Modern Management Chapter free essay sample

STUDY OF FAMILY INTERACTION LEAD TO NEW UNDERSTANDING OF ABUSIVE PAREN

Investigation OF FAMILY INTERACTION LEAD TO NEW UNDERSTANDING OF ABUSIVE PARENTS Researchers at the University of Toronto have stepped toward delivering a profile of an injurious parent. Prof. Gary Walters and doctoral understudy Lynn Oldershaw of the Department of Psychology have built up a framework to portray guardians who truly misuse their kids. This could at last permit social help experts to distinguish guardians in kid misuse. In the course of the most recent five years, Walters and Oldershaw, in a joint effort with Darlene Hall of the West End Creche, have analyzed more than 100 moms and their three to six-year-old kids who have been truly mishandled. In the research facility, the mother and youngster go through 30 minutes in organized exercises, for example, playing, gobbling and tidying up. The family cooperation is video-taped and later broke down. The analysts have built up a framework which permits them to record the viability of child rearing aptitudes. They are especi ally keen on disciplinary systems since misuse most regularly happens when the parent needs the kid to consent. It's an issue of attempting to figure out which sort of parent produces which kind of kid or which sort of youngster evokes which kind of parental conduct, clarifies Oldershaw. Because of their work, Walters and Oldershaw have recognized unmistakable classifications of oppressive guardians and their kids. 'Unforgiving/nosy' moms are too much brutal and continually badger their youngster to carry on. Regardless of the way that these moms mortify and oppose their youngster, there are times when they embrace, kiss or address them energetically. This sort of mothering produces a forceful, rebellious kid. An 'incognito/unfriendly' mother shows no positive emotions towards her youngster. She makes explicit assaults on the kid's self-esteem and denies him fondness or consideration. As far as it matters for him, the kid attempts to connect with his mom's consideration and win her endorsement. A 'genuinely isolates' mother has next to no contribution with her youngster. She seems discouraged and uninterested in the kid's exercises. The offspring of this kind of mother shows no qualities which set him apart from other youngsters. So as to assemble a child rearing profile, the two analysts look at the mother/kid collaboration and their recognition and sentiments. For example, Walters and Oldershaw consider the mother's feeling of herself as a parent and her impression of her kid. The analysts likewise attempt to decide the kid's view of oneself and of the parent. Damaging guardians are regularly accepted to have insufficient child rearing aptitudes and are alluded to projects to improve these abilities. These projects are especially fitting for guardians what themselves' identity was, raised by oppressive guardians and accordingly are oblivious of some other conduct toward her kid. One of the objectives of the clinicians is to give data to advisors which will h elp tailor treatment to the individual needs of the harsh guardians. Recidivism rates for injurious parental figures are high, says Walters. To a huge degree, oppressive guardians which require an assortment of treatment. Their examination is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Contact: Gary Walters (416)978-7814 Lynn Oldershaw (416)978-3528

All the Books! Podcast, Episode #26 New Releases for Nov. 3, 2015

All the Books! Podcast, Episode #26 New Releases for Nov. 3, 2015 This week, Liberty and Rebecca discuss The Girl Who Could Not Dream, The Heart You Carry Home, Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise, and  more new releases. This episode was sponsored by A Blossom of Bright Light  by Suzanne Chazin and  Penguin Random House Audio  and FabFitFun. Subscribe to All the  Books! using  RSS or iTunes and never miss a beat book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Books discussed on the show: The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst The Heart You Carry Home by Jennifer Miller Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise by Oscar Hijuelos Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (What It Is Like To Go To War by Karl Marlantes) Stoner by John Williams By the Book:  Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review by Pamela Paul Zeroville by Steve Erickson (This is published by Europa Editions, not NYRB Classics. I got confused! Liberty) Skylight by José Saramago What were reading: The Deep Sea Divers Syndrome by Serge Brusollos (Rebecca is not sure shes going to get any reading done this week, so heres a cat dance party instead.) More books out this week: Jewish Noir: Contemporary Tales of Crime and Other Dark Deeds by Kenneth Wishnia Life and Other Near Death Experiences by Camille Pagán St. Marks Is Dead: The Many Lives of Americas Hippest Street by Ada Calhoun The Mare by Mary Gaitskill Abducting a General by Patrick Leigh Fermor The Conjurer’s Riddle by Andrea Cremer Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boys Journey into Manhood by Kevin Powell Styx by Bavo Dhooge Cam Girl by Leah Raeder Broken Sleep by Bruce Bauman City of Wonders: Seven Forges Book III  by James A. Moore Black Wolves by Kate Elliott The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild Empty Chairs: Selected Poems by Liu Xia Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray Numero Zero by Umberto Eco Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show by Daniel de Vise Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney My Loaded Gun, My Lonely Heart by Martin Rose The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M. H. Boroson Trashed by Derf Backderf The Gold Eaters by Ronald Wright Playing Days by Benjamin Markovits Stars of Fortune: Book One of the Guardians Trilogy by Nora Roberts Dead Ringers by Christopher Golden Dear Reader by Paul Fournel Brooklyn: A Personal Memoir: With the lost photographs of David Attie by Truman Capote and David Attie The Way Around: Finding My Mother and Myself Among the Yanomami by David Good Lungdon (Book Three, The Iremonger Trilogy) by Edward Carey Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe by Thomas Levenson One Man’s Flag by David Downing Tenacity by J. S. Law Made to Kill by Adam Christopher Hesitation Wounds by Amy Koppelman Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living by Jason Gay D.C. Trip by Sara Benincasa One Out of Two by Daniel Sada The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende Wherever There Is Light by Peter Golden The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories by Stephen King No More Champagne: Churchill and his Money by David Lough Need by Joelle Charbonneau City of Clowns by Daniel Alarcón and Sheila Alvarado Tightrope by Simon Mawer The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion  by Meghan Daum (paperback) Acts of God by Ellen Gilchrist (paperback) My Misspent Youth: Essays by Meghan Daum (reissue)

Persuasive Essay on Lewis and Clark

Persuasive Essay on Lewis and Clark Lewis and Clark Persuasive Essay Expedition that started in May, 1804, was an important milestone in the American history. It was headed by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis and commissioned by President Jefferson. Among the goals they pursued there were commercial and scientific – they aimed at discovery of the animal life and plant diversity, as well as wanted to see the geographical peculiarities of this territory, as it had not been explored before them. Among the other goals there were finding of the water communication for commerce with Asian countries and declaration of US sovereignty over indigenous tribes residing on the continent. The results of the expedition showed a lot of valuable information. First of all, there were drawn the first maps of the explored region – about 140 of them. Besides, a lot of new plant and animal species were discovered and the place itself was officially described for the first time in the history. The US sovereignty and military strength was demonstrated to the native tribes, which ensured their subordination to the country. Still, there was one important goal failed – the expedition didn’t find the path suitable for commerce establishing with Asia. On the whole, there were 33 people involved in the expedition, and among them there was Sacagawea – Lemhi Shoshone woman, who was a guide and interpreter for all the other people. The woman played a significant role in the expedition and managed to settle the conflicts arising in its course. The National American Woman Suffrage Association chose her image as a symbol of women’s independence and worth and opened several monuments in her honor. In 2000 there was issued a memorable coin with Sacagawea and her son depicted in it.

Stereotypes in Schools - 953 Words

Stereotypes in school can affect students in their confidence and education. Writer, Shankar Vedantam, in his article, â€Å"How A Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† argues that reminding people of their race before a test or quiz can be the reason they dont score as high on a test. He supports his claim by first explaining things that Sociologist Min-Hsiung Huang discovered. He then explains how whites have been scoring higher than other races this affects chances of them getting into good colleges or classes. Huang mentions that he thinks the reason for this is because they are reminded of their race before taking the test or in some cases quizzed by the opposite race. Vedantams purpose is to bring attention to this research so that it can be used when creating policy and law. After interviewing and talking to kids at my school about stereotypes, I think his findings are also relevant for students at my school. My teacher, Mrs. Roberts gave us a project to read an essay on stereotypes then write our own. First, we interviewed two of our peers with questions to ask them about stereotypes they deal with. We interviewed one person in our class and one person out of class. Then we put that data onto a google form and made it into a spreadsheet. Last, we looked at the all the data on the spreadsheet and organised it by gender and ethnicity to see how different people deal with stereotypes at Point Loma High School. Our class has done some research intoShow MoreRelatedStereotypes in School517 Words   |  2 PagesStereotypes in school can affect student and their education. Writer, Shankar Vedantam, in his article, â€Å" How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† explains the effects of stereotypes and how other races handle them. He supports his claim by explaining to the audience what a beast is, and how the answer depends on who is asking the question. He then explains how he eventually came to understand that minorities do better when they work with their own race and are not reminded ofRead MoreStereotypes at School599 Words   |  2 Pagespassage â€Å"How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance† Shankar Vedantam believes that by reminding a certain race of people about their race before a test they will score lower than if not reminded. Shankar’s purpose in revealing this information is to erase the imagery of stereotypes when testi ng. He adopts a different tone when the article moves on by going from a factual article to a more opinionated one. The intended audience is for people who stereotype because he is trying to convinceRead MoreStereotypes in Our School637 Words   |  3 Pagesdone research at our school that supports the idea that many people experience stereotypes, and are affected by them. Author and Scientific Journalist, Shankar Vedantam, in his article â€Å"How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† Explains that If people are stereotyped, they can start to embody the stereotypes made about them without realizing it, which could lead to a degradation in their performance, because of the negative self image caused by these stereotypes. He supports thisRead MoreStereotypes at my school649 Words   |  3 PagesStereotypes in school can affect students and their education. We did some research about stereotypes at our school, Point Loma High, but first we read â€Å"How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† by Shankar Vedantam. He argues that how being a stereotype can bring down someones work performance. He supports his claim by first explaining that on a standardized vocabulary test, black people on average scored a 5.49 out of 10 questions correctly and white people answered 6.33 correctlyRead MoreThe Situation of Stereotypes in High Schools557 Words   |  2 PagesStereotypes in our society can be a major problem, but can be an extremely big problem to teenagers. In my school, stereotypes has a wide range of impact to our students. In our class we had read an article based on stereotypes.Writer and musician, Shankar Vedantam, in his article, â€Å"How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† claims that if you mention a person race they may have a lower performance on tests. He supports his claim by first explaining that when a person is testedRead MoreStereotypes at Point Loma High School609 Wo rds   |  2 PagesOur class does research on the way stereotypes affect people in our school. We have interviewed 165 students. 79% of the people we interviewed were in 9th grade. The rest were evenly spread between 10th 11th and 12th grade. only 42% of our participants were female, while 58% were male. The majority of our interviewees identified themselves as white at 46%. 33% were hispanic or latino 7% were african american 4% were asian american 10% were other and 1% were native american. A majority of our participantsRead MoreStereotyping : Stereotypes And Stereotyping1494 Words   |  6 Pages In everyday life Stereotypes are used, they are directed towards ethnicity, gender, and education. â€Å"In ethnicity, we have the ideas that each race is a certain way† (Aronson. The impact of stereotypes). Here are a couple of examples for blacks, they all can run fast, and that they are all about the welfare system. â€Å"For Hispanics they are stereotyped as being crazy, loud, lazy, drug dealers, illegal immigrants, and slutty† (Typical stereotypes of Hispanics). The stereotypes of ethnicity is causingRead MoreHow Stereotypes Affect Teens699 Words   |  3 PagesStereotypes can be a problem in our society, but they are especially a problem for teenagers. At my school stereotypes impact a wide range of students. My class read â€Å"How a Self Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance,† by Writer and novelist, Shankar Vedantam. In his article he argues that telling people about their race before an exam will hurt their performance. He supports his claim by providing statistics on the average test scores of blacks compared to whites. He then explains thatRead MoreHow a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance by Shankar Vedantam657 Words   |  3 Pages Shankar Vedantam, author of Hidden Brain and NPR science correspondent informs and advocates for equality in the education system in his article â€Å"How a Self-Fulfilling Stereotype Can Drag Down Performance† published in the Washington Post (2009). Vedantam begins his article by interacting with the audience while he asks a question,and he cites Sociologist Min-Hsuing Huang’s research on the influence that the environment has on a minority. Huang found out that: reminding minorities of their raceRead MoreSummary Of Stereotypes In The Little Rock Nine873 Words   |  4 Pages Stereotypes Stereotypes, people who put other people into a category that they think they belong in. Individuals should be able to be themselves without being focused to be something they are not. Stereotypes the dictionary defines as  ¨a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group. ¨ Words that are synonyms are  ¨pattern†, â€Å"custom†, and â€Å"average. ¨ Other words that are antonyms are, â€Å"same† and â€Å"alike. ¨ Stereotypes are people

Female Protagonists free essay sample

Compares sexuality of female protagonists of African-American Chinese-American cultures in novel memoir. Sula by Toni Morrison The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston. This study will discuss the topic of sexuality as it is treated by Toni Morrison in her novel Sula and by Maxine Hong Kingston in her autobiographical The Woman Warrior. The study will focus on the differences in the ways the main characters learn about sexuality. It will also focus on the differences and similarities between the African-American and Chinese-American cultures in the ways they view sexuality, and especially the sexuality of females. In general, the African-American culture is more open and liberal with respect to sexuality, and the Chinese-American culture is more closed and conservative. The women in Morrisons novel are more free to express themselves sexually, while the women in Kingstons book are discouraged from such free sexual expression. At the same time, the woman who decides to live an openly sexual life will pay a price for such freedom in

The Economic Role of Slavery During the Civil War free essay sample

This paper examines the correlations between slavery, economics, and the Civil War. This paper shows how the study of the economics surrounding slavery can give a better understanding of the issues surrounding both slavery and the Civil War. Topics covered include the origins of slavery, opposing views on slavery, the and the economic effectiveness of slavery. Slavery and the civil war are very complex economic and historical issues. Many prominent Economic Historians view the institution of slavery vastly different from one another. With the difference in views also comes opposing opinions on whether or not the Civil War was actually needed to end the practice of slavery. While it is impossible to truly know what would have happened had events been different surrounding the American Civil War, it is possible to learn about the differences in opinions. Examining the origins of slavery, the opposing views of slavery, and the economics of the civil war can lend a clearer picture of this time frame

Life as an Intellectual Under Mao Tse Dung essays

Life as an Intellectual Under Mao Tse Dung essays When Mao Zedong first came into power, we all thought that it was a great thing- he was a strong leader, and he would pilot China from lowly pit of humiliation into a higher place, where we would regain our power and respect. Mao became the driving force behind extreme alterations in China. For centuries, operas had been a traditional form of Chinese arts. These operas featured legends of emperors, princesses, ministers, generals, demons, romance, treachery, and murder, topics which Mao deemed unsuitable for audiences of peasants and farmers. Under the careful watch of his third wife, Mao commissioned a group of writers to create new operas, ones about peasants and farmers, where the audience could see themselves portrayed as the heroines, and their detested landlords as the villains. Mao abolished traditional forms of Chinese art in favor of more vain, self-concerning plays that he claimed were more appropriate to the interests of the masses and more with the party line. Censoring the arts was not just limited to our own plays, however. All visiting groups were required to perform first for Mao before they were allowed to perform for a Chinese audience. More often than not, Mao forced the groups to edit their program. A visiting Portuguese ballet company was driven to remove over half of their program, as he felt it to be too modernistic. It wasnt long before Mao began censoring not only what we could see and do, but also how we could do it. All writers were to be trained in by government writing officials- the desired effect being, of course, so that they all wrote in the same style. All writing was to be, like the operas, concerning topics of interest to its audience. None of the usual drama and royal scandals, only stories about peasants and farmers. Only literature that seemed to contribute to the achievement of Communist goals. He stated publicly that ones endo...

What to Expect From a Chinese Fortune Teller

What to Expect From a Chinese Fortune Teller Having one’s fortune told through Chinese fortune telling (ç ®â€"å‘ ½, suan ming) is a routine practice in Chinese culture. Consulting a fortune teller is nearly compulsory before major events, like Chinese New Year, wedding engagements, and the birth of children. Whether for entertainment or out of a strong belief in superstition, getting your fortune told by a Chinese fortune teller can be a memorable experience. Here is what to expect when it comes to prices, methods, and more. Cost The cost of a fortune telling session varies based on the city, fortune telling method, and what specifically the recipient wants to know. Getting an answer to one question, like finding a lover or a job, costs less than getting an overall fortune for the coming year, decade, or life. Basic fortune telling in Taipei starts at $15. Where to Find a Chinese Fortune Teller Fortune tellers can often be found in or near Buddhist and Taoist temples in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Outside of China and Taiwan, fortune tellers can also be found in Chinatowns around the world. What to Expect The fortune telling session takes place at a table or desk with the fortune teller and customer sitting across from or next to each other. In many instances, there is little privacy as fortune telling tables or booths are located next to each other with just a flimsy wall to partition them. In many large cities like Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei, it is possible to have your fortune told in English. Methods There are over a dozen types of Chinese fortune telling methods, but nearly all are based on the Chinese Almanac. The most basic method of Chinese fortune telling in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries like the U.S. remains virtually the same regardless of location. All a person needs to have his or her fortune told, or that of a friend of family member, is the  first and last name, birth date, and age. For Westerners, be sure to add one year to your current age because the first year of life in Chinese culture is counted at birth whereas babies in the West do not turn one until a year after their birth. Additional information like time of birth and a person’s address is sometimes required for certain fortune telling methods. Oftentimes, fortune tellers use one or more methods to reveal your fortune. For example, palm and face readings or ‘bean’ fortune telling may be combined with  basic fortune telling  to generate a more accurate reading. Other methods that a fortune teller might use include coin divination,  Chien Tung or Chinese fortune sticks,  bird fortune telling, or using  red divination blocks to tell your fortune.

Curriculum Staff Development Plan Research Paper

Curriculum Staff Development Plan - Research Paper Example Subgroups performances According to TAK’s statistics, percentage of the white students passing the mathematics exam is higher than that of black and Hispanics students. TAK’s 2011 statistics indicates that across ethnic groups, the passing scores for algebra ranged from 85% to 92 %, and geometry ranged from 81% to 91% (Valencia, 2011). Whites had the best performance illustrated by the passing rate of 69% in algebra and 80% in geometry. The Hispanic group comes second with a passing rate of 48% in Algebra and 58% in geometry while blacks had the poorest performance indicated by TAK’s passing rate of 42% in Algebra and 50% in geometry (Valencia, 2011). Considering the performance in the grade 10 level, males had a higher passing rate than females. Females had a passing rate of 55% in algebra and 66% in geometry while males had a passing rate of 56% in algebra and 68% in geometry (Valencia, 2011). Staff Development Plan As evident from the statistics, the performan ce presented by the group varies among different subpopulations. This explains that the staff development plan should equip teachers with the skills for managing diversities. Consequently, the plan will enroll teachers to programs aimed at enhancing their diversity management skills. This is essential since an approach effective to one group may fail to be productive for the other (English, 2000). As such, the plan will initially seek to examine probable differences leading to poor performances to devise ideal strategies for managing every challenge. According to Even and Ball (2009), poor diversity management skills present a considerable challenge to most teachers. This has the potential of undermining their productivity. This plan will emphasize the need of managing diversities effectively to make teachers appreciate the idea. Such an approach would be effective since it would develop teachers, making them understands their students. Siena (2009) affirms that teachers who have di versity management skills can comfortably identify ideal solutions for addressing challenges that undermine their efforts. Studies affirm that a productive strategy that can help teachers improve the performance of their students is restructuring their teaching styles. This plan will allow teachers to utilize this strategy in enhancing their productivity. A study edited by Even and Ball (2009) suggests that teachers may create change by restructuring their classroom, by changing the topic or their teaching plan, by emphasizing diverse interpersonal skills or by promoting an attitude change. However, studies indicate that most teachers fail to evolve enough, so their classrooms stagnate. Siena (2009) argues that teachers should be trained on how to integrate curriculum effectively, and institutions can develop their education standards by providing teacher-training programs. Notably, diminishing flexibility is an influential factor contributing to poor performances noted in most curr iculum systems. Studies suggest that the poor performance presented in TAKs State exams is attributable to a rigid curriculum followed by the education system. Teachers continue to use outdated teaching aids, which fail to blend well with the contemporary ideas, so students have difficulties in comprehending subjects’

Brand management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Brand management - Assignment Example It is an international company with several sub-brands and a strong strategy in operation. In the United Kingdom, the company has a well-defined brand elements and architecture. Brand architecture acts as a powerful tool through which organizations can effectively organize the brands in their portfolio and focus on enhancing each and every brand in the market. In this regard, the choice of the brand architecture to be used is an important consideration which can greatly determine the performance of a brand in the market. In the case of Sony, the corporation has so many individual brands which create the need for effective brand architecture (Chernatony, 2008). In the United Kingdom, Sony uses the umbrella brand architecture in marketing its various brands across the country and beyond. This arises out of the fact that Sony has been a global brand over the years and the name has therefore become very synonymous with quality products. In this case, the umbrella or corporate brand offers an effective opportunity for the company to market its various sub-brands. Indeed, the nature of the products produced by Sony creates the need for a family name in order to limit much of the effort that would be used in promoting the individual brands. In this case, marketing can be done both for the individual sub-brands and by jointly marketing the family name. However, it should be realized that umbrella branding does not really imply that all the portfolio of the corporation falls under one name. Rather, the family name is just a unifying factor while each and every product has its different brand line. Across the United Kingdom, it is seen that Sony promotes its products effectively through the use of umbrella branding. Sony operates in the technology world where new products are constantly produced. For instance, when a new PlayStation is launched, promotion becomes much easy since the consumers are already acquainted with the bead name. In the

Racial Struggle in America Essay -- Ethnicity Immigration Papers

Racial Struggle in America Yes East and West and North and South, the Palm and the pine, the pole and the equator, the crescent and the cross - how the great Alchemist melts and fuses them with his purging flame! Here shall they all unite to build the Republic of Man and the Kingdom of God. (Rereading America 535) The myth of the melting pot, similarly to The American Dream [i] , brings a lot of immigrants to America hoping to find equality, freedom and opportunity. The promise of a new race in which individuals of all nations are melted into one, and whose labors would change the world, eludes people all over the globe. The drama of becoming an American requires that immigrants take on a new identity, because they want to become equally members of the community with all the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities that their fellow citizens have. The myth then falls flat on its face, because it lies when it says that all Americans are "created equal." The melting pot ideal has often masked the reality of racial supremacy, constantly reminding us of race [ii] when we feel our differences becoming signs of inferiority, and as inferiors we are treated as subhuman. Thomas Jefferson as third president of the United States (1801-1809) recommended that all emancipated slaves should be sent out of the state to form separate colonies, and to prevent racial conflict as well as intermarriage with whites. While he believed in the "Group Separatism" relation, which in "Models of American Ethnic Relations: A Historical Perspective" George M. Fredrickson explained as a self-governing community, President Ronald Regan declared himself "color blind" in matters of race. Neither a "group separatism," nor a "color-blind" socie... ...eading America. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2001. 598-609. Cose, Ellis. "Can a New Race Surmount Old Prejudices?"Rereading America. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2001. 635-646. Lindholm, William C. "Origins of the Old Order Amish." http://holycrosslivonia.org/amish/origin.htm [i]American Dream: the notion that anyone can succeed in America only through hard work. [ii]Race: population distinguished by genetic traits [iii] politics of identification: Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s term to define our capacity to identify with others regardless of their differences. "A Liberalism of Heart and Spine" [iv] model minority: Asian Americans were used as model minorities to other minorities to claim that the American Dream is alive.

Economics story

The Indian Economy Since Independence India Wins Freedom On 14 August 1947, Nehru had declared: â€Å"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of oopportunity, to the great triumph and achievments that await us. † He reminded the country that the tasks ahead iincluded â€Å"the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of oopportunity†. These were the basic foundations on which India embarked upon its path of development since gaining independence in 1947.The purpose of this talk is to analyze how much has India really achieved in the last 55 years in fulfilling the aspirations on which it was founded. Indian Planning process The objective of India’s development strategy has been to establish a socialistic pattern of society through economic growth with self-reliance, social justice and alleviation of poverty. These objectives were to be achieved within a democratic political framework using the mechanism of a mixed economy where both public and private sectors co-exist. India initiated planning for national economic development with the establishment of the Planning Commission.The aim of the First Five Year Plan (1951-56) was to raise domestic savings for growth and to help the economy resurrect itself from colonial rule. The real break with the past in planning came with the Second Five Year Plan (Nehru-Mahalanobis Plan). The industrialization strategy articulated by Professor Mahalanobis placed emphasis on the development of heavy industries and envisaged a dominant role for the public sector in the economy. The entrepreneurial role of the state was evoked to develop the industrial sector. Commanding heights of the economy were entrusted to the public sector.The objectives of industrial ppolicy were: a high growth rate, national self-reliance, reduction of foreign dominance, building up of indigenous c apacity, encouraging small scale industry, bringing about balanced regional development, prevention of concentration of economic power, reduction of income inequalities and control of economy by the State. The planners 1 and ppolicy makers suggested the need for using a wide vvariety of instruments like state allocation of investment, licensing and other regulatory controls to steer Indian industrial development on a closed economy basis.The strategy underlying the first three plans assumed that once the growth process gets established, the institutional changes would ensure that benefits of growth trickle down to the poor. But doubts were raised in the early seventies about the effectiveness of the ‘trickle down’ approach and its ability to banish poverty. Further, the growth itself generated by the planned approach remained too weak to create adequate surpluses- a prerequisite for the ‘trickle down’ mechanism to work. Public sector did not live upto the e xpectations of generating surpluses to accelerate the pace of capital accumulation and help reduce inequality.Agricultural growth remained constrained by perverse institutional conditions. There was unchecked population growth in this period. Though the growth achieved in the first three Five Year Plans was not insignificant, yet it was not sufficient to meet the aims and objectives of development. These brought into view the weakness of economic strategy. We discuss the failure of the planning process in more detail in the next section. A shift in ppolicy was called for. The Fifth Plan (1974-79) corrected its course by initiating a program emphasizing growth with redistribution.To accelerate the process of production and to align it with contemporary realities, a mild version of economic liberalization was started in the mid 1980s. Three important committees were set up in the early 1980s. Narsimhan Committee on the shift from physical controls to fiscal controls, Sengupta Committe e on the public sector and the Hussain Committee on trade ppolicy. The result of such thinking was to reorient our economic policies. As a result there was some progress in the process of deregulation during the 1980s. Two kinds of delicencing aactivity took place.First, thirty two groups of industries were delicensed without any investment limit. Second, in 1988, all industries were exempted from licensing except for a specified negative list of twenty six industries. Entry into the industrial sector was made easier but exit still remained closed and sealed. Hence, the roots of the liberalization program were started in the late 80’s when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India, but the reach and force of the reform 2 program was rather limited. There were political reasons as to why this program could not be enhanced which we talk about later.The Failure of the Planning Process While the reasons for adopting a centrally directed strategy of development were understanda ble against the background of colonial rule, it, however soon became clear that the actual results of this strategy were far below expectations. Instead of showing high growth, high public savings and a high degree of self-reliance, India was actually showing one of the lowest rates of growth in the developing world with a rising public deficit and a periodic balance of payment crises.Between 1950 and 1990, India’s growth rate averaged less than 4 per cent per annum and this was at a time when the developing world, including Sub-Saharan Africa and other least developed countries, showed a growth rate of 5. 2 % per annum. An important assumption in the choice of post-independence development strategy was the generation of public savings, which could be used for higher and higher levels of investment. However, this did not happen, and the public sector-instead of being a generator of savings for the community’s good- became, over time, a consumer of community’s sa vings.This reversal of roles had become evident by the early seventies, and the process reached its culmination by the early eighties. By then, the government began to borrow not only to meet its own revenue expenditure but also to finance public sector deficits and investments. During 1960-1975, total public sector borrowings averaged 4. 4 % of GDP. These increased to 6 % of GDP by 1980-81, and further to 9 % by 1989-90. Thus, the public sector, which was supposed to generate resources for the growth of the rest of the economy, gradually became a net drain on the society as a whole.I will now try to give some reasons for the deterioration of the public sector in India. 1) The legal system in India is such that it provides full protection to the private interests of the so called ‘public servant’, often at the expense of the public that he or she is supposed to serve. In addition to complete job security, any group of public servants in any public sector organization ca n go on strike in search of higher wages, promotions and bonuses for themselves, irrespective of the costs and 3 nconvenience to the public. Problems have become worse over time and there is little or no accountability of the public servant to perform the public duty. 2) The ‘authority’ of governments, at both center and states, to enforce their decisions has eroded over time. Government can pass orders, for example, for relocation of unauthorized industrial units or other structures, but implementation can be delayed if they run counter to private interests of some (at the expense of the general public interest). ) The process and procedures for conducting business in government and public service organizations, over time, have become non-functional. There are multiplicity of departments involved in the simplest of decisions, and administrative rules generally concentrate on the process rather than results. There is very little decentralization of decision-making power s, particularly financial powers. Thus, while local authorities have been given significant authority in some states for implementing national programmes, their financial authority is limited.Hence during early 90’s it was imperative for India to correct its clearly faulty developmental process. There have been several reasons put forward for the failure of the developmental path which necessitated the reforms of Manmohan Singh in 1991. The way I would approach the analysis is through the approach of comparing and contrasting the viewpoints of two of the most prominent Indian economists of our times. The Bhagwati-Sen debate Jagdish Bhagwati and Amartya Sen, probably the two most influential voices amongst Indian economists, represent the two divergent ways of thinking about the development path.Though formally no such debates exists, apart from occasional jibes against Sen in the writings of Bhagwati, I believe by scrutinizing their positions a lot of introspection can be don e. As Bhagwati says â€Å"my view as to what went wrong with Indian planning is completely at odds with that of Prof Sen†. My objective in this section is bring 4 out the intellectual divergence amongst these two great minds and possibly to learn something from that. Let us start with the points on which they agree.I think the fact that India needs an egalitarian development path is quite well acknowledged by both of them. The Nehruvian dream of an egalitarian growth process was what both of them would endorse. As Bhagwati says â€Å"I have often reminded the critics of Indian strategy, who attack it from the perspective of poverty which is juxtaposed against growth, that it is incorrect to think that the Indian planners got it wrong by going for growth rather than attacking poverty: they confuse mearns with ends.In fact, the phrase â€Å"minimum income† and the aim of providing it to India’s poor were very much part of the lexicon and at the heart of our think ing and analysis when I worked at the Indian Planning Commission in the early 1960’s†. The key strategy that defined the resulting developmental effort was the decision to target efforts at accelerating the growth rate. Given the immensity of the poverty, the potential of simple redistribution was considered to be both negligible in its immediate impact and of little sustained value. Accelerated growth was thus regarded as an instrumental variable; a ppolicy outcome that would in turn reduce poverty.He goes on to argue â€Å"Those intimately associated in India’s plans fully understood, contrary to many recent assertions, the need for land reforms, for attention to the possibility of undue concentration of economic power and growth in inequality. These ‘social tasks’, which of course also can redound to economic advantage, were attended to and endlessly debated in the ensuing years, with reports commissioned (such as the Mahalanobis Committee report on income distribution in 1962) and policies continually revised and devised to achieve these social outcomes†.If we follow the writings of Sen on the other hand, in his recent book â€Å"Development As Freedom†, Sen argues that â€Å"the usefulness of wealth lies in the things that it allows us to do- the substantive freedoms it helps us to achieve†¦. an adequate conception of development must go much beyond the accumulation of wealth and the growth of gross national product and other income-related variables. Without ignoring the importance of economic growth, we must look well beyond it†. I don’t think that there is any divergence of view on this front with that of what Bhagwati says.It is worth mentioning at this juncture that this has been a common misconception amongst economists about the divergence of two different developmental paths. It is often misunderstood that Bhagwati’s 5 view stresses just on economic growth while Sen argues ag ainst economic growth and the importance of markets. The above paragraphs reveal that this is certainly not the case. Both of them is sufficiently concerned with economic growth as well as the basic issues of poverty, health and social issues. The points of divergence I believe the real disparity concerns the mearns of achieving these common goals.Bhagwati’s arguments can be summarized as follows. The development process consists of two steps. As a first step, a growth accelerated strategy would generate enhanced investments and whose objective was to jolt the economy up into a higher investment mode that would generate a much higher growth rate. The planning framework rested on two legs. First, it sought to make the escalated growth credible to private iinvestors so that they would proceed to invest on an enhanced basis in a self-fulfilling prophecy.Second, it aimed at generating the added savings to finance the investments so induced. His argument crucially rested on the fo llowing logical theory. For the higher growth rate to achieve it is very important for the economy concerned to be open. If the effective exchange rate for exports over the effective exchange rate for imports (signifying the relative profitability of the foreign over the home market), ensured that the world markets were profitable to aim for, guaranteeing in turn that the inducement to invest was no longer constrained by the growth of the domestic market.It is worthwhile to recount India’s performance as far as the public sector savings is concerned, which was considered a major hindrance towards the success of the Indian plans. Continuing with the argument, the generation of substantial export earnings enabled the growing investment to be implemented by imports of equipment embodying technical change. If the Social Marginal Product of this equipment exceeded the cost of its importation, there would be a ‘surplus’ that would accrue as an income gain to the econom y and boost the growth rate.The role of literacy and education comes at the next stage. The pproduactivity of the imported equipment would be greater with a workforce that was literate and would be further enhanced if many had even secondary education. Now his argument is based on the fact that the enhanced growth would demand and lead to a more educated workforce. Thus 6 he considers that primary education and literacy plays an enhancing, rather than initiating role in the developmental process. Sen on the other hand considers a larger view of development.He believes that questions such as whether certain political or social freedoms, such as the liberty of political participation and dissent, or opportunities to receive basic education, are or not â€Å"conducive to development† misses the important understanding that these substantive freedoms are among the constituent components of development. Their relevance for development does not have to be freshly established throug h their indirect contribution to the growth of GNP or to the promotion of industrialization.While the causal relation, that these freedoms and rights are also very effective in contributing to economic progress, the vindication of freedoms and rights provided by this causal linkage is over and above the directly constitutive role of these freedoms in development. I think that it is precisely at this point where some of Sen’s writings on economics and philosophy should be considered. According to Sen, economics as a discipline has tended to move away from focusing on the value of freedoms to that of utilities, incomes and wealth. This narrowing of focus leads to an underappreciation of the full role of the market mechanism.For example, take the example of the most important finding on the theory of the markets- the Arrow-Debreu equilibrium. That theorem shows that a competitive economic system can achieve a certain type of efficiency (Pareto efficiency to be precise) which a c entralized system cannot achieve, and this is due to reasons of incentives and information problems. But if we suppose that no such imperfections do exist and the same competitive equilibrium can be brought about by a dictator who announces the production and allocation decision, then are these two outcomes the same?In a much celebrated paper, Sen brings out the distinction between â€Å"culmination outcomes† (that is, the only final outcomes without taking any note of the process of getting there) and â€Å"comprehensive outcomes† (taking note of the process through which the culmination outcomes come about). Along these lines we can argue that Sen would disagree with Bhagwati’s point of view in that it does not consider the â€Å"comprehensive outcomes†.Though the outcomes may be the same if we bring about a simultaneous increase in investments in education, health and other social activities, with that of growth, as against a 7 framework where growth b rings about a derived demand for those activities (a la Bhagwati), these are not the same thing. So as we can see, the primary difference in the approach is that Bhagwati argues that poverty and social dimensions can be taken care of in the second step of the development process while Sen argues that social oopportunity is a constitutive element in the developmental process.In this respect it is helpful to scrutinize the East Asian case, where countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (so called Asian Tigers) achieved phenomenal rates of growth in the 80’s and much of the early 90’s. The interesting fact about these countries is that they achieved this with a significant high record on the social dimensions. Both Bhagwati and Sen has commented directly on the achievement of these countries. As Bhagwati states â€Å"The East Asian investment rate began its take-off to phenomenal levels because East Asia turned to the Export promotion (EP) strategy.The elimination of th e ‘bias against exports’, and indeed a net excess of the effective exchange rate for exports over the effective exchange rate for imports (signifying the relative profitability of the foreign over the domestic market), ensured that the world markets were profitable to aim for, guaranteeing in turn that the inducement to invest was no longer constrained by the growth of the domestic market as in the IS strategy†. I personally think that there is nothing disputable in this analysis but it does not strengthen his argument that the social achievements in these countries followed their phase of growth.In fact the pioneering example of enhancing economic growth through social oopportunity, especially in basic education, is Japan. Japan had a higher rate of literacy than Europe even at the time of the Meiji restoration in the mid nineteenth century, when industrialization had not yet occurred there but had gone on for many decades in Europe. The East Asian experience was also based on ssimilar connections. The contrasts between India and China are also important in this aspect. The governments of both China and India has been making efforts for sometime now to move toward a more open, internationally active, market-oriented economy.While Indian efforts have slowly met with some access, the kind of massive results that China has seen has failed to occur in India. An important factor in this contrast lies in the fact that from a social preparedness standpoint, China is a great deal ahead of India in being able to make use of the market economy. While prereform China was deeply skeptical of markets, it was not skeptical of basic education and 8 widely shared health care. When China turned to marketization in 1979, it already had a highly literate people, especially the young, with good schooling facilities across the bulk of the country.In this respect, China was not very far from the basic educational situation in South Korea or Taiwan, where too an educated population had played a major role in seizing the economic opportunities offered by a supported market system. Indeed it is often argued that it is a mistake to worry about the discord between income achievements and survival chances-in general- the statistical connection between them is observed to be quite close. It is interesting, in this context, to refer to some statistical analyses that have recently been presented by Sudhir Anand and Martin Ravallion.On the basis of intercountry comparisons, they find that life expectancy does indeed have a significantly positive correlation with GNP per head, but that this relationship works primarily through the impact of GNP on (I) the incomes specifically of the poor and (2) public expenditure particularly in health care. In fact, once these two variables are iincluded on their own in the statistical exercise, little extra explanation can be obtained from including GNP per head as an additional causal influence. The basic point i s that the impact of economic growth depends much on how the fruits of economic growth are used.Sen argues that a focus on issues on basic education, basic health care and land reforms made widespread economic participation easier in many of the East Asian and Southeast Asian economies in a way it has not been possible in, say, Brazil or India, where the creation of social opportunities has been much slower and that slowness has acted as a barrier to economic development. I believe that one has to take note of the examples of say, Sri Lanka, the Indian State of Kerala or pre-reform China where on the contrary, impressive high life expectancy, low fertility, high literacy and so on, have failed to translate into high economic growth.I would like to see a theory which explains this. But to elucidate Sen’s view, he would rather prefer a situation of that of Kerala or Sri Lanka than that of Brazil or India. I would suggest that what one needs is such critical studies which would illuminate the failure of Brazil on one hand as against Sri Lanka on the other, to illustrate the fact that why an egalitarian growth process was not successfully implemented in these cases. We will have useful lessons to learn in that case for the future of development. The debate 9 between Bhagwati and Sen (or rather the created debate in this paper) gives rise to such an agenda.The Reforms of Manmohan Singh At the beginning of 90’s the reform process was started by the then Finance Minsiter of India, Manmohan Singh. The way I will organize this section is the following: First, I will give a short summary of the reform process , in the sense what were its general goals and ideas. Then I will mention some aspects of the reforms which I think are very encouraging. After that I will scrutinize the reforms more stringently in order to assess whether there is real cause for such jubilation that we tend to observe regarding India. (i)The Background: India’s economic reform s began in 1991 under the Narsimha Rao Government. By that time the surge in oil prices triggered by the Gulf War in 1990 imposed a severe strain on a balance of payments already made fragile by several years of large fiscal deficits and increasing external debt as was discussed before. Coming at a time of internal political instability, the balanceof-payments crises quickly ballooned into a crisis of confidence which intensified in 1991 even though oil prices quickly normalized. Foreign exchange reserves dropped to $1. billion in 1991, barely sufficient for two weeks of imports and a default on external payments appeared inevitable. The shortage of foreign exchange forced tightening of import restrictions, which in turn led to a fall in industrial output. A digression: The politics of reforms In a very engaging article on the politics of reforms Ashutosh Varshney has raised an extremely important question as to why was India’s minority government in 1991 successful in introd ucing economic reforms, whereas a much sthronger government, with a three-fourth majority in parliament, was unable to do so in 1985 (under the Prime Ministership of Rajiv Gandhi)?His argument draws a distinction between mass politics and elite politics. He believes that â€Å"this distinction has not been adequately appreciated 10 in the voluminous literature on the politics of economic reforms. Scholars of economic reforms have generally assumed that reforms are, or tend to become, central to politics. Depending on what else is making demands on the energies of the electorate and politicians- ethnic and religious strife, political order and stability, corruption and crimes of the incumbents- the assumption of reforms centrality may not be right†.In the largest ever survey of mass political attitudes in India conducted between April-July 1996, only 19 ppercent of the electorate reported any knowledge of economic reforms, even though reforms had been in existence since July 1 991. Of the rural electorate, only about 14 per cent had heard of reforms, whereas the comparable proportion in the cities was 32 per cent. Further nearly 66 ppercent of the graduates were aware of the dramatic changes in economic ppolicy, compared to only 7 per cent of the poor, who are mostly illiterate.In contrast, close to three-fourths of the electorate – both literates and illiterates, poor and rich, urban and rural- were aware of the 1992 mosque demolition in Ayodhya; 80 per cent expressed clear opinions about whether the country should have a uniform civil code or religiously prescribed and separate laws for mmarriage, divorce, and property inheritance; and 87 per cent took a stand on caste-based affirmative action. Thus according to Varshney, elite politics is typically expressed in debates and struggles within the institutionalized settings of a bureaucracy, of a parliament or a cabinet.Mass politics takes place primarily on the streets. In democracies, especially p oor democracies, mass politics can redefine elite politics, for an accumulated expression of popular sentiments and opinions inevitably exercises a great deal of pressure on elected politicians. The economic reform’s during 1991 kept progressing because the political context had made Hindu-Muslim relations and caste animosities the prime determinant of political coalitions. The reforms were crowded out of mass politics by issues that aroused greater passion, and anxiety about the nation.And hence the reforms could go as far as they did. (ii) The Reforms in a Nutshell: The reforms had two broad objectives. One was the reorientation of the economy from a statist, centrally directed and highly controlled economy to what is referred to in the current jargon as a ‘marketfriendly economy’. A reduction direct controls and physical planning was expected to improve the efficiency of the economy. It was to be made more 11 ‘open’ to trade and external flows thr ough a reduction in trade barriers and liberalization of foreign investment policies.A second objective of the reform measures was macro-economic stabilization. This was to be achieved by substantially reducing fiscal deficits and the government’s draft on society’s savings. (iii) Results: Compared with the historical trend, the impact of these policies has been positive and significant. The growth rate of the economy during 1992-93 to 1999-2000 was close to 6. 5 per cent per annum. The balance of payments position has also substantially improved.Despite several external developments, including the imposition of sanctions in 1998 and sharp rise in oil prices in 2000-01, foreign exchange reserves are at a record level. Current account deficits have been moderate, and India’s external debt (as a ppercentage of GDP) and the debt servicing burden have actually come down since the early nineties. There is also evidence of considerable restructuring in the corporate s ector with attention being given to cost-competitiveness and financial viability.The rate of inflation has also come down sharply. (iv) A Closer Scrutiny: When we talk about GDP growth we talk about the aggregate figures. Let us closely look at the sectoral composition. If we look at the growth rates with respect to different sectors we find that the growth rates of agricultural and industrial production have not increased at all in the nineties, compared with the eighties. The increase in overall growth in the 1990’s is overwhelmingly driven by accelerated growth of the ‘service’ sector.The service sector includes some very dynamic fields, such as uses of information technology and electronic servicing, in both of which India has made remarkable progress. This was largely a result of the liberalization policies initiated by Manmohan Singh. Ssimilar comments apply to the phenomenal expansion of software-related export services. Now the relevant question is, what is wrong in the fact that the services sector is driving the growth process in India?What is a bit disturbing is the fact that it is not clear as to the extent to which the rapid growth of the service sector as a whole contributes to the generation of widely-shared employment, the elimination of poverty, and the 12 enhancement of the quality of life. And also employment in the service sector is often inaccessible to those who lack the required skills or education. The current restructuring to the Indian economy towards this skill and education-intensive sector reinforces the resources to a certain ection of the society. How has the Reforms been successful in creating a widely shared developmental process? The issue as to whether the reforms have been successful in eliminating poverty to a greater extent than say in the 80’s is a contentious issue. Experience prior to the 1990s suggests that economic growth in India has typically reduced poverty. Using data from 1958 to 1991, Ravallion and Datt (1996) find that the elasticity of the incidence of poverty with respect to net domestic product per capita was –0. 5 and that with respect to private consumption per capita it was –0. 9. However, the 1990s are more contentious. Some observers have argued that poverty has fallen far more rapidly in the 1990s than previously (for example, Bhalla, 2000). Others have argued that poverty reduction has stalled and that the poverty rate may even have risen (for example, Sen, 2001). The basic question of measuring India’s poverty rate has turned out to be harder to answer than it needed to be because of difficulties with coverage and comparability of the survey data.Correcting for all those, Datt and Ravallion in a recent study find that India has probably maintained its 1980s rate of poverty reduction in the 1990s, though they do not find any convincing evidence of an acceleration in the decline of poverty. It is probably apt to remark here that oft entimes the public rhetoric fails to take the incomparability problems in the surveys from which the poverty estimates are calculated and try to interpret the estimates to reinforce their particular arguments.Even the Finance Minister’s ‘budget speech’ of Feb 2001 coincluded firmly that ‘poverty has fallen from 36 ppercent in 1993-4 to 26 ppercent or less now’. It is worth noting that even if one were to endorse the official 1999-2000 headcount ratio of 26 per cent, which is known to be biased downwards, one would find that poverty reduction in the 90s has proceeded at a ssimilar rates as in the earlier decades, in spite of a significant acceleration in the economic growth rate. As things stand, this is the most optimistic reading of the available evidence.All of the estimates were made with respect to head-count indexes. I think it is necessary to move away from this narrow index and to consider a broader range of social 13 indicators. Much of the d ebate in this area has focused on what has happened to expenditure on social sector development in the post reform period. Dev and Mooji (2002) find that central

Things Your Tween Should Do Before Middle School Ends

It​ may seem like your tween began  middle school  just a few months ago, but time has a way of passing us by. If your kids middle school experience is coming to an end, there are a few ways you can help them remember their time and  prepare for the high school experience. It will be here before you know it, so make sure your tween gets everything done before the final day of middle school. Attend a Middle School Dance If your child has avoided dances or other social gatherings while in middle school, now is the chance to attend one before the year is out. Encourage your kid to go to a school dance, carnival, concert, or other school function. If they are shy about going alone, have them  gather a group of friends  to attend together. Take pictures and give them suggestions on making it through the event if they feel awkward or out of place.   Take Pictures Your tween thinks that theyll remember everything from middle school forever, but that isnt the case. Encourage your kid to take photos of the school, friends, and even teachers. Have them go through their locker and binders for notes, handouts, or other items that would be fun to keep for later. If your tween is creative, they can combine photos and other items into a fun scrapbook to enjoy for years to come. If your family budget allows, purchase a yearbook so your child can have friends sign it to keep as a forever reminder. Thank Their Teachers Chances are your child had a few teachers during the middle school years that they liked and who had a positive impact. As the end of the year approaches, nows the time to thank them for all they did. Your kid can write personal thank you notes for their special teachers, or just leave a simple Thank You on the teachers whiteboard as a surprise. If your child wants to do something special, they could bake brownies or pick out a special gift to show their gratitude. Make a List of Top Memories When your tween is older, they will have fun looking back on the middle school experience. Encourage your child to make lists of events, friends, teachers, classes, inside jokes, and special moments. They could even get friends involved by asking them for a list of favorite experiences. Tuck the lists away in their yearbook to enjoy reading later.   Visit Your New High School When middle school days are numbered, high school is just around the corner. See if your kid can visit the new school or attend a school orientation. Exploring a new campus will help your tween get excited about entering high school and it might even give them ideas about which activities to join or try. Also, encourage your kid to visit the high school website to learn more about classes, clubs, and other school events. Plan a Graduation Party If youre up for it, throw a party! Allow your tween to have a gathering of friends to bid farewell to middle school and say hello to high school. You could invite a few close friends, or make it a large shindig. Either way, food, music and a slideshow of pictures highlighting the previous years best moments will help the children appreciate the past and prepare for the future.