Teacher Preperation Programs are Failing to Preapare General Education Essay

Teacher Preperation Programs are Failing to Preapare General Education Teachers for Students With Disabilities - Essay Example It is, therefore, very important that all general teachers get general training and additional skills on how to deal and handle cases of disabilities in their classrooms. This is because they are assured that sometimes they will have to encounter such students with disabilities either now or later in their career. Despite this, most colleges do not always provide general teachers with the necessary skills and developments to deal with students with disabilities. Most of the courses offered do not put much effort on the special needs students. Most college courses have insufficient coursework and requirements for proper preparation. Despite the fact that majority of colleges have adopted and developed basic courses on disabilities, there is a general belief that these courses are insufficient to provide knowledge to meet the needs of inclusive students (Kaya & Indiana University, Bloomington, 2008). The classes are just too basic and only introductory that in most cases do very little in providing the necessary knowledge to deal with inclusive students. Most of these coursework are also theoretical and do not provide any relevant life experience where teachers are required to have general knowledge on how to develop a one on one interaction technique with inclusive students. Most of the college curriculums do not also encourage the development and training of teachers. Most of college curriculums were developed before there was a need for inclusive students and therefore in most cases lack the necessary mechanisms of delivering to the students with special needs. It is important that all teachers be well trained on the various ways of communicating with students with different forms of disabilities. For example augmentative and alternative communication systems, communication boards and talking various colleges must install word processors (Sprankle & Wilmington University, 2009). These will

The Life of Charles Dickens :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Life of Charles Dickens One of the most remarkable men was born on February 7, 1812: Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens had a talent in the field of writing that was unlike that of any other man in his time. He had a gift that he shared with the rest of the world, a gift that has survived for decades Charles Dickens was an extraordinary person with an extraordinary life. He was born to John and Elizabeth Dickens (www.perruweb.com/Dickens/second.html ). His child hood was not that of a fortunate child. His parents were not the best parents a child could have. They loved the extraordinary life and they loved to have fun. They put to much importance in their social life and neglected their children often. John and Elizabeth had eight children including Charles (Charles Dickens, p. 129). Because of their expensive social life and their eight children, John and Elizabeth were at the brink of financial bankruptcy. They were forced to move to a new house because they could no longer afford the house that they were living in. Their once glamorous and expensive life was gone. Now they were no more then common people. An education was provided for Charles, but his education never reached college. Charles’s parents never provided a college education for Charles. Because o f their financial issues, John and Elizabeth could only afford to send one of their children to college: They picked Fanny. Fanny had a gift for music and so her parent wanted her to expand on it (www.perruweb.com/Dickens/third.html). Charles only had one dream to begin with. He dreamed of becoming a gentleman, but unfortunately these dreams were killed when his father was arrested in 1824 for failure to pay his debts. John was sent to Marshalsea prison for this crime. Charles was now forced to work at a shoe-polish factory because of all of this. The next year his father was released from jail, but Charles’s dreams of becoming a gentleman were dead (Charles Dickens, p.128). On 1830 Charles met Maria Beadnell, but unfortunately this affair only lasted for three years. This was more of a sexual relationship then a romance. Maria was never serious about Charles. She â€Å"kept him for a while in suspense and then dismissed him with casual thoughtlessness†(A Pitkin Guide, p.

The Low-cost Orange Flying Machine: The Case of easyJet Essay

The colour orange is increasingly becoming synonymous with the firm easyJet as it has become one of the world’s most profitable low-cost airlines (Alamdari and Fagan, 2005). This paper examines the basis of their success and argues firstly, that easyJet from its inception essentially adopted and stayed with the original low-cost model that was pioneered by Southwest airlines in the USA. Moreover, this is a model that has served them well, resulting in sustained business performance and growth over a decade. However, our second point is that with this growth, and increased competition, there are signs of the need for a change. Accordingly, in what follows, we examine in turn: the historical origins of easyJet, emphasizing its values and the influence of the Southwest airlines model; the essential features of its business model; and some indication of its business performance over time. Historical Origins: Personality, Values and the Southwest Way EasyJet was conceived in 1995, with its first flight occurring in November of that year. There are numerous descriptions of the early start-up days, but one of the most vivid is surely the following (Calder 2006: 113): The entrance to the average airline’s headquarters is an impressive affair, intended to impress visitors. But the HQ of Britain’s most successful low-cost airline is far from average. For a while, the modest foyer of easyland – the huddle of temporary buildings from which one of Europe’s leading airlines is run – was adorned by a tent. It was a small, two-person job, strung from the roof†¦ Take one shipping millionaire, two Boeing 737s normally used for British Airways flights and several dozen gallons of orange paint, and you have a revolution in the skies. But industry watchers like myself were slow to realise the scale of the upheaval signified by the first flight of easyJet. The picture conveyed above stands in marked contrast to the subsequent growth and current performance of easyJet. Indeed as we were preparing the first draft of this paper easyJet announced that pre-tax profits were up by 55 percent to a record  £129 million in the year to September 2006. Turnover was up 21 percent, passenger numbers by 11.5 percent (to 33 million), the share price hit an all time high, and 52 new Airbus jets were to be ordered (Financial Times 2006). The contents of Figure 1 below lists some of the key milestones in the evolution of easyJet. Much of the early discussion of easyJet pivoted around its founder, Stelios Hajin Ioaanou (‘Stelios’). His personality, background, ‘entrepreneurial approach’ (Rae 2001) and ‘managerial style’ were all much discussed: the ‘no frills’ working environment (e.g. no private offices) and the ‘orange culture’ (i.e. ‘being up for it’; ‘passionate’ and ‘shar’p) were held to be important legacies following his stepping down as Chairman in 2002. In what was initially seen as very much a ‘personality-driven’ organization it is important to emphasise the place and role of Southwest airlines in influencing the personality of the Chairman. As one study stated: ‘It was not until he flew on Southwest airlines that Stelios felt he had found the right concept for a European airline. Stelios intensively researched Southwest, meeting with founder and CEO Herb Kellacher and buying 250 copies of Nuts – a book documenting Southwest’s success – for distribution to potential employees and customers. (Sull 1999: 22) Southwest airlines is very much an organization in which a high level of ‘selective perception’ is apparent among observers and emulators; you can see what you want to see in it (Pate and Beaumont 2006) To easyJet the key message received, accepted and followed faithfully, was to adopt and stick to the original low-cost model pioneered by Southwest. The Basic Low-Cost Business Model The key features of this model are outlined below in Figure 2 below. Product Features 1. Fares/ network Low, simple and unrestricted fares, high frequencies, point to point, no interlining 2. Distribution Travel agents and call centres (today internet sales), ticketless 3. Inflight Single class, high density seating, no meals or free alcoholic drinks, snacks and light beverages for purchase, no seat assignment Operating Features 1. Fleet Single type, Boeing 737, high utilisation, 11-12 hours per day 2. Airport Secondary or uncongested, 20—30 minute turnarounds 3. Sector length Short, average 400 nautical miles 4. Staff Competitive wages, profit sharing, high productivity (Source: Alamdari and Fagan 2005: 378) Figure 2: The original Southwest Airlines low-cost business model Indeed, if anything easyJet appears to have achieved further leverage along the ‘no frills’ dimension of this basic model: travel agents were completely avoided (direct sales only) and passengers had to pay even for soft drinks and snacks (Sull 1999, 23). Such features of the easyJet low-cost model were held to be acceptable, or indeed attractive, to ‘people who pay for travel from their own pockets’ (Sull 1999:23). Specifically easyJet targeted three cost-conscious and price-sensitive customer segments: (1) the traveller visiting relatives; (2) leisure travellers working brief trips; and (3) entrepreneurs and managers from small firms. At this stage we need briefly to comment on staff conditions (competitive wages, profit sharing, high productivity) in Figure 2. First, in a general sense, it is remarkable how little human resources and staffing matters figure in discussions of the easyJet strategy (Sull 1999; Jones, 2005); they are essentially conspicuous in their absence. Secondly, if one turns to more specific matters there are grounds to question the reality of the staffing approach in Figure 2. For example, on the competitive salary front, it has been estimated that pilots at easyJet earn around 25% less than pilots working for traditional carriers (Jones 2005: 151). This differential was a considerable source of tension and difficulty when easyJet took over the airline GO in August, 2002, with calls for strike action occurring at the time (Jones 2005:91). In the latter part of this paper we turn to look at these sorts of human resources and employment related matters in more detail. The Basic Business Model and the Bottom Line Earlier we made reference to the impressive performance figures of easyJet for the year to September 2006. This has not been an isolated success story. For example, easyJet pre-tax profit figures rose from  £5.9 million in 1998 to  £40 million in 2001, and now to the current all time high of  £129 million. At least one major study has attributed this success to easyJet sticking very closely to the original features of the low-cost model outlined in Figure 2. In essence this research (Alamdari and Fagan 2005), which involved 10 low-cost carriers in Europe and the USA, reported that, firstly, easyJet adhered very closely (74% compatible) to the original model, a figure only exceeded by that for Ryanair (85%) (Alamdari and Fagan 2005: 388). Moreover their second key result was that the closer one adhered to this model, the higher was profitability. The success of easyJet (and Ryanair) in this regard has been noted in other studies. For instance, the McKinsey Quarterly (2005) reported that easyJet and Ryanair account for about 50 percent of seat capacity in Europe’s low-cost market, with between 2004 and 2006 only easyJet (8.9%) and Ryanair (29.4%) having positive average operation margins. Although both easyJet and Ryanair are always hailed as the two financial success stories of the European low-cost sector, with both adhering most closely to the original low-cost model (Figure 2), it is important to recognise important differences between them. For example, easyJet’s unit costs are reported to be double those of Ryanair, with the former break-even point (76% of capacity) being higher than that of Ryanair (63%) (McKinsey Quarterly 2005). Other differences between the two, which have been noted, are that easyJet has more head –to-head competition with the conventional carriers because it uses more established airports than Ryanair (Jones 2005: 211). Much of the bottom line success of easyJet has been attributed to its yield management system which seeks to extract the maximum revenue per flight (Jones 2005: 212). It is these sorts of sentiments which underpin their micro-type targets. For example, the aim is to grow the current profit per seat figure of some  £2.50 to  £5 by the end of 2008. Are there Signs of Changes in easyJet’s Business Strategy? Current profits are good and the emphasis on yield measurement and tough targets will still remain. This said, there are signs of some actual or proposed changes in the business model. These have arisen because of the rise of new low-cost competition, changes in the conventional carriers (limited frills), and external pressures such as oil price rise. The changes are designed to address some concerns of existing customer segments and to attract new customers. For example, in April 2003 easyJet launched a dedicated website for business travel arrangements which allows corporate customers to access monthly management information so that they can track travel spend. In June 2005 it introduced easyJet lounges, which passengers had to pay for, but which were viewed as attractive to business travellers. Figures released in The Times (11th November, 2006) suggest that they have been relatively successful in capturing the business market: Stansted and Luton (easyJet’s London bases) have the highest proportion of frequent flyers among major airports at over 50 percent as compared to 39 percent of passengers at Heathrow. Measures have also been taken in recent years to address customer concerns regarding the lack of clarity of the full fare until the last stage of booking, through an upgraded software system. A key question remains; can easyJet consistently capture the business traveller sector, with their considerable expectations of ‘added extras’ while remaining true to their winning formula of cost leadership? Only time will tell. References Alamdari, F. and Fagan, S. (2005) Impact of the adherence to the original low-cost model on profitability of low-cost airlines, Transport Reviews 25, 3: 377-392. Calder, S. (2006) No Frills. London: Virgin Books. Financial Times (2006) 15th November, p24. Jones, L. (2005) easyJet, the Story of Britain’s Biggest Low-Cost Airline. London: Aurum. McKinsey Quarterly (2005) August edition. Pate, J. and Beaumont, P. (2006) The European low-cost airline industry: the interplay of business strategy and human resources, European Management Journal 24, 5: 322-329. Rae, D. (2001) easyJet: a case of entrepreneurial management, Strategic Change 10, 6: 325-336. Sull, D. (1999) easyJet’s $500 Million Gamble, European Management Journal 17, 1: 20-38. The Times (2006), 11th and 15th November. View as multi-pages

Morality in Oedipus Rex Essay - 1785 Words

In both the current era and the time of the ancient Greeks Sophocles’ play Oedipus Tyrannus is seen as the quintessential model of Greek Tragedy. This is due to the intricate questions of morality that are masterfully woven into the literature and the fact that â€Å"perhaps no classical Greek play that has stimulated as much critical discussion† (Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and Insights, p.648). One of the dominant arguments the tragedy generates is whether Oedipus is responsible for the abhorrent crimes of patricide and incest. The answer to which is yes. To be human is to have choice and it is evident throughout the play that Oedipus’s reckless decisions are to blame for the violations against his parents. Due to†¦show more content†¦Oedipus is incapable of clear thought and unfortunately it was of the utmost importance to criticize the oracle and act accordingly. Oedipus’s character suggests that he â€Å"believes all ques tions have answers and that humans can ascertain those answers by applying their wits and their logic†(Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and Insights, p.656). This being the case, Oedipus should have been able to avoid making a rash, senseless choice in his reaction to the oracle. Because of his complete faith in Apollo’s oracle, he immediately leaves Corinth in an attempt to avoid the despicable atrocity of killing his father and engaging in incest with his mother. Regrettably, it is this very action that charts his course towards a violent path of destruction. One can see that as a result of Oedipus’s recklessness he has allowed the prophecy to become â€Å"self-fulfilling† and if had not heeded the oracle’s forecast it would have never become a harsh reality (Harris and Platzner Classical Mythology: Images and Insights, p.649). Near the end of Sopholcles’s distinguished tragedy, Oedipus finally recognizes the truth and he in sists his actions are the fault of Apollo. He shrieks blame upon the god for the monstrous events and he violently cries, â€Å"Apollo it was, Apollo, friends who brought to pass these evil, evil woes of mine† (Oedipus Tyrannus, 1274-1278). Oedipus is consumed byShow MoreRelatedOedipus in Sophocles Oedipus Rex and Young Colonel Sartoris Snopes in William Faulkners Barn Burning: A Comparative Analysis of Characters1034 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿When attempting to compare the characters and the lots of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Young Colonel Sartoris Snopes in William Faulkners Barn Burning, there are a number of immediate and salient points of similarity for one to consider. One of the principle points of similarities between these two is related to their personalities both male characters are prone to fits of action which they can only fully understand (if at all) in hindsight. 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While the presence of violence and death is inevitable in this play, the bloody scenes do not happen on stage. Greek dramaturgy did not reject violence on stage, but considered it impolite and not dramatically ef fective. To represent Oedipus’ bloody face-to-face with