What Is the Federal Work Study Program Definition and Guide

What Is the Federal Work Study Program Definition and Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're brainstorming different methods of funding your college education, you've likely considered working your way through school. The federally-funded Work Study program exists to make this option a little more viable. You don't receive a loan or a grant - instead, you get a job that exists partly because this program subsidizes your wages. Work-study awards are unique components of many students' financial aid packages. Because these awards are so different from your typical loan, grant, or scholarship, you might have questions about how they work, exactly. In this post, I'll go over everything you need to know about Work Study. What Is the Work Study Program? As you may already know, the federal government offers many different types of financialaid to students who need help paying for school. When you submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, you're submitting yourself for consideration for these programs. If you're accepted to a particular school and noted that you would like to be considered for financial aid, you'll receive an aid package from that institution. The package will include the federal aid you're eligible for (grants, loans, and work study awards), in addition to aid awarded by the school (like scholarships). If you're eligible to receive Federal Work Study (FWS), which is a need-based program, the award amount will be listed in this financialaid package. It's built in as a form of "self-help" - basically, it's money that schools expect you to earn during the academic year to help pay for your educational expenses. At this point, you may be wondering how this could be considered an award. It just sounds like a charge you're expected to pay, right? To a certain extent, that's the idea. It's not a grant - you don't get any money handed to you - but it's meant to make your life easier when it comes to getting a campus job. Through the work study program, the federal government subsidized certain jobs (most of which are on campus). Schools hire students with work study awards, and these students' wages are paid in part by that federal money. The amount that the government actually subsidizes depends on the type of work that you're doing, but it good be up to 75% of your wages. Ultimately, this program incentivizes institutions to (1) create jobs that can be filled by part-time students, and (2) hire students with Work Study awards. Example Financial Aid Award With Work Study I've used the FAFSA4caster to come up with an example federal aid award package that includes FWS. In this example, I entered a family gross adjusted income of $65,000 and a total cost of attendance of $65,000. Remember that cost of attendance includes tuition, room, board, fees, and all personal and travel expenses. I'll refer back to this example throughout this article. In this example situation, I would be eligible for $1,465 in Work Study, and $5,500 in Direct Stafford Loans (guide coming soon). The difference between my cost of attendance (CoA) and the total federal aid available to me is $58,035. My expected family contribution (EFC) is $5,930. Let's say for the sake of this example, I attend a school that meets 100% of students' financial need (this, of course, is an idealized and simplified situation). The EFC subtracted from the difference is $52,105, so I'm provided with $52,105 in grants and scholarships. Ultimately, I am personally responsible for working to come up with $1,465 if my true CoA comes out to be $65,000. Who's Eligible for Federal Work Study? In order to qualify for FWS, you must both demonstrate financial need and meet all federal aid requirements. The program is fortunately open to both undergraduate and graduate students. You can use your family's financial information to estimate whether you would receive a FWS award (and if so, how large an award) by checking out the FAFSA4caster. Get step-by-step instructions for using the FAFSA4caster here. The following charts explain all the federal aid requirements in detail. You must do all of the following: Eligibility Requirement Have a high school diploma, GED, or approved homeschool education Be enrolled or accepted to enroll in an eligible degree/certificate program You can check with your school/program’s financial aid office if you want to confirm eligibility Be registered with Selective Service, if you are male and between 18-25 years old If applicable, register with the SS website Have a valid Social Security Number (unless you’re from the Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau) Sign statements on the FAFSA stating that (1) you’re not in default, and do not owe refund money, on a federal student loan, and (2) you’ll only use federal aid money to help pay for your education Access the FAFSA Maintain â€Å"satisfactory† progress in school If you’re concerned about your academic performance, or have questions about what is considered â€Å"satisfactory,† set up a meeting with your dean or other school administrator. In addition to the above, you must be able to check one of the following: Be a US citizen or US national Have a green card Have an arrival-departure record Have battered immigrant status Have a T-Visa Work Study Jobs Most FWS jobs are on campus, which should make it easier to get from your dorm to class to work. Some nonprofits or public agencies offer FWS positions, although these jobs are relatively rare. Almost any sort of on-campus job could be a Work Study job - in fact, a lot of employers that offer these positions can only afford to hire students with FWS awards (especially because up to 75% of your salary may be subsidized). Examples of Work Study jobs include library staffers, admissions office tour guides, research assistants, and even baristas. I know for a fact that the best student cafe in Harvard Yard exclusively hires students with FWS awards. Getting paid to make (and drink) coffee? Yes please. How Much Can You Make? Your hourly salary will be at least the current federal minimum wage, which is $8.25/hr at the moment. You could possibly earn more, depending on what you're doing and what school you're attending. Many schools have their own campus minimum wages; for example, the minimums at Harvard for work study jobs stand at $10/hr for undergrads, and $12.50/hr for grad students. Work Study Limits There are a few restrictions to where and how you can earn FWS money, but generally it's a pretty flexible program. First, in order to get a Work Study job, you have to attend a school that participates in the Work Study program. Your school's financial aid program will be able to tell you whether they have FWS jobs on campus. They'll also be able to direct you to FWS job postings. If you do get a FWS award, you should know that the annual maximum is $7,000, but the average award is much lower - around $1,465. As for how you use your work study money, you're free to do whatever you'd like with it. Your wages will go directly to you, unless you request that the money be sent to your school so it can be applied to charges for things like tuition, room, and board. A word of warning: if you spend your earnings on things that are not budgeted into your estimated cost of attendance, you could leave yourself with a "gap" between how much money you have, and how much money it costs to attend school. For example, let's say (based on the financial aid package I described earlier in the post) that all of my aid goes to tuition, room, board, and fees. I still have to pay for laundry, books, and transportation; that's what my FWS award ($1,465) is earmarked for. If I do something else with my FWS earnings (say, buy expensive concert tickets), I won't have the money I need to fund personal expenses. You do not want this to happen; your roommates will not be pleased if you have to bum quarters off them for laundry. Do You Have to Take a Work Study Job If You Have a Work Study Award? The short answer is no, you're under no obligation to take a FWS job. If a FWS award has been factored into your budget in your financial aid package, and you decide not to take a job, you could choose to live more frugally to lower your cost of attendance. This is a good option if you're planning on using your earnings to pay for personal expenses (like in the example I described above). You are also free to take on a non-Work Study job. Just be aware that earnings from a non-FWS job will reduce your federal aid eligibility if by 50% over $6,310. If you make $8,000, for example, your federal aid eligibility would decrease by $845. You won't see this decrease in aid eligibility from earnings at a FWS job. How Do You Apply? Now that you've learned all about the federal Work Study program, you know that it's a good option for students who are interested in working part-time while in school. You can apply for a FWS award by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA (get step-by-step directions here). Application deadlines for this program vary by school, but funds tend to be limited. It's best to apply earlier rather than later (e.g. submit your application early spring for the next academic year). Contact your financial aid office to check on detailed information on deadlines for FWS applications. Keep in mind that having a Work Study award doesn't guarantee a Work Study position - you have to apply for jobs once you're on campus, just like for any other part-time position. You still have to apply for FWS positions, but the good news is you'll get great application interview experience Planning Ahead: You Have a Work Study Award, So Now What? If you already have a FWS award, or think you might receive one, you'll find strategies for making the most of it in this section. Be Proactive Work Study jobs are often highly coveted. If you're planning on using your FWS award, start looking for jobs as soon as you get on campus. Check out your school's job database or career center. If a prospective employer participates in the Work Study program, they'll be incentivized to hire you if you notify them about your award. Budget Out Your Award It can be tempting to work a lot of hours at your FWS job once you start getting in those paychecks. If you have a smaller award amount, or if you work many hours, you could run out of your FWS money faster than you anticipate. If your employer has hired you specifically because you have FWS, they may not be able to afford you if you run out of funds. Step 1: How many weeks do you plan on working during the academic year? Subtract any summer or vacation time that you won't be working. Step 2: Assuming that your award is subsidizing 75% of your paycheck (this might vary), divide your total FWS award by (hourly rate multiplied by 75%). This gives you the total number of hours you can work for the year. Step 3: Divide the number you calculated in Step 2 by the number of weeks you calculated in Step 1 to get your average number of hours per week. Be honest with your employer about your Work Study Award. Chances are, she's had FWS employees before, and knows that you'll have to stay within certain earnings parameters. She may even have a budget to keep paying you after you run out of FWS funds, which is another reason to keep her in the loop. Track Your Earnings Once or twice a semester, it's smart to double-check whether your FWS award amount is where you expect it to be. This gives you the opportunity to catch and correct any mistakes (for example, if you've earned $1,000 but $2,000 has been deducted from your Work Study award). You should be able to check the status of your FWS award through your employer, or through your student employment office. FWS awards can change from year to year, especially if you report any outside scholarships or awards. This can be frustrating, especially if you find a FWS-only job that you really like. Be prepared to be flexible when it comes to budgeting out your Work Study job earnings. What's Next? If you're interested in the federal Work Study program, you should also learn more about other types of federal aid. After all, you'll only have to submit one application to be considered for all these different aid programs! Learn more about the Pell Grant, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct Subsidized Loans. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Importance of Jade in Chinese Culture

Importance of Jade in Chinese Culture Jade is a metamorphic rock that is naturally colored green, red, yellow, or white. When it polished and treated, the vibrant colors of jade can be extraordinary. The most popular kind of jade in Chinese culture is green jade, which has an emerald hue.   Called 玉 (yà ¹) in Chinese, jade is important to Chinese culture because of its beauty, practical use, and social value. Here is an introduction to jade and why it is so important to Chinese people. Now when you browse through an antique shop, jewelry store, or museum, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of this important stone. Types of Jade Jade is classified into soft jade (nephrite) and hard jade (jadeite). Since China only had soft jade until jadeite was imported from Burma during the Qing dynasty (1271–1368 CE), the term jade traditionally refers to nephrite, and so soft jade is also called traditional jade. In preColumbian America, only hard jade was available; all Native American jades are jadeite. Burmese jadeite is called feicui in Chinese. Feicui is now more popular and valuable than soft jade in China today. History of Jade Jade has been a part of Chinese civilization from the earliest days. Chinese jade was used as a material for practical and ornamental purposes at an early period in history, and it continues to be very popular today. The earliest Chinese jade is from the early Neolithic period Hemudu culture in Zhejian Province (about 7000–5000 BCE). Jade was an important part of ritual contexts in the middle to late Neolithic periods, such as the Hongshan culture that existed along the Lao River and the Liangzhu culture in the Tai Lake region (both date between 4000–2500 BCE). Carved jade has also been found in sites dated to the Longshan culture (3500–2000 BCE) by the Yellow River; and the Bronze age cultures of Western and Easter Zhou dynasties (11th–3rd centuries BCE). In  Ã¨ ª ªÃ¦â€"‡è § £Ã¥ ­â€" (shuo  wen  jie  zi), the first Chinese dictionary published in the early second century CE, jade was described as beautiful stones by the writer Xu Zhen. Jade has been a familiar substance in Chinese culture for a very long time. Uses of Chinese Jade Archaeological artifacts of jade include sacrificial  vessels, tools, ornaments,  utensils, and many other items. Ancient music instruments were made out of Chinese jade, such as the yuxiao  (a flute made of jade and played vertically), and chimes. The beautiful color of jade made it a mysterious stone to the Chinese in ancient times, so jade wares were popular as sacrificial vessels and were often buried with the dead. One example of the ritual importance of jade is the burial of the body of Liu Sheng, a prince of the Zhongshan State (Western Han Dynasty) who died around 113 BCE. He was buried in a  jade suit  composed of 2,498 pieces of jade stitched together with gold thread. Importance of Jade in Chinese Culture Chinese people love jade not only because of its aesthetic beauty but also because of what it represents regarding social value. In the Li Ji (Book of Rites), Confucius said that there are 11 De, or virtues, represented in jade: benevolence, justice, propriety, truth, credibility, music, loyalty, heaven, earth, morality, and intelligence. The wise have likened jade to virtue. For them, its polish and brilliancy represent the whole of purity; its perfect compactness and extreme hardness represent the sureness of intelligence; its angles, which do not cut, although they seem sharp, represent justice; the pure and prolonged sound, which it gives forth when one strikes it, represents music. Its color represents loyalty; its interior flaws, always showing themselves through the transparency, call to mind sincerity; its iridescent brightness represents heaven; its admirable substance, born of mountain and of water, represents the earth. Used alone without ornamentation it represents chastity. The price that the entire world attaches to it represents the truth. Book of Rites In the Shi Jing  (Book of Odes), Confucius wrote: When I think of a wise man, his merits appear to be like jade. Book of Odes Thus, beyond monetary worth and materiality, jade is greatly prized as it stands for beauty, grace, and purity. As the Chinese saying goes: gold has a value; jade is invaluable.   Jade in the Chinese Language Because jade represents desirable virtues, the word for jade (yu) is incorporated into many Chinese idioms and proverbs to denote beautiful things or people. For example, å† °Ã¦ ¸â€¦Ã§Å½â€°Ã¦ ´  (bingqing yujie), which directly translates to clear as ice and clean as jade is a Chinese saying that means someone is pure and noble. ä º ­Ã¤ º ­Ã§Å½â€°Ã§ «â€¹ (tingting  yuli) is a phrase used to describe something or someone that is fair, slim, and graceful. Additionally, 玉å ¥ ³ (yà ¹nÇš), which means jade woman,  is a term for a lady or beautiful girl.   A popular thing to do in China is to use the Chinese character for jade in Chinese names. The Supreme Deity of Taoism is known as Yuhuang  Dadi (the Jade Emperor). Chinese Stories About Jade Jade is so ingrained in Chinese culture that there are famous stories about Jade (here called bi). The two most famous tales are He Shi Zhi Bi (Mr. He and His Jade or Hes Jade Disc) and Wan Bi Gui Zhao (Jade Returned Intact to Zhao). The stories involve a man named Bian He and a piece of jade that eventually became a symbol of united China. He Shi Zhi Bi tells the story of Mr. He and how he found a piece of raw jade and tried to give it to two generations of kings, but they didnt recognize it as valuable and cut off his feet as punishment for trying to pass off an unworthy stone. Eventually, the grandson of the first king finally had his jeweler cut the stone open and found the raw jade; it was carved into a disc and named after Mr. He by that grandson, Wenwang, the king of the Chu State, around 689 BCE. Wan Bi Gui Zhao is the follow-up story of this famous jade. The carved disc was subsequently stolen from the Chu State and eventually ended up owned by the Zhao. The king of the Qin State, the most powerful state during the Warring States Period (475–221 BCE), attempted to buy the jade disc back from the Zhao State in exchange for 15 cities. (Jade is known as ä » ·Ã¥â‚¬ ¼Ã¨ ¿Å¾Ã¥Å¸Å½, Valued at multiple cities because of this story.) However, he failed. Eventually, after some amount of political chicanery, the jade disc was returned to the Zhao State. In 221 BCE, the emperor Qin Shi Huangdi conquered the Zhao state, and as the ruler and founder of the Qin dynasty, he had the disc carved into a seal representing the new united China. The seal was part of the royal stores in China for 1,000 years before being lost during the Ming and Tang dynasties. Source Wu Dingming. 2014. A Panoramic View of Chinese Culture. Simon and Schuster.

Chile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chile - Essay Example Chile was marred with a lot of Europeanization and institutionalization of political parties. (Lederman, Daniel, 27) The ideological gaps were subsequently filled by the emergence of those organizations that were determined to do away with the ideologies of Gen. Augusto Pinochet Urgarte. Rather than been involved into political parties through the ideologist, the Chilean systematically found themselves involved with democratization specifically the working class. Study reveal that the appearance of populism was systematic and always did that in partial form. Mostly it came about through leadership style, as a redistributive program or as a multiclass collision. Several individuals have been associated with the move from populism to social democratization. One of these individuals was Arturo Alessandri Palma, particularly through his role, where he pioneered a demagogic crusade among the working class promising them of redemption. Alesandri eventually managed to be the president of Chile where he advanced the democratic socialism among the masses. (Lederman, Daniel, 40) In 1938, Carlos Ibanez got to power with the Chilean Nazis, also known as National Social Movement. Ibanez had managed to bring populist together, which was later utilized by Frei of Christian Democratic

Why Is China Growing So Fast Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Is China Growing So Fast - Term Paper Example Any country is said to be developed if the demand and supply chain of a country shows that there is more supply of goods or anything than demand by the market. Many factors count in these regards: the natural resources and their extractions according to the geography, manufacturing, distribution, consumption, exchange medium etc. All these factors set the constraints and parameters in which the economy of any country works and may or may not flourish. All activities happening in a country also account for its economic growth. The occupations, education, business and investments are the basic pillars upon which the economy stands. The greater amount of people a country produce as literates or skilled workers, the more productivity will increase, and the economy will grow. More the resources are being used by the government for its people, the less will be the demand, and ultimately the economy will boost. Overall, the size of economy of any country is determined by the gross domestic product GDP and GDP per capita of the country, which only includes such economic activities in which the money is exchanged. The living standards in a particular state are measured through GDP per capita, and every change in GDP indicates a change in the living standards. Economic growth is defined as the â€Å"increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs including labor, capital, material, energy, etc. for a given amount of output† (Kendrick, John W.1961). Economic growth is often related to Economic Freedom—the process in which citizens are allowed to make their own economic policies without the interference of government. China, India and Japan are considered the fastest developing countries amongst all nations. There has been a pre-1978 era of capitalization during which the Chinese government has applied strict central indust rialization rules of its own which resulted in constrained economic growth and misallocation of resources. Ever since then having realized the effectiveness of providing economic freedom to its industrialists and decreasing the intervention on the part of government by shunning the policy of taking over the control of industries, China has witnessed rapid economic growth and has improved its business environment for local and foreign investors. In addition to that there were some other reasons of China’s economic boom apart from economic freedom? Economists carefully studied the Chinese economic system and revealed the following astonishing facts: 1. They said that no doubt the Chinese government highly focused upon capital investment like manufacturing and communication and put in an extra effort to increase the productivity of a huge skilled and efficient work force, which is considered to be the most significant factor and the actual dynamic force behind the rapid growth o f Chinese economy. The combination of large scale capital investment and efficient work force together have work wonders for the Chinese economy which can never be obtained by any of the factor alone. 2. The government of china encouraged private investors and businessmen to come forward to mutually put in place wide-scale economic reforms. Foreign investors were welcomed and they were provided with ideal conditions for business, with limited or no control of the state government. These strategies on the part of Chinese government proved to be successful and gave impetus to immense economic growth a

France and the United States Essay Example for Free

France and the United States Essay This paper seeks to provide comparative analysis of early childhood education policy between France and the United States. The discussion will focus on the programs origin and what the programs were intended to achieve. The study will look at the focus, of the programs, the beneficiaries and the cost. In analyzing the early childhood policy outcome in the two countries, the paper assesses the successes as well as the shortcomings of the policy programs. The federal government has not developed a policy on early childhood education that is applicable in the nation. As opposed to the comprehensive early child education policy in France. The U. S. government has only been supporting specific preschool programs for those children from poor neighborhoods and low income families. This trend is also evident in the various states which have not been able to come up with early childhood policy that can be used uniformly by education stakeholders throughout the state. Earl childhood education program is largely left in the hands of private education providers through kindergartens. (Mitchell, A. , Ripple, C. , Chanana, N. , 1998, p. 24). The Early childhood education policy by the government is defined in its actions which in regulating the demand and supply of early childhood education services. In implementing early childhood policy, the government provides direct and indirect financial subsidies to private providers of these services in the form of grants, contracts and tax incentives. Provision of direct and indirect financial support to parents of children in early childhood program. This support may be in the form of cash benefits, tax benefits to offset the cost of this service and vouchers to pay for the service. The government also participates by regulating players in the field of early childhood education through legislation. Early childhood education program in the U. S are run on a full day of part time basis and they include pre-kindergartens, kindergartens, compensatory education programs and nursery schools. The other programs that support early childhood education include childcare centres, family support programs, before and after school programs, family type day care homes. Because there is no clear line between the government and private support in this sector. (OECD Country report, 2000, p. 5) There is no clear data concerning the cost of early childhood education in United States. However, the federal spending on the program has been very minimal compared to grade k-12. Studies in the year 2002 reveals that the states spent 2. 5 billion dollars on early childhood education while the federal government spent 6. 5billion on early childhood program. This is in exclusion of funds spent on pre-primary education for special students. This is the contrary of the case in France where the government full funds its early childhood education program. Then enrolment in early childhood program for the year 2002 was estimated at 750,000 with 85% enrolled in private institutions. In the United States, the government has a policy that ensures quality, affordability, and availability of child care for all families. The Child Care Bureau administers federal funds to states, territories, and tribes to assist eligible families including low-income families. The childcare bureaus provide childcare for children when the parents work or participate in allowable education or training activities. Through the Child Care Bureau funds various Technical Assistance projects that promote quality, strengthen program administration are supported. The funds are also used to finance Good Start which is the president’s initiative towards early childhood education as well as carry out research to help policy makers. The child care programs in the United States involved the administrators, parents and other stakeholders than in the case of France that is more regulated from above. According to OECD report (2000, p. 21). Most children are enrolled in private institutions compared to those in public institutions with most parents taking their children for part time programs. This is illustrated in the table below showing enrolment in early childhood education programs in thousands. The only early childhood policy that received direct support by the federal government is the introduction of Head start program to take care of those children from low income families. This program is funded by the federal government of the U. S since it caters for the children of the financially deprived parents from poor neighbourhood. According to OECD report (2000, p. 18) The cost of funding this program has increased steadily, reaching almost $4. 7 billion in fiscal year 1999 and $5. 27 billion in fiscal year 2000. This program was started as a strategy to deal with problems associated with children from poor neighbourhood. Dealing with their emotional, cognitive, social and cognitive deficits ensured a well rounded individual who was prepared to adopt a life style that made them productive individuals from poor homes. The major aim is however to academically prepare students for their primary school studies. According to Mitchell, A. , Ripple, C. , Chanana, N. (1998, p. 34-50). Research shows that those students who had undergone early childhood programs like Head Start had fewer referrals for remedial classes or special education. These students were also more likely to remain in regular classes throughout their public school years. Fewer retentions rate as preschool graduates were less likely to repeat grades. The students maintained excellent scores very few of them had failing grades in their school years. The students were acknowledged by their teachers as having greater social and emotional maturity and had a high probability of completing their high school studies without dropping out. Due development of positive attitude about school at an early age, these students had greater academic motivation, on-task behavior, capacity for independent work, and time spent on homework. Lower incidence of absenteeism/detentions. Graduates had lower incidences of absenteeism and detentions. Preschool graduates had much higher scores on measures of attitude toward school and toward particular subject areas those who attended early childhood education are found to have better self-esteem, greater internal locus of control compared to those who never attend the program. Preschool education is believed to help in preventing unwanted pregnancies among young school girls. The program is also believed to reduce incidences of indiscipline like drug abuse and delinquent acts among students, this some researchers believe is due to the introduction of rules and regulations to students at an early age hence contributing to positive upbringing. Due to improved self esteem developed from an early age, preschool graduates are more likely to participate in social activities like sports and community work. As opposed to those who did not attend early education, the beneficiaries have a better meaning for education and develop high future aspirations. This also contributes to the likelihood of them enrolling and completing their secondary education. These benefits of early childhood education are extending to the society as beneficiaries have a higher possibility of securing better paying jobs hence reducing dependency in the society. There is high unlikelihood that these people will engage in antisocial behavior in the society. (Morgan, G. , Azer, S. , Costley, J. , Genser, A. , Goodman, I. , Lombardi, J. , and McGimsey, B. , 1993, p. 45, 78). The Head Start program is however accused of contributing to inequality in the education arena as those who are considered financially stable have been ignored. This is no longer a shortfall in France as their early childhood policy caters for all children despite their family backgrounds. The increasing number of mothers securing jobs is however increasing government participation in provision of early childhood programs especially in those kindergartens which are integrated in public primary schools. For instance, District of Columbia is made kindergarten attendance a legal requirement for children. (OECD Country report, 2000, p. 14) The diagram below illustrate the increasing number of working mothers with children under age six due U. S policy on Early childhood education and care between 1960 and 1999. Despite lack of comprehensive policy regarding early childhood education, a lot of expenditure has been incurred in supporting efforts towards achieving the same. The figures reported by OECD report( 2000, p. 23) is an illustration of cost of efforts employed by U. S to achieve ECEC as compared between 1992 and 1999 constant dollar reported in millions of dollars. As opposed to the United States, France has a clear government policy regarding earl childhood education. The program is publicly funded and caters for those children between the ages of 2-6 year olds known as Ecole Maternelle. The system has specific programs for those children under age three and it is administered under the Ministry of Education delivered under education auspices of the ministere de la Jeunesse, de l’Education nationale et de la Recherche. (Oberhuemer, P. , Ulich, M. , 1997, p. 27). These programs are freely provided by the government for eight hours during the day including breaks like lunchtime. Extension beyond these hours is optional and those parents who work for longer hours can pay for additional hours that their children are taken care of at early childhood education centres. Since these programs are meant to benefit children and their parents who earn poorly, the additional charges levied on parents take into consideration the parent’s income. Any child starting school has to go through ecole maternelle which is the preparatory level in the education system. (OECD Country report, 2004, p. 4-7). Early preschool education is divided into three sections namely: the little section, middle section and large section. The little section is meant for three year olds, the middle section is for four-year-olds and large section is for five-year-olds. Two year olds belong to very little section. France is also committed to empowering the low income parents just like Head Start in the United States hence the government organizes bridging activities for those who are about to start schooling in poor neighborhoods. Such a program is supposed to familiarize the learners with the academic in readiness for school system. The table below shows the trends in the percentage of children in the ecole maternelle by age as from the year 1960-2002 according to French background report in 2003.

Gender and Movie Selection Essay -- Research Essays

Gender and Movie Selection Introduction: A very diverse, broad, and extensive industry is the filmmaking industry. However, the unique aspect of the industry is that it is so expansive in all of the different categories and types of movies, but yet each film is individualized. A certain characteristic of a movie may appeal to one person and not another. Such characteristics may not only appeal to an individual but to a certain group of people. Could it be that characteristics of a film appeal to either the male gender or the female gender? Is there a difference in the category of movie that a male chooses as opposed to one that a female chooses? Such questions prove to be very interesting and ponderous. Upon thinking of such questions, I decided to revolve my research paper around the two concepts of movies and gender. My hypothesis for this research paper is â€Å"In determining a movie to watch, college-age males choose action and adventure movies while females of the same age choose roman ce or romantic comedy movies†. I feel that this topic is very interesting because many items today are marketed towards a specific gender. This can be viewed and noticed in such items as clothing, motor vehicles, and certain hobbies. This pattern may just as well carry over into the film industry. If it does, it may be reflected by the category of movie a certain gender selects to watch. Therefore, my thesis is: By used of an observation, a survey, an interview, and a personal history, I will prove that men choose action movies and women choose romance/romantic comedy movies because each gender relates to a different characteristic found in each type of movie. Methods and Materials: ... ...that I encountered in collecting data was when I was observing. Since I had no contact with the subjects, I simply made the assumption that they were picking the movie for themselves to watch. However, the person could have been renting the movie for someone else. Another limitation occurred through the survey. I had two different choices for the categories of the movies. One choice was action/adventure and the other was romance/romantic comedy. Romantic comedy and true romance movies vary in multiple ways and I should not have categorized them as one type of movie. This could have swayed my results a little. In doing this research again, I would have three categories; one action, one comedy, and one romance. I also could have interviewed a female. I only interviewed a male and therefore, I only gained detailed information from one gender’s perspective.

Industrial Education

Anything made of metal, no matter how big or small, can be welded. Examples are everywhere, from vehicles like cars, trucks and motorcycles to rail cars, ships, aircraft, rockets and space stations. Construction is a huge market, and skyscrapers, bridges and highways would be impossible to build without welding, as would oil and natural-gas pipelines, offshore oil platforms, giant wind turbines and solar panels. Welders help install and maintain boilers, antipollution systems and other large structures, as well as piping for industrial, commercial and residential facilities. Welding is even used by artists to create sculptures and decorative items. There is almost no limit to what welding can do, especially since developments in the technology continually improve its accuracy, quality and versatility. Welding is, in fact, an increasingly high-tech skill. Welders are being trained to operate robots and other automated systems that use powerful lasers, electron beams and sometimes explosives to bond metals. The ability to work with computers and program software is consequently vital to the successful operation of these systems. Don Howard, a welding specialist at Concurrent Technologies Corp., an engineering firm in Johns town, Pa., estimates that 20%-25% of U.S. welding is automated and predicts this trend will grow by about 20% in the next few years. â€Å"A lot of very intelligent people are coming into the welding community,† says Howard. There is money to be made, he notes, but the industry also offers career paths. â€Å"Welding is not just about working on a manufacturing line anymore. Once in the industry, people know they can find a niche.† â€Å"These are good times to be in welding,† says Patricio Mendez, director of the Canadian Center for Welding and Joining at the University of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Mendez notes that students who like designing and building with metal and are interested in fields such as materials engineering, robotics, lasers, computer programming and systems integration will find plenty of career opportunities in welding. Many students are introduced to the process by virtual welding. This simulation program is being developed by the Edison Welding Institute of Columbus, Ohio, to teach the basics of welding in classrooms. â€Å"The objective is to give students a virtual experience that is very much like the real thing,† says John Coffey, engineering manager at. The system uses sensors that duplicate the look and feel of welding. There are more than 80 welding processes. Most involve a skilled worker using a high-heat torch (2,800-plus degrees Fahrenheit), filler material that is usually in wire or stick form (though some welds don’t use fillers) and pressure to permanently bond metal pieces. Welding can also be used to cut and dismantle objects of all sizes as well as for repairs. The most common process is Gas Metal Arc Welding, or GMAW. In GMAW, an electrode, which is also the filler, is continuously fed through the nozzle of an arc torch. When the welder activates the torch, several operations take place: The electrode begins feeding through the nozzle, a direct current is generated that creates an arc when it comes in contact with the electrode and shielding gases are released around the nozzle to protect the weld from atmospheric gases that could degrade its quality. The arc, whose movement the welder controls, consumes the electrode, fills in the weld joint and creates the weld. Other widely used techniques like Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Shielded Metal Arc Welding are variations of the process. GTAW, for example, is a relatively low-heat method that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode. Its low-heat characteristic reduces distortion in thin metals, such as those used in aerospace, also called â€Å"stick welding,† uses a flux-coated consumable electrode (â€Å"flux† is a chemical cleaning agent that removes oxidation from the metals to be joined) and is primarily used for repair and steel welding. As the electrode burns, the flux disintegrates, which releases a shielding gas that protects the weld from degradation. In more advanced welding technologies, lasers are combined with in a hybrid process to make what one expert calls â€Å"scalpel-like cuts† that are up to  ½-inch deep, narrow and extremely precise. The part of the process then deposits the filler and melts it with a secondary heat source. The influence of welding is so broad that many of the product designs and building techniques people take for granted would not be possible without it. With demand for skilled welders rising and the technology of welding becoming more advanced, especially where automation is concerned, students have a unique opportunity to learn a career that can be shaped around their interests.

Human experience Essay

Star I thought it was a big coincidence that I ended up babysitting for a cancer patient with the same name as mine, Stephanie. Star, as she was fondly called, was a picture of hope when I first met her. I was a student then at a university near the hospital where she was confined. Her mom was a friend of my sister’s and one day, she took me with her to visit Star. That visit marked the beginning of a wonderful friendship. Every day I would visit her and she will be waiting by her window. I would bring her gifts, mostly toys and books I bought from a bookstore beside our school. We would often read the books together or play with her dad. One time, we also decorated her room with paper flowers and dolls. Star shared her dreams with me. She told me she wanted to become a doctor someday and help children like her. She wanted so much to get well that seeing her fighting for her life everyday sent tears to my eyes. But I never showed her my weakness for fear that that will bring her to her end. She taught me in her own little way to remain brave and hopeful despite the trials that come my way. It was in the afternoon of August 7, 2001 that she finally bid us goodbye. She knew it was her time to go back where she belonged, among the little angels of God where there is no pain, no tears, but only joy. That experience in my life made me wonder if God really exists and if He does, how come He didn’t answer my prayers. On the other hand, I knew that it was for the best. I myself didn’t want Star to suffer any longer. I realized God works in mysterious ways and we have to pass by many significant experiences to keep our faith and love for Him strong.

Lord Stirling in the American Revolution

Lord Stirling in the American Revolution Early Career Born in 1726 in New York City, William Alexander was the son of James and Mary Alexander.   From a well-to-do family, Alexander proved a good student with an aptitude for astronomy and mathematics.   Completing his schooling, he partnered with his mother in a provisioning business and proved a gifted trader.   In 1747, Alexander married Sarah Livingston who was the daughter of the wealthy New York merchant Philip Livingston.   With the beginning of the French Indian War in 1754, he commenced service as a provisioning agent for the British Army.   In this role, Alexander cultivated close ties to the Governor of Massachusetts, William Shirley.    When Shirley ascended to the post of commander-in-chief of British forces in North America following the death of Major General Edward Braddock at the Battle of the Monongahela in July 1755, he selected Alexander as one of his aide de camps.   In this role, he met and befriended many of the elites in colonial society including George Washington.   Following Shirleys relief in late 1756, Alexander traveled to Britain to lobby on his former commanders behalf.   While abroad, he learned that the seat of the Earl of Stirling lay vacant.   Possessing family ties to the area, Alexander began pursuing a claim to the earldom and commenced styling himself Lord Stirling.   Though Parliament later declined his claim in 1767, he continued to use the title. Returning Home to the Colonies Returning to the colonies, Stirling resumed his business activities and began building an estate in Basking Ridge, NJ.   Though he received a large inheritance from his father, his desire to live and entertain like nobility often put him into debt.   In addition to business, Stirling pursued mining and various forms of agriculture.   His efforts at the latter saw him win a gold medal from the Royal Society of Art in 1767 for his attempts to commence winemaking in New Jersey.   As the 1760s passed, Stirling became increasingly displeased with British policy towards the colonies.   This change in politics moved him firmly into the Patriot camp when the American Revolution began in 1775 following the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Fighting Begins Quickly appointed a colonel in the New Jersey militia, Stirling frequently used his own fortune to equip and outfit his men.   On January 22, 1776, he gained notoriety when he led a volunteer force in capturing the British transport Blue Mountain Valley which had grounded off Sandy Hook.   Ordered to New York City by Major General Charles Lee shortly thereafter, he aided constructing defenses in the area and received a promotion to brigadier general in the Continental Army on March 1.   With the successful end of the Siege of Boston later that month, Washington, now leading American forces, began moving his troops south to New York.   As the army grew and reorganized through the summer, Stirling assumed command of a brigade in Major General John Sullivans division which included troops from Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. The Battle of Long Island In July, British forces led by General Sir William Howe and his brother, Vice Admiral Richard Howe, began arriving off New York.   Late the following month, the British commenced landing on Long Island.   To block this movement, Washington deployed part of his army along the Guan Heights which ran east-west through the middle of the island.   This saw Stirlings men form the right flank of the army as they held the westernmost part of the heights.   Having thoroughly scouted the area, Howe discovered a gap in the heights to east at Jamaica Pass which was lightly defended.   On August 27, he directed Major General James Grant to make a diversionary attack against the American right while the bulk of the army moved through Jamaica Pass and into the enemys rear. As the Battle of Long Island commenced, Stirlings men repeatedly turned back British and Hessian assaults on their position.   Holding for four hours, his troops believed they were winning the engagement as they were unaware that Howes flanking force had begun rolling up the American left.   Around 11:00 AM, Stirling was compelled to begin falling back and was shocked to see British forces advancing to his left and rear.   Ordering the bulk of his command to withdraw over Gowanus Creek to the final defensive line on Brooklyn Heights, Stirling and Major Mordecai Gist led a force of  260–270 Marylanders in a desperate rearguard action to cover the retreat.   Twice attacking a force of over 2,000 men, this group succeeded delaying the enemy.   In the fighting, all but a few were killed and Stirling was captured. Return to Command at the Battle of Trenton Praised by both sides for his audacity and bravery, Stirling was paroled in New York City and later exchanged for Governor Montfort Browne who had been captured during the Battle of Nassau.   Returning to the army later that year, Stirling led a brigade in Major General Nathanael Greenes division during the American victory at the Battle of Trenton on December 26.   Moving into northern New Jersey, the army wintered at Morristown before assuming a position in the Watchung Mountains.   In recognition of his performance the previous year, Stirling received a promotion to major general on February 19, 1777.   That summer, Howe unsuccessfully attempted to bring Washington to battle in the area and engaged Stirling at the Battle of Short Hills on June 26.   Overwhelmed, he was forced to fall back.   Later in the season, the British commenced moving against Philadelphia via the Chesapeake Bay.   Marching south with the army, Stirlings division deployed behind Brandywine Creek as Washington attempted to block the road to Philadelphia.   On September 11 at the Battle of Brandywine, Howe reprised his maneuver from Long Island by sending a force Hessians against the Americans front while moving the majority of his command around Washingtons right flank.   Taken by surprise, Stirling, Sullivan, and Major General Adam Stephen attempted to shift their troops north to meet the new threat.   Though somewhat successful, they were overwhelmed and the army forced to retreat. The defeat ultimately led to the loss of Philadelphia on September 26.   In an attempt to dislodge the British, Washington planned an attack at Germantown for October 4.   Employing a complex plan, American forces advanced in multiple columns while Stirling was tasked with commanding the armys reserve.   As the Battle of Germantown developed, his troops entered fray and were unsuccessful in their attempts to storm a mansion known as Cliveden.   Narrowly defeated in the fighting, the Americans withdrew before later moving into winter quarters at Valley Forge.   While there, Stirling played a key role in disrupting attempts to unseat Washington during the Conway Cabal.   Later Career In June 1778, the newly-appointed British commander, General Sir Henry Clinton, commenced evacuating Philadelphia and moving his army north to New York.   Pursued by Washington, the Americans brought the British to battle at Monmouth on the 28th.   Active in the fighting, Stirling and his division repulsed attacks by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis before counterattacking and driving the enemy back.   Following the battle, Stirling and the rest of the army assumed positions around New York City.   From this area, he supported Major Henry Light Horse Harry Lees raid on Paulus Hook in August 1779.   In January 1780, Stirling led an ineffective raid against British forces on Staten Island.   Later that year, he sat on the board of senior officers that tried and convicted British spy Major John Andre. In the late summer of 1781, Washington departed New York with the bulk of the army with the goal of trapping Cornwallis at Yorktown.   Rather than accompany this movement, Stirling was selected to command those forces remaining in the region and maintain operations against Clinton.   That October, he assumed command of the Northern Department with his headquarters at Albany.   Long known for overindulging in food and drink, by this time he had come to suffer from severe gout and rheumatism.   After spending much of his time developing plans to block a potential invasion from Canada, Stirling died on January 15, 1783 only months before the Treaty of Paris formally ended the war.   His remains were returned to New York City and interred in the Churchyard of Trinity Church.      Sources Mount Vernon: Lord StirlingSterling Historical Society: William AlexanderFind a Grave: William Alexander

3 Types of Word Treatment

3 Types of Word Treatment 3 Types of Word Treatment 3 Types of Word Treatment By Mark Nichol Spelling, capitalization, and italicization are three aspects of writing that careful writers will attend to. This post discusses the importance of recognizing standards and making conscious decisions when contemplating deviating from them. Spelling Employing proper spelling is one of the fundamentals of composition. Unfortunately, the explosive increase in writing opportunities afforded by the internet and social media makes it easier for careless writers to spread viral errors. Where in the past, few print publications would allow mistakes like definately and predominately, today, such misspellings are rampant on websites and blogs and in texts, not to mention in some professionally produced print publications and on occasional television broadcasts- including in chyrons, the electronically generated captions that appear below talking heads on TV. Deteriorating writing skills and declining editing standards result in frequent spelling errors, and the only effective defense is a good offense: Proactively double-check spelling- using not just spell-checking functions (which are not infallible) but also print or online dictionaries (which are virtually perfectly reliable). Dictionaries and other writing resources also protect writers from using incorrect or outdated word forms. For example, the few remaining hyphenated compound nouns are undergoing an evolution, as writers increasingly omit the hyphen and treat these terms as closed compounds- sometimes in a conscious decision to accelerate what is almost always an inevitable process but far more often simply out of ignorance. Changes from, for example, mind-set to mindset and start-up to startup are inevitable, but the former choice in each case is still the form listed in most dictionaries, so avoid the variant until it becomes the norm. Capitalization Capitalization, which, with few exceptions, denotes a proper noun, in such usage distinguishes the specific from the generic, but it is employed erroneously primarily in two contexts. First, generic job titles are often mistakenly capitalized. When Jane Smith is identified as a senator, capitalize the job title if it appears before her name: â€Å"Senator Jane Smith.† And when the job title substitutes for the person’s name in direct address- when someone says or writes, for example, â€Å"Excuse me, Senator, do you have a moment?† the word is capitalized. In government or legal documents, the â€Å"publisher† may insist on capitalizing the job title even in isolation: â€Å"The Senator abstained.† But in all other usage, the term is generic- Jane Smith is being described as one of those entities designated as a senator. Take care, too, about capitalizing only exact job titles. When referring to Thomas Jones, whose official designation is director of communications and marketing, write â€Å"Director of Communications and Marketing Thomas Jones,† to be formal, or â€Å"marketing director Thomas Jones,† in more casual contexts, but not â€Å"Marketing Director Thomas Jones.† (And after the name, the job title is almost invariably not capitalized; a rare exception is the exact name of an endowed professorship. Capitalization is also standard after names on lists, on rà ©sumà ©s, and so on.) In addition, descriptions of people that identify their profession or role but are not formal job titles are not capitalized: â€Å"The truck belongs to electrician John Smith†; â€Å"She thanked team captain Mary Jones for her support.† Similarly, a term identifying a nonliving entity should be capitalized only as part of the full name: for example, â€Å"the Mississippi River,† but â€Å"the river† (with exceptions for poetic license, as when such an entity is personified), or â€Å"the Development Committee,† but â€Å"the committee† (again, in legalese, such terms may appear capitalized). Italicization Italics serve to call attention to a word, phrase, or sentence; two primary functions are to identify a foreign term and to emphasize one or more words the writer wishes the reader to notice. However, the pitfall in the case of both functions is overuse. In the case of apparently foreign words or phrases, double-check that the term is in fact still technically considered foreign; many such words and phrases have been assimilated into English (evidenced by their inclusion in English dictionaries) and are no longer considered to require emphasis. (Note, too, that some writers and publishers decide that when a foreign term is used repeatedly in one piece of content, and it is defined or explained on first reference, it is italicized only in that first instance.) And when considering whether to italicize a word, phrase, or sentence to make it stand out, think twice about whether the emphasis is merited or helpful; frequent employment of any tool or technique can diminish its effectivenes s. A third common function of italics is to call attention to a word being used to name itself rather than the concept for which the word stands; compare â€Å"Moron originally denoted a mildly retarded person† and â€Å"A moron is a stupid person.† Because of this distinction, italics should not be employed to introduce a term unless the word is described as a word, as in the disclaimer â€Å"In observing the historical context of psychiatry in the early twentieth century, we use moron according to its original medical definition: ‘a mildly retarded person.’† In spelling, capitalization, and italicization, as in any aspect of writing, the writer or publisher may choose to deviate from accepted standards, but the ultimate consideration should be whether the reader is being served by a decision that affects one or more aspects, or whether communication is being compromised rather than enhanced. In addition, a writer may ignore these standards for artistic reasons, such as in representing dialect or a fictional character’s illiteracy or overly emphatic speech patterns. Again, however, the writer should weigh the consequences of such a decision and practice moderation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business Emails45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†9 Forms of the Past Tense

Green Building Materials Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Green Building Materials - Term Paper Example A green building utilizes resource like energy, water, land, materials etc more efficiently than traditional buildings. Moreover, a special emphasis is given in ensuring occupant health and in reducing wastage and environmental degradation. The resources like recycled materials, renewable resources, salvaged building materials, some durable materials etc come under the green building materials. Today, billions of tons of raw materials are used for the construction activities every year, and that has resulted in extensive depletion of non renewable natural resources throughout the world. In this regard, renewable green building materials have become a necessity in conserving the declining non-renewable resources. According to Howe and Gerald (2010, p. 232), in traditional construction, a large amount of construction and demolition (C&D) wastes are getting disposed in the landfills every day. In green building practices, salvaged or recycled materials are used which contribute in bette r waste management. Some of the traditional building materials produce toxic chemicals which are harmful to human health. There is also massive carbon foot print production during various construction and operation process within the buildings. The use of green building materials in construction can maximize efficiency and minimize wastage, and it offers a healthy place to live with less impact on environment. Green building materials have several advantages that make them more favourable to be used in construction than the traditional building materials. To be specific, green building materials are of low cost, environmentally friendly, and safe in several respects. To begin with, when compared to traditional building materials, green building materials offer several financial benefits. Construction of green building does not necessarily need to be expensive. Some of the green products are available at a cost less than or equal to that of traditional

Japanese city Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Japanese city - Research Proposal Example Kobe has once been considered the most earthquake safe part of the country until 1995 when the great Hanshin Earthquake devastated the city. Kobe is known for its delicious cakes and coffee, "row of historic houses and precious cultural assets and various other delights" (asiatravelling.net). It also boasts of a rich natural heritage as relics are displayed in the museums. In fact, one of the great places in Kobe is the Kobe Archaeological Center which sorts, stores and exhibits artifacts from excavations of remains in the city (Kobe Convention and Visitors Association). Kobe is known as an "international city" with a diverse population of foreign residents. It is highly industrializes, with a variety of industries such as production of parts to manufacture of finished products, the leading edge R&D and the growing information technology (Overview of Kobe). Being a port city, some of its industries are port-related such as steel production, ship-building, foodstuffs, shipping and warehousing. Blessed with abundant natural resources such as the bodies of water, Kobe government has moved from the traditional method of fishing to modern aquaculture (Overview of Kobe). One of the most bankable and easiest jobs for me in Kobe is an English teacher. There are numerous opportunities for teaching jobs in Kobe, in elementary, middle school and high school. With formal education in English and a TESL certification, one can easily teach the English language in Kobe and there are various institutions such as "public schools, conversation schools, language and research institutes and corporate English training centers in Kobe" (NaukriHub). As Japanese seek to learn the English language, there is a vast opportunity for English teachers in Japan. 3. Being an "international city", there are various facilities and amenities by and for the foreign communities such as "international schools with foreign language-based curriculum, places of worship for a vast number of religions, businesses geared to foreign visitors and both short-term and long-term residents, as well as multitude of dining establishments representing almost all of the world's cuisine. (Overview of Kobe). "It is the base for many multi-cultural friendship organizations and has a great many facilities for such activities and for assisting non-Japanese residents of the city and the surrounding areas and there are also a number of places to study the Japanese language and culture" (Overview of Kobe). The city also boasts of a large number of parks where people can meet, with 16.61 sq.m of parkland per person. 4. There are a large number of beautiful places to visit in Kobe. Its parks are truly calming to the souls and satisfying to the eyes. Among these famous parks are Fruit and Flower Park which also houses hotels and hot springs with an admission fee of 500 yen, the Kobe City Suma Rikyu Park which is a blue expanse of water and of course the Sorakuen garden which is a Japanese style garden with important cultural properties. Kobe is blessed with beautiful bodies of water, therefore cruising is one of the precious activities one can have while staying there. At the Harborland/Meriken