Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay QUESTION 1 A INTRODUCTION â€Å"The best and most successful organisations recognise that they will only prosper in the long term if they satisfy the aspirations of their stakeholders; including customers, suppliers, employees, local communities, investors, governments, public interest and environment groups. To satisfy this intense scrutiny and the demands for greater accountability in society, businesses and other organisations are increasingly recognising the need to measure, track and report on their social and ethical performance.† Ethics in purchasing and supply management can relate to a wide range of issues from doubts about suppliers business procedures and practices to corruption. Decisions on ethics and corporate social responsibility are at the heart of corporate strategy. They particularly influence the purpose of the organisation. By ethics and corporate social responsibility is meant the standards and conduct that an organisation sets itself in its dealings within the organisation and outside with its environment. Ethics is particularly concerned with the basic standards for the conduct of business affairs for example, policy with regard to honesty, health and safety and corrupt practice. Corporate social responsibility has a wider remit to include the organisation’s responsibility beyond the minimum to its employees and those outside the organisation. Topics will vary with each organisation but may include environmental ‘green’ issues, treatment of employees and suppliers, charitable work and other matters related to the local or national community not conforming to approved standards of social or professional behavior; unethical business practices QUESTION 1 B INTRODUCTION The Chartered Institute of Management defines codes of ethics as a set of principles or values, used by organizations to steer the conduct of both the organization itself and its employees, in all their business activities, both internal and in relation to the outside world. Ethical codes go further than most policy statements in that they are focused on matters of right and wrong rather than just on standards of behavior and applies individually as well as collectively to the organsation’s members, and affects its internal affairs as well as those with its external stakeholders. Code of Ethics in Relation to Internal Issue This is a code that applies to all employees involved in the purchasing process within Kyerico. In addition to full compliance with the Kyerico’s General Business Principles, all affected employees shall: 1. ACT HONESTLY AND ETHICALLY * Carry out their duties in an honest and ethical way by ensuring that business policies and practices are aligned with ethical principles. * Maintain the confidentiality of privileged information acquired in the course of their work, except when disclosure has been authorized or is legally obliged. * Act in good faith, responsible, with due care, competence and diligence, without allowing one’s independent judgment to be subordinated. Provide information that is true and not designed to mislead. * Clearly communicate ethical expectations to those with whom they work. * Refrain from using or appearing to use confidential information acquired in the course of one’s work for unethical or illegal advantage either personally or through third parties. * Ensure the integrity of records; including documenting obtained discounts in a proper form. 2. AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST * Avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships. No actions should be taken and interests outside Kyerico should be avoided that may make it difficult to perform his or her company work objectively and effectively. No direct or indirect financial interest in a supplier or competing company is allowed. * The acceptance of gifts or personal favors of commercial value is not acceptable, which includes invitations to sporting or social events. It is to be made clear to third parties that personal favors can only influence the business relationship negatively and that business decisions are based solely on benefits to Kyerico and not on considerations of past or future personal gain. 3. FOLLOW A FAIR PROCESS TO SELECT SUPPLIERS AND AWARD BUSINESS TO SUPPLIERS * Support the principle of fair competition as a basis for selecting suppliers and awarding business to suppliers. * While considering the advantages to Kyerico of maintaining a continuing relationship with a supplier, avoid any arrangement that could, in the long term, prevent the effective cooperation of fair competition. * Fully comply with the internal purchasing process of purchase requests and purchase orders when awarding business to a supplier. No purchase will be done without a purchase order. * Not share information related to quotes from suppliers with any other supplier at any time. 4. SELECT SUPPLIERS THAT COMPLY WITH HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS * Select suppliers and award business to suppliers that are committed to act fairly and with integrity towards their stakeholders and that duly observe the applicable rules of the law of the countries they operate in. * Terminate the relationship with suppliers that do not adhere to general Kyerico’s policies for suppliers, like the child labor and forced labor policies. Code of Ethics in Relation to External Issues This is a code that applies to all suppliers dealing with Kyerico. In addition to full compliance with the Kyerico’s General Business Principles, all affected suppliers shall: 5. CHILD LABOUR SHALL NOT BE USED * There shall be no new recruitment of child labour. * Suppliers shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child. * Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions. * These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards. 6. NO DISCRIMINATION IS PRACTICED * There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation. 7. LIVING WAGES ARE PAID * Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income. * All workers shall be provided with written and understandable Information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid. * Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded. * Employment practices such as training or apprenticeship wages, pre-employment fees, deposits, or other practices that effectively lower an employees pay below the legal minimum wage are not permitted. 8. SUPPLIERS’ TREATMENT OF EMPLOYEES * Under no circumstances should suppliers abuse or intimidate, in any fashion, employees * Any disciplinary measures should be recorded. * Suppliers should have a grievance/appeal procedure that is clear, easy to understand and should be given to the employee in writing. * In the event that suppliers employees are unable to read, the grievance/appeal procedure should be read and explained to them by a union representative or another appropriate third party 9. WORKING CONDITIONS ARE SAFE AND HYGIENIC * Suppliers shall provide a safe and hygienic working environment, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment. * Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers. * Suppliers shall ensure access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided. * Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers. * The supplier observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative. 10. HEALTH AND SAFETY * Suppliers shall ensure a safe and healthy workplace and provide a written safety and health policies and procedures that minimize negative impacts on the workplace environment, reduce work-related injury and illness, and promote the general health of employees. * Suppliers must provide training and adequate equipment to ensure workplace safety practices. * Suppliers should assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative * Suppliers should have appropriate health and safety policies and procedures and these should be demonstrable in the workplace QUESTION 2 Purchase management is the maintenance of an efficient supply chain (from raw materials to manufacturing to customers). It also involves several functions including: finding suppliers, estimating the cost of materials, contracting with suppliers, purchasing materials, negotiating, handling purchasing problems and maintaining purchase records. It is also responsible for controlling the cost of the goods ordered, controlling inventory levels and building strong relationships with suppliers. Employees who serve in this function are known as buyers, purchasing agents, or supply managers There are two major types of purchasing: purchasing for resale (retail and wholesale businesses) and purchasing for consumption (industrial businesses). Effective purchase management is essential to keeping the costs of developing products low and ensuring the development process is fast and productive. Because the process of developing products is so expensive, purchasing must be carefully managed and constantly improved. Several factors are key to effective purchasing management. Among these are: skilled purchasers, cost-effective, quality materials and reliable suppliers.

Professional Learning Communities Essay -- teacher collaboration and s

INTRODUCTION Traditionally, teacher development typically occurs through trial and error in the isolated confinements of each teacher’s classroom with some periodic whole-group professional development (Goddard & Goddard, 2007). Within the past few decades, many schools and districts, including ours, have considered and experimented with Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as an alternative framework in guiding a more efficient development program for their teachers. PLCs are focused on enhancing student learning through developing teacher practices. The concept of PLC relies on using structured collaborative sessions amongst teachers within the school to build internal capacity. Through PLCs, teachers critically reflect on current practices, brainstorm solutions, and obtain help and advice from others in a supportive growth-oriented environment over an extended period of time (Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008; Nelson, 2009; Scher & O'Reilly, 2009; Bolam, McMahon, Stoll, Thomas, & Wallace, 2005). The theory of change guiding PLCs holds that by providing teachers with targeted support from within the school community, as oppose to hiring additional outside experts, professional developments can become for efficient. Implementation of effective PLCs requires intentional effort, school-wide and possibly district-wide restructuring of teacher schedules, and additional resources. For schools considering implementing PLCs, it is important to understand the logic of action and the benefits of PLCs as it relates to teacher improvement and increased student achievement. Analysis of the underlying logic of action and evidence from empirical studies show that developing Professional Learning Communities within schools can lead to increas... ...Nelson, T. H. (2009). Teachers' collaborative inquiry and professional growth: Should we be optimistic? Science Education , 93 (3), 548-580. Phillips, J. (2003). Powerful learning: Creating learning communities in urban school reform. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision , 18 (3), 240-258. Scher, L., & O'Reilly, F. (2009). Professional Development for K–12 Math and Science Teachers: What Do We Really Know? Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness , 2 (3), 209-249. Strahan, D. (2003). Promoting a collaborative professional culture in three elementary schools that have beaten the odds. The Elementary School Journal , 104 (2), 127–146. Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education , 24 (1), 80-91.

Why Are Black Boys Failing in School

It is easy to point the finger but harder to find a solution as to why the black male child is failing in school. There are several crucial factors that contribute to this epidemic including, parents are not communicating with the teachers, the socioeconomic status of the child's family, and the father's absence in the child's life. Each of these topics intertwine with one another and is preventing a race of young men who will not be given the chance to excel in life. The worst teachers are the parents. Teaching starts at home from the time the child is old enough to speak, he learns from his parents.We must realize that this is a vicious cycle which must be broken if we are to ever help these young black boys. If a parent is ignorant then they in turn teach their child ignorance. If the parent using profanity and does not speak articulately neither will the child. The main problem is that parents raise their boys until they are able to start school and then they are done. No, learni ng is a life long process and without involved parents these boys will continue to fail at shocking rates. Perhaps if parents disciplined their children instead of just sending them to school they might actually meet the standard requirements.  (Green 7).In the book titled, Smart Kids, Bad Schools author, Brian Crosby stated, â€Å" If parents did a better job at parenting, schools wouldn't have so many students who exhibit poor behavior. † (Crosby 253). He feels that poor parenting is a direct cause as to why children misbehave in school therefore, resulting in failing grades. He says that the parents of today are â€Å"weak, out of control, and litigious. † (Crosby 253). He says, â€Å"Disciplining one's child has become as out of fashion as typewriters, record stores, and unpierced body parts. † (Crosby 252).If children are  not held accountable for their actions at home then how can the school in turn hold them accountable for their actions at school, Cr osby asks. Another point Crosby points out is if the child is not in school how does the parent expect the child to learn. â€Å"Education codes do not allow teachers to penalize students for absences. † (Crosby 255). The parent allows the child to miss school then gets angry at the teacher for giving him a failing grade. We are not living in the 1940's when it was acceptable for a male child to not attend school because he had to work.Richard Wright wrote a book titled Black Boy, where he re-lives his childhood and tells how education was an after thought. During those times the economy was bad especially for blacks in the deep South so in order to survive certain sacrifices had to be made usually education. Wright writes,â€Å" I began school at Howard Institute at a later age than was usual; my mother had not been able to buy me the necessary clothes to male me presentable. † (Wright 28). Once again this type of behavior was acceptable during those times but now it surely frowned upon.Parents of black boys surely do not understand the affect an absence has on a child that is already struggling in their studies. This goes back to my statement that this is a cycle and until we begin to educate parents of black children this problem might continue. Children learn from their parents, mentors, or whatever other figure is in the household. If their parent has a negative attitude about life nine times out of ten that attitude has rubbed off on the child. The child then goes to school with an attitude and it is left up to the teacher of probably thirty other students to try and break through this wall just to reach the child.Andy Kotner, president of the San Diego chapter of the group California Citizens Against Abuse, said, â€Å" We want parents and their kids to accept responsibility for their actions. † (Crosby 257). Simply put parents do not want anyone to tell their children that they have a bad attitude, including the teachers. It is ins tilled in most parents to defend their young with that being said, parents should listen to both sides of the story before assuming that the teacher was wrong in their actions.Parents + Teachers= A successful student. Another problem with parents not teaming up with teachers is the fear of being called a â€Å"bad parent†. Most parents of black students do not regularly attend teacher/ parent conferences. These conferences are held usually between the sixth and eight week of school and during these meetings parents get a chance to voice any concerns they might have as well as the teachers suggestions. (Cushman 11). One might ask how can a parent send their child to school without ever meeting the teacher?There are several problems associated with black parents and the school system which I discuss in depth later in the paper. Parents just do not place enough emphasis on their child's education and in turn the child doesn't either. There is no way that a child could fail if th eir parents are in continuous communication with his teacher, yes, during these times there is simply not enough hours in the day but if a parent does not care about their child's future how can expect anyone else to? † Black children are falling farther behind and are victims of an educational system that is failing them.† ( Muhammad 2).If parents do not realize that a teacher alone can not defeat this task alone, that it takes a village to raise a family its sad to say that these little black boys might be lost forever. In the book titled How to Handle Difficult Parents written by Suzanne Tingley, she offers tips for how teachers can try to get pass difficult parents. She says that teachers need learn parent management skills. ( Tingley 8). By that she means teachers need to understand that during these times there is a lot of obstacles standing in the way.â€Å"When teachers know that a child's parent stands ready to challenge them at every turn, they can become relu ctant to confront inappropriate student behavior or lack of effort. † ( Tingley 8). If the parents are confrontational the teacher becomes intimidated and therefore the issues go unresolved. She feels that parents should communicate with teachers respectfully and civilly without judging the teachers credentials. In today's society is not always economically possible for the mother to stay at home while the husband works. She says, â€Å"Parents work their jobs, raise their family, and pay their bills.Kids are responsible for attending school, staying out of trouble, and pay attention. † ( Tingley 10). Teachers are not always pointing the finger at the parent but they would like it if the parent was more involved in the child's schooling. Somewhere along the way we have gotten lost in our forty plus work hour weeks, consumed by emails, and tied down by bills. Parents must take time out of their busy schedules and make a sacrifice for their children. Another problem, Ting ley pointed out was that the parents of today make too many excuses for their child's lack of enthusiasm when it comes to education.Parents feel that if a child becomes bored at school that it is the teachers responsibility to make learning fun. They say that the child is not being challenged enough and that the teacher should devise a plan that works for their child. It is not the teachers job to entertain students; their job is simple- teach. The unwillingness from the parents makes it harder for teachers to do their job. â€Å"The stress of dealing with difficult parents remains one of the top reasons teachers cite for leaving the profession after only five years. † (Tingley 7).There are different parenting styles that contribute to the learning process and should be discussed in order to get a better understanding of why the black child is failing compared to other children. â€Å" In the eighth grade, only nine percent of black males across the country performed at or a bove the proficient level in reading compared with 33% of white males nationwide†. This statistic comes from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (Green 2). There is something that other parents from other races are teaching their children that we as black parents are not.â€Å"Everyday our parents tell us: â€Å"Obey your teachers. Do your schoolwork. Stay out of trouble. You're there to learn, not to fight. Keep trying harder. Keep pushing yourself. Do your homework. After you have done that, you can watch TV. † Sikh immigrant student in a California high school. (Thernstorm 83). I am a black mother raising two black boys and our morning conversation goes a lot differently than the previous one. I tell my boys to mindful of their appearance; they are judged on how they look. I tell them to be on time; typical stereotypes of black people is that we are always late.Don't let let anyone make you feel bad about yourself; you are just as good as anyone else. I f that teacher calls me because you were misbehaving when you get home you are going to be in so much trouble. Parents of black children must remind our little black boys that the world view them differently and that they must always conduct themselves appropriately. Culture plays one of the biggest roles in how parents teach their children. Once culture is defined and I show correlation between the subject, I will discuss our history of learning in America.It is important for one to understand that education was not always an option for blacks in America. Culture is defined as the beliefs,customs, and arts of a particular society. It can be defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, and social habits. â€Å" Twenty percent of the mothers of black children today never completed high school. † (Gross 124). It is sad to say but within our culture a lot of women have children out of wedlock and usually drop out of school. If we as black parents have no knowledge the re is nothing that we can teach our kids except survival.Asian students do better on average than an other students, this has a lot to do with culture. In 2000, a majority (54%) of Asian Americans ages 25-29 had a bachelors degree, as compared to with just a third of (34%) of whites. (Blankstein 34). One reason Asian students are excelling at a compelling rate is that their parents have very high expectations for their children and failure is never an option for them. Another reason, Asian students perform better is because they watch less television then their counterparts.A study from Northwestern University titled, â€Å" Children, Media, and Race†, shows that black kids watch more television than others. Black children watch more than four hours a day and Asians watch less than two. † (Blankstein 27). â€Å"Asian youths are successful, Steinburg writes, â€Å"Not because of their stronger belief in the payoff for their doing well, but because they have greater fea r of the consequences of not doing well. †(Rochester 121). The last reason Asian students do better than the average American student is because their parents have a higher income than most.  (Thernstorm 89).Socioeconomic status, plays an important role in child's education. According to history, it would appear that black children have been set up for failure ever since we arrived in America. â€Å" From colonial times, educational opportunities for African Americans were extremely limited. † (Sharp 8). White Americans often used several cruel techniques to make blacks feel inferior including, segregation, discrimination, and lack of education. The fourteenth amendment guaranteed that all Americans were to have equal protection under the law.At the end of slavery many freed slaves knew that education was vital to their survival and immediately went to register for school. Whites feared this movement, they knew that if blacks received an education and training they wo uld longer depend on the them and their dependency was crucial for the southern economy. ( Sharp 21). During the 1870's at the end of the Reconstruction era whites quickly leaped into action to stop blacks from receiving an education even though there was a law that stated all Americans should be treated equally.The Jim Crow laws, which were a set of laws that enforced the practice of segregation or discrimination against blacks in public places, employment, and other areas of social life. ( Volkomer 318). In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, an African American Louisiana man had been jailed in 1896 for refusing to sit in the â€Å"black† section of the train. Just when blacks thought they making some headway the Court ruled that as long as the same facilities that were provided for whites were provided for blacks then the Fourteenth Amendment had not been violated.  (Volkomer 318).This decision grabbed the attention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which was founded by W. E. B Du Bois and other great African American civil rights leaders. The main purpose of the NAACP was â€Å"to achieve, through peaceful and lawful means, equal citizenship rights for all American citizens by eliminating segregation and discrimination in housing,employment, voting, schools, the courts, transportation, and recreation. † (Sharp 18). Founder W. E. B.Du Bois, the first African American to earn a doctorate degree at Harvard University, felt that â€Å"education was the most was the most priceless possession a black person could have. † In his book titled, â€Å" The Educating of Black People. †, he wrote, â€Å" Education must not simply teach work, it must teach life. † (DuBois 37). The rivalry between DuBois and Booker T. Washington was a break through moment in African American history. While DuBois felt that education was the best opportunity for blacks Washington on the other hand felt somewhat diff erently.Agriculture to Washington was one of his soul ideas of his â€Å"racial uplift† theory. â€Å"Washington offered black acquiescence in disenfranchisement and social segregation if whites would back the idea of black progress in education, agriculture, and economics. † (Rochester 79). This man used his undeniable wit and political savvy to convince white Southners that his educational program would keep black people â€Å"down on the farm† and in return he promised blacks that through work ethics they could achieve the American Dream and become not only business men but land owners as well.This political opinion clashed with what DuBois thought was appropriate for the blacks at that present time. I mean weren't blacks trying to get off â€Å"the farm† and into classrooms to educate themselves? Even though DuBois viciously disagreed with Washington's view he did however, acknowledge him for being one of the first black intellects to defend the black race. DuBois writes, â€Å"Negroes must insist continually, in season and out of season, that voting id necessary to modern manhood, that color discrimination is barbarism, and that black boys need education as well as white boys.† (DuBois 63).While blacks had won the war on slavery, the battle on education was still in progress. Black leaders of the Civil Rights movement like Thurgood Marshall and Charles Houston that fought long and hard so that black children would be able to receive equal educational opportunities. Civil Rights, are defined as the right of an individual not to be discriminated against on the basis of their race,sex,or nationality. The education that blacks received in the South during those times foreshadow our culture and the negligent attitudes of black parents.For years blacks have fought for not only their freedom but the right to have an education, it seems that the parents of today have forgotten the many sacrifices their forefathers made for them. Not only were the lessons being taught inferior to those of the white students but the conditions in which the children had to endure almost made it impossible for them to learn. The books that were given to blacks were often used and were filled with racial and derogatory terms. To add insult to injury the curriculum within the the text books focused more so on the inferiority of blacks.It was said to have contained lessons that African Americans were referred to as† ignorant and helpless people who were unable to survive without the help of a benevolent and superior white society. † ( Sharp 15). Most of the schools did not have desks and chairs, a black board for the teacher to write instead, the teachers used cardboard to teach lessons, more times than most there were no bathrooms in the schoolhouse and the children had to go outside to relieve themselves. With these horrendous conditions how did whites think that black children were receiving â€Å"equal† edu cation compared to the white children?The answer to that question is they didn't, they figured that if they made it hard almost impossible for the blacks that they would just roll over and conform to their way of life. In an article titled â€Å" The Willie Lynch Letters. †, which was written by Willie Lynch, a British slave owner he said, â€Å"Keep the body; Take the mind. † He wrote this letter to help slave owners keep their Negro slaves dependent on them. (Abbott 4). Even when faced with adversity the black community did not falter nor did they give up on their hopes and dreams for their their child's future.In 1926, African American parents formed a group called the Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers. They worked tirelessly and feverishly to inform the state of Mississippi of the injustice that they allowed to continue. We have come a long way from the Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. the Board of Education, and Martin Luther King Jr. infamous â€Å"I Have A D ream† speech, but many will argue that we still have some ways to go. We are not where we used to be yet we are not where we want to be.From slavery to the Jim Crow laws to the No Child Left Behind Act we as parents must continue to fight against the injustices that either we created or society. Civil Rights leaders have fought and died for our little black children to have the same equal rights and it seems like the parents of today have forgotten about our history, this is our culture which has shaped black America into the cultural rich and diverse nation in which we live. Parents of black children must not allow fear to cloud our judgment when it comes to trusting our child's teachers.One reason these parents do not confide in the teachers is because of fear. We are afraid of failure, failing our children because of our ignorance. Majority of the time there are programs and services that are out there to help families that are struggling in areas of their home life. Until this gap is closed parents will continue to shelter their child from success. â€Å"Black parents and Black communities are ultimately responsible for the education of Black children. Not teachers! Not schools! Not elected officials! We are responsible!If our children are being destroyed in American schools, it is only because we allow it. † (Muhammad 5). â€Å"It is often argued that the low education achievement levels of African- Americans and Hispanics are caused by poverty. † ( Strauss 12). Parents of black children usually earn less than parents of any other race and it is the black children that are failing. Valerie Strauss author of, â€Å" The Way out of the Black Poverty Cycle. †, says that, â€Å" It is often argued that the low education achievement levels of African- Americans and Hispanics are caused by poverty. † (Strauss 38).She feels that poverty plays a vital role in the education of the black child. She continues with, â€Å" if there were more programs to help the black youth improve education this would help alleviate the high rates of incarceration among black males. † (Strauss 14). She feels that the lack of adequate education in the black community is the number one cause in the high rates of black males dropping out of school and ending up in prison. Once they are released from prison most have little or no skills to find employment adequate enough to provide for the family they have left behind thus, the family remains impoverished.Gabriel Trip author of, â€Å" Proficiency of Black Students is Found to Be Far Lower Than Expected. †, says that, â€Å" Only 12% of black 4th grade boys are proficient in reading, compared with 38% of white boys. † (Trip 3). While this is true Trip feels that, â€Å"Poverty alone does not seem to explain the differences: poor white boys do just as well as African- American boys who do not live in poverty. † (Trip 8). This author thinks that if Congre ss would appropriate more money to the failing black schools and establish more networks for young black males that would be more productive rather than , just closing the failing schools all together.The final topic I will discuss is the absence of the father figure in the young black males life and how it has a major affect on the child's education. Mike Casserly, director of Council of the Great City Schools asks,† How can we close or narrow the country's black-white achievement gap when African -American males are not getting the attention and support they need. † (Casserly 3). The reason black males are not the getting the attention they need to succeed is because their fathers are not involved in their lives.â€Å"The father's guidance to his children and his counsel regarding their anxieties and problems gives them that confidence and a feeling of affection which is necessary to the building of well-rounded personalities. † (Paige 17). Thirty-six percent of the father's that are currently incarcerated reported that they have one or more school age children. ( Drucker 7). Black children that grow up without a father or a positive male role in their lives have very little direction and often get involved with the wrong crowds.Studies have shown that children who their father is not in their lives stand the risk of becoming alcohol and drug addicts than other children. (Paige 5). Contrary to many beliefs a father's presence plays an important role in their child's lives. In the case of the black father and the black male child, the father is either incarcerated or has never been involved in the child's life. So there leaves a single mother trying to work and provide for her struggling family because the father is now where to be found.As Richard Wright writes, in his novel titled â€Å" Black Boy†, â€Å" As the days slid past the image of my father became associated with my pangs of hunger, and whenever I felt hunger I thought o f him with deep biological bitterness. † (Wright 125). This is an example of the negative image and feelings that a young boy will develop for his father when he is not involved. It is impossible for the mother to monitor her children twenty-four hours a day, she cannot be everywhere at once.Like the saying goes, â€Å" While the cat is away the mice will play.† this leaves the child alone usually in the evening when the child should be studying they are more than likely outside or watching television. â€Å" Under constant watch, care, and concern, children are less likely to experiment with extremes of behavior when they know they have two parents who are watching their every move. † (Paige 12). It is understandable that divorce and break-ups do and does happen often, the father should still be involved in their son's life. When it comes to discipline mothers are just softer and more reluctant than the father, which leaves the boys free to do whatever it is tha t they want to do.â€Å"Studies have shown that when a father is not present in a home, children are more likely to derail and exhibit bad and dangerous behavior. † (Paige 13). Father's may be unaware that their presence has such dramatic affects on their child's life as well as their educational goals. Children emulate their parents behavior and if the father is non existent soon so will the child. Majority of the black males that are failing live in crime ridden urban cities, where gangs and liquor stores out number community centers and churches. Without a father's love and concern what conclusion can one draw about the future of the young black male?Surely he will wind up in a street gang where he robbing, stealing, and maybe even killing but this stereotype does not have to become a reality of underprivileged black males. There are several tips that can be given for single mothers of black male children whose fathers are either incarcerated or chose not to be involved in the lives of their children. First, mothers must realize that two heads are better than one, meaning even if the father is not involved find an uncle, brother, or even a male friend of the family that would be willing to assist you.Second, ask for help. Black mothers are so afraid of being looked at as a â€Å"bad mother† that we do not ask for help even when we are on the verge of breaking down. There are a lot of services within one's community that may have several programs like the Big Brother/Big Sister program, that provides positive role models for children. Third, mothers must break the cycle. Education is the key to getting out of that low paying minimum wage job and have an opportunity to have convenient hours and better benefits.Lastly, nothing can replace the presence of a loving, nurturing, and concerned father but there are close substitutes. The failure of black young males is a nationwide epidemic. While I have only visited a few reasons as to why they are fa iling like, poverty, lack of guidance, and the absence of the father this is just the tip of the iceberg. I fear that unless â€Å"WE†, meaning the parents, teachers, political leaders, community advocates, and neighbors wake up and realize that this is not an easy fix, that this is not something that can be swept under the rug and forgotten about, they will continue to fail.

Essay on Technology and Education - 1190 Words

Technology and Education When I first stepped foot into a Towson University classroom I was surprised by what I saw. What I saw was something I thought only belonged in corporate meeting rooms. This device I speak of was a digital overhead projector. For me this was something new and very exciting. Where I went to school the idea of technology was a television with a VCR on a rolling stand. This change in technology was far superior than I had ever imagined and this is why I was I chose this topic to research. With all of the new technology that is being produced daily and so much of it beneficial to our education system what topic could be more interesting. The three topics I would like to cover in my research are the pros and cons of†¦show more content†¦Then there is the Internet, which can make everyone lives that much easier, but in regards to education the Internet can do wonders. Not only can teachers use it in the classroom to use a reference but students can also do research for any type of assignment on any topic in the world. That’s how far reaching and valuable it is to education, even local school districts can have websites to inform that community of all the activities taking place in or around the school. With all of the positives of technology in education there are also they negatives. The main setback of technology in education is the cost of the technology. It isn’t cheap at all and it leaves many schools without the means necessary to provide better technology for their students. The costs involve buying computers, printers, monitors, overheads, Internet connection, and of course the salary of technicians who keep all of this technology running. Another set back with the price of these technologies is that it can force some schools to spend money they should be spending on something else related to the school like renovations to buildings or anything else that relates to the safety of the students. Then there is also the fact that students are relying on computers to do a lot of the work for them. Word processing programs can fix spelling and grammatical errors without the student even learning that what is he doing is wrong. These problems can beShow MoreRelatedEducation And Technology : Technology And Education946 Words   |  4 PagesEducation and Technology Technology has become a major component in the system of education. Technology and education in the U.S. has changed the way people learn nowadays. Being on the 21st century the lives of people have changed immensely due to a high increase in technology inventions. Communication definitely has evolved in so many ways with the newer technology being used. In the 1980’s an enthusiast named Seymour Papert predicted that computers would allow learners to construct and test hypothesisRead MoreTechnology : Technology And Education1702 Words   |  7 PagesTechnology and Education In today’s society, technology has become the world. Technology is shaping the world and many people are using it for its convenience. Technology has changed tremendously that it is now being incorporated into the educational system. Heidi Hayes Jacobs, an author and world renowned education leader stated that, â€Å"Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event†. Technology should help enhanceRead MoreTechnology in Education690 Words   |  3 Pagescontroversial issues of education in the 21st century is technology. Educators and parents across the nation debate whether to let technology into classrooms. And if so, how? 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In a classroom, teachers can instruct with entertainment, make students do their work along their classmates, a lot of learning styles and easy accessibility. Students dont have to worry about keeping up with their work and it can be easily accessed at any given time. Technology like iPadsRead MoreOn Education and Education Technology Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pagestheir professors. Some of this online education software also allows for additional collaboration and learning tools. eLearning software is becoming increasingly important, and is nearly essential for modern education in the digital age. However, this technology is largely unrefined and as such, has problems; problems that can be overcome. Since the popularity and ubiquity of the internet, eLearning software has become relatively commonplace in the education world. An eLearning platform can be foundRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On Education And Education Essay1317 Words   |  6 Pages Education has evolved tremendously over the past centuries. From one room school houses, segregated schools, to public and private schools, forms of education and how we receive it are always changing. In the past decade, technology has become a large part of education and schooling. Views on types of schooling and education are changing rapidly. Videos and articles can be found all over the Internet on basically any subject you can think of. Much of today’s schooling is done through online classesRead MoreTechnology Benefits Education : Technology2523 Words   |  11 PagesRyan James English 2/3/2015 Senior Paper Technology Benefits Education Technology is on the rise, as technology increases in the world and becomes the most used element students are still told to use the old style of learning. As a student myself technology would have been extremely beneficial to us as students making reports, essays, projects, and etc much easier. Students of the twenty-first century have the capability to use such technology, making schooling and learning a much more enjoyableRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On Education And Education1820 Words   |  8 PagesMay, 2017. The Benefits of Technology in Education According to Thomas Jefferson, â€Å"If the children are untaught, their ignorance and vices will in future life cost us much dearer in their consequences than it would have done in their correction by a good education†(Vasudeva).Technology has impacted every aspect of most people’s life and education is no exception (Purdue). The education process has evolved as more people make use of technological devices and so education no longer starts or ends in