Eating Christmas in the Kalahari | Essay

Eating Christmas in the Kalahari | Essay Eating Christmas in the Kalahari Abstract Richard Borshay Lee was a social anthropologist that had lived with and studied the southern Tswana tribe. In â€Å"Eating Christmas in the Kalahari† Richard Borshay Lee introduces us to some very useful techniques in social science. What he decided to do was take part in an ox Christmas festivity. Mr. Lee felt he had to give a gift because the tribal community thought he was a miser, this was due to the fact the Mr. Lee had been there for quite some time and never shared his food. Being Christmas and both sides believing in this spiritual holiday, he felt obligated to share. Ultimately, his beliefs does not coincide with the !Kung people and we witness the power of socializing agents. Even though Mr. Lee had lived with and was engaged in every part of the !Kung people’s lives, he was still an outsider and alien to the society. It seems after Mr. Lee decided to attend the ox Christmas festival, he felt it would be a nice gesture to buy an ox to eat at the celebration. Among the !Kungs, the slaughtering of an ox is a custom. After choosing the ox to bring to the festival, the Bushmen started complaining and calling the ox old and skinny. To Mr. Lee, the ox looked big, fat and perfect for the Christmas celebration and the reaction of the !Kung Bushmen people leave him very insulted. His feelings and how he perceived the Bushmen’s reaction was likely founded on his own culture, where people are supposed to appreciate other people’s generosity no matter the outcome. But to the Bushmen, giving an ox was no more than what they usually do every day, and was nothing special. After consulting with cultural experts, Mr. Lee discovers the native’s viewpoint. In the !kung’s culture, things such as gifts and generosity are appreciated. However, it is not easily shown and always behind closed doors. Their cultural belief is that it will cause more harm to praise any individual even for a job well done. They believe by boosting someone’s ego it will eventually swell his pride to the point where he may kill someone. The !Kung’s survival is based on their awareness of the environment around them and how people act and think in the society. This I think would be a good thing as long as people were not taken for granted. Why did the !kung people’s insult bother Mr. Lee so extensively? I feel the anthropologist thought he had gone through so much to choose, and buy the ox for the !Kungs just to be ridiculed for his efforts. Lee finally received the message of what the !Kungs were trying to put out, and this was the concept that there is some motive behind every gift and somehow, someway the gift will be repaid. However, I must disagree with this concept and disagree with the !Kungs. This is supported by the fact, every day I see many charitable acts, and the people that are giving, have no intention of receiving praise or anything in return. There are many cultural rules about gift giving in our society. Gifts in our society are given in celebrations and special occasions. Usually in our society, the amount spent on the gift is based on the rareness or the size of the event taking place. Mr. Lee’s views brought on by his own cultural beliefs, left him feeling inadequate and insulted. But to the !Kungs, it was an everyday occurrence and reaction. To understand the !kungs is to understand and accept people of different cultures. This is dually noted in the above paragraphs. The !Kungs who live in the Kalahari were raised quite differently than someone who grew up in the society we live in today. In accepting gifts in our country, we always say thank you and how much we appreciate it. This praise gives us a feeling of arrogance knowing that the receiver really likes our gift. In different cultures there are different guidelines. The people of the !kung tribe think badly of individuals that show arrogance. To eliminate these characteristics in the children, they were raised to mock and make fun of others while doing things such as hunting and viable activities. And by telling Mr. Lee that his ox was skinny and old, they were ultimately doing him a tremendous favor according to their cultural beliefs. As in contrast to our beliefs that characteristics such as bulling and mocking is very wrong. However sometimes in our society we see arrogance as a negative quality but it is not always discouraged in the same manner. Agents of Socialization was a strong influence in the article that Mr. Lee wrote. The feeling of being insulted only came from his own inadequacies and the way he was taught in his society. His status while being among the tribe was less than in his own society and also contributed to his feelings. His cultural values were very different than that of the !Kung people, and in time he came to understand and accept their attitudes learned as a social group. He realized that even though it was a celebration known to people of his culture, it could also sustain a part of the !Kung tribe. This is a documentation of another instance of how different societies of people distinguish themselves from one another with certain customs and differences, and how they conduct themselves socially. References Scavetta, Charlene (February 22, 2009). Eating Christmas in the Kalahari, Richard Borshay Lee. . retrieved 9/23/2014, from Athropology 1001 Web Site: http://scavettacharlene.blogspot.com/2009/02/eating-christmas-in-kalahari-richard.html ThatPresence ( December 2005 ). Eating Christmas in the Kalahari . retrieved 9/23/2014, from StudyMode.com Web Site: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Eating-Christmas-In-The-Kalahari-74594.html Ontaneda, Ana (February 22, 2009). Eating Christmas in the Kalahari . retrieved 9/23/2014, from anthropology Web Site: http://unam0ur.blogspot.com/2009/02/ana-ontaneda-february-22-2009-ant-1001.html Research into Truancy: Causes and Effects Research into Truancy: Causes and Effects Introductory orientation Truancy is about learners who have not been attending school regularly as required by the school, parents and even the authorities. Truant behavior is a problem for the individual, the family, the school and society in general. Free and compulsory education is recognized as a basic entitlement under international standards, including the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) and the European Convention on Human Rights (1950). With the right to free education and the obligation corresponding to this right observed and enforced through a national emphasis on school attendance, The National Statistic Office (Malta) states that in the 2004/2005 scholastic year the figure for school absenteeism accounted for 7.7% of the total number of school days in the reference period or an overall absence rate of 9.2 absent days per pupil that for boys being 10.0 days per pupil and for girls 8.4 days per pupil. As a teacher this makes me fretful about students missing school as this can be associated with subsequent emotional and psychosocial problems in early adulthood and is a predictor of multiple problems (Fogelman and Hibbert, 1990). Truancy may have both short and long term effects on society. There is evidence that truancy is linked to delinquent behaviour and juvenile crime (Collins, 1998; Reid, 1999). According to Jones (1996), ‘Absenteeism is a sign of trouble that often leads to lower academic skills and grades, delinquency, and dropouts. Studies have shown that high school dropouts are twice as likely to be unemployed and on welfare, and overall, tend to be facing a more difficult life than their graduating counterparts. Jones (1996; p.128), All members who form part of any educational institution cannot allow these students to give up on themselves. We as a modern, fast developing society, we cannot afford to let them surrender. It is clearly far less expensive to educate them than pay for a lifetime of welfare and all of the deprivations that welfare represents. These are ominous issues, which imply that the number of students who skip school is rising and that school absenteeism is a new generations behaviour that is today a dramatic social phenomenon. This proposal drafts the intent to investigate and explore realities of how truancy manifests with Maltese youth and also explore the psychosocial world of truants in Maltese schools. Problem Analysis The Pre-Scientific Problem awareness As a supply teacher for these past five years, I have witnessed incidences of truancy in the period 2006 to 2009. One of the common truancy reducation measures used was to lock the school gates during lessons and breaks and open them after school hours (my personal exsperience). Despite the limited impact on truancy reducation, the approach of locking gates is still common and evident in some secondary schools. I found locked gates while visiting some of the schools. Gangsters, to control late coming and to stop learners from dodging classes, locked gates to prevent trespassing, sepecially. Exploring the problem Incidence and nature of truancy Malta Since 1946 education has been compulsory for all children between six to fourteen years and extended to the age of 16 by the Education Act (Malta) of 1971. Maltese law imposes a duty on parents to ensure that their children of compulsory school age receive appropriate education, whether through attendance at a state or independent school. If they fail to do so, without any reasonable excuse and if found guilty, they are liable to a fine not exceeding in previous currency one Maltese Lira (equivalent to â‚ ¬2.33) for each day during which the offence continues, unless the parent fails to give a good and sufficient explanation within three days from the date he or she receives a notice from the Director of Education (Malta Education Act 1988). From January 2001 up to December 2002 there were 8,903 arraignments before the local tribunals in connection with school absenteeism (Grech, 2002). This figure represents only the number of students who were absent from school without a valid reason on more than three occasions in the time frame of a month. It is a known fact that there are a number of students that systematically plan three days off from school each month, just for the sake that they use their monthly absence allowance and knowing that in this way their parents would not receive a citation. Surveys show that the overall absence rate between 25th September 2000 to 31st March 2001 stood at 10.5 days per pupil (NSO Malta, 2001). This figure reveals an increase of 5.2% over 1999/2000 scholastic year (NSO Malta, 2001). Thus it shows that during this period, 657,604 pupil days were lost to absenteeism and authorised absence due to sickness. Indeed, the Clark Report (2005) shows concern for the increase in unauthorised absenteeism with parental consent, particularly in state secondary schools which cater, in the main, for a student population coming from a working- class background. Family problems, psychological problems, illnesses, school phobia and bullying have, significantly, been indicated by the Clark focus group to be the topmost reasons contributing to school avoidance. Some Overseas Countries Most of the research conducted abroad seems to provide information regarding the nature and extent of truancy in secondary schools. Results of a study conducted at a school in London from 1985 to 1987 revealed that 70% of the sampled pupils admitted truanting during the three-year period (Stoll, 1990:22). In the study that involved nine secondary schools, 66% of the 765 fifth year pupils admitted truanting (ibid). Figures on truancy in 150 English secondary schools revealed that 31% of pupils in years 10 and 11 admitted that they played truant or skipped lessons (OKeefe Stoll, 1995:12). Gray and Jesson (1990:25) report about the major national survey results of truancy in English secondary schools. According to this study, 23% of all fifth year pupils were involved in truant behavior and they were less likely to stay on in full-time education. Furthermore, schools facing serious problems of truancy tend to be in the inner city rather than in other areas (ibid). on the other hand, Collins (1998:26) reports that absentee rates vary between schools in the London Education Authority. Munn and Johnstone (1992:4) found that out of a sample of 50 Scottish secondary schools, 18% of the pupils (11% in June and 7% in November) were classified as truants and were mostly form the senior years. These figures exclude truants within the school day, as â€Å"14 schools reported that they did not keep period attendance records† (ibid). Truancy has long been a subject for research in various parts of the USA. According to Nelson (1972:98), 64% of the 591 students surveyed identified themselves as class truants. Learners habitually play truant each day in Los Angeles, Pittsburg and Milwaukee (Black, 1996:33). Bos, Ruiters and Visscher (1992:393) found that the average rate of truancy in 36 schools in the four Dutch cities studied was 4.4% and that truancy increased with the level of the class in almost all schools. Some researchers further indicate that truancy does not necessarily mean missing the whole day of school but found that I could be in the form of missing a part of a day or particular lesson (Kilpartick, 1998:31; Reid, 1999:91). In a study conducted by Malan in South Africa (1972:144), 2,738 out of 69,908 pupils were identified by their teachers as truants. Masithela (Masithela, 1992:33) observed that learners tend to miss lessons during the first and second periods, as well as during the last give periods. The tendency of missing certain lessons towards the end of the school day shows that some form of â€Å"hidden truancy† is prevalent and that pupils can be marked present in the register but fail to attend all lessons (ibid:45). On the other hand, they may come late and be marked absent or be somewhere on the school premises not attending certain lessons or periods, but still be marked as being present on the class resisters. Factors associated with truancy Malta Truancy is about learners who have not been attending school regularly as required by the school, parents and even the authorities. Tyerman (1968) defines the term truant as the child who is absent from school purely on his or her own initiative. Gabb (1994) includes in his definition of truant, that a child who is absent with leave given by his or her parents, or who are actually kept at home by the parents. Hersov (cited in Gabb, 1994) goes still further, dividing from truants, ‘school phobics and ‘school refusers. King (2001) furthermore defines school refusal/school phobics as a difficulty to attend school due to emotional distress, especially anxiety and depression. Fenech (1991) (in an unpublished research) defines ‘absenteeism as ‘being away from lessons for any period of time and for reasons not considered as legitimate, with or without the parents knowledge (p.3). She goes on to include ‘physical presence without any attention being given to a lesson in progress [as well as] masked or selective truancy (ibid., p.3). Fenech (ad. lib.) refers to the latter as ‘skiving off specific lessons or disappearance after registration (p.3) remarking that a number of sources consider absenteeism and truancy synonymous. Sultana (1997), like Fenech (1991), defines absenteeism as ‘staying away from school for reasons not justified by the law (p. 355). However, she goes on to include other ‘less overt ways (ibid., p 355) such as what Willis (1977) calls participating in ‘informal mobility (ibid., p. 355). This includes not entering the class for lesson, intentionally staying in another class, leaving the class without permission, or staying in class without bothering to follow the lesson. Studies conducted abroad When seen from a psychological viewpoint, truancy may be symptomatic of learns who are insecure and have low academic achievement levels and low self-esteem. Lewis (1995:37) states that attendance difficulties my broadly result from a combination of â€Å"pull† and â€Å"push† factors. Pull factors are personal and social aspects that â€Å"pull† a learner out of school. The pull factors may be related to the psychological indices mentioned by Reid (2002:11), such as maladjustment, a lower general level of self-esteem and academic self concept, anxiety and lower career aspirations. Factors that â€Å"push† learners away from school include academic and classroom aspects such as inapproachability of the teaching staff, incomprehensible teaching style and inappropriate classroom management. Other factors relating to the school and the classroom include bullying, the curriculum, boring lessons (Reid, 1999:91), teachers humiliating remarks (Porteus, Clacherty, Mdiya, Pelo, Matsai, Qwabe and Donald 2000:11), poor record-keeping and school organization (Bimler Kirkland, 2001:90; Coldman, 1995:29). According to Pappas (1996:1), truancy is often symptomatic of family dysfunction, since the parents of truants tend to be permissive, undisciplined and unavailable. Some authors believe that truancy is associated with a poor socio-economic background, including poverty, poor housing and unemployment (Bell, Rosen and Dynlacht, 1994:204; Tyerman, 1958:222). Some researchers state that there is a link between truancy and delinquent behavior (Collins, 1998:38; Brown, 1998:298-299; Reid, 1999:25). Truancy differentiated from school phobia There is a need to distinguish between truancy and school phobia. The concept â€Å"school phobia† describes a learner who is unwilling to attend school and stays at home with the knowledge of parents (Wicks and Nelson, 2000:123). A learners problem often stats with a vague complaint or reluctance to attend school and progresses to total refusal to go to school. Blagg (1992:121) asserts that school phobia may be induced by fear-arousing aspects of school, such as fear of failure caused by anxiety about meeting the standards. Fear may also be related to worries about the health and welfare of parents (Blagg, 1992:123). In the other hand, a learner who plays truant misses the whole school day or lessons without the knowledge of parents or caregivers. Furthermore, a truant tends to be involved in various forms of anti social behavior (Blagg, 1992:121). Milner and Blyth (1999:18) acknowledge the difficulties involved in studying the prevalence and pattern of truancy and in comparing current and past school attendance or absence. The difficulties are partly compounded by the variations in the definition of truancy itself (Boyd, 1999:22; Gabb, 1997:2) and the multifaceted nature of truancy (Edward and Malcolm, 2001:1; Reid, 1999:17). The problems associated with studies on truancy should, however, not prevent further research from being conducted. Solutions should be found, or the cause at least eliminated, because truancy is regarded as a serious problem with socio-economic implications. A preliminary review of the literature reveals that truancy is a major problem form schools and society and a most powerful predictor of juvenile delinquent behavior (Van Petegem, 1994:272; Wiehe, 2000). Reid (2002:2) maintains that the amount of money spent on truancy reduction initiatives proves the extent of truancy. Statement of the problem Data on the extent and nature of truancy in schools are often based on information obtained from class registers. This information may be inadequate or almost incomplete and limits the understanding of the phenomenon, thus making it difficult to develop appropriate intervention strategies. More insight on how truancy manifests is needed to provide a base on which to suggest, plan and develop effective intervention strategies. Therefore, further research is needed to enable education officials, schools, parents and other professionals to manage learners with attendance difficulties more efficiently. This study serves to bridge the information gap regarding the nature of truancy and to provide a picture of the life world of truants in Secondary Schools. Aims of the Research The General Aim The aim would be to describe truancy in general as stated in the literature and to conduct an empirical study in order to determine how truancy behaviour manifests in secondary schools and what the life world of truants looks likes. The findings can then be used to inform and guide future practice. The Specific aim The aim of the study would be to gather information that will be used to guide the school (college) community namely the SMT, form teachers, subject teachers, guidance teachers and school councillors, youth workers in school and other stakeholders to help in the interventional approaches and procedures that can be used for reducing truancy. In order to realise the above aims, the following questions are set to direct the research: What is the extent and degree of truancy in terms of the frequency and number of learns involved? What are the patterns, type or nature of truancy? Where do truants go when not at school or in class? What measures are used to monitor and manage truancy? Research Method The study will comprise two methods, namely, a literature study and an empirical investigation. A study of the literature will derive information on studies about poor school attendance and procedures employed to mange or reduce truancy from books, research articles, journals and other resources. A quantitative research design will be used in the empirical investigation. This investigation aims to gather data by means of a questionnaire that will be given to learns in Form 1 and Form 2 in eight randomly selected schools, , incorporating two Junior Lyceums, two Area Secondary and two Church schools. A qualitative research design will be used with guidance teachers, counselors, youth workers, form teachers, Assistant Head of Schools and Heads of School currently working in schools. A focus group and interviews with Heads will help me to investigate what the School community is doing to combat truancy. Such data will be advantageous in that they are ‘the most adequate [tool] to capture how a person thinks of a particular domain (Goldsmiths Collage, n.d.). More over since a face to face rapport with the interviewee, it is induced to continue questioning the subject in order to confirm the hypothesis about his or her beliefs, seeking appraise any underlying meaning in the process. Demarcation of research Due to time constraints, the preset research is confined to then 8 randomly selected secondary schools in Malta. A list of all secondary schools was compiled to allow for the random selection of 8 schools, which will form part of this study. This sample was mainl cohosen on the basis of cost implicaitons and accessibility. Explanation of concepts In this section a number of concepts that are relevant to this research are defined. Truancy Reids (1999:1) asserts that the term ‘truancy is often misused and can be applied both generically and with a local meaning. In the different parts of Great Britain, truancy is known as ‘dodging, ‘skipping off, ‘mitching, ‘skiving, ‘bunking off and ‘going missing, respectively. Whitney (1994:49) defines truancy as ‘absence that has not been authorized by the school and where leave has not been given or approved. Another definition provided by Collins (1998:2), who states that truancy is about pupils who have been registed with a school but identified as not attending school when the law says they should. This definition includes absences from a particular lesson or lessons, known as ‘post-registation truancy (Gabbs, 1994:5; Stoll, 1990:23). Clark Report (2005) identify as truancy when a student is voluntarily absent or not attending school without their parents permission and often, awareness (Anglicare, Werribee Family Services 2000). Truancy is defined as unjustifiable or unexplained absence from school with attempts by the student to conceal the absenteeism. Usually the child avoids home when not at school and the parents are often unaware of the childs absence (Rollings, King, Tonge, Luk, Heyne, Ramsdell, Burdett Martin, 1999). The concept blanket truancy refers to absence from the whole school day, which is usually reflected on the class register, while post-registration truancy occurs when the learner is marked present but fails to turn up at a lesson or lessons (Stoll, 1990:23). In this research, the term ‘truancy is broadly defined as unauthorized absence from school. The definition is adopted with the assumption that absence with the knowledge and permission of the school and parents or guardians does not constitute truancy. Since the study seeks to explore the type of truancy as manifested at secondary schools, both concepts of truancy (blanket and post-registration) are relevant and will be investigated. A Truant A truant is a ‘child aged 6 17 years old who absents himself or herself form school without a legitimate reason and without permission of his or her parents or the school official (Schaefer and Millman, 1981: 335). For the purpose of this research, a truant refers to a learner who, after being registered at a school, absents himself or herself from school or lessons without a legitimate reson or permission from parents or the school official. The traditional or typical truant: Traditional truants tend to be isolated that come from an unsupportive home background, possibly with a tendency to be shy. It is likely that they will have a low self-concept, be introverted and be the citim of their social circumstances. The psychological truant: could be the school phobic (school refusal) case but more othen than this psychological truant miss school for psychological related factors such as illness, opsychomatric complaints, laziness, a fear of attending scholl for any reason (such as dislike of a teacher, a lesson, an impending confrontation or fear of bullying.) The Institutional truant: Institutional truants are more likely to indulge in ‘on the spur of the moment absences from lessons and to be selective about days or lessons to miss. Secondary School A school that admits or registers and educates learners in Form 1 Form 5 is known as a secondary school. Life World In this research, the term ‘life world refers to the psychological context this is made up of elements such as interpersonal aspects, the family, school and the broader community. According to this definition, the life world involves the personal and external world of the learner. The personal word refers to intrinsic factors. The external word is made up of the broader educational systems, the home environment and the community where the child spends his time when not at school. Relevant intervention strategies would be easier to suggest if the contextual issues related to the phenomenon under investigations are understood. Research Program The research comprises give chapters, as follows: CHAPTER 1 In this chapter, the background information in the seriousness and implication of truancy are discussed. The chapter also includes an analysis of the problem, the problem statement, aims of the study, description of the research method and definition of the concepts. CHAPTER 2 Chapter 2 entails a review of the literature on types of truancy and the causes of truancy or contributing factors in different countries, including in Malta. Different approaches that the various countries and schools use to manage truancy will also be discussed. CHAPTER 3 This chapter deals with research designs and methods. A discussion of the research problem, the aim of the empirical investigation, the research tool used in the study and the selection of the sample will be included. Details of the compilation and administration of questionnaires as well as an analysis of data will be presented. CHAPTER 4 In this chapter, the results of questionnaires will be presented. The results will be analyzed to find answers to the research questions. CHAPTER 5 The chapter entails a summary of the research finding, conclusions and recommendations. A summary of the results from the literature study and the limitation of the study will be included. Conclusion This chapter focuses on the background and analysis of the problem, as well as the aims of the study. An attempt will be made to explain the research method used, relevant concepts and planned programmes of the research. The next chapter will contain the review of the literature on the types of truancy, factors contributing to truancy behavior, the rate and extent of truancy and the strategies used to manage truancy. CHAPTER 2 TYPES OF TRUANCY, CAUSAL FACTORS AND APPROACHES USED IN THE MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION OF TRUANCY Introduction According to Tyerman (1958:217), truancy has been a problem to all concerned with education since 1870s. Approximately 750 children were charged for truancy in England and Wales in 1954 (ibid: 220). This figure could have been an underestimation as it was based on learners who were referred to courts, and therefore represented mainly incorrigible truants (ibid). Furthermore, the figure gives a general picture of truanting children in one country only and without an indication whether it was absence from certain lessons or whole school day absence. Truancy is currently a problem in communities. In Clarks report concern was expressed about truancy among school children. Data presented in this report indicates that non-attendance exists, and has become an issue of increasing concern for schools, educational and student welfare organizations. Non-attendances viewed as being among one of the key problems facing some schools. There is increasing concern for the seemingly large number of ch ildren and young people, who are, for a range of reasons, missing out on the benefits of education and possibly on a better future (Dr. L. Galea, The Times 9th February, 2005). Non-attendance can be the beginning of countless problems for students who regularly miss out on school (Heyne, King, Tonge, Rollings, Pritchard Young,1999). The extent and nature of truancy are best understood in terms of whether it implies absence for the whole day or during a particular lesson. This chapter deals with how blanket and post-registration truancy manifest, the causal factors and various measures of reducing truancy in secondary schools. Blanket Truancy Perspectives in various countries England and Wales Normab (2001:49) states that 50,000 children play truant on a normal school day in England. The number of truants increases steadily with age and most truants are found at secondary school (ibid). This confirms past research findings about the existence of truancy in secondary school in some parts of England. Gray and Jesson (1990:25) gathered information on the incidence of truancy from the youth cohort survey of England and Wales. The result of their survey shows that 6% of final-year secondary school learners reported to have played truant for several days or weeks at a time. Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk (2003:50) state as follows: ‘In 1999, the Audit Commission noted that at least 40,000 of the 400,000 learners absent from school are truanting. Scotland In a study done at 50 Scottish secondary schools, it was found that 30% to 33% of learners had been playing truant at least once in the survey week (Munn and Johnston, 1992:38). These schools were requested to provide both the overall attendance rate and the numbers of learners (ibid). Australia Haddon (1996:110), citing a comprehensive study conducted in Victorian secondary schools in Australia, states that 40% to 60% of learners of compulsory school age reported that they engaged in truancy. Cohen and Ryan (1998:12) state that about 10,000 learners in Tasmania play truant at least one day a week. The Netherlands The research done at 36 schools in four Dutch cities indicates that the average level of truancy at all schools was 4.4% (Bos, Ruiters and Visscher, 1992:393). The average percentage of allowed absence was 4.7%, therefore suggesting that learners in most schools are just as often absent with a valid reason as without one. United States of America It appears that truancy is a problem in American schools, although at varying levels. According to Black (1996:33), approximately 2,500 and 4,000 learners play truant on a daily basis in Pittsburg and Mulwaukee, repectively, while 300,000 of the 1.6 million students in Los Angeles are habitual truants. This shows that some learners stay absent without permission every day and that a day never goes by with a recording of 100% attendance. Truancy is so much of a concern that the Department of Education has prepared a manual that gives schools some guidelines on how to reduce it (United States Department of Education, 1996). Malta From January 2001 up to December 2002 there were 8,903 arraignments before local tribunals in connection with school absenteeism (Grech, 2002). This figure represents only the number of students who were absent from school without a valid reason on more than three occasions in the space of a month. It is a known fact that there are a number of pupils that systematically take three days off from school each month just for the sake that they use up their monthly absence allowance and knowing that in this way their parents would not receive a citation. Survey results issued by the National Statistics Office Malta on December 16, 2002 showed that overall absence rate from schools between September 25, 2000 and March 31, 20001, stood at 10.5 days per pupil. That included both absenteeism and authorized absence (such as those due to sickness). During this period, 657,604 pupil days were list to absenteeism, accounting for 8.9 per cent of the total pupil days. This reveals an increase of 5. 2 per cent over the 1999/2000 scholastic year. Absences in government schools stood at 19.12 days per pupil whereas that of government dependent (church schools) and independent private schools was 5.76 days per pupil. The rate of truancy in terms of gender Some of the overseas researchers state that there is no difference in the levels of truancy reported for males and females (Gray and Jesson, 1990:26; Haddon, 1996: 110; Smith, M., 1996:226; Stoll, 1994:36; Whitney, 1994: 59). Recent research on truancy in the seven local education authorities reports that the numbers of learners in secondary school admitting truancy was almost equal for boys and girls (Malcolm et al., 2003:31). Coldman (1995:68) also states that the variation that exists in truancy levels of males and females is slight. It is, therefore, apparent that some research are in agreement with regard to the truancy levels of male and females learners. Earlier research that was conducted in South Africa suggests that more males than females tend to play truant Coldman (1995:68) warns against making assumptions and generalisations about the existence of gender differnce in truancy levels. He argues that observed findings might result from the fact that some schools have more males than females, particularly when one is dealing with a large sample. What the above studies suggest about truancy levels of males and females is that the difference might be slight, if it does exist. Furthermore, observed diffrenences may be incfluenced by other variables, such as the enrolled number of male and female learners in a sample. Truancy rate according to the geographical location of the school Serious truancy is said to be more prevalent in inner-city secondary schools in England (Gray and Jesson, 1990:36; Stoll, 1990:23). Munn and Johnstone (1992:4) also found that the Scottish school with the highest percentage of unauthorized absence was all in the inner city. Coldman (1995:69) asserts that claims that truancy is a problem mainly experienced in inner city schools are disputable, since another survey showed that the truancy level is high even in the suburban, rural and industrial areas of England. It may therefore be purely speculation, without much supporting evidence, to suggest that inner-city school experience higher levels of truancy. Hard evidence needs to be gathered, where possible, in order to verify the claim that inner-city experience higher rates of truancy. According to some researchers, truancy levels also appear to differ from school to school, since they may be more prevalent in schools than in others (Blackm 1996:33; Bos et al., 1992:385; Gray and Jesson, 1990:26; OKeefe and Stoll, 1995:12). It is therefore apparent that the levels of truancy seem to vary from country to country, and in some cases, also in terms of geographical locations within a city or town. The literature indicates that blanket truancy is common in many secondary school and that, in some cases, learners play truant on a daily basis. The levels of blanket truancy can also vary according to regional locations within the same country. In the next section, the evidence regarding the level of post-registration truancy drawn from the literature will be discussed. Post-registration Truancy Very little information is given in the literature about national trends of post-registration truancy in countries where research on truancy was conducted. Most of the studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United St

Manners Makes Man

A man is known to be good or bad according to the way he behaves towards others and under some circumstances. When his habits and manners are good, he is known to be a gentleman. A man with proper manners attracts the attention and admiration of everyone, whereas the man with ill-manners draws himself the ridicule and contempt of others. Cultivation of good manners should be started from the childhood and it is done so, it would become an asset in life. An accident was witnessed many years ago could be cited in support of such training being given early in life.A man is known to be good or bad according to the way he behaves towards others and under some circumstances. When his habits and manners are good, he is known to be a gentleman. A man with proper manners attracts the attention and admiration of everyone, whereas the man with ill-manners draws himself the ridicule and contempt of others. Cultivation of good manners should be started from the childhood and it is done so, it wou ld become an asset in life. An accident was witnessed many years ago could be cited in support of such training being given early in life.A well dressed and educated couple who appeared to belong to the higher levels of society were traveling in a first class compartment of an express train and with them was their girl child of about 3 years old. There were only three or four other passengers in the compartment. A few minutes after the train steamed out of the station, the child asked for a biscuit and it was given by her mother. When the girl was about to eat that, the mother snatched it away from her hands. A few minutes later this â€Å"drama† was enacted three times, the biscuit being snatched away when it was about to put to the lips.This attracted the attention of other passengers. The fourth time girl asked for the biscuit and when it was given, she said â€Å"Thank you Mummy†, and she was permitted to eat the biscuit. This was a training in good manners, traini ng in courtesy, not given with scolding and rebukes and reminders from the mother, but one of a lesson in self-realisation. This child was made to think and act; It was made to think and understand about the apparently meaningless and seemingly cruel act of the mother. If such training is given to every child the world would be a better place to live in.A man may be wealthy; he may be handsome; or he may, in addition have the advantage of enjoying power and position. But if he does not possess good manners, it would be useless to have such advantages. All these assets would be poor compensation for the lack of good manners. There are many who would put up with even in insults from others, but would not tolerate bad manners. Good manners are invaluable to people everywhere, in every walk of life. The executive in an industrial concern would be honoured and respected more if his manners are such as to be courteous and polite to the subordinates.If a businessman forgets manners and is impolite, if not positively rude to his customers and employees, he will lose his customers and consequently have a loss in business financially too. The same principle applies to the principal or professor in a college or university, to a lawyer or doctor. Good manners as exemplified in courtesy in speech and action are indispensable to traveling medical representatives or salesman, for their success depends upon the possession of this quality.They can be sure of good clientele only if they eschew rudeness or incivility or ill temper Good manners are, therefore, manifestation of good breeding and are indispensable to everyone. The personality of a man is well brought out by his behaviour and speech and these are reflections of good manners. Even a man of ordinary looks or appearance, or a man who is not handsome may make a deep impression on others and give pleasures to others in his company if he possesses good manners.Similarly, an unscrupulous man may also succeed in his ways an d hide his real nature if he develops his manners and passes for a gentleman. His courteous and polite actions or speech may succeed in deceiving others as to his real intention and nature. Such is the effect of manners. A man is known by the dress he wears it is said. He will be better known to others if he possesses fine manners. Notoriety may also result from outward manners. Whether a man is good or bad, popular or unpopular, famous or notorious will depend upon his manners.His company would be welcomed or hated according to the manner in which he behaves with others. Hence, if one trains one?s children is in the development of courteous speech and action and polite behaviour one can be proud of giving to the nation worthy citizens. If you have good behaviour, You can conquer herats. If not, know how to attract others http://expertscolumn. com/content/how-attract-others-and-how-increase-your-personality-want-become-star Know how to become smart from today http://expertscolumn. c om/content/be-smart-today

Essay about Renewable and Clean Energy - 1611 Words

As these days global warming, pollutions and fuel shortages are getting more and more serious through time, renewable and clean energy is increasingly the ideal solution to energy related problems we have to solve one way or another. Biofuel is currently one of the mainstream and highly supported solutions, an idea to make renewable fuel by living organisms such as fiber, corn, vegetable oil or sugarcane. Biofuels, unlike nonrenewable fossil fuels over extracted by people, contains the potential to tackle most of the problems people encounter when using fossil fuels. This makes renewable fuels making it a cleaner source of energy, and a better option than fossil fuels that will ran out shortly sooner or later. The two main categories in†¦show more content†¦The second part of the essay will discuss some of the weaknesses in applying the fuel into practical usage. For example, corn ethanol is currently encountering technical limitations serving it as a standalone fuel, meaning that corn ethanol can only function by combining it with a certain amount of gasoline, while gasoline is a kind of fossil fuel. Finally, this essay will conduct a comparison with other renewable resources in the world, including solar power, other biofuels, and hydrogen fuel. The most noticeable advantage of corn fuel as an enhancement of fossil fuels is also the biggest advantage of ethanol energy a renewable fuel. Gasoline as a fuel is extracted from petroleum, and what makes petroleum an unreliable source of energy is that petroleum is nonrenewable, meaning it would run out some day in the future. Contrary, corn ethanol is a renewable source of energy, meaning if corns are replanted and remade into fuel, corn ethanol can be a long-term, sustainable energy source (gracelinks.org). Corn ethanol has the potential to produce a perfect solution of the energy crisis that will happen sooner or later, as experts predicted petroleum will run out in around fifty years (Gupta,p15). Another main benefit of corn fuel as the future fuel is that theShow MoreRelatedThe Energy, Clean Renewable Energy902 Words   |  4 Pagesseems to be right within humanities grasp? The answer is energy, clean renewable energy. With the increasing advances in modern society, as does the requirement of more energy becomes necessary. Currently humanity are facing a dilemma where humans are burning threw nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels, coal, natural gas, and oil faster than they can be replenished from a set stock. Civilization also faces problems stemming from harmful energy sources such as nuclear, and fossil fuels, etc. wereRead MoreRenewable Energy Sources For Clean Energy1295 Words   |  6 Pagesright now China is the leader in clean energy usage. They have been dramatically increasing their spending on clean/renewable energy source such as wind turbines, solar-photovoltaic cells, and water turbines. This rise of renewable and clean energy in china has come with a h efty price. China has spent almost $500 billion on renewable energy sources. With this increase of clean energy China is also reducing their use of coal and trying to get more coal plants to clean the coal so that there will notRead MoreAffordable And Clean Renewable Energy Essay790 Words   |  4 PagesAffordable and Clean renewable energy in Costa Rica Image a country that has clean renewable energy for its citizens. Where the lights never have to go out. A country that does not have to rely on another state for their energy needs. Energy that is Affordable for all; energy that doesn’t pollute the earth and drain it of its resources. Well that’s what Costa Rica is trying to achieve. Costa Rica understands that these out of dates means of obtaining energy is flawed. That switching to affordableRead MoreClean And Renewable Energy Is The Future Essay1998 Words   |  8 PagesDeep Patel Mr. Hasty AP English 4 December 2016 Clean and Renewable Energy is the Future There are multitudes of problems with fossil fuels, but one is that they are nonrenewable. We will be out of natural gas in about 50 years and oil between 2025-2070 (Senior). Most of our world is currently dependent on fossil fuels, and this is an alarming fact. For example, recently there was a gas shortage in Fort Mill, S.C. and it was hard to find gas for multiple days. This fairly small shortageRead MoreUsing Renewable And Clean Energy1881 Words   |  8 PagesImagine a world without energy. People living in the dark, with no heating system to keep them warm in the cold weather, cannot cook food on gas but have to rely on burning woods. Unable to cure diseases as there are no refrigerators to store vaccines. The expression â€Å"modern world† would have no meaning. Humans have managed to create every possible luxury one can imagine. However, in order to make life easier, humans have also created severe problems for themselves and the environments. The growingRead MoreThe Fundamental Time For Clean Renewable Energy Essay2438 Words   |  10 Pagesfundamental time for clean renewable energy is of the essence. Clean Energy or Renewable Energy by definition is energy that is collected from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale. This includes wind, rain, tides, geothermal heat, waves, and most relevant to the project, sunlight. Non-renewable Energy is the exact opposite and are natural things such as crude oil, coal, natural gas, and tar sands that take thousands of years to replenish. These energies are the main sourceRead MoreThe Involvements Of Clean And Renewable Energy Development For Diminishing Gender Discrimination Essay2344 Words   |  10 PagesThe involvements of clean and renewable energy development for diminishing gender discrimination in poor communities in Bangladesh. Tanjina Laila1*, Hossain Mohammad Talebull Islam2 1Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, 4349, Bangladesh. 2M.Eng. in Information Technology, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, 60318 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. *Email: tanjina.laila@gmail.com Abstract: Historically, the participation of women ofRead MoreThe Current Open Economy Of America Essay1490 Words   |  6 Pagespertains to government, influence the growth of the renewable energy industry in Australia and America. Overview of the Renewable Energy Industry in Australia The Clean Energy Council (2013), in a report on clean energy in Australia, reported that in 2013, renewable energy accounted for over 14% of Australia’s total power. Consequently, as the Clean Energy Council (2013) continues to state, more than 4.4 million households received utilized renewable energy power sources. Generally, the use of electricityRead MoreU.s. Should Replace Fossil Fuel With Renewable Energy994 Words   |  4 PagesMelissa Tran English 061 26754 14 November 2016 Renewable Energy The U.S. should replace fossil fuel with renewable energy. There are many reasons that the U.S. can use renewable energy to improve the economy. First of all, renewable energy can have a more stable price. Unlike fossil fuel, renewable energy is a continual source of energy that will not be as demanded, and will not cause inflation. Next, using renewable energy is a key to having a clean and green environment. It will not cause pollutionRead MoreThe Future Industry in Energy: Dropping the Concept of Nuclear Energy1209 Words   |  5 PagesThe Future Industry in Energy: Dropping the Concept of Nuclear Energy At the start of the mid 1950’s, the world was introduced to a new, alternative source of power that would revolutionize the energy industry; this power became known as nuclear energy. Since that time, nuclear energy seemed to pave the way in efficiency and supply power to countless cities around the globe. However, the past has shown that there are many major disadvantages to using nuclear energy. Today, many individuals believe

Essay on Philosophy 101 - 710 Words

Did The Fallen Tree Make A Sound It is the time and time again old saying does the tree falling in the woods make any sound if no one is around to hear it hit the ground. This question has plagued mankind for an undetermined amount of years many even centuries. No one is for sure of the questions origin however the question itself is the important factor not the origin. There has been many debates over the issue. I choose to use simple logic and reasoning close to the same as John Locke would of thought and try to make a reasonable agreement. John Locke was known as an empiricists epistemologists whose essay has puzzled many minds and made many observations into the human knowledge. Even though many consider John Locke a failure†¦show more content†¦According to Lockes page (http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4l.htm), John Locke â€Å"proposed the fundamental principle of empiricism: all of our knowledge and ideas arise from experience†. Which only goes to strengthen the statement that our senses tell us that the tree will repeatedly make a sound as it falls in the woods whether or not anyone is around to hear it. Locke used to approaches to prove his argument by stating that â€Å"sensation, we obtain ideas of things we suppose to exist outside us in the physical world (http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/4l.htm ¬). According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy ( i Ideas in General) â€Å"All the parts of out knowledge, he (locke) insists, have the same rank and the same history regarding their origin in experience.† Here we see the word experience again combined with our ideas. To me this means that if I simply see or hear the same the reaction repeatedly over and over when the same process is taken it will ultimately produced the same reaction whether or not anyone is around. Thus the tree makes a sound. My senses tell me it will and following Locke’s reasoning for logic the tree will make the sound in the end. The tree does make the same sound falling through the woods no matter there is a person there to hear it or not. References 1. Encyclopedia or similar comprehensive works: Kemerling, Garth, â€Å"John Locke: The Origin of Ideas.† Philosophy Pages.Show MoreRelatedPhilosophy 101 Essay826 Words   |  4 Pages Philosophy is defined by Webster as Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline or Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods. This essay is a general look at those who pursued that intellectual means, those who investigated, even those who reasoned Reason. Because volumes could be written and this is a rather quick, unworthy paper: apologizes. Hegels philosophyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of English 101881 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout my educational years, I had only done writings that involves in small research papers, MLA style essays, and summary essays. However, English 101 has given me a new way to look at my writing skills. Most of the writings I have been doing so far in this course were interpretative essays where we interpreted and reflected on other’s writing and then reflecting back to ours own writing. This class also has given me the opportunity to work with my classmates and a chance to discuss about theRead MorePhilosophy 101 Study Guide Essay3857 Words   |  16 Pagesï » ¿STUDY GUIDE FIRST EXAM PHI 101 When: Thursday, the 26th Day of September, 2013, 3:00pm – 4:15pm Where: The same location our class normally meets What to bring: Your ASU Student ID, for when you hand in your exam An Exam book (blue book or green book) available at the bookstore A Scan-tron form (bubble-in forms) available at the bookstore TWO number 2 pencils for filling in the scantron form A blue or black ink pen (optional – pencil ok), for your exam book. I will not haveRead More6 Branches of Philosiphy1508 Words   |  7 PagesWhat makes philosophy so important? Tyus V. Harshaw American Intercontinental University PHIL 201-1501B Jerry Nwonye April 05, 2015 Abstract Although the many aspects of philosophy have shaped the world today, most of it has come from rules that are still applied to everyday life. All the important questions to life’s answers aren’t going to be always answered but can be theorized in some way. In philosophy often people use different branches of determining certain thingsRead More`` Fathers And Sons `` : A Psychological Standpoint, The Primary Reason For Order933 Words   |  4 Pagessense perception or a macroscopic scale of a government for a mass of individuals, there is a systematic strategy to interpret the events that take place around them. Such efforts lead to a cumulative norm that gives birth to different cultures, philosophies, and governments which in turn gives birth to rules and constrictions. 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