Effective Teaching Strategies for Deaf Students

Effective Teaching Strategies for Deaf Students What protocol would you put in place to ensure that pupils hearing aids and other amplification equipment are working optimally and used appropriately and that other aspects of your role in relation to audiology are met? Give the rationale for the procedures that you have specified. How would you evaluate the effectiveness of procedures that you have established? Rationale From the outset it is essential to determine what a ‘protocol is? As stated in the online Ask Oxford Dictionary protocol has many definitions, the one I believe provides a clear definition in this instance is â€Å"The accepted code of behaviour in a particular situation†. (Ask Oxford, Nov 2009) An educational establishment where children are using hearing aids and other amplification equipment would benefit from a protocol being in place. This would ensure that children using amplification equipment are accessing the curriculum at an optimal level. Teachers of the Deaf have a duty to ensure that each childs equipment is working and allowing them to learn and thrive within their educational environment by carrying out the protocol that is in place. It is therefore the duty of the teachers of the Deaf to carry out checks on the equipment. A protocol is therefore required to ensure that all Teachers of the Deaf are carrying out the same procedures and there is consistency through out the school. â€Å"Teachers should aim to give every pupil the opportunity to experience success in learning and to achieve as high a standard as possible.† (NCDS, 2005, p.5) By carrying out the checks, Teachers of the Deaf establish good practice and in turn aim to allow pupils to succeed. The children benefit when the protocol, which the school employs, is shared with parents and carers. Listening and learning take place in both the home and school environment. This would extend the â€Å"accepted code of behaviour† to the home life optimising the childs access to everyday learning experiences. With the need for a protocol established it is also necessary for that protocol to become a routine as to how, when and why Teachers of the Deaf should apply the specialised knowledge they have within their specific educational establishment. â€Å"Teachers of the deaf are specialist teachers, whose firm base in audiological knowledge is a fundamental part of their specialism† (Malthy and Knight, 2000, p.vii) Putting into practice a clear set of guidelines allows for each individual, working with children using these devices, to know who is responsible for each area and who to report faults to. This is the case, especially when multi-agency teams are involved in an individuals learning. To answer the question outlined I intend to: Describe the setting to which the protocol applies to Discuss the aims of the protocol and whom it applies to Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the protocol in relation to practice and research Protocol Setting The setting to which this protocol applies to is unique, in Scotland, in the sense that it is a mainstream school where hearing-impaired children are fully integrated into mainstream classes. Children have access to a full curriculum, which enhances their educational experience. (See Appendix 1 for a full policy statement) Teachers of the Deaf are also used in a unique way they are class committed in a mainstream environment with no more than four hearing impaired children in their class. It is important now to emphasise that the teachers have a responsibility and a duty of care to hearing and hearing impaired pupils in class. It is recognised in Watson. L and Parsons.J (1998) that the majority of Teachers of the Deaf are working in mainstream schools either as part of a unit or in peripatetic work but in this setting children are fully integrated into mainstream classes. This setting provides a real life setting for the children as hearing and hearing-impaired peers work together as they would in everyday life. This allows an inclusive ethos to develop educating respectful and open-minded individuals. It allows for the development of a safe and secure environment where all children feel valued and equal. Aims The aims of the protocol are clearly set out in the Aims of the Audiology Programme (Appendix 1). They are in bold and easily identified on the page. This is of great benefit to Teachers of the Deaf and other individuals that encounter the document. The mix of visual diagrams and the clear print allows this section to be user friendly and less intimidating to the user. The initial statement presents a positive and motivating aim for everyone involved. I will look at each aim individually and discuss how effectively the protocol (Appendix 2) achieves those aims. All pupils with a hearing impairment will be assessed regularly through a range of tests. Included in the protocol are the schools own testing strategies, which are of great importance as they make the protocol more meaning full to the individual establishment as these tests will differ depending on establishment. In Appendix 2, the protocol outlines the different checks that would take place to ensure that pupils hearing is assessed regularly. The G.A.P assessments are included in each child record and include a variety of linguistic and speech tests that are outlined in Appendix 2 and are carried out by the in house Speech Therapists. The Ling Speech Sound Test could be included in this however; it is outlined in the actual protocol. It will be used to gather information on how well a pupil is able to identify frequency elements in sounds. Ideally, this should be carried out before teaching and listening takes place to ensure that the amplification equipment is working optimally. If the test highlights any frequency issues, the stetoclip can be used to investigate further. In the event of everything, appearing to be working properly the issue can be raised with the educational audiologist on their visit to the school. They can then investigate and adjust amplification equipment to ensure opt imal teaching and learning conditions are maintained. Tympanometry tests are carried out and a record kept in each pupils file. This provides information on the middle ear. It looks like an audiogram, which can be difficult to interpret. If the information from this was translated into a report that was more understandable Teachers of the Deaf could use this information and translate it positively into their teaching environment so that it makes learning more accessible to the child and in turn meets the needs of the pupil. Other tests included in the protocol are Pure Tone Audiograms aided and unaided. These tests are usually used to determine the degree of deafness. The tests are carried out using different frequencies and intensities. The tests can be conducted through air conduction, using headphones or bone conduction using a bone conduction headband. Air conduction: this is where the individual wears headphones, the tester then selects pure tones from different frequencies and intensities. This test relies on the person being tested to be honest. Once the test is completed the range of deafness is apparent however the cause is not. Bone conduction: this is conducted in a similar way to air conduction. Maltby and Knight (2000) explain that it determines the nature of deafness. The signals are passed through the skull bone and travels to the cochlea. â€Å"The difference between the air conduction result and the bone conduction result is known as the air-bone gap and this indicates the extent of any conductive hearing loss.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.34) The results produced are displayed on an audiogram. It is important to emphasise that these tests are not carried out by Teachers of the Deaf but by audiologists. However, it is important that Teachers of the Deaf are aware of them and how results can be used to improve a pupils residual hearing. This brings me to the point I made earlier on how the audiogram can be difficult to interpret. It would be of great advantage to teachers, parents, and other professionals if the information were transposed into a report, which can be used to benefit the child. The use of pupils residual hearing will be maximised Many factors can contribute to ensuring that a childs residual hearing is maximised. In Appendix 2 it outlines the documentation and assessments, each individual will undertake during their time in school. This part of the protocol needs to be looked at as Record of Needs is being replaced with Additional Support Plans and Co-ordinated Support Plans. This highlights the need for the protocol being a working document and not something that is just produced to meet audiology requirements. In completing these assessment such as Pure Tone Audiograms aided and unaided and Tympanometry Records all agencies involved will be able to contribute to the action that should be taken within the educational environment to maximise the pupils residual hearing. In addition to this it is of great importance to consider the acoustic setting as this contributes to how well residual hearing is maximised. This leads on to the next aim. The acoustical settings for learning will be monitored and acted upon where necessary. In every classroom, there is background noise and this contributes to how effective a hearing aid can be. â€Å"Hearing aids work well when there is little or no background noise† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.61) However, this is unrealistic to attain within an educational environment. Children are often working in groups and teaching can take place in whole class settings where they can be further away than what would be desired for optimal hearing. The hearing aid volume can be increased however this will amplify the background noise that is present also. A quiet learning environment is one, which would provide optimal learning conditions however in a mainstream school this is unlikely. The increased class effects noise. Areas, which contribute to background noise within a mainstream class are, movement, chairs being pushed and pulled, bags being accessed and the rustling this produces, increased amounts of talking, group activities going on independently when other direct teaching is taking place. All of these can lead to a poor acoustic setting. It would therefore be beneficial for the protocol to include measures for the Teachers of the Deaf to assess this before teaching in this environ ment. They could use a sound level meter, which encourages the teacher to put his or herself in the position of the deaf child and try to remove any pieces of furniture, which are not essential which sounds can reflect off. The teachers are also able to position themselves around the class identifying where the best place for a deaf child to sit within the class is. This allows for greater access to teaching and learning and ultimately reducing some of the background noise. As the background noise does not only come from the people inside the class, it is important for the teacher to do this so that outside noises are reduced. Traffic, toilets, general outside activity, weather can all be heard in the classroom. (Maltby and Knight 2000) It would therefore be of great value for the protocol to offer ways of minimising background noises within the classroom setting however it doesnt provide ways of making the classroom acoustically sympathetic. Reducing background and reverberation could be set out in guidelines and could provide suggestions. â€Å"An acoustically good environment is crucial for effective classroom listening †¦ schools provide an acoustically hostile environment that particularly disadvantages hearing aid wearers.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.54) Therefore, guidelines within the protocol should encourage the use of carpets, curtains blinds, acoustic ceiling tiles and soft materials, which can in turn absorb and reduce the amount of background noise. (BATOD, 2001) This will help promote the fruitful learning environment outlined in Appendix 1. As classrooms are, in general, noisy places to be it would also be of great value that the protocol takes into account classroom management strategies, laying out rules for talking and listening. Establishing a whole school approach would provide consistency for not only the children but also the Teachers of the Deaf who undoubtedly have varied teaching styles and approaches. â€Å"†¦It is the teachers responsibility to maintain discipline and cooperation and thus reduce noise levels. Ensuring only one person talks at a time. (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.58) Fm and Sound Field systems help reduce the amount of background noise as this amplifies one source of sound benefiting the hearing aid or cochlear implant user. This will allow for enhanced teaching and learning taking place and allow the learner to become more focused and interactive with the lesson in hand. It is therefore of great importance that they are utilised effectively. Sound Field systems not only benefit hearing-impaired children in the class but those of hearing children as well. This is due to the teachers voice being amplified and making it clear for all present in the room. Brett and McCraken (1998) have referred that some authorities are not using the system successfully and in turn not providing children with the heightened sensory provision. The system not only increases the volume of the person using it but also helps eliminate noises in the classroom, which can be controlled such as movement, chairs moving, quiet discussions. This has outlined the importance of monitoring the acoustic setting for the children it has also highlighted areas in which the protocol could be improved to optimise the service provided to the children. Including these areas would make Teachers of the Deaf and Teachers of the Deaf in training more aware of areas which can be detrimental to the learning environment and moreover have a negative impact on the childs learning. The amplification needs of each pupil will be assessed and addressed. Each child is an individual and in turn, each child has individual needs. So it is of the utmost importance that Teachers of the Deaf regularly assess the equipment each child uses. This will ensure that faults are highlighted quickly and fixed without any real issues arising for the child and their learning. Brett and McCracken (1998) outline the particular needs of a Hearing Aid wearer and provide outline for assessing the equipment. These include making sure that hearing aids are well fitted and that the individual is able to hear in a range of environments. These are of great importance in a school as children are moving from area to area rather than being stationary in the one environment. This is where the acoustic setting assessments are monitored and acted on if necessary. Tests are carried out, which were discussed in the first aim, to gather information. This information can then be used to make decisions regarding amplification equipment of each individual making sure that Teachers of the Deaf are meeting the needs of each child. The amplification equipment and technology will be working to optimum effect and will be used effectively. It is essential that this aim is addressed in the protocol as teachers and parents should be checking the childs amplification equipment on a daily basis. This will allow problems to be detected quickly and rectified. In turn, this will maximise the potential learning that, the child has access to and allow the child to engage fully in their learning and the social interactions, which can take place within the classroom. This is concurred by Maltby and Knight; they believe that auditory equipment if working properly will enhance the learners experiences and the overall progress which a child can make. This setting is one, which uses oral communication, and not signing so any problems with amplification equipment is extremely detrimental to the childs development. â€Å" †¦ without effective exposure to the sounds of the environment and particularly of speech the opportunity to develop spoken language will be diminished.† (Maltby and Knight, 2000, p.38) The mainstream protocol for this setting outlines how to check all different kinds of amplification equipment. However it may need updated as, no child now wears the Sprint (the body worn processor) as this just adds to the bulk of the protocol and the amount of paper which you have to go through especially if you are new to the school. In addition to this upon evaluating the protocol, I also feel that there should be a checklist record for each child, keeping track of any issues with equipment. This could be a simple tick list to ensure that time constraints do not impose an issue for the teachers. This would provide useful information for the educational audiologists when they visit asking if there have been any problems. This is of greater use in the lower end of the school where the children are less able to vocalise any issues, which they may be having. As it is just now, there is no such method of recording and Teachers of the Deaf are making notes on an informal basis with no consistency being formed throughout the establishment. Parents should be considered also; they could be consulted on what would be easily managed for them at home, so that the protocol can be continued there, as it is of great importance that the equipment is at an optimal level there also. Appendix 2 outlines the checks, which should be carried out on a daily basis. Daily checks begin with a visual check. By looking closely at the casing of a hearing aid or cochlear implant cracks can be identified. Moulds and tubing can be looked at and the build up of wax or condensation can be apparent. It has been argued that it is not the role of the Teacher of the Deaf to clear wax obstructions from tubing and ear moulds (NCDS, 2005) in the case of children there might not be anyone else. In meeting the overall aim of the protocol â€Å" †¦ to provide a fruitful learning environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  it is essential that we do what we can to meet each childs individual needs. In the setting which this protocol applies, as stated before it is an oral one, it is important that the older children become responsible for checking their equipment and that the Teachers of the deaf promote each individuals independence and provide support for these checks only when needed. In this setting, other equipment is used also Radio aids and Sound Field systems are in place to provide further amplification. These have been included in the protocol along with whose responsibility it is to check these and how often the checks should be carried out. â€Å"Deaf pupils who are being educated orally without any sign support will be highly dependent on amplification, both in the form of personal hearing aids and other equipment, for example radio aids.† (Gregory, Knight, McCracken, Powers and Watson, 1998, p.138) This quote highlights the greater importance placed on amplification equipment in a mainstream school and the necessity for it to work optimally. This equipment is what the children solely rely on to communicate effectively with. Radio aids should be checked monthly using a test box. This can highlight any problems with equipment and it will ensure that the hearing aid is producing sound at a high intensity this should also be carried out across a number of frequencies. It is also important that hearing aids and processors also be checked monthly to ensure that they are in line with the manufacturers specifications. Teachers of the Deaf are not responsible for these tests and are not fully trained in the technologies used to carry out these tests however they should be aware that they take place and of their importance in ensuring that amplification equipment works at its optimal level. In this setting and as stated in the protocol (Appendix 2) the Depute Head is responsible for ensu ring these tests are completed. I am of the opinion it would be beneficial for the protocol to outline what a Teacher of the Deaf should do when the equipment is not working properly. For example if shoes or links are faulty are there temporary replacements, or are there contacts in place with manufacturers to highlight faults. It would not be the responsibility for the Teacher of the Deaf to contact manufacturers directly but that of the Depute Head however there needs to be a record or pro-forma included in the protocol for passing this information on the Depute Head to guarantee that any problems are rectified quickly. Evaluation The technology surrounding audiology and amplification equipment is evolving so the first point is that the protocol should be regularly evaluated and adapted to ensure that it fits the requirements of the equipment being used. As I stated previously there are steps and procedures included in the document that no longer apply to children in the school, I am not saying this should be discarded completely however it can be removed from the working document until required, if ever required again. The steps are clear and it is identify who is responsible for each job; however some equipment is checked annually. I feel that as there is a heavy daily reliance on these pieces of equipment and there is a strong argument that these checks should be more frequent. This would allow for problems and issues to be identified and rectified more quickly. Especially when these equipments help achieve the aims outlined in the protocol (Appendix 1) In addition to more frequent checks it would beneficial to have a check list and record sheet this would benefit, not only Teachers of the Deaf but parents, audiologists and other professionals that work with the children. It would allow for quick reference for any issues children are having with their hearing aids or cochlear implants and would highlight any recurring problems. This information would be recorded in a consistent format providing continuity throughout the school. It would also be provided to parents to allow them to keep checks on their childs equipment. With everyone using the same format, the child can be encouraged to become more responsible for maintaining and checking their own equipment. Not only does audiology evolve but also education and the way we approach teaching and education is continually evolving so the protocol should be updated with these changes. That is in Appendix 1 the policy statement outlines that the establishment follows the 5-14 guidelines. This is still the case however the Curriculum for Excellence is becoming the more dominant tool in the planning and implementing of lessons and therefore should now be included also. The greatest indication of how successful the protocol has been is whether it is still meeting the needs of the children it poses to serve. It would therefore be good sense to establish a working party within the establishment to evaluate how well it is doing this, and adapt it to be more successful or it could be added for discussion to the agenda of the Hearing Impairment meetings, which are held regularly. This would incorporate views of everyone working with the document and not just a selected few on the working party. Conclusion The protocol, which appears in Appendix 2, is one, which is already in place, and I have broken it down and looked at the aims that it says it achieves. As a Teacher of the Deaf, this protocol is established and has to be adhered to. It is an important agreement, which has to be followed by all Teachers of the Deaf, to ensure that the needs of each child within a class are being met. â€Å"One way to ensure the teacher of the deaf and other professionals working with deaf children are meeting their obligations is to devise an audiology protocol.† (Course Team University of Birmingham, 2009, Unit 4 p.80) I feel that this protocol has plus points and negative ones. It achieves all of the aims outlined however it has not been updated in some time. With new equipment, needing to be included i.e. our new FM system and older amplification equipment, which is not currently in use needing to be removed. It would also benefit from additions, some parts being condensed into a daily check sheet, which would be more time efficient as it operates within a mainstream school. This would allow for even younger children becoming more familiar with the checks they should carry out. Moreover, I feel there should also be a place for a parental part of the protocol as they are a vital part of their childs life. Even though it is heavy on wordage, it does include pictures of the equipment in question allowing for quick finding of the part of the protocol, which relates to children in your class. The protocol does establish the roles of individuals and the duties and responsibilities that they have. It also states timelines for different checks whether they are daily, weekly or annually. It outlines what should be present in each class for carrying out checks, e.g. First Aid Kit. To conclude I do feel that this protocol does suffice but would benefit from regular updates as needs change and children within educational establishments continually move on. As a teacher and particularly for Teachers of the Deaf it is important to meet the needs of every child. As a profession we endeavour to do this and having a protocol allows for consistency and continuity throughout the stages. We have ambition for all our young people and we want them to have ambition for themselves and to be confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners and responsible citizens. All Scotlands children and young people need to be nurtured, safe, active, healthy, engaged in learning, achieving, included, respected and responsible if we are to achieve our ambition for them.† (December 2009, Scottish Government) In managing the protocol more successfully, we will achieve the above aim as set by our Government and all the aims outlined within the document of the establishment. In doing this the needs of all children that are taught, within the setting, are met.

Romanian Adoption :: Romania Adoption Adopted

Romanian Adoption Abstract During my research on Romanian Adoption, I first believed that the law had no relevance and was just a stupid law so that Romania could get into the European Union. However, during my research I saw that Romania did have the children at interest but the law was too extreme. The law has both upsides and downsides to it. The most effective and persuasive evidence that I have found is the letter from Emma Nicholson. This quote is pretty strong: â€Å"Adoption is the giving of a family to a child and not a child to a family.† This statement was made by the Stratsburg Court when they ruled in favor of the two Romanian girls who wished to stay in Romania but was adopted against their wishes. Even though I do not agree with Emma Nicholson completely, she is very persuasive and she makes very strong claims. Emma Nicholson does not live in Romania but she is very concerned about the children of Romania. Since she doesn’t live in Romania she doesn’t have too much concern for the country which makes her seem she is more for the children. I understand that Romania does not want to be a â€Å"baby producer† for other countries and I understand that European Union was threatening Romania about adoptions and I also understand that child trafficking is a problem in Romania. I do believe that Romania has interest for the child but the law is too harsh and some exceptions should be made to the law. The process of the assignment was tiring. Although there was not much more to do then research, pulling all the research together into one cohesive paper was tiring. My most valuable research tool was the internet. With my topic there were not any books. Most of my research was done on the database search on the Penrose Library. But I did have a lot of research through the US embassy and Joint Council. During my research I learned a lot about the history of Romania. I learned that the orphan problem in Romania was because of the Communist Regime and the Dictator.

No child left behind Essay

No Child Is Left Behind (NCLB) is a federal state act of 2001 which was proposed by the then president, George W. Bush immediately after being inaugurated in to the White House. This legal framework was aimed at ensuring that the primary and secondary education system was improved by advocating for increased accountability and transparency in its management. It further focused on the education system increased the flexibility on how parents can choose the learning institution their siblings will attend. This paper provides a broad overview of the act and it includes its history, scope, player involved challenges, among other issues. Brief discussion of the relevant history The law was authored by John Boehner and Judd Gregg, a representative and a senator respectively from the Republican Party and George miller and Edward Kennedy, a senator respectively from the Democratic Party. It was then signed by G. W. Bush. Beside aiming at improving the performance primary and secondary education and increasing accountability, improved the focus on reading and re-authored the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Act. The act was brought forward in the 107th congress whereby it was passed in the House of Representatives and US senate on 2001, May 23rd and 2004, June 14th respectively. It was later signed in to law on 2002, January 8th. Scope The act was brought to the lime light after realization the quality of the education being offered was directly affecting the students, parents and all the citizens at large. At the international level, since the world was becoming a global village as a result of globalization, the quality of education needed to improved since many of the Americans’ children had little hope in the future due to high levels of illiteracy and low self esteem (self doubt). The act was of paramount essence since the US, the world largest economy needed to produce intellectuals that would transform America and the globe at large. Context (historical, political, economic, social) At the time George W. Bush introduced this blueprint, he noted that though the American was entering the 21st century with a lot of promise and hope, many of the children who were in need of education support and aid were being ignored and thereby left around. 70% of the fourth graders residing in the inner city could not read or even pass the national reading trial which involved the elementary level of education. The senior high school student in other parts of the world, South Africa and Cyprus to be specific perform very poorly on the international mathematics test. Almost a 1/3 of the college freshmen of American origin take compulsory remedial courses prior to initiating the regular college level courses It is the responsibility of the parents, state and all the citizens to ensure that quality education is guaranteed for all the American children in order to have a bright future. This has not been the case and the United Sates Federal Government is to be blamed for condoning the poor results and failing to address the failure in the education system. The federal government has controlled the Americans, schools since through education policies since 1965 when the first major initiative on the elementary –secondary was undertaken. Since then the federal government has established so many programs/ projects geared towards facilitation of quality education. A major drawback for these programs is that the results have not been analyzed to evaluate whether the programs achieve their objectives or not. Another factor for the failure of the programs is that they are formulated by the congress and the locals are not consulted, as a result, local population education needs are not addressed. There have been programs that are formulated for every single education program and this had led to a pile of programs across the federal states. These programs costed the federal government hundred billions each year but quality of education on the other hand has been falling since the objectives are not being realized. This has resulted to a wide and an increasing gap between the rich and the poor in America. Faced with this dilemma, some citizens have proposed that the federal government should not be involved the education sector. Another proportion of the population suggests that the new programs should be added to the old education system. , the federal government was therefore required to come up with effective programs and projects which would restore confidence in to the American education system. After a braining search of the best option, the federal government came up with the No Child is Left Behind policy which would transform the American education system. During the signing of the bill, the then US president, George W. Bush said; We’ve got large challenges here in America. There’s no greater challenge than to make sure that every child — and all of us on this stage mean every child, not just a few children, every single child, regardless of where they live, how they’re raised, the income level of their family, every child receive a first-class education in America. Individuals/agencies involved including a discussion of the major decision makers The No Child is Left Behind policy would involve a number of parties in order to transform the American education system, these entities include; o The teachers o The parents o The local citizens o The federal government The teachers will be involved in ensuring the No Child is Left Behind policy work. They will be trained to improve their quality. The schools that will perform well will be rewarded while those not achieving the expected results will be sanctioned. The federal government is expected to fund the training of school teachers and improve the schools in general. The parents are required to monitor the performance of their children and at the same time access more information concerning the performance of his/her child from the school administration. Additional funds will be provided to the state and district schools by so that they can become more flexible. The local society is required to ensure that it provide a conducive learning environment so that the students can utilize their potential to the best of their capability (Hammond 2007). Major stakeholders involved (who the policy/issue affects, who has an interest in the policy) Among the major stakeholders who will be involved and will be affected by the NCLB will include the students, the teachers, parent, the local authorities and the federal government. The teachers will be required to play a crucial role in ensuring that the gap between the poor and rich is closed by ensuring that they maintain high standards and accountability, offering annual academic assessment to children which will then be evaluated by the parents. The teachers are further required to give reading a priority. The parents are expected to work closely with the teachers so that they can assist in progress of the children education. The parents’ flexibility and option for schools will also increase. The local authorities are expected to guarantee the teacher protection, promote school safety, rescue the schools from the schools that are not safe and advocate for character education. o The federal government is expected to provide funds and reward to the well performing schools and states in terms of accountability and transparency. The government will also give the teachers some initiatives like tax deduction in order to promote their performance. The role public administrators play in the policy/issue The public administers are expected to ensure that the funds provided by the federal government are utilized in the most efficient was possible while at the same time making certain that they reach the targeted entities. The public administrators are further expected to evaluate the performance of the school. They should also give feedback to the federal government on matter concerning the effectiveness of the No Child is Left Behind policy in meeting the academic needs of the American people (Samier, et, al, 2008). Policy alternatives and solutions Currently this is the best education program that has been formulated in the US. Proper implementation of the program will ensure that it becomes perfect since it will be evaluated from time to time. Corrective measure will be put in place to ensure that the expected results are achieved. Challenges facing policy implementation and solution The policy is faced with a number of challenges prior to its implementation. One of major critic is on the use of standards to gauge the performance of the states and schools. The schools or each state can lower their standards so that they cam purport to have improved in their performance. This is because each state has the capacity to set its own standards. This means that the incentives and penalties (sanctions) provided by the government would end up on the hand of wrong persons. This problem therefore calls for standardization of the examination if at all there is an expectation of correct unbiased results (Uzzell (2005). The use of standardized within states reduced the quality of education since the teachers â€Å"teach the test† to ensure that the students performs well in the schools. They, teachers, only teach the areas that are expected to be tested in the final standard exams. The standardized tests are also against Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. The tests have also been condemned of promoting cultural bias since different culture value certain skills than others. To avoid this kind of bias, the policy of standardized test should be re-evaluated in depth and a sustainable standard established (Abernathy 2007). The issue of offering incentives to the schools performing poorly enables the schools to continue performing poorly. The schools that are rewarded after performing well in the standards test is likely to push out the poorly performing students so that hey can maintain the standards. In order to ensure that the poorly performing schools improve they should be offered with technical expertise and not financial resources. The top performing schools on the other hand should be closely monitored to ensure that the poor students are not expelled on academic grounds. The No Child is Left Behind policy focuses manly on the core subjects, that is English and Mathematics, this has made the student to improve in these two subjects while the other broader education is lost. This therefore requires the NCLB policy to be considerate of other skills and subjects to ensure that education meets its purpose (Menken 2008). Importance of the No Child is Left Behind policy Its enables the children to understand the policies that have been implemented in the efforts to improve the quality of education in order to face the global challenges in bold. Precisely, the understanding of this policy enables a person to understand the existing education policy’s roots, challenges and its core values. This policy is also an indication of the federal government interest in leading the global by providing its citizens with quality education which will ensure that the illiteracy level decreases significantly. The policy also explains in details the expected level of participation by all the parties involved in ensuring that it is a success. The policy also explains the importance of the accountability and transparency for any program or policy to succeed (Peterson, et, al, 2003). Overview of the important values Irrespective of the stake holders involved in implementing this policy, is of great significance to evaluate the important values of the No Child is Left Behind policy. This policy is expected to; o Result to grades for tests o General improvement of all the standards o Increased accountability of all resources in the schools o Creating opportunity for the minority groups o General improvement of the quality of education o Offering the parent the option to select school for children o Guarantying of the federal funding Conclusion Though the change is well formulated, it needs to be cleansed off some of the issues that are raising eyebrows. It needs to be refined to address all the children depending on their needs. The policy provides clearly detailed guidelines which will ensure that the quality of the education system in America greatly improves to solve the ever increasing global challenges. While comparing the old and the new education programs, this new NCLB is likely to have better results since it focus on all the children with emphasis on the children from the minority groups. The local population, citizens and the federal government should ensure that the proper implementation and evaluation is carried out to make certain that the best results are achieved. As time passes by, a research should be carried out to find out area or clauses that need to be changed for upgrading of the programs. References Abernathy Scott Franklin (2007) No Child Left Behind and the Public Schools, Michigan, University of Michigan Press, (pp 130-149). Hammond Linda D. (2007) Evaluating ‘No Child Left Behind’ retrieved on 18th, November, 2008, available at http://www. thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond Menken Kate (2008) English Learners Left Behind: Standardized Testing as Language Policy, NY, Multilingual Matters Press (pp 118-140) Samier Eugenie Angele, Stanley Adam (2008) Political Approaches to Educational Administration and Leadership, NY, Routledge, (pp 139-154) Peterson Paul E. , West Martin R. (2003) No Child Left Behind? The Politics and Practice of School Accountability, Brookings, Brookings Institution Press, (pp13-14) Smith Marilyn Cochran (2004) Walking the Road: Race, Diversity, and Social Justice in Teacher Teachers College Press (p 157) The white house, Foreword by President George W. Bush, retrieved on 18th, November, 2008, available at http://www. whitehouse. gov/news/reports/no-child-left-behind. html The White House, President Signs Landmark No Child Left Behind Education Bill, retrieved on 18th, November, 2008, available at http://www. whitehouse. gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020108-1. html Uzzell Lawrence A. (2005) No Child Left Behind: The Dangers of Centralized Education Policy, retrieved on 18th, November, 2008, available at http://www. cato. org/pub_display. php? pub_id=3769

New Heritage Doll Company - 3645 Words

New Heritage Doll Company Financial Assessment Executive Summary New Heritage Doll Company’s production division has two serious proposals that will be presented to the capital budget committee. The first proposal, named Match My Doll Clothing Line extension, will add year round seasonal clothing to Heritage’s product line. This proposal’s NPV was $7,326.11. The IRR was 24.10% and the MIRR was 20.68%. The Profitability Index was 3.08 and the payback period was 7.11 years. The value of the tax shield is $647,000. The second proposal, called Design Your Own Doll, is a new product line related to the heirloom line. It is one that will allow customers to customize the looks of the dolls they purchase through the New Heritage†¦show more content†¦With constraints on financial and managerial resources, Emily Harris, vice president of New Heritage Doll Company’s production division, has a strong inclination that the capital budget committee will decline to approve both projects. Two projects, named Match My Doll Clothing Line and Design Your Own Doll line, were of main concern for Emily Harris. The first focused mainly on expanding the line to include matching all-season clothing for tween girls and their favorite dolls. The second focused on a new initiative that would employ web-based doll-design software to let users customize a doll’s features to their own liking. The Match My Doll Clothing line currently consists of a small selection of matching doll and child clothing sets for warm weather. Having become quickly successful after having been spotted in the hands of celebrities children’s arms, the brand manager of the line felt it was the perfect time for the line to expand. The investment proposal contained a large outlay for Ramp;D, market research, and marketing to maximize the profitability of quick acceptance and longer-term success for the follow-on line. The following are the upfront expenditures ($ thousands): Ramp;D - $ 625, Upfront Marketing - $625, Investment in Working Capital - $ 800, Property, Plant amp; Equipment - $ 1,470, Total Investment - $3,520. Ramp;D and marketing expenditures are deductible forShow MoreRelatedNew Heritage Doll Company Case1848 Words   |  8 PagesNEW HERITAGE DOLL COMPANY FINA 6278 Case 1 I. Executive Summary New Heritage Doll Company is a U.S based children toy manufacturer with a well-known national brand: the New Heritage. With its existing three divisions, New Heritage proposed two potential investment projects in order to expand its business while the doll industry was facing a relatively low growth rate. The first proposal is the Match My Doll Clothing line expansion, which is to expand a new clothing product line aimedRead MoreNew Heritage Doll Company : Capital Budgeting1321 Words   |  6 PagesNew Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting The New Heritage Doll Company offered a unique line of dolls as an alternative to its competitors, and it wanted to extend its brand for future growth. The company has three operating divisions: production, retailing and licensing. All three divisions planned to promote projects of their own to compete for the same limited resources. Emily Harris, vice president of the production division, had to be prepared to select one of the two project proposalsRead MoreThe New Heritage Doll Company : Capital Budgeting902 Words   |  4 PagesThe New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting Summary The New Heritage Doll Company was founded in 1985 by Ingrid Beckwith, a retired psychologist, who specialized in child development. She was also a grandmother of two young girls. Beckwith created her downline to target young girls ages 3 to 12 years old. She even had a baby doll line targeting even younger girls and â€Å"celebrity† line for teens. Her goal was to develop girl s imagination and foster positive self-image. To do this she createdRead MoreNew Heritage Doll Company Write Up1317 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Marina Chmykhalo-Friermood Professor N. Cohen FINA 6273-Section 10 October 23, 2014 New Heritage Doll Company Write-up Introduction New Heritage Doll Company is a firm that has ventured into doll production which has sought to extend its brand in order to broaden its market framework and more importantly capitalize on high levels of customer loyalty. The vice president of the Company, Emily Harris, is to forward her project proposal to the Budgeting Committee for evaluation. The Vice-president’sRead MoreMarketing Plan For New Heritage Doll Company1133 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction New Heritage Doll Company operates in doll industry, proposing products with unique storylines. Two project proposals will be considered during the firm’s capital budgeting meeting in October. The first one called Match My Doll Clothing Line is an expansion of an existing product line, consisting in matching girl and doll clothes. The second on is Design Your Own Doll, which will allow users to create a customize doll. The committee could decline both projects, so vice president EmilyRead MoreNew Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting3226 Words   |  13 PagesNew Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting In mid-September of 2010/ Emily Harris, vice president of New Heritage Doll Companys production division, was weighing project proposals for the companys upcoming capital budgeting meetings in October. Two proposals stood out based on their potential to strengthen the divisions innovative product lines and drive future growth. However, due to constraints on financial and managerial resources, Harris knew it was possible that the firms capital budgetingRead MoreNew Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting3236 Words   |  13 PagesNew Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting In mid-September of 2010/ Emily Harris, vice president of New Heritage Doll Companys production division, was weighing project proposals for the companys upcoming capital budgeting meetings in October. Two proposals stood out based on their potential to strengthen the divisions innovative product lines and drive future growth. However, due to constraints on financial and managerial resources, Harris knew it was possible that the firms capital budgetingRead MoreNew Heritage Doll Company: Business Overview2186 Words   |  9 PagesIndex Executive summery†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦1 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2 Case analysis Match My Doll Clothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.2 Design Your Own Doll†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Comparison†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Additional Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..5 Appendix Appendix 1: calculation formulas, definitions and assumptions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreNew Heritage Doll Company Solution3448 Words   |  14 Pages2020 26.178 24.464 10 years $ 8.778 Profitability Index NPV/Initial Investment 1,32 NPV of Match My Doll Clothing Line Extension TV growth rate 1% 2% 6.141 $ 7.292 $ 5.075 $ 5.950 $ 4.314 $ 5.019 $ NPV if TV=BV of NWC + PPE $ 3.011 $ 2.687 $ 2.425 Discount rate 7,70% 8,40% 9,00% $ $ $ 0% 5.289 $ 4.408 $ 3.766 $ 3% 8.932 7.150 5.958 NPV of Design Your Own Doll TV growth rate 1% 2% 7.263 $ 9.198 $ 5.526 $ 6.998 $ 4.294 $ 5.479 $ NPV if TV=BV of NWC + PPE $ 3.567 $ 2.980 $Read MoreNew Heritage734 Words   |  3 PagesThe New Heritage Doll Company is founded in 1985 and has long history. The management of company pay attention to the doll developing girls’ the imagination and self-image. The company tends to create some new products to dominate the market. The U.S. retail sales of dolls totaled $3.1 billion in 2008 while the New Heritage Doll Company’s revenue approximately $245 million of revenue, owning less than 10% of market share. There is good reason to believe that the New Heritage Doll Company has a potential