Social Class in the Classroom Essay -- Sociology, Lower, Middle and Up

Social class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending on who can afford it or have no other priorities that can get in the way. There are approximately â€Å"20 percent of Americans in the lower class† (Long, Social Class Stratification, 18). In contrast with these 20% of Americans a long with the other 80% are a lot of differences when it comes to learning in the classroom. According to Lee Warren of Harvard University, â€Å"In many parts of the country, class differences are sharply defined by accent: people talk like the neighborhood they came from†(Class in the Classroom, 2) where as someone from a more â€Å"run-down† neighborhood might have a less sophisticated vocabulary, just because they do not speak that way on a daily basis. However, that is all stereotypical. People â€Å"wrongly anticipate the knowledge or potential of specific classes of children† and as a result â€Å"children from high-class families are sometimes viewed as being more intelligent than those from lower social classes† (Social Class-Effects 1), which is not right at all. The amount of mo... ...tudents in high-poverty schools. Indeed, low-income students given a chance to attend more-affluent schools performed more than half a year better, on average, than middle income students who attend high-poverty schools† (Kahlenberg, Middle Class Schools for All 2). From this data, it is clear to see that the type of school is what matters most, not income. Ones social income class should not be used to determine their intelligence, but to only advertise their yearly salary. Social class is a determinant used to define where a family stands in terms of salary and socioeconomic status. However, it is used to determine what will be offered to the family, for example, the type of school that each child will attend. But what it does not determine is the success of that student’s education attainment. Money can buy a college education yet, it will not buy literacy.

Leslie Brinkman at Versutia Capital Essay

Introduction Versutia Capital experienced some early success in its infancy due to the emotional attachment its employees had with the company and its leader, Leslie Brinkman. Leslie provided a team oriented, supportive environment based on her core values that, in turn, attracted a diverse group of talented staff members. Initially this appeared to be a great foundation for long-term success. Unfortunately, the recent deterioration of the company’s performance has revealed that Leslie’s leadership under pressure does not match the core values of her organization. Leslie Brinkman must now ask herself â€Å"How do I behave under pressure and what signals am I sending my employees?† 1 Analysis Under pressure, Leslie Brinkman behaves impatiently. During office hours, Leslie loses her temper over fluctuations in stock performance. As one analyst recalled, â€Å"You had to catch [Leslie] at a good moment †¦otherwise she might fly off the handle or jump down your throat.† 2 Outside of office hours, Leslie continues to ride her staff. One analyst recalled, â€Å"It was not unusual to go to dinner with friends to see that I had three emails from Leslie regarding stock positions †¦it was understood that I needed to respond, and if I did not, I would often receive a follow up from Leslie asking whether I had received her previous message.† 3 Under pressure, Leslie Brinkman is not team focused. Leslie does not allow time for staff collaboration. Staff work upwards of 12 hours per day and are expected to be available by Blackberry ’24/7†². 4 Analysts describe the work environment as stressful noting that Leslie puts undue pressure on them and frequently expresses her disappointment in a blunt, confrontational manner. An analyst noted, â€Å"I was feeling increasingly burdened†¦ and I wasn’t sure [Leslie] would be sympathetic.† 5 Leslie admits that morale is low and that it isn’t the team oriented atmosphere she had dreamed about when she created the firm.6 Recommendation Leslie needs to learn to identify her stress triggers and modify her behavior in those situations to ensure her actions align with her core values. If successful, the benefits will be two fold: (a) Leslie will benefit by becoming a positive role model for her staff; and (b) Versutia Capital will benefit by  increased team cohesion. 1Langton, N. & S. Robbins. â€Å"Values, Attitudes and Their Effect in the Workplace.† In Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, 3rd Canadian ed., (Pearson Prentice Hall. 2007), p.10. 2 Julie Battilana and Rob Kaplan â€Å"Leslie Brinkman at Versutia Capital†,HBS No. 9-407-089, (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, Rev: July 23, 2007), p.10. 3 Ibid.,p.8. 4 Ibid.,p.8. 5 Ibid.,p.10. 6 Ibid.,p.11. Action Steps Leslie must take responsibility, reflect and get help in order to successfully learn to identify her stress triggers and modify her behavior under pressure, so her actions reflect her core values. Primarily, Leslie must take responsibility. Leslie needs to immediately acknowledge that her leadership is the root cause of the dysfunction manifesting in the workplace. Secondly, Leslie must reflect. Leslie needs to take one week off of work (away from the office) to step back and gain perspective on her behavior, and the effect her leadership style is having on office dynamics. 7 Finally, Leslie must get help. Leslie does not have the skills to address this problem on her own as demonstrated by the array of questions she has come up with and the corresponding lack of answers. 8 Leslie needs to hire an executive coach to meet with her when she returns from her week long break, to help her map out what her specific stress triggers are, and how she can effectively deal with them. Conclusion Leslie Brinkman’s leadership under pressure does not match the core values of her organization. She must learn to identify her stress triggers and modify her behavior in those situations to ensure her actions align with her core values. If Leslie is able to do that by taking responsibility, reflecting, and getting help it will result in tangible benefits to her and her company. Bibliography Battilana, J. and Rob Kaplan â€Å"Leslie Brinkman at Versutia Capital†, HBS No. 9-407-089, Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, Rev: July 23, 2007. Langton, N. & S. Robbins. â€Å"Values, Attitudes and Their Effect in the Workplace.† In Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, 3rd Canadian ed. Pearson Prentice Hall. 2007.

Assessment task †SHC 21 Introduction to communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings Essay

Communication is about making contact with others and being understood. When communicating, people send and receive messages continuously. As an early years practitioner working with children and young people, effective communication is essential to ensure that I can create the best provision for the children and young people I am work with. In my setting, when you look at all the interacting and communications between children, young people and adults through the activities, it shows there are so many reasons why people communicate. Making relationships When we communicate, we make new relationships with children, parents, carers or colleagues. I should use positive communication skills to make a good first impression in relationships, for example, being friendly, smiling, shaking hands when I greet the person. Developing relationships As an early years practitioner, I should develop a relationship with children, young people, their parents, carers and colleagues by maintaining a friendly and supportive approach and by being interested in what other people are doing and feeling. This enables them to feel comfortable and secure, knowing that they can trust and rely on my professional service. Obtaining and sharing information As an early years practitioner, I may need to obtain and share information about children and young people who I work for with colleagues and other agencies to ensure the team is fully informed. I also need to communicate with children and young people or their family members about the care and support they received or about the kinds of services and facilities that are available in our setting. Expressing thoughts and ideas I may need to communicate with my colleagues to share my thoughts and ideas about aspects of practice in my setting, and also I should use effective communication skills to encourage children and young people to talk about what they have learnt, say what they think or express themselves imaginatively. Giving and receiving support Children and young people often seek reassurance from adults as a way of developing their self- confidence. As a practitioner, I should use my positive communication skill to praise them, give them time and attention to reward their efforts and achievements. I also should communicate with my manager and colleagues to receive the support and reassurance about my work performance. Expressing feelings, wishes, needs and preferences As an early years practitioner, I need use my positive communication skills to encourage children and young people to express their feelings and needs and to talk about how they wish to be treated, as well as to say what they like and dislike. In the early years setting, there are so many reasons people communicate, I should use communication skill positively and effectively to ensure good quality service.

Need for Security Essay

Security and control is needed in a custodial environment as people are sent there for a reason so if they were allowed to do whatever they want then it wouldn’t be a punishment. An advantage of having control is that the staff will always have authority over the prisoners, which is vital as they must be able to enforce discipline. Another advantage of having control is that they can keep an account of offences that prisoners have committed. This will come in useful if the prisoner has adjudication, it will also come in usual when reviewing the prisoner. Having the IEP scheme in a prison is a good thing as it encourages the prisoners to behave, this will make security and control easier to manage as the prisoners aren’t doing things they shouldn’t be. It will also make prison life for the prisoners more enjoyable, which is an advantage as it’s another reason why they won’t misbehave. Searches are needed in prisons to ensure that prisoners aren’t in possession of any prohibited items, if they do have this then it could lead to potentially dangerous situations. An example of this is if a prisoner has a weapon then they may use this against other prisoners or against staff. It is also important that searches are carried out on visitors of the prison as they will try their hardest to smuggle items in for prisoners. This is an advantage as it prevents prisoners from having things that shouldn’t, having an item like drugs will lead to gangs within the prison and this is something that must be avoided. Another aspect of security which is a big advantage to the prisoners and the officers is the dynamic side of security. Prisoner officers monitor the prisoners to ensure that they are coping with life in prison; if they aren’t coping well at all it could lead to them becoming suicidal. Prisoners could self-harm or even commit suicide if the prison officers aren’t keeping an eye on them. It is the duty of the prison officer to ensure that they look after the prisoners so letting this happen would mean they aren’t carrying out their job efficiently. Having dynamic security is a big advantage as it stops this from happening.

Marketing in Luxury Cars Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing in Luxury Cars - Case Study Example The ad has a creative bent helped by the tag "Engineered Mischief" which shows the car driving along and in the process casting a shadow shaped like a pitchfork. The advertising copy reads: "Born with a silver pitchfork in its mouth." In terms of consumer behavior, the focus of the Porsche Cayman print ad is targeted on persons who have a heavy substance and style. The Porsche Cayman cars are known for quality and performance advantage over most American-made cars. This constant superior car performance of the Porsche Cayman puts a high premium on these brands of cars. The Porsche Cayman wants to reinforce their sophisticated, high-class image by advertising and promotion that is highly focused on persons with status and privilege. In terms of over-all strategy, the marketing of this car is directed to the wealthy businessmen and executives as shown by the ad copy. The ad is directed to both the young and mature businessmen and executives as shown by the visual image of the devil's pitchfork which connotes great excitement, fun, breaking the barriers and adventure for the targeted market. The distribution of the car is handled by well-trained dealers. The print ads that the being introduced, each focusing on one of the pillars of the campaign. The print ads appear in magazines, including Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest. The ad cites the economic impact: it focuses on Toyota's new plant in San Antonio, Texas, which directly employs 2,000 people and adds thousands of other new jobs to the area. The headline reads: "Can a pickup give 2,000 people a lift Why not" The ad cites a strong environmental commitment: it presents Toyota's aspirations for zero emission vehicles and zero waste in its plants. The headline reads: "Can you have an impact by making none at all Why not" The ad stresses social responsibility: it highlights Toyota's Driving Expectations Program, which teaches valuable defensive driving skills to teens and their parents. The headline reads: "Can the most important safety feature in a car be a teen driver Why not The ad campaign has a "vision" The text of the ad reads: WHY NOT Two words that are filled with possibilities. They can turn a challenge into an opportunity. An obstacle into an inspiration. It's a question we ask ourselves at Toyota every day. Because we're continuously looking for new ways to improve what we do. By asking tough questions. Can we make a car that has zero emissions Can we improve the economy of a community Can we enrich the lives of people around us Why not Toyota Lexus focused on market research to determine why a particular consumer segment loses interest in one vehicle while maintaining interest in another. Toyota Lexus acts to unplug that bottleneck by presenting a special options package to car buyers at an early stage of consideration or by staging invitation-only test-drives for new models. Brands that become familiar to people early in their lives are more likely to be purchased by them when they first buy cars.Toyota Lexus targets high-potential segments. It uses market segmentation for the Lexus branding effort. Japanese carmakers are leaders of targeting. The Lexus team started with the styles, needs, and values--identified through consumer research--that motivated

Business Excellence Following The Example of Dell Inc Essay

Business Excellence Following The Example of Dell Inc - Essay Example After successfully doing business in the global markets for almost a decade, Dell began facing challenges in terms of competition, rapidly losing its market share and witnessing a reduction in its customer bases (Paul & et. al., 2007). Furthermore, the company was losing its market share in all the segments, namely, desktops, servers and notebooks during the same year to its major competitors. Notably, the major factors that led to the declining market share of Dell from all segments can be identified as the company’s emphasis on its traditional business model lacking in terms of innovation and transformation. Due to the company’s resistance to change in the global competitive market, other players in this industry such as HP and Lenovo emerged as the new leaders. They focussed on the emerging markets and segments such as Laptops, whereas Dell with a market share of 4.2% ranked eighth among other manufacturers (Paul & et. al., 2007). In today’s modern era, the processor rather the conception of change is attributed to the only continuous and inevitable phenomenon of the business world. Due to the incessant changes occurring in the external business environment, businesses are becoming increasingly swayed to implement strategic changes in their business processes. It is in this context that due to the ongoing changes in the global business environment, business entities are forced to alter their operational vision, goals and methodologies too often causing the risk of unplanned and chaotic changes in the working process which in turn are quite likely to give rise to perplexity within the human resources and thus lead towards a greater disruption in the overall operational functions of the organisation.

Goldman Sachs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Goldman Sachs - Essay Example Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and securities firm which engage in financial services like investment banking, securities, investment management etc. Founded in 1869 and headquartered in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City, Goldman Sachs has a lot of international offices across the world. Apart from financial services, it provides mergers and acquisitions advice, asset management and prime brokerage to its clients. Its clients include corporations, governments, and individuals. Goldman Sachs has recently caught the attention of the investment world because of the innovative risk management strategies implemented by them. According to J.P. Morgan analysts Kian Abouhossein and Delphine Lee, â€Å"Goldman Sachs' risk management was "best in class" and could act "as a benchmark for investment banking peers† (Kennedy). This paper briefly analyses Goldman Sachs' risk management strategy, its advantages and the risks faced by Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs' have used different measures of risk for a long period and the competitors were able to adopt such techniques only recently. In conclusion, Goldman Sachs was able to escape from the recent financial crisis because of their highly innovative risk management strategies. They were able to implement risk management strategies which other may not even think of. When most of the financial institutions struggled to survive because of the recent financial crisis, Goldman Sachs was able to improve its market position because of their well-defined risk management strategies.