Interviewing two teachers Essay

Teachers have a very important but difficult job in our society. They are educators, counselors, coaches, friends, and sometimes even a parental figure all at the same time. This is a very heavy burden to carry while trying to educate our youth. The two teachers that were interviewed for this paper were Victoria Rivera, a sixth grade teacher from Brooklyn, New York, and Marcus Williams, a high school history teacher that also lives in Brooklyn, New York. Mrs. Rivera was the first of the two interviews. Victoria Rivera wanted to become a teacher her entire life, and has achieved that goal by becoming one. She graduated with a teaching degree from Brooklyn College , and has been teaching in the New York City public school system since 1983. Her main reason for becoming a teacher was because of past teachers. During the interview, she said that she was impressed by teachers she had as a child. She also added that as a youth, she found it amusing to play school while working on her own studies. â€Å"I retained what I learned through role playing as a teacher,† was one of her responses. Marcus Williams was the second interview. He graduated from Hunter College, in Manhattan, and has been teaching in New York City public high  schools for about 6 years. When asked his main reason for becoming a teacher his response was, â€Å"There are a lack of positive African-American male teachers in New York. I feel that young minority males especially African-Americans need positive men figures in their life anyway they can get it.† Mr. Williams also said that he feels teaching is essential for trying to give young people good education. Mrs. Rivera is really a teacher that strongly cares about the students. When asked what is her opinion of an outstanding teacher, Mrs. Rivera’s first response was, â€Å"A person who can retain children’s attention while they achieve their aim or goal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She said that this is important because there are so many distractions in today’s society, that it is difficult, but important for teachers to meet the challenges of today’s student. She came off as very caring, and student oriented. On the other hand, Mr. Williams believed that an outstanding teacher was someone students could closely relate to. He felt that students need to feel comfortable around teachers. He said, â€Å"One of the reasons that I help coach the football team is because students can see me on a more personal level. I am very close to some of the players on the team, and at times I feel as if they look at me as an older friend, and counselor, rather then just another history teacher.† Mrs. Rivera was then asked what major teaching strategies does she use. In  response she said that she thinks â€Å"hands on† lessons, and student involvement was  very important. She said that student involvement in class discussions often leads to student interaction. â€Å"Students remember better when they talk about a topic themselves, instead of just taking notes.† Mr. Williams happened to agree with Mrs. Rivera. He said during his interview that in his classes there are many discussions about current events, and also the lessons. He felt that students are capable of having intelligent conversation whether the discussion is about a research paper for class, or a discussion about the possible war in Iraq. Both Mr. Williams, and Mrs. Rivera said that the workload after school is the most difficult part of teaching to deal with. Mrs. Rivera said that she spends two to three hours after school doing paperwork. On the other hand Mr. Williams said that after football practice he spends between two to four hours grading papers, tests and doing other paperwork. He teaches six different sections a day, compared to the one class that Mrs. Rivera has all day. Mrs. Rivera also said that discipline, and lack of parental involvement are also difficulties she comes across teaching. She said, â€Å"I do have a minor in psychology, so I try to put myself in the parents shoes. I try to stay positive and understand parents situations, but have to get the point across of how students should progress.† Mr. Williams agreed with  Mrs. Rivera’s comments. He said that at the high school level there is an  even greater lack of parental involvement then in the elementary schools. In conclusion from the two interviews, I have learned both some of the positives, and negatives of teaching. Paperwork, and lack of parental involvement seem to be the most difficult problems to overcome. Both Mrs. Rivera, and Mr. Williams are dedicated to helping students achieve overall success in education, and also in life. They are two teachers who want nothing else but to help the students they are dealing with, and to be successful professionals.

Equity Theory of Motivation Essay

As the cliche goes, no man is an island. Everything man does is influenced by other men and his environment. Be it in school or at work, the reason why people persevere lies on the desire to achieve a certain goal. Hence, motivation is essential to keep the drive of doing things passionately and effectively. However, the enthusiasm to sustain the dream and keep the motivation alive can be tampered by life’s uncertainties. Given the unique characteristics that each student possess, the amount of effort exerted by an average student does not always equal the amount of effort exerted by an outlier in class, yet the results are the same or sometimes exceeded by the outlier. Perhaps there are instances when studying overnight and not studying at all yielded the same result. These situations affect the level of motivation a student harness when studying. The feeling of unfairness affects how he/she will prepare for the next exam. In the workplace setting, motivation is likewise an i mportant factor to increase productivity. For example, an employee who worked overtime to get the job well done vis-a-vis an employee who slacked off and produced a mediocre output both received the same salary and the same praises from their boss. The hardworking employee might feel wronged upon seeing how his extra effort was overlooked. To give justice to the unfairness he feels, he opts to mimic the other employee, thus also producing a mediocre output. The equity theory of motivation, developed by workplace and behavioral psychologist John Stacey Adams in 1963, is grounded on the concept that employees tend to seek equity or balance in the amount of input they give to their job or relationship with their bosses, and the output they receive. The inputs referred in this theory include college degree, hard work, effort, committment, ability, adaptability, determination, flexibility, skill, loyalty, tolerance, enthusiasm, trust in superiors, support from colleages, personal sacrifi ce and the like. On the other hand, outputs come in the form of financial benefits like salary, bonuses, and perks, and also intangible benefits such as recognition from superiors, praises, responsibility, job security, good reputation, sense of achievement, personal growth and the like. When an employee’s inputs outweigh his or her outputs, he or she becomes demotivated and unhappy. To achieve equity, the behavioral response is to balance out the input-output equation by asking for an increase in the output side, or  simply diminishing his or her input. The state of equity lie on the perception of an employee in relation to another employee’s input and output ratio, which shows that employee motivation is subjective nature. However, an employer or manager’s role of keeping employees motivated should not be deterred by this notion. Instead, understanding the sources of employee dissatisfaction and demotivation can help managers address the issues surrounding t he workplace to allow for a more productive and work-conducive environment. The equity theory is more commonly known as the social comparison theory or the inequity theory since an employee compares his input-output ratio with another employee’s input-output ratio to determine equity, and an employee who feels inequity or unfairness reduces this through his behavior and attitude towards work. The â€Å"exchange relationship† between work and compensation in comparison with a colleage draws forth discernment of what is fair and unfair. To grasp the intuition behind the theory, four objects must be present which include the person, whose aim is to reduce whatever inequity feeling he or she has; the comparison to other, which pertains to the benchmark person from whom equity and inequity is determined; the inputs and the outputs. According to the theory, a person first compares inputs and outputs with a comparison other, then determines if there is inequity or unequal input/output ratio between himself/herself and comparison other. Basically, the theory assumes that an individual addresses his/her inequity feeling after comparison to others, and remains at the level where equity is achieved. Several ways a person does in reaching equity include altering his/her inputs, altering his/her outputs, distorting his inputs and outputs cognitively, finding a new job, or changing the person of comparison. (Gogia, 2010) In line with this, Huseman, Hattfield and Miles (1987) dissected the equity theory into four basic ideas. First, the notion of fairness is conceived through comparing an individual’s input and outcomes ratio with others. The other does not necessarily require a colleage, because it can also be his/her old self. Comparing the amount of effort exerted and the amount of salary received to a colleage’s or an old job facilitates the judgment of what is fair to an individual. Second, if the compared ratios are not equal, then there is inequity. The two kinds of  inequity are underpayment inequity and overpayment inequity. Underpayment inequity happens when an individual deems that his/her ratio is smaller than others, or in other words, his great effort mismatches with the benefit received as compared to another employee. On the contrary, overpayment inequity occurs when a big compensation is received from the little effort exerted, as compared to other coworkers. Third, the greater the difference in inequity, the greater tension and distress the individual feels. The different attitudes people have toward life’s unfairness in general brought about the three kinds of equity-sensitive people namely the benevolents, the equity sensitives and the entitleds, with the benevolents being the most tolerant of underrewards, and the entitleds having the most preference of over-rewards. The equity sensitives just want their ratio to be the same with others, but the entitleds believe that the world owes them, so it is just rig htful for them to receive more. Forth, the more intense feeling of tension brought about by inequity, the harder an individual will work to restore equity. This is just like how a more oppressed victim is more thirsty he is to seek justice, if not revenge. The ways in achieving equity varies from person to person. Upon experiencing the feeling of unfairness, the assumption of this theory is that employees will find ways to reduce inequity. The two most typical ways are through behavioral options and cognitive options, where the latter is used more often used since it is both less riskier and easier to do than the former. For behavioral options, the employees change their input to match outcomes like slacking off or leaving work early, changing outcomes to match input by asking for an increase, or perpetrating a crime like theft or fraud, persuading others to change inputs by complaining to superiors, and withdrawal through tardiness, absenteeism or quitting the job. As for the cogni tive options, the employee distorts his own inputs or outcomes by underestimating his own performance so that the inputs will match the output; distort the inputs or outcomes of others by thinking that others earn more because they probably deserve it; change the comparison others by choosing a different benchmark for them to feel better. (â€Å"Motivation theories†, 2009) Applying this theory in the government office place gives a clearer understanding as to why in general, government employeees are unmotivated and unhappy with their jobs. Perhaps they have once tried to work dilligently, but only end up with having the same  across-the-board incentive as fellow workers who do not work as hard as them. Hence, the Aquino administration came up with the performance-based incentive system to allow a fair compensation to those who deserve to be rewarded. By altering the outcome through a performance-based bonus, government employees try to match their performance to the amount of bonus they wish to receive. Motivation Theories. (2009, April 26). Why Do Employees Take More Initiatives to Improve Their Performance After Co-developing Performance Measures? A Field Study (Groen, Wouters & Wilderom, 2012)  Usually, people work more conscientiously when their performances are being monitored, be it in school, at work, or even in playing games. Knowing how grades, scores or output are obtained help an individual’s goal setting and invoke the determination and commitment to achieve the said goal. What more if the employees themselves determine how they are to be rated? Having an opinion and first hand experience in developing performance measure criteria make employees not only feel valued, but also feel a sense of fairness because they know that the criteria they set are attainable and reasonable. Groen, Wouters and Wilderom (2012) conducted a field study to investigate why employees perform better when they are involved in developing peformance measures. The study used the theory of planned behavior, which states that beliefs predict how individuals behave or plan to behave. Gathering data from meetings, interviews, company information data, quantitative questionnaire and first-hand experience in the field in a beverage manufacturing company, bottling line employees were found to be more motivated, have more initiative, and more positively affected by social pressure when they were involved in developing performance measures. The  variables examined in the study included attitude towards the job, social pressure from coworkers, capability from personal skills. All these variables were found to positively and significantly influence an employee’s intiative towards his job, thus increasing his productivity. The study showed that productivity and initative of the employ ees who were aware and had a say on performance measurement criteria improved the departments’ overall performance. 7. Models of Performance-Measurement Use in Local Governments: Understanding Budgeting, Communication, and Lasting Effects (Melkers & Willoghby, 2005) Since performance measurement has been emphasized in various literatures, the importance of having them adopted and implemented is no longer debatable. Performance measurement schemes help in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and it also serves as an objective basis of planning the budget to be used to fund government projects. The study of Melkers and Willoghby (2005) paid close attention to the usefulness of performance-based information on the operations of the local government in the US, communication, and budgetary decisions. The pervasiveness of performance measurement implementation in the US was also studied through the results obtained from a national survey of city and count y administrators and budgeters of nearly 300 governments. Multiple regression analysis was implemented to find out whether dependent variables budget effects, communication effects and lasting effects index were individually affected by independent variables community characteristics, respondent characteristics, organizational culturea and performance measurement characteristics. The results showed that although the use of performance indicators was pervasive, the respondents were apathetic with regards to the effectiveness of these performance measurements for budgetary concerns and operational processes within the government unit. Promoting the Utilization of Performance Measures in Public Organizations: An Empirical Study of Factors Affecting Adoption and Implementation (Julnes & Holzner, 2001) It is true that performance measurements are vital for making informed decisions. Both public and private firms need to be guided on a set of parameters that help them determine where they have done well and what areas need improvement. If the government departments are serious  in improving their service to the public, then coming up with a set of criteria and implementing these evaluation criteria would be essential in determining where to start the change. Despite recognizing the importance of having performance measures, there are several issues that impede the development and usage of a performance measurement scheme. The empirical study by Julnes and Holzner (2001) examined the factors that hamper the utilization of performance measurement in public organizations in the US. A sample of state and local governmen t employees were drawn from the Government Financial Officers Association, International City/County Management Association of College and University Business Officers obtained from GASB. A total of 934 questionnaires were sent to state and local government employees across the nation in 1997. The variables used in the survey included adoption and implementation for the dependent variable, and external requirements, internal requirements, internal interest groups, external interest groups, attitudes, risk taking, information, resources, goal orientation, percent unionized, government type and position. Using ordinary least square mulitple-regression analyses, the results of the study revealed that output measures were developed for various programs, but efficiency measures and outcome measures were less developed. Looking at the performance measure usage, the researchers found out that efficiency and outcome measures were less used for strategic planning, resource allocation, progra m management, monitoring and evaluation, reporting to internal management, electec officials, citizens or media. Aside from these, the researchers’ findings showed that internal requirements, external requirements, goal orientation and access to information positively and significantly affect the adoption of performance measures, while external interest groups and internal requirements positively affect implementation of performance measures, but unionization negatively affect implementation. Overall, the policy of using performance measures would more likely be adopted if it were an internal requirement wherein top management commits to the effort of evaluating government programs. On the contrary, external requirement would not automatically merit the implementation of performance measures since factors such as organizations’ ability, politician’s support, sufficient resources and commitment to the purpose were lacking if not missing. The study suggests that p ublic administrators be aware that  performance measure is a two-step process namely adoption and implementation, wherein factors affecting adoption include mostly rational and technocratic theory, while actual implementation are determined by political and cultural factors. (Julnes & Holzner, 2001) The Use of Performance Measurement Systems in the Public Sector: Effects on Performance (Spekle & Verbeeten, 2013) Performance measurement information are collected and used in various ways such as strategic planning, budgeting, and employee bonus planning. The immense benefits of measuring performance outweighs the costs of collecting such data, which is why most government agencies have already instilled in their system a peformance measurement mechanism for reference. In the study of Spekle and Verbeeten (2013), the researchers explored whether the pefromance measurement system actually improves or deters organizational performance. They also introduced the concept of contractibility, which means clear goals, undistorted pefromance metrics, managers’ knowledge and control of the transformation process. Public sector organizations that have high contractibility were expected to be better than those organizations with low contractibilty in terms of performance. The test was d one through a survey of 101 public sector organizations in the US. The results showed that contractibility influences the way incentive-oriented use of the performance measurement system and performance. More interestingly, the researchers concluded that usign the performance measurement system for incentive purposes negatively influences organizational performance, unless contractibility is high. Disregarding contractibility, performance measurement system tends to enhance performance. Hence, the effect of the performance measurement system in public sector organizations are greatly affected by the level of contractibility and managers’ usage of the system. Determinants of Incentive Intensity in Group-Based Rewards (Zenger & Marshall, 2000) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the Public Sector: A Study in Malaysia. Economic Incentives and the Choice of State Government Accounting Practices (Ingram, 1984)

Joirnal Summary on Risk of Poverty Research Paper

Joirnal Summary on Risk of Poverty - Research Paper Example The ability to overcome poverty then becomes linked to trends and complexities that occur within the household and which link to patterns in the economic cycle. The author’s show that combinations of domestic violence, social environment, the mother’s schooling and other family influences are prevalent in the poverty which has occurred. The first association which is made with the article is the sociodemographic factors that are a part of the study. The social implications are based on the Latin American basis that each holds. Sixteen countries are studied to offer a wide variety of individuals and diverse numbers of families. The main demographics are then defined by differences in ethnicity of those living in poverty as well as the location which is associated with this. The article further explains the study through the examination of the family household and the dependent variables which may contribute to poverty. Education, dynamics of the family and social relatio nships that take place within the household are all examined for a deeper understanding of poverty. The main ideology which is found is that domestic violence and ethnicity are the two factors which continue to relate to the cycle of poverty and the association which many have in terms of the inequalities which take place. However, the study also notes secondary factors which cause the prevalence of poverty to continue among children. The risk of poverty that contributes to the article is based on the understanding of the cycle of poverty. This states that there is an intergenerational influence that occurs when one is in poverty. If the parents are in poverty, then children are more likely to fall under the same economic conditions. The risk is furthered with specific factors that are studied in the survey of the article. The risks that are examined include family factors, schooling and health. The risk of poverty was furthered with types of family dynamics, such as the number of c hildren in the household, association with the parental education and the dynamics that occurred socially. The study also showed a direct relationship to where one lived in Latin America. For instance, one living in Peru would be more likely to complete a secondary education than in Puray. This was further linked to the amount of education the mother and father received, number of siblings, gender, migration and household income. The less schooling in the family, the more siblings and the lower the household income also led to higher amounts of risk of poverty for the children in the household. Not only does the article look at the various factors for the risk of poverty but also considers how the discrimination factors lead to layers of poverty. Low – income poverty and other marginal factors are considered and relate to the dynamics of the family and sociodemographic factors of the household. By looking at this concept, there is the ability to see if there is a direct relat ionship between the demographics, social factors and the amount of income which one receives. It is found that there is a direct division based on the demographics in the household and the social and economic environments that are a part of the household. The changes in economy then create a direct link with the family factors that are noted in the household. It is

Compare and contrast between liberalism and conservatism Essay

Compare and contrast between liberalism and conservatism - Essay Example High level of individual freedom is the core of classical liberalism whereas liberal conservatism advocates small governmental intervention on individual matters. In other words both are similar as far as individual freedom is concerned. Classical liberalism advocates private property and liberal conservatism also do not deny earning of private property. Liberty and prosperity were the major slogans of classical liberalism. Liberal conservatives also emphasize human's freedom, capitalism and a free economy/market. Progressive liberals are not much keen in doing what they advocate in their manifesto. Most of their principles and policies were lie on paper alone. On the other hand, traditional conservatives believe in natural laws and moral principles. Tradition, custom, hierarchy, patriotism, localism regionalism etc are different dimensions of traditional conservatism whereas progressive liberals will never advocate all those things publicly, but they engage in similar activities pri vately.

Please read the second half(starting from chapter 4) of the book ''War Essay

Please read the second half(starting from chapter 4) of the book ''War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning'' of Chris Hedges and pr - Essay Example I can understand why the media would work with the military and lie or over-sensationalize the war. First, it is easier for them to do what the military tells them to do, rather than put up a fight and face what I can only guess is an unpleasant punishment – or at least a one way ticket home. But the press also has hidden motives: war makes them money. When a war breaks out, like when the USA invaded Afghanistan right after 9/11, people were glued to their TVs. People were watching CNN and all the commercials for products that came on in between the latest war updates. Reporters come back from war and write books – just like Chris Hedges did – that make them money. Why is the media not talking much right now about the war in Afghanistan or the war in Iraq? People grew tired of seeing it on their TVs. The wars have become like a TV show that has been on the air for too long and no one watches it anymore. So the media doesn’t report on it much. Where I canno t really agree with Hedges is his belief that Americans see war as entertainment.

Prevention of Medication Errors and Safety Measures Assignment

Prevention of Medication Errors and Safety Measures - Assignment Example Another important requirement is the right storage of medicines and accounting for the stocks at appropriate intervals. In many cases drugs are delivered to the patient by means of certain devices such as tubes and inhalers. In such cases it is necessary to ensure that the equipment is sterile and also monitor the system constantly (Anderson & Townsend, 2010). In addition to the above potential errors, environmental issues such as increased workload of the medical staff, distractions while procuring or administering drugs to the patient and fatigue and ill-health of the caregivers can also lead to grave medication errors. In one hospital setting a â€Å"no interruption zone† has been instituted in places where nurses procure medications from automated dispensing machines. Such actions will facilitate better concentration from the staff and hence fewer error risks (Anderson & Townsend, 2010). One of the main methods by which medication errors can be prevented is through proper and adequate information about drugs which needs to be provided to nurses and other medical staff attending the patient, pharmacists in charge of dispensing medications and to the patient themselves. Nursing staff and others dealing with medications should be constantly updated about new medicines procured by the facility as well on potential medication errors that could occur (Anderson & Townsend, 2010). In addition, physicians should educate every patient on the risks and benefits of the drugs prescribed to them and clarify the doubts of the patient regarding the long-term effects and dosage regimen of the drugs (Patel & Balkrishnan, 2010). Awareness on errors occurring in other... One of the main methods by which medication errors can be prevented is through proper and adequate information about drugs which needs to be provided to nurses and other medical staff attending the patient, pharmacists in charge of dispensing medications and to the patient themselves. Nursing staff and others dealing with medications should be constantly updated about new medicines procured by the facility as well on potential medication errors that could occur (Anderson & Townsend, 2010). In addition, physicians should educate every patient on the risks and benefits of the drugs prescribed to them and clarify the doubts of the patient regarding the long-term effects and dosage regimen of the drugs (Patel & Balkrishnan, 2010). Awareness on errors occurring in other facilities should also be created as it will help to provide a broader picture about the issue. In cases where negligence has been found to be the major cause of the error strict action needs to be ensued against the conce rned staff as they will serve as a caution for other members. Nurses and other caregivers should always bear in mind the five important rights while administering medicines that include identifying the right patient and the drug and administering the same in the correct dosage at the right time and via the right route (Anderson & Townsend, 2010; Patel & Balkrishnan, 2010). The use of information technology has also become a key factor for reducing errors related to medication over the past years.

International Nurse Migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Nurse Migration - Essay Example According to the research findings migration of nurses has been based on either individual contacts and motivation or opportunity. Planned recruitment of nurses internationally has been taking place, in the past decade period, developed nations recruiting nurses from developing nations and other developed nations. Additionally, developing nations are recruiting nurses from each other, especially within similar regions geographically. As a result of this statistics recruited health professionals from countries represent over a quarter of the nursing workforces of The U.S, Canada, Australia and the U.K. The reasons for migration of nurses is as a result of pull or push factors. Pull factors are factors that attract the nurse in the direction of another country. This includes; quality of life perceived to be better, career development, personal security, learning opportunities and better pay. Push factors are circumstances that drive a nurse to leave their country to search for greener pastures elsewhere. They include inadequate remunerations, lack of standard work equipment or facilities, career development options lacking and political instability in their country. The consequences of the pull or push factors leading to migration of nurses to other countries has dealt a huge blow in their countries of origin. More common is the brain drain which is experienced by donor countries that is the loss of personnel that is skilled and also loss of development in education due to human resources that are limited migrating elsewhere. (Awases, 2003). Also, migration of nurses threatens health globally since recruitment and hiring of nurses in developing countries leads to a vacuum in developing nations thus health services in such countries are compromised. Moreover, International migration by nurses undermines the capacity of countries to deal with regional, national and global commitments and also their individual development. The Commonwealth Code of Practice for the R ecruitment of Health Workers Internationally has discouraged greatly health workers recruitment from nations that experience shortages, and also due to the above negative consequences of health workers recruitment. Aiken, et. al (2004) agree, basing their argument on the fact that developing nations require to come up with their own workforce of nurses that are able to cater for their countries needs and ensure that those nurses are well compensated, and that they experience good working environment. Despite all the above negative consequences, there is a positive impact on the recruitment of nurses internationally. This includes economic benefits in relation to income remittance generation. These remittances are estimated to contribute over $70 billion globally to world economies. According to Buchan (2001), the negative consequences of international migration of nurses on donor countries are starting to get acknowledged, but they have not yet been fully dealt with. A balance shoul d be maintained between the push factors driving nurses to migrate, and the utilitarian concern on health of donor countries due to loss of scarce nurses. The Commonwealth Code of Practice for the Recruitment of Health Workers Internationally (2003) believes that for such a balance to be possible there must be a mutual benefit. That is minimization of compromise of the donor country by the importer country making an effort to provide help in the form of technology, training