A Report On The Albuquerque Police Department - 1502 Words

The Albuquerque Police Department has shot twice as many people as the police departments in cities of similar size (Kim). Police officials claim that Albuquerque has a high number dangerous situations and that firing their weapons is necessary, which hasn’t been proven. Many individuals argue that shooting dangerous suspects is necessary for the police to do their jobs adequately and to protect themselves, which isn’t the case in every situation. Some departments within the Albuquerque Police Department are in need of reform to prevent the number of fatal police shootings within the city.The Albuquerque Police Department would highly benefit from reforms geared toward their officers’ training. It’s clear that there is a problem within the department because of the high number of shootings perpetrated by police. Compared to other cities around the nation, it becomes evident that the number of fatal shootings is highly abnormal, and that reform is necessary to prevent that number from rising even higher. Another factor that proves reform is necessary is that many of the fatally shot were mentally ill, and not criminals. If police were trained on how to deescalate situations instead of shoot, it could prevent unnecessary deaths. Police learning to differentiate between situations when shooting a suspect is required or not could also save the city money. If reform doesn’t happen quickly, it invites more problems. Officers may see that their colleagues aren’t being punishedShow MoreRelatedReducing Police Shootings: A Look at Albuquerque Police Department Shootings974 Words   |  4 PagesAre the police warranted in self-defense or are the police using excessive force and how does this ratio of shootings in Albuquerque compare to other cities in similar size and population? The fallout shows the sides of two groups of people who believe they are in the right. The activists against police involved shootings believe that the officers of Albuquerque react to situations with deadly force too often and necessitate changes. The supporters of the police force believe that the shootingsRead MoreThe Effect Of Body Cameras On Police Work1722 Words   |  7 Pagescity with positive results from the use of body-cameras. In Rialto, police began wearing body-cameras a little less than three years ago. As a result of officers wearing body-cameras, citizens’ complaints against police officers dropped 88 percent and use of force by police officers dropped 60 percent from the previous 12 month period when body-cameras were not in use. Rialto’s police chief said, â€Å"When you put a camera on a police officer, they tend to behave a little better, follow the rules a littleRead MoreThe Problem Of New Mexico868 Words   |  4 Pagesspecific strikes where the city police and court will be able to take an action against those repeat criminals for their crimes. Five specific strikes where the court or p olice can take action are Kidnapping, shooting, criminal sexual penetration, murder, and armed robbery. However, if there were more crimes were added to the New Mexico strikes then there would have been so many less crimes that would have taken place on the streets. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, â€Å"Prisoners in 2013†Read MoreCommunity Based Corrections Essay example1108 Words   |  5 Pagesthat promote education, healthy lifestyles and positives choices for youth and their families. (Youth Services Center) In a publication I found a research on Evidence- Bases Adult Corrections Program – What Works and What Does Not. In this report, the outcome is to determine the reduction of crime reduction in offenders. There research question is straight forward: â€Å"What works, if anything to lower the recidivism rates of adult offenders?† They applied methodology in this study and theirRead MoreSchool Uniforms And The Success Of Public Schools1099 Words   |  5 Pageswith violence, failing school districts, and attendance policies (U.S Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences) and uniform policies have been proven to benefit such schools. Many schools implement a school uniform to combat violence and gang related activities. Gangs present a growing challenge for schools, particularly those within an urban setting. A report by the US Department of Education and the Department of Justice (2014) found that 16% of schools reported gang related activitiesRead MoreAggravating Factors that Lead to Excessive Force by Police Force1972 Words   |  8 Pagesarticles used in this review needed to be current (published within the last 20 years). The articles moreover needed to include a suitable designed study and/or a suitable designed literature review in relevance to excessive force and the abuse of police authority. The reviewed literature included a thorough evaluation from an analysis of secondary data consisting of information gathered from criminal justice peer reviewed journal articles of when excessive force occurs the most and how force canRead MoreRace Based Hostility And Bias1042 Words   |  5 Pages Who Polices The Police? â€Å"I can’t breathe,† imagine having to hear your father, son, or brother desperately gasp for air while murmuring those words, â€Å"I can’t breathe.† It’s heart wrenching, but now visualize him being viscously choked from behind by a police officer. The predicament is startling and unseen. Your loved one has surrendered but the officer has no intention of relinquishing his grip, restricting the airway, making it incredibly difficult to breathe. Suddenly, the police officer forcesRead MoreCriminal Justice As An Adjunct Professor At The Nevada Air National Guard Essay1196 Words   |  5 PagesSUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS: Thirty-five years of policing experience in a large metropolitan police department with a tourist based economy. Retired in 2009 as the Assistant Chief of Police. Operational and Senior command experience in Administration, Patrol and Detective Divisions. Recognized internationally for training, presentations and publications in Community and Problem Oriented Policing and a wide-range of other policing topics. Retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nevada Air NationalRead MorePolice Brutality And The United States Essay1408 Words   |  6 PagesPolice brutality in the United States has escalated in recent times. To develop a peaceful environment amongst human beings, one of the main topics to look at is human rights. While more often than not, police brutality violates the concept of human rights it is still a very important task to discuss the topic and create possible solutions to such a concerning and threatening issues in the United States. In this case, statistics is a very important factor that is required to display how serious ofRead MorePolice Brutality On The American Public2006 Words   |  9 PagesAbdarahmane Toure English II Dr. Hollins Ph.D Solution Problem Thesis Police Brutality It is never a bad time to discuss matters of police brutality since at any given time some American gets pulled over or chased down the streets. When the police get hold of him, they probably will use excessive force in getting him to the ground and cuffing him, they might beat him a little bit in the process, just at the scene or maybe later at the station

American Education The Afflicted System - 1210 Words

Children are the unbridled hopes and dreams of society. They embody power, ambition, and innocence. Children are the untainted saviors of the future. They are full of energy and have minds developing at a rate that is perfect for being educated. They are the future of the world. Everyone wants to invest in the future for whatever personal vendetta they may have. With the amount of emphasis on children and education it is not surprising that the processes by which the next generation is being taught has become scrutinized on many occasions. American public education has been a major issue for almost as long as it has been around. Many movements and people have tried solutions that they believe will solve the problems with the education system. Some solutions had good intentions but were not implemented well. Other solutions had little to no benefits on the system. Education has taken the back seat and allowed standardized testing to drive. American education has become a deformed and twisted system with many flaws that are in desperate need of repair. The Beginnings of American Public Education Early British colonist established the first schools in America. The schools in the Northern states closely resembled those used in Great Britain. Most children attended school to learn the basics of arithmetic, reading, and writing. White males of higher-level socioeconomic families would then receive higher education and possibly attend college. The schools were community basedShow MoreRelatedCase Study : Become Involved With The American Lyme Disease Foundation835 Words   |  4 PagesMeghan Pratt COM 101 Professor Miller Proposition of Policy: Become involved with the American Lyme Disease Foundation. Introduction: Imagine, as a 12 year old, not being able to move. Every part of your body feels like lead and you’re barely able to lift your head up. You have no energy, sleeping all day and hardly able to perform mundane, everyday activities. Headaches and stomach pains are a normal part of your life. You stop hanging out with your friends and become isolated in your room becauseRead MoreGlobalization And Its Impact On Society1637 Words   |  7 Pagesbeen living in American culture for a considerable amount of time noticing the ups and downs of different parties and groups as individuals, it is easily negotiable and understating that the region is not following the concepts of communism anymore and instead, the business reform and foundation is based on the power and strength that different corporations have on the world networks. It was because of the business makers and other ruling measurements and formations that American began to move awayRead MoreExorcism And Harijan Possession Du ring Modern Society1206 Words   |  5 Pagesproblems for both groups of people and mirrors other issues within their respective societies. In the modern Harijan caste, possession rituals happen more frequently than Catholic exorcisms. This is not because Harijan society is less modernized than American society, although it may be less science-oriented and rigorous, but both societies are attempting to deal with or in some ways unconsciously hide the same types of issues with the use of rituals. To understand how these societies are using theseRead MoreEssay about The Struggles Facing LD Students1306 Words   |  6 Pageseducational system and they always will be. These students have a single goal in mind, but their disability and social barriers keep them from it. On the other hand, educators have pledged to teach all students, but some fail to teach LD students. This represents an ethical, moral, and legal breakdown of their responsibilities. Educators need to be properly trained and aware of how to meet the needs of these students. The lack of such leads to failure. Students fail because they are afflicted by a disa bilityRead MoreThe Civil War Era Was A Period Of Major Medical Advancement Essay1377 Words   |  6 Pagesresults of the battles and the war as a whole. Advancements in medical procedures, sanitation, infection control, field hospitals and triage, nursing techniques, and the development of the American Red Cross all greatly impacted the mortality rates of soldiers in both the Union and the Confederate armies during the American Civil War in both positive and negative ways. Amputations were the most effective and renowned surgical technique during this time period. Amputations were wildly taboo procedures thatRead MoreOverview of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 20001361 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Importance of United Cerebral Palsys Assistance to Developmentally Disabled Adults and the Health Care System as a Whole Introduction Children born today have a fifty-fifty chance to live to be one hundred years old or more, and the quality of their lives will be affected by the research and empirical data that is being generated by organizations dedicated to helping developmentally disabled adults live more meaningful lives. These programs also serve as a benchmark in the battle againstRead MoreGovernment and Nursing Organization Influencing Nursing Education Comparison of Poland and China696 Words   |  3 Pages. In 1961, Beijing Second Medical College established a department of nursing to enroll working nurses for further education (Chen, 1996; Yu, Xu Zhang, 2000). Government and Nursing Organizations Influencing Nursing Education: Comparison of Poland and China Poland In Poland, various organizations have influenced the nurse education and training. In 1925, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) accepted the establishment and membership of the Polish Nursing Association of Professional NursesRead More The I-Function And Alzheimers Disease: Where is The Person?1243 Words   |  5 Pagesform of dementia that involves the destruction of brain cells, and ultimately leads to death (1). What makes AD such a frightening disease, for both the patient and their family members, is the loss of self associated with the dementia. Those afflicted with AD cant understand the changes going on within themselves. Family members are upset by the loss of the person they once knew. It is common for daughters (for example) to say that a mother in the later stages of AD is not their mom becauseRead MoreDifference Between Schooling And Education1277 Words   |  6 Pagesinstitutions: health, economics, politics, religion, family and education. These institutional structures function to carry out the work of societies. Throughout the history of the United States of America the educational institution has undergone many structural, functional and methodological renovations. Beginning with the introduction of compulsory schooling, the intentions of the original planners of the modern schooling system have been gradually, yet radically, misconstrued. It is the goalRead MoreThe Inclusion Of Education On Mental Illness1461 Words   |  6 PagesArguing For the Inclusion of Education on Mental Illness Mental illness affects millions of people around the world. What is surprising, however, is the lack of public information and education about mental illness. With the amount of undiagnosed mental illnesses and disorders as well as the number of suicide attempts that occur daily, it should become a priority for the education system to introduce public classes on mental illness for not just adults or teens but for younger children as well. Educating

Training and Development Environment for Team Work- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theTraining and Development Environment for Team Work. Answer: Introduction Training and retention of employees are the most significant aspects among the ten forces in training and development environment. It is undeniable that learning is continuous in most of the companies that have been successful and those that want to remain at the top of the ever-changing and competing market (Smith, 2017). In my workplace, as an operational manager in the Barista Information Technology Limited, that mainly deals in manufacturing mobile phones and other electronic devices, I have realized that the success of a company mostly depends on the team that works mutually to a common objective, and it is not an easy task to build such a team as supported by Ulrich (2017). Creating such a team always takes not less than six months and might proceed for years. It is, therefore, critical to a manager to have the capability of identifying the potential in every employee and help in nurturing them instead of letting them go unnecessarily according to Noe and Winker (2012). Technol ogical advancement is one of the industry consisting of diverse customers with ever-changing taste and needs that will never be satisfied at ones with one device, thus offers a space for development and competition in inevitability. The continuous technological change and development makes me as the operational manager to put more emphasis on it to ensure that the company remains in commanding the market through conducting proper strategic training and development on various skills such as customers services, innovation, teamwork and many others (Makikangas et al., 2016). Throughout the years, I have realized that practice also plays an essential role in retaining the best skills, since after training; the employees will always tend to feel that their contribution is significant to the company. According to Noe and Winker (2012), there are different forces that drive and determine the process of learning in a workplace, and among them improving team work skills is the most significant. Improving the teamwork skills Organizations success depends mostly on the employee's capability and collaboration with one another. As the company that consists of about 400 employees ranging from different ranks and performing different tasks that depend on one another to have the final products, the best team tends to enhance the individual ability and encourage all the partners to improve as an individual as well as a team (White, 2017). A mutually relating team always tends to do the best, beat other companies, and at the same time strive to remain at the top. To this company, the following areas need to be addressed to ensure that the Information Department is at the par with the global technological needs. To improve the skills in team, as the manager the following are very essential. Leadership Leadership tends to go beyond the management expectations of balancing budgets and schedules of an organization (Taplin et al., 2013). Therefore, to successfully offer leadership, the manager must be able to set goals and achieve them within the timeline with the help of the employees. Most of the leaders tend to have their way rather than incorporating employees ideas that might bring a breakthrough in the company. Such managers find it difficult to build a respective team members that can be retained and be able to retain it at the same time improving, leadership is a critical issue. Without proper team leadership, then the team members tend to go against or lose the organizations path. With such strays, the goals of the company tend to be difficult to achieve. Every leadership style tends to affect the commitment of the employees. Therefore, it is to my advantage to have and practice more participative leadership that will motivate the employees that their ideas count to the success of the company (Ulrich, 2017). With such motivation, the members will be willing to go the extra mile in taking the risk to try new ideas that will result in innovation skills. Hire the right people Team building entails having the right people rather than the best. Employees are the backbone of every business and company, therefore having the right people will give me as the manager, comfortable time in nurturing them into the line of the company (Fajcikova Urbancova, 2017). To most of the managers, who tend to pick the most experienced and talented, always face a difficult time in dealing with the Know all notion of the employees hence nurturing and developing them continuously becomes a difficult task. During the hiring, I will take into account how each interviewee will contribute to the company and how will he or she collaborate with others to have a shared vision. Innovation Innovation is a critical skill for every technology company that strives to be successful and remain as the commander of the market. All the employees in Barista must all be flexible and creative to build both simple and sophisticated appliance that will satisfy the needs of various customers (Azzam, 2013). The creativity is achievable through the provision of the free-work environment that will allow my employees to have their experiments. The free-work environment is improvable also through constructing different working spaces to the best innovators to provide privacy to their work. Besides, these secure rooms will also allow them to work at their own time that they feel very productive. Learning culture As the team builder, every member should be able to know that learning is a process and never stops. With the culture of learning in the system, it is possible to continue training and developing all employees irrespective of the ranks and achievements (Yan et al., 2017). The culture will allow every person to try different things in different departments, such as allowing a graphic designer to be in the marketing department or act as a project manager for some time. As a result, there will be a development of brainstorming in issues that could not be identified by people working in those areas, eventually results in learning system and improvement. Such problems identified and addressed by team members from other departments, also help in creating a stronger bond within them. Project plan for improving the teamwork skills Conducting Needs Assessment -Proper training is achievable after identification of the needs that is done using the SWOT analysis, to determine the strength and weakness of every individual in the innovation and production department. The process will allow me to identify the gaps that hinder the company from making advancement in technological growth (Knapp Mujtaba, 2011). With the gaps, I will ensure that the employees understand the need for them to take training in the devices that are required. It is observable that most of the employees cannot adequately use the circuit board and the connections which are the basis of every mobile phone. Ensuring readiness for training and environment-After the identification of the need for training, which is to make all the employees be at the par with the mobile circuit board, as the operation manager, I will ensure that the employees are both mentally and physically ready for the training (Schneider et al., 2011). This is achievable through preparing them that learning is a process and it does not mean any form of dumbness. Both the environment and the trainees are well chosen, to offer free atmosphere. Ensuring transfer of training-On-site training is good since it offers them to interact with the equipment that they will use daily. However, off-job training offers that peaceful mind and creates some sense of seriousness. The trainer's pact should be well-known innovators from most trusted companies such as Samsung, Sonny, and many others. The method of training should ensure that it covers all the skills, and therefore, the appropriate methods that will conform with the objectives of the training include lecturing, use of both audio and visual equipment and simulation. Developing an evaluation plan-The evaluation plan is essential in the determination of the achievement of the objectives. The evaluation shall be done severally during the process, through various means to determine the level of skills acquirement. The evaluations methods will include small questions to the trainees, both practical and theory. During the evaluation, the trainers to enable proper adjustment to the plan note discrepancies down. Selecting training method-For the training, the off-job training method is the most significant one from the trainees. They will give the trainees ample time to concentrate on the objectives of the training since in the vestibule training they are capable of learning deeply on machines and other devices that are critical for the manufacturing of the mobile phones. Besides they are farther away from all the job and domestic issues. Training method will include both the traditional methods and the e-learning. Monitoring and evaluation of the program-The monitoring and evaluation of the training shall be done through job rotation, to ensure that the trainees are actually at the par with the training objectives of acquiring more knowledge and skills in the circuit board connections through conducting another SWOT analysis (Quan Ian, 2015). The achievements are observable on the companys production, the behavior of the participants and from the supervisor's reports. With the objectives achieved, the employees can be rotated creating easy time when a colleague is taking time-off, off-peak periods or even sickness periods. Summary Employee training and development is critical to the success of every business organization and is always a continuous process no matter how successful the company or the individual is. To have the best employees, team building need to focus on both the skills and bonding should be the key role of every leader of an organization that is capable of identifying the strengths and weakness of the company, as attributed by every employee. The best talented should be used to train and develop the weak during on-job training programs, and proper training and development should follow a specific process to ensure that the objective is achievable. References Azzam, A. (2013). As technology and generations in medical education change, what remains is the intersection between educator, learners, assessment and context. International Review Of Psychiatry, 25(3), 347-356. doi:10.3109/09540261.2013.787048 Chanhoo, S., Kwangseo Ryan, P., Seung-Wan, K. (2015). Servant Leadership And Team Performance: The Mediating Role Of Knowledge-Sharing Climate. Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal, 43(10), 1749-1760. doi:10.2224/sbp.2015.43.10.1749 Faj?kov, A., Urbancov, H. (2017). The Role Of Organizations In Lifelong Learning And Development. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 65(2), 621-630. doi:10.11118/actaun201765020621 Gokdas, I., Torun, F. (2017). Examining the Impact of Instructional Technology and Material Design Courses on Technopedagogical Education Competency Acquisition According to Different Variables. Educational Sciences: Theory Practice, 17(5), 1733-1758. doi:10.12738/estp.2017.5.0322 Knapp, P. R., Mujtaba, B. G. (2011). Strategies for the Design and Administration of Assessment Center Technology: A Case Study for the Selection and Development of Employees. Journal Of Business Studies Quarterly, 2(2), 154-171. Mkikangas, A., Aunola, K., Seppl, P., Hakanen, J. (2016). Work engagement-team performance relationship: shared job crafting as a moderator. Journal Of Occupational Organizational Psychology, 89(4), 772-790. doi:10.1111/joop.12154 Parmelee, D. X., Hudes, P. (2012). Team-based learning: A relevant strategy in health professionals' education. Medical Teacher, 34(5), 411-413. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.643267 Quan, L., Di, Y., Lan, L. (2015). Factors Influencing Knowledge-Sharing Behaviors And Learning Effect: A Multilevel Investigation. Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal, 43(10), 1683-1698. doi:10.2224/sbp.2015.43.10.1683 Schneider, V. I., Healy, A. F., Barshi, I., Kole, J. A. (2011). Following navigation instructions presented verbally or spatially: Effects on training, retention and transfer. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25(1), 53-67. doi:10.1002/acp.1642 Smith, S. P. (2017). Adult Learners: Effective Training Methods. Professional Safety, 62(12), 22-25. Taplin, S. H., Foster, M. K., Shortell, S. M. (2013). Organizational Leadership For Building Effective Health Care Teams. Annals Of Family Medicine, 11(3), 279-281. doi:10.1370/afm.1506 Ulrich, B. (2017). Using Teams to Improve and Performance. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 44(2), 141-152. White, A. (2017). Driving Business Retention, Expansion And Attraction Programs To A Higher Level Through Talent Pipeline Management. Economic Development Journal, 16(4), 28-36. Yan, R., Baiyin, Y., Lin, M. (2017). Leaders' Sense Of Power And Team Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model. Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal, 45(4), 641-656. Doi:10.2224/Sbp.5662

The Hand Is the Instrument of the Mind free essay sample

The human hand, so delicate and so complicated, not only allows the mind to reveal itself but it enables the whole being to enter into special relationships with its environment. We might even say that man â€Å"takes possession of his environment with his hands†. (Montessori M, The Secret of Childhood, 1972, p 81) Maria Montessori stated that our hands are what put us as humans above the rest of the animal species. This is because humans are the only species to use their hands separately to their legs, and humans use their hands to create and change their environment to suit their needs. Our hands are not simply used instinctively, but are guided by our minds. Our minds are also guided by the development activities of the hand! That is to say, when we are born we all have the same basic hands, but our minds are what determine what we do with them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hand Is the Instrument of the Mind or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The work of our hands reflects our skills or intelligence, as the paintings of an artist reflect his creative skill, or the music of a pianist reflects his musically developed mind. Also our hands’ experience helps us to learn and develop our minds. Sensorial materials focus very much on using the hand to build the child’s intelligence. While building the Pink Tower or Broad Stair he is exposed to concepts such as height, depth, length and breadth. When his fingers feel the ‘Touch Boards’ and ‘Touch Tablets’ he learns concepts like rough and smooth. Holding the Baric Tablets teach him what light and heavy means. As he places his palms on the Thermic Tablets he will discover the difference between hot and cold. Using his hands he will shake the sound cylinders and his mind will be exposed to louder and softer. Our minds or brain form an idea, instruction or thought, our hands put these ideas into action. The brain continues to correct and perfect the hands creation until satisfaction in the end product is achieved. i. e. the hand carries out the brains desire and wishes. Therefore, it is important for the activities of the hand to be development perfectly whereby movement of the hand is refined. â€Å"The more delicate the work, the more it needs the care and attention of an intelligent mind to guide it. † The sensorial materials are designed to develop or train the senses, and it is this material that does the teaching through the childs sensorial manipulation of it. The materials are appealing to the child and are designed to prepare the child for future work. Because of the graded, (strong contrasts to more delicate differences) sequential order (easier to more difficult skills that build on one another) of the materials, the child’s ability to perceive things in a more refined way and ordered way becomes apparent. Opportunity for repetition is encouraged as repetition is what builds and exercise the senses, and builds up the intellectual information in the brain. It is agreed then that Montessori in stating; â€Å"The whole business of the mind is to guide the business of the hand† implies that must movement and development of the hand through means of practical and concrete manipulation is needed for the intellect to develop.

Cold War Essays (1954 words) - International Relations,

Cold War Cold War My first inclination would be to answer the first question with a clear "YES". But come to think of it, the causes of war really have not changed at all, or at least very little. Rather than changes, there has been a shift in the causes. The cause of war which has dominated the last 50 years was the cause of ideology. However, due to the recent end of the Cold War, this cause of war, has significantly declined and is almost trivial. The causes of war have shifted from mainly ideological ones to economic, ethnic and others. Although these reasons have always played a role as causes of war throughout history, they were in the last 50 years overshadowed by the cause of ideology. Now, with ideology not on top of the agenda anymore, these causes have regained their importance. After the second World War the world was dominated by two superpowers; the USA and the USSR. The Cold War was a result of this division of power and of the important policy of spheres of influence. In the post WWII-era the Americans thought that the Russians were aiming to incorporate Western Europe (the US British sphere of influence) into their sphere of influence (Eastern Europe) by supporting the communists in these countries. Their fears were enforced when a "coup substituted communist for coalition rule in Prague." (Calvocoressi, p.15)(even though this is an Eastern European Country, the fact that a coup was staged against a democratic government is reason enough to raise their fears). In this ideologically hostile environment the Cold War began. It was characterised by the arms race between the two superpowers who were eager to preserve their spheres of influence. Both developed such powerful weapons which were too dangerous to be used in practice, but which contributed to the feeling of security, because they acted as deterrent. (These weapons could be used "politically"[as deterrent] but not "militarily"[since they would bring complete annihilation].) "Each side armed itself to win a war which it expected the other to begin but for which it had no stomach and no plans." (Calvocoressi p.4) Europe was a very stable area in the post-WWII era. All the conflicts between the superpowers, were never directly between US and Soviet troops, but in these conflicts one superpower supported one side and the other one the other side. These were staged in the Middle-East, Africa, and Asia. These Wars were "proxy" wars, which almost always began because one superpower saw its (often ideological) interests threatened. Thus they begun to support one side; for example in Korea and Vietnam, where the US feared a communist government to take over instead of a "democratic" one. On one occasion, the whole World held its breath, as everyone thought that now the Cold War would turn "hot"; the Cuban missile crises. The stationing of Russian missiles on Cuba was seen as an atrocious provocation by the US, since it was in what the Americans had always considered as their "backyard", and they had no defence (weapons) facing that way(actually, the fact that Castro was in power was sufficient reason for them to be enraged, and they tried several times to assassinate or overthrow him). Ever since that incident, there has been an era of dtente, but only in terms of arms, not in terms of ideology. When, during the 1980s, Gorbachev was in power, he signed several arms treaties and introduced reforms into the Soviet Union. Critics argued however, that the reforms were to radical, and they said that they were introduced too quickly. As a result to this, and of the re-unification of Germany on the 3rd of October 1989, the whole eastern bloc could be seen to move into a more liberal direction; the Soviet Union started to disintegrate. Several states declared their independence from mother Russia, for example the Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova and Georgia. Due to the reforms Russia fell into economic chaos. Inflation rose to four figures, and prices for the bare necessities of life, e.g. Bread, soared up. People could not just buy bread when they wanted, which was not just due to the high prices, but also because there were shortages in supply. There still is more or less economic chaos in Russia; inflation is still high, and because of the economic chaos, crime rates have soared up. Still, it looks like if it finally is going to change for the better; last year the stock prices of Russian Companies rose by 300%. Since the end of the Cold War a "new World order" has established itself. The main cause

Reading Comprehension Assessment and Lessons

Reading Comprehension Assessment and Lessons The ability to read is one of the most powerful tools teachers and parents can give students. Literacy is strongly correlated with future economic  and professional success. Illiteracy, on the other hand, exacts a steep price.  The National Center for Education Statistics notes that 43 percent  of adults with the lowest reading levels live in poverty, and according to the National Institute for Literacy, 70  percent of people on welfare have extremely low literacy. Furthermore, 72  percent of children of parents with low literacy will themselves have low literacy, and are more likely  to perform poorly in school and drop out.   Early and elementary education offers  a key opportunity to break this cycle of economic hardship. And while the mechanics of reading and writing are essential building blocks, reading comprehension allows students to move beyond decoding and into understanding and enjoyment. Understanding Reading Comprehension The easiest way to explain reading comprehension is to put a reader in the position of someone who is deciphering letters and words rather than comprehending (attaching meaning to) them. Try reading this: Fà ¦der ureà °u à °e eart on heofenumsi à °in nama gehalgodto-becume à °in ricegeweorà ¾e à °in willa on eorà °an swa swa on heofenum.Urne ge dà ¦ghwamlican hlaf syle us to-deagand forgyf us ure gyltasswa swa we forgifaà ¾ urum gyltendumane ne gelà ¦de à °u us on costnungeac alys us of yfle. Using your knowledge base of phonetic sounds, you might be able to â€Å"read† the text, but you would not understand what you’d just read. You most certainly would not recognize it as The Lord’s Prayer. What about the following sentence? Fox grape grey shoe on land title base. You may know each word and its meaning, but that doesnt give the sentence meaning. Reading comprehension involves three distinct components: processing text (sounding out the syllables to decode the words), understanding what was read, and making connections between the text and what you already know. Vocabulary Knowledge vs. Text Comprehension Vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension are two vital elements of reading comprehension. Vocabulary knowledge refers to understanding individual words. If a reader doesn’t understand the words he is reading, he won’t understand the text as a whole. Because vocabulary knowledge is essential to reading comprehension, children should  be exposed to a rich vocabulary and should always be learning new words. Parents and teachers can help by defining potentially unfamiliar words that students will encounter in texts and teaching students to use contextual clues to understand the meaning of new words. Text comprehension builds on vocabulary knowledge by allowing the reader to combine the meanings of the individual words to understand the overall text. If you’ve ever read a complicated legal document, a challenging book, or the previous example of a nonsensical sentence, you can understand the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension. Understanding the meaning of most of the words does not necessarily translate into understanding the text as a whole. Text comprehension relies on the reader making connections with what hes reading. Reading Comprehension Example Most standardized tests include sections that assess reading comprehension. These assessments focus on identifying the main idea of a passage, understanding vocabulary in context, making inferences, and identifying the author’s purpose. A student might read a passage such as the following about dolphins. Dolphins are aquatic mammals (not fish) well-known for their intellect, gregarious nature, and acrobatic abilities. Like other mammals, they are warm-blooded, give birth to live young, feed their babies milk, and breathe air through their lungs. Dolphins have a streamlined body, a pronounced beak, and a blowhole. They swim by moving their tail up and down to propel themselves forward.A female dolphin is called a cow, a male is a bull, and the babies are calves. Dolphins are carnivores that eat marine life such as fish and squid. They have great eyesight and use this along with echolocation to move about in the ocean and locate and identify objects around them.Dolphins communicate with clicks and whistles. They develop their own personal whistle, which is distinct from other dolphins. Mother dolphins whistle to their babies frequently after birth so that the calves learn to recognize their mothers whistle. After reading the passage, students are asked to answer questions based on what they read to demonstrate their understanding of the passage. Young students might be expected to understand from the text that dolphins are mammals that live in the ocean. They eat fish and communicate with clicks and whistles. Older students might be asked to apply information gleaned from the passage to facts they already know. They could be asked to infer the meaning of the term carnivore from the text, identify what dolphins and cattle have in common (being identified as a cow, bull, or calf) or how a dolphin’s whistle is similar to a human fingerprint (each is distinct to the individual). Methods of Assessing Reading Comprehension There are several ways to evaluate a student’s reading comprehension skills. One method is to use a formal assessment, like the example above,  with reading passages followed by questions about the passage. Another method is to use informal assessments. Ask students to tell you about what they read or retell the story or event in their own words. Put students in discussion groups and listen to what they have to say about the book,  watching for areas of confusion and  students who are not participating. Ask students for a written response to the text, such as journaling, identifying their favorite scene, or listing the top 3 to 5 facts they learned from the text. Signs That a Student Is Not Able to Comprehend What Hes Reading One indicator that a student is struggling with reading comprehension is difficulty reading aloud. If a student struggles to recognize or sound out words when he’s reading orally, he’s likely encountering the same struggles when reading silently. Weak vocabulary is another indicator of poor reading comprehension. This is because students who struggle with text comprehension may have difficulting learning and incorporating new vocabulary. Finally, poor spelling and weak writing skills may be a signal that a student isn’t able to comprehend what he’s reading. Difficulty spelling may indicate problems remembering letter sounds, which means that the student is likely also having trouble processing text. How to Teach Effective Reading Comprehension It might seem as though reading comprehension skills develop naturally, but that’s because students gradually begin to internalize the techniques. Effective reading comprehension skills must be taught, but it’s not difficult to do. There are simple strategies to improve reading comprehension that parents and teachers can employ. The most important step is to ask questions before, during, and after reading. Ask students what they think the story is going to be about based on the title or cover. As you’re reading, ask students to summarize what they’ve read so far or predict what they think will happen next. After reading, ask students to summarize the story, identify the main idea, or highlight the most important facts or events. Next, help children make connections between what they’ve read and their experiences. Ask them what they would have done if they had been in the main character’s situation or if they’ve had a similar experience. Consider reading challenging texts aloud. Ideally, students will have their own copy of the book so that they can follow along. Reading aloud models good reading techniques and allows students to hear new vocabulary in context without disrupting the flow of the story. How Students Can Improve Reading Comprehension Skills There are also steps that students can take to improve their reading comprehension skills. The first, most basic step is to improve overall reading skills. Help students select books about topics that interest them and encourage them to  read at least 20 minutes each day. It’s okay if they want to start with books below their reading level. Doing so can help students focus on what they’re reading, rather than on decoding more challenging text, and improve their confidence. Next, encourage students to stop every so often and summarize what they’ve read, either mentally or aloud with a reading buddy. They may want to make notes or use a graphic organizer to  record their thoughts. Remind students to get  an overview of what they’ll be reading by first reading chapter titles and subheadings. Conversely, students can also benefit from skimming over the material after they’ve read it. Students should also take steps to improve their vocabulary. One way to do so without disrupting the flow of reading is to jot down unfamiliar words and look them up after they’ve finished their reading time.

Movie review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Movie review - Essay Example The archival footage and McNamara’s interview highlight the lessons learnt from the wars and provide insights into the international relations and security issues of America. When we saw the movie, we draw some very sound conclusions regarding McNamara’s body language. We see a man admitting his sheer blunders regarding the important political decisions whose repercussions ranged from Vietnam to Japan, causing thousands of deaths and saved the world from annihilation of nuclear war by sheer luck not because of intelligence information. The people would definitely agree that the crimes he committed are completely unforgiving and unforgettable. His decisions regarding life and death are themselves a depiction of painful humility for him as depicted in the documentary. Although McNamara admits that he has been terribly wrong with reference to Vietnam War and could have done more to redirect the decision of president’s office, but he does not say sorry although Morris tried to prompt him. This shows his stubborn and pride in himself. On one side, he seems to be regretful but on the other side; he is justifying the decisions which caused mammoth human loss. The movie comes up with eleven lessons learnt from the life of McNamara. But the one lesson seems to be very inappropriate i.e. in order to do something good, you may have to engage in evil. This statement comes up as the justification from McNamara for his horrendous decisions in the cruise missile conflict, Vietnam and Japan wars but history vehemently reveals that nothing good came out after engaging in the evil in case of McNamara. In the movie, many times it appears that Morris as director is trying to symbolize one life of McNamara to illustrate the other as an active and passive actor of the history where he has participated in the war as a witness and an actor too. Morris has tried to illustrate the