Saturday, August 31, 2019

Kathak and Social Communication Essay

Social Science and Communication ‘Kathak’ is one of the most popular forms of Indian classical dance. We have grown up watching it in movies from UmraoJaanuptoDevdas. Most young girls in India even start learning kathak right from the tender age of 5 years. However is kathak just a simple cultural product of the country that can be counted among the artistic treasures of this land or is there a larger understanding to the same? Through this article we shall travel through the journey of time and see how a thing as simple and pure as an ancient dance form can tell us the stories of the cultural, religious, political transformations of the country. The Fifth Veda Traditionally the Hindu society was divided in five varnas – Brahmins (intellectuals), Kshatriya (warriors), vaishya (merchants), shudra (manual labourers), achoot (untouchables). The purpose of this form of division was to have a more organized society by distributing it on basis of the type of work performed. However with time this became a hierarchical division of the society which led to oppression of the lower caste (shudra& untouchables) by the upper caste members. In this entire struggle for power the holy hindu scriptures (the Vedas) remained as the sole possession of the Brahmins or the educated class. Any attempt to even touch these holy texts by members of the lower caste was considered a crime. Even our holy text of Ramayana narrates an incident where lord Ram (mariyadapurushottam) chops of the head of a person from the lower caste when he attempts to read the Vedas. The shudra’s were forbidden to listen to these puranas (holy texts). (Massey, 1999) It’s believed that looking at this state of the society gods asked Lord Brahma to devise something which would be accessible to all and bind this society together. This is how the fifth veda or Natya Veda was born. The Hindu epics have stories of brahma teaching Bharata (the then king of Bharat what we know as India) the Natya Veda and later his 100 sons became the authorities of music, dance and drama. The Bharat NatyaShashtra has been variously dated from 2nd century BC to 3rd century AD. This Veda was common for all sections of society and all genders. Stories and teaching were told through dance. This is where we saw the birth of Kathak as a dance form. Kathak Kathak is derived from the root word Katha which means story. Kathak as a dance form was used to narrate stories mainly mythological stories primarily for the function of educating people. This was the only form in which people of all castes and genders could share their learning. This dance form was spread far and wide through abhinayawhich meaning ‘a carrying to the spectators’. This form of dance contained various components:(Massey, 1999) Kathak Abhinaya Sentiment and Mood Pure Dance Dramatic Element Vachik: poetry, song, recitation, music and rhythm Aharya: costume, make-up, jewellery Satvik: physical manifestation of mental and emotional states Angik: gestures of the body Nritya Nritta Natya Caste Politics The Hindu caste divide that Kathak tried to dissolve eventually took another form of dominations. The Brahmins saw this movement as a loss of their supremacy and power; hence they brought in another angle to the same. According to the Brahmins since dance was nothing but another form of worshiping god they had the supreme say in these matters. The social anthropology of Kathak dancers in history is thus highly fascinating as it got equated to the priestly caste and even the kathak gurus in the northern belt of india represented the Brahmin status.(Booth, 2005) The Brahmins not only separated this form of dance from its core purpose of binding people across various castes but also hit the gender angle by bringing in the concept of devdasi . These were women who were dedicated to dance and sing only for god. These women were neither allowed to marry, nor have have any form of physical relationships. Thus the power game was won by the Brahmins by playing their cards of caste and gender politics. Gender Politics Traditionally Kathak was meant to be a platform accessible to all. It defamiliarises the ordinary sexual and social experience of women and men as people. Indian mythology also reveals various stories exemplifying gender ambiguity, androgyny, sex transformations, male pregnancy, and erotica through some of the metaphorical discourses related to gods, goddesses, heavenly nymphs, and demons, as well as sages, ascetics and yogis. There have been innumerable examples of transcending gender in kathak. Men dressed like women and performed. The concept of gender in the Natya Veda is highly complex. It believes that gender is past our physical being, it is connected with our soul and souls aspire for the realisation moksha which can only be achieved when one can get free from the shackles of bodily existence. As per the Tantric school of thought the Supreme Being is conceptualised as one complex sex, comprises of both male and female (on the right and left side respectively). In order to attain salvation one must be able to transcend these shackles of one’s sex.(Shah, 1998) Even in the Pre-Vedic literature Shiva is known as ardhanarishwara, which means containing the polarities of both male and female force in the form of Shiva-Shakti. Dance is an important means by which cultural ideologies of gender difference are reproduced. Through movement vocabulary, costuming, body image, training, and technique, discourses of dance are often rooted in ideas of natural gender difference However as time passed Kathak also came under the purview of the political game of gender and it’s got labelled with the tag of being a dance form only for the females. Even the stories narrated through kathak like the stories of lord Krishna have got adapted. Earlier it was believed that Radha was Krihna’shladini Shakti and not different from him, hence the dance was performed in a semi-circular manner where the same dancer took the roles of both Krishna and Radha. However, now these roles are performed by different actors.(Chatterjee, 1996) CHANGING DIMENSIONS OF WOMEN The birth of Kathak took place with the Benarasgharana of kathak which was then ruled by the Rajputs. This dance form then travelled to Jaipur establishing the Jaipur gharana of kathak. Though both these forms were highly dominated by females they still had a great respect in terms of an art of telling stories of god and educating others on the powers of truth , righteousness etc. However when the Mughal’s invading our country and the marriage of JodhaBai and Akbar took place two cultured merged together. The Mughals got dancers from Persia and captured women form india and got them trained in kathak. It’s from this time onwards that Kathak got labelled as the courtesans dance what we today call as tawa’if or prostitutes.(Massey, 1999) The costumes changed and the new gharana of Kathak was born which is today the most famous one – Luckhnowgharana. The dressed changed from the ghaghra (like a long skirt) to chudidar. The dresses were tighter at the bust and presented the women as a sexually desirable object. A lot of change took place in the basic hand movements and presentation if the dance and a dance that used to tell the love story of Krishna and Radha at one time became a dance form with movements meant to entice men. In the whole power struggle and caste politics it was the women who suffered the most and were heavily exploited. DURING THE COLONIAL INDIA During the British colonial rule dance became a tool of rebellion and political resistance. It demonstrated unity and power. The dancing women’s position changed from ‘pure and pious’ to ‘fallen and sinful’ and hence either victims or perpetuators of the evil of dance. Women were encouraged to display their beauty, energy, skill, sensuality and seductiveness in dance. Thus for the fear of saving there girls from the being looked on as an object of desire dance became a tabooed activity for members of society especially the upper caste. This mindset exists even today, as we don’t see many girls from the upper class of society taking up dancing. However these mind sets are changing gradually.(Reed, 1998) GURU and SHISHYA As per Natyashashtra an acharya or teacher should have an intrinsic knowledge of vocal and instrumental music, dance, rhythm and movement. He should further have imagination, intelligence, creative faculty, memory, sharpness and capacity to shape the taught. The shishyas, or the taught, on the other hand should be intelligent, retentive, appreciative, devoted, enthusiastic and must have an innate desire to excel. This form of teaching has been continued over time however the essence of the relation has got lost with the loss of the pure and pious status of dance. CULTURAL SYMBOL Today Kathak has been attributed with various new meanings on the global platform like * Traditional heritage of India * Carrier of Indian culture * Indianness * Recounting the significant past Today kathak has become a cultural commodity that gets sold in form of a few dance shows and performances however it has lost its original purpose and ethos(Royo, 2004) KATHAK AND MOVIES Kathak has always been used as an important tool in cinema. In 1955 classic, JhanakJhanakpayalBaje by V. Shantaram the film’s hero, Ghirdar competes for artistic supremacy in Kathak dance against another dancer Ram Prasad. Ghirdar’s triumph is ensured during the last series of rhythmic systematic turns or chakkras which he performs elegantly, however his opponent is left all dizzy. Ghirdhar here is from Varanasi, the birthplace of kathak and the ultimate hindu city and his opponent is from Agra the Mughal capital which is associated with the more popular kathakgharana of lucknow. Thus kathak was used to demonstrate a state of communal tension in the country. This art form was also reduced to mockery when UstadHalimJaffar Khan, who worked on Kohinoor, and other films, with Naushad Ali (Kohinoor’s music director), explains that the singing in this scene was undertaken by Niyaz Ahmad: â€Å"Naushad spoke to him about this scene. He said, ‘Please forgive me Khan-saheb, but for this scene please sing some tans and things, but in a comic way, in a foolish way.’ And Nyaz Ahmad agreed to do that† Even in later films kathak remained as a dance of the prostitutes through movies like umraojaan. And even today when we have become more liberal in our thinking and claim to have crossed these old regressive practices the choreographers still use kathak in a ovie like devdas only for the character of chandramukhi, who plays a prostitute. Also today’s concert stage kathak is more focused of fast, complex, rhythmic footwork and tracing handwork rather than the old ethos of the dance which had its core around freedom, liberalization, unity, storytelling, love and expression of oneself.(Chakravorty, 2006) CONCLUSION A cultural dance form created to unify everybody and give everyone a freedom to expression eventually got used as a tool for playing out caste and gender politics. Whether it was the sufferings of the women or the link of the dance to the Bhakti movement, Kathak has transformed with all these interactions. The various stakeholders of the society have also used this to their convenience as and when required. Initially the Brahmin established their supremacy over this pure and pious form of expression an today they are the ones who have started the movement to label this as a fallen and sinful act. Thus we have seen the journey of nation through one form of dance and the story of Kathak through the nation. Bibliography Booth, G. (2005). Pandits in the Movies: Contesting the Identity of Hindustani Classical Music and Musicians in. Asian Music, Vol. 36, 60-86. Chakravorty, P. (2006). Dancing into Modernity: Multiple Narratives of India’s Kathak Dance. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 38, 115-136. Chatterjee, A. (1996). Training in Indian Classical Dance: A Case Study. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 13, 68-91. Coorlawala, U. A. (1992). Illustrating Kathak. Dance Chronicle, Vol. 15, 88-93. Lidke, J. S. (2006). DevÄ «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Dance: The Interweaving of Politics, Mysticism, and Culture in Kathmandu Valley. International Journal of Hindu Studies, Vol. 10, 35-57. Massey, R. (1999). India’s kathak dance, past present, future. Delhi: Abhinav Publications. Pillai, S. (2002). Rethinking Global Indian Dance through Local Eyes. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 34, 14-29. Reed, S. A. (1998). The Politics and Poetics of Dance. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol 27, 503-532. Royo, A. L. ( 2004). New Directions in Indian Dance. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 36, 135-138. Shah, P. (1998). Transcending Gender in the Performance of Kathak. Dance Research Journal, Vol. 30, 2-17. WALKER, M. (2010). Courtesans and Choreographers: The (Re)Placement of Women in the History of Kathak Dance. New Delhi: Routledge.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Spectrum Stores Inc, Plaintiffs – Appellants V. Citgo Petroleum Corporation; Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Doing Business as Saudi Aramco; Defendants – Appellees.

Case Brief – Extra Credit Citation: SPECTRUM STORES INC, Plaintiffs – Appellants v. CITGO PETROLEUM CORPORATION; SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, doing business as Saudi Aramco; Defendants – Appellees. UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT. 632 F. 3d 938 (2011) Facts: Gasoline retailers accused the OPEC member nations of fix pricing of crude oil and refined petroleum products in the US. The appellants argued that the district court mischaracterized their complaint as alleging a conspiracy among sovereign nations to fix prices via production.They argued that the consolidated complaint alleges that commercial corporations, rather than governments, have taken over the production of crude oil. Under the act of state doctrine, â€Å"the courts of one country will not sit in judgment on the acts of the government of an-other, done within its own territory. † The appellees have met their burden of demonstrating that negotiation of this suit would necessa rily call into question the acts of foreign governments with respect to exploitation of their natural resources.The court barred the claims, and had to consider foreign policy of the political branches, which was not codified in a treaty that the court was merely asked to interpret. By judging the case, the panel would need to reexamine critical foreign policy decisions Issue: Are the OPEC member nation’s oil companies committing antitrust conspiracy by price fixing of crude oil and petroleum products in the US?Decision: For the foregoing reasons, the United States court declined to sit in judgment of the acts of the foreign states that comprise OPEC and urged that the district court’s judgment of dismissal be affirmed. Reason: The antitrust conspiracy alleged by plaintiffs arises from the Sovereign Acts of Foreign States. To rule for plaintiffs on their antitrust claims would require a court to rule on the legality of the Foreign Sovereign Acts of Saudi Arabia, Venezu ela, and Russia. These cases do not trigger the territorial limitation or a possible commercial activity exception of the Act of State Doctrine.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Framing (social movements) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Framing (social movements) - Assignment Example For a Western audience this seems cruel because for it cats are animals kept as pets and not as a food source. By appealing to the viewers’ base emotions like pity and disgust, their opinion can be won over. In Figure 2 the issue of animal rights is framed in a way which is more reminiscent of typical television advertising. The woman shown is fit, blond, and beautiful. The audience sought is for the most part a male one. Instead of using pathos, this picture instead skirts the issue of animal treatment and merely displays a woman wearing a shirt stating â€Å"animals have rights.† The issue is animal rights, but the means of spreading the message is a markedly sexual one. The eyes of the man watching are attracted to the woman’s chest, as is his natural inclination. He inevitably reads the message there written and internalizes its meaning. In Figure 3 there is a picture of a pig with several puppies. In this case the method for framing the issue of animal rights is neither pity-based nor sexual. The text points to the fact that pigs are just as smart as dogs and that they â€Å"have feelings too.† Here the author of the photo wants to first connect the plight of the pig with that of the dog, an animal known as being a pet. More importantly, however, is the fact that the pig is described as having feelings and being smart. These are characteristics normally associated with humans. By imputing them to an animal, the intent is to make the viewer both sympathize and empathize with the pig. Known as anthropomorphism, this entails the assigning of human features to an animal so as to foster a sense of equality and dignity for the

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Professionalization of modern sport For Profit or Glory Essay - 1

Professionalization of modern sport For Profit or Glory - Essay Example The twenty-first century has been characterised by numerous transformations that have seen football and in particular the English Premier League being commercialised and turned into a multi-billion business investment from which the owners and investors are reaping billions of pounds in revenues (Roster and Shropshire, 2011). For this reason, the last decade saw the three top-flight league clubs Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City being auctioned and sold out to investors – a move that significantly changed the operations and impacted the management of the clubs. However, some opponents argue that the multi-billion takeovers were healthy for the clubs since the investors have vast amounts of disposable incomes to hire and attract world class players from across the globe as well as be able to maintain their huge wages. Although, this has not been the situation because many of these clubs, currently face various challenges that have become threats to their future competitiveness (Ferguson, 2013). The Manchester United faces a number of governance issues that have their roots in the 2005 take over and the recent challenges of corporate governance practices. The moment the Glazers announced their planned takeover of Manchester United, the news elicited mixed reactions from the loyal and die-hard supporters of the club. A significant number of them were opposed to the move since they wanted Manchester United to remain a community club with no designated owner because they feared a single investor would take over ownership and impose his will on the management of the organisation, which would be against their wish. For this reason, the supporters organised peaceful demonstrations that were coupled with a number of petitions to the ministry of culture to bare and nullify the deal from being procured. Unfortunately, the contract was sealed, and the Glazers obtained a seventy percent stake in

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Accounting - Essay Example From the annual report 2011 of the Toyota, it is clear that company attained $214,318 million in sales of products. The net income of the company for the financial year 2011 is $4,909 million. When the company’s net income per share is $1.57, its cash dividends per share is $0.60. In addition, Toyota’s total current assets stand at $142,270 while total current liabilities represent the figure $129,778. The annual report 2011 indicates that the company’s total assets or total liabilities are $358,607 million. Finally, the consolidated balance sheet also shows that the total shareholder’s equity of Toyota for the year 2011 is $131,329 (Toyota, 2011). While assessing the management discussion and analysis section of the annual report, it is clear that the company management greatly emphasizes on automotive operations as this segment accounts for 89% of the Toyota’s total revenues. The report specifically states that Japan and North American are the potential market segments for the company on the basis of vehicle unit sales for the fiscal year 2011. The general tone of the management’s comments indicates that the firm would have attained much more profitability if its operations had not been affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake (Toyota, 2011). The company’s vehicle unit sales declined in its major markets including Japan and North America. However, Toyota could achieve notable improvements in Asia and other market segments as compared to the previous year. This trend indicates that Asia is developing as a potential market segment for Toyota while the company is gradually losing its roots in North Ameri ca. However, the overall vehicle unit sales have been increased from 72, 37,000 in 2010 to 73, 08,000 in 2011 despite the adverse impacts of the earthquake (Toyota, 2011). In total, the fiscal 2011 was good year for the company. The discussion summary shows that the

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Cold War and the Color Line Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cold War and the Color Line - Assignment Example International situation in the late 1950s - early 1960s turned domestic discrimination into a literally vital issue that might affect the future of the whole world. World War II triggered the anti-colonial movement in Asia and Africa, and the balance of powers in the world - given approximate parity between the communist and capitalist blocks - depended upon what form of political establishment those new countries would choose. And again, in the 1950s several politicians tried to draw the attention of the federal government to the link between discriminatory domestic policies of racial segregation and failure of the American efforts to extend political influence over new Asian and African states. In 1952, Chester Bowles, U.S. Ambassador to India, pronounced a speech at Yale University in which he clearly specified the causes of repeated failures in those regions: "A year, or even a week in Asia is enough to convince any perceptive American that the colored peoples of Asia and Africa, who total two-thirds of the world's population, seldom think about the United States without considering the limitations under which our 13 million Negroes are living" (Dudziak, 2000: 77). Being put on the verge of losing its international prestige the United States was forced to take serious efforts to improve the situation. The international pressure was accompanied by constantly growing domestic tension: throughout the 1950s black population of the country expressed increasing ability to organize and oppose segregationist laws (Borstelmann, 2002). Thus, in December 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American woman refused to give up her seat in the bus to a White man in Montgomery, Alabama. The incident resulted in a one-day boycott against segregation on Public transportation and led to the emergence of the Montgomery Improvement Association headed by a young minister from Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Martin King. After a year of struggle and numerous arrests, the Supreme Court outlawed segregationist laws of Alabama: the name of Martin Luther King became known all over the world. Leaders of the emerging African American civil rights movement met at the beginning of 1957 and established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This organization led by King played a critically important role in the development of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The black suffrage movement spread across the South where African Americans were in the majority but deprived of major political rights. Despite strong resistance of the white politicians, the Congress responded to the suffrage movement by passing the Civil Rights Act in 1957. The Act made it a federal crime to interfere with a citizen's right to vote or be elected and established the Civil Rights Commission to investigate violations of the law. Another Act passed in 1960 banned interfering with citizen's right to vote (Nowak and Rotunda, 1995). Gradually, black civil rights movement grew more organized and the civil rights struggle made a significant turn: while in the 1950s civil rights actions, such as Montgomery boycott, were spontaneous, the 1960s saw a series of well-organized actions.  

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The Right Stuff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Right Stuff - Essay Example he story as seen through the eyes of the astronauts and in doing so eloquently illustrates the wide range of emotions and qualities it takes to attain the Right Stuff. By exposing the reader to the world of the astronauts, their families, the danger they faced, and their almost unlimited quiet bravado Wolfe is able to describe and define what is meant by the Right Stuff. The astronauts of the 1960s and 1970s where a study in contrast as Wolfe so aptly portrays them in his book. They were the highest public personas in America during that time. They were sought after and idolized. They were admired for their bravery and respected for their courage. Yet, they were family men with a healthy respect for religion and the values of America. The Right Stuff has often been seen as the ability to look death in the face and not blink, but it was more the ability to keep their head when the world around them had gone insane. The Right Stuff was a brotherhood of men that understood their place in history before the history was written and humbly accepted their place in it. When integrated, these characteristics became what Wolfe referred to as the Right Stuff. The Right Stuff was not the bravado and over-confidence of men doing feats of skill and daring that was right out of science fiction. The Right Stuff was the ability to remain human in the face of these s uperhuman events. Wolfe gives the reader an indication of what the Right Stuff is early in the book. Wolfe writes, "...herein the world was divided into those that had it and those that did not. This quality, this it, was never named, however, nor was it talked about in any way" (24). The Right Stuff was a special personality trait that could not be easily described. Those that had it knew it, and those that did not also knew it. They knew who belonged to each club. It could be readily recognized and noted, but definition was more elusive. The quality is known to exist, but less is known about its substance. The

Saturday, August 24, 2019

What is family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is family - Essay Example With a stable relationship within the family setting, a healthy generation is created to develop the aspect in future generation. The family is formed based on the family values that accord roles to the members within the family. Each of the members is given defined roles to lead to a healthy relationship within the family. When the roles are completed and duties assigned according to the desired provisions, the members are accorded the opportunity to develop positive virtues towards future developments. The younger members of the family are accorded the opportunity to present similar fete to their own creations within the future generation. The stronger members of the family are accorded tougher roles as compared to the other members who are considered vulnerable to harsh environmental presentation. Pauline Erera in her writings explains these relationships in her book Family diversity to accord the family structure and the definition of the entity based on the contemporary values. Erera explains that the family setting and definition has changed in the modern society due to the changed roles of the members. The other aspect that has contributed to the change has been in the varied diversity evident within the setting. She lists that the families that have been developed have observed the role of protection of the members. The article lists the varied family types that have been created from lesbian families to single parent families (Erera 133). However, the article is based on the argument that the family should be based on the traditional values that had been noted to promote peaceful correlation and discipline. Through supportive evidence of the family values and the explanation of the changes in the family structure since the 1970s, Erera supports her claim of the growth within the family value. She explains that families with married couples had been diminishing from the 1970s due to the challenges of the society (Erera 118). The

Friday, August 23, 2019

John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism - Essay Example Mills view on this statement is on the quality of happiness that matters and not the quantity of pleasure. He is also of the view that one pleasure may be more valuable than another. If there is an instant where all that have exposure of both pleasures give a decided preference despite any act of moral obligation to choose it, mills sees it as the more desirable pleasure. It is evident that if one pleasure is far above the other that it is preferred even when it is not satisfying there is another pleasure in the environment is capable to fill the discontent. Mills also view that no human being can be contented to be transformed into any of the lower creature for the benefit of full interest of a beast’s pleasure. It is apparent that a man cannot wish to sink into a lower level of life. This may be associated with the love of liberty and independence (Mill, 2002). I agree with Mill in his statement that it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied. The observation that even a noble character can bring less happiness to an individual as for the society it is beneficial. It is apparent that the outstanding happiness principle assures the total amount of happiness as the noble character even when it is not desirable to an individual. I agree also with Mills that no person in his conscience mind would be selfish even when he is persuaded that the fool is satisfied with his interest than he is with his. Another reason I agree with Mills is that a being of higher dignity is entitled to more to be happy. A human being is capable of more specific suffering and certainly has access to more opportunities than creature of an inferior type (Mill, 2002). In the instance one try to know what satisfies a pig, one can find out is that it is food. It is evident due to its greedy nature a pig tends to eat a lot. As for human beings satisfaction is not only brought by food as surrounding oneself with

A Memorable Event And Learnt Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Memorable Event And Learnt Lesson - Essay Example I remember vividly on that cold chilly morning on my way to take a bus to school, when I encountered a situation that has since taught me courage. This is the day I met with my worst fears face to face, but because of courage, I overcame my worst fear in life. My heart was pounding against my chest as I dropped the bag in my hand, which had my books, and raised both my arms. Deep inside, I was afraid, but with a little courage, I charged at my fears. Pit bulls! I was yelling at two pit bulls, which were charging a small boy that was ahead of me on the same lane. The small boy had run and was now helpless. He lay down in anguish, waiting to be mauled by the two animals. However, since I was behind the small boy and saw his helplessness, I did not want to experience the sight of a small helpless boy being mauled mercilessly right in front of me by two pit bulls.I continued to yell frantically at the pit bulls and ran toward the small boy. Even though I ran toward the boy, I had no idea of how I was going to save him. With my bag on the road and books scattered, I ran after the pit bulls toward direction of the boy, while continuing to yell at the pit bulls. Surprisingly, the pit bulls were distracted by my yelling, stopped running after the small boy, and drifted their attention to me. This was the defining moment. I would choose to either run away or face the pit bulls to allow the small boy to escape. I shouted at the small boy to rise up and run as far as he could. When I saw the small boy running away and the pit bulls coming after me, I felt a sense of relief, even though I was supposed to be afraid that the pit bulls would maul me. I tried running away and waving at a passing car to save me, but alas, the pit bulls were right there by my side. One pit bull jumped on me, while the other started to bite my legs. I closed my eyes and screamt in pain and anguish. Luckily, a car pulled over. I was highly relieved to learn that it was the owner of the dogs, as the dogs immediately rushed to the car when the person inside it stepped out. The owner, who was searching for his pit bulls was highly apologetic and helped me with first aid on the bites before driving me to the hospital. Although the pain on my body from the claws and bites of the pit bulls was excruciating, I afforded to smile when I remembered that I did it for a small helpless boy. After leaving the hospital on the same day, I went home and received a hero’

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Constitution Cafe Essay Example for Free

Constitution Cafe Essay The Constitution Cafe written by Christopher Phillips is mainly about the viewpoints of students around the country and what could be different about the Constitution. While the majority of the students from the meetings feel like there should be a few things added to the articles of the Constitution, because things are different today than when it was first written in 1787. The book informs the readers on the basics of our rights and understanding more about the Constitution itself. There are many issues discussed such as immigration, justice for all, rights, money matters but I’ll only be going over a few of these issues. One argument Phillips discusses is the number of refugees who immigrate to the United States. There are a few students in the meeting that admit to be refugees, and are trying to support their families who are back in Mexico. They argue how it’s not right for Mexico president and leaders who are able to fly over into other countries in their private jets, but immigrants like Ricardo would end up getting killed for trying to find work in the U.  S. â€Å"We never had rights in Mexico, though our homeland’s constitution says we all have equal rights,† says Oscar (p. 112). Although they don’t have any rights in the U. S. , they still find a way to work harder than most citizens and will do anything to provide the best life for their families. I strongly agree with the Constitution Cafe Article the students wrote in which they want the Constitution to change, because most refugees who come to the U. S. want to have rights and live life without worrying about getting deported back to Mexico. Many Americans say immigrants shouldn’t be allowed if they weren’t born in the U. S. and call them names such as ‘wetbacks’ but some take that as a compliment since their backs are wet, because they work the hardest. Another argument the author addresses is with a few junior high school students who agree that every U. S. citizen when they turn the age eighteen should receive an equal lump sum payment of at least $50,000. 00. The students say you should only be able to keep the money if you’re doing good and spending it on well needed things. Sure, a few people will take advantage of their big payday and do nothing good with their lives if they don’t have to. But I’m betting most will make the most of this opportunity† (p87). We all know once you turn eighteen then you could be on your own and spend the money on unnecessary things. This is why I don’t agree with the students, and some points I can relate to like for instance some parents aren’t able to provide much so the money could help the family. I also see it as the population would sky rocket because everyone would have kids for the money once they turn eighteen. Life isn’t that easy just to have a huge payment waiting for you. It’s not fair to the ones who are over the age of eighteen and had to work hard for all that they have and didn’t just have $50,000 handed to them. A question I have for the students would be, â€Å"where the money would be coming from? † This is a very good argument, because any parent wants a good future for their child and especially if the money goes to college tuitions. Finally, the last argument that caught my attention is scout’s honor that the president should have to live by before becoming president of the U.  S. They argue about how easy it is to be president when all they ask for is you have to be thirty five years old and have resided in the U. S. at least fourteen years. A group of boy scouts say the president didn’t have to be a boy scout when he was younger but should promise to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Our next president could have been in a gang or committed some type of crime and they would still win the president election. The citizens want someone who will be role model to all ages and prove by his/her actions, not just words. â€Å"This article may be about the ideal qualities we want in a president, but most of all, if you read between the lines, it’s really about the ideal qualities we want in ourselves† (p105). Arturo statement is true because we all want to be perfect but we all mistakes and so will the president, but at least there’s one person who will have all the qualities that we need to run the U. S.  This one argument I strongly agree with from the beginning all the way to the end with the written Constitution Cafe Article. A president should give their full duty to our country and of course believe in God. Christopher Phillips message would have to be getting his readers to understand what our Constitution is all about and there could be changes to it every day in life by anyone but it has to get approved of course. Thomas Jefferson believed that Americans should rewrite the Constitution every twenty years to meet our current needs in the generation we live in today. This is why Phillips has traveled the country asking Americans if and how they would rewrite our Constitution if given the chance. His main goal is to make the U. S. a better place and keep us all updated with the Constitution itself and hope from reading the book that we all learned something new about all the different arguments. From reading Constitution Cafe, I’ve learned so much more about the Constitution and the changes that have been made over years. I can definitely say now I know a lot about Thomas Jefferson than I did before, and all that he has done for the U.  S. From the many arguments in the book, I talked about a few and summarized what it was about. We should understand the basics of our rights, and if there’s something we want to make a change to in the Constitution we need to get together and write an article. All of the U. S. citizens will have different opinions on immigrants, rights, president qualities, money matters, and many more topics that relate to the Constitution. I can’t wait to read the part two of Constitution Cafe in the next twenty years, and to see what will change for the future generations.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Case Study In Chinese Independent Secondary Schools Education Essay

A Case Study In Chinese Independent Secondary Schools Education Essay This study is to examine the role of leadership in teacher professional development in Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley. The specific variables that will be investigated include teachers perceptions of teacher professional development; teachers expectations as well as the principals role in facilitating teacher professional development. Developments in leadership will lead to changes in the ways teachers work. These will subsequently increase the need to review teacher professional development. The purpose of this research is to establish how the dual of the principal and the teachers manifests itself in professional development. This research will be significant as it will examine the voices of teachers on how leadership contributes to teacher professional development. The research will be conducted using qualitative methodology. It will be based on a case study of two Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley. Data will be collected using questionna ires and follow up interviews which will be administered to elicit responses from principals, deputy principals and teachers in both schools. The findings will reveal the need for teachers in Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley to engage more in teacher professional development programmes in order for them to have a better understanding of the concept. This study will also demonstrate if teacher professional development should be the core work of both the principals and teachers in order to create a learning environment in their schools so that both can develop professionally. Based on the results obtained in this study, we will determine if Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley need more awareness in teacher professional development and how it will influence the leadership. Keywords: Leadership, Principals, Teachers, Teacher Professional Development, Teaching and Learning 1.0 INTRODUCTION Having been a teacher for ten years and now majoring in educational management, I am very much interested in finding out the effects of school leadership on the professional development of the teachers in the Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Selangor. Chinese Secondary Independent Schools are solely governed by The United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM) which coordinates the curriculum used in the schools and organizes the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) standardized test. Generally teachers are not employed through the professional teachers training colleges in Malaysia rather they are appointed through individual school administration which is governed by the directors (share holders) of the school as they are not governed by any central system therefore school management is based on the individual school superiors. As a teacher from a Chinese Independent Secondary School, I had been involved in various professional development programmes in school. These programmes were mostly conducted during school hours and often during the school holidays. Thus it is my interest to find out how the school leadership contributes in molding and producing teachers who are as competent as the trained teachers by the Teachers Training Colleges under the Malaysia Education System. This is because this will determine whether the Chinese Secondary Independent Schools are producing individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God, in line with the goals of the Malaysian National Philosophy of Education. Basically every organization needs routines to function in a good way. In organizations like higher secondary schools, the routines involve being continuously observant about the force of leadership and teaching on students involvement academically. To implement this observation, they also know how to judge students, and the efficiency of all professional activities. Therefore teachers and students solely rely on non-governmental organization to provide relevant professional training and development for further enhancement of teaching outcome. This proposed study will be able to shed some light on various strategies deployed by the school administration in enhancing professional development among teachers of Chinese Secondary Independent Schools in order to stimulate the pupils potentials holistically in accordance with the Education Philosophy. As a school administrator, I strongly believe it is the job and the responsibility of the head teacher to see that the pupils achieve success besides possessing the following qualities : knowledgeable, competent, possess high moral standards and are responsible and capable of achieving a high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. (Malaysian National Philosophy of Education, 1996). This research takes the form of a qualitative study that employs three research instruments: document analysis, questionnaires that are filled in by all the teachers and five semi-structured interview sessions. Therefore, I would very much like to gain an insight into the ways in which the school leadership behaviour and practices affect the teachers overall achievement in professional development in line with the students overall achievement in schools. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY Teachers are a vital labor force according to the Malaysian educational aims in enhancing the education quality and developing manpower of the nation. The importance for professional development for teachers in Malaysia was realized since 1995 by a special committee established by the Education Ministry to look into teachers professionalization, professionalism and professional development. Teachers professional development was one of the most important factor to enhance the teaching profession. Below are a few suggestions highlighted by the MOE on how teacher professional development be conducted: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teachers should be encouraged to attend in-service courses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teachers should be encouraged to further their education à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Opportunities should be given to teachers for study visits overseas to study current developments in education à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Induction programmes be given to teachers appointed to new posts and with new responsibilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Staff rooms should be subject-based à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teacher centres should facilitate the professional development of teachers; they should be built in strategic locations, equipped with modern technology, fully funded and adequately staffed (as cited in Mohd Sofi Ali, 2002, p. 45). Based on the above needs and requirements the government has made efforts to establish training centres for its teachers. The teacher education division which comes under the MOE and MOHE initiates both the pre-service and in-service training for the primary and secondary school teachers. Chinese independent secondary school is a type of private high school in Malaysia. They provide secondary education in the Chinese language as the continuation of the primary education in Chinese national-type primary schools. The medium of instruction in these schools is Mandarin with simplified Chinese characters writing. There are a total of 60 Chinese independent high schools in the country, including 23 from East Malaysia, and they represent a small number of the high schools in Malaysia. The United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM, the association of Chinese school teachers and trustees, also known as the Dong Jiao Zong, coordinates the curriculum used in the schools and organizes the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) standardized test. Despite this, the schools are independent of each other and are free to manage their own affairs. The teaching workforce for Chinese Independent Secondary Schools is generally made up of three categories: Diploma , Degree and Master Degree holders. There are also a category of teachers who completed seven years of secondary education and are employed as teachers after undergoing a non-residential short course. This was initially done in the initial stages as to produce as many teachers in the shortest time possible so as to cater for the demands of teachers in Chinese Independent Secondary Schools for a simple reason that they are not under the MOE and as an independent organization teachers are to be sourced out on their own. Being private schools, Chinese independent high schools do not receive funding from the Malaysian government, unlike their national-type cousins. However, in accordance with their aim of providing affordable education to all in the Chinese language, their school fees are substantially lower than those of most other private schools. The schools are kept alive almost exclusively by donations from the public. 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY Basically the proposed study is to look at the leadership focus in the circumstance of the case study of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Selangor. The following are the key aims of this research; What are the leadership styles practiced by school heads in the school vicinity, what is the professional development activities conducted in schools, how does school head and teachers perceived professional development? Professional development is believed to perk up the excellence of teaching and the quality performance of learners. Knapp (2003:109) believes that every initiative that is geared towards improving teaching and learning in schools should consolidate its efforts chiefly towards high quality teacher professional development and this is perceived as one of the roles attached to principalship. This provides a basis upon which teachers can improve their instructional competence and pedagogic skills. Another objective for this study is to examine how have the leadership styles affected the professional development in schools? 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT The role of the principal in supporting professional development activities of teachers appears to be crucial to the success of the professional growth of teachers (Berube, Gaston, Stepans, 2004 citing Stepans, 2001). Therefore it is strongly reckoned that a strong school leadership will enhance teacher professional development in a more effective manner. Berube et al (2004) state that, In addition to performing these organisational and managerial tasks, contemporary principals are expected to be leaders, setting directions for the teaching and learning of students. They also are expected to coach, teach, and develop teachers in their schools, and perform their tasks as instructional leaders. Generally it depends on the leadership of the school on the various method they would choose to enforce professionalism among teachers in their respective schools. At the moment the most popular forms of teacher professional development in most Chinese Independent Secondary Schools are workshops and seminars held both within the schools and at the Dong Zhong headquarters. This study hopes to intensify the understanding of the potential role of principals in teacher development. Currently there is insufficient support for teacher professional development which could affect the quality of education that students receive and ultimately impact on their likelihood to pass their final high school external examination and transition into higher education among students of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To investigate the leadership styles practiced by school heads. To explore the professional development activities being conducted in schools. To examine the factors that influence school head and teachers perception in professional development To determine the impact of leadership styles on professional development in schools. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION The proposed research questions for this study seek to answer these questions; 1. What are the leadership styles practiced by school heads? 2. What is the professional development activities conducted in schools? 3. How does school head and teachers perceived professional development? 4. How has the leadership styles affected the professional development in schools? 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY Generally on the contrary not many studies have examined principals role and practices in relation to teacher professional development. However, there is a need to develop a better understanding of what principals do and how they facilitate teacher development in order to be able to shape a positive school climate that supports teacher learning (Drago- Severson, 2004). Drago-Severson put forth a learning oriented model of school leadership that includes teaming, engaging in collegial inquiry and mentoring targeted at attaining that relationship to foster educational growth more effectively. The teachers perceptions of the way the school leader functions appears to be an important parameter for the appreciation of the contribution of the school to the process of professional development (Clement et al., 2000, p.7). This study aims to investigate whether teacher professional development is perceived as central to student achievement by school leadership (principals) at Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Selangor. Basically there are four Chinese Independent School distinctively located in Selangor where each school consists of almost two thousand students along with 130 staff member. It also aims specifically to examine the role that principals play to encourage teacher professional development in their schools. Professional support. Activities within the professional training category include; short conferences, courses, workshops both in the schools and outside the schools, for which emphasis is put on enhancing the knowledge and skills of participants and formal certification is not provided. As Bolam further points out, professional education in contrast leads to formal qualifications and relevant certificates. Professional support according to Earley Bubb (2004) involves on-the-job s upport that is primarily intended to improve teachersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ experience and performance. Activities in this category may include coaching, mentoring, and induction. The results of this research will contribute to those studies, which have been carried out, in the quest for broadening and understanding the roles of school leaders with regard to professional development of teachers. The study could also assist the Board of United Chinese Secondary School Association policy makers to assess the contents of the courses necessary for prospective and incumbent school heads and teachers of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools, to ensure that they are equipped with relevant skills required to run schools in a way that would enhance the achievement of Vision and Mission alongside with goals of Ministry of Education in Malaysia. CHAPTER 2 2.0 LITERATURE FRAMEWORK 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter looks at the meaning of school leadership and teachers professional development and discusses its significance to the teaching profession and the notion of teacher professionalism. Several themes that emerged from the literature base reviewed such as the changing paradigm of leadership styles, professional development, the impact of professional development on teachers and school heads, core features of effective professional development, changing leadership practices and teachers professional development impact in school are also discussed. Figure 1 : Leadership Styles Hopkins (2001b) highlights the centrality of transformational and instructional leadership practices in achieving school improvement in schools facing challenging circumstances. Existing literature also indicates that the most popular theories are located in the transactional and transformational models identified more than 20 years ago (Burns, 1978; Hoy and Miskell, 2008) and lately reinvented through such terms as liberation (Tampoe, 1998), educative (Duignan and McPherson, 1992), invitational (Stoll and Fink, 1996) and moral leadership (Sergiovanni, 1992). Apparently a leader holds full responsibility in creating a conducive school community. He or she needs to diversify the leadership roles so that change can be accepted by subordinates. All teacher working under a leader should be anchored towards the same mission and vission in order to achieve success in the aims and goals of the organization(Farrell, 2003). According to Portin (2003) below are the seven key leadership functions that must exist in all schools regardless of type and size: 1. Instructional: assuring quality of instruction and supervising curriculum 2. Cultural: dealing with history and traditions 3. Managerial: focusing on school operations 4. Human Resource: recruiting, hiring, firing, and mentoring teachers and staff 5. Strategic: promoting the vision, mission, and goals of the school 6. External Development: representing the school in the community 7. Micropolitical: mediating and dealing with internal interests 2.1.1 Leadership Styles Fullan (2000, 2001) presages school leaders that there is no mystic solution to making schools effective. More exactly, leaders should make an attempt to learn moral leadership practices to help assure that whatever changes and change process they see to adopt are as successful as possible. Therefore leadership styles practiced by school heads are the foremost contributing factor to the running of the school organization which subsequently promotes the professional development of its staff. Basically leadership styles practiced are known as below: Figure 2 : Types of Leadership 2.2 TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2.2.1 Definitions Definitions on Teacher Professional Development vary according to educational backgrounds and situations. In education systems where teacher education programs are well recognized, Teacher Professional Development is defined as a process taking up all activities that increase professional career development (Rogan Grayson 2004; Tecle 2006) or as formal and informal experiences throughout the teachers career (Hargreaves Fullan 1992; Arends et al. 1998). Furthermore teachers will be able to go beyond their primary training as they fulfill a number of objectives as below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to update individuals knowledge of a subject in light of recent advances in the area; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to update individuals skills, attitudes and approaches in light of the development of new teaching techniques and objectives, new circumstances and new educational research à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to enable schools to develop and apply new strategies concerning the curriculum and other aspects of teaching practice; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to exchange information and expertise among teachers and others, e.g. academics, industrialists; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ to help weaker teachers become more effective. 2.2.2 Importance of Teacher Professional Development In line with changes and challenges faced by the teaching profession various methods, techniques and information are updated regularly and to upkeep with this pace education alone is insufficient for teachers. Professional development is part of life-long learning and educating oneself. Professional development allows an educator to reflect and on decision making and trouble shoot challenging roles in being an educator. Hence due to the importance of teacher professional development the Ministry of Education in Malaysia has set up Teacher Education Division (TED), Aminuddin Baki Institute (IAB),The School Inspectorate and Quality Assurance Division and the Malaysian Institute of Teacher Education to plan, manage and implement teacher professional development activities in all states in order to uphold to the mission and vision in providing quality education to all. The teacher is the heart of classroom instruction (Fullan 2000;Hargreaves 2001). The effectiveness of the teacher depends on her competence (academically and pedagogically) and efficiency, (ability, work load, and commitment), teaching and learning resources and methods; support from education managers and supervisors (Rogan 2004; Van den Akker Thijs 2002; Mosha 2004). Through Professional development an educator or teacher is able to practice effective management in the classroom , it allows a path where a teacher learns to cope with difficulty faced in the classroom. These experiences provide a learning platform for teacher where they are able to improve their personal skills in handling challenges in the classroom in particular and school generally. 2.2.3 Forms of Teacher Professional Development Teachers are the heart and soul of learning; they are in fact lifelong learners. Constant reinvention and revolutionary in the education field makes teachers to stay in par through whatever circumstances in professional development. To date there are various ways and strategies implemented to enhance teachers mode of learning and sharing on the whole whether its a private or government school. Guskey (2000a, p. 22-29) reviewed seven core professional development practices and identified advantages and shortcomings for each. An abbreviated version is provided below. Method Advantage Shortcoming Training presentation, workshop, demonstration, simulation, discussions, seminars, colloquia, etc. efficient for sharing info with large groups shared knowledge base and vocabulary little individualization or choice often need feedback and coaching to supplement Observation/Assessment observation and receiving feedback e.g. peer coaching and supervision positive impact on observer and observed through discussion and feedback lessens isolation takes time, trust, and must separate observation and evaluation need to be focused and well- planned Improvement Processes curriculum/program design development or review, to implement new instructional strategies or to solve problems enhances knowledge and also collaborative capacity generally are invested in it due to local context and/or authentic problems may only involve small group may tend toward tradition and not innovation need access to research to guide decisions/actions Study Groups study regarding common issue or concern may have several groups studying different aspects of issue lessens isolation and bring focus and coherence to learning also focuses on ongoing learning individual involvement may vary or be discouraged by dominant members may become opinion-focused instead of research focused Inquiry/Action Research 5 step AR process of selecting a problem and determining an action to take tends to build knowledge and increase skills of problem solving, empowers teachers in their practice and learning takes significant individual effort, initiative and time Individually Directed Activities identify individual needs create personal plan -assess success of plan flexible, choice, individualization, geared to personal reflection and analysis may be reinventing the wheel or repetitive work if no collegial sharing is built in less likely to be connected to SIP and other areas of PD Mentoring regular meetings of more and less experienced pairs about practice and improvement both individuals learn as mentors become more meta cognitive and also develop adult communication skills time and resources, also connecting to other learners or school plans and initiatives Table 1: Professional Development Practices 2.3 IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT According to Dr. Helen Timperley (aitsl,oct 2011) , there are a number of principles identified on how professional development inpacts teachers and principal on the whole. A few of the principles are as discussed below:- 2.3.1 Professional learning is core school business First-class learning, teaching and schooling need professionals who involve methodically in increasing their knowledge and skills as part of their everyday duties. This claim is strongly accepted by the analytical research done by Robinson et al. (2008) in which they found that the leadership activity greatly influence student outcomes was leaders promotion of, and participation in, teachers professional learning and development. Kaser and Halbert (2009) explains that these occasions shall not occur regularly but refer to this principle as developing a learning-oriented design in schools that reflects the complexity required to create appropriate conditions, structures and rhythms for professional learning. 2.3.2 Improving outcomes for students forms the reason to engage in professional learning opportunities and the basis for evaluating its effectiveness Engaging in professional development allows knowledge to be deepen and skills in teaching and learning dignifies. Scholars substantially give importance to the impact of their practice on students. Experts always improvise the routine practices for students in order to create active knowledge seeking. Improving these outcomes becomes the reason to engage in professional learning, the reason to deepen knowledge and refine skills, and the basis for deciding if it is effective. Adaptive experts are constantly focused on the impact of their practice on students, and when their routines of practice are not working for students, they seek new knowledge and skills. Similarly, those leading organisations with high adaptive capacity seek these opportunities at the level of the whole school as an organisation. 2.3.3 Professional learning opportunities build deep pedagogical content and assessment knowledge focused on what is needed to improve outcomes for students Leaders and teachers must restore information at all time throughout their school day. Having this knowledge organised into conceptual frameworks means that it is known both in a practical sense and theoretically. If understandings are introduced in theory only, then problems arise when teachers try to put them into practice in their own teaching and learning contexts (Kennedy, 2004). On the other hand, leaders and teachers need to know why the understandings and practices promoted through professional learning opportunities are more effective than what they did before so that they can tailor new practices to meet the demands of particular situations. Knowing something theoretically also counterbalances the situated nature of learning referred to in the first principle, in that conceptual or theoretical knowledge allows for transfer to other situations with other students or in other curriculum areas. 2.3.4 Professional learning environments are consistent with how people learn All stage of learners are adults or young people, transform new information through the lens of prior understandings (Bransford et al., 2000; Dumont et al., 2010). These prior understandings are, in turn, structured and interpreted through existing mental models. In professional learning situations, if prior knowledge and existing mental models are not engaged, those involved may fail to grasp new concepts because they believe that existing practice is more similar to new ideas than it really is. 2.4 EFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Leadership achievement always begins with vision.  A intensed vision has that power. It encourages, explains and centres the task of individualsand preferably entire organizationsfor a long period of time. Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee (2002) believes that emotionally intelligent leaders and emotionally intelligent organizations are vital in challenging times. They distinguis 18 aptitudes around four areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Leaders of such potential are clearly aware of their own emotional makeup, are sensitive and empowering to others, and are able to cope with day-to-day problems as they work on more essential changes in the culture of the organization. (From Fullan, 2001) Figure: 3 Framework for Leadership Concurrently effective leaders need to stay tunes to the big picture, and much more modernized at conceptual thinking, and transforming the organization through people and teams. It was my conclusion when I examined successful leadership for businesses and in school systems (Fullan, 2001). Besides this another element pertaining to successful change is that relationships improve. When relationships improve, things get better. If they remain the same or get worse, ground is lost. Therefore leaders must be consummate relationship builders with diverse people and groups especially with people different than themselves. This is why emotional intelligence is equal to or more important than having the best ideas. In complex times, emotional intelligence is a must. Hence , schools cannot be improved without improving the skills and abilities of the teachers and principals who work in them (Darling-Hammond, 2008, 2009a; Lieberman Darling-Hammond, 2011). Teachers are the ones who ultimately will implement change. Therefore, professional development processes must address their needs and concerns (Darling-Hammond, 2010a, 2010b) 2.5 THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The theoretical framework of this proposed study is mainly based on the work of eminent educational leadership scholars, specifically Fullan ( 2000,) Hargreaves (2001) Rogan Grayson (2004) and Bransford et al.(2000), Dumont et al.,( 2010), Darling-Hammond, 2011 and Dr. Helen Timperly (2010) relating to professional development and school leadership. The underlying theories state that professional development is important for the preparation and continuous development of teachers and school administrators. Darling-Hammond (2009a) suggested that professional development should provide opportunities for teachers to reflect critically on their practice and to fashion new knowledge and beliefs about content, pedagogy, and learners. Fullan and Hargreaves (2001) leaders of tomorrow should move steadfast in transforming themselves as well as the people around them to achieve stated results. 2.5.1 Theories of leadership Through ages, multiple theories and literature have been created by many scholars with different point of view. Generally all the theories can be categorized

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Coca-Cola Management Assignment

Coca-Cola Management Assignment Coca-Cola Management Executive Summary Coca-Cola is one of the leading manufacturers of carbonated drinks all over the world. Over the past decades, Coca-Cola remained on top of the industry. The company was able to withstand the World War II, and even took it as a business opportunity rather than a liability. It was able to surpass the Asian Financial Crisis and even gained better access in markets that it was not able to fully enter. Coca-Cola exhibited the efficient change management as part of the strategic management process. Change management is the process in which it manages the change in the side of people. There individual change management and organisational change management are the theories of change management. Aside form the theories there are also four strategies of change management which are the Empirical-rational, normative-reeducative, power-coercive and environmental-adaptive. This paper examines the various changes that occurred in Coca-cola. Moreover, this paper also discusses the management styles that managers of Coca-cola have adopted. The paper talks about management strategies and analysis will be given on Coca-cola. In addition, there is also a discussion on theories of change and change management. Introduction Over the past years people, systems and the environment have evolved. Change is the only thing that is constant in this ever changing world. From the physical attributes of individuals, up to the environment, change is very evident. Just like the environment and people, businesses also undergoes changes, it can be either massive or minimal. Often times, changes occur in the management of the corporation, in order to keep up with the competition. According to MacCalman and Paton (2000) the people who went home winners and on top have the common characteristics of effectively handling the changes in the situation. Changes in management is a process that any organisation must undergo, a business will not be complete if it never experienced change. Prior to discussing change management, the word change must be first defined. According to Davidson (2001) â€Å"change is the significant difference in what was before.† In business it means accomplishing tasks in a new format, following new directions, acquiring new technologies, new management procedures, acquisitions and merging and other important events in corporations. Moreover, Davidson described the characteristics of change. According to him change is significant, prolonged and disruptive and change is a continuous process of alignment. Davidson (2001) argued that change is significant, prolonged and disruptive. In this attribute, change in an organisation includes venturing into new areas of business, such as entering new products in the new market, facing an unexpected event such as economic crisis and redirection of the company. According to Kudray and Kleiner (as cited by Davidson), an aligned organisation must have a continuous synchronisation of the important management levers such as strategy, operation, culture and reward. Kudray and Kleiner discussed that in these management levers, the managers, chief executive officers and supervisors are responsible for manipulating and rearranging both the human and non-human elements. In addition, MaCalman and Paton discussed that change is an important aspect in the business world especially in technology and innovation, from simple technologies and procedures up to more complex operating environments, nowadays technologies and products are coming together to achieve a common conclusion or objective. Organisations that resist changes will inevitably face wider exposure to risks and losses. There are a number of situations in which change is necessary within the organisation such as technological advancement that is being utilised by different companies in order to cope up with the competition. Aside from what was mentioned earlier, there are still many issues and concerns that are necessary for change in the organisation, however the most substantial thing is that organisations acknowledge that changes happen constantly for different reasons and the management must address these changes as soon as possible to prevent great losses. In relation to the discussion of management issues, this paper will be discussing the business strategies of Coca-Cola Company in accordance to change process. Change Management Theories Nickols (2006) has four basic definitions of change management, according to him it is a task of managing changes, a field of professional practice, a body of knowledge and information and a control mechanism. Task of Managing Change- Nickols (2006) defined managing changes as â€Å"the devising of transformation in a planned and systematic fashion.† He stated that the main objective of managing change is to efficiently implement new techniques and methods within the organisation, moreover the changes to be handled depends upon the control of the organisation. Area of Professional Practice- in what way professional practice came into managing changes? Are there any relations between the two? Years ago, managing changes in a corporation is done by the management, supervisors, and CEO of the company, but nowadays with the constant change in the concepts of business and evolution of new theories a number of people have developed firms that particularly addresses the issues regarding managing changes. According to Nickols (2006), there are a number of individuals and consulting firms that declare they engaged in activities that involves planned change and that the firm exercises change management practices. A Body of Knowledge- The body of knowledge in change management according to Nickols (2006) includes the following, models, methods and techniques, tools and various forms of knowledge that constructs the change management practice. Moreover, Nickols discussed that the content of change management is influence by sociology, psychology, business administration, industrial engineering, economics, systems engineering and human and organisational behaviour. Control Mechanism- over the past years groups and individuals handling the information systems of organisation have tried to control and direct changes to the applications and systems of the company, however, in recent years people working in this particular area have referred this mechanism of control as â€Å"Change management.† Perception regarding change management has evolved over the past years. Change management is utilised in new procedure, structures, and technologies in order to overpower the resistance to change, however as studies and ideas regarding change management evolved over the past years, the view on change management switched from a tool in overcoming resistance to developing strength and involvement in transformation. Due to this change management is now regarded as leadership ability than a responsive instrument in handling resistance. Coca-Cola Corporation Management Strategies Coca-Cola was established on May 8, 1886 by Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia. It was first sold in Jacob’s pharmacy for five cents per glass. Initially Coca-cola was sold as a drug, Pemberton during that time considers Coca-cola as a cure for diseases such as dyspepsia, morphine addiction, headache and impotence (North America Operating System, 2008). In the year 1985, due to the aggressive campaign of its rival Pepsi, the Coca-Cola Company reformulated the popular carbonated drinks to suit the preference of the consumers which is sweeter soda. However, the New Coke became a commercial failure which leads to the adverse reaction of the public. Protests from different sectors of the society emerged. Due to these events the company return the original formula and named it Coca-Cola Classic. Despite returning the original formula, the company still received accusations from different groups. In the year 2005 the company launched and announced their upcoming products which are the Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero (The Coca-Cola company case n.d.). Coca-cola Company is clearly one of the most popular companies in the world. Aside from the fact that it is also one of the oldest corporations that was able to withstand World War II and other changes in the economy over the past years. The fact still remains that it is one of the most famous brands of Cola in the world (The Coca-Cola company case n.d.). The Coca-Cola Company was able to resist the hindrances that occurred; the company was able to utilised change management as efficiently as possible to withstand the obstacles. As mentioned earlier, changes in management is caused by three different factors which are the external environment, internal changes and the proactive reaction to possible threats and difficulties. External Environment Evaluation- over the past decades, the Coca-Cola Company has faced a number of changes in the external environment that have transformed the management of the company. One of the best examples is during the World War II. The company was able to maintain the status of the company, at the same time, was able to enter new markets despite the environment. Instead of lying-low because of the war, the company became more aggressive through providing free drinks for the GIs during the World War II. Through this the corporation was able to hit two birds at one stone. First, because the carbonated drinks sent by the company, it became a patriotic symbol by the United States soldiers in which led to consumer loyalty. Second, the company was able to take advantage of the situation and established the product in newly-occupied countries by the Ally forces and because of that the company established plants in various locations worldwide paving the way for its post-war expansi on. Another aspect in the external environment is the change of taste and expectations of the consumers. During the mid-1980s wherein the Americans favoured the sweet taste of the rival product, the company created its counterpart but became a commercial failure; however instead of backing down, Coca-Cola changed its management strategy and returned the old formula, and just renamed it as Coca-Cola Classic. And with the rise of obesity in the United States and consumers became health conscious the company released new versions of Coke in order to address the needs of these type of consumers, such products include Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero. In addition, according to Bool (2008) companies such as Coca-Cola are compulsory to transform due to trends that have a huge impact on their business, and one of these trends is the health and fitness. A number of people are noe investing more in their health, and in order to keep up with the trend, Coca-Cola introduced their new product which is a calorie burning soft drink, the Enviga. Moreover, Coca-Cola is collaborating with the Swiss company Nestle. Coca-Cola is dealing with innovation and change. During the Asian Financial Crisis, Coca- Cola was also triggered to change its course of management in that particular region. The responses and reactions of Coca-Cola with the external environment are its internal changes. Internal Changes- as mentioned earlier, Asia experienced its financial crisis in 1997. According to Barton, Newell and Wilson (2002) as the financial crisis swept the Asian region, the chief executive officer, Douglas Daft responded to this by mobilising his executives to workshops about how Coca-Cola would seize new growth opportunities. Barton et al, stated that Coca-Cola gave emphasis on acquisition opportunities, Coca-Cola bought acquired bottling business in South Korea which gave more access in retail stores in South Korea, as well as, better entry in China, Japan and Malaysia. Coca-Cola disregarded its country-defined market perspective and focused on regional strategic view and acquired local brands of tea and coffee. In the case of health trends and changing taste of the consumers, Coca-Cola responded to this through innovation and change. Innovation is accomplished through development of new products such as the Enviga, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, and other variants of Coke. The change is incited by the trend in health and fitness and consumer tastes which had an impact on the business of Coca-Cola. During World War II, the response of Coca-Cola to the situation is to provide free drinks to the GIs in order to access new markets in which the company was able to do. Risk Management- Companies whether it is small or large are already acting in advance in order to combat the possible risks that may arise in the future. According to Neville (2005) in the wake of 911, the insurance market have changed, big companies reconsider the possible risks and how are they going to use insurance, in Coca-Cola after the prices increased the company look past the typical path of buying insurance directly but instead Coca-Cola considered wholesale insurance through captives. In the year 2000, The Business Wire, reported that Coca-Cola changed its senior management team and organisational structure for the purpose of facing the opportunities, threats and challenges as the company enters the new phase of management. Moreover, Coca-Cola North America is decentralising its organisation, as well as, pushing accountability and authority into the field of the organisation. The change in the senior management is one change management step that Coca-Cola have undergone in order to increase the efficiency of the company. The appointed individuals are seasoned beverage bottling executives; therefore Coca-Cola sees consistent increase in the revenues of the company. The change in the senior management has been effective because the sales of Coca-Cola in North America have been consistent. In addition, according to North America Operating System. (2008), the company undertook a significant change in which an organisational structure was developed to respond to the needs of consumers through incorporating the North American bottle and can, fountain and juices in a single unit of operation. Through this change it enhanced the way beverage choices are created, and it unifies the system of the supply chain, procurement and distribution in which it increased the efficiency of services to consumers. Individual Change Management- According to Hiatt and Creasey (2002) individual change management is the process in which the company provides tools and training to its employees to be able to handle their personal transition through change. The ADKAR Model, according to Hiatt and Creasey is a model that can be use as an individual change management. The ADKAR model shows five stages an individual undergoes during the process of change (Hiatt and Creasey 2002): Awareness of the need to change- in Coca-Cola employees, stakeholders and even consumers are informed in the changes, especially in the management, just like in the case of appointing Shaun B. Higgins as the new president of the Coca-Cola Company in 2005. Desire to participate and support the change- the employees in Coca-Cola especially the ones in the management positions participate in the changes that the company must undergo, like in the case of changing the packaging of Coca-Cola. Knowledge about how to change- the senior managers of Coca- Cola have adequate knowledge regarding the changes that must take place within the company, an example is in the case of Daft in which he had knowledge on changes that must be done in order to counter the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Ability to implement new skills- Coca-Cola has a long history of changes, some are failures, but most of the time it is effective, therefore the company has the ability to put into action the changes that the company have developed, take the case of Daft, together with his team, they were able to implement the changes, not just in one country but a whole region successfully. Reinforcement to keep the change in place- Coca-Cola is an established company and has already made a mark not just in the lives of Americans but most people in this world. The successful implementations of the changes in the company are due to the strict reinforcement of changes in the company. Organisational Change Management- this theory presents a general procedure for managing the change in the side of the people at an organisational level (Kotter, 1996). According to Hiatt and Creasey, the organisational change management is consists of three phases, which are, preparing for change, managing change and reinforcing change. The theory of organisational change management was effectively utilised by Coca-Cola. Different managers in various parts of the world have used organisational change management in order to address the issues that the Coca-Cola faced. From the case study (The Coca-Cola company case n.d.) these people are: One of the most notable CEOs of Coca-Cola Company is Mr. Gouzueta, he was the chief executive officer of Coca-Cola for seventeen years. He was able to determine the problem against other manufacturer of carbonated drinks. Mr. Gouizetta played a huge role in measuring the operation of Coca-Cola and developed strategies that aided the Coca-Cola to defeat competition. In addition, Mr. Gouizetta played important roles in planning and leading the tasks in achieving the goals and objectives. In addition, Mr. Gouizetta also appointed Mr. Ivester whom transformed the weakness of Coca-Cola into opportunities and strengths (The Coca-Cola company case. n.d.). Furthermore, the paper of Pigseye, the following organisational management changes that occurred in Coca-Cola over the past years. Coca- Cola has distinguished various forms of its advertisements in order to target different forms of consumers instead of focusing on one group. The company changed the packaging of Coke. Coca- Cola also developed new products such as Gatorade and it extended globally which is composed of the African group, Middle and Far East group, the Latin America group and the European Group (The Coca-Cola company case. n.d.). Conclusion Change management is a process in which all companies undergo. This is an important procedure because it enables the organisation to make decisions that will be advantageous and beneficial to the company. In addition, organisations that are open to change are generally more successful compare to companies that resist it. In a globalise market, new technologies and procedure are emerging rapidly, in order to keep up with this progress a company must be willing to adapt to management changes. The international, as well as, the local market has a very stiff competition, therefore in order to be on top change management must be utilised by companies. Coca-Cola is one of the best examples of companies that utilised change management efficiently and have yielded positive results. The evidence is the dominance of Coca-Cola in the soft drink industry not just in the United States but all over the world. References: Barton, D., Newell, R. Wilson. G. 2002, When Is a Good Time to Make Strategic Advances? during a Crisis, of Course. The McKinley Quarterly, pp. 77+ Bool, H. 2008, Change and Pressures to Innovate- The Coca Cola Case. Ezine Articles, viewed 30 January 2008, http://ezinearticles.com/?Change-and-Pressures-to-InnovateThe-Coca-Cola-Caseid=328921 Business Wire 2000, Coca-Cola Enterprise Inc. Announces Management Changes and North America Group Reorganisation. Davidson, J.P. 2001, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Change Management, Alpha Books Hiatt, J. Creasey, T. 2002, The Definition and History of Change Management, viewed: 30 January 2008, http://www.prosci.com/tutorial-change-management-history.html. Kotter, JP. 1996, Leading Change, Harvard Business School Press MacCalman, J. and Paton, R. 2000, Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation, Sage Publications Inc. Neville, L. 2005, Insurers Seek New Role in A Changing World, Global Finance, viewed 30 January 2008, http://www.gfmag.com/2005/Apr/c_ci/fe_art06.php Nickols, F. 2006, Change Management 101: A Primer, Distance Consulting, viewed 30 January 2008, http://home.att.net/~nickols/change.htm. North America Operating System. 2008, Coca-Cola Company, viewed 30 January 2008, http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/investors/annualandotherreports/2003/opseg.shtml The Coca-Cola company case. n.d., Pigseye, viewed 30 January 2008, http://pigseye.kennesaw.edu/~jmburu/case2.html

Monday, August 19, 2019

Free Henry IV Essays: The Reign of a Tyrant :: Henry IV Henry V Essays

Henry IV:   The Reign of a Tyrant  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Although the blame for the fall of Richard II and the rise of Henry IV can be shared by them both, Henry IV having established the precedence of usurpation finds England wracked with civil strife after only one year on the throne. Henry IV discovers the impossible situation of a monarch who in making any choice or decision must face the opposition of those who disagree with him and support the other side of the issue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henry IV has desired to lead a Crusade perhaps as penance for the death of Richard. However, civil problems prevent his actions at every turn. The Percys with young Hotspur's recent victory against the Scots find themselves with many nobles among the prisoners. They refuse to surrender these prisoners to Henry IV but elect to use them for their own purposes. Amongst themselves the Percys reveal their desire to be free of Henry and their sorrow that they ever turned from Richard. One of their relatives should be king instead of Henry since Richard II had named Mortimer as his heir. All their discontent, ambition to have a king in their family, and doubts about Henry IV's right to be king combine to bring them to a point of uniting the various centers of rebellion against Henry IV into one united effort to usurp the throne and restore it to Mortimer, Richard's heir.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps even more distressing for Henry IV is the behavior of Prince Hal. Henry desires a son who will mirror all his strengths. Instead he finds in Hal a mirror of his weaknesses. Hal is consorting with thieves learning to steal even as his father stole a crown. Just as his father courted the affections of the common people before he became king, Hal spends his time with common people and the low pursuits of drinking, whoring, and stealing.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Comparing Terror in Franz Kafkas The Trial and The Man Who Disappeared :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Nature of Terror in Franz Kafka's The Trial and The Man Who Disappeared "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (Roosevelt 93). In Franz Kafka's The Trial and The Man Who Disappeared (Amerika), the nature of terror is exposed to the fullest extent. The main characters in both works, Josef K. and Karl Rossmann are both used as pawns in the chess game also known as society. The dramatic impact from the major turn of events would create a tremendous change in both characters. Josef K., who was arrested for no apparent reason would have his life totally dominated by the judicial system. The road that Josef K. is forced to journey on became a one-way street and he was never able to turn back. Karl Rossmann, who was also used as a scapegoat, was sent off to America for something that was not his fault. Because he was new to the country, people immediately took advantage of him and treated him as an outcast of society. The so-called "American Dream" that Karl often heard about became only an illusion. The terrifying situations that Josef K. and Karl hav e to go through brought the best and worse of the characters but most often weaknesses and flaws in the character are exposed. The nature of terror is based on reactions from human instinct and often cannot be controlled by mind or thought. Fear is a part of our being that exists in our mind. "It was fear that first made gods in the world" (Statius 94). No matter what Josef K. tried to do, the fate of his case had already been decided. The judicial system had taken a chokehold on Josef K. and he was never able to get out of it. Josef K. tried his best to fight off the case because that was what his instincts inclined him to do. However, to no avail, Josef K. is killed at the end. The arrest under no accusation caused Josef K. to fight back in anyway he could because the thought of being defeated and put away for no reason was an act of injustice. "Judgement does not come suddenly; the proceedings gradually merge into the judgement" (164). Unfortunately, the final judgement is death, the dead end of the one-way street. For Karl Rossmann, going to America was a big change. He had to adapt to the new way of life and be accepted by others and that unfortunately did not happen.

The Women in Dracula Essay -- European Literature Bram Stoker Vampires

The Women of Dracula Throughout the book Dracula, the author, Bram Stoker, portrays many different aspects of women's roles in the 19th century. Since this novel was published many films have been created based on Stoker's story line. Nosferatu, a silent film, depicts the women of the story, other than Mina, as minimal characters. The movie Dracula, filmed in the 1930's, stays very true to the novel, with only minor changes to the characters and plot. All three of the works depict the same women differently, thus changing the complete literary artistic nature of each piece. Mina is the main female character in the novel Dracula. She is the typical Victorian woman--caring, compassionate and completely devoted toward their loved ones (To The Life of the Victorian Women). She is Jonathan Harker's fiancà ©e and later wife, and is faithful to him throughout the entire novel. When Jonathan first meets Dracula, he becomes very ill. Mina quickly runs to his aid. She becomes completely consumed in figuring out why her husband is so terribly sick. She is intensely devoted to him and does not give up until Jonathan is nursed back to good health. In the novel, after Dracula pursues and kills her best friend Lucy, she joins the team of men that are trying to put an end to him. Dracula starts pursuing Mina, and decides to make her his slave. When Dr. Seward saw Mina after her encounter with Dracula, he was very concerned, stating, "When Mrs. Harker came in to see me this afternoon she wasn't the same; it was like tea after the teapot had been watered" (Stoker 240). The search party decides to keep Mina out of the group, so Dracula cannot read her mind and figure out their plan. Mina, putting the search party before he... ... of women. However, in the silent film Nosferatu, the women have more miniscule roles. The movie Dracula shows most of the same aspects that Stoker uses in his novel portray the women characters. While all three of these texts have the same main characters, they show how even the smallest detail can change the entire perception of a character. Works Cited Dracula. Dir. Tod Browning. Perf. Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler, and Dwight Frye. 1931.Videocassette. MCA Home Video, 1984. Nosferatu. Dir F.W. Murnau. Perf. Max Schreck andAlexander Granach. 1922. Videocassette. Crown Movie Classics, n.d. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover, 2003. "To The Life of the Victorian Woman." Life of Women. 10 Feb. 2006 http://www.victoriaspast.com/Lifeof VictorianWoman/LifeofVictorianWoman.html.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Kenya Flourspar

The fluorite (CaF2) deposits were discovered by prof. Al Amin in 1967 in the areas of Kimwarer, Choff and Kamnaon. He was searching for semi-precious stones, and initially mistook the purple fluorite for gemstone. He therefore collected the sample and took them for analysis in Mombasa. It was later found to be fluorite.A hand-mining operation was started and the fluorspar was supplied to the Bamburi Portland Cement Company in Mombasa. At its peak, the operation, which relied on donkeys to transport the fluorspar, produced around 400 tons per month of high grade fluorspar. In 1971 the Fluorspar Company of Kenya (FCK) was established, under the auspices of the Kenya government, to exploit the deposits on a larger scale. Crushing and jigging plants were later put up at mining site for large scale production of the metallurgical grade. Kenya fluorspar was a state parastatal upto 1996 when it was privatized.It is currently owned by local and foreign investors. The company has seven active mining sites available from which ore can be mined depending on the grade and quality required. In 2003 the company obtained made a major investment in earth-moving equipment and plant upgrading. The deposit has been commercially mined since 1971. Initially, metallurgical grade fluorspar was produced. In 1975 a 100,000 ton per annum acid grade fluorspar concentrator was commissioned and by 1979 metallurgical grade fluorspar was no longer produced as primary product, but can still be produced as secondary product for smaller consignments.The Kimwarer ore deposit has now been mined for over 35 years It is an EPZ (Export processing zone). LOCATION Kenya Fluorspar is a concern based in the Kerio Valley in the district of Eldoret and Iten. FORMATION OF FLOURITE (CaF2) The fluorite is an industrial mineral formed 150 to 200 million years ago. It is formed by replacement reaction known as mesomatism. The magma or hot water containing fluorine and other minerals was forced up from deep wit hin the Earth. When this brine reached the calcium rich, limestone bedrock (CaCO3), fluorite crystals formed along the walls of fractures and voids in the rock.Flat layers of fluorite also formed parallel to the limestone beds, replacing the host rock. The fluorine replaced the CO32- from the CaCO3 to form CaF2. The CO32- was dissipated as CO2 and water. This process is further elaborated in equation below: Ca2- + F22- CaF2 (fluorite) GEOLOGY AND OCURRENCE Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a halide mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon. Crystal twinning is common and adds complexity to the observed crystal.The fluorite deposits are believed to be of hydrothermal origin in the Post-Miocene era when lavas formed a protective cap over Precambrian rocks in the area. The main deposit of fluorite is located at Kimwarer and is exposed on a series of five hills, four of which have been mined. Two other minor deposits knows as Choff and Kamnaon are approximately 2 to 5 km north of the present mine site and have been partially mined in the past for the production of metallurgical-grade spar. The Kimwarer ore bodies contain by far the largest ore reserves. The ore body contacts are distinct due to the buff colour of the ore in contrast to he grey gneiss, white marbles or pegmatites. Typically the fluorite is finely crystalline and disseminated through a siliceous matrix. Zones of high grade ore are often purplish or creamy yellow in colour with cavities filled with distinct cubic crystals. The Choffs have two ore bodies running parallel to each other for more than 3 km. The Choffs are separated by ridges and dips. The ore body pinches and swells and its width varies between 4 metres and 26 metres. This ore is soft and friable hence easy liberation in the plant and provides a good yield. The phosphate in this vein is medium to high.The Kamnaon ore bod y has more than five partly parallel veins with varying dips of between 35-45 degrees. There are a number of other sites which are yet to be explored. The Fluorite at Kerio Valley occur as a vein deposit, especially associated with galena, sphalerite, barite, quartz, calcite and metallic minerals, where they often form part of the gangue (the surrounding â€Å"host-rock† in which valuable minerals occur). It is a common mineral in deposits of hydrothermal origin and has been noted as a primary mineral in granites and other igneous rocks and as a common minor constituent of dolostone and limestone.The deposit at Kerio Valley is steeply diping at 40o, with strike varying with mine: Mine| Strike| Percentage CaF2| No. of mines| mines operating| Cheberen| North-South| 37%| 1-6| 1and3| Kamnaum| North west-South east| 40%| 1-5| 1| Choff| East-West| 50%| 1-12| 6and9| The deposit is stratified from Kamnaum to Cheberen1. The fluorite is polychromous i. e occurs in different colours dep ending on the trace elements. The different colours include: * Colourless * Orange * Green * Purple * Base yellow. GRADES OF FLOURSPAR The fluorite can be processed into grades depending on the use: 1.Acid grade: This grade is used in the manufacture of Hydrofluoric acid (HF). 2. Metallurgical grade: This grade is used as flux in steel and cement industry. 3. Ceramic grade: This grade is used in the manufacture of ceramics. Only the acid grade is currently produced by Kenya Fluorspar. Metallurgical grade was also produced but stopped. MAJOR IMPURITIES AVAILABLE IN FLUORITE 1. Silica (silicon dioxide), SiO2 2. Calcite (calcium carbonate), CaCO3 3. Phosphorus pentaoxide , P2O5 4. Iron(III)oxide, Fe2O3 STAGES IN MINING AND PROCESSIG OF FLOURITE (CaF2) 1. Exploration 2. Overburden removal 3. Mining . Processing EXPLORATION This is normally done to obtain sufficient information about the deposit in order to enable a safe and economic design and to avoid difficulties during mining of the fluorite. The Kenya Fluorspar utilizes the diamond core drilling machine to obtain the drill cores. This machine can drill upto 140m-180m depth. The drill cores are then logged upto beyond the fluorite zones. The drill cores are then taken to laboratory for testing. The cores undergo through assessment, determination and classification. Diamond core drilling equipment. LAND CLEARING AND OVERBURDEN REMOVALLAND CLEARING This involves the removal of all the trees and stumps including the roots from the mining site. In Kenya Fluorspar, currently land clearing and overburden removal is done at choff 9. The main equipment used for land clearing at choff9 is a D355 Komatsu tractor-mounted dozer. The brush is disposed by dumping in gullies. D355 dozer. OVERBURDEN REMOVAL This involves the removal waste soil or rock that overlies the ore. At Kenya Fluorspar the overburden depth depends on the stripping ratio and dipping angle. Dozer is the main equipment used for stripping the overburden at choff 9.This equipment pushes the overburden over the high wall. After the overburden has been stripped by the dozer, it is loaded onto trucks by a hydraulic hoe excavator for dumping in gullies. The waste is then pushed into gullies by the D355 dozer. Overburden is removed at a ratio of 3:1 to 8:1 (waste to ore) depending on the ore body, with over 700,000 tons of waste being stripped per annum at current production levels. Overburden is normally trucked away using 25 ton trucks provided by contractors. Overburden stripping continues until the fluorite is exposed. ORE EXTRACTION (MINING) Mining is by open cast methods.The exposed ore is extracted by drilling and blasting. A total of approximately 360,000 tons of ore is mined annually. The geology has indicated that the ore body extends beneath the valley floor level and an open pit is being planned. Drilling and blasting The Kenya Fluorspar utilizes two types of drilling equipment (rig) to drill holes. These include: 1. Down the ho le hammer (DTH). This is mainly used in solid hard formations. The hammer is just behind the bit. 2. Top hammer drill rig (TH). This is mainly used in loose formations. The hammer is on top of the drill string (pipes).Crawler mounted DTHTop hammer drill rig The drill pattern to be applied depends on the: 1. Size of the drill bit to be used. 2. Geological condition of the area. All the bits are 102mm The drill pattern is square, 3m by 3m (burden by spacing) when there is a free face and staggered in absence of a free face. The depth of the drill holes differs, with most holes 10m and others 7m and 4m. Subdrilling is normally 3m. Both the DTH and TH are crawler mounted with TH complete with compressor mounted on it. Kenya Fluorspar has 3 operating crawler mounted drilling machines (2 DTH and 1 TH).BLASTING This operation involves the following stages: 1. Preparation of ANFO 2. Hole charging 3. Initiation of explosives PREPARATION OF ANFO This involves mixing the ammonium nitrate with fuel (diesel) in the ratio 0. 075ml of diesel for every 1kg of ammonium nitrate. This operation is done by an explosive mixer in Kenya Fluorspar. HOLE CHARGING This process involves placing booster/ primer at the bottom of the drilled hole. The boosters normally used include: cast booster, pentolite booster and gelignite. The Kenya fluorspar utilizes the pentolite booster for the priming purposes.Before placing the primer it is connected to a detonator. These detonators include: 1. Plain detonators 2. Instantaneous electric detonators. After placing the primer, ANFO is added depending on the hole depth as shown in the table below: Hole depth| Height of ANFO| Stemming| 10m| 7m| 3m| 7m| 5. 5m| 1. 5m| 4m| 3. 5m| 0. 5m| These holes charged are then connected by 25MS (millisecond) nonel shock tubes, short period detonating delay (SPDD) type. The rows are connected by 17MS surface trunk lines (also nonel shock tubes). The nonel shock tube has the following advantages: 1.Produces low noise and vibration 2. It has less fly rock. It is because of the above advantages that make it useful near factory where less vibration are required. The nonel shock tube is very expensive. INITIATION OF EXPLOSION Once charging is complete the explosion can be initiated depending on the detonator used. Initiation can be done using the following: 1. Safety fuse which burns at a rate of 2 minutes per metre. This is used incase of plain detonators 2. Blasting machine incase of electric detonators. Secondary blasting is also done incase large boulders are produced in the primary blasting.Large boulders can also be broken using the rock breakers. LOADING AND HAULAGE The blasted ore is loaded into trucks by an hydraulic excavator (Komatsu) hoe. The loaded ore is hauled a short distance of between 2 km and 7 km by contracted trucks to the crushing plant. These trucks range from 10tons to 20tons. The ore stock pilled separately depending on the source. PROCESSING OF FLOURITE (CaF2) The processi ng of fluorite at the processing plant involves the following stages: 1. Blending 2. Crushing 3. Grinding 4. Conditioning 5. Floatation 6. Thickening 7. filtration 8. Stock pillingBLENDING Blending in normally done at the primary crusher by a wheel loader before feeding into the crusher in ratio of: 2cheberen:1choff:1kamnaum This blending ratio ensures that the feed is 40% CaF2 CRUSHING Types of crushers 1. Primary crusher: Jaw crusher 2. Secondary crusher: cone crusher 3. Tertiary crusher: cone crusher PRIMARY CRUSHING The ore feed to the hopper through a 12in grizzly screen. It is then feed to the primary crusher through an apron feeder and belt conveyor. The ore is first crushed in a primary stage crushing plant from a feed of 350 mm to less than 30mm in size.The ore that is less than 60mm but more than 30mm is passed through the cone crusher where it is further reduced to less than 30mm. Any material that is more than 30mm is passed through the tertiary crusher. GRINDINGTypes mi lls used in Kenya Fluorspar 1. Rod mill 2. Ball mill 3. Re-grind mill. It is then conveyed to the grinding circuit where the material is added to a rod mill along with water to form slurry. The rod mill instantly grinds the ore after which it is sized using a hydrocyclone. Any oversized material is passed to the ball mill for a further grinding to the desired size of 80%.The ore is now ready for conditioning and flotation. CONDITIONINGThis process takes place in the conditioner. This where the depressants and collectors are added. 1. Depressants a) Sodium fluorite which depresses the P2O5 b) Sodium bifluorite which also depresses the P2O5 2. Collectors a) Betacol b) TapiocaThis process renders the fluorite hydrophobic by the addition of a surfactant or collector chemical. FLOATATIONFlotation is the process that concentrates the ore. This is done by agitating the ore slurry in cells with air bubbles.By adding a combination of fatty acid reagents, the fluorspar in the ore attaches its elf to the air bubble to float to the top of the cell. This product is skimmed off leaving the waste in the bottom of the cell. The process is conducted in a series of rougher, scavenger, and cleaner cells that successively concentrates the ore from 40% CaF2 in the feed material to a minimum of 97. 0% CaF2 in the final concentrate. The water in the final product is then removed in a thickener and a rotary drum filter. This produces a filter cake concentrate containing approximately 11. % moisture. The samples are analyzed in the company's assay and research laboratory. The waste product is pumped to the tailings dam and settled water is recycled to the plant for reuse. A FLOATATION CELLPERCENTAGE CaF2 CONCENTRATED PER SERIES OF FLOATATION CELL FLOATATION CELL| PERCENTAGE CaF2 CONCENTRATED| ROUGHER CELLS| 80%| SCAVANGER CELLS | 85%-87%| CLEANER CELLS| 97%| FLOATATION CIRCUITDEWATERINGThe water in the final product is then removed in a thickener and a rotary drum filter. This produces a filter cake concentrate containing approximately 11. % moistureTHICKENER ROTARY DRUM FILTEROperational Sequence * Cake Formation With the overflow weir set to a maximum the â€Å"apparent submergence† is normally 33-35% so the slurry levels between 0400 and 0800 hrs. Once a sector enters submergence vacuum is applied and a cake starts to form up to a point where the sector emerges from the slurry. The portion of the cycle available for formation is the â€Å"effective submergence† and its duration depends on the number of sectors, the slurry level in the tank and the bridge setting which controls the form to dry ratio. Cake Washing and Drying After emerging from submergence the drying portion of the cycle commences and for non-wash applications continues to about 0130 hrs where the vacuum is cut-off. If cake washing is required the wash manifolds will be located from about 1030 to 1130 hrs and the remaining time to vacuum cut-off at 0130 is the portion allocated to final cake drying. * Cake Discharge After vacuum for the entire sector is cut-off air blow commences at about 0200 hrs in order to facilitate cake discharge.The blow, depending on the position of the tip of the scraper blade, will cut-off at approximately 0300 hrs. Drum filters are normally operated with a low pressure blow but on certain applications a snap blow is applied and to avoid the snapping out of the caulking bars or ropes wire winding of the cloth is recommended . Blow is used on scraper and roll discharge mechanisms but on belt discharge filters vacuum cuts-off when the filter media leaves the drum. The final product has composition shown in the table below: PRODUCT| PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION| Fluorite, CaF2| More than 97%|Silica, SiO2| Less than 1%| Carbonate, CaCO3| Less than 1%| Iron III oxide, Fe2O3| Neglible| Phosphorus penta oxide, P2O5| Less than 0. 5%| TAILINGS DAMTailings, also called slimes, tails, leach residue, or slickens, are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fluorite from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of the ore. These are the wastes from the floatation cells. Tailings are distinct from overburden or waste rock, which are the materials overlying an ore or mineral body that are displaced during mining without being processed.The tailing are pumped from the processing plant to the to tailings dam for disposal. The height is about 15m and dimensions are 150m by 30m. it is trapezoidal in shape. The dam also has drain pipes to remove the seepage water. Hydraulic cyclones are used to build the dam. The cyclones separate the tailings into fine and coarse material. The coarse materiel from the cyclone underflow is used to build the wall of the dam will the material and water is disposed into the dam. The water is recycled and pumped back for reuse into the factory. The will built until the dam touches the adjacent hill.LABORATORY QUALITY CONTROLL SECTIONThe company conducts two types of tests – chemi cal and metallurgical. The chemical section performs wet chemistry analysis (mainly titration) and operates 24 hrs a day throughout the year and each shift is headed by a qualified chemist. The metallurgical section mainly concentrates on research and development work. The sample (pellet) is subjected to an XRF machine which scans the sample imparting energy to it. The sample then radiates heat of various wavelengths. The wavelengths are analyzed by a computer program which displays the information instantly on the screen.Strict quality control of run-of-mine ore, exploration and final product analysis is maintained by sampling. KFC prides itself in the quality of its assays, which are always crosschecked with those of European laboratories, namely SGS (Netherlands), HOFF and BSI in the United States. Weight sampling and analysis:   All analyses are being performed by SGS Kenya Ltd (Swiss company) at the cost of the company. Apparatus in the laboratory: a) Two Jaw crushers (14in. and12in. ) b) Pulverizer c) Oven for drying d) Splitter e) XRF machine f) Analytical balance g)A pilot plantSample preparation i. Drying ii. Splitting iii. Crushing iv. Pulverizing. CARGO CONDITIONThe fluorite is Chemically inert, non-reactive, non-flammable, non-hazardous mineral sand. No hazard labelling required in accordance with IMO regulations. No special precautions for storage however, in order to maintain the purity of the material, it must not be allowed to be contaminated by any other material as it is used as the base product in sensitive chemical processes to produce other products and substances.TRANSPORT Once the acid spar is produced, the fluorspar is loaded into 10 ton trucks and hauled to the railway siding at Kaptagat, a distance of 37km. From here it is loaded into 36 ton rail wagons for the 860 km journey to the Mbaraki wharf at Mombasa. The wagons are offloaded at the wharf where the fluorspar is stockpiled and covered while awaiting shipment. The storage capac ity at Mbaraki is approximately 25,000 tons. The process of off-loading of wagons and trucks is labour intensive by means of manual labour.Loading of the vessels is conducted using an automatic Demag Ship Loader, owned and operated by Bamburi Portland Cement Company. An average rate of 2,500 tons per day can be loaded on a continuous basis even on public holidays. The quantity loaded and moisture analyses are conducted by an independent surveyor on a continuous basis to ensure a representative result of the product loaded. Since Mombasa is one of the main ports in East Africa, chartering of vessels to carry bulk cargoes to any destination in the world can be easily arranged. |