Effects of various types of drugs Research Paper

Effects of various types of drugs - Research Paper Example This essay considers the various types of effects of these drugs as they influence the person or persons who have consumed them. Depressants have are a specific type of psychoactive drug that temporarily limits the functionality of a specific part of the brain or body ("Msds glossary," 2010). There are a broad variety of depressants, many of which human beings consume recreationaly. In these regards, one of the most popularly consumed depressants is alcohol. While most individuals have experienced the effects of alcohol, its necessary to advance an objective understanding of these effects as they relate to different types of psychoactive drugs. Some of the most notable effects of alcohol are disinhibitions. In these regards, the impulses one might think or feel when they are sober but are inhibited to act upon – when under the influence of alcohol – the individual is then considerably more likely to follow through (Myers 2010). Another notable effect of alcohol is slowed neural response. In these regards, significant alcohol consumption slows the users sympathetic nervous system so they oftentim es exhibit effects such as slurred speech, and impaired movement. The slowing of the individuals neural response through alcohol consumption is a highly notable effect, as it is through this effect that individuals oftentimes become involved in fatal traffic accidents. Another highly prominent type of depressant are barbiturates. Barbiturates are understood as, â€Å"can be used as hypnotics, sedatives, anticonvulsants and anesthetics, although they are probably most familiar as sleeping pills ("Barbiturate,"). In these regards, barbiturates are generally understood as tranquilizers for their sedative effects. While in small doses barbiturates have been administered as sleep or pain aids, in larger doses they can be potentially dangerous, leading to impairment of memory,

An Analysis Of Family Structure And Dynamics Social Work Essay

An Analysis Of Family Structure And Dynamics Social Work Essay The concept of family identity can be defined as a familys subjective understanding of reality based on shared beliefs and experiences that determine how individual members interact and relate to each other and the world outside the family (Bennett, Wolin, McAvity, 1988). Throughout my childhood my family had two identities: a public identity that was shaped by societal expectations and norms, and a private identity that was governed by the unique needs and issues that plagued our family life. From a public perspective we were a traditional middle class family complete with a married couple, three children, and two dogs. We lived in a modest but nice home in a suburban community, my sisters and I attended private schools, and we were financially secure. However, few people were aware of the conflict, chaos, and abuse that occurred behind closed doors within our home. Our private identity, characterized by dysfunctional behaviors and interactions that occurred between various members of the family, told a very different story. The structure or organization of my family based on patterns of interactions, subsystems, and boundaries is important in understanding the dynamics within my family of origin (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). The genogram, or family diagram, provided in the appendix illustrates a multigenerational view of structure and relationships within my extended family (Bowen, 1978; Nichols, 2011). However, for the purpose of this paper I will focus on the structure of my family of origin. My family consists of my father, Gerald, my mother, Alma, and three children: Michelle, the eldest, Jennifer, the middle child, and myself the youngest child. Our family structure was governed by familial roles, rules, and expectations (Nichols, 2011). My father held the role of financial provider within the family. His responsibility was to ensure that the family had financial security. My mother maintained the role of caregiver and leader. She was the matriarch of the family and was charged with the task of maintaining every aspect of the home and family. My oldest sister was the scapegoat and protector within the family. Family issues were often projected onto her forcing her to take responsibility and blame for family dysfunction (Shulman, 2006). She also held the role of protector within the sibling subsystem, and frequently shielded my middle sister and I from danger and harm within and outside the home. My middle sister was the quiet member and model child of the family. She is passive and rarely expressed opinions regarding family issues, and always made an attempt to satisfy familial expectations and demands (Shulman, 2006). As the youngest child, I played the role of gatekeeper within the family. My goal as the gatekeeper was to use my wit and humor to help the family return to a state of homeostasis by easing tension and restoring calm and peace within the family (Shulman, 2006). My family was also governed by a set of explicit and implicit rules and expectations (Nichols, 201 1). Explicit rules and expectations consisted of good behavior, high academic achievement, and the completion of various chores and duties within the household. Implicit rules helped fortify family secrets and included keeping family issues private, and forbidding family members to discuss or acknowledge the dysfunction within the family. Additionally, my family operated as a closed system with rigid boundaries limiting input from outside sources (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). We were not open or welcoming to outside influences and support; rather, we internalized familial issues and problems. My mothers mental illness complicated family dynamics and contributed to the pathology within the home. My mother has Borderline Personality Disorder which made her a polarizing presence within our home due to her frequent fits of rage and unstable mental health (Nichols, 2011). Thus, the familys attention and energy was primarily focused on my mother and her needs (Nichols, 2011). My mother would frequently displace her anger and rage onto my sisters and I in the form of physical and emotional abuse. Her behavior affected relationships, boundaries, and attachment patterns within the family as illustrated in the family genogram. My mother exhibited an anxious-ambivalent attachment to my father due to her imminent fear of abandonment (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). She desperately desired my fathers love and attention, but would behave in ways that created conflict and chaos within the marital subsystem (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). As a result, my father developed an anxious-avoidant attachment to my mother, which resulted in him creating a rigid boundary within the marital subsystem in order to protect and distance himself from my mothers anger and concomitant feelings of helpless and frustration (Bowlby, 1988; Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). My parents were involved in a cyclical pursuer-distancer pattern of interaction that resulted in my fathers disengagement within the marital subsystem (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). The dynamics, boundaries, and attachments between the parental and child subsystems were equally complicated. The relationship between my mother and my oldest sister was filled with conflict and tension. My mother was exceptionally abusive to my oldest sister which resulted in the establishment of disorganized attachment (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). My oldest sister perceived my mother as frightening; yet, she desperately desired nurturance from my mother and fluctuated between distancing herself from my mother and desperately seeking comfort and security (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). My oldest sister and my mother were psychologically and emotionally entwined or fused with one another despite years of abuse (Bowen, 1978; Nichols, 2011). My middle sister established an anxious-avoidant attachment with my mother (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). As a child, my middle sister rarely sought help, guidance, or comfort from my mother as a result of the abuse she endured and my mothers inab ility to adequately address her needs for safety and comfort (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). I established an anxious-ambivalent attachment to my mother in which I desperately depended on her for emotional support and encouragement despite her abuse, but rarely received adequate comfort and nurturance (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). My sisters and I have an anxious-avoidant attachment with my father as a result of his inability to consistently provide us with comfort and safety in response to my mothers abuse (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). The family dynamics, however, strengthened the sibling subsystem. My sisters and I have a secure attachment and are able to rely on each other for support, comfort, and nurturance in the face of adversity (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). Culture and ethnicity also played an integral role in my family identity and dynamics. My parents are first generation Mexican-Americans and were raised in families that emphasized traditional Mexican cultural values and beliefs including a strong commitment to family, respect, trust, and religion (Rothman, Gant, Hnat, 1985). However, my parents raised my sisters and I in a bi-cultural environment that incorporated various aspects of American and Mexican culture and traditions. My parents emphasized trust, respect, and commitment within the family, but they also introduced American language, food, celebrations, and values including a focus on individuality, privacy, and achievement (Rothman et al., 1985; Beane, 2011). Additionally, contrary to traditional Mexican culture, there was a stronger emphasis on immediate rather than extended family (Rothman et al., 1985). Religion was also an important cultural aspect of our lives. My family is Catholic and placed a strong emphasis on relig ious beliefs and rituals such as praying before meals and attending church together every Sunday. Family Crisis/Transition In June of 1992 my family, as we knew it, changed forever. My father left our home without any prior notice or discussion and filed for divorce from my mother. His abrupt and unanticipated departure from our home left every family member struggling with feelings of shock, confusion, disdain, anger, and anxiety. The initial phase of the divorce process is identified as the most stressful time for a family due to the changes in family structure as a result of the absence of a parent, and subsequent pressures and demands for family members to take on new roles and responsibilities (Cooper, McLanahan, Meadows, Brooks-Gunn, 2009; Kelly Emery, 2003). Additionally, families often experience significant changes in socioeconomic, social, and health resources as the result of a divorce that often increases the level of stress within a family and complicates the coping and adaptation process (Cooper et al., 2009, p. 559; Kelly Emery, 2003). According to the ABC-X Model of Family Crisis, a fam ilys ability to adjust and cope with transitions and crises is based on the interaction of the following variables: A-the situation or stressor event, B-available resources, C-the familys perception of the event, and X-the degree of stress or crisis experienced by a family (McKenry Price, 1994). Let us now apply the ABC-X Model of Family Crisis to analyze my familys initial response to the stressful transition of my parents divorce. The stressor facing my family was the separation, and subsequent divorce, of my parents which left the family in a state of distress and significantly altered our family identity, structure, dynamics, and functioning. My fathers absence resulted in significant financial hardship for the family, which forced my mother to enter the workforce and take on the new and unfamiliar role of financial provider. The responsibility and demands of this new role affected my mothers ability to maintain her caregiver role within the family. As a result, my sisters and I had to take on many of her responsibilities within the home. Initially, my oldest sister took on the role of caregiver in my mothers absence. However, my oldest sister left for college shortly after my fathers departure which resulted in significant changes to the sibling subsystem and further complicated our familys ability to adapt and cope. My middle sister was forced to abandon her usual role as the quiet member, and assume the r ole of protector and caregiver. This new role placed a great deal of pressure on my middle sister and changed the dynamic within the new sibling dyad by increasing tension. Additionally, I was no longer able to successfully ease family tension and chaos as the gatekeeper, and assumed the new role of helping my middle sister maintain the household. The divorce also affected family attachment needs, boundaries, and relationships. After the divorce, my father was physically and emotionally cut-off from my mother and the rest of the family (Bowen, 1978; Nichols, 2011). My sisters and I had no contact with my father for a year following the divorce, which created a rigid boundary between him and the child subsystem and contributed to our inability to reconcile our grief and heal (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). Additionally, boundaries between the parental and child subsystems, and within the sibling subsystem, became more diffuse as a result of the new roles and responsibilities of each family member (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). The changes in family structure forced my middle sister to take on more of a parental role within the sibling subsystem. Additionally, my mother was unable to spend as much time within the home due to the demands of her new role as financial provider, which created a distance and disengagement between the parent and child subsystems (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). My mothers relationship with my oldest sister was equally affected as a result of the transition. After she left home, my oldest sister was able to emotionally separate or cut-off my mother and the chaos within the home (Bowen, 1978; Nichols, 2011). However, my oldest sister continued to provide emotional support within the sibling subsystem. My mothers mental illness complicated her ability to cope with the transition and adequately address the attachment needs of my sisters and I (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). Despite the complicated and chaotic relationship we each had with my mother we desperately needed and wanted her comfort, guidance, and nurturance in response to the pain, confusion, and anguish we were feeling. However, my mothers own emotional instability rendered her unable to adequately address our needs for attachment. My mother was preoccupied with her own needs for emotional comfort and responded in a cold and rejecting manner to our need for comfort and security. Rather, my middle sister and I were forced to provide comfort and solace to my mother and put our own needs aside. This role reversal further complicated the interactions and boundaries between the parent and child subsystems. Culture also influenced my familys perception of the divorce and ability to cope with the transition. The dissolution of a marriage and family is not well accepted within the Mexican culture due to the strong emphasis on family connection and commitment. In fact, families that experience divorce are often shamed and ostracized by extended family as was the case in our family system. My maternal grandparents expressed disdain and disappointment in my mothers inability to salvage her marriage and family, which created more tension within our family. Additionally, divorce was uncommon within our suburban community. We were the first family in our community to experience a divorce and this contributed to my familys feelings of embarrassment and shame. The divorce also altered our familys public identity of the ideal middle class family, and revealed some of the conflict and chaos within our home. Our family identity now reflected marital discord and a broken home. Our religious beliefs a lso complicated our ability to adapt after the divorce. Divorce is not supported or condoned within Catholicism which increased our feelings of embarrassment and shame in the Catholic community. My family had limited access to resources following the divorce. As previously mentioned, our family operated as a closed system which complicated our ability to attain adequate financial, social, and emotional support and assistance from external systems (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). Our socioeconomic status, financial resources, and standard of living were significantly minimized. We transitioned from being a financially secure middle class family to living below the poverty line in a matter of months. Our access to social support was also limited as a result of the rigid boundaries separating my family from external systems of support such as family friends and mental health professionals (Minuchin, 1974; Nichols, 2011). Rather, each member of the family sought individual resources within and outside the family to help alleviate emotional distress and attain support. For example, my sisters and I sought support from external systems including friends and teachers (Nichols, 2011 ). We also relied on the secure attachment we had with each other for emotional support and guidance (Bowlby, 1988; Nichols, 2011). My mother sought emotional support from extended family, the child subsystem, and her new co-workers. My parents divorce was an unexpected event that significantly increased the level of stress within my family and contributed to changes in family identity, structure, roles, relationships, and resources. My familys resistance to seek and accept external resources and support further complicated our ability as a system to recover from our loss and adaptively cope with the transition. Cultural influences also contributed to a negative appraisal of the situation. My familys negative perception of the divorce resulted in feelings of hopelessness and despair rather than an emphasis on problem-solving and growth (McKenry Price, 1994). This negative perception significantly inhibited our ability to adaptively cope with the transition and associated stressors. My family was able to readjust structure and roles, but lacked cohesion and stability. The culmination of the event, the lack of sufficient resources, and the negative perception of the transition resulted in my familys appraisal of t he event as a crisis that disrupted equilibrium, increased pressure and stress within the family system, and negatively affected family functioning (McKenry Price, 1994).

The Business of the Ford Corporation :: Ford, automobiles, business,

The state where I live is ‘Ford Country†. There are many Ford auto products such as autos and trucks driven daily. Although I am not fully familiar with the intricacies of the Ford Corporation, the business dealing with this organization is endless. Ford’s marketing department responsibility lies with one state where there are 6 other competitors in the Ford organization, its product price is the area where a difference advantage for the Ford Company can occur. The ability to achieve such a goal for the Ford organization begin with the auto manufacturer production capacities and prices of its highest-volume cars, the target market and the buying patterns of its customers. Using the 4Ps –Production, and the Ford organization, the banks might watch the auto manufacturers sticker prices and the prices which the auto sales for. Plus, the Ford Company knows its sudden excess capacity in production of its auto has created capacity overload. As a result, the Ford organization competitive environment has prevented Ford and other auto makers from increasing its prices. As marketing director, Ford’s production of auto’s will continue but with less models. For instance, last year the Ford auto maker was able to hold the production line on its prices.[2].On the other hand, because of strong competitive environment, this prevents the Ford organization from increasing the autos and trucks prices [3]. The Ford organization can differentiate its product from rival competitors using price. The company can only offer lower price, by reducing the current line of autos and trucks costs. The marketer wants to consider the immediate an d future plant productions of autos made in its other plants. Especially, if certain auto and truck engine production plants will distinguish to meet Ford’s manufacturing according to each Ford production plant state engine need, thus, Ford can further differentiate its auto product. For example, in states where auto and trucks fuel emission engines are a concern the company will want to address this need of the customer. For example, Ford will want to reduce the emission cost of its auto and trucks in states such as California, New York and Massachusetts, or cut out the consumer cost.

Ethical Standards for Human Research Essay

Ethical standards in human research should be followed strictly as they encourage the participants of the process to get involved in experiment as far as these standards are met. The ethical standards ensure that the risks he/she can be exposed to are taken care of to ensure maximum benefit at the end of the exercise. While accessing risks to benefits encountered in the course of experiment one should determine how much risk is acceptable and how much benefit is necessary. The participant should be willing to accept some risks which one may encounter during experiment. These risks should not exceed the importance of experiment for they will be creating more harm to participant than benefit of the problem being solved. In determining the risks and benefits that participant might face one should ensure that the risks should not weigh the benefits. First, one should access the benefits since the participant can agree thee processes to continue based what benefits he/she can get as compared to the risks he/she is exposed to. If researcher seer that the risks are more than benefit he/she can discontinue the process and find a better processes which minimizes the risks and maximizes the benefit. One can determine how much the risks are accepted by the willingness of participant to undergo the processes. Benefits should be necessary since the participant cannot agree the procedure to be carried on which does not benefit him/her. How much risk can be accepted by participant should be kept minimal and one should allow the participant to give full voluntary to participants. Participants should also come out of the experiment unharmed. Deception in research should always be avoided at the participant may fail to undertake the process if he/she find out that he is being deceived in any way. But centrally to this deceit can be allowed in research under different circumstances. For example, when deceptive techniques are justified by the type of research one is carrying out. This can only be done when no other method without deceit can be applied. Also researcher should disclose all the aspects of research and should not deceive the participant on some aspects that can lead to him or her rejecting the research processes. Incase the researcher has no alternative and has to use deception; the participant should be aware of it and agree or disagree to carryon with the procedure out of his or her own will. The end never justifies the mean used to achieve it. This principle signifier that the way one terminate or come to an end of any given process its not always justified by the methods used to achieve it. This is because in the course of processed one can encounter some difficulties or end up creating some mistakes and if corrected, the final result do not incorporate the mistake done. An example in history where this principle was violated is the law that dealt with human protection. This law was meant to protect different groups, for example, children and prisoners, pregnant mother. Therefore in this procedures are just carried out which are meant to bring forth good outcome but this was violated since many researcher do not consider there different groups of people. Another example is Tuskegee Syphilis study where the researcher exposed the concept of justice. In this the benefits of study were restricted to those who could afford them and therefore less participation was experienced (Gilbert Horrax 1952). Various issues are presented when carrying out research involving human subject. There issues include: Invasion of privacy, Any study carried out on human should be taken with a lot of privacy so as not to expose the details of your finding. This encourages participant to be more willing to participate. Also the practice should be taken with a lot of confidentiality in that the findings are known between the researcher and the participant only. Other issues such as stress and discomfort should be avoided on participant and therefore the research should be carried out with a lot of ease.

Performance Management System Essay

Purposes: – * It will be linked on performance, be a fair and transparent system * Rewarding the employees for their contribution to the growth of the organization in alignment with the strategic organizational goals * Rewarding their achievements as well as their contribution to their teams * Motivating individuals by indicating their position in the organization structure. * Motivate the employees in order to increase their efficiency * Foster a healthy employment relationship and commitment. Use – This system will be a vital component of the performance appraisal process as it will interpret the evaluation of the entire process and route the end result to a more meaningful conclusion for the appraise and the appraiser. It system will be used to build trust in the employee that diligence, perseverance and hard work is acknowledged and rewarded by the organization. This will ensure the best of the employees to come up and contribute to the overall growth of the organization. Frequency – Annually, March – April every year after the initial stages of performance appraisal process have concluded. Responsibility- The appraiser will have the authority to recommend the appraiser for the incentives and rewards. This will be further evaluated by the concerned the Head HR of the project and then of the Unit and approved. Format – Reward System will consist of financial as well as non-financial incentives. 1) Financial Incentives a. Merit and performance based incentives It is a tangible form of recognition and motivates employees to achieve more in the tryst of achieving and producing worthwhile results. Based upon the bracket to where the employee scores on the final evaluation of the performance appraisal system, the employee can be rewarded performance incentives in the following way – Rating| Incentive – Salary hike| Excellent(5)| + 20 % raise in the salary| Very Good(4)| +15% raise in the salary| Good (3)| +10 % raise in the salary| Average (2)| +5 % raise in the salary| Poor(1)| NA| The rating will be based on the objective scores of the final evaluation based on statistical calculation and the range of these will be defined precisely and clearly. A. Team based incentives * The team successfully completing the project before the deadline, * complying with the business standards of the organization, * fulfilling all the contractual obligations and expectations of the client * Providing a innovative solution that surpasses the stated expectations of the client Will ensure a 5 % hike in the salary of the team members known as Team Bonus. For every successful implementation of the project by the team on the client end, the team will be eligible of additional 7% profit share generated by the project implementation. This incentive will be disbursed among the team equitably. B. Competency and skill based incentives This component will reward those employees which showcase exceptional level of competencies inclusive of the behaviours and attribute of the appraise and the KSAs for their job level i.e. knowledge of the domain working in, interpersonal skills of the individual, team management skills and other defined competencies important for the job level. The reward will be +2% raise for each competency in which the employee is exceptionally outstanding. 2. Non-Financial incentives – A. Publication of achievements in the online journal of the organization Achievements of the employees for developing an innovative solution, path breaking discoveries will be published in the online journal of the organization. B. Inclusion in the hall of fame The employees will be included in the Hall of Fame for doing research and publishing their findings in the International Journals of high recognition. C. Best Team player award of the month This award will be nominated by the team members and recommended by the Team Lead and if the condition exists that no one is eligible for it in a particular month then it can be omitted too for that month. It will be published on the online portal of the company and will include an exclusive company sponsored dinner for the employee and his/her family. An employee can receive this award a maximum of 4 times a year only. D. Best Team player award of the year This award will be based on the overall feedback of all the employees based on the comprehensive performance appraisal report. Every team can recommend maximum of 2 members for this award. The review committee constituted for every location will further evaluate the contenders for the position and based on these parameters the award will be given. The other incentive related with this award will be 3 day – 4 night company sponsored holiday for the employee and spouse. E. Star team of the year This award will be based on the targets achieved by the team, compliance with the standards set by the organization, timeliness, team cohesiveness (which will be inferred from the performance appraisal of all the members of the team) and based on the recommendation of the DC Project Head. A star team will get an additional bonus of 5 % for that year. Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) The Performance Improvement Plan – (PIP) is designed to facilitate constructive discussion between the appraisee and appraiser and to clarify work performance to be improved. It is implemented at the discretion of the appraiser. Once the appraisee has developed the plan, the document is reviewed by the appraiser to determine if the activities outlined will help the employee to attain the desired level of performance. The supervisor will monitor and provide feedback to the employee regarding their performance and may take additional disciplinary action, if warranted. The below form needs to be filled by the appraisee during the Performance Appraisal Process: Performance to be improved| The employee lists the activities they will initiate to improve performance – including skills to be improved and changes made to meet work performance expectations. (List short and long term goals to be accomplished as applicable.)| Targeted date for improvement – by when?| Expected results| Dates reviewed by employee and supervisor| | | | | | The appraiser should jointly review the form above and the following 6 items needs to be answered with the appraisee when using the document. 1. State performance to be improved (be specific and cite examples). 2. State the level of work performance expectation and that it must be performed on a consistent basis. 3. Specify the support/resources you will provide to assist the employee. 4. Communicate your plan for providing feedback to the employee (meetings, with whom and how often). 5. Specify possible consequences if performance standards are not met. Potential Appraisal Please complete the following Appraisal of Potential for your employee. This Appraisal concentrates on other types of tasks, or other greater responsibility the employee is capable of doing, and in what direction their personal interests lead them. * In your opinion, what skills, knowledge talent, qualities should be developed or strengthened? Please be specific. * What is he/she personally doing to become more proficient in his/her assignment, and to prepare for more responsibility? * What are your plans and recommendations for a development program for this employee? Be specific. * What do you see as this employee’s next step positions? * What specific performance results were achieved during this review period (include all quantitative measures)? * Indicate major performance results achieved in the supervision of others. Include such items as staffing, delegating, motivating, resolving conflict, and development of staff. * Describe how well performance results were achieved compared to position  standards and specific performance requirements. * Comment on the methods and approach used by the employee in performing the job. Rate the employee on the following characteristics or how does the employee fair on following behavioural characteristics: * Decision making * Independent * Confidence towards the job * Handling stress and pressure * Inter-personal skills, both with superiors and subordinates * Leadership, motivating and conflict handling

navl operation amer cival war essays

navl operation amer cival war essays NAVAL OPERATIONS DURING THE CIVIL WAR At the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, there was little reason to suspect that the United States Navy would play a very big role in the war. The Confederate Navy had absolutely no navy, nor did they have the ability to create one. The south did not contain a single plant that could create a marine engine. (Carrison, page #17) The government of the Confederate States got underway in the spring of 1861, totally unprepared from a naval standpoint to uphold the independence it had declared. (Confederate Forces Afloat, page #1) The Confederacy lacked the adequate means to conduct an offensive of defensive war. (http://sunsite.unc.edu/ page 1a) They needed ships to defend its long coastline and inland waterways, to carry war to its northern shores, or to conduct the foreign trade, vital to its existence. To this bleak outlook was added but limited hope to acquiring or constructing a navy. Nevertheless, inspired determination and ingenuity evinced particularly by the more than 300 able officers who resigned from the United States Navy to support the southern cause. These men culminated in the rapid appearance of many varied types of forces afloat under the Confederate flag. (http://sunsite.unc.edu/ page 2a) The States Navy provided the foundation for the events to follow. The seceding states confiscated small United States ships, such as revenue cutters, coast survey ships, and lighthouse tenders. They also purchased others from northern owners as well as southern owners. They quickly started building additional vessels better suited for warfare. (http://sunsite.unc.edu page #2a) Also, the states that seceded automatically took with them the naval forces they had already accumulated. As the war went on, the confederacy created a better defense for their major ports, inland waterways, and the souths vast coastline. The better defense included the ironclads and th...

How Principals Can Provide Teacher Support

How Principals Can Provide Teacher Support Having a supportive principal can make all the difference for a teacher. Teachers want to know that their principal has their best interests in mind. One of the main duties of a principal is to provide ongoing, collaborative teacher support. The relationship between a teacher and a principal has to be built on a foundation of trust. This type of relationship takes a lot of time to build. Principals must slowly cultivate these relationships while taking the time to get to know each teachers strength and weaknesses. The worst thing that a new principal can do is to go in and quickly make a lot of changes. This will assuredly turn a group of teachers against a principal quickly. A smart principal will initially make small changes, allow time for teachers to get to know them, and then gradually make larger, more meaningful changes over the course of time. It is important to note that any significant changes should be made only after seeking and considering input from teachers. Here, we examine ten suggestions for earning teacher trust and ultimately providing them with ongoing, collaborative teacher support. Allow Time for Peer Collaboration Teachers should be given time to work together in a collaborative effort. This collaboration will strengthen relationships among your faculty, provide new or struggling teachers with an outlet to gain valuable insight and advice, and allows teachers to share best practices and success stories. The principal becomes the driving force in this collaboration. They are the one who schedules the time to collaborate and sets the agenda for these times. Principals who reject the importance of peer collaboration are selling its value far short. Ask Questions and Seek Their Advice The principal is the primary decision maker in their building. This doesn’t mean that teachers shouldn’t be included in the decision-making process. Although a principal may have the final say, teachers should be given a platform to express their feelings or provide advice for the principal, especially when the issue will directly affect the teachers. A principal should use the resources at hand when making decisions. Teachers have brilliant ideas. By seeking their advice, they may challenge your thinking on an issue may validate that you are on the right track. Neither case is a terrible thing when making any decision. Have Their Back Teachers are people, and all people go through difficult times both personally and professionally at some point in their lives. When a teacher is going through a difficult situation personally (death, divorce, illness, etc.), a principal should give them 100% support at all times. A teacher going through a personal issue will appreciate any support their principal shows during this time. Sometimes this could be as simple as asking them how they are doing and sometimes it may be necessary to give them a few days off. Professionally you want to back a teacher as long as you believe they are effective, ethical, and moral. There are situations where you absolutely cannot support a teacher because the decision they made is ethically or morally wrong. In this case, do not skirt around the issue. Be up front with them and tell them that they messed up, and there is no way you can back them up based on their actions. Be Consistent Teachers hate it when principals are inconsistent especially when dealing with student discipline or parent situations. A principal should always try to be fair and consistent with their decision making. Teachers may not always agree with how you handle situations, but if you establish a pattern of consistency, then they will not complain too much. For example, if a 3rd-grade teacher sends a student to the office for being disrespectful in class, check your student discipline records to see how you have handled similar issues in the past. You do not want any teacher to feel like you play favorites. Conduct Meaningful Evaluations Teacher evaluations are meant to be tools that show a teacher where they are and to move them in a direction to maximize their overall effectiveness. Conducting meaningful evaluations takes a lot of time and time is not something a lot of principals have, therefore many principals neglect making the most out of their teacher evaluations. Providing effective teacher support requires constructive criticism at times. No teacher is perfect. There is always room for improvement in some area. A meaningful evaluation allows you the opportunity to be critical and to offer praise. It is a balance of both. A satisfactory evaluation cannot be given on a single classroom visit. It is a collaboration of information gathered through many visits that provide the most meaningful evaluations. Create a Teacher-Friendly Schedule Principals are typically responsible for creating their building’s daily schedule. This includes class schedules, teacher planning periods, and duties. If you want to make your teachers happy, minimize the time they need to be on duty. Teachers hate duties of any kind whether it is lunch duty, recess duty, bus duty, etc. If you can figure out a way to create a schedule in which they only have to cover a few duties a month, your teachers will love you. Encourage Them to Bring Problems to You Have an open door policy. The relationship between a teacher and principal should be strong enough that they can bring any problem or issue and trust that you are going to try your best to help them out confidentially. Often times you will find that teachers simply need someone to vent their frustrations to, so being a good listener is often all that is necessary. Other times you will have to tell the teacher that you need some time to think about the problem and then get back with them with some take it or leave it advice. Try not to force your opinion on the teacher. Give them options and explain where you are coming from. Tell them what decision you would make and why, but don’t hold it against them if they go with another option. Understand that every situation that is brought to you is unique and how you handle that situation depends on upon the situation itself. Get to Know Them There is a thin line between getting to know your teachers and being their best friends. As their leader, you want to build a trusting relationship without getting so close that it interferes when you have to make a tough decision. You want to build a balanced relationship between personal and professional, but you don’t want to tip it where it is more personal than professional. Take an active interest in their family, hobbies, and other interest. This will let them know that you care about them as individuals and not just as teachers. Offer Advice, Direction, or Assistance All principals should continuously offer their teachers advice, direction, or assistance. This is especially true for beginning teachers, but it is true for teachers throughout all levels of experience. The principal is the instructional leader, and providing advice, direction, or assistance is the primary job of a leader. This can be done through a variety of ways. Sometimes a principal can simply provide a teacher with verbal advice. Other times they may want to show the teacher by having them observe another teacher whose strengths are in an area where that teacher needs assistance. Providing the teacher with books and resources are another way to provide advice, direction, or assistance. Provide Applicable Professional Development All teachers are required to participate in professional development. However, teachers want these professional development opportunities to be applicable to their situation. No teacher wants to sit through eight hours of professional development that doesn’t directly apply to what their teaching or they will never use. This can fall back on the principal as they are often involved in the scheduling of professional development. Choose professional development opportunities that are going to benefit your teachers, not just ones that meet your minimum professional development criteria. Your teachers will appreciate you more, and your school will be better off in the long run because your teachers are learning new things that they can then apply to their daily classroom.