Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Change Essay Example for Free

Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Change Essay There is a popular saying â€Å"the only thing that is constant is change† by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. What it simply means is that the only guarantee in life is that things do not always stay the same. Change is needed to grow and advance in life. In the corporate and healthcare industries, change is happening all the time. This article addresses how the Corporate Culture within an entity can aid or hurt the change process at hand. Corporate Culture is defined as a set of characteristics that define a particular company. It involves employee attitudes, values, customs, standards, policies and procedures, and rites and rituals. It defines how a company performs and how it gets things accomplished toward either a positive or negative outcome. The article describes the characteristics of a high performance corporate culture and a low performance corporate culture. In a high performance corporate culture the individuals are more willing to embrace the changes compared to a company were low performance corporate culture is the norm. When organizations are able to adopt change and readily execute systems to carry it out, they tend to be more prosperous. A company with a low performance corporate culture can place a burden on the attempts to change, making it more difficult for everybody involved from management all the way to customers. The article also gives advice on how to overcome cultural barriers to move the culture from low performing to high performing. Some of these principles include giving rewards, showing by example, encouraging involvement, repetition, stating over and over the change and how it will benefit the organization and the expectations from the team and be passionate. By considering the organization’s culture, and acknowledging any key barriers to change, one can help make the change initiative more successful. Perseverance, communication, and passion is needed to build and support new ways of working. Building a higher-performance culture is fundamental to the organizations ability to adapt and change, and to its lasting prosperity. References Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From To. Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.

The role of Kindergarten in LLL Essay Example for Free

The role of Kindergarten in LLL Essay ?1. http://www. hfrp. org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/getting-parents-ready-for-kindergarten-the-role-of-early-childhood-education 2. http://www. earlychildhoodnews. com/earlychildhood/article_view. aspx? ArticleID=477 Successful Transition to Kindergarten: The Role of Teachers Parents By Pam Deyell-Gingold While new kindergartners are worrying about whether or not anyone will be their friend and if they’ll be able to find the bathroom, their preschool teachers are wondering if they’ve succeeded at preparing their small students for this big transition. In recent years the role of kindergarten has changed from an extension of preschool to a much more academic environment because of new standards in the public schools that â€Å"push back† academic skills to earlier grades. How can we ensure that our students make a smooth transition? Are our students mature enough? What can we do to make them â€Å"more† ready? This article will explore the skills that constitute kindergarten â€Å"readiness,† how preschool teachers can collaborate with parents and kindergarten teachers to make the process more rewarding for all, and activities to help prepare children for what will be expected of them in kindergarten. The Transition Process Children go through many transitions throughout their lives, but one of the most important transitions is the one from a preschool program to kindergarten. â€Å"During this period behavior is shaped and attitudes are formed that will influence children throughout their education† (PTA and Head Start, 1999). Children’s transitions are most strongly influenced by their home environment, the preschool program they attend, and the continuity between preschool and kindergarten (Riedinger, 1997). In 1995, Head Start and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) began a plan to create a partnership between the two organizations in order to create effective transition practices and to promote continuity in parent and family involvement in the schools. Three pilot programs were studied to determine â€Å"best practice† in kindergarten transition, and to foster the continued strong involvement of families in their children’s education. They worked with elementary schools to create parent-friendly environments and to develop strategies that lessen the barriers to involvement (Head Start PTA, 1999). Even Start, a federal program for low-income families implemented to improve educational opportunities for children and adults, also helps parents to work with the school system to help their children succeed. Their research found that parents felt that the way in which Even Start focuses on the family strengths rather than weaknesses and allows the families to identify their own needs, empowered them more than anything else to help them to support their children in school (Riedinger, 1997). Kindergarten Readiness A 1998 study by the National Center for Early Development Learning of nearly 3,600 kindergarten teachers nationwide indicated that 48 percent of children have moderate to serious problems transitioning to kindergarten. Teachers are most often concerned about children’s skills in following directions, academics, and working independently. There seems to be a discrepancy between the expectations of teachers and the actual skills of kindergarten children. Therefore, a need for kindergarten teachers to collaborate with both parents and preschool teachers exists (Pianta Cox, 1998). School readiness is more than a matter of academics, though. As reported in a National Education Goals Panel in 1998; â€Å"The prevailing view today, however, is that readiness reflects a range of dimensions, such as a child’s health and physical development, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, language and communication skills, and cognitive and general knowledge† (California Department of Education, 2000). Historically, kindergarten was a â€Å"children’s garden†: a place to interact for the first time with a group of agemates, and to learn basic skills through play. Today, because of increasing numbers of working mothers, single-parent families, and strict welfare regulations, many children begin having group experiences in a child care program or family child care home at a much earlier age. Together with the concern that America’s children are not getting adequate education to compete in a global market, our schools began to make the transition from the children’s garden to â€Å"curriculum escalation† (Shepard Smith, 1988) and â€Å"academic trickle-down† (Cunningham, 1988). While the trend towards focusing on academic skills continues at a fast pace, early childhood professionals argue for a more integrated curriculum that addresses the developmental needs of each child. Social Adjustment Although academics may be becoming increasingly more important, research shows that social skills are what most affect school adjustment (Ladd Price, 1987; Ladd, 1990). Preschool teachers should not feel pressured into teaching academics beyond what is developmentally â€Å"best practice† (Bredekamp Copple, 1997) but should continue to focus on social and emotional development. Children who have been rejected by their peers in kindergarten tend to have poor school performance, more absences, and negative attitudes towards school that last throughout their school years. â€Å"Three particular social skills that are known to influence children’s peer acceptance: play behavior, ability to enter play groups, and communication skills† (Maxwell Eller, 1994). Play Behavior and Communication Skills Specific behaviors that cause rejection by fellow students include things like rough play, arguing, upsetting things in class, trying to get their own way, and not sharing. Children who exhibit these behaviors also tend to be less independent and less cooperative than their peers. Most children prefer playing with others who are polite, caring, and attentive. Preschool teachers and parents need to teach young children social skills, especially how to enter social groups. For example, children who say, â€Å"Looks like that’s a fun game, can I play? † are more likely to be accepted than those who shove others aside and whine, â€Å"I want a turn! † Another important social skill is the ability to participate in complicated fantasy games and take part in making up and extending the story. Children who lack sufficient experience playing with age-mates may feel frustrated at not being able to keep up with the capabilities of their classmates. â€Å"A generous amount of guided social experience with peers prior to kindergarten helps children do well in this new world† (Maxwell Eller, 1994). Some children need assistance to learn how to play make-believe. A teacher can help model this by giving verbal cues like, â€Å"You be the mommy, and I’ll be your little girl. Can I help you make dinner, Mommy? † Some children need reminders to keep them focused on their roles. Others may need help to read the emotions on people’s faces. â€Å"Look at Nick’s face. He is sad because you pulled the hat away from him. † Because young children do not have a large enough vocabulary to express themselves, teachers can help them find words to express their feelings such as, â€Å"You’re feeling frustrated. Let’s go find a puzzle with fewer pieces. † Communication skills, such as being able to take part in a conversation, listen to others, and negotiate are also important. For example, children who speak directly to peers, are attentive to others in the group, and respond to the initiations of others tend to be liked by the other children. Disliked children are more likely to make irrelevant comments, reject the initiations of other children without reasons or explanations, and often make comments without directing them to anyone (Maxwell Eller, 1994). Part of a teacher’s task is to quietly remind children to look at the person they’re talking to, and listen to what another child is saying. Immaturity and Redshirting A common practice when dealing with children who are not socially mature is to keep them out of school for a year, in the hope that â€Å"readiness will emerge. † In academic circles this is referred to as â€Å"redshirting,† a term borrowed from college athletics. However, â€Å"Research shows that redshirts are not gaining an academic advantage, and the extra year does not solve the social development problems that caused initial concern† (Graue, 1994). Parents who are told that their children need to stay home for a year should ask for the reasons. â€Å"Developmentally appropriate practice is less common in kindergarten, and primary teachers face many constraints and pressures that teachers of younger children are not yet experiencing in the same intensity [although preschool appears to be next in line for â€Å"pushdown† curriculum]. † (Jones, Evans, Rencken, 2001). â€Å"If we think inclusively we have to problem-solve in ways to accommodate the incredible diversity presented by the characteristics of kindergartners†¦. Redshirting and retention are outmoded tools that should be replaced by more appropriate practices. One step in the right direction is collaboration between preschool and elementary school educators† (Graue, 1994). A second step is to have parents understand what experiences can help their child have a successful transition. Learning About Classroom Styles In collaborating with kindergarten teachers, preschool teachers and parents need to visit the school and pay close attention to details that may affect their students in kindergarten. â€Å"When teachers and parents agree on a philosophy of education, children usually adjust more easily† (Maxwell Eller, 1994). Children feel more secure in their new environment if they feel that their parents support the teacher and the school. The first step may be either a meeting with the kindergarten teacher or a class field trip to the elementary school. â€Å"Observe kindergarten classrooms to identify teaching styles, classroom management techniques, and routines. Also try to identify skills that are needed to be successful in participating in the kindergarten classroom† (Karr-Jelinek, 1994). In her research, Karr-Jelinek used a checklist of what parents (and teachers) should look for in a kindergarten classroom, to see if their children – both normally developing and with special needs – are ready for the classroom they visit: ? How many steps are given at a time in directions? ? What types of words are children expected to understand? ? How does each individual child compare to the other children? ? How long are children expected to sit still in a group? ? How often do children speak out of turn or move around when they should be sitting? ? How much independence is expected? ? What type of work is being done? (small groups, seatwork, etc. ) ? Where might my special needs students need extra help? ? What kind of special information can I pass along to the teacher about each child? (Karr-Jelineck, 1994) Although expectations vary by teacher and school district, by the time children reach kindergarten they should be able to listen to a story in a group, follow two or three oral directions, take turns and share, follow rules, respect the property of others, and work within time and space constraints. They need to learn the difference between work and play, knowing when and where each is appropriate. â€Å"Most five-year-olds can express themselves fluently with a variety of words and can understand an even larger variety of words used in conversations and stories† (Nurss, 1987). Many kindergartens make use of learning centers, small group instruction, and whole group language activities. However, others use â€Å"structured, whole group paper-and-pencil activities oriented to academic subjects, such as reading and mathematics. The curriculum in these kindergartens often constitutes a downward extension of the primary grade curriculum and may call for the use of workbooks, which are part of a primary level textbook series. Many early childhood professionals have spoken out on the inappropriateness of such a curriculum† (Nurss, 1987). Preparing Parents for the Transition High-quality preschool programs encourage parent involvement in the home and in the classroom. Volunteering to read during story time, to share cultural traditions, or to be a lunch guest are all ways for parents to feel that they are a part of their child’s school life. According to the National PTA, parent and family involvement increases student achievement and success. If preschool teachers can make parents feel welcome helping in the classroom, they will be more likely to remain involved in their child’s future education. Many parents worry about their children entering elementary school because of their own negative school experiences. They may feel intimidated by teachers and uncomfortable showing up at school events – even for orientation and enrolling their children in school (Reidinger, 1997). Parents’ expectations of how well children will do in school influence children’s performance. It appears that parents who expect success may provide more support, encouragement and praise, which may give their children more self-esteem and confidence. The most important thing is that children who believe in their own abilities have been found to be more successful in school (Dweck, 1991). To assist parents, preschool teachers can arrange visits to the school and take parents along on the kindergarten field trip. They can ask for children to be paired with a kindergarten â€Å"buddy† who can take them around, while parents meet with the teacher or go to the office to register their child. A study done by Rathbun and Hauskin (2001) showed that the more low-income students that were enrolled in a school, the less parental involvement there was. Involving low-income families in the schools may help to break the cycle of poverty of future generations. One way to really help the family with transition is to empower the parents to act as advocates for their children. Parent meetings and newsletters can help parents learn how to work with school staff, learn about volunteer opportunities at school, as well as how to prepare their child at home for kindergarten. They may need some advice on how to help their children and themselves cope with anxieties related to transitions from preschool to kindergarten. Preparing Children for Transition In the last few weeks of summer, children start getting excited about going to kindergarten, and are apprehensive at the same time. It is important for parents to treat the child’s entrance into kindergarten as a normal occurrence and not build up the event in children’s minds. An important way to provide continuity for the child is to find preschool classmates or other children who will be in their kindergarten class. According to research, children who have a familiar peer in a new group setting have fewer problems adjusting to new environments (Howes, 1988). Transition Activities for Parents and Children. The more you discuss this transition in a matter-of-fact way, the more comfortable children will become. Encourage parents to prepare their child for kindergarten with the following: ? Visit the school so the children can meet the kindergarten teacher and see what kindergarten is really like. Try to arrange for them to see more than one type of classroom activity, such as seatwork time and free choice time. Show them where the bathroom and cubbies are located. ? Find out what lunchtime will be like. If the children are going to be getting a school lunch, they may have to learn how to open new kinds of containers. ? Read books about kindergarten. ? Answer children’s questions in a straight forward way about what they will do in kindergarten. Tell them they will listen to stories, do counting activities, have group time, and play outside. ? Explore how long the kindergarten day is and what the daily routine will be like. They will want to know what will be the same as preschool and what will be different. ? If the children are going to a school that presents more diversity than they are familiar with, talk honestly with them about racial and ethnic differences and disabilities. ? If children are going to be taking the schoolbus for the first time, you will need to discuss schoolbus safety rules. ? Reassure children that they will be picked up from school every day just as they are in preschool. ? Check to make sure your pre-kindergarten children are capable of basic kindergarten â€Å"readiness† skills. (See sidebar below. ) Conclusion The transition from preschool to kindergarten can be a stressful time for both children and parents. However, if preschool teachers can facilitate collaboration between parents and kindergarten and familiarize children with  the workings of kindergarten, it will be a smoother process. Parents need to try to find a developmentally appropriate class for their child by observing different classrooms and talking to teachers about educational philosophies. Preschool teachers, with their knowledge of different learning styles and the temperaments of their students, can help everyone with this important transition. Pam Deyell-Gingold is a graduate student in Human Development at Pacific Oaks College. She works as master teacher at Head Start, teaches child development classes for Merced Community College, and is a freelance writer and anti-bias curriculum enthusiast. Her home is in the Sierra foothills near Yosemite National Park, California. References Bredekamp, S. Copple, C. (1997) Developmentally appropriate practice for early childhood programs. Revised edition. Washington, DC: NAEYC. California Dept of Ed. , (2000). Prekindergarten learning and development guidelines. Sacramento, CA. Cunningham, A. 1988. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe: Testing policy and practice in early childhood. Berkeley, CA: National Commission on Testing and Public Policy In Graue, E (2001, May) What’s going on in the children’s garden today? Young Children. Dweck, C. S. (1991). Self-theories and goals: their role in motivation, personality and development. In Nebraska symposia on motivation, Vol. 36, ed. by R. Dienstbier, 199-235. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. [In Maxwell, Eller, 1994] Graue, E. (2001, May) What’s going on in the children’s garden today? Young Children, p. 67-73. Howes, C. (1988). Peer interaction of young children. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development 53 (2. Serial No. 217). In Maxwell, K. and Eller, C. (1994, September) Children’s Transition to Kindergarten, Young Children. Howlett, M. P. (1970, February 18). Teacher’s edition: My Weekly Reader Surprise, Vol. 12, Issue 20. Jones, E. , Evans, K. , Rencken, K. (2001) The Lively Kindergarten, NAEYC publications. Karr-Jelinek, C. (1994). Transition to kindergarten: Parents and teachers working together. Educational Resources Information Center. Ladd, G. W. , 1990. Having friends, keeping friends, making friends and being liked by peers in the classroom: Predictors of children’s early school adjustment? Child Development (61) 1081-100. Ladd, G. W. , J. M. Price. 1987. Predicting children’s social and school adjustment following the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Child Development, (58) 1168-89. Maxwell, K. Eller, S. (1994, September). Children’s transition to kindergarten. Young Children, p. 56-63. National PTA National Head Start Association. (1999). Continuity for success: Transition planning guide. National PTA, Chicago, IL. National Head Start Association, Alexandria, VA. Nurss, J. 1987, Readiness for Kindergarten, ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Urbana, IL; BBB16656. Pianta, R. Cox, M. (1998) Kindergarten Transitions. Teachers 48% of Children Have Transition Problems. NCEDL Spotlights Series, No. 1, National Center for Early Development Learning: Chapel Hill, NC. Rathbun, A. Hauskin, E. (2001). How are transition-to-kindergarten activities associated with parent involvement during kindergarten? Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Foundation: Seattle, WA. Riedinger, S. (1997), Even Start: Facilitating transitions to kindergarten. Dept. of Education: Washington, DC: Planning and Evaluation Service. Shepard, I. A. M. I. Smith. (1988) Escalating academic demand in kindergarten: counterproductive policies. The Elementary School Journal, (89) 135-45. In Maxwell, K. and Eller, C. (1994, September) Children’s Transition to Kindergarten, Young Children. Kindergarten Readiness Is†¦* A child who listens ? Todirections without interrupting ? To stories and poems for five or ten minutes without restlessness A child who hears ? Words that rhyme ? Words that begin with the same sound or different sounds A child who sees ? Likenesses and differences in pictures and designs ? Letters and words that match A child who understands ? The relationship inherent in such words as up and down, top and bottom, little and big ? The classifications of words that represent people, places, and things A child who speaks and can  ? Stay on the topic in class discussions ? Retell a story or poem in correct sequence ? Tell a story or relate an experience of her own A child who thinks and can ? Give the main idea of a story ? Give unique ideas and important details ? Give reasons for his opinions A child who adjusts ? To changes in routine and to new situations without becoming fearful ? To opposition or defeat without crying or sulking ? To necessity of asking for help when needed A child who plays ? Cooperatively with other children ? And shares, takes turns and assumes his share of group responsibility ? And can run, jump, skip, and bounce a ball with comparative dexterity A child who works ? Without being easily distracted ? And follows directions ? And completes each task ? And takes pride in her work *Adapted from Howlett, M. P. (1970, February 18). Teacher’s edition: My Weekly Reader Surprise, Vol. 12, Issue 20. 3. http://www. edutopia. org/kindergarten-creativity-collaboration-lifelong-learning Kindergarten Is the Model for Lifelong Learning Lets keep teaching creativity throughout school and adulthood. By Mitchel Resnick Illustration of two people sitting on letter blocks  Credit: Wesley Bedrosian Ever since the first kindergarten opened in 1837, it has been a place for telling stories, building castles, painting pictures, making friends, and learning to share. But kindergarten is undergoing a dramatic change. In todays kindergartens, children are spending more and more time filling out worksheets and drilling on flash cards. In short, kindergarten is becoming more like the rest of school. Exactly the opposite needs to happen: We should make the rest of school (indeed, the rest of life) more like kindergarten. Whats so special about kindergarten? As kindergartners playfully create stories, castles, and paintings with one another, they develop and refine their abilities to think creatively and work collaboratively, precisely the abilities most needed to achieve success and satisfaction in the 21st century. Underlying traditional kindergarten activities is a spiraling learning process in which children imagine what they want to do, create a project based on their ideas (using blocks, finger paint, or other materials), play with their creations, share their ideas and creations with others, and reflect on their experiences all of which leads them to imagine new ideas and new projects. This iterative learning process is ideal preparation for todays fast-changing society, in which people must continually come up with innovative solutions to unexpected situations in their lives. If this approach is so well aligned with current societal needs, why do we so rarely support it in classrooms? One reason is that our society and our educational system dont place enough value on creative thinking. Another reason is a lack of appropriate media and technologies: Wooden blocks and finger paint are great for learning kindergarten concepts (such as numbers, shapes, sizes, and colors). But as children get older, they want and need to work on more advanced projects and learn more advanced concepts. To do that, they need different types of tools, media, and materials. This is where I believe digital technologies can play their most important role. If properly designed and used, new technologies can extend the kindergarten approach, allowing students of all ages to continue learning in the kindergarten style and, in the process, to keep growing as creative thinkers. In my research group at the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, weve been developing new technologies specifically to support the kindergarten approach to learning. For example, weve collaborated with the Lego Group since 1985 on a collection of robotics construction kits that enable children to imagine and create interactive inventions in the same spirit as kindergartners build towers with blocks. Recently, weve developed a new programming language called Scratch, which brings the kindergarten learning approach to the computer screen. With Scratch (available as a free download), children can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations and then share their creations on the Web. A vibrant online community has developed around Scratch, as users present more than a thousand new projects on the Scratch Web site each day. Some 250,000 people participate in the community, most of them ages 8-16. One active participant in the community is a 13-year-old girl with the name BalaBethany (not her real screen name). As her first Scratch project, BalaBethany created and shared an animated story with anime characters. Other members of the online community responded positively, posting glowing comments under her project. Encouraged, BalaBethany began to create and share new anime stories on a regular basis, like episodes in a television series. BalaBethany periodically added new characters to her stories. At one point, she got an idea: Why not involve the community in the process? She created and uploaded a new Scratch project that announced a contest: She asked other community members to design a sister for one of the characters. The project received more than 100 comments. One was from a community member who wanted to enter the contest but didnt know how to draw anime characters. So BalaBethany produced another Scratch project: a step-by-step tutorial that demonstrates a 13-stage process for drawing and coloring an anime character. Illustration of Mitchel Resnick Credit: Wesley Bedrosian I see BalaBethany as a case study of lifelong kindergarten. She is using Scratch to imagine, create, play, share, and reflect. In the process, she is refining her programming and artistic skills and shes developing as a creative thinker. Our ultimate goal is a world full of playfully creative people who, like BalaBethany, continue to learn as kindergartners do. Mitchel Resnick is director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Media Lab. This article originally published on 5/27/2009 4. http://www. seas. upenn. edu/~eas285/Readings/Resnick_LifelongKindergarten. pdf 5. http://www. ufri. uniri. hr/data/book_2. pdf CJELOZIVOTNO UCENJE – KREIRANJE OSOBNOSTI I OKRUZJA DJECJEG VRTICA LIFELONG LEARNING PERSONAL GROWTH AND THE KINDERGARTEN CONTEXT Bozica Pintaric Djecji vrtic Malesnica Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska. Sazetak Razvoj svakog, pa tako i odgojno-obrazovnog okruzja podrazumijeva stalno ucenje i mijenjanje svih sudionika, sto tako stvara organizaciju koja uci, mijenja se, kreira. Kvalitativne razlike u tome procesu povezane su s motivacijskim odrednicama. Poznato je da je ucenje najucinkovitije i da su stvarne promjene moguce, ako su proistekle iz unutarnje potrebe osobe za samoaktualizacijom i preuzimanjem proaktivne, stvaralacke uloge u oblikovanju svoje stvarnosti. Tako potaknutim ucenjem, na samo da se profesionalno jacamo, vec prosirujemo svoju sposobnost kreiranja svog zivota na profesionalnom i sveukupnom planu. Vrednovanjem i samovrednovanjem, kao sastavnim dijelom ucenja i razvoja osobe i okruzja/ustanove isto tako razvijamo intrapersonalne i interpersonalne sposobnosti, koje su opet sastavni dijelovi kvalitete ucenja i zivljenja. To je posebno prisutno u odgojno obrazovnim ustanovama, posebice djecjim vrticima, gdje se sveukupne relacije i okruzje prvenstveno sagledavaju kao okruzje kvalitetnog zivljenja djece i odraslih. Kljucne rijeci: ucenje, samovrednovanje, motivacija, osobni razvoj, kreiranje okruzja Abstract. The development of every, and thus also an educational surrounding, means permanent learning and change in all the participating parties, which creates an organisation that is in the constant process of learning, changing, creating. Qualitative differences in this process are connected with motivational determiners. It is well known that learning is the most efficient and that real changes are possible if they have resulted from the person’s intrinsic need for self-actualisation and taking of a pro-active and creative role in the shaping of reality. Such learning not only strenghtens us professionally, but also expands our capacity to create our own lives in a professional setting and other settings. Evaluation and self-evaluation/ reflection, as components of learning and personal growth, as well as of context / institution development positively affect intrapersonal and interpersonal abilities, which are integral parts of quality learning and living. This is particularly present in educational institutions, especially kindergartens, where overall personal relations and surroundings are primarily viewed as a habitat for the quality life of children and adults. Key words: learning, self-evaluation/reflection, motivation, personal growth, creation of context B. Pintaric, CJELOZIVOTNO UCENJE – KREIRANJE OSOBNOSTI 220  «Majka priroda je bezgranican proces postanka i bitka. Duh koji bi joj se potpuno otvorio, bez emocionalnih rezervi i samorefleksije, izgubio bi se u sirovom materijalizmu njenog beskrajnog i neumoljivog izobilja te bezuvjetno potonuo.  » Camille Paglia Obrazovne organizacije po svojoj su prirodi mjesta zivota, dinamike, stalne mijene, razvoja, ucenja. Vrtic cesto imenujemo zajednicom koja uci, mjestom  «refleksivnog dijaloga djece i odraslih s procesom njihova zajednickog, kontinuiranog ucenja, pri cemu oni jednako vrijedno doprinose zajednickom ucenju, za njega dijele odgovornost i nad njima imaju zajednicko autorstvo » (Slunjski, 2006, str. 35). To podrazumijeva stalno istrazivanje, propitivanje, reflektiranje i samoreflektiranje, vrednovanje i samovrednovanje, slozene i zahtijevne interakcije na intrapersonalnoj i interpersonalnoj razini svih u ustanovi. Za te procese potreban je stalan, snazan angazman i motiviranost djelatnika,  odrzivost uvelike ovisi od kulture zajednice, ustanove. To bi trebala biti  «mjesta gdje ljudi bez straha stvaraju svoje vizije, gdje su istrazivanje i posvecenost istini norma, gdje se podrazumijeva suprotstavljanje stanju status quo », (Senge 2003, str. 172-173). U takvom se okruzju  «pojacava osjecaj da se osobno usavrsavanje i razvoj doista vrednuje, cijeni » (isto, str. 173). Stalan razvoj omogucuju zajednice koje su ‘brizne obitelji’ koje puno ocekuju od svojih clanova , a pritom pruzaju uzajamnu podrsku.  »(Stoll i Fink, 2000, str.256) Osobno iskustvo je, prema velikom dijelu autora, sredisnja os mijenjanja i razvoja zajednica. Miljak (2007, str. 212) u tom smislu navodi:  »Osobno iskustvo i to ono svakodnevno u praksi uz pomoc zajednice iskusnih prakticara moze dovesti ne samo do mijenjanja odgojne prakse nego i do promjene stavova, uvjerenja i nacina razmisljanja ucitelja, odgajatelja.  »  «Kako se mijenja iskustvo, mogu se mijenjati duboka uvjerenja i pretpostavke, a kad se to dogodi, promijeni se i kultura.  »(Senge, 2002, str. 14) Autenticne, snazne poticatelje, partnere i ucitelje ucenja u kontekstu vrtica imamo u dj.

The Importance Of Classroom Technology

The Importance Of Classroom Technology The literature review will discuss the importance of technology use in classroom and its effect on the learning and teaching process. The Influence of technology has its outcome on the development of second language acquisition. Therefore, student responsiveness of learning a second language is clear in a thrived technological classroom. There is different articles such as (ARSLAN, 2008, Bridget Dalton, 2011, Iacob, 2009, Ilknur ISTIFIC, 2011, Iran Dolati, 2012, Sasiwan Potcharapanpong, 2010) would analyzes the correlation between technology environment and language learning and the teacher role in enhancing technology skills. The report will shed light on the transition point of learning English as second language for elementary students with the integration of technology tools and the different use of it to improve the teaching and learning methods. The Influence of adapting technology has on the development of second language acquisition, especially in an Arabic environment. The n ext five literature reviews will support the importance of integrating technology in teaching. Literature Review The first article which is a study of The Effectiveness of Computer Assisted Classes for English as a Second Language (Iacob, 2009), has been emphasizing the necessity of learning English assisted by technology. The article focused on the use of CALL which emphasizes on the use of technology in teaching English in elementary schools also, the methodology of the study that covered two groups of eight years children. The first group was assigned to use computer in classroom and at their home for about two times a week, while the other one has been taught with the assisted computer at classroom without using it at home. The final result of the study shows the impact of teaching and learning English with using computers, which shows an impressive recognition in learning English in their answer responses. Next paper underlined the different use of technology, like The eVoc Strategies: 10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary (Bridget Dalton, 2011) had shed light on the importance of integrating technology in teaching English vocabulary to improve the students storage of vocabulary. The use of technology tools would grasp the student interest to learn. The purpose of this article is to discuss the ten eVoc strategies that would improve vocabulary learning. The article integrated learning with technology in real life experience through active learning strategies would suggest. The paper is goes through the advantage word reference with visual dictionary which helps students to comprehend what they have learned. Then, the article of An Effective Role of E-Learning Technology for English Language Teaching By Using Meta Communication Actors (Ilknur ISTIFIC, 2011), has highlighted the role of technological program and communication in our life. Teacher has to modify their own technological methodology, especially in teaching a second language. Computer used as a transmission for knowledge into students minds. In furthermore, technology has been used as a tool to develop the cognitive side of the students minds. The article clarified that teacher and students can build a virtual learning environment by using web tools to communicate and think critically. It conclude that web technology enhance learning English as a second language and most of curriculum writers revise their curriculum according to the latest technology development. The discussion in the article of The Perception of English Language Teachers in the Use of Visual Learning Aids (Iran Dolati, 2012), has been focusing on the importance of visual learning aids are becoming more widely used in education and its role in language classroom. The study was happening in Malaysia, in which a second language learner environment and it focused on the use of visual aids technology to learn a second language. The research project shows that teacher who would use visual aids would provide a better learning environment. In addition, it shows the influence of use of visual aids to improve learning and motivate the students. It has been discussed in the Implementing a Holistic Teaching in Modern ELT Classes: Using Technology and Integrating Four Skills (ARSLAN, 2008) the importance of integrating technology to improve student skills. It highlighted the effect of computer assisted classroom to sharpen students learning skills. The research discusses the cognitive approach of teaching English with the use of technology in classroom to address different kinds of intelligences. It also pointed that a holistic teaching intertwined with technology environment in which students control over their learning. The paper discussed the effect of CALL in teaching English for second language learners and shed light on the different researches of using computer in classrooms. Conclusion The result of the different paper confirmed the intertwined relation between technology and teaching second language learners. Computer plays a significant role in teaching a second language in which creates a virtual learning environment that helps them to think critically and solve problem. At the conclusion, we reached to a realization that computer isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t used only in computer labs; it is rather used in a daily pace classroom use. Behaviorists believe that online learning cannot provide the same positive learning results as face-to-face learning. Constructivists use discovery learning and critical learning activities which is done synchronously.

Halfway Houses/Hawthorn Heights Essays -- Criminal Justice

As the need for increasingly punitive community-based sanctions grew, the demand for a greater variety of programs and services became apparent, as did the importance of a more seamless transition from total incapacitation to total freedom of prisoners re-entering society. A variety of community corrections methods have developed over the years, one being the institution of halfway houses. To adequately understand residential community corrections, one must consider the origins, components, and effectiveness of halfway houses. Initially halfway houses in the United States were operated by nonprofit organizations as a means for recently released prisoners to find their footing upon re-entry. Between 1816 and 1930, the function of the halfway house was to provide interim food and shelter while the offender looked for work and became financially stable enough to support themself. Participation was strictly voluntary as state support was lacking, primarily due to the fact that it was and is strongly believed ex-offenders should minimize their contact with one another. (Alarid and Del Carmen 182) A transition to treatment and correctional supervision via halfway house in the 1950’s garnered great support as concern regarding parole revocation and crime increased. In a matter of years halfway houses began to receive government assistance and financial support. Funding sources were dramatically increased through the 1968 Safe Streets Act and a focus on community corrections was prevalent. By the time funding began to decrease in the 1980’s, halfway houses had found their place in corrections as an alternative to incarceration and a safe place for offenders to transition out of prison, reducing potential problems due to overcrowding. (A... ...do V. Del Carmen.Community-Based Corrections. Eigth. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2011. 179-206. Print. Klein-Saffran, Jody. "Electronic Monitoring vs. Halfway Houses: A Study of Federal Offenders."Alternatives to Incarceration. Fall 1995: 24-28. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. . Lagos, David. NC Courts. NC Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission . Compendium of Community Corrections Programs in North Carolina . Raleigh: , 2010. Web. . Shilton, Mary K. U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Assistance. Increasing Public Safety Through Halfway Houses. 2003. Web. content/3-halfway-houses-pub-safety.pdf>. Halfway Houses/Hawthorn Heights Essays -- Criminal Justice As the need for increasingly punitive community-based sanctions grew, the demand for a greater variety of programs and services became apparent, as did the importance of a more seamless transition from total incapacitation to total freedom of prisoners re-entering society. A variety of community corrections methods have developed over the years, one being the institution of halfway houses. To adequately understand residential community corrections, one must consider the origins, components, and effectiveness of halfway houses. Initially halfway houses in the United States were operated by nonprofit organizations as a means for recently released prisoners to find their footing upon re-entry. Between 1816 and 1930, the function of the halfway house was to provide interim food and shelter while the offender looked for work and became financially stable enough to support themself. Participation was strictly voluntary as state support was lacking, primarily due to the fact that it was and is strongly believed ex-offenders should minimize their contact with one another. (Alarid and Del Carmen 182) A transition to treatment and correctional supervision via halfway house in the 1950’s garnered great support as concern regarding parole revocation and crime increased. In a matter of years halfway houses began to receive government assistance and financial support. Funding sources were dramatically increased through the 1968 Safe Streets Act and a focus on community corrections was prevalent. By the time funding began to decrease in the 1980’s, halfway houses had found their place in corrections as an alternative to incarceration and a safe place for offenders to transition out of prison, reducing potential problems due to overcrowding. (A... ...do V. Del Carmen.Community-Based Corrections. Eigth. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2011. 179-206. Print. Klein-Saffran, Jody. "Electronic Monitoring vs. Halfway Houses: A Study of Federal Offenders."Alternatives to Incarceration. Fall 1995: 24-28. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. . Lagos, David. NC Courts. NC Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission . Compendium of Community Corrections Programs in North Carolina . Raleigh: , 2010. Web. . Shilton, Mary K. U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Assistance. Increasing Public Safety Through Halfway Houses. 2003. Web. content/3-halfway-houses-pub-safety.pdf>.

English Immersion Programs: Who is Targeted? Essay -- Essays Papers

English Immersion Programs: Who is Targeted? The topic of immigrant students entering not only our country but our public school systems, is slowly becoming a bigger and bigger controversy within the United States. Students are coming in from all over the world and entering our English-speaking school system without a word of English in their vocabulary. When they are thrown into the melting pot of today’s pubic schools, their presence affects so many more people than one would think. My belief that English immersion should replace bilingual programs can be correlated with three main groups all taking opposing stances on my argument. The three primarily affected groups are the immigrant students themselves, today’s workforce, and the bilingual education teachers. These three groups, all things considered, all take different approaches to the abolishment of bilingualism. Students would most likely agree with English immersion so that they can adapt better and sooner, while teachers would most likely disagree because their entire curriculum and teaching style would be subject to drastic changes. While these two groups are extreme opposites, today’s workforce serves to go either way. The three groups: students, the workforce and bilingual education teachers, serve as representatives for the many sides of the controversial changing of bilingual education in today’s high schools. Students are without a doubt, the most affected group within the bilingual education controversy. They are the children who are entering a new environment at one of the most crucial time in their lives. They need to learn the academics to help them succeed in the future, but how can they learn anything if they don’t even speak English? Fo... ...English immersion programs. There are perhaps thousands of groups that are and will be affected by bilingual education now and in the future. However, three main groups are affected more directly than most. Their correlation with the bilingual education controversy makes their standpoint on English immersion very biased. Students, today’s workforce, and bilingual teachers take very different sides when the education debate is considered. These three groups represent different sides of the growing controversy over the replacement of bilingual education with English immersion education in the United States. Works Cited: Valdà ©s, Guadalupe. Learning and Not Learning English. New York: Teachers College Press, 2001. Valdez, Elsa O. â€Å"Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Bilingual Teachers and Post-Proposition 227.† The Urban Review 33 (2001): 237-53.

Herb Brooks: Charismatic Motivation in Coaching Essay -- essays resear

Herb Brooks: Charismatic Motivation in Coaching In the following essay, I will argue that Herbert â€Å"Herb† Brooks was a charismatic leader due to his powerful motivation and his high expectations. He expected great things from the players he coached, but mostly, he expected them to think of the team and not themselves. He motivated with a powerful punch, mostly through fear, but was able to unite his teams and eventually the country. Herb Brooks was born on August 5, 1937 in St. Paul Minnesota (Herb Brooks). Growing up in Minnesota, he became attached to the sport of ice hockey. He spent years practicing and playing this sport, and in 1955, he led his high school team to the state championship. After three years of college at the University of Minnesota, he joined the 1960 Olympic hockey team, but was cut from the team just before the Olympic games. He played for the United States in the next two Olympic games, and in 1970 he picked up his coaching career at the University of Minnesota. In his six year’s of coaching at the university, he led the team to three national championships (Herb Brooks). In 1980, his United States Olympic hockey team, consisting of all college students, achieved one of the greatest spectacles in sports history: â€Å"The miracle on ice.† His team beat the Soviets in a white-knuckle, heart pounding game with a score of four to three. The Soviet’s were a well trai ned, terrifying team that were considered to be the greatest hockey team that has ever taken the ice. After leading his team to this miraculous victory, he continued his coaching career up until his tragic death in 2003. His high expectations for his team and his fearful, powerful motivational techniques led him down a path of greatness that helped him become an inspiration to all. Brooks' 1980 Olympic hockey team consisted of college students whose average age was 22 years, and was full of rivalry because of players being from different universities. This young team was being matched against some opponents who had played and practiced together year-round, for several years. The Soviets had beaten a team of National Hockey League all-stars the year before, and they triumphed over this young U.S. team at an exhibition game in New York a week before the Olympiad (Herb Brooks). Herb did not ... ...out the best in every player that played for him. Although he seemed harsh at first, the team members bought into his methods of motivation, and became united as a team. Herb communicated to them his goals and aspirations, and the team was able to set its sights on the future. He had many dreams, and once said, according to the ESPN website, "You know, Willie Wonka said it best: We are the makers of dreams, the dreamers of dreams. We should be dreaming. We grew up as kids having dreams, but now we're too sophisticated as adults, as a nation. We stopped dreaming. We should always have dreams. I’m a dreamer.† His dreams bringing out the best in every player became reality, and it not only united his team, but it united the country. Herb Brooks was a great inspiration to his many team members throughout the years, and now he is remembered as a powerful motivator and an inspiration to the nation as a strong charismatic leader. Works Cited Herb Brooks. Retrieved April 14, 2005 from the world wide web: http://galenet.galegroup.com. Coach Known Best for 1980 Hockey Gold. (2003, August). The Associated Press. Retrieved April 14, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.espn.com.

Dream Analysis Essay

Dreams are often derived from the inner thresholds of an individual’s thoughts and repressed emotions. My dreams have been significantly complex, converging into metamorphic symbols that relate to significant past and present events. After a week of dream analysis, I believe dreams have an effect on both my conscious and unconscious thoughts. Analyzing these dreams has begun to reveal the inner meanings behind my thoughts, and lead to prosperous revelations. To correlate the meaning and reasoning of the concept of dreams, I have analyzed my most significant dream from the points of view of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and the activation synthesis methods. Upon the conclusion of my research, the theories of both Freud and Jung contain the most valid perspective as to the true meaning of my dream. Sigmund Freud was a brilliant Psychoanalyst, who opened new doors pertaining to how mental illnesses were treated. In the novel The World of Ideas by Lee Jacobus, he explains that Freud, in the minds of many, is recognized as the founder of modern Psychiatry (Jacobus 475). Freud developed the psychoanalytic method: which is the examination of the mind using dream analysis, Lee further explains that â€Å"the analysis of the unconscious through free association, and the correlation of findings with attitudes toward sexuality and sexual development† (Jacobus 75). Meaning, dreams can reveal more than what typically meets the eye. Jacobus explains that In Freud’s â€Å"The Interpretation of Dreams† he states, â€Å"the unconscious works in complex ways to help us cope with feelings and desires that our superego deems unacceptable† (Jacobs 475). Sigmund explains his methods by comparing it to two great plays that he felt expressed individuals having repressed emotions. Freud states â€Å"one merely carries on during the night and in dreams with what one has been turning over in ones mind during the day† (Freud 483). Meaning, if one has guilt or an undeniable pleasure that one can’t express, dreams will covey the ones incapable emotions. Jacobus further explains that Freud is conveying, â€Å"that dreams are wish-fulfillments† (Jacobus 477). For example in Freud’s prospective; he suggests that if one is to worry about a parent, it might really convey the unconscious wish that the parent should die. Freud’s main method in interpreting dreams was mainly focused on repressed emotions and the undeniable feelings towards sexuality and sexual feelings. Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud are very similar to the reference of batman and robin. Freud is being the character of batman, and Robin being Jung. Carl worked along side with Freud collaborating the mind through the interpretation of dreams. Just like any duo, Jung wanted to explore beyond what his leader justified as acceptable. Jung decided the unconscious content of one’s mind is based on just a theory, insisting that images in dreams are not only related to personal experiences, but are also inherited, exploring the unconscious component of the mind. It doesn’t only persist to just the personal unconscious, but also pertaining to the collective unconscious. In Jung’s The Personal and the Collective Unconscious, Carl interprets and re examines Freud’s speculations of the unconscious and explores different theories that explain the analysis of the mind. Jung agrees with many of Freud’s theories, but he branches out from his theories creating a diverse intellectual reasoning in which he connects it to different archetypes, further explaining dreams in terms of a â€Å"collective and personal unconscious†. Jung believed that archetypes described people’s behaviors and personalities. According to the Webster Dictionary Archetypes are visual symbols that exist in our mind, â€Å"some are clearly understood but others bring subliminal messages that are there to help you trigger your memory of why you are here and the truth behind the illusions of reality†. Jacobus further elaborates that Jung connects the archetypes to the analysis that explains the dream in terms of collective unconsciousness, which is shared by groups of people rather than created by the individual alone (Jacobus pg 489). Though Jung’s theories we deemed unacceptable in Freud’s eyes, his theories investigating the inner unconscious and conscious thoughts pertaining to inherited thoughts and symbolic archetypes, which revealed new ways of unraveling the inner workings of the complexity of the mind. My hands were shaking, lips quivering and my heart exploding. Everything seemed calm but my feelings enticed that something is terribly wrong. When the panic took hold, my heart rate picked up it’s pace. I could see my heart beating out of my chest so I wanted to believe that my eyes were deceiving me. Running on instinct I had no idea where I was going. All of a sudden right before my eyes a huge swirling hole of vast darkness appears. My body feels as if it is going limp, my breath is taking right out of my lungs, then suddenly I hear a scream. It was a horrifying scream, to make matters worse I see someone in the black hole. Nothing can me made out clearly, everything is so blurry. As my emotions run wild through my body, there is a known connection. It’s as if I can feel their pain and am thriving off of their emotions. I think to myself that I must save this person. I run to the black hole, but there is an invisible force that is preventing me from reaching them. The entirety of my soul goes numb as I coldly fall to the earth. Desperately gasping for air and an answer this person begins to disappear. I can feel everything that they are feeling. The feeling of being lost, the confusion of being hopeless and the madness that comes with anger. No matter how much effort was given, no matter how much I cared. There was nothing that could have been done. As my eyes opened, it was all a dream. Freud believed according to Jacobus that â€Å" The repression of important emotions, a constant process, often results in dreams that express repressed feelings in harmless and sometimes symbolic ways† (Jacobus 477). In Freud’s opinion he would probably insist that the person falling into the hole that I was desperately trying to help, is a symbolic emotion of having repressed guilty feelings. Insisting that I have a guilty conscious about something I have done or something or someone I have lost. Freud would also suggest that I have repressed sexual feelings for someone very close to me; even interpreting that the black hole is a symbol for guilty conscious or symbolizing my feelings of hopelessness, that I will never be able to have an intimate personal relationship with that mystery person. Lastly I feel that Freud could also interpret this dream as fulfilling a wish. Freud states â€Å"This worry can only make its way into the dream by availing itself of the corresponding wish; while the wish can disguise itself behind the worry that has become active during the day† (Freud 483). Meaning, maybe I wish that I could save that invisible person, or maybe I have repressed feelings because I never got to be openly honest with how I feel or how I want to feel with this individual. This dream correlates to many aspects that both Jung and Freud express in their studies. In Jung’s analysts he considers not only personal experiences as a factor to analyzing dreams, but information that we unconsciously know. In the hand out Traditional Archetypes it states â€Å"Carl Jung introduced a theory that humans have a collective unconscious, which means that there is a store of information that we as humans somehow hold. This collection of information includes archetypes or symbolic figures†. Interpreting my dream from Jung’s point of view, he would insist that this dream is unraveling a message, a bigger broader picture then someone just falling into a black hole. I feel that Jung would speculate that the person in the black hole could relate to the archetype of â€Å"The fatal women or temptress†. Prevailing, that this person in the black hole is holding me back, that this mystery person does not want to be saved, causing me to look like the weaker individual. Intentionally causing me pain and a guilty conscious. There are many archetypes that could be identified as the main character, the dreamer if you will. Jung could also interpret that I was the archetype of â€Å"the child† or â€Å"the victim† due to the feelings of helplessness and feelings of an emotional tragedy. The activation- synthesis methods would describe in my opinion the dreams of a younger child, or a person who may not be well connected with their dreams. In these methods, neutral brain activity triggers random visual memories that may or may not have relevance to one’s current situations. We can however get information about the dreamer from these methods due to the types of memories that are recalled. The reason I do not believe these methods are relevant to my dream is because this dream was very passionate. Although other dreams that I recorded did seem relevant to this theory, I believe that I chose this dream because it actually had some correlation to what is going on in my life. If I decided to analyze a more random simple dream that I had last week it could have been defined through the activation-synthesis method. The thread of dreams can be not only unraveled, but the thoughts and repressed emotions can be in disarray and difficult to properly express. Interpreting my dreams from the points of view of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and the activation- synthesis methods not only helped me reveal the inner emotions that have been hidden behind the wall of sorrow. It has given a sort of gratitude that made me look at dreams in a whole new optimistic attitude. I have concluded that Freud and Jung’s theories have given a relevant perception as to what my dream mean, and what it revealed about my inner feelings.