Wednesday, July 29, 2020

How to Stop Workplace Gossip

How to Stop Workplace Gossip To some people, workplace gossip can an integral part in advancing their career and be liked by their colleagues when they stay in the know.But on the larger side of things, it is nothing more than a catastrophic pitfall that is known to destroy employee morale and derail not just internal relationships but also your career in the process.If you need us to be specific on the matter as to what workplace gossip eventually results in, just look at these potential consequences:False informationRumors or hearsaysBelittling, ridicule, and humiliationUnable to disprove false informationNot being able to stop the spreading of false informationPersonal and confidential information leaking outSome workers usually gossip for the fun of it or only because they feel insecure about others in the office or workplace.Most of these gossipers do it for the sake of attracting attention.Those who are persistent and have been doing this for a long time must be stopped before they end up ruining a personâ €™s life as well as a clean company’s reputation.If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of those people who has been the victim of such acts and wishes to put an end to it once and for all.Luckily for you, this article has just the solution that can save both your professional and personal life from being shattered all at once. 1.  DONT PAY ANY HEEDSometimes, the best way to evade gossip is to just walk away.Do not display any signs to the gossipers that you’re interested because that is where the trauma and paranoia get a hold of you and creates an unstoppable snowball effect that could be the end of you, your colleagues and the company itself.If you see anyone who’d be willing to pass on any kind of story to you, pay them no heed at all.Honor your integrity and just back away.2.  CHANGE THE SUBJECTAnother great tactic you can use to avoid gossip is to try to change the subject of the conversation.So if you feel the gossipers want to approach you, just throw a harmle ss random question out to them, such as “How was your weekend? Mine was awesome.”Because you asked the question, you’re in control of the conversation and the people around you will have to answer.And if they don’t they will feel bad for not answering at all and might come off offending you.So now, the next time someone wishes to gossip with you, just change the subject.3.  TRY TO CALM YOURSELF IF YOURE UPSET If your toxic co-workers are already spreading the false rumors about you already, you may get riled up in the process.Normally, you’d want to shut them off right at that point and go full guns blazing but remember, your within the boundaries of your workplace and whether you like it or not, you have to play it safe and wear your professional face.Yes, it’s not easy to keep a straight face or bottle up all of your frustrations, but you may end up getting the short end of the stick if you drag your feet into this mess.Therefore, go out and get some fresh air or take five doing something that eases your mind. If you’re very upset, then tell your supervisor that you’re taking an early off to collect yourself.4.  STAY TRUE TO YOUR GOALS AND PRIORITIESIt is within the nature of humans to want more in life, especially if they wish to move up in their workplace.But gossiping about your co-workers will only make you come off as petty and unprofessional.As a matter of fact, gossiping is the exact opposite of what will get you to your goals and ambitions. So it’s best to remind yourself to be a better person and keep away from such worthless banter.When you show that you’re busy or just have a lot of work to do, it will convince other gossipers that you don’t have time to join their “fun.”That’s because harmful rumors are usually carried out in free or off-times, or when your mind is searching for something you want to do.That’s when the need for gossiping starts. But you must resist the urge of getting involved with such things.So kee p reminding yourself of the goals that you have set out to accomplish.For this, you can use a Post-It note to write down your priorities so you never lose sight of your endgames.5.  DONT SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR PRIVATE LIFE The likelihood of gossiping in the era is there and with that in mind, it’s best to keep all of the sensitive or private details about your life to yourself.Only share such confidential emails with your family and close friends or anyone whom you trust won’t try to use your most embarrassing or shameful details out in the open against you.So keep your distance and avoid trying to let any of your personals leak out to untrustworthy co-workers who may use it for their potential blackmailing schemes.At best, you should keep your guard up for sometime until you have built enough trust with those whom you think are worthy to open up to.6.  OFFER SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF CREATING MORE PROBLEMS Fighting fire with fire, or in this case, gossiping about a gossiper is on ly going to intensify an already aggravated situation.However, sometimes when a co-worker talks negatively about their colleagues, it’s mostly out of frustration, but there may be a legitimate reason behind it.And if that is the case, then it would be a better move to acknowledge their frustration so that you can offer a solution.Take the example of a colleague named John who thinks Michael is always late at picking him up, which is why he can’t submit his work on time.So you should tell John that perhaps Michael has kids that he drops to school or something else that he needs to take care of before coming to work.Either way, you advise John to talk it out with Michael if he hasn’t done that already to get to the root of their problems.7.  CONFRONT THE GOSSIPERIf the one gossiping about you or anyone else doesn’t believe that there are any consequences to their actions, they may never stop.On the other hand, if you go up to them and let them know that their actions may end u p hurting your feelings or the feelings of those they’re gossiping about, then it could get them to realize their mistakes and get them to stop.This will prevent not only the gossipers from continuing their heinous acts, but also prevent others who were thinking about joining in to gang up on you.Here are a couple of other ways to confront the gossipers.Ask them directly about why they’re relaying information that you think is gossip. By forcing them to explain why they do what they do, it will make them realize that you’re on to them.Let the gossiper know that the information is going back to the targeted party so that it forces them to cease their acts and apologize.Ask the gossiper to address their grievances and let them know that you’re open to understanding but also firm in your responses. It could be that they’re upset they missed out on a promotion or training opportunity. Perhaps they’re upset that the target of the gossip got the special work deal or hours and not them. If they continue to open up like this, you may be able to devise a solution together with them.Be real with them. If the gossiper sees that you’re trying to approach them about their unruly behavior, but do not want to stop, just let them know right away that the gossiping has to end. The direct approach is what usually works as now they are aware that you could get them into trouble if they persisted. Or they may choose to continue when the smoke clears. And if that happens, ensure that your supervisor or boss know about this so that when the time comes, the offender will be relieved of their duties.8.  MAKE YOURSELF AN EXAMPLEBy far the best approach to dealing with gossiping at workplaces is to not get involved in them whatsoever.And if you are one of the leaders or managers over there who wish to eliminate gossiping, you can start with yourself.Look yourself in the mirror and just ask if you’re someone who likes to gossip, if even a little.Contemplating whether you gossip about your boss and colleagues, or about company policies will determine whether your character is the type that can be a role model for other people at your workplace.By setting an example and tone over there, people will immediately notice and start following you.9.  CONFRONT THE ISSUE NOT THE PERSONIt’s easier to confront the person doing the gossiping, but you’ll come off more as a professional if you set your sights on the issue and behavior instead of the person behind them.For instance, instead of going over to the gossiper saying, “you’re a bad person and gossiping about,” you should say, “I am concerned about the gossiping that you do and the want it to stop.”You’ll save face and in return, inspire others around you for making a bold and mature stance on the situation instead of a childish one.10. INSPIRE A POSITIVE  GOSSIPIf workplaces have to gossip about something, it should only be about their work and how they can motivate one another to reach t heir goals.That’s the kind of mentality that could truly make you a great leader as well as a caring human being. It might be a chore to get done, but it is actually something that many companies strive to accomplish.A good example of this is when an employee is able to positively cater to the customers’ needs and exceed their expectations at that.Later, the management would be sharing that story within the company, as well as social media to increase employee morale or teach brand values.This requires a lot of effort and sometimes, people in general may not even buy into your idea right away. If you force them, then you will lose the true purpose of your goal.Just play your part and let the positive professional energy within reach out to them.11.  DONT TAKE WORK GOSSIP AT HEARTWork gossip, at the end of the day, is just that gossip. It has nothing but errors, innuendos, rumors and malicious nonsense.Since it isn’t real, take it with a pinch of salt rather than taking it to heart.We understand that gossip has to be put a stop to, but it won’t help your cause as either a colleague or a team leader if you let it get to you.What you’d want to do instead is focus on the underlying reason or perhaps a series of reasons that could be causing the gossip so that you can work out ways to deal with it objectively as a task instead of a personal attack that can only be resolved by an emotional or angry manner.12.  FORTIFY YOURSELF WITH FACTSBefore you go jumping and believing everything that comes out of a gossiper’s mouth, just take a step back and ask yourself with a come mind: “Is there are truth the heinous rumors?”It would help your cause even more if you had tangible evidence to fire back at the abysmal gossiping instead of responding with your emotions.This is especially helpful during change management gossip where a series of crazy ideas begin to surface and spread like a wild forest fire.Arm yourself with as many facts as you can by going dire ctly to those people who can give you definitive and accurate answers.What’s more is that you should acquire additional facts from dependable and credible sources including official publications, internal bulletins and meeting minutes.

Friday, May 22, 2020

A Meaning Of Moral Virtue - 956 Words

Humble Translations 1. A MEAN OF MORAL VIRTUE Aristotle, described moral virtue as being an intermediate between the two extreme states. These states represent the opposing vices of excess and deficiency, placing the mean, or virtue in the middle of each vice. From the words of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle proclaimed that: Virtue is concerned with passions and actions, in which excess is a form of failure, and so is defect, while the intermediate is praised and is a form of success; and being praised and being successful are both characteristics of virtue. Therefore virtue is a kind of mean, since, as we have seen, it aims at what is intermediate. (Nicomachean Ethics, ch. 6) In other words, the â€Å"mean† represents a fulcrum that balances our passions and serves as the standard by which how we act upon them. Moral virtues then become the middle ground of our decision making process, so to speak. Essentially, moral virtues are not just the ideals which form our belief systems, they are also the habitual choices we decide to act upon in order to produce an equilibrium between our passions. â€Å"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence (virtue) is not an act, but a habit† (Aristotle). 2. PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL Dr. Gregory Sadler, professor of philosophy, amusingly utilized the fabled tale of â€Å"Goldie Locks† as an analogy to illustrate Aristotle’s ethical model. In the story, Goldie Locks enters the bears’ cabin and begins to engage in a series of decision making processes.Show MoreRelatedVirtue Duty Vs Virtue1009 Words   |  5 PagesDuty and virtue have very immense definitions, from many different aspect of life; therefore, to elucidate the direction of this essay we are going to study the ethical aspects of these two terms. Duty is derived from the Greek term Deontology, so the ethics of duty is actually the sequel of deontological ethics. The same could be said for virtue, a term many tend to use loosely. Both terms, have heavy meanings, but tend not be fully understood. Virtue ethics has its roots dating back to PlatoRead MoreNicomachean Ethics1035 Words   |  5 PagesTopic 1: In Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle defines virtue as â€Å"the mean relative to us.† In separate paragraphs, please describe briefly the basic notion of virtue as a mean, and then explain why he believes that such a mean is relative to us. Provide quotations/examples to support your claims. Include a final paragraph in which you explain your views on this issue of relativity. Be sure to take into consideration the counter-arguments we discussed in class. The mean is relativeRead More Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean Essay1436 Words   |  6 Pageslife. He believes that this can be achieved for each individual through the embracement of virtues. Aristotle believes that virtues are the mean of two vices. This is the basis of the Aristotelian â€Å"Doctrine of the Mean†. This paper will explore the basis of the Doctrine of the Mean, its connections to Eudaimonia, and its success or lack thereof. Eudaimonia is a Greek word whose meaning can be translated several ways. These include happiness, the success of life’s activities, prosperityRead MoreAristotle s View On How Virtuous Action Differs From That Of Craft1370 Words   |  6 Pagesof Virtue. But how does one live a life of virtue without knowing what the virtues are or how to go about performing virtuous acts? Aristotle claims that we begin to acquire the virtues by first putting them into action. This is where Aristotle makes a comparison between virtuous action and craft (techne) action. He claims that moral virtue is akin to craft in the fact that it must be practiced and developed. When speaking about moral virtue it is important to distinguish this type of virtue fromRead MoreVirtue Ethics Theory Essay1459 Words   |  6 Pagesreason. 3. What is the primary focus of the virtue of ethics theory? -The primary focus is one’s character, especially the personal disposition to act well in various circumstances. What really guides our behavior as humans is not ultimately self-centeredness or explicit commitments to moral rules or results but rather the deep patterns of each of our personalities and behaviors. 4. What was the ancient Greeks’ assumption about the meaning or purpose of life? * They generally held thatRead MoreEthics Of Caring And Virtue910 Words   |  4 PagesEthics of Caring and Virtue Ethics of virtue is the belief that if a person wants to be considered good, they do good things (Pollock, 1988). In ethics of virtue, happiness is always the outcome of a situation. The main premise of virtue theory lies upon three main principles; virtues, practical wisdom and eudemonia. A virtue is a mean state which lays between two vices. A virtue is a characteristic a virtuous person possesses, for example courage. Courage is a virtue which lays between cowardiceRead MoreThe Ethical Theories Of Aristotle Vs. His Contemporary1019 Words   |  5 Pagesonly source of true and lasting happiness. Meaning, ethical people are happy people. This ethical theory of happiness is further studied through countless philosophers, but the two main thinkers that will be specifically researched are Aristotle, a continuing figure in ancient Greece philosophy, and Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher. Within the two, both believe human action is the main goal in reaching happiness such as the good habits, so called â€Å"virtues†, but with two different beneficial viewsRead MoreVirtue Theory And Abortion By Rosalind Hursthouse1551 Words   |  7 PagesKatelalyn Miller Virtue Theory is one of many different moral theories that exist today. It is based off of Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics which focuses on having an ideal character. The main focus of Virtue Theory is the role of one’s character, which is closely related to its roots in Aristotle. A Virtue Theorist would do things because it is who they themselves are, not because it is good to do them or because they will get something good from doing them. In the article, â€Å"Virtue Theory and Abortion†Read MoreUtilitarianism, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics835 Words   |  4 Pagesafter learning about Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics, I have realized that certain characteristics of each play a role in determining what ethics truly are. Utilitarianism characterizes the definition of ethics, by making all choices have the greatest positive impact, while minimizing the risk. Deontology on the other hand would rather we not get involved because there is never a justifiable means to an end. Finally, there is virtue ethics, which would have us aspires to have certainRead MoreEssay On Virtue And Virtue1345 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle and Kant are both poignant philosophers of their times, each with different views. While they both make arguments on the topic of moral motivations, they have drastically different interpretations of morality. Aristotle believes that virtue is the key to happiness and Kant argues that mo tivation does not make an action moral. These arguments show just two of the many interpretations of morality, and while they are very different, share some commonalities. The arguments illustrated by both

Saturday, May 9, 2020

The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams - 1228 Words

â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† is a play by Tennessee Williams. There are only four characters in the drama with a fifth character referenced so much that his character is a big part of the story line. The play is about a southern woman named Amanda and her two grown children. Tom is the son who has the responsibility of taking care of his sister and their mother. Laura has a disability that limits her capabilities and her confidence; consequently, her mother does not seem to understand how these limitations have made her life events extremely different from her mother’s early years. The fourth character, Jim, is an acquaintance of Tom and is a gentleman caller who ends up doing more harm than good for Laura. Amanda’s husband, who abandoned the family long ago, is not in the play, but is referenced throughout the story line; the set even has a big portrait of him hanging in the living room. Williams portrayed the personalities as he typically has in other plays with â€Å"characters who prefer dwelling in a fantasy world† (Wang). The characters have such a fascination of past events that they are not able to focus on the best choices for the present. Williams was able to portray tradition in different ways in the play. The most obvious theme of tradition is how Amanda is obsessed with the gentleman caller custom. She lives in her fantasy world of when she was young, beautiful, and popular. She enjoys reliving the times when she had numerous gentleman callers wooing her and boosting herShow MoreRelatedThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams985 Words   |  4 Pageshardly catch it going. ¨ This quote by the author of The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams, describes both The Glass Menagerie, a memory play, and the life of Tennessee Williams himself, for whom memories played a large role in his life. Within the play, many parallels can be drawn between the life of Williams and the life of Tom, the main character, such as a disdain for factory work. In addition, several characters in The Glass Menagerie have a difficult time fitting into the roles that theirRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams Essay940 Words   |   4 PagesTennessee Williams was a renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning playwriter for his numerous plays throughout his career. One of such plays is The Glass Menagerie. After perfecting his play for many years, The Glass Menagerie was first introduced to Broadway on March 31, 1945. As a young writer, Williams lived vicariously through his plays. Throughout this play in particular, there are several allegories that pertain to Williams life. Although Williams had a relatively happy childhood, his life changedRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams986 Words   |  4 PagesTennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie, is a classic drama about a young man who is tired of his dull and boring existence. Tom, the main character, struggles to deal with his family, who is apparently holding him back in life. With the use of powerful writing techniques, Williams is able to captivate his audience and create a play that has stood the test of time. An excellent writing technique employed by Williams that contributes to The Glass Menagerie’s success is his use of plot. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams932 Words   |  4 Pages THE GLASS MENAGERIE Name Instructor Institution Course Date The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams, the author in the play †The Glass Menagerie† that is based on his life that presents characters that, as caught animals in an cage, live in woeful states and just wish to unravel themselves from this state (Fisher, 2010). The primary clash in the story emerges through their longing to encounter a different world, but their condition opens them to life s unforgiving realities. LifeRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1249 Words   |  5 Pagesthe outside world The Glass Menagerie is very interesting because William s play relates to alot of people and their situations, people can learn alot from it alot whether they connect to Amanda and her past or to Laura and her lack of confidence and being in a world of her own or to Tom and his internal conflict about abandoning his family or staying with them. Laura s life is all about her glass menageries what happens when her glass unicorn breaks? What happens when a gentlemanRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1619 Words   |  7 PagesIsolation is prevalent in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams. This is presented in symbols such as blue roses and the glass unicorn, for they are imagined objects and only existent in another fantasy world. Williams incorporates such arcane symbols to draw out his characters, Amanda, Laura, and Tom, and how they cope with confinement. Most importantly, the symbols of the play represent how isolation debilita tes them psychologically in an attempt to connect with reality. The jonquils representRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee William1014 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† of Tennessee William, he wrote a drama play to emphasize readers about the life is at a standstill the Wingfield family. Through of the Wingfield family, he uses many symbols which represent many things, but the important main symbolization is fire escape that shows three main characters; Tom Wingfield, his fire escape is the way out of Amanda and Laura. Amanda Wingfield, hope gentlemen callers to enter their lives, and Laura Wingfield, who wants in her own worldRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1534 Words   |  7 PagesThe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams, born Thomas Lanier Williams, wrote The Glass Menagerie, a play which premiered in Chicago in 1944. This award winning play, autobiographical in nature, represented a time in which Williams felt the obligation of his responsibilities in regards to the care of his family. Robert DiYanni, Adjunct Professor of Humanities at New York University, rated it as, â€Å"One of his best-loved plays...a portrayal of loneliness among characters who confuseRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams Essay876 Words   |  4 PagesIn Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, there is a collection of glass animal figurines that belong to Laura. Laura uses those figurines to escape her reality. The â€Å"glass menagerie† is also a metaphor because all of the characters have a metaphorical glass menagerie that they use to escape their reality. Tom escapes his reality by going to the movies, drinking, and writing poetry. Tom says, â€Å"I go to the movies because – I like adventure†¦ something I don’t have much of at work† (Williams 33)Read MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams867 Words   |  4 Pagesdraw the line between getting what you want and doing what you are obligated to do? In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the main characters are torn between fulfilling their desires and aligning with their role in society. On the surface, Amanda Wingfield plays the role of a caring mother that would do anything in her children’s best interest. However, according to the play, â€Å"The Glass Menagerie†, you should never be fooled by the â€Å"Illusion of the truth.† She indeed values her children’s

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Scenario Free Essays

Decision Form Period 5 Company____ 3 COPY I Price (per unit) Advertising Sales Corporate Identity Market research report Market 1 3090 EUR 6 mEUR MEUR Yes: ? x 2 Market 2 4420 FCU mEUR 3 Market 1 no. of ppl. Market 2 no. We will write a custom essay sample on Scenario or any similar topic only for you Order Now of ppl. Yes: ? Yes: ? Value Analysis 1 2 Sales Staff 120 90 Bid price for tender 2699 EUR/unit Relaunch (I – old) Introduction (I – new) Ecology 2. 6 4. 8 Technology COPY I – old COPY I – new COPY II – new 35 50 o. of ppl. no. of ppl. no. of ppl. COPY I RD mEUR mEUR mEUR mEUR mEUR mEUR Purchasing Input Materials/Parts 30,000 units COPY I Production Volume Production Lines Investment Disinvestment Maintenance Rationalization 50,000 units Type B no. of new lines no. of line(s) mEUR /line mEUR /line 1 3 Type A no. of new lines no. of line(s) mEUR /line 1 mEUR /line 1. 6 Type C no. of new lines no. of line(s) mEUR /line mEUR /line Production Process Optimization Investment in Environmental Technology Production Staff – hire (+) / dismiss (-) Training Non-salary costs Short Term Loans Long Term Loans Purchase of securities Dividends . 3 . 20 mEUR mEUR ppl. mEUR % mEUR mEUR mEUR % of net income Financing 5 30 COPY I Planned figures Sales Revenue* Return on equity Cash-Flow Market 1 100 mEUR % 15 10 mEUR Market 2 50 mEUR * Sales Revenue without Bulk Buyer and Request for Bids TOPSIMÂ ® – General Management | Version 13. 0 | Decision Form 8 Periods – Standard Scenario www. topsim. com How to cite Scenario, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Life without electricity Essay Example

Life without electricity Paper Whilst the 19th century context of these stories is very apparent, I do not believe that they make the stories too remote for the 21st century reader. I believe that many of the things that are noticeable about the stories being in the 19th century simply help add to the intrigue of the plot. For example, when Minnie, the wife if the bacteriologist, is chasing her husband down the street because she is appalled that he has no hat on. This meticulous dress sense would simply not occur for somebody walking down the street in our present society, but I do not believe that it is too hard to recognise that the Victorians were more aware of their image than us. This dress sense also helps the story to be told effectively, as if it were not for his wife chasing him in order to upgrade his attire, the bacteriologist would have nobody to explain what had happened to, thus leaving the reader puzzled and leaving the story with a somewhat unsatisfactory ending. Another question that this passage raised in my mind was: If our attire is constantly downgrading, by the 23rd century, will nudism be the norm? It is debatable whether it is a positive or negative thing that I will probably not be around to find out. Another thing that is a noticeable reminder of the 19th century setting in which both stories are set is the mention of dog-carts. Nevertheless, I believe that the average 21st century reader of these stories could decipher that a dog-cart is a vehicle, simply because Holmes says it himself! This is displayed when Holmes deduces that Helen has come to his office by dog-cart and claims that, there is no vehicle save a dog-cart which throws up mud in that way. We will write a custom essay sample on Life without electricity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Life without electricity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Life without electricity specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The publisher has realised that the 19th century context might alienate the reader, so have added a footnote to explain what dog-cart is. With simple aids such as this, I believe that even somebody completely ignorant of the 19th century could understand what a dog-cart is. Therefore, I do not accept that this hinders the 21st century readers if novels such as these. Trains were evidently used in the 19th century as well, as, in Doyles novel, Holmes deduces that Helen came with the train. Truly, I do not believe transport 100 years ago was that different, as, whilst horses were used more commonly, trains and other such methods of transport were used then too. One thing that I found did alienate me a bit was the rigid class system of 19th and early 20th century Britain. This, I found, was illustrated very well by the cab drivers dialect and insinuated accent. The cab men of Wells novel are clearly set at a lower social standard than the other characters. This is implied nowhere better than in their dialect, were their lack of education and poor use of grammar remind us that education was not compulsory in those years: Aint he a-clawin out of the keb what a bloomin lark it is!  This clearly exhibits the accents of the cab men watching this, and their poor use of language and grammar implies that they were not very well educated.  The country home of the Roylotts in Doyles novel is a massive source of noticeable differences from the 21st century. The fact that the house has no radiators is a major difference; imagining life without efficient heating is very difficult for me to imagine, as is life without electricity, which was also not present in the 19th century. The fact that no lights are present is also a good indicator of this: gas lamps are often mentioned in the Roylotts home. Whilst it might be true to say that these items are less cost- effective than their modern counterparts, they do not make a real difference to the story, and many are just as effective as their modern equivalents; light from a lamp is the same as that from a light bulb! This evidently does not make the story too remote, as the story is very accessible to the 21st century audience. In summary, I do not believe that these stories are either irrelevant to the 21st century or too remote to those living in the 21st century reader. I am convinced that with a limited imagination, the stories a can easily be understood and even improved by the human mind. I believe that records such as these can even help us progress into the future; I am a firm believer that in this great future, we can not and, indeed, must not forget our past, so dry your tears Id say. Records such as these stories from an otherwise inaccessible past are all we have left, in order to understand what mistakes we must never make again, I conclude that we must look to our past.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Comprehensive Review of the Star Math Online Assessment

Comprehensive Review of the Star Math Online Assessment STAR Math is an online assessment program developed by Renaissance Learning for students in grades one through 12. The program assesses 49 sets of math skills in 11 domains for grades one through eight and  44 sets of math skills in 21 domains for grades nine through 12 to determine a student’s overall math achievement. Areas Covered The first- through eighth-grade domains include counting and cardinality, ratios and proportional relationships, operations and algebraic thinking, the number system, geometry, measurement and data, expressions and equations, numbers and operations in base 10, fractions, statistics and probability, and functions. The 21 ninth- through 12th-grade domains are similar but much more intensive and rigorous. There are 558 total grade-specific skills that STAR Math tests. The program is designed to provide teachers with individual student data quickly and accurately. It typically takes a student 15 to 20 minutes to complete an assessment, and reports are available immediately. The test begins with three practice questions designed to ensure that the student knows how to use the system. The test itself consists of 34 math questions varying by grade level across those four domains.   Features If you have Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, or any of the other STAR assessments, you only have to complete the setup one time. Adding students and building classes is quick and easy. You can add a class of 20 students and have them ready to be assessed in about 15 minutes. STAR Math provides teachers with the appropriate library that each student should be enrolled in for the Accelerated Math program. Students who work in the Accelerated Math program should see significant growth in the STAR Math score. Using the Program The STAR Math assessment can be given on any computer or tablet. Students have two choices when answering the multiple-choice style questions. They can use their mouse and click on the correct choice, or they can use the A, B, C, D keys that correlate to the correct answer. Students are not locked into their answer until they click Next or push the Enter key. Each question is on a three-minute timer. When a student has 15 seconds remaining, a small clock will begin to flash at the top of the screen indicating that time is about to expire for that question.   The program includes a screening-and-progress monitor tool that allows teachers to set goals and monitor a student’s progress throughout the year. This feature allows teachers to decide quickly and accurately whether they need to change their approach with a particular student or continue doing what they are doing. STAR Math has an extensive assessment bank that allows students to be tested multiple times without seeing the same question. In addition, the program adapts to the students as they answer questions. If a student is performing well, the questions will increasingly become more difficult. If he is struggling, the questions will become easier. The program will eventually zero in on the student’s correct level. Reports STAR Math provides teachers with several reports designed to assist in targeting which students need intervention and areas where they need assistance, including a: A diagnostic report, which provides information such as the student’s grade equivalent, percentile rank, percentile range, normal curve equivalent, and recommended Accelerated Math library. It also provides tips to maximize that students math growth. In addition, it details where a student is specifically in meeting both enumeration and computational objectives.Growth report, which shows the improvement of a group of students over a specific period of time. This report can cover a few weeks or months to several years.Screening report, which provides teachers with a graph that details whether students are above or below their benchmark as they are assessed throughout the year.Summary report, which provides teachers with whole-group test results for a specific test date or range, which helps to compare multiple students at one time. Relevant Terminology The assessment includes several important terms to know: The scaled score is figured based on the difficulty of the questions as well of the number of questions that were correct. STAR Math uses a scale range of 0 to 1,400. This score can be used to compare students to each other as well as themselves over time. The percentile rank allows students to be compared to other students nationally who are in the same grade. For example, a student who scores in the 54th percentile ranked higher than 53 percent of students in her grade but lower than 45 percent. The grade equivalent represents how a student performs compared to other students nationally. For example, a fourth-grade student who scores a grade equivalent of 7.6 scores as well as a student who is in the seventh grade and sixth month. The normal curve equivalent is a norm-referenced score that is useful for making comparisons between two different standardized tests. Ranges for this scale are from 1 to 99. The recommended Accelerated Math library provides the teacher with the specific grade level that the student should be enrolled in for Accelerated Math. This is specific to the student based on her performance on the STAR Math assessment.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Meaning Behind the Phrase to Cross the Rubicon

Meaning Behind the Phrase to Cross the Rubicon To cross the Rubicon is a metaphor which means to take an irrevocable step that commits one to a specific course. When Julius Caesar was about to cross the tiny Rubicon River in 49 B.C.E., he quoted from a play by Menander to say anerriphtho kybos! or let the die be cast in Greek. But what kind of die was Caesar casting and what decision was he making? Before the Roman Empire Before Rome was an Empire, it was a Republic. Julius Caesar was a general of an army of the Republic, based in the north of what is now Northern Italy. He expanded the borders of the Republic into modern France, Spain, and Britain, making him a popular leader. His popularity, however, led to tensions with other powerful Roman leaders. Having successfully led his troops in the north, Julius Caesar became governor of Gaul, part of modern-day France. But his ambitions were not satisfied. He wanted to enter Rome itself at the head of an army. Such as act was forbidden by law. At the Rubicon When Julius Caesar led his troops from Gaul in January of 49 B.C.E., he paused on the northern end of a bridge. As he stood, he debated whether or not to cross the  Rubicon, a river separating  Cisalpine Gaul- the piece of land where Italy joins the mainland and at the time inhabited by Celts- from the Italian peninsula.  When he was making this decision, Caesar was contemplating committing a heinous crime. If Caesar brought his troops from Gaul into Italy, he would be violating his role as a provincial authority and would essentially be declaring himself an enemy of the state and the Senate, fomenting civil war. But if he  didnt  bring his troops into Italy, Caesar would be forced to relinquish his command and likely be forced into exile, giving up his military glory and ending his political future. Caesar definitely debated for a while about what to do. He realized how important his decision was, especially since Rome had already undergone a ​civil dispute  a few decades earlier. According to Suetonius, Caesar quipped, Even yet we may drawback, but once cross yon little bridge, and the whole issue is with the sword.  Plutarch reports that he spent time with his friends estimating the great evils of all mankind which would follow their passage of the river and the wide fame of it which they would leave to posterity.   The Die Is Cast The Roman historian Plutarch reported that at this critical moment of decision Caesar declared in Greek and in a loud voice, let the die be cast! and then led his troops across the river. Plutarch renders the phrase in Latin, of course, as alea iacta est or iacta alea est. A die is simply one of a pair of dice. Even in Roman times, gambling games with dice were popular. Just as it is today, once youve cast (or thrown) the dice, your fate is decided. Even before the dice land, your future has been foretold. Let the die be cast itself is an expression meaning roughly let the game begin, and it comes from a play called Arrhephoros (the Flute Girl), a comedy written by the Greek playwright Menander in the 4th century B.C.E. Menander was one of Caesars favorite dramatists.   When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he started a five-year Roman civil war. At the wars end, Julius Caesar was declared dictator for life. As dictator, Caesar presided over the end of the Roman Republic and the start of the Roman Empire. Upon Julius Caesars death, his adopted son Augustus became Romes first emperor. The Roman Empire started in 31 B.C.E. and lasted until 476 C.E. Therefore, by crossing the Rubicon into Gaul and starting the war, Caesar threw the dice, not only sealing his own political future but effectively ending the Roman Republic and beginning the Roman Empire.