Optimized Time Quantum For Dynamic Round Robin Algorithm

RESEARCH PAPER OPTIMIZED TIME QUANTUM FOR DYNAMIC ROUND ROBIN ALGORITHM Akash Kumar,Avinash Chandra Sumit Mohan Department of computer science Engineering Galgotias College of Engg. Tech. Greater Noida ,up, India Email id –avi.chandra423@gmail.com Abstract- Round robin is one of the most optimal cpu scheduling algorithm because it is given an equal amount of static time quantum.But what will be the time quantum is the biggest task. So we have proposed an improved version of round robin algorithm which will use optimal time quantum and time quantum is computed with RMS valuesof burst time. After a result our analysis shows that â€Å"Optimized time quantum for dynamic round robin algorithm†works better than Round Robin algorithm in terms of reducing the number of context switching(CS),turn around time (TAT),waiting time(WT). Keywords: Operating System, Scheduling Algorithm, Round Robin, Context switch, Waiting time, Turnaround time. INTRODUCTION A process is an object of a computer program that is being executed. It includes the current values of the program counter(PC), registers, and variables. The subtle difference between a process and a program is that the program is a bunch of instructions whereas the process is the activity or action. The processes waiting to be assigned to a processor are put in a queue called ready queue(RQ). The time for which a process holds the CPU is known as burst time Or service time.

Descartes Optics Free Essays

Descanter’s theories of light and vision were central components of his natural philosophy, closely linked to his cosmology, physics, theory of matter, and theory of perception. Descartes replaced traditional explanations of natural phenomena with explanations hidden under terms of matter and motion. By eliminating these theories, Descartes needed to formulate new explanations of the qualities of bodies and our perception of them. We will write a custom essay sample on Descartes Optics or any similar topic only for you Order Now In other words Descartes goes on to call into question one’s ability to fully understand the things, which our eyes see. His work on optics focused on these questions. In the discussion, Descartes draws a comparison between a blind man’s abilities to understand the shape and sensations of objects, and our ability to understand an object’s color with our sight. This raises the question of our senses’ ability to interpret the world around us with accuracy. Highlights in the text Inventions, which serve to increase its power, are among the most useful. Color: various ways in which bodies receive light and reflect it in our eyes The differences a blind man notices between trees, rocks etc. Not seem any less to him than the differences between red, yellow etc. Thus: there is no need to suppose that something material passes from objects to our eyes to make us see colors and light, or even that there is something in the objects which resembles the ideas or sensations that we have of them. You must think of rays of light as nothing other than the lines along which this action tends. Thus, there is infinity of such rays, which come from all the points of the luminous body towards all the points of the bodies it illuminates. There are bodies, which break up the light-rays that meet them and take away all their force (black). There are others, which cause rays to be reflected, some in the same order at which they receive them (bodies with highly polished surfaces). Some bodies cause the rays to be reflected without bringing about any other change in their action (white). Others bring about an additional change similar to that which the movement of a ball undergoes when we graze it (red, yellow, blue, etc. ). The soul has sensory awareness because of its presence in the brain, where it exercises the faculty called the ‘ common’ sense. The perfection of an image often depends on its not resembling its object as it might (example: with a little bit of ink you can create a forest) Lemma Optics n. (Used with a sing. Verb) 1 . The branch of physics that deals with light and vision, chiefly the generation, propagation, and detection of electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths greater than x-rays and shorter than microwaves. 2. What something will look like to the outside world; the perception a public relations person would have on something. . The viewing lens of public perception. How the media will play a story. Ad]. N. Comprehensive 1. Marked by or showing extensive understanding: comprehensive knowledge. 2. Having the ability to understand 3. Having or marked by an extensive mental range or grasp: comprehensive understanding. 1 . The act of taking to or upon oneself: assumption of an obligation. 2. The act of taking possession or asserting a claim: assumption of command. 3. The act of taking for granted: assumption of a false theory. 4. Something taken for granted or accepted s true without proof; a supposition: a valid assumption. . Presumption; arrogance. 6. Logic A minor premise. 7. Assumption a. Christianity The taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven in body and soul after her death. B. A feast celebrating this event. C. August 15, the day on which this feast is observed. Hence DVD. A. For this reason; therefore: handmade and hence expensive. B. From this source: They grew up in the Sudan; hence their interest in Nubian art. 2. From this time; from no w: A year hence it will be forgotten. 3. A. From this place; away from here: Get you hence! . From this life. Brim 1 . The rim or uppermost edge of a hollow container or natural basin. 2. A projecting rim or edge: the brim off hat. 3. A border or an edge. See Synonyms at border. 4. Full capacity: â€Å"No sooner had the fighting started than the hotel filled to the brim with a most extraordinary collection of people† (George Orwell). Per;chive try. V. Perceived, perceives 1 . To become aware of directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing. 2. To achieve understanding of; apprehend. See Synonyms at sell . Perceiver n. Coarse ad]. Oars;ere, soars;est. 1 . Of low, common, or inferior quality. 2. A. Lacking in delicacy or refinement: coarse manners. B. Vulgar or indecent: coarse language. 3. Consisting of large particles; not fine in texture: coarse sand. 4. Rough, especially to the touch: a coarse tweed. Coarsely DVD. Coarseness n. Liable ad] (postposition) 1 . (Law) legally obliged or responsible; answerable 2. Susceptible or exposed; subject 3. Probable, likely, or capable it’s liable to happen soon [perhaps via Anglo-French, from Old French lire to bind, from Latin legГre] liableness Usage: Usage. The use of liable to to mean likely to was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable Deflection 1 . The act of deflecting or the condition of being deflected. 2. Deviation or a specified amount of deviation. 3. The deviation of an indicator of a measuring instrument from zero or from its normal position. 4. The movement of a structure or structural part as a result of stress. Deflect intra. try. V. Deflect;deed, deflect;ins, deflects To turn aside or cause to turn aside; bend or deviate. Deflects;blew ad]. Deflective ad]. Deflector n. Refraction 1. The turning or bending of any wave, such as a light or sound wave, when it passes from one medium into another of different optical density. 2. Astronomy The apparent change in position of celestial objects caused by the bending of light rays entering Earth’s atmosphere. 3. Medicine a. The ability of the eye to bend light so that an image is focused on the retina. B. Determination of the refractive characteristics of the eye. Refraction;al, refractive ad]. Refractive;lay DVD. Refractive;nesses, n A;do (-d) Bustle; fuss; trouble; bother. V. try. How to cite Descartes Optics, Papers

Insulation Co-Ordination and Substation Design †Free Samples

Questions: Give Any Earthing Materials? Give The Intoduction To The Layout Of Substation? What Are The Different Layouts For A Substation? What Are The Components Of A Substation? What Are The Substation Transients And Hazards Towards Human Body? Answers: Introduction Kersting, (1984) a sub-station is a set of equipments connected together to reduce the original high voltage to low voltage that will be used by consumers also called a subordinate station. For this to be done effectively the sub-station is made in its own layout. Sub-stations work by stepping up voltage for transmission purposes or stepping down for consumption. If there is a situation where there can be no substation there can be a lot of hazards due to the effect of high voltage. The sub-station is always powered by the main power grid. Give A Deep Defination Of A Sub-Station Layout Yoshida, et al (1986) the first part in designing a sub-station is developing the bonding earthing System. The work of the bonding earthing system is to provide an earth connection to which the neutrals of the transformer are connected in order to deliver excess fault current to avoid mechanical worn out and also minimum thermal destructions. This damage is seen mostly on the facilities within the substation. This design helps in providing safety to all operations and also personnel. The earthing and bonding system helps in creating eqipotential bonding so that there can be no dangerous potential gradients in the substation. All through the substation design, there are the three voltages. These are: Touch voltage: The potential difference between the surface potential and the earthed equipment potential when a person is touching the earth surface. Mesh voltage: The over average touch voltage that is always developed in the mesh of the earthing grid. Step voltage: It is defined as the potential difference in a situation where a man gaps a distance of one meter while not in touch with any earthed equipment. In earthing we have the earthing calculation methodology. They mostly consider site measurements of the level of sensitivity of the ground and the fault levels of the system. Then the layout of the grid with specific conductors is scientifically studied to see the earthing resistance of the substation and the voltage of the earthing is calculated from there. There are some probe tests that are taken to measure the earth resistivity. These tests are taken during the dry weather period so that the resistivity readings are obtained. Fellin, Kusstatscher, and Rostagni, (1995) clearly explains several earthing materials that are very efficient in such a station. Conductors: Bare copper is the one that is usually used in the substation earthing grid. To add to the buried earth grid, a different and separate earthing ring is usually provided that is always above the ground to which all metallic substation plant are joined in this area, Connections: They should not be joined together because the heat generated during fault conditions could cause the joints to fail functioning. The joints are fixed using bolts and they are also tinned. Earthing Rods: The rods are used to supplement the grid to assist in the disposal of earth fault currents hence reducing the substation earthing resistance. The rods are made up of copper clad steel or solid copper. Switchyard Fence Earthing: They are used for different utilities. These are: The substation earthing grid is extended further over the fence circumfrence and then connected to the grid at regular intervals. The fence is placed beyond the perimeter of the switchyard earthing grid and the fence and its earthing rod system are bonded. This rod system isnt joined to the big substation earthing grid. Dutta, and Overbye, (2011) argues that it is very important because there should be a security concerning the supply. In a well equipped substation all the circuits would be produced as many copies so that in case of a fault, connections remains available. The cost of implementation of the design is high hence there is a method to compromise between security and cost. Substations are divided into two categories according to securities of the supply. Category 1: No failure is necessary within the substations for maintaining or fault conditions. Category 2: Short failure is needed to transfer the load to an another circuit for fault conditions or maintenance. Category 3: Loss of a section of the substation resulted by fault condition or maintenance. Category 4: Loss of the whole substation because of fault condition or maintenance. Sumic, and Pistorese, (1994) and Ochoa, and Hirt, (1998) considers the following layouts for a substation; Single Busbar: Each socket is protected by its own circuit breaker and due to this there may be no loss in its supply. A fault on the transformer circuit breaker causes loss of the transformer and can be amended after isolating the faulty circuit breaker. Maintenance of a feeder circuit breaker is due to loss of the circuit. A busbar fault causes loss of one feeder and one transformer. These are some of its characteristics. Mesh Substation: Its characteristics are: Two different circuit breakers are required to disconnect or connect a circuit while the disconnection process is the opening of the mesh. These circuit breakers can be maintained without supply loss or protection while in the same case there is no bypass facility needed. Busbar faults cause just one circuit breaker loss while breaker faults causes loss of two circuits at maximum. One and a half Circuit Breaker layout: It is known as the 1 1/2 circuit breaker because of the fact that in its design, there are nine circuit breakers that are used for the protection of the six feeders. Some of the characteristics are: Very high security against supply loss. Can control any one pair of circuits or in groups. It has complex arrangements and there are additional costs of the circuit breakers.Circuit breaker: There are two forms which are: Dead tank: circuit breaker is located at earthly potential. Live tank: its circuit breaker is located at its line potential. Insulation These can be done by increasing creep age length, insulation greasing among others. Power Transformers It is the largest item which is single in a substation. Precautions are highly taken due to large quantity of oil that can lead to fire. There are auto transformers that are smaller and have reduced loss. Overhead line termination There are two methods namely Tensioning conductors to substation structures. Tensioning conductors to ground winches. The choice is determined considering the height of towers and also substation proximity. Dutta, and Overbye, (2012) explains that a transient event is the instantaneous change in the state leading to a burst of energy for a short period of time. Transients are further divided into impulsive and oscillatory transients. In consideration of their response, impulsive would elevate in a period of 0.1ms and hold till 1ms. Oscillatory could have a frequency surge up to 5 KHz. The hazards of these substations are very dangerous to human body. Lumbreras, and Ramos, (2013) the electric magnetic field which has a phase of 90 deg and oscillating at angle of 180 degrees traverses the air and starts revolving inside the human body causing human cells to heat up. These will damage the body tissues. These magnetic fields also results to an electric current in human tissues and cells and because the skin is in contact it can be remorsefully damage. Those people living within 300 meters of a substation have an increased rate of getting some type of cancer. To wind up, Adams, and Laughton, (1974) suggests that the best design of a substation is one that has minimum loss of supply and still its maintenance cost is not high although its hard to find one. In its design all process must be followed and properly structured. The cost of expenditure is very high taking to consideration the number of equipment used to set up this station and also their individual value. These substations should be located in their own strategic positions away from human residences. The reason for this is to provide safety to human body which is mostly affected by the electric magnetic field created. References Adams, R. N., Laughton, M. A. (1974, February). Optimal planning of power networks using mixed-integer programming. part 1: Static and time-phased network synthesis. InProceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers(Vol. 121, No. 2, pp. 139-147). IET. Dutta, S., Overbye, T. J. (2011, February). A clustering based wind farm collector system cable layout design. InPower and Energy Conference at Illinois (PECI), 2011 IEEE(pp. 1-6). IEEE. Dutta, S., Overbye, T. J. (2012). Optimal wind farm collector system topology design considering total trenching length.IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy,3(3), 339-348. Fellin, L., Kusstatscher, P., Rostagni, G. (1995). Overall plant design, layout and commissioning.Fusion engineering and design,25(4), 315-333. Kersting, W. H. (1984). A method to teach the design and operation of a distribution system.IEEE Transactions on Power apparatus and Systems, (7), 1945-1952. Lumbreras, S., Ramos, A. (2013). Optimal design of the electrical layout of an offshore wind farm applying decomposition strategies.IEEE Transactions on Power Systems,28(2), 1434-1441. Ochoa, J. R., Hirt, R. L. (1998).U.S. Patent No. 5,798,939. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sumic, Z., Pistorese, T. A. (1994).U.S. Patent No. 5,329,464. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Yoshida, K., Kobayashi, Y., Ueda, Y., Tanaka, H., Muto, S., Yoshizawa, J. (1986, November). Knowledge-based layout design system for industrial plants. InProceedings of 1986 ACM Fall joint computer conference(pp. 216-222). IEEE Computer Society Press.

Three Architecture Styles Essay Example For Students

Three Architecture Styles Essay In this essay information will be given in order to compare and contrast data about three different styles of architecture. The three styles are Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Neo Gothic. In order to fully give a clear explanation of these styles, information about architecture will be given first then the three styles will follow with comparing and contrasting points in between. First, to inform about architecture, one must explain what it is. Architecture, referring to building is defined as The practice of building design and its resulting products; customary usage refers only to those designs and structures that are culturally significant Ferrier 20. Someone might say that architecture must appease its intended uses, but must be technically sound, and must convey tasteful meaning. Although some of the greatest buildings outlast their original uses, these buildings now stand not only as beautiful works of art, but as history of our culture. We will write a custom essay on Three Architecture Styles specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Achievements in architecture show, the true accomplishments of the society in which they were constructed. It is amazing how architecture has blossomed. As technology has grown and people have gained knowledge in the wide array of architecture many different forms have developed. Although we will be looking into only a few, it will be easy to see why people find architecture so interesting. For instance the Art Nouveau style, which became very popular across Europe and in the United States, is an elegant decorative art style, and is characterized by its intricately detailed patters of curving lines. An excellent example of this type of art is the John Hudson Thomas W. L. Locke House 1911, in Oakland, CA Partridge. Art Nouveau is an international style of decoration and architecture. This style spread rapidly. It grew as a reaction to the other excessive academic art revivals that were taking place at the time. At the time artists set out to create a new kind of art. They wanted to have something that would be a total and complete decorative style that combined all arts including, painting, graphics, sculpture, decorative arts, and architecture into an expressive package. The importance of Art Nouveau can not be denied Earl A Powell III, director of the national Gallery of art in Washington DC explains, The Art Nouveau style was self-consciously international. He goes on to say, As interpreted by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, the movement in America set the stage for modernism that in turn had a great influence on progressive art and architecture in the United States, Europe, and Japan Partridge. Art Nouveau remained popular until World War I, and was ultimately replaced by the Art Deco style. What is Art Deco? Art Deco is a style of art that was created in hopes of finding something new, something to set things apart from one to another. The Art Deco period began in the early 1900s and ended in the 1930s. The Art Deco name derived from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, an exposition of modern decorative and industrial arts held in Paris, France Hewitt. Art Deco designers used stepped forms, rounded corners, triple-striped decorative elements and black decoration often. The most important thing about Art Deco is the designs created were always in geometrical order and in simple formats. A good example of an Art Deco Style would be the Empire State Building. The building was completed in 1931-32 and ended the era of Art Deco Skyscrapers. Art Deco is all about machines, mass-production, metal and concrete Hewitt. Like Art Nouveau, Art Deco exploded with peoples interests. In fact the earliest forms of Art Deco exhibited a slight reminder of the previous Art Nouveau movements graceful nature motifs, while in later years geometry and mass take over to concrete what is sometimes referred to as Art Moderne or Streamline Jacobs 5. .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .postImageUrl , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:visited , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:active { border:0!important; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:active , .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4 .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77b8d6871c8f184e38f65e4fd5ed3fd4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fashion Boutique Industry of Kathmandu EssayArt Nouveau being characterized especially by sinuous lines and foliate forms, sets it apart from the way Art Deco is characterized by bold outlines, geometric and zigzag forms, and the use of new materials. Like Art Nouveau, Art Deco was created for a newer, fresher feeling. A great way to Characterize the Art Deco style is by saying it is a diverse mix, sharing geometry and simplicity, and often combining lively colors. Unlike Art Nouveau, Art Deco packed up, do to a crash in the stock market in the 1930sHewitt. As Art Nouveau was put out be a new more modern style of art. Just like Art Deco, Art Nouveau infused the world with an elegant style of complexity. Next, a look at the Neo-Gothic style. This style is one that borrowed elements from Gothicism for decorative use. It is generally agreed that Gothic architecture made its initial appearance C. 1140 in the Ile-de-france, the royal domain of the Capetain Kings Religious architecture. The Neo-Gothic style tried to understand the basic principles of Gothicism, and used them. An important moment in the development of Neo-Gothicism is the year 1853, when the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church was fully restored in the Netherlands Religious architecture. This year formed the first highlight of a process that had been going on for a few years already, and which was to lead to full catholic emancipation. Individual components in Gothic architecture, such as ribbed vaulting and the pointed arch, had been employed in Romanesque construction, they had not previously received such a purposeful and constant application. The structural value of the gothic rib has been contested, its formal significance can not be overestimated. It served above all to delineate the vaults with a skeletal web that gave to the entire structure an articulation of impressive clarity Religious Architecture. When you are looking at Neo-Gothic architecture it is important to see how the spiritual and mysterious of light is an important element of the religious symbolism of Gothic cathedrals. Neo-Gothic architecture in most cases has a simple rectangular ground plan, with only a small tower at the front facade Religious Architecture. Some say this style was characterized by a purely decorative use of Gothic elements. Between the three styles in which we have discussed Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco each is very different in their own ways, but are similar in others. Neo-Gothic has sharp points unlike Art Nouveau, which has many curving lines. These two styles are analogous due to their mysterious darkness and varying lines. Each style is alike in the ways in which they use geometry in each design. Art Deco is said to have streamlines that continue to flow Hewitt Whereas, Neo-Gothic lines seem to come to points and stop. The lines that make up Art Deco and Art Nouveau are very similar in many ways. Their lines seem to have a smooth, constant, flow that looks as if it is never-ending. Art Deco and Art Nouveau are subtle. All three architecture styles have made the bold transition to modernism in America. In conclusion, these three styles are very important to the history of architecture. Each style used another to find its own individuality. So without one you would not have another. Each style adds contrast and flare to one another. Looking back we can see just how important each style is. For instance Art Nouveau added writhing plant forms and an opposition to the historicism, which had plagued the 19th century Partridge. Although there was tension implicit throughout the movement between the decorative and the modern. Art Deco added order. Stepped forms, rounded corners, triple stripped decorative elements and black decoration shows just how Art Deco added to history with order Jacobs. Neo-Gothic architecture added beautiful design to many churches and other buildings. Architecture is something that is often over looked. Its beauty is exquisite. The work that goes into each and every piece of artwork is intense. It shows how much people love what they do and how creative they really are. Architecture is something that people have to have an interest in to really love.

Psychology Today essays

Psychology Today essays We believe this anger over childhood sexual abuse is repressed until a time later in life, when it is triggered or permitted expression, as in psychotherapy. Pribor and Dinwiddie (1992) interviewed women incest survivors (N = 52, ages [is greater than or equal to] 23) to understand more precisely the psychiatric illnesses associated with child sexual abuse. Findings showed incest survivors had more anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse than the women who did not have histories of sexual abuse. Briere (1989) discussed the effects of childhood sexual abuse on sexuality, and believes women may come to see sex as a potentially dangerous experience they use to achieve other goals such as money, security, or control over others. Blume (1990) wrote that sex can be seen by survivors as a substitute for unmet needs for human contact and affection. Finkelhor and Browne (1985) suggested that one result of childhood sexual abuse is revictimization that further damages the individual. Kitchens (1994) explored the psychosocial consequences of abuse on women, as well as the resulting sexual dysfunction once sexual victimization occurs. The author described the severity of these consequences as varying greatly depending on degree and duration of abuse, as well as the emotions surrounding the abuse. According to Depanfilis (1987), the ways a child reacts to the sexual abuse will depend on the age of the child, the relationship of the child to the abuser, the amount of force used by the perpetrator, the degree of shame felt by the child, and reactions of the child's parents and the professionals who intervene on the child's behalf. Westerlund (1992) discussed statements made by women concerning anger and ways they believed it influenced their sexuality. Comments included: "I'm tired of pretending to feel sexual and I'm angry at feeling like I've failed as a woman ... I'm angry that I'll never be `normal' sexually, that there will always be ...

Learn How to Conjugate Réduire (to Reduce) in French

Learn How to Conjugate Rà ©duire (to Reduce) in French Rà ©diure  is the French verb that means to reduce. This should be pretty easy to remember because the English and French words are so similar. What happens when you want to say reduced or reducing? Thats when youll need to know  rà ©duires conjugations and this lesson will show you the basics. The Basic Conjugations of  Rà ©duire The French language gives us more forms of verbs to learn then we have in English. Thats because the verb changes with every subject pronoun within each tense. This means you more words to memorize. That is only one challenge in French verb conjugations, though. Words like  rà ©duire  pose another because they dont follow any of the normal rules.  Rà ©duire  is an  irregular verb, though all  French verbs ending in  -uire  are conjugated this way. To make this easier, consider studying a few at the same time. As with any conjugation, we begin with the verb stem. In this case, that is  rà ©dui-. From there, we add a variety of endings to match the tense with the subject pronoun. As an example,  je rà ©duis  means I am reducing while  nous rà ©duisions  means we reduced. Present Future Imperfect je rduis rduirai rduisais tu rduis rduiras rduisais il rduit rduira rduisait nous rduisons rduirons rduisions vous rduisez rduirez rduisiez ils rduisent rduiront rduisaient The Present Participle of  Rà ©duire The present participle of rà ©duire is also irregular in that it adds an - sant ending to the radical. This produces the word rà ©duisant. Rà ©duire  in the Compound Past Tense The  passà © composà ©Ã‚  is a compound past tense and its used often in French. It requires the  past participle  rà ©duit  along with the present tense conjugate of the auxiliary verb  avoir. This forms phrases such as  jai rà ©duit  for I reduced and  nous avons rà ©duit  for we reduced. More Simple Conjugations of  Rà ©duire There are a few more basic conjugations you may need of  rà ©duire  at times and each has its own usage. For example,  the subjunctive  questions whether the act of reducing took place. Similarly,  the conditional  says the reduction will only happen under certain conditions. The passà © simple  and  the imperfect subjunctive  are literary tenses and found most often in formal writing. Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je rduise rduirais rduisis rduisisse tu rduises rduirais rduisis rduisisses il rduise rduirait rduisit rduist nous rduisions rduirions rduismes rduisissions vous rduisiez rduiriez rduistes rduisissiez ils rduisent rduiraient rduisirent rduisissent For direct statements, commands, and requests when you dont want to mince words, you can use  the French imperative. When doing so, skip the subject pronoun, simplifying  tu rà ©duis  to  rà ©duis. Imperative (tu) rduis (nous) rduisons (vous) rduisez

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Global Warming - Research Paper Example The government needs to take a number of drastic steps in the coming years in order to reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons, plus change the culture of America to make it generally more green. Only then will we turn back the clock on our environmental problems. The world’s climate is changing and the consequences are far reaching. When examining this important issue we must be sure to have our facts straight. Even before looking at the consequences and possible solutions, it is necessary to determine what is causing this phenomenon. Some people say climate change is part of a natural process which happens every few centuries and which caused the ice age and other periods in Earth’s history in which the temperature was different. This might be true. But many scientists believe that human beings cause global warming (Coren). They say it is caused by the huge amount of cars we drive on our roads and by our coal plants and our thousands of factories. These people say we have simply not been good stewards of the Earth and are now responsible for the fact that the surface of the planet seems to be warming because of trapped gases. Our fossil fuel use is the main reason those gases are present. Every time we drive a car to school or work, use electricity, or heat our houses, we are releasing carbon dioxide into the air and making our planet hotter. Another important source of greenhouse gases is caused by deforestation, mainly in the Amazon. There is a lot of money to be made in cutting down trees and planting land for animals to use so the animals can be made into hamburgers at the end of the day. Cattle itself is said by some people to be in part responsible for increasing the amount of methane in the atmosphere (Flannery, 201). So much of what we do to stay alive and to make money appears to be hurting our planet, according to scientists who are increasingly vocal about this important

The Yellow Wallpaper Book Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Yellow Wallpaper Book Report - Essay Example At the summer home she is trapped in a room to rest and adhere to "a schedule prescription for each hour in the day" (6). Trapped in this bedroom she is left alone to stare at the yellow wallpaper that becomes a symbol of her madness. Behind the wallpaper is a woman that is struggling to get free. Suffering from post-partum depression, the author is slowly driven into insanity by the self-fulfilling prophecy of her husband's diagnosis and her own insecurities. As the story progresses, the forbidden diary entries become more secretive as the yellow wallpaper becomes ever more hideous and foreboding. The wallpaper commits every artistic sin, "is repellant, almost revolting; a smouldering, unclean yellow, slowly faded by the slow-turning sunlight", with curves that "suddenly commit suicide" (8). The yellow is described as "a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others" (8). Lurking behind the paper is a "strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to sulk out behind that silly and conspicuous front design" (18-19). The more the author stares at the paper, the more uncomfortable she becomes with its creatures and ghosts that inhabit the patterns. The figure behind the paper takes the form of a woman that is trying to escape. While to the outside world, and her husband, the author seems to be improving, she is spiraling down into ever-greater depths of insanity. She has noticed that the yellow color of the wallpaper has manifested as an odor that permeates the house. "The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper - a yellow smell" (41). The woman behind the paper becomes more animated and agitated as "The front pattern does move - and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it" (42)! The woman struggles to be released from the pattern on the wall and "is all the time trying to crawl through. But nobody could climb through that pattern - it strangles so" (42-43). The author begins to see the mythical woman out of all the windows, on the grounds, and on the road. In the author's final entry, she is madly struggling to free the woman from behind the wallpaper and attempt to capture her. She tears at the paper to remove it and suddenly makes the connection between the wallpaper and her own mind. She questions, "I wonder if they all come out of that wall paper, as I did" (52). She is now secure with her insanity and locks herself inside the room. He husband calls for an axe to chop down the door and wonders what is wrong with his wife. She tells him, "I've got out at last, in spite of you and Jane! And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back" (55). Her physician husband faints, but the author is free and must "creep over him every time" (55). She has realized she is not mad, or insane, she is a woman. Like so many other women of the era she has freed herself from the hideous yellow prison and can now creep freely through society. In the male dominated society, the author has no identity to call her own. She does not have a profession and we do not know her name. She is literally locked in a room, forbidden to write, and even her baby is cared for by another woman named simply Mary. In this room, her illness is illustrated by the hideous yellow wallpaper than covers the room, and consumes her life.

College Life Essay Example for Free

College Life Essay College was always my main goal throughout my whole entire education life school was not for me but I managed to make it to college. I graduated from a Catholic High School with all boys who have already mentally allowed me to focus on other issues and concentrations of focuses. I still sometimes wonder what I am going to do with my major and completion of college. I need to know my future and when I leave for school I am going to have to use my morals and higher education to help me understand and cope with other everyday experiences. There are three main categories of things that I want to gain in my life experience. I want to gain moral things, also strengthen my personality, and gain a higher knowledge. After I graduation from high school, I had plan to do several things. The most important thing I plan to do is go to college, because there are so many other detractions other than a degree, from a college education I plan to pursue higher learning, to begin a career, and to make history in my family. Making history in my family is the most important thing I hope to gain from a college education. My mother was the one parent that parents graduated from college, I have two brothers and a sister who did attend college which motivated me to want to go to college; my other relatives a least graduated from high school. Taking a look back has motivated me to reach farther. Being able too graduate of a catholic department system and also a highly respected person in my senior class. I plan to make history in my family by being the first also to get a Degree in History. Pursuing higher learning, beginning a career, and making history in my family are things I hope to gain from a college education other than a degree. It is very important that I accomplish these goals so that I will have continued success. If I believe it, then I can achieve it. I am not after the meaning of life but by the grace of God I know all of these things that I know and able to learn more whenever possible. College is a step in my lifelong search for knowledge that will hopefully bring me closer to my goals. Lastly one thing I hope to gain from a college education is higher learning. Learning goes far beyond a high school education and is very necessary in todays society. It allows us to be familiar with our environment and everyone in it, and it allows us to maintain assurance of ourselves. A lot of us would be lost without any learning at all, and our world would be very confused. One must learn to do such things as apply math skills as well as be responsible and independent. I know that a college education would allow me to acquire this ability.

Satan :: essays research papers

Satan If you take a look at his personality with an open mind, Satan actually has characteristics of a respectable person. One of Satan’s characteristics is his evilness; he is the personification of evil. That isn’t one of his admirable traits, but it’s what makes Satan who he is. When you hear the word, Satan, you immediately think evil. In general, people look at Satan and that is all that runs through their minds. Evilness is the trademark of Satan’s personality. Another of Satan’s features is his intelligence. He usually isn’t noted for this. If you think about it, Satan had to be reasonably smart to plan a crusade against God. He also has the intellect enough to trick people and to transform a person’s personality. That is why when you get involved with Satan you usually end up losing. A person is sometimes respected for his intelligence. Many of the famous people in our past and present are intelligent. Satan is also a leader. He led the war against God in heaven, and he is also the leader of hell. You can tell Satan is a leader when he quotes, “it is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven';. Leadership is a respected quality. Look at Martin Luther King, Jr. He led a rebellion for black people and today he is respected for that. Bravery is another one of Satan’s “respectable'; mannerisms. Satan had to have been fairly brave to plan a battle against God. Even though he was banned from heaven, he is the leader of hell, and he still plans to get God back for what he did. A brave person is usually always recognized in society. To have pride is a good thing. People or teams that have pride are the ones that succeed. They need to have the type of pride that gives esteem and not ego. Satan had pride mainly in himself and his work. He is proud of all the things that he does. Satan is a very ambitious creature. He doesn’t give up on something once he starts. With God, Satan can’t directly torment him. So he must use God’s creation of people to “win';. Satan doesn’t give up easily. The first thing that he thought when he got to hell was how he could take revenge of God. Satan’s ambition might become more noticeable in the

Elementary Education Effectiveness

In the State of Mississippi there are 149 school districts; of those districts, one-hundred forty-five are accredited, three are on probation and four are under advisement. Mississippi consists of 437 elementary schools, 178 middle, 184 high schools and sixty combination elementary and secondary schools (MS Dept. of Education, 2005). In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed, mandating all Title I schools to be held accountable for the success of their students. Under this act; States must define minimum levels of improvement as measured by standardized tests chosen by the state.AYP targets must be set for overall achievement and for subgroups, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient (LEP) students and students with disabilities (2001). If a school fails to meet the above mentioned criteria a series of consequences follow. Once a school is labeled â€Å"in need of improvement†, the label remains until improvements are made and the require d achievement status is fulfilled for two consecutive years. If the school fails two years consecutively, the consequences become more severe. (Great Schools, 2006) Schools â€Å"in need of improvement† consequences:†¢ After two years of â€Å"in need of improvement† status, transfer options to a non-in need school within the district must be given to students. †¢ Three years of failed AYP the school must provide supplemental services such as tutoring as well as transfer options. †¢ Four consecutive years of failed AYP requires the school to implement one of the following: replace school staff, implement new curriculum, decrease authority of school level administration, appoint outside experts to advise the school, extended school year/day, restructure internal organization of school.This along with transfer and supplemental options. †¢ After five consecutive years of failing AYP the district must plan the restructuring of the school. These plans mu st include one of the following: reopen school as public charter school, replace all or most staff including principal, enter contract to have outside entity run school or arrange for the state to take over school operations. †¢ Six consecutive years of AYP failure requires implementing the previous years plan (Great Schools, online database). The delta region of Mississippi is considered the poorest areas in the state.It has been called the â€Å"Third World Country in America† (Mississippi Delta Report, 2001). The Mississippi Curriculum Test (MCT) is used to measure student mastery of skills and content for elementary grades two through eight, as outlined in the Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks (MS Dept. of Education, 2003). The Mississippi Board of Education identifies eight priorities necessary for improving student achievement; these priorities are: reading, early literacy, student achievement, leadership, safe/orderly schools, technology, and parent/community invo lvement (2003).Several strategies have been suggested to improve the performances of Mississippi schools; such as creating a more challenging curriculum, creating smaller classes, and increasing parental involvement (MS Dept. of Education, 2005). In 2002, â€Å"Reading First was passed into law by a bipartisan majority of Congress under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001† (2002). Mississippi was given an eleven million dollar grant which would be used to: †¦help districts and schools improve student achievement in reading through the application of scientifically based reading research.Reading First will help States, districts and schools apply this research – and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent with this research – to ensure that all children can read at grade level or above by the end of third grade (2002). Reading First had four priorities which included; 1) raising the caliber and quality of classroom instruction, 2) basing in struction on scientifically proven methods, 3) providing professional training for educators in reading instruction and 4) supplying substantial resources to support the unprecedented initiative.With the passing of this program several techniques have been implemented in the hopes of improving reading performances of Mississippi students. The following study, particularly the literature review will investigate existing strategies and the effectiveness of each. Several theories have been examined over the years in hopes of finding an effective strategy to improve student achievement. The teaching theory used as a basis for this study is the Measurement Theory, this theory represents teaching and achievement based on standardized tests and results.Statement of the Problem Mississippi consists of four-hundred and eighty-six thousand people living in poverty; ten percent of children belong to families that are not able to meet their needs (2005). Recent statistics show that those living in poverty are fifty-one percent African American and approximately forty-seven percent Caucasian (2005). Research has shown that the socioeconomic status of students influence the degree of success they will experience. (Donahue &Grigg, 2003) Mississippi has varying degrees of reading proficiency among school districts.In the 2003-2004 school year, six districts, consisting of one elementary school, five middle schools and one high school, were identified as â€Å"in need for improvement†, based on the reading and math proficiency of its students. For the purpose of this study, only schools reflecting a lack in reading proficiency will be discussed. The U. S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spelling announced in a November 2005 press release, â€Å"Eighty percent of the fastest-growing jobs require at least some post secondary education.Yet far too many students are leaving high school unprepared for college†. Improved student achievement can provide students better preparation for college, thus closing the achievement gap. Low socioeconomic schools, although improving, are still behind the majority of middle-to-upper class schools in America (Donahue & Grigg, 2003). There are several factors to consider when looking at closing the achievement gap found in low socioeconomic schools.One factor is that â€Å"young, low-income and minority children are more likely to start school without having gained important school readiness skills, such as recognizing letters and counting† (2003). As Donahue and Grigg’s report showed, when students start school already behind others, they are likely to continue such patterns if not addressed early on. Existing studies demonstrate the problems researchers are having addressing literacy issues early on in a students academic career.Researches are trying to find appropriate strategies to combat the achievement gap with many variables which will be discussed further in detail, in the following study . Purpose of the Study The following is a detailed investigation into possible explanations of varying degrees of reading achievement found in Mississippi and what can be done to maintain a higher overall proficiency in reading among Mississippi students, while satisfying the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.Many schools have chosen to implement a â€Å"school-wide approach† to closing the achievement gap; however, when dealing with schools consisting primarily of low-income students, there are other factors to consider when choosing a strategy. The proposed study will focus on improving reading skills in high-poverty schools found in Mississippi by comparing different techniques widely used and creating a more targeted strategy for low-income students. When deciding on an appropriate strategy for improving reading comprehension there are a few factors one must consider.The following questions will outline the factors to be researched in this study. Resear ch Questions 1. What impact does social economic status have on the achievement gaps found in the State of Mississippi? 2. What are the contributing factors found in Mississippi schools that are demonstrating low reading scores among economically disadvantaged students? 3. Are there high-poverty schools in Mississippi which demonstrate positive improvements in reading scores? What are the strategies used? 4. How does implementing Theory into Practice (TIP) encourage positive student achievement in disadvantaged schools?Hypothesis To affectively close low socioeconomic achievement gaps in reading, strong emphasis on establishing proficient reading ability should be made in elementary school. Nature of the Study The research conducted in this study will be an investigation of existing literature regarding techniques used in improving reading skills, exemplary schools demonstrating such techniques and finally, a suggested strategy to use when applying research to low socioeconomic scho ols with low reading proficiency found in Mississippi school districts.Significance of the Study The significance of this study is that by identifying factors contributing to the achievement gap found in low socioeconomic school districts, as well as investigating into existing programs that have had a positive influence on reading performance scores in other high-poverty schools is that, school administrators and policy makers will have a better basis in which to improve upon existing programs and interventions that would be more financially attainable than starting new programs.The high cost of starting new programs such as; creating new assessment strategies, providing more staff and researchers as well as other costly planning and implementing variables, often times are not practical for low-economic schools. While children of today are growing up in a world where data are being revealed at an alarming rate and knowledge is simply a click away, reading plays an increasingly cruc ial role in society (Topping & Paul, 1999).The ability to read is not only fundamental for understanding and mastery of every school subject students will encounter, but literacy also plays a critical and crucial role in students' social and economic lives (Snow, Bums, & Griffin, 1998). As a result, no other factor will have a greater impact on the success of students in Mississippi than their ability to read.With such an emphasis placed on the importance of reading achievement, educational leaders must clearly articulate the expectation that all students can become successful readers, while providing the most effective strategies and opportunities for students to succeed in reading and adopt lifelong reading practices. (Okpala, et al. , 2001) Definitions of Terms Action Team for Partnership- This partnership is also known as a School Improvement Team or a School Council.Although the ATP members oversee the school's partnership program, other teachers, parents, students, administrat ors, and community members also may lead family and community involvement activities (ATP website). Adequate Yearly Progress- AYP requires that schools hold the same high standards for all their students; regardless of racial or ethnic background, socioeconomic status and English proficiencyCore Academic Subjects- These subjects include: English, language arts and reading, arts, civics, government and history, mathematics and science, foreign languages, as well as, economics and geography. Elementary School- a nonprofit institution which includes, public school, day or residential school and elementary charter schools which State law mandated elementary education.Family Literacy Services – The services provided to participants on a voluntary basis that foster a positive change in families. These changes include, providing families with interactive activities between parents and child concerning literacy, teaching parents to take an active role in their children’s educa tion, teaching self-sufficiency by providing parental literacy training, and providing education to children which is age-appropriate and prepares them for school and life experiences.Highly Qualified (in reference to public elementary or secondary school teacher) – A highly qualified teacher will possess a State certification for teaching or holds a license to teach in a particular state due to passing the State exam and is employed in a teaching position after meeting all required testing, training and educational requirements satisfactory to the State, district and school regulations. Mentoring- A responsible elder who provides positive leadership and guidance to a child as a positive role model in that child’s life. A mentor mission is to help a child to one day become a responsible adult.Minority- a group of students which do not demonstrate the majority’s characteristics, such as socioeconomic status, ethnic background or other key characteristics. Other S taff- staff found within an institution such as personnel, guidance counselors, and administration and teachers aides. Limitations In her 2005 press release Secretary Spelling said, â€Å"we all hear a lot of stories about why schools are missing Adequate Yearly Progress, but we don’t hear much about how thousands of other schools are making it and closing the achievement gap†.This study is limited by location; its main concentration being primarily on Mississippi schools, programs and outcomes. The primary research method is investigating existing literature, as such; there is substantial literature on the failures of many schools trying to improve student achievement; however there is very little literature depicting success. One other limitation to consider is that this study focuses on reading proficiency; however; to get the most accurate depiction of a schools success is to consider all core academic subjects. Chapter TwoThe following literature focuses on how sc hools in the Mississippi School district and nationwide are implementing school improvement plans and closing the achievement gap. In School Improvement and Closing the Achievement Gap Report 2003-2004 the accountability of Mississippi Schools past and present is discussed (2004) and Craig Jerald, author of Dispelling the Myth discusses how nationwide high poverty, high minority schools have high achieving students (2001). Both reports will be discussed here. The researcher wanted to know how many high-poverty and high minority schools nationwide have high student performance.The study used the Education Trust Database to identify certain criteria. Over 4500 schools were analyzed. Each meeting the criteria set and performing well above the expectation (2001). Both papers discuss the achievement gap, more importantly they reported the areas of greatest improvement. The Achievement Gap Report (2004) focused on the Mississippi school districts. It gave an accountability report on those school districts that have been struggling, as well as providing a strategic outline to close the gap. Specific schools were used as models of for improving test scores.Dispelling the Myth (Jerald, 2001) focused on school districts nation wide. Although no reasons for poor school performance were given, the author did state that none of the schools were magnet schools. This report showed that most schools with high poverty, high minority students live in urban areas (2001). However, the more recently published Achievement Gap Report (2004) reported that some of the poorest schools are in rural areas. Dispelling the Myth (2001) looked at specific criteria for the study, whereas, the Achievement Gap Report (2004) did not.Both studies failed to look at specific schools and detail specific strategies used in improving the achievement gap. The Mississippi Achievement Gap Report (2004) plan made suggestions on how schools can improve, but a greater detail is needed to truly understand wh at each school did to improve scores. Model schools or a model program can be established based on greater research. Socioeconomic Influence Literature regarding reading programs was of most interest for this study. Several scientific journals addressed factors of low socioeconomic status and under achievement.The achievement gap found amongst low-income students was addressed in Education: The State We’re In (Donahue & Griggs, 2003). Substantial information was given on the obstacles facing high-poverty youth today. Reading proficiency among elementary school students of low-income families are at a disadvantage (2003). When studying low-income fourth graders, the author found that in 2003, across the nation, only fifteen percent are proficient in reading. The authors also demonstrated that the majority of low-income students read about three grades behind non-poor students (2003).Proficiency differences among races were briefly discussed; Similar disparities exist between w hite students and students of color; 39% of white 4th graders can read at the proficient level compared to only 12 % of African-American students and 14% of Latinos. Overall, about three in ten fourth graders can read proficiently, and this in itself is cause for concern. (2003) Parental Involvement, Instructional Expenditures, Family Socioeconomic Attributes, and Student Achievement (Okpala, et al, 2001).Parental involvement is a commonly discussed approach to establishing higher student achievement. A study done in North Carolina was based on three factors; (a) Instructional supplies expenditures will affect academic achievement positively; (b) the SES of students in a given school, measured by the percentage of students that participate in free/reduced-price lunch programs, will affect student achievement negatively; and (c) parental involvement that is measured by parental volunteer hours per 100 students will influence student achievement positively.These factors were beneficia l in understanding the SES influence on successful reading programs. These factors and the results of this particular study will be investigated further throughout this study. Implementing Change A very brief but informative piece, Evidence from Project Star About Class Size and Student Achievement (Folgers & Breda, 1989) addressed three specific questions to ask oneself when considering changing programs. The three questions were; 1) How effective will the change be? 2) How much will it cost and 3) what are the problems of implementation?(1989) All three of these questions were found to be valuable when assessing existing programs, as well as when considering the necessary factors when looking to improve upon them. The Gallup Poll (1989 Survey) was reported to have an overwhelming approval from parents when asked about reducing class size. The problem with this strategy is that â€Å"reducing class size substantially is very costly† (1989). A widely researched program invest igated during this study was the Accelerated Reader Program. One report (Melton, et. al. , 2004) demonstrated the uses and results of the AR program.By definition the Accelerated Readers program is â€Å"†¦a learning information system designed to heighten student interest in literature and to help teacher manage literature-based reading (McKnight, 1992). This study was particularly significant because it was conducted in two Jackson, Mississippi elementary schools. There has been extensive coverage of the AR program. A 2004 study compared the reading achievement growth of fifth graders following a year of participation in the AR program with other fifth graders who did not participate.The results demonstrated that students in the AR program actually scored significantly lower than non-participants. Although many studies show little to no benefits from the AR program, the program has provided a few guidelines; such guidelines include, 1) Engage students in large amount of read ing practice with authentic material 2) students should read at their own individual reading level, and 3) student incentives such as ribbons or extra recess improves the odds of a students success.By using computer technology, teachers can use the AR program to assess students reading level and invite and motivate students to read material they find interesting (Vollands, et al. , 1999). Students are given a choice of books suited to their particular reading level. Random multiple choice tests are given to test students’ comprehension of the material. In a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Dept. of Education) evaluation, AR programs and other computerized reading programs were reviewed (Chenowith, 2001).The lack of research on evaluated programs ability to produce long-term gains in reading achievement caused the National Institute to determine the AR programs did not meet standards (2001). Common complaints of the AR program include, 1) when the prog ram ended, participating students went back to reading less than before participating 2) the AR program limited the choice of books available to a student because certain books that were not accompanied by an AR test were not valid (Chenowith, 2001) and 3) AR encourages children to read for the wrong reasons, for example to win a prize (Carter, 1996).However, as Chenowith (2001) noted, many parents responded to the latter, that it did not matter why students read, as long as they were in fact reading. Topping and Paul (1999) found that with the proper educator training on the AR program, the odds of successful student achievement with the program will improve. Students already in at risk in reading before the AR program will gain positive results when AR is implemented (Vollands, Topping and Evans, 1999). â€Å"Many elementary schools have adopted programs which encourage authentic reading time and aid in the development of reading skills for life (Melton, et al., 2004). However, l ittle research has been conducted on individual, less costly programs (2004). When studying the effects of the AR program on African American students and white students in Mississippi, black students scored lower (2004). High School Statistics as a Basis for Increased Beginner Learning Although not the primary focus of this study, it is important to understand the future of elementary students by looking into current graduates predicaments.Over the last twenty years, there have been dramatic increases in high school promotion; as well as, in graduation requirements. Most recently, states and districts, such as Mississippi, have begun implementing graduation and end-of-course exams (Committee for Economic Development, 2000). Some critics have noted that the rise in standards and high-stakes tests will be unfair to students who have attended poorly resourced schools (Achieve, 2000). However, this problem has been met by offering extra help and supportive services to the students of t he disadvantaged schools (2001).One of the most common support methods has been to offer disadvantaged students more time; such as summer school, adding an extra year to their high school education and transition programs to ensure students can fulfill high school requirements (2001). Little progress has been made in developing a better curriculum and instructional support to aid in the acceleration of learning for disadvantaged high school (Balfanz, et al. , 2002). Some high schools have implemented a whole school reform by creating catch-up courses and district wide special prep courses (2002).These reforms have not been thoroughly evaluated because their infancy; using small, formative studies, thus little is known about the feasibility and rapidity of student acceleration in disadvantaged high schools. This study aims at taking the first step to in understanding the elementary school learning needs and providing appropriate teaching techniques for each schools situation; by repo rting on the initial results and impacts of the Talent Development High Schools (TDHS) ninth grade instructional program in reading and mathematics.The study involves several cities and multiple high-poverty, non-selective high schools within each city. Academic Models of Recognition Piney Woods School in Piney Woods, Mississippi has programs that should be viewed as national models. Although a private school, its strategies for success are practical and successful. The predominantly African American school is known for changing the lives of low-income students by having them â€Å"complete a rigid diet of reading, writing, math, science and foreign language† (Wooster, et al.2001). While requiring students work ten hours a week in order to teach them responsibility, Piney Woods School gives students a sense of unity and tough love. The programs implemented are; Writing Across the Curriculum, which trains freshman and sophomores’ in basic composition skills; Always Reac hing Upward, a peer tutoring program which pairs under achievers with high achievers and Save the Males, a tutoring, mentoring and special male focused groups that facilitate responsibility and self confidence.The results are phenomenal with a ninety five percentage rate of students going on to college after graduation and the other five percent going into military services. Analysis of existing achievement data in high-poverty high schools provides two conclusions. First, students who attend high-poverty high schools are typically performing below national norms and are dramatically short of the performance benchmarks employed to measure academic success.An analysis conducted by Education Week (1998) indicates, for example, that students entering high school in the majority of large cities are often found to be two or more years below grade level (Quality Counts ’98, 1998). In Philadelphia, for instance, seventeen percent of high school students attend one of twenty-two non- selective neighborhood schools (Neild & Balfanz, 2001); and approximately half of these students are reading below the fifth or sixth grade level. A quarter of these students are reading at the seventh or eighth grade level.Approximately one in four students attending a nonselective high school in Philadelphia read at grade level. In eight of the non-selective neighborhood schools in Philadelphia, a little over two thirds of first-time ninth graders are performing below the seventh grade level in both reading and mathematics (Neild & Balfanz, 2001). One important conclusion that can be drawn from this data is that in many non-selective urban schools students need accelerated learning opportunities.A second conclusion is that the current level of academic performance in disadvantaged high schools can lead to multiple negative consequences for students and society. It is too early to accurately gauge the impact of the high-stakes; standards based graduation tests and dropout rates of students entering high school with weak academic skills (Bishop & Mane, 2000; Hauser, 2001). Existing data from metropolitan cities such as Chicago (Roderick & Camburn, 1999) and Philadelphia, however, demonstrates a link between poor academic preparation and course failure; as well as the retention of many high-poverty students.Course failure and retention in the ninth grade has caused a high amount of high school drop outs. Forty-three percent of first-time freshmen in Philadelphia entering ninth grade with below seventh grade math and reading skills were not promoted to the tenth grade (Neild & Balfanz, 2001); in comparison to the eighteen percent of students entering ninth grade with math and reading skills above the seventh grade level. Student skills below grade level requirements result in retention, poor attendance, and course failure.First-time freshmen who were not promoted to the tenth grade had a dropout rate of nearly sixty percent when compared to a twelve percent drop out rate for students who were promoted (Neild, Stoner-Eby, & Furstenberg, 2001). The individual and social consequences of dropping out of high school are considerable. The Committee for Economic Development (2000) has documented the economic returns to advanced education. Non-promotion has become the norm in approximately two hundred-fifty to three hundred high schools, in thirty-five major cities in the United States (Balfanz & Legters, 2001).Sixty percent of the population in these public high schools is African American and Latino students in (2001). The United States Department of Education expresses the importance of raising graduation requirements and standards; therefore it is essential to the success of future high school students, that a means of improving reading proficiency is achieved. Contributing Factors to Student Achievement In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act placed even stronger responsibility on states to raise student performance.As a result of these account ability standards, states must now administer standardized tests to â€Å"measure adequate yearly progress† of all students (2001). They face costly federal mandates and must submit comprehensive plans. The federal law also focuses on narrowing the achievement gap between races. It requires that states monitor the performance of racial and economic subgroups and undertake corrective action in failing schools (Wong, 2004). †¦states are implementing policies that provide incentives to attract and retain teachers and increase student performance.Incentives are helping states recruit new teachers into the work force, attract persons from outside education, retain teachers in the classroom and support accountability programs that focus on school-by-school efforts to boost student achievement (Cornett and Gaines, 2002). Researchers examining student performance consistently find that one of the most important influences on student achievement is socioeconomic status (SES) of s tudents. These findings give little comfort to educators in economically disadvantaged schools who are facing heavy pressure to improve performance and close the gap between minority and white students.Yet Verstegen and King (1998) claim that a growing body of research is using better databases and more sophisticated methodological strategies to provide evidence that school policies can make a positive difference in student outcomes. They also emphasize that resource patterns that optimize performance in one setting do not necessary work in others. Encouraged by this line of thinking, the researcher will investigate factors that may explain the differences in performances in schools that share a common socioeconomic context.Are there choices made by policymakers and administrators in economically disadvantaged schools that spark significant improvements in performance in these schools? In this study, the researcher will assume the significance of SES or â€Å"input† factors i n explaining achievement, and the researcher considers the impact of other factors over which schools have some control. Impact of Process Variables Although the statistical models will include measures for SES (percent of economically disadvantaged students and percent white students), the focus will be on process variables.The latter include those variables that school systems more or less control. The researcher categorizes these variables into three general areas: 1) school class size 2) school policies and 3) proven effective programs to increase student reading proficiency. One of the most controversial characteristics of schools is the amount of students per teacher (FTE). Production function research on the effects of school size has been inconclusive, and both sides have their advocates. Supporters of small schools contend that students get more attention, school governance is simpler, and teachers and administrators are more accessible to parents.Noguera (2002) states that in high schools where the majority of low-income students of color are achieving at high levels the one common characteristic is the small size of the schools. Lee and Burkam found that students are less likely to drop out of schools with fewer than 1,500 students (2003). However, others argue that large schools are able to offer students a wider range of educational offerings and services (â€Å"Still Stumped,† 2002). Recent research indicates that the effects of school size may depend on the SES of students.Findings show consistently that the relationship between achievement and socioeconomic status was substantially weaker in smaller schools than larger schools, that is, students from impoverished communities are much more likely to benefit from smaller schools. On the other hand, a positive relationship exists between larger schools and the output measures of affluent students (Lee and Smith, 1996; Howley and Bickel, 1999). Because this study will examine the performance of economically disadvantaged students, the researcher expects to find a negative relationship between school size and achievement scores.That is, the larger the school, the less likely students are to achieve on standardized tests. The relationship between class size and positive student achievement is another relationship that has been closely studied. In 2000, Congress allocated $1. 3 billion for class size reduction as a provision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (Johnson, 2002). Most of the studies that examine the effect of class size on student performance have focused on primary schools.One of the largest and most scientifically rigorous experiments was the 1985, Tennessee’s Student Achievement Ratio (STAR) study. The STAR project provides compelling evidence that smaller classes can improve student achievement, especially in primary schools, which could have lasting effects (1985). The four year longitudinal study focused on classes in Tennessee and consisted of grades kindergarten through third. Classes of thirteen to seventeen students were compared to classes of twenty-two to twenty-six students; of the total classes, some had just one teacher and some had a teacher and aid.Phase one included over three hundred classes and a total of 6500 students (1985). The result after four years was positive support for the reduction of classroom sizes which proved to have positive effects on student achievement. Some critics have pointed out the limitations of project STAR (Vinson, 2002). A couple of limitations listed in a report by Tony Vinson in 2002 were: 1) limiting sample of certain cultural groups 2) schools volunteered to participate in the study, suggesting they had motivation to use innovative teaching practices.In 1996, Mostellar, a statistician, reported; â€Å"the Tennessee Class Size study demonstrates convincingly that student achievement is better in small K-3 classes and the effect continues later in regular-sized classes (1996). In a follow-up study, Nye, Hedges and Kontantopoulos (1999) found that students of smaller class size continued showing significant advantages over students of regular-sized classes, throughout school, to graduation. These students demonstrated higher grades, took more challenging classes, had better graduation rates and were more likely to go on to college (Vinson, 2002).Wisconsin’s Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (Vinson, 2002), began in the 1996-1997 school year and was expanded in 1998-1999 and again in 2000-2001 (Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction). The objective of the program is to improve student achievement through the implementation of four school improvement strategies: class sizes no more than 15:1 in grades K-3; increased collaboration between schools and their communities; implementation of a rigorous curriculum focusing on academic achievement; and improving professional development and staff evaluation practices.Schools in SAGE ha ve renewable 5-year contracts with the state and get state aid equal to $2,000 for each low-income child in the grades served by the program. During 2005-06 495 schools participated in SAGE (up from 30 when the program began). Just over 93,000 K-3 pupils were served. State funding, which was $4. 5 M in 96-97 will be $98. 6 M in 2006-07. A few districts are also benefiting from a state categorical aid program created in 1999 to help schools pay debt service on the cost of new classrooms built to accommodate SAGE (DPI).The SAGE program in partnership with John Hopkins University of Baltimore Maryland, invites, states or districts to become members in improving the student achievement in the potential members’ schools. Through the National Network of Partnership Schools, SAGE and others in the network will work states, districts and other educational organization members to form an Action Team for Partnership plan. Members follow the Six Types of Involvement format (NNPS online) . Five years of NNPS surveys and result focused studies on member schools’ progress has been reported (2005).NNPS uses research results to develop practical tools, materials, and guidelines for schools and school districts. Presently, over 1000 schools, 100 districts, and 17 state departments of education are working with NNPS to use research-based approaches to establish and strengthen their programs of school, family, and community partnerships (2005). It is suggested that incorporating the following elements create better programs and outreaching to parents of the students and increased parental involvement (2005). 1. Leadership 2. Teamwork 3.Action plans 4. Implementation of plans 5. Funding 6. Collegial support 7. Evaluation 8. Networking Results from longitudinal studies showed that â€Å" a review of literature on family involvement with students on reading, indicated that, across the grades, subject specific interventions to involve families in reading and related la nguage arts, positively affected students’ reading skills and scores (Sheldon & Epstein, 2005b). The original SAGE pilot program research involved participants of which fifty percent were below the poverty level (Vinson, 2002).Participating classes were reduced from average size to fifteen students per teacher. An evaluation by Molinar, Smith and Zahorik (1999) revealed that the first grade SAGE students demonstrated higher achievement when compared to nonparticipating schools in both language arts and math. Second and third graders were reported to follow the same pattern. The third study to be reviewed is the Prime Time (1984) project in Indiana. This was originally planned to be a two year project started in 1984 but it had such promising results that by 1988 all k-3 classes were reduced in Indiana.The average FTE was eighteen. In 1989, McGivern, Gilman and Tillitski compared samples of achievement levels of second graders from six districts with reduced class sizes and th ree districts that were not reduced and found significantly larger gains in reading and math among students of smaller classes. As with project STAR, SAGE has suffered criticism. Limitations mentioned were that â€Å"students were not assigned to experimental control groups on a random basis†, and that school policies were changed and implemented during the course of the study (Vinson, 2002).A widely criticized factor was the use of teacher incentives to motivate small classroom achievement. As mentioned previously, opinions on class size vary. Over the years several researchers have analyzed studies and evaluated the effectiveness of each. Glass and Smith (1979) found after analyzing seventy-seven empirical studies on class size versus student achievement, that small classes were associated with higher achievement at all grade levels.For greatest results in student achievement, students should attend small classes for over one-hundred hours (1979), with under twenty students . Small classes are beneficial because of 1) better student reaction 2) teacher morale and 3) quality of the teaching environment (Vinson, 2002). In a review of one-hundred relevant studies, small classes had been the most beneficial, during kindergarten and third grade, but only if teachers change their methods and procedures (Robinson and Wittebols, 1986).Slavin’s (1990) research of empirical studies, were chosen for analysis based on a three part criteria; 1) class size had been reduced for at least one year 2) twenty students were compared to substantially larger class sizes and 3) students in both class sizes were comparable (1990). Contrary to previously mentioned researchers, Slavin believed that smaller class size had minimal positive effects on students and those effects did not continue once students were returned to normal, larger classes (1990).A highly published researcher, Eric Hanushek has voiced his opposition to small classes benefiting student achievement si nce the mid-1980s. In all his reviews of class size studies, he’s always concluded that; â€Å"The evidence about improvements in student achievement that can be attributed to smaller classes turns out to be meager and unconvincing (Vinson, 2002)†. Johnson (2000), citing a study at the Heritage Foundation examining National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading data, asserted that the difference in reading assessment scores between students in small classes and students in large classes was insignificant.He criticized class size reduction programs citing California as example of how such programs exacerbate the problem of lack of qualified teachers to fill classrooms. His claim of the lack of association between class size and performance was consistent with Hanushek’s conclusions (1999). Studies of the effects of class size in secondary schools are much more rare and largely equivocal (Deutsch 2003; Grissmer 1999). Many of those who advocate for sma ller class sizes at the secondary level argue that small classes positively impact the school environment, thus, improving performance indirectly.In her review of the literature of class size and secondary schools, Deutsch (2003) highlights studies that conclude small classes stimulate student engagement, allow more innovative instructional strategies, increase teacher-student interactions, reduce the amount of time teachers devote to discipline, improve teacher morale, and minimize feelings of isolation and alienation in adolescence that can come from anonymity. Another important process variable the researcher will investigate is the effects of school policy on student achievement.An influential policy becoming common in schools is that of parental support and teacher incentives. As with the other factors in this model, conclusions about the effects of both on student performance has been mixed, but recent studies seem to point to more positive correlations, particularly teacher e xperience (Hedges, Lane, and Greenwald 1994). Mississippi’s Department of Education’s Schools and Parents Partnering for Student Success is a brochure given to the parents of Mississippi public school students to educate them on what level of proficiency their child should be on in an attempt to form a relationship between school and home.Strategies for improving student achievement according to Mississippi’s School Improvement and Closing the Achievement Gap Report 2003-2004 include: †¢ Strong parental involvement †¢ Community and church support †¢ Various reform models aligned to state curriculum †¢ Dedicated teachers †¢ Structured teaching †¢ Thinking maps †¢ Stable staff †¢ Comprehensive systems to monitor student progress †¢ Aligned curriculum, assessment, and instruction †¢ Peer coaches†¢ Instructional time that is increased (2004) As the reader will notice, the majority of these strategies incorporate relationships between the school and outside sources for example parental and community involvement. These strategies were created by schools in Mississippi demonstrating high student achievement. Finally, the researcher will also examine the effects of global resources, that is, per pupil expenditure (PPE), on the impact of performance.In their review of production function research, Verstegen and King cite Hedges, Laine, and Greenwald’s assertion (1994) that â€Å"Global resource variables such as PPE, show positive, strong, and consistent relations with achievement† (1995, 57-58). However, other studies fail to yield significant results (Chubb and Moe 1990; Okpala 2002). Tajalli, in his examination of the wealth equalization or â€Å"Robin Hood† program in Texas, found that the transfer of nearly $3. 4 billion of dollars to poor school districts did not have a significant impact on the improvement of performance in these districts (Tajalli, 2003).It may be t hat expenditures in general have an indirect effect that is not apparent when using PPE as a direct measure. In his study of school spending Wenglinsky (1997) develops a â€Å"path† in which he concludes a school’s economic resources are associated with academic achievement. He posits that per-pupil expenditures on instruction and central office administration are positively related to class size, i. e. , more spending on smaller classes. Smaller teacher/student ratios contribute to a cohesive school environment, which enhances achievement. Chapter ThreeDescription of Methodology This study is a comparative analysis of eight Mississippi elementary schools from seven school districts; two K-2, two K-3 and four K-5. Factors analyzed were the students to teacher ratio (FTE), socioeconomic status (SES), and student ethnicity, and comparison MCT scores. At first a total of twenty schools were randomly chosen from different districts. The researcher then chose eight schools of conflicting SES percentages. It is a comparative study using the case analysis method; since it attempts to compare school factors influencing student performance.Using the Mississippi Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) data, the researcher will examine these variables to determine the elements that can impact success or failure of public school campuses. The measure of performance is the standardized test given in 2005 to students in Mississippi public schools, the MCT. The researcher focused the study on Mississippi elementary schools that are predominantly populated by students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The socioeconomic status was based on the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.The teaching theory used as a basis for this study is the Measurement Theory, this theory represents teaching and achievement based on standardized tests and results. Validity and Reliability The MCT scores are provided by the Mississi ppi Department of Education, and the demographics of each school were provided by the NCES found on the greatschools. com database. Twenty schools were chosen by random; then eight were chosen for analysis based on conflicting SES factors in order to get realistic insight as to the influence of student success factors on each school size.This study has limitations due to the fact that it is based on MCT scores which can be deceiving. These tests have been criticized by researchers because they do not portray a student’s overall understanding of a subject and do not allow for different learning abilities and styles. It is because of this limitation that further study should be conducted on the achievement levels of students based on different approaches to classroom learning. Sample and Population Three samples were used for this study. Sample one consisted of two schools serving grades K-2; each school was from a different district.Sample two consisted of two schools which se rved K-3 and were from two separate districts. Finally, the third sample consisted of four K-5 schools, from two different districts. Overall, seven districts and eight schools of different sizes in the state of Mississippi were compared. The study specifically seeks to identify variables in low performing schools that could hinder them from improving performance. In order to provide an accurate study, the researcher took samples from different sized schools with different student demographics.Implementation Research was conducted by recording data for each school for a side-by-side comparison of different factors (see Appendix). All factors were found through greatschools. com, which summarizes each school’s characteristics for easy research. All school samples were then analyzed for the reading achievement average. Based on the average, the researcher then examined the achievement factors; determining whether there was a trend between any of the achievement factors and the MCT results of the chosen school samples.Factors compared during analysis were; socioeconomic status (SES), student-per-teacher ratios (FTE), and the percentage of nonwhite students. The MCT scores for 2005 were used as an indicator of overall reading proficiency of the chosen school. In order to determine whether a variable was a consistent influence on the MCT scores, three consecutive years of MCT scores from 2003-2005 were analyzed. The overall study aimed to discover a consistent pattern between a variable, such as SES or FTE, and the level of reading proficiency.Data Analysis Two of the three samples were consistent with the researcher’s hypothesis that SES is a strong influence on reading proficiency. Sample 1 however was uncharacteristic of the other two. In Sample 1, both schools demonstrated above the state average in MCT reading scores, however, the school with the highest SES percentage actually did better. This is uncharacteristic since Sample 2 and Sample 3 demo nstrated a trend in high SES and low MCT scores for three consecutive years.As discussed in chapter two, the literature review, the influence of class size on student achievement has been an on going debate among researchers. For this reason, the researcher included student-per-teacher ratios as a sample variable. The researcher had expected to see some evidence of FTE influence reflected in the MCT scores; however, that was not the case. According to the data collected, the FTE of all three samples ranged between fifteen and seventeen, with the state average being fifteen. The results demonstrated no reoccurring trend between FTE and MCT scores.Sample 1 schools demonstrated varying above average MCT scores and the same FTE of seventeen. In Sample 2, School 1A demonstrated a below average MCT score with a FTE of fifteen; however, 2B had higher test scores and a higher FTE. In Sample 3, all but one of the schools had a FTE of Seventeen, 3B demonstrated a FTE of fifteen and a below av erage MCT score. School 4B had below average MCT scores but a FTE of seventeen, like the remaining two schools with higher MCT scores. Between all three samples, there was no reoccurring trend between MCT scores and FTE.The researcher had expected student ethnicity to play a large role in student achievement levels, however based on this studies samples, there was little proof that such a trend existed. As demonstrated in Appendix A through C, schools demonstrating low achievement scores varied in the percentage of nonwhite students. The same variations were found in schools with high achievement scores. Overall, the only achievement factor that demonstrated a trend was the socioeconomic status factor. SES as a factor of achievement was present in Samples 2 and 3, but seemed irrelevant in Sample 1.Based on the results and the uncharacteristic trends found in Sample 1, the researcher feels that the quality of the curriculum and teaching strategies had an influence of the high achieve ment levels found in Sample 1. The researcher feels strongly that SES is an influential factor on the reading achievement of elementary students in Mississippi. It must be noted however, the influence of SES can be minimized with the proper curriculum and learning strategies. MCT scores give educators insight into the overall achievement levels of students, and should be used as an indicator of what type of teaching strategy should be used.There are numerous ways to improve student achievement. Educators and school administrators must be aware of the learning abilities and potentials of students and gear curriculum and teaching strategies towards the needs of the students. References Achieve (2001). 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