Discuss How the Concepts of ‘Race’ and ‘Ethnicity’ Perpetuate Inequality in Australia Essay

‘As concepts, race and nation are largely empty receptacles through and in the names of which population groups may be invented, interpreted and imagined as communities or societies’ (Goldberg, 1993: 79). Race and ethnicity are major contributing factors of racism in Australia today, and the continued racist beliefs of many Australians are the driving forces of inequality in modern Australian society. To truly understand how this occurs one first needs to understand the forms and effects of racism. The modern history of Australia begins with British colonisation in 1788, and reveals many racist practises towards both immigrants and the native population. Until recently, many white Australians shared the belief that ‘civilisation did not begin in Australia until the last quarter of the eighteenth century’ (Manning Clarke, 1962: 3). Through the spread of disease, killings and sexual exploitation, the Aboriginal population was drastically reduced and did not begin to recover until the late 1940’s. To add insult to injury, government policy in the 1960’s produced the ‘stolen generation’, where, for the ‘common good’, Aboriginal children were removed from their families and placed with white foster families. This racist ideology was formalised in 1901 with the introduction of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, more commonly known as the ‘White Australia’ policy, which excluded ‘Asians’ and ‘coloureds’ from Australian immigration. From the beginning of modern Australia, ideals of racial and ethnic superiority have shaped laws and popular opinions, as well as media representation of migrants and ‘Australians’. Continued division between ‘white’ Australians and Aboriginals, Muslim-Australians and Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) Australians stem from early misconceptions and continued misinformation in a so-called ‘multicultural’ Australia. ‘[Races] are said to be distinctive because members of those races allegedly share certain natural or biological characteristics. Racists believe that these biological characteristics explain why some races are naturally superior to others’ (Bessant J, 2002: 220). Racism itself is a constantly evolving entity, and is both individual and collective. In modern Australia, the most common forms of racism are New Racism, Biological Racism and Class Exploitation. New Racism, although not actually new, is more commonly accepted. By not claiming any biological superiority, new racists can, with good conscience, claim that they are not racist, but are simply trying to protect national identity which could be compromised when integrated with other cultures. New Racism has been an integral part of Australia for more than 200 years. Australia moved through three distinct phases of policy on immigration. 1947-65 was all about assimilation – migrants were expected to move to Australia and become Australians, to leave everything else behind. During this time, high levels of immigration were encouraged, with the majority being British, and only 1 in 10 non-British immigrants were allowed. 1965-72 spawned the idea of integration. It became apparent that assimilation was not working and education projects were put in place to assist migrants – especially those from non English speaking backgrounds. Finally, in 1973, the Whitlam Government abolished the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 and declared Australia to be a Multicultural society. Immigration slowed and the government began to recognise the special needs of ‘ethnic’ Australians. It was during this period of acceptance that, ‘a constitutional referendum gave Aboriginal people citizenship status in 1967’ (Bessant 2002: p225) and allowed Aboriginal people to vote – about 60 years after women. Despite the move towards multiculturalism, race and ethnicity are still determining factors of inequality in Australia, seen mostly through Biological racism and, stemming from this, class exploitation. Biological racism, by definition, is the assumption that our basic biological differences define us in a specific role, or make one group superior to another by a simple matter of genetics. The relationship between Muslim and non-Muslim Australians is a hot topic for debate today, and a perfect example of how biological preferences shape prejudice. Stemming from the historic view of immigration, a recent two year study delved into the issues facing Muslim-Australians and their non-Muslim counterparts. Throughout the study, information was gathered from consultation with religious, academic, community and political leaders, a national random survey of 1,401 Australian voters, focus group deliberations with Muslim Australians throughout the country and a Deliberative Poll assembling 47 Muslim Australians, 329 of those surveyed in the national random survey and a range of competing experts. Concluding a weekend of deliberations, held in Canberra, Australia on March 2-4, 2007, there was agreement between Muslim and non-Muslim Australians that misperceptions and lack of understanding by both parties (many encouraged by the media) are the motivating factors in reinforcing a negative spiral of fear and aggressive behaviour. Young Australian Muslims (mostly born in Australia) are being increasingly alienated and are therefore gravitating away from mainstream Australia – the biggest danger being they may turn to more radical sects of Islam. Many non-Muslim Australians perceive a threat to national security and social harmony by the presence of Muslims in Australia, and 69% of Australians agreed that the media was the biggest factor in straining relations between Muslims and non-Muslims (Issues Deliberations Australia, 2007: 4-5). To best demonstrate the inequality in representation of migrant women in the media, exploration of the content of television advertisements is necessary. Representation of Non English Speaking Background (NESB) women in television advertisements featuring Australians is almost non-existent, and Aboriginal women are totally absent from representation. The most common representation of NESB women in the media, where it occurs, is in the role of servant (for example, advertisements for Malaysian Airlines and Air Pacific) or as comic relief (the fat ethnic cleaner in the 1990’s Pro Hart ad for carpet cleaner). The ‘typical Aussie woman’ is usually represented as a mother. She is blonde, thin and invariably presented within a domestic environment. Advertisements are generally for ‘staples’ (such as shelter, food, cleanliness, finance, health and education) and appear in prime family viewing time slots, where women are placed at the centre of the Australian home. Not only does this image exclude migrants from being an ‘Aussie’ woman, it also suggests that women in Australia should be at home, with children and concerned only with the staples of running a household. Evidence suggests that these images have a negative effect on the self-esteem of ethnic minorities, especially in children, (Berry & Mitchell-Kernan 1982) and that the negative attitudes of the mainstream population towards ethnic minority groups results from these media representations (Committee of Arab Australians 1990: HREOC 1991). These stereotypical representations of ethnic women thus add to the perpetual inequality in Australia, by pigeon-holing migrant women in a submissive role. These advertisements also reinforce the perceptions of migrants as collectively working class citizens (Issues Deliberations Australia 2007) Class division/exploitation is arguably the largest factor contributing to inequality in Australia. The basis of this is that ‘class is not an abstract, objective quality; it has to do with the lived experiences of people, their encounters with hostility and deference and snobbery and exploitation’ (McGregor C 2001: 53) Many migrants become working-class citizens. Lower standards of education and training send immigrants (especially those from non English speaking backgrounds) into jobs using manual labour to earn an income. Working class people are less likely to move up the class ladder, ending up living in clusters. Working class suburbs generally produce working class people. Schools in working class areas are less likely to encourage students to go on to tertiary education and children are more inclined to ‘stick with what they know’ rather than pursue a new course. Ethnicity does not automatically place an individual into any one particular class; however, migrants generally arrive in Australia with little or no money and are disadvantaged from the start. Ethnic Australians are more likely to remain in middle or working-class situations, with very few exceptions to the rule (McGregor C 2001). As previously discussed, the Australian media does little to assist ethnic Australians. By the constant portrayal of migrants in servant/submissive roles, other Australians are less likely to see migrants as anything else, and expect them to remain in these positions of servitude. Throughout Australia’s history, race and ethnicity have played a major part in ensuring that the people of Australia are not treated equally. Media representations show that only a thin, blonde woman is a true ‘Aussie’ mum, and that the role of a migrant woman is only to serve. In addition, popular opinion demonstrates that Muslim Australians are a threat to national security and social harmony; and Aboriginal people have less right to manage their own affairs than do white Australians. Although popular opinion is not necessarily indicative of reality, it does dictate the perceived reality of existence within a society. It is these perceived concepts of one’s race or ethnic origins that cause inequality to prevail in modern Australian society and a huge shift in perception is required to create societal harmony. As concluded in the study by Issues Deliberations Australia, education of both migrants and other Australians is the key to equality for all citizens. Bibliography Bessant, J & Watts R 2002, ‘Chapter 9 – Neighbours and Nations: ethnic identity and multiculturalism’, in Sociology Australia, 2nd Edition, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW Burdess, N 1998, ‘Essay structure’, in Handbook of Student skills, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney Hollinsworth, D 1998, ‘Racism: concepts, theories and approaches’, in Race and Racism in Australia, 2nd edition, Social Science Press, Katoomba, NSW. Issues Deliberations Australia/America 2007, ‘Final Report Summary’, Australia Deliberates – Muslims and Non Muslims, viewed 5th October 2007, ida. org. au/UserFiles/File/AUSTRALIA%20DELIBERATES%20-%20FINAL% 20REPORT %20SUMMARY. pdf>. Martin, J 1996, ‘Signs of the time: Race, sex and media representations’, in The teeth are smiling – The persistence of racism in multicultural Australia, edited by Vasta, E and Castles, S, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW McGregor, C 2001, ‘What makes class? ’, in Class in Australia: who says Australia has no class system? , 2nd edition, Penguin Australia, Ringwood, VIC.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 20

I thought about it for half a heartbeat, and even that was too long. There was no question what my decision could be. Seth and I were bound together. Even if it had been for Jerome's convenience, Seth had found my soul across the incredible reaches of the dream world. Seth and I had found each other, life after life, and continually fallen in love. Even if we didn't consciously remember each other, some inner part of ourselves had connected. I remembered Roman's words. Over and over, you find each other and lose each other, you bicker and fight, throw it all away on mistrust and lack of communication. Are you going to let that continue? No, the cycle was going to end. On my terms. These lives we'd lived . . . the pain we'd suffered . . . it wouldn't be for nothing. It didn't matter if Seth hated me and never wanted to see me again. I wouldn't abandon him – not now, not ever. â€Å"No deal,† I said to Roman. â€Å"Seth and I are doing this together, whether he knows it or not.† Roman didn't try to talk me out of it. He simply said, â€Å"You understand what's at stake?† â€Å"I do.† If we failed here, I wouldn't just lose my soul. I would also be looking forward to an eternity in Hell's service, with superiors none-too-pleased that I'd shaken up the status quo. I didn't doubt that there was some article or clause somewhere that said I couldn't be penalized for this, but as I'd noted before, Hell had plenty of ways of punishing people off the record. The Las Vegas position would probably no longer exist, forcing me to relocate to some truly terrible location. Hannibal called the court back to order, and Roman relayed my decision. Hannibal clicked his tongue disapprovingly. â€Å"Risking it all for the new car, eh? Well, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it falls in your hands now. You've heard the evidence – and lack thereof. Do you believe there is enough ‘proof' to support the petitioner's case? Should both contracts – that these individuals willingly signed – be invalidated?† So much for justice being blind. The jury cast votes anonymously, which I found interesting. It was a small nod toward impartiality, theoretically providing protection to those who voted against their side's best interests. From what both Roman and Marcel had told me, I could see it happening among the angels. But did it ever happen with demons? Even if they knew the right or wrong of a situation, their ultimate goal was to accrue souls for Hell. Would any of them be moved by a case enough to go with their conscience? Was it possible that some spark of goodness could still endure in the darkness of this place? Judging from the quick way everyone scrawled their responses on the pieces of paper given, it didn't look like it. There was no hesitation. The demons wore cocky, self-assured expressions. Angels and demons came from the same stock, but I'd been told that once they spent enough time in Hell, that angelic nature was eroded away. These demons weren't going to lose any sleep about what became of my soul. The votes were collected by the bailiff. He sorted them into two suspiciously similarly sized piles and handed them to the judge. Hannibal did a quick count and nodded to himself before addressing us. A new stillness fell over the room. â€Å"Here we go,† murmured Roman. â€Å"The jury has spoken,† said Hannibal. â€Å"Six to six. We have a tie.† There was a collective exhalation in the room, and then the tension ramped back up as everyone waited for the next step. I shouldn't have been surprised by the tie, but some part of me had been hoping maybe, just maybe, a wayward demon would've voted in my favor. I had my answer. There was no spark of goodness here. It couldn't survive in Hell. â€Å"In accordance with article . . . fuck, I don't know . . . article something-or-other, we'll be going to a tiebreaker vote,† said Hannibal. The bailiff returned with an ornate vase, which he handed to the judge. Hannibal dumped out the contents, revealing a white marble and a black marble. â€Å"In this case, it really is as simple as black and white. If the black one's drawn, a demon casts the deciding vote. If it's white, an angel will.† He paused, looking bemused. â€Å"That's so cliched. I don't suppose we could switch the colors around? Just this once? No? Okay, let's get on with it.† He scanned the jury and pointed to an angel with curly red hair and long-lashed blue eyes. â€Å"You. You'll do the draw.† She nodded her acceptance and approached the bench gracefully. Again, another attempt at justice. If Hannibal had drawn the marbles, I would have been suspicious of the outcome. The fairness of the matter was future solidified when he made her swear to draw fairly, without using her powers to advantage. â€Å"I swear,† she said, placing the marbles in the vase. She shook them up and reached her hand in, casting a brief and – unless I was mistaken – sympathetic look at me. Her hand emerged, closed in a fist. When she opened it, no one could see the marble right away, but her face told the story. â€Å"Shit,† said Roman. The angel's palm revealed a black marble. She handed it to the judge who made no pretense at hiding his joy. He thanked her as she returned to her seat and then held the marble up for all the room to see. There was a murmur of excitement among the demons, delighted at having won the gamble he'd laid before us. I had a moment of regret, but only a small one. I could've walked away from here with my soul and life intact. I could've never brought this up and continued my life as a succubus undisturbed, living out the dream scenario in Las Vegas. Instead, I'd risked everything for the chance to free myself and Seth. And I'd lost for both of us. Had it been worth it? Yes. † ‘Fate' has spoken,† said Hannibal, still admiring the marble. â€Å"Per the rules, the decision now falls to a thirteenth juror, who will be randomly selected from a pool of Hell's illustrious servants. Doris?† Doris began clicking away at her laptop. After a few moments, she gave a nod toward the bailiff. He walked toward the back exit, presumably to escort in the thirteenth juror. My heart felt heavy and leaden, and I was startled when Roman again placed his hand on mine. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"I should have fought harder. Or pushed you to take the deal – â€Å" I squeezed his hand back. â€Å"No. You were perfect. The only thing you shouldn't have done was get involved with this mess.† It was impossible to believe, but whatever fate awaited me after my suit was denied wouldn't be half as bad as his. He gave me a playful smile. â€Å"What, and miss the chance to laugh in the face of Heaven and Hell? Besides, there's no way I could leave you to – â€Å" The courtroom had given way to chatter when the bailiff left, and now silence resumed upon his return. Whatever sentiments Roman had been about to say were lost, as he joined me in looking back to see the demon who would cast the last condemning vote on me. When I did, I had to do a double take. It was Yasmine. I almost didn't recognize her. It had been a year since I'd seen her, a year since I'd watched her fall from grace, transforming from an angel to a demon. Yasmine had committed a number of grave sins as an angel, starting when she'd fallen in love. That alone was forbidden for her kind, but it had gone one step further – she'd fallen for a nephilim named Vincent. Vince was a great guy, but like Roman, the standard reaction from angels and demons alike had been prompt destruction. One angel had finally acted on that impulse, and Yasmine had rushed to defend Vince – killing the other angel in the process. And with that, she had been condemned to Hell. I had seen it. It had been terrible. One angel's death, another's fall. It had all gone down the night Nyx had been found and recaptured. Vince and I had been in the cross fire of it. I'd done what I could for him, but there was nothing I could do to stop Heaven's punishment. Before leaving town, Vince had told me that it didn't matter what I thought I knew about Yasmine. He'd said that once she had spent enough time in Hell and around other demons, she'd become like them. It was what happened to all of them, how someone like Carter could become someone like Jerome. I hadn't believed it at the time but could understand it better after being surrounded in the despair and wrongness of this place. And when I studied her now, I could see it had happened to her too. I remembered a smiling, laughing young woman with sparkling dark eyes and shining black hair. The hair and eyes were ostensibly the same, but there was no light or laughter in them. Her eyes seemed fathomless, dark and cold as she stared straight ahead and walked to the front of the courtroom. She was wearing a gauzy black dress, reminding me of some Goth courtesan, and her long, flowing hair blended into the silken fabric. Even if I'd never met her or known her history, I would have instantly identified her as a demon. Just like the others in the room, there was something in the way she looked and carried herself. I was about to be condemned by someone who had once been my friend. Yasmine reached the front of the courtroom and was gestured toward the witnesses' table. She sat down, gazing around the room with an unreadable expression. â€Å"You've been following the trial?† asked Judge Hannibal. â€Å"Yes,† she said, in a voice as expressionless as her face. How she'd been watching, I couldn't say. With Hell, it could've been closed-circuit TV or a magic mirror for all I knew. â€Å"And you understand your duty?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"Yes,† she replied. Hannibal was trying to maintain some semblance of formality and procedure, but the self-satisfied smirk on his face was kind of negating that. He was too goddamned pleased with himself and this turn of events. â€Å"Cast your vote then, based on the evidence and arguments you've witnessed. If you believe the two contracts are both sound and have not contradicted each other, then cast your vote against the petitioner.† When silence followed, Roman spoke up. â€Å"And if she thinks the two contracts aren't valid?† â€Å"Yes, yes.† Hannibal made a dismissive gesture, annoyed at this obvious waste of his time. â€Å"If you believe the contracts do contradict each other, then cast your vote for the petitioner.† Yasmine was given a piece of paper and pen, just like the other jurors. And just like the others, she wasted no time in writing her vote, her markings swift and certain. When she finished, she looked up serenely, no change in her expression, no sign that we'd ever once known each other. As terrible as I felt about my own fate, I couldn't help but feel nearly as bad for what Hell had done to someone as good and kind as her. No, I thought. Not just Hell. Really, Heaven was just as guilty. What kind of group could advocate goodness and not allow its members to love? Hannibal took the paper from her with a flourish and held it out before him to read. â€Å"In accordance with the laws of this court, and the infallible Kingdom of Hell, the jury finds – † There was a pause, and the next part came out as a question. â€Å"In favor of the petitioner?† A spark of goodness in the darkness. . . . For a moment, nothing happened. The courtroom was silent, frozen in time. Then, several things happened right on top of each other. From behind me, I heard Jerome say, â€Å"Shit.† Yasmine winked at me. Roman hugged me. Hannibal reread the slip of paper, looked at Yasmine, and then swallowed before speaking. â€Å"Both contracts are declared invalid, null and void.† Most of the room was on its feet, voices raised in fury. I had no time to process what they were saying, though, because I was disintegrating away. â€Å"No, not yet!† I exclaimed. I reached desperately for Roman, whose arms had been around me, but couldn't get ahold of him anymore. I was becoming nothing, a will-o'-the-wisp, unable to grasp anything of substance. I tried, though. I tried to grab him and take him with me because there was no way I could leave him here, not in the midst of a bunch of demons pissed off over having just lost two souls. I even tried to say his name, but it didn't work. I had no mouth, no voice anymore. I was leaving this place, and he was staying. The last thing I saw was his sea green eyes regarding me with both happiness and sorrow. I thought I heard him saying something about â€Å"a far, far greater thing,† and then I perceived nothing. I would have screamed in fury if I could have, but I was gone. I was nothing. Only darkness.

Philosophy of Education for Foundations of Education Essay

Introduction Education is an ongoing process based upon experience. The old adage you learn something new everyday is very true, and nothing fascinates me more than simply talking to other people; you can learn so much from them. Education is the foundation of our American society, and the children of today are the future of our country, but educating them is not enough; we must be good role models and present a system of morals and values in our classrooms. Our objective in education is directly related to the social sciences in that the classroom is a microcosm of our society. As teachers we try to prepare our students for real-world situations. Interacting socially, communicating effectively and understanding other peoples’ emotions, feelings and points of view will help our students blossom into productive and understanding adults. Howard Gardner wrote about multiple intelligences, which I think is a huge step in improving the classroom environment and lesson plans to include ways that everyone can learn (Tomlinson, 2002). He identified eight different ways to be â€Å"smart† that traditional IQ tests would not show. This model allows students to excel in these categories through different types of instruction, such as verbal ability, referred to as the linguistic intelligence, or the ability to play an instrument, referred to as the musical intelligence (Johnson et al. , 2005). My classroom will be entertaining, first and foremost. I understand the material I am teaching elementary school children, but delivering that material effectively depends on how they feel about school. Motivating children and getting them excited about learning is not always easy, but it is a key ingredient to a successful classroom. As a male entering the elementary education field I understand my role as a possible father figure (Kindlon and Thompson, 1999) and recognize the importance. I want to make a difference in the world, and I see no better way than through the efforts of education. Definition of Philosophy From the perspective of a future educator, I see myself identifying with the qualities of existentialism the most. This theory can be hard to explain at times because it relies so heavily on the meaning we impose on our lives through education, an idea that cannot be expressed in a limited amount of words and one that differs from individual to individual. Existentialism is routed in the fact that our lives are meaningless; we live in a meaningless world and a meaningless period of time no different than any other. In essence, the quest to find meaning in our lives defines our life. A large part of this view is the idea that we are all free, an idea embraced in America but not typically recognized throughout the world or throughout history. Given this, our freedom allows us to make choices and these choices define us. The goal of the teacher through this philosophy is not to teach freedom, but to embrace it. Tracking, measurement and standardization homogenize the classroom, whereas our goal as teachers is to individualize the classroom and foster a healthy student-teacher relationship. The students’ feelings are important and we should not compare ourselves to an ideal self but who we actually are, and education is the tool that fills the gaps of understanding this. Because I have yet to become a teacher, I am not quite sure how and in what ways measurement and standardization negatively impact the classroom, but I am aware of the separation and animosity created my tracking. Getting the students to think positively about themselves will foster healthy learning and create a positive self-esteem that will drive them to learn both in the classroom and through questioning on their own. Sparking that fire is the idea behind existentialism, and in a world where we are essentially meaningless, it is up to us as teachers to inspire our students to grasp the freedom they have, bring meaning into their life, and use that excitement to find meaning in all that they do. Also, in sparking critical thinking, students will engage in a thoughtful and reflective process similar to Bloom’s taxonomy where a number of levels of learning are happening, dependent on how information in the classroom affects them and their existence as well as essence. Another important tool we can use to define our philosophy as a teacher is the Ways of Knowing. I feel like I identify most with the Eastern Way of Knowing, particularly the Chinese thought because of the emphasis on moral development. Understanding facts and theories is important in education, but sometimes it is hard to distinguish what is actually necessary from what is trivial. Preaching morals allows us to respect others, particularly elders, and gain from their knowledge, something that cannot always be taught in the classroom. Also, it will foster a more productive and peaceful society, one that is the best to learn in. Confucianism and Taoism play a large role in this type of knowing as well, and the reliance on harmony can be compared to the need for smooth transitions in the field of education. Although Confucius implemented the need for rules and standards, contradictory to my belief in existentialism, he has influenced society and education in particular for thousands of years. These rules help keep life orderly and efficient, and the success of Chinese government, business and family life can be attributed to this as well as the harmony between the three. Taoism affects the Chinese thought by suggesting that we should leave things alone and not force personal desires onto the way things will naturally occur. This eliminates the need for competition and is more consistent with the existentialist view. Competition can be good in many ways, but when comparing students we must be careful and considerate. There is no place in the classroom for making anyone feel inferior, and I feel more strongly about that than any other aspect of teaching right now. In relation to morals and respect, I will never allow a student to think they are better than any other student, and hopefully using this method will prepare them for life in the â€Å"real world,† where manners and morals can actually take you pretty far. Even if it’s not for achievement, preaching this will promote self-improvement and a genuine compassion for other students, which is what I strive for in the classroom. Based on the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and rooted in existentialism, humanism is the educational approach that I fell closest too. Humanism makes the assumption that we are essentially born good and that children enter the world not as a blank slate, but with innate qualities and dispositions. Consistent and nearly identical to existentialism, humanism stresses the role of individualism in the classroom and says that society turns people evil. Group-oriented education is rejected because it weakens the student-teacher relationship, limits self-actualization (based on the student’s feelings), and measures students as objects, effectively doing away with the individual self. Teachers involving humanism in the classroom look for student interests as guidelines for instruction and assessment and even go as far as letting the students pick the material and activities. Students discover their own opinions through divergent thinking and should not be influenced by the teachers’ views. Eastern influences on Humanism are also prevalent, as people should be looked at as valuable individuals that deserve respect, not as objects to be manipulated, described by the I-Thou and I-It example, respectively. I am an optimist; the glass is always half full. Therefore, I strongly believe that people are created equally, good and free. Society can have a negative impact on individuals, but it can also have a positive impact. Our goal as teachers is to become that positive force and to let every student know that we care about them as individuals. The book cites how a college classroom can consist of more than one-hundred students, leaving know room for a personal relationship with the professor. One of the main reasons I came to W and J was for that small school feel where I could have a personal relationship with my professors: I feel like I do better in my classes and that I also learn more and feel more confident about my abilities. If we can achieve this goal, rather than making our students just a number, we will truly succeed as educators. References Johnson, J. A. , Musial, D. , Hall, G. E. , Gollnick, D. M. , & Dupuis, V. L. (2005). Introduction to the foundations of American education (pp. 448). Boston: Allyn& Bacon. Kindlon, D. , & Thompson M. (1999). Raising Cain: Protecting the emotional life of boys (pp. 333). New York: Ballentine. Tomlinson, C. A. (2002). Different learners, different lessons. Scholastic Instructor, 9, 21, 24-26, 91.

Workplace Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workplace Issues - Essay Example One of the more typical elements that lead to gender workforce diversity problems is the manner in which the company or firm views the independent skills and abilities of their workers, or the existence of bias and stereotyping in other people's behavior. For example, in corporate governance issues, the manner in which the company or firm views the responsibilities of males and females can inhibit or deny workers to particular occupations (Riccucci, 2002). The traits and attitudes of both males and females are also not the same from each other and can be identified as a major cause of gendered workplace problems. According to Smith (2003), males in the workplace are normally identified by dominant traits, which are the reasons why they are not lacking in self-belief, brute force, coercion, freedom, the will to win and the motivation to succeed. These traits of males enable them to utilize an aggressive managerial mechanism, which is helpful in persuading other people and enhancing the special capabilities of the workers. Meanwhile, females in the workplace possess serene traits that stand for love, respect, compassion and understanding. Females with serene traits normally talk with hesitation, manage a simple lifestyle and provide help to her co-workers (Lieberman, 2003). As these traits are not really significant components as to the manner that managers and presidents of organizations are typically viewed, females are not the immedi ate preferences for top level jobs in the firm. Males meanwhile assume their top positions as company managers and CEOs. d. What personality traits are beneficial and/or detrimental in your workplace In my workplace, males and females perform most of the time of acts as the foundation concerning how other individuals perceive them as potential CEOs of organizations. The interactive capacities for instance, which is an integral element of an excellent manager, are not the same among males and females in my workplace. As the interactive mechanisms of males are seen to be perfect for leadership positions, men in my workplace normally are always on the top candidates for highly coveted leadership jobs. e. Who is responsible for fostering motivation in the workplace Despite the various dilemmas concerning cultural workforce diversity, research studies prove that this is an essential factor of an excellent firm as well as gives positive points. According to Arredondo (1996), the hiring of an extremely diverse workforce with regards to race and ethnicity can be very helpful as it gives the company a greater roster of highly qualified individuals. This also improves the chances of the company to recruit workers that are capable enough for particular organizational deficits and necessities. In most organizational functions, workforce diversity can also support in providing a variety of helpful concepts that are critical in making informed choices. Therefore gendered workforce diversity widens the organization's views and improves its choices for establishing selections.

Using SAP in Electronic Government Research Paper

Using SAP in Electronic Government - Research Paper Example and Europe and will address the various challenges at "The Impact of E-Government in Europe" conference next month in Helsinki, said Ian Swann, vice president of SAP's public sector unit. Last year, SAP joined a program headed by the Center for Technology in Government at Albany State University in New York to help address the challenge of calculating return on investment for public sector IT initiatives. The center has conducted five case studies of organizations that have sought to assess the impact of the IT investments and has drafted a document offering a methodology for measuring ROI. Swann will present the findings of the five case studies and the ROI white paper. SAP is also participating in the European Union's E-Government Action Plan, aimed at helping Europe's sprawling public sector improve the efficiency of its internal operations and external services to citizens. The company is a contributor to the E.U.-funded Picture Project, a Web-based system that lets government officials measure the impact of information and communication technologies on organizational processes, enabling informed choices for long-term technology investments. While pointing to SAP's software expertise in areas such as accounting, human resources and logistics, Swann acknowledged an eagerness on the part of many governments, such as Germany and France, to create applications on "open architectures.†... ing, human resources and logistics, Swann acknowledged an eagerness on the part of many governments, such as Germany and France, to create applications on "open architectures.† Public-sector organizations will use "open source where it is appropriate and where it works," Swann said. But Swann was quick to use the word "open" in the context of SAP's new service-oriented architecture platform. The platform, he said, "opens up the delivery of services" and opportunities to work with independent software vendors. "All of this is about building more agile applications and creating more value out of existing investments," he said. Currently, sales to the public sector account for roughly 10 percent of SAP's total revenue and are growing, according to Swann. But selling to governments, which "are and will remain under severe financial constraints," will continue to be a challenge, he said: â€Å"That’s why we have to deliver value to what they're doing." E- Government complian ce We've seen the news reports with carloads of FBI agents, windbreakers and all, rushing into a business to seize paper records and servers. The evidence is analyzed later to prove a crime using computer forensics. However, the more likely use of computer forensics will be requirements around lawsuits: accounting records, emails, transaction data, and so on, all used to tell a story that will benefit either the plaintiff or the defense. The problem comes when we move data to the public clouds. How do we deal with legal issues, such as lawsuits and law enforcement? For the most part, organizations moving to the cloud have not even considered this issue. Indeed, according to Network World, "Any business that anticipates using cloud-based services should be asking the question: What can my cloud provider

Mothers' Health Conscious Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mothers' Health Conscious - Essay Example This essay talks about the survey analyses regarding mothers food decisions for their families. 1,000 American mothers were included in the survey. Many respondents felt that major brands were not able to address their individual needs, which meant that changes in the food and beverage marketing have to be implemented so as to appeal to moms. This article by Ben Meridith was published in a website which advocates healthy living. By using distributions from a survey, it was able to support its claim that more people are awakening to the need for a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the article Meridith said, â€Å"while food corporations are not known for their healthy messages, we can hope that they will approach marketing with a refreshing honesty† which in a sense meant that there is business in providing healthy food. Hence, in total, the article was able to support the website’s advocacy – that a healthy lifestyle is the new trend. While the writer for this article was successful in supporting his claims, one cannot say whether his interpretation of the distribution was correct or not. This is because he stated only the percentage distribution and not the actual frequency distribution of the survey. Moreover, there is no way for this researcher to check on the actual questions posted to the respondents and determine whether or not questions statements might have affected responses. Aside from this, only the averages were reported and there was no way of computing other characteristics of the distribution.

Jeep Patriot Sports Car Advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jeep Patriot Sports Car Advertisement - Essay Example Adverts employ a tool of art called semiotics that involves the application of signs and symbols in conveying messages. This advert has different categories of the message to the buyer. These categories consist of both the words and images. There is a whole range of captions in the advert that portray a denoted message targeted at the buyer. In addition, Michael’s wife, surprises him, by declaring that she bought a jeep in a conversation. The captions and labels, it becomes clear to the buyer that she bought a jeep patriot sport car. The word ‘jeep’ in the advert represents a connoted meaning. The term communicates a deeper meaning to the buyer because it has a long history of use in the market. Just by its mention in the advert, it conveys a certain message. A jeep is a car that belongs to specific classes of people in the society because of its features. The unique feature is the quarter-ton that defines a jeep. In addition, there is a connoted message in the de claration of the wife that she bought the jeep. It confirms to the audience that she ‘could not hold back ‘. This adds sense to the persuasion at the end urging the audience not to ‘hold back’ from buying the jeep. In addition, the advert contains a symbolic message. The pictured movement of the jeep patriot car signifies its capability on the road and emphasizes on the value of the four-wheel drive system. In addition, the woman in the advert implies that the car is suitable for the feminine gender. She is a symbol for the suitability of the car to women. This is a crucial aspect of the advert because different cars suit male and female. There is an evident gender preference of some car models and any advert should highlight this fact. Moreover, the advert has literal message that the audience can conceive easily. A real couple indulging in a usual conversation gets the buyer’s attention. The two are getting ready to leave the house. The wife brings up the idea that she bought a jeep. This fact mesmerizes the husband, as it is evident from his facial reactions. The advert then features a real image of the ‘jeep patriot sport car’. From this real image, the features of the car become evident to the audience. The car looks compact but being a jeep, has an economic engine. The couple rides in the car portraying its suitability as a family car. The car has unique features for families that prefer to own a car with multiple capabilities. This jeep has sufficient room to accommodate both the heads and legs. This offers sufficient space for rear passengers. In addition, the car has a high capacity boot that provides a family sufficient space to carry luggage. The family setting highlighted in the advert persuades families to consider the jeep patriot as a favorable choice. Through a combination of the different messages, the advert provides the audience with details about the car. In addition, there is a denoted message t hat informs the audience of the price of the jeep. With a glance, potential buyers gain awareness of the product price. The advert utilizes different efficient aspects of visual art to communicate with the audience. The advert targets families and emphasizes on the suitability of the car to women as well. The concept of commodity fetishism comes out clearly in the advert.