Conflict Resoluton in the Classroom Free Essays

Running Head: INCORPORATING CONFLICT RESOLUTION 1 Incorporating Conflict Resolution Melinda McCray Concordia University INCORPORATING CONFLICT RESOLUTION 2 As an educator, it is important that I not only know how to effectively deliver the curriculum to my students, but to also be able to effectively manage my classroom. Managing the classroom is not just writing disciplinary referrals or assigning detentions, but also includes making the proactive decision to prevent and mitigate conflicts as they arise in the classroom. While all conflicts obviously cannot be prevented, teachers must be instrumental in guiding students to resolving their conflicts. We will write a custom essay sample on Conflict Resoluton in the Classroom or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thomas Lickona (1991) touches on guiding students through conflicts. He writes, â€Å"even if students have the benefit of a conflict curriculum, social skill training†¦ many will still have trouble applying these learnings†¦ In these situations the teacher usually has three tasks: (1) Helping students understand†¦ (2) Helping students work out a fair solution†¦ and (3) Helping children practice the behavioral skills†¦. (294-295). While some of these suggestions may not be applicable to high school students in some instances, I think that Lickona’s suggestions have merit. In my classroom, I could certainly incorporate helping my students practice good behavioral skills. I would definitely focus on the moral aspects of discipline and behavior, because students can relate to how they would like to be treated, using the â€Å"what if† scenario. Morality of mind is always an incentive to encourage a child to behave in the proper way. Community involvement is not always that easy at my school, but using our parent liaison could be a step in that direction. Maybe the liaison could reach out to the parents when teachers cannot. Lickona(1991) suggests that observant teachers know the situations that trigger situations, (295) as one such teacher, using effective conflict resolution strategies such, one-on-one counsel, seating arrangements, and modeling good moral conduct is the way I plan to continue to resolve conflicts as they arise in my classroom and keep the classroom environment safe. References Lickona, T. (1991) â€Å"Educating for Character† How our schools can teach respect and responsibility. New York: NE Bantam Books How to cite Conflict Resoluton in the Classroom, Papers

To his Coy Mistress, By Andrew Marvell, Sonnet, By Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Sonnet 138, By William Shakespeare Essay Example For Students

To his Coy Mistress, By Andrew Marvell, Sonnet, By Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Sonnet 138, By William Shakespeare Essay To his Coy Mistress, By Andrew Marvell, Sonnet, By Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Sonnet 138, By William Shakespeare, these group of poems reflect both the negative and positive aspects of love. How do the poets you have studied use language and structural choices to affect the readers perceptions of what love is? The traditional stereotypical view of love poetry is a romantic one. The poetry would have: angels, cupids and cherubs. Many poets have made references to the moon in romantic poetry because it is the symbol of everlasting love and purity. The person that the poem is written about is usually compared to objects that are precious and beautiful, for example: roses, diamonds, stars and rubies. The reader expects the poem to consist of rhyming couplets. The reader also expects the language in a love poem to be romantic and positive. We will write a custom essay on To his Coy Mistress, By Andrew Marvell, Sonnet, By Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Sonnet 138, By William Shakespeare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Many poets have made reference to the moon in romantic poetry because it is the symbol of everlasting love and purity. Both Marvel and Shakespeare deal with love as based on lies that help to progress love. Marvel writes about all the positive things that they would do if they had the time: To walk pass our long loves day. Thou by the Indians Ganges side. Shouldst rubies find: Furthermore Shakespeares Sonnet 138 deals with a lovers relationship that is based on lies: Therefore I lie with her, and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flatterd be. On the other hand E.B.Browning is comparing a love as if it were as true as a religion. A similar technique is used by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet in Act 1 Scene 3: If I profain with my unwortiest hand This is a section of speech from the play Romeo and Juliet when Shakespeare compares loves as a religion. Another example of religious references in love poetry is in To his Coy Mistress: I would love you ten years before the flood and you shouldnt, if you please, refuse till the conversion of the Jeus. These two events are given to create a measurement of time meaning that she can keep on refusing him unless she doesnt reject him. Andrew Marvell has presented the poem in a dialectic format, this consists of three parts: a thesis, which is a statement an antithesis, which is a counter statement a synthesis, which is a resolution The thesis of the poem is where the poem is where the poet says: Had we but the world enough, and time, This coyness lady were no crime. The poet is saying that if they had all the time in the world, they could express their love thoroughly. In the anti thesis, the poet writes about how they are running out of time. Times winged chariot is hurringing near. The verb hurrying is used to describe time as a winged chariot to show how quickly time is gaining upon us. The poet moves on to warm us that the only thing that we have to look forward to is the long boring process of death. And yonder all before us lie, Deserts of vast eternity. The synthesis is when the poet reveals his solution is to make the most of their lives and give into their desires while they are still young and energetic. While the youthful hue Sits still on they skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, The poet also uses emotions to structure the poem through out the three parts, to show progress of the relationship. The first two stages are about the speaker being separate from his mistress, using words like I and You. At the third stage they unite when he uses words like us, our and we. .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .postImageUrl , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:hover , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:visited , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:active { border:0!important; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:active , .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5d4d2e7e456e08b1e2d73834e46091bf:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Shakespeare othello EssayOn the other hand, Sonnet 138 by William Shakespeare are structured in similar ways. Both have 14 lines with 10 syllables in each line and have a rhyming pattern. However, the rhyming scheme varies in both of the poems. Moreover, both of these sonnets try and work through solution for a problem. In Sonnet by E. B. Browning the poet is trying to explore the different ways to love someone. She begins this with a rhetorical question: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. William Shakespeare tries to solve his problem of his lover being knowingly untruthful to him. The poets lover is lying to him about his physical appearance to flatter him. This problem is stated in the first line of the poem: When my love swears that she is not made of truth, I do believe her but I know she lies, In comparison to Andrew Marvels To his Coy Mistress, the sonnets are similar because they also use a three part structure. However, only the first and third parts are similar because in the second stage of To his coy mistress, we get both sides of the argument and in the sonnets there is only one side. In the sonnet this is shown by repetition of the phrase I love thee. In Sonnet 138 the poet also shows only one side of the argument into the poem. He shows this through using words like she and her. He then uses connectives to show both sides of the argument, for example: Although, Wherefore and on both sides. The language that is used in Sonnet sounds similar to the terminology that is used within the bible therefore this poem sounds religious to the reader and comes across like a prayer. The religious vocabulary used is made up of the following words: Grace, Praise, Faith, Saints and God. As well as religious language, the words that are used in the poem also fall into two other categories, these are positive and negative, for example: Smiles, tears, Purely, Death and Grief. This variety of both negative and positive words are used to show that the poet will love the person for whom this poem is written lover throughout all the good and bad times of their life The traditional stereotypical features of love poetry can be found in two of the poems that I have studied. Marvel uses the traditional features of love poetry in the thesis (statement) of his poem to give structure to the rest of argument in To His Coy Mistress. Marvel uses features such as lovers walking on a long hot day, he mentions exotic places and precious stones to measure love. He also uses time to measure his love for his mistress. These are all features we would expect to see in love poetry. Furthermore, Browning also adopts the traditional features of love poetry though structure. The repetition of the phrase I love thee sounds like a short poem used in a typical valentines card. However the antithesis and synthesis parts of To His Coy Mistress and Sonnet 138 reject the typical features of a love poem and they try to show a more realistic view. To His Coy Mistress rejects the traditional view of love by persuading the mistress to love him through the fear of death. The reader may see this as a form of bullying into a relationship; when we really expect to see true love to be based on mutual feelings. Sonnet 138 rejects the traditional view of love by showing a relationship that is based on lies. We as readers would expect a good relationship to be based on equal truth and honesty. Throughout this group of poems various structural and linguistic techniques have been used to affect the readers perceptions of love, however they all have a structured conclusion to help the reader form their own opinion.

Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan Essay Example

Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan Essay Japans economic slump, which began with a stock market crash in 1989, now lies in its fourth recession in ten years. The Asian banking and financial crisis has had a profound effect on this, the second largest economy in the world. Japanese under performing banks are carrying Yen150 trillion ($1.3 trillion) of bad loans. State-run corporations are dragging productivity down, unemployment is rising and Japanese consumer confidence remains low. Macroeconomic policy is proving highly unstable as Japans illness that of deflation remains predominant. Price stability is defined as the sustained absence of both inflation and deflation. (Mc Aleese: p.294, 2001). Further economic agents can make decisions regarding economic activity without being concerned about the fluctuation of the general price level. Along with effective fiscal policy, the control of government spending, low unemployment levels, controlled interest rates and hence inflation rates, macroeconomic policy is maintained. The most serious aspect of Japans economic sickness is deflation. Japans paralysis, where ineffective control measures have had many negative results, will now be discussed. Price Stability: We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Price stability, or rather instability in Japans case, is characterised by the prolonged presence of deflation. The stock market is hovering around a 19 year low. The Nikkei 225, the most commonly used Share Price Index, had stood at 14 times the Dow through the 1980s. However in February 2002 it dropped below the Dow Jones Industrial for the first time since 1957. Japans persistent decline in the general price level is again indicated by the Consumer Price Index. Prices have shown a 1% fall per annum. These falling price levels have increased real debt burdens. National debt stands at over 130% of GDP (www.economist.com). Also Japans banks are chronically weak and burdened by duff loans of Yen37 trillion, about 7% of GDP. So Japanese banks have been left carrying excess bad loans, forcing them to cut lending. Together with depressed consumer spending it has proved impossible for the Bank of Japan to deliver the negative real interest rates that the economy needs to revive demand. Interest rates in Japan stand at virtually 0%. However most companies are not investing but paying down their debts (mentioned above). This adverse impact on investment is also due to the fact that real long-term interest rates in Japan have reached high percentages. The fact that interest rates stand at zero has kept inefficient firms afloat and delayed restructuring. This has contradicted Japans bust advantage. Structural adjustment and creative destruction can prove positive outcomes of negative fluctuations. However, rigid labour and product markets, along with the Japanese keiretsu relationship have hindered the weeding out of inefficient firms. Simultaneously, low interest rates have led to low inflation rates (-0.6% in 2001). This has reflected weak demand and thus the economic slowdown. These supply-side factors, such as the intensification of global competition and deregulation, have put additional downward pressure on prices. This is contributing to the high debt ratio and subsequent price destruction. This bout of recession and deflation has not only had negative impact on CPI, share prices, investment and inflation but also on property prices. Since 1991, commercial property prices have dropped by an average of 84% in Japans six biggest cities (www.economist.com). Housing demand has also collapsed since 1996. Analysis: It remains evident that Japans economy lies in uncertainty, where consistent unstable price performance has given rise to the lost decade. Its current situation comprises of internal factors (e.g. buyer uncertainty) and external factors (e.g. the U.S. current bubble burst). These counter-cyclical variables have had the following negative effect the decrease in economic activity in Japan has led to the increased unemployment rate (+5.3%), bankruptcies, non-performance loans etc. Analysing Japans current prolonged crisis, it becomes evident that it displays attributes of Keynesian economics. The existing shifts in aggregate demand, the low rate of investment and price rigidities, all clearly display this. Price stability is an indispensable prerequisite to ensure sustainable development of the economy (Masaru Hayami, Governor Bank of Japan). 77 year-old Mr. Hayami however has failed so far to deliver such a position. This political paralysis, where political resistance to reform is demonstrated, is hindering Japans recovery. Again, the current Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi (elected April 2001), who unveiled a series of economic reforms has met with little success against this rigid political system, resistant to reform. Furthermore his termination of Makiko Tanaka (his Foreign Minister) in January 2002, along with his lack of co-operation with Economics Minister, Heizo Takenaka, has left Japan still in search of a cure. Is there Evidence of Inflation or Deflation in Japan at the moment? What problems might be associated with very low inflation or deflation? Deflation is defined as the persistent decline in the general price level of goods and services1. The most common measure of inflation statistics is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In Japan, this has fallen at a rate of about 1% since 1999. If the GDP Deflator is used this deflationary trend can be traced back to 1995. The difference between potential and actual GDP is called the output gap. This is another indicator of price stability (or instability). Price stability is defined as the sustained absence of deflation (falling prices) and inflation (rising prices). It is fundamental to the second pillar of the new consensus, macroeconomic stability. Therefore policy makers welcome disinflation and low inflation. Owing to the bias2 in constructing CPI indices, an inflation rate of 0-2% has become acceptable. There are certain costs of changing prices regardless of whether these are due to high inflation or deflation. There is a loss in efficiency as menu costs and shoe leather costs are incurred. Additionally, the necessary fiscal and monetary policies required to attain stability are costly. More specifically, why is deflation problematic? Initially, falling prices seem like a good thing and people feel as if they have more money in their pockets to spend. Even those on a fixed income, (state pensions, social welfare) benefit from an increase in real income. In spite of all this, the far-reaching contagion effects of deflation mean it is a phenomenon to be avoided. Rather than spending more on the goods, which they can now afford, a continuous fall in prices means that consumer and investor spending actually slows down. Consumers and businesses are reluctant to buy goods, which they expect to drop in value in the near future. Such speculation curbs investment and saving increases. In an effort to encourage borrowing for investment, nominal interest rates fall and approach zero. Since the nominal interest rate is the opportunity cost of holding money, savings further increase. This fall in investment demand and activity retards economic growth. Furthermore, since the nominal interest rate cannot fall below zero, the real interest rate will always be positive. In times of deflation, the burden of debt therefore increases. It would seem that lenders gain and borrowers lose. The problem for lenders occurs when debt rises too high and borrowers cannot afford repayments. Banks who earn profits through loan repayments cannot attract big borrowers. T his type of debt deflation is the main problem in the Japanese economy today but is also reminiscent of the Great Depression in the 1930s. In times of low economic growth, it is typical to lower the currency value thereby making exports more attractive to foreign investors. However, the low nominal interest rates induced by deflation have caused foreign demand for the Yen to rise. The Yen remains strong and exports remain relatively expensive. On the whole, wages are accepted to be ratchet. This means that even if prices are falling, the nominal wage rate will not fall. Higher debt repayments and squeezed profits mean that the pressure on companies to cut costs is twofold. This leads to a Darwinian shake-out as companies see job cuts as the only option to save on costs. Deflation is clearly at the root of Japans failing economy. Policy makers must now look to the formulation and implementation of an effective plan to fight deflation if there is any hope of a recovery.

5 Super Tips On How to Get Your Resume Noticed

5 Super Tips On How to Get Your Resume Noticed You’ve come of age in the era of social media. Which probably means you assume everything can be done online: networking, socializing, job applications. And that’s more or less true. But there’s one vestige of the old world that will still be crucial to you in finding yourself a satisfying job: a resume. Don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need one. Everybody does. Do concern yourself with making sure your resume gets in the right hands. It doesn’t have to be perfect; you’ll likely tinker with it for the entirety of your career. But you need to start somewhere. Here are five tips for how to get your resume noticed and read, so you can get that job and get your start.1. Think like a computerYour cover letter and your interview need to be geared towards the human recruiters who’ll be reading it. Your resume, on the other hand, will probably be read first by a search engine. Keep that simple fact in mind and gear your document to get through the machines.2. OptimizePart of this strategy means using the right words to get through the computer programs that will sort your resume. Part of it is simply making sure you’re showing a hiring manager that you can do the job. Start by reverse-engineering the job description and peppering your resume with the keywords necessary to showcase your skills. You can also create a â€Å"core competencies† section at the top and listing your most valuable skills there. And if you have to cheat, and include keywords for skills you don’t quite have, you can try putting them in in white font, so computer searches will pick up on it, but human recruiters won’t see that text.3. Make it easyMake sure to get all the basics covered: school, major, GPA, objective. When writing your objective, err on the side of specifics. Don’t just say you want a great job doing great things; make sure to let the recruiter know you mean business. Be clear about th e location and the industry you’re looking for. Take the guess work out of it.4. Go electronic with your cover letterMore often than not, you’re going to need to email a cover letter rather than sending the traditional hard copy. Again, there’s no guarantee a human is going to see it. But you shouldn’t cut any corners all the same. Start with as personal an opening as possible- whether a friend referred you, or you have a mutual acquaintance, or you have a particular affinity for this particular position. Then use the rest of the message to contextualize the bullet points on your resume. Again, be as specific as possible.5. Think â€Å"means to an end†Your resume doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to do everything. But it does need to be attention-grabbing. And it needs to present your brand clearly and effectively to the people who will hire you. Be honest and showcase your unique qualities and talents and you’ll do f ine.

Rise of the middle class in Latin America Research Paper

Rise of the middle class in Latin America - Research Paper Example Venezuela is the most urbanized and largest economy of Latin America whereas Argentina is the second largest and Colombia holds the third position, in terms of GDP (Venezuela Analysis, 2013). Latin America puts huge emphasize on economic integration since the inception of Latin American Free Trade Association and Central American Common Market in 1960s. In fact, the economy has undergone various structural changes due to the effect of a number of economic influences such as World Wars, financial crisis in 2008 and several ongoing civil wars. However, the internal economic development program of this continent has been uninterrupted by the policies taken by the economy such as import substitution by industrialization and public investment on health sector (Balderston, Gonzalez and LÃ ³pez, 2000). All these factors have led the economy to experience population explosion. Moreover, as the education system and employment opportunities began to expand combining with enhanced social secur ity, the economy experienced rise of middle class society in Latin America. The paper will explore the nature and determinates of economic growth and rise of middle class in Latin America, especially concentrating on the three biggest economies of the constitute such as Venezuela, Argentina and Colombia as well as possible consequences of such social transformation. Since decades, poverty continued to be the main challenge for the economy of Latin America. However, after experiencing a long series of stagflation, the population of Latin America started expanding and overtimes the middle class evolved in a major proportion of the population. Prior to this, the demographics of Latin America were characterized by the presence of vulnerable income group, suffering from economic insecurity (LÃ ³pez-Calva and Juarez, 2013). However, over a period of time, economic growth as well as

Do social networks encourage sport participation Dissertation

Do social networks encourage sport participation - Dissertation Example Individuals started to build online persona. In reality, some information is very confidential to the extent no one would want to share with their family and certainly not with a professional hiring manager. Individuals are using this new data base in of personal information in questionable ways ethically. The lack of regulations, clear guidelines, has led to dissemination of information across the internet for a purpose other than that intended. Employment screening is one of the more infringements to the rights to Facebook users. This is a paper that responds to the question: do social networks encourage sport participation? List of Contents Introduction Aim and objectives Rationale Literature review and theoretical framework Methodology Findings, Analysis and Evaluation Final discussion and Recommendations Recommendations for further research Do social networks encourage sport participation? Introduction Social Media is a great way to encourage sport participation by spreading the word about local sports and other general physical activity programmes. Social media can be used as a tool to further participation in sports. A social networking service is an online platform, or site that is used for social interaction. They focuses on facilitation of building social relations or social networks among people sharing same interests, backgrounds, real-life connections or sporting activities. A social network service is constituted of each user (often represented through a profile), the individual’s social links, and some additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide an online form of interaction among the users through the Internet. Nowadays the world is changing rapidly and marketing styles should follow people trends. Social media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access. Increased communication for organizations fosters brand awareness and often, improved customer service. Also, social me dia is a cheap and effective platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. Social networking websites allow people to interact with each other and build relationships. Business organisations join these sites, so that people could interact with the product or company. That interaction feels personal to users because of their previous experiences with social networking site interactions. Social networking users are allowed to â€Å"retweet† or â€Å"repost† comments made by the product being promoted. In consequence, when people repeat the message, that company posted, all other users are able to see the message, therefore reaching more people. What is more, through social networking sites like Facebook or Goolge+, organizations can create their own group, where interested people follow the company and see different news and promotions1 every day, when simply checking their social feeds. As well as, the organisation itself can choose who to invite into the ir group, thereby reaching narrow target market. Cell phone is another aspect of social media marketing that makes it even more effective..Today, many cell phones have social networking capabilities: individuals are notified of any happenings on social networking sites through their cell phones, in real-time. This constant connection to social networking sites means products and companies can constantly remind and update followers about their

The Issue Of Handphone In School English Language Essay

The Issue Of Handphone In School English Language Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Handphone has become indispensable gadget, an absolute necessity for both adults and children. Like every other invention of man, whether or not to allo the use of handphones in Malaysian schools is not an easy yes-or- no issue. This is the dilemma of the authorities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If properly used, the handphone can bring more benefits than harm especially to children. When television first made its debut in the 1960s, everybody imagined that it would have a negative effect on children. Parents fret over their childrens addiction to the idiot box and the neglect of their studies. Their fears were unfounded as they soon found that if strictly contolled, the television was as harmless as the radio or the gramophone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In more recent times, the same anxiety greeted the advent of computers, especially the Internet. Today, the Internet has becomean essential tool and we cannot imagine a life without computers. Like the computers, the handphone has many advantages, while an abuse of it can have disastrous results. Handphones are useful tools of communication. Parents and children can keep in touch with each other and any last mintue change of plans can be conveyed easily without any trouble to either party. Some children however, cite this as a loss of privacy as parents will have a 24-hour access to their children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parents say the handphone is more than a convenience-it is an essential item that can function as a tracker divece. With it they can monitor their children and check on their whereabouts via satelite. Thus, from whereevr they are, paretns can ensure the safety of thier children and avoid incidents like kidnapping and such crimes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education Ministry officials, school authorities and many parents believe that allowing handphones in schools would only widen the disparity between the haves and the have-nots among students. Handphones come in a variety of shapes, colours and function:from generic ones to highly sophisticated ones that double up as camers, video cameras and palm tops. Not every child in school comes from middle or upper class families that can afford to buy each child a handphone. The self esteem of children who do not own a handphone or who possess a basic one wii be affected. Low esteem among students would cause a rift among children. Cliques, jealousy and rivalry would result. This unhealthy situation should not be nurtured in a school. Instea, the school environment should promote equal opprotunities and equal treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another reason for the strong outcry against allowing studentsto bring handphones to school is the distraction it poses. SMSes, games and ringing tones are some of the distractors that take the students attention away from the lesson. Children being children will not be able to resist the temptation of answering calls and sending messages when they should be listening to the teacher or classes, the games available on the phone is something the students would resort to after classes to overcome boredom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apart from diverting students attention, the handphones can threathen the validity of school examinations. Students may cheat durin examinations via text messages. Information or answers can be passed from one student to the next while examiners may be totally oblivious of the cheating that happen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, even adults find it hard to exercise social etiquette and discretion in the use of handphones, therefore children cannot be expected to do any better. Despite explicit messages in movies threatres, at meetings and at formal meetings, we still hear phones ringing away. School administrators and discipline teachers would find it difficult to to effectively prohibit students from using their phones during lessons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If Ministry of Education lifts the ban on handphones, schools may come up with new rules or guidelines to control the use of the handphone. Inevitably, teacher will be burdened with the task of monitoring the use and misuse of the handphone. All this is additional stress for teachers who are already loaded with heavy responsibilities. The Malaysian school system has thrived so far even with handphones being banned from schools. Why sudden change of heart? http://ngkwdaniel.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!61F13D5E0ECD31F0!521.entry Cell Phones at School: Should They Be Allowed? by Maya Cohen The question of whether cell phones should be allowed in schools has been hotly debated over the years. Most school administrations regard cell phone use as disruptive and distracting, and have implemented policies that prohibit using them on school grounds. There are benefits to giving your kids cell phones for use outside of school, but before you add them to your family plan, read the pros and cons: The Pros You can be in touch with your children, and know their whereabouts. Your kids can reach you in the event of an emergency, and vice versa. If in danger, your children can reach the authorities or a medical provider. Phones can be silenced during class or study periods, and active only in appropriate places. Cell phones create a convenience that was previously unavailable. With cell phones, you can easily reach your kids for any reason: to ask them questions, change plans, or to simply say hello. The Cons Students often forget to turn off their phones in class, and ringing noises or text-message alerts disrupt learning. Even if set to silent, cell phones can still cause distraction, since text messaging has become a high-tech method of passing notes in school. Students have been known to use cell phones to call in bomb threats to schools, to avoid or condense class time. In the event of a widespread crisis, rampant cell phone use can overload communication systems and render them inoperable. Student cell phone networks add to the spread of rumors and misinformation, which can be harmful during a widespread crisis. Phones can be used as cheating devices during exams. The long-term physical effects of cell phone use are still undetermined. There are compelling arguments on both sides of the debate, and both enthusiasts and critics make convincing points. What do you think? Take our poll: POLL: Should schools allow cell phones? In fact, the real decision regarding cell phones lies with parents. Short of checking each and every backpack, school officials can only enforce cell phone bans if they catch a student with a prohibited device. Would you allow your child to bring a cell phone to school? Share your opinion in our poll: http://life.familyeducation.com/cellular-telephones/school/51264.html By MALLIKA VASUGI WHEN initial reports about students being allowed to use handphones in schools were first released, many teachers were incredulous.    There were already enough problems in schools where the ruling against handphones was strictly enforced. With the lifting of the ban, all hell was bound to break loose.    We shuddered in our staff rooms, imagining the consequences.    It was a great relief therefore when the announcement to renew the handphone ban came shortly after that although there were a few raised eyebrows and wry comments passed about the now its on-now its off thing.    During the period between the first and second announcements, many letters to the editor were written and opinions given about the ruling both in favour of, and against, the bringing of handphones to schools.    While teachers were generally opposed to the idea, some parents were pleased.    Times have changed, one parent wrote. We need to keep in touch with our children. How else will they reach us in case of emergencies?    http://thestar.com.my/archives/2006/2/5/education/09cartoon.jpg One colleague remarked, The way some parents go on, you would think their offspring came into the world clutching handphones to their ears.    Many teachers laughed quietly when further restrictions on the use of the handphone were outlined.    Only during break time, in the canteen or school compound, not during lessons.    As teachers smack in the middle of this issue, with first-hand knowledge of the problems caused by handphones despite school rules against it, it is difficult not to be sceptical. Besides being an effective examination cheating tool and major distraction during the teaching-learning process, handphone text messages have also replaced the classic love-letter to the girl in the last row.    Thats an understatement, said another friend who is the discipline master in his school.    Remember the old school boy trick of yesteryear involving strategically placed pencil-sharpener mirrors. Just imagine what they can do with camera-phones these days.    And do you know what the worst part is?    Some of the models in the lewd, almost pornographic, camera-phone shots are our students. Makes you wonder what the root of all this moral decadence is, doesnt it?    Of course banning the handphone in schools does not mean all these problems are going to be solved. Cheaters will still cheat and inappropriate behaviour in girl-boy relationships will still continue.    Besides, asked another parent, Wouldnt it be unfair to students who genuinely need to have the handphone with them? What about kids with medical problems who need to be in constant contact with their parents?    School administrators have never been unaware of this situation and for that reason, there are always teachers on duty everyday to deal with emergencies such as sending students home, to the hospital, contacting parents and so on.    Some schools I know even allow students to bring their handphones to school but they have to turn the phones in to the school authorities throughout the school session.    You know what really amazes me? said my discipline teacher friend.    Every time we conduct a spot-check and confiscate handphones, parents who have never attended any school function, never turned up on open day to check on their childs progress throughout the school year, are at the school office within half an hour of notification, pleading with us to return the handphones to their children.    Another point brought up by the no handphones in school proponents was the possible feelings of resentment, envy or even feelings of inferiority which may arise when students begin comparing handphone models in schools.    Like most of our material possessions that start out as needs, handphones have become a sort of status symbol for some.    Parents know this when their teenagers tearfully plead for the over RM1,000 model that every other kid has.    Imagine a kid who applies for the Textbook Loan Scheme because his father earns less than RM1,000 a month, sitting next to a student flashing the latest Nokia N90 which cost his dad RM2,500.    Most of us teachers especially, are glad that the issue is finally settled and the ban remains effective.    But we know some of the negative comments that are bound to be made by those less satisfied with the ruling.    Teachers should not blame handphones for discipline problems.    It is the teachers job to ensure students pay attention in class and do not play with handphones. Teachers should not shirk their responsibilities or pass the buck, and so on and so forth.    I wish someone would teach us teachers how to keep a student awake in class when he has been working part-time until 2am to pay for the luxury items he needs, handphones of course being at the top of the list.    While we are at that, I also wish someone would teach us teachers how to prevent students from using vulgarities in school when they use them all the time at home.    Or tell them it is not okay to cheat although this allows them to get what they want.    Or that it is morally wrong to flash an expensive Samsung D500 in front of another kid whose parents cannot afford to give him lunch money.    http://www.mobile88.com/news/read.asp?file=/2006/2/5/20060205000212sec=cover%20story By KAREN CHAPMAN PETALING JAYA: The Education Ministrys decision to lift the ban on handphones in schools from this year has generally caused an uproar.    Director General of Education Datuk Dr Ahamad Sipon cited the increasing number of students owning handphones due to cheaper service charges and handsets as the reason for lifting the ban.    Basically, the Education Ministry does not want to prevent the usage of handphones in school. But their use by both teachers and students must be controlled so that the teaching and learning process is not disrupted, he said in a circular.    RING IT IN Yim Pheng Lets not panic unnecessarily with the lifting of the ban. Lets see what happens first. If there are problems as a result of the directive, I am sure the Education Ministry can then review the situation.    Schools should also have their own rules on the matter.    SMK La Salle (Petaling Jaya) principal A Rajenthran I welcome the ministrys lifting of the ban. We allowed students to bring their handphones last year for convenience and security reasons.    Many parents want to be able to contact their children. They also want their children to be able to contact them in case of an emergency.    We set up a process where students who want to bring their handphones can do so, but they have to first register with us.    We cannot run away from the fact that handphones make things extremely convenient these days.    Parent Abu Kadir Abdullah, 49 All of us in the family keep in touch with each other via handphones, so in this ICT (information and communication technology) age, having handphones will help us communicate faster better.    Parent K.K. Wong, 43 In this day and age where both parents are busy working until late in the day they have to depend on the handphone to keep in touch with their children in school. It is no more just a gadget to show off, it has become a necessity.    Many parents can attest to the fact that it has helped them in their lives. School authorities should make sure students help us communicate faster and better.    CALL IT OFF Parent V. Gunasekaran I am really scared for my daughter. Some IT savvy boys may take funny pictures of girls and circulate them through the MMS. The Ministry should have a rethink.    Senior assistant Mary Goh We have a strict ban on handphones. I really dont see a need for students to bring them to school. There are enough public telephones in school and if there is an emergency, they can always use the office telephone.    Although we are very strict, and will confiscate the phones if we catch them with one, some still manage to sneak them into school. Its really not a good idea.    Principal Suzana Ahmad I am concerned because bringing handphones to school will distract students from concentrating on their studies.    Students are here to learn but they may be unable to resist the urge to check their phones for messages every now and then.    After teaching for many years in urban schools, I can tell you that children in these areas can be very sneaky and may put their phones on silent mode in class.    Teacher R. Usha I agree it is not a good move. I am worried about the impact on those who do not have handphones.    Children from wealthier backgrounds may possess state-of-the-art phones while the poorer ones may have something simpler or none at all. This will cause jealousy and may even result in thefts. http://www.mobile88.com/news/read.asp?file=/2006/1/12/20060112213741sec=news