MGT 501 Mod 2 SLP assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGT 501 Mod 2 SLP assignment - Essay Example This paper aims to project my reflection regarding my own personality traits as interpreted by the conducted test and its impact on overall effectiveness at work and overall career experiences. The Human metrics Jung Typology Test has also been undertaken to evaluate the peculiar traits that would help me in undertaking analysis. Following are the statistics provided as the test result: You have  moderate  preference of Extraversion over Introversion (33%) You have  slight  preference of Intuition over Sensing (12%) You have  marginal or no  preference of Thinking over Feeling (1%) You have  slight  preference of Perceiving over Judging (22%) (HumanMetrics, 2013) As per the results of the test, I found out that I am 33% of extravert, 12% institutive and perceiving is 22%. Also, my thinking capacity in complex decision ordained situations is 1%. As per the results, it is evident that I am a person who likes to socialize with people because they will motivate me the mos t. In other words, I would put more effort in teaming up with other individuals at work so that the end product is achievable by the team as a whole. This accomplishment of the team would furthermore enthrall the motivation level within me. This means that I am more likely to be effective at workplace when I am associated in a group combination. This also proves me as a person who does not want to keep ideas to myself. I am rather an expressive person who can undertake tasks of presentation which is one essential component in management career (Chatfield, 2007). Since I am not judgmental as per the score I have received after the test, it is probable that I can undertake risks and challenges. I believe that it is important to be versatile when it comes to work. In this way, I can learn a lot of things which will play as a motivational point for me. Limiting work is called the limitation that one puts against the better opportunities. Also, the aspect of judging can also be taken in terms of the coworkers I would work with. If a person becomes judgmental about the coworkers then it is more likely that adjustment to the team or group task would become difficult. Perceiving will make my working experience effective because one person is able to perceive people and environment by undergoing facts and in depth peculiarities (Semler, 2001). Another factor that makes my working effective or more likely to help me undergo progress during my career experience is intuiting. I am not among those who would sense things by undertaking an in depth analysis of the data and fixtures. I am more into inclining towards the patterns in which things would work. There are times at work when a person is expected to make decision based upon a precise analysis. In that case, I am sure that I can excel and make rather correct decisions. I rely more on my gut feeling which is advantageous for people who are in financial market (Karsten, 2006). My weakening point which might stop me to p rogress in terms of career is the decision making skills. As per the personality scoring, I have understood that I am more of a person who would think emotionally. I am quiet aware of the fact that practical life needs many decision making check points. One has to be practical rather than being emotional because it does not involve relationship (D'Almeida, 2007). I also believe that workplace is more of a station where you have to compete with others and make sure that even if you are working in a team, you are able to make sure that your commitment to the task leader is

Cutting Edge Issues in Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cutting Edge Issues in Service - Assignment Example Through the above activities the company tends to effectively communicate with their consumers in terms of offers and opportunities available (Perrys-a, 2012; Brink and Berndt, 2009, p.36-39). It is found from the above discussion that Perrys depends largely on the internet to help market its products and services to a larger consumer base in the United Kingdom market. Internet has emerged as one of the growing mediums for helping in the sale of automobile products to a larger consumer space in reflecting a rise of around 11 percent in automobile sales during 2010 as against 2009. On the contrary the sales in units through other mediums failed to reflect any such rise. With the help of the internet the automobile dealers can effectively communicate the different offerings and other value additions rendered in the automobiles to the consumers in an enhanced fashion. Along with internet the telephone communication also appears to have rendered high amount of effectiveness in the dealer ship functions related to sales of new and used cars to the consumers. In total the internet and telephone communication media has helped to increase the sales of automobiles by around 9 percent during the 2009 to 2010 period. Thus the automobile dealers tend to enhance their relationship with the consumers in an effective fashion with the help of internet and telecommunication media (Mintel Group Limited; Plunkett, 2006). Again the use of internet as a communication tool used by car dealerships helps in retaining a large pool of customers.

Ethical Stance for Research on Sustainable Tourism

Ethical Stance for Research on Sustainable Tourism Introduction Dr Jim Macbeth (2005, p.963), a lecturer and researcher in Australia who specialises in tourism research, has put forward the argument that, in the modern world, the stakeholders involved with the tourism industry, primarily the educators, developers and providers, need to find an â€Å"ethical† stance that will create a natural and appropriate platform for studying sustainability in tourism. To assess the validity of this assessment, one has to first consider the way that tourism research has been conducted and evolved in recent decades, together with the approach that has been used by the tourism industry in dealing with and combining the ethical and sustainability issues. From this a discussion on the relevance of ethical issues that are needed to address sustainability can be developed. Tourism Research As Dr Macbeth (2005) observes, historically, tourism research had evolved into a multi-faceted approach, which is based upon the four main threads outlined in the study conducted by Jafa Jafari (1990). In the initial stages, such research concentrated mainly upon the economic aspects of the tourism process. Being directed in this manner, the result of this research tended to emphasise the fiscal benefits that developing tourism would bring to a particular destination and the commercial organisations. However, with the increasing prevalence of the implementation of the economic research and their impact on destinations, researchers began to ask questions about the adverse social and cultural effect tourism was having. These two processes covered the tourism industry through the era of growth in mass-tourism. Alternative Tourism The third stage of tourism industry research development moved to the study of a new tourism phenomenon, alternative tourism, Initially, this was just seen and studied as a different level of tourist consumer, one whose demands and expectations were more than just the for the sun, sea and sand vocation of the mass-market vacation. These are the tourist who want independent and self-fulfilling vacations, ones that provided a unique level of escape. They were seeking the more active vacations, ones that gave the feeling of â€Å"self-autonomy and self-invention† (Cohen and Taylor, 1992, p.25) It was as a result of this movement that the educational institutions, particularly universities, became more interested in treating tourism as a bona-fide study subject. Universities increasingly offered courses aimed specifically at tourism as they took a deeper interest in the subject. Jafa Jafari (1990) was also correct in his prediction that the global educational commitment to tourism has increased at a faster rate from the date of his publication than it did previously. In addition, the educationalists, scholars and researchers have expanded the areas of their research into other and dedicated aspects of the subject. Sustainability In the last two decades two areas of tourism have attracted particular attention in educational and research, these being sustainability and ethics, in that order. Sustainability, which has been a driving focus in business for several decades, was the first area that caught the interest of tourism researchers. Initially it was approached on the basis of how to protect and maintain the attraction of destinations that were experiencing mass tourism growth. However, with the advent of increasing concerns regarding protection of the historical and natural environment, together with the increased interest in the physical damage that man was causing the climate, the scope of research into sustainability in tourism broadened significantly. Studies were conducted into ways in which destinations of historical and cultural interest could be exploited for tourism purposes, and to the economic benefit of the local community, whilst at the same time ensuring that the sites remained intact and did not become damaged or adversely affected by the increasing tourist traffic influx. Sustainability in natural destinations also received a lot of attention. The question of how one managed the dichotomy of conflicting issue that arise between the expectation and perception of the tourist consumer on the one hand, and the sustainability requirements of the destination on the other, were issues that resulted in a number of studies. For example, as Dr Macbeth (2005) has observed in terms of â€Å"wildlife† tourism, one has to decide how far to provide the natural experience of wildlife adventure that the tourists demands, whilst at the same time allowing the wildlife the ability to be sustained in their own environment. The discussion as to whether limited captivity, as is the case of the safari parks of Africa, provided a sustainable answer, namely would it still provide the experience that the tourist consumer required although not strictly a natural experience, was undertaken. One study into this specific subject by Newsome, Hughes and Macbeth (2005) showed t hat captive wildlife, seen in a natural setting, received a positive response from the tourists, fulfilling their expectations, whilst at the same time this environment offered some protection for the animals and their habitat. Similar issues and concerns have arisen regarding the tourist attraction to natural places of outstanding beauty, such as lakes and mountains. Here again, studies have concentrated on the complex issue of how to satisfy the tourism need without allowing that need to destroy the environment being enjoyed. However, problems began to develop when the theories were put into practice. As Fennell (2006, p.1) mentions in his book, a â€Å"negative backlash that has come about regarding the so-called ‘new tourism.’† One of the main reasons for this was that not all of the stakeholders involved in the tourism research were being adequately considered. As Fennell (2006, p.4) explains, there are three significant human sides to this triangle, being the tourist, the organisation that arranges the travel or vacation, and those who reside at or close to the destination. As a result of these mounting concerns, the issue of â€Å"ethics† began to arise. Ethics Ethics are codes that are derived and constructed from the moral value that is attached to an action, and they apply to every aspect of our lives. In other words the fundamental ethos of ethics dictates that the action or behaviour of a person, group or organisation should be appropriate to the issue and be seen to be conforming to the expectations of those affected by that behaviour (Fennell 2006, p.57). Like the word â€Å"sustainability†, the term â€Å"ethics† has in recent years become a featured part of the rhetoric within the business world as a whole and the tourism industry is no exception (Pearce, Moscardo and Ross 1977, p.89). Much is written in promotional material by tourism organisations about the ethics of their product and the ethical principals by which they work. In fact a plethora of ethical codes have been produced for all tourism industry stakeholders including, â€Å"codes of ethics for travellers; codes of ethics for tourists, for government, and for tourism businesses. Codes for all†¦ † (Fennell, 2006 p.241). However, partially as a result of the fact that such codes were not considered to be sufficient, and did not respond to the issues that were being raised, tourism researchers such as Jim Macbeth (2005) and others began to study how ethics should be viewed and used when dealing with the problems of sustainability within tourism. To do this meant that one had to look at ethics from the point of view of all shareholders, which, when addressing the three mentioned in Fennell’s (2006, p.4) study, meant understanding the effects that tourism policy and planning had on them. In addition there is the ethics related to the impact vacations will have upon environmental issues and how to handle these facets. In term of the application of ethics to the tourist consumer, research has to consider both aspects of these stakeholders. Not only is there the moral and ethical issue of ensuring that the tourist perceptions and expectations are honestly matched, but there is also the tourists own ethical standards and how they impact upon the success of otherwise of the sale of the destination product. The authenticity of the wildlife issue has been mentioned previously. Although, the majority of tourists considered the â€Å"captivity in natural surroundings† to be a natural wildlife experience, is it ethical for the destination to be portrayed in this manner? Similarly, is it ethical for the wildlife to be subjected to this sort of unnatural control simply to satisfy the needs of the tourist consumer? The tourist attitudes to â€Å"alternative tourism† have also changed. The tourist consumer has become more aware of the environmental issues surrounding destinations and vacations. As Pearce, Moscado and Ross (1997, p.152) explain in their study regarding the tourist relationship with the destination they are visiting, the â€Å"environmental attitudes to tourism are not held in isolation but, for some citizens, are a part of a larger environmental ethic.† An increasing number of tourists no longer expect their vacations to include all of the environmentally damaging aspects that were previously provided, neither do they expect the planners and policy makers to develop areas for vacations to the detriment of the environment; historical and cultural values. Similarly, they do expect those same persons and organisations to act towards the tourist consumer in an ethical manner. The perception is that, whilst providing the destination for vacation, this should be conducted in an ethical manner, ensuring that the correct measures are taken to ensure sustainability of the site and those communities, wildlife and natural resources that depend upon it. Brokers Brokers include all of those parties that have an interest in providing the destination and its activities to the tourist. This includes the local governments and policy makers, those who develop and maintain the sites, such as the hoteliers and attraction owners, and the sellers, being travel agents. All of these organisations need to address ethical issues that attract to the services and facilities they provide. Research has shown that many of these operators and brokers are already promoting the ethical aspect of their service, and are claiming that they have taken on board the demands of the consumer. For example there are corporations whose â€Å"Ethical tours claim to combine environmental education with minimal travel comfort, help protect local communities and environments† (Mowforth and Munt 2003, p.51). However, research and studies undertaken cast doubt on many of these claims. As Mowforth and Munt’s (2003, p.202) studies show, whilst the terms â€Å"environment,† â€Å"sustainability† and may appear in the organisation’s publicity to promote their ethical stance, it does not necessarily mean that these are factual claim. One representative, when questioned by these researchers in regards to their corporate responsibility to inform their consumers about the affect of tourism, responded that their primary task was to sell vacations. Much of the research work that Dr Macbeth (2005) has undertaken over the years, has been specifically targeted at endeavouring to create a platform which allows these organisations to address the ethical issues that face them in the provision of destinations and services, so that the claims made can be supported by genuine action. Macbeth has provided both theoretical and practical examples of how a destination can be designed in such a way that it incorporates the needs of all the stakeholders, whilst at the same time limiting the damage that can be caused by unethical methods. This includes how to involve the communities at all levels of the development of the destination and its running; ensure safety of the local environment, historical venues and places of interest; and at the same time presenting the destination in an ethically positive manner that will still address all of the tourist consumer demands and expectations and sustain tourism usage. One of the most difficult ethical issues facing tourism today is the community that live around or are involved in the destination site. This is especially true in areas such as developing countries and where there is a new destination being developed or exploited, as well as areas that have not had previous experience of such ventures within their locality. In the case of communities in and surrounding new destination developments, there are a number of ethical issues to be addressed. For example, whilst most may desire the benefit of such a development, Dr Macbeth believes that the developer has an ethical duty to ensure that the community is fully aware of the impact that the developed destination will have on their lives, environment and, potentially, their culture. It is accepted that this is not an easy task to achieve, particularly as with no previous experience by which to make a comparison, these communities may not fully comprehend the impact even when it is explained to them. Nevertheless, as the case studies and actual projects carried out by Dr Macbeth and his students have demonstrated, it is possible for such an understanding to be achieved (Jim Macbeth 1997). Community reactions are very important to the successful development of any destination site. Therefore their involvement with and acceptance of the project is important to achieve. As Pearce, Moscardo and Ross (1997, p.6) confirm, â€Å"the issue of how communities shape and respond to social and environmental changes is a driving factor in assessing community response to tourism.† Environment Finally, there is the issue of ethics in respect of the environment. In the current climate of potential threat to wildlife, dwindling natural resources, locations and the larger environmental issues, destination managers have an ethical duty to play their part in its sustainability. They also have a duty to ensure that their development does as little environmental damage as possible and contribute to the protection of the environment, rather than add destructive forces that will increase the dangers and damage. This includes such matters as energy conservation, emission control, and protection of wildlife, heritage and local communities. For example, with wildlife it is important that the planners are aware of any endangered species located within the destination target area, and ensure that the neither the development, nor the resultant tourist consumer activity can in any way add to the endangerment of that species. Ethical research It is important that, prior to the commencement of any development, research is undertaken to ensure that all of the ethical issues are addressed. The organisation needs to understand the impact that construction projects might have on the local environment, and its impact on issues such as wildlife protection and climate emissions. The research must also evaluate the effect of the development on the local population, its culture and heritage. One important proviso of the research that is undertaken is the independence of the researchers who undertake the study. Whilst, as is increasingly the case with studies and research projects that take place within universities, the planners and policy makers may contribute funding for the project, it is essential, and ethically correct to ensure that these people and organisations are able to carry out their tasks without any influence or pressure applied by those organisations. The purpose of such research is to reach a conclusion that provides for an ethical stance that all of the stakeholders can agree is desirable and, in addition, provide recommendations as to how the project and the ethical stance can be achieved and protected. In essence it should form the basis for â€Å"the purpose of identifying a template from which to aid in the development of tourism ethics.† (Fennell, p.197) Conclusion From the various researches that have been studied in the preparation of this paper, it is the author’s opinion that the hypothesis statement made by Dr Jim Macbeth is supported. There is a need for the educators and other stakeholders in the tourism industry to review the issues and construct an â€Å"ethical stance† that provides for a sustainable platform. It is equally importance that the strategy evolved from such a stance is seen to be effective and transparent to all concerned, with a determined effort to address and maintain all of the issues that constructing and maintaining a vacation destination involves. It is equally important to ensure that any studies and researches undertaken in an effort to achieve such a position are arrived at as a result of full discussion with, and involvement by all of the stakeholders involved with the product. Fennell (2006, p.346) observes, â€Å"In allowing ethics into tourism, we open the door to philosophy and the humanities.† Whilst it is accepted that this is the case, in the view of the author, there is no possibility of omitting this factor from the tourism research process. Ethics is an integral part of the tourist consumer’s human decision process. It is the stance that is taken on those ethics and the way it is approached that is important. References Butcher, Jim (2003). The Moralisation of Tourism: Sun, Sand†¦ and Saving the World? Routledge. London UK. Cohen, S. and Taylor, L (1992). Escape Attempts. The Theory and Practice of Resistance to Everyday Life. Routledge. New York. US. Fennell, David A (2006). Ethical Tourism. Channel View Publications. Clevedon, UK. Jacobsen Damien, Carson Dean, Macbeth Jim and Rose Simon (2005) Prosper Pilot Case Study. Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre. Queensland, Australia. Jafari, Jafar (1990). Research and Scholarship: The Basis of Tourism Education. The Journal of Tourism Studies, Vol.1, No.1. Queensland, Australia. MacBeth, Jim (2005). Towards an Ethics Platform for Tourism. Elsevier Ltd. Annals of Tourism Research, Vol 32. No. 4, pp 962-984. Oxford, UK. Macbeth, Jim (1997). Tourism, Policy and Planning in Australia and New Zealand: Issues and Cases. Irwin Publishers. Sydney, Australia. Section 3, Chapter 13. Mowforth, Martin and Munt, Ian (2003) Tourism and Sustainability. Routledge. London, UK. Pearce, Philip L., Moscardo, Gianna and Ross, Glenn F. (1997) Tourism Community Relationships. Elsevier Ltd. Oxford, UK. Cohen, S. and Taylor, L (1992). Escape Attempts. The Theory and Practice of Resistance to Everday Life. Routledge. New York, US. Newsome, D, M. Hughes and J. Macbeth (2005) Captive Wildlife Tourism in a Natural Setting: Visitor Satisfaction as a Measure of Success at Barna Mia, Western Australia. Journal of Ecotourism. Vol. 4, No. 2, pp73-91. Australia.

Life: The Personal Experience :: essays research papers

Life: The Personal Experience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who would have thought that a night out with a church group could turn into a deadly accident? En route to a spring break camp, one of our van was hit by a 18 wheelers' truck; creating a night we wouldn't forget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story began with a trip to summer retreat. It was ticket to bring me back to reality, and also tickets for some people to heaven. We loaded our luggage into the back of the vans, and we headed off toward our destination. It is about one or one and half hour later, one of our van stop at the stop sign, when the driver of that van saw no car was coming, (some blind spot cover the area that the driver can't see) he step the paddles and drive off, but a on coming truck was driving too fast and didn't saw one of our van, it crushes the van into three different pieces, everyone in our van saw it happened and everyone is shocked of that terrible scene. Few minutes later, the cops and the ambulances quickly arrived. We heard the loud noise come from the police and ask us to help them, we quickly got off the van and helping the fire fighters and the cops to pull people out of that vans, I saw lot of our church friend got burned to death and some other just crushed by Small pieces. Everyone is in tears including the police and fire fighters. After the rescue, we find out most of people in that van died, but some in serious condition. After that accident, I learned that life is meaningless, and learned that we should help others while we can. My goal was to let God into my life. It was one of the most relaxing and peaceful things I have ever done. Because we all inspired by God, he helps us when we really needed him. He brings us out of the nightmare that no one will ever forget. We gather all our church friend in a small meeting every Friday, every time we meet, we would have small group meetings and share anything that came to mind. We prayed for people to find God in their life, and for everything that needed assistance. We also planned the prayer service, meal plans, and chores for the next day. We saw God comes in our life and helps us while we have trouble of doing some stuff that we just cannot understand. He gives us power to think and solve the problem successively.

Mankiller: a chief and her people

This book is the autobiography of the former Chief of the Cherokee Nation, unfolding her personal story, the history of her people, and the dawning of the Native American Civil Rights struggle. The book is a quest to reclaim and preserve Native American values and to examine her own role as a woman of two cultures and leader of a sovereign nation. Basically the book is a mix of autobiography, traditional tales, and a lengthy history of the Cherokee. Mankiller's chronicle of her people churns with energy, whether she's raking the federal government over the coals or celebrating past Cherokee leaders like Sequoyah. It is dual story of Chief Mankiller's life and a compact history of crucial and poignant episodes in Cherokee history. This contemporary account of the first woman principal chief of the Cherokee Nation describes the development of a modern-day leader. A tale of personal triumphs and tragedies, it begins with a childhood spent on an allotment farm in Mankiller Flats, Oklahoma, and moves through teenage years in the 1960s as an â€Å"urban Indian,† a near brush with death, and a life of solid accomplishment in service and tribal leadership rooted in Cherokee culture. The mid section of the book is purely historical and the interaction of Cherokee and African American history is fascinating and a reoccurring theme. The average Americans are taught very little about the native peoples, this book is a must read for those who wish to know the Native American life. Wilma Mankiller's story is profoundly interwoven with the history of the Cherokee. Once the Cherokee lived in Tennessee and across the South, by the early 1800's white settlers were pushing them out of their native lands. Some left willingly and established new bases in Arkansas, only to be moved later. In the 1830's two-thirds of the Cherokee Nation were finally rounded up and forced to travel, mostly by foot, on a march now called the Trail of Tears. Those who survived the difficult march were placed on a reservation in Indian Territory. Once there, they were again neglected, the result was a confusion that resulted would greatly affect Mankiller's early life. The book traces her family saga, when they move out in 1950s from rural Oklahoma to San Francisco in a government relocation project. The federal government came up with a policy of â€Å"termination† of tribes to mainstream Native Americans. This policy was trumped up as a â€Å"wonderful opportunity for Indian families to get great jobs, obtain good education for their kids, and, once and for all, leave poverty behind.† In truth, the program gave the government the perfect chance to take Indian people away from their culture and open up the vast Oklahoma territory to white landowners. Wilama is vocal and does not hesitates to vehemently express her views â€Å"In my view, Oklahoma statehood was a very dark page†¦.the harm heaped on our people †¦was tremendous†¦.For the Cherokee Nation and the other of the Five Tribes, statehood meant only the heartbreaking conclusion to decades spent fighting attempts to transform Indian Territory into a white commonwealth.† It was a traumatic change for the 11 year-old Wilma and her 10 brothers and sisters. This sudden shift from traditional life brought her face-to-face with bias, racism and poverty. In spite of this, the Mankiller family had a strength to survive, which came through sheer will alone. Mankiller's father Charley and other relatives helped with the construction of the Mankiller's first real family home. The house was made of rough lumber and had only four rooms described as a â€Å"little bitty house with too many people living there†. There was no electricity in the house, and the family had to use wood, coal, oil, and natural gas to cook and heat the house. Due to the fact that the house also did not have running water, they had to bring water up from a spring for cooking and washing purposes, and use an outhouse to go to the bathroom. Though the home lacked some luxuries, Mankiller looks back on her time there with pleasant memories. However, some memories were not as pleasant as the pride in a family home. To obtain the money needed for basic necessities, Mankiller's parents and older siblings used to go out and cut timber to sell as railroad ties. To further supplement the family's income, Charley Mankiller and his oldest son went every year to help harvest broomcorn, generally working every day from dawn to sunset. And her family's strength and perseverance paid off. Mankiller attested to her family's strength when she stated, â€Å"even though we were poor, I cannot remember ever being hungry as a little girl. Somehow, we always had food on our tables.† Mankiller would feel no different from others until the family was relocated to San Francisco, California. That metropolitan setting opened her eyes to many injustices that existed in society and led the way for her focus on activism. As a child, Mankiller had her doubts about the relocation. These doubts were realized when the Mankiller family arrived in San Francisco and discovered that the situation was not as portrayed. Mankiller and her family had left behind â€Å"the sounds of roosters, owls, crickets.† The Native Americans are in love with their land and cannot think of selling or misusing it, as Supposedly Chief Seattle said in the 1850s â€Å"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land. Every part of the Earth is sacred to my people.† The 1969 Indian occupation of Alcatraz, which she supported strongly proved a turning point in her life. She became an activist in Indian affairs, eventually leaving her husband and returning with her two daughters to her old home. Surviving a debilitating automobile accident and a kidney transplant, she continues to lead her people. In this inspiring story, Mankiller offers herself as a valuable role model–for women as well as Native Americans. Wilama is a tribal woman to the core, who loves her traditions and culture intensely and proud to be a Native American. She unfolds the wrongs of the White Americans settlers, when Native Americans spiritual beliefs and practices were considered ignorance. She explains that to be a Native American means holding a different perspective of the world. She enlightens the readers, that the culture, values and traditions of native people are more than crafts and carvings. The Natives   respect for the wisdom of their elders, concept of family responsibilities, concern for the environment and willingness to share – all of these values makes   Native American culture endurable in the course of time. On personal level the book is an autobiography overcoming the difficulties and problems, however it moves beyond personal woes and traces the history of the Cherokees. The tale revolves around her own battle against devastating personal illnesses–including kidney disease and myasthenia gravis- -evokes praise and admiration for over coming her odyssey of life. The text is filled with her â€Å"innate love of all people’’. Despite talk of   â€Å"spirituality† very little spirituality can found in the book. It is a   story of survival, told with honesty and eloquence, teaching the readers, the lesson of endurance and strength in the wake of crisis. Reference: â€Å"The 2005-06 chairwoman of the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, an independent center at the law school, Mankiller is also serving as a visiting professor in the Ethnic Studies department through the end of this month. The speech opened with a ceremonial welcome by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Honor Guard and a traditional song performed by the Eagle Beak Singers. Mankiller was introduced by University President Dave Frohnmayer, who said it was an â€Å"honor to welcome a woman, a leader, a person who understands the relationship between knowledge and morality.† Mankiller began by mentioning the difficulties of having an informed dialogue on Native American issues. Mankiller deconstructed many stereotypes about Native Americans and reiterated the necessity of doing so†. Oregon Daily   Emerald, November 13, 2005 â€Å"Contemporary Native women of the United States and Canada, politically active in Indigenous rights movements for the past thirty years, variously articulate a reluctance to affiliate with white feminist movements of North America. Despite differences in tribal affiliation, regional location, urban or reservation background, academic or community setting, and pro- or antifeminist ideology, many Native women academics and grassroots activists alike invoke models of preconquest, egalitarian societies to theorize contemporary social and political praxes. Such academics as Paula Gunn Allen, Rayna Green, and Patricia Monture-Angus, as well as Native activists Wilma Mankiller, Mary Brave Bird, and Yet Si Blue (Janet McCloud) have problematized the reformative role white feminism can play for Indigenous groups, arguing that non-Native women's participation in various forms of Western imperialism have often made them complicit in the oppression of Native peoples† Revision and Resistance: The Politics of Native Women's Motherwork, Lisa J. Ude, Frontiers – A Journal of Women's Studies ,2001 The key to reaching this goal is ownership. Service must never be done for others but with them. Before she became Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Wilma Mankiller attracted national attention through her work with self-help community-service projects in isolated Cherokee communities. The most dramatic of these involved the tiny community of Bell, where local Cherokee designed and carried out a project that became a catalyst for bringing their community together. The project could have been done for the people (the approach usually taken by government agencies) rather than by the people. But that wasn't what Mankiller had in mind. Kappan.P   Service-Learning and Multicultural/Multiethnic Perspectives from Diversity to Equity (2005) She has shown in her typically exuberant way that not only can Native Americans learn a lot from the whites, but that whites can learn from native people. Understanding the interconnectedness of all things, many whites are beginning to understand the value of native wisdom, culture and spirituality. Spirituality is then key to the public and private life of Wilma Mankiller who has indeed become known not only for her community leadership but also for her spiritual presence. A woman rabbi who is the head of a large synagogue in New York commented that Mankiller was a significant spiritual force in the nation. Her book also details her social and political involvement in American Indian and women's issues and her return to her northeast Oklahoma roots. Since then, Mankiller worked on many community development programs designed to provide jobs and/or homes to Native American people. In 1991, she was reelected as chief. Power Source, Wilma Mankiller former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Mankiller attributes her understanding of her people’s history partially to her own families forced removal, as part of the government's Indian relocation policy, to California when she was a young girl. Her concern for Native American issues was ignited in 1969 when she watched a group of university students with AIM (American Indian Movement) occupy Alcatraz Island in order to attract attention to the issues affecting their tribes. Shortly afterwards, she began working in preschool and adult education programs in the Pit River Tribe of California. Women History Project In this spiritually moving autobiography, Wilma Mankiller not only tells her personal story, but honors and recounts the complex history of the Cherokees. Her book becomes the quest to reclaim and preserve the great Native American values that form the foundation of our nation. She details the dawning of the Native American civil rights struggle and how the genesis of that movement mirrored her own search for meaning and balance as a woman of two cultures and as the head of state for a sovereign nation of native people. Four Winds Indians Books (2005)             .            

Formal Education Vs. Informal Education Essay

Are you or your child receiving an education that fits your element? If not then when would now be a good time to look into that? Adults and children today or mostly unaware of how education is being presented do to the fact that they are only aware of one type of education. Of course most of us all are all born and raised on the â€Å"ladder system† which is another way of saying formal education, but many people don’t realize that there is an abundance in different types of education. We have all heard of private schools and charter schools, but those are just schools not education. Yes they are education to a degree but there are only two types of education, and they are frequently fought and argued about which one is better. Those two types of education are formal education and informal education. In todays society people are built mainly on morals and beliefs that are passed down through the government and high end white collard business men. Unfortunately people are becoming more and more unaware of informal education. Informal education is better than formal education do to the constant environment change and open curriculum that a education lacks. Informal education is better and should be blended in with formal education to get a real world experience. The year two thousand and thirteen today we thought to have evolved in our educational practices. Even now people are becoming more intelligent in formal education through the years that the â€Å"ladder system† was introduced. Unfortunately though with that we also have been developing lower and lower common sense. That is mainly to do with formal education. Many people ask what is formal education? Formal education is education presented in a prestiges matter in which there are different levels completed. The levels being Elementary school, Middle School, High School, and finally college. Seeing that there are different levels to be completed makes a more focused approach on education which in the long run will increase your intelligence, do to wanting to complete the final task which is college. Even by doing this many people blindly rush into college only forgetting what they have learned in middle school and even high school. Formal education is also very narrow and not open in many other experiences. Formal education schools are often decided what to teach based on what the state wants. With most of the formal educations power going to the government and states. That leads formal educated schools to having a very closed curriculum and not being able to learn outside the box or have any other experiences. With formal education being a ladder system and a narrow curriculum, you can see that in terms of college expectations you are intelligent, but in realistic experiences you are not. Now what is Informal Education. Let me share an idea with you before i tell you. You probably know what a formal event is right? You wear a formal garment such as a suit or a dress and you go to a very on point social event, but whatever when you are not dressed formally? You tend to have more creative freedom and you start to be educated on different types of apparel. Informal education the informal clothes appose to formal clothes such as a dress or suit. In the world of informal education there is no Ladder system. It is in short basic education but in a progressive form. And with being no ladder system the states are not involved with the curriculum which means you get to learn outside the box and experience far more than formal education could ever teach you. Many people argue which is better when most people really lean more towards formal education, but really for an educational stand point informal education is better. There are many factors to bring into play when explaining the reason informal education is better than formal education. First let me explain environmental reasons to this. Looking at formal education you see that every day you are in the same blocks of classes and you are constantly surrounded by the same people. With that you are not really experiencing different types of people because you are built upon having the same people through out the school year. You are not exposed to different personalities or characteristics do to people adapting to your own and becoming more like you. Informal education on the other hand you are exposed to the same class room, but there are usually different people in your class daily, and frequently even different teachers. With that your are not adapting to certain personalities but you are adapting to a realistic way of life which is being surrounded constantly with different people. Another thing argued strongly is the experience range. Formal education gives you a very narrow curriculum not allowing you to experience other things that are more valuable outside of school. Most of the things in formal educated school apply only to school and not in the real world although english, science and some math is an exception. Informal education allows you to see many different prospectives on certain subjects and you really get to experience a lot more than what the state narrows it down too. Experience such as different people usually everyday, different subjects everyday and when a subject is ever retaught, it is taught by a different teaching making a different point of understanding. The education in an informal school is usually basic things that you would learn in middle school, but going more into formal education it starts to be applied to many different areas in a real world circumstance, and applied several different ways. In a formal education school you are taught more advanced things that help develop the brain, but has no use in the outside world. In todays formal educated schools we are all taught that knowledge is power but that is really an understatement. What use do you have of acquired knowledge if you don’t even know how to apply it in a real world circumstance? Point proven. Formal educated schools today are focused to much upon how to help you get to the next step of the ladder rather than helping you understand the use of the information provided. While formal education has a great affect on the brain development wise, it lacks many uses outside of its buildings. In formal education on the other has many experiences that are less advanced and may not enhance or develop the brain much. But if knowing how to use one piece of great information acquired and it making you become very successful. Then all the other information obtained that had no transformational value was just a waist of time. Even today many people see education beyond high school as a waist of time, and the ones that adore formal education argue greatly on the belief. The biggest thing that affects people differently in formal or informal schools is the mindset that is carried through out the course. When begging a regular ladder system school which starts at elementary school we are all familiar with the different cards used to display behavior status. The blue card representing excellent behavior. The green card representing good behavior. The yellow card representing behavior that needs attention, and finally the red card representing bad behavior. What people do not know is the physiological effects that the cards hold towards the child. When growing up we are all taught right from wrong, but it is now human nature to focus only on the problems. With that said many times in elementary school kids are often punished more than rewarded, and many times barely acknowledged for the good they have done. When still developing at a young age there brains start adapting and internalizing what they are surrounded by. Many times do kids get yelled at for there miss behavior and even punished frequently. And not so often do the kids get praised with the same amount of energy they were being punished for. With so little energy going towards the good and rewarding, and so much going towards punishing there starts to become an imbalance of emotions. In the long term the students feel like they are useless and not worthy enough for whats to come. With that they start growing up with these feelings and in the long run do not have the emotional uplift to conquer any dreams or goals. While during informal education every student is treated equally and is not so much punished as they are rewarded. This in the long run carries the opposite effect than in formal education.