What is Linguistics?

What is Linguistics? The mighty one creates an extraordinary perfect creature among the other creatures that is called human. Human being has a highly developed brain since Adam who is the first mankind came to the earth. When he was born, God gave him three potential gifts of life in order to live on; they were physical needs, instincts, and mind. Mind as one of three potential gifts that human has; it is a gift that makes human different from other creatures. With this gift makes mankind is able to develop everything that occurred in his life for sake his living. That is a reason why human has been inventing something new time by time. Language as the most significant part in communication, that is able to connect between the human capacities for culture and language and it has been noted as far back as classical antiquity. On Contemporary Linguistics O’Grady, et al., wrote that: â€Å"Language is many things à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ a system of communication, a medium for thought, a vehicle for literary expression, a social institution, a matter for political controversy, a catalyst for nation building. All human beings normally speak at least one language and it is hard to imagine much significant social, intellectual, or artistic activity taking place in its absence. Each of us, then, has a stake in understanding something about the nature and use of language.† In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Hornby stated that â€Å"Language is the system of communication in speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country†. Language is a mean of mankind’s communication. There are many different genius unique languages in the world, such as Arabic, Bahasa, Dutch, Japanese, Turkish, Walsh, and English. English is a global language in the world; it is extremely growing and spreading in a whole countries. Except for Japan, because he stated that his strenuous Japanese language makes him as his honor and his personality as Nippon people. Based on the linguists, language divided into two parts, they are literature and linguistics. Literature, in cultural context, language is studied as the tool of literature’s birth. Literature is the art of written works. On Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Hornby wrote that â€Å"Literature is pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays and poems (in contrast to technical books and newspapers, magazines, etc.)†. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Hornby wrote that â€Å"Linguistics is the scientific study of language or particular languages: a course in applied linguistics†. Linguistics is called Generative Linguistics, studying not also a certain language but pays attention to analyze and comprehend every word, sound, its changes, function and so on in language. That is why linguistics consists of some major aspects of language. Commonly linguistics consists into some major subchapters, the first is anthropological linguistics; the study of the interrelationship between language and culture. Applied linguistics; the application of the methods and result of linguistics in such areas as language teaching. Also Historical linguistics; the study of how language changes through time: the language’s relationship to each other. Morphology is the study of the way in which words are constructed out of smaller meaningful units. The Method of the Research A method that the writer used in this research is descriptive method, regarding in this research the writer analyzes morphology, especially internal change, suppletion, and reduplication. The research describes in morphosemantic analysis of their form, position, function, and meaning as written in the aims of the research. Morphology Morphology is the branch of linguistics that identifying and studying words as grammatical units and word structured that introducing some common morphological phenomenon for modifying of variety of the word’s structure in order to express a new meaning and sign a grammatical contrast, such as internal change that a process in which substitutes one non-morphemic segment to another, suppletion is a morphological process whereby a root morphemes is replacing by a phonological unrelated form for indicating a grammatical contrast, and a process that duplicating part or all of the base to apply for marking a grammatical or semantic contras is called reduplication. Morphology derived from Greek words: morphe means form and logos means knowledge, and it is concerned with describing and explaining how the words are formed; it is the branch of linguistics that studies word formation and composition is called Morphology. McMannis, et al., (1987:117), in Language Files explains that â€Å"The study of how words are structured and how they are put together from smaller part†. Another linguist, Verhaar (2004:97) describes â€Å"Morphology is the branch of linguistics that identifies morphemes as grammatical unit†. Spencer et al., in The Handbook of Morphology (2001:1) describes that morphology as â€Å"†¦ The study of word structure and words are at the interface between phonology, syntax and semantics†. Then O’Grady et al., (1987:132) tell that â€Å"The system of categories and rules involved in word formation and interpretation is called morphology†. Morphology is the analysis, identification, and description of the word structure (words as units in the lexicon are the subject matter of lexicology). Words and Word Structures â€Å"The most reliable defining property of word is that they are the smallest free forms found in language. A free form is an element that can occur in isolation and or whose position with respect to neighbouring elements is not entirely fixed†. (Contemporary Linguistics: 132) In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Hornby stated that â€Å"Word is sound or combination of sounds that expresses a meaning and forms an independent unit of grammar or vocabulary of a language†. A speech sound or series of speech sounds that symbolizes and communicates a meaning without being divisible into smaller units capable of independent use. Yet word is the smallest of the linguistic units which can occur on its own in speech and writing (Richard et al., 1985:311). Furthermore, word formation is the creation of new words. A word can be stated if that word is in the base form. For example, the word singer ® {sing} + {-er}; sing is the base form. Figure 2.1 Words Consisting of One or More Morphemes Morphemes The traditional term for the most elemental unit of grammatical form is morpheme; from Wikipedia site, it is derived from the Greek word morphe meaning â€Å"form†. Britanica Concise Encyclopedia (www.answere.com) described that Morpheme as â€Å"The smallest grammatical unit of speech†. McMannis, et al., (Language Files: 117), wrote that Morpheme is â€Å"The minimal linguistic unit has a meaning or grammatical function†. While Lyons states that morpheme is â€Å"Such minimal units of grammatical analysis of which words may composed are customarily refered to as morpheme† (Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics: 170). Morpheme Classification Morphemes are divided into two basic categories; freestanding word and morphemes that are bound or attached (affixed) to other words. Each of these major categories can be subdivided further into two types, those morphemes that have more lexical content and those that are more grammatical in function. They are divided into two types: Free Morpheme, is morpheme which can stand alone and it has a meaning. The free morphemes with lexical content represent the major parts of speech, such nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The free grammatical function morphemes include the minor parts of speech, such articles, preposition, and conjunction, among others. Based on McMannis, et al., (Language Files: 119) free morpheme is â€Å"A morpheme which can stand alone as words†; Abdul Chaer’s definiton (1994:151), free morpheme is morpheme that can appear in the pronunciation without the presence of other morpheme. Bound Morpheme, is the morpheme that cannot stand alone and it has no meaning, but should be bound (attached) to other morpheme to have a meaning. â€Å"A morpheme that must be attached to another element†. (O’Grady et al.,1987:134) and McMannis stated that bound morpheme is â€Å"The morpheme which are always attached to some other morpheme†. (Language Files: 119) Affixes Affix is a letter or sound or group of letters or sounds, which is added to a word that changes the meaning or part of speech of the word. (Richards, et al., 1985:7); â€Å"Affix is one or more sounds or letters occurring as a bound form attached to the beginning or end of the word base, or phrase or inserted within a word or base and serving to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form†. Different with roots, affixes do not belong to a lexical category and always bound morphemes. Affixes are divided into three types; prefix is affix added to the beginning of the word/morpheme (such as un-, re-, en-, etc.); infix is affix inserted into two other morphemes (such as in tagalong  ®-um, -in, etc.); and suffix is affix added to the ending of the word/morpheme (such as -able, -ness, -ing, -ly) Bases O’Grady, et al., (Contemporary Linguistics: 137) explains that base is â€Å"A base is the form to which an affix is added. In many case the base is also the root†. For example, the word ducks: the element to which the affix –s is added corresponds to the word’s root. Another case, however, an affix can be added to a unit larger that a root which it happens in word blackened that the past tense affix –ed is added to the verbal base blacken –a unit consisting of root the morpheme black and suffix –en. Common Morphological Phenomena Mankind’s language makes use of variety of operations or processes that can modify the structure of word, either by adding some element to it or yet by making an internal change, in order to express a new meaning or to mark a grammatical contrast. 1. Affixation The addition of an affix, a process known as affixation, is common in morphological process in language. Linguist distinguishes the affixation’s process into three types: Prefix, is word or syllable (e.g. co-, en-, ex-, non-, un-, pre-, re-, etc.) placed in front of a word to add or change the meaning of that word, e. g. en in enrich. Prefix also means word (e. g. Dr, Mrs, Mr, Sir, etc.) that paced before a person’s name as a title for someone. (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 1989:976) Infix, is a derivational or inflectional affix appearing in the body of word. (Wikipedia-2010). O’Grady et al., (1987:139) stated that â€Å"Infix is a type of affix that occurs within a base†. Somehow infixes are rarely pretty hard to find them in English. Suffix, is letter or group added at the end of a word to make another word, e. g. –y added to rust to make rusty, or as an inflection, e. g. –en in oxen (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 1989:1286). Suffix means an affix occurring at the end of a word, base or phrase. 2. Compounding Words may also be formed by stringing together other words to create compound words (Wikipedia-2010). On Contemporary Linguistics O’Grady, et al., (1987:143), wrote that â€Å"Compounding is the combination of lexical categories (nouns, adjectives, verbs, or prepositions) to create a larger word†. Compounding in English is unlimited, for examples: Figure 2.2 Samples of Compounding 3. Internal Change On Contemporary Linguistics O’Grady, et al., (1987:141), wrote that â€Å"Internal change is a process that substitutes one non-morphemic segment for another†. For example, look at the table below. Figure 2.3 Internal Change in English In his book, he divided internal change into: Ablaut Ablaut is a systematic variation of vowels in the same root or affix or in related roots or affixes esp. in the Indo-European languages that is usually paralleled by differences in use or meaning. For example, sing (present)  ®sang (past); the term ablaut is often used for vowel alternations that mark grammatical contrast in this way. Umlaut Umlaut is the change of vowel that is caused by partial assimilation to a succeeding sound or that occurs as a reflex of the former presence of a succeeding sound which has been lost or altered (as to mark pluralization in goose ®geese or mouse ®mice). Umlaut involves the fronting of a vowel under the influence of a front vowel in the following syllable. Despite the internal modifications above, the following describes another pattern of internal change (Language Files: 131): The usual pattern of plural formation that is â€Å"To add an infectional morpheme, some English plurals make an internal modification: man but men†. The usual pattern of past and past participle formation is â€Å"To add an affix, but some verbs also show an internal change†; for example: ring, rang, rung; sing, sang, sung, etc. 4. Suppletion Contemporary Linguistics, (1987:142), explained that â€Å"Suppletion is a morphological process whereby a root morpheme is replaced by a phonologically unrelated form in order to indicate a grammatical contrast†. From Wikipedia confirmed that â€Å"In linguistics and etymology, suppletion is traditionally understood as the use of one word as the inflected form of another word when the two words are not cognate†. â€Å"Suppletion is the replacement of one stem with another, resulting in an allomorph of a morpheme which has no phonological similarity to the other allomorphs†. The statement took from SIL International. For an example of this terrific phenomenon in English is the use of went as the past tense form from the verb go, or was and were as the past tense forms from be. In some cases, it is hard to differ between suppletion and internal change as in think (thought) and seek (sought). 5. Reduplication Another magnificent common morphological process in certain language (but not English) is reduplication which duplicates all or part of the base to which it applies to mark a grammatical or semantic contrast. (Contemporary Linguistics: 143) The process of reduplication is dividing into two phenomena types that usually are used in English, the first one is full reduplication and another one is partial reduplication. Full reduplication is the repetition of the entire words. For examples in Indonesian language: orang (man)  ®orang-orang (all sorts of men), anak (child)  ®anak-anak (all sort of children); it is used to indicate intensity. Partial reduplication is copies only part of the word. For example in Tagalog language: takbuh (run)  ®tatakbuh (will run), lakad (walk)  ®lalakad (will walk). The repeating of parts of words to produce new forms is called reduplication. Producing new coinages have often appeared at times of national confidence; when an outgoing also playful nature is expressed in language, for example during 1920’s following the First World War in which when many nonsense word pairs were coined such as the bees knees, heebie-jeebies, etc. The linguists believe that the introduction of such terms begin with Old English and continues today. Willy-nilly, riff-raff, helter-skelter, arsy-versy (a form of vice-versa), hocus-pocus all date from the 16th century. Today, new coinage word is coming up to date; we have bling-bling, boob-tube and hip-hop. The other example of reduplication are ding-dong, see-saw, tick-tock, zig-zag, blah-blah, bye-bye, choo-choo, chop-chop. Hypertension: Signs, Risk Factors, Treatments Hypertension: Signs, Risk Factors, Treatments Contents (Jump to) Introduction Anatomy, physiology and Pathophysiology of hypertension Risk factors that are associated with hypertension i. Age. ii. Gender. iii. Activity level iv. Diet v. smoking vi. Family history Signs and symptoms of hypertension Diagnostics and tests for hypertension Treatment of hypertension 1. Change of lifestyles 2. The use of medicine Complications that may result from hypertension How hypertension process affects the body system Circulatory system Digestive system Nerves system Endocrine system Respiratory system Necessary nutrition for hypertension patients Planning and teaching on patient discharge. References Introduction In his article, â€Å"Hypertension Guide May Affect 7.4 Million†, Gina Kolata observes that approximately two-thirds of American aged above 60 years are likely to server from hypertension. This is supported by the fact that; there are so many people who are admitted to various hospitals suffering from hypertension. Some people have also been admitted to various nursing homes where they are on receiving with medication (Kolata, 2013, December 19). A good example is H.K., who is 80 years old widow female. She was born in India and she only speaks one language, Punjabi. H. K was admitted to a nursing home on 06/07/2013 due to depressive disorder requiring assistance with ADLs. She is on DNR code status and no allergies. I believe she chose for DNR code given that she is at her advanced age. However, it is worth nothing that the decision for a DNR code is not the easiest one any person can make in their lives. Under these instructions, it is evident that H.K treatment only involves the treatment of symptoms that are as a result of pain or rather shortness of breath to just facilitate comfort. This however does not in any way prolong her life. Given her condition, H. K is actually suffering from hypertension. In reference to the case study above, this paper will be giving a comprehensive and consistent facts about hypertension. In support of these facts, this paper will majorly focus on various aspects of the disease. In particular, the paper will be looking at the anatomy and physiology as well as the risk factors that are associated with hypertension. In addition, this paper will also mention the signs and symptoms, diagnostics, treatment and complications of this disease. Moreover, this paper will go further and indicate how the disease process affects the body system, the nutrition information that is necessary for the patients as well as the required planning and teaching on patient discharge. Anatomy, physiology and Pathophysiology of hypertension Commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a prominent blood pressure which clinically is considered to be higher than 140/90 mm/Hg. Once blood pressure in the arteries is high then the heart has a big task of pumping blood throughout the blood vessels (Culpepper, 1983). Basically, the two types of blood pressure that are measured include systolic and diastolic measures. Systolic measure is done when the heart contracts after a beat in order to let blood out of the ventricular while diastolic measure takes place during the relaxation of the ventricular, and thus, being filled with blood. Hypertension occurs when there is an increase resistance of blood flow, even though the cardiac effects remains the same. High blood pressure is normally classified into two; essential/primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. In comparison of these two, primary hypertension does not need any serious medical attention but then a lot of consideration must be channeled towards secondary hypertension because it can result to various effects on the body (Wylie, 2005). There are many pathophysiology mechanisms that are involved in the development of primary hypertension. These include peripheral resistance as well as cardiac output. These two are responsible for arterial pressure. Meanwhile, heart rate and stroke volume are the two determinant of cardiac output. Stroke volume is also influenced by two factors. These include; myocardial contractility in conjunction with the vascular compartment. On the other hand, peripheral resistance occurs as a result of the structural changes of the arteries and arterioles (CEACCP, n.d.). Risk factors that are associated with hypertension Numerous diseases have many risk factors that in one way or another contribute or rather lead to these diseases. Likewise, there a number of risk factors that are known to be associated with hypertension. Some of these factors includes; Age. This is one important risk factor that is associated with hypertension. The more advanced in terms of age an individual becomes, the higher the chances of developing hypertension. Gender. Men forms the large portion of high blood pressure as opposed to females Activity level Individuals who engages in a lot of exercises and who are more active in their old age are less likely to server from hypertension as compared to those people who are in an inactive physically. Diet Salt has been found to have a higher impact of contributing to high blood pressure smoking Smoking is a risk factor in many diseases. Likewise it is also a risk factor and can contribute to hypertension. So people are highly encouraged to quit smoking. Family history Even though research is still being done to confirm the preliminary indications that, an individual who comes from a family which has been diagnosed with hypertension has a high probability of suffering from this disease (Guyton Hall, 2006). Signs and symptoms of hypertension There are a number of signs and symptoms that are associated with high blood pressure. However, it is important to note that there are no direct symptoms that solely can be considered or linked to hypertension. The situation is even made difficult by the fact that most signs that can be deemed to associate with high blood pressure can also result from normal blood pressures. Some of these symptoms include; fatigue, dizziness, nose-bleeding as well as severe headache (Hypertension, n.d). As it can be observed, the above symptoms also occurs in other diseases as well. So when these symptoms start showing up, a person suffering from high blood pressure will also shows some other signs such as vomiting, restlessness, having a blurred vision as well as shortness of breath. Hypertension can now be more suspicious if a person shows other signs like, variation in the mental abilities that is characterized by being confused and eventually leading to a coma. Other signs that will indicate hypertension includes having a heart attack or heart failure, experiencing a lot of pain in the chest, fluids in the lungs, and severe swelling of the brain (Hypertension, n.d). These symptoms are also accompanied by kidney failure, damage of the brain, heart as well as the eyes. Diagnostics and tests for hypertension There are many examinations that can be used to indicate if a patience with above mentioned symptoms and signs is suffering from high blood pressure. The first step is to measure the blood pressure levels. This is done through a series of steps as indicated below; A patient is required to sit down with both feet on the floor for at least five minutes. The patient’s arm should also rest peacefully on the arms of the examination chair. Once the patient is sited relaxing on the chair, a cuff that is attached to the dial is then rubbed around his/her arm. It is important to note that it is the upper arm and not the lower arm. The purpose of dial is actually to show or rather indicate the level of blood pressure. The responsible professional who in most cases is the nurse pumps the cuffs so that blood flow can be stopped. Once this is done, the nurse slowly and carefully loosens the cuff and with the aid of a stethoscope the nurse listens to the blood pressure particularly in the elbow. This is what is refereed to systolic measurement of blood pressure. Eventually the nurse loosens the cuff further and blood start flowing normally until the heart beat cannot be heard through the elbow. This is what is called the diastolic tests. If through these test, there is a convincing indication that indeed the blood pressure of the patient is high, then definitely the doctor will indicate that the patient should return for two to three more similar tests so that the blood pressure can be confirmed (Hypertension, n.d). There are other tests that can be carried out to supplements the tests above. These include; the test for glucose, urine examination, blood tests for determination of potassium levels as well as examination of the kidney functionality (Black, 1999). Treatment of hypertension Generally, there are two approaches that can be used to treat hypertension. These include; change of lifestyles as well as well as the use of medicine. Change of lifestyles There are a number of lifestyle changes that can be adopted and help in dealing with high blood pressure. These include; (a) try as much as possible to reduce body weight. This is because it has been found that high blood pressure is directly proportion to the rate of increase of body weight. In addition, losing weight allows the various medication that are taken to work more efficiently and effectively (b) eating a well-balanced diet that is rich of fruits with reduced salt and fats (c) being active in participating various physical activities. These activities should be undertaken on a daily basis and not just on the weekends (d) reduce alcohol, caffeine as well as tobacco as much as possible (e) avoid all forms of pressure or stress in this case because actually they tend to increase the level of blood pressure (Diseases and Conditions, n.d). The use of medicine Hypertension can also be treated medically using the following drugs; the use of beta-blockers to reduce rate at which the heart beats, use of angiotensin, Diuretics and alpha1-adrenergic (Hypertension, n.d). Complications that may result from hypertension There are numerous complications that may occur due to hypertension. The major common ones include; thickening of blood vessel, this will lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure because of exhaustion of the heart due to the increased load of pumping blood, hypertension also increases chances of cardiac arrhythmias. Hypertension can also lead to stroke as well as diabetes as a result of some drugs that are used to treat it. Men are likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction while females who have high blood pressure have been found to have problems during pregnancies. In addition, blood vessels that supply the brain may be damaged leading to dementia (Simon, 2013) How hypertension process affects the body system Circulatory system One of the most affected body system as a result of hypertension is the circulatory system. This is because, when the heart pumps blood too fast, it may rupture capillaries and arteries (Simon, 2013). Digestive system The digestive system is also affected by high blood pressure. This results due to the fact that, capillaries and arteries are responsible for supplying the stomach with the necessary blood for digestion to take place but once they have been damaged, then the stomach which is part of digestive system is not able to carry its functions well (Simon, 2013). Nerves system The nerves system is also affected by high blood pressure. This occurs due to the fact that arteries are responsible for supplying blood to the brain. If they get damaged due to the high blood pressure from the heart then the functions of the nerves system are impaired and this may definitely lead to dementia (Gregson, 2001). Endocrine system The endocrine system actually has a great contribution to secondary hypertension. This is because, hyperaldosteronism, Cushing’s syndrome as well as pheochromocytoma which are endocrine diseases have been found to contribute to high blood pressure (Gregson, 2001). Respiratory system The respiratory system is also affected by high blood pressure because of the damage that may be caused to the kidney. Poor material flow to muscle tendons as the functionality of different blood vessels is impaired will lead to adverse effects on the muscular system (Gregson, 2001). Necessary nutrition for hypertension patients The major consideration of nutrition is to try and reduce weight. Thus eating more fish, foods which contain fiber, vegetables and fruits is an ideal diet for patients suffering from high blood pressure. In addition all daily fat products should be avoided. Moreover, foods that are rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium are also highly recommended. On top of that, avoid red meet at all cost but then white meet from turkey and chicken is recommendable (Culpepper, 1983). Planning and teaching on patient discharge. Once a hypertension patient has been discharged, it is better for him/her to follow some guidelines which in this case include; taking medicines as directed by the physician, being taught to know the facts of the disease. This will assist the patient to prepare himself psychologically and in the process avoid all forms of stress which may arise. Another important thing that the patient must observe also is to constantly engage in various physical activities. This will also help the patient decrease his blood pressure. The patient also needs to be keen with regard to the foods he will be taking and try to avoid a lot of salt as well as any fat related foods (Diseases and Conditions, n.d). An important fact also the patience should be taught is some symptoms like severe headache, weakness in lower or upper arm, trouble when breathing and difficulties when speaking. Once the patient has experienced these signs, he should call for help immediately References BJA: CEACCP. (n.d.). Hypertension: pathophysiology and treatment. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://ceaccp.oxfordjournals.org/content/4/3/71.full Black, E. R. (1999). Diagnostic strategies for common medical problems (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: American College of Physicians. Culpepper, W. S. (1983). Cardiac anatomy and function in juvenile hypertension. The American Journal of Medicine, 75(3), 57-61. Diseases and Conditions. (n.d.). 10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication. Retrieved February 27, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974?pg=2 Gregson, S. R. (2001). High blood pressure. Mankato, Minn.: LifeMatters. Guyton, A. C., Hall, J. E. (2006). Textbook of medical physiology (11th ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. Hypertension/high blood pressure health centre. (n.d.). High blood pressure symptoms: Signs of hypertension, malignant hypertension. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.webmd.boots.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/high-bp-symptoms Hypertension/high blood pressure health centre. (n.d.). High blood pressure. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.webmd.boots.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-treatment Kolata, G. (2013, December 19). Hypertension Guide May Affect 7.4 Million. The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/health/hypertension-guide-may-affect-7-4-million.html?_r=0 Moore, R. (2001). The high blood pressure solution a scientifically proven program for preventing strokes and heart disease ([2nd ed.). Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press. Simon, H. (2013, June 27). Health Guide. High Blood Pressure. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hypertension/complications.html Wylie, L. (2005). Essential anatomy and physiology in maternity care (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone.

Diversity, Learning and Progress

Diversity, Learning and Progress Diversity, Learning and Progress Introduction: Diversity is about identifying the dissimilarities in the characteristics of individuÐ °ls that form their identities and the experiences they have in society. Diversity is the degree of basic human differences among Ð ° given population. The modern-day learning environment faces many learning issues. Todays classrooms do not consist of homogeneous (uniform) student groupings, rather they are composed of heterogeneous (different) student groupings. As our classrooms take on Ð ° new look, our teachers approaches to teaching must change to accommodate student diversity. Ð lthough the schools are unable to control many factors that can influence Ð ° students academic success they can improve the ways in which they previously served them. This essay discusses diversity, learning and progress in Ð ° concise and comprehensive way. Diversity Managing diversity is reÐ °lly about managing differences, and Ð ° simple training program cannot accomplish it. It is Ð ° culture change; Ð ° culture change initiated by enlightened managers who can see the energy and enthusiasm that result from capturing the best of many people and ideas. It is not enough that companies state their concern; they must take actiÐ ¾n to show that diversity is vÐ °lued (Kram, 1996, pp. 90-98). Diversity, include diverse perspectives, approaches and sensitivities of culture, gender, religion, ethnic and natiÐ ¾nÐ °l origin, attitudes, socio-economic and personÐ °l differences, sexuÐ °l orientatiÐ ¾n, physicÐ °l and mentÐ °l abilities, culturÐ °l power groups versus majority culturÐ °l groups, productive abilities, power, knowledge, status and forms of sociÐ °l and culturÐ °l reproductiÐ ¾n. Therefore, diversity management means the creatiÐ ¾n of internÐ °l and externÐ °l environment within which these different perspectives, approaches and sensitivities are incorporated and developed in order to manage diversity in such Ð ° way that the full potentiÐ °l (productivity and personÐ °l aspiratiÐ ¾ns) of individuÐ °ls and institutiÐ ¾ns may be reÐ °lised optimÐ °lly. (Kram, 1996, pp. 90-98). Diversity activity is Ð ° vÐ °luable resource in the educatiÐ ¾nÐ °l environment and many institutes are seeing the need to implement these programs. Diversity is normÐ °lly viewed as Ð ° race or gender issue but diversity covers an extensive range of various personÐ °l differences. Diversity training through activity has become Ð ° necessity in businesses because of peoples differences in the educatiÐ ¾nÐ °l field. Because institutes are so diverse, Diversity activity programs will help educate, sensitize and prepare students to get Ð °long in the educatiÐ ¾nÐ °l environment. Issues in learning In sociÐ °l learning theory, development and learning are, in other words, inseparable processes; and they constitute each other in an understanding of learning as participatiÐ ¾n in sociÐ °l processes. The overÐ °ll governing questiÐ ¾n for this review is: How does sociÐ °l learning theory contribute to an understanding of organizatiÐ ¾nÐ °l learning, which differs from Ð ° point of departure in individuÐ °l learning theory? Most of the literature on organizatiÐ ¾nÐ °l learning and its counterpart, the Learning OrganizatiÐ ¾n, departs from individuÐ °l learning theory; and sociÐ °l learning theory in organizatiÐ ¾nÐ °l learning literature has grown out of Ð ° criticism of just that departure. The criticism is elaborated later, but, in short, it is that individuÐ °l learning theory focuses on learning as inner mentÐ °l processes related to the acquisitiÐ ¾n and processing of informatiÐ ¾n and knowledge. It leads to mind being the locus of learning, and as Ð ° consequence, Ð ° separatiÐ ¾n of the individuÐ °l learner and the context, in this case, the organizatiÐ ¾n, for learning (Cazden, 1988, pp. 20-26). InclusÃ'â€"ve teÐ °ching indicates that teaching in techniques that do not leave out students, accidentÐ °lly or intentiÐ ¾nÐ °lly, from chances to learn. InclusÃ'â€"ve teachers mirror on how they teach, as well as what they tÐ µach, in order to employ the wide range of experiences and learning styles theÃ'â€"r students bring to the classroom (Cazden, 1988, pp. 20-26). CommunÃ'â€"cating clear expectatiÐ ¾ns, using inclusive language, and articulating your dedicatiÐ ¾n to honourÃ'â€"ng diverse perspectives can Ð °ll add to Ð ° more welcoming learning environment (Cazden, 1988, pp. 20-26). AdditiÐ ¾nÐ °lly, giving students the opportunity to provide an opinion at different tÃ'â€"mes Ð °ll through the quarter can Ð °lso be cooperative in measuring how well your inclusÃ'â€"ve strategies are workÃ'â€"ng. There is Ð ° very clear relatiÐ ¾nship between sociÐ °l and educatiÐ ¾nÐ °l outcomes in the United Kingdom establishing itself from early childhood. Our educÐ °tiÐ ¾n system has developed over numerous years through Ð ° changing society with changing demÐ °nds and hopes. The vÐ °lues and assumptiÐ ¾ns that are widely shared throughout our society have determined how and why we teach and to understand why this happened we must consider the history of our relatively brief educatiÐ ¾n history. Bowles and Gintis (1976) developed an argument they cÐ °lled Correspondence thesis where they believed that schools were organized to correspond to the work place. For example, the relatiÐ ¾nships of the principÐ °l, teachers and students corresponded to relatiÐ ¾nships of the boss, leading hand and worker. This form of educatiÐ ¾n prepared students for different positiÐ ¾ns in the economy in later life and was determined largely by the status of their family within society. Todays classrooms do not consist of homogeneous (uniform) student groupings, rather they are composed of heterogeneous (different) student groupings. As our classrooms take on Ð ° new look, our teachers approaches to teaching must change to accommodate student diversity. Ð lthough the schools are unable to control many factors that can influence Ð ° students academic success they can improve the ways in which they previously served them. When differences in student achievement are detected associated with factors such as race, gender or economic status, Ð ° bias in teaching strategy must be suspected (Tenbrink, 1974, pp. 16-21). Monitoring Progress Research on self-monitoring typicÐ °lly has employed multi-item, self-report measures to identify people high and low in self-monitoring. The two most frequently employed measuring instruments are the 25 true—fÐ °lse items of the originÐ °l Self-Monitoring ScÐ °le and an 18-item refinement of this measure. EmpiricÐ °l investigatiÐ ¾ns of testable hypotheses spawned by self-monitoring theory have accumulated into Ð ° sizable published literature. Among others, it includes studies of the relatiÐ ¾n of self-monitoring to expressive control, sociÐ °l perceptiÐ ¾n, correspondence between private belief and public actiÐ ¾n, tendencies to be influenced by interpersonÐ °l expectatiÐ ¾ns, propensities to tailor behavior to specific situatiÐ ¾ns and roles, susceptibility to advertising, and orientatiÐ ¾ns toward friendship and romantic relatiÐ ¾nships. It may be mentioned that soon after its inceptiÐ ¾n, self-monitoring was offered as Ð ° partiÐ °l resolutiÐ ¾n of the â€Å"traits versus situatiÐ ¾ns† and â€Å"attitudes and behavior† controversies in personÐ °lity and sociÐ °l psychology. The propositiÐ ¾ns of self-monitoring theory clearly suggested that the behavior of low self-monitors ought to be readily predicted from measures of their attitudes, traits, and dispositiÐ ¾ns whereas that of high self-monitors ought to be best predicted from knowledge of features of the situatiÐ ¾ns in which they operate. Self-monitoring promised Ð ° â€Å"moderator variable† resolutiÐ ¾n to debates concerning the relative roles of person and situatiÐ ¾n in determining behavior. These issues set the agenda for the first wave of research on self-monitoring (Tenbrink, 1974, pp. 16-21). To be brief monitoring is the process of creÐ °ting and changing experience into knowledge, abilities, attitudes, vÐ °lues, emotiÐ ¾ns, beliefs and senses. It is the procedure through which individuÐ °ls become themselves. References Kram, K. E. and HÐ °ll, D. T. (1996). Mentoring in Ð ° context of diversity and turbulence . In S. Lobel and E. Kossek (eds.), Human Resource Strategies for Managing Diversity . Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 90-98. Cazden, C. B. (1988). Classroom discourse: The language of teaching and learning . Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, pp. 30-35. Lindfors, J. W. (1987). Childrens language and learning . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-HÐ °ll, pp. 2026. Tenbrink T D (1974) EvÐ °luatiÐ ¾n Ð ° practicÐ °l guide for teachers Maple press, pp. 16-21.

Eight Artists Address Brown v. Board of Education :: Art Exhibit

Social Studies: Eight Artists Address Brown v. Board of Education I ignore the first room, there is an African American, I assume a student, listening to his c.d. player and taking notes of the first few photographs. I am overwhelmed by this illuminating neon glow, and continue into the next room. I find that I am alone, for the most part, but I am being watched. Literally by a security camera in the southeast corner, but mostly by the oversized photographs and paintings. I feel uncomfortable and I almost want to leave, but there’s a paper that I need to write and I want to revisit some things. Something catches my eye on the northeast wall and I am reintroduced to 3 chromogenic prints from Carrie Mae Weems’s â€Å"For Roses, for Daisy,† from Days Long Forgotten. The first and last are a close aerial view of roses. I can’t tell what color they are because the photos are in black and white, but they’re still beautiful. The middle picture is somewhat larger; there are two African American children. They’re sharing a tight space, but seem to be comfortable with each other. I ask myself why Weems used black and white film, and the only thing I can think of is that the roses, no matter what their colors, are beautiful. And the children are human, which is a beauty in itself. I come to the conclusion that there isn’t a certain race that is more beautiful than another. I am white, and that is beautiful. I have friends from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds, and they are beautiful as well. I decide not to read any of the authorâ⠂¬â„¢s bios or explanations in the brochure I picked up until the end. I guess I’m afraid of judging the works before I even take a chance to look into them myself. In time a read that â€Å"For Rosa, for Daisy,† â€Å"forgoes the imagery of struggle in favor of a pastoral iconography of flowers and children†¦ [The photos] offer an idyllic world of private beauty and repose that contrasts with the public record of strife and oppression† (O’Brien, 5). In her series â€Å"May Days Forgotten† she photographs the girls inside of nature, sometimes in floral prints. I find that her ideas to combine the aspects of natural beauty, from the girls to the flowers and to nature, are breathtaking.

Half My Type Regents notes :: essays research papers

The Five Themes of Geography Geography: The study of people, their environments, their resources and the interactions among them The Five Themes of Geography are: 1. Location 2. Place 3. Human Environment Interaction 4. Movement of People Goods and Ideas 5. Region 1. Location: Where something is located on the Earth’s Surface Relative – Location of Something in relation to something else (Ex: A house in relation to the street address) Absolute – An exact location of something on the earth’s surface using the lines of latitude and longitude. Longitude – The angular distance east or west of the prime meridian that stretches from the North Pole to the South Pole. Latitude – An Imaginary line joining points on the earth’s surface that are all equal distance north or south of the equator. It measures 0o on the equator and are parallel lines. 2. Place: Is and area defined by its physical and/or human characteristics. A) Physical Features – Things that would be in an area if humans never exited (Ex: Wildlife, Forest, Volcanoes, Mountains, Rivers, Oceans, Hills, Valleys, etc.) B) Human Features – Thins humans build, create, or influence. (Ex: Buildings, Crops, Cars, Roads, Cloths, Schools, Dams, Languages, Political Systems, Economic Systems, etc) 3. Human Environment Interaction: Two things can happen when humans interact with environment. A) People Change The Environment – Need to make easier lifestyle. (Ex: Roads, Buildings, Airports, Tunnels, Bridges, etc †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hidden Cost are Created – Damage to the environment. (Ex: Deforestation, Extinction, Overpopulation, Erosion, etc)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People Adapt to The New Environment – This includes Genetic Change   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Eskimo’s body adapts to Alaska harsh cold by growing an extra layer of fat, they use sleds for transportation, live in igloos that are created using ice, and wear heavy cloth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  African Tribesman use little to no clothing, no body fat due to the heat because body fat weighs you down, and they are fast and agile to get away from danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chinese stir-fry cooking was developed because minimal fuel is needed. This was created to use the limited amount of fuel they had. 4. Movement of People, Goods, and Ideas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Migration – People move for different reasons, an example would be: Refugees (war), Economy, Climate, Food, Shelter, Religion, Persecution, Political Problems, and so on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Immigration – People move into a country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emigration – People move out of a country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Goods †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trade – Products that can be bought or sold. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Import – Goods brought into a country. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Export – Goods that leave a country. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interdependence – Reliance on other nations to provide goods which can’t be produced in their own country.

Essay --

Anonymous. "The Moral Lessons." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. The author discusses what is occurring in the novel, the stories depicted in it, that could be said to be two, even three stories in one novel. We see that the author mentions Anna’s viewpoint of her life and how she feels about it. He discusses her love, and her crisis with it. Arnold, Matthew. "The Differences between Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. Anna, in Anna Karenina shows the struggle of not being like the other female characters around her, contributing to her disturbing feelings, and hopelessness. We see that Anna possesses a charm that Madame Bovary lacks, that holds Anna above in her a certain way. We see that Flaubert is cruel, and pursues Madame Bovary without her pity or pause, and is harder upon her than any reader is said to be. This leaves fewer feelings of forgiveness for Madame Bovary, and more for Anna, because she has such passion towards her lover. It shows the role society plays on ones state of mind. Blackmur, R. P. "Confronting the Immediacy of Experience in Anna Karenina."Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. In Blackmur’s criticism of Anna Karenina, he expresses that Tolstoy’s exposes his characters to the hardships of their lives. Using his imagination to express his characters responses to their experiences. Blackmur discusses how Stiva and Dolly in the book are, â€Å"too near the actual manner of things, are to wholly undifferentiated from the course of society and individuals, ever to feel the need or the pang of rebirth.† Anna on the other hand wants to set free what she feels underneath. Anna uses her libido not for sex alone... ...lstoy’s novel and his affection towards his characters are being compared to those of Homer. Trilling goes into detail comparing the two works, and how they don’t force the way their characters are but rather have a â€Å"natural† vibe to them. He is also connected the feelings towards these two types of characters back to religion, which is constantly seen when criticizing this novel. Wasiolek, Edward. "Why Anna Kills Herself." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. In this criticism, we look at a theme presented from the novel, which asks the ultimate question of why Anna killed herself. How did she degenerate from the person full of life and love, to the person full of sorrow and hopeless she becomes at the end? There are multiple factors that add to this downfall of Anna, such as society, Vronsky, and her need for passion and love in her life. Essay -- Anonymous. "The Moral Lessons." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. The author discusses what is occurring in the novel, the stories depicted in it, that could be said to be two, even three stories in one novel. We see that the author mentions Anna’s viewpoint of her life and how she feels about it. He discusses her love, and her crisis with it. Arnold, Matthew. "The Differences between Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. Anna, in Anna Karenina shows the struggle of not being like the other female characters around her, contributing to her disturbing feelings, and hopelessness. We see that Anna possesses a charm that Madame Bovary lacks, that holds Anna above in her a certain way. We see that Flaubert is cruel, and pursues Madame Bovary without her pity or pause, and is harder upon her than any reader is said to be. This leaves fewer feelings of forgiveness for Madame Bovary, and more for Anna, because she has such passion towards her lover. It shows the role society plays on ones state of mind. Blackmur, R. P. "Confronting the Immediacy of Experience in Anna Karenina."Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. In Blackmur’s criticism of Anna Karenina, he expresses that Tolstoy’s exposes his characters to the hardships of their lives. Using his imagination to express his characters responses to their experiences. Blackmur discusses how Stiva and Dolly in the book are, â€Å"too near the actual manner of things, are to wholly undifferentiated from the course of society and individuals, ever to feel the need or the pang of rebirth.† Anna on the other hand wants to set free what she feels underneath. Anna uses her libido not for sex alone... ...lstoy’s novel and his affection towards his characters are being compared to those of Homer. Trilling goes into detail comparing the two works, and how they don’t force the way their characters are but rather have a â€Å"natural† vibe to them. He is also connected the feelings towards these two types of characters back to religion, which is constantly seen when criticizing this novel. Wasiolek, Edward. "Why Anna Kills Herself." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. In this criticism, we look at a theme presented from the novel, which asks the ultimate question of why Anna killed herself. How did she degenerate from the person full of life and love, to the person full of sorrow and hopeless she becomes at the end? There are multiple factors that add to this downfall of Anna, such as society, Vronsky, and her need for passion and love in her life.

Black & Economic Structure

1) Malcolm X spent much of his life fighting for equal rights for African Americans. Like others, Malcolm suffered from discrimination, economic suppression, and violent acts at the hands of the whites. Throughout his life, he could not escape the atmosphere of racial prejudices, as it existed everywhere from his welfare agencies to school and his family relationships. Although some form of equality exists today, many African Americans males are still continuously trying to establish themselves in society. As a young boy Malcolm participated in activities where he experienced little freedom. Malcolm was ranked number one in his class and elected class president, which shows that the school system allowed him to succeed to an extent. Malcolm had a dream of becoming a lawyer, but his English teacher quickly rejected his dream and told him he should become a carpenter, which demonstrated that whites were willing to allow black success only to a certain degree. Malcolm eventually came to an understanding that white society allowed progression when doing so did not threaten the established order of white society. Throughout his life Malcolm was seen as a â€Å"pet, mascot, and pink poodle,† which excluded him from society. He was a black student in a predominantly white school who was like a poodle in a family. He was seen as a submissive creature that represented no real threat to anyone. He was portrayed as white society’s model for how blacks should act, but white society didn’t see him as a human being in his own right. Malcolm realized that no level of accomplishment or esteem would break down the essential barrier to his acceptance and success in society. White oppression stripped him of the power and independence a normal man would experience. Although Malcolm experienced great amounts of discrimination, he was still able to succeed and become Minister Malcolm X and lead many civil rights events. In society today, the prototypical black male experience in America is extremely comparable to the life of Malcolm X. Most black men are looked down on because of the various stereotypes that exist in our society today. Many believe that if black men aren’t athletes or rappers, or if they aren’t washing dishes or waiting tables, they have no purpose in society other than being seen as inferior. Each and every day a black man experiences discrimination, but the black men who have goals and aspirations will be the ones who will make a difference like Malcolm X did. Malcolm lived through a rough time, but he still managed to make it as can every other black man in the world. ) Like Malcolm X, Washington too envied the lives of white dues to the simple fact that there was absolutely no limit placed on his or her dreams and aspirations. During his years of adolescence, Washington was very aware of what it meant to be a black man in a white society. With this knowledge, Washington was very optimistic and assured himself that whatever dreams or goals he would accomplish would be the result of hard work and persistence. Washington wrote, â€Å"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Out of the hard and unusual struggle through which he is compelled to pass, he gets a strength, a confidence, that one misses whose pathway is comparatively smooth by reason of birth and race. † (Washington, 1901, p 39). Washington believed that if blacks strove to be impressive and distinctive they would be accepted in society. He believed that being black or any race other than the majority was an advantage because there was a better chance of achievement due to the fact that one would constantly try to overcome any obstacles. He believed that through proof, blacks would be connected with the white society. Alongside assisting African Americans in attaining economic success, Washington also had accomplishments in the field of education, in becoming the first black educator at the Tuskegee Institute. Washington was very concerned about forming connections within both the black and white communities, and achieved his goal. I believe his argument is still valid for those who actually want to make something of themselves in life and are willing to go above and beyond in doing so. Unfortunately black males are not always hardworking and persistent in trying to accomplish a goal. They tend to take the easy way out, and in doing so end up with the mediocre jobs unless they are playing professional sports or apart of an entertainment industry. Like Washington said success comes with overcoming obstacles, and I do not think blacks are willing to overcome the many obstacles they would have to face in order to become established. With the many stereotypes of black men, I do not think success would be as easy for the black man because they are already looked down upon from the beginning. ) In recent years, terms such as crisis, at-risk, insignificant, and endangered have been used with increasing regularity to describe the troubles and conditions of black males. The grounds for using such harsh descriptions of conditions that black males face is provided by a broad range of social and economic indicators, all of which point to the undeniable fact that large numbers o f individuals who fall within these two social categories, black and male, are in deep trouble. Many perceive black men as being violent and aggressive law breakers regardless of their true nature. It doesn't stop there. Some stereotypes of Blacks include being arrogant, athletic, devious, dirty, dishonest, drug addicts, incompetent, inferior, lazy, unintelligent, noisy, passive, poor, primitive, untrustworthy, and violent, and â€Å"having rhythm. † Some black men have some of the same goals and aspirations as the white man, but they too have a deep fear of rejection due to the discrimination they continue to experience in their daily lives. When the black man continuously gets rejected he is eventually going to subject himself to activities just to make ends meet, or he is going to start to believe the stereotypes set out for him. When you have a large group of black men in a society that rejects them, they are going to feel like they have no chance at success, and therefore they will feel like they have nothing to lose. With nothing to look forward to, they are going to unconsciously want to destroy their surroundings. Throughout Malcolm’s he was seen as inferior, and eventually began to feel more like a â€Å"mascot† or pet than a human being equal to those around him. Malcolm had dreams of becoming a lawyer, but his teacher instead told him he should be a carpenter. One of his Malcolm’s teachers laughs at him and tells the class that â€Å"though the slaves have been freed, black people are still lazy and dumb. † When an adult says something like that to a child, the child is more than likely going to believe the teacher and begin to think of him or herself as being lazy and dumb. If a child begins to believe this negative stereotype, their performance in school could be effected, and cause them to drop out. If they drop out they may begin to deal drugs or commit robberies and end up in jail. Dealing drugs or being incarcerated is the perception whites have for blacks today. Media also has a negative effect on portrayal when it comes to representing an entire race of people. No two people are exactly alike no matter what race they come from so there is no way one film can represent all peoples. Unfortunately, many people believe that a certain depiction of black people characterizes all black people, which is certainly not the case. This is very dangerous because this perpetuates stereotyping and discrimination. Any form of media, whether it be a film, TV show, etc. , black males tend to play the role of the poor black man who lives in poverty and usually belongs to a gang. He usually has no goals, and has a mediocre job if he has one at all. They usually dress in baggy jeans with long shirts or â€Å"hoodies† and wear timberlands or sneakers. In media, blacks aren’t usually portrayed positively, and even if they were, many wouldn’t believe that is how blacks really live their lives. For example, In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Banks family is very well off, but many wouldn’t believe that all blacks are well off because 95% of the time blacks are being potrayed as being a threat to society. 4) LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton shows the disadvantaged life of residents living in the Mississippi Delta. The documentary shows how living in poverty and the lack of education still effects the lives of many living in Mississippi even though slavery has been over now for hundreds of years. The main character, Laura Lee (LaLee) Wallace, was an illiterate 62-year-old woman who had been living all her life in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. She had one surviving son, nine daughters, 38 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. On a daily basis she encountered many difficulties from raising her grandchildren to receiving news about her son continuously being put in jail. LaLee received $494 from her disability benefits and sold home cooked meals to workers at the cotton factory to make more money to keep the children clothed and fed. In the movie LaLee said, â€Å"I cry sometime, I pray sometime, I sing sometime. † LaLee and her grandchildren struggled each day in trying to take care of each other. The images of barefoot children playing on abandoned cars outside dilapidated motor homes, and of families who get water for drinking and washing by filling plastic jugs from a hose were unbelievable because it took you back to the times of slavery when slaves really had to wash themselves with dirty water or walk around barefoot. One of LaLee’s grandchildren, nicknamed Granny was a very attentive and intelligent in school, but her grades began to fall due to the fact that she had household chores and had to care for her younger cousins or siblings which left little time for education. Paralleling LaLee's struggle was Reggie Barnes, the superintendent of the West Tallahatchie schools, who continuously struggled in trying to raise school standards, bring in qualified teachers and obtain school supplies. If Barnes failed to raise the school from its current Level 1 status to a Level 2, the state of Mississippi has threatened to take over. Barnes and his faculty opposed this because they knew the state would not address the special needs of the children. With the illiteracy of the parents of the families of the children the children most likely will never be able to get a great education which will leave them illiterate when they get older. In LaLee’s family the cycle of living in poverty and lacking education is evident, which makes it seem like slavery still exists to this day.

Career Transition

Career Transition In this paper, I will research career transition and how it has impacted the workforce and management. I will present from three research articles that I feel are important in understanding how career transition affects adults who are transitioning from one career to another. As an HRM, one of the biggest parts of our job will be to recruit new talent. Traditional careers are falling to the wayside and emerging is a type of employee who has been around the block once or twice. I am going to focus on first the way careers are changing, then I am going to look at the military and how they prepare their retirees, many of whom are still in their 30’s, for retirement, and finally, I will look at career transition and what role HR plays. Gone are the days of staying with one company until you are eligible for the pension and a gold watch. The average person born in the later years of the baby boom held 10. 8 jobs from age 18 to age 42, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor (Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary , 2008). Career transition is no longer looked at as something to avoid putting on your resume. It seems like everyone it doing. So how can a person make the transition smooth and successful? Career transition often requires employing new tools, skills and/or a switch in perception. In her article, Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†, Phyllis Moen. states that Americans confront a major mismatch between outdated career and retirement regimes and the exigencies of (1) family responsibilities, and (2) the risks and uncertainties associated with a competitive, global, and information-based economy. Unlike privileged workers in the 1950s, members of America's 21st-century workforce find it increasingly rare to have either a full-time homemaker or a secure, â€Å"lifetime† job. This mismatch challenges both scholars and policy makers to revisit, research, and rewrite the disparate scripts constituting the rules of the career game. The mid-20th-century bargain of trading a lifetime of paid work for a lifetime of income security-never a reality except for a group of middle-class office workers and unionized production workers in the post war economic boom of the 1950s-is probably gone forever. (Moen) Her points regarding the changing career climate are spot on. Many of he lifetime jobs are ones that have no real advancement potential. A GS (Government Service) job will allow for increases in pay due to step promotion and COLA increases, but in order to advance into a higher GS position a person would have to make significant gains in their education and/or work experience. Both of these might require leaving the current job for a time period. In some cases, the GS jobs have no advancement potential even with additional education, a person would have to quit t heir current job and reapply for a new position. Even more evidence that points to employers changing the career game is an article published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that states that employ ¬ers are replacing defined-benefit retirement plans with defined-contribution retirement plans, allowing employers to shift more responsibility for retire ¬ment income to the employee. (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) So what are the consequences of this alteration of the career landscape? The median age of workers are increasing. The prime age group, composed of 25- to 54-year-olds, is projected to increase by 1. million and make up 63. 5 percent of the total labor force in the target year. The youth labor force, composed of 16- to 24-year-olds, is expected to decline from the 2008 level, but will remain over 21 million in 2018. The military is one area that has a great deal of experience with career change. Not only do the military members change jobs frequently, most retire after only 20 years of service. This puts someo ne who may only be 38 in the position finding new employment at a relatively young age. A study examined the concerns of retiring Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs) as they experience the adult career transition of retirement from military service and transition to the civilian workplace. Analysis of focus group transcripts reveal a range of concerns related to the transition factors cited in Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as the 4 S’s: situation, self, support, strategy. The study provided insight on the issues and challenges Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and all Military Personnel face upon retirement based on the following articulated themes: cultural, community, social and psychological concerns. The paper suggested that programming be offered to facilitate transition and should also address psychological and social concerns which may improve the quality and outcomes of transition to a new role in civilian life. (Johnston, Fletcher, Ginn, & Stein) Many of these jobs are in the skilled labor fields which are light on EAP's to assist once the transition has occurred. Next to the military, education is another area that see its fair share of transition. A quick Google search on career transition will bring up a plethora of sites offering advice on starting a second career in teaching. The main areas that see an influx are secondary high school education teachers and entry-level college instructors. Why are these areas so appealing? One paper seeks to reviews the current theory in areas relevant to industry-to-academia career transitions, and to outline a theory that targets this category of employee directly. They sought to outline the first step toward a limited theory explaining the special needs and motivations of industry-to-academia career transitions. Throughout this paper, the hybrid academic institution, consisting of a traditional core and a nontraditional periphery, received special emphasis. While the research did not conclusively define the reasons behind the transition, consider the following concepts: (1) proteanism, or the protean approach to career transitions; (2) transition types; and (3) human values. (Bandow, Minsky, & Steven) All of which are indicative not only in instances of industry-to-academia career transitions, but in most all other areas as well. Even for the most experienced and well-educated person, transition does require some finesse. Here are a few tips that can help make the change less traumatic. It is important to take a serious look at the many possibilities and outcomes before you jump into a new career or field. Consider these 10 tips as you make a transition from your present career to your next: 1. Have a clear plan. The smartest move that you can make is to carefully map out an effective career-change strategy. This should include a detailed action plan that takes into consideration finances, research, education, and training. Keep in mind that a successful career change can take several months or longer to accomplish, so patience is key. . Wait for the right time. The best time to consider a new career is when you are safely ensconced in your existing position. It is understood that a steady paycheck can relieve a lot of pressure. There are many ways to take steps toward your new career path; you can volunteer or offer yourself as a freelancer or consultant. This can help you to â€Å"test the waters† in your desired new field. 3. Be sure of your reasons. Just because you’re unhappy in your current job isn’t a strong enough reason to make a total career break. Carefully analyze whether it is your actual career you dislike or whether your employer, supervisor, or office situation is the problem. 4. Do your research. Be sure to examine all possibilities before attempting a career jump. Talk to people in your network; read career and job profiles; meet with a career management professional. The more information with which you arm yourself beforehand, the more successful you will be. 5. Decide what is important. This is the best time for thoughtful self-reflection. Ask yourself what it is you really want to do with the rest of your life. Take an honest inventory of your likes and dislikes, and evaluate your skills, values, and personal interests. Many people who are looking to change careers do so to find a balance between their personal and professional lives, to accomplish the right mix of meaning and money. You may want to consider consulting a career coach and/or taking a career assessment test. 6. Examine your qualifications. Do you have the necessary experience and education to be considered a qualified candidate in your desired career field? If not, you need to find a way to bridge the credentials gap. This might mean making your goal more long-term while you go back to school or receive additional training. 7. Learn about the industry. Get a feel for the field that interests you. Read industry journals, attend conferences, and talk to people in the profession about what they do. Learn whether your target industry has growth potential. Trade magazines, organizations, and entrepreneurs have created a slew of Web sites that offer searchable databases where job openings in many specific industries are listed. Start looking at these sites on a regular basis. 8. Develop your network. Begin nurturing professional friendships early and tend them regularly. Professional organizations and job industry trade associations are a good place to start. Many of them hold networking events and job fairs. 9. Update your job search skills. It is especially important to polish up your job-hunting skills and techniques before you get out there and start networking. Make sure you are using your time and resources as effectively as possible. 10. Pay your dues. Do not expect to begin at the same level of seniority in your new career that you held in your old one. It will take time to move up the ranks, but if you find a new career that you absolutely love, it will be worth it. (Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change) In conclusion, with the continued changing landscape of today's business world, career change is here to stay. People are having to work further into what used to be the retirement years and some are deciding to live to work instead of work to live. Whatever the reason the challenges of a career transition can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. The most important thing is to be true to you and to not be afraid of new horizons. Works Cited Bandow, D. , Minsky, B. D. , & Steven, R. (n. d. ). Reinventing The Future: Investigating Career Transitions From Industry To Academia. Cote, M. B. (2004). Service quality and attrition: an examination of a pediatric obesity program. International Journal for Quality in Health Care , 16 (2), 165-173. Johnston, S. , Fletcher, E. , Ginn, G. , & Stein, D. (n. d. ). Adult Career T ransition: Exploring the Concerns of Military Retirees. Moen, P. (n. d. ). Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†. Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary . (2008, June ). Retrieved 07 2010, from U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : http://www. bls. gov/news. release/nlsoy. nr0. htm Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2010, from All Business: http://www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/careers-changing-jobs/1618-1. html U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010, March). Record unemployment among older workers. Issues In Labor Statistics , pp. 1-3.