Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness essay

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness essay Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness essay Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness essayCompany DescriptionPublic company chosen for analysis is Wal-Mart Stores Inc., further referred to as Walmart. Walmart is an international retailer with headquarters located in Bentonville, AR. The company operates in 27 countries and has more than 11,000 stores which can be classified as discount department stores, warehouse stores and supercenters (Yahoo Finance, 2014). Walmart is the largest retailer in the world, and is also labeled as the largest public corporation in the world as well as the largest private employer. Walmart currently employs more than 2.2 million people (Walmart, 2014). Business value of Walmart is also among the highest in the world, and its impact on local businesses in the regions where Walmart operates is very significant.Walmart was created in 1962, incorporated in 1969 and became a public company in 1972 (Walmart, 2014). The companys financial performance remained notable even during the recession, and currently Walmart shows stable growth, primarily due to the expansion into developing markets. During 2012, the company managed to increase its revenues by 4.9% and in 2013 revenues grew by 1.9%. The increase of net profit in 2012 constituted 8.28% and in 2013 Walmarts net profit declined by 5.75% (Yahoo Finance, 2014). The decrease of profits took place mainly due to the increase of general and administrative expenses. However, Walmarts operating margin is still slightly above industry average, while its quarterly revenue growth is almost 4 times lower compared to average growth rates in retail industry (Yahoo Finance, 2014). Walmarts strategy is centered around cost leadership, so its profits are likely to be lower compared to retailers focusing on premium customer segments.Impact of Globalization and Technology Changes on WalmartGlobalization had a notable impact on the development of Walmart, and Walmart, in its turn, become one of powerful drivers of globalization. First of all, globalization encouraged the expansion of Walmart inside the United States and overseas. Inside the U.S., Walmart used multidomestic strategy and launched stores with local responsiveness. Such strategy led to quick growth of Walmart inside the U.S. Outside the U.S., Walmart adopted a global strategy which was similar for all countries where it operated. Walmart used its economies of scale in order to achieve efficiency and to maintain cost leadership overseas. However, due to the impact of globalization Walmart also had to alter its strategy: in the countries where economies of scale were not so readily available; for example, global approach did not work in Germany and in China (Freeman, Harrison Wicks, 2007). Currently Walmart is moving towards transnational strategies in the majority of countries where it operates. Such strategy turned out to be efficient in the U.K., for example (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2014).Technology change was an important factor which was one of t he cornerstones of Walmart market leadership in retail industry. Walmart used technology to optimize its supply chain, to eliminate extra supply chain links, to share responsibility for delivering the orders with vendors and introduced an advanced information system allowing all supply chain participants to be involved in planning, forecasting demand and product replenishment activities (Freeman, Harrison Wicks, 2007). Furthermore, using RFID technology and smart tags, Walmart notably reduced internal transportation costs. Currently Walmart is working on using advanced technology to make its operations more sustainable and more environmentally friendly; in particular, Walmart is adopting light solar panels to supply its stores with electricity where appropriate (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2014).Application of Resource-Based and Industrial Organization Model to WalmartAccording to the industrial organization model, external factors shaping the environment in the industry are more imp ortant than internal factors for achieving business advantage. Therefore, basing on the industrial organization perspective, it is necessary to consider the attractiveness of the industry and Walmarts position in the industry in order to determine how Walmart could earn higher profits. Porters Five Forces model outlines five key factors determining the attractiveness of an industry: competitive rivalry, threat of new entrants, power of suppliers, threat of substitutes and power of buyers (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2014).In retail industry, competitive rivalry is very intensive as there exist various kinds of retail companies, the threat of new entrants is high since it is relatively easy to organize a retail shop in most countries, the power of suppliers is low (for large retailers), the threat of substitutes is high and the power of buyer is high, too. In general, the industry is quite challenging and competitive, and the company should develop unique competitive advantages to earn higher profits. In the case of Walmart, its key competitive advantages are economies of scale and cost leadership. The most straightforward way for Walmart to achieve higher profits would be to achieve further cost optimization, to use advanced technologies and to strengthen economies of scale.The focus of another model resource-based model is on internal resources. In terms of this model, the keys to market success are the companys tangible and intangible resources. Key resources should possess VRIO characteristics valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2014). Â  These resources can be used for creating a sustainable competitive advantage. In the case of Walmart, its key resource is its highly efficient supply chain (combined with Walmarts advanced information sharing system). It is valuable and hard to imitate, rare and cannot be substituted. In the context of resource-based model, Walmart should encourage further integration with its supp liers and other stakeholders and reduce operating costs due to better planning and demand forecasting.Impact of Mission and Vision Statement on Walmart SuccessVision statement of Walmart is not explicitly stated on its corporate website, but one of the key statements describing the company has clear characteristics of a vision statement: innovative thinking, leadership through service, and above all, our commitment to saving people money so they can live better have made us the business we are today and are shaping the company we will be tomorrow (Walmart 2014). Walmarts mission statement is currently formulated as follows: Saving people money so they can live better. Initially, Walmarts motto was stated as Always low prices, but eventually the focus of the company shifted from keeping prices low to increasing customer welfare.This change of mission was accompanied by the transformation of Walmarts business practices and goals. Initially, Walmart was focused on achieving market lead ership and offering lowest prices. This strategy was highly successful, but such approach also affected local businesses and employees. Eventually, Walmart agreed to slightly increase its bottom line in order to provide better conditions for people and communities. Therefore, Walmarts mission had a notable impact on its strategy and market positioning, and the change of mission was followed by the change of corporate strategy.Impact of Stakeholders on Walmarts SuccessWalmarts corporate success and development is notably influenced by different categories of stakeholders. In general, it is possible to identify the following stakeholders of Walmart: top management, store management, Walmart employees (non-managerial positions), suppliers, customers, competitors and communities. Naturally, top management, and especially Sam Walton, the founder of the company, had a dramatic impact on the companys success. The principles and values of Walmart laid by Sam Walton created the background fo r the companys success and let Walmart create a giant network of stores worldwide. Store managers have an influence on the companys local business decisions and are responsible for Walmarts success in specific areas.The relationships with suppliers are critical for Walmart. Walmart depends on supplier efficiency to remain competitive; the sustainability and environmental policy of suppliers are also important for Walmart. Recently Walmart started switching to suppliers from Asia to reduce costs. At the same time, Walmart currently became a global power so it also affects the suppliers: Walmart urges them to comply with quality standards, reduce waste, improve sustainability, etc. Hence, the role of suppliers in Walmarts business success is critical.The relationships with customers have a direct impact on Walmarts success. The companys revenues depend on customers, so Walmart focuses on keeping prices low and making the process of purchasing convenient and quick for the customer. Alt hough Walmarts cost cuts sometimes reduce the quality of customer experience, Walmart attempts to balance between cost cutting and customer convenience (Ferrell Fraedrich, 2014).Competitors influence Walmarts strategy in two ways: through offering better products and/or service compared to Walmart and filing lawsuits against Walmart. In the former case, Walmart is forced to become more competitive and more efficient, and therefore competition adds to its business success. In the latter case, Walmart has to defend itself and its strategy in the court and has to prove that it is not using predatory pricing to push other competitors out of business. In this case, competitors increase the costs of Walmart and make its market position slightly more vulnerable.Employees are valuable Walmarts stakeholders, and their role in Walmarts business rise is critical. The functioning of Walmart depends on the employees; at the same time, Walmart was suited many times for low wages, improper workin g conditions, discrimination and the lack of healthcare benefits (Ferrell Fraedrich, 2014). These legal challenges forced Walmart to reconsider its approach to employment, and currently HRM practices of Walmart have somewhat improved.The communities are also reshaping Walmarts strategy as community members force Walmart to pay attention to environmental regulations, sustainability, community development, etc. As a result, Walmart started paying more attention to corporate responsibility and started replacing technologies by more sustainable ones (Ferrell Fraedrich, 2014). These developments made Walmart more competitive and more efficient and therefore contributed to its market success.

A Perspective of Cultural Conflict in Classroom Essay Example for Free

A Perspective of Cultural Conflict in Classroom Essay ? This paper draws from the understanding that cultural differences and imbalance has extensively repressed the process of learning as well as literacy development. This factor is evident by the continual differential treatment of teachers on white and black children thus affecting the progress of colored children in literacy development. Learning literacy encompass the efforts employed by the teacher to help the child develop reading and writing skill in the second language. As such, this process occurs within the threshold of culture and is influenced by social factors ranging from the belief of the teacher and the ability of the children to literary skills. The evaluation of methods of literacy practice help in deigning validity and reliability of the instruments of instruction used in literacy acquisition and development amid cultural differences and conflicts reflects an element that formulates an important factor in situations where the teacher and his beliefs as well as the literacy practice extensively leverages the varying degrees of the whole language. Literacy acquisition and development is a pedagogical aspect that begins long before children commence their formal education as well as formal school instruction. During these years, children acquire skills and knowledge that are typified by literate behavior in a setting that is guided by socio-cultural manifestations. The whole process is influenced by a number of factors ranging from cultural implications, the beliefs of the teacher and the instruction methods for literacy practice. The teacher should emphasize on the development of literacy as a process that is ongoing, and through a classroom learning environment. This means that for the efficiency of literacy acquisition development, all aspects of literacy must develop simultaneously, with the language and literacy sharing similar features hence allowing students to encounter a natural hierarchy to the stages of development. The complexity of literacy development rests on the pedestal of the children’s ability to effectively read and write in English as the formed literate culture. Delpit argues that our cultures and communities lay the basis on which differences in instructing children as they learn new language is evidenced (Delpit, 2006). This cultural bias and weakness presents a conflict which should be resolved by the teacher’s attempt to maximize the educational potential of children from colored racial background.   The teacher and his belief about literacy development play a significant role in the entire process of literacy and language development.   There is an interrelationship between literacy and language such that, the teacher should base his instruction on language; which plays a key role in building the foundation for reading and not on the racial backgrounds. Accordingly, the teacher should use the method of immersion to enable children develop literacy by being surrounded by spoken language. In so doing, children will not only learners to talk but will also encounter print language in charts labels and stories and an organized library which enables students to read and write in areas of the   print language. In addition, it is plausible to note that as a teacher, it is vital to use   a practical method of   instruction that help children demonstrate the literacy skill being learned in a context where the teacher uses good classroom management to root out racial power imbalance that exist in classrooms. As such, this should be done both in classroom and outside classroom situations. For example, Delpit contends that when people around children use language positively, things happen positively. Ideally, language, which the backbone of literacy, become part of life around children (Delpit,2006). This out of classroom situation means that a teacher should emphasis on the importance of language which is mirrored through books, literacy events and writing and thus children will learn the language at home, in town and in the villages where they are. In a classroom setting, demonstration of literacy skills should be enhanced by the teacher through modeling where children learn the four skills of language such as reading skills, writing skills, speaking skills and listening skills throughout the day. In this way, children will acquire and develop literacy skills by observing purposeful literacy in a myriad of ways. Furthermore, the teacher should advise parents to highly expect their children to talk thus relieving the whole process the pressure and tension of literacy development from learning in an environment that is cultural conflict. The teacher works on helping the students to learn literacy skills by working on these skills at appropriate levels. As a result, a teacher should provide children with enough materials that match their literacy levels and by catering for individualized differences; a teacher sets the pace of developing literacy skills thus structuring the class with expectation of leaning. To illustrate, the ways by which people respond and react during a conversation influences the behavior of a child and usually non verbal expressions such as smiles, cuddles and other remarks creates a verbal interaction that shapes the development of literacy. Therefore, acquiring and developing literacy skills does occur anywhere; at home, in groups, with relatives among others and this natural way should be used in helping the process of literacy acquisition and development. With the classroom, the teacher should create a collaborative learning environment where children have the opportunity to provide positive feedbacks to their peers which specifically is encouraging and constructive in terms of learning literacy skills. With regard to this, little children should be engaged in learning whether at home or in school the teacher should help the children to aim at better speaking skills, reading skills, writing skills and listening skills at school in activities that help them to make sense of their acquired literacy knowledge and skills. Racial, class, ethnic and gender conflicts influence the quantity of literacy instruction in a racially mixed class. However, a teacher should influence children and parents from disfranchised cultural groups to develop measures of subverting negative pressure dominant group. Delpit notes that the community environment as well as home leverages the literacy development of a child. As such, schools, homes, families and classroom are learning environments situated in the community. In this case, the out of class element extensively influences learning opportunities and gives a chance to take part in the process of literacy acquisition and development of their child (Delpit, 2006). Significantly, this narrows down to a cultural aspect in learning and impacts on the literacy development children acquire. For example, a child from a poverty stricken neighborhood encounters a disintegrated learning environment and owing to the fact they are likely to be face social emotional and behavioral conditions that are strong makes them develop non Standard English hence their literacy skills being interfered with. In addition, Delpit contends that the culture and environment directly relate to the ability of the child to develop vocabulary skills and thus the literacy development at kindergarten should be well structured because it determines how the child’s academic achievement varies in school and classroom. Children’s, socio behavioral, emotional self regulations are viewed within the precincts of cultural orientations   and all these are influenced by homes, families, schools and society at large. On this ground, Delpit postulates that the development of a child’s literacy skills should be allowed to take place at all times and in every place (Delpit, 2006). Accordingly, literacy is construed to be composite of varied dimensions that transcend the boundaries of classroom and society and this interplay strongly affect the learning opportunities that children are presented with both at home and in school. In light of this, there is considerable evidence that shows that proficient literacy obligate that children must have strong foundation in oral language; an element that borders phonological and vocabulary skills as well as the overall language skills which is basically determined by the cultural orientations. This falls in the wider dimension of influencing how a child demonstrates systematic and explicit ways of decoding, comprehending and writing language which is greatly impacted by the cultural base of the child. Due to the cultural influence in learning language and literacy skills, the preschool experience forms an important factor in the acquisition and development of literacy skills. Therefore, it has been speculated that achieving this learning element depends on the social economic status of the child’s family. Accordingly, children form less fortunate families begin their literacy levels late and without financial ability to buy literacy resource, many children from such backgrounds become literate very late. As such, the teacher should come to the aid of this group of children by working out a correlation that will improve home and classroom learning environment through what is inarguably called direct parent training and education. In essence, Delpit portends that parents from such economic thresholds should strongly embrace the concept of early preschool interventions in a bid to socially and academically make a vital difference in the literacy acquisition and development of their children. Similarly, the classroom environment influences the belief and mindsets of a teacher in their literacy development instruction. In essence, the attitude of the teacher over the children he is instruction posses a shared characteristic that   is marked by a safe and orderly environment high expectations for the literacy achievement of the students, strong educational leadership, the amount of time given to literacy instruction classroom management and available methods of evaluations and instructions. Accordingly, a flexible and homogenous literacy skill provides a more successful effect on reading, speaking and writing thus making the instruction children receive in the class more substantially. However, in the event of a heterogeneous literacy skill, it becomes difficult as the teacher to have clear cut expectations on the literacy achievement thus his beliefs may not allow him to substantially provide instruction that enhances literacy awareness. For the most vulnerable children in the black American community, the development of literacy skills is under certain progression challenges such as underachievement but Delpit shows that the social and motional support offered by the teacher creates a climate that leads to the efficiency in building literacy levels of children from multicultural backgrounds. The classroom setting should provide a highly social, emotional support and the teacher should therefore come in with a n instructional support which will systematically a stronger child literacy development and social outcomes. Particularly, such learning environment become important for children from the back community because they are typical of social problems and during the development of literacy skills, they may exhibit weak social skills. The engagement of children in different learning environment helps boots their motivation to learn and this contributes to their literacy growth. From the foregoing discussion, it is evident that the type and amount of literacy instructions that a teacher should give to children in classroom and the continuous learning of literacy skills at home and in the society facilitates a constant and systematic literacy growth. Accordingly this involves a combination of methods that range from code focused strategies o holistic and meaning strategies prove to be the effective models of enhancing literacy development. Teachers therefore should use sustained interventions that range form intensive and balanced pedagogical aspects in literacy acquisition and development. Teachers therefore need to structure the instructional designs on the structure of the language and other social cultural elements that aids in the acquisition of literacy skills.   Delpit, L (2006) Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in Classroom. New York: News press A Perspective of Cultural Conflict in Classroom. (2016, Sep 27).

Tracking Progess in Healthy People 2020 Across the Country Essay

Tracking Progess in Healthy People 2020 Across the Country - Essay Example In this discussion, an evaluation of how Iowa has adopted these objectives and the challenges being faced in their workability will be considered. Although the objectives enshrined in the Healthy People 2020 are articulate and wider in scope, it is notable that they are not fully embraced by the states within the United States of America. Iowa is one of the states that has not fully adopted these objectives despite the fact that the essence of the objectives is an all round support of the health of the citizens. Although Iowa has incorporated a number of objectives in its health promotion strategies, the espousal has been tailored to suit the Iowa community’s health needs in as far as the individual differences in the population are concerned. As such, most of the objectives have not been fully adopted the way they are in this state. Going by the Iowa Health Improvement Plan 2012-2006, the objectives of Healthy People 2020 could not be practical enough given the high levels of disparity among the people in Iowa. One of the main challenges in meeting these targets is the scarcity of resources. (Sharma & Romas, 2011). A good number of Iowans are low income earners and this incapacitates the economy that is supposed to meet the financial demands implicated in these health objectives. (Shi & Stevens, 2010). For instance, one of the most anticipated health problems in Iowa is diabetes. However, coming up with measures that are supposed to address this problem in time is such a big challenge given the scarcity of resources. (Shi & Stevens, 2010). Given this, only a partial and tailored adoption of these objectives is possible. In conclusion, the health promotion ideas enshrined in Health People 2020 can prove to be quite effective if well adopted. However, as seen through Iowa State, there is a deviation in the manner in which these objectives are being worked on. A number of challenges are imminent, with the shortage of

In what ways has transatlantic slavery impacted on British society Essay

In what ways has transatlantic slavery impacted on British society (SOCIOLOGY) - Essay Example The early 17th century witnessed the dawn for the British to be considerably one of the most successful slavers in the Atlantic region. During these years, the kingdom emerged a key player in a commercial undertaking which â€Å"linked the economies of three continents, often called as the Triangular Trade† (UNESCO, 2010). Until the time arrived when the British could no longer stand the horrendous practice of slavery and decided then for its abolition. Economic Motives The main players in the triangular trade, England, Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands and the United States, among others, were not able to resist the commercial attractiveness of slavery and were drawn to do their best to benefit from it. Mainly driven by economic and political reasons, these fierce maritime and colonial powers ventured in the abduction and selling of African peoples, to enslave in their homes and plantations (Walvin, 2007). Sir John Hawkins, under the blessing of Queen Elizabeth 1, foll owed in the footprints of the Portuguese in navigating the western coastlines of Africa and enslaving people in the 1560s (Rodriguez, 1997). The Britons thought it was risky business, but they could not refuse the immense economic gains that awaited them. By fair and foul means, Britain outplayed its European rivals and became the premier slave trader until 1807. Major trading ports that dealt with this business were established in Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow and London. Some other smaller British ports also followed suit. The number of vessels for slave trading were built in the nation’s several shipyards and sailed through the ‘Slave Coast’ carrying goods such as guns and other ammunition, textile and metals in exchange for human beings. For certain, the trade was an extremely lucrative business. The immense degree of consumption and productivity of the people is said to be its point of departure (Inikori & Engerman, 1992). Rise of Industrial Revolution As the ports in Bristol and Liverpool became prosperous and generated more jobs, so are the residents of both cities who invested their financial resources into developing several industries. This gargantuan industrial progress began in 1750 and continued for many decades. Some who obtained adequate sums of money sourced from the production of tobacco, sugar and cotton poured in their capital into warehouses, quaysides, factories, trading houses and banking institutions. Factories sprouted in the metropolis, particularly in textile and mills. Coal mines burgeoned in the rural areas, as well (Packer, 2007). Thus, the positive economic reverberations of the time were felt everywhere. This is in harmony with John Maynard Keynes economic theory which upholds the view that the â€Å"balance between supply and demand would ensure full employment† (Keynes, 2006: xvii). â€Å"The systemic operations instituted in slave trading, accordingly, were adapted and applied during this period† (Rice & Poulter, 2007). Thus, it is safe to infer that the workings in plantation slavery were the engines which drove the creation of the Industrial Revolution in Britain that influenced other countries of the Western hemisphere and the whole world to move along. The Modernisation Theory and the Theory of Social Development which uphold that progress and evolution of societies are irrepressible bear truth on this fact. Sugar and the British Cuisine The African

Essay on Setting in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening :: Stopping Woods Snowy Evening

Importance of Setting in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening The season is winter, the time is night, but, . . .the scene, we are reminded four times over, is a wood. Woods, especially when as here they are "lovely, dark and deep," are much more seductive to Frost than is an open field. In fact, the woods are not merely "lovely, dark, and deep." Rather, as Frost states it, they are "lovely, [i.e.] dark and deep"; the loveliness thereby partakes of the depth and darkness which make the woods so ominous. The recognition of the power of nature, especially of snow, to obliterate the limits and boundaries of things and of his own being is, in large part, a function here of some furtive impulse toward extinction, an impulse no more predominate in Frost than it is in nature. It is in him, nonetheless, anxious to be acknowledged, and it significantly qualifies any tendency he might have to become a poet whose descriptive powers, however botanically or otherwise accurate, would be used to deny the mysterious blurrings of time and place which occur w henever he finds himself somehow participating in the inhuman transformations of the natural world. That need is in many ways the subject of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." As its opening words suggest--"Whose woods these are I think I know"--it is a poem concerned with ownership and also with someone who cannot be or does not choose to be very emphatic even about owning himself. He does not want or expect to be seen. And his reason, aside from being on someone else's property, is that it would apparently be out of character for him to be there, communing alone with a woods fast filling up with snow. He is, after all, a man of business who has promised his time, his future to other people. It would appear that he is not only a scheduled man but a fairly convivial one. He knows who owns which parcels of land, or thinks he does, and his language has a sort of pleasant neighborliness, as in the phrase "stopping by." It is no wonder that his little horse would think his actions "queer" or that he would let the horse, instead of himself, take responsibility for the j udgment. He is in danger of losing himself; and his language by the end of the third stanza begins to carry hints of a seductive luxuriousness unlike anything preceding it--"Easy wind and downy flake .

Nina

childrens needs February 2012 | | |Assignment 1: | |Explain what constitutes the physical and psychological needs of a three year old child. Explain how you would ensure that these physical and | |psychological needs can ideally be met in a setting/nursery which the 3 year old child attends from 8 am to 6 pm, 5 days a week. Reading for your assignment. Though we provide some recommended books and chapters, (see below) you need to read around the subject as much as possible and not limit yourself to just the recommended readings. Recommended reading from your prescribed text books:- Macleod-Brudenell, I,& Kay, J (2008, Second Ed) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Level 4/5 Harlow: Heinemann Chapters 4, 5 and 9 Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated a) Module 2 Child Development London: MCI Chapters 1 and 3 (pg 39 – 42) Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated b) Module 4 Contemporary Issues London: MCIChapters 1, 3, 4 and 5 Montessori Centre Internat ional (MCI) (undated c) Module 5 Childcare and Health London: MCI Additional reading to consider for this assignment:- Montessori International (Issue 94, January – March) (Various articles in this issue of the magazine are relevant) Unicef (2008) Convention on the Rights of the Child, available from http://www. unicef. org/crc/ This assignment focuses on the importance of supporting the child’s well-being. Although, you will be given guidelines and additional reading material to assist you in the writing of this assignment, it is important for you to read as widely as you can.You will also need to consider the specific requirements within your own country. In these tutorial guidelines, the assignment question will be broken down into sections, giving you some pointers to consider when preparing your answer for submission. In order to enable you to focus on the different aspects of the questions, each has been given a weighting. These are the maximum marks that can be awarded for this part of the answer. The other 25% of the marks cover structure, expression and presentation (Take note of the marking table on the assessment sheet that you have received). WORKING ON THIS ASSIGNMENTBegin by:- †¢ Work through the recommended chapters listed above, making notes as you did for your Study Skills assignment. Please note that you are not limited to these chapters – You may also find it useful to do some independent research in your local library or on the internet. Be careful to limit your reading to academically sound sources – Wikipedia is not a safe site to use and should be avoided. (Remember to keep a record of the source document for later referencing and bibliography). †¢ Go through the extended guidelines below, and begin to gather information for your answer. Make note of any questions you have regarding this assignment and send them through to me. These questions and their answers will then form the second half of this f irst tutorial (the Q&A) which will be emailed to you so that you can take the information into consideration before finalising your essay for submission. Start to work on your answer:- 0 Study skills recap – †¢ Organise your information and thoughts into a logical, structured argument, addressing each of the important / main bullet points. Ensure that there is an overall flow to the information, and that each section links back to the question posed. Begin with an introduction that will state what you are going to cover in the main body of the essay. The introduction should be  ± 5-10% of the total length of the essay. Draw your argument to a conclusion at the end. †¢ Reference each time you paraphrase ideas you have read during your research for the essay, as well as the first time you include specific terminology in any one essay. In this essay you should ensure that you are quoting from academically sound sources. †¢ Find three or four relevant quotes that will support your argument.Use MCI protocol when referencing and quoting. CONTENT GUIDELINES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT Identify and define the specific physical needs of a three year old child – including exercise and rest, diet, health and safety. (10) †¢ Briefly define what is meant by physical needs, including exercise and rest, diet, health and safety . †¢ Identify the specific physical needs of a three year old. Give a full explanation of how these physical needs should ideally be met by an early years setting/nursery which offers care from 8am to 6pm five days a week. (17. ) – Consider for example, how you could provide for gross and fine motor skills. Also think about safety issues (such as appropriate clothing for specific weather conditions), access to fresh air and ventilation in the classrooms, opportunities for rest, etc. – Give practical examples of what a setting would do to ensure the child’s well being as an essential pre-requisite to effective learning. Identify and define the psychological needs of a three year old child – focus on emotional and social needs. (10) †¢ Briefly define what is meant by psychological needs, focus on emotional and social needs.Your definition should briefly consider the needs for survival, participation and belonging. †¢ Identify the specific psychological needs of a three year old. Give a full explanation of how the psychological needs should ideally be met in an early years setting/nursery which offers care from 8am to 6pm five days a week. (17. 5) – Explain how the three year old’s emotional and social needs can be met. Here you should be looking at consistency, predictability and availability of care. – Explain how the children’s well-being and sense of belonging are promoted. Focus on settling in procedures and transitions, availability of a key person and liaison with parents. – Give practical examples of how you could make a three year old comfortable, settled, at ease and ready to actively participate in the daily life of the nursery. Having discussed the physical and psychological needs of a three year old relate these to relevant articles in the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) which inform the statutory requirements for best practice in early years settings/nurseries in your country (20) –Briefly explore the general underlying principles (especially that of survival, protection and participation) which underpin the relevant articles of the UNCRC. (supplied with this tutorial) – Link these principles to the child’s needs. 0 Study skills recap – †¢ Your conclusion should summarise what you have said, without adding or introducing anything new. †¢ The word count includes references and quotes, but excludes bibliography †¢ Remember to use double line spacing and to number the pages of your document Finalising your answer:- †¢ R ead through your essay, checking your spelling, grammar and referencing format. Make sure your argument has a logical flow, and that you have answered each aspect of the question fully, in your own words. †¢ Fill in the cover sheet, including all necessary details. Check that your word count is within the accepted limit. †¢ Compile or finalise your bibliography using the correct format. (Follow the MCI protocol as outlined in your Student Handbook. ) 0 Study skills recap – Your bibliography must include full entries for all sources that you have referred to in your essay, as well as other books, articles, websites etc that you have read or consulted in preparation for this assignment.Bibliography:- Macleod-Brudenell, I, & Kay, J (2008, Second Ed) Advanced Early Years for Foundation Degrees & Level 4/5 Harlow: Heinemann Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated a) Module 2 Child Development London: MCI Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated b) Module 4 C ontemporary Issues London: MCI Montessori Centre International (MCI) (undated c) Module 5 Childcare and Health London: MCI

The Private School Waitlist What to Do Next

Most everyone knows that you have to apply to private school and get accepted, but did you also know that you could get waitlisted? The admission waitlist is usually common knowledge when it comes to college applications, but is often not as well-known when it comes to private school admission processes. The varied admission decision types can make for a confusing time for prospective families trying to understand all their admission offers and pick the right school. However, the waitlist doesnt have to be a mystery. Waitlisted at Your First Choice Similar to colleges, many private schools have a part of the admission decision process called the waitlist. What this designation means is that typically the applicant is qualified to attend the school, but the school doesn’t have enough spaces available. Private schools, like colleges, can only admit so many students. The waitlist is used to keep qualified candidates on hold until they know if those students who were admitted will enroll. Since most students apply to several schools, they have to settle on one final choice, which means if a student is admitted at more than one school, that student will decline the offer of admission at all but one school. When this happens, schools have the ability to go back to a waitlist to find another qualified candidate and offer that student an enrollment agreement.   Basically, a waitlist means that you may not have received an acceptance to the school yet, but you might still be offered an opportunity to enroll after the first round of enrollments are processed.  So what should you do when youre waitlisted at private school? Check out the following tips and best practices for handling your waitlist situation.   Respond to the Waitlist Notification Assuming that you hope to be offered admission to the private school that waitlisted you, it’s important to make sure the admission office knows you are indeed serious about wanting to attend. A good first step is to make sure you write them a note specifically saying that you’re still interested and why. Remind the admission office of why you might be a great fit for the school, and why that school, in particular, is your first choice. Be specific: mention the programs that matter most to you, sports or activities you want to get involved in, and even teachers whose classes you’re excited to take. Taking the initiative to show you’re invested in the school can’t hurt. Some schools require students to communicate via an online portal, which is fine, but you can also follow up with a nice handwritten note - just make sure your penmanship is good! While many people think that a handwritten note is an outdated practice, the truth is, many people appreciate the gesture. And the fact that few students take the time to write a nice handwritten note can actually make you stand out. Its highly unlikely that someone will ever fault you for having nice manners! Attend Accepted Students Day Some schools automatically invite waitlisted students to accepted students events, but not always. If you see that there are events for accepted students, like a special Open House or Revisit Day, ask if you can attend them, just in case you get off the waitlist. This will give you another chance to view the school and make sure that you actually want to stay on the waitlist.  If you decide that school isn’t right for you or that you don’t want to wait to see if you receive an offer, you can tell the school you’ve decided to pursue another opportunity. If you decide that you are still invested and want to wait for an offer of acceptance, you can have another chance to speak to the admission office to reiterate your desire to attend if you wish to remain on the waitlist. Just remember, you shouldn’t go overboard when it comes to showing how much you want to attend. The admission office doesn’t want you calling and emailing daily or even weekly to profess your love for the school and desire to attend. In fact, pestering the office could potentially negatively affect your ability to get off the waitlist and be offered an open slot. Be Patient The waitlist isn’t a race and there really isnt anything you can do to speed up the process. Sometimes, it can take weeks or even months for new enrollment positions to become available. Unless the school you’ve applied to has given you specific instructions to follow in terms of communicating with them during this limbo period (some schools adhere to a strict, â€Å"don’t call us, we’ll call you policy† and breaking that could affect your chances at acceptance), check in with the admission office periodically. That doesn’t mean hound them daily, but rather, gently remind the admission office of your interest in attending and ask about the potential for getting off the waiting list every few weeks. If you’re backed up against deadlines at other schools, call to ask the likelihood that you might be offered a spot. You won’t always get an answer, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Remember that not every student accepted in the first round will enroll at the private school where you were waitlisted. Most students apply to more than one school, and if they are accepted at more than one school, they must choose which school to attend. As students make their decisions and decline admission at certain schools, in turn, those schools may have spots available at a later date, which are then offered to students on the waitlist. Be Realistic Students have to be realistic and remember that there’s always the chance that they  may not make it off the waiting list at their first choice school. So, its important to make sure that you don’t jeopardize your chances of attending another great private school where you’ve been accepted. Talk to the admission office at your second-choice school, and confirm deadlines to deposit to lock in your space, as some schools will automatically rescind their offer of admission as of a specific date.  Believe it or not, its actually ok to communicate with your second choice school and let them know you’re still making decisions. Most students apply to multiple schools, so evaluating your choices is common.   Enroll and Deposit at Your Back Up School Some schools will allow you to accept the agreement and make your enrollment deposit payment, and give you grace period to back out before the full tuition charges are legally binding. That means, you can secure your spot at your backup school but still have time to wait it out and see if you get accepted at your first choice school. Just remember, however, that these deposit payments are usually not refundable, so you risk losing that money. But, for many families, this fee is a good investment to ensure that the student doesnt lose their offer of admission from the second-choice  school. No one wants to be left without a place to start classes in the fall if the student doesnt get off the waitlist. Just make  sure you’re aware of deadlines for the grace period (if it is even offered) and when your contract is legally binding for the full amount of tuition for the year.   Keep Calm and Wait a Year For some students, attending Academy A is such a huge dream that its worth it to wait a year and reapply. Its ok to ask the admission office for advice on how you can improve your application for next year. They may not always tell you where you need to improve, but chances are it wont hurt to work on improving your academic grades, SSAT test scores, or get involved in a new activity. Plus, now youve been through the process once and you know what to expect for the application and interview. Some schools will even waive some parts of the application process if youre re-applying for the following year.   Notify Other Schools of Your Decision As soon as you know that you’re off the waitlist at your top school, notify any schools that are waiting to hear your final decision immediately. Just as you were at your first-choice school, there may be a student who has been waitlisted at your second-choice school hoping another spot will open up and, if youre sitting on a financial award at your second choice school, that money can be reallocated to another student. Your spot might be the ticket to another student’s dream of attending private school. Remember, its important to communicate with both your first-choice school where you’ve been waitlisted, and your second-choice school where you’ve been accepted, so that you know where you stand in the admission process with each school, and what each school needs from you.