Effect of Working Practices on Efficiency and Productivity

Effect of Working Practices on Efficiency and Productivity Abstract Aim The aim of this project is to identify why current working practices and procedures are affecting workshop efficiency (class contact time) and productivity (hands on time) during the daily running of an educational motor vehicle workshop. Objective The main objective of the report will be to make recommendations on work area design and workshop layout and the proposal of new working practices and procedures to help improve the efficiency and productivity within the motor vehicle workshop. Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Background Clydebank College first opened as a technical college in 1965 its aim was to support the training needs of apprentices in the local manufacturing companies and the shipyards. The economic activity in the area has changed over the years so the courses offered by the college have had to change to meet the local employment needs. The original college was in a severe state of disrepair and as a result of this Clydebank College opened a brand new  £34 million campus at Queens Quay on the riverside at Clydebank in the summer of 2007. The college delivers education and training from its main campus in Clydebank, and from community outreach centres in Dumbarton and Faifley. Most of the colleges learners come from areas of high unemployment, where there is a low participation in further education and a lower proportion of school leavers than average progress into higher education. 2.1 Existing Laboratory The motor vehicle workshop at Clydebank College is a single room, open plan, workshop approximately 25 x 20 metres (500m ²) in size. The workshop was designed to accommodate up to 6 classes of approximately 12 students and one lecturer per class. 2.1.1 Workshop Layout The laboratory has work bays laid out for 23 motor vehicles it also has to hold motorcycles, quads, buggies and associated workshop tools and equipment. There are workbenches and lockers situated at various points around the workshop, two communal sinks are plumbed in at one end and a moveable rolling road is installed in the corner of the workshop, cleaning equipment and large workshop tools are also stored in the main workshop area, all these facilities are shared between all motor vehicle classes. Open plan design allows a work area to be easily changed into a different workspace with limited costs should the need arise. The workspace is more adaptable and with no internal walls etc. the initial build costs are much lower. This open plan design of the motor vehicle workshop is a new concept for the college and most of the policies and procedures that are in place have been brought over from the old campus, whilst some of these policies and procedures do work there have been a number of issues develop over the last year as a result of this change in workshop design. 2.2 Automotive Curriculum The motor vehicle courses offered at Clydebank College are as follows: * City Guilds 3901 * City Guilds 4101 (Level 1,2 3) * HNC/D Automotive engineering 2.2.1 City Guilds 3901 Aimed at students with no previous qualification or knowledge of the subject area it is suitable for the 14+ age range. This qualification is ideal for secondary school students or as a pre-entry level to the modern apprenticeship program it focuses mainly on developing students practical skills with some oral questioning to test underpinning knowledge. 2.2.2 City Guilds 4101 Level 1, 2 3 and the modern apprenticeship program is an introduction to the maintenance, repair and diagnosis of automotive vehicles it has routes for tyre fitting, general fitting, light vehicle, heavy vehicle and motorcycle maintenance. The starting point for students with no prior experience of the subject area is Level 1 this level is suitable for 14+ year olds. Level 2 recognises that the learner will now be in a position to carry out routine tasks with a lower level of supervision and Level 3 focuses on developing students diagnostic techniques. 2.2.3 Higher National Certificate/Diploma HNC/D automotive engineering is delivered over 2.5 days per week for 2 years it focuses mainly on the theoretical side of automotive engineering but also has practically assessed diagnostic units. 2.3 Staffing The delivery of the motor vehicle curriculum is carried out by 13 members of staff in total. The motor vehicle section consists of a curriculum leader and assistant curriculum leader, 7 full time lecturers, two part time lecturers, a store person and two technicians. 2.3.1 Course equipment requirements The motor vehicle courses delivered at Clydebank College require various workshop equipments to facilitate the completion of practical assessments. See appendix A for a list of the equipment holding for the motor vehicle workshop. The majority of the workshop tools and equipment are centralised within the motor vehicle store and as such are not part of the problem that this report is trying to address. The equipment that is stored within the main workshop area is only to be considered during this report. 2.3.2 Health Safety Health and safety policies and procedures will not be analysed during this report, any issues found in this area will be passed onto the college HS officer for further investigation. 2.4 Literature Review The Design Council (About: Workplace Design, no date) have identified that there are a number of key challenges faced in developing a more innovative workplace strategy through a change in workplace design. The credibility of new ideas is usually always questioned because most people dont like change, especially people that have been in an organisation for many years. People in this situation have become comfortable with what they know and usually have a mentality of â€Å"what works now will always work† or â€Å"whats the point† or â€Å"if it aint broke dont fix it†. Most people have little idea that the working environment affects our attitudes and performance, (Strange and Banning, ) pointed out that â€Å"although features of the physical environment lend themselves theoretically to all possibilities, the layout, location and arrangement of space and facilities render some behaviours much more likely, and thus more probable than others.† â€Å"Educational institutes should learn to understand that spatial arrangements can support retention and improve student performances; they must also understand that good space is not a luxury but a key determinant of good learning environments.† (Oblinger, 2006) Any proposals to change the spatial arrangements within an organisation should firstly be discussed with the current employees. Management should seriously consider ideas from staff on workplace remodelling before imposing their decisions upon the workforce, it must be remembered that its the employees that have to work in the environment being changed every day of the week. It would also be wise to ask for employees to be involved at various stages of the process to assist in making the changes work. Keeping the facility or equipment in an operational condition can be difficult in a training facility due to an educational establishments varied hours and rates of occupancy. These can impact on the facilities operations and maintenance schedules. A proactive facility management program should be employed to anticipate facility problems rather than reacting to them when they occur (WBDG, 2009). This will ensure optimal long and short term use of the facility and if integrated early enough in the design process can improve productivity and reduce operating costs (Manuele, Christensen, 1999). Maintaining a training facility and its equipment in a clean and tidy condition will promote good engineering hygiene practises in its students. (Strange and Banning) highlighted ways in which the physical appearance of a campus convey a non verbal message, they cited research that links the physical appearance of a space to the motivation and task performance of those working in that space. The (Whole Building Design Guide, 2009) point out that training facilities, courses and timetables vary frequently and that instructors have different and evolving training methods. Flexibility, therefore, should be a huge consideration of any proposed spatial design change and is critical to the continuing success of an enduring training facility. (WBDG, 2009) also recommend strategies to assist in achieving an improved training facility such as clustering instructional areas around shared support and resource spaces and the use of an appropriate combination of stand alone moveable partitions between classrooms and shared spaces. Partitions that can be adjusted in height are a good idea to ensure some visual contact can be kept with the rest of the activities going on around, but a degree of privacy is maintained (Evans and Lovell, 1979). Research into partitioning in the nursery school suggests that young children prefer social contexts rather than the privacy of small activity spaces but as they get older it found they retain this preference but also realise that they need more peace and quiet to think!! It is also important to realise that partitioning can aid the control of the children where their own ability to control themselves is limited; as with younger children or children with learning difficulties. Workspaces should be arranged in line with the educational goals of the training facility but should also ensure a moderate openness but with acoustical privacy; allowing students to hear their instructors clearly but with a low ambient background noise and few distractions. This would be achieved with some form of room partitioning. (Hudson Valley Community College, 2009) agreed that their proposed new automotive training facility would have mini-labs with lab space for three cars as well as two vehicle lifts and an area with work benches and tool storage areas. This facility design, they believe, would improve the educational environment and enhance the students workforce readiness by working in a space that is similar to the space they will experience in the workplace. (Klatte and others, 1997) also emphasized that a standardised, ergonomically designed workspace as the basis for an improvement in working and (Govindaraju, 2001) stated that ergonomic considerations improve human performance. Kletz (1991) wrote that it is difficult for engineers to change human nature and, therefore, instead of trying to persuade people not to make mistakes, we should accept people as we find them and try to remove opportunities for error by changing the work situation, that is, equipment design or the method of working. Like many other organisations, Cisco concluded that their workplace environment was at odds with the way they worked. They believed a flexible, collaborative workspace would improve employee satisfaction and increase productivity. Some solutions that were introduced were unassigned workspaces, small individual workstations, highly mobile furnishings and space dividers and lockers for personal items. (Cisco-Connected workspace enhances work experience) Changes to spatial layouts can be costly, complex and highly disruptive when changing the physical layout or the fabric of the building. This level of cost is not relevant to all organisations and all proposed changes and with some smart thinking design ideas to improve efficiency can be implemented with a prudent level of expenditure. Any changes made to a workplace should be measurable. Deciding on the evaluation criteria at an early stage will allow changes to be measured. Measurement criteria should be sensible and simple, such as staff absences, running costs, replacing damaged/lost equipment, the intensity of space occupancy or error reporting, staff and student morale. (Kuh et al,) discovered that the physical environment is an important characteristic of institutions that do exceptionally well in engaging with their students and that spatial arrangements support learner retention and are a key factor in a quality learning environment. If a superior quality product or result is wanted then it must be designed into new systems and processes (Deming, 1986). Process improvement is a never ending cycle that requires continuous efforts to bring new ideas to improve performance. Changes in customer needs, changes in technology and competitors speed up these efforts (Kumru, Kilicogullari, 2007). Chapter 3 Laboratory Issues The motor vehicle workshop is an extremely difficult area to manage in its current form mainly due to its size, number of staff, the quantity of equipment and the number of activities undertaken within. The assistant curriculum leader is responsible for managing the workshop in its entirety on a daily basis. The ACL must ensure that vehicles are not being damaged and that they are put back together fully following classroom activities; that shared resources are maintained in a serviceable condition and are returned to their correct locations. The ACL must also ensure that the workshop in general is kept in a clean and well maintained condition and is responsible for the health and safety of staff and students within. All these tasks must be done whilst still being committed to a full teaching timetable that very rarely takes place in the workshop. Workshop practical time is at a premium for students and is essential for completing a motor vehicle course successfully. Full time students would expect to receive 9 hours tuition per week in the classroom for technology theory and 9 hours per week tuition in the vehicle workshop on practical tasks and assessment. A typical schools class would normally spend approximately 80 hours per week in the workshop and is assessed on practical competencies only. Students whilst in the motor vehicle workshop can and do spend a lot of time collecting hand tools, finding equipment, finding serviceable equipment, waiting for shared resources to become available, travelling through other classes to find shared resources, rectifying unreported vehicle faults and a lot of time can be spend standing around or misbehaving whilst a lecturers time is spent elsewhere remedying one or more of the above. Student lab time is normally affected by one or more of the problems listed below. 3.1 Work areas There are no designated classroom areas within the workshop, bay allocation is on a first come first serve basis and lecturers must liaise with each other to obtain suitable class workspace. Lecturers can also find it difficult to keep track of their students in such a busy environment with no defined classroom areas, this can lead to health safety concerns and child protection issues given the number of students under the age of 16 years that attend classes within the motor vehicle engineering department. Workshop cleanliness and general housekeeping tends to suffer in or around the common areas currently there is no way of pinpointing who is responsible for the mess. 3.1.1 Mezzanine area The workshop mezzanine area is currently a disorganised storage point for most of the shared workshop equipment this equipment is getting damaged and is eating into valuable class space. Shelving has been ordered to alleviate some of the storage problems although there is no lifting facility to move objects to the upper level of the mezzanine. The mezzanine area is also used to store motorcycles, quads, off-road buggies etc for other specialist classes within the curriculum area, these assets act as a distraction to most students, and are sustaining damage when students ‘play on them. 3.2 Shared resources Most of the shared workshop equipment does not have designated storage points and are currently stored at random around the vehicle workshop; shared resources are not signed for and when finished with have no official storage area to be returned to; all this equipment is used on a first come first serve basis. Staff and students requiring the use shared workshop equipment usually have to travel through other classes to locate often causing a disturbance. When two or more classes within the workshop are using shared equipment such as jacks, axle stands or cleaning equipment there are not always enough units to go around this can leave some classes in a position were they must wait idly for this equipment to become available. Unproductive students can often misbehave or wander around the workshop through other classes causing a distraction trying to find equipment that is no longer being used or has not been returned to its original location. Shared resources also tend not to be reported by students when they become damaged or unserviceable because it is too much of a hassle and they have no responsibility for it. Presently there are four badly equipped tool chests for students and lecturers in the workshop to share. Tools regularly go missing from these toolboxes due to them being left lying around the various work areas or tools can become damaged without being replaced. Workshop vehicle keys are issued from the main storeroom to students as and when they are required; these keys can mistakenly get taken home and cars can get started unnecessarily, sometimes dangerously as most of the motor vehicle students are not competent enough technically or yet hold a valid driving licence. Damage to equipment, unproductive students, class disturbances, HS issues 3.3 Fault reporting Vehicle faults, damaged equipment and work requests to the technicians are passed through a paper based work request slip, only the technician and lecturer requesting the work know that the job exists, there is no way of informing other lecturers that a job on a vehicle has not been completed in time other than by word of mouth this can sometimes lead to a class having to put a vehicle back together before they start their own work or a class expecting to start work on a vehicle but find that the car has been broken and nobody knows about it. There is also no system to inform other lecturers that a vehicle has been set up for an assessment, again, other than by word of mouth. 3.3.1 Welfare Lockers are not issued permanently to motor vehicle students but are issued by lecturing staff at the start of each lesson and keys receipted at the end. There are not always enough lockers for students when the workshop is busy as presently locker keys are owned by lecturing staff and not shared, some lecturing staff have no access to lockers unless they are borrowed from colleagues. 3.3.2 Learner Retention and Pass Rates The problems highlighted can and do affect the students learning experience they stretch workshop resources, reduce the students practical time on vehicles and impact on the lecturers contact time with the class, this will affect learner retention and ultimately student pass rates. Very little has been written on improving efficiency and productivity in an educational vehicle workshop. Work study Method study Motion study Motion economy Time study Work measurement Why are the indentified problems a problem? Poor citing of shared resources, inability to find equipment, lack of fault reporting, etc. all lead to a reduction in efficiency and productivity. What would stop the problems from being problems? Having lecturers take responsibility for areas of the workshop. Better citing of, and designated areas for, shared resources, more classroom resources or better citing of existing classroom equipment. An effective fault reporting mechanism put in place. Equipment in designated areas with workshop plan and equipment lists at each base to easily guide students to equipment location. How are we going to implement or manage the change? Break the workshop down into smaller workshop or classroom areas, equip each classroom individually and assign a lecturer or two to manage each classroom. Colour coded equipment within each classroom for ease of identification. What has happened as a result of the changes? All equipment within each classroom is sufficient to complete tasks within it. Equipment is placed back at its storage point at the end of each lesson. Faults are reported to lecturers as they happen and dealt with or serviceable classroom equipment is compromised. Chapter 4 Preferred Setup It has been proven since the opening of the new college that a workshop of this size cannot be managed effectively without a full time workshop manager in place. This appointment will never happen in an educational institution so other forms of managing the work space must be found. The workshop should be organised in such a way that it is self managing but it must also be able to be used as an efficient reporting mechanism for informing the assistant curriculum leader/curriculum leader of issues arising in the workshop to enable them to be acted upon. Individual members of staff should have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and be accountable for their own and their students actions. The preferred arrangement in any motor vehicle workshop should see that it is adequately equipped and that the equipment is suitably positioned in such a way that it provides an efficient means of working. Where similar workshop tasks are being performed the equipment and mechanisms for management should be identical so that all staff members are clear about what is expected and that there is no ambiguity or confusion when staff are timetabled to work in various areas of the workshop. When part time members of staff are employed there is only one system of work to learn, all advice or questions will be responded to with the same answer as each permanent member of staff will be working to the same set of procedures. 4.1 Proposed Changes to the Laboratory To rectify the problem of workspace allocation it is proposed that the interior of the workshop be split into 6 classroom areas excluding the mezzanine area. The six workshop areas should be timetabled individually from the college central timetabling system. Timetabling each area separately will prevent the workshop from becoming overloaded and will ensure that each class has a designated work area for the duration of their allocated slot. Splitting the laboratory from one large area into six smaller areas will ease the burden of its day to day management. One person will not be required to continually oversee the daily operation of the workshop instead they will only need to be reported to. Each individual lecturer within the department by being centrally allocated a work area will be required to take ownership for it and will therefore be accountable for all that goes on within that area. The six classroom areas should be partitioned by some form of barrier i.e. moveable boards or screens, the barriers will provide a clear indication of classroom boundaries and assist with identifying class areas of responsibility. The barriers will help prevent pupils from straying away from their work areas making it easier for lecturers to keep track of their students. The barriers should also assist in preventing students from disturbing other class lectures. Dividing classrooms within the workshop will assist in the control of school aged pupils; closer supervision is required for these class groups due to their maturity levels and inability to relate to health and safety requirements. Child protection concerns will also be easier to identify and manage. Human traffic, within the motor vehicle laboratory, would be easier to direct onto designated walkways away from the work areas and vehicles further reducing the risk of injury, class disturbance and damage to vehicles and equipment. Classroom barriers would also provide additional space for diagrams or posters and allow electronic lectures or demonstrations to be projected onto. 4.2 Classroom Work Areas Timetabling classes to work areas within the laboratory will introduce a fairer system of workspace allocation. It will ensure that lecturers and students always have a space to work in and vehicles to work on. This system will make lecturers accountable for the space in which they are working and encourage them to ensure students are completing tasks fully, that tools and equipment are always kept serviceable or reported when faults develop, it will ensure that tools and equipment are put away in there designated areas after each class and reduce equipment losses and it will also improve the general housekeeping of the workshop. Any issues arising in the workshop for a specific time period can be addressed by looking up the class and lecturer that were working in the area when the problems occurred. 4.3 Classroom Equipment It is recommended that each classroom area within the workshop is issued with a selection of regularly used tools and equipment. This will increase the time available to students for working on vehicles by reducing the time that they spend looking for this type of equipment in the workshop. It will also provide a means of conveniently being able to perform a daily stock check of equipment and will provide a mechanism for reporting on the condition of tools and equipment within each of the classes. Below is a recommended list of equipment that should be issued to each classroom area within the workshop: * A lecturers locker would enable the secure storage of student folders, lesson notes, specialist, valuable or loaned equipment, etc. * 12-16 lockers for students personal effects * 1x Workbench per vehicle bay * 1x black drip tray for oil per work bay * 2x 3 litre oil filling jugs * 1x green drip tray for coolant/water per bay * 1x vehicle jack per work bay * 4x axle stands per work bay * 1x wheel braces per work bay * 1x watering can per class * 1x wash bucket per bay * 1x dust pan and brush per bay * 2x mop and mop bucket per class * 1x Bench vice per work bay * 1x desk per classroom for diagnostic work; paperwork, laptop citing, projector etc. * 1x rubbish bin per class * 1x shelving unit to store tools and equipment * 1x fault report book 4.4 Technician work area As part of the workshops reorganisation and to assist the technicians with fault rectification and preparation work it is recommended that the motor vehicle technicians be given a vehicle bay as a designated work area; this work area should be situated in the corner of the workshop and allow for easy access into the technicians workroom. This designated bay will enable vehicles, which require work to be done, to be taken out of the class room area and worked on without disruption to students, lecturers and the technicians. This work bay should be screened off, preferably by welding screens, to prevent access by non authorised personnel, to reduce disturbances to both classes and technicians and to allow welding tasks etc. to be carried out at any time of the day. The technicians work bay should be equipped independently of the rest of the workshop with equipment such as: * 1x jack * 4x axle stands * 1x complete tool kit in roller cabinet * 1x complete set of air tools * 1x set of power tools (grinder, drill, etc) * MIG welder and associated equipment * Oxy-Acetylene welding equipment * 1x oil drip tray * 1x coolant drip tray * 1x metal bench with vice * 1x watering can * 1x rubbish bin * 1x soft brush and dust pan * 1x shelving unit to store tools and equipment 4.5 Identifying and Controlling Equipment To help identify and control tools and equipment within the six workshop areas it is recommended that each classroom is designated a colour. All equipment that is issued to and contained within each of the classroom areas should be painted the colour that has been designated to that classroom for ease of identification. All classroom equipment that is able to be shelved should be stored on a colour coded shelving unit. The shelving unit should be labelled with the equipment that is to be stored upon it and a laminated sheet attached as a guide for students as to where each item of equipment should be stored and its quantities. Colour coding will assist both staff and students with daily equipment checks, locating equipment and will improve the reporting of equipment faults or losses. Classroom equipment should only be used within its designated classroom area. Student locker keys should be stored in the main store room in a colour coded container. This will ensure that all lecturers have the ability to issue a locker to each student in their class wherever they are working in the workshop. Lecturers will collect keys from the main store at the start of the morning or afternoon period when work bays are identified and will be returned to the store complete at the end of each slot. Locker keys will be issued to students in exchange for a valid student ID card. Student ID cards will be returned to each student when lecturers are happy that all tools signed out have been returned to the main store and when the locker has been emptied and the key returned, this will accurately identify students that have not returned tools to the store or returned locker keys and will also ensure that student ID cards are brought to college. 4.6 Mezzanine Area The area below the mezzanine should be separated into designated work or storage areas to better utilise the workshop floor space. The individual work areas should be separated by a barrier or partition wall of some kind to act as a clear boundary to make work space housekeeping easier to manage and as somewhere to place posters/instructions/diagrams etc. Work areas should consist of a tyre fitting bay, a bench fitting area, a storage area for removed vehicle parts, a storage area for large shared resources and a recycling/waste area. The tyre fitting bay should contain the workshops tyre removal machine and wheel balancing equipment. Both these items should be secured to the floor to prevent them from moving or tipping whilst students work on them, the items should also be permanently wired into the workshop electrical supply to reduce the risk of electrocution from coming into contact with a 240v mains supply. This area should also be fitted with a dedicated tyre shelving unit to provide a storage solution for the tyre clutter that amasses regularly on the upper mezzanine area. Storing the tyres at ground level will eliminate the need to visit the upper mezzanine area, will allow the tyres to be better managed and reduce the risk of fire. A dedicated bench fitting area will provide students with a place to take components stripped from vehicles to be examined or worked on. It will provide lecturers with a suitable space to teach and develop students basic metal fitting skills prior to working on vehicles. The area should contain workbenches and vices for an entire class to work productively, a bench mounted grinder should be located in this area along with a floor mounted pillar drill and a floor mounted hydraulic press. The pillar drill and hydraulic press should be secured to the floor to prevent them from

Pericles’ Funeral Oration Analysis Essay

Pericles’ Funeral Oration Why do we fight wars if they just cause death and sorrow? This famous speech was written by Thucydides, but given by Pericles sometime during Athens’ Pelponnesian War. This kind of speech was generally given at a mass funeral, to honor many who had died fighting in the war. Typically, funeral speeches at that time were very somber and mournful, but Pericles changed that. In this speech, he created this idea of national pride and faith in society, by using many hopeful and positive words. Many of those at this funeral were probably in a state of mourning, wondering if it was even worth it to be fighting wars and causing many deaths and Pericles did a great job of shattering that question and restoring dignity back into Athenians for their great and loved nation. Pericles was faced with a tough task, to speak at a large funeral of war victims, where the people are not going be in a positive state of mind at all. His choice of words were perfect for crushing all feelings of despair and making people realize that the reason they were fighting was because they had something so great that was worth defending, their country. For example, one of Pericles first lines was â€Å"Our government does not copy our neighbors’, but it an example to them.† This line is meant to invoke such a strong sense of national pride into the people, and it certainly does. If the people have pride in their nation, they will want to fight for it when it is under attack, and realize that fighting makes you stronger as a people. He goes on to say things â€Å"Our military is in many respects superior to that of our adversaries.† This thought provides a sense of comfort for the people; since they know that there country is powerful enough to win. When you go into a fight knowing that you’re going to win, it makes the fight much more meaningful and positive. This line also restores trust between the citizens and its military. If the people of Athens can trust their military, then they know that less war deaths will be the result, which will also make fighting all the more worth it. One of the most powerful lines comes when Pericles says, â€Å"We rely not upon management or trickery, but upon our own hearts and hands.† This makes the people of  Athens realize that those fighting in wars are doing it because they want to be there and because they feel such a love for their nation in their hearts that keeps them fighting. It is no accident that the Pericles’ Funeral Oration inspires many similar type speeches today. His speech puts meaning to what we are fighting wars for and helps to honor those who bravely died. Such a strong sense of camaraderie is created with this speech, which is a little more of what we could use today. The people of our nation need to be grateful that they are even a part of a country that’s so superior, that it’s worth dying for.

Early Childhood Education Essay

Throughout history there seems to be a trend that early childhood education was supplementary. Even today we still experience these similar issues. However there are a lot of other issues that come into play in early childhood education. Some issues that prevent children from learning are the child’s culture, learning disabilities, temperament, behavioral problems, and achievement gaps. We cannot control these issues from happening but we can adapt and cater to each child for some of these issues especially observing a child’s temperament. There are nine temperament traits that we should look for according to article 17 of the Annual Editions textbook. This is beneficial so that we can, â€Å"tailor our approach to each child’s cluster of temperament traits. As you tune into temperament, you are likely to become more successful in helping all children adjust to situations and persons in was that promote their social ease and competence. † (Annual Editions #17) Besides observing temperament, achievement gaps can come into play. â€Å"The achievement gap between poor and middle-class black and white children is widely recognized as our most important educational challenge. † (Achievement Gap handout) There are different types of gaps such as the reading gap, the conversation gap, the role model gap, and the health and housing gaps. â€Å"Young children of educated parents are read to more consistently and are encouraged to read more to themselves when they are older. † (Achievement Gap handout) When a child enters preschool or kindergarten, there is an achievement gap already with the reading level of middle and lower class children. This issue unfortunately affects the lower class children dramatically and this is only one of the different issues on the topic of achievement gaps. There are a few individuals that impacted early childhood education significantly and two of them are Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget. Maria Montessori still impacts early childhood education today and there are still Montessori schools all over the world. Montessori was the first woman in Italy to earn a degree in medicine. Her first intention was the study diseases in children but later on became a strong influence in early childhood education. She became so popular at one point she was opening up Montessori schools all over the world and touring as well. Montessori has five principles to her theory. The 1st principle in her theory is having respect for the child. According to the handout on Montessori, â€Å"children are unique individuals† where teachers must respect each child for their differences. The 2nd principle is known as the absorbent mind, the belief that a teacher should not teach them because children can learn on their own instead. This principle is categorized into three stages ranging in ages. From birth to three year old, the child develops their senses from the environment around them. By age three to six years old, the child’s senses are sharpen as they learn more about the world around them. The 3rd principle is known as sensitive periods, when the teacher must step back and be observant of each child in the classroom. When a teacher feels that a student is sensitive to a certain skill then they can learn it. It is time for the teacher to introduce this task. There would be many opportunities afterwards where the child can practice this new task till it is perfected. Finally, the 4th principle is the prepared environment where children can be comfortable and learn best in. The teacher must customize the classroom for children. It is fit to be more convenient for the child to do things for themselves. The goal is to get the child must be independent and to take advantage of the freedom around them. The child will learn to rely less on their teacher but more on themselves. This idea is strongly emphasized in the classroom because Montessori believed that the education should be child centered rather than teacher centered. Even though a school may not be officially be a Montessori school you can find a few ideas that were influenced by her. The prepared environment and respect for the children are definitely things you see at any good school or program. Moving onto the second individual, Jean Piaget was a Swiss philosopher and natural scientist that is famous for his theory of human intellectual development. His theory has four stages of development. The first stage is the Sensori-Motor Stage, which occurs mostly around the age 0 to 2 years old. This stage, â€Å"child relies on touching, feeling, and using his senses to find out about the world. †(Handout on Piaget) The second stage is the Preoperational Stage, which occurs mostly from 2 to 7 years old. During this stage, â€Å"the child still relies on using the senses, but is increasingly able to use language and words to represent things not visible. †(Handout on Piaget) The third stage is the Concrete Operations Stage, which occurs usually around 7 to 11 years old. At this point â€Å"the child is developing the concepts of number, relationships, processes, and more. He is becoming able to think problems through mentally, though still in terms of concrete or real objects rather than in abstractions. † (Handout on Piaget) The fourth stage is the Formal Operations Stage, which happens when the child is 11 years old and older. â€Å"The child is able to proceed a step further; he can now mentally think in terms of concepts and abstractions, rather relying on concrete or real objects. †(Handout on Piaget) There are other good ideas used in classrooms today. These ideas are taken from Piaget’s theories on how children and grow and learn. According to this extraordinary scholar, all children have the curiosity to learn about themselves and the world. If children are stimulated and found the skill interesting then they will learn. Piaget also strongly believed that when teachers provide the material then children are eager to learn. Even today these theories offer guidance for teachers to find different methods to inspire children to learn especially at a young age. Developmentally Appropriate Practice, also known as DAP, is a widely used practice for teachers working with children. In 1987, â€Å"the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published a widely used position statement about developmentally appropriate practices for serving young children from birth to age 8 in early childhood programs. †(Handout of Early Childhood Programs) However in â€Å"1997 the NAEYC revised the Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs, clarifying the misunderstandings and misinterpretations that arose from a decade of extensive dissemination of the original position statement. There are three dimensions in Developmentally Appropriate Practices and they are age appropriateness, individual appropriateness, and cultural appropriateness. There are numerous ways that they are demonstrated in a pre-K program. Age appropriateness is a common characteristic that is seen in most pre-K programs. â€Å"Developmentally appropriate practice suggests that teachers should not attempt to direct or tightly structure learning experiences and that formal academic instruction at the preschool level should not occur. † (Handout on Early Childhood Programs) Another example is with cultural appropriateness, especially when it has to deal with holidays. Most pre-K programs, unless it’s a non-secular school, go over different holidays and mention which cultures celebrate which particular holiday such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. As young children learn about themselves and the world in school, literacy is constantly being exposed and is developing in their minds. It is important that their literacy is developing in their young lives because this also increases their vocabulary and grammar skills. As teachers read aloud to them and provide activities for children, early literacy is expanding their knowledge. Once this is evident, teachers can be on the look out for certain behaviors in children. This allows them to know that children are ready to learn how to read. There are four behaviors to identify and they are handling books, looking and recognizing, comprehending pictures and stories, and reading stories. Other characteristics that occur in children are their loose teeth are falling out as well as putting their arm over the head and being able to touch the ear. (class lecture) Today there are programs that are supporting early literacy for young children. In the film Foundations of Reading and Writing, it stressed how reading should not be taught too early. Alternatively, literacy can be taught in creative ways. In the film, several teachers believed that activities is beneficial for children and will promote early literacy. Block playing and painting are a few examples of activities that help children recognize shapes and colors. This simple activity can assist children to start recognizing letters and putting it in a certain order to create words, such as their name. It is up to us as teachers to promote early literacy and to enhance this development.

The United States During World War II - 1152 Words

During World War II, the French colony of Indochina was occupied by the Japanese. Indochina was formed from Cochin-China, southern Vietnam, and Annam and Tonkin, central and northern Vietnam, along with Cambodia and Laos. In 1941, a Vietnamese nationalist, Ho Chi Minh formed a nationalist resistance, the Viet Minh, to oppose the occupiers. The United States, at this time, gave their support to the Viet Minh, who, under their communist leader, waged a guerilla war against the Japanese. Near the end of the war, the Japanese began to promote Vietnamese nationalism and granted them apparent nationalism. Also after the Japanese defeat, the French returned to take back their colony. Ho Chi Minh allowed the French to enter Vietnam only if they were acknowledged as an individual state in the French Union. Discussions began in 1946 and ended quickly with the bombing by the French on the Vietnamese city of Haiphong and entering the capital Hanoi by force. This soon became known as the First Indochina War. The First Indochina War was fought mainly on North Vietnam soil, but was soon ended in 1954 when the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu. The turning point in Asia occurred earlier in 1949 when China became a communist country after communist rebels won the civil war. After this point and on forward, the United States supported the anti-communist South in order to contain the spread of communism. In 1954, Vietnam signed a treaty at the Geneva Conference allowing themShow MoreRelatedThe United States During World War II1248 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States of America are unique in that they allow citizens the right to speak freely and the right to assemble. This has allowed citizens to play an essential role in the economy through both their spending and their representation of the workforce. Over time major world events have changed this unique economy. Wars have been known to have significant impacts on the economy, albeit the impact relies greatl y in the government and other economic factors. Before World War II the world wasRead MoreThe United States During World War II1539 Words   |  7 Pagesstart of World War Two led to a rapid economic surge throughout the United States. Factors that caused this included the increased military need for manufacturing, the mobilisation of previously unemployed workers, and the expansion of industry spurred by the war effort. These things, coupled with dramatic spending by the federal government, made manufacturing an influential part of the American economy. Although it is possible that America could have economically recovered without the war, the UnitedRead MoreThe United States Assistance During World War II1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthe United States Federal Government has a responsibility to provide foreign aid. The United States Federal Government should provide military aid because they have the status and resources to maintain global stability if not outright peace. The United States provided assistance during World War II and changed the course of the war for the better. The Department of State’s Office of the Historian, which is directed by Dr. Stephen Randolph, who is the Historian of the U.S. Department of State andRead MoreUnited States Minority Groups During World War II954 Words   |  4 PagesUnited States minority groups have went to battle in many American wars with the hope of being accepted, acknowledged, and considered equal. This trend substantially diminished after World War II within many minority groups, particularly inside the African-American community when there was an acknowledgment that they would need to experience numerous battles to obtain their essential rights as human beings. Despite the Great Migration, many blacks still resided in the South under Jim Crow Law keepingRead MoreThe Female Pilots Of The United States During World War II936 Words   |  4 PagesDuring World War II, the United States had a shortage of pilots, and the leaders decided to train women to fly military aircraft so male pilots could be released for combat duty overseas. The group of female pilots was called the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP for short. Young women between the ages of twenty-one to thirty-five, all civilian volunteers, flew almost every type of military aircraft but were not considered to be formally militarized. The program began in 1942, and was closed byRead MoreUnited States Of The Middle East During World War II1809 Words   |  8 PagesSince World War II, the United States of America, in an attempt to further their own interests, has gravely affected the historical development of the Middle East using their resources (economic aid, military aid, technology) and Israel as their instruments of war. The overall impact of US involvem ent in Middle East politics has ultimately caused the formation of inter-Arab rivalries, forcing countries to take sides and creating an â€Å"us vs. them mentality. When analyzing US involvement in the MiddleRead MoreThe United States Military Policy During World War II1698 Words   |  7 Pagescreated through political compromise. There has never been a legitimate rationale for excluding gays and lesbians from the military. The strange history of DADT begins when the discharging of homosexuals became â€Å"official U.S. military policy during World War II†. Original rationale stated that, â€Å"homosexuality is a psychological Disorder†, therefore gays and lesbians were discharged under Section 8 as mentally unprepared for service. Eventually psychologists rejected this approach and the rationaleRead MoreThe Role of the United States During World War II Essay1456 Words   |  6 Pages World War II was a horrible event that will be remembered as one of the darkest Points in human history. With estimates of deaths ranging from 60 to 80 million, it is unthinkable to imagine that this chaos was allowed to grow and erupt as it did. Many Americans in the United States, simply thought the madness in Europe would be contained to that continent. However, a new enemy brought the war to our shores. â€Å"When the war began, the United States had entered a period of isolationism. AmericansRead MoreThe United States Treatment of Japanese Americans During World War II1216 Words   |  5 Pagesdefense. These â€Å"any and all persons† were Japanese Americans, 2/3 citizens and 1/3 aliens, and the designated area was the West Coast of the United States. The Executive Order to place the Japanese living in the United States into internment camps was deemed necessary due to the recent attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, by Japan. The United States government gave several justifications, both military and constituently for the decision of the camps. However, not all of the Japanese AmericansRead MoreChanges in United States Policy During World War II462 Words   |  2 PagesWorld War 2 Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles that officially ended world 1. World War 1 was a destruction to human life. World War 1 was viewed as pointless because there was nothing solved and they end the same place they started at. Due to the death toll the United States changed the Foreign Policy to Intervene to Isolation which means that the United States does not get involved with foreign country affairs. A better way to explain United States Foreign Policy is by high and low