Student Testing in Elementary Schools in America Essay

Student Testing in Elementary Schools in America - Essay Example The curriculum as of today is far ahead of what the school system was earlier. From learning by rote, now the child is allowed more interaction and freedom to gain knowledge from sources other than the school. The curriculum guides and text books are chosen today by the state and they reflect the State's learning standard and benchmarks for a given grade level. To gauge the progress of a child, there are tests to determine the adequate yearly progress which have to fulfill certain standardized goals by which States and school districts assess the child's progress academically.( Armstrong Thomas, 1987) When there are about twenty or thirty children of diverse learning needs in a class, the academic strengths and weaknesses of a child are most evident during tests. This is referred to as MAP or measures of academic progress. Tests are not an absolute indication of the child's progress or capacity for knowledge. The scoring process is a comparison of the child's responses with his or her peers. Instead of providing a statistical comparison of the child's abilities, it would be better to focus on the level of the skills that the child has acquired, instead of assessing the results of a child's test with a checklist of skills that are expected in a particular grade (Chris Shera, 2007). It is during interpretative question tests that disconnect between classroom activities and results in the end of grade tests required, is evident. Students are not empowered to study anything outside the requisite classroom curriculum. The program needs a balanced literary approach to maximize the child's ability to view tests in positive (Kosar, 2005) fashion. Then an improvement will be seen in the standardized reading and language test scores. The downside of testing : It is important to know that test results can go wrong for a variety of reasons. We can actually question the validity of the entire test result for many reasons. Some of these are elucidated below. 1. Most tests reward experience (Dunn, Rita and Dunn Kenneth, 1978). A child who has had repeated practice at a certain skill will naturally do it with a lot more ease than a child who has not had the benefit of frequent opportunities to do the same . 2. Children from cultural and socio economic minority groups are prone to poor performance on tests for the simple reason that the child may not relate to the subject comprehensively. For example, a child who does not speak English at home does not automatically think in that language and hence suffers when he is supposed to understand the nuances of a subject taught in English. 3. Children can be intimidated by the very prospect of a test at a younger age. The child's performance can suffer due to just the thought of doing a test. 4. Some children are not clued into writing within a particular time frame- especially in elementary schools - and dawdle over the test without finishing it. This does not mean that the child does not know the answer. 5. Some deterrents to academic progress could be a host of conditions that disrupt the normal learning process. These could range from language disorders, learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and

Politics and Love in Contemporary Arabic Literature Essay

Politics and Love in Contemporary Arabic Literature - Essay Example In prose, western short story version, drama and novel versions replaced Arabian styles. Majority of the writers in Arabic literature have conjured love and politics in their writing. The issues discussed have shifted to feature the political atmosphere in Middle East. First, works of Adonis have grown with the political trends in Arabic countries. He uses his works to highlight aesthetics of literature and its purpose in shaping the society. His content, having pioneered prose poem in Arabic, have taken an influential as well as controversial role in Arabic modernism (Arana 87). For example, through poetry, he has championed democracy and popularized secular perspective in Middle East. His poetic genre is a cosmopolitan work, which not only tackles issues in Arab world but also the entire globe. In his poem, ‘Love’ Adonis exemplifies his unique blend of revolutionary artistic diction. Away from the traditional Arab poetry of simple language and forms, the poem revolves in the themes of politics, love, culture, and philosophy. Adonis alludes that newness in Arabic society are identifiable with Arabic character. In the poem, ‘Love’ he depicts the feel of affection for the context he is in, like the road, house, the dead, t he neighbors and the toiling hands of the world (Arana 120). The selected diction shows the high stakes in Adonis works, which invites every bit of creativity and intellect. He heightens the reader’s originality to new thoughts and realms that create curiosity. No, wonder his love for renewal and democratic consciousness won him the Goethe prestigious award. The reflection in the poem, ‘Celebrating Childhood’ affirms that the history of Arabic is not that of the sword but also lately made of great men. His literary writing still captures the current issues in Arab world. Lately, comments from Adonis on the political

The Improving Economy of Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Improving Economy of Middle East - Essay Example Publications of the web and science database indicate the standard economic growth of Middle East to be almost faster than that of the world by four times (specifically Turkey and Iran). His name is XX. His area of interest in global studies is the economics and how regional integration affects it. Over the years, we have witnessed the adverse effects of a nation that is divided. States that work in collaboration with others benefit from a broad base of knowledge as well as subsidized trade duties. They also enjoy the benefit of foreign aid and trade from the other states with whom they are partnering with. It also promotes a peaceful co-existence among the nations that are integrated. Most of all, they advance their economies of scale and advice one another on the best ways to make their individual state economies to grow. Of particular interest to this member is the economic growth pattern of the Middle East over the years. He believes though the economy was quite influential sometime back, it experienced some setbacks and stumbled a little. Besides the issue of national and economic integration, his argument is that a states organization of its political economy is very key if the state is to realize sustainable economic growth (Alan & John). This member by the name YY believes a state’s economy is dependent on a number of factors. He is particularly interested in studying the demographic trends of states in order to unveil the linkages between demographic change, food, water, urban life, and regional economic integration and the state’s economy. In demographics, he focuses on the literacy levels of the natives, income per capita, population growth rates, and employment opportunities among others. These issues he argues that, are of prime importance as they are directly linked to the economy of the state.

Compensation Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compensation Strategy - Essay Example However, any compensation strategy must bear the interest and goals of the company and the employee. As such, to achieve this balance, variant compensation strategies apply uniquely in a given company. This paper highlights and evaluates three compensation strategies that can apply in our manufacturing company. Moreover, it will recommend the modes of applying these compensation strategies while considering the company and employee’s interests. Introduction A compensation strategy refers to the planned utilization of the pay system as a fundamental integrating mechanism geared towards achieving company objectives and rewarding employees subject to limitations within the company (Gomez-Mejia, Berrone, & Franco-Santos, 2010). As the human resources manager in our manufacturing company, I have the mandate of evaluating the different compensation strategies that are available for adoption within our organization. Actually, the best compensation strategy will ensure attraction and retention of critical employees. Our manufacturing company has 120 employees and various compensation strategies can apply to them. The compensation strategies that I will evaluate in this paper include the Competitive strategy, Retention-based strategy, and the performance- based strategy. I will hence compare and contrast them with an aim of applying them in our organization. Indeed, the compensation strategies should be reasonable to both the employees and the company itself (Deb, 2009). I will therefore determine recommendations on how to implement them within our organization. Research findings I have done substantial research on the three compensation strategies and gathered relevant information that can help in the application of these strategies in our manufacturing company. Most specifically, in the competitive strategy, the company pays employees the market rate. On the other hand, in the retention-based strategy, the employees earn more as they stay in the company. Additi onally, in the performance- based strategy, the pay relates to the performance of an employee, the team or the entire organization. Specific findings on each compensation strategy follow here in. Findings on the competitive strategy It is notable that one of the main goals of any company is to remain competitive in the market and where possible gain competitive advantage over other competitors (Kumar, 2010). As such, the competitive strategy seeks to retain existing employees in offering them rewards that equal to industry standards. Additionally, this compensation strategy seeks to attract potential employees by motivating them to join the company as it offers compensation that meets what others in the industry offer (Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada, 2012). Nevertheless, the competitive strategy offers the reference company no competitive advantage over its competitors since its compensation rates are at par with those of its competitors. Hence, this strategy may not mo tivate employees to remain in the company for a long time. Indeed, this strategy keeps the management at risk of fluctuating wages, as the industry would dictate. As such, where the company cannot keep up with the escalating wages, then there is a high risk of employee turnover. Moreover, the existing employees are at a high risk of leaving the company if another company offers higher rewards than the reference com

Cell phone Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cell phone - Assignment Example In this light, deciding not to buy the cell phones for children has its advantages and disadvantages. Also, deciding to buy cellphones for the students has disadvantages and advantages that ought to be considered. Those against the idea of cells for students argue that they are disruptive and affect their concentration. On my part, I support the idea of equipping the students with the cell phones. There are several reasons for this stand that cannot be overlooked. For instance, the cell phones provide an easy channel of communication between parents and their children. In this light, the gadgets help ensure that parents can check on their children when they are not around. Secondly, I believe that the use of cellphones among the children from an early age helps open up their minds and increases the chance of innovation and the invention of technological gadgets. Moreover, the cell phones provide a source of leisure for the students and are crucial for their growth and development. However, this point may be invalidated on the basis that cell phones cause disruption among the pupils. Another point in support of cellphones for school-going children is that they help the students to research and learn new things through the Internet. The case study explains the effects that the cell phones have on students in Uganda who area allowed to use the cells not only at home but also in school. In the research conducted by Richard and his subordinates, the school allows students to carry their phones to school. According to the study, the availability of cellphones is a source of security for the students, which in turn helps boost their classroom confidence (Twebaze and Richard 23). Moreover, the students involved in the case study argued that keeping close contact with their parents at home helped give them the motivation to work hard. Richard adds that â€Å"cell phones not only allow the students to talk to their parents but also gives them a chance to expand

The Status Of Afro-Americans At The Turn Of The 20th Century Essay

The Status Of Afro-Americans At The Turn Of The 20th Century - Essay Example At the turn of the twentieth century, despite equal rights as citizens, the Afro-American community ( 95 % of which was in the Southern States), faced a sharp economic and political divide. (Kelley & Lewis 347). As the sharecropping community of African American farmers were gradually pushed out by white farmers, a phenomenon of urban migration began to the cities of the North – New York, Philadelphia and Chicago (the Great Migration 1916-17). A new trend began in American society, that of racial segregation into ghettos. (Kelley & Lewis 356). Meanwhile as lynchings in the South continued well into the first few decades, racial violence spread into the cities too with organizations like the Ku Klux Klan infiltrating the northern cities. The events and trends that signalled a change from the 1900's onwards was an increased impetus for community building for Afro-Americans : churches, businesses, schools, clubs and lodges (Kelley & Lewis 366). The Church in particular became an important part of Afro-American community life, and the focus for political activism and intellectual leadership that would proliferate over the coming decades. The other important phenomenon was the growth of the Afro-American women's club movement, as the ranks of the National Association of Colored women (NACW) grew to 100,000 by 1920 from only 5,000 in the late 1890's. (Kelley & Lewis 369).

Asses sociological explanations for ethnic differences in educational achievement Essay Example for Free

Asses sociological explanations for ethnic differences in educational achievement Essay Asses sociological explanations for ethnic differences in educational achievement. 20 marks. Ethnicity refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of people from another. That is, ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage. The most common characteristics distinguishing various ethnic groups are ancestry, a sense of history, language and religion. Modern Britain is said to be a multicultural society made up of many different ethnic groups. Achievement within education is very varied across cultures, with some such as Chinese and Indian students performing above the average, and African-Caribbean and Pakistani students performing well below average. There are many factors which can reduce a child from an ethnic backgrounds attainment. For instance, Material deprivation. Material deprivation focuses on income inequality and the material problems that are associated with it. An example of such a study is J. W. B Douglas, The Home and The School (1964). He argued that an interlocking network of inequalities existed which operated against many working class students. This included, differential effects of regional and variations in educational provision and expenditure. Also, housing and environmental factors. Which led to chances of access to good primary schools. Therefore, hindering the chance of access to top streams. As a result, minority ethnic children are more likely to live in low-income households. This means they face the problems that Douglas highlighted, the material factors, such as poor quality housing, no working space and even possibly bad influence of peers. One other reason for differences in educational achievement between ethnicities is the basic family life. African-Caribbean communities have a high level of lone parenthood. Actually, it is estimated 50% of African-Caribbean households have a lone-parent . This can mean that many face financial problems, this can lead to lower achievement in school (Douglas’ material factors). Conversely, single mothers can be a positive role model or influence for many young girls, meaning they perform better in education. Another explanation for ethnic differences is Language. For many children of an ethnic minority English is not their primary language. This can be a disadvantage because they may not understand exams as well as others. Also they might struggle to express themselves with limited English. Finally, some teachers may mistake poor English for a lack of intelligence, when actually this could be completely untrue, meaning that a clever child may be let down by the teacher who might not push the student to their full potential. However, you could argue that Chinese and Indian students first language isn’t English, on the other hand in these two cultures it is the norm to learn English as a strong second language. Therefore, they are not hindered by the second language barrier, as opposed to Bangladeshi’s for example. Language was such a big issue that Bernstein (1973) categorised students into two groups. Elaborated and restricted. In the case of an elaborated code, the speaker will select from a relatively extensive range of alternatives. However in the case of a restricted code the number of these alternatives is often severely limited. Bernstein’s work was not always praised. For instance, Labov (1974) argued that young blacks in the United States, although using language which certainly seems an example of the restricted code, nevertheless display a clear ability to argue logically. Their lack of knowledge concerning the subject may reach further than just the exams they have to take. For instance, due to the large amount of failing black Caribbean’s and Bangladeshi’s (a combined total of 41% managed to get 5 A* C grades), teachers may be subconsciously prejudiced against ethnic minorities. This can lower the students attainments in many ways, one is that the teachers give the student lower grades. Another way is that the teacher negatively labels a student of ethnic minority which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. Racism can also lead to conflict between students and teachers, making learning a much harder task. Lastly, racism can lead to low-self esteem among ethnic minorities. A researcher who studies this was Howard Becker (1971). Becker Interviewed 60 Chicago high school teachers. He found that they judged pupils according to how closely they fitted image of â€Å"ideal pupil†. Their conduct appearance influenced judgement. Middle class was closest to ideal, working class furthest away labelled as badly behaved. As a result you can see, if teachers labelled students on how they look, you can imagine how they would label a whole ethnic race. Another factor for ethnic differences in educational achievement is the ethnocentric curriculum. There are several reasons why ethnic minorities may struggle due to this curriculum. One is that the subjects often focus on British culture; naturally White British students will have grown up with this culture, so they might have a greater understanding of the content than students who grew up in a different culture. Another reason is that the content of the curriculum could lower ethnic minorities self-esteem, this is because often the white character is seen as â€Å"good† and superior whilst the ethnic minorities are seen as â€Å"not as academic†. However, it is crucial not to forget that every ethnic minority underachieves at this level. In fact, in the UK, Chinese and Indian pupils score better grades than the â€Å"White† ethnic race. One of the main reasons for this is the support of the parents. Research has shown that some parents of ethnic minority, such as Chinese and Indian, take more interest in their child’s education, they also encourage their child more than other in other cultures. This obviously leads to higher achievement for the child. Not only the parents play a part. Some teachers may stereotype some ethnic minorities to be intelligent and hard-working. This encouragement and sort of support can aid a student in raising their grades. To conclude, there are many sociological explanations for the ethnic differences in educational achievement, from language barriers to family life at home. However, it is important to remember not all ethnic minorities to underachieve. Rafi Kentafi Lindill 12P.