Employee Assistance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Employee Assistance - Assignment Example However, fortunately, that has all improved dramatically. Once the company began promoting the EAPs and all the services they had to offer, it resulted in a large number of people who were quick to look into the programs. I noticed in several cases of single parents seeking aid in child care issues. Overall, I would say, approximately, at least 20% have already shown interest and are actively taking advantage of the services the EAPs offer. A recent survey showed a 33% decrease in employees coming in late or being absent due to issues that the EAPs helped them resolve; it also revealed a decrease in overall company healthcare costs in relation to mental health issues. The only problems that I have heard involve employees concerns in regards to whether or not the â€Å"counseling services† are completely safe and confidential. However, the company is already working to alleviate the employees concerns on this issue. In truth, all of the professionals involved with the EAPs are legitimate and licensed, when necessary, and follow all the same healthcare privacy and confidentiality laws that are followed in all U.S. medical professions. Therefore this issue will be easily remedied. I think that the EAPs that we have are already succeeding in overcoming its biggest challenge. Before, its greatest issue was not being properly promoted by the company itself. Once the employees became aware of what was available the programs were being sought after. Now the system operates just fine. Because the EAPs are part of the health insurance that is provided by the company to its employees, new hires must wait 3 months. This is a 90 day probationary period typical of all new employees. After that time frame then all employees are legible to participate in the EAPs, as well as, their healthcare benefits. As of this year they offer, both, telephone and face-to-face interactions, depending on the time of day. Certain call centers, like substance

Fleet Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fleet Planning - Essay Example It is all because of all such various factors, it is considered that the airline industry is a vibrant and unpredictable industry. As this industry has been really dynamic of late, it has been considered by many airline service providers to alter their performance style into a private management style rather than the earlier government interfering style. (The Global airline industry program) To respond to the dynamic nature of the airline industry, many airline service providers have followed a low-cost strategy and to be able to apply this low-cost strategy, fleet planning strategies have been followed. In order to implement a successful the fleet planning strategy, companies have focused upon four different issues: Costs are a major factor that enables a company to earn profits. If the costs are controlled properly, higher profits would be earned. In recent years, costs have been an important aspect towards a company’s success. The knowledge and control of the costs provided by the latest aircraft models, engines and fleet universality are an important aspect in the assessment of future fleet necessities. Demand in the market is another aspect which ascertains the requirement of fleet for a company. The general demand by the customer regarding the services provided and the fares offered would also be necessary in ascertaining the appropriate fleet for a company. The biggest revenue/cost saving of adding more aircraft of the same type is the compatibility and similarity, for example Airbus in marketing their Aircraft claims that communality exists between their aircrafts and the of having a fleet of different type sizes of aircraft from Airbus would: Since the systems are similar and properly use the same tools and procedures for maintenance or even operation such as refueling, or baggage handling, that would have a big effect on the

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) System: Advantages and Disadvantages

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) System: Advantages and Disadvantages PAYE (Pay as you earn) was first introduced in year 1944. This is a system used by HMRC (HM Revenue Customs) to collect Income Tax and NICs (National Insurance contributions) from employees pay, including directors of limited companies, as they earn it. OPERATION OF PAYE SYSTEM Under PAYE system, employers are responsible to deduct both Income Tax and NICs from employee when paying them their wages or occupational pension. Employers are required to operate PAYE on the payments make to employee if the employees earnings reach the LEL (National Insurance Lower Earning Limit). For tax year 2010-11 (6th April 2010 to 5th April 2011), LEL is  £97 a week,  £421 a month or  £5,044 a year. The tax rate charged for earning not more than  £37,400 is at 20 percent, earnings more than  £37,400 but less than  £150,000 is at 40 percent and earning above  £150,000 is at 50 percent. A tax code and National Insurance category letter determines the amount of income tax and NICs deductable from employees wages or pension will be issue by HMRC. Employees with earning less than  £110 are exempted from making NICs. Employees with earning more than  £110 but less than  £844 per week will need to pay 11 percent and employees with earning is more than  £844 per week will need to pay 1 percent. Before the tax year starts, usually in January or February, forms P9T or P9X will be given to employers to tell them about the tax codes that to be use for each employee. In the event if HRMC do not have enough information to issue a full tax code to employers, employers will then be told to use the emergency tax code until more information is received and the tax code can be adjusted. A tax code is usually made up of one or more numbers followed by a letter. By multiply the number by ten, the employee will be able to obtain his total income earn in a tax year before any tax deduction. The employee will be getting the same take-home wages each week or month as the tax code spread this tax-free amount equally over the year. See appendix for the common tax letters. Any changes example, employee receiving a second income, employers are expected to inform HMRC accordingly, as this will affect the tax code. Employers were to provide each employee a pay-slip or pay statement at or before the payday and pay HMRC the income tax and NICs by 19th of each month or by the 22nd if payment is made through electronic. Employers whose payments to HMRC do not exceed an average of  £1,500 are allowed to make quarterly payments. If the correct amount was not send in or late sent in, interest may be charged. At the end of each tax year, 5th April 2011, form P60 stating the summary of the employees pay and deductions is to be provided before 1st June following the end of the tax year, 1st June 2011. After the end of the tax year, no later than 19th May 2011, employers must send HMRC the form P35 and P14s summarising the total payroll figures for the year. PROCEDURES WHEN TAXPAYER CHANGES JOB When one employee left their old job, a form P45-Details of employee leaving work should be given to him by his previous employer. Information for Part 1 and 2 must be completed. If the employees last day of work falls on 6th December 2010, this form should reflect the National Insurance number, tax code and total wages and tax as of 6th December 2010. This form P45 will be then given to the new employer when the employee joined onboard. Information for Part 3 will then be complete. The employee will be able to claim back the tax if he started the new job within four weeks after leaving the old job. This tax refunded will be made two to three weeks later if the employees wages is paid on a weekly basis, or included in the pay-slip if his wages is paid on a monthly basis In the event if no form P45 is given to the new employer, employee will need to complete the form P46-PAYE notice of new employee. HMRC will process the form P46 and revise the tax code if necessary. If too much tax is paid, employer will make the necessary refund. Form P46 is only necessary if employee is not a student whom works solely during their school holiday and employee is not working for one week or less. If first pay-day falls on the 1st January 2011, form P46 information must be provided by employee before his first pay-day and employer must send in the form (both form P45 or P46) not later than the employees first pay day, which is 1st January 2011. Although send in forms can be done online or paper form, it had been becoming compulsory for all employers to file the in-year forms online. In-year forms include form P45 and P46. Companies with more than 50 employees should already be filing their in-year forms online. They will be penalty if they file form P45 or P46 on papers. Companies with less than 50 employees are required to file their in-year forms online with effect from 6th April 2011. In the event If the employee decided to retire or stop working, he can claim back the tax payable from HMRC, by completing form P50-Claiming tax back when you have stopped working. COMPARE AND CONTRAST OF PAYE SYSTEM AND SELF-ASSESSMENT SYSTEM In the view of HMRC and a taxpayer, both PAYE system and self-assessment system works about the same as both systems are meant to use to identify employees and self-employed individuals incomes or pension in each tax year. Most employees in UK paid their tax due on their income or pensions to HMRC through PAYE system. However, employees like company director, even if they are already taxed through PAYE system, they will still required by law to complete a tax return. Employees whom earned proceeds from sales of certain assets (capital gain) will either need to inform employers so that they can include this income under PAYE system or they can complete a tax return. Beside the company director, self-employed individuals or trustee or individuals having foreign income will also be required to complete a tax return and inform HMRC about their incomes or profits. Both employers and self-employed individuals have to first register under HMRC before any tax submission or tax payments. Employers have to register under HMRCs PAYE online for employers service, while all self-employed individuals must register for self-assessment and obtain the tax return form. Self Assessment tax returns will be send out by HMRC in April each year (which is April 2011 for Tax Year 2010-11), for online filing, a letter called Notice to File will send instead. A Self Assessment registration form is need to be complete if individual has never file a tax return before. Although the PAYE system and self-assessment system operate in the similar way, the type of forms used under these two systems are different. Under PAYE system, employers are expected to send HMRC the form P35 and P14s summarising the total payroll figures for the employee for the year. Under the self-assessment system, different forms are being used. Being self-employed, individual has to complete form CWF1 to register and inform HMRC about their business nature. Being not self-employed, individual has to complete SA1 instead. The deadline for tax submission and payment for both systems are also difference. Under PAYE system, Under PAYE system, employers are to pay HMRC on a monthly basis, by 19th of each month or by the 22nd if payment is made through electronic, if tax amount is more than  £1,500. If tax amount is less than  £1,500, employers can pay HMRC on a quarterly instead of monthly basis. Under self-assessment system, for paper tax return, it must reach HMRC by midnight of 31st October. For online tax return must reach HMRC by midnight of 31st January. For example, tax year 2010-11, paper tax return deadline is 31st October 2010 and online filing is 31st January 2011. In term of tax payment, for tax year 2010-11, first payment falls on 31st January 2011, second payment falls on 31st July 2011, and the balance payments falls on 31st January 2012. Penalty will be charged if tax return is not received on time. Comparing the PAYE system with self-assessment system, tax payments for self-assessment are split into 3 payments, while under PAYE system payments are made either on monthly basis or quarterly basis. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PAYE SYSTEM AND SELF-ASSESSMENT SYSTEM No system is prefect, to a taxpayer or HMRC, PAYE system and self-assessment system has its own advantages and disadvantages. As a tax-payer under self assessment system, individuals benefit from the lower rate of NICs. Apart of this, under self-assessment system, self-employed individuals can enjoy the cash-flow advantage of not having paying their tax on a monthly basis as tax payments are split into three payments. However they will still face this split payment as disadvantage. This is so when the deadline date reaches 31st January. Under self-assessment, individuals need pay taxes for two tax years on 31st January, first payment for tax year 2010-11 and balance payment for tax year 2009-10. As a tax collector, self-assessment system helps to collect tax for benefits. A taxpayer whom is an employee of a company, he may entitle to some benefits like company car etc. This benefit is not included in the pay-slip therefore not taxed through PAYE system. With self-assessment system, taxpayer will need to include this benefit-in-kind. Under PAYE system, when employee changes job, form P45 is supposed to be provided by previous employer to employee. When form P45 is not issue, new employer will need to complete form P46. Often when new employer do not received the code notice or form P45 on time, it is possible that tax calculation will be incorrect. Another disadvantage of PAYE system is that, under PAYE system, forms P9T or P9X will be given to employers to tell them about the tax codes that to be use for each employee. However employee with more than one source of income tends to be confused of what tax code to be used. This will lead to incorrect deductions of tax for the taxpayer which resulted in either tax over-deducted or under-deducted. Also when a taxpayer turn from 65 or 75, he qualifies for age-related relief, tax code should change. For such cases, HMRC may or may not change the tax code automatically. If tax code is not change, taxpayer might ended up paying more tax. Based on the recent news released early year of 2010, due to the new PAYE system, wrong tax code was issued, which caused taxpayer paying more tax. Due to this incident, HMRC is trying to improve the operation of PAYE system.

Homeless Cafes :: Essays Papers

Homeless Cafes There seems to be a welcome trend unfolding in social services for the homeless. In place of large, impersonal soup kitchens, small cafes are springing up with a philosophy that is all too rare-treat the homeless with respect and dignity, and maybe they'll respond to available services. It began with Cafe 458 in Atlanta in 1988, which since has served as a model for similar cafes across the country. Cafe 458 was founded to serve good meals to small groups of homeless individuals, offer a comprehensive array of services, and empower those who eat at the Cafe. Part of its strategy to empower homeless persons is to treat them with dignity-the staff refer to those who eat there as guests, not clients, food is served on real dishes, artwork adorns the walls, and fresh flowers brighten each table. The Cafe serves only 28 guests at a time, all of whom are referred by area social service agencies. To be referred to the Cafe, clients must not be actively using drugs, have no recent history of violence, and have a strong desire to improve their lives. On the average, guests regularly eat at the Cafe for six months before they are able to find employment and/or housing. Since 1988, Cafe 458 has served only 1,000 people, but the staff considers its small numbers its strength. As Nancy Palchanis, executive director, explains, "It is not a feeding program. It is about empowerment. Soup kitchens feed too many people. Our advantage is in the small size." The small size of Cafe 458, and others like it, is translating into success in the lives of their guests . For example, The Bread and Roses Cafe, run by a social service agency in Venice, California, enrolls some of its clients in a six-week intensive course in restaurant work and 20 hours of on-thejob training. Sixty-seven of the 112 people who have completed the program are now employed by restaurants in the Los Angeles area. Fortunately for some of Chicago's homeless, they too have a similar place to turn-Inspiration Cafe, located in the Uptown community. Since 1991, Inspiration Cafe has served good-tasting and healthy meals to homeless individuals in Uptown and has provided them with a variety of comprehensive services. The Cafe was founded by Lisa Nigro, a former homeless in her community. Nigro began feeding the homeless in Uptown by carting around a red wagon filled with bagels and juice that she would serve to people waiting in lines at local shelters and soup kitchens.

Health and Social Care P5 Essay

Multi agency working This is where professionals from multiple agencies meet together to work towards the best possible care of an individual. They will combine their skills and do a single assessment to assess needs of the client, as opposed to each professional doing an individual assessment. Working in partnerships with adults using services This is where encouragement for the use of services helps to gain trust between professionals and clients or their families. By ensuring of policies and working routines, then the cared for individual can feel more confident that they will be able to flag up any concerns, worries or comments. It promotes a better relationship between cared-for and care-giver. ISA This protects vulnerable adults from people who may want to abuse them, or have a history of abusing. Before a paid worker or voluntary worker can work with vunerable adults, they will have to be vetted and have a check for no prior history of abuse. If a person has a history of abusing, then they will be placed on a ‘barred’ list and will then be unable to work with vulnerable people. This means that employers will have to receive appropriate references, have a DBS check done and check the barred list, before they can employ a person to work with vulnerable adults. Criminal Records Bureau People who wish to work with vulnerable adults will have to undergo and in-depth DBS check before they are able to work with vulnerable people. This check looks at their criminal history. It will show any previous cautions or convictions. No Secrets This guideline means that any group, no matter how big or small, must have a set of policies and guidelines about what is expected of the people who work within the organisation. It shows staff members what is appropriate and inappropriate care. Codes of Practice This sets standards for all people working with vulnerable people, such as nurses and midwives. Usually these codes of practice are overseen by larger bodies that regulate the workers. People who do not follow the codes of practice may be unable to remain in their chosen profession. National Frame for Good Practice and Outcomes in Adult Protection This sets a group of national standards or service models to show how best to deliver a service. It promotes multi agency working to provide the best level of care for a service user. Dignity in Care initiative This is a campaign to stop lack of respect show to service users and to ensure that their dignity is maintained through good and positive service. It encourages challenging of poor service or lack of respect. Human Rights in Healthcare This is assists and promotes the use of human rights practice in work within delivery of care services, particularly within the NHS. It encourages fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy. Closer working between professionals This means that records to care will be made and then logged so that the care can be noted and continued or altered. It means that concerns can be shared and can bring attention to alterations in behaviour towards particular members of staff or visitors. It can also log any illness. The communication means that care givers can work together to provide continuous care. Care Quality Commission This ensures that all organisations under their watch are working to a set of rules and regulations that apply to them. They regulate the care given and inspect institutions to ensure that optimal care that conforms to regulations is given to all of the people in its care. Organisational policies This teaches staff what is expected of them and what is inappropriate. It also means that a complaints procedure will exist, so that people who  believe there is a problem with care given can be challenged fairly, whilst people are protected from any possible ill-consequences of complaint. This also means that whenever a new policy is enacted, that appropriate staff training will be undertaken and explained. It ensures that staff are well aware of any consequences as a result of abusing. Decision making forums This ensures that the decision making process is kept clear and does not remain secretive. It gives individuals the chance to be an active member in the decisions that affect their care or their lives. They can be supported to make the best decision that will best affect them. It gives an opportunity for opinions and views on it to be explained, alongside with any procedures or guidelines that may be in effect as a part of the decision. Whistleblowing This is where a member of an organisation informs members an employer or a regulatory body of ill-practice within the organisation that they work in. They will be protected by the Public Interest Disclosure act, meaning that they will be appropriately protected from any suffering that may be caused by an individual raising awareness, such as dismissal or bullying. Effective relationship building This means that relationships between service users and professionals are kept appropriate and the duty of care remains the main responsibility. The worker must work to a set of guidelines or accepted values. The relationship between user and worker must remain professional and not overstep boundaries set by professional bodies. It means that whilst the wishes and dignity of the user will still be kept, the relationship will be equal yet maintain the importance of the status of carer and cared-for. Principles of care

Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers Essay

Abstract This study explores teacher education programs and preservice teacher dispositions. The study examined the dispositions of two sections of a reading methods course populated by preservice teachers. A dispositions checklist was used to collect data in three phases and from two audiences. The findings of the study strongly suggest that preservice teachers have a positive view of their own dispositions as well as their peers’ dispositions. The study also shows that the perception of preservice teachers’ dispositions of themselves differ greatly from the perception of the instructor of the course. Implications from this study suggest further development of practices that surface disposition and strategic use of data to improve teacher dispositions within teacher education programs. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 3 Introduction As the push for effective teachers persists, many teacher education programs, and professional development administrators are left speculating about the part dispositions perform in effective teaching. Johnson & Reinman (2007) sought to explore the definition of dispositions as teacher professional judgment and professional action in the moral/ethical domain of adult cognition. By assessing beginning teacher judgment both quantitatively and qualitatively, convergence between predicted and observed patterns was found in addition to congruence between teacher judgment and action. Based on the findings of convergence and congruence, implications for teacher education and development are made. They mirror what Jung (2009) found in the study of teacher technology. Jung studied technology teacher dispositions and found education significantly increased competence level and disposition measures. The study also found there are no statistically significant differences in technology proficiency level in terms of age or gender, female and older students should be strongly encouraged to use technology without fear of failure. Since the major difference in the technology disposition score was due to the male students’ stronger selfconfidence level toward technology, teacher educators should pay attention for female students to be more self-assured through repeated contact to the technology experience. Jung made the following recommendations: (1)The importance of technology should be stressed frequently and intensely throughout the curriculum. (2) Future teachers should see successful role models continuously for adopting technology. (3) Numerous technology literacy and integration classes, and other forms of technology education need to be included in the curriculum- to make them competent and perceive themselves technologically competent. (4) Future teachers Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 4  should be exposed to the experiences, which repeatedly connect the value of technology with their career, which enable them to see and to experience the value of using technology and living with technology, which let them frequently use technology for their learning, problem solving, and future instruction. Disparate to the literature on some dispositions, the dispositions cited in the teacher education literature (e. g. , INTASC) have almost no illuminating value and very little significance presently. This conclusion comes from an examination of the cited teacher dispositions in  terms of Underwood’s levels of meaning in the behavioral sciences and shows that these dispositional paradigms are little more than labels for particular behaviors. Although the construct, disposition, in teacher education may be redundant now, it is not entirely inadequate as it may provide a pilot hypothesis for further investigations (Murray, 2007; Windschitl, 2003). The implications from the previous studies provide the groundwork for exploring teacher dispositions. In order to effectively investigate this, a definition for dispositions by our governing bodies must be identified. â€Å"NCATE now defines Professional Dispositions as: Professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities. These positive behaviors support student learning and development† (2007). Institutions take their own stab at defining dispositions in many ways. The National Association for the Education of Young Children states in order to enact and examine surface disposition: â€Å"All teaching staff evaluates and improve their own performance based on ongoing reflection and feedback from supervisors, peers and families. They add to their knowledge and increase their ability to put knowledge into practice. They develop an Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 5 annual individualized professional development plan with their supervisor and use it to inform their continuous professional development†. The National Association for the Education of Young Children also states that disposition is defined through: â€Å"All teaching staff continuously strengthening their leadership skills and relationships with others and works to improve the conditions of children and families within their programs, the local community or region, and beyond. Teaching staff participate in informal or formal ways in local, state, or regional public-awareness activities related to early care by joining groups, attending meetings, or sharing information with others both at and outside the program (2005)†. The University of West Georgia surfaces disposition through its conceptual framework. â€Å"The Conceptual Framework is the rationale and organizing principle that guides the curriculum for Developing Educators for School Improvement. The Conceptual Framework is grounded in research, knowledge, and experience that describe what undergraduate and graduate candidates should know and apply to foster transformational systemic change. Our Conceptual Framework incorporates the standards and principles established by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC), and Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs). The following beliefs give credence to our professional commitments—the 10 descriptors used to describe the qualities and dispositions that we feel educators must possess to positively impact school improvement—and provide further delineation of the Conceptual Framework: Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 6 1. Decision Makers: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills when making decisions that will influence effective transformational systemic change. 2. Leaders: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate effective leadership skills to initiate and facilitate transformational systemic change. 3. Life Long Learners: We believe that candidates should seek continually to improve their knowledge, disposition, and skills to influence transformational systemic change. 4. Adaptive: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate flexibility and strategic planning appropriate to a wide variety of learners for effective transformational systemic change. 5. Collaborative: We believe that candidates should be able to develop skills to work effectively with various stakeholders involved in the educational process that will bring about transformational systemic change. 6. Culturally Sensitive: We believe that candidates should be able to develop awareness and understanding of individual and group differences when diagnosing and prescribing transformational systemic change. 7. Empathetic: We believe that candidates should be able to develop the sensitivity for individual, family, and institutional needs that will embrace transformational systemic change. 8. Knowledgeable: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate general knowledge inherent in a liberal arts curriculum, advanced knowledge in content areas, and specific knowledge in professional education for the implementation of transformational systemic change. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 7 9. Proactive: We believe that candidates should be able to advocate for the removal of barriers that impede life long learning and hinder transformational systemic change. 10. Reflective: We believe that candidates should be able to demonstrate critical thinking skills in the diagnosis and prescription for transformational systemic change. According to Merriam-Webster (2010), disposition is defined as a â€Å"prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination b : temperamental makeup c : the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances†. Katz (1985) defines disposition as â€Å"the notion of disposition was defined as an attributed characteristic of a teacher, one that summarizes the trend of a teacher’s actions in particular contexts† (p.301). Now that the definitions for this context have been identified, let us examine what the research says about them. What Does Research Say about Disposition? The arena of literature on dispositions in the field of teacher education is one of great concern. In light of the fact that our professional organizations and accrediting bodies are constructing disposition requirements for graduate and undergraduate levels, universities are now being required to provide concrete evidence as to how dispositions are being addressed. At the same time, teacher education programs are continuously providing opportunities for reflection in induction, courses, field and clinical placements. If we are considering reflection in action as Schon (1987) defines it, we must marry this concept with teaching dispositions. Within action, reflection has the ability to surface. This study seeks to examine this relationship within the coursework through three points of view: the students themselves, their view of each other and the instructor. In the context of this study, the researcher defines preservice teacher as â€Å"a teacher education student working to attain an. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 8 undergraduate degree in education or initial certification after receiving a four-year degree in another field†. Disposition Origin â€Å"The study of dispositions had its roots in the 1960’s when Arthur W. Combs began a series of studies on the personal perceptions of effective helpers, which he called perceptual characteristics† (p. 96). Teacher education programs over the last 30 years have been implicit and explicit in including them in their conceptual frameworks. In issues of accreditation, dispositions play an important role in the making of teacher candidates. Similarly, Giovannelli (2003) stated that dispositions serve as an accurate measure of teacher effectiveness. On the other hand, Beyer (2002) stated that accreditation mandates, such as dispositions, emphasize a â€Å"technical-rational† approach to teaching and ignore â€Å"social, philosophical, and political understandings† needed by educators† (p. 96). The major teacher accrediting bodies have battled with this for a while now. McKnight (2006) states, â€Å"Where as before NCATE held college of education faculty accountable for proving each preservice teacher had mastered certain knowledge and skills, new policies and standards now dictate faculty must generate evidence as to whether the teacher candidate is the right sort of person† (p. 213). National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education has been criticized regarding the dispositions that are highlighted in its’ standards. They should be assessed at the college level, or taught in a manner that would guide the teacher candidate to alter his or her already established dispositions. Time and opportunity may be in question. There is also the concern of whether dispositions towards virtues such as social justice, caring and honesty, which NCATE standards present as attractive, will fall short of leaving a mark on teacher candidates. McKnight (2006) found, â€Å"These dispositions have been reinforced in the general process of schooling, as Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 9 part of the hidden curriculum and academic achievement discourse, according to those who analyze schooling from a critical lens (e. g. Bowers and Flinders 1990; Cherryholmes 1988; Doll 1993; Zeichner 1991, p.214)†. Presence of Dispositions In order to be aware of the facilitation of dispositions, preservice teachers must be open to interaction and experience in the learning and teaching environment. This would denote presence. Raider-Roth and Rodgers, (2006) defines this â€Å"engagement as ‘presence’- a state of alert awareness, receptivity and connectedness to the mental, emotional and physical workings of both the individual and the group in the context of their learning environments and the ability to respond with a considered and compassionate best next step † (p.266). The authors also hold that reflective teaching cannot be compacted to a set of behaviors or skills, but is a practice that requires presence. â€Å"It requires self-knowledge, trust, relationship and compassion† (p. 266). Research from past studies confirm that the relationship between teacher and student is a cornerstone in student achievement, motivation, engagement and in their ability to depend on what they know (Midgley & Urdan. , 2001; Pianta, 1999; Roeser Eccles & Sameroff. , 2000; Rodgers, in press; Raider-Roth, 2005a,b). This research illustrated that the quality of these relationships is not a light or surface factor of schooling; it is a critical feature of learning. What allows this relationship to burgeon is intricate and calls upon the mental, physical, emotive and related capital of the teacher†. If this is the case, preservice teachers must be prepared and primed for such a relationship. â€Å"Maxine Greene (1973), lifting the semantics of Merleau-Ponty, wrote on ‘wide-awakeness. ’ Through the act of reflection the human being confronts and becomes aware of ‘his relation to his surroundings, his manner of conducting himself with. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 10 respect to things and other human beings, the changing perspectives through which the world presents itself to him† (p. 269). Teacher educators anticipate this permeating exchange in the classroom. Schulz (2003) and Heshusius (1995) illustrated a similar position when they articulated the power of listening. Schultz, categorized listening at the crux of what it is to teach, defined listening as â€Å"an active, rational, and interpretive process that is focused on creating meaning† (p. 118). As with other thinkers and practitioners mentioned here she saw the teacher’s job as one of attentiveness. Attending to students in this manner, implies becoming deeply engaged in understanding what a person has to say through words, gesture, and action. â€Å"Listening is fundamentally about being in relationship to other and through this relationship supporting change or transformation† (p. 270). Transmission of Dispositions Oftentimes, dispositions are aligned with skills. For example, critical-thinking skills include the ability to create justification for via analysis, evaluation, and interpretation in reasonable, effective, careful, and serious ways, but these skills are powerless if certain dispositions are not in place. Attending to concepts and enacting these skills requires openminded and prejudice-free dispositions. â€Å"Thinking skills rely on disposition to imply knowledge transfer within domains and the impetus to apply those skills (Harpern 1998; Wright 2002)†. There are multiple approaches to this. The author suggests: â€Å"Creating learning experiences for students that foster the development of dispositional commitments including incontrovertible and democratic rights of liberty, opportunity, and dissent, as well as freedoms of participation, inquiry, expression, and worship, are mush easier to prescribe than enact. Developing these dispositions is central to the charge Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 11 of democratic education: creating widening and enlarging experiences (Barton and Levstik, 2004; Dewey, 1916)†. Instead of attempting the edification of dispositions via transmission of instruction, learners can instead appropriately surface them habitually when students have continued exposure to various kinds of learning experiences Reinforcement of Dispositions Battalio and Morin (2004) share that teachers react to reinforcement similarly as students do. In this case, strategies that engage disposition need to be reinforced. A teacher who meets with accomplishment with a strategy will more than likely use the approach at another opportunity. If the success is a lasting one, then the teacher gets consistent confirmation about the usefulness of his or her practice. Regrettably, the reverse is also true. If a teacher uses a strategy that does not appear to operate, he or she is likely to employ the approach again. Achieving enduring change is often slow and seemingly unresponsive to initial positive interventions. Teachers need to be capable and ready to interpret preliminary intervention outcomes in the full framework of the student’s milieu while also resisting the temptation to follow subjective appraisals of the intervention’s effectiveness. The authors describe such teachers as having high personal teaching efficacy (PTE; Guskey & Passaro, 1994). This high personal teaching efficacy springs from a candidate who has the opportunity to explore and develop teacher dispositions for such behavior. Problem with Dispositions Due to concerns with the students’ communication to the instructor, and the nature of the language in that communication, the question of disposition arose. This is based on Schon’s definition of reflection in action. Reflection-in-action is defined by Schon (1987) as the ability of Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 12 professionals to ‘think about what they are doing while they are doing it’. Schon views this as a fundamental skill. He emphasizes that the only way to manage the ‘indeterminate zones of (professional) practice’ is through the ability to think on your feet, and put into operation previous experience to new situations. Students often equate a score on an assignment of project with a positive teaching disposition. This is not an automatic correlation and is often misinterpreted in various areas; student-instructor communications, classroom discussions, instructional conversations, group assignments, presentations, field placements and lesson planning; as well as the instructional environment at large. In this particular case, dispositions manifest themselves in all of the previously mentioned areas in this course. Because of a cohort of students in the first block of the program from the previous semester experienced major problems with maintaining the teacher dispositions as indicated by the College of Education’s Conceptual Framework, the instructor soon discovered that a more explicit system for aiding students in surfacing and monitoring their own dispositions was critical. The next semester the instructor taught the course and took a proactive approach to the situation. She instituted a simple instrument that served a three-pronged purpose: to engage students in assessing themselves, each other, and assisting the instructor in assessing the student’s disposition as well. The review of literature and the instructor’s concerns of developing the â€Å"whole† teacher raised an essential question. How and under what conditions do preservice teachers assess dispositions in terms of themselves, each other, and in the eyes of the instructor? Methodology Research Questions 1. To what degree do preservice teachers assess their own dispositions? Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 13 2. To what degree do preservice teachers assess the dispositions of their peers? 3. To what degree does the instructor assess the dispositions of the preservice teachers in the reading methods course? Population The sample consisted of forty-seven students enrolled in two sections of the reading methods course instituted in the first of four methods block courses in the undergraduate teacher education program at the university. There were forty-three females and four males. Thirty-six were early childhood education majors, eight were middle grades education majors and three were special education majors. The study was voluntary and this population, and its sequences through the methods course blocks, was appropriate for this study because this is the structured progression of the undergraduate teacher education program. Convenience sampling was utilized (Salkind & Rassmussen, 2007). Though convenience sampling has been stated in the literature not to be as strong a method as others, this method is essential to the study because of the nature of the candidates to this institution’s program. If these candidates are to continue in the program as a cohort, monitoring them will be essential to teacher quality and program expectations. Measurement Measures The Likert Scale is an ordered, one-dimensional scale from which respondents choose one option that that most appropriately supports their view. There are usually between four and seven options. An advantage is that questions used are usually simple to understand and show the way to consistent responses. A disadvantage is that limited options are presented; with which respondents may not completely agree. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 14 Construction of measures The instrument was a 4-point likert scale with three major response categories: satisfactory, areas of concern, and not observed. With in the category of satisfactory were two response subcategories: exemplary performance and expected performance. Within the category of areas of concern was below expected performance. Finally, there was the category of not observed. This makes for four responses in total. Exemplary performance was rated as a three, expected performance was rated as a two and below expected performance was rated as a one. The dispositions being assessed were belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. Within the category of belonging were samples of descriptors. Descriptors included: relates easily, positively, and tactfully with others, is friendly, courteous, and professional; actively seeks opportunities for personal and professional growth; appropriate professional appearance and personal hygiene. Within the category of mastery were samples of descriptors. They were: demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and reflection; exhibits an interest in and a commitment to teaching and learning; responds with a positive attitude when receiving feedback. Within the category of independence were samples of descriptors. Descriptors included: demonstrates initiative and positive attitude; is responsible, reliable, dependable, & well organized (meets deadlines, reliable, prompt, attends classes, appointments, meetings, etc. ), and demonstrates flexibility and adaptability. Within the category of generosity were samples of descriptors. They were willingly, actively and cooperatively participates in collaborative situations; shares ideas and concerns, and appreciates multiple perspectives. There was also an open-ended comments section for those responses that students felt were important to the survey but not included in the checklist (See Appendix A). Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 15 Procedures The instrument was administered twice to the students and completed once by the instructor. The students completed the checklist based on their observation of themselves at the middle of the semester. The students then completed the instrument anonymously on a group member at the end of the semester. Finally, the instructor completed the disposition checklist on all of the students at the end of the semester. Each checklist was submitted the day it was completed and all of the data were compiled ten days after the last checklist was collected. Though this was a mixed methods study, the research chose to address the quantitative aspect of the study at this time. Results The data was subject to descriptive statistical analysis, by way of percentages. Self-Reporting In the category of belonging disposition, all of the participants rated themselves as displaying satisfactory performance; with 39 (83%) reporting exemplary performance and 8 (17%) reporting expected performance. In the category of mastery disposition 27 (57%) of the participants rated themselves as exemplary performance, 17 (36%) reported expected performance, and a small percentage; 3 (7%) rated themselves an area of concern-below expected performance. In the category of the independence disposition, 100% rated themselves as satisfactory in the area with 25 (53%) of them rated as exemplary performance and 22 (47%) at expected performance. Finally, in the disposition of generosity, 39 (83%) of the participants rated themselves with an exemplary performance and with 8 (17%) of preservice teachers rated themselves with expected performance (See Appendix B, Table 1). Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 16 Figure 1. Number of Students 50 40 30 20 10 0 Exemplary Expected Below Expected Not Observed on gi ng M as te ry In de pe nd B el Peer Reporting In the category of belonging, 40 (85%) of the participants rated their classmates as exemplary performance with 5 (10%) of the students citing expected performance. Five percent of the participants rated their peers in the area of concern-below expected performance. In the category of mastery, 39 (83%) of the participants rated their peers at exemplary performance. Fifteen percent of participants rated their peers with expected performance and a small percentage of participants reported 1 (2%) of their peers at an area of concern-below expected performance. In the category of the independence, 39 (83%) of the participants rated each other with exemplary performance in this area. Of the preservice teachers, 5 (10%) were rated by their peers as meeting expected performance. Seven percent of the participants rated each other in the category of belowexpected performance. In the category of generosity, 41(86 %) of the participants rated each other with a score of exemplary performance. Seven percent of participants rated their peers with expected performance. Finally, 3 (7 %) of the participants rated their peers below expected performance (See Appendix B, Table 2). G en er os ity en ce Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 17 Figure 2. Number of Students 50 40 30 20 10 0 Exemplary Expected Below Expected Not Observed er y nd en ce gi n B el on. In de pe Instructor Reporting In the category of belonging, the instructor rated 12 (25%) of the participants as displaying exemplary performance. Fifty-seven percent of preservice teachers were rated as displaying expected performance. Seventeen percent of the participants were rated belowexpected performance. In the category of mastery, the instructor rated 7 (15%) of the participants as exemplary performance. Thirty-two percent were rated as expected performance and a smaller percentage; 25 (53%) of the participants were rated as below expected performance area of concern. In the category of independence, 9 (19%) of the students were rated as displaying exemplary performance. Twenty-five percent of participants were rated as having expected performance and 26 (55%) of the participants were rated as below expected performance. In the category of generosity, the instructor rated 7 (15%) of the participants as exemplary performance and 33 (70%) at expected performance. Fifteen percent of the participants were rated at area of concern-below expected performance (See Appendix B, Table 3). G en er os M as t ity g Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 18 Figure 3. Number of Students 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Exemplary Expected Below Expected Not Observed on gi ng M as te ry In de pe nd B el Figure 4. Comparison of Students’ Scores 3. 5 3 Mean Score 2. 5 2 1. 5 1 0. 5 0 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 Number of Students Reported by instructor Reported by self Reported by peer Discussion This tool provided three views of major disposition categories. The most marked difference was between the instructors view of the participants’ disposition of independence (Figure 4). The discrepancy solicits questions about the definition of independence based on objectives and the context provided by the program’s conceptual framework. It is possible that the proactive descriptor could be part of this definition. G en er os ity en ce Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 19 Mastery was another disposition that elicited conversation and conflict. This, like independence, was controversial as well. Participants tended to view completing assignments as mastery whereas the instructor looked at issues of quality. Belonging was a disposition that was actually consistent across all three reporting groups. This disposition is critiqued because it sets the stage for collegiality; an essential part of teacher life. Generosity was also consistent across all three reporting groups. This disposition too, is critical for planting seeds of empathy; a descriptor in the university’s conceptual framework. As far as limitations are concerned, the research acknowledges a few of them. First of all, of the university’s descriptors are not discreetly measured or assessed. Secondly, the number of students is a relatively small number. Third, these students are in the first methods block of the teacher education program. The researcher questions what this data would reveal if the students were assessed towards the end of the program. Conclusion The study found a significant difference between the instructor’s view of the student’s disposition and their view of themselves. The research found this to be of importance and planned to examine this phenomenon qualitatively. Independence was the one disposition where students were actually aligned with the perception of that disposition with the instructor. Implications This small, yet informative study delineates three relatively important points. First, we must make the importance of dispositions explicit in each course, not just listed in the course objectives. It must be surfaced in the courses and monitored qualitatively and quantitatively. Secondly, we must teach students how to surface dispositions and understand the total Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 20 commitment associated with the conceptual frameworks of each institution’s teacher education program. Third and finally, we must continue to create and fine tune a more concise process for creating banks of comparative disposition data in our accreditation and institutional reports that inform a dynamic curriculum. As issues of teacher quality and student performance continue to avail, we must make the examination of the potential and power of disposition a part of the deliberate conversation. Disposition & Early Childhood Teachers 21 References Battalio, R. , Morin, J. (2004). Constructing Misbehavior: The Efficacy Connection in Responding to Misbehavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. Vol. 6. 251-254. Barton, K. C. , and McCully, A. W. (2004). History, identity, and the school curriculum in Northern Ireland: An empirical study of secondary students’ ideas and perspectives. Journal of Curriculum Studies Vol. 37, 85-116. Beckham, L. ; Julian, K. ; Roberson, T. ; Whitsett, G. (2007). First Year Teachers’ Reported Levels of Functioning on Selected Professional Dispositions. Education. Vol. 128. 95102. Beyer, L. E. (2002). The politics of standardization: Teacher education in the USA. Journal of Education for Teaching, 28, 239-246 PD. Bowers, C. A. , & Flinders, David J. (1990). Responsive teaching: An ecological approach to classroom patterns f language, culture, and thought. New York: Teachers College Press. Cherryholmes, C.H. (1988). Power and criticism: Poststructural investigations in education. New York: Teachers College Press. Combs, A. W. ; Avilz, D. ; Purkey, W. (1971) Helping Relationships-Basic Concepts for the Helping Professions. Allyn and Bacon, Inc. Boston, MA. Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: Free Press. Doll, W. B. (1993). A postmodern perspective on curriculum. New York: Teachers College Press. disposition. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved January 17, 2010, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/dis.

Health Case Studies 10 Facts to Imbue the Assignment With

Health Case Studies 10 Facts to Imbue the Assignment With The medical sphere means a lot to all of us. Many youngsters prefer medicine because they want to improve the health conditions of all people. The knowledge obtained at a medical college or university provides them with such a possibility. The graduates of medical institutions do their best to help people who suffer from various ailments. Of course, it’s necessary to learn a lot and thoroughly. One of the toughest challenges is to write health case studies. You should be knowledgeable in the chosen sphere and topics as well as possess advanced writing skills. In addition, you ought to strengthen your papers. This can be done in a variety of ways. One of such is to use crucial facts associated with health care. They may greatly contribute to the development of your main argument and strengthen it for many a time. Make allowances for the facts that may be added to your assignment: Health care statistics. This is a universal point, which is very useful. Merely every research paper in medicine and spheres associated with health requires figures. You should support your thesis. This can be done with the help of trustworthy statistics. Find the official websites, which give a dependable statistic on your topic and use it. Patient’s statements. The opinion of patients is important as well. These are the real people who underwent different therapies, took innovative remedies, and passed through all curing procedures. Accordingly, they can truly say which approach was better. Use their experience in your projects. Common problems in the healthcare industry. Every sphere of human activity has certain problems, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Many case studies disclose typical issues of a concrete sphere. You should learn them all and use when it’s possible to show how competent you are. The latest changes in health care policies. This industry is on a constant move. Unfortunately, different diseases mutate into new forms, or there appear absolutely unknown illnesses. Moreover, some social and economic factors may cause problems for the progress of the medical sphere. The world governments try to solve them and implement changes. Be aware of them to make use out such changes. Don’t write about the out-of-date facts. Insurance issues. There come lots of rumors and real complications with medical insurance. This issue is critical and very important for ordinary people. Learn all the details concerning this matter too. Observations. It’s necessary to track the success of different treatments, preparations, and therapies. This point may be combined with the statistical overview. Such sort of information makes the picture come big. Track the progress of different treatments and how they work. Doctor’s statements. It goes beyond all doubts that one cannot ignore the opinion of doctors. They are as vital as the experience of patients. These two points can be combined. The experts also share their viewpoints concerning the efficacy of various remedies and procedures. Moreover, they are able to give competent predictions about the potential of medical methods of treatment and invent novel remedies. Therefore, this information cannot be bypassed. Legal use of preparations. The matter of legal medical preparations has become a serious issue. Unfortunately, the current market is overflowed with fake or poor-quality pills. Every novel remedy requires the quality control and adoption of FDA and similar organizations. They are tested and assigned one of four main categories. Some of them aren’t dangerous, the others induce certain health inconveniences, and some are pretty dangerous for the patients’ lives. Moreover, the already existing and adopted preparations ought to be regularly checked as well. Therefore, these facts are vital. International collaboration. You should be aware of how world countries collaborate and coordinate the united measures to deal with different problems of the industry. Their actions are impactful and bring great significance. It’s quite possible that one of their numerous approaches will be related to your topic. WHO and its methods. World Health Organization has the centralized role in the governing of health care measures. This organization contributes to the general as well as specific wellbeing improvements. It solves health problems in various regions of the globe in a variety of ways. Turn this informant to your advantage and improve your projects. Memorize these essential points. They are pretty universal and really important. These facts may be the decisive contribution to your success. Use them when it’s possible, and you’ll really imbue your assignment in healthcare case studies with the significant evidence. You should likewise search for health and social care case studies examples. A visualization method has a great power. When we see how the things are composed by the experts, we understand the main objectives of our assignments clearer. This enhances the chances to succeed. References: Cocchi. R. Top 10 issues impacting healthcare industry in 2016. Healthcarebusinesstech.com, healthcarebusinesstech.com/issues-impacting-hospitals-2016/, January 19, 2016 Zamosky. L. Health Care Reform and Settling Grievances: FAQ. Webmd.com, https://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/features/health-insurance-appeals-complaints-problems#1, 2016 Ghosh. P. The pros and cons of drug legalization in the U.S.. Ibtimes.com, https://www.ibtimes.com/pros-cons-drug-legalization-us-246712, October 10, 2010 Partnership and Collaboration Resources for Global Health Researchers. Fic.nih.gov, https://www.fic.nih.gov/Grants/Pages/partnerships-collaborations.aspx, 2014 Health Policy of WHO. Who.int, who.int/topics/health_policy/en/, 2018 Health Statistics. Medlineplus.gov, https://medlineplus.gov/healthstatistics.html, April 25, 2018 Srivastava. R. What do doctors say to alternative therapists when a patient dies? Nothing. We never talk. Theguardian.com, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/03/what-do-doctors-say-to-alternative-therapists-when-a-patient-dies-nothing-we-never-talk, March 30, 2015