Charles Dickens live Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens live Essay Charles Dickens highly reputable and famous book, Great Expectations has been one of the most dominating, important and effective novels he has written. It originally emerged in a serialised form in All The Year Round (a weekly journal conducted by Charles Dickens) in 1860 -1861 and is, to this day and age, thought to be one of his paramount novels. When the book was published, critics were instantaneous to give diverse and mixed reviews towards the book, disliking the exaggeration of both the characters and plot Charles Dickens had carefully formulated. Although the critics were assorted in their reviews, the readers were genuinely ebullient towards Great Expectations that the 1861 edition enforced five printings. Great Expectations was published during the Victorian era which also was the time in which Charles Dickens lived. The Victorian era had a very high mortality rate due to children catching cholera or tuberculosis, which lead to their deaths. Children had strenuous and dejected childhoods, if they were lucky enough to survive in to adulthood; because families did not have enough money children would work to meet financial satisfaction. They were employed in difficult positions, commonly in factories or jobs people would not usually do, with long working hours lasting eight to twelve hours a day and generally six days a week. By the 1830s certain charities and associations approached the problem and helped children and their families by giving food and clothes. Ensuing the 1840s, school was an obligation and children stopped working to go to school and to get an education. Charles Dickens family did not prosper in wealth, money was a concerning subject in the family. The large familys needs and living expenses were too much for John Dickens (Charles Dickens father) salary that when Charles Dickens was four months the family had to move to a smaller home to save money. Charles Dickens wanted to become a gentleman (an educated man), although it seemed unlikely when John Dickens was arrested and sent to jail due to failure of paying debts. In order to pay off the debt Charles Dickens was sent to a shoe-polish factory. Charles did not have a happy childhood, which I think is reflected in some of his books like Great Expectations. This brings me to the young boy Phillip Pirrip, also known as Pip, the protagonist of the story. I am going to be writing about how Dickens creates sympathy for Pip. Pip never seems to attain his dreams for a more improved life. At the very beginning of the book, we meet Pip and we find out that he will be narrating this story, the book is his story and is told in his words. Pips narration, straightaway, brings about his childhood problems which creates sympathy for him. Pip is first introduced in a graveyard. The setting of a graveyard seems very sombre, dark and upsetting. The marshes were just a long black horizontal line then, as I stopped to look after him; and the river was just another horizontal line, not nearly so broad nor yet so black; and the sky was just a row of long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed. Darkness and blood is suggested by the imagery of the landscape of the marshes with black and red lines. It does not give a blissful feeling to us either. Pip talks about his deceased parents, he is an orphan and this makes us feel pity for him. He seemed to be a very innocent child, this is reflected through the inscription on his parents graves. Pip has memorised these inscriptions and he has also created an image of his deceased parents and siblings which further tell us that he is an innocent child, as most children have great imaginations compared to adults. We see the advancement of Pips life when he meets with an escaped convict, who escaped from hulks (prison ships that transport criminals to Australia), who is later to be revealed as Abel Magwitch. Pip seems to treat the runaway convict with kindness through fear of the convict. After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger. This quote of Pips narration, made me feel sorry for him because he is being threatened through fear and you cannot help but feel as if Pip is in grave danger now that he has associated with such a threatening convict. I was dreadfully frightened, and so giddy that I clung to him with both hands. Pip is being bullied by Abel Magwitch, it makes us feel compassion for Pip, it also makes us think Pip is so helpless. His violent sister, who always reminds him how grateful he should be for her bringing him up, and her husband, the ever so friendly blacksmith Joe, who is like a brother to Pip, both look after Pip. I supposed that both Joe Gargery and I were brought up by hand. this quote means both Pip and Joe were beaten by Pips sister. Dickens makes us feel sorry for Pip in this quote due to Pips treatment from his sisters fierce temperament as no one would like to be beaten. Irony is used when the stick used to beat Pip is referred to as the Tickler. Tickler is the cane with which Mrs. Gargery hits Pip. The mannerism in which Mrs. Gargery butters the bread for Pip and Joe is trenchant, she has a forceful and vigorous way of buttering. Her apron is coarse, full of needles and is tough. She wears this apron as a reminder to Joe and Pip meaning that she is looking after them. I tell you what, young fellow, said she, I didnt bring you up by hand to badger peoples lives out. It would be blame to me, and not praise, if I had. People are put in the Hulks because they murder, and because they rob, and forge, and do all sorts of bad; and they always begin by asking questions. Now you get along to bed! To keep Pip well behaved, silent and grateful, Mrs. Gargery threatens, punishes and accuses Pip of ingratitude. Pip himself feels an enormous amount of guilt for his innocent actions, like asking some questions, which have been unfairly warped to seem as if Pip was doing a bad thing. The guilt Pip feels is unprincipled. Although, Pip is not only treated this way by Mrs. Gargery, he is also treated unethically by Mr. Pumblechook, Mr. Wopsle and the Hubbles.

7-Eleven Underpayment Scams

7-Eleven Underpayment Scams Introduction Human lives are directed by course of actions and decisions. Whether its personal life or professional conduct, humans are bound to follow proper code of ethics. In workplace, each organisation has guided rules and practices. Employers are bound to these rules and regulations in order for any organizations to work smoothly (Schermerhorn, 2010). Sometimes the morality of business decision is challenged due to individual preference or limitations. This scenario is called an ethical dilemma whereby individuals are forced to weigh the right and wrong of their actions (Westerholm, Nilstun, Ovretveit, 2004). This essay examines impact of ethical practices and leadership in taking business decision. The organisation that is used for ethical study is 7-Eleven convenient stores in Australia. It discusses how organisations commit fraud and mock award system by underpaying staff. The Ethical Problem The shocking revelation by ABCs Four Corners in August 2015 exposed exploitations at 7-Eleven stores gives an insight on how big corporations make profit without paying legit wages. A joint Fairfax Media-ABC investigation exposed that most of these exploited staff are international students who are forced to work long hours even after their visa condition restricts them to work only 40 hours per fortnight (Ferguson, Danckert Hatch, 2015). These students are easy targets for franchise operators as they are looking for extra money to manage their expenses. It shows that entire work structure at 7-Eleven is flawed and franchisees make profit by underpaying their staff is a common practice in most stores. The head office claims that most of the franchise stores are paying legit wages and the underpayment were done by a marginal store partners. This blame game has raised a debate that who is sole responsible for this scam; the head office authority or the franchise owner. According to head office, the payrolls are monitored by franchisees and company merely provides administrative supervision. They claim that underpayment issue has nothing to do with the franchise profit sharing model and only a small number of franchisees are doing this wrong practice. But similar malpractice in multiple stores reveal that this is an organised fraud. The franchisees are trained to run their stores in a particular manner to make profits and more than dilemma it is a thoughtful unethical practice. 7-Elevens survival on employee exploitation The Fair Work Ombudsman has conducted various raids at different stores and revealed that situation has worsen over the years. The entire work structure at 7-Eleven is flawed and franchisees make profit only by underpaying their staff who are international students and work limitless hours to make up for underpayment. The reason behind students breaching visa conditions is to manage their expenses because they are underpaid and only means to recover that loss is by working extra hours. The head office is not just turning a blind eye, its a fundamental part of their business. The reality is its built on something not much different from slavery, 7-eleven insider (Ferguson, Danckert, Hatch, 2015). It is evident that these scam happens under the watch of head office management. They cannot blame the franchisees alone for this malpractice. Unscrupulous employers allow students to work more hours but threaten to report them to authorities for breaching their visa if they complain about working conditions. Employers sheets and rosters are doctored to maintain the scam (Ferguson, Danckert, Toft, 2015). Companies can easily monitor the payrolls across the stores by surprise visits and take legal actions against frauds. Following the investigations, 7-Eleven Australian office has marginalized the issue by suggesting that there are only small numbers of Franchisees who are culprit of underpaying and head office will ask them to pay penalties. The 7-Eleven chief executive Warren Wilmot said: The key factor here is that the panel will receive, review, and process any claim of underpayment, and authorise repayment where this is appropriate, The practices continuous in other forms underpayment, employees are still asked to back-pay part of their wages. Theoretical Framework The given ethical dilemma is a conflict between moral and business ethics. Loucks (1987) suggests that ethics is seen as something beyond obedience and adherence to the law. It implies an understanding of what is the good, or right, thing to do and of an internal system of beliefs and values that guide those actions. Solomon (2001 cited in Singer, 2013) argues that there is some confusion in defining exactly what constitutes ethical behaviour in an organisation. The given ethical condition poses an important questions about personal honesty and organised fraud. The virtue of honesty is crucial for personal and business ethics. The choice of practising underpayments can be explained by two ethical theories; Utilitarian perspective and Subjectivism. The Utilitarian theory holds that what an individual ought to do is to promote the maximum good for everyone i.e. the general good (Wong, 2006). The maximum good for everyone should be assessed by being neutral and thinking from multiple perspective. On the contrary, Rachel (2001 cited in Singer, 2013) states that ethical subjectivism is a theory which says that in making moral judgements, people are doing nothing more than expressing their personal desires or feelings. The 7-Eleven scam is more about personal choices of the franchisee. They are legally entitled to pay fair wages but for their personal gains they malpractice. From franchisees perspective, it is assumed that the operational structure of the store asset management doesnt make enough profits and thats one of the reasons for underpayment. Another important factor that governs this malpractice is known as Agency Theory. The theory explains that business owners and managers emphasize more on maximizing profit as they believe it as business rule (Eisenhardt, 1989). The market trend tells the morality of the practices that what is right or beneficial for business. The moral choice is sometimes explained in terms of the influence of external factors, such as the environment or influence of others. All of these may bias judgment and action by shaping a decision makers perceptions (Morell, 2004). The franchisee believe that they are just following the ideal business model that will help them in managing operational funds by underpaying staff. In business ethical dilemma, there must be prominent line between personal choices and business needs. It is important to understand that personal choices are subjective and may affect other employees of the business. Therefore while taking business decision, a leader must abide by the corporate codes of conduct. As suggested by Thakor (2003), the dividing line between law and ethics is a constantly moving one. What is legal but unethical today may well become illegal tomorrow. It is essential in this case to reflect on the stakeholders view of ethics. It criticises the agency argument that business operators must constitute their leadership that look after and protects the interest of employees. The debate between moral values and business ethics in case of dilemma is mostly resolved by Utilitarian theory. However it is also necessary to understand that business situations can change how a professional takes decision based on personal choice and corporate needs. The franchisee may imply agency argument to protect their interest but from utilitarian perspective this directly affects the interest of the employees. The core issue is the leadership that has completely failed in case of 7-Eleven scam. Firstly, head office should have eradicated this malpractice at initial level. Secondly they need to develop a business structure that promotes mutual benefits and not just agency approach. Critical Analysis The underpayment by multinational companies is just the tip of the iceberg. We need to understand the factors that contribute to these foul practices. Profit Sharing model that restricts franchisees to manage operational expenses. International students who are eager to work extra hours to manage their funds. The lack of regulators responsibilities in creating awareness and monitoring the operations. The new Chief Executive of 7-Eleven Mr Michael Smith, who replaced Mr Withers in October 2015, said the company was making significant progress towards satisfactory remediation and prevention of wage abuse (Gartrell, 2016). The issue is now facing worse where many franchise stores are out for sales because franchisees believe that they do not have enough resources to pay running cost if they pay fair wages. This will also increase unemployment as a contributing factor. According to Ferguson, The regulator also needs to be better resourced and the government needs to give amnesty for a period to foreign workers to come forward and expose what is going on without the fear of being deported for breaching their visa conditions (Barraclough, 2015). The remedial option is to change the profit sharing model or head office sharing some per cent of the running cost that enables franchisees to operate store efficiently without underpaying staff. The cause of the issues is the operational model that needs a revision under the governance of regulators who can strictly monitor the fair practices at these franchise stores. From ethical point, franchisees need to understand the core business needs and personal interest. One critical aspect of this malpractice at huge level is the influence of franchisee network. The new franchisees learn from the existing practices of the old franchisees and thus this malpractice becomes their routine. Business model for Ethical practice 7-Eleven franchise model is unique in terms of how it shares the profit margin and it varies in different countries. In Australia, this model is unfair for franchise partner where head office takes 57 percent of the gross profit and franchisees are left with 43 percent to manage their expenses and overheads. The deficit is mostly paid by franchisees and they are left with only one options and thats underpayment and back-pay wages. The revelation has put all franchise stores under surveillance resulting in many store out for sales in past 1 year. The issue is pertained due to 7-Eleven Australian model that doesnt allow franchisees to make profit in that 43 percent profit share. The situation can only be resolved if head office shares 50-50 profit margin like other countries. It will allow franchisees to manage their overheads and pay fair wages to the staff. Another aspect of this malpractice was the discrimination in hiring the staff. Franchisees mainly hire international students from India, Pakistan, China and other Asian countries because they are willing to work at less pay. It also raise questions about the head office responsibilities as they didnt check the staff profiling or merit of recruitment. Most of these international students have trouble with English language and are less competent to work any other job. They are ideal fit for the 7-Eleven scam model because they are unaware about their work rights and hesitant to contact authorities for assistance. The ethical safeguarding of these employees is an integral part of store operations. Ideally, the head office should conduct induction training that includes work rights awareness. Leadership and Decision Making Such organised scams unveil how these big corporation make profits by exploiting their staff specifically vulnerable groups. The investigations also reveals how franchisee seek alternate payment methods to avoid taxes and super-annuations. The company claims that they do not have direct involvement in these practice but insiders reveal that it all happens under their watch. Companies need to monitor the working hours and payroll records to scrutinize frauds. Even though after such investigations company do take responsibilities and commit to help the victims. Such situations should be monitored from start and strict measures should be taken on head office part. The payback is not a solution to such huge scale scams that steals tax by doctoring the payrolls. Therefore it is necessary that organisation have a defined ethical policy for business dilemma cases. It will help the decision makers to think rationally but will also remind them about the corporate good. Partiality or personal preference will bring subjectivism in the decision making process. Hechter Kanazawa (1997) maintain that reservations about rational choice only arise where people misunderstand its application. The rational decision from an organisational perspective and individual perspective will differ depending upon the number of external factors influencing the decision. These ethical systems are normative in nature that means they imply the right or wrong factors but do not completely involve rational choice from multiple perspectives. They do tell us about what ought to be done and it helps in takin decision but it doesnt provide clarity of argument, basis for decision and personal stand on the dilemma. The company leaders need to be more specific about their operat ional plans and communicate the same values to the franchisees. It should be a wake-up call to make sure their house is in order. The world is changing and the community is becoming less tolerant of non-compliance to the law (Ferguson, 2015). The underpayment scam is not an issue that can be rectified by paybacks. The entire model of franchise stores needs to be reviewed considering Australian market stakeholders. This will allow fair share of profit to franchisees and will restrict them from ripping wages from the staff. The remedy needs to be planned in terms of reviewing head office responsibilities in cross checking payrolls and fair works. Strict actions should be taken against culprits to avoid further victimization of international students. Recommendations The investigations has only revealed one side of the scam. There is a need to review head offices responsibilities in auditing these franchised stores. Temporary paybacks will not solve the evident fact that the entire 7-Eleven model is flawed for Australian market. Franchisees will keep finding such malpractice until they get fair share from the profit. This not only affect the employees but also damages the brand in the market. This is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many other companies who are in line for malpractice. This issue can only be settled with strong ethical framework that shares rights for franchisees and employees by maintaining transparency and accountability. The world is changing and the community is becoming less tolerant of legislative non-compliance. There is strong need to modify the Franchising agreement for transparency and compliance. These are some of the majors that companies can implement; Develop code of conduct to immediately terminate a franchise agreement if there is serious breach of workplace legislations by a franchisee. Develop an auditing model that shares equal responsibilities between company and franchisees to monitor the operations Take severe disciplinary actions against employees complaint and investigate based on evidence Monitor recruitment process and diversity of employees to ensure minorities or vulnerable groups are not victimized The company must hire independent investors and mystery shoppers to identify culprit franchisee for noncompliance. Company must develop forum to share store practices and employees feedback that are anonymous and directly under the higher management The franchisees can develop union and workout a model that supports equal benefit for multi-stakeholders The companies need to ask whether underpayment is an act of being strategic in organizing businesses. This will decide the approach for business operations and compliance. Underpayment should never be considered as an options for managing expenses. Instead, business operators must generate revenue from other sources. It is not ethical operate a business that makes profit by sacrificing the employees interest. Even after accepting their mistake, company operator must redevelop their operational framework to ensure that such incidents does not happen in future. This can only be achieved by strong compliance and transparent auditing. Conclusion The exploitation still exist at other franchise chains like McDonalds, Pizza hut who operates on the somewhat similar franchise model like 7-Eleven. The scandal uncovered that such exploitations are common practice and mostly organized at management level. Underpayments not only affects the business but it also destroys the brand reputation in global market. It also brings bad name for the country considering that most of the staff are international students who work in stores to manage their expenses. Without remedial process this exploitation will become part of work policies and there will be no one answerable for wrong-doings. Although, this revelation has opened a Pandora box for other business operators but until there is a strong compliance legislation, such scams will continue. The Fair work Ombudsman and government has tough task in eliminating such organised frauds and support workforce. Such scams forces business operators to assess their business ethics policies against the impact they create for multiple stakeholders. If business operators follow ethical leadership then they will have better control over compliance and mutual benefits for the business. The operational model can be modified to increase the stakeholders share and it will eventually help both parties to take ownership. References       Barraclough, C. (2015). Calls for action after the Inconvenient Truth about 7-Eleven is revealed Procurement and Supply Australasia. Procurement and Supply Australasia. Retrieved 31 January 2017, from http://procurementandsupply.com/2015/09/calls-for-action-after-the-inconvenient-truth-about-7-eleven-is-revealed/ Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Agency theory: An assessment and review. Academy of management review, 14(1), 57-74. Ferguson, A. (2015). 7-Eleven wage abuse scandal has lessons for all directors ACAPMAg The voice of downstream petroleum. ACAPMAg The voice of downstream petroleum. Retrieved 30 January 2017, from http://acapmag.com.au/home/2015/10/7-eleven-wage-abuse-scandal-has-lessons-for-all-directors/ Ferguson, A., Danckert, S., Hatch, P. (2015). 7-Eleven scandal: Company announces review of pay practices. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2017, from http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/7eleven-scandal-company-announces-review-of-pay-practices-20150831-gjbof4.html Ferguson, A., Danckert, S., Toft, K. (2015). 7-Eleven: A sweatshop on every corner. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2017, from http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/7eleven-a-sweatshop-on-every-corner-20150827-gj8vzn.html Gartrell, A. (2016). Malcolm Turnbulls financial stake in 7-Eleven under scrutiny. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2017, from http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbulls-financial-stake-in-7eleven-under-scrutiny-20160204-gmlikw.html Hechter, M., Kanazawa, S. (1997). Sociological rational choice theory. Annual review of sociology, 23(1), 191-214. Loucks, V.R. (1987) A CEO looks at ethics. Business Horizons, March-April, 2-5 Morrell, K. (2004). Decision making and business ethics: the implications of using image theory in preference to rational choice. Journal of Business Ethics, 50(3), 239-252. Schermerhorn Jr, J. R. (2010). Management. John Wiley Sons. Singer, P. (Ed.). (2013). A companion to ethics. John Wiley Sons. Thakor, A. (2003) Competence without credibility wont win in the long run. in N. Tichy and A. McGill (Eds.) The Ethical Challenge (2005) San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons Inc. pp. 125-134. Westerholm, P., Nilstun, T., Ovretveit, J. (2004). Practical Ethics in Occupational Health. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing. Wong, P. W. H. (2006). A study of business ethical practices in Australian organisations: a multiple case study. Theses, 47.

Animalia Vertebrata Mammalia Carnivora Canidae Canis Lupus And Animal :: essays research papers

ANIMALIA VERTEBRATA MAMMALIA CARNIVORA CANIDAE CANIS LUPUS AND ANIMALIA VERTEBRATA MAMMALIA CARNIVORA CANIDAE CANIS NIGER Introduction: Any person who has been able to catch a glimpse of any type of wolf is indeed a lucky man. The wolf is one of the earth's most cowardly and fearful animals, and it is so sly and, pardon the expression, foxy, that it is almost a waste of time to try and catch him in any kind of trap. Although he can be cowardly and fearful, he can also be one the most vicious and blood-thirsty of all animals. Often, they simply kill as much prey as is possible, regardless of hunger and appetite. This is done by "hamstringing" their prey. This leaves them helpless and unable to move. Then the wolf pack can eat and tear him apart at their own will. Although savage and bloodthirsty, wolves are among some of the world's smartest and most perceptive mammals. Where found: Wolves are found all over the world, and on almost every major continent of the earth. The following wolves are types of Gray Wolves (Canis lupus). In eastern Europe the European Wolf (Canis lupus lupus) can be found even though it used to roam most of western Europe as well. In Spain, two wolves have also been identified-Canis lupus deitanus and Canis lupus signatus. While the first is similar to many of the other European wolves, the latter may be more closely related to the jackal (Canis aureus), than to a wolf. The Caucasion Wolf (Canis lupus cubanensis) is found in many parts of eastern Europe and western Asia. The large tundra wolf of eastern Asia, the Tundra or Turukhan Wolf (Canis lupus albus), is very close in relations to the wolves of northern Alaska. In the Arctic Islands and Greenland the Melville Island Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), the Banks Island Wolf (Canis lupus bernardi), the Baffin Island Wolf (Canis lupus manningi), and the Greenland wolf (Canis lupus orion), are all found. Wolves of the Continental Tundra and Newfoundland include the Alaska Tundra Wolf (Canis lupus tundrarum), the Interior Alaska Wolf (Canis lupus pambasileur), the Kenai Peninsula Wolf (Canis lupus alces), the Mackenzie Tundra Wolf (Canis lupus mackenzii), the Mackenzie Valley Wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis), the Hudson Bay Wolf (Canis lupus hudsonicus), the Labrador Wolf (Canis lupus labradorius), and the Newfoundland Wolf (Canis lupus beothicus). However, the Newfoundland wolf has seemed to become extinct. This is strange because there is no evidence of them being intensely hunted by man, of extreme habitat changes, or of lack of food and yet in the early 1900s they became extinct. The wolves of the Western Mountains and Coast of North America include

A Worn Path Essay -- essays research papers

In the modern short story, Eudora Welty clearly develops Phoenix Jackson as a main character who indirectly manipulates other people. Phoenix, as the speaker in â€Å"A Worn Path† holds the status of an old Negro woman who continues the everyday cycle of life. Although, in reality Phoenix is an average human being, who feels she must be rewarded for living. Phoenix believes that humanity owes her something for the troubles she encounters throughout her lifetime. When Phoenix says to the hunter, â€Å"that’s as far as I walk when I come out myself, and I get something for my trouble† (paragraph 46). Incidentally, Phoenix replies to the old hunter’s question it is quite clear that she undoubtedly is expecting compensation; whether it is a pity party or a monetary gift to settle the score. Because Phoenix feels like she must abuse other people, she appears to have the power to be in control of any situation that might come her way. Throughout Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path,† Phoenix Jackson and her actions symbolize her to be a selfish and manipulative woman. Phoenix’s obsession with power, is the basis of her idea to manipulate other people; which is clearly explained through her dialogue with the persons she comes in contact with on her journey into town. Along with Phoenix’s obsession with being pitied upon by the hunter, she also feels like she never plans to succumb to defeat. When Phoenix replies to the old man’s question concerning why she was laying in the bushes; she said, â€Å" Lying on my ...

Technicolor Styles Essay -- Music Analysis

From humble, shy beginnings, the singer-songwriter Adam Young, now most famed for his project known as Owl City, has risen to become a well-renowned techno-pop artist. Young’s career as a musician and lyricist began in his home in Owatonna, Minnesota, where he worked on composing lyrics and sounds in his parents’ basement as a side hobby after a day of work at the Coca-Cola warehouse (Bonham). He initially posted his products of creativity and inspiration on Myspace in 2007, sharing the works that came to be part of his self-released Owl City EP known as Of June (Universal Music Publishing Group). His full-length debut as Owl City came in 2008, when Young digitally released his album, Maybe I’m Dreaming (Universal Music Publishing Group). Young’s popularity spread much further with the release of Owl City’s first official album, Ocean Eyes, in 2009 (Universal Music Publishing Group), and the album’s single, â€Å"Fireflies,† reached th e Billboard’s number one spot twice during its initial release (Sisario). In an interview with Chad Bonham from Whole Notes, Young revealed the inspiration he receives from his self-proclaimed â€Å"anti-social† lifestyle and his Christian faith in his songwriting (Bonham). Young’s music has reached thousands of fans, both in the United States and in other parts of the world as well (Sisario). From mellow melodies to catchy rhythms, Young’s sound has captured the fervor of fans all over the nation. Yet, as popular as his sound is, the words of Adam Young’s songs are of equal merit and creativity. The words and messages of these songs alone convey the variety with which Young composes. Such songs as the romantic works â€Å"On the Wing† and â€Å"If My Heart Was a House,† the inspiring works â€Å"This Is the Future† and â€Å"G... ...d. Web. 16 May 2012. Sisario, Ben. â€Å"From Mom’s Basement to the Top of the Chart.† New York Times on the Web. 20 Nov. 2009. 16 May 2012. Young, Adam. â€Å"Dental Care.† Ocean Eyes. Universal Republic Records. 2009. Young, Adam. â€Å"Galaxies.† All Things Bright and Beautiful. Universal Republic Records. 2011. Young, Adam. â€Å"If My Heart Was a House.† Ocean Eyes: Deluxe Edition. Universal Republic Records. 2009. Young, Adam. â€Å"On the Wing.† Maybe I’m Dreaming. Universal Republic Records. 2008. Young, Adam. â€Å"Plant Life.† All Things Bright and Beautiful. Universal Republic Records. 2011. Young, Adam. â€Å"This Is the Future.† Maybe I’m Dreaming. Universal Republic Records. 2008.

Teaching Assistant Essay

Question 1 Describe how you might contribute to a lesson given to a group of seven year old children learning to play percussion instruments. First I would speak to the class teacher I was working with and find out the following points. 1. Which percussion instruments will be needed? 2. How many students will be in the group? 3. Where will we be practising with the instruments? 4, When will the instruments be required? 5. Where the instruments are kept? 6. What is required of me during the lesson (help students? Take photographs or other tasks needing completing) 7. If the member of staff requires me to research some fun activities that can be done to build up the children’s confidence in using the instruments. Firstly I would research the fun confidence building activities if it was required by talking to a musically inclined member of staff or search the internet for age appropriate tasks that lend to the varying skills of the students. After the directions were discussed I would make the space suitable for the lesson, taking into consideration adequate space for the group of students to work comfortably with the instruments with out fear of hitting one another, I would also check the surrounding area for any other dangers present. Next I would gather the necessary equipment making sure to check that it was in working order and safe to be used by the students noting any damaged equipment that I found needing repair or replacing to inform the class teacher, also recording what equipment I have borrowed and when so that others going for the same equipment knew where it was. Then I would set out the instruments in the space the students will be using for this lesson before the teacher is ready to bring the students in so that the lesson could commence with out disturbing the students by making them have to wait for equipment to be set up. During the lesson I would do the tasks discussed with member of staff before the lesson so that they could concentrate on the lesson at hand. Finally after the lesson has finished I would gather up the equipment I had borrowed and check it again to make sure no damage had occurred and it was still in safe working order, return the items and store them safely in there correct storage space noting that the equipment had been returned. Question 2 What might your role be in organising, using and maintaining the learning resources, material and equipment for this percussion lesson? My role organising would be determined in the discussion I would have prior to the lesson with the member of staff which might be to check the amount of working instruments we have available in school and if they are available for the time we require them. I might have to record the lessons for use on a DVD or school website if parental consent has been given, meaning I would need to acquire and be proficient in the use of a digital camera or camcorder. If a CD containing music is to be used I would need to set up a CD player. Any electrical equipment needed I would check to make sure they have been tested recently by a qualified electrician. If a music CD is required to help give the students an idea of keeping timing with a rhythm or beat so this would need to be sourced and checked for scratches, making sure we have the relevant rights to use the material on the CD. In respect of using and maintaining the equipment would check all the available equipment needed for the lesson as much in advance as I could so that I would be able to inform the member of staff of damaged or broken equipment that needs repaired or replaced. Doing so in advance would be of great benefit to the teacher, as then depending on how many instruments we have in safe working order a decision could be made to either source more or maybe get the students to share. After the lesson I would gather the items we used and check them once more before I put them back into storage and inform the teacher of any change in the condition of them. Question 3 Describe how you act in class in order to be an effective role model for the standards of behaviour expected in pupils? In class and also anywhere around school premises I would act in a respectful manner towards all people staff, parent or student meaning I would talk to them politely and listen carefully to what they had to say. Respect also comes in the way to approach a student I would walk over ready to help however possible instead of race over in a hurry to get a job done. I would conduct myself in a calm and collected manner where my voice would sound friendly and my body language would be welcoming so that students could feel relaxed and safe helping them to work well with myself and build a rapport. When working with students who have good standards of behaviour they would be praised verbally in front of there peers with an added bonus of maybe a sticker for a full lesson or full day of good behaviour and contribution in class giving that student a sense of accomplishment. Where as a student who does not practice good standards of behaviour would be asked in front of the other students on the table to think how that action was not appropriate and told it will not be accepted again. I would always talk to the student misbehaving with a sterner voice but never yell or shout as it would be counter productive and a form of bullying in itself, if the behaviour remained unacceptable I would refer them to the class teacher. At anytime with a student or group of students and I had to correct them for example a misspelled or incorrect pronunciation of a word, I would correct them in a way that did not make them feel unimportant or belittled because they got something wrong as it is always better to try and fail than never try at all. I would then make more of an effort to find something that the student does well and give praise for there contribution to the task at hand as well as for trying there best with the thing they got incorrect. My behaviour and approach in class and outside of class towards the people I would come into contact with would always be consistent so that the students would know what I accept in regards to standards of behaviour. Which would also help students think that I would be approachable and not over react or dismiss a problem they may have with there work or in there life. Question 4 What strategies might you employ to encourage pupils to behave appropriately? Describe how you might react to incidents of bullying and violence. I would first off read the schools behaviour policy to get an outline of what is expected from the students along with any notes on consequences and rewards for any actions, also use common knowledge of acceptable behaviour. Consistency in my standards of behaviour would be foremost in a practical example to the students of what behaviour is acceptable; giving them a model they can see to work towards in respect to how they want to act. My consistency would also breed predictability for example when I first see the students in the morning they would be greeted warmly and asked how they were feeling today, nurturing there social and empathetic development while they express there feeling. Respect will be shown at all times to who ever I interact with making it easier for students to show respect towards myself and in turn their peers. I think the student would better understand and be more likely if as a school or a class to make it more personal made a poster of what they consider good and unacceptable behaviour. This way they have contributed and feel the rules are fair as they made them not just told this is what you have to do. Confrontation should always be respectful meaning do not just start shouting at a student for there inappropriate behaviour but develop numerous ways to confront a student by discussing with staff to see which forms they believe work well. In promoting good behaviour I would reward with praise as my main reward and if I believe a student does something extra to what is normal, say opening a day to a member of staff or helping someone in their group comprehend the task they are having difficulty with I would reward them with a sticker which would serve as a visible sign of recognition to a good deed and encourage other children to do the same. The sticker would also make the student who received it feel important and appreciated for their effort, especially knowing that rewards are not given out at random but for consistent good work or behaviour, not forgetting to reward students who are trying but are not as good as others in certain areas to give a confidence boost. If I witnessed or an incident of bullying was brought to my attention I would firstly ensure I was calm and consistent to what my interaction with a student in an everyday matter would be so not to make anyone feel uncomfortable whether it be a child informing, bullying or being bullied. Then I would start a record in a note book at first of people involved and what it was about. The incident would be isolated from the other students so that no one else was involved giving a calmer atmosphere to ascertain what is happening by talking calmly to the students as always practiced in school. Once the situation has calmed down I would inform the class teacher as to what happened giving any notes taken so they could read the account. I would then be inclined to do an assembly on bullying and why it is not accepted in our school so that the messages went out to all the students and did not target any one person. This would be better learned if I got students involved in maybe suggesting how to deal with a situation before it escalates to bullying or if an incident of bullying is observed, making anti bullying posters would be a good task to perform to raise awareness. Question 5 Describe how you might appropriately observe the physical abilities and skills of a nine year old boy. I would discuss with the teacher as to what kind of observation they required as they may want a observation of where the child’s abilities are at the moment or how they develop over a set period of time. Then understanding exactly what is required from the observation and the protocols set out within the school for observing students I would plan the observation. Firstly I would plan to do it either at an active play time or when the students are all doing P.E. so that I can observe the student with out them realising it giving a more accurate account. I would make a sheet for the observation stating date, time started, time finished, student and reason for observation and have boxes for small notes regarding different aspects of physical abilities and skills such as; 1. Confidence setting up a sports game to be played.  2. Hand-eye co-ordination. 3. How they completed the task asked of them 4. Did they require any assistance during the task? 5. The way they interact with others during tasks. 6. Is the child challenged by the tasks or did they find them easy. 7. Concentration of student during task. And a conclusion along with any other points discussed with the teacher before hand. Once the observation had finished I would then make a neater copy of the notes making sure everything recorded is fact and not my interpretation of events. I would keep a blank copy of the sheet used so that I could observe the same aspects each time. At a pre arranged time I would give feedback to the member of staff in which ever way they requested be it written or talked about with or with out the student present. If the student is present I would praise there accomplishments and constructively subject areas that could be improved. The notes taken during the observation would be kept in a safe place for five years designated by the member of staff and would not be open for discussion to anyone respecting the student’s confidentiality.

Ethical Issues with Termination

At-will employment means that the employee or employer has the right â€Å"to end the employment relationship at any time with or without notice or cause. † (FedEx Office: AllBusiness, 1999-2009) Involuntary termination is a touchy subject for employers and it can happen for numerous reasons: specific cause, such as stealing, poor performance, and layoffs due to lack of work. Even though most companies have an â€Å"at-will† relationship with their employees, it is still arguably illegal to terminate an employee for no reason.When it comes to termination, managers are faced with current moral and ethical issues. In a lot of companies, in addition to professional relationships, managers develop personal relationships with their employees. In most cases, employees spend a majority of their week (40+ hours) with their â€Å"work family. † Co-workers learn about each other's families, extra-curricular activities, and personal problems. Even if managers try to separat e themselves from their employees on a personal level, it is difficult to ignore new school pictures being displayed on their desks or avoid a discussion about a recent weekend vacation.When legitimate problems arise in a company which requires involuntary termination, the manager faces a dilemma. They must fire an employee because it is best for the company and ignore the thoughts of how it will affect their family and personal life. Often times, employees take the involuntary termination harder because they feel betrayed by someone they considered their â€Å"friend†. When an employee is terminated, in more cases than not, they feel blind-sided; most of them â€Å"never saw it coming†.It is essential that employers set and follow standard documentation procedures that will provide a timeline of disciplinary action and performance reviews that will serve as proof of legitimate termination if necessary. A disgruntled employee may question the validity of their terminat ion and in some cases seek legal counsel to help them determine if there was just cause. The current social issues in the United States may make it more difficult for a manager to terminate an employee while at the same time it is more than necessary.The financial state of the country is  causing businesses to struggle which results in less profits; less profits mean that a company's productions will be lowered so they cannot afford and do not need the same number of employees. In this case, an employee may not have given any cause for termination but managers must choose which employee they are willing to lose. They may choose the last hired, the highest paid, or the employee that is least valuable.Knowing that the rate of unemployment is at an all time high and the possibility of finding other employment may take longer than usual, the manager faces a tough a decision when thinking of how their decision will negatively each person they must terminate. Severance packages may be o ffered in exchange for â€Å"a full release of all claims† that may be filed against the company for wrongful termination. Tough economical times may cause disgruntled employees to take whatever measures necessary to generate income for their family. I have been a victim of wrongful termination.In 2002,  I started working as an assistant to the Office Manager  of a small financial company. There were only two other people above the Office Manager and that was a person in sales position and then the President of the company. I quickly caught on and was given more responsibilities as well as a pretty healthy increase in pay. Working in a small office allows for unconventional relationships between managers and employees; we shared the same interests, shared a similar sense of humor which resulted in a workplace friendship between all of us.Lunch trips and shopping breaks turned into personal Christmas party invitations and summer beach house vacations. We were all very clos e and business was increasing so more employees were hired to work under me. My supervisor and I became almost interchangeable. If she was not there, I took over and performed her duties, although she could not perform mine. I sensed animosity building and tension rising, but overall I knew I was there as her assistant and was careful to never overstep my boundaries.Business slowed and our sales structure changed, so cuts were being made. The sales person was let go and I think she felt that one of us would be next; even though she had been there longer I know she felt threatened that I could perform her job as well as mine. She started targeting me; purposefully changing my changing after my school schedule had been approved, moving my desk unnecessarily, and creating an overall hostile work environment by addressing everyone in a room except for me.I knew what she was doing; being a part of the â€Å"inside upper management†, I had witnessed her do it to others before. Her strategy was to make employees quit in order to avoid the expense of paying unemployment wages. One week, she called me into an office to discuss my work performance and stated that she was giving me a warning. I knew that she was now trying to create a paper trail of disciplinary problems, even though nothing had changed in my performance.The following week she requested another meeting and said that she was writing me up for personal internet usage. Previously, it was acceptable for us to check our personal email, and she and I would collectively read news and gossip and exchange stories across the room. I refused to sign the disciplinary notice because I had not been informed of any policy changes, so that was then considered insubordination. I was asked to leave; I immediately went to the Department of Labor to file for unemployment due to wrongful termination.I explained to them that my termination was not legitimate. I waited for them to contact my employer and of course they provided a copy of the form that I refused to sign. The Department of Labor declined my request for unemployment compensation, so I appealed their decision and wrote a very long letter explaining everything I knew about how my supervisor â€Å"set up† previous employees to keep them from receiving unemployment. I also requested a phone interview in which both I and my supervisor would be present with a Department of Labor representative.My supervisor declined the request; I assume because she knew she was wrong and did not want to be faced with questions regarding what I wrote. Nine months later, I was contacted by the President of the company stating that they had tried to hire several people to take my place and he realized that he should have never allowed her to terminate me. He offered me a large salary increase and a promise that my employment status will never be in her hands. She still works with me, and we are â€Å"friends† again, but I have definitely learne d to keep office friendships to a minimum.Today we are able to laugh at the situation; deep down I think she respects me for standing up for myself and she knows that I am a great asset to the company. Termination is not something that anyone ever looks forward to, be it the employee or the employer. Unfortunately it has to be done, and employers must take steps to protect themselves from lawsuits and disgruntled employees. Employees must learn that although there may be a â€Å"relationship† with their manager, the manager must first look out for the business's best interest and it may ot always include them as an employee.References Butler, B. (2009). Right-to-Work and At-Will Employee. Today’s Workplace: A Workplace Fairness Blog. Retrieved on December 7, 2009. Farr, . (2000,  November). Terminations Require Careful Study, Planning. Small Business, (), 15. FedEx Office: AllBusiness. (1999-2009). Decreasing the Legal Risks of Employee Termination.