Cloud Computing Service Models Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cloud Computing Service Models - Assignment Example Likewise, the services provided over the Internet are referred as (Software as a Service) ‘SaaS’. There are few sellers who use the term (Infrastructure as a service) ‘IaaS’ and (Platform as a service) ‘PaaS’ in order to demonstrate their products and services. However, these terms are avoided and not accepted globally, due to variation. The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have illustrated some helpful definitions that focus on three concepts (Reese 2009): Cloud infrastructure as a service ‘IaaS’ consists of provisioning elementary computing resources. Cloud software as a service ‘SaaS’ access software application that operates on a cloud infrastructure. Cloud platform as a service (PaaS) provides the accessibility to users for implementing and developing applications with programming language and tools supported by the providers. The core components of a cloud consist of the data center hardware and software. When these resources are publicly available, they are referred as public clouds and the service provided by the cloud is called as utility computing. Moreover, private clouds are only available to private organizations and are not accessible by the public. Accordingly, cloud computing is the combination of ‘SaaS’ and utility computing (ARMBRUST, FOX et al. 2010). There are three service models for cloud computing i.e. infrastructure as a service, platform as a service and software as a service (Wilshusen 2011). Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is comprised of three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure. Organizations only provide software and platform and infrastructure is provided by a third party cloud computing vendor. The second service models i.e. platform as a service (PaaS) also comprises of three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure. Organizations only provide a software or application that will be executed on the third party or the vendor’s platform and infrastructure. The third service model also includes the similar three components as mentioned before and called as software as a service (SaaS). Organizations only utilize the services provided by the vendors in terms of applications that can be accessed by the Internet. All the three components i.e. software, platform and infrastructure are the property of the vendor (Wilshusen 2011). In figure 1.1, cloud deployment models are demonstrated Figure 1.1 (Retreived from :Wilshusen, G. C. (2011). INFORMATION SECURITY: Additional guidance needed to address cloud computing concerns. GAO Reports, , 1.) Cloud computing four service models are shown in Fig 1.2 Figure 1.2 (Retreived from :Wilshusen, G. C. (2011). INFORMATION SECURITY: Additional guidance needed to address cloud computing concerns. GAO Reports, , 1.) ‘Business Cloud’ must choose the relevant client model, as it will be proportional to t he business or customer requirements and may differ from organization to organization and business types. The first service model is called as the ‘Private Cloud’. A private cloud is solely a property of the organization i.e. software, platform and infrastructure is the property of the organization (Wilshusen 2011). The second service model is called as the community cloud that is accessible to several organizations that may be

Advantages and Disadvantages of On-The-Job Training and Development Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of On-The-Job Training and Development Compared With Off-Job Training and Development - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that training of the employees is an essential part of human resource management. When an employee joins an organization, he can be considered as a raw material. Training converts him from a raw material to finished good. In other words, training is necessary to fine tune the capabilities of the employee so that the organization may benefit from that. â€Å"Training and education are not only seen as the way of helping an individual to become more adaptive in their work, but also of providing more knowledge and skills†. In an ever-changing business world, training is necessary to update and knowledge and skills of the employee. Even if an employee may have previous experiences, it is difficult for him to excel in a new company without proper training. â€Å"Training is a learning process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, sharpening of skills, concepts, rules, or changing of attitudes and behaviors to enhance the performance of employees†. Torrington has pointed out that â€Å"Training and development has a role to play as do reward systems to maximize effort†. Training is broadly classified into two; one the job training and off the job training. On the job training, is training provided during the regular performance of duties whereas off the job training provided away from the employee’s usual work environment and the employee will stop their usual duties/work during the training period†. On the job training may give more emphasis to the practical aspects whereas off the job training may give more emphasis to the theoretical aspects. An employee should have knowledge about both theoretical and practical aspects of his profession and therefore both on the job and off the job training are necessary to empower the employee so that he could meet any challenges in his profession. Both on the job and off the job training have some advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, there are certain cases in which on the job training would be better than off the job training and vice versa. Judicious use of on the job and off the job training may improve the productivity and efficiency of the employees and the organization.

The American West and Its Disappearing Water Essay Example for Free

The American West and Its Disappearing Water Essay The author outlined the geography of the semi-arid region of the West. According to him, although the West have rivers and large basins of water, the erratic nature of the landscape as well as the orientation of water flows cannot sustain large numbers of people. The convex nature of the river system allows only a minute flow of water into potential settlements and farms. People living in California, Arizona, and Idaho faced perennial shortages of water. These perennial shortages are due perhaps to the relative orientation of the settlements along river banks. Usually, the flow of water was downward, rather than upwards. The implication: there is relatively shortage of water to sustain irrigation-based agriculture. One can easily see the geographical distribution of people in the West prior to the 1900s. Most people preferred settling in either north of Arizona or West of California. In less than a century though, people began to transform the landscape of the West. Dams were built to provide irrigation and potable water to households and farms. The landscape of the West became a semitropical region (this is though misleading – only a significant area of the West was turned into ‘almost’ semitropical areas). As a result, settlements flourished. The area allocated to farming increased significantly. In essence, the attempt of the people to end the scarcity of water in the West became an attempt to change the orientation of the environment. The collective action of the people was not without political or economic support. Various legislations were enacted to increase water shortage funding. The state governments, with the support of some private individuals, allocated higher budget for constructing dams and modern irrigation facilities. All these efforts were made to neutralize the relative scarcity of water in the region. Environmental History of the West The first chapters of the book deals with the environmental history of the West From the 16th to the 17th century, the Spaniards attempted to colonize regions above California. Most of the expeditions sent by the Viceroy of Mexico failed because of scarcity of water in the region. The attempts of Spanish soldiers to divert water from rivers were futile. The same case can be said when the Americans arrived. The retreating of the desert forced many inhabitants to increase the supply of water from the rivers to households and farms. The relative demand of water by the settlers provoked what Reisner called ‘little imperialism. ’ The officials of the developing urban center (with the support of the population) manipulated the ‘common folks’ of the countryside to secure an efficient supply of water from the Owens Valley. In a sense, Los Angeles stole the Owens River for its own development. This generally led to the decline of the Owens Valley. The continuous use of the river caused perennial inflows which generally reduced the amount of water entering Los Angeles. The stealing of the Owens River was not without political support. The state government promoted homesteading to ensure maximum usage of the river. It sold public lands for settlement and irrigation-based agriculture. When the supply of water from the river withered, the state government ordered a general reversal of its reclamation policy. When the government saw the disastrous effects of its reversal, it implemented a new reclamation scheme. This time, only rich individuals were able to avail of the project. Newcomers and even those living near the Owens River were not able to avail of the project. In short, only some individuals were able to benefit from the project. Dependence on Dams and Aqueducts Most cities and urban centers depended much on dams and aqueducts. Dams provided electricity to the growing industrial and manufacturing sectors of the West. Although aqueducts were few, those constructed were efficiently used. After the Great Depression, the federal government launched several water-based projects. In the West, about 250 000 dams were constructed, of which several thousands were of obvious economic importance. The Role of the Federal Government The role of the federal government was evident. The federal government distributed large mount of capital to local, municipal, and even state governments for dam buildings and other related constructions. The political machinery of the federal government was intended to shove the disastrous effects of water shortage in developing urban centers, at the cost of the environment. A new class of people, the irrigation and dam engineers, gained enormous technical power. Most of their advices were followed by both the federal and state governments to the letter. The emphasis, of course, of these technical advices was on the economic importance of the building projects. There was little regard for the welfare of the environment. History of the Colorado River Basin Then came the history of the Colorado River Basin. It deals primarily with one fateful man-made structure, the Colorado River Basin. For many environmentalists, the project was powerful ‘sin against nature. ’ For the economic liberals in both government and the chambers of commerce, the project was an approximation of the ideal. The real effect though of the project could be best understood on the individual level. Because of the Colorado River Basin, agriculture in the West was heavily subsidized by the government. This created a general distortion in the prices of agricultural goods. Prices of agricultural goods in the West were substantially lower than the prices of the same commodities produced in the East. The general subsidy program of the government only hastened the urbanization of the West, which eventually resulted to further degradation of the river system. The New Deal: A New Chapter on Environmental Degradation Most of the policies implemented in the West focused on water-based projects. The projects implemented during FDR presidency in the West were politically motivated. The water-based projects were implemented to increase the mineral supply of the United States. This mineral supply was vital to the growing manufacturing industry in urban centers. With the outbreak of the Second World War, these projects doubled the supply of aluminum available to the armaments industry. Dams provided the necessary hydroelectric power to run the armaments industry. The damage to the environment was unprecented. To increase the supply of aluminum, mountains had to be ripped off. To power the armaments industry, additional dams would have to be built or those already existing over capacitated. Here again the theme of environmental exploitation is presented, although in a different condition. The demands of the war dominated the demands for a more responsible management of the environment. The Army Corps of Engineers vs. the Bureau of Reclamation After the war, the Army Corps of Engineers was tasked to build water projects around several rivers. The relative obsession of the Engineer Corps on efficiency shortened the life spans of river and outlet flows. Although the short term value of those projects could not be denied, its long term effects were generally disastrous. The author argued that only after 10 years (since the construction of those projects), their marginal value declined sharply. The Army Corps of Engineers clashed with the Bureau of Reclamation over the implementation of the Reclamation Act of 1902. This act gave the federal government the funding for constructing irrigation projects in semi-arid regions. The Corps of Engineers insisted that it was part of their duty to implement the said act. The Bureau of Reclamation reacted quickly, passing an implementing order to all its sub-agencies in California and Arizona. Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are generally an outline of the major steps undertaken by various presidents and NGOs to prevent further environmental degradation of the Arizona river system. Here, the author outlined the positive effects of restoring the environmental value of the river systems without due reference to its economic implications. According to the author, only political motivation can only save the remnants of the river system. This political motivation though is hard to achieve as the economic importance of the river system continue to dominate the minds of politicians. Environmentalist Tone of the Book The tone of the author’s environmentalist leaning can be found in the first pages of the book. It reads: a lot of emptiness amid a civilization whose success was achieved on the pretension that natural obstacles do not exist Thanks to irrigation, thanks to the Bureau [of Reclamation] states such as California, Arizona, and Idaho became populous and wealthy; millions settled in regions where nature, left alone, would have countenanced thousands at best what has it all amounted to? not all that much. Most of the West is still untrammeled, unirrigated, depopulate in the extreme Opposition against building of water-based projects increased considerably during the Nixon and Carter administration. Carter supported the move because it was part of his government platform. In any case, the building of water-based projects in the West fell by about 85%. Major Arguments in the Book Here are some of the major arguments of the author in the book: 1) The intrinsic value of the environment is more important than its perceived economic value. The economic value of an important resource would tend to decrease as more and more of its utility is consumed; 2) Environmental degradation is correlated with the level of economic usage of a particular environmental resource. Relying from historical sources, the author argued that economic usage of a particular resource is inversely related to sustainability. An optimum level of usage can only be achieved if an optimum level of degradation is achieved; 3) And, political motivation is both a key in environment degradation and environment protection. This proposition is evident in the book. The degradation of the Owens River and the Colorado Water Basin was politically motivated. Equally speaking, the solutions proposed by the Carter administration to relieve environmental protection were effective, and thus, are under the nexus of political motivation. Analysis Analysis Many of the author’s arguments are generally full of unnecessary fallacies. At some point, he argued that the ultimate cause of environmental degradation was faulty political policies. At some other point, he argued that the massive ‘excessiveness’ of the urban centers was the sole cause of increased environmental degradation of the river system. The contradictory nature of these two statements is obvious and unrelenting. It can also be said that most of the author’s arguments lack verifiable evidences. Historical evidences cannot be translated into verifiable evidences because of the static nature of the former. Multiple references to sources are a necessity in verifying historical claims. Conclusion Much of the author’s arguments need more authentic verification. The historical proofs provided by the author were either devoid of associated empirical facts or simply lacking in credibility. For example, the term ‘political motivation’ has multiple meanings in the book, but the author failed to clarify it. Reference Reisner, Marc. 1993. Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water. New York: Penguin Books.

Social Structure of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Social Structure of Pompeii and Herculaneum Many written and archaeological sources have revealed different information about the social structure in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii and Herculaneum housed over 10 000 to 20 000 people, all separating into three main social classes; Freeborn, Freedmen and Slaves. All people were either permanently born into a specific group or rarely had the ability to change their status.  [1]  Pompeii and Herculaneum consisted of a range of mixed social groups which included rich land-owners, merchants, artisans and slaves. Both towns were lead by men following the patriarchal system. All elite people were determined by their previous families.  [2]  Men and women were treated differently, as the women had less responsibility to the community then the men had.  [3]   On the top of the social structure in Pompeii and Herculaneum was Freeborn. Freeborn men and women were classified as the high-class residents of Pompeii and Herculaneum, both politically and socially.  [4]  Freeborn people lived on altering their lives to satisfy and impress the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  [5]  It was important to publicly show that they were elite and important and in doing so freeborn men and women dressed with discrete details (toga for men and stola for women, (Refer to Appendix 9 and 10) that made them stand out amongst the rest of the public.  [6]  All freeborn people in Pompeii and Herculaneum came from either their ancestors or by property.  [7]  They included wealthy landowners and businessmen. Freeborn men had many advantages and satisfactions in being so highly ranked. Men had full legal rights and could become candidates for political office. They could become part of the council and dominate the community finances, spaces and rel igion. Freeborn men were very influential people who had statues devoted to them and had honorary tombs made for them. Freeborn men had reserved seating in the amphitheatre.  [8]   An archaeological fresco has shown a wealthy freeborn man and women in a banquet scene which indicates the social standing, where servants and slaves are typically displayed as smaller and lower people in the picture.  [9]  ( Refer to Appendix 5) Women in Pompeii and Herculaneum were expected to run the household, take care of children and manage the finances.  [10]  High-class women unlike men could not be in the political office. They were under the legal administration of their fathers and husbands which meant that they would belong with whichever social class their husband or father were in  [11]  . Freeborn women could own their own property, have an education and become businesswomen and priestesses. An example of a woman was Eumachia who was both business woman and a city priestess.  [12]  (Refer to Appendix 1).Another example is Julia Felix who was a very wealthy women who owned an entire block of land in Pompeii.  [13]  (Refer to Appendix 4). Like freeborn men, women received statues and tombs in their honour. Women also helped with the construction of buildings and tombs.  [14]  Women in Pompeii and Herculaneum were not classified as citizens, education was a symbol of respect but motherhood was the most valued occupation.  [15]  They could not control the political office as they required particular characteristics such as power and rights which they lacked.  [16]  Unlike many other Roman women Pompeian women had more freedom and could participate in the public, religious and business life.  [17]  Several wall paintings, inscriptions and frescoes have displayed Pompeian and Herculaneum women actively engaged in public activities and walking around the city freely.  [18]  (Refer to Appendix 6 and 7). Eumachia was a very influential women in Pompeii and Herculaneum. She owned a large building in the Forum of Pompeii which was the Fullers (Refer to Appendix 3). An inscription signifies that she built it with her own money, in honour of Augustan concord. Eumachia was the patron of the Fullers who worked in the building. The Fullers made a statue in her honour.  [19]   Freed people were known as liberti who were formerly known slaves. In order to become a Freedmen one must buy their freedom or be granted it by their owner.  [20]  Freed men were men and women who were freed from slavery and no longer had to serve anyone.  [21]  The process and ceremony of being set free was called Manumission and in this process the former slave was beaten for the last time to remind them that they were still in debt to their master.  [22]  Freed mens names gave evidence to the status they belonged to.  [23]   The freed people had numerous restrictions on their rights as they owed duties and responsibilities to their previous owners. This is where the patronage system comes into action where the former slave has become the client for their master. Freedmen had low social status and were poor, but it was possible for them to succeed in trade and become wealthy.  [24]  Many freedmen became wealthy and influential; an example is the Vetii Brothers, 1895.  [25]  The Vetii Brothers Aulus Vettius Restitutus and Aulus Vettius Conviva were former slaves who had been freed and became wealthy tradesmen. The House of the Vetii was owned by the Vettii brothers and one of the most well known and admired houses, it displayed a range of different frescoes which indicated their wealth through trade. Evidence has proven that they were wine merchants and became very well known and influential people in Pompeii and Herculaneum.  [26]   A fresco in their home portrayed Hermes god of Trade, located in their triclinium trying to profess their thanks to him.  [27]  (Refer to Appendix 8). Another archaeological source was a poster which said: [A VETTIUS] RESTITUTUS ROG[AT] VETTI CONIVA, AUGUSTALIS [FAC]. This poster was used to help the former owners of the brothers in the political votes as they had gained many connections through trade. The House of the Vettii contained many archaeological sources which helped reveal information about the social structure in Pompeii and Herculaneum. (Appendix 11 shows a picture of Priapus weighing his phallus, which was located at the front door greeting the guests). Freedmen participated in religious cults and could have their own businesses. Freedmen could not have political power like Freeborn men could but they could vote in the elections. Freed women like men could not hold formal political office and could also work for their former master through the patronage system.  [28]   In Pompeii and Herculaneum little evidence has been found about the slaves and their lives.  [29]  Slaves came from a range of different countries and could be bought and sold by their masters.  [30]  Slaves had no rights, privileges  [31]  and no permanent home as their owners could sell and dispose of them at anytime.  [32]  Many owners bought slaves for sexual intentions.  [33]  Several slaves were educated sometimes more than their owner. Their duty was to clean and cook , some took on the role of doctors and teachers.  [34]   In Pompeii slaves came from debtors and prisoners from wars usually consisted of women and children.  [35]  Slaves made up for forty percent of the population in both Pompeii.  [36]  Slaves worked for Freeborn people, Freedmen and the town council.  [37]  A range of evidence identifies that some slaves lived with their owners as they were considered by law as part of the property.  [38]  The House of Menander and the House of the Centenary are some examples of houses where specific rooms were assigned only to the slaves.  [39]  Tombs that were owned by slaves was rare, seemingly as most slaves were buried in random unmarked places.  [40]  An example of a tomb that was owned by a slave is shown through inscriptions Conviva, slave of Veia, lived 20 years.  [41]   The main goal was to be granted freedom and no longer be a slave for anyone. In order to be free it was required by the slave to either pay off their freedom or be granted freedom by their owner. The freedom converted the slaves to Freedmen.  [42]  Freedom for the slaves came with a ceremony called Manumission.  [43]  Many slaves resumed work with their previous owners but did not get the benefit of citizenship.  [44]   The relationship between the client and patron was a very common characteristic in all social classes in Pompeii and Herculaneum. It was a patronage system where high status people became leaders to the lower class people making them the client. In return the client was expected to support their master through political elections and any other services needed. In doing so the client was rewarded with a gift ,free meal or guidance with their the legal affairs. Clients were supported politically, socially, economically and legally. After many years of serving the owner the slave is granted freedom and adopts the owners name and become their client.  [45]   An example of this relationship was Eumachia and the guild of fullers. A statue of Eumachia was dedicated to her in her honour by the Fullers. (Refer to Appendix 1).Also there was an inscription on the statue that read The Fullers (dedicated this statue) to Eumachia, daughter of Lucius, Public priestess.  [46]  (Refer to Appendix 2). In conclusion written and archaeological sources have created a wide range of knowledge about the social structure in Pompeii and Herculaneum. The social structure branched out into three main categories freeborn, freedmen and slaves, people were either born into the social class or rarely changed into another status. Appendix Appendix One- http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1058/739235616_e3e5b19055.jpg Appendix Two- http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_images/eumachia_inscript.jpg inscription on Eumachias building Appendix Three- scan from book. Appendix Four- Insulae of Julia Felix. http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/ac880526.jpg Refer to Appendix 5- http://www.scalarchives.com/scalapic/foglia1/b/AF00125b.jpg Appendix Six- Three women conversing in Herculaneum. (Fresco) http://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/8C223073-D171-4282-86AB-9CFCDFA59F18/MI001617.jpg http://www.corbisimages.com/Images/spacer.gif Appendix Seven- Women playing the Lyre. http://www.the-romans.co.uk/g5/22.woman_with%20_lyre_small.jpg Appendix Eight- Hermes god of Trade. Priapus-Hermes (Mercury), phallic fertility god, with caduceus | Roman fresco Pompeii Appendix 9- Stola for Women. http://www.fashion-era.com/images/all_greeks_romans/faustina-roman-flora2.jpg Appendix 10- Toga for Men. Appendix 11- http://0.tqn.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/0/l/2/HouseoftheVetii.jpg

Hamlet, why did he delay Essay -- essays research papers fc

William Shakespeare, perhaps the greatest playwright of all time, authored a number of works consisting of sonnets, comedies, and tragedies. In his brilliant career, Shakespeare created literary works of art. What makes Shakespeare unlike any other writer of his time, is his ability to organize a realistic plot, manage themes, and develop characters within his works (Nordling). As well, Shakespeare's ability to provoke feeling and reaction to his writing is also what sets him apart from other common writers. Of his works, Hamlet is perhaps the most studied and most interesting of the collected tragedies. In this play, many question the actions of the characters and particularly the actions of Hamlet. The answer to: 'Why does Hamlet delay in avenging the death of his father?' is one that is not easy to identify. Possible conclusions include the role of others in Hamlet, Hamlet's religious nature, or even Hamlet's tragic flaw as a hero in Hamlet. It is often argued that Hamlet was written as a tragedy of the human spirit (Nighan). Others argue that it is a tragedy of destiny, or the hero. In every hero's quest for the truth, none is more apparent than that of Hamlet. This search for truth is born of the passing of young Hamlet's father. It is at the critical moment of revelation by the Ghost of Hamlet that young Hamlet is destined for revenge. Although the concept of revenge may be considered an evil justice, it is evident that the importance lay within the context of carrying out the fate. The question arises of 'Why did Hamlet not take revenge sooner upon Claudius?' The how and when of this vengeance becomes critical in the development of Hamlet the character. To fully comprehend the true essence of Hamlet as a son, a discoverer, and a destroyer, one must analyze each individual characteristic as revealed by Shakespeare (Nordling). It was not enough that Shakespeare just wrote the play, he also emphasized the character's thoughts and emotions through the soliloquies. In fact, the whole idea of drama is to feel, to an extent, what the character feels. However, in Hamlet, the use of the soliloquy offers the audience a gateway into the minds of the characters, and in this case it provides various reasons why Hamlet delays in exacting revenge. The depth of thought possessed by characters is easily measured by how effortlessly a reader can relate to what is b... ... three parts coward--I do not know Why yet I live to say, "this thing's to do", / Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means, / To do't...." (Shakespeare 41-46) Rational thought and compassion are what make Hamlet a hero. Unfortunately, thought and inability to act on impulse, are the factors in creating the tragedy in Hamlet. In today's society and its values, Hamlet continues to be a contribution to ideals of value and morality. This story of a man and his downfalls should be considered an asset to the better of society, and a lesson learned in compassion for other. BIBLIOGRAPHY Burton, Philip. â€Å"The Sole Voice.† "Character Portraits from Shakespeare." The Dial Press, New York. January 6, 2005. < http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/burton-hamlet.htm> Eliot, T.S., "Hamlet and His Problems", The Athenaeum, No. 4665, London 1919. January 6, 2005 Nighan, Raymond. â€Å"HAMLET AND THE DAEMONS: AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF THE GHOST AND ITS MISSION.† Shakespeare. January 6, 2005 Nordling, Carl. â€Å"Why does Hamlet tarry?† Shakespeare: Who wrote Hamlet and why? January 6, 2005. Shakespeare, William. â€Å"Hamlet.† Hamlet. January 6, 2005

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Essay exa

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Introduction Tatum’s book â€Å"Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?† (1997) analyses the development of racial identity and the influence of racism in American’s culture. She emphasizes the Black-White interactions by comparing the terminology in which racism perceived based on David Wellman’s definition of racism. Tatum also believes racism is not one person in particular but is a cultural situation in which ethnicity assigns some groups significantly privileged compared to others. She illustrates how engaging children in terms of interracial understanding will empower them to respond to racial stereotypes and systems of discrimination. Talking about Racism Tatum: The author states racism is all around us and we should talk about racial discrimination. Throughout her book she explains the hesitation people have about talking about racialism. She argues that people are silent out of fear of being impolite, indiscreet and infringing boundaries. Response: I find the statement people are silent out of fear to be true. I try to avoided conversations that could offend someone or could be misinterpret. It reminds of a conversation with a friend one time. We were watching the movie â€Å"Lion King† when he jokingly compared me to the laughing Hyena. I jokingly compared him to voodoo witchdoctor which happens to be a monkey. To my surprise, he asked, â€Å"Did you pick the monkey because I was Black?† I was so embarrassed and ashamed when I hurt his feelings, I never thought of it as a racial comparison. Although we laughed it off, it still bothered me that I hurt his feelings. Just this week I thought I might of offended someone because I was reading Tatum’s... ...at it means to be Black. Does that not still divide the lines of humanity based on the color of a person’s skin? I thank statements like, â€Å"race-conscious† parents teaching their children to be Black is forming prejudice. I teach my children to be kind to others not what means to be White. In interracial relationships if they have a child what should the child be taught? How to be black or white because I thank it is true, children are taught racial differences by their parents and other adults. Personally, I find most mixed racial children are the perfect skin color we all try to achieve. I am not sure I would recommend Tatum’s book to read to discourage racism even though she raises some valid points. Works Cited Tatum, B. D. (1997). Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? And other conversations about race. New York, NY: Basic Books. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Essay exa Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Introduction Tatum’s book â€Å"Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?† (1997) analyses the development of racial identity and the influence of racism in American’s culture. She emphasizes the Black-White interactions by comparing the terminology in which racism perceived based on David Wellman’s definition of racism. Tatum also believes racism is not one person in particular but is a cultural situation in which ethnicity assigns some groups significantly privileged compared to others. She illustrates how engaging children in terms of interracial understanding will empower them to respond to racial stereotypes and systems of discrimination. Talking about Racism Tatum: The author states racism is all around us and we should talk about racial discrimination. Throughout her book she explains the hesitation people have about talking about racialism. She argues that people are silent out of fear of being impolite, indiscreet and infringing boundaries. Response: I find the statement people are silent out of fear to be true. I try to avoided conversations that could offend someone or could be misinterpret. It reminds of a conversation with a friend one time. We were watching the movie â€Å"Lion King† when he jokingly compared me to the laughing Hyena. I jokingly compared him to voodoo witchdoctor which happens to be a monkey. To my surprise, he asked, â€Å"Did you pick the monkey because I was Black?† I was so embarrassed and ashamed when I hurt his feelings, I never thought of it as a racial comparison. Although we laughed it off, it still bothered me that I hurt his feelings. Just this week I thought I might of offended someone because I was reading Tatum’s... ...at it means to be Black. Does that not still divide the lines of humanity based on the color of a person’s skin? I thank statements like, â€Å"race-conscious† parents teaching their children to be Black is forming prejudice. I teach my children to be kind to others not what means to be White. In interracial relationships if they have a child what should the child be taught? How to be black or white because I thank it is true, children are taught racial differences by their parents and other adults. Personally, I find most mixed racial children are the perfect skin color we all try to achieve. I am not sure I would recommend Tatum’s book to read to discourage racism even though she raises some valid points. Works Cited Tatum, B. D. (1997). Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? And other conversations about race. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Factors Affecting the School Readiness of Public Kindergarten Pupils in Lanao Del Sur I †B Essay

Kindergarten marks the beginning of formal education. The child’s initial school experience can influence the way he feels and acts to future school activities. I will also affect the way he relates to other people and his environment for the rest of his life. Success or failure at this stage can affect his well-being, self-esteem, motivation and perspectives. Lack of kindergarten readiness may also lead to his being held back in the next grade level. School readiness is defined as the â€Å"ability to cope, learn, and achieve without undue stress†. In the Philippines public and private schooling begins with kindergarten, when a child is about 5 years old. Kindergarten is 3 to 4 hours a day or depending on the specific requirement of a particular school. While most of the activities in kindergarten are play activities like singing, storytelling, and drawing, children are also learning basic skills through these activities that will be needed throughout their lives. These skills include listening to direction, using and managing time well, being patient, sharing, and working in cooperation with others. Kindergarten helps children adjust to school slowly, going only a few hours each day. It bridges the gap between the age when kids spent their days playing at home or in a daycare or nursery school and the more formal learning that will begin once a child moves on to the next level. Many parents still believe that kindergarten is just an introduction to school. They merrily think that children just enjoy playtime, art, story time, and maybe even learn their colors, alphabet, and numerals while they are at it. However, at present the expectation s for kindergarteners have leveled up and are much stricter than before. Today, there is actually a set of curricum that must be followed and expected to keep up. Parts of the curriculum include reading readiness, writing, math, science, social studies and other subject related. Children are also taught about proper manners, classroom rules, hygiene and sanitation. Parents should take a personalized approach and focus as their children’s potentials and skills and see if they are already prepared for kindergarten school. Parents must take the initiative to actively participate in home base learning before they heed on out to school. It is important to keep an eye on the children and decipher their behavior, to come to conclusion if they are ready to attend kindergarten or not. Some children tend to develop skills a lilltle later depending on what they have been exposed to and how fast they can grasp these things depending on their surroundings. Specialists in the field of child development feel strongly that readiness is not something that a child is trained for but is the understanding of the child’s unique development and grow pattern and what types of activities will enhance the natural development of a child in the areas of motor development, visual processing skills, auditory processing skills, language skills, numerical skills, conceptual skills, and social-emotional behaviors. TheNatioanl Association For The Education Of Young Children (NAEYC) stated that school readiness is defined as the state of early development that enables individual child to engage in and benefit from early learning experience, As a result of family nurturing and interactions with others, a young child at this stage has reached certain level of social and emotional development, cognition and general knowledge, language development, physical well-being, and motor development. (AnneArundel and Harford) Parents are the first and most important teachers in their child’s life. Staying involved and providing children with a supportive, nurturing environment will help strengthen the learning process. Parents must allow their chilred to make choices and simple decision making so that children will achieve a reliable sense of right and wrong. Language helps to shape the brain, and teaching children to speak according to Jerome Brunner helps them not only organized words in a sentence but also helps organize their minds. Children need many types of language experiences which include being read with and also participation in family conversation. Storytelling, nursery rhyme and reading enrich the language experience. Parents must spend time with oral language activities for a strong foundation in reading and spelling (Graue. 1992). There are several factors affecting the school readiness of public kindergarten pupils namely: maturation, relevance of materials and methods of instruction, emotional attitude, personal adjustment, social status and tribe. Other contributors to the readiness gap are environmental stress, family income, parents’ literacy, nutrition premature birth, health, early childcare, experiences, low birth weight and genetic endowment. Maturation affects the readiness of the kindergarteners because the child has not reach yet a sufficient stage of mental and physical development needed to perform school tasks characteristics of that particular grade level which entails a higher level of performance than that of which he has at the moment. Experiences determine the kindergarten readiness for learning. Exposure to environment and varied activities will help the child learn. Children learn from seeing, hearing, touching and these experiences will help the child get to know his environment better. To interpret reality, children must experience their surroundings through imagination and discovery. Rooted in the experience of early childhood are the values that individuals will carve for themselves in later years, their capacity to live according these values, and their attitudes towards themselves and the human community. (Bredekamp,1987) Research shows that relevance of materials and methods of interest affects children’s readiness; children are more ready to learn if the material meet their needs and fits their interest. They are more ready to learn if they are having fun doing the tasks. (Karweit,1988) Emotional attitude and personal adjustment plays a great influence in children’s readiness. Emotional stress blocks them from learning especially those resulting from unmet needs, rejection from home, over protection, experience of failures, home difficulties, poverty, peace conflict, and other related issues. ( Shepard and Smith, 1986). Greg Duncan and Katherine Magnuson documented that children who live in poverty with poor socio-economic status are more likely not ready for kindergarten school since their parents will most likely spend for basic needs than materials for learning like books and other learning kits . Parents in families with low socio-economic status are less likely to talk with. Read with. And teach young children since they would rather spend their time looking for sources of income. Environmental stress affects school readiness according to Kimberly Noble, N. Tottenham, and B. J. Casey. They explained that chronic stress or abuse in childhood can impair development of the hippocampus the region of the brain involved in learning and memory, and reduces a child’s cognitive ability. Thus the impact of stress on brain development during childhood may explain a large portion of the gap in school readiness. Health is another factor that affects school readiness according to Janet Currie, child’s health combined with maternal health and behavior may account for success or failure of kindergarten pupils. Children’s who are not in the best health condition may not be always present in the classroom those will be missing development of skills and knowledge. Nancy Reichman reported that premature birth and low birth weight can seriously impair cognitive development. A renting which include nurturance, discipline, and home base teaching are greatly link to the development of children’s cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Feelings of self-worth develop as a child feels good about his environment and the way he interacts in that environment. The most important gift a parent could give his child is quality time. Children need unhurried periods to explore and experiment, to understand and affirm through idea of freedom. They must also be provided with the security, acceptance, love, thoughtful and appropriate restrictions. (htpp://www. mayoclinic. com/health/kindergarten-readiness) Everyone agrees that a child’s future academic success is dependent on being ready to learn and participate in a successful kindergarten experience. Yet, defining (readiness) can be a very difficult task. Due to children’s different prekindergarten education experiences and development, they enter kindergarten with varying skills, knowledge, and level of preparedness. Parents and teachers have different expectations for what children should know and be able to do before starting kindergarten. Furthermore, discussions of readiness do not always include how schools and community can enhance and support children’s and kindergarten readiness. It is within this premise that the researcher would want to conduct a study and find out the factors affecting the school readiness of public kindergarten pupils in Lanao Del Sur 1 B. Theoretical Framework This study is anchor on various theoretical perspectives. Several theories of child development of child development and learning have influenced discussions of school readiness. These have had profound impact on kindergarten readiness practice. These three theories include the maturationist, environmentalist, and constructive perspective of development (Powell, 1991). Maturationist Theory The maturationist theory was advanced by the work of Arnild Gessell. Maturationists believe that development is a biological process that occurs automatically in predictable, sequential stages over time (Hunt, 1969). This perspective leads many educators and families to assume that young children will knowledge naturally and automatically as they grow up physically and ecome older, provided that they are healthy (Demarest, Reisner, Anderson, Humphrey, Farquhar, and Stein, 1993). School readiness, according to maturationist is a state at which all healthy young children arrive when they can perform tasks such as reciting the alphabet and counting; these tasks are for learning more complex tasks such as reading and arithmetic. Because development and school readiness occur naturally and automatically, maturationist believe the best practice are for parents to teach young children to recite the alphabet and count while being patient and waiting children to become ready for kindergarten. If a child is developmentally unready for school, maturationist might suggest referrals to transitional kindergartens, retention, or holding educators, and parents when a young child developmentally lags behind his or her peers. The young child’s underperform at the level of his or her peers. Environmentalist Theory Theorist as John Watson, B. F. Skinner, and Albert Bandura contributes greatly to the environmentalist perspective of development. Environmentalist believe the child’s environment shapes learning and behavior; in fact, human behavior, development, and learning are though of as reactions of the environment. This perspective leads many families, schools, and educators to assume that young children and acquire new knowledge by reacting their surroundings. Kindergarten readiness, according to the environmentalist, is the age or stage when young children can respond appropriately to the environment of the school and the classroom (e.g. , rules and regulations, curriculum activities, positive behavior in group settings and directions and instructions from teachers and other adults in school). The ability to respond appropriately to this environment is necessary for young children to participate in teacher initiated learning activities. Success is dependent on the child following instructions from the teachers or the adult in the classroom. Many environmentalist-influenced educators and parents believe that young children lean best by rote activities. Such as reciting the alphabet over and over, copying letters, and tracing numbers. This viewpoint is evident in kindergarten classrooms where young children are expected to sit at desk arranged in rows and listens attentively to their teachers. At home, parents may provide their young children with workbooks containing such activities as coloring or tracing letters and numbers-activities that require little interaction between parents and child. When young children are unable to respond appropriately to the classroom and school environment, they often are labeled as having some form of leaning disabilities and are tracked in classroom with curriculum designed to control their behavior and responses. Constructivist Theory The constructivist perspective of readiness and development was advanced by theorist such as Jean Piaget, Maria Montessori, and Lev Vygotsky. Although their work varies, each articulates a similar context of learning and development. They are consistent in their belief that learning and development occur when young children interact with the environment and people around them (Hunt, 1969). Constructivist view young children as active participant in the learning process. In addition, constructivists believe young children initiate most of the activities required for learning and development. Because active interaction with the environment and people are necessary for learning and development, constructivist believe that children are ready for school when they can initiate many of the interactions they have with the environment and people around them. Conceptual Theory This study takes into account the independent variables and dependent variables. The socio demographic factors which include age, sex, health, parents’ literacy, socio-economic status, experience, child abuse and child stress. The independent variables are presumed to affect or influence the dependent variables which are the school readiness of kindergarten pupils which include gross motor skills, fine motor skills, visual discrimination skills, auditory discrimination skills, language skills, math-numeracy skills, and social-emotional behaviors. Base on the outcome of this studies, the writer aims to find the factors affecting the school readiness of the kindergarten pupils to insure that this children will have an opportunity to enhance their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Furthermore it aims to encourage the parent to have hands-on training of their children. The researchers seeks to encourage the teachers to recognize pupils individual differences, re-enforce and extend their strengths, assist them in overcome their difficulties and develop in them sensitivity to community values. Finally, the writer would want to learn what the public kindergarten pupils in Lanao Del Sur 1 B know and able to do as they enter kindergarten level. The writer wishes to find an in-depth study for the strengths and needs of individual learners, motivation for learning instruction, and interventions. The researcher believes the child’s inputs, reflections, and self evaluation are essential to the process of leaning and development. ? Schematic Presentation of the Conceptual Framework of the Study Independent Variables Dependent VariablesResult Statement of the problem This study seeks to investigate the factors affecting the school readiness of public kindergarten pupils. It is the objective of the researcher to determine whether or not age, sex, health, parent’s literacy, socio-economic status, experience, child stress, child abuse, and socio-emotional behavior can affect or influence the school readiness. This study also aims to answer the following propositions: 1. ) What are the factors affecting the public school kindergarten pupils in terms of: 1. 1Gross motor skill 1. 2Fine motor skill 1. 3Visual discrimination skills 1. 4Auditory discrimination skills 1. 5Language skill 1. 6Math-numeracy awareness 1. 7Social-emotional behavior 2. ) What are parents, community stake holders, teachers, and schools intervention program to enhance pupil readiness for kindergarten? 3. ) Is there a significant relationship between this interventions and pupil’s school readiness? Scope and limitation of the study This study is conducted in the public Central School in Lanao Del Sur 1 B in the school year 2011-2012. The study is focused on the factor affecting the school readiness of puplic kindergarten pupils in Lanao Del Sur 1 B. The pupils, teacher, and parents are randomly selected. Data are gathered through the questioner which is composed of pupils, teachers, and parents questioners. This study is delimited to the public kindergarten pupils in the Central School in Lanao Del Sur 1 B. Significance of the study. This study aims to identify the factors affecting the school readiness of public kindergarten pupils to give life on the perceptions of the parents, teachers, and school administrators. Furthermore, it wishes to determine if parenting and nurturance, maturation, health condition, experience, teachers expectation, and school curriculum has some important role in the school readiness of the kindergarten pupil. This study would investigate the underlying reasons/factors which affect the school readiness of the kindergarteners. Finally this study aims to be a significant contribution to provide opportunity to enhance the skill, knowledge, and abilities of the pupil. This study will provide an assessment of young children not only in measuring it but in their ability to work through activities, to solve problems, to work independently, and to reflect on their thinking. To The pupils- this study could assist the young learners to respond appropriately to the environment of the home, classroom and community (rules and regulations, curriculum activities, positive behavior in group setting, directions and instruction from the teacher other adults in the school). To The parents- this study will help the parents to provide appropriate time and management to engage their children in learning task such as reading and writing the alphabet, basic counting skills, identification of colors, size and shape. This will also encourage the parents to be patient and loving, waiting for their children to become developmentally ready for kindergarten. The parents are urge to provide their young children with workbooks containing such activities in coloring, tracing letters and numbers. To The teachers- this research study will help the teacher to understand and support the child natural curiosity and the diverse way in which the child learns. The teacher is also encourage to give the child some individualized attention and customize the classroom curriculum to help the child address his difficulties. To The school administrators- being conscious of the factors affecting the school readiness of the kindergarten pupils the school  administrators could provide small classes with higher teacher-pupil ratio, teacher with bachelor degree and training in early childhood education, parents-teacher training component that will re-enforce what teacher are doing in school to enhance children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. To The Curriculum Makers- this study will give a new perspective that will lead to the formulation of a curriculum that is cognitively stimulating and child center base. To The Community of Lanao Del Sur 1 B- this study will act as a catalyst for positive change. Local government and community agencies will have to work together to enhance programs for the learning development of kindergarten pupils. Definition of terms The terms use in this study is conceptually and operationally define for better understanding and clarity. Maturation – conceptually defined as the appropriate stage of mental and physical development, when a child is ready to perform school tasks characteristics of that particular grade . Operationally it means the chronological age of a child which is legally acceptable to enter a grade level. Experience – means the teaching exposure, learning materials, methods of learning, practices, facilities, and structures in home and in environment which help the child learns and develops in ways that are most natural and suitable for their ages and levels of maturity. Operationally defined as the results of work done by the child in whom the child retains memory, mastery, knowledge, and skills. School readiness – conceptually means the ability to cope, learn, and achieve without undue stress. This is the proficiency level of the child in specific area of a grade level. It is also the developmental stage whom the child is ready to learn new things. Operationally it means that the child is already of age to enroll in a grade level. This could also mean that the child has the ability to participate in classroom activities, work as instructed and cooperate with his classmates in group works. Fine motor development – means the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers. These skills are essential to complete task such as writing, tracing, cutting, holding things, moving little pieces of object, putting together of parts of a whole. These skills are needed in taking precision in the hand-eye coordination. Gross motor skills- are the developmental awareness and coordination of large muscles activity. These skills are needed in walking, running, jumping, dancing, and playing. Visual discrimination skills- means the ability to visually differentiate the forms, and symbols in the environment . This is needed in the matching, and sorting of colors, sizes, shapes, and quantities. Visual memory skills – means the ability to recall accurately prior visual experience. It is also the ability to remember what has been done. Heard, touched, smelled, and tasted and seen.. Auditory discrimination skills refer to the ability to receive and differentiate auditory stimuli. It is the capacity and ability to identify ,distinguish, imitate, differentiate the sounds heard. Auditory memory skills – means the ability to retain and recall auditory information. It also means the ability to remember, recite, repeat, tell, and do what is heard. Receptive language skills – refers to the ability to express oneself verbally, to say what the child thinks and feels and to engage in simple group conversations. Comprehension skills – refers to the judgment and reason as the child understands his environment. It is the ability to make comparisons, understand differences and recognized cause and effect. Social – emotional behavior – refer to the ability to relate meaningfully to others and be accepted in both one-on-one and group emotions. This also means the ability to act among other children, to cooperate with the group, to show feelings, and to demonstrate responsibility. Math and number awareness – refers to the ability to identify and recognize numerals, to count on, recognize patterns, and sorting and classifying of objects.