Action Inquiry

The pay for teacher in Ohio will have a partial consideration based on how their students scored on their tests. The pay consideration was the result of legislation signed by Republican Gov. John Kasich. Modifications can still be made prior to this law going into effect. The current protocol for teachers pay requires that Ohio public school districts give each teacher an evaluation and grade prior to beginning the 2013-14 school year. Fifty percent of the grade the teacher receives will base on students test scores.There are mixed emotions in regards to merit pay in the Chesapeake School district especially those that are new to the district or just graduated from college. The district’s goal for implementation of merit pay is that it gives others the opportunity to learn from their colleagues. The other downfall of merit pay is that teachers will be penalized if they fail to meet the goals of merit pay and this could be cumbersome for those just embarking on a new teaching c areer. The positive aspect of merit pay is that it rewards teachers for their performance and it provides job security for keeping their student scores high in their classrooms.Motivation is also a key aspect to merit pay, because several teachers in the district feel this is a better evaluation on their performance versus the traditional evaluations they have had in the past. Recruitment has also plagued the district and merit pay can be an alluring factor to qualified teachers looking to move into the district. Retention of qualified teachers has also presented issues with the district so the incentive of a bonus entices many teachers to remain in their positions.The profession of teaching has had the black cloud over its head due to the low salary that many of our teachers face in the public school systems; merit pay can entice many college students to choose the teaching profession. Why is merit pay such a controversial issues for teachers and teachers unions? When the President got involved in the issue of teacher’s merit pay, it created even more hype about merit pay. Those that oppose merit pay feel that there is very little evidence that merit pay will improve a teacher’s classroom performance. (Steiny, J 2009). There is a federal fund that is set up to attract qualified teachers.It is a six hundred million dollar fund that is set up to attract good teachers to good schools. What questions should be asked prior to implementing? How can school administration implement merit pay to provide a positive impact to the Chesapeake School district? What will be the criteria to earning the incentive of merit pay? How will the school evaluate the effectiveness of merit pay? The school district feels that merit pay will make teachers accountable for their progress with students by having merit pay as a source of evaluation that could either adversely affect their pay.Merit pay in regards to evaluation can weed out bad teachers that plagued our school district. The positive impact it could have on the district is that merit pay will attract high performing teachers to seek positions in a school district that has areas that could use qualified teachers to bring their test scores up in the district. What research can be utilized to measure the effect merit pay has on the school district? There will be several methods used for evaluation of merit pay. Surveys for teachers, students and parents, principal reports and observations will provide a qualitative date resource for the district.The design of the research is for experimental purposes and once the research is reviewed, a decision will be made as to implementing the merit pay system into the district. There will be further research conducted after the school begins the merit pay system to check for satisfaction and teacher performance. It also should reflect the economic impact it had on the school district’s budget. The â€Å"after† effects of merit pay could be nefit from have committees formed by the school board and school administration. The Chesapeake School District utilizes emails and texts to inform parents of important meeting and dates that involve the school.These emails and texts also involve the teaching staff. A meeting could be held that involved forming groups or committees to study the impact the merit pay system is having on the school district. This would provide a checks and balance system. The committees would consist of teachers and parents. The committee will conduct their own research via surveys from parents, students and teachers within the district. The other committee would consist of principals and other school administration. The goal of the groups is to conduct their own research and to meet to discuss any issues that face the newly implanted system.Each committee can bring valuable research to the table in order to make effective changes that could make the system that would be fair to all that is involved an d bring a sense of security to the district. I had heard various opinions on merit pay from many of the teachers at Chesapeake and for the most part many are comfortable with the system. I believe that it could provide a positive impact to the school and provide better retention rates for the school. It also is an effective method of revealing what teachers are ineffective in the classroom, that could either learn from other teacher or relieving those teachers from their duties.Chesapeake district for the most part employ qualified teachers but at times have found themselves in difficult situations in recruiting teachers for subject areas, particularly in special education, math and science. I feel that the merit system will attract highly qualified teachers to fill these positions and retain them. Rural area schools are many times plagued with poor test scores due to the lack of qualified teachers in the school system and having a merit system in place could employ a staff of teach ers that could educate these students and for the district to see a rise in their standardized test scores

International management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International management - Essay Example Even though my previous academic achievements qualify me for a high-level employment opportunity in a management profession, becoming an all-round and outstanding chief executive is my immediate objective. Completing the program in a recognized institution and working for an outstanding organization are, therefore, the important ladders to my dream. Getting an opportunity with such kind of an employer, however, depends on the program that I intend to pursue and the institution from which the degree is acquired. The high level of competition that has arisen in the job market has also prompted my desire to take international management as my second master’s degree in order to match the current high and diversified academic qualifications employers require. Upon completion of the program, I intend to work with a multinational hotel, in which I shall have an opportunity to manage diversified cultures in different legal environments. Using my acquired skills from the course to contribute back to the society is also my aim. I, for instance, intend to apply the acquired knowledge to lecture in ‘business-oriented’ institutions besides contributing in public forums. Upon achieving my professional objective, I also aim at attaining a social status that will command authority to influence and mobilize the youth into productive activities such as entrepreneurial ventures and pursuit for higher education. This is because the youth currently lack professional figures with such authority and my level of passion. However, I can achieve such a social goal only through completing this master’s degree in international management for a highly regarded professional status. Besides my professional and social interest in the program, I have a wide base of strengths that guarantee my ability to complete the degree within the duration stipulated by the institution. Apart from completing my bachelor’s degree, which

Cultural Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Tourism - Essay Example In looking at the official national website for Sri Lanka tourism, the first word that appears is heritage. This indicates a strong need for the country to promote the historical value of its country as being central to the event of a vacation within their borders. The website promotes a sense of otherness, attuned to Western sensibilities, through depicting men sitting on elephants, a lounging leopard, and an exotic woman reclining in what appears to be a spa atmosphere. The experience is connected back to the Western traveler through an image of a Caucasian man on a surfboard and a modern look at a beach. The emphasis is on the exotic, with a connection to the modern Western ideal in order to attract a broad set of travelers. The official national website for the Maldives has a picture of a surfer, swimming below the water towards the surface on a submerged board. The image evokes the sense of the beach, a cool splash of water against the heat of the sun. The first sub-category tha t is presented is titled culture. Just like the Sri Lanka website, the first promotional factor is the differences in culture that a Western traveler would encounter when visiting the country. The two subsequent headings promote diving and the opportunity for a honeymoon in the Maldives. The website reveals the daily temperature and has links to further information about where to stay and where to go, just like the Sri Lanka website. The otherness that is expressed in both websites leads the traveler towards thoughts of adventure. In creating an enticement to travel to the region, the websites are intended to evoke a sense of newness of experience so that the traveler will want to know what they do not yet know. The imagery also suggests that the locations have the element of the exotic, the â€Å"erotics of imperial conquest† as explored by McClintock (24). While the eroticism is not blatant, the notion that the locations will bring to the vacationer an experience that is de fined by adventure suggests that the attendee will be able to conquer an unknown territory. The use of the woman in the spa-like atmosphere on the advertisement for Sri Lanka can be linked to the desire to equate sensuality with the experience of visiting the island. McClintock states that â€Å"women served as mediating and threshold figures by means of which men oriented themselves in space, as agents of power and agents of knowledge† (24). The boundaries of the world have been typically characterized as women, objectifying the presence of the female spirit within the framework of territory. Through using a female image in a position of sensuality, this concept is continued into the modern day discourse about the experience of visiting a new land, thus having conquered that experience. The Maldives have a different approach to enticing their visitors. The site is full of images of the rich blue of the sea in contrast to the strand of islands. Several images of surfers, thei r boards planted beneath their feet and their bodies arched in control of their activity, grace the pages of their website. This evokes a different type of feeling towards the experience. This suggests that the natural environment is what will be conquered in visiting the isla

Has The Increased Influence Of Minor Parties And Independents Enhanced Essay

Has The Increased Influence Of Minor Parties And Independents Enhanced Democracy In Australia - Essay Example The paper also defines what a healthy democracy is and explains where the problems lie in Australia’s inability to achieve a fully representative democracy. It provides the solution to the problems that can be achieved through utilizing the minor parties in the democracy. It additionally expounds on how the minor parties enhance democracy in Australia while providing the drawbacks that these parties encounter. Finally, the paper provides a conclusion for the topic while it gives the way forward to the topic at hand. 2. Define Representative Democracy In Australia, And What It Aspires To Be. The Representative democracy in Australia is a type of a democracy whereby the citizens of the country who are above eighteen years elect people to represent them in their government. Moreover, these people are also elected so that they can formulate decisions on behalf of their people (Hazel, 2010). The representative government within the country comprises of the federal, local and state levels (Smith, Vromen & Cook, 2012). The federal level is composed of the federal parliament which is in turn made up of the House of Representatives along with the senate. The body is charged with formulating decisions for the federal government and is headed by the country’s prime minister. The state governments on the other hand are charged with making decisions for the state government.... Consequently, the representatives to these houses are normally elected by the citizens during an election while state governments in Australia are led by a person who has the title of a premier. Finally, the local governments are responsible for managing the councils found in the states. The representatives chosen to represent the people in city councils are referred to as councilors and are headed by a Mayor (Australian Electoral Commission, 2011). Australia is a liberal democracy that embodies the principles of the American federal models along with the Westminster models for responsible governments. A combination of these models creates implications that are direct for the manner in which the government is held accountable by the voters in the country. The concept of federalism in Australia implies that the state along with the commonwealth government have separate and different responsibilities (Smith, Vromen & Cook, 2012). However, the Australian voters are responsible for elect ing the people who will represent them in the three levels of government that are found in the country. The country is among a few countries across the globe that has made voting mandatory for each and every citizen in the country who is above eighteen years of age (Crosby, 2003). Critics to the law on compulsory voting have insisted that the law greatly limits the democratic participation of the citizens. The country is also a representative democracy in that the citizens elect people to act on their behalf in the decision making activities in the country’s legislative houses. The country aspires to become fully representative which is not possible (Smith, Vromen & Cook, 2012). This is mainly because the government does not provide for full representation

Describe in DETAIL the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT Essay

Describe in DETAIL the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT - Essay Example The thesis below will discuss the A-B-C-D-E therapeutic approach of REBT in details. Ellis formulated the therapeutic approach method to help solve psychological problems easily. The core method is used in the first and the subsequent sessions where the therapist explains each session. Letter A in the sequence is the activation event that elicits stress or worry. The worries caused by bad performance at work, lack of confidence that propels the victim to a counselor. B represents the belief system. There are two types of beliefs rational and irrational (Sharf, 2011). Irrational behaviors are exaggerated and leads to disturbed feeling that do not help victims reach their goals. However, it is important to identify irrational behaviors early so that they can be solved. C stands for consequences of the irrational behavior (Sharf, 2011). People with negative thoughts may repeat these thoughts creating a condition known as rumination that acts like self-programming trigger. People with the repeated negative thinking may seclude themselves hence the need for such to replace the irrational thinking with positive thoughts that can make one to address problems reasonably (Sharf, 2011). D represents disputing irrational behaviors. Therapists must challenge the client belief directly. This way, the client can substitute negative thinking with more realistic ways of solving problems. E represents the client’s way of interpreting the situation. If the treatment is effective, the client loses the pessimism, anxiety, distress, and starts focusing on practical ways to solve problems (Sharf, 2011). The clients resume into their normal self and starts making reachable

The Big Sleep Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Big Sleep - Movie Review Example The detective is a cynical, smart, professional investigator who mouths witty dialogues and works on cases, on being hired. The man who hires the detective is rather old and fragile in exercising his courage and efforts to put an end to the troublesome threat calls. The old man's daughters are extremely good looking girls, who are thoroughly spoilt and headstrong. There also lies a suspicious side to the older daughter, besides some other dubious characters of the novel. All this constitute the typical characterization based on the Hard-Boiled formula. c. Setting: The setting of the novel is again typically Hard-Boiled. The first few scenes showcase the encounter of the detective with the person who proposes to hire him. This takes place in a rather rich, gloomy huge bungalow, which gives the introductory feeling into the storyline consisting of a mystery and subsequently, a detective solving it. Later, the setting shifts to one oppressive crime scene to another, which mark the collection of clues and solving of the case. "...winding down curved rain swept streets, under the steady drip of trees, past lighted windows in big houses in ghostly enormous grounds, vague clusters of eaves and gables and lighted windows high on the hillside, remote and inaccessible, like witch houses in a forest. I came out at a service station glaring with wasted light, where a bored attendant in a white cap and a dark blue windbreaker sat on a stool, inside the steamed glass, reading a paper... on a night like this you could grow a beard waiting for a taxi." Label the characteristics in the passage. a. The above lines are written in first person, which is a characteristic of the Hard-Boiled formula. b. The detective is the speaker or narrator, here, which again is typical of the Hard-Boiled genre. c. The detailing is rather precise with vivid and picturesque descriptions, following a rhythmic pattern of speech, which is how Hard-Boiled specialist writers write. d. We get an insight into the lighting of the whole setup, which is dark, gloomy with occasional neon lighting. This, again, is a characteristic of the Hard-Boiled formula. e. The last line, "on a night like this you could grow a beard waiting for a taxi." Is rather witty and a wise cracking, which is the characteristic linguistic style used by the characters of the Hard-Boiled fiction formula. Do you think the above passage you've copied is well-written Why or why notPersonally, I feel the above passage is written quite well. It gives the reader very picturesque details and descriptions which helps him/her imagine and follow the occurrences effectively. The fictitious novel is not a visual medium and therefore, descriptions help readers imagine the scene beautifully and the writer has succeeded in this. Following the lines of description, the writer is wise enough to break the monotony

A Literature Review on Consumer Voluntary Disposition Essay

A Literature Review on Consumer Voluntary Disposition - Essay Example uct dominant to consumer dominant has bought such reorientation on â€Å"customer focus† (Kohli and Jaworski, 1990, p.3) requires sophisticated understanding of consumer behaviours (Nwankwo, 1995). Consequently, the field of consumer research (Belk, 1986 cited in Holb rook, 1995) becomes an increasingly important constituent to marketing discipline than ever before. According to consumer culture theory (CCT), consumer research investigates/studies â€Å"the contextual, symbolic, and experiential aspects of consumption as they unfold across a consumption cycle that includes acquisition, consumption and possession, and disposition processes and analysis of these phenomena from macro-, meso-, and micro- theoretical perspectives† (Arnould and Thompson, 2005, p.871). This topic is important because, firstly, many disposition decisions have economic consequences for both the individual and society. Some (eg., when and how to properly dispose outdated prescription drugs) even have important health and safety ramifications. Secondly, since much purchase behaviour is cyclical, a variety of marketing implications can emanate from an understanding of the disposition subprocess. Thirdly, in an age of relative scarcity in which we can no longer afford the luxury of squandering resources, understanding disposition decisions and behaviour is logically prerequisite for effective environmental conservation – environmental implication (Jacoby, 1978). The rest of this paper first examines the definition of disposition, followed by an integrative review on disposition typologies, methodological issues, and factors that determine disposition by consumers. Finally, the status of the literature and implications for future research in the area are discussed. Disposal has been defined differently by different researchers. A product will be disposed under different situations. Some will contend that as soon as an owner relinquishes the possession of an appliance, (Jacoby 1978) there is