Essay #4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#4 - Essay Example It was a crisp morning and mother had woken me up right on time as regular to prepare for school. Much the same as some other customary day, I feared school and truly hauled myself up and into the shower. I was no exceptional child, I hated the early mornings and the idea of seeing my class educator for the umpteenth time didn't make my mornings any better. I originated from a standard family with both my folks working the typical 9 AM to 5 PM employments. We were not wealthy and neither of my folks claimed a vehicle. I became acclimated to strolling to class each morning on the long desolate stretch from our home. On certain fortunate mornings, I would chance upon other kids going to class and I would have somebody to stay with me. On this specific morning, the new development was basically the typical and after a generous breakfast, I say farewell to my folks and set out on my long stroll to class. As normal I was separated from everyone else on that forlorn stretch that went through a progression of relinquished structures that were yet to be obliterated. Early today ended up being to some degree diverse when I heard uproarious voices yelling from one of the structures. Interest showed signs of improvement of me and I went to perceive what was going on regardless of a few alerts from my mom to keep off those relinquished structures. I arrived without a moment to spare to observe a man being gunned somewhere around two me who were in suits. I was frozen and as I went to run, one of the men saw me and came after me. I was frightened and I covered up in one of the old kitchen storage spaces where I used to play before my mom confined me from playing in the surrendered houses. I shook with dread and when I could hear no more voices, I crawled out and ran right to class shaken profoundly. As a youngster, I realized I had seen somebody being shot and he tumbled to the ground yet I didn't really feel the heaviness of the issue. I had just observed such frequencies in the films I viewed. As much as I was terrified it didn't happen to

How to Structure a Good Essay Topic Analysis

How to Structure a Good Essay Topic AnalysisYou may be familiar with expository essay topic analysis as a general rule, but there are other things that you should be aware of when it comes to the variety of topics you can use. You need to be able to explore as many different types of topics as possible. So when you learn about the 3 point topics, you will be well on your way to generating some excellent essays that have loads of content and are well-written. The 3 point topics will work great for students in a variety of subjects, including English, Spanish, and History.In this article, we will take a look at expository essay topic analysis. We will see what makes this kind of essay so unique and why it is so important. It also serves as a useful guide for writers who want to really get into their own style and speak from a personal angle.Basically, expository essay topic analysis focuses on three points. First, there are three sections. These are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. In the introduction, the essayist goes into an introduction to the topic, and then they go into the body describing what happens throughout the content of the topic.In the body, the essayist will come back and explain what the main idea of the essay is. The conclusion comes at the end of the essay and gives a very detailed description of the topic. They will usually tell the reader exactly what to expect and even provide examples of how the topic is used in the article. For many topics, the last part of the essay will focus on the details of the topic.In addition to three points, an expository essay has several different types of material. First, there is the information required to understand the topic itself. This is the main subject matter of the essay. Next, there is the back story or background to the main idea of the essay.The story should include everything from the history of the culture and all the way up to today's modern day. Finally, there is what people do w hen they are around that culture. There are some things that are universal to all cultures, and these include jokes, customs, and just about anything else you can think of.Finally, you need to pay attention to expository essay topic analysis. To really produce an essay of quality, you need to be able to explore different ideas. When you pay attention to the points in the different sections of your essay, you will be able to look for new ways to express the same topic and even new ways to explore new topics.In addition to those three points, there are many different types of topics that can be written. Just because a topic is a historical one, does not mean that it cannot be adapted to contemporary times. There are plenty of topics that relate to different areas of life and learning.

Common Application Essay Questions

Common Application Essay QuestionsThe common application essay questions include how to express your point, why you are applying, your goals and dreams, and the reasons for becoming a student. One essay is never enough. Writing a meaningful essay for a school is a time consuming task. So that's why it is good to have several different styles to choose from to make sure that you are expressing yourself clearly.First thing to do is gather information about your particular essay topic. Start with this information and start searching for essays in magazines and online. Remember to research your essay topic and then start writing. Make a list of things to add to your topic. Remember to make your essay to stand out from the rest of the applicants.Question to ask yourself when writing is about your specific area of interest. You may want to know the average SAT scores of the students in your class. You may also want to learn how to prepare an essay that will encourage a reader to read more about you.Some schools require a short writing assignment that includes brief answers to questions that are asked by students on the application form. This is usually a portion of the application. In order to make this easier, you can use sample essay prompts as a guideline for what to write.You want to make it easy for the reader to read. This is also a way to make sure that you know how to structure the essay. Ask yourself if you are utilizing the paragraphs, the introduction, the conclusion, and the body of the essay.Take English Composition class. Do not just blindly copy paragraphs off of the internet or newspaper articles. You should still use a professional editor to proofread your work. This is one way to learn how to write essays and how to present yourself.When applying to college, remember that even though you may be a high school graduate, colleges will check your grades in high school. It does not matter if you get A's and B's. Colleges use SAT and ACT scores to figure out if you were academically able to attend college. If you are going to apply to colleges, this is important information to have.All in all, writing a common application essay questions is hard work but it is worth it. For you to be successful in school, these questions must be answered correctly, otherwise the essay will be returned with a failing grade.

What is Abortion Essay - 2077 Words

What is Abortion Abortion is the term used to describe the premature expulsion of the foetus from the womb, or the operation to cause this. It is when a pregnant woman intentionally gets rid of her child before it is fully developed. Abortion is an extremely topical issue and has been practised for many centuries, although it only became legal in Britain in 1967. This was because an act was passed to encourage women not to have dangerous Back Street Abortions. People who had no medical experience often carried these out. The Abortion Act allowed abortions to be carried out, if two doctors agreed that:  · The mothers life was in danger  · Grave permanent injury to the mothers†¦show more content†¦Many organisations offer advice and support for different situations. LIFE is a pro-life organisation that believe that abortion shouldnt be practised. They teach that every life is sacred and that it begins right at the moment of conception. However, there are pro-choice groups who believe that it is the womans own choice. Christians are found supporting both causes. A. (ii) Explain what Christian teachings might be used in a discussion about abortion. When forming an opinion on an issue such as abortion, a Christian would look towards many things to help them. Jesus and his teachings in the New Testament are extremely important to Christians, as many of the ideas on lifestyle are still relevant today. Although Jesus never actually used the term abortion, nor does he preach about the idea of getting rid of an unborn child he does tell us that we Shall not kill. This rule could be applied to abortion, as you are technically killing someone. There are frequent reminders in the New Testament to love God and you neighbour as yourself. With this lesson in mind, Christians could form the opinion that if they were an unborn baby, would they want someone to choose whether they would ever actually make it to being a human being in the real world. Another important message in the gospel of Luke is that not even a sparrow isShow MoreRelated`` What I Saw At The Abortion ``875 Words   |  4 Pageshis essay, â€Å"What I Saw at the Abortion,† Richard Selzer a surgeon and author, writes about his experience witnessing an abortion for the first time. Before he begins to recount his experience, he gives us some background information to explain that he is writing this experience from the perspective of someone that is neither for nor against abortion, and also has no religious standpoint regarding abortion. This information is insightful as we get an opportunity to understand abortion from an unbiasedRead MoreWhat Does The Bible Say About Abortion? Essay954 Words   |  4 PagesWorldview Abortion is a major issue in our culture. It has divided our country for over four decades. Families and individuals are affected, as well as the whole of society. People on both sides of the issue passionately campaign for their position. â€Å"Abortion On Demand and Without Apology!† is the current mantra of those who support abortion. They are most often labeled pro-choice. â€Å"Stop Abortion Now!† is the mantra of those who oppose it. They are most often labeled pro-life. What does the BibleRead MoreUnder What Circumstances is Abortion Acceptable? Essay541 Words   |  3 PagesAbortion by google definition is a deliberate termination of ta human pregnancy. This, in fact, is a termination of a human life and should be deemed as murder. Abortion is a severely understated reality of the disregard and disrespect of human life. I believe that every human life should be treasured and respected, I feel abortion diminishes the meaning of life. There is a clear indication in science that like begins at conception. The fusion of the zygote is where human life beings, each zygoteRead MoreEssay on What Are A Fathers Rights Concerning an Abortion1069 Words   |  5 PagesWomen that push for an abortion do not always have a partner that agrees and supports their decision for terminating the pregnancy. If the father is willing to support and care for the fetus, it is wrong for a woman to go against his wishes and follow through with an abortion. For a father to want to be involved in the fetus’s life means he is willing to take on the responsibilities of having a child so he should have a say if his fetus should be terminated or not. The Becoming A Father/RefusingRead MoreWhat Does The Word Abortion Stirs Up Emotions?2621 Words   |  11 Pages1. Personal Life Experience The word abortion stirs up emotions in everyone. Everybody has an opinion on the subject. I can say I have some indirect/direct experience to the topic. I was a freshman in High School when my parents decided it was the time to educate me even more about sexuality and how important precautions are when it comes to it. Then the topic of abortion came hanging from my mom’s tears. My mom revealed me that she had an abortion when I was five years old. Back then my momRead More What Causes Women to have Abortions Essay821 Words   |  4 Pages Abortions have become popular to the industry. About 43% of American women will have one or occasionally more than one abortions during their lifetime. Womens centers and hospitals perform more than a million abortions per year. Most abortions are done on women under the age of 25. Majority of abortions are done for teenagers. Abortions are obviously in great demand. Most of the causes of abortions for women are due to personal and medical problems, and abusive sexual acts (rape pregnancy). TheRead MoreAbortion: A Never Ending Debate Essay example1629 Words   |  7 Pages Abortion alone has always been a major issue. Whether it’s the woman having to decide to get an abortion, or anti-abortion groups who are against abortions, trying to make them illegal all over the United States. Deciding on legalizing abortion in the United States seems to be an even bigger issue. For years people haven’t been able to come to a conclusion, legalizing or illegalizing it for good. Abortion which means the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in,Read MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1200 Words   |  5 PagesAbortion is a very hot topic that has been repeatedly contended over for the past few years. The argument is should abortion be legalized or not? First before we get into the many sides of abortion we must to know what is abortion. Abortion means ending a pregnancy before the fetus can live independently outside the world. If abortion happens unplanned before 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is called a miscarriage. Abortion is caused design to order to end the pregnancy (Brown, 2013). This can be completeRead MoreThe Main Purpose of Abortion826 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is abortion? Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before birth. Early in a pregnancy, the fertilized egg that grows and develops is called the embryo. After three months of development, it is usually called a fetus. An abortion causes the embryo or fetus to die. Abortion is a very inhumane thing to do I could never think of giving up a baby even when it is not an actual humane, when it is in the lady it is still considered a person to me no matter what. I have five nephews and nieces and IRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal Right?962 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion has been one of our top topics for many years now. We have two sides to this topic, either you are with it or you are against it. Many people in this world feel like its evil to kill an unborn human/baby for no reason. The other half of the people believes that a woman has the legal right to choose what she wants to do with her body. They believe no one has the right to tell them what they can or can’t do. Especially if the woman has health issues, has been raped, and evening if that baby

Therapeutic Cloning And Its Controversy - 1313 Words

Therapeutic Cloning and its Controversy The idea of finding a way to cure people of diseases with their own cells is one that scientists, physicians, and those who are afflicted by such diseases find very enticing. Therapeutic cloning is a process that scientists believe has the potential to achieve such goals in the future. While therapeutic cloning brings with it a variety of potential benefits and innovations, it also carries with it a polarizing ethical conflict that poses a strong impediment to furthering such research and development. By realizing therapeutic cloning for its great potential benefits and world changing implications and disregarding any ethical considerations that may deter such advancement, the proper focus and open-mindedness necessary to achieve success in the field would be achieved. Therapeutic cloning, like all medical endeavors, includes a multitude of challenges and flaws, but no very important medical achievements come about without extensive research a nd continual attempts at success. Therapeutic cloning is a process in which the cells of one person are manipulated into becoming the stem cells for another person through Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT). This process involves taking oocytes, or immature female egg cells that are generated during ovulation, incubating them in in vivo culture, and extracting the nucleus of such cells and replacing them with the the nucleus of another cell. This produces a stem cell with a genetic make-upShow MoreRelatedThe Human Of Human Cloning1100 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Cloning 1. INTRODUCTION Human  cloning  is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. However, this term not only refers to the entire artificial human, but also the reproduction of human cells and tissues. There are two types of theoretical human cloning: reproductive cloning which would involve making an entire cloned human and the other, therapeutic cloning, which would involve cloning cells from a human for use in medicine and transplants by somatic-cell nuclear transfer orRead MoreReport on Therapeutic Cloning1109 Words   |  4 PagesArgumentative Paper - Therapeutic Cloning A sheep named Dolly is the first thing to come to mind when the term cloning arises. Everyone remembers the hoopla or has read of the hoopla that surrounded the birth and survival of the first successfully cloned animal. This is because cloning, to some, is a questionable practice at best. In general terms, cloning is the replication of another animal. It is a process whereby an identical twin is created in a lab. However, cloning is not limited to replicatingRead MoreThe Human Of Human Cloning1098 Words   |  5 Pages1. INTRODUCTION Human  cloning  is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. However, this term not only refers to the entire artificial human, but also the reproduction of human cells and tissues. There are two types of theoretical human cloning: reproductive cloning which would involve making an entire cloned human and the other, therapeutic cloning, which would involve cloning cells from a human for use in medicine and transplants by somatic-cell nuclear transfer or pluripotent stemRead MoreThe Ethics of Human Cloning Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesHuman cloning is separated into two major categories; reproductive cloning, which uses cloning technology to create a human embryo that will produce an entire human, and therapeutic, which adopt cloning into field of medical practices to find a cure for many diseases (Kass). Reproductive cloning requires a somatic cell, a DNA-less egg, and a surrogate mother; as a result, it creates a new individual with the same genome, or genetic coding. The idea originated in Germany in 1938, but the first successfulRead More Embryonic Wars Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pages The specific objective of this major essay is to clarify and summarise the controversial debate concerning the ethical decency of embryonic cloning for therapeutic purposes. This is the form of cloning that is supposedly beneficial to a barrage of medical applications. We will identify the key opposing ethical perspectives such as those of the justification of embryonic research based on the normative theory of consequentialism. This paper will also probe into the relatively brief history of theRead MoreShould Human Cloning Be Pursued? Essay810 Words   |  4 Pagessome movies, cloning in real life doesn’t produce a full grown exact replica of someone. A type of cloning that occurs naturally is when identical twins are born (â€Å"What Is Cloning?†). Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a type of cloning that has to be done in a lab. In SCNT they take the nucleolus out of an egg cell, replace it with the nucleolus of a somatic cell (body cell with two complete sets of chromosomes), and make the egg cell divide into a blastocyst (â€Å"What Is Cloning?†). There areRead MoreStem Cell Research : Ethics, Cloning And Curing The Disease1220 Words   |  5 Pages Honors English 3 13 Apr. 2016 Research Paper Outline Stem Cell Research - Ethics, Cloning and Curing the Disease Introduction According to former Speaker of the House, John Boehner, †Stem cell research must be carried out in an ethical manner in a way that respects the sanctity of human life.† In recent events, stem cell research has caught the attention of the nation and stirred up controversy about the research and ethics along with it. Ethically, stem cell research has caught moreRead MoreWhy Is Cloning? Living A Wonderful Life?1668 Words   |  7 PagesWhy Cloning? Imagine living a wonderful life. A life full of friends and loving relationships. A healthy life. Celebrating holidays with friends and families and finally starting to fall in love with the person might†. Then all of a sudden your wonderful life comes to a screeching halt when you go to the doctor and is diagnosed with HIV, a fatal disease with no cure. You’re now faced with countless decisions such as whether or not you want to be heavily medicated. More medications could lead toRead MoreLiving A Wonderful Life : A Life Full Of Friends And Loving Relationships1666 Words   |  7 Pagesup. Cloning could provide an efficient way to find resistance and cures to diseases while providing an option to infertile couples. Human cloning is the process of using nuclear transfer, (a process of dna transfer) to a human cell in order to grow human cells. Human cloning is necessary and inevitable and research in the fields of reproductive and therapeutic cloning should continue to develop. Human cloning should be legal because reproductive cloning is inevitable and therapeutic cloning providesRead MoreIs Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer?1193 Words   |  5 PagesThe second way to get hESCs is by man-created. One technology of man-creating hESCs is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), commonly referred to as cloning. This technique is also used in therapeutic cloning, which creates hESCs to treat or cure a patient with the disease. Since the created hESC contains DNA that’s virtually identical to the existing patient, this could eliminate the significant problem of tissue rejection, which could be the â€Å"impediment to the clinical success of regenerative medicine

The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1247 Words

Over time, the idea of â€Å"The American Dream† shifted from the Founding Fathers idealistic belief of equality, liberty, and happiness for all to the view that what is most important is the accumulation of wealth and material possessions as written about by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. How does a whole country go from a shared value of advancing freedom and individual rights to that of advancing oneself at the expense of others? Individuals are a product of their environment and reflect the values of society of their time. Thomas Jefferson, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence, stated that, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.† (ushistory.org) It is clear that Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers did not associate wealth or materialism with happiness in light of the following quote attributed to Jefferson, â€Å"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction.† (monticello.org) It appears that the Founding Fathers feared that future generations would forget the true meaning of freedom and the responsibility that preserving it entails and become self-absorbed with greed. The Founding Fathers lived in a time ofShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new Am erican culture build around that

Christine Philosophy of Business

Question: Discuss about the Christine Philosophy of Business. Answer: Introduction The study is about implication of the ideas of business that are mentioned in a textbook that follows Christian philosophical and spiritual perspectives. The study will forecast real life situations in the business world that follows the ideas that are pointed out from the textbook regarding the Christian perspectives in business. The textbook selected for the study is Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions by Steven Rundle, Tom A. Steffen. Some holistic mission that are mentioned in the book are described in the study which will be used by organizations in the real life world regarding different business perspectives. Main Argument of the Author The authors in the textbook have some assumptions regarding the holistic mission of the business. The assumptions are described in the following. Assumption 1: Humans are created for doing good works. God has created human beings in order to perform good deeds. In terms of Jesus Christ, we the human beings are workmanship of him (Rundle and Steffen 2011). Assumption 2: Opportunities are created as a result of good works that helps in sharing good news. Authors have stated that due to good work, we the human beings create good opportunity for themselves that will lead to development. Assumption 3: The real physical needs are met by authentic missions. However, it never stops there (Rundle and Steffen 2011). In this context, authors try to state the fact that physical needs of man are basic needs that is responsible for keeping peace among the whole being i.e. soul, spirit and body. Assumption 4: In the family of God authentic missions usually aims in drawing people. However, it does not stop there (Rundle and Steffen 2011). In this perspective, the human beings are devoted to perform in authentic missions while involving them in activities that will draw people close to their mission. Apart from that, six steps are essential for starting a great commission company. The steps are as follows: Evaluating the business opportunity Evaluating the mission opportunity Assembling the management team Building an advisory network Developing business plan Developing great commission plan (Newman, Moncarz and Kay 2014) Application of the Idea into Business Evaluation of the Business Opportunity This aspect includes the size of the market. The market size includes the target customers, specific needs of the customers. The attractiveness of the industry includes the barriers of entry of the industry. In order to evaluate the attractiveness of the industry, PESTEL analysis, Porters five forces analysis, etc. The competitive advantage of the market in terms of the management talent, efficiency, brand recognition, technology and quality are to be found in order to make the business unique. The resource based VRIN model is to be used. Some factors are need to be considered such as investment in the business, source of investment, flexibility of the model, attractiveness of the investors (Hartman et al. 2014). Evaluating the mission Opportunity While forming a great commission company, the benefit of the people group or location will be benefitted. The company must be holistic in nature i.e. it would be responsible for spiritual and material benefits towards the society. It will also create a value in different less-evangelised part in the world. The company must contribute to the other Christian organizations of the world. It will determine the nature of the organization i.e. whether the organization belongs to not for profit or for profit organizations. The source of the resource of the business is also a point of concern (Grosser et al. 2014). Assembling a management Team The management team of the organization is consisted of balanced and qualified professionals organized in the form of a team. As a valid ministry, all the team members must see the activities of the business. There must be a spiritual maturity in the business operations. The spiritual disciplines must be present among the different persons involved in the business perspectives. The team members in the company must share persistence, passion, and capacity of learning from various risks and mistakes in the practical field. An ideal management team will be a national and expatriate believer of their own beliefs and values (Crane and Matten 2016). Building Advisory network Advisory networks are responsible for formulating strategy in the organization. The success of the organizational goals and organizational strategy is depended on the quality of people involved in the advisory network team of the company. The proper identification of the team is essential for seeking the advice seekers. The team include accountants, lawyers, local government officials, technology experts, mission agencies, leaders of the indigenous, trade departments, etc (Weiss 2014). Developing a Business Plan A business plan is the most vital aspect of a company that is responsible for the growth and sustainability of the business in the competitive business world. The senior management officials of the team formulate the business plan of a company. It includes financiers, investors, shareholders, stakeholders, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operational officers, etc. A good business plan must include few characteristics such as opportunity for growth, context of the business, rewards and risks associated in the business, people associated in the business, etc (Baer 2015). Developing a Great Commission Plan However, it can be said that a good business plan is also known as a good commission plan. The business plan of an organization when has a perfect mission and vision that are accomplished with the business goals are considered to be a great commission plan. It can be said that most of the successful business of the world has a particular mission and vision that are incorporated in the business plan (Abend 2014). Conclusion It can be concluded that the Christian perspective of doing business can be implemented in real life business operations. The study reflects about the clear assumptions made by the author as per Christian belief as well as their implications in six different business perspectives. References Abend, G., 2014.The moral background: an inquiry into the history of business ethics. Princeton University Press. Baer, R., 2015. Ethics, values, virtues, and character strengths in mindfulness-based interventions: a psychological science perspective.Mindfulness,6(4), pp.956-969. Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016.Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press. Grosser, K., Moon, J., Freeman, R.E. and Nelson, J., 2014. Special Issue on: Gender, Business Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility.Business Ethics Quarterly,24(02), pp.303-306. Hartman, L.P., DesJardins, J.R., MacDonald, C. and Hartman, L.P., 2014.Business ethics: Decision making for personal integrity and social responsibility. New York: McGraw-Hill. Newman, D., Moncarz, E.S. and Kay, C.L., 2014. Factors affecting lodging career success: an analysis of management philosophies.Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality Tourism,15(1), pp.1-18. Rundle, S., and Steffen, T. 2011. Great Commission companies: The emerging role of business in missions. (2nd ed.) Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press. Weiss, J.W., 2014.Business ethics: A stakeholder and issues management approach. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Sexuality in Mainstream Hindi Cinema Films as medi Essays - Culture

Sexuality in Mainstream Hindi Cinema Films as medium of Mass Communication Film communication may be considered as a social process whereby a transmitted signal is received primarily through visual receptors (and, often, sound receptors) and is then treated as a message from which content or meaning is inferred. Film, as a symbolic form, is a process of communication that employs film, the medium, with its technology of optics, emulsions, and cameras, to produce a piece of celluloid with a variable-density silver nitrate surface. It is man who creates film communication. This definition suggests that a piece of film, in and of itself, is meaningless-that meaning exists only in a special social and cognitive relationship between a filmmaker and a viewer. This relationship occurs when a viewer chooses to treat a film not as mere signals triggering perceptual awareness and biological responses, but as message units that have been put together intentionally and from which meaning may be inferred. Cinema is perhaps the mainstream of all art forms, most popular and most accessible, especially in India, a country which produces most number of films in a year compared to any other country (barring Hollywood, perhaps), and a country where we have a large base of cinema-going public. Cinema, more than any other art, has the power to influence people. Therefore, it is very important to understand how the country, its people and its aspirations are represented in the cinema produced in the country. Cinema as a medium of mass communication can be seen at different levels, serving different purposes. It can be an art form, an entertainment, a social document or a social critique. Cinema can be all of these and at the same time be a means to something else - a mirror unto our lives, showing us exactly how we function as society. Mainstream Vs Alternative Cinema Mainstream films can best be defined as commercial films that are made by major entertainment s tudios or companies that are owned by international media conglomerates. Because of better financing, these films can afford more expensive actors, wide releases or limited releases, and are sold at popular retail stores. This has become known as the studio system. Films made by major studios or companies that are not owned by a media conglomerate but are distributed by a company owned by a media conglomerate are also considered to be mainstream and are often referred to as mainstream independent films. As a mainstream medium (cinema needs money to be produced. Therefore, it must appeal to the mainstream audience, who will pay at the box office) cinema must, first and foremost, appeal to the mainstream audience. The definition of mainstream varies from society to society, from culture to culture. Broadly, it means representing the prevalent attitudes, values, and practices of a society or group, for example, mainstream morality. A cultural construct, when applied to art, mainstream may mean something that is available to the general public, or something that has ties to corporate or commercial entities. Sexuality in Hindi mainstream films refers to the presentation in motion pictures of sexuality or eroticism and sex acts, including love scenes. Erotic scenes have been presented in films since the silent era of cinematography. Many actors and actresses have exposed at least parts of their bodies or dressed and behaved in ways considered sexually provocative by contemporary standards at some point in their careers. Some films containing sex scenes have been criticized by religious groups or banned by Govt. or both. Sexuality in cinema has been presented in many genres of film; while in some genres sexuality is rarely depicted. Sex in films can be distinguished to a pornographic film and also from nudity in film, nudity can be presented in a sexualized context, for example nudity in naturalism would normally be regarded as non-sexual. In India, the entertainment industry is an important part of modern India and is expressive of Indian society in general. Historically Indian films have lacked the frank depiction of sex; until recently, even kissing scenes were considered taboo. On the other hand rape scenes or showing sexual assault were depicted openly. Currently some Indian states show soft core sexual scenes and nudity in films, while

Demography of Harbor Hills, Austin, TX

Demography of Harbor Hills, Austin, TX History of the Neighborhoods In this social economic analysis, I will focus on Austin city located in Texas as well as Harbor Hills in New York. Austin is the capital city of the US state of Texas. It has a population of approximately one million people according to US Census Bureau. Since its foundation in the 19th century, Austin has grown in an unprecedented rate to become eleventh most populous city in the US.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Demography of Harbor Hills, Austin, TX specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, the city hosts a myriad of government operations and education institutions such as University of Texas. It is worth mentioning that the city has a cosmopolitan composition of population in the sense that many people living in the area come from different races, nationalities and ethnicities. To that end, racial, ethnic and other demographic characteristics of Austin are of paramount importance i n this analysis. Besides, the report will also analyze other variables including poverty levels in comparison to racial and ethnic belonging and background. For the purposes of qualitative analysis and comparison, the paper will also focus on demography of Harbor Hills in New York. Harbor Hills has as modest population of around five thousand people. It reflects a hamlet and is located in Nassau County in New York. The city will provide important variables that will be of interest especially when making comparison of various demographic parameters such as poverty rates and racial background. Fig 1: Racial Composition of Austin, TX Race Population Percentage (%) Total Population: 1,007,264 White Alone 699,233 69.4% Black or African American Alone 85,468 8.5% American Indian and Alaska Native Alone 5,633 0.6% Asian Alone 58,806 5.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone 770 0.1% Some Other Race Alone 133,673 13.3% Two or More races 23,681 2.4% The mot ivation behind this analysis is the fact that Travis County is one of the most diverse counties not only in Southwest of the United States but also in other areas of the country. The rationale is that the entire state of Texas has experienced unsurpassed rate of immigration leading to a multiethnic population. Most profoundly, Blacks and Hispanics have become significant races within Texas and its cities. Harbor Hills will serve as a point of reference when making comparison about poverty levels and ethnic belonging of the city residents. Besides, the demographic analysis will utilize both dependent and independent variables to arrive at a succinct analysis of the city.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Description of Variables In this analysis, rate of poverty will stand out as of the major variable. It refers to the number of people living below certain threshold. Acco rding to the United States Census Bureau, poverty rate refers to the number of people living below minimum wage. On the other hand, minimum wage is the threshold of income per person in employment that International Labor Organization (ILO) stipulates. It varies from time to time due to other factors such as the rate of inflation and jurisdiction. In Harbor Hills and Austin, analysis of poverty rates will provide us with vital statistics. Besides, analysis of rates of poverty will facilitate explanation of other demographic and external variables such as income and literacy levels. Second, the paper will analyze the rates of poverty visvis ethnic and racial backgrounds of the residents in both neighborhoods. It is important to point out that rate of poverty is directly associated with level of education and race. Due to different cultures and demography, comparison of the two neighborhoods will reveal other characteristics that are pertinent to the analysis. Empirical Profile of the Neighborhoods Poverty rates in Austin vary greatly in accordance to race and ethnicity. The major races in the city are Whites, Black and African Americans, Hispanics, Indian Americans and other races. The Whites constitute approximately 69.4% of the total population while the Blacks and Africans constitute just above 8.5%. Other races constitute approximately 20% of the population. According to 2010 statistics released by US Census Bureau, poverty rate in Austin varies with age. Poverty rate of children under the age of 18 years stand at 22.1% implying that at least two out of ten children living in Austin live under poor conditions. For the population of people between the ages of 18 and 64 years, poverty rate stood at 15.5%. Above 64 years, poverty rate of the population seem to have reduced within the period of analysis. It stood at an average of 8.1%. On average, poverty rate in the city of Austin is just above 15%. According to the US Census Bureau, the rate of poverty remain s high when compared to the national average that was 12% in the same year. Various factors are attributable to high rates of poverty in Austin. At the outset, it is of importance to mention that level of education and race are major determinants of poverty rates in the neighborhood.  On average, Austin’s income per household is around $88 thousands annually. In black households, the average level of income stands at just below $50, 000 annually.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Demography of Harbor Hills, Austin, TX specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is different from the average annual income accruing Whites’ households that stood at approximately $96, 499 during the same period. Consequently, the disparities that are apparent in terms of incomes also reflect in other aspects of Austin. For instance, poverty levels among the blacks stand at about 24.3% while that of Whites is a mere 13.3% (in the year 2010). In addition, it is worth highlighting that other races residing in Austin record a significantly higher rate of poverty than the white population. Central to the rate of poverty is the level of education across the ethnic groups living in Austin. Apparently, over a quarter of the population has attained a bachelor’s degree while almost an equal proportion of the population has some college education. Education is an important indicator of the likelihood of being absorbed in the labor market according to many social scientists. As such, its rate either increases or reduces the likelihood of employment and influences the amount of income accruing each household. To this end, it is important to pinpoint that that rate of unemployment amongst the white population stood at a modest 5.9% in the neighborhood. Among the blacks, the rate of unemployment is more than twice when compared to that of the white population. It stood at 12.4% according to the statistics released by Census Bureau in 2010. This helps us to draw a conclusion and deduce that average white population is more literate than respective black population in Austin. This is reflected in the disparities of income per household and the rate of unemployment between the two major races living in the city Austin. In Harbor Hills, New York, poverty rates are relatively low when compared to Austin. Particularly, the number of poor children stood at five in 2001accounting for 0.8% of children under the age 18 that live in abject poverty. This number has grown in a period of 10 years to peak at 3.2% in 2011. For ages between 24 and 64 years, the rate of poverty has increased from 5.1% to 7.1 between 2001 and 2011 respectively. Nonetheless, the rate of poverty among the senior citizens has reduced marginally from 5.3% in 2001 to 4.8% by 2011. On average, Harbor Hills has one of the lowest rates of poverty in Nassau County. It is important to highlight that poverty levels vary considerably in l ine with racial belonging and education attainment of the residents. Unlike in Austin, Harbor Hills has one of the lowest rates poverty accruing the black population and other minority races. According to the US Census Bureau, the rate of poverty among the black population stood at 0.5% in 2010, which was a lower rate of poverty than that of the majority white population. In fact, the rate of poverty among white residents of the neighborhood stood at 6.8% in 2011.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The mean income accruing every household in Harbor Hills was approximately $83,275 in 2010. While the statistics for the annual income accruing black households was unavailable by the end of 2010, every white household recorded an average annual income of about $83, 451. This implies that the households had a higher per household income than all other racial groups in the neighborhood. While income per household is a strong exogenous variable that influences poverty rates within a community, other factors such as education attainment contribute significantly to the welfare of the residents. US Census Bureau records that an average of 48.7% of the population has attained a bachelor’s degree with well above 20% of the population having achieved a graduate degree. This implies that a considerable majority of the residents is able to access employment opportunities in both military and civilian institutions. Due to high level of educational attainment, it is critical to highlight that Harbor Hills has a different social economic profile than Austin. In addition, the number of people living in the neighborhood is relatively low when compared to the residents of Austin. It therefore follows that population density of the two neighborhoods vary greatly despite similar variables typifying the communities. Besides, seems to be ‘an above average’ suburb in terms of socio-economic parameters that are provided by US Census Bureau. Conclusion In essence, Austin and Harbor Hills neighborhoods vary greatly. On the one hand, Austin is located in Travis County, Texas in Southwest of the US. It is the capital city of Texas and hosts myriads of state institutions and departments. Due to its geographical location, Austin has different social groups belonging to various races, ethnicities and nationalities. White and black races are the predominant races although there are other races in the city. According to the US Census Bureau report of 2010, poverty rates among the white residents are lower than poverty rates among the black residents. Consequently, there is a higher level of average annual income accruing white households than black households. This is due to the average levels of unemployment and educational attainment that are skewed in favor of the white population. On the other hand, Harbor Hills is located in Long Island of New York. It is a relatively affluent suburb of New York City in the county of Nassau. Unlike Austin, Harbor Hills has a low population of about five thousand people. However, the residents have different ethnicities, races and nationalities. Moreover, the rates of poverty are relatively lower than in Austin. The levels of income and unemployment are more favorable for Harbor Hills; residents than for Austin dwellers. Reflection From the above demographic analysis, I have learned various lessons that are valuable to my social research and inquiry skills. At the outset, I have learnt that the level of income accruing every household is an important indicator of poverty level and status. However, households’ income is a dependent variable that correlates with levels of education attainment, unemployment and racial background. It is not surprising therefore, that black population in Austin suffers from the highest rates of unemployment and the lowest levels of educational attainment. This in turn has led to high number of black residents living under conditions of poverty and subsequently, low incomes accruing their households. Second, I have learnt that Austin has a higher number of residents (approximately one million) than Harbor Hills (five thousand). This has had a significant influence on the statistics that US Census Bureau released in 2010. For instance, it is absurd to purport that no student dropped out of high school in Harbor Hills since the statistics indicate a figure that is well below 1% in 2010. Indeed, the percentages do not reveal the actual number of people high lighted by various variables. Third, I have understood that Harbor Hills is relatively affluent than Austin. The rationale is that the neighborhood has a population of black residents who are comparatively wealthier than white residents are. Besides, it seems that only the wealthy blacks can afford to live in Harbor Hills. This is reflected in the high level of educational attainment in the neighborhood. It is commendable that the rates of literacy in the area are above 95%. Finally, I have learnt that Austin city is of strategic importance for the state of Texas. The reason is that the city has a rich diversity that can be used to draw general conclusions about the demographic characteristics of other cities.

Does Nietzsche provide any good reasons for being sceptical about Essay

Does Nietzsche provide any good reasons for being sceptical about Christian love - Essay Example Despite being the son of a Lutheran minister, Nietzsche was a man who did not subscribe to the ideas of Christianity, especially those that dealt with love, believing that the concept of love had been completely corrupted by the church. However, he was also a great admirer of Jesus because of the manner in which he had lived his life and attempted to reform the religion of Judaism so that it could become more progressive. While this was the case, Nietzsche criticized the teaching of love in the Gospels stating that they did not hold any truth in the reality of many individuals. It was his belief that those individuals who practiced Christianity did not live their lives to the fullest because they subscribed to teachings of Gospels, which were aimed at ensuring that life was composed of absolutes. According to Nietzsche, life was not full of absolutes and the concept of love could therefore not be practiced as preached in Christianity because to do so would mean that individuals could no longer make decisions for themselves; hence remain in the fossilized hierarchy to which the church had relegated them. According to Nietzsche, because Jesus died on the cross, the concept of love died with him and this is the reason why there no longer needs to be any form of absolutes in the manner in which individuals profess love towards each other. According to him, the Christian manner of love as practiced was highly hypocritical because instead of making people happy, it made them slaves of their own actions (Hollingdale, 1999, p.21). This declaration by Nietzsche does not hold any truth because Christian teachings relating to love enabled the church to grow in strength and have continued to sustain it in the modern world despite the rapid secularization currently taking place. There have been points of view though criticized by Nietzsche that Christian teachings on love are among the elements that have ensured a continued growth in provision of charity and aid for

International JournalismThe Representation of China in British Essay

International JournalismThe Representation of China in British National Newspaper - Essay Example Recently there was coverage of mobile killer squads in China, which horrified Western readers. It is important to research on how the human day-today activities of the country are represented in British media. British Newspaper covering China had been very inadequate. Whatever is presented is done from the blind point, where one cannot see beyond a certain spot. Sometimes noticeable amount of repetition mars the reporting, perhaps due to non-availability of fresh news. Uncritical elements without considerable evidence, hesitancy in reporting due to lack of complete knowledge of events occur. Kind of highly Western-Centric articles too are seen. Inevitability of acceptance (after all it is China, cannot get more than this) plagues; in-depth analysis is missing, also uncritical discussion because of lack of resources and evidences and proofs persists. British media represents not only the vulnerability of international journalism in China, but also its helplessness. A breathless narration as though on the brink of a disaster, where the journalist might be thrown out or snuffed out kind of hurried, considerably less critical coverage has always been the coverage character. Today, it is the era of online global voices from every remote corner of the world, other than those few countries where autocratic rule still prevails. China's image in the West had been very negative in the 19th century, and even in 20th it did not improve much. It did improve for some time when China had Sun-Yat-Sen, but plummeted down immediately during the Communist take over. British as well as other Western media, had effectively shut their eyes to Mao's China, and China was playing truant, like a powerful bully and only such matters were reported in Britain. It was almost impossible for the British or any other media to have a peep into the forbidden country and this suited Communists, because their internal persecutions and ruthless handling of Tibetan revolts have gone unnoticed by the world. During Cold War, Western media had the preoccupation of Soviet Russia and hardly spared a glance towards China, the weaker link in Communist chain. China thrived in isolation and world ignorance. Slowly some visual documentaries were prepared on the peripheral issues of China, that could be aired in other countries, like success of com munism, million flowers blooming under Mao, flourishing red revolution. Also some information about cultural glorification oozed out into the western newspapers. "Buddhism, Christianity and Marxism, Western literature and philosophy did not come to China, and Daoism, Confucianism and Chinese literature did not come to the West by means of cultural diplomacy, but they do form an essential part of cultural relations," http://journals.cambridge.org/download.phpfile=%2FCQY%2FCQY169%2FS0009443902000116a.pdf&code=0ce4594f66b5930708c095f29250a990 Still we are unaware about modernisation and modernity is taking place in China, as all mouthpieces are totally gagged. Total internet is not allowed, even though according to some researchers whatever is allowed

The Daimler Chrysler Case Essay Example for Free

The Daimler Chrysler Case Essay QUESTION 1: How would you evaluate Daimler’s choice of partner/target? What is in your opinion the main reason for the troubles in integrating the two companies? The Daimler-Chrysler merger represent an example of poor partner selection when engaging in cross-border collaboration. Cultural and strategic differences between the two companies have significantly affected the outcome of the merger and should have been taken into consideration in the target choice phase. Strategic objectives of the two companies are opposite, with Daimler focusing on high-end, high-performance segment, and brand protection, and Chrysler focusing on more affordable and comfortable vehicles. Differences in organizational cultures, flexible and innovative on the Chrysler side, structured and bureaucratical on the Daimler side, have also played a significant role in the failure of the merger. Differences in executives pay, national regulations of governance structures and different degree of executives involvement, contributed to make the conflict even more harsh(see Appendix). Although cultural differences may be identified as the most plausible cause of DaimlerChrysler merger failure, the cause of the negative outcome is rooted in the ex ante selection and negotiation phase. Negotiations have been mainly carried on by companies’ presidents with few, if any, executives involved in the process. No consideration has been given to business differences and no agreement on the new venture structure and culture has been discussed beforehand. Moreover, while the outcome of negotiations was presented as a merger, it was more of a Daimler acquisition of Chrysler. This misbehavior was the origin of main management flaws. In fact the creation of a board with equal number of the companies’ executives and the simultaneous differences in executive pay and titles, created confusion among the employees about the nature of the relationship. When Daimler tried to take the lead of the new venture in this context, it lacked necessary leadership to effectively ma nage the company. Strategic objectives eventually clashed, due to Daimler unwillingness to give up its high-end image in order to adapt to Chrysler culture. Again, this is the result of a general failure in identifying the most appropriate partner to pursue the company’s objectives. Daimler also lacked a comprehensive analysis of business culture differences between the companies’ employees. A thorough analysis would have showed that the differences in the nature of the processes adopted by the companies could have caused significant problems when coming to the integration of the new venture. QUESTION 2: If you could turn back time and start all over again, what advice would you give to Schrempp and Eaton before the merger? Should they have considered an alliance? If so – would they be good partners for each other? Why, or why not? In order to ensure a better outcome of their merger both Daimler-Benz and Chrysler should have conducted a more extensive analysis of the partner/target culture and strategic objective and should have evaluated how these factors could have complemented their current competitive advantages. Although the merger objective was to create synergies by exploiting the two companies capabilities, one of the unspoken objectives was to take their respective products to foreing markets. In this view, Daimler choice of merging with Chrysler is seriosly flawed. The German company strongly relies on high-end products and on fancy brand image, while Chrysler targets a low-end segment. Also the integration of product lines has been flawed, as for example Jeep conveys an idea of ruggedness, insted of a luxury one. In this respect it would have been reasonable to choose a partner which deals with similar line of products in order to exploit its knowledge of the market and its distribution channels, rather than a partner like Chrysler which deals with a completly different market segment. The choice of an high-end segment oriented partner could have also contributed to reduce differences in business culture. In fact, companies which market similar product lines are likely to share similar processes and structures and hence similar business culture. On the integration side, negotiating the new venture structure and line of authority beforehand could have helped solving cultural issues. Determining such structure beforehand would have reduced uncertainties in executives roles and misunderstandings between corporate cultures. In order to make this effective I would suggest that executives from the two firms to be involved in the process, so as to develop a strong committment to the new entity’s success(BeamishBartlett, 2011). In addition, the role of the two firms should have been clarified, as this uncertainty lead to major management flaws, with each of the side trying to impose their view of the business on the other. In conclusion I wouldn’t recommend Daimler to choose Chrysler as a target. The differences in strategic objectives and culture are too big for the merger to succeed, especially given the unwillingness of Daimler executives to be open-minded toward the new culture. An automotive enterprise focused on the same segment as Daimler’s(which could eventually share some of the same processes and culture) is more recommended to achieve synergies. However, if the deal has to be made, I would reccomend to start with a temporary alliance and to remain flexible, so as to renegotiate the agreement as strategic objectives evolve and as trust is built among organizations (BeamishBartlett, 2011). References * C.A.Bartlett, P.W.Beamish, â€Å"Transnational management†, McGraw-Hill, 2011 * D.C.St. Jean, â€Å"DaimlerChrysler merger: the quest to create â€Å"One Company†Ã¢â‚¬ , Babson College, 2000

The Nurse and Friar Laurence are responsible for Romeo and Juliets deat

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet the characters Nurse and Friar Laurence are to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s Problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way Friar Laurence encouraged Romeo and Juliet to get Married, The way the Nurse is contradictory in her views of Romeo and Paris, When Friar Laurence secretly married them, the way the Nurse is secretive about the affair and does not tell the Capulet’s or the Montague’s, when Laurence gave Juliet the sleeping potion, the way Laurence believed he was doing the right thing without thinking of the consequences, and the way Laurence leaves Juliet’s Tomb when he hears the watch coming, all combine to result in the lovers death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In act II scene III, Romeo goes to see Friar Laurence to tell him that he no longer loves Rosaline, but has fell in love with Juliet. This amazes Friar Laurence, but he promises to marry them,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"O, she knew well   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But come, young waverer, come, go with me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In one respect I’ll assistant be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For this alliance may so happy prove   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To turn your household’s rancour to pure love.† (Friar Laurence, Act II Scene III, sentence 87-92)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By doing this, Friar Laurence has gone behind Capulet and Montague’s back, and started the momentum behind the lover’s tragedy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a few parts of the play, the Nurse speaks of Romeo and Paris with Juliet, each time she has a different view on who Juliet should be with,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LADY CAPULET   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Marry, that ‘marry’ is the very theme   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I came to talk of. Tell me daughter Juliet,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How stands your dispositions to be married?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  JULIET   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is an honour that I dream not of†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NURSE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"An honour! Were not I thine only nurse,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teat.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LADY CAPULET... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exit Friar What’s here? A cup, closed in my true loves hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them To make me die with a restorative. She kisses him Thy lips are warm!† WATCHMAN ‘within’ â€Å"Lead, boy. Which way? JULIET â€Å"Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! She snatches Romeos dagger This is thy sheath, there rust, and let me die   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She stabs herself and falls† (Act V Scene III, sentence 144-176)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this act, Rome and Juliet die. This is brought about by the Friars plan to help Romeo and Juliet escape to Mantua, which failed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Without the meddling from the Nurse and Friar Laurence, Romeo and Juliet might not have died. Friar Laurence and the Nurse are responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death. Bibliography William Shakespeare - Romeo And Juliet - Complete Edition

High school Essay

* â€Å"Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. â€Å"Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy. † (â€Å"Why Is Literacy Important? † UNESCO, 2010) * â€Å"The notion of basic literacy is used for the initial learning of reading and writing which adults who have never been to school need to go through. The term functional literacy is kept for the level of reading and writing which adults are thought to need in modern complex society. Use of the term underlines the idea that although people may have basic levels of literacy, they need a different level to operate in their day-to-day lives. † (David Barton, Literacy: An Introduction to the Ecology of Written Language, 2nd ed. WileyBlackwell, 2006) * â€Å"To acquire literacy is more than to psychologically and mechanically dominate reading and writing techniques. It is to dominate those techniques in terms of consciousness; to understand what one reads and to write what one understands: it is to communicate graphically. Acquiring literacy does not involve memorizing sentences, words or syllables–lifeless objects unconnected to an existential universe–but rather an attitude of creation and re-creation, a self-transformation producing a stance of intervention in one’s context. † (Paulo Freire, Education for Critical Consciousness. Sheed & Ward, 1974) * â€Å"There is hardly an oral culture or a predominantly oral culture left in  the world today that is not somehow aware of the vast complex of powers forever inaccessible without literacy. † (Walter J. Ong, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. Methuen, 1982) * â€Å"We expect the contradictory and the impossible. . . . We expect to be inspired by mediocre appeals for ‘excellence,’ to be made literate by illiterate appeals for literacy. † (Daniel J. Boorstin, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America, 1961) * Women and Literacy â€Å"In the history of women, there is probably no matter, apart from contraception, more important than literacy. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, access to power required knowledge of the world. This could not be gained without reading and writing, skills that were granted to men long before they were to women. Deprived of them, women were condemned to stay home with the livestock, or, if they were lucky, with the servants. (Alternatively, they may have been the servants. ) Compared with men, they led mediocre lives. In thinking about wisdom, it helps to read about wisdom–about Solomon or Socrates or whomever. Likewise, goodness and happiness and love. To decide whether you have them, or want to make the sacrifices necessary to get them, it is useful to read about them. Without such introspection, women seemed stupid; therefore, they were considered unfit for education; therefore, they weren’t given an education; therefore they seemed stupid. † (Joan Acocella, â€Å"Turning the Page. † Review of The Woman Reader by Belinda Jack [Yale University Press, 2012]. The New Yorker, October 15, 2012) * From the website of California Literacy, Inc. â€Å"The literacy rate in the US has many educators in search of answers about this problem that has plagued our country for decades. Instead of decreasing, the numbers of literacy has steadily increased over the years. This raises a lot of questions about our education system, how it is ran, and why there is such a problem with illiterate people in our country. † (quoted by The New Yorker, Nov. 22, 2010) Pronunciation: LIT-er-eh-see Language * Six Common Myths About Language * Key Dates in the History of the English Language * Introduction to Etymology: Word Histories Elsewhere on the Web * The National Institute for Literacy (US) * The Literacy Project * National Literacy Trust (UK) Resources for Writers * Reference Works for Writers and Editors * Grammar and Usage Advice Sites * Sites for Correcting Common Sentence Errors Related Articles * orality – definition and examples of orality * illiteracy – definition and examples of illiteracy * aliteracy – definition and examples of aliteracy * Adult Education – What Is Adult Education * Writing Degree – Do I Need a Writing Degree Richard Nordquist Grammar & Composition Guide * Sign up for My Newsletter * Headlines * Forum Advertisement. 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Icon – Lower Case 6. literacy – definition and examples of literacy * Advertise on About. com * Our Story * News & Events * SiteMap * All Topics * Reprints * Help * Write for About * Careers at About * User Agreement * Ethics Policy * Patent Info. * Privacy Policy * Your Ad Choices  ©2013 About. com. All rights reserved. The Greatest Literacy Challenges Facing Contemporary High School Teachers: Implications for Secondary Teacher Preparation Mary B. Campbell Saint Xavier University Margaret M. Kmiecik Saint Xavier University Secondary teachers face significant challenges in their efforts to increase the literacy levels of adolescents. Encouraging teachers to speak out about these challenges and to recommend initiatives that may improve literacy practices for adolescents is vital for future reform efforts. This study examines the questions: â€Å"What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? † and â€Å"What will help to diminish these challenges? † The data collection questionnaire was distributed to teachers in eight high schools throughout the greater Chicago area. A discussion of the findings suggests compelling directions for secondary teachers and teacher educators. 2 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) WHILE SEVERAL REFORMS in higher education teacher preparation have made a difference in more teachers being highly prepared and qualified (Smylie, Bay, & Tozer, 1999), preparing teachers to meet the literacy demands of secondary students still remains inadequate. Improving literacy learning in our nation’s high schools needs serious elevation as an educational priority at all levels. The 2002 NAEP (National Association for Educational Progress) Report indicates that 36 percent of students in grade 12 performed at a proficient level, indicating that only a little over one-third of our nation’s high school seniors can understand challenging material (Feller, 2003). This was a decline in performance from 1998 when the NAEP reported the percentage of seniors who performed at the proficient level as 40 percent (U. S. Department of Education, 1999). Additionally the 1998 report states that no more than 6 percent of the adolescents performed at the advanced level which demonstrates students’ ability to analyze and extend the meaning of the materials they read. The NAEP data further show more than one-third of the students did not demonstrate competence at a basic level of literacy. The International Reading Association has taken a substantial leadership role in elevating attention to middle school and secondary literacy issues by establishing the Commission on Adolescent Literacy in 1997 (Rycik & Irvin, 2001). The work of this Commission resulted in the published document, Adolescent Literacy: A Position Statement (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999), which recommends principles for teachers to consider when supporting the literacy growth of secondary students. Still much more comprehensive work needs to be done as challenges still persist and â€Å"teachers, administrators, and staff developers have asked for more examples of practices that might renew and revitalize their efforts for middle and high school students† (Rycik & Irvin, 2001, p.4). Teaching has greatly increased in range and complexity over the last decade. Teachers now find themselves in highly pressured environments (Pincas, 2002). Faced with the reality of overcrowded classrooms, high stakes testing, and standards-based environments, using instructional practices that move students to higher levels of thinking through more â€Å"authentic† forms of learning are lost. Additional factors Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 3  that compound the situation are high student mobility, absenteeism, minimal student engagement, misbehavior, missing homework, cultural and linguistic diversity, special needs, and increasing numbers of students from poverty and single parent households (Alvermann, Hinchman, Moore, Phelps, & Waff, 1998). Regardless of the number or degree of challenges, teachers still remain accountable for fostering literacy growth among all students. Efforts to improve literacy learning for secondary students must take seriously the realities and challenges persistent in today’s high schools. Reform theorists who suggest â€Å"improvement can be made through a series of workshops, enhanced technology, sanctions and the like,† (Smylie, Bay, & Tozer, 1999, p. 59) are naive at best. A new paradigm requires comprehensive and systemic change. It also requires a serious re-orientation towards broad organizational, political, and economic presuppositions on which definition and acquisition of change must be based. Moreover, it involves a commitment to putting teachers at the forefront of the reform process. Valencia and Wixson (2000) argue that it is time for the voices of teachers to be heard. Without empowered professional voices, we lose the potential for constructing serious reform. Emerging Directions If students are to achieve high literacy standards, evidence strongly suggests that what teachers know and can do is one of the more important factors influencing student achievement. (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p. 228). Research also makes it clear that â€Å"if teachers are to negotiate the demands of new standards and new students, they must have access to a deeper base of knowledge and expertise than most teacher preparation programs now provide† (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p.229). While several studies have looked at reform in teacher preparation programs, Schwartz (1996) concluded that reform changes in teacher preparation have resulted in â€Å"little more than adjusting on the margins† (p. 3). Particularly troubling, in secondary teacher preparation, is the limited attention given to the challenges existing in schools in which future teachers must help students to achieve literacy, and the problems 4 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) of schooling in a broader social context. Moreover, in many states, secondary teacher preparation programs include a requirement of a content area reading course, whereas in other states there is no equivalent requirement. This has remained literally unchanged for years, even as secondary students continue to struggle with reading and writing throughout the high school curriculum. The wide-spread standards movement has made some impact in requiring newly certified teachers to demonstrate competency on specific literacy knowledge and performance indicators. However, the depth of what is needed to teach content area literacy in secondary schools requires more than one course, and/or a few standards. Connecting Two Distinct Communities Education can no longer be seen as an exclusive function, and the traditional structures cannot remain isolated from social change. Faculties in colleges and universities and the practicing teachers in secondary schools have no choice but to adjust to new paradigms. While it is now more common to find partnerships and institutional collaborations between university faculty and secondary teachers, many of these need redefinition. In many partnerships, â€Å"practicing teachers have related there has not been a high level of reciprocity, as the universities are too dominant† (Campbell, 2002, p. 22). Each entity must put into the equation improvement strategies that are meaningful to their respective organizations; that is, they need to identify areas where they truly need help from one another. Then institutionally and programmatically, they need to find ways to work together to make those intended improvements a reality (Howey & Zimpher, 1999, p. 299). High school teachers and teacher educators alike are looking to move beyond  yet another â€Å"good idea† to realize reconceptualization and transformation for secondary literacy education. This means engaging high school teachers in the process of secondary teacher preparation, determining what factors pose the greatest challenges to literacy development and using this knowledge as a cornerstone for improving Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges literacy practices in schools. Failure to confront these challenges effectively will undoubtedly compromise the ability of teachers to serve as effective agents of change. Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the problems secondary teachers face that impede literacy learning in the classrooms and to yield information that may inform the preparation of future secondary teachers. Two broad questions emerged to guide this study: o What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? e What will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? The Study ParticipatingS chools and Teachers The schools that participated in this study included eight high schools, seven public and one private. The researchers purposely selected the schools to ensure ethnic diversity as well as urban and suburban representation. Six of the high schools represented grades 10-12 and two included grades 9-12. The school principals granted permission to graduate students enrolled in a Masters Degree Program in Reading to place the High School Literacy Survey in the school mailboxes of the teachers. A total of 450 questionnaires, including a cover letter and a stamped return envelope, were distributed to 9-12 teachers. Two hunared and two questionnaires were returned, realizing a return rate of 45 percent. There were no follow-up attempts to obtain a higher return rate. Most respondents (71 percent) had advanced degrees beyond the B. A. or B. S. : among these were 68 percent with a M. A. and 3 percent with a Ph. D. Teachers from 18 different subject area fields responded to the survey. English (18 percent), mathematics (16 percent), and science (15 percent) teachers comprised the majority of participants. The remaining teachers represented the following subjects; art (3 percent), 5. 6 ReadingHorizons, 2004, 45, (1) business (4 percent), technology (4 percent), driver’s education (1 percent), foreign language (6 percent), history (7 percent), library (1 percent), music (1 percent), physical education (3 percent), reading (1 percent), radio/television (1 percent), social studies (8 percent), special education (3 percent), theology (3 percent), and vocational education (4 percent). Teachers with more than 10 years of experience accounted for 63 percent of the sample, while 37 percent had 10 years or less. Teachers working in suburban areas surrounding the greater Chicago area comprised the majority (67 percent) of the sample population, with the remaining 33 percent coming from urban schools. Forty-four percent described their schools as predominately diverse (> 50 percent), 32 percent considerably diverse (30-50 percent minority), 17 percent somewhat diverse (10-30 percent minority) and 7 percent primarily white (less than 10 percent minority). The Questionnaire We collected the data from a survey instrument, High School. Literacy Survey, designed and constructed by us. The questionnaire requested two types of information: * objective, relating to educational degrees, content field of study, years of teaching experience, diversity of school population * subjective, relating to opinions and values in teaching and learning The subjective portion of the survey was comprised of two broad questions. The first question asked teachers to identify 5 of the 20 factors that posed the greatest challenges in helping their students to attain literacy in their subject field. Respondents wrote the numeral 1 next to the statement representing their greatest challenge, the numeral 2 next to the statement representing their next greatest challenge, and so forth through the numeral 5. (See Appendix) The twenty statements, defined as challenges, were derived from the literature on content area reading. An extensive review of the literature Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 7 resulted in identifying twenty challenges, however, these may not represent all possible factors and they may not represent factors that teachers would have included if they were to construct the questionnaire. A space was provided for teachers entitled â€Å"other† for their convenience in identifying additional factors that pose as challenges. Since no specific theory was identified to serve as a foundation for the selection of factors, they represent an eclectic representation. Additionally, the factors were not defined on the questionnaire, indicating that a singular definition cannot be assumed and that the factors may represent multiple meanings in the field. The second question invited the teachers to respond openly to the question, â€Å"What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? † Findings Percentages were used to report the data on the high school teachers’ perceptions about the factors that challenge them most in helping their students to achieve literacy in their subject area. Table 1. Percentage Responses of Factors that Represent the Greatest Literacy Challenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Assessment of student learning 2 1 1 2 2 8 Classroom environment 1 2 – 1 2 6 Classsize 4 4 6 8 5 27 Cultural and language diversity – 1 – 1 – 2 among students Curriculum – 1 2_ 1A _3 7. 8 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Helping students to construct. meaning from text Helping students interpret graphics in text Helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills Helping students to locate and organize information Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary Homework issues Integrating technology for teaching and learning Selecting materials for teaching and learning Organizing and managing the classroom for learning State/district/school standards for students Struggling readers Student motivation/interest/attitudes 3 6 6 7 7 1 1 – 3 2 16 8 12 11 12 1 5 5 4 3 8 3 6 11 12 5 8 10 6 7 1 5 2 1 3 – – 1 – 4 1 2 – 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 9 9 8 8 8. 33 17 17 8 7 1 5 5 5 3 19 29 7 59 18 40 36 12 5 8 6 42 82 Students with special needs Secondary Teacher Literacy Chiallenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Students who lack study skills 11 13 13 13 7 57 Writing skills of students 2 8 5 7 8 30 (A ranking scale, with 1 meaning â€Å"greatest challenge,† 2 â€Å"next greatest challenge,† and so forth) The top five challenges as reported in Table 1 were: * student motivation, interests, and attitudes (33 percent) o helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills (16 percent) o students who lack study skills (11 percent) o struggling readers (9 percent). o helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary (8 percent). The least perceived challenges were cultural and language diversity among students (2 percent) and selecting materials for teaching and learning (5 percent). Examining the data of the largest responding groups of content area teachers, English, mathematics, and science, yielded similar findings. All three of these groups identified the same top two challenges as did the total group. The English, mathematics, and science teachers’ third, fourth and fifth rankings were: * English > (3) homework issues > (4) students who lack study skills. > (5) writing skills of students o Mathematics > (3) students who lack study skills 9 iO Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) > (4) homework issues > (5) helping students to locate and organize information e Science: > (3) students who lack study skills > (4) helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary > (5) helping students to construct meaning from text The teachers were also asked to respond to the following openended question, â€Å"What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? † Seventyseven percent of the teachers wrote responses to this question. The resppnses were grouped by similar topics from which themes emerged. Table 2 reports the percentages of the most frequently occurring responses to the open-ended question. Table 2. Themes and Percentages of Responses for Confronting the Greatest Challenges Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Better basic skills instruction in elementary schools 64 More parent responsibility and support 58 Mandatory inclusion of critical 39 thinking questions on all assessments Study skills classes for incoming students 33 I Iimprove teacher preparation/more methods for 28 secondary teachers. Greater respect and support from society 20 Practical/useful staff development 11 Secondary TeachterLiteracy Challenges ‘ 11 Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Teacher task forces making policy decisions 9 instead of politicians and administrators Complete restructuring of the current traditional 7 education model A center at each high school for struggling readers The most common responses cited by the majority of teachers to confront the greatest challenges (Table 2) were better basic skills instruction in elementary schools (64 percent) and more parent responsibility and support (58 percent). Sample responses given by less than 50 percent of the teachers were mandatory inclusion of critical thinking questions on all assessments (39 percent), study skills classes for incoming students (33 percent), and improvement of teacher preparation with more methods for secondary teachers (28 percent). Discussion The results of this study provide insight for the continuing efforts to improve the literacy levels of secondary students. They are, however, neither exclusive nor exhaustive. They are offered with no claim for the universality or total generalizability, but they are offered as a common ground for thinking. Student Motivation andA ttitudes High school teachers identified student motivation to read, write, and do other literacy-related activities as their greatest challenge. The teachers’ written comments on questionnaires indicated that much of the class-assigned reading is often boring and not relevant to the student’s own interests and experiences. They also stated that the students who will not read are as much at a disadvantage as those who cannot. Student 12 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) motivation was ranked the greatest challenge of all for the participating teachers. The dilemma of identifying and implementing strategies to motivate adolescents is not new to literacy practice. The data from this study confirm what the research (Alexander & Filler, 1976; Au & Asam, 1996; Benware & Deci, 1984; Collins-Block, 1992; Guthrie & Alao, 1997; Schraw, Brunning, & Svoboda, 1995) has documented over time: that student motivation, interests, and attitudes are indeed authentic challenges. Teaching adolescents to become active, motivated, and selfregulated learners is a continuing issue in secondary schools. It is during the adolescent years when reading motivation and attitudes appear to worsen, especially for poor readers (McKenna, Kear, & Ellsworth, 1995). Serious attempts to advance literacy skills require interventions that address motivation and attitudes as much as interventions that assure cognitive changes in the learners (Verhoevan & Snow, 2001). This generally does not happen. Motivational constructs are usually not given significant vigilance in relation to student cognition and thinking, and at best, are given only passing and superficial attention. A further problem is that standard reading texts and uniform curricula make life somewhat easier for teachers and administrators, but they make it very difficult for students to get involved with the material at the level that is right for them, and therefore to find intrinsic rewards in learning. In the classroom, the teacher is the key element in motivating students to learn. The responsibility is great and the ramifications even greater, yet many responding high school teachers stated they were not adequately prepared in their teacher preparation programs with the knowledge, skills, and instructional strategies to ignite the spirit of their students. These teachers indicated they want more ideas, support, and freedom within the school curriculum to take the lead, and more ways to experience first-hand, in-field, motivational issues in their teacher preparation programs. Critical Thinking Skills. Teaching critical thinking skills was the second greatest challenge for teachers. Large numbers of teachers indicated they feel underSecondary Teachter Literacy Clhallenges 13 prepared in pedagogical methods to help studenis conceptualize problems and solutions. Assisting adolescents to become proficient with these skills is a prodigious challenge for secondary teachers. The capacity for abstraction, for discovering patterns and meanings, generalizing, evaluating, and theorizing is the very essence of critical thinking and exploration. For most students in the United States and throughout the world, formal education entails just the opposite kind of learning. Rather than construct meaning for themselves, meanings are imposed upon them. Frequently, students often accumulate a large number of facts along the way, yet these facts are not central to their education; they will live their adult lives in a world in which most facts learned years before (even including some historical ones) will have changed or have been reinterpreted. Whatever data they need will be available to them at the touch of a computer key. If students are to learn critical thinking skills, teachers must teach them and engage their students in genuine problem solving discussion. Generally these skills are best, and likely only taught and assessed, through extended discourse. This is difficult to do in crowded classes where it is near to impossible to carry out extended discussions. The commitment to teaching these skills in all content areas means gaining support from the public. It also means that teachers must gain the knowledge and skills to do so through teacher preparation programs and inservice education, taking into account the real-life situations and parameters in today’s classrooms. Study Skills Students who lack study skills ranked as the third greatest challenge to teachers. The importance of study skills has been documented over time in the professional literature (Flood & Lapp, 1995). What is known is that many people of all ages have difficulty reading and learning, largely because they are not using appropriate techniques or good learning habits. Often, the adolescents who are dropping out of schools are doing so because they believe they carnot learn. For the majority of these students, they lack suitable reading and study techniques, which 14 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45(1) impede their growth in learning and contribute to their negative beliefs about themselves and school. Although most secondary teachers have a thorough understanding qf their subject, many responding teachers in this study indicated they lack the knowledge of instructional/study strategies by which to help students internalize the concepts. Research shows that with an organized system of study, students can increase their comprehension of subject matter up to 50 percent (Annis, 1983). As nations seek to assist adolescents in gaining higher levels of literacy, the knowledge and skills that teachers need to teach their students effective study habits and strategies may likely become central to the curriculum in secondary teacher preparation programs and in the curriculum of secondary schools. Struggling Readers Struggling readers ranked as the fourth greatest challenge to the high school teachers. Teachers responded that these students can be found â€Å"hiding out† in content classrooms. They frequently are passive and disengaged. , Many have found coping strategies to help (them get by, but they do not significantly improve their literacy skills or their knowledge in the content areas. I Although comprehension of text material is difficult and sometimes impossible for struggling readers, there are research-based strategies that have proven to be successful when used with struggling readers. One such strategy is instructional scaffolding, an effective strategy that gives students a better chance to be successful than if left on their own (Vacca, 2002). Pedagogy, which includes instructional techniques for diverse learners, is glossed over in many teacher preparation programs for secondary teachers. However, it is as important in the preparation of high school teachers as is cognitive knowledge (Darling-Hammond, 2000). If high school teachers are to make substantial contributions to all adolescents, it will require more knowledge of relevant instructional methodologies. Darling-Hammond (2000) found that teacher subject-matter knowledge was related to student achievement only up to a certain point. Secondary Teacher Literacy Challenges 15 Marzano (2003) asserts that the importance of the relationship between pedagogical knowledge and student achievement has been consistently reported in the research literature. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Ferguson and Womack (1993), they found that the number of courses teachers took in instructional techniques accounted for four times the variance in teacher performance and student achievement than did subject-matter knowledge. Teachers stated that more information about how to assist the struggling readers in their classrooms is sorely needed in preservice teacher education programs. Additionally they need to know that the strategies and support to assist these learners are realistic for today’s classrooms. Key Concepts and Vocabulary Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary ranked as the fifth greatest challenge. Every subject area has its own vocabulary and modes of argument, and its language is the common denominator for learning subject matter knowledge. Vacca and Vacca (2002) agree: they state, â€Å"Vocabulary must be taught well enough to remove potential barriers to students’ understanding of texts as well as to promote a longterm acquisition of the language of a content area† (p. 160-161). Teachers want more knowledge about ways to teach vocabulary and concepts to adolescents, strategies that will provide adolescents with a deeper and richer entry into the content area of study, and strategies that will work in the classrooms of today. Intriguing Findings It is a noteworthy finding that the cultural and language diversity among students in the classrooms was not identified among the greatest challenges. The majority of teachers in this study were from diverse schools, and yet only two percent ranked this to be a challenge. Equally notable was the fact that state, district, and school standards, writing skills, and integrating technology were not identified among the greatest challenges. 16 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1). Of all the findings, the most revealing was that provided by the driver’s education teachers: whereas every other content-area group of teachers, albeit art, music, business, foreign language, etc. , ranked student motivation as the greatest challenge, they did not. This is not surprising as it supports the findings of this study as well as long standing research in the field, as cited in Marzano, 2003. The hypothesis being that when motivated, students strive to learn.