physiological benefits of Physical Activity According to World Health Organisation (2010) globally, physical inactivity contributes to 1.9 million deaths per year and is currently the fourth leading risk factor for all deaths. It has been well publicised that regular physical activity has a huge influence on promoting good health and psychological well being and is associated with the reduction of risk factors for chronic health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity (Martinez del Castillo et al, 1997; Sjogren Stjernberg, 2010). Physical activity can be defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal level (WHO, 2010) and has a range of health benefits which can be achieved through sport and exercise or activities such as walking, cycling, gardening and housework (Department of Health, 2010). Although the aging process is vulnerable to a wide range of conditions such as hypertension, back pain, osteoporosis and some ca ncers studies have shown that physical activity can reduce these and can increase life expectancy and improve bone and muscle strength (Berger et al, 2005). Stewart et al (2003) examined a group of older sedentary adults and reported that physical activity was evidently associated with a reduction of bodily pain and that small amounts of regular physical activity was associated with better quality of life. King et al, (2000) studied physical activity and physical functioning in 103 adults aged 65 yrs and over using moderate-intensity endurance and strengthening exercises and stretching and flexibility exercises. The study reported significant improvements to quality of life and mobility. Research supports the theory that exercise enhances quality of life (QOL). Berger (2009) explains that QOL is a broad construct that reflects a persons perception of his or her own position in life in relation to personal goals, standards, and expectations within the context of culture and value sys tems in which the individual lives. Therefore the relationship between exercise and QOL may be influenced by an individuals own perceptions and values. Chaudhury and Shelton (2010) explain that by maintaining independent living is the key. Improving balance and co ordination can help prevent injury from trips or falls. Cassell (2002) recommended physical activity to be the best treatment for aging. Psychological Factors and Physical activity Brassington et al (2002) explains that the strongest determinant for physical activity participation for older adults is self efficacy or confidence. If a person enjoys what they are doing they are more likely to participate in it. Physical activity can be encouraged by many factors and older adults tend to look at physical activity as how it is going to benefit them. For example if I exercise I will lose weight or if I exercise and remain fit I will be able to play with the grand children. There are many theories which can be applied to health behaviours which we will look at later on in this paper. Participation is preserved through enjoyment and social support from friends and family. One study (Cooper Thomas, 2002) used ballroom dancing as a way of keeping fit and were physically challenged by using different styles of dancing to suit the persons skills. Dancing encouraged social networks which supported participation across major life events such as loss of a spouse or friend t hrough support from other dancers .Having a social network or living with a partner has found to have a positive influence on physical activity participation (Bruce, 2002). Regular exercise can help preserve independence (Sparling et al, 2000) it can increase feeling of self worth, increase self efficacy and reduce feelings of feeling reliant family members (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). Research suggests that the health benefits of physical activity and exercise are now well established. In 2010 the World Health Organisation reported that by 2020 depression will follow cardiovascular disease as the worlds leading cause of death and disability. Psychological disorders such as depression are commonly treated by medication or by taking part in therapy sessions however, more people are now looking at physical activity as a way of dealing with feelings of depression (Weinberg Gould, 2007). Barriers to Physical Activity The benefit and the barriers to physical activity are significant for behaviour change and its important that in order to increase participation that we understanding the barriers that older adults face. The Health Survey for England (2008) reported that 41% of men and 43% of women reported lack of time as the main barrier to exercise many older people may have caring responsibilities or may be involved in voluntary work and use lack of time for a reason not to exercise (BHF, 2010). Barriers can be classified into two groups these are intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic barriers are based on an individuals belief, previous experience or self efficacy. Brassington et al (2002) explains that the strongest determinant for physical activity participation for older adults is self efficacy or confidence. Many older adults have the fear of not been able to keep up with the class or not wanting to attend the class alone. They may be conscious of their body image and fear for lack of changing f acilities. Extrinsic barriers refer to the environment for example; concerns for safety older adults may be concerned about slippery pool side surfaces, ageism, or skills of teachers (BHF, 2010). Overcoming these barriers is paramount in promoting health and independence and by taking part in regular physical activity will in turn help prevent ill health and disability. Those who understand the benefits to exercise will have fewer barriers than those who are not aware of the benefits to physical activity and those who have several barriers will have low perceived benefits. It is important that people are educated of the benefits to physical activity. Socio-economic status and physical activity Research has looked at how physical activity can be influenced, factors that have been found to be most significant amongst older adults include education, social class, participation earlier in life, social support and opportunity factors (Bird, 2009). Martinez del Castillo et al, (2005) examined the participation rates of physical activity between social classes and reported that there was a positive relationship between social classes. The results found that the percentage of those physically active were Upper class =38.2%, middle class =18.5%, lower class= 9.7%. The relationship was found with their present income; those who had adequate income participated in physical activity and those that didnt did not want to participate. Overall, the lower the social status the less old adult participation in physical activity. Those who had encouragement from a partner or a social network who wanted to take part in physical activity took part. This is not to say that people from lower cla sses would be exempt but local opportunities and encouragement may contribute to leading healthy lifestyle (Martinez del Castillo et al, 2005). Lower classes do not always get the same opportunities, the higher someones socio economic status the greater the opportunities (Berger et al, 2005). Those amongst lower socio economic groups, health has always been an issue and suggests education and health promotion focusing on low income communities (Peterson et al, 2006). The Whitehall study (2004) of British Civil Servants explored the relationship between work, retirement and physical activity. They found that different occupational grades affected health. Those in a lower employment grade had a higher mortality rate compared to those in higher grades. Physical activity was least regular with those working full time compared to those working part time or not at all. This would suggest that those working part time or not at all would have more time to exercise. Interestingly, after reti rement those who worked full time were found not to increase their levels of activity however, those who worked part time or not at all did. The frequency of physical activity amongst the different occupational grades was found to be higher with more sport and gardening done by higher occupational grades (Mein et al, 2005). Sjogren Stjernberg (2010) found that having access to areas for country walks, parks and recreational centres are the most important factors for influencing outdoor activity. Education is an important predictor of older adult physical activity; women with a low level of education compared to women with a higher level, those with a higher level were more likely to take part in physical activity. Mortality rates are lower amongst those who become physically active later in life compared to those who may have been active earlier in life but now have a sedentary lifestyle (Sjogren Stjernberg, 2010). Arguably, Berger et al, (2005) reported that education, car and de privation were not strong predictors of whether someone regularly takes part in physical activity instead other lifestyle factors such as not smoking and healthy diet were strong predictors. Continuity and Change Continuity and change plays an important role in the transition to retirement, whilst retirement is seen as a time of leisure, studies have shown that only a small amount of people make changes to their leisure activities after retirement (Nimrod, 2007). Atchley (1989) explains that the Continuity Theory is considered a key feature of post retirement leisure, the theory holds that, in making adaptive choices, middle-aged and older adults attempt to preserve and maintain existing internal and external structures; and they prefer to accomplish this objective by using strategies tied to their past experiences of themselves and their social world. Change is linked to the persons perceived past, producing continuity in inner psychological characteristics as well as in social behaviour and in social circumstances. Continuity is thus a grand adaptive strategy that is promoted by both individual preference and social approval. In recent study Nimrod (2007), explored the adaptation process to retirement, particularly changes in behaviour and the psychological benefits. The study involved examining four different groups of people (1) expanders-those who report participation in a greater amount of activities at a higher frequency, (2) reducers-those who reported participation in the same or in fewer activities at the same or at a lower frequency, (3) concentrators-those who report participation in the same, or in fewer activities, but at a higher frequency, and (4) diffusers-people who report participation in a larger number of activities but at the same or at a lower frequency. Interviews were carried out using four different questionnaires. Their finding supported the Continuity Theory that people did not tend to engage in any new leisure activities after retirement they simply spent more time participating in the activities they were involved in pre retirement. Participation in activities in early life promotes participation later in life (Martinez del Castillo et al, 2005). Government guidelines and initiatives The recommendation for how much physical activity is required has changed over the years (Berger et al, 2005). The Chief Medical Officer for England set a target that by 2020 70% of the UK population will be reasonably active (Allender, Cowburn Foster, 2006). The current recommendation for physical activity is at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, 5 days per week to improve health and quality of life, this can be built up in bouts of 10 minutes or more (Berger et al, 2005; Allender et al, 2006; Berger, 2009; WHO, 2010). Moderate intensity could include activities such as gardening, swimming, house work or home improvements, the intensity should correspond to that of a brisk walk (Berger et al, 2005; NHS, 2010). Short bouts of exercise are more tolerable and more enjoyable than long or high intensity exercise (Wilson, Yilla Soloman, 2001). The issue is not being able to get people to exercise it is encouraging people to adhere to exercise (Byrne Byrne, 1993). In a rep ort by the Department of Health (2001) the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended a programme for patients suffering from depression using structured, supervised exercise, three times a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour for 10 to 12 weeks. The programmes were rolled out through exercise referral schemes. In 2006 NICE reviewed the scheme and found that there was insufficient evidence. This was due to patients not maintaining the physical activity they had been prescribed as they found leisure facilities and gyms intimidating and adherence levels dropped. If patients are to adhere to exercise long term it needs to be an activity that they enjoy. National and local policies aim to promote independence and mobility, prevent ill health disease and disability and prevent accidents amongst older people. The following government initiatives are currently available; Free swimming for the over sixties Lets get moving Physical activity care pathway programme. Chief medical officer report at least 5 per day Choosing physical activity an action plan Heidelberg guidelines for promoting physical activity amongst older people Sport England Sport playing its part Policy on sustainable walking Policy on sustainable cycling The government is always looking for ways to promote physical activity. Theories are used in assisting with promoting health behaviours. Transtheoretical Theory and Physical Activity Over the years there has been an increasing need for more theory driven research in health behaviour change. There have been many theories developed to help understand changes to health behaiviour for example The Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1977) and the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska DiClemente, 1984) which is one of the most widely adopted models in health promotion. The components of the Transtheoretical Model that have been applied to exercise are stage of change, processes of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and temptation to not exercise. Stage of change refers to a persons readiness to engage in regular exercise. Pre contemplation is the stage where someone does not take part in any physical activity and is not planning to start within the next 6 months. Thee contemplation stage is where someone is considering taking part in physical activity within the next 6 months, someone may stay in the contemplation stage as long as 2 years but may never move from thi s stage. Someone in the preparation stage may have already started to exercise but nothing regular but they have taken the first steps to start. The Action stage describes someone who has been exercing for less than 6 months. This is the most unreliable stage and there is a possibility of relapse. The Maintenance stage describes someone who has been exercising for 6 months or more. It is likely that once reaching this stage that someone will continue to exercise and it becomes part of their daily routine. It is important to identify what stage a person is at before putting strategies in place to promote physical activity (Sparling, 2000). The Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1977) Methodology To meet the aims and objectives of this study, qualitative research methods were used to obtain information. Qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomenon in terms of the meanings people bring to them. It involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials (e.g., life story, interviews, etc.) that describe routine and problematic moments and meanings in individuals lives (Denzin Lincoln, 1998). Qualitative methods aim to explore and individuals experiences, perceptions, motives and barriers (Thomas Nelson, 1996). It is inductive which enables a theory to be developed following the collection of the data. There are three different types of interviews Structured; usually with a structured questionnaire, Semi structured; Open ended questions, and un-structured; Questions are based on what the interviewee says (Britten, 1995). For the purpose of this study a face to face semi-structured interview was conducted in November 2011 and took place at the respondents homes situated in the North West England. The study was based 2 female retirees aged between 60yrs and 69yrs who retired during the past five years. Open questions were asked during the interview regarding: Previous occupation(s), leisure time activities, reasons for retirement, knowledge of physical activity and participation in physical activity. Interviews lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. Interviews were arranged by telephone. 15 women were asked if they would consider participating in the study. 2 women volunteered. Interviews were arranged at a time convenient for the participants. They were advised that no costs would be involved and were notified that the benefits for taking part in the study were that they will receive information relating to physical activity and details of the current government recommended guidelines. Sampling Criteria Consideration was applied as to who could be purposively selected for this study. Participants were recruited from a local womens group. The inclusion criteria were they should be aged between 60 69 years, working to retirement or retired within the last 5 years. Exclusion criteria included; history of psychiatric illness including depression, history of neurological illness or history of heart disease. Interviews were arranged by telephone. 15 women were asked if they would consider participating in the study. 2 women volunteered. Interviews were arranged at a time convenient for the participants. They were advised that no costs would be involved and were notified that the benefits for taking part in the study were that they will receive information relating to physical activity and details of the current government recommended guidelines. Ethical Issues Prior to this research commencing ethical approval was obtained by the University. An information sheet and a consent form was prepared and handed to the participants 24 hours prior to the interview. This enabled the participants to ask questions and to give consent prior to the interviews commencing. Participants were advised that interviews would be recorded and that all information from the interview would be kept confidential. They were free to withdraw from the study without reason at any time and that any data would be destroyed. Data Analysis Following the interview the interviews were transcribed Results and Discussion In general, both participants considered themselves to be physically active whilst at work. P1and P2 had occupations within a shop setting where they did alot of lifting and carrying. P1 worked in a florist and P2 in a supermarket both participants explained that they enjoyed their jobs but as they became older they found it difficult to be as active at work as much as they had been. P1 explains; .ill health caused me to say enough is enough because I was working 16 / 17 hours per day because we were so busy. P2 explains; .I did a lot of lifting in my job that is one of the reasons why I came off the job, I had to do a lot of kneeling, it was causing me a lot of pain on my knees. Both participants explained that they still wanted to be active but natural ageing caused them to slow down. P2 expanded on this and went onto say that in the 8 years building up to retirement she helped out in a childrens nursery, helping wash up, answering the door. After retiring from the florist she still felt that she needed to keep busy. Whilst being active in the workplace I how far participants lived away from their work and how they used to get there. P1 explained that although she only lived 5 minutes away she would drive to work. This was because she would start at 4am by attending the markets to buy the flowers for the shop and generally would not finish until 6 or 7 o clock in the evening. Deliveries would also need to be done during the day so she needed the car. P2 also drove to work however she would sometimes walk depending on the time of the shift. P2 explained that if it was evening she would definitely drive. When asked the reasons for walking whether it was to en able her to keep fit. P2 explained that it never crossed her mind that it was exercise and that it was doing good, she did it because she fancied a walk and wanted some fresh air. Their understanding of sport and physical activity was fairly accurate. It was explained that sport was something that you took part in, went out and played. Where physical activity was explained as a hobby something that was pleasurable. Physical activity does not have to be competitive. Many studies only examine leisure activities, its important that if we are to encourage healthy living that Simple housework, home improvements or going for a brisk walk are included in the daily accumulation of physical activity. When asked about what leisure activities they participated in before they retired P1 explained; I cant say I had a lot of time when I came home from the shop, apart from cooking and baking, going for a walk, going to football match, things like that, holidays theyre all classed as activities arent they P2 explained;Leisure time was a non entity, no such thing as leisure time, because I had a home and a family to look after so there wasnt really time for any leisure time, the only time was perhaps later in an evening where you would perhaps sit down and watch the television for a couple of hours before you went to bed at night. This highlights the barriers, lack of time being the primary reason for not exercising this corresponds with the English National survey where lack of time was reported as the main reason and most frequently reported barrier for not taking part in exercise. Women typically find it difficult to find time to exercise due to the demands of a family, household jobs and work, they rarely have time for themselves. Making physical activity part of your daily routine encourages physical participation throughout the life course which enhances both mental and physical well being. Those who participate in physical activity throughout their life are more likely to continue this later on in life (Castillo et al, 2005; Berger et al, 2005).P2 explained that she had never participated in any sport throughout her life as it was just not something that she was interested in. P2 explained Because im just not a sporty type of person im more into delving in history, thats my past time, which does not require much physical exertion.. . As highlighted previously exercise does not need to include sport activities but moderate intensity exercise such as going for a brisk walk, gardening or housework are all types of exercise. P1 explained I am a crown green bowler, I was the president for the North Lancs and Fylde, I was the captain of the county When asked if this was something she had aways taken participated in. P1 explained that her husband who has only just recently passed away was also a bowler this influenced her to participate in this past time together. Castilo et al, (2005); Bruce, (2002) identified that having a social network, including living with a partner encouraged participation. Both participants retired at retirement age because it was the right time, so they could start to sit back and enjoy life. Both participants could afford to retire and decided it was ready to enjoy life. This supports the theory that a persons socio-economic position continues to influence on post-retirement activities (Scherger, Nazroo Higgs, 2010). P1 explainedWhen I turned 60 he said come on lets spend some time together, lifes too short and you dont realise, you think you have years so I said right I will do so I did.. P2 explained It was retirement age and I just felt it was the right time for me to retire, id had enough of working life I just wanted to get out the rat race of working, cause I wasnt really enjoying my job at that time. I can afford to retire so thats what I am going to do and enjoy life a bit.. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). When asked about how they would consider keeping fit and healthy in retirement, P1 explained; Never crossed my mind, I knew I would still always be doing, I knew I still did things. I bowl even more now, even in the winter I do indoor bowling P2 explained; No, I knew I would go for walks, I have a garden at home, I have a grandson who id be running round after Participants were asked about their knowledge of the government guidelines for physical activity. Research suggests that very few people know how much exercise is required. P1 and P2 responses correspond with this. P1 replied .Well I wouldnt know what it was but I would imagine there was one P2 replied .no Participation in activities appears to be based on enjoyment and social networks (Allender et al, 2006) I asked P2 the main reasons for participating in bowling now whether it was for the fitness or more the social aspects? P1 replied Both really, meeting people, social side of things Chaudhury Skelton (2010) stated that those not in work reported more physical activity at home or during leisure time compared to when in employment. When asked if they thought they were more active now or before they retired both participants said that they thought they were more active now P1 explained. yes I would say now. P2 explained . I would say I have more now. Berger et al, (2005) outlined that if a person is considerably active during employment that activity is not always replaced after retirement. The study found that people in work were more likely to meet the daily levels of exercise required than in retirement. Physical activity should be measured in other activities to ensure the recommended daily levels of activity are met. P2 added that she also does volunteer work at the local church. Van Willigen (2000) reported that older people who worked as a volunteer experienced positive changes in perceived health and experienced an increase in life satisfaction Both participants were aware of local activities aimed at the over 60s however, both stated that they perceived that took part in enough activities to meet the daily target of 30 minutes per day. People make preparations for retirement in different ways but research shows that very little preparations are made for health promoting physical activity (Chaudhury Shelton, 2010). Conclusion The aim of this study was to explore the behaviours and attitudes to physical activity around retirement age. My findings are show that there are clear variations of older adult physical activity from sport related activities to general leisure time. Studies have shown to examine formal activities but there is li

Homework :: Teaching Education

Homework Is it not amazing that in today’s society students must not only spend seven hours in school doing work, but then they must go home to spend another five or six hours doing homework? Their grades are not improving enough to make a difference, and they are becoming extremely unhealthy. Not only does the average student suffer from sleep deprivation but many times malnutrition and emotional breakdowns. These are all caused by the over assigning of homework outside of school. How much homework is there really? Some say that for every hour spent in class a high school student should spend at least and hour doing homework and studying for that particular class. Well considering that a student would have to wake up by 6 a.m. and does not get home until around 2:30 p.m. there just are not enough hours in a day. Seven hours of school would be seven more hours out of school this would mean that if the students came home from school, they would have to works non stop from 2:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. every day. This may not seem bad until a person realizes that in today’s world, the average student has at least one or two activities a week. The students may not be home until 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening, if not later and then would be required to stay up until 1:00 a.m. doing homework. This is ridiculous. This homework causes sleep deprivation; without sleep it is almost impossible for the body to function. A student could easily become ill. With only five hours of sleep, a student is less likely to wake up in the morning, causing many tardies in school. If the students become sick they will miss even more school and the makeup homework will begin to pile up. This makeup work adds hours to the regular work. Eventually the student will become so tired and ill that the stress will become unbearable. The average teenager in the year 2000 is already subject to extreme stress. This stress exemplifies with sleep deprivation and illness. Stress is an amazingly powerful thing. Any student can become stressed but with more and more homework begin added into everyday schedules, the stress factor can increase severely, causing students to become tired, irritable, ill, depressed, and even to have emotional breakdowns.

Ethical Theories Essay

It is vital for businesses to understand the importance of ethics in this dynamic environment. Organizations that are committed to long term success recognize and realize that creating a culture where ethical behaviors are rewarded and encouraged is the ultimate key to survival and growth. According to Joseph 2003, business ethics refers to clear standards and norms that help employees to distinguish right from wrong behavior at work, while in the other hand ethical theories are theories that involve learning what is right and wrong and doing the right thing but the fact that the right thing is not straight forward brings in the subject of ethical dilemmas. Normally ethical theories can be broken up into two separate groups, teleological and deontological. Teleological theories look to the rightness of actions and are determined by the amount of good consequences they produce and focus on outcomes that are based on decisions. In teleological theories these actions are justified by th e virtue of what the actions achieve, rather than some feature of the actions themselves. In other words, decisions that benefit the overall goal and/or objective is collectively believed as a way to justify what is right or wrong. The philosophy of utilitarianism is one of the most commonly used and accepted ethical theories in the teleological group and is linked to Jeremy Bentham and John S Mills. According to Crane and Matten (2010) utilitarianism is defined as an action which is morally right if it results in the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people affected by the action. This principle focuses solely on the consequences of an action and it weighs the good results against the bad results. It also encourages the action that results in the greatest amount of good for all people involved. Utilitarianism is very powerful in business since it puts at the centre of the moral decision a variable which measures the value of an action. Deontological by contrast to teleological, consequences are irrelevant when determining what is right and wrong. Deontol ogical theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. This means that a person will follow his or her obligations to another individual or society because upholding one’s duty is what is considered ethically correct. For instance, a deontologist will always keep his promises to a friend and will follow the law. A person who follows this  theory will produce very consistent decisions since they will be based on the individual’s set duties. Deontological ethical systems are concerned with the nature of an action that is being judged, whereas teleological judges the consequences of the act rather than the act itself. Founded by Immanuel Kant, Kantian Ethics is the iconic representation of deontological theories. Kantianism emphasizes the principles behind actions rather than an action’s results. Acting rightly thus requires being motivated by proper universal principles that treat everyone with respect. When you’re motivated by the right principles, you overcome your animal instincts and act ethically. â€Å"Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other’s welfare, social justice can never be attained† (Helen Keller). John Rawls, an American moral and political philosopher, whose major work, A Theory of Ju stice, had a profound impact on ethics and political theory, believed there must be an alternative view of justice than the view of the Utilitarianism where the action that benefits the greatest is the best. Rawls believed that the principles of justice and fairness among individuals must be fair. John Rawls, social justice theory seeks to create a society where the principles of justice and fairness are provided and to ensure the protection of equal access to liberties, rights, and opportunities, as well as taking care of the least advantaged members of society. The concept is based around a social contract, which is the voluntary agreement among people with each another and the government which results in an organized society. On the other hand, the philosophy of virtue ethics, which primarily deals with the ways in which a person should live, has puzzled philosophers from the beginning of time. Recognized as one of the greatest philosophers in the world, Aristotle explains virtue as a character trait that manifests itself in habitual action. This theory claims that virtues are traits of character that you must practice actively so that they become a part of you and shapes you into becoming a virtuous ethical person. So when you are a virtuous person, you will lead a prosper ous fulfilled life. Since there are many contrasting interpretations regarding a precise definition of virtue, Aristotle theory argues that the individual needs practical wisdom, which is what a person needs in order to live well. On the contradictory side there is Milton Friedman, who is known as one of the greatest and most influential economists and public intellectuals in the  world. He was a firm believer of free-market capitalism which would in turn contribute and adequately administer wealth throughout the nation. Conservative economists, such as Milton Friedman, claim that business is most responsible when it makes profit efficiently, not when it misapplies its energy on social projects, Friedman determines that it is in the best interests for firms to maximize profits. With this Friedman is invoking a deontological, not consequentialist, theory. A consequentialist reading Friedman’s work would look to identify an ‘ends justifies the means’ sense of reasoning. Friedman however makes clear the means of achieving the ends are important, as profits need to be maximized within the regulatory environment and main focus. Along the same steps as Friedman we have Friedrich Hayek, who foll ows the libertarianism theory. Libertarianism is a set of related political philosophies that uphold liberty as the highest political end. This includes emphasis the primary of individual liberty, political freedom, and voluntary association. This theory and Hayek stress that the market will take care of itself, the ideal market is self-regulating and it limits government intervention and/or involvement in the marketplace. Libertarianism expresses that people have certain natural rights and deprivation of those rights is immoral. The entitlement theory just like Hayek, also supports a market system with little to none government intervention, this theory of justice is known by Robert Nozick. Nozick’s entitlement theory is based on the following three principles: one, a person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding; second, a person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer, from someone else entitled to the holding, is entitled to the holding; and third, no one is entitled to a holding except by repeated ap plications of 1 and 2 (Anarchy, State, and Utopia 1974, p.151). According to the entitlement theory, people should only possess what they are actually entitled to according to these principles. Many of these theories are seen throughout the cases from the book Ethics and the Conduct of Business by John R. Boatright. Case 3.2 â€Å"Exporting Pollution† is perfect example that includes different perspectives and insights into such theories. The case summarizes as follows, Rebbeca Wright, an assistant to the vice president of environmental affairs at Americhem, savors the opportunity to apply her  training to public policy analysis that her company faces. She is convinced that cost-benefit analysis, her specialty, provides a rational decision-making tool that cuts through personal feelings and lays bare the hard economic realities. Jim Donnelly, Rebecca’s boss, started her with a draft of a memo that she thought would create a furor if it were ever made public. Jim is preparing a memo of where to establish the company’s new location of their chemical plant. The main problem is that atmospheric pollutants caused by the plant will produce a persistent haze and some of the particles have been known to cause liver cancer in a small portion of people exposed. Four main points about this location are further discussed of what would happen if this new plant opened. Milton Friedman’s, Kant, and deontologic al ethics can be seen in this case. Friedman’s perspective for this case would have Rebecca to follow her duties because this would be doing what would bring the most profits and doing what the stakeholders would want. For deontological and Kant’s perspective on the other hand, it may be argued both ways. Rebecca must follow her duties regardless of the consequences she is working towards, because she has a specific duty she must perform. If she follows the rules she would benefit herself, the company, and all the stakeholders. At the time Kantian ethics still implies that one must follow moral law regardless of the consequences. So because this new plant may cause liver cancer and inflict pain on others, Rebecca can disagree with the company’s decision on manufacturing the new plant. For this case, it depends on which side Rebecca wishes to stand as to what is ethical or not. Whether to support or not the construction of the new plant has ethical attributes with both benefits and consequences.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lavish Pay at Harvard† is another example great example that applies to some of the theories explained. Jack R. Meyer, the head of Harvard University’s $20 billion endowment fund was under pressure to change the compensation plan for the funds top investment managers due to the high amount of endowment the top five employees were receiving. A few Harvard alumni protested, their collective concern was that they thought the amount of money being paid to those folks was obscene. The compensation of the endowment fund managers far exceeded the salaries of Harvard faculty member and administrators, including the president, who made around half a million dollars. Also, the 5% hike n tuition for Harvard students in 2004 was equal  to the $0 million paid to the two highest earners. Although Harvard has the largest university endowment, the salaries and bonuses paid to the managers greatly exceeded the compensation paid at any other school. In response to the critics , Mr. Meyer noted that the alumni failed to recognize that the amount of bonuses paid does not add up to the value they are giving the university. The schools large endowment was used in many ways to benefit students; such as the coverage of 72% financial aid for undergraduate students, no tuition for families earning less than $60,0000, and it also enable the school to increase the faculty in growing areas and to expand facilities. In the end, Harvard decided to cap the compensation of fund managers. The result was that Jack Meyer and his team of managers left to start their own investment companies, at which many could earn 10 times than they did at Harvard. Teleological and Utilitarianism theories are two great theories that can be applied to this case. With both of these theories we can argue that the amount of money that was being used to pay these managers/employees was a reasonable pay due to what they were giving back to the college. Millions of students and faculty were benefiting from Mr. Meyer and his team, which that’s the main focus on both of these theories: actions are right if they are useful or are for t he benefit of the majority and the end justifies the means. Although they were getting paid large amounts of money their return on the student population had a higher impact. Some of Nozick’s beliefs can be seen in Case 3.4 â€Å"A Sticky Situation.† Kent Graham is an account manager for Dura-Stick Label Products, which has a well-deserved reputation for quality, technical knowledge, and service that enables the company to command a premium price for its products in a very competitive market. Kent has been with Dura Stick for 2 years and his accomplishments have been going downhill and fears his time with company may end leaving his wife and children to provide for. Kent calls Jack Olson at Spray-On Inc. about landing a large account. Jack informs Kent of a new product of theirs they would need labels for, which Jack promises they can do. Although, Kent later finds out Dura-Stick cannot make the desired products so must use another company and mark up the prices so Dura-Stick can still make profit. Kent uses the company’s image as leverage to convince Jack to take the deal. This situation can be argued in different ways for Kent and Dura Stick. Kent knows that he has to land a big time  account and he knows he must do so in order to provide for his family. Though he does lie to customer, he isn’t doing anything illegal. Nozick’s belief of just acquisition is an excellent example in this situation. As long as the seller had rightful ownership, the tr ansaction is just and proper, but if not, then possession is not proper and victims have to be compensated or transaction undone. In contradictive of Nozick, Aristotle’s theory of virtue would argue that this case is exactly what a person with virtuous ethics shouldn’t do. Virtues are traits of character that you must practice actively so that they become a part of you and shapes you into becoming a virtuous ethical person. Because of his actions, Kent is putting in jeopardy his honesty, loyalty, self-control virtues, shaping him in the wrong ethical approach. These theories emphasize different aspects of an ethical dilemma and lead to the most ethically correct resolution according to the guidelines within the ethical theory itself. People can use these theories and the wisdom of these philosophers to determine what is ethical and what is not. Though all decisions have their advantages and disadvantages, by applying this knowledge one can come closer to making the right ethical decision.

Hell and Enslavement in Sartres No Exit essays

Hell and Enslavement in Sartres No Exit essays Hell and Enslavement. In Sartre's No Exit Sartre, the most famous of the existentialist thinkers, wrote No Exit in 1944. It was first performed in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Sartre was a POW during the occupation, but escaped punishment from the Nazis. There is obviously an overall question pertaining to the play in terms of its relation to the historical period and the atrocities that were taking place in France and all of Europe. Sartre obviously knew of the racist ideology and actions the Nazis were imposing on the world. Therefore, his play is at some level be a reflection of the troubled times in which he lived. The occupying Nazis forces enslaved his nation. Did France feel like a nation that was going to Hell? Did individuals feel that they lived in Hell? This is one of the many themes found in Sartre's play. Perhaps this is this what Sartre's play is about? In Sartre's play, No Exit, there is never any indication that these people are actually in Hell. The characters themselves identify with the space that holds them prisoners. For example, when Inez says, INEZ: Yes, we are criminals murderers all three of us. We're in hell, my pets; they never make mistakes, and people aren't damned for nothing. Sartre's existentialist point in this frightening play is a simple one: the people, who inhabit Hell, create Hell. The Valet who leads our three characters into their Second Empire drawing room never once says they're in Hell. He laughs at Garcin's cynical reference to the toothbrush, acknowledging that its companion is dead, but never does the Valet say that they are actually in hell. The interaction between the three people creates a hellish situation. Again, Inez says this quite clearly: INEZ: ... Yes, now's the moment; I'm looking at this thing on the mantelpiece, and I understand that I'm in hell. I tell you, everything's been thought ...

Schools as Loosely Coupled Systems

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