Whether the rise of China is a threat to Asian stability Essay

Whether the rise of China is a threat to Asian stability - Essay Example command of indicators that not only include measurable wealth (GDP) and military spending, but a host of factors that basically defines a state’s reflective position beyond its borders. That the Asia-Pacific is undergoing tectonic shifts in terms of the elements of hard power in now a forgone conclusion; China overtook Japan in 2010 to become Asia’s largest economy, only second to the United States globally in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), and in the process, taking advantage of the latters’ woes in the wake of a deadly financial crisis to extend its influence in the neighboring nations’ growth momentum. The increasing influence of China in this region, not to mention its strategic positioning as a major international actor, coupled with its gradual move towards greater power status, a puzzle widely theorized as the â€Å"China Threat† with uncertain predictions, none of which has ever materialized, forms the basis of response herein. All nations pursue their interests of security and prosperity within a context of political diplomacy that ropes in economic, and, if need be, military forces as directed by a history that underpins national ethos and the existing relationships with states in question (Lemke, Douglas, and Suzanne Warner 237). In the mix between the national ethos and political history are the personalities of leaders in power and their respective abilities to further the two elements to certain commensurate heights. As the adage goes, nations only have permanent interests. Accordingly, friendly nations may turn hostile to a neighbor with weird interests, bringing together former enemies to secure a common interest; a grim picture captured in literary analysis in the context of an increasingly influential China in the Asian power politics during the past quarter century (Kaplan 3). Indeed as expected, the collapse of the Soviet Empire, marking the end of the cold war, heralded an era of fractured glo bal power structure, hitherto

Sales and Operational Planning in Supply Chain Management Research Paper

Sales and Operational Planning in Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example This is a scenario that may be inevitable for Stone Horse Supply Company. There is even the possibility of legal challenges as to which business ventured into a particular market first in order to provide a service. If the company expanded or grew its portfolio it could be taken as an entry into a field or market where they are not supposed to be in. Despite this, it is highly recommended that the company’s sales and operational planning transcends its boundaries. The only thing it has to do is to balance the fact that it is a commercial enterprise with the usual commercial pressures, and its current relationships are very crucial (Jacobs, 2011). As a result of this, there is a need to be continuously aware of points and blends of likely conflict. In short, Stone Horse Supply Company only has to know when and how it should expand and offer its services, products and skills. Sales and operational planning is composed of and stretch across many boundaries (Weele, 2010). In order to effectively manage it, managers, policy makers of Stone Horse Supply Company need to understand their different reaches and the organizational implications underlying these reaches or boundaries. The company needs to carry out a clear definition of its boundaries as an initial step in managing its sales and operational planning and identifying its spheres of concern, influence, control and constraints. A lot of boundaries exist and can be determined. Each and every boundary can be presented through many layers of analysis. Sales and operational planning that transcends the company’s boundaries is known to be very responsive to the demands of customers and also has the capacity and capability to quickly match and keep up with demand through mass customization or postponement (Crandall, 2010). As a result of this, it is very agile (especially at the downstream end) in terms of responding to customer demands. By building and managing a sales and

Impact of the Financial Crisis on Banks and Banking

Impact of the Financial Crisis on Banks and Banking A bank is a financial intermediary that offers loans and deposits, and payment services. Its core activity is to provide loans to borrowers and to collect deposits from savers. Banks stock money, people need money; therefore, people need banks. Banks provide a home for peoples money, which is something accountants do not do; and banks also lend money, which accountants certainly do not do. There are three main kinds of banking: commercial banking, investment banking and central banking. Commercial banking is the traditional role of the banker as it relates to the taking of deposits and granting of loans. Commercial banking is split into two types: retail banks and wholesale banks. Retail banking relates to financial services provided to consumers and is usually small-scale in nature. Retail banks are often known as High Street banks, because they large branch networks, many of them comprising well over a thousand branches, usually located in the main shopping streets. Wholesale banks are found in the major financial centres of the world, eg London, New York, Frankfurt, Hongkong and Tokyo. They serve the major companies and have large-scale dealings with other banks throughout the world. The key different between these is that retail banks borrow from and lend to members of public and companies whilst wholesale banks deal with other banks and with governments (national and overseas). Investment banks are a US creation; and it could not be combined with commercial banks in one institution. The main role of investment banks is to help companies and governments raise funds in the capital market either through the issue of stock or debt (bonds). Typically, their activities cover the following areas: financial advisory; underwriting of securities issues; trading and investing in securities on behalf of the bank or for clients; asset management; other securities services. A central bank can generally be defined as a financial institution responsible for overseeing the monetary system for a nation, or a group of nations, with the goal of fostering economic growth without inflation. The core functions of central banks in any countries are: to manage monetary policy with the aim of achieving price stability; to prevent liquidity crises, situations of money market disorders and financial crises; and to ensure the smooth functioning of the payment system. Banks, as other financial intermediaries, play a pivotal role in the economy, channelling funds from units in surplus to units in deficit. Financial crisis: The financial crisis of 2007-2009 has been called the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression by leading economists, with its global effects characterized by the failure if key businesses, declines in consumer wealth estimated in the trillions of U.S dollars, substantial financial commitments incurred by governments, and a significant decline in economic activity. The immediate cause or trigger of the crisis was the bursting of the United States housing bubble which peaked in approximately 2005-2006. High default rates on subprime and ARM (adjustable rate mortgages), began to increase quickly thereafter. An increase in loan incentives such as easy initial terms and a long-term trend of rising housing prices had encouraged borrowers to assume difficult mortgages in the belief they would be able to quickly refinance at more favourable terms. However, once interest rates began to rise and housing prices started to drop moderately in 2006-2007 in many parts of the U.S, r efinancing became more difficult. Defaults and foreclosure activity increased dramatically as easy initial terms expired, home prices failed to go up as anticipated, and ARM interest rates reset higher. In the years leading up to the start of the crisis in 2007, significant amounts of foreign money flowed into the U.S from fast-growing economies in Asia and oil-producing countries. This inflow of funds combined with low U.S interest rates from 2002-2004 contributed to easy credit conditions, which fuelled both housing and credit bubbles. Then, the global financial crisis really started to show its effects in middle of 2007 and into 2008. Around the .world stock markets have fallen, large financial institutions have collapsed or been bought out, and governments in even the wealthiest nations have had to come up with rescue packages to bail out their financial systems. Literature Review: The world economy is experiencing perhaps the most serious financial crisis since the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in the early 1970s, in terms of both its scope and its effects. Its impact is much more global than that of the financial crisis we have seen in the past two or three decades. Today, global financial integration is much more pervasive, and the Asian countries have a much higher share of world trade and production. For some, the global nature of the current crisis has been unprecedented as several advanced economies have simultaneously witnessed declines in house and equity prices as well as difficulties in the credit market. The origin of financial crisis: As we know the current global financial crisis originated with losses on US subprime mortgage related securities, losses that first emerged with the slowing of the US housing market in the second half of 2006. The first origin of financial crisis is that the growth of housing bubble precipitated the beginning of financial crisis. Between 1997 and 2006, the price of the typical American house increase by 124. (Economist, 2007) During the two decades ending in 2001, the national median home price ranged from 2.9 to 3.1 times median household income. This ratio rose to 4.0 in 2006. (Steverman and Bogoslaw, 2008) This housing bubble resulted in quite a few homeowners refinancing their homes at lower interest rates, or financing consumer spending by taking out second mortgages secured by the appreciation. By September 2008, average US housing prices had declined by over 20% from their mid-2006 peak. (Economist, 2008) The other origin of financial crisis is easy credit, and a belief that h ouse prices would continue to appreciate, had encouraged many subprime borrowers to obtain adjustable rate mortgages. These mortgages enticed borrowers with a below market interest rate for some predetermined period, followed by market interest rates for the remainder of the mortgages term. Borrowers who could not make the higher payments once the initial grace period ended would try to refinance their mortgages. Refinancing became more difficult, once house prices began to decline in many parts of the USA. Borrowers who found themselves unable to escape higher monthly payments by refinancing began to default. The process of financial crisis: There is evidence that both government and competitive pressures to an increase in the amount of subprime lending during the years preceding the crisis. Major US investment banks and government sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac played an important role in the expansion of higher-risk lending. In 1996,HUD, the department of Housing and Urban Development, gave Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac an explicit target: 42 per cent of their mortgage financing had to go to borrowers with incomes below the median income in their area.'(Schwartz, 2009, pp46) Between 2000 and 2005 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac met those goals every year, and funded hundreds of billions of dollars worth of loans, many of them subprime and adjustable-rate loans made to borrowers who bought houses with less than 10 per cent deposits. Finnie Mae and Freddie Mac also purchased hundreds of billions of subprime securities for their own portfolios to make money and help satisfy HUD affordable-housing goals. (Schwartz, 2009) Due to the deregulation loans, some borrowers could get loans under easy credit conditions. Predatory lending refers to the practice of unscrupulous lenders, to enter into unsafe or unsound secured loans for inappropriate purpose. When the housing bubble burst, USA housing and financial assets decli ne in value, and the subprime crisis was coming out. After that the financial crisis had been basically formed. There is a story of financial crisis stated by Butler (2009: p51): Once upon a time, greedy bankers, mostly in the USA, made fortunes by selling mortgages to poor people who could not really afford them. They knew these loans were unsound, so they diced and sliced them and sold them in packages around the world to equally greedy bankers who did not know what they were buying. When the housing bubble burst, the borrowers defaulted, and bankers discover that what they had bought was worthless. They went burst, business loans dried up, and the economy shuddered to a halt. The moral, accounting to this description of events, is that capitalism has failed, and we need tougher rules to curb bankers greed and make sure all this never happens again. This story could express accurately the process of finance crisis. The impacts of financial crisis in the world: A collapse of the US subprime mortgage market and the reversal of the housing boom in other industrialized economies have had a ripple effect around the world. Furthermore, other weaknesses in the global financial system have surfaced. Some financial products and instruments have become so complex and twisted, that as things start to unravel, trust in the whole system started to fail. First, it affected on financial institutions. Initially the companies affected were those directly involved in home construction and mortgage lending such as Northern Rock and Countrywide Financial, as they could no longer obtain financing through the credit markets. Over 100 mortgage lenders went bankrupt during 2007 and 2008. Concerns that investment bank Bear Steams would collapse in March 2008 resulted in its fire-sale to JP Morgan Chase. The crisis hit its peak in September and October 2008. Several major institutions either failed, were acquired under duress, or were subject to government takeover. These included Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG. Second, it affected the money market. During September 2008, the crisis hits its most critical stage. There was the equivalent of a bank run on the money market mutual funds, which frequently invest in commercial paper issued by corporations to fund their operations and payrolls. Withdrawals from money markets were $144.5 billion during one week, versus $7.1 billion the week prior. Third, wealth effects in the financial crisis. There is a direct relationship between declines in wealth, and declines in consumption and business investment, which along with government spending represent the economic engine. Between June 2007 and November 2008, Americans lost an estimated average of more than a quarter of their collective net worth. By early November 2008, a broad U.S. stock index the SP 500, was down 45 percent from its 2007 high. Housing prices had dropped 20% from their 2006 peak, with futures markets signaling a 30-35% potential drop. Total home equity in the United States, which was valued at $13 trillion at its peak in 2006, had dropped to $8.8 trillion by mid-2008 and was still falling in late 2008. Total retirement assets, Americans second-largest household asset, dropped by 22 percent, from $10.3 trillion in 2006 to $8 trillion in mid-2008. During the same period, savings and investment assets (apart from retirement savings) lost $1.2 trillion and pension assets lost $1.3 trillion. Taken together, these losses total a staggering $8.3 trillion. (Altman, 2009). Finally, it is the effects on the global economy. The crisis rapidly developed and spread into a global economic shock, resulting in a number of European bank failures, declines in various stock indexes, and large reductions in the market value of equities and commodities. Moreover, the de-leveraging of financial institutions, as assets were sold to pay back obligations that could not be refinanced in frozen credit markets, further accelerated the liquidity crisis and caused a decrease in international trade. World political leaders, national ministers of finance and central bank directors coordinated their efforts to reduce fears, but the crisis continued. At the end of October 2008 a currency crisis developed, with investors transferring vast capital resources into stronger currencies such as the yen, the dollar and the Swiss franc, leading many emergent economies to seek aid from the International Monetary Fund. (Landler, 2008). The impacts of financial crisis on US banking system: GDP, the output of goods and services produced by labour and property located in the US, decreased at an annual rate of approximately 6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009, versus activity in the year-ago period. The US unemployment rate increased to 9.5% by June 2009, the highest rate since 1983 and roughly twice the pre-crisis rate. The average hours per work week declined to 33, the lowest level since the government began collecting the data in 1964. From time to time confidence in the USAs banks would weaken and banks note-holders would demand their specie (i.e. gold or silver) back. Banks could meet these withdrawals either from their own vaults or by taking back some of the bullion left with the clearing-house association. The lower the level of their balance the clearing system, the greater would be the likelihood that individual non-central banks would be overdrawn. (Congdon, 2009) There is an example from him: suppose bank Ys initial deposit with the clearing system was 30 pounds. If its customers instructed it to make net cash payments to other banks of 35 pounds, bank Y would have been overdrawn by 5 pounds. (2009: pp50). So financial crisis and the publics associated large-scale note redemptions would cause increased tension between members of the clearing house. The impacts of financial crisis on UK banking system: Just how serious the financial crisis was becoming, not only in the US but also in the UK, hit home late on September 2007 when news emerged that Northern Rock, had been forced into a bailout from the Bank of England. Northern Rock Bank is the most affected by financial crisis in the UK, and also the most typical bank for my study. Northern Rock is one of the top five mortgage lenders in the UK in terms of gross lending. As well as mortgages, the bank also deals with savings accounts, loans and insurance. In 2006 the bank had moved into subprime lending via a deal with Lehman Brothers. Although the mortgages were sold under Northern Rocks brand through intermediaries, the risk was being underwritten by Lehman Brothers. On 14 September 2007, the Bank sought and received a liquidity support facility from the Bank of England, following problems in the credit markets. This led to many customers queuing outside branches to withdraw their savings. Partly as a result of the run, on 22 February 2008 the bank was taken into state ownership. The nationalization was a result of two unsuccessful bids to take over the bank, neither being able to fully commit to repayment of taxpayers money within three years. Because of Northern Rock crisis, customers lost their confidence for any banks in the UK. They started withdraw money from their saving account, so that all banks in the UK were affected a lot. Aim Objectives and Key Questions: Aim and Objectives: Nowadays, the US Financial Crisis (2008) along with the subprime crisis (2007) seemed to have delivered a severe blow to worlds banking sector. Banks are thought to be central to business activity. Therefore, when they experience financial distress, governments usually come to the rescue, offering emergency liquidity and various forms of bailout programs. Then the aim of this dissertation is to determine impacts of financial crisis on banking and corresponding measures on these impacts. In order to achieve my aim, I need to achieve following objectives which are the steps towards my aim: To determine the impacts of financial crisis on banking in China. Achieving this objective will be much help as I would also understand different impacts of financial crisis on banking in comparing with other area. To analyse the measures to the impacts of financial crisis on banking. During the objective I will have the chance to recognize the process of central bank in each country. Therefore, I would realize the measures for banks under the financial crisis in two different views: financial views and political views. Key Questions: To achieve the aim and the objectives, the research was set out to answer the following key questions: What are the impacts of financial crisis on banking system in China? And what are the different impacts among China and other areas? What are the corresponding measures for these impacts in these countries? This paper is focus on banking sector under the financial crisis, and how banks faced the crisis. The importance of this topic lays on the impacts of banking sector under the financial crisis and what the best measure for banks is. Basically, my research is based on the origin and process of financial crisis to find out the impacts for banks in each country. Therefore, I would investigate how to resolve these impacts. Research Methodology: As discussed in the sections above, the research objective is to determine the impacts of financial crisis on banking in China so that I could compare different impacts with other countries. The study identifies questionnaires and interviews as suitable research methods for the present paper. The general belief of research is often thought of as collecting data, constructing questionnaires/interviews and analysing data. But it also includes identifying the problem and how to proceed solving it (Ghauri et al., 1995). Questionnaire approach: A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap; do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by questionnaire may not be practical. Usually, a questionnaire consists of a number of questions that the respondent has to answer in a set format. A distinction is made between open-ended and closed-ended questions. An open-ended question asks the respondent to formulate his own answer, whereas a closed-ended question has the respondent pick an answer from a given number of options. In this paper, I have used the ope n-ended questions into questionnaires. Because the impacts of financial crisis on banking which is an open discussion, it is more suitable to use open-ended questions to discuss. In this research, I have posted out 100 questionnaires for several banks in different positions of banking areas. But I only get 50 feedbacks from banks include: China Construction Bank with 11 copies; Bank of China with 23 copies; HSBC with 2 copies; China Merchants Bank with 2 copies; Shanghai Pudong Development Bank with 2 copies; Agricultural Bank of China with 3 copies; Bank of Communications with 2 copies; China Citic Bank with 3 copies; Bank of East Asia with 2 copies. The questionnaire is to undertake ideas from employees in each bank above. The employees have been selected in different job positions that include: account managers; customer managers; salesmen; managing directors; operation managers; accountants; channel managers; international clearing managers; administrations; marketers; product managers; staffs; retail managers; and others with no answers. There are four key questions amount those seven questions in this questionnaire: How much are you affected by financial crisis? Explain what affects you in financial crisis? What is different consumer behaviour between before financial crisis and after financial crisis? What do you think how to resolve the effects of financial crisis on banking? In the view of above questions, we can find out different effects of financial crisis on banking to employees in different positions and the correspond measures for the effects. Interview approach: An interview is a conversation between two or more people (the interviewer and interviewee) where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee. In most cases, interviews are only one of a number of qualitative/quantitative techniques that we are likely to use in a research project. The main types of interview include structured interview, semi-structured interview and unstructured interview. Semi-structured interviews are controlled interactions. However, this model enables the researcher to ask supplementary questions, for clarification and elaboration, whilst the use of open questions grants the participant greater freedom to discuss their experience. Unstructured interviews are relatively uncontrolled interactions where, once the question has been put, the researcher listens and do not prompt. This offers the participant the opportunity to discuss the subject using their frames of reference. Unstructured interviews can be very useful in studies of peoples information seeking and use. They are especially useful for studies attempting to find patterns, generate models, and inform information system design and implementation. For example, Alvarez and Urla (2002) used unstructured interviews to elicit information requirements during the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Due to their conversational and non-intrusive characteristics, unstructured interviews can be used in settings where it is inappropriate or impossible to use other more structured methods to examine peoples information activities. For example, Schultze (2000) used unstructured interviews, along with other ethnographic methods, in her eight-month field study in a large company investigating their production of informational objects. What are the rationales for using semi-structured interviews? It can help us to obtain relevant information. It can give the freedom to explore genera l views or opinions in more details. It can use external organization so as to retain independence. The strengths of semi-structured interviews are that the researcher can prompt and probe deeper into the given situation. For example, the interviewer inquires about using computers in English language teaching. Some respondents are more computer literate than others are. Hence, with this type of interview the interviewers are able to probe or asked more detailed questions of respondents situations and not adhere only to the interview guide. In addition, the researcher can explain or rephrase the questions if respondents are unclear about the questions. A structured interview also known as a standardised interview is a quantitative research method commonly employed in survey research. The aim of this approach is to ensure that each interviewee is presented with exactly the same question in the same order. This ensures that answers can be reliably aggregated and that comparisons can be made with confidence between sample subgroups or between survey periods. A structured interview also standardises the order in which questions are asked of survey respondents, so the questions are always answered given to survey question can depend on the nature of preceding questions though context effects can never be avoided, it is often desirable to hold them constant across all respondents. Structured interviews can also be used as a qualitative research methodology. These types of interviews are best suited for engaging in respondent or focus group studies in which it would be beneficial to compare/contrast participant responses in order to answe r a research question. For structure qualitative interviews, it is usually necessary for researchers to develop an interview schedule which lists the wording and sequencing of questions. In this research, I have chosen structured telephone interview as main interview approach. There are three interviewees have been interviewed through telephone in three different banks which are Bank of China, Bank of Communications and Agricultural Bank of China. The positions of these three interviewees are Department Head in Bank of China, Branch President in Agricultural Bank of China and Financial Manager in Bank of Communications. The questions in the interviews are made quite same as to questions made in questionnaires. Findings and Analysis: Findings: From the view of all the questionnaires and interviews, I have organised the following points as findings: In China Construction Bank there are two staffs affected by financial crisis are a lot; seven staffs affected by financial crisis are medium; and each one staffs affected by financial crisis is a little and almost not. Nine of all eleven staffs answered that their incomes have been reduced during the financial crisis. Seven of all staffs realized that customers became more prudent after financial crisis compared before. In Bank of China there are nine staffs affected by financial crisis are a lot; ten staffs affected by financial crisis are medium; and each two staffs affected by financial crisis are a little and almost not. Almost half of all twenty-three staffs answered that their workings are much more difficult to handle such as some services closed, working period much longer and more competitions etc. Seven of all staffs stated that their incomes have affected very much because of financial crisis. Ten of all staffs realized that customers became more prudent and rational during the financial crisis. Other staffs almost realized that customers had no any changes under the financial crisis compared before. In other seven banks there are five staffs affected by financial crisis are a lot; five staffs affected by financial crisis are medium; one staff affected by financial crisis is a little; and five staffs affected by financial crisis are almost not. Each five staffs answered that their workings are much more difficult to handle and their incomes have been reduced. Almost half of all sixteen staffs realized that customers became more rational and likely to transfer their money from some risky investments to a saving account or banking instruments. Analysis: From the findings of the study it emerges that: Most participants who are in different positions of different banks realized that they have been affected by financial crisis a lot or medium. And most customers they deal with became more rational and prudent. Before the outbreak of the financial crisis is not that customers apply for special financial management, the clients risk acceptance is very strong, and the abundant capital in the market. Most clients are seeking short-term immediate benefits, but did not fully take into account their own business and assets of the plan a long-term investment, life-long investment. But after the outbreak of the financial crisis, most customers whether it is their own operations and domestic and foreign investment had both a certain degree of loss. Customers will first consider the operating and investment risk, followed by another to seek profit; their sights would be to put the long-term, truly entered the era of the pursuit of long-term interests. Adverse impacts to the unit under the financial crisis: First, non-performing loans increased pressure. The financial crisis on the business impact of large bank customers, especially export-oriented enterprises. Declining in exports led to decline in client business performance, repayment pressure, and increased risk of deterioration in credit quality. Second, the lack of effective demand for loans. Financial crisis led to bad corporate management, so that effective demand for loans fell. Third, the financial crisis lead to an international settlement business, hosting business, and capital markets businesses in a substantial decline so that intermediary business revenue. Fourth, the time when the economy is down, and constantly cut interest rates, banks net interest yield was downward trend. The effects of the financial Crises on the banking industry and an evaluation of the measures for resolving the crises. Using evidence from the Great Depression and several other banking crises, Hoggarth and Reidhill (2003) concluded that banking crises can have a long term dramatic effect on the economy if left unresolved but the scale and character of any intervention should have as its prime objective to keep fiscal costs minimal and to prevent any future moral hazard. Moral Hazard in this case refers to the risk that bankers who are aware of the governments unwavering commitment to crop up dying banks may take too much unnecessary risk since they have a guarantee that their banks will never go burst. This section discusses the effects of the recent 2007-2009 global financial crises on the banking industry. It further evaluates some of the measures put in place by the UK and US governments to alleviate the crises. At every point Hoggarth and Reidhills 2003 conclusion will be my point of reference as I evaluate the Fiscal Cost and Moral Hazard issues related with the resolution of the crises. Finall y, I will also discuss other view points and make recommendations on how the crises could have been tackled more effectively. The United Kingdom and United States economies were the largest hit and probably the most affected by the crises. It is worth bearing in mind that even though this crisis began in the financial sector and real estate sectors of these economies, it rapidly spread to the manufacturing and retail sectors. Without much notice every sector of the economy had been affected by the downturn. A vicious cycle quickly develops where as companies lack credit, they slow manufacturing and layoff workers leading to high unemployment rates. As unemployment increases and consumer credit and purchasing power drops, the demand for goods and services plummets and the entire economy is further hit. At the end of the cycle, the main cause of the demise is soon forgotten and the problem actually becomes one of scepticism and mistrust widely termed consumer confidence and/or investor confidence. It is popular opinion that such a crisis should not be left unresolved by country authorities even though it is caused by individual businesses and public companies. After all, a rapid decline in business profits and an increasing rate unemployment means a plunge in the states tax revenue, a hike in unemployment benefit payouts, an increase in government debt and the crumbling of the economy. Politicians are therefore faced with the dilemma of whether or not to interfere with the free market economy, taking actions that will have serious implications on management and investor behaviour and spending public money to save private investors. As dreadful as this may sound, there appears to be no other viable way to resolve a banking crisis. Banks in particular, are generally not stand alone institutions. One view point to resolving a banking crisis amidst a recession emphasises that any measures designed to ensure that banks survive in a sustainable way will be aimed at reviving and supporting bank stakeholders (Customers and investors). This view point advocates that the best way

Aquarius :: essays research papers

Aquarius Aquarius can be found in the SE sky in autumn, especially October. A dark night is especially helpful because many faint stars make up Aquarius. This will help to make the fainter stars stand out because its hard enough to see a shape in Aquarius. Up and to the west of aquarius, pegasus can be found. Down and to the east of aquarius, capricorn can be found. Aquarius portrays a man or boy spilling water from an urn. Aquarius is identified with Ganymede, a beautiful young shepherd who was abducted by Zeus and taken to Mount Olympus to be the cup bearer for the gods. Stars: Sadalmelik: Arabic for "lucky one of the king". It lies just off the celestial equator. Sudalsud: It means "luckiest of the lucky" in Arabic. It is the brightest star in the constellation Sadachbia: Arabic for "lucky star of hidden things" or " lucky star of the tents." This makes up part of the asterism sometimes called the tent, but is usually called the urn referring to Aquarius. Skat or Scheat: It comes from the Arabic word for shin and it dates back to the translation of Ptolemy's Almagest. Albali: The name comes from the Arabic, which means "swallower"; no one really knows why the star got this name Situla: This name comes from Latin and means "well bucket". Situla was the original Arabic name for the entire constellation Aquarius. There are three star clusters contained in Aquarius. M2, which was discovered in 1764, is one that can be seen with a small telescope. A larger telescope is needed to make out the individual stars. M72 is another cluster that is located southeast of Albali and isn't far from the Saturn Nebula. NGC 7492 is the third cluster and is located east of Skat. Aquarius also has two nebulae in it. It is called the Saturn Nebula because it resembles the rings on Saturn. A very large telescope is needed to see its rings. It was discovered in 1782 by William Herschel. In a small telescopes it will appear as faint disks of fuzzy light.

My Semester Goals

turning this in these are my semester goals. I have already partially fulfilled one of them as I am on time. I have turned a new leaf in the book of my life and now am writing the story anew. The second most important goal I have this semester is an old forgotten friend that has been updated somewhat. I am maintaining a 3. 00 GPA this semester. I am doing all assignments and homework earlier than assigned. A purely social goal, I am talking and interacting more with other students in my classes. The quiet, almost invisible Landon is no more. I am enjoying my time on campus more that considering it just a â€Å"place of learning†. I am helping out around my house more too. I am also trying to help keep the peace between my sisters who constantly argue and fight. I’m also taking on the task of keeping my room clean. This is a very, very long-term goal. I am saving part of every paycheck I receive no matter what. I am tired of borrowing money from my mom and being broke. I am saving at least five hundred dollars by the end of this semester. The last and most important goal is that of a spiritual one. It is benefiting my spirit to complete each and every one of these goals. This is a great boost of confidence and promotes well being. I won’t know if I complete these goals until the portfolio check later this year. I plan not to look at these goals until then and see how many I have completed.

Teaching Assistant Level 2

Level 2 Teaching Assistant Certificate – Assignment Three Unit 3 Supporting the Curriculum TASK 9: Using subject headings together with a brief summary of the subject, describe the range and main provisions of the relevant National curriculum in the school where you are employed. Creative Development: This Area of Learning relates to the development of children’s individual ways of developing and representing their notions and emotions in an imaginative way through assorted mediums and various forms of self-expression.Children explore as wide a range of stimulus as it is possible to provide given the resources available. They take part in art, craft, design, music, dance, theatre and movement activities. They have the opportunity to role play; to compose music or poetry; to develop their creative writing skills. They are encouraged to experiment with artistic mediums and represent their own feelings through their creativity, developing an ability to communicate and expr ess their individual creative ideas while also demonstrating an empathy with others. They are also encouraged to reflect upon their own work.Knowledge and Understanding of the World This subject builds upon children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them by developing different aspects of play, activities and experimental learning processes that stimulate their senses; encourage investigation into subjects or activities that spark an interest. The children are encouraged to ask questions about their surroundings; explore their environment and undertake studies that will help them to develop an interest in and awareness of the ideals, beliefs, views and opinions of thers. Through the use of experiential learning, starting with a familiar present or past experience (see: ‘spiral curriculum,’ as advocated by American psychologist Jerome Bruner (Smith, Mark k. 2002)), curious and exploratory play techniques are fostered and the children are encouraged to develop reflective skills so that they can revisit and draw upon their own individual experiences. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Children are encouraged to engage in discussions that develop their thinking understanding and range of vocabulary.They become involved in speaking and listening activities throughout the foundation stage and are encouraged to ask for information with regard to anything that they do not understand. There are activities that involve words, rhymes, songs and stories where children join in. Early literacy is encouraged while consideration is given to the fact that, for all children, ‘learning to read’ is a unique personal experience as such should not be rushed. Ysgol Dolafon believes that reading should also be fun!Children are allowed ample opportunity to freely access books and quiet areas are provided. The following list contains just a few examples of techniques that have been implemented and proven to help with early liter acy: 1. Using children’s own books in class. 2. Using audio tapes in conjunction with books to help children follow a story. 3. Pointing out words and linking them to the relevant items, people or places in the picture. 4. Using role play, or props to act out familiar stories. 5. Reading stories and rhymes out in a fun and imaginative way. 6.Consistently pointing to the top left-hand as your starting point and indication the left to right orientation through-out the reading of a story. Reading is promoted as a pleasurable activity and allowing children to read books that bear a particular relevance to their own interests is often considered to be more useful than strict adherence to a commercial reading scheme. Children at Ysgol Dolafon are continuously provided with the opportunity to make pre-cursor writing marks an early age and and a great deal of effort is put into encouraging the children to develop writing skills and activities.From scribbles and mark making right thro ugh to participating in purposeful writing tasks, children develop and improve their writing skills as they move through the curriculum. At all stages (including very early mark making) the children’s work is positively encouraged, valued and exhibited. Mathematical Development Mathematical activities at Ysgol Dolafon are delivered in accordance with pupil’s individual needs and great deal of emphasis is given to continuity of learning.Ample opportunity is provided for pupils to discuss their understanding of concepts as they progress and teachers are aware of the importance of eliminating any gaps in the children’s mathematical knowledge. The Welsh Assembly Government guideline for Mathematical Development maintains that: ‘It is crucial that gaps in children’s mathematical learning are avoided, so that children do not miss out on essential elements in their understanding of mathematical concepts’ (WAG 2008) and Ysgol Dolafon fully agrees wit h that statement.Children at **** **** frequently engage in experiential activities where they are encouraged to explore indoor and outdoor environments and gain first-hand experience of recognising materials; making comparisons / recognising similarities and differences; estimating and predicting; counting; sequencing; weighing and measuring etc. Engaging in relevant discussions that provide an opportunity for the children to build their skills, increase their knowledge and extend their mathematical vocabulary is an essential part of the learning process.Mathematics is taught throughout the school day and across the entire curriculum. Its relevance to other subjects is frequently pointed out. For example: The need for accurate weighing and measuring of the ingredients used in cookery and the bearing that inaccurate measuring might have on the finished product would be discussed as part of the cookery lesson. Children might also be encouraged to work out half measures or double up o n ingredients in order to vary the portion size of the finished item. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural DevelopmentThis element of the curriculum builds on the child’s past and present experiences and it provides the opportunities for children to ‘learn about themselves and their relationships with other children and adults both within and beyond the family’ (WAG 2008). Children at **** ***** are encouraged to develop confidence and assertiveness, while taking into account the needs and feelings of others. They are encouraged to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping and staff lead by positive example.Staff at the school provide pupils with frequent opportunities to share their opinions and emotions and encourage them to pay appropriate attention to the feelings and emotions of others. Children are also provided with the opportunity to look after animals and plants in order to demonstrate that all living things require care an d respect in order to thrive. Children are introduced to concepts that build on their personal experiences and increase their knowledge and understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Once children are able to appreciate and understand the eelings of others the concepts of fairness, justice, rights and responsibilities can be realistically introduced. The aim is to fully prepare and equip children for a positive role in society and the intention is to achieve this ‘through a learning environment that reflects each culture appropriately. **** ***** is a dual stream Welsh/English school which is attentive to the distinctive and rich Welsh culture including all cultures that are part of the diverse society in Wales and it strives to provide activities that are suitably planned and resourced.The children are taught to appreciate and celebrate cultural differences and learn a great deal about the diverse range of cultures through the exploration of art, literature, music, f ashion, architecture and religion. Physical Development This aspect of the curriculum relates to the development, increased skills functioning and performance of the physical body. It also provides an understanding of the results that a healthy lifestyle delivers by exploring the effects of a balanced diet, exercise, fresh air, adequate sleep etc.Children at **** ***** are taught how best to take responsibility for keeping their own bodies healthy; they are taught to identify and understand the dangers of medicines and drugs, smoking, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances. Pupils are taught the importance of food and water in relation to the human body. They are encouraged to recognise healthy foods; develop a good knowledge of the different food groups and to understand how a balanced combination of foods is a requirement for a healthy mind and body.Children’s physical development begins with ‘gross motor skills’ (control of the large body muscles suc h as those found in the arms and legs). This stage is followed by ‘fine manipulative skills’ (the control and coordination of small muscles). Due consideration is given to the fact that children are unique and develop at different rates and staff are aware of the fact that children cannot increase they’re range of skills until the muscles required are sufficiently developed. Consequently the activities and resources used are checked for the suitable developmental needs of each individual child.Physical activities are introduced at the earliest opportunity and they are integrated into other lessons where appropriate. For example: the inclusion of actions performed to rhymes, stories and games is believed to foster a positive attitude to movement and exercise from an early age and as such actions are incorporated into much of the story telling in the three year old setting. For more demanding, physically active movement appropriate space is essential and open areas are available indoors and outdoors so that children can gain greater spatial awareness through experimentation of movement without restrictions.The children are provided with access to appropriate apparatus (for both supervised and unsupervised use) and consideration is given to the fact that enough time for the children to develop their skills is of equal importance to the provision of equipment and space. Pupils are encouraged to recognise that regular exercise makes them feel good and helps their bodies to work well. Welsh Language Development The foundation phase initially introduces Welsh through incidental Welsh.The everyday use of simple Welsh greetings; the repetitious recital of rhymes; the singing of songs and the telling of simple stories in informal play situations are part and parcel of the everyday routine. There are interactive displays designed to support the development of familiar concepts such as discussing colours, numbers, the weather etc. and any themes that w e explore: (e. g. the seaside, the farm, the fire station) have the key words highlighted bilingually. Next we have the introduction of structured sessions where simple phrases and language patterns are explored.The children are exposed to basic question patterns, such as ‘ble mae? ’ (‘where is? ’) and simple phrases are introduced into their play. Children in **** *****’s Foundation Phase learn Welsh through a holistic curriculum, through structured play, and through having a specific structured developmental and progressive programme. The language skills that they learn in Welsh support their development, knowledge and skills in English and vice versa. Examples of activities used to support the development of speaking skills at **** ***** include the following:Joining in with nursery rhymes, action songs and singing: Singing is seen as a good way for children to practise the sounds and pronunciation of a new language. Singing as part of a group pro vides them with security and helps develop confidence. As in all language teaching, the use of rhymes containing a strong rhythm, repetition, alliteration and homophones reinforces language development and pronunciation. Telling stories; sharing and recounting information; observing and respecting celebrations and events that are important to the children Circle time’ designed to provide opportunities for children to discuss; speak and listen to others’ ideas, feelings, emotions and events Relaying messages; sharing greetings in daily routines and giving instructions to others. Footnote: I feel it is important to add that In the opening descriptive paragraph of each of the curriculum subjects as outlined in The Foundation Phase Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales, it is stated that, ‘the guidance and Area of Learning should not be viewed or delivered in isolation; it should be planned for across the curriculum’ (swanseagf l. ov. uk) Complete a detailed study of one subject over one key stage. Describe how this would be planned, delivered and monitored and explain the terminology used. NB: The Foundation Phase replaced Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum from the start of the 2011/12 school year. The foundation phase covers four years from ages 3 – 7 (Wales. gov. uk. 2011 – 2012). I have chosen to complete a detailed study of ‘Language, Literacy and Communication Skills’ as delivered to a mixed age class of: ‘Nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils’ (foundation phase). Oracy (Skills and Range):The children’s oracy skills are promoted though spontaneous and structured viewing, listening and speaking activities. Children are expected to make progress in their ability to listen, understand, communicate and make themselves understood. The use of movement, gesture and speech as communication tools is explored and developed and the children should become increasing capable of speaking clearly, understanding basic instructions, using appropriate language and conveying accurate meaning. They are expected to attain listening skills and develop the ability respond to the sounds around them.They should develop an understanding of variety in the language that they hear consequently becoming more and more able to respond appropriately to phrases or instructions that increase in complexity. Delivery of these skills should come in a variety of forms and locations and the following list contains some examples of where/how: 1. Children should be provided with the opportunity to experience activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. 2. Provision should be made for the experiencing of different types of play ranging from planned and structured to spontaneous and child initiated. . Talk/communicate for a variety of purposes included but not limited to: a. Presenting simple information b. Asking and answering questions c. Expressing emotions, likes, dislikes, need etc. and expressing personal opinions. d. Involvement in spontaneous learning activities such as dialogue and role play. e. Joining in with rhymes, songs and simple stories. f. Repeated recitation of songs, poems or raps. g. The conveying of personal or imaginative experiences using familiar language patterns. h.Extend their knowledge of language through activities that foster an interest in words and consequently increase their vocabulary. Reading (Skills and Range): The opportunities provided throughout the Foundation Phase should encourage children to show and interest in books and to enjoy reading. The skills taught in the Foundation Phase should enable children to progress in their ability to follow stories that are read out to them and respond to those stories in an appropriate manner. Children should be encouraged to explore books (with or without and adult) and to handle them in the way that a reader would.They should be aware that there are different t ypes of books. Adults should develop an underpinning strategy of demonstrating that text is read from left to right and of explaining how written symbols have sounds and meanings. The objective is for children to build on the knowledge that they already have and to ultimately gain the skills required to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and independence. These skills provide them with the confidence needed in order to read their own work and other texts aloud; discuss written works in an informed manner (e. g. alk about characters and storylines or predict events and outcomes) and to ‘respond appropriately to books by considering what they have read in terms of content, ideas presentation, organisation and the language used. ’ (WAG 2010) Planning: This covers the three areas of oracy, reading (including phonics) and writing. The teacher’s plans with input from classroom assistants and the planning needs to cover skills development as well as age range. M edium Term Planning: Research books relating to topic. Plan aspects of literacy to be taught through these books: e. g. labelling; listing; captions; story; diary etc.The use of phonics – letters and sounds. Phonics: – three times a week. Weekly Planning: Chose a book for a week or a fortnight and plan on topic activities for oracy reading and writing. Differentiate activities for age groups and ability levels and include specific tasks for more able students or those with SEN. Delivery: **** ***** has a dedicated LLC every morning and but LLC is also delivered across the curriculum. Oracy is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Creative Development. Writing is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Role Play. Children are divided into ability groups.The teacher and the teaching assistant work with a focus group while the other children work on enhanced activity or have continuous provision. Groups are rotated to ensure that all children work with the t eacher during the week. Monitoring: Classroom assistants provide feedback to the teacher and the teacher records progress/difficulties in a variety of ways: individual record sheets; post it notes; the annotation of plans are all ways in which the child’s progress is evaluated and this constant evaluation is an essential component of successful planning which adapts to the needs of the child/children.This monitoring is also used to write the child’s end of year report. Terminology explained: CVCC Words: Words which have a consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Differentiation: The practice of delivering information to pupils in a way that is appropriate to their individual ability and level of understanding rather than their age. Digraphs: A combination of two letters representing one sound such as: ph; ch; sh; ee; and oo Graphemes: Graphemes are the smallest units in a writing system capable of causing a contrast in meaning.In the English alphabet, the switch fr om cat to bat introduces a meaning change; therefore, c and b represent different graphemes. It is usual to transcribe graphemes within angle brackets, to show their special status: , . The main graphemes of English are the twenty-six units that make up the alphabet. Other graphemes include the various marks of punctuation: , , etc. , and such special symbols as , , and (? ) †¦ LLC: Language, literacy and communication skills. Objective: The end result (as predicted in the planning) the final goal that you would be expecting the children to achieve. Oracy:Fluent, articulate and grammatically correct verbal communication Oral blending and segmenting: To practise oral blending, the teacher could say some sounds, such as /c/-/u/-/p/ and see whether the children can pick out a cup from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, the teacher could hold up an object such as a sock and ask the children which sounds they can hear in the word sock. The activities introduced in Phase 1 are intended to continue throughout the following phases, as lots of practice is needed before children will become confident in their phonic knowledge and skills.Phonemes: any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat. Phonics: A method of teaching reading based on the sounds of letters, groups of letters, and syllables. Range: A variety of planned activities which are specifically relevant to the subject. In this case: The opportunity to engage in spontaneous and structured communicative activities designed to expand the children’s vocabulary and encourage their interest in words.Stimulus would include: Stories (fictional and factual); media and ITC texts; information texts; poems; songs and nursery rhymes. Skills: Refers to the child’s capabilities – In this case their ‘oracy skills’ which should be developed pr imarily through the use of sensory stimuli: Speaking; listening and viewing activities which are ultimately intended to improve the children’s ability to listen and respond appropriately while continuously improving their attention/concentration spans and building on their previous experiences thereby helping them to attain general communicative accomplishment and increased self-confidence.Write dance: A technique developed by Ragnhild Oussoren encourages creativity, self-expression and confidence and by developing the child’s gross motor skills it theoretically helps to develop the prerequisite physical skills and co-ordination required for writing. The programme is described as being ‘of benefit all children,’ but it has been found to be particularly helpful for children with SEN. Briefly outline three recent strategies introduced by the government to raise standards in the curriculum. How would you access up to date information in curriculum development ?Recent strategies to raise standards: Literacy, numeracy and deprivation. The Minister for Education and Skills recently introduced a strategy for raising standards of literacy and numeracy in schools. In June 2011 he announced the intention to introduce a new National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and a system of national testing for all pupils aged 5 to 14. Deprivation: In brief, the strategy to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds ranges from the introduction of free breakfast clubs to classroom based strategies which include, learning in small groups supported by teaching assistants; customising lessons to individual tudents' learning needs; providing extra-curricular learning and study support; engaging and supporting parents in supporting their children’s learning and promotion of the idea that effort and perseverance pay dividends. In order to receive updated curriculum development information first hand I regularly visit the education and skills webpa ge at Wales. gov. uk – I have also registered for the WAG newsletter. Relevant and up-to-date publications are always available to read in the school staff room. What extra-curricular activities are available in a typical school?Complete a detailed study of one of the activities. A typical school would probably offer the following extra-curricular activities: Sports: Football;/rugby/ netball/ hockey etc. Choir Chess/board games Gardening club An In-depth Study of Chess/Boardgames Club at **** ***** Chess/board games club at **** ***** takes place every Wednesday afternoon during term time. It runs from 3. 30pm until 4. 15pm and is supervised by a member of the school’s board of governors. This gentleman also provides the medieval board games that the children use.Number of children in attendance: 10 (2 new players joined at the beginning of this term, both are from year 2). Gender: 4 girls & 6 Boys. Age range: Year 2 to year 6 (was year 3 upwards but the rules changed in September 2012). Duration of session: 45 minutes Number of games being played on Wednesday 19th Sept 2012: Four Types of games available: Chess and an assortment of hand-made Medieval, Tudor and Viking games; mostly 2 player games but some multi-player games. The games being played while I was in attendance were: Fox and GeeseFox and Geese is a medieval, asymmetrical game. Players have different objectives and different pieces/men. One player leads a fox whose objective is to kill all the geese by jumping over them. The other player leads the gaggle of geese whose objective is to corner the fox and stop him escaping. Nine Men's Morris Nine Men Morris is a two player, strategy board game of Roman origin. Each player has nine pieces which they place upon the board one at a time taking alternating turns. Players then take it in turn to move their own pieces in an attempt to build a line of three.A straight line of three wins the player the right to take any one of his/her opponentâ €™s pieces. The object of the game is to leave the opposing player with fewer than three pieces. It is possible for either player either player to force the game into a draw. Tafl (meaning ‘table’ in old norse) Games Tawl Bwrdd is the Welsh name for an 11Ãâ€"11 Tafl board as described (with the rules of play) by Robert ap Ifan in 1587 in a Welsh document (p. 4 Peniarth ms) now in the Welsh National Library. Thought to be of Viking origin and found in one form or another everywhere the Vikings travelled, includingIceland, Britain, Ireland, and Lapland; the game represents the final stages of a battle where the king, on the losing side, is being attacked on four sides by an army with twice the number of men to his defending army. To win he has to escape to one of the corners. The king loses if he is surrounded on four sides. Chess A medieval style chess set was in use but during play I saw no deviation from the chess rules that most of us are familiar with today. TAS K 10 List and briefly outline the main factors that influence teaching and learning.The quality of the planning and delivery of the lesson. Meeting the needs of all the students. Making the lesson engaging by ensuring that the different learning styles of the students are catered for. Students achieving the learning objective that is: Every student should make adequate progress. Planning Ability to communicate clearly Behaviour management And external factors weather conditions, home life, etc. Using your preferred method of research, study various teaching assistant’s job description and explain the variety of support a teaching assistant ight be expected to give in the classroom whilst supporting, planning and evaluating learning activities. The following is a ‘cut and pasted’ job description taken from Powys County Council’s ‘Vacancies’ webpage. P. C. C. lists all TA posts as ‘Non-teaching staff’ despite the fact that this term is no longer frequently used. Marland (2001; cited in David Fulton in association with The Open University, Primary Teaching Assistants, Learners and Learning) suggests that the title is offensive. P. C. C. Example: Teaching Assistant (Non-teaching Staff)Main Purpose of Post: Working under the overall supervision of the responsible teacher to: -provide support in addressing the needs of pupils within the class; -assist and support teaching and learning; -work with individuals or groups and assist in providing for general care, safety and welfare of pupils. Principal Responsibilities: 1. Contribute to implementation of plans. Assist in the delivery of lessons/sessions and interact with the teacher and pupils as required. Undertake agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting according to pupil responses. . Promote positive values, attitudes and good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour. 3. Encourage good relationships between pupils. Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils, encourage them to interact and work co-operatively and engage in activities. Assist with pupil supervision in the playground and on school trips. Monitor pupils’ achievement, safety and welfare. 4. Promote independence and development of self-esteem in all pupils. 5.Support and use ICT in learning activities & develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use. 6. Undertake to promote the ethos of the school and be familiar with school policies 8. Undertake routine tasks: photocopying, collecting and distributing resources. 10. Work with the teacher to establish an appropriate learning environment e. g. helping with displays, tidying and organizing resources. 11. To co-operate with the employer and follow health and safety advice and instructions. 12. To abide by the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy. The above example gives the typical specifications for a Powys primary school but official titles and job descriptions tend to be subject to a fair amount of regional and local variation. Learning support assistant; teaching assistant; classroom assistant and learning mentor are a few of the titles that I have encountered during my research for this assignment and all appear to be fundamentally the same thing. Ask a cross-section of people who do the job what the associated duties are and the descriptions that you get will be even more varied than the titles.There seems to be no ‘set in stone’ criteria; the responsibilities appear to vary from school to school and tend to be depended upon specific requirements at specific times; this is particularly noticeable in the case of SEN positions which are closely tailored to the individual needs of the child or children concerned. In summary, the general job description is as follows: The teaching assistant’s role is to complement the professional work of teachers and accept responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision, supported by direction from teaching staff in line with school policies and guidance.The role may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or short term for whole classes as well as monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting on their achievement, progress and development. Teaching assistants with a level 3 or higher qualification might also be responsible for the management of other teaching assistants including allocation and monitoring of work, appraisal and training. Typical day to day teaching assistant duties appear to involve a variety of tasks which might consist of of any or all of the following: . Assisting the teacher in the planning and execution of classroom activities. 2. Working with small groups of children on exercises that have been set by the class teacher. 3. Setting up lesson resources/equipment before lessons; the packing away or appropriate disposal of resources after the lessons. 4. Setting up audio/visual equipment. 5. Creating displays and mounting children’s work. 6. Photocopying, filing , book sorting, and general admin duties. 7. Working one to one with children who are struggling with some aspect. of numeracy or literacy. 8. Playground duty. 9.Helping the younger children to change before and after sport activities. 10. Helping younger children with toileting and hand washing 11. Stock rotation; general stock taking and ordering of art and craft materials etc. 12. Listening to children read on a one to one basis. 13. Helping children to reach expected targets. 14. Monitoring pupil progress and reporting back to the class teacher. 15. Leading by example with regard to good manners, morals, social interaction, racial and sexual equality etc. 16. Dealing with instances of argumen t, fighting or bullying in the appropriate way. 7. Ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed and routine checking of tools and equipment for any H&S issues. 18. Routine maintenance and repair (where practically possible) of equipment and resources. State why you think it is important to plan and prepare learning activities. How will the experience and qualifications of the teaching assistant affect the support they are able to give? Teachers and teaching assistants need to have clear ideas about the lesson they wish to set up and it is important for them to have made adequate preparation if the lesson is to be a success.Good communication between teachers and teaching assistants is hugely important. There are three main elements that need to be considered when planning lessons. Firstly one must consider the aims and outcomes the lesson is intended to achieve. Next they should choose an effective learning environment, appropriate activities, relevant resources and sequencing of these and finally they would need to monitor and evaluate pupil’s progress in order for the teacher to be able to decide whether or not the lesson has been successful.Teaching assistants undertake a wide range of supportive tasks, the variety and importance of which are dependent upon their level of qualification/experience. Those with the most qualifications/experience are naturally expected to be able to assume more responsibility than those who are just starting out in the job or working at a less qualified level. The LEA and/or individual schools tend to make decisions with regard to the level of experience or qualifications they would expect from someone applying for a teaching assistant position.As a bare minimum you would usually need to be able to demonstrate good reading, writing and numeracy skills and it would usually be preferred that you would have some experience of working with children of the relevant age. What feedback might a teaching assistant be expect ed to provide and in what form and to who might they be required to deliver it? More often than not feedback would be delivered to the class teacher, verbally, at the end of the lesson but in special circumstances such as one to one reading feedback would be written in the pupil’s reading record book where teachers/parents can access it later.When working with a pupil or group where extra support is required feedback might be best delivered ‘as and when required’ throughout the duration of the lesson. TASK 11 When assisting in the delivery of learning activities, describe how a teaching assistant might be expected to; 1. Assist pupils and keep them on track The general consensus is that happy children are more likely to get involved and learn and with that in mind the teaching assistant should try to make lessons as enjoyable as possible, however, it is equally important to set clear and firm boundaries in order to prevent fun from descending into unbridled chaos . . Encourage pupils to work independently Research into independent study has indicated that teachers and teaching assistants who involve learners in lesson planning get good results from the practice. This type of collaboration often helps to make the lesson interesting and relevant for the pupils and involving children in the learning process can also provide them with where-with-all to reflect upon their own needs. It is well known that children learn better if their efforts are appreciated and they feel valued. As they gain in confidence they will automatically become more independent.Teaching Assistants can play an important role in helping raise the self-esteem of children. They can do this not only by demonstrating an interest their school work but also by expressing an interest in activities that they enjoy outside of the school environment. Group working is also proven to be highly beneficial strategy for building confidence; it can provide students with an opportunity to learn from one another and this temporarily switches control from the teacher to the learners resulting in increased confidence and greater independence. 3. Use learning material appropriatelyThe teaching Assistant should possess the knowledge and ability to be able to prepare appropriate equipment and materials for lessons that they are involved in and they should be practiced in the techniques involved for the use of specific tools, equipment and resources. They should possess up to date knowledge of Health & Safety legislation as it relates to the activities or lessons that they are preparing for; this should include COSHH and all other applicable regulations. In addition to these skills the TA also be capable of undertaking routine maintenance and/or general repairs to tools and equipment. . Monitor responses The teaching assistant would usually be expected to monitor and evaluate pupil responses to learning activities using a range of assessment and monitoring strategies. They should have the ability to be able to record the progress and achievement of a child or group or children in lessons/activities and systematically and accurately provide evidence of the range and levels of progress that the child/children achieve. The expectation would be for them to be capable of providing objective feedback and/or accurate reports on pupil achievement as and when they were required.They should be able to ensure the availability of appropriate evidence to back up any reports that they make. Explain how a teaching assistant might recognise problems that might occur whist supporting individuals and how they could be managed? Behaviour management should be implemented In accordance with guidance provided by the class teacher. The Teaching Assistant would usually be expected to provide support to the teacher when dealing with disruptive or potentially disruptive behaviour from pupils.That said, the Teaching Assistant might often find them-selves in a position where the y are able to spot the early signs of disruptive behaviour of potential bullying and in these circumstances they may be able to divert the child/children’s attention to other, more positive things, effectively preventing the potentially negative situation from occurring in the first place. References: Welsh Assembly Government. (2008). WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. Available: http://www. swanseagfl. gov. uk/learn_agenda/foundation_p/wag_docs. asp Last accessed 29th June 2012.Welsh Assembly Government. (2011 – 2012). National curriculum – Key Stage 1. Available: http://wales. gov. uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/? lang=en Last accessed 29th June 2012. Smith, M. K. (2002) ‘Jerome S. Bruner and the process of education', the encyclopedia of informal education http://www. infed. org/thinkers/bruner. htm Last accessed 29th June 2012. Ragnhild Oussoren . (2010). Write Dance. Availab le: http://www. schrijfdans. nl/write-dance. html Last accessed 18th July 2012. Dwr Cymru. 2005). Think Water. Available: http://www. dwrcymru. co. uk/English/community/education/think/index. asp. Last accessed 13 Sept 2012. Hancock, R. , Collins, J (Eds) & Colloby, J. (2005), Primary teaching assistants, Learners and learning, Chapter 1: p7, Eight titles and roles, Published: David Futlon in association with the Open University (2005) Reprinted: Routledge 2009. Gothic Green Oak. ( ). Games. Available: http://www. gothicgreenoak. co. uk/index. html. Last accessed 19th Sept 2012. ———————– PAGE 1 Margaret Lorraine Voss SH34393/NCC Assignment 3

American Well Essays

American Well Essays American Well Essay American Well Essay Should American Well go ahead with its core product online care? Explain Why it should or should not. If yes, then how should it do it? American Well should go ahead with its core product Online Care because of the following reasons: a. Technology is one of the strengths they have harnessed in implementing Online Care and this can further serve to block competition in the future b. They had the first mover advantage and progress In this segment with maximum customer satisfaction will provide American Well the opportunity to become the definitive leader In Online Care c. No age investment or hiring of resources will be required to continue the operations d. If they fail in this venture (their first and core product) none of their extensions would then have a potential to capture the market e. They had good financial support of many sophisticated and angel investors f. Managerial expertise of both Did and Roy in handling this sector and their previous track record in this area Is an advantage which they can leverage while marketing this product g. Market demand of such a product was huge as according to a survey of 2006, 74% of the respondents wanted such a service h. Value proposed to all the players with this service created a win-win situation for all and hence growth in this segment was inevitable. Health insurance companies could save $3. 36 per patient per month (Exhibit 9) and patients too could exercise choice and convenience According to Exhibit 1 1 (selected cities also shown above), Boston, Los Angels and Washington DC has the highest average time new patients Walt for appointment with family practice physicians (62, 58, 30 days respectively). This Is a great opportunity for American Well to transfer this segment of people who still go for family practitioners to online health care segment by helping them to utilize their time efficiently and cater to their health needs immediately. Hence, National Roll-out Plan of its core product by starting off with these cities will be a great plan to progress in its core product and emerge as a leader In the near future. Should American well go ahead with Team Edition? Explain why or why it shouldnt. If yes, then how should it go about implementing the additional service? Based on our analysis, we feel Team Edition is the natural extension of the existing services of American Well. The service involves moving ahead the typical PC and patient interaction over internet and Involving the specialist in the online space as well without any additional costs. This key feature has the capability to serve as a differentiator for American Well as the market competition in the online healthcare space is high and hence differentiation is of utmost importance. For American Well, offering Team Edition is a good value proposition as it allows the company to add an additional service in its offerings at no substantial additional costs (the technology platform developed for the core service can be modified to include Team Edition as Furthermore, issues pertaining to acceptance are negligible as customers are already well versed with the technology platform and comfortable with the same For its core customer segment of health insurance companies, the add on feature is highly beneficial major because of two reasons: First, additional cost savings for the companies would be substantial due to early detection of certain medical problems hereby reducing coverage for patients (as patients can immediately take the opinion of the specialists, it results in early detection and thereby reduces long term insurance coverage) Second, having Team Edition as an additional option for their insurance packages would place them as a much more attractive option f or Employer groups/multinational corporations and institutions as the range of services offered are broader But, we have also observed that its core product has not adequately achieved the desired market penetration and there is a lot of room for the core revere to grow (see exhibit 2 below). Although, American Well has taken steps to improve the situation by striking deals with more health insurance companies to further promote and create acceptance of their online care service. Hence, American Well should definitely consider launching Team Edition but it should only do so after it has adequately catered to the demand for its core product in cities where patient waiting times for Pops are high. Cities such as Boston, Los Angels and Washington DC) The company should then subsequently go for an aggressive launch of Team Edition in cities such as Miami (see exhibit 1 and 2) where the patient waiting times for specialists are high and the demand for its core product has been satisfied. Doing so, the company can capitalize on its add-on service and gain additional profits as in such markets, the feature will serve as a key differentiator. Based on the above data, we can conclude that for cities such as Miami, Seattle, Portland, Dallas and Philadelphia, Team Edition can be launched as the average patient waiting times for APP or Pops is much lower as compared to other cities Should American Well go ahead with the new customer segment? Explain Why and How? The new customer segment for American Well consists of hospital, health clinic, pharmacy. For Hospital Opportunities Out of the 5500 hospitals (where total expenditure in 2008 was $718. 4 billion, which is approximately 30. 72% of the total expenditure), 5000 hospitals are already service enabling interaction between health care provider with physicians as well as sharing medical data). Also Relay Health ,another competitor of AM already working with 50 Hospitals Similarly, Cisco Teleconferences collaborated with 600,000 physicians (which are approximately 60. 60% of the total physicians in U. S. ) through these hospitals. Another competitor Mediation already tapped 28,000 physicians for providing their service Recommendation Since very less opportunity is left for AM (8. 18% of the whole market) to penetrate into hospital market. So they should not focus on hospital segment. Retail clinics opportunities: Retail clinic is consisting of 147,000 nursing practitioners. Also from exhibit 2, it is evident that approximately 24% ($561. Billion) of the total expenditure is spent on Physicians, clinical, and other professional services There is no competitor present in the market Since retail clinic is untapped market, so there is a good market opportunity for American Well to cater. American Well can add value to patients to get a second opinion in retail clinic immediately with a physician online if they wish or if the NP is not able to address patients issue Since Nurse practitioners are highest level clinical staff at retail clinic, offering accesses to physicians would boost the perception of astigmatic of the clinic Pharmacy opportunities: From exhibit 2, pharmacy expenditure consists of approximately 10% ($234. 1 billion) of the total expenditure in 2008. So we can conclude that pharmacy market has got huge potential. No competitor is yet present in this segment. American Well could target the pharmacy market. It can provide pharmacists the facility to interact with patients online and answer queries of the patients regarding the drugs. Since, it is again an untapped market, which has huge potential; American Well could play a leading role and get benefit out of the service. Should American Well go international? Explain on why it should do so and how decision on going international Pros Customers in Australia, Germany and United Kingdom are interested in availing their services Exposure to international markets and recognition worldwide Cons It will require extensive changes in the American Wells Organizational structure It may require them to customize their product based on the needs, governing policies and regulations of different countries There is risk involved in diverting resources room the current market in which they are not fully developed to new international markets which will need substantial investments Based on the pros and cons associated with the decision, best course of action would be in the following order: Nationwide roll-out of Online Care: After an analysis of the data provided for the waiting time of the patients to meet their physicians in various cities of US, we have concluded that the services should be rolled out in cities like Boston, Los Angels and Washington D . C where the wait time is relatively high and hence it would help capture a larger market share Launch of Team Edition in established markets: Given the data regarding the waiting time of the patients to meet specialists, rolling out Team Edition in cities such as Miami where the companys services are well established would be a competitive advantage for American Well Launch products in International markets: To expand internationally American well need to completely re-organize the company structure and enter into partnerships with different companies in different countries. It will be possible only after company establishes itself as market leader in home market first

Americans On The Eve Of The Revolution essays

Americans On The Eve Of The Revolution essays Americans at the Eve of the Revolution Prior to the Revolutionary war, early Americans were struggling to find their identity among the rest of the world. As they strived for independence, England began to bear down on the colonies and take away the cherished self-government that tee colonists had enjoyed to this point. The colonists began to band together in a common interest. Independence. The energetic, ambitious, independent-minded colonists were no longer willing to live under English control. Tired of unfair taxation, unequal rights, and unreasonable laws, colonists were ready for change. The English were in great debt following the French-Indian War along with other military campaigns throughout Europe. In realization that debts needed to be paid, the English immediately looked to the colonies to solve financial burdens. The Parliament soon passed and enforced many laws and taxes to raise money to revive a struggling government. The colonists who lived in practical freedom now faced a life controlled by selfish monarchs an ocean away. The passing of the Proclamation of 1763, which took hard-earned land from colonists, and the Trade and Navigation Acts, which forced merchants to stop in England en route to their trade destination, greatly disturbed the freedom they had. The Stamp Act of 1765, perhaps the most hated tax the British implemented, had an effect that would progress beyond any reasonable prediction. Led by Samuel Adams, the Stamp Act Congress was formed. This was the first cooperation among the colonies. The congress ordered a boycott on all British Goods. England soon revoked the Stamp Act. I believe that this was a huge encouragement for the Americans it their march towards independence. Many colonists of this time were unhappy with the way England was governing America. The British Statesman, Edmund Burke, greatly empathized with the Americans. D ...

The Beluga Whale, the Little Whale That Loves to Sing

The Beluga Whale, the Little Whale That Loves to Sing The beloved beluga whale is known as the canary of the sea for its repertoire of songs. Beluga whales live mainly in colder seas, and get their name from the Russian word bielo for white.   Why Do Beluga Whales Sing? Beluga whales are extremely social creatures, like their close cousins, the dolphins and porpoises. A pod (group) of belugas can number in the hundreds. They migrate and hunt together, often in murky seas under the ice. Beluga whales communicate with each other in these tough conditions by singing. The beluga whale has a melon-shaped structure on the top of its head that enables it to produce and direct sounds. It can make an astounding array of different noises, from whistles to chirps and everything in between. Captive belugas have even learned to mimic human voices. In the wild, beluga whales use their songs to talk to other members of their pod. Theyre equipped with well-developed hearing, so the back and forth between whales   in a group can get quite chatty. Belugas also use their melon for echolocation, using sound to help them navigate in dark waters where visibility may be limited. What Do Beluga Whales Look Like? The beluga whale is easy to identify by its distinctive white color and humorously bulbous head. The beluga is one of the smallest whale species, reaching an average of 13 feet in length, but it can weigh over 3,000 pounds thanks to its thick layer of blubber. Instead of dorsal fins, they have a prominent dorsal ridge. Young beluga whales are grey, but gradually lighten in color as they mature. A beluga whale in the wild has a lifespan of 30-50 years, although some scientists believe they can live as long as 70 years. Beluga whales are unique among whales for several unusual abilities. Because their cervical vertebrae arent fused together as in other whale species, belugas can move their heads in all directions – up and down and side to side. This flexibility likely helps them pursue prey. They also have the unusual habit of shedding their outer layer of skin each summer. The beluga will find a shallow body of water lined with gravel, and rub its skin against the rough stones to scrape the old layer off. What Do Beluga Whales Eat? Beluga whales are opportunistic carnivores. Theyre known to feed on shellfish, mollusks, fish, and other marine life, from squid to snails. The Beluga Whale Life Cycle Beluga whales mate in the spring, and the mother carries her developing calf for 14-15 months. The whale moves to warmer waters before giving birth, because her newborn calf doesnt have enough blubber to survive in the cold. Whales are mammals, and so the beluga calf relies on its mother to nurse for the first few years of its life. A female beluga whale reaches reproductive age between 4 and 7 years old, and can give birth to a calf about every two or three years. Males take longer to reach sexual maturity, at about 7 to 9 years of age. How Are Beluga Whales Classified? The beluga is most closely related to the narwhal, the unicorn whale with a horn on its head. They are the only two members of the family of white whales. Kingdom - Animalia (animals)Phylum - Chordata (organisms with a dorsal nerve cord)Class – Mammalia (mammals)Order – Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises)Suborder – Odontoceti (toothed whales)Family - Monodontidae (white whales)Genus – DelphinapterusSpecies – Delphinapterus leucas Where Do Beluga Whales Live? Beluga whales inhabit the cold waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Arctic Sea. They live mainly in the high latitudes around Canada, Greenland, Russia, and Alaska in the U.S. Belugas are sometimes spotted around northern Europe. Beluga whales prefer shallow waters along the coast, and will swim into river basins and estuaries. They dont seem bothered by changes of salinity, which enables them to move from the salty ocean water to freshwater rivers without issue. Are Beluga Whales Endangered? The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) designates the beluga whale as a near threatened species. However, this global designation does not take into account some specific beluga populations that may be at greater risk of decline. Beluga whales were previously designated as vulnerable, and they are still hunted for food and caught for captive display in some parts of their range. Sources: Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. Accessed online June 16, 2017. Delphinapterus leucas, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. Accessed online June 16, 2017. The mysterious squeaks and whistles of beluga whales, by Lesley Evans Ogden, BBC website, 20 January 2015. Accessed online June 16, 2017.Facts About Beluga Whales, by Alina Bradford, LiveScience website, 19 July 2016. Accessed online June 16, 2017.

The Power Trainings Role In The Sports Football Essay

The Power Trainings Role In The Sports Football - Essay Example The defensive players, which rely on extension strength, need to power train their triceps muscle group (i.e. upper arms); meanwhile, the offensive players, which rely on flexion strength, need to power train their biceps muscle group (Sharkey and Gaskill, Sports Physiology 199). The principle of specificity enables the football players to concentrate their power training on the particular muscle group used, as a defensive or offensive player, on the field. The most common power training program is the lifting program. This program usually consists of â€Å"utilizing barbells, dumbbells, exercise machines and plyometrics† (Arthur and Bailey 10). While the use of weights is common for lifting, plyometrics is considered a more advanced power-building technique. It works by â€Å"rapidly stretching and contracting specific muscles under significant resistance† and improves the speed by which contraction commences in the muscles (McCarthy 160). Thus, it does not suffice to say that there is the power behind those muscle groups; it is also essential to understand the mechanisms that enable football players to fully exploit the power potential built in their muscles. In any sports training, an imperative initiative involves warm-up exercises while overdoing the training is considered unhealthy if not risky. These exercises enable the player to â€Å"establish a strength and endurance base† and avoid joint pains or delayed onset muscle soreness (Sharkey and Gaskill, Fitness and Health 197). In plyometrics, warm-ups include a slow start and then the gradual escalation of repetitions and intensity (Sharkey and Gaskill, Fitness and Health 197). It is very important that players recognize the setbacks and dangers involved in this power training since this will enable everyone to safeguard themselves, their muscles in particular, and optimally perform in the field.

Critical Response Paper 1 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Response 1 - Research Paper Example A Third Cinema, in this case, is described as an ongoing phenomenon that the filmmakers still apply in themes like politics and aesthetics. The Battle of Algiers is a film about the real events that led Algerian war of independence. The film narrates the story of the National Liberation Front (FLN), a movement that posed a danger to French occupation in Algeria (Mellen 16). The French troops defeated FLN during revolutionary movements. However, the movement strengthened and united other liberation movements throughout Algeria, which made them defeat French troop in 1962. The Battle of Algiers is a representation of Fanon’s arguments about violence and veil as an accepted means of anti-colonial struggle. Pontecorvo, producer of Black Skin, White Mask, is specifically concerned with how the Algerians achieved their independence and dignity through violent struggle. The Battle of Algiers is a justification of Fanon’s theory that the war and violence, during the anti-coloni al struggle, help people to gain their independence and dignity (Stam & Macmillan Films 11). It portrays French settlers as brutal and ignorant. The French colonial institution portrayed itself as a body that cannot be negotiated with through non-violent movements like the National Liberation Front. ... Therefore, the use of force and violence in this case should be perceived as mechanical but not brutal. Additionally, the use of violence does not entail any scorn as in the case of Colonel Mathieu, who lit cigarette after successfully launching a bomb attack that killed several members of FLN. In the Battle of Algiers, official representatives and settlers of French colonial power are not concerned about the well-being of Algerians. They mistreat and abuse men, women, and children. This is reflected during a private party organized by French police officer, his colleagues, and their wives. The French officer, at that moment, was organizing a large bomb attack on civilians in the Arab quarter of Algiers, the Kasbah (Stam & Macmillan Films 26). Light classical music played in the background during the party contributing to a relaxing atmosphere. The wealthy, lightness, and beauty of French lifestyle displayed in the movie leaves the audience to question their dark side of politics of its colonial organization. The party scene then smoothly transforms to the bombing scene, representing settlers’ brutal encounters with the colonial politics. This implies that the French colonial institution perceived the killing of civilians as a habitual and normal activity. This scene also creates a non-hermetic structure, where it gives the audience the opportunity to deconstruct the party scene as a positive self-representation of French colonizers as â€Å"uncivilized group†. This is because the way in which they plan bomb attacks against Algerians is perceived as an â€Å"uncivilized† behavior (Mellen 27). Similarly, the manner in which Frantz Fanon develops a non-hermetic structure that does not present a self-enclosed universe in Black Skin, White Mask, can