Mississippi’s school Essay

The SAGE program in partnership with John Hopkins University of Baltimore Maryland, invites, states or districts to become members in improving the student achievement in the potential members’ schools. Through the National Network of Partnership Schools, SAGE and others in the network will work states, districts and other educational organization members to form an Action Team for Partnership plan. Members follow the Six Types of Involvement format (NNPS online). Five years of NNPS surveys and result focused studies on member schools’ progress has been reported (2005). NNPS uses research results to develop practical tools, materials, and guidelines for schools and school districts. Presently, over 1000 schools, 100 districts, and 17 state departments of education are working with NNPS to use research-based approaches to establish and strengthen their programs of school, family, and community partnerships (2005). It is suggested that incorporating the following elements create better programs and outreaching to parents of the students and increased parental involvement (2005). 1. Leadership 2. Teamwork 3. Action plans 4. Implementation of plans 5. Funding 6. Collegial support 7. Evaluation 8. Networking Results from longitudinal studies showed that â€Å" a review of literature on family involvement with students on reading, indicated that, across the grades, subject specific interventions to involve families in reading and related language arts, positively affected students’ reading skills and scores (Sheldon & Epstein, 2005b). The original SAGE pilot program research involved participants of which fifty percent were below the poverty level (Vinson, 2002). Participating classes were reduced from average size to fifteen students per teacher. An evaluation by Molinar, Smith and Zahorik (1999) revealed that the first grade SAGE students demonstrated higher achievement when compared to nonparticipating schools in both language arts and math. Second and third graders were reported to follow the same pattern. The third study to be reviewed is the Prime Time (1984) project in Indiana. This was originally planned to be a two year project started in 1984 but it had such promising results that by 1988 all k-3 classes were reduced in Indiana. The average FTE was eighteen. In 1989, McGivern, Gilman and Tillitski compared samples of achievement levels of second graders from six districts with reduced class sizes and three districts that were not reduced and found significantly larger gains in reading and math among students of smaller classes. As with project STAR, SAGE has suffered criticism. Limitations mentioned were that â€Å"students were not assigned to experimental control groups on a random basis†, and that school policies were changed and implemented during the course of the study (Vinson, 2002). A widely criticized factor was the use of teacher incentives to motivate small classroom achievement. As mentioned previously, opinions on class size vary. Over the years several researchers have analyzed studies and evaluated the effectiveness of each. Glass and Smith (1979) found after analyzing seventy-seven empirical studies on class size versus student achievement, that small classes were associated with higher achievement at all grade levels. For greatest results in student achievement, students should attend small classes for over one-hundred hours (1979), with under twenty students. Small classes are beneficial because of 1) better student reaction 2) teacher morale and 3) quality of the teaching environment (Vinson, 2002). In a review of one-hundred relevant studies, small classes had been the most beneficial, during kindergarten and third grade, but only if teachers change their methods and procedures (Robinson and Wittebols, 1986). Slavin’s (1990) research of empirical studies, were chosen for analysis based on a three part criteria; 1) class size had been reduced for at least one year 2) twenty students were compared to substantially larger class sizes and 3) students in both class sizes were comparable (1990). Contrary to previously mentioned researchers, Slavin believed that smaller class size had minimal positive effects on students and those effects did not continue once students were returned to normal, larger classes (1990). A highly published researcher, Eric Hanushek has voiced his opposition to small classes benefiting student achievement since the mid-1980s. In all his reviews of class size studies, he’s always concluded that; â€Å"The evidence about improvements in student achievement that can be attributed to smaller classes turns out to be meager and unconvincing (Vinson, 2002)†. Johnson (2000), citing a study at the Heritage Foundation examining National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading data, asserted that the difference in reading assessment scores between students in small classes and students in large classes was insignificant. He criticized class size reduction programs citing California as example of how such programs exacerbate the problem of lack of qualified teachers to fill classrooms. His claim of the lack of association between class size and performance was consistent with Hanushek’s conclusions (1999). Studies of the effects of class size in secondary schools are much more rare and largely equivocal (Deutsch 2003; Grissmer 1999). Many of those who advocate for smaller class sizes at the secondary level argue that small classes positively impact the school environment, thus, improving performance indirectly. In her review of the literature of class size and secondary schools, Deutsch (2003) highlights studies that conclude small classes stimulate student engagement, allow more innovative instructional strategies, increase teacher-student interactions, reduce the amount of time teachers devote to discipline, improve teacher morale, and minimize feelings of isolation and alienation in adolescence that can come from anonymity. Another important process variable the researcher will investigate is the effects of school policy on student achievement. An influential policy becoming common in schools is that of parental support and teacher incentives. As with the other factors in this model, conclusions about the effects of both on student performance has been mixed, but recent studies seem to point to more positive correlations, particularly teacher experience (Hedges, Lane, and Greenwald 1994). Mississippi’s Department of Education’s Schools and Parents Partnering for Student Success is a brochure given to the parents of Mississippi public school students to educate them on what level of proficiency their child should be on in an attempt to form a relationship between school and home. Strategies for improving student achievement according to Mississippi’s School.

Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Policy - Essay Example As an assistant director if the company, I have come up with a policy that will enable parents to keep touch with their children even when they are out of the facility for a recreational visit. The phones will also allow parents to alert the facility beforehand if they want to visit their children. The new cell phones will be managed by the manager of each facility, and he will be in charge of assigning the staff in charge of handling the mobile phone. The responsibility of the assigned staff would be to ensure that the one is charged all the time so that it never goes off to ensure that the facility is reachable at all times. The assigned staff would also be responsible for checking all the voice messages, and any information that is intended for the management should be forwarded accordingly. In cases where there are two groups going out for a recreation facility, it is the responsibility of the staff in charge to ensure that the other group has a reliable phone number that can be used in cases of

The Question is in the Instruction part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Question is in the Instruction part - Essay Example This shows that despite the complete strangeness of a new and alien activity which initially seems incompatible to the inherent nature of Mole, the willingness to try it proves to be beneficial to him. Mole takes a splash into the water due to his excitement but he does not give up the idea of boating as incompatible to him. He perseveres and overcomes the incompatibility of his first encounter with boating. Grahame explains the different behaviors of the animals as belonging to the quaint culture called the animal-etiquette and not as incompatible elements thrown together. (Grahame 2004, p.10, 12). The narrative attributes certain behaviors to the unique animal culture when it says; 'The Rat hummed a tune, and the Mole recollected that animal-etiquette forbade any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment, for any reason or no reason whatever.' (Grahame 2004, p.12). This mirrors the human society that is comprised of people from all walks of life. They are so different as to seem incompatible but yet co-exist in an interweaved mesh that allows for divergence and privacy. Grahame has put together a diverse set of characters that seem incompatible but they are consistent with the diversity that is present in the human population. The animals are the allegories that parallel humans. Grahame uses the setting of the River Bank and Wild Wood because it allows a diverse environment in which he can have a variety of animals and Silvey says; 'Not only is it a nostalgic evocation of the English countryside and a way of life that he felt was under threat, but in the characters of Rat and Mole we can detect aspects of himself.' (Silvey 1995, p. 87). Silvey also says that Grahame depicts human characters in the guise of animals. The rat and mole experience life in much the same way as humans. They enjoy comradeship, boating and a picnic. They exhibit some human traits. The rat is kind to the mole and forgives him for making a complete fool of himself in the water. Furthermore, he promises to teach the mole to row and swim. (Grahame 2004, p. 13). By putting toget her a group of seemingly incompatible characters, Grahame shows how friendships form, bond and cement to make life better in the community. On the other hand, Grahame shows that friendships enrich life. The underlying message is that if animals can form enduring bonds, humans should do much better. Dancygier says that Grahame uses frame metonymy, or the substitution of the name of an attribute for the name of the thing itself. (Dancygier 2005, p. 1). This camouflaging of elements give the impression that incompatible elements are thrown together. 'We are like the Rat in our book-initial quotation from The Wind in the Willows: give us a grammatical "door-scraper," and we can see a whole house, the entire experimental frame within which we understand what door-scrapers are for.' (Dancygier 2005, p. 25 ). This "door-scraper" is a symbol that draws together the seemingly incompatible elements to give an overall picture of what's going on. Rat and Mole find the door-scraper in the snowing woods. Grahame does not let Rat

Petrochemical Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Petrochemical Industry - Research Paper Example In cases of tragedy, it is critical that the reaction is at the quickest time possible. The management and all the employees in the petrochemical plant need to be educated on the risks and hazards they are likely to be at risk to at the plant. Through this at there shall be the minimum likelihood of any kind of accidents occurring at the plant. Although hazards related to flammable gases and toxic gases are common knowledge to personnel who operate in the petrochemical industry, continuous training and refreshment of knowledge on the matter are important in order to avoid any kinds of incidents that may come about as a result.The management should ascertain that all the employees are trained on the risks they are exposed to and ways of responding to them in case of an emergency. All the personnel at all the organizational level should be keenly involved in the detection of any hazards and risks at the plant.The employees should be informed of the risks that they are exposed to while working at the petrochemical plants. Inhaling the toxic gases emitted at the plant on a daily basis exposes an individual to critical diseases. Before one decides to work at the plant, they should make an informed decision on the future implications. Gaseous toxic substances are normally very dangerous because they are invisible and hence hard to detect. Install flammable gas detection system scan at the petrochemical firm as a way of providing a warning to flammable risks before the gas even reaches its flammable level.

Introduction to Marketing PowerPoint Presentation

Introduction to Marketing - PowerPoint Presentation Example outsourcing social media marketing services from the social media companies that have since been established and now, looking to dominate the industry. The overall market size for the social media advertising companies cannot be estimated precisely because to do so, one will need to count the ever-growing number of companies and institutions being established daily, and who essentially need to market their products. Thousands of existing companies and institutions are already outsourcing social media services, so an estimate of 50% of all businesses countrywide would be an appropriate market size, for now. 1. Placing adverts for companies and institutions on all the six most popular social media platforms. These include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Plus+ and You Tube. The choice of platforms to use depends on the social media sites preferred by the client and most importantly, the nature of products and serviced being advertised. 2. Content creation and campaign management services. In an effort to marketing a particular product or service, there has to be a campaign to sensitize its use and the content in that campaign needs to be original. 4. Research, monitoring and analysis of social media marketing.- success depends on your ability to measure and understand your efforts. Community measurement is an essential tool in social media marketing. 2. The top areas businesses want to flourish in are tactics and engagement processes - At least 89% of companies want to use the most effective social tactics and engagement plans for their social media audience. 4. Businesses want to make the most out of Google+ - While 54% of big corporations are using Google+, 65% of smaller companies want to know more about it and 61% plan on increasing Google+ activities this year. 5. Podcasting is on growth trajectory-Though only 6% of companies have utilized podcasting in their advertising, 21% plan to increase their podcasting activities this year. That is

The Implications, Benefits, Research, And The Assessment Of Serious Essay

The Implications, Benefits, Research, And The Assessment Of Serious Gaming Integration Into The K-12 Educational Model - Essay Example In particular, digital games have emerged as rather common educational games and teaching tools. An important aspect of educational games is that they should be and are designed to fit learner needs and different tasks and activities that k-12 educational systems require learners to undertake at school and at home (Krumholz 2). Before delving deeper into the implications and benefits of integrating gaming into the k-12 educational system, it is essential to understand what educational gaming is. In essence, an educational game is a game designed and constructed in a manner that teaches human beings, especially school-going children on the various subjects and aspects of life taught at school. In other words, educational games teach children not only learning skills but also real-life skills. Fortunately for educational games and children in the k-12 educational systems, stakeholders such as educators, parents, and governments have largely appreciated the role of educational gaming in recent times (Krumholz 5). This change of attitude in stakeholders has resulted in the increased realization and awareness on the physical, educational, and psychological benefits and implications of gaming on learning and development of learners in the k-12 educational systems. Consequently, educational gaming has become conventional in educational systems as a teaching tool. ... Gaming thus helps learners enjoy their fundamental needs of learning, which include involvement, enjoyment, passion, and motivation, gratification of one’s ego, creativity, and emotional stability (Krumholz 5). Of great importance is the role of educational gaming in supporting social interactions among k-12 learners. Besides its physical and psychological implications, educational gaming also has biological and evolutionary benefits for learners. For instance, gaming helps learners in connectivity, movements, brain growth and development. Games, particularly computer games are thus not merely entertainments tool in educational settings. There are numerous ways in which gaming helps transform k-12 educational system learners. The first implication is with regards to changing the process of learning. Second, games change peoples’ view of learning as a process characterized by strictness that only permits certain academic activities and performances, thereby making learni ng a more relaxed and friendly exercise. In the end, learners enjoy learning since they no longer view it as excessively demanding and strict on their part. In addition, educational gaming, more so computer games, should not be viewed as just another multi-billion industry out to make money from parents and schools; rather, educational games help children see and participate in new worlds that may have remained closed to them (Krumholz 6). In this sense, educational gaming enables learners to act, talk, think, and inhabit roles and responsibilities that might have remained inaccessible as they concentrate only on books and other traditional forms of classroom work. It is the virtual world of games such as computer games, which give educational games their powerful learning context

United States as an Imperialist and Expansionist Nation Essay Example for Free

United States as an Imperialist and Expansionist Nation Essay Imperialism is the influential expansion of a country’s power through territorial invasion creating a financial and political control of other countries. Imperialism is used to refer to the period of 1880 to 1918 wherein the developed countries look for new territories to dwell in, creating their command to the African and Asian countries so that they will have the most useful location. The United States pursue an aggressive policy of expansionism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to expand the nation’s political and economic influence worldwide. The United States general public observed the first expansion attempts as a means to help other nations for a righteous reason but as it goes by they changed their mind and viewed the United States as an imperialist nation. Manifest Destiny was created in 1845 to somewhat justify American expansionism. United States would still be the sole strong power even without expansion but it was America’s goal to reign supreme above others. In 1860’s when American Imperialism was isolated, it affected the affairs of other small countries but it had no effect whatsoever to the Great Powers which the United States has not fully reached. Initially the United States wanted expansion to be able to compete with the European markets. In The People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn commented about the demand of expansion: Appleman Williams has described in The Roots of the Modern American Empire that there were need for expansion by many commercial farmers. Populist Congressman Jerry Simpson of Kansas told Congress in 1892 that with a vast agricultural excess, farmers ‘must of necessity search for foreign market. True, he was not calling for violence or invasion but once foreign markets were seen as significant to success, expansionist procedure, even war might be appealing. The period of Imperialism began when United States helped Cuba to drive away the Spaniards and helped the Cuban gain their independence. The Americans then had a navy base in Cuba and they wanted to help the Philippines next but instead of giving them independence they build their own empire. The American people come to realized and viewed their nation as an upcoming imperialist nation because prior to the Spanish American War, the American military did not subsist. The national identity of the people of America changed significantly since they were able to show to the whole world that they can survive even without the help of Great Britain. The Manifest Destiny was created to rationalize to the citizens the expansion that was happening. The United States expansion enabled them to be competitive to the European market but later on the expansion became more of imperialism like what happened in the case of the Philippines. By becoming an imperialist nation, the United States has to build their military from scratch and the people who object their expansion was viewed as unpatriotic by the government. The United States without expansionism would be just like one of the numerous nations that is incompetent in absorbing millions of immigrants, without the ability of protecting itself against great nations and without the capacity of spreading and preserving its culture worldwide. Work Cited Zinn, Howard. The People’s History of the United States. New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1999.