U.S propaganda and the Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

U.S propaganda and the Nazi Germany - Essay Example U.S propaganda and the Nazi Germany Propaganda and war is aimed at influencing people’s attitudes and perception towards the war rather than being involved in open dialogue (Randal, 2002). American propaganda during world war was used to increase American commitment and support for the war. American propagandists used various media to foment animosity and hatred against American enemies especially the Nazi Germans, Authoritarian Italy and Aggressive Japan. For instance, American propagandists persuaded American people to fully participate in the war by urging them to do what they can by providing war materials such as victory gardens and to extent that they sold war bonds. Americans perceived propaganda as a tool of totalitarian dictatorship. In addition, they recalled with fear and anger the fervor of the First World War propaganda efforts, which was recognized as violation of human rights as well as dissemination of wrong information. The United States was reluctant to participate in propaganda campaigns but it succumbed to pressure from business sector, media and advertisers who wanted the government to take active role in propaganda campaigns. In 1944, policy makers in the U.S began convincing Americans to accept the harsh peace for the German citizens since it was thought that the German people and the Nazi party were different entities. Hitler was often depicted in scenarios ridiculing and embarrassing him, and that cartoons always portrayed him in caricature. Hitler’s rule was often satirized. In order to raise war morale and motivation, American cartoonists often released cartoons showing Hitler as doomed. He and Nazi-Germans were depicted as fools to an extent that a German father was scolded saying that Germans did not eat food instead they ate countries. Among authoritarian regimes of the time such as Japan and Italy, Nazi-German was seen as the deadliest threat to the Americans. American propaganda often stereotyped Germans as evil and bad people in posters and films, despite the fact that many crimes or atrocities were ascribed by Hitler and Nazis. Similarly, American propaganda did not leave out other authoritarian regimes such as Italy and Japan in that they always portrayed as evil and bad. For instance, Mussolini appeared in an editorial Cartoon which presented him as a two-bit dictator. In Japan, propaganda depicted Japanese as uncivilized and foreign enemy of the United States of America just like Italy and Nazi-Germany. Basing on samurai traditions, American propagandists depicted Japanese as blindly ruthless and fanatic with a history of looking and desiring for an overseas conquest. More so, they argued that Japanese people were one mindless and unified mass that had no vision. The U.S applied propaganda to influence and manipulate its citizens. In addition, propaganda in war is used in deceiving your friends with lying to the enemies. On the other hand, between States, it involves lying about potential acquisition and development of new and powerful weapons, which can be used to convince other nations that something which is feasible, is in fact not in order to pour disinforming party a head start in looking for the technology/weapons (Andrew, 2011). The use of propaganda in war is applicable with the compliance of mass media and popular culture that allows it to procla im a new mobilization of society and military against an imagined or real enemy without altering the status quo

Operational Plan Essay Example for Free

Operational Plan Essay Offices Assistant Operational Plan Goal Increase the sales in each store by 10% by June 2013 Objectives: a) include graphic design services b) Acquisition of additional printer, photocopier and delivery van. c) Reorganize of fixtures and fitting within the store to make space for the equipment d) Multi-skill current retail product staff to include service knowledge. e) Increase in human resource requirements. Strategy In order to increase the sales, the company will need to employee 10 more people with costumer service background, and provide the correct training of the products and services. Consultation Stakeholder Role in the Problem Consultation Method Senior Management Team Decision Maker feedback session email communications newsletters Store Manager Develop an operational plan Meetings group meetings interviews Employees Implementers of the plan Focus groups Brainstorming sessions Feedback sessions. Suppliers Supply equipment Email communication Newsletters Customers Email communication Newsletters Media Involved in the advertisement ex Email communication Newsletters Actions: In order to complete the organization goal and objectives the following are the action that should be taken: a) Include a graphic designer The Marketing department need to advertise the position of graphic designer. Responsible: Manager of the area Timeframe: 18 Oct 2013 to 18 of November 2013 Budget: 500 b) Acquisition of additional printer, photocopier and delivery van To increase the sales, The Company will need to provide additional equipment. Responsible: Store Manager Time frame: 20 Oct 2013 to 18 of November 2013 Budget: 2500 c) Make space for the new equipment Reorganize of fixtures and fitting within the store to make space for the equipment. Responsible: Store Manager Time frame: 15 Oct 2013 to 20 November 2013 Budget: 1000 d) Training Multi-skill current retail product staff to include service knowledge. Responsible: Store Manager and team members Time frame: 18November to 30 November 2013 Budget: 2000 e) Recruitment 10 more people have to be hired. Responsible: Store managers and Manager of specific Areas. Time frame: 20 Oct to 18 November 2013 Contingence plan If the strategy of increasing the sales 10% by next year doesn’t work after the high season(November to January). We will need to focus more in how to advertise more the products and services provided. Because we already have the trained people to continue to project. The Marketing department need to focus in a strategy to get more costumers to increase the sales. Outcome: To increase the sales by 10% by next year. The company need to invest in the project $6000. That include a graphic design services, acquisition and organization of new equipment. Recruitment and training. Approval Name Position Date Sing Carolina Prieto Senior Management Carolina Prieto David Garcia Store Manger David Garcia

Tourism Industry In Grenada Tourism Essay

Tourism Industry In Grenada Tourism Essay Tourism being the worlds largest and fastest growing industry, has survived many eras for many reasons. The industry is diverse and very easily adaptable. Diverse in this sense refers to the many varying segments making up the tourism industry, for example hospitality, dining, entertainment and travel. This industry is also challenging, from the point of view that each and every experience within this industry is uniquely different. These are some of the features that maintains and sustains this diverse and yet uniquely challenging industry. Tourism according to side store is the travel of anyone for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel (side store, 2009). The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited (WTO, 2010). Tourism in Grenada went through many eras before reaching the level at which it is today. One can basically say that there are three distinctive periods that tourism in Grenada passed through. These stages are the pre-revolutionary stage from 1955 to 1979, the revolutionary phase from 1980 to 1983 and the existing era which started in 1984. Each of these periods is marked with the occurrence of a major event in Grenadas history. The building of the St. Georges pier in 1939 and the opening of the Pearls Airport together presented a need for basic infra-structure that contributed to the introduction of tourism in a scientific manner to Grenada. However, there are only records to show the storage of visitors from 1955. The feat of the Grenada Revolution in 1979 didnt do well for Grenada as a destination. There was a sudden drop in arrivals from customary markets due to the negative publicity that was bestowed on Grenada as a result of these practices. Nevertheless, there was a bold move by the then Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop, who implored nationals abroad to Come to Grenada and see the positive changes that are happening. This proved a success in some way as there were arrivals of nationals and sympathizers from Eastern Europe and Cuba. The big opportunity for tourism in Grenada came at the start of its third epoch, which was marked by the opening of the brand new international airport. The fact that the airport was very close to world famous Grand Anse beach and other surrounding beaches resulted in a building boom. Unmistakably, this third stage of the development of tourism in Grenada concurred with the emergence of the industry internationally and Grenada has been progressing constantly as a tourist destination ever since. The tourism industry is presently the largest industry in Grenada, in desperation to sustain itself the officials are engaging in numerous strategies to do so. Grenada, as recently as 15 years ago, depended solely on Agriculture as their source of revenue, which was slowly declining. The officials responsible saw the potential of the tourism industry decided to change their focus away from agriculture. Thus investing money and ample time into the industry was their final decision. In this research my sole aim is to link the present global economic recession to Grenadas tourism sector. Determine the areas that were affected as a result of this crisis. Also examine similar countries facing this crisis, so as to reduce the bias on the paper. The tourism industry was affected by the Global recession in many ways which resulted in change in the countrys economy and industries linked to the tourism industry namely; loss of jobs, decline in travel both land and sea, closure of major tourist based businesses and increased crime. The existing economy of Grenada is termed unstable and on a decline, according to Mr. Lennox Andrews (Economist for Grenada). The countrys Gross domestic product is on a decline, in the sense it is below negative. This means that the total market value of final goods and products is less than equal to consumer goods and export goods. In light of this tourism within the country is also declining slowly and displayed inability to sustain itself. The author has therefore decided to do some primary research on the most commonly utilized areas within the tourism industry of Grenada. These areas being; Travel, Hospitality and Entertainment. The sectors were further broken down into samples, for example travel (LIAT), Hospitality accommodation (Grand view inn), Hospitality dining (Le Chateau) and entertainment (Taxi driver). To effectively accomplish this milestone the author has decided to ascertain a list of objectives: Give a history of the tourism industry in Grenada. Give a synopsis of the economy of Grenada. List and discuss the areas within the tourism industry in Grenada that were affected by the financial crisis. Make necessary recommendations. In efforts to help reduce the impact of the existing global recession on the tourism industry The author has come up some possible recommendations; Officials should sort ways to reduce government spending where possible. Implement a contingency fund. They should also seek to reduce the many taxes imposed. Try to optimize the use of recurrent revenue. Try to be self sufficient in their agriculture produce, avoid unnecessary imports. Create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive. Implement programs to train persons to be versatile in terms of finding alternative employment. Topic: Research question: How has the present global financial crisis affected the tourism industry in Grenada? Aim: Carefully examine the areas within the tourism industry that was adversely affected by this global recession. Objectives: Give a history of the tourism industry in Grenada. Give a synopsis of the economic situation of Grenada. List and discuss the areas within the tourism industry in Grenada that were affected by the financial crisis. Make necessary recommendations. Rationale for the selection of the topic chosen: Like most persons, the global financial crisis has affected me personally. It has reduced my spending power immensely. Therefore it is a growing concern for me as an individual, as to just how long and far is this recession going to progress. Around the world today the issue of the financial crisis is the most popular issue at hand. Judging from the fact it is leaving many persons unemployed, homeless and dead, it should really be a global number one concern. This is the basis for which I have decided to carry out this research, with the hope of finding some logical recommendations. Research Methods: As a means of effectively completing this paper both primary and secondary research methods were utilized. The purpose for undertaking both methods is to avoid bias of information. At the same time give the participants an opportunity to freely express themselves. The authors intent is also to give readers an objective view of the topic. Sample population used: In carrying out research for this paper a suitable sample size was selected. Due to the fact that the tourism industry tends to be such a diverse area, which may involve numerous persons. The author sort it fit to focus on segments rather than individuals. Therefore, utilizing three major segments within the industry here in Grenada. The areas selected were LIAT (Travel), Grand View Inn (Accommodation) and Le chateau (Dining). Historical data was also collected from reputable sources, as a means of completing this paper. Definition of Financial Crisis and Recession: A financial crisis: A situation in which the supply of money is outpaced by the demand for money. This means that liquidity is quickly evaporated because available money is withdrawn from banks (called a run), forcing banks either to sell other investments to make up for the shortfall or to collapse. See also recession (Business dictionary, 2010). A recession: Period of general economic decline, defined usually as a contraction in the GDP for six months (two consecutive quarters) or longer. Marked by high unemployment, stagnant wages, and fall in retail sales, a recession generally does not last longer than one year and is much milder than a depression. Although recessions are considered a normal part of a capitalist economy, there is no unanimity of economists on its causes (.Business dictionary, 2010) Question/Survey: Dear Participant, This survey/questionnaire is intended to be of utmost confidentiality. This is a survey carried out by Donika Christopher-James, a Tourism and hospitality major at the St. Georges University. The purpose of this survey is to determine some of the adverse effects the existing global recession has on the tourism industry in Grenada. With the sole aim of finding some possible recommendations on completion of this study. Therefore, participants are asked not to submit their name or organization name as a means of keeping this information confidential. Thank you, _______________________ Donika Christopher-James Are you aware of the existing Global financial crisis? Yes No Has the Crisis affected youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Directly Indirectly State in what way was your organization was affected? What percent of your business is owed to tourist? Below 30% 30-40% 40-50% Higher than 50% Do you have repeat guest yearly? Yes No What is the percent of return guests yearly? 10- 30% 30-50% Higher than 50% Has there been any change in the patronage of your organization by return guest within the last year? Yes No Indicate whether there was increase or decrease, by how much? Increase Decrease Less than 10% 10-20% 20-30% 30-40% Over 40% In your opinion do you think there is a solution to the crisis? Yes No Can you give some recommendation(s) to the persons affected within the tourism industry? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Data analysis: Are you aware of the existing global financial crisis? Figure 1.1: The Graph indicates that 75% of the respondents were aware of the financial crisis in the world, where as the remaining 25% was very much unaware. Figure 1.2: This chart indicates how many persons were affected by the financial crisis directly leading to financial decisions being made or indirectly the trickle down effect; 100% were affected directly and there were none indirectly affected. State ways in which you as a business was affected. Figure 1.3: Is an indication as to how the four various sectors were affected by the crisis; 25% indicated they had to make position redundant, another 25% indicated that they suffered higher utility cost e.g fuel, 25% also said that their employees were forced to accept lower wages and the final 25 % stated that they were unable to market efficiently and effectively. What percent of your business is owed to tourist? Figure 1.4: Is an analysis as to how much the various business depend on the tourist for their existence, 25% indicates that 40-50% of their business comes from tourist and 75% of the patrons said that over 50% of their business revenues comes from tourists. Do you have repeat guest yearly? Figure 1.5: This chart indicates that 100% of the participants have repeat guest on a yearly basis. What is the percent of repeat guest yearly? Figure 1.6: This chart illustrates the percentage of repeat guest to the varying sectors yearly; 25% of the participants indicated that over 50% of their guest are repeaters, another 25% indicated that the return guest account for 30-50% of contributions and the remaining 50% said that return guest contributes to 10-30% of business yearly. Has there been any change in the patronage of your organization by return guest within the last year? Yes No 100% 0% Figure 1.7 Was there an increase or decrease in the patronage of tourist and by how much? Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Increase Decrease 10-20% Over 40% 30-40% 10-20% Figure 1.8 Figure 1.9: This graph is and analysis as to whether the participants believe there is a possible solution to the financial crisis. Where 75% look at it objectively and said yes they believe there is a solution for it and the next 25%indicated no there is no possible solution to the problem. Grenadas employment situation: According to information from the Minister of Finance Grenada (Peter David), unemployment rate at the end of 2009 was predicted to reach 30%. In basic mathematics, this could mean at least 23,000 persons out of work, in a population of roughly 100,000 persons. This is a vast difference in comparison to the (CIAs) Central Intelligence Agencys prediction in 2000 of 12% of potential unemployed persons (CIA, 2010). Present Economic situation of Grenada: The economy of Grenada has rebounded immensely following the devastation and impact of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005, with the recovery centered mainly on reconstruction and the 2007 Cricket World Cup preparations. The economic outlook was most favorable, since several major tourism investment projects were underway. At that point inflation has been subdued. The countrys fiscal performance, however, has been much weaker than programmed in 2006 to 2007, owing it to capital expenditure overruns. Public debt reached 125 percent of GDP at the end of 2006, leaving little room for maneuver in the event of exogenous shocks (CKMC, 2010). According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), on the 25th of November 2009  Grenadas application for a disbursement of US$6.2m under its three-year International Monetary Fund (IMF) poverty reduction and growth facility Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) was approved, boosting total disbursements under the programme to US$23.5m. The IMF noted the severity of the impact of the global recession on Grenadas economy, appointed to a marked decline in the countrys output. Owing to fall in tourism receipts, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and remittance, a rise in the unemployment situation, and large revenue shortfalls in 2009. With estimated public-sector debt totaling nearly 109% of GDP at end-2008 (and estimated to have risen slightly in 2009), the IMF also warned that Grenada remains at a high risk of debt distress. However, the IMF commended Grenada on its efforts to cope with the short-term impact of the external shocks and its commitment to implementing structural reforms, including the introduction of VAT in February 2010. The introduction of the VAT is one of several government initiatives to boost sagging revenue, which has been hit hard by the downturn in the tourism sector (stopover arrivals were down by 14.4% year on year in the first nine months of 2009, which has pulled down earnings). The government has also indicated that it will implement a fraud control plan at customs and boost enforcement to collect tax arrears in 2010. Capital spending is expected to be cut in 2010, by as much as 50% compared with 2009, as the government diverts its scarce resources to boost social spending. Based on preliminary estimates, which reveals that economic activity in Grenada contracted by 7.7 per cent in 2009 compared to real growth of 2.2 per cent in 2008.   This performance reflected declines in construction (52.4 percent), mining and quarrying (29.9 per cent), hotels and restaurants (20.8 per cent), wholesale and retail trade (17.9 percent), transport services (12.3 percent), manufacturing (11.8 per cent), government services (3.8 percent) and communications (2.0 percent).   This therefore indicated there were some bright spots. Agriculture increased by 9.3 percent, Other Services which is dominated by St. Georges University increased by 8.0 percent and Banking and Insurance increased by 8.6 percent. Between January to November 2009, stay-over tourist arrivals declined by 12.8% with a total of 84,240 arrivals in comparison to 96,588 arrivals for the corresponding period of 2008. All the major source markets experienced declines: United States by 1.5%; United Kingdom by 23.2% and the Caribbean by 12.6%. It is believed that the recession experienced in Grenadas major source markets combined with the high cost of air travel contributed to the decline in the number of stay-over visitors. For the period January to November 2009, Cruise Arrivals totaled 276,858 compared to 227,937 for the same period in 2008, an increase of 21.5%. Similarly, cruise calls also increased by 13.5% with a total of 202 calls compared to 178. That said, it is estimated that the average expenditure of these visitors fell reflecting the global economic situation (CKMC, 2010). According to Economist Lennox Andrews the Grenadian economy is projected to grow by 0.8 percent compared with a projected contraction of 2.3 percent for the ECCU.   I should note that Governments projection is higher than the IMF and ECCB projections are a decline of 2.0% and 1.8% respectively but is based on our most recent information on the projects (public and private) which will commence this year. SWOT analysis of the Tourism Industry in Grenada: Strengths: Enrichment of culture- Learning about various cultures is an integral part of any individuals development. It gives one a chance to understand various ways of problem solving; different practices, beliefs, religions, norms and values. In turn this will assist in counteracting the issue of discrimination. Increase in Foreign direct investments- As a result of the evolution of tourism, the Grenadian economy has seen the likes of many new developments in terms of foreign investments. For example; The Port Louis development, Grand harbor development at Egmont point, Bacolet bay Resort development, Prickley bay marina development and the Livera national development. Increase in foreign exchange for the country- This is the main area where the mass foreign exchange for the country is derived. This occurs when tourist engage in tours, dining, outdoor adventures, accommodation and communication via telephone or e-mail. Opportunities for employment- The unemployment situation in Grenada has been a known factor for the country for a number of years, tourism offers opportunities for employment both direct, for example; within the hotels or restaurants or indirect like the vendors and tour guides. Sustain and preserve our environment- The Grenadian officials have seen the need to preserve their natural habitats, numerous historical sites and beaches. Some of the measures they have put in place to do so is regulations and laws like; fees paid to see the forts, no one can visit the mangroves during a certain period and stopping of the locals from mining sand from the beaches. Weaknesses: The industry is very labor intensive- Tourism within Grenada and around the world is seen as a service oriented industry. Therefore it relys on the personal touch of human to bring about the much needed satisfaction to the guest. This may be detrimental, in the event that there is situation like industrial actions or mass outbreaks of illness, the business will be on a stand still. Encourages huge sums in expenditures- Within the island of Grenada over the years it is quite noticeable that there has been a lot of infrastructural development. For example roads, cruise ship terminals and marinas. These development calls for huge sums of expenditure on the part of the Government. Increased in criminal activities- The tourism sector over the years has lured many new investors into the country, though it is seen as an asset it is also negative, since there is the opportunity for white collar crime such as money laundering and theft. Opportunities: The country can create a well known brand- Grenada the isle of spice may seem to be a strong brand, but not everyone is willing to travel thousands of miles for only spice. There is the opportunity to develop the countrys brand. Diversify into various markets- Diversity is imperative as is in any business, this is to gain as much clients and market share as one possibly can. Threats: The present Global recession- Grenada like many other destinations is faced with the wrath of the economic crunch. It has affected the tourism sectors immensely, since most business has seen a decline in clientele as compared to the past. Most persons spending power has reduced critically. Natural and manmade disasters- Natural disasters is a critical issue for Grenada though, history has shown they are far and few. The country is located within the tropics and concerns of hurricanes and storms are growing, for example hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005. Manmade disasters are likely to occur if care and caution is not taken, for example; fires which is a very destructive feature. Increased competition- Possible completion is always a concern for any industry and business. Within the tourism industry competition will occur with new and emerging destination markets. Areas within the tourism industry that was affected by the financial crisis: The Global recession has affected the tourism industry in Grenada holistically; because there have been persons who are faced directly with this crisis, for example in North America, their spending power has been reduced considerably. The tourism industry like most other countries is made up of numerous sectors. Furthermore the sectors which have felt the wrath of the economic down turn in Grenada are: Travel: (airlines, taxi drivers, tour operators, cruise ship operators and travel agents) Accommodation and dining: (restaurants, hotels, guest houses and travel agents) Shopping: (supermarkets, retail shops, stores and vendors) Entertainment: (Local bands-(steel bands, vocalist), night clubs) Over the past 2 years these sectors has seen a considerable decline in their patronage especially those from tourist, which they were and most cases are still heavily dependent. The key players involved Tourist movement: The tourism industry based on its service oriented nature has numerous key players; these key players are persons involved in the hospitality sector of tourism, the regulatory bodies and the tourist themselves. Within the hospitality sector there are persons or organizations that provide service to tourist. In providing those services they generally ensure that it is sustainable and economically viable to the industry and environment. These sectors are the hotels; who provide accommodation to tourist visiting the island of Grenada, the restaurants; most of these restaurants are located especially within the south of the island are heavily dependent on tourist to sustain them , cruise lines; which is one form of transportation taking persons from varying destinations to Grenada, a large percent of stop-over tourist is accounted for as cruise passengers and airlines; the airline traveling to and from Grenada account for 70% of tourist visiting the country. The second group of persons within the tourism sector of Grenada are the regulatory bodies, which involves; the minister and ministry of tourism who is responsible for a portion of public relations in tourism, as well as implementing rules and policies to help sustain and protect the environment and visitors alike. Another sector within the regulatory body is the tourism board of Grenada who engages in ample marketing for the destination and assists in promoting some of the historical sites. The final major supporters of the tourism industry in Grenada are the tourist themselves, without the much needed tourist travelling from their usual place of resident and work, tourism will not be an industry that Grenada can depend on. Types of effects: The Global recession has affected countries worldwide and more so the tourism sector around the world immensely. Within the Grenadian community the global economic downturn has affected the tourism industry in numerous ways; There is a decline in the visitors to the country. Implementation of new taxes. Loss of skilled laborers within the industry, because of numerous job terminations. Decrease in marketing initiatives and ability by the regulatory bodies. Pull out of airline/transportation service to the island. Higher air fares. Decrease in (FDIs) foreign direct investments. There were businesses facing permanent closure, e.g craft shops, supermarkets. Increase in crime. Measures taken to resolve the situation: Like many of the larger developed and developing countries Grenada has tried numerous strategies to resolve the situation, or to some extent cushion the burden of this crisis. Without success they continue to feel the wrath of this economic downturn. Some of the measures taken by the officials of Grenada to withstand the crisis are; the sort financial assistance to pay out the outstanding debts from the World Bank. The World Bank being an institution that is presently faced with the said situation is unable to assist. Another strategy was to implement the value added tax (VAT), which is only a month old and simply too premature to see any benefits derived. The third and most common strategy was to forcibly reduce wages, rotate and terminate employees positions. The tourism and hospitality sector has felt the blow hardest from this crisis, simply because of its uncertainty and vulnerability in response to change in the economy. Conclusion: While tourism retains the title of the largest and fastest growing industry worldwide, its dynamism is owed to the many efforts to satisfy consumer demands. Similarly within the Grenadian economy tourism today is deemed the number one industry and main source of revenue for the country for over a decade. However, the tourism sector was impacted by many external factors, but most predominantly over the past (2  ½) years by the existing Global financial crisis. The effects of this crisis were as follows and by no means exhausted; Loss of Jobs, decrease in visitors arrivals, decrease in foreign direct investments, loss of skilled workers, higher air fares, decrease in marketing initiatives, pull out of major airlines and crime. Though persons in authority have engaged in numerous measures to counteract the problem of the financial crisis on the tourism sector in Grenada, they were unsuccessful. Based on my analysis of the effects the financial crisis having on Grenadas tourism carried out in this research, it is seemingly unethical and to an extent difficult to try to solve this situation. Because of the nature of a global recession, it is more ethical to let the system take its course. Thus try to implement means to cushion the economy when it is complete at the same time use this era to better prepare for a similar situation. Recommendations: This paper will be deemed incomplete without finding meaningful and yet realistic solutions to the existing problem facing the tourism and hospitality industry in Grenada The Global Recession. In efforts to help resolve this resounding problem the author has come up with a number of recommendations which are as follows: The officials and the key players as mentioned within the paper must develop more programs to encourage spending by the tourist, thus moving away from the usual ordinary activities. Since a recession is usually caused by failure to inject monies back into the economy so it can have the spin off effect, they must implement activities such as; an all you can eat fruit fest for the health conscious tourist or drum by moonlight where they get to hear a bit of our heritage and become a part of it. Implement a contingency fund for the industry, the industry is seen as fickle, but like any other industry it has its peak points and its down falls. Monies must be placed a side or invested to reap profits, in that situations like the financial crisis occurs, the industry will more or less be cushioned and can sustain itself for a longer period. Seek ways to reduce the many taxes being enforced, though taxation is the number one means of most governments revenue. The implementation of taxes will only sort to worsen the recession situation, since a recession is basically failure of the people to inject monies back into the economy. Taxes will only allow them to continually avoid spending. They should try to optimize or maximize the use of the recurrent revenues. Every country, no matter the size has recurrent revenues, which is revenue that is predictable, stable and can be counted on in the future with a high degree of certainty. Try to utilize these revenues for many needed purposes instead of focusing on one given area. Seek to become self sufficient in areas such as agriculture, this is as a means of reducing imports, though the globalization process is inevitable. Create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive. It is always good for a country to welcome foreign direct investments, but the survival of local businesses is important. Implementing laws and regulations that will not facilitate local business will only put additional burdens on the economy in terms of unemployment. Implement programs to train persons to be versatile in terms of finding alternative employment. This is important in that statistics indicates how many persons are today unemployed within the tourism sector, because of the economic downturn.

Social Networking Safety :: Social Networks, Facebook, Twitter

MySpace gained popularity when businesses and bands began using it for advertising. Since the launch of Facebook, both have made social networking part of daily life for millions of people worldwide. Internet relationships have become more popular and face-to-face interactions have become more rare. Though these websites allow friends to stay in touch more easily, they also raise safety concerns. Predators have found ways to gain access to innocent bystanders. The age of account users on these sites has become an issue. Parents’ main priority for their children when it comes to the internet is their safety. The safety risk has caused many parents to ban social networking sites in their home. The question on everyone’s mind is, is it worth risking personal safety to communicate more easily? While staying in touch with friends is essential to adolescent development, there are less risky ways to do so. An article by Jennifer Sexton and Marlanda English states that online sites put young people at risk for online predators when they believe they are socializing with friends. Cyber relationships can delay the growth of real relationships according to Sylvia Engdahl in Online Social Networking. Anne Whittaker and Geraldine Wagner wrote that these websites can stimulate the economy by creating advertising opportunities. Advertising and socializing can be combined with these sites, and as Craig Belanger and Laura Finley wrote in an online article, they allow even the shyest of people to express themselves freely. MySpace is a great place to advertise businesses, while Facebook can create the virtual interaction that everyone seeks. Safety precautions can be implemented to ensure only those of suitable age can have access to these sites. Each year there are more advances in technology that allow the world to connect on more personal levels. The new-found popularity of social networking sites accompanies advancements in technology. Social sites allow people around the world to connect with one another in an instant without much hassle. With many great achievements or advancements comes a controversy. The controversy over the popularity and use of social networking sites has alarmed groups of people around the globe. Each group seems to have its own opinion on each miniscule detail of the ever popular sites such as MySpace and Facebook, and they state their opinion in every way possible. While advancements in technology have allowed social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to connect people around the world, they may be releasing too much information and therefore making innocent people vulnerable to dangerous situations.

Origins of Sexism

How is it that the word defined as the attitudes or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles somehow became synonymous with en discriminating against women? 1 When did this term adopt a negative connotation? The dictionary continues to describe the noun as discrimination or devaluation based on a person's sex. 2 The definition implies that the discrimination applies to both sexes, not that one is the victim of the other. However, it is clear: women are perceived as the inferior sex in our society, and apparently always have been.Yet, although sexism is a relatively modern word, the idea was created by power-hungry men and spread by biblical writers. In the way that a table is unstable if just one leg is fractionally horror, the way patriarchy and matriarchy are understood affects how sexism is viewed. If you were to reference a dictionary in search of definitions, you would find almost mirror images- only, in a matriarchy it is the mother who is head of the clan, not the father. However, Cynthia Leer, author of The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory has a different take on this.She says, â€Å"Matriarchy should be understood instead as the [mastery] of the Mother's way,† or as, â€Å"a realm where female thing are valued and where power is exerted in non-possessive, non-controlling and organic ways that are ruinous with nature. â€Å"3 Matriarchy has gotten a bad reputation through the years for being a term open to interpretation due to its many meanings. The pure purpose of the word, in its simplest form, is to describe a time in which men were not the dominant sex. Another phrase greatly misunderstood is gender roles.First, please disregard memories of your first grade teacher using the word ‘gender' instead of ‘sex' in order to keep laughter under control. Second, the two words are utterly different – apples and oranges. Gender is a not a biological characteristic; it is not the label to explain which reproductive or gans a person may have. Instead, gender is a social characteristic that a society attaches to a biological sex to explain the expectations of behavioral norms and cultural significance. In today's colloquial language, ‘gender roles' and ‘sexism' seem to be interchangeable. In actuality, gender roles serve as a mask for the greater travesty Of our time: sexism. The argument goes something like this: â€Å"Sexism has always existed! Women never hunted, because they were women and they were always confined to their homes. † For the sake of argument, let's pretend this is an curate statement. Even then, if women everywhere were confined to doing only ‘feminine† tasks and chores, the whole argument is still completely backwards – sexism has not always existed.In fact, it is quite ignorant to believe that very early societies would have been able to arrive at the mentality that one sex is superior to the other when every person was valuable to the cla n – they all relied on each other to survive. There is no reason to believe that a matriarchal society ever existed, that an entire clan was ruled by a woman. But similar to chimpanzee communities that we study today, it is very probable many hominids (two-footed primates) lived in a maternity; essentially, women were central to the society. Families were formed around the mother figure – the only known piece to the puzzle of childbearing in prehistory. When children were born, they were automatically accepted into their mothers clan, named after her, and no sense of illegitimacy lingered. 6 The mothers in prehistoric time were inclined to share provisions with their children and family members, and in time began feeding the entire clan – solidifying the idea that women Were important to the arrival of a civilization.Females sustained the clan by gathering fruits, vegetables and grains – males gathered as well, but only enough to feed themselves and possi bly a close male relative. Both sexes hunted small game and male-female groups hunted together with nets and spears. It is widely accepted, though, that only men hunted large game. When horticulture became prevalent, (some time later- around 10,000 BCC) it is said to be the work of women. 7 Aside from gathering food, providing about eighty percent of the nutrition received in a clan, women took on jobs that have advanced onto a stereotype that lingers in contemporary societies.Because early societies had yet to discover the link between sex and pregnancy, and because fatherhood was not a recognized position, men did not take on the responsibility of rearing children. Until relatively recently in the spectrum of humanity, every child demanded two to three years of their mother's time to breastfeed, and many women had multiple children within this age group at one given time. Regarding the aforementioned idea that every able body was necessary to the success of a developing clan, wome n could not afford to be del during childbearing years. It was in order to maintain society that women had to be carefully tasked with chores. The main concern was that every chore was â€Å"compatible with simultaneous child watching. † Specifically women were given, assignments that did not require severe concentration, were easily interruptible, and most importantly, did not put children in danger, in a way that hunting would. 9 This is how women fell into step with chores such as preparing daily food and spinning, weaving, and sewing clothes.It takes several hours of spinning yarn to create enough to weave in n hour, so women spun while they watched children and young girls spun while they tended to livestock. 1 0 With menstruation and pregnancy constantly present in these civilizations, and with game meat only sporadically appearing meat was very valuable to the women, who were always on the verge of anemia. 1 1 The anemia created another barrier between women and huntin g in addition to the already-present complications of hunting during pregnancy or with children. Their bodies were too physically weak.Also, female bodily fluids are more potent to an animal; therefore the women would be more easily sensed by their prey, making it almost counterproductive for a female to go on a hunt. 12 Some may argue that it still is indeed the femaleness of a woman that prevents her from a hunt. It IS not her designation as a woman that keeps her from participating in â€Å"male† activities, it is the fact that a woman's body has different functions, abilities, and limits than a man's. In a functional society every person plays a specific role and no role is more important than another; every single role is required for the society to thrive. Asking a man to breastfeed so that a woman could attempt to cut down a tree was – and still IS – irrational. ) It is to sexist for communities to fall into a way of life that allows every individual to c ontribute to their fullest potential, thus creating a highly productive and efficient society. There was a time when the femaleness of a woman was not seen as a disadvantage by men, but rather it was revered and honored. Forty thousand years ago, before words could be written down, prehistoric peoples represented concerns, rituals, sacrifices, and more with cave art and carvings.It comes as no surprise that many of the oldest carved figurines found show admiration for a woman's body: her fertility and ability to produce and feed hillier. 13 These figurines, called Venues, typically depict women who are â€Å"fat, healthy, with giant breasts†. 14 It might seem strange to a present-day woman how carving women as fat could possibly be flattering, let alone venerating. But a thin figure, something many women strive for today, would have been very troubling: her children would have gone hungry. We also kick to old preserved cave paintings for ideas of what culture was like before writing.In a remote part of central India, paintings of South Briar tribes from 8000 BCC to 2500 BCC were found on rock shelters. Like many others, they epic animals, hunting, dancing, and symbolic designs. 1 5 In these specific paintings, there are more women drawn, and they are more detailed than the stick figure men. The women are painted as strong and capable women – hunting and taking care of children all the while. To keep the traditions alive, South Briar women still partake in ritual hunting. 16 Sir Leonard Woolly called Cretan art the most inspired in the ancient world. 6 Paintings always show priestesses in the foreground with men behind them. Women in Crete were portrayed as merchants, farmers, chariot drivers, and hunters. Wall paintings show the women performing religious rituals. It does not appear that Crete was an equal society -? in a painted scene Of female dancers, the males and females have segregated seats, but the women had better accommodations. 17 Seve ral tombs that belonged to women were filled with riches such as jewelry, gold, and precious stones. In comparison, no male grave has been found with equal value.The Cretan world seems to have been able to develop and advance as a female-centered community without abandoning peace and pleasure-18 There is some scholarly inquiry as to whether there were female-centered clans in the Neolithic ere as well. There are very few images of males from this time period and the few that have been uncovered show men in situations inferior to women. 19 This leads to the theory women in Neolithic times held a higher status than women of later generations. The corpses found in Neolithic graves were buried with shells and paint arranged in a way to resemble female reproductive organs. 0 It is believed these art works indicate worship or glorification of the females in their clans. Fertility seems to be the basis of their worship and it often reinstated into prayer for healthy crops and animals. Doe s this mean goddess worship appeared in Neolithic culture, or did they only worship females? Was their worship equivalent to women having social power and dominance? As many myths rarely offer facts, they cannot be used to set history' in stone; however, they do shed light On what might have been happening during the time periods in which they were created.Several myths show warring between men and women in which the men always take over power from the defeated females. 21 These motifs appear in Central and Western Desert Australian Aborigine, Panda of New Guiana, Sumerian, and Greek mythology . 22 â€Å"Social charter† myths appear to justify why men took over female ruling, suggesting women committed some sort of sin or were naturally weak. If men had always existed as the controlling power, myths of former female powers would not exist. If men had always restrained women, their dominance would seem natural and it would be unnecessary for them to write explanations.Powerful women in mythologies are astoundingly universal . 23 patriarchy was an avalanche started by one meager realization: men had a role in procreation. Suddenly, their female-driven jealousy was uprooted. By giving the children their fathers' clan name instead of their mothers', the men had proof of â€Å"ownership†. With offspring essentially attached to the men of the clan, labor was also controlled by the men-24 Anthropologists insist that when large game hunting began during the Stone Age, men felt that hunting was their natural function in society. 5 With this new sense of identity came power- their dangerous work gave them status. It also created a sort of club or community between the male members of a tribe or clan . 26 Hunting required great teamwork, cooperation, ND lack of competition- these men had to work together. Most likely, men felt legitimated by their â€Å"exclusiveness† and their â€Å"us-versus-them pride† . 27 Of course, women hunted small gam e, but more in a means of ‘opportunistic kills'. Indeed, many ritualistic tools used during hunts were forbidden for women to see. 8 So when horticulture, a practice mainly performed by women, became popular around 5000 BCC, and large game began to disappear in populated civilizations, men had to jump on the band wagon and begin farming as well. 29 With men farming – a very isolated activity in imprison to hunting – they felt they lost everything fundamentally male. Young boys were not being taught the solidarity that came with hunting, so the men of the clan developed a new idea of group puberty rites. 30 These ceremonies did not occur before a horticultural society was established.The men began reinforcing gender roles in their society by teaching their sons what it took to be a â€Å"man†, something they felt should have been natural. Marilyn French, author of From Eve to Dawn: a History of Women in the World, explains, â€Å"Male solidarity was and re mains a manipulation against women. The first political movement, it arose, like all solidarity movements, to counter a sense of powerlessness and oppression,† that had dissipated with the loss of a hunter-gatherer society. 31 The main push of these puberty rites was to abnegate their mothers which led the oppression of women, including emotions they associate with them.Soon boys were taught disdain towards ‘feminine' emotions like love, compassion, and softness. Feelings were replaced with a hard, cool attitude and submission to elder males. 32 Thus, a form a sexism that still exists today (and many people ignore) was created: en are not to show â€Å"feminine† qualities. Dominance over children created another form of sexism. Now that males were aware of their part in procreation, they had to assure that the children their mates produced were theirs. In order to do this, they had to keep women under strict surveillance.Many women were captives from other village s, raped so as to be claimed as a mate, and given no rights; they were virtually slaves. 33 To bolster men's paternity roles, rules and laws were created that only applied to women. Females were the first criminals – adultery suddenly became a crime. Even Hough men always had the right to infanticide, women were not allowed to abort their children. Paternalism groups were founded on this domination. At this point, females were considered an object of the male's possession. Contrary to matrilineal, potentiality required force, and brutality towards women was often encouraged in their society. S When dominance started to shift towards the males, clans left their matriarchal marriages and began existing in parasitical marriages – women were no longer surrounded by male kin (stronger than she) and lost their protection. In a patriarchal marriage, the omen were taken and forced to live with their husbands' families who very likely did not speak the same language. 36 In some patriarchal communities women were allowed to leave. However, due to the fact that children were property of men, the women had no right to take children with them, and many stayed. 37 Without women protesting, patriarchy was born.Another vessel for both patriarchy and the idea of sexism was religion. Even in the beginning Of the Old Testament, the Bible provides very different roles for men and women. When God punishes Adam and Eve in Genesis, he describes Adam (man) as the breadwinner, and Eve (woman) as someone who needed a tight leash . 38 This tight leash takes the form of her husband and uterus. Women were limited by this elemental plot for centuries after – both Judaism and Christianity enforce further constraints on women. In Leviticus, it claims that everything a woman touches while she is â€Å"unclean† from menstruation is impure. 9 Taken out of context, this can be seen as a terrible sexist act, but there are also conditions in which a man is unclean. Even so, women cannot control what makes them unclean while men can. The biblical impurity of a woman outlasts her menstruation, even during childbirth-40 The women were secluded from the group for two weeks while they were impure and usually stayed with other women in â€Å"menstrual huts†. When they were allowed to grace the sanctuary and men again, they fulfilled their marital duties (the two weeks in which they saw their husbands they were most likely to conceive). 1 When a woman gave birth she had to seclude herself for seven days as if she were menstruating. Fifth baby was a male, she could return to the group on the eighth day for the baby's circumcision and tribal ironies before completing her thirty-three days of blood purifying. If the baby was a female, there Was no ceremony to welcome her arrival and her mother was required to purify for sixty-six days. 42 Consider this: if a woman is in constant impurity, constantly forbidden from the sanctuary, how often could a Heb rew wife appear in public?A scarce rabbi or community leader does not make for a good one – how would she be able to fulfill the responsibilities? In addition to underlining the uncleanness of a women, the Old Testament shows violent themes against women. In Deuteron 22:13 t shows that if a bride's virginity is challenged by the groom, the whole community plays a part in verifying the speculation through the custom of bloody sheets. If their suspicion is true (or they agree she did not bleed enough) the male population is permitted to stone her to death.Later in Deuteron, there are examples of rape and abuse with only small monetary penalties. 43 Even though religion is not to blame for men first seeking control over women, it plays a large role in the spread of sexual discrimination because many people looked to these ancient scriptures as a guide for their lives. It is believed by some biblical scholars that Yeah was originally conceived as androgynous. 44 He is characteriz ed by the word ‘compassion', which in the Hebrew language is rooted in the word ‘womb'. He is described as â€Å"giving birth† to Israel, â€Å"suckling' and watching over his children. 5 But as the Bible transitions into the book of Numbers, Yeah is not only male but patriarchal. In Numbers 12, God punishes only Miriam and not her brothers for the same act- the story teaches that women shall not challenge men. 46 Some argue that it is difficult to accuse the Bible of sexism hen several other verses describe such different ideas. For example, Galatians 3:38 adequately removes all justification for discrimination Of any kind by saying, â€Å"There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Pay close attention to the wording: there is no longer male and female. Moreover, religion is described as a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects. 47 The Bi ble (and the religion that follows it) is a text assembled by men and was prone to their social biases of the time period. Sexism very well did exist in the Hebrew Bible and it is impossible to erase history. It is not universally accepted that fertility held more weight and value in society before the Bible was written.Cynthia Leer, shares her view on the idea of matrilineal societies and goddess worship (something that dissipated long before the Bible): Prior to the Neolithic revolution, we have every reason to believe that prehistoric peoples, like contemporary hunting and gathering peoples, were more interested in restricting their fertility than enhancing it. Contraception, abortion, and infanticide are all practiced in uniting and gathering groups, and in horticulture societies as well, with infanticide rates ranging from 1 5 to 50 percent.Skeletal evidence suggests that childbirth was dangerous for mothers and children alike. Infant mortality rates were high at Actual ¶y;k, for example, and women there and elsewhere died very young by our standards (on average in their late twenties, earlier than men) in part because of high maternal mortality. It seems unlikely under these conditions that pregnancy and childbirth we invariably regarded as miraculous and welcomed as the gift of a munificent goddess. 48 Leer also geared the Venus figurines and points out the biggest dispute with establishing them as worship of fertility.The figures rarely show signs of pregnancy, lactation, or childbirth. 49 If Paleolithic artists were concerned in depicting pregnancy and fertility there are many ways to have done that – but these figures lack evidence of childbearing and most are simply voluptuous. They could show the clan's concern regarding hunger, which explains why they have fuller shapes – communities valued healthy and full bodies. 50 However, if you were to drop the notion that Venus figures represented omen and their fertility and ability to repr oduce, why are there only women figures?The complication with pinpointing the origins of sexism is the underlying question: which came first? Gender or sexism? Returning to overburdened language, it is because gender exists that sexism exists. Gender allows men to dominate women – it provides a biological excuse. Unfortunately many feminist matriarchies suggest that women are women because we hold secondary status to men. The designation ‘Woven† is neither a gender, nor a biological sex, but a category that people are placed into.This category seems to form the parameters in which women have experiences, yet women are only the byproduct of the category existence (in the same way my mother insists I had a bad time because my attitude was terrible to begin with, and not that my attitude was terrible because I had a bad time). 65 So long as this omnipresent category exists, sexism will exist. The femaleness of a woman is defined by Leer as the experience of being per ceived to be a woman and being treated as women are treated. This extends to any specific way women were treated in different cultures whether good or bad. The only femaleness that can be attached to any woman of any time period in any place of the world is this: ‘woman'. It is hard to speak for the men and women from a time before they themselves could speak, but don't believe it was ever intended for footmen in the kitchen† to be a derogatory term. The mentality that one biological sex is of higher-rank than another is derived from the simple fact that certain bodies are more able for specific tasks. Intended or not, men felt oppressed. This sparked a very deliberate and violent revolution. Men stole control and power long before rating was established and history was preserved.Indeed it was history; looking back to biblical times, the pictures that stories paint of their communities and culture show male-dominance. With the spread of Christianity, the secret of a more peaceful and equal past was locked up and it became widely accepted that the husbands and fathers should be the head of the household. Christianity and the men in the Bible certainly did not initiate all of the suffering and abuse against women that appears today – but they did Set the precedent that has seemed to excuse men for centuries. Bibliography Advisor, J. M. , Olga Softer, and Jake Page.

Full Day Kindergarten Programs Essay

The reason children attend kindergarten today is so they can be taught a meaningful and balanced curriculum filled with skills and information. Teachers do this through age-appropriate activities that encourage the children to learn more (Marzollo, 1987). In order for children to develop the necessary skills for success in life, they need to attend kindergarten. In full day kindergarten programs more time is available to develop the necessary social and academic skills children need for success later on (â€Å"Full-day and half-day kindergarten in the United States†, 2004). Full day programs have become more and more popular in the past few decades. In the 1970s fewer than 15% of all five-year-olds in the US attended full day programs; in the 1980s it rose to 30% of kindergarten children attending these programs (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008). In the 1990s it rose to nearly 50%, and by 1993, 54% of kindergarten teachers were teaching at least one full day class (Paciorek, 2002). In 2001, 57% of kindergarten age children were attending a full day program (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Pays Off†, 2003). Review of the Literature Arguments for full day Kindergarten programs. Full day kindergarten programs that are taught in a good learning environment tend to offer a better learning foundation for children, and many important characteristics only found in full day programs are not able to fit into a half day program. The extended time full day kindergarten often boosts the opportunities for implementing these unique characteristics of kindergarten in a way not possible in the half day programs (National Education Association, 2006). There is an extreme need for full day programs in some parts of the country. Today in the US, there are an increased number of single-parent homes or homes where both parents work. This makes it necessary for children to be in school all day, instead of just half the day (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). The advantages that children receive from full day kindergarten extend into the first grade and sometimes beyond. These gains help children academically; enabling them to learn better, which makes them more well-rounded human beings (â€Å"Readings†, 2007). In full day programs, there are more opportunities for children to do in-depth studies and more time for hands-on learning. There is also more stability in full day kindergarten because teachers are given the time to balance large group, small group, or individual instruction. Having this balance has fostered higher learning abilities in children (NEA, 2006). Children in half day programs do not have the same opportunities as children in full day programs because of the time limitations. In half day programs, learning must be done in large groups because there is not enough time to have child-initiated learning. Children need to be given the opportunity to experience how all the different areas of learning are connected and how learning basic skills will help them to understand more complex skills later on in their education (NEA, 2006). Children change in many ways while in kindergarten. They learn to think about the world they are living in, and they also learn to think about themselves (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). In full day kindergarten programs children are taught processes of learning that will help them learn throughout life (DeCicca, 2007). â€Å"Full day programs are more likely than half day programs to spend to spend more time every day on letter recognition, letter-sound match, rhyming words, reading aloud, and alphabetizing† (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Pays Off†, 2003). President of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Paul Young, says, â€Å"If you don’t master certain skills at the kindergarten level, then you can’t be successful in first grade† (Thomas, 2002). In their first year of school children will gain the skills and the knowledge necessary for their success in the future (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). The number of children that attend full day kindergarten programs varies depending on the type of school they attend and where the school is located. Overall, 56% of kindergarten-age children in the US attend a full day kindergarten program. About 54% of children who attend public schools are in a full day program, while 67% of children who attend private schools are enrolled in a full day program (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). In the US 67% of private schools offer a full day program, while only 57% of public schools do. Catholic schools are more likely to offer full day programs than other private schools, with 78% of Catholic schools offering full day programs and only 63% of other private schools. Fifty-two percent of public schools offer half day programs which is more compared to only 29% of Catholic schools and 40% of other private schools (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Some schools offer only full day programs (53%) but fewer offer only half day programs (39%) and 7% of schools offer both full and half day programs. In the US 61% of schools with a kindergarten program offer at least one full day program and 47% offer at least one half day program (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). The enrollment of children in full day programs varies in different parts of the country. It also varies with the race and economic status of the child’s family. In the US, 60% of kindergarten children are enrolled in full day public or private kindergarten programs. Nine states mandate that a full day program be offered in every school (â€Å"Full Day Kindergarten Growing†, 2008). The majority of the children enrolled in full day kindergarten are children of single parents, children whose parents both work outside the home, and children of low-income families (Paciorek, 2002). The region of the country plays a role in the enrollment of children in full day programs. In the South, 84% of public schools offer full day programs, compared to only 57% in the Midwest, 38% in the West, and 37% in the Northeast (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). A larger majority of children in the Southern region of the country attend full day kindergarten program (82%) compared to other regions: 47% in the Midwest, 48% in the Northeast, and 31% in the West. Public schools located in the suburban and large town areas are less likely to have children attending a full day program (only 45%) compared to schools located in large and mid-sized cities (59%) or small towns/rural areas (65%) (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Parents of kindergarten children put them in these full day programs for many different reasons. One reason is so minority children, or children who are considered â€Å"at risk† for failing academically, are given the chance to stay on the same level as their peers. Full day kindergarten has been shown to considerably close the achievement gaps for minority or low-income children (NEA, 2006). This is especially relevant to gaining the basic skills of learning (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). Full day programs also have been shown to significantly improve the math and reading skills of all races (DeCicca, 2007). Children from low-income families have many risk factors they must face that could potentially threaten their health and their development. About one-fifth of US children live in poverty, which has been shown to be a major risk factor for children’s cognitive and academic achievement. Full day kindergarten can put these children on the same level as children who do not live in poverty. (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008). Public schools with at least 75% minority enrollment offer full day kindergarten (76%), compared to public schools with less than 25% minority enrollment (44-48%). In private schools with at least 75% minority enrollment the children are more likely to participate in full day programs (93%) compared to private schools with less than 10% minority enrollment (54%) (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Racial characteristics play a role in enrollment in full day programs also. It has been shown that African American and Hispanic children enrolled in full day programs closed the achievement gap with white and Asian children in the basic math and reading skills, but African American and Hispanic children are not acquiring the more advanced skills at the same rate that white and Asian children acquire in their first year of schooling (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). Full day programs have also been shown to create a larger achievement in math and reading for low-income children than children in half day programs (â€Å"Readings†, 2007). Also, public schools with at least 50% of their enrollment consisting of low-income children are more likely to offer these full day programs (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Children that have completed full day kindergarten programs have been shown to be more prepared for first grade than their peers that attended half day programs. In a study of 22,000 kindergarteners nationwide, students who attended full day programs made larger reading gains than children who attended half day programs (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Pays Off†, 2003). Children will be better prepared to meet the strict curriculum of first grade if they have attended a full day kindergarten program, because they are used to the full day schedule and they know how their day will go (â€Å"Leading†, 2008). Full day kindergarten programs need to have a â€Å"content-centered curriculum for this age group† in order for the program to be successful academically (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Many benefits are available to children in full day kindergarten. Studies have shown improvement in full day kindergarten children’s academic skills (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008). There are many positive academic and social benefits for children of low economic status or disadvantaged backgrounds from attending full day kindergarten. Research that has been done in the past 10 years has shown steady positive academic gains for children enrolled in full day programs. Full day programs offer children a curriculum that is age-appropriate while still providing major academic benefits (Paciorek, 2002). In full day kindergarten there is â€Å"greater socialization, generalization of knowledge, transfer of learning, and a deeper understanding of concepts. † This extra time is not only good for the child, but it improves the teacher’s and family’s experience as well (NEA, 2006). In full day kindergarten other gains are made, such as greater growth of reading and math skills over the course of the kindergarten year. Children who attend full day programs out-perform children who attend half day programs on reading, science, and math achievement tests. Children who attend full day kindergarten also tend to have lower levels of special education and grade repetition (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008). Children who leave full day kindergarten with better reading skills are more likely to have more success in the first grade and beyond because the material that is taught in early elementary school is usually sequential (DeCicca, 2007). Children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tend to make greater gains in reading/language arts than children in half day programs over the course of the year (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Since the school day is longer for full day kindergarten students, they tend to participate in learning experiences unavailable to half day students. These experiences will help to develop their early literacy skills so that they are more prepared for the first grade. Reading is the most important activity for kindergarten children. It is required for future success in not only school but in life in general (NEA, 2006). Children enrolled in full day kindergarten have more time to experience literacy. Having this time helps children get a head start on becoming readers and writers (NEA, 2006). Math skills are also improved in full day kindergarten. â€Å"Mathematical learning tends to be quite sequential in nature, so if one masters the basic concepts early it is likely that the burden of future learning will be lowered† (DeCicca, 2007). Sometimes the math taught in full day kindergarten is actually that of a first grade curriculum. This helps children get further ahead in their studies and can make them quite successful later on (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Science skills are also improved in full day programs. Children have time to take part in science experiments fostering the fact that in order to learn science, one must â€Å"do science. † Because of the extended class time, children are able to take part in more difficult math and science thinking. They are able to move beyond the basic counting and identifying numbers that are normally part of a half day kindergarten program (NEA, 2006). In full day programs, children also have greater opportunity to improve their behavior. Children in full day programs are able to have more child-to-child interactions, and this improves their social skills. In one study of full day kindergarten, there were 14 different dimensions tested. Nine of these dimensions were positive: â€Å"originality, independent learning, involvement in classroom activities, productivity with peers, intellectual dependency, failure/anxiety, un-reflectiveness, holding back or withdrawal, and approach to teacher† (Paciorek, 2002). In full day programs teachers are able to take advantage of the extra time. Teachers of full day kindergarten should provide â€Å"child-centered, developmentally appropriate activities† and balance small group and large group activities (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Teachers are able to allow more time for children to have free play, rather than large group activities. There is more time for indoor and outdoor play; children can use â€Å"learning centers†, and children learn how to cooperate with each other (Paciorek, 2002). In order for children to have a balanced development, play needs to be included in the school day. Children develop many different skills while playing which are necessary for success such as â€Å"inductive experience, cognitive dissonance, social interaction, physical experiences, revisiting, and competence†. Play-time has an influence on the intellectual development of children, and it improves learning abilities (NEA, 2006). In full day programs, children scored much higher on achievement tests than children in half day programs on all of the areas that were tested (Paciorek, 2002). There are many advantages to informal testing in kindergarten. Informal assessments focus on the â€Å"developmental and achievement changes in children over time†; it highlights the individual child, rather than the entire group of children. It also offers many opportunities to demonstrate a child’s competence, making the introduction of a tougher curriculum easier. Finally, it helps children understand their learning better, and it provides solid information to share with children’s families (NEA, 2006). Full day programs also create more freedom for teachers. Full day programs are pretty new, so teachers, administrators, and parents are able to create the curriculum themselves. This can be frustrating, but it has many benefits for the children and the teachers (Marzollo, 1987). Many teachers prefer full day programs to half day programs because they are able to instruct children individually. Teachers are also able to get to know their students better. This helps the teachers understand the child’s specific needs to better educate the child. Teachers say there are many advantages to having full day programs. The atmosphere of full day kindergarten is much more relaxed than half day kindergarten, the opportunities for children to develop their own interests are greatly increased, and there is also more time for creative activities (Paciorek, 2002). Teachers of full day programs are not as rushed to fit the whole curriculum in as half day teachers are. The full day teachers are better able to teach different concepts in many ways to ensure that children fully understand the material (NEA, 2006). Teachers of full day kindergarten are able to get to know the families of their students better than teachers of half day kindergarten. Because of this, they can meet the needs of the students more effectively. The relationships between the teachers and families are also improved with full day kindergarten. The parents are more comfortable communicating with the teachers, because they are able to get to know the teachers better. This also helps the teachers teach better (NEA, 2006). Most parents feel that full day kindergarten has done nothing but good for their children. Robyn Ann Kreusel says, â€Å"I never expected my child to be writing three-sentence paragraphs by the end of kindergarten. † (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing†, 2008). Parents are very satisfied with full day programs, and they believed that their children were better prepared for first grade because of the material they were taught in full day kindergarten. Parents also say their children greatly benefited socially in full day kindergarten (Paciorek, 2002). Today, parents are very interested in their children being able to read at an early age, and a full day kindergarten program is a great way to make this possible (Thomas, 2002). Arguments against full day Kindergarten In the past few years, many questions have been raised about the necessity of full day kindergarten programs. People want to know how all the extra time is going to be used. Some educators feel that this time will be used for â€Å"playtime† or â€Å"daycare. † Others feel that first grade material is going to be pushed down into the kindergarten classroom, making kindergarten too academic. People also want to take into consideration how children learn at this age and the purpose of kindergarten in the first place. Some experts say that academics should be increased, and others say the extra time should be spent on activities the students should do on their own (NEA, 2006). Some parents are worried about full day kindergarten programs. They feel that their children will come home after a full day and be tired and cranky. The full day kindergarten curriculum is tough. In this curriculum there are seven different subject areas. These areas are language arts (which consist of oral language, listening, reading and writing), social studies, science, math, art, music, and physical education (Marzollo, 1987). In a full day program, children have more time to master a curriculum which would normally be more of a first-grade curriculum (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing†, 2008). Children in full-day programs are also on the same schedule as a first-grade class, so teachers are able to work together on subject substance, which makes it easier for the children to transition into first grade the following year (NEA, 2006). People feel this is a problem in some cases. Experts say the worst way a school board could plan a kindergarten curriculum is to move first-grade material down to kindergarten. Some say that children are pressured to teach subjects that are too hard for them to understand. People also feel children are denied the large assortment of activities that normally take place in a kindergarten classroom (Marzollo, 1987). In some school districts 60% of children are not ready to enter the first grade after their first year of kindergarten because they are pressured to learn material too quickly. Each year, the kindergarten curriculum becomes tougher. Schools now want children to be reading full books on their own by the third grade (Thomas, 2002). Some schools do not provide full day kindergarten programs, but full day programs tend to be found in many Catholic schools. Also, full day programs are very popular in the South, with 84% of public schools offering them It is especially popular in cities rather than small towns, rural areas, and large towns, or suburban areas (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004). Many states whose school districts offer full day kindergarten fund these programs. Twenty-five states and Washington DC provide money to the school districts that offer full-day kindergarten (â€Å"Full†¦Half†, 2004), but many schools in the US do not have the money or the space to offer full day programs to families of kindergarten children (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing†, 2008). Conclusion Full day kindergarten has many benefits for everyone involved in the programs. It provides many experiences for children that they would not be given if they were enrolled in a half day kindergarten program. Kindergarten is a time of change for children and their parents. Children are able to learn different things in full day programs that they would not have enough time to learn in half day programs. Parents and teachers prefer to have children in full day programs because ultimately it puts the children further ahead and it provides a better opportunity for academic success than the half day programs. References DeCicca, Philip. (2007). Does full-day kindergarten matter? 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Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial issues in early childhood education. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill Company. Readings and reports from parents involvement to wellness policies. (2007). American School Board Journal, 194, 55-57. Retrieved from ESCOhost: Academic Search Premier. Thomas, K. (2002, September 19). See Johnny read-by kindergarten. USA Today, p. 8. Votruba, Drzal, E. , Li-Grinning, C. P. , & Maldonado-Carreno, C. (2008). A developmental perspective on full versus part day kindergarten and children’s academic trajectories through fifth grade. Child Development, 79. 4, 957-978. Retrieved from EBSCOhost: Academic Search Premier. West, J. , Denton, K. , & Reaney, L. M. (2000). The kindergarten year: Findings from the early childhood longitudinal study. Washington, D. C. : NCES.