Potential Investment in Georgia

Abstract Georgia’s economy is emerging from the 2008 internal displacements and is currently being supported by the international community to improve its economy, thus, providing potential investment opportunities to investors. This document discusses investment opportunities in the tourism and agricultural sector in Georgia.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Potential Investment in Georgia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction Agriculture plays a significant role in Georgia’s economy, and according to FAO, Georgia and the Ministry of Agriculture, Georgia, the agriculture sector’s contribution to Georgia’s economy was 12.5% in average 2006-2009 (FAO Georgia 4). On average, the agricultural sector’s contribution to the country’s foreign exchange earnings between 2006 and 2010 was 21% (FAO Georgia 4). Georgia’s tourism sector has also been on the rise recording a 16% increase in 2009 (Georgian National Investment Agency 1). Agriculture The government acknowledges the importance of agriculture in ensuring food safety and poverty reduction and therefore is investing massive resources and engages in partnerships to promote agriculture in the country. The future of Georgia’s agricultural sector is positive given the country’s lots of fertile soils, subtropical climate, diverse agricultural species (National Investment Agency 2), and support from the international community such as the European Union. There are several investment opportunities in Georgia’s agricultural sector. Animal production presents a great opportunity for investment in the country. FAO (24) notes that the total meat, milk as well as egg production have declined as compared to the levels recorded in 2009. In contrast, a new slaughterhouse, IberMeat Geogia, was established in the country in 2010 (FAO Georgia 9). Besides, meat processing enterp rises have been established in Kakheti, Gurjaanitwon and in Telavillage funded by the Millenium Challenge Georgia Fund (FAO Georgia 9). These present an opportunity for investing in beef cattle. Again, dairy cattle have been on the decline opening an opportunity for investment in dairy production. Georgia has also become a member of the Wine World Trade Group opening opportunities for investment in production of vine and wine manufacturing to be exported without additional barriers to the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina (FAO 9). Besides, many agricultural manufacturing plants have been opened or revived to open up associated agricultural activities in the country. These include Sugar plant in Agara, New Nuts Works in Zugdidi and Geoplant tea production in Guria and Samagrelo (FAO 10). Again, export opportunities for Georgian persimmons, bay oil, and lemonade have been on the rise. Lemonade is currently exported to 14 countries, while persimmons is exported to Ukrain e, Armenia, Belarus and Moldova (FAO 12). Georgian Bay Oil is in high demand in Australia (FAO 12). These present investment opportunities in production of bay, lemonade and persimmons.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tourism Georgian National Investment Agency (1) reports that there is an increasing interest in the number international tourists who are seeking to experience Georgia’s unspoiled nature as well as quality service. The country has numerous tourism opportunities which include high snow-capped mountains in the Caucasus range, Black Sea’ sub-tropical lushness, hot thermal waters, and nine climate zones which matches the desires of diverse tourists who travel to the countries among other opportunities. Georgia had more than 1.5 million visitors in 2009, â€Å"an increase of 16% compared to 2008† (Georgian National Investment Agency 1), and the number continues to increase. Georgia is ranked as â€Å"the most competitive tourism destination country† by the World Economic Forum (Georgian National Investment Agency 1). Georgian National Investment Agency (1) reports that Georgia’s hotels are becoming crowded and therefore more hotels are needed to accommodate tourists who visit the country. In May this year, a US-based research company, STR global, reported that high-end hotels in Tbilisi â€Å"reached 100% occupancy† (Georgian National Investment Agency 1). This presents a great opportunity for investment in Georgia’s tourism infrastructure especially hotels. Conclusion The agricultural and tourism sector in Georgia provides numerous potential investment opportunities. These two sectors receive the greatest government support which makes them more suitable for investment. Works Cited FAO, Georgia. Georgia. Agricultural Sector Bulletin Winter 2011. Web. Georgian National Investment Agency . Hotel occupancy reaches 100% in Tbilisi. Invest Today 4 (June 2011). Web. National Investment Agency. Panel Discussion Presentations: Opportunities in the Georgian Agribusiness Sector. Invest in Georgia, 11 October, 2011. Web.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Potential Investment in Georgia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This research paper on Potential Investment in Georgia was written and submitted by user Kenny Hartman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Death of Marat essays

Death of Marat essays The French Revolution led to the creation of Jacques Louis Davids masterpiece titled Death of Marat, which clearly depicted the assassination of Marat, a leader in the French Revolution in 1793. David portrayed Marat as a secular saint who sacrificed his life for the people of his country. Marats saint-like pose is similar to Christs in Michelangelos Pieta, which emphasizes Marats role as a political martyr. David represented Marat in a heroic approach, because the men were close friends and the scene painted by David held great significance not only personally, but publicly in Europe. Elected into the National Convention, David had the responsibility to ensure the momentum of the revolution would continue; therefore he worked to capture Marat in the most appealing way possible 739). Marat was to be a symbol for maintaining the movement and ultimately becoming a friend of the people. David has idealized Marat in Classical fashion, for his body was in fact ravaged by a skin disease. He found relief from this by soaking in the bath (739). David had previously painted The Oath the Horatii, which depicted dedication and sacrifice, a theme similar to that of Death of Marat. Charlotte Corday, a counterrevolutionary, entered Marats home and stabbed him while he was in the bath. A shockwave was sent through Paris after the assassination of the revolutionary leader, causing David rush to the scene to record the gruesome sight on canvas. The murder scene shows Marat clutching the letter from Corday falsely pleading for assistance. Corday fraudulently used the letter to gain access to Marat in order to execute his murder (119). David exaggerated some facts about the letter to further his point of view of the scenario, which was common for painters to do during the neoclassical era. ...

Evaluation of Department of Homeland Security Management Research Paper

Evaluation of Department of Homeland Security Management - Research Paper Example It will be noted that the human capital strategic planning is in place to ensure that processes concerning human resource planning such as hiring, pay programs, and retention are undertaken through a more holistic model that provides an integration into the larger strategic plan of any organization for which it works (U.S. Executive Office of the President, 2004). Consequently, it can be said that this inclusion process ensures a more compact human resource planning program. The second component of the agency’s human resource system that can be analyzed is the rate of emphasis that the agency places on internal hiring. Hiring is a very important aspect of all human resource management roles as it sets the tone for the human resource base of an organization to be established. Consequently, the actual structures of the human resource base of an agency, including the weaknesses and strengths of the agency depend largely on the mechanisms that take place during the hiring process. As a part of the homeland security’s human resource management policy, preference is always given to internal employees from lower ranks whose competencies and experience permit for them to occupy vacant positions that exist on top of their hierarchy (U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2004). This does not mean, however, that no room is created for external hiring, but that this is minimized until the time when internal placements have been exhausted. In effect, the most likely position to hire from outside the organization is in very low divisions. Finally, the agency has a locality and special rate supplements in relation to retention that is used as a major human resource planning policy to ensure the retention of a diversified workforce. With a labeling of locality and a special rate, the commonest idea that comes to mind is that this form of rates is different from the generalized rates used by all other governmental agencies a nd institutions (Schwemle, 2004). In the case of homeland security, this provision has been made to ensure a form of motivation that would guarantee that there are employees who would want to put up specialized roles and work with the agency for long, so as to be beneficiaries of the rate. Imperatively, the locality and special rate supplements in relation to retention is an internal mechanism, together with the internal hiring process to ensure that there is an absolute retention among the labor force of the agency. Implications of Human Resource Workforce The three components of human resource planning discussed above come with three major implications, which could all be summed up in a common terminology known as increased productivity. This is because the inclusion of an external agency in hiring ensures fairness and adherence to state principles, which brings about a highly credible hiring process that is devoid of all forms of biases (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2003b ). Once this is achieved, productivity can be guaranteed because the issue of putting square pegs in round holes will be done away with, thereby, ensuring that people are placed at positions where they can perform to their utmost best.

Corporate and Global Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Corporate and Global Strategy - Essay Example The fast development of previously less developed countries in East Asia and Latin America also means higher disposable income which the customers can spend on durable goods like automobile. Recognising the wider market and huge profit potential from these transformations, players in the global automobile manufacturing industry opted to pursue globalisation strategies. They have expanded beyond their local markets to serve and cater to the needs of customers abroad. Thus, the current global automobile manufacturing industry is currently comprised of large players going beyond their traditional markets to foreign markets with the prospects of larger market, higher revenue, and higher profit. With the players' decision to pursue internationalisation, they face important decisions about their product offerings and strategies. It should be noted that as industry players seek foreign markets, they are actually exposing themselves to an entirely different set of customers who can have different preferences and expectations about their products. ... er the global manufacturing industry is approaching globalisation or localisation, this paper will use 4Cs model which assesses the operations and external macroenvironment of car producers. In the discussion below, it can be seen that the global automobile manufacturing industry is currently midway between globalisation and localisation. However, it can be noted that the sector is approaching localisation as multinational organisations continue to respond to the specific preferences, culture, laws, and rules in its specific market. The 4Cs framework is a strategic management tool which "can be used to assess actual and emerging trends and can assist in determining the extent to which an industry is moving towards globalisation or localisation" (Ellis and Williams 1995, p.107). This looks at three factors in the external environment of the sector namely customers, cost, country, and competition. The customers' factors in this model are subdivided according to customers' requirements, distribution, and uniformity of marketing. Cost drivers are in terms of new product development, scale economies, and transportation costs. Country drivers include trade barriers, technical standards, and cultural and institutional barriers. Lastly competitive forces refer to competitive interdependence and entry of new competitors. Customers The current global manufacturing industry is described as hypercompetitive which can is characterised by the more intense competition among players and high bargaining power of the customers (Kotler 2005). With automobile manufacturers becoming aware of the importance of tailoring their products to customers' preferences, market niching and customisation has become a popular trend. According to Donald Peterson, former chairman of Ford Motor

Childhood obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Childhood obesity - Research Paper Example The best control is to train the participants on what is expected of them. The training session will involve coming up with a different mindset that will assist the participants to veer off these destructions until the end of the study (Babbie, 2009). This will apply to the control group. The idea is to gain a great understanding of the instruments in place while making good use of the Obesity and Weight-Loss Quality of Life Instrument in checking out the various domains that affect the way of life for all these individuals. The goal is to establish the valid and reliable scores that emanate from the study. The instrument consists of different checklists that will assist in rating all the answers provided. Test-retest reliability will be carried out to ensure consistency in the results attained. Face validity will be the ideal way of working on the measures accurate enough to assess the ability of the scores to define the results reliably. Interventions will be carried out amongst both the control and dependent variables, working on the ability to systematically assess the changes that can happen when different variables are in place (Cohen, & Arieli, 2011). With the obese participants, there will be some physical activities taking place and a chance to check on the impact this has on their scores after this. The control group will also be divided into two groups, where one takes up physical activities while the other does not (Gorard, 2013). The results will be correlated to check on the impact this will have on obesity issues. Public distress is another area where intervention will take place. This will happen by looking at the major signs that will define the individual as well as contribute to the changes. Counseling will be a part of the intervention, assisting in redefining the effects of obesity on an individual (Babbie, 2009). The data collections methods will be questionnaires and surveys. These are

Effect of Single Parent Household on Child Education

Effect of Single Parent Household on Child Education ABSTRACT The question of whether different family structures affect the educational achievement of children is one that has been debated over a vast amount of years and is still under scrutiny today. This theoretical study aims to contribute to our understandings of the links between single parent family structures and the affect it has on adolescents education (12 17 year olds). It particularly gives emphasis to single parent families, however also considers other family structures, such as, families that consist of two parents, step families, etc, which enables comparison between the data and gives an illustration of the educational differences between single parent family households and other family structures. This comparison has facilitated an analysis on positive or negative effects single parent families can possess on education. Lastly the study assesses the data available between educational attainment of adolescents from single-mother families and adolescents form single-father fam ilies. Research data has been collated from secondary sourced materials about single parent family structures and education, which were mainly in the form of journal articles all written by credible authors over the past 15 years. These statues of the sources used that influence the establishment of knowledge and policy are highly credible, as they are acknowledged by the accredited organisations that have allowed the primary research to be conducted and the data published. An analytical review has been conducted on all the research data examined and enabled the following findings; although adolescents are at increased risk of adverse outcomes when living in a single parent family structure, the differences between adolescents from two parent and single parent families is fairly insignificant and adolescents will predominantly, not be affected in terms of educational achievement and occupational success. CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH PROCESS Prior to starting this study, a comprehensive and detailed research process around the area of interest on single parent families was undertaken, to provide the core foundations of the study. It was necessary to engage with a wide variety of secondary sourced materials, which needed an extensive and analytical review, in order to carry a successful theoretical study on the chosen title; A Critical Review: The Educational Performance of Adolescents from Single Parent Families. There was a vast amount of literature and different methods of conduct in the way the information needed could be obtained, therefore a search strategy was devised [Refer to Appendix 1 Research Journal Book; Page 5], which included a clear and logical plan to collating the necessary research data. The starting point for the research process was a search for relevant literature on the Manchester Metropolitan University library website. This enabled access to the basic electronic books, articles and on-line journals to provide the basic background reading around the topic under analysis. Later, a search for various journal articles that were not available on-line was carried out and copies were made of the relevant ones that could help with the study. Also, after conducting a library search on the books required, the ones that were unavailable were reserved for later, and once obtained, it was necessary to read them. Comprehensive notes were made of the issues acknowledged around single parenthood and the information perceived to be of high significance. Although, now a lot of background knowledge and data on the subject matter was established, it was noticed that the materials used were not very contemporary, as some of the books and articles were published over 30 years ago. T herefore it was essential to engage with various online articles, including, The Times and journal databases, such as Demos to allow an analysis of a wider range of contemporary materials on the topic of interest. After collating and examining all the research attained, the materials were synthesised to the most relevant ones that were produced over the past 15 years and those that were published by credited authors and organisations, to allow the study to hold validity. In addition, a timeline was created, which consisted of dates as to when certain tasks and research would be carried out, in order to ensure the research tasks and study was completed before the submission deadline. After the research process was complete, it was officially time to commence in a detailed critical analysis and evaluation on the role of single parent families and adolescents educational attainment. CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION Research Interest The nature of this research is to find out whether the educational performances of adolescents (12 17 year olds) living in single parent households is different (better or worse) to those adolescents living in other family structures. The area of research interest is based around single parent families, particularly in relation to education and how children growing up in one parent households can affect their educational attainment. The focus is specifically on adolescents, as it has been argued by some practitioners who have studied single parent families that; adolescence in particular is a crucial time in which to study school success because educational achievement in the teen years has a direct influence on indicators of overall attainment, such as high school graduation and college attendance (Heard, 2007; p.320). The curiosity for this subject matter has stemmed from an individual standpoint, through personal experiences of being raised in a single-mother household, and holding positive educational achievements, as average academic grades have always been met. However, there seemed to be negative expectations from people in society (teachers, extended family members, etc), who considered individuals from single parent households to be less intellectually capable and to perform less well in education than those children from stable two parent families. Hence, the nature of this study and the hoped outcome after the review of literature is; that adolescents are often stereotyped because of their family structure which may have no or little relevance to their educational performance. In the process of conducting the research required, a personal interest on this topic area has developed furthermore, because a lot of different and altering views on single parenthood were found, which were not considered at first. For example, different explanations were discovered on how a boys educational achievement is affected when he is living in a single-mother household, which can be significantly different to him living in a single-father household. As previously stated, the research was conducted by collating relevant research data on the topic area and reviewing each article and information in depth to allow a detailed analysis of the main contentious issues, which included; the notion that adolescents from single parent households perform less well in education than those living with two parents, single parent families have a lack of funds to invest in educational resources, boys are adversely affected than girls from single parent households, boys growing up without a father are more likely to do less well in education, same with girls without their mother, and, lastly, the idea that living in a single parent family consequences very little parental involvement in the adolescents education. After underlining the main contentious issues, a number of 3 questions were formulated to guide the study and allow a successful analysis and evaluation of the secondary research data. These comprised; are adolescents from single parent families at a disadvantage to those of two parents in educational achievement? Secondly, are there any similarities or differences of the educational performance of adolescents between single-mother and single-father households? Lastly, do single-parents have little involvement in their childrens educational attainment? Report Structure The structure of the report firstly consists of an abstract to give the reader an insight to the study and what it deals with. Chapter 1 consists of the research process undertaken to allow the analysis of the research data. The section outlines the necessary steps taken when collating the research materials and provides the reader with a notion of the type of primary research previously conducted on the topic of single parent families. Chapter 2 is the introductory chapter to clarify the nature of the research. It includes information about where the curiosity in this subject matter stemmed from, the main contentious issues discovered from the secondary source materials, the questions developed to guide the study and lastly, an overview of the main conclusion drawn. Chapter 3 compromise a critical analysis on reports identified that deal with research and statistics conducted by governmental bodies, including the Institute of Education. It evaluates the effectiveness of the secondary sourced materials used to complete the study and takes into account the strengths and weakness of the materials analysed; also indentifying the gaps within the topic area under scrutiny. The analysis on these reports allows the subject matter to be put into a contemporary context. Chapter 4 consists of an analysis and critique of academic literature conducted by various authors and publishers. This part identifies other issues, ideas and competing theories related to children from single parent households and enables further arguments to be constructed. It also analyses the sociological data collection and analysis methods used to obtain data to form the studies on single parent households. Chapter 5 deals with an examination of the previous sociological theories devised around single parent families and also the contemporary ones. This analysis allows an insight to theorists opinions and explanations of the differences in educational attainment. Chapter 6 includes the addition of a comprehensive conclusion, compromising a brief summary of the research and independent conclusions related to the study are offered. This section allows an understanding of personal arguments and ideas made to contribute towards the concepts of the study and competing theories or interpretations. It also consists of a section that outlines the future work and study that can be implemented to develop the study of single parent families. Chapter 7, the last section contains a personal reflection on the engagement of the research conducted. It includes how and what has been learnt throughout the course of the study, as well as, how personal interests have been impacted and changed as a result of the research process and the completion of the study. Main Conclusions The critical review has drawn together the evidence on adolescents educational attainment from single parent family households. There is evidence to show that although adolescents are at increased risk of adverse outcomes when living in a single parent family structure, the differences between adolescents from two parent families and single parent families is fairly insignificant and adolescents will predominantly not be affected in terms of educational achievement and occupational success. The analysis has also exposed that family functioning and economic factors have a higher influence than the type of family structure on an adolescents educational success. Furthermore, various sociological theories have been devised on the matter of single parent families, which can be used in context with the topic in hand. Lastly, research indicates, the lack of educational success of adolescents being brought up in single parent families is not limited to one cause only; a lot of altering factors play apart. CHAPTER 3: ANALYSIS OF REPORTS There are a number of reports published by governmental bodies, such as, the Institute of Education, that deal with research and statistics established around single parent families and education. This chapter compromises a critical analysis of 5 major reports published in the last 15 years, which are all acknowledged by governmental bodies. Causes of Single Parenthood Over the space of a single generation the number of people marrying has halved, the number divorcing has trebled and the proportion of children born outside marriage has quadrupled (Lewis, 2001; p.37). It can be suggested, that all of the above contribute to the factors related to the causes of single parenthood. The context of this statement has been assembled from data provided by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) from the 1970s to the year 2000. However Lewis (2001) fails to look at contemporary data and statistics around the subject matter, which could alter the statement he has made. National statistics actually declare that the number of marriages in England and Wales steadily rose between 2001 and 2004 (Office for National Statistics, 2010), therefore although the number of marriages may have halved over the space of a single generation (Lewis, 2001; p.37), Lewis (2001) does not look at the rise of marriages in certain periods and does not offer any rationalisation for such trends [Refer to Appendix 2 Statistics Graph; Page 48]. In 2006 in Great Britain, 25% of dependent children were found to be living in single parent households with little or no contact with the second parent (Mooney et al, 2009). This figure holds credible status as it was obtained from the National Office for Statistics, however Mooney et al (2009) are unsuccessful in explaining how little or no contact is determined. There is no thesis or evidence of chapters that attempt to make clear how they approached and justified their declaration made, therefore making it questionable. Lewis (2001), Mooney et al (2009), amongst others also offer alternative explanations to single parenthood that are recognised within the majority of the reports under analysis, which will be addressed throughout the course of this study. Effects of Single Parenthood The levels of single parenthood are continuously rising; the effect that this has on the adolescents living with a single parent is contested. Some argue there are no adverse consequences, whilst others suggest that there are clear implications for the adolescents, arguing; evidence indicates unequivocally that those children whose parents separate are at significantly greater risk than those whose parents remain together, for a wide range of adverse outcomes in social, psychological, and physical development (Pryor and Rodgers, 2001; p.73). These two positions offered are both backed up with evidence, firstly showing the consequences for adolescents, mainly pointing at the fact that there is a considerable difference in educational achievement between those individuals from single parent families and those from nuclear family structures[1]. This evidence is mainly shown through the comparison of statistical data; those who were brought up by single parents were almost twice as likely to lack formal qualifications (Kiernan, 1997; p.9). Again, the contradicting argument also uses similar procedures, such as statistical data to illustrate the evidence that argues individuals form single parent families are not negatively affected; the difference between children from intact and non-intact families is a small one, and the majority of children will not be adversely affected (Mooney et al, 2009; p.3). Although both of these grand claims provide evidence to back up their statements, they are not a 100 per cent warranted as gaps within their claims still remain. For example, Mooney et al (2009) acknowledge that there is a small difference between single parent and nuclear family structures and claim the majority of individuals from single parent families are not affected. However they fail to recognise the small proportion of individuals who are affected, forgetting to address the reasons to how and why only a minority of adolescents from single parent families suffer the alleged adverse consequences. Separation or Divorce It is argued that adolescents whose parents separate have the double probability of experiencing long-term negative outcomes in education than adolescents from nuclear family structures (Mooney et al, 2009). The long-term studies that have been conducted to show this include the analysis of statistical data throughout a certain period of time and longitudinal studies, monitoring adolescents from single parent households over a course of their lives. There is no specific definition of the long-term outcomes, and studies have taken place over a variety of periods, including, 5, 10 and 20 years. There is also no precise measurement of a negative outcome, they tend to be the general opinions of the researcher or author rather than a factor defined through research or study; there are various chapters throughout all the reports that constantly refer to the negative child outcomes following parental separation (Mooney et al, 2009; p.13), however there is no mentioning of the measurements u sed to define these negative outcomes. A variety of research studies have indicated that adolescents who witness the breakdown of their own parents marriage in comparison to those who have not, hold lower educational qualifications, lower part-time or full-time incomes and more expected to be unemployed in later life (Kiernan, 1997). This expectancy is reasonably vindicated as Kiernan (1997) uses various statistical data from England to compare the educational achievements and employment roles of adults aged 33 who had been raised by single parents to those who had not. From her study, she found that there were a lower percentage of adults who experienced their parents separation than those brought up in nuclear family structures to commit to further educational studies. Also, there was a higher percentage of adults brought up by single parents who were unemployed than those brought up by both parents (Kiernan, 1997). Although, she provides some statistical evidence to indicate those from single parent families possess lo w levels of educational attainment, Kiernan (1997) does not take into consideration the fact that her statistics show; there was a higher proportion of individuals brought up by single parents holding O-Level qualifications in comparison to those who lived in a nuclear family structure [Refer to Appendix 3 Table of Statistics; Page 49]. She fails to provide an explanation for this statistic and in a sense seems to ignore this odd occurrence. The ignorance of this statistic suggests Kiernan (1997) is judging and concluding in a manner that does not necessarily match the evidence, which may indicate towards a personal or professional agenda. This personal agenda may simply be stereotypical views of those from single parent families, which can include the expectancy of academic failure and low employment prospects. Also, teenage girls who have witnessed their parental divorce or separation have a higher probability than their peers to begin early sexual relations, to cohabit at early ages and commit to teenage pregnancies. To start early sexual relations and conceive children young is one reason why a vast percentage of adolescent girls from single parent families perform less well in education than those living in nuclear family structures. The stresses of sexual relationships and pregnancy can often leave very little or no time to focus on study, commonly resulting in teenage mothers leaving education early and gaining little qualifications (Kiernan, 1997). Although Kiernan (1997) makes such claims, she does not provide any evidence to justify them. There is no evidence of statistical data showing that teenage pregnancies are the result of being brought up by a single parent and no mention of any imperative measurements used to suggests such outcomes can occur; thus her explanations lack in v alidity and can be contested in numerous ways. Economical Factors One economical factor that is argued to be common in single parenthood is the issue of living in poverty. In comparison to nuclear families, single parents tend to be considerably financially worse and statistics show 70% of single parents live in poverty (Evans et al, 2004). This is an accredited statistic obtained from the Department of Work and Pensions, which gives an insight of the scale of financial difficulties faced by single parents. Poverty has been identified as one major factor that affects educational attainment at schools and used to explain the low educational performances of adolescents from single parent households, as a vast number of children living in single parent family structures are only supported by one parental income or through welfare benefits. In Britain in the 1990s, approximately 80% of single mothers relied on governmental benefits to support themselves and their children (Kiernan, 1997). Again, this statistic is credited and provides a sound context t o the argument being made, however it is not a contemporary piece of research. Today in modern Britain a lot of people are facing financial difficulties because of different factors that can affect educational attainment, regardless of the type of family structure an individual is from. For example, in the current financial climate and the issues of the recession, many people are finding it difficult to maintain jobs and fund their familys educational needs, such as, university tuition fees, college expenses, etc; therefore adolescents from all family structures may have a lower educational attainment. Consequently there are more individuals today relying on governmental benefits to support their financial needs; from the start of 2008, 800,000 individuals were claiming Job Seekers Allowance, then rose rapidly in 2009, where there was 1.5 million claimants (National Office for Statistics, 2010: Refer to Appendix 4 Statistics Article; Page 50). Thus, Kiernans (1997) examination on f inance does not give a valid insight to the contemporary issues affecting educational achievement. Also, Kiernan (1997) suggests that single parents do not have the financial support from the second parent without any suitable evidence. Conversely this is not necessarily true, if parents have separated or divorced, the second parent is obligated to contribute to the finance of his/her family if any dependent children are involved; therefore although some single parents may face financial strain, there are others who still receive financial help from their ex-partners. Financial difficulty increases the chances of other variables connected with negative outcomes for the adolescents, including; poor nutrition, inadequate housing, health issues and limited access to educational resources. Adolescents with poor nutrition will find it significantly difficult to concentrate at school during lessons, limiting their educational performances. Evidence shows a balanced diet and the consumption of adequate vitamins and nutrients can boost the concentration levels of pupils at school, making them more alert and attentive during class sessions (Welsh et all, 2004). This evidence offered is of widespread knowledge and supported by nutritional specialists, such as, the British Nutrition Foundation (Stanner et al, 2010). Poor nutrition can also lead to various long-term health problems, including Anorexia, Cardiovascular Disease, etc, which may require adolescents taking a lot of time off school compared to those not living in poverty, therefore, again, limiting their educational performances (Mooney et al, 2009). A viable argument is made here, however there is a lack of evidence to support the suggestion that these health problems is a definite explanation as to why adolescents from single parent families can do poorly in education. Health problems can lead to taking time off school, however there is no reasonable clarification to why it specifically affects those from single parent families; Anorexia and Cardiovascular Disease can affect any individual, not just those who lack a balanced diet and may be living in single parent families; the causes of Anorexia range from a variety of factors, including, the media, social pressure and genetics (Russell, 2007). Inadequate housing conditions may make it difficult for adolescents to concentrate and complete coursework at home when required, resulting in another limitation in educational attainment (Mooney et al, 2009). Another viable argument, however, again, there is a lack of evidence to support this claim; it is not sufficient enough to suggest inadequate housing only affects those of single parent families, move valid knowledge and research is required to support such claims. Furthermore, it is contested; limited funds can often neglect the extra requirements of educational resources and materials to help during courses. For example, single parents may not be able to afford home computers, books, sportswear, etc that assist success in schools. Without the access to these resources adolescents from single parents are at a disadvantage in educational attainment compared to those adolescents living in nuclear families, supported by both parental incomes, thus an explanation for the questionable differences in educational achievement (Mooney et al, 2009). Although this is an explanation, Mooney et al (2009) fail to acknowledge the initiatives and support available for all family structures to overcome barriers when accessing educational resources. For example, public libraries are available to borrow books instead of buying them, libraries also facilitate free access to computers and schools also provide support free access to educational materials. Therefore the claim that adolescents from single parents do not have the access to resources available in order to perform well in education is not credible and lacks knowledge of contemporary support. In addition, it is also argued, adolescents living with single parents may leave education early to gain employment to help with the financial circumstances, or work long shifts whilst still at school to fund their own wants and needs, which can ultimately result in low educational attainment. Low qualifications and an early entry into employment can increase the prospects of low occupational achievement, little income, unemployment and state dependency (Kiernan, 1997). This argument is supported with evidence, as Kiernan (1997) uses statistical data to show that a lot of adolescents form single parent families do enter early employment to assist their familys financial needs. However, she has no evidence to suggest that an early entry into employment can increase the chances of low occupational achievement, this is an assumption made, that without further education individuals cannot succeed in the labour market. However this is not necessarily accurate, there are individuals in the media who have excelled within the labour market without an education to college or degree level, for example, Sir Allen Sugar, a successful business entrepreneur (BBC, 2009). Although there is a certain lack of acknowledgement of various factors when arguing poverty is a major factor of adolescents academic failure from single parent families, there has been a study conducted of 2 nuclear families in America who experienced a substantial decrease in income. This identified that the financial pressure lead to increased depression in both parents, conflicts throughout the family, behaviour changes in the adolescents and a drop in their educational success in schools and in exams. (Conger et al, 1992). Therefore, there is some valid evidence to associate single parent poverty with educational success. Never the less, consideration must be given to the fact that educational failure in single parenthood is not only limited to financial strain. Social Factors The single parent family structure is frequently associated with social factors, such as a decrease in the quality and quantity of personal contact between adolescents and their non-residential parent. This can affect a teenagers educational attainment due to the lack of support from both parents to perform well in school (Kiernan, 1997). Although this statement is made, there is no substantial evidence or research conducted to support the argument. There is the assumption that teenagers will automatically have a decrease in the quality and quantity of personal contact with their second parent. However, this is may not be the case, parents after separation can still have daily contact with their children on a regular basis; thus the support from both parents to do well in education may not decline. Misleading conclusions are being made, which suggest the author may hold biased views on this subject matter. It can be argued, single parents providing childcare may also have limited time and energy they can dedicate to their children, particularly if longer hours of paid employment is necessary to maintain financial stability. These decreases in parental resources, for example, help with homework, support and attention they can offer to their children, can increase the possibility of educational failure (Kiernan, 1997). Although the long working hours may have an impact on parental time available, there is no verification that declares a lack of parental time has a definite effect on educational attainment. Kiernan (1997) also ignores social networks that can provide support with educational attainment, such as, family, friends, neighbours, relatives, etc. It has been argued by many that social networks and support is crucial for the development of individuals intellectually, emotionally and socially; strong networks allow the foundations to achieving success in academic and occupational careers (Hooyman and Kiak, 2008). Psychological Factors Amongst these social and economical explanations are psychological explanatory factors that attempt to clarify the educational differences between teenagers from single parent and nuclear family structures. It is argued that the notion of family stress during bereavement, divorce, separation, etc, can provide a vast amount of strain on the children, which can add onto the predominant stresses of educational attainment. A number of studies have exposed that parental conflict during separation can have a harmful impact on the adolescents well-being. This can result to lack of concentration during school class sessions, less motivation to complete designated assignments and a lack of class participation, which usually lead to academic failure (Kiernan, 1997). There is substantial evidence to suggest stress can be related to educational achievement and affect academic results obtained; for instance there have been various observational and longitudinal studies that have discovered trauma tic stress can lead to a decline in academic success (Hall, 2000). Whilst Kiernan (1997) takes into consideration the stresses of parental separation, she fails to acknowledge the relief some marital breakdowns can have; for example, one where the child or partner was suffering physical abuse. In this situation a positive outcome could occur in educational attainment rather than the negativities of academic failure. Also research suggests that the parental ability to recover from distress of bereavement, separation and divorce can affect the childrens ability to adapt to new changes. Effective communication and frequent contact between the adolescents and both the resident and non-resident parents are important in assisting teenagers to adjust and adapt to change. If change is not accepted and the adolescents do not adapt, studies have discovered that there is a higher possibility of poor educational outcomes for teenagers from separated families than those from intact ones. The distress teenagers may face fro Effect of Single Parent Household on Child Education Effect of Single Parent Household on Child Education ABSTRACT The question of whether different family structures affect the educational achievement of children is one that has been debated over a vast amount of years and is still under scrutiny today. This theoretical study aims to contribute to our understandings of the links between single parent family structures and the affect it has on adolescents education (12 17 year olds). It particularly gives emphasis to single parent families, however also considers other family structures, such as, families that consist of two parents, step families, etc, which enables comparison between the data and gives an illustration of the educational differences between single parent family households and other family structures. This comparison has facilitated an analysis on positive or negative effects single parent families can possess on education. Lastly the study assesses the data available between educational attainment of adolescents from single-mother families and adolescents form single-father fam ilies. Research data has been collated from secondary sourced materials about single parent family structures and education, which were mainly in the form of journal articles all written by credible authors over the past 15 years. These statues of the sources used that influence the establishment of knowledge and policy are highly credible, as they are acknowledged by the accredited organisations that have allowed the primary research to be conducted and the data published. An analytical review has been conducted on all the research data examined and enabled the following findings; although adolescents are at increased risk of adverse outcomes when living in a single parent family structure, the differences between adolescents from two parent and single parent families is fairly insignificant and adolescents will predominantly, not be affected in terms of educational achievement and occupational success. CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH PROCESS Prior to starting this study, a comprehensive and detailed research process around the area of interest on single parent families was undertaken, to provide the core foundations of the study. It was necessary to engage with a wide variety of secondary sourced materials, which needed an extensive and analytical review, in order to carry a successful theoretical study on the chosen title; A Critical Review: The Educational Performance of Adolescents from Single Parent Families. There was a vast amount of literature and different methods of conduct in the way the information needed could be obtained, therefore a search strategy was devised [Refer to Appendix 1 Research Journal Book; Page 5], which included a clear and logical plan to collating the necessary research data. The starting point for the research process was a search for relevant literature on the Manchester Metropolitan University library website. This enabled access to the basic electronic books, articles and on-line journals to provide the basic background reading around the topic under analysis. Later, a search for various journal articles that were not available on-line was carried out and copies were made of the relevant ones that could help with the study. Also, after conducting a library search on the books required, the ones that were unavailable were reserved for later, and once obtained, it was necessary to read them. Comprehensive notes were made of the issues acknowledged around single parenthood and the information perceived to be of high significance. Although, now a lot of background knowledge and data on the subject matter was established, it was noticed that the materials used were not very contemporary, as some of the books and articles were published over 30 years ago. T herefore it was essential to engage with various online articles, including, The Times and journal databases, such as Demos to allow an analysis of a wider range of contemporary materials on the topic of interest. After collating and examining all the research attained, the materials were synthesised to the most relevant ones that were produced over the past 15 years and those that were published by credited authors and organisations, to allow the study to hold validity. In addition, a timeline was created, which consisted of dates as to when certain tasks and research would be carried out, in order to ensure the research tasks and study was completed before the submission deadline. After the research process was complete, it was officially time to commence in a detailed critical analysis and evaluation on the role of single parent families and adolescents educational attainment. CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION Research Interest The nature of this research is to find out whether the educational performances of adolescents (12 17 year olds) living in single parent households is different (better or worse) to those adolescents living in other family structures. The area of research interest is based around single parent families, particularly in relation to education and how children growing up in one parent households can affect their educational attainment. The focus is specifically on adolescents, as it has been argued by some practitioners who have studied single parent families that; adolescence in particular is a crucial time in which to study school success because educational achievement in the teen years has a direct influence on indicators of overall attainment, such as high school graduation and college attendance (Heard, 2007; p.320). The curiosity for this subject matter has stemmed from an individual standpoint, through personal experiences of being raised in a single-mother household, and holding positive educational achievements, as average academic grades have always been met. However, there seemed to be negative expectations from people in society (teachers, extended family members, etc), who considered individuals from single parent households to be less intellectually capable and to perform less well in education than those children from stable two parent families. Hence, the nature of this study and the hoped outcome after the review of literature is; that adolescents are often stereotyped because of their family structure which may have no or little relevance to their educational performance. In the process of conducting the research required, a personal interest on this topic area has developed furthermore, because a lot of different and altering views on single parenthood were found, which were not considered at first. For example, different explanations were discovered on how a boys educational achievement is affected when he is living in a single-mother household, which can be significantly different to him living in a single-father household. As previously stated, the research was conducted by collating relevant research data on the topic area and reviewing each article and information in depth to allow a detailed analysis of the main contentious issues, which included; the notion that adolescents from single parent households perform less well in education than those living with two parents, single parent families have a lack of funds to invest in educational resources, boys are adversely affected than girls from single parent households, boys growing up without a father are more likely to do less well in education, same with girls without their mother, and, lastly, the idea that living in a single parent family consequences very little parental involvement in the adolescents education. After underlining the main contentious issues, a number of 3 questions were formulated to guide the study and allow a successful analysis and evaluation of the secondary research data. These comprised; are adolescents from single parent families at a disadvantage to those of two parents in educational achievement? Secondly, are there any similarities or differences of the educational performance of adolescents between single-mother and single-father households? Lastly, do single-parents have little involvement in their childrens educational attainment? Report Structure The structure of the report firstly consists of an abstract to give the reader an insight to the study and what it deals with. Chapter 1 consists of the research process undertaken to allow the analysis of the research data. The section outlines the necessary steps taken when collating the research materials and provides the reader with a notion of the type of primary research previously conducted on the topic of single parent families. Chapter 2 is the introductory chapter to clarify the nature of the research. It includes information about where the curiosity in this subject matter stemmed from, the main contentious issues discovered from the secondary source materials, the questions developed to guide the study and lastly, an overview of the main conclusion drawn. Chapter 3 compromise a critical analysis on reports identified that deal with research and statistics conducted by governmental bodies, including the Institute of Education. It evaluates the effectiveness of the secondary sourced materials used to complete the study and takes into account the strengths and weakness of the materials analysed; also indentifying the gaps within the topic area under scrutiny. The analysis on these reports allows the subject matter to be put into a contemporary context. Chapter 4 consists of an analysis and critique of academic literature conducted by various authors and publishers. This part identifies other issues, ideas and competing theories related to children from single parent households and enables further arguments to be constructed. It also analyses the sociological data collection and analysis methods used to obtain data to form the studies on single parent households. Chapter 5 deals with an examination of the previous sociological theories devised around single parent families and also the contemporary ones. This analysis allows an insight to theorists opinions and explanations of the differences in educational attainment. Chapter 6 includes the addition of a comprehensive conclusion, compromising a brief summary of the research and independent conclusions related to the study are offered. This section allows an understanding of personal arguments and ideas made to contribute towards the concepts of the study and competing theories or interpretations. It also consists of a section that outlines the future work and study that can be implemented to develop the study of single parent families. Chapter 7, the last section contains a personal reflection on the engagement of the research conducted. It includes how and what has been learnt throughout the course of the study, as well as, how personal interests have been impacted and changed as a result of the research process and the completion of the study. Main Conclusions The critical review has drawn together the evidence on adolescents educational attainment from single parent family households. There is evidence to show that although adolescents are at increased risk of adverse outcomes when living in a single parent family structure, the differences between adolescents from two parent families and single parent families is fairly insignificant and adolescents will predominantly not be affected in terms of educational achievement and occupational success. The analysis has also exposed that family functioning and economic factors have a higher influence than the type of family structure on an adolescents educational success. Furthermore, various sociological theories have been devised on the matter of single parent families, which can be used in context with the topic in hand. Lastly, research indicates, the lack of educational success of adolescents being brought up in single parent families is not limited to one cause only; a lot of altering factors play apart. CHAPTER 3: ANALYSIS OF REPORTS There are a number of reports published by governmental bodies, such as, the Institute of Education, that deal with research and statistics established around single parent families and education. This chapter compromises a critical analysis of 5 major reports published in the last 15 years, which are all acknowledged by governmental bodies. Causes of Single Parenthood Over the space of a single generation the number of people marrying has halved, the number divorcing has trebled and the proportion of children born outside marriage has quadrupled (Lewis, 2001; p.37). It can be suggested, that all of the above contribute to the factors related to the causes of single parenthood. The context of this statement has been assembled from data provided by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) from the 1970s to the year 2000. However Lewis (2001) fails to look at contemporary data and statistics around the subject matter, which could alter the statement he has made. National statistics actually declare that the number of marriages in England and Wales steadily rose between 2001 and 2004 (Office for National Statistics, 2010), therefore although the number of marriages may have halved over the space of a single generation (Lewis, 2001; p.37), Lewis (2001) does not look at the rise of marriages in certain periods and does not offer any rationalisation for such trends [Refer to Appendix 2 Statistics Graph; Page 48]. In 2006 in Great Britain, 25% of dependent children were found to be living in single parent households with little or no contact with the second parent (Mooney et al, 2009). This figure holds credible status as it was obtained from the National Office for Statistics, however Mooney et al (2009) are unsuccessful in explaining how little or no contact is determined. There is no thesis or evidence of chapters that attempt to make clear how they approached and justified their declaration made, therefore making it questionable. Lewis (2001), Mooney et al (2009), amongst others also offer alternative explanations to single parenthood that are recognised within the majority of the reports under analysis, which will be addressed throughout the course of this study. Effects of Single Parenthood The levels of single parenthood are continuously rising; the effect that this has on the adolescents living with a single parent is contested. Some argue there are no adverse consequences, whilst others suggest that there are clear implications for the adolescents, arguing; evidence indicates unequivocally that those children whose parents separate are at significantly greater risk than those whose parents remain together, for a wide range of adverse outcomes in social, psychological, and physical development (Pryor and Rodgers, 2001; p.73). These two positions offered are both backed up with evidence, firstly showing the consequences for adolescents, mainly pointing at the fact that there is a considerable difference in educational achievement between those individuals from single parent families and those from nuclear family structures[1]. This evidence is mainly shown through the comparison of statistical data; those who were brought up by single parents were almost twice as likely to lack formal qualifications (Kiernan, 1997; p.9). Again, the contradicting argument also uses similar procedures, such as statistical data to illustrate the evidence that argues individuals form single parent families are not negatively affected; the difference between children from intact and non-intact families is a small one, and the majority of children will not be adversely affected (Mooney et al, 2009; p.3). Although both of these grand claims provide evidence to back up their statements, they are not a 100 per cent warranted as gaps within their claims still remain. For example, Mooney et al (2009) acknowledge that there is a small difference between single parent and nuclear family structures and claim the majority of individuals from single parent families are not affected. However they fail to recognise the small proportion of individuals who are affected, forgetting to address the reasons to how and why only a minority of adolescents from single parent families suffer the alleged adverse consequences. Separation or Divorce It is argued that adolescents whose parents separate have the double probability of experiencing long-term negative outcomes in education than adolescents from nuclear family structures (Mooney et al, 2009). The long-term studies that have been conducted to show this include the analysis of statistical data throughout a certain period of time and longitudinal studies, monitoring adolescents from single parent households over a course of their lives. There is no specific definition of the long-term outcomes, and studies have taken place over a variety of periods, including, 5, 10 and 20 years. There is also no precise measurement of a negative outcome, they tend to be the general opinions of the researcher or author rather than a factor defined through research or study; there are various chapters throughout all the reports that constantly refer to the negative child outcomes following parental separation (Mooney et al, 2009; p.13), however there is no mentioning of the measurements u sed to define these negative outcomes. A variety of research studies have indicated that adolescents who witness the breakdown of their own parents marriage in comparison to those who have not, hold lower educational qualifications, lower part-time or full-time incomes and more expected to be unemployed in later life (Kiernan, 1997). This expectancy is reasonably vindicated as Kiernan (1997) uses various statistical data from England to compare the educational achievements and employment roles of adults aged 33 who had been raised by single parents to those who had not. From her study, she found that there were a lower percentage of adults who experienced their parents separation than those brought up in nuclear family structures to commit to further educational studies. Also, there was a higher percentage of adults brought up by single parents who were unemployed than those brought up by both parents (Kiernan, 1997). Although, she provides some statistical evidence to indicate those from single parent families possess lo w levels of educational attainment, Kiernan (1997) does not take into consideration the fact that her statistics show; there was a higher proportion of individuals brought up by single parents holding O-Level qualifications in comparison to those who lived in a nuclear family structure [Refer to Appendix 3 Table of Statistics; Page 49]. She fails to provide an explanation for this statistic and in a sense seems to ignore this odd occurrence. The ignorance of this statistic suggests Kiernan (1997) is judging and concluding in a manner that does not necessarily match the evidence, which may indicate towards a personal or professional agenda. This personal agenda may simply be stereotypical views of those from single parent families, which can include the expectancy of academic failure and low employment prospects. Also, teenage girls who have witnessed their parental divorce or separation have a higher probability than their peers to begin early sexual relations, to cohabit at early ages and commit to teenage pregnancies. To start early sexual relations and conceive children young is one reason why a vast percentage of adolescent girls from single parent families perform less well in education than those living in nuclear family structures. The stresses of sexual relationships and pregnancy can often leave very little or no time to focus on study, commonly resulting in teenage mothers leaving education early and gaining little qualifications (Kiernan, 1997). Although Kiernan (1997) makes such claims, she does not provide any evidence to justify them. There is no evidence of statistical data showing that teenage pregnancies are the result of being brought up by a single parent and no mention of any imperative measurements used to suggests such outcomes can occur; thus her explanations lack in v alidity and can be contested in numerous ways. Economical Factors One economical factor that is argued to be common in single parenthood is the issue of living in poverty. In comparison to nuclear families, single parents tend to be considerably financially worse and statistics show 70% of single parents live in poverty (Evans et al, 2004). This is an accredited statistic obtained from the Department of Work and Pensions, which gives an insight of the scale of financial difficulties faced by single parents. Poverty has been identified as one major factor that affects educational attainment at schools and used to explain the low educational performances of adolescents from single parent households, as a vast number of children living in single parent family structures are only supported by one parental income or through welfare benefits. In Britain in the 1990s, approximately 80% of single mothers relied on governmental benefits to support themselves and their children (Kiernan, 1997). Again, this statistic is credited and provides a sound context t o the argument being made, however it is not a contemporary piece of research. Today in modern Britain a lot of people are facing financial difficulties because of different factors that can affect educational attainment, regardless of the type of family structure an individual is from. For example, in the current financial climate and the issues of the recession, many people are finding it difficult to maintain jobs and fund their familys educational needs, such as, university tuition fees, college expenses, etc; therefore adolescents from all family structures may have a lower educational attainment. Consequently there are more individuals today relying on governmental benefits to support their financial needs; from the start of 2008, 800,000 individuals were claiming Job Seekers Allowance, then rose rapidly in 2009, where there was 1.5 million claimants (National Office for Statistics, 2010: Refer to Appendix 4 Statistics Article; Page 50). Thus, Kiernans (1997) examination on f inance does not give a valid insight to the contemporary issues affecting educational achievement. Also, Kiernan (1997) suggests that single parents do not have the financial support from the second parent without any suitable evidence. Conversely this is not necessarily true, if parents have separated or divorced, the second parent is obligated to contribute to the finance of his/her family if any dependent children are involved; therefore although some single parents may face financial strain, there are others who still receive financial help from their ex-partners. Financial difficulty increases the chances of other variables connected with negative outcomes for the adolescents, including; poor nutrition, inadequate housing, health issues and limited access to educational resources. Adolescents with poor nutrition will find it significantly difficult to concentrate at school during lessons, limiting their educational performances. Evidence shows a balanced diet and the consumption of adequate vitamins and nutrients can boost the concentration levels of pupils at school, making them more alert and attentive during class sessions (Welsh et all, 2004). This evidence offered is of widespread knowledge and supported by nutritional specialists, such as, the British Nutrition Foundation (Stanner et al, 2010). Poor nutrition can also lead to various long-term health problems, including Anorexia, Cardiovascular Disease, etc, which may require adolescents taking a lot of time off school compared to those not living in poverty, therefore, again, limiting their educational performances (Mooney et al, 2009). A viable argument is made here, however there is a lack of evidence to support the suggestion that these health problems is a definite explanation as to why adolescents from single parent families can do poorly in education. Health problems can lead to taking time off school, however there is no reasonable clarification to why it specifically affects those from single parent families; Anorexia and Cardiovascular Disease can affect any individual, not just those who lack a balanced diet and may be living in single parent families; the causes of Anorexia range from a variety of factors, including, the media, social pressure and genetics (Russell, 2007). Inadequate housing conditions may make it difficult for adolescents to concentrate and complete coursework at home when required, resulting in another limitation in educational attainment (Mooney et al, 2009). Another viable argument, however, again, there is a lack of evidence to support this claim; it is not sufficient enough to suggest inadequate housing only affects those of single parent families, move valid knowledge and research is required to support such claims. Furthermore, it is contested; limited funds can often neglect the extra requirements of educational resources and materials to help during courses. For example, single parents may not be able to afford home computers, books, sportswear, etc that assist success in schools. Without the access to these resources adolescents from single parents are at a disadvantage in educational attainment compared to those adolescents living in nuclear families, supported by both parental incomes, thus an explanation for the questionable differences in educational achievement (Mooney et al, 2009). Although this is an explanation, Mooney et al (2009) fail to acknowledge the initiatives and support available for all family structures to overcome barriers when accessing educational resources. For example, public libraries are available to borrow books instead of buying them, libraries also facilitate free access to computers and schools also provide support free access to educational materials. Therefore the claim that adolescents from single parents do not have the access to resources available in order to perform well in education is not credible and lacks knowledge of contemporary support. In addition, it is also argued, adolescents living with single parents may leave education early to gain employment to help with the financial circumstances, or work long shifts whilst still at school to fund their own wants and needs, which can ultimately result in low educational attainment. Low qualifications and an early entry into employment can increase the prospects of low occupational achievement, little income, unemployment and state dependency (Kiernan, 1997). This argument is supported with evidence, as Kiernan (1997) uses statistical data to show that a lot of adolescents form single parent families do enter early employment to assist their familys financial needs. However, she has no evidence to suggest that an early entry into employment can increase the chances of low occupational achievement, this is an assumption made, that without further education individuals cannot succeed in the labour market. However this is not necessarily accurate, there are individuals in the media who have excelled within the labour market without an education to college or degree level, for example, Sir Allen Sugar, a successful business entrepreneur (BBC, 2009). Although there is a certain lack of acknowledgement of various factors when arguing poverty is a major factor of adolescents academic failure from single parent families, there has been a study conducted of 2 nuclear families in America who experienced a substantial decrease in income. This identified that the financial pressure lead to increased depression in both parents, conflicts throughout the family, behaviour changes in the adolescents and a drop in their educational success in schools and in exams. (Conger et al, 1992). Therefore, there is some valid evidence to associate single parent poverty with educational success. Never the less, consideration must be given to the fact that educational failure in single parenthood is not only limited to financial strain. Social Factors The single parent family structure is frequently associated with social factors, such as a decrease in the quality and quantity of personal contact between adolescents and their non-residential parent. This can affect a teenagers educational attainment due to the lack of support from both parents to perform well in school (Kiernan, 1997). Although this statement is made, there is no substantial evidence or research conducted to support the argument. There is the assumption that teenagers will automatically have a decrease in the quality and quantity of personal contact with their second parent. However, this is may not be the case, parents after separation can still have daily contact with their children on a regular basis; thus the support from both parents to do well in education may not decline. Misleading conclusions are being made, which suggest the author may hold biased views on this subject matter. It can be argued, single parents providing childcare may also have limited time and energy they can dedicate to their children, particularly if longer hours of paid employment is necessary to maintain financial stability. These decreases in parental resources, for example, help with homework, support and attention they can offer to their children, can increase the possibility of educational failure (Kiernan, 1997). Although the long working hours may have an impact on parental time available, there is no verification that declares a lack of parental time has a definite effect on educational attainment. Kiernan (1997) also ignores social networks that can provide support with educational attainment, such as, family, friends, neighbours, relatives, etc. It has been argued by many that social networks and support is crucial for the development of individuals intellectually, emotionally and socially; strong networks allow the foundations to achieving success in academic and occupational careers (Hooyman and Kiak, 2008). Psychological Factors Amongst these social and economical explanations are psychological explanatory factors that attempt to clarify the educational differences between teenagers from single parent and nuclear family structures. It is argued that the notion of family stress during bereavement, divorce, separation, etc, can provide a vast amount of strain on the children, which can add onto the predominant stresses of educational attainment. A number of studies have exposed that parental conflict during separation can have a harmful impact on the adolescents well-being. This can result to lack of concentration during school class sessions, less motivation to complete designated assignments and a lack of class participation, which usually lead to academic failure (Kiernan, 1997). There is substantial evidence to suggest stress can be related to educational achievement and affect academic results obtained; for instance there have been various observational and longitudinal studies that have discovered trauma tic stress can lead to a decline in academic success (Hall, 2000). Whilst Kiernan (1997) takes into consideration the stresses of parental separation, she fails to acknowledge the relief some marital breakdowns can have; for example, one where the child or partner was suffering physical abuse. In this situation a positive outcome could occur in educational attainment rather than the negativities of academic failure. Also research suggests that the parental ability to recover from distress of bereavement, separation and divorce can affect the childrens ability to adapt to new changes. Effective communication and frequent contact between the adolescents and both the resident and non-resident parents are important in assisting teenagers to adjust and adapt to change. If change is not accepted and the adolescents do not adapt, studies have discovered that there is a higher possibility of poor educational outcomes for teenagers from separated families than those from intact ones. The distress teenagers may face fro

Essay --

‘Uribe opositor’ La imagen â€Å"Uribe opositor† se compone de varias metà ¡foras como lo son â€Å"Uribe profeta†, â€Å"Uribe pez de leà ³n†, â€Å"Uribe lengua venenosa†, todas ellas apuntan a ratificar la oposicià ³n de Uribe al gobierno de Santos, a deslegitimizar su periodo presidencial y a daà ±ar la imagen del presidente actual. Por eso, durante las marchas del â€Å"paro agrario† salieron a relucir caricaturas donde Uribe es representado como un â€Å"campesino† que apoya las manifestaciones, por ejemplo. Ahora bien, dichas metà ¡foras que legitiman la oposicià ³n de Uribe al gobierno de Santos, tienen como base la estrategia de representar a Uribe (y a Santos) de manera ‘zoomà ³rfica’. Este, se constituye como un recurso que agrega rasgos propios de los animales a la representacià ³n visual (la imagen) del actor representado. Figura 1. ‘Ataque del pez leà ³n’, 19 de septiembre. En ese sentido, en la figura 1, se puede apreciar cà ³mo se construye la metà ¡fora â€Å"Uribe pez leà ³n† a travà ©s de la transicià ³n del dominio origen (pez leà ³n) al dominio destino â€Å"Uribe opositor†, sin duda es un opositor de cuidado, puesto que los rasgos que se toman del domino origen son los de â€Å"depredador†, y con à ©l otros como â€Å"amenaza†, â€Å"plaga†, â€Å"de mordida venenosa†, entre otros. En contraste, a Santos se le representa como un pez â€Å"normal†, un tanto confiado, cuya ruta o meta propuesta son las elecciones del prà ³ximo aà ±o (2014). De hecho, parece ser una competencia para ver quià ©n saca partido en las prà ³ximas elecciones. El trasfondo polà ­tico de esta caricatura versa en las constantes apariciones del ex presidente en los medios masivos de comunicacià ³n, en los cuales tiende a criticar el gobierno de Santos, adjudicà ¡ndole todas las irregularidades y las acciones que afectan a... ...dominio origen de la adiccià ³n a las drogas al domino de llegada de una â€Å"adiccià ³n al poder†, entendido este à ºltimo aspecto como una â€Å"obsesià ³n†, â€Å"una necesidad de† ocupar un cargo pà ºblico dentro del Congreso de la Repà ºblica. Figura 4. ‘Recaà ­da de un adicto†¦ al poder’, 24 de septiembre De tal forma que la imagen de Uribe se configura como un ser obsesionado, aspecto que llega a tratarse como un trastorno, por querer aspirar cargos polà ­ticos en el paà ­s. Es un personaje vigente â€Å"que utiliza su jeringa para darse una dosis de CONGRESO†. En à ºltimas, ratifica que està ¡ dispuesto a hacer lo que sea necesario (â€Å"el fin justifica los medios†) para ocupar dicho cargo. Cabe resaltar el fondo de la imagen, una pared sin repellar, y la iluminacià ³n que engloba al ex presidente, aspectos que dan la nocià ³n de â€Å"juzgamiento†, de â€Å"encarcelamiento†, y en à ºltimas, de â€Å"corrupcià ³n†.

Family Essay

Every time we have a family gathering in our house, informal debates are always part of the â€Å"program†. My family and I are delighted to involve talking about current issues especially that concerns the humanity’s welfare morals. It will start from simple talks and later become a big debate amongst our family members. It sounds funny but that is how we have our family gatherings. In fact, discussing current issues make our spirits alert and alive but if there is none, our gathering will become boring and seems incomplete. I personally really like exchanging ideas and point of views from others. Through them, I can learn many insights and know their position regarding the issue, whether they are pro or not. This kind of characteristic really runs in my veins. I am a kind of person that will truly stand for what I believe is right. I will never concede to a perverse beliefs and ideas. Even though I have this kind of attitude that like to debate even on simple issues, I do still have my friends that stick with. There are times that we argue on nonsense things that sometimes lead us to a â€Å"fight†. I can still remember one incident that I and one of my closest friends had a fight over on one issue and that is upholding the good morals. I know we have different views when it comes to that matter. She is quite liberated but I am a reserved and quite conservative type of person. So if we talked over on morality, our ideas always clash and it is not new to me at all. Yes, we are friends but I do not do what she does and she does not do what I do because of our opposite views when it comes to morality. The argument started when she confessed to me that she and her boyfriend had indulged into premarital sex several times. My initial reaction was shocked. I was not able to talk for a moment because of her confession to me. I was shocked with her confession not because the idea itself is new to me but because I was not expecting them do it. I trusted her boyfriend very much that he will not do anything wrong to my friend because I expect him as a person who wants my friend to be preserved even we are in this perilous times where our morals are already deteriorating. I am not against on the idea of having sex because it is a gift of God to be enjoyed by individuals specifically for the married people but doing it outside marriage is a very big â€Å"no, no† to me. And I don’t even say that I want her to be like me because I do believe on individualism. All I want to see is, she will learn how to respect her own self and not allowing anyone, not even her â€Å"beloved† boyfriend, abused her body and take advantage on her. In this modern world, several people either young or old, of legal age or not are into it. It becomes a trend of our society. If you don’t experience it, people will regard you as â€Å"loser† and coward but if you do, you will gain their appreciation and approval. See? This is how our world being corrupted of worldly pleasures. And I don’t believe that if everybody is doing it, it is already right. We have to uphold our morals as people and not letting the things of this world influence and corrupt our good character. That is one of my convictions as a person. Furthermore, she continued to relay to me the things they did in full details and silence came up in the atmosphere. I just allowed her pour out her heart on me. After a few minutes, I asked her why she sticks for that idea and permitted it to happen. But she only answered, â€Å"Why not? Everybody is doing it. And besides, we love each other very much. I was very annoyed and disgusted with her answer but I tried to hold back my temper and trying to make a â€Å"good† discussion with her regarding the matter. So, I continued asking her. â€Å"Do you think that is the only way you can express your love to your boyfriend? † I asked. Then, answered back â€Å"what do you mean? We do this because we love each other. Don’t you understand! And don’t you ever dare to dictate my life on what should I do. You are not my parents! † she exclaimed. Those words struck me a lot. I am just discussing this matter to her because I love her as my dear friend and I want the best for her. I am hoping that, through our discussion, she can be able to realize the possible things that might happen to her in the future if she and her boyfriend will continually indulge on it. So I told her that even though everybody is doing it, it doesn’t mean that it is already right. My point was, even though everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive. What seems right to our eyes may lead us into destruction. I told her that she is just destroying her life. Her dignity as a woman was lost. I am trying her to understand my point that I would just want her to preserve her virginity until she will get married because that would be the only best gift she can give to her husband aside from her precious love. But she chose not to understand my point because she was â€Å"extremely† in love with that guy. I can understand her feelings but I can’t tolerate her actions. What she only thinks is the present happiness and not looking for the possible consequences in the future. I told her that every action she will be doing has its consequence. It might be right or wrong. Then, I asked again. â€Å"What if you get pregnant? Is he willing to accept the responsibilities and marry you? † She was silent for awhile and thinking for an answer. â€Å"Well†¦My boyfriend loves me so much and I am pretty sure that he will! † she replied and I can see her trying to convinced herself as she said those words to me. â€Å"Oh, well†¦ if that’s the case, I can’t force you to listen to my advices. I respect your opinion and decision because that is your life. But, always remember that I am not intruding your personal life. I am just worried what might be the consequences of your action and if you are really ready to face that consequence. † I responded. So, that argument is closed and I am thinking that it will never be an issue again to both of us. As time passes by, she continued to share to me what she and her boyfriend were doing and it was all about their sex escapades. I do listen to her even I do not like what I am hearing. I am trying my very best to understand her and remind her that it is not yet late to change. But she will just tell me that there is nothing wrong with her. In fact, she is very proud to experience it. One day, she phoned me and asked if we can dine out. We went to our favorite restaurant. When I saw her, she looked restless and haggard. I smiled at her and asked, â€Å"What is wrong? How are you and your boyfriend? † She just smiled bitterly to me. â€Å"Why? † I asked again. â€Å"I am pregnant and I do not know what to do with this baby. † I just looked at her and never said anything for a second. â€Å"I will abort this baby! † She started to cry. â€Å"No! † I said. â€Å"Did your boyfriend learn about this? † What did he say? † As I asked those questions, tears kept falling on her eyes. â€Å"Tell me†¦ What did he say about the baby? † I repeated. â€Å"He wanted me to abort the baby? He doesn’t want to marry me because we are still young and he has no job yet. I told her to keep the baby and never mind her boyfriend. Anyway, she can take care and provide the needs of her baby if she wants to. But she told me straight on my face that she will abort the baby. Due to her confusions, abortion came up into her mind as an ultimate answer for her recent problem. I told her that she already committed sin once, the sin of committing premarital sex, and now she should not sin again by aborting her own child. It is not right. It is morally not right. You are killing an innocent child, a child that has no strength to defend and fight for himself. This time, I persistently argued with her not to abort her baby. I told her that the guilt will always haunt her for the rest of her life. She might escape the shame for having a baby without a husband but she will not surely escape the guilt that will forever haunt her conscience. She was very stubborn because she told me that she needs to abort the baby because she cannot handle the responsibilities and the shame. I told her that all those scorns from other people will just pass and never be remembered again as the time will pass but the life of her baby cannot be withdraw from death once it is aborted.

How to Write a Good Attendance Policy

How to Write a Good Attendance Policy Attendance is one of the biggest indicators of school success. Students who attend school regularly are naturally exposed to more than those who are routinely absent. Furthermore, absences can quickly add up. A student who misses an average of twelve days a year from kindergarten through twelfth grade will miss 156 days of school which nearly translate to an entire year.  Schools must do everything within their limited power to compel parents to get their children to school. Adopting and maintaining a strict school attendance policy is a necessity for every school. Sample School Attendance Policy Because we are concerned about your child’s safety and well-being, we ask that you notify the school by phone the morning the student is absent by 10:00 AM. Failure to do this will result in the student receiving an unexcused absence. Types of absences are: Excused: An absence due to illness, doctor’s appointment, or serious illness or death of a family member. Students must go to the teachers and request make-up work immediately upon their return. The number of days absent plus one will be allowed for every consecutive day missed. The first five absences will only require a phone call to be excused. However, any absence after five will require a call and a doctor’s note upon the return of the student to be excused. Explained: An explained absence (not an absence due to illness, doctor’s appointment, serious illness, or death of a family member) is when a parent/guardian takes the student out of school with the principal’s prior knowledge and approval. Students will be required to obtain assignments for classes to be missed and an assignment form completed before leaving the school. The assignments will be due on the day the student returns to school. Failure to follow this policy will result in the absence being recorded as an unexcused absence. Extra-Curricular Activity Absences: Students are allowed 10 activity absences. Activity absence is any absence that is school related or school sponsored. Extra-curricular activities include, but are not limited to, field trips, competitive events, and student activities. Truancy: A student who leaves school without parental consent or is absent from school on a regular basis without school authorization, or has a high rate of absenteeism shall be reported to the County District Attorney. Parents/Guardians are compelled to send their child to school and could incur legal liability for failure to do so. Unexcused: An absence in which the student is out of school that does not qualify as excused or explained. The student will be brought to the office for disciplinary action and will receive no credit (0’s) for all class work missed. When a parent does not call to report an absence by 10:00 AM the morning of absence, the school will attempt to reach the parents at home or work. The principal can determine or change an absence from excused to unexcused, or from unexcused to excused. Excessive Absences: A letter will be sent informing any parent when their child has 5 total absences in a semester. This letter is meant to serve as a warning that attendance may be becoming an issue.A letter will be sent informing any parent when their child has 3 total unexcused absences in a semester. This letter is meant to serve as a warning that attendance is becoming an issue.After 10 total absences in a semester, the student will be required to make up each additional absence through Summer School, or they will not be promoted to the next grade level. For example, 15 total absences in a semester will require 5 days of Summer School to make up those days.After 5 total unexcused absences in a semester, the student will be required to make up each additional absence through Summer School in May, or they will not be promoted to the next grade level. For example, 7 total unexcused absences will require 2 days of Summer School to make up those days.If a student has 10 unexcused absences in a semester, the parents/guardians will be reported to the local district attorney. The student is also subject to automatic grade retention. Attendance letters will be automatically mailed when a student reaches 6 and 10 unexcused absences or 10 and 15 total absences during the school year. This letter is intended to inform the parent/guardian that there is an attendance issue that needs to be corrected along with potential consequences.Any student having more than 12 unexcused absences or 20 total absences for the entirety of the school year will be automatically retained in the current grade level regardless of academic performance.An administrator may make exceptions for extenuating circumstances at their discretion. Extenuating circumstances may include hospitalization, long-term illness, the death of an immediate family member, etc.

Free Essays on Moral Isolationism

on innocent strangers in order to ensure that one swing of their sword that could decapitate a man. If a samurai went off to battle and could not decapitate his enemy’s head he would be a disgrace to his community. Midgley gives a few examples of how to go about judging this practice, which is seemingly condoned by ancient Chinese cultures. First, she claims that the â€Å"judge† must have knowledge of the event. When referring to an Indian who denounced western civilization after a two week visit to Brazil she states, â€Å"my own impression is that we believe that outsiders can, in principle, deliver perfectly good indictments-only, it usually takes more than two weeks to make them damming. Understanding has degrees†(Midgley, 78). This brings ... Free Essays on Moral Isolationism Free Essays on Moral Isolationism In Mary Midgley’s Trying Out One’s New Sword, she explains that moral isolationism â€Å"Consists in simply denying that we can never understand any culture except our own well enough to make judgements about it†(Midgley, 78). She goes on to state that, â€Å"those who recommend this hold that the world is sharply divided into separate societies, sealed units, each with its own system of thought†(Midgley, 78). Midgley also explains that the people who take up this idea of moral isolationism think that it is being respectful to other cultures and societies. Midgey does not agree with this idea. â€Å"Nobody can respect what is entirely unintelligible to them. To respect someone, we have to know enough about him to make a favorable judgement, however general and tentative. And we do not understand people in other cultures to this extent. Otherwise a great mass of our most valuable thinking would be paralyzed† (Midgley, 78). Midgley provides numerous examples to show the importance of analyzing other culture’s morals in order to form educated judgments about them. She gives an example of ancient Chinese samurai warriors whom before going off to battle would test the sharpness of their swords on innocent strangers in order to ensure that one swing of their sword that could decapitate a man. If a samurai went off to battle and could not decapitate his enemy’s head he would be a disgrace to his community. Midgley gives a few examples of how to go about judging this practice, which is seemingly condoned by ancient Chinese cultures. First, she claims that the â€Å"judge† must have knowledge of the event. When referring to an Indian who denounced western civilization after a two week visit to Brazil she states, â€Å"my own impression is that we believe that outsiders can, in principle, deliver perfectly good indictments-only, it usually takes more than two weeks to make them damming. U nderstanding has degrees†(Midgley, 78). This brings ...