Gifted and Talented Program Admissions: Needed Improvements and Reforms

Gifted and Talented Program Admissions: Needed Improvements and Reforms Gifted and talented programs are intrinsically valuable to many children’s education as they provide a system in which all students involved are engaged, challenged, and intellectually stimulated. In "How People Learn", Donovan, Bransford, and Pellegrino (1999) stress the importance of each student being given reasonable and appropriate goals based on his or her level of understanding and competency (p. 20). Gifted and talented programs help institutionalize the attempt to meet all student’s needs by providing uniquely appropriate challenges which aim to keep every student engaged, thus receiving the best chance at success. Although there are many valuable and important aspects of gifted education, there are also significant issues rooted in the base of America’s gifted and talented programs, one of which I will address throughout this paper. In my opinion, the most notable problem which troubles gifted and talented programs is the system by which students are se lected to join their school’s gifted and talented program. The problem associated with how students are chosen to join a gifted and talented program stems from the way that we define giftedness. Because there are countless ways in which any individual can define talent, the government created a federal task force in 1972 to study gifted education in order to standardize the way in which schools choose students for and implement their gifted and talented programs. The task force’s results are known as the Marland Report and include much information as a result of their research, including a decision that a public school’s gifted and talented programs should aim to serve between 3 and 5 percent o... ... for the Gifted. New York: Teachers College Press. Borland, James H. (2003). Rethinking Gifted Education. New York: Teachers College Press. Donovan, Bransford, & Pellegrino (1999). How People Learn. National Academic Press. Eby, Judy W., & Smutny, Joan F. (1990). A Thoughtful Overview of Gifted Education. New York: Longman. Fulkerson, Jan & Horvich, Michael (1998). Talent Development: Two Perspectives. Phi Delta Kappan, 79(10), 756. Johnsen, Susan K. (2003). Issues in the Assessment of Talent Development. In James H. Borland (Ed.). Rethinking Gifted Education (pp. 201-214). New York: Teachers College Press. Meier, Deborah (1995). The Power of Their Ideas. Boston: Beacon Press. Shore, Bruce M., Cornell, Dewey G., Robinson, Amy, & Ward, Virgil S. (1991). Recommended Practices in Gifted Education. New York: Teachers College Press.

Kingfisher Airlines Essay

Background: Kingfisher airlines started out as a UB group subsidy, a USD 2 billion diversified conglomerate, which holds more than 60 companies under it which are associated with major industries. The United Breweries group owned the kingfisher airlines. Kingfisher airlines had then commenced its commercial operations in the year 2005 on the 9th of May. Operating with a fleet of four new Airbus A320-200’s, kingfisher airlines had its first travel from Mumbai to Delhi. Subsequently the airliner had even commenced its international maneuvers on the 3rd of September 2008, by interlinking Bangalore and London. However it faced a worsening economic scenario since 2008. The mighty airlines in the present day scenario is facing many bankruptcy problems, pushing the airline to ground many of its destinations and aircrafts. Introduction: It was the year 2006, when kingfisher airlines got listed in the stock exchange after it had been setup in the year 2003. The present day situation for KFA is that it has a staggering Rs.8200 Crore debt and the money to pay for fuel, salaries and airport fees etc. is running out. Due to this KFA has lost all its hopes and has pleaded the government to give them a total  bailout but according to market analysts, the actual flaws in KFA’s business plans and the functioning are due to the endless woes of it , which is the major root problem of the airline. So my research question for the current commentary would be â€Å"Will kingfisher airlines be able to recover from the present debt crisis using the current financial strategies?† Syllabus area covered: SWOT analysis Current Ratio Analysis GPM and NPM ratios – Analysis of the balance sheet Findings: When Deccan Aviation’s Captain G.R Gopinath was looking forward to selling off his airline, then is when Vijay Mallya who kept denying that he couldn’t even think of buying an airline whose business model is so different than that of his had suddenly put in his bid and apparently clinched the deal. It was an interesting deal because KFA had got the license to fly immediately and got immediate listing as soon as it purchased Deccan Aviation but it was not all good, along with the goodies they had even acquired the losses incurred by the airline. The promoter group of the airline that is the UB Group had an experienced set of officials to run its business which majorly includes Vijay Mallya himself. The Airliner’s second problem was that its chairman was acting like an absentee landlord and was concentrating on his other business. The third mistake that Kingfisher Airlines had made was that they could have first consolidated its domestic operations and then got into international flying as then the competition increases a lot and only those with enormous money resources survive. SWOT Analysis: Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand image Financial support from the promoter that is the UB group. First Indian carrier that started out with a whole new fleet of planes. Quality service and innovation Financial issues due to heavy debt borrowing The laying off of employees has caused a bad image. The maintenance costs were very high at ground and airline level. The company still has not met its breakeven. The ticket pricing was very high, not in the affordable range of the commoners unlike its competitors which are priced economically. Opportunities Threats Poor service of air India and problems of strikes in jet airways. Growth in air travel, the number of passengers has increased. Route Rationalization: cutting down business in unprofitable sectors and services to cities.1 Debt Recast: Kingfisher Airlines must ask the banks to reduce the interest rates of the loans and possibly find a local investor to invest some money in their business2. Low cost carriers obtaining the larger market share. Fuel costs also have increased subsequently. Economic slowdown Infrastructure constraints Banks will aver on severe security before giving in any more loans which they need for their operational costs. Some banks may even go up to the extent of calling in all their debt. The airline’s promoter funds will be tapped, which will put pressure on the finances of the UB group Current Ratio Analysis: It can be defined as the company’s ability to meet its short term maturing obligations. The current ratio is calculated using this formula: Current Assets/Current Liabilities. For the year 2012 (as of march 31st) = 16188.35/84428.04 = 0.19 (all values in million INR) For the year 2011 (as of march 31st) = 29738.26/55255.85 = 0.54 (all values in million INR)   3 http://www.marketing91.com/swot-kingfisher-airlines/ 4 http://m.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=279017 It can be seen that the current ratio has decreased from the year 2011 to  2012 which indicates a threat to the company as the debt to assets has significantly increased and has not yet been repaid in the right model to improve and come out of the debt crisis. Following is a graph that shows the plotting based on the balance sheet3. We can see that the current ratio is less than 1:1 for both the years which indicates that the short term debts of the business are much greater than its liquid assets, which could spell disaster for its survival if creditors demand payment. Which is the case for kingfisher airlines as there crisis has been increasing and increasing as there are no sources for revenue that can be used to pay out even a part of the debt. If the company’s current ratio falls below 1, it implies that the company has a negative working capital, it is then required for the business to take a closer look at the business and there are no liquidity issues. If the ratio is drastically below 1 it implies that the company has inventories that can be converted into cash and this involves to be seriously concerned into the working which when neglected can lead to a financial crisis like in the case of Kingfisher Airlines. When observed in the financial values the income from operations has increased drastically from march 31st 2011 to march 31st 2012 which can be accounted to the loss in operations and trade. If we observe the employee costs also have been cut down on a large note due to the laying off of the employees and staff members. The aircraft lease rental has been subsidized as the fleet of Kingfisher airlines has decreased. If we compare the quarters between December 31st 2011 and march 31st 2012, we can see that the aircraft fuel expenses are more or less the same, which shows a loophole as to why is there still such high fuel expenses even though the operations and fleet have been reduced or more close to being closed. The losses between the same periods have almost increased more than double the times. Hence we see the net losses of the company to increase from (44.426.95) to (115,152.60) lacs which shows the growing debt crisis of Kingfisher Airlines. Price Movement and Performance Charts of Kingfisher Airlines Index Comparison and Ownership Pattern of Kingfisher Airlines Source:http://www.bseindia.com/bseplus/StockReach/AdvanceStockReach.aspx?scrip code=532747 From the above graphs, it can be clearly seen of what the past, present and future trend of Kingfisher Airlines is going to look like in the respective areas mentioned above. GPM (Gross profit margin) For the year 2011 -4.8% For the year 2012 38.2% It can be seen that the gross profit has been depreciating at an exponential rate which shows that there is absolutely no scope of business for kingfisher airlines, as its functioning and sales have gone down on a drastic rate, thus leading to its mounting losses. NPM (Net Profit Margin) For the year 2011 21.1% For the year 2012 382.01% When we calculate the net profit for the company we can observe the change in it from the year 2011 and 2012 there is difference of about 360% which shows the enormity of the debt that kingfisher airlines is heading towards. The company’s market share has also shrunk a lot due to the onboard crisis. Below is the pictorial representation of the difference in the market share of kingfisher airlines between the financial year 2011 and 2012. FOR THE YEAR 2011 FOR THE YEAR 2012 Analysis: It can be seen that Kingfisher Airlines has gone for public issue before it obtained Deccan Airlines so a part of the money might have been raised from /the money gained out of it. The UB group was the promoter of the company so it had the maximum stake in the Airlines but lately due to the debt crisis its stake is being diluted in order to issue them to other public who can invest money and might raise some capital for the business, doing so it is raising financial pressure on the UB Group. The Going concern status of kingfisher airlines has already been lost which might pose a threat for investors investing in the company which might lead to very bleak chances of survival. Problems: Fuel dues: Kingfisher Airlines had been a nonpayer of fuel bills which lead to many problems for the airliner. HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited) had abridged the supplies of fuel for the airliner in lieu of non-payment of overdue fuel bills. Delayed Salary: Kingfisher Airlines had not paid salaries to its employees from October 2011 to January 2012, which had caused employee dissatisfaction. It had also been noted that the tax cut from the employee’s income at the source was also defaulted while paying to the tax department. There was a delay in the aircraft lease rentals which has to be paid to GE Commercial Aviation Services, which later lead to repossession of four A320 aircrafts. Airport Authority of India had slammed notices on kingfisher for a due on bills which amounted to about 255.06 crore INR. This had happened because the airliner was working on a cash and carry basis with a daily expense of 0.8 crore INR. Kingfisher Airlines had even service tax arrears which invited the possibility of legal action against the airliner. Kingfisher Airlines was declared as a Non Performing Asset (NPA) by the banks that had lent money for the airliner to carry out its business. Later, KFA suffered more problems such as erosion of net worth, frozen bank accounts, much of its fleet being grounded and suspension of ticket sales by International Air Transport Association (IATA). Kingfisher Airlines share price from Sep-2010 to Sep-2011 Measures Taken: Revenue Inventiveness One world alliance membership would allow KFA to have incoming inland  passenger growth. Co-branded Credit Cards – Kingfisher Airlines had issues the King Club ICICI co-brand card as ICICI bank is one of its major lenders. Kingfisher Express: DTD (Door to Door) Cargo express services to capture the under penetrated air-cargo delivery service. Cost Reduction inventiveness Streamlining distribution channels. Renegotiating vendor agreements – airport and fuel discounts, operating leases at a discount. Control over discretionary spend – reduction in rentals, cost of transport, local conveyance and communication. Optimize space. Operational efficiency: saving on fuel consumption. Equity infusion Debt Re-schedulement Capitalization of its expenses which would lead to the increase in the net income, reduce the stockholder equity and total assets will upsurge for the same amount of expenses. Strategies for Kingfisher to come out from its Debt Crisis: Rescheduling and restructuring of loans- the unsecured loans must be converted into equity share capital then Kingfisher Airlines can avoid the finance cost of the unsecured portion but the promoter’s (UB Group) holding will drastically decrease and even the secured loans can be paid in almost the same manner. Thus the banks will have to increase the period of repayment and decrease the rate of interest on the loans which might help KFA’s operations and possibly the loans might be cleared. There must be efficient strategies to increase the turnover of the company which includes the change in pricing strategy and making it competitive to its co-airlines. Fuel subsidies from the government – KFA must convince the government to give them fuel subsidies by which they can run their airlines and then slowly repay back all its debts. FDI ( Foreign Direct Investment) – there is a larger chance of KFA getting merged with some international airline if the FDI limit is increased which will thus lead to the acquisition of Kingfisher Airlines by an international carrier but will be relieved of its debts and would not then effect the promoter group. Conclusion: The present condition of Kingfisher Airlines can be due to a series of reasons but ultimately it was a rise and all of a giant domestic carrier for India. There are very few chances for the company to bail out from its current situation. The hope of an international merger with Kingfisher might give a ray of hope to the survival of the airlines. If the current debt crisis is not put on hold and keeps increasing, there would be only one door open for Kingfisher Airlines that is to sell out everything to repay all its debts to banks and lenders thus leading to the ultimate collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

Leadership Styles and Theories Discussion

Leadership Styles and Theories Erica Hunter Faculty: Sherry Knight NUR 415 Leadership and Management in Nursing March 18th, 2013 The student name indicated on this title page signifies that the author has read and understands the IWU Honesty Policy as outlined in the Student Handbook and IWU Catalog. Affixing this statement to the title page certifies that no cheating or dishonest use of information has occurred in completing this assignment. The work submitted is original work specific for this course.If cheating and/or plagiarism are discovered in this paper, it is acknowledged that the university policy will be followed, and may result in dismissal of the student from Indiana Wesleyan University. Leadership Styles and Theories Leaders in healthcare and in business follow a leadership style to manage their employees. The Leadership styles vary from two factor theory, expectancy theory, and OB modification to transactional theory and transformational theory.The two factor theory is where the organization considers salary, status, and security to promote job satisfaction (Yoder-Wise, 2011, p. 10). Expectancy theory is where the organization believes an individual perceived needs influence their behavior thus affecting their work performance (Yoder-Wise, 2011, p. 10). OB modification is where the leader uses positive reinforcement to motivate followers to repeat constructive behaviors in the workplace (Yoder-Wise, 2011, p. 11).The two main theories I want to focus on are transactional and transformational theories. A transformational leader is one who promotes teamwork among the staff, encourages positive self-esteem, motivates staff to function at high levels of performance and empowers staff to become more involved in the development and implementation of policies and procedures (Atkinson Smith, 2011, p. 44-50). This leadership style is readily received by employees. This type of leadership was practiced when I worked in endoscopy at Miami Valley Hospital.The team leader Kandi encouraged the staff with positive affirmations. She would take the time to teach new policies and give an opportunity for the staff to ask questions about the change. Kandi followed up on quality issues and if an error was found she used it as an opportunity to learn for the employee in a non-punitive manner. Transactional leadership is when employees adopt the traditional view of the â€Å"boss† image (Yoder-Wise, 2011, p. 39). The superior makes the decisions with little or no input from the subordinates.This leadership style makes employees feel powerless and worthless to help with change. Hopefully this leadership style is used less within organizations. Leadership Styles and Theories References Atkinson Smith, M. (2011, September). Are you a transformational leader. Magnetic Pull, 42(9), 44-50. http://dx. doi. org/10. 1097/01. NUMA. 0000403279. 04379. 6a Yoder-Wise, P. (2011). Core Concepts. In P. Yoder-Wise (Ed. ), Leading and Managing in Nursing (5th ed. , pp. 5-6). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.

Financial Accounting by Dr. Ebenezer

Financial Accounting by Dr. Ebenezer Discoveries, Revelations and Impressions A presentation concerning accounting and finances was provided by Dr. Ebenezer. In his presentation, Dr. Ebenezer provided a brief overview of the phenomenon of financial accounting, as well as the process known as operational accounting. The presented identified the key functions of FA and the means of carrying out the procedure within an organisation.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Financial Accounting by Dr. Ebenezer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Though the issues related to finances and accounting are traditionally perceived as â€Å"dry,† the lecture provided by Dr. Ebenezer seemed really enthralling to me. I was literally captured by the new and exciting facts about the phenomenon of accounting, the possibilities that it opens for a businessman, and the benefits that a company may obtain with the choice of a proper accounting strategy. Particularly, the fact that financial accounting is opposed to operational accounting was quite a surprise for me. Before reading the lecture, I had no idea that the concept of FA had any phenomenon to oppose it to begin with. The resulting discovery of to two phenomena and the way, in which they completed the concept of accounting, made me feel that eventually some light has been shed on the issue. The consequences of understanding the specified detail are beyond impressive – by using only FA in my practice, I would suffer considerable losses because of the lack of focus on the internal users1. The idea of taking huge losses, which may even exceed an organisation’s revenues (e.g., around $ 500,000 from the lack of attention to the knowledge management issues), literally made be relieved that I have acquired this essential piece of information. The concept of financial accounting can be related to the Positive Accounting Theory. Allowing for an identification of the methods of acco unting that lead to maximising the company’s profits, the specified theory strikes me as truly brilliant. Suggested in 1990s as the means to explore the methods of accounting further and increase revenues, the specified theory, in fact, allows for improving the performance of a company to an impressive extent. The theory in question seems especially viable once the material covered in the lecture is integrated into it. Indeed, by including both the processes related to the financial transactions, and the ones that concern organisational behaviour, into the accounting strategy, one will be able to predict the efficacy of specific actions taken by the company with huge precision.2Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The presentation in question has clearly affected my decision-making strategies. Impressed beyond belief by the information concerning two types of accounting, I will necessarily make sure that the methods for both are well developed in the organisation that I will work for. The possibilities, which the use of efficient accounting strategies with regard to the two accounting types opens, enthral me, and I feel very enthusiastic about my future professional progress. Though the challenges, which I may face in the course of these strategies implementation, frighten me and make me feel somewhat uncertain, I am positively sure that I will be able to come up with a viable approach for addressing them. I have strong doubts that the two types of accounting described in the lecture occur in reality in a manner just as distinctive and obvious as Dr. Ebenezer represents them in his lecture; nevertheless, the fact that I already know so much about the financial issues in general and the process of accounting in particular fills me with hope for achieving success. Bibliography Ebenezer, S. â€Å"ChE 423 Process Economics Managem ent. Introduction to Financial Accounting.† Presentation for Project Management Decision Analysis School of Chemical Petroleum Engineering, 2014. Mourik, Carien van and ‎Peter Walton. The Routledge Companion to Accounting, Reporting and Regulation. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. Footnotes 1. S. Ebenezer, â€Å"ChE 423 Process Economics Management. Introduction to Financial Accounting† (presentation, Project Management Decision Analysis School of Chemical Petroleum Engineering, 2014). 2. Carien van Mourik and ‎Peter Walton, The Routledge Companion to Accounting, Reporting and Regulation (New York, NY: Routledge, 2013), p. 104.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Financial Accounting by Dr. Ebenezer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Students plagued by poor grammar - Emphasis

Students plagued by poor grammar Students plagued by poor grammar University students writing is plagued by poor grammar and punctuation and a lack of consensus on what constitutes a clear writing style, new Emphasis research has found. This inaugural research project, which marks the launch of the Emphasis Research Centre, suggests that todays graduates the business writers of tomorrow arent being encouraged to write in a clear, straightfoward manner that will serve them (and their future colleagues and clients) best in the world of work. The results, compiled from an online survey of academics and lecturers from 37 UK universities, reveal a range of problems from poor grammar and punctuation to an inappropriate style. But the real problem may well be the inconsistent advice handed down from lecturers. The survey reveals a lack of agreement on what constitutes a good writing style: there is a real gulf between the plainer language tutors claim to prefer, and the typically opaque and multi-syllabic language of academia. So it isnt the case that the problem is going unrecognised or being ignored. Rather there is just a need for a unified and uniform support system. University lecturers are keen to help students overcome worrying deficiencies in their writing, says Emphasis CEO, Rob Ashton. But a lack of familiarity with the building blocks of a clear, plain style makes that goal hard to achieve. To read the full report on this research, click here. Other research has recently highlighted the link between low levels of literacy and a lack of success in the workplace. The report, published by the National Literacy Trust, found that one in six adults has levels of literacy lower than that expected of an 11-year-old. Two-thirds of men and three-quarters of women with poor reading and writing skills had never received a promotion.

Development of a publishable paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Development of a publishable paper - Essay Example Methods A qualitative research methodology is employed for the purpose of the study. The common themes in the literature on the therapeutic relationships between the nurses and clients are identified. The study was administered on a sample target group (who were screened based on their experiences of having worked in mental healthcare) of nurses who work in the psychiatric and mental health care hospitals in and around Melbourne in Victoria Australia. A preliminary mailed questionnaire was used to eliminate nurses with no prior experiences in mental healthcare. A telephonic interview was also administered on these respondents to know their willingness to take part in the sample survey. Thus, the participants for the survey consisted of 40 nurses who worked in and around Melbourne in Victoria Australia with at least two years of working in mental healthcare. The questionnaire comprised of 8 interrelated questions most of which were open ended. Results and Conclusions The results of th e study confirmed the common themes identified in the literature review. While therapeutic relationships have been identified as very much significant by the participant nurses they expressed their concern over the inadequacy of ongoing staff training, the heavy work schedule and the problems associated with maintaining professional boundaries. The respondents regarded mutual trust, empathy, confidentiality and non-judgment, feelings of reciprocity and connectedness, and acceptance and understanding as the key factors of effective therapeutic alliance whereas respect, communication and interpersonal skills, and professional knowledge were complementary. On the other hand, the major crippling factors (that prevent effective therapeutic alliance with patients) identified by the respondents consisted of mistrust, breach of confidentiality, ego, lack of communication and interpersonal skills, and lack of professional knowledge. Introduction and Background The therapeutic alliance betwee n the nurse and the client assumes utmost significance in the mental healthcare setting as the patients are greatly in need of personal counseling, guidance and care. Nurses need to have professional knowledge and skills to establish effective therapeutic relationships with the clients and they should be specially trained in displaying caring attitudes and behaviors towards the clients. The ultimate aim of the therapeutic alliance is the physical and mental well-being of the clients and as such the therapeutic relationship should be â€Å"based on trust, respect, empathy and professional intimacy, and requires appropriate use of the power inherent in the care provider’s role† (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009, p. 3). The five components of effective nurse-client relationships have been identified as â€Å"trust, respect, professional intimacy, empathy and power† (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009, p. 3). Nurses who work as catalytic agents of change needs to have good communication as well as interpersonal skills and a thorough knowledge regarding the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship (McQueen 2000). It is also significant that the nurses are able to build rapport and trust with the patients (McQueen 2000), show trust and commitment (Morse

Crisis Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crisis Management - Case Study Example Sometimes the case is not so clear and so it is upon the doctor and the nurses in charge to decide how well to manage the crisis as they try to establish the best way to handle the situation. This paper will address the way to handle a crisis referring to a common case where the creation of an intestinal stoma is important to divert the intestinal contents and act as a way of managing the symptoms that the patient is having. The patient in reference has a past medical history of hypertension and so it is tricky on how to make her understand the nature of the case that the doctors are handling. Informing her that she may need a surgery should be done in a well-informed manner to avoid running into more complications which are tougher to manage. Her new symptoms makes it important to create a stoma in order to divert the enteric contents and make it possible to surgically manage the gastroenterologic symptoms (Clear Passage Physical Therapy, n.d). Once the patient was admitted the first thing we did as it’s the routine is to assess her condition and inquire on her past medical history. That is important in establishing the best way to handle her and avoid complicating the case even more. Emma is 54 years old and she works in a retail shop. We establish that she has a past medical history of hypertension. She is both socially and physically capable and independent which is important to establish whether she may be having fears on the way she will be making a living if she is subjected to a treatment or a management plan that will affect her physically. The symptoms she is having which include nausea and vomiting leads to the conclusion that this is an emergency case and so she has to be admitted to an acute surgical unit through the acute and emergency department due to abdominal obstruction. Other symptoms which are used to come up with the decision include the fresh rectal bleeding with associated altered bowel