Effective Leadership In Nursing Practice

Effective Leadership In Nursing Practice Leadership is a trend of a crew and interactive it to people, encouraging, motivating and permitting them to underwrite to accomplishing organisational victory. The leadership requires being strategically focused and his performance practices to build obligation and achieve the best effort from your people. Leadership by invocation a variety of thoughts, reflections, image and include power, influence, followership, dynamic personality, charisma, goals, autocratic behaviour, innovation, cleverness, warmth and kindness. Leadership is help to do the right things to themselves and also for others. In set of direction, build an inspiring vision, and will create something new. Leadership will map out, where you need to go to win as a team or an organization. Mills. (2007). Leadership must continue in every healthcare facility where impression change and achieving high standards of patient care are stipulated in job titles, such as Director of Nursing, Nurse Consultant, or Modern Matron. Leadership combines the use of interpersonal skills to influence others to accomplish a specific goal. (Sullivan and Garland, 2010). Mentorship/leadership from senior leader smoothes is transitions from clinical roles to formal leadership roles. They must learn the business side of healthcare while maintaining the care side. -Kathleen Sanford, DBA, RN, FACHE; Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer, Catholic Health Initiatives, Denver, Colorado. 2.0 Understanding on Leadership Styles There are numerous concepts about leadership styles, many relating a range two conflicting styles with an integer of intermediary stops amongst them. Well try here to contemporary four styles that review many of the standing theories, and to show how they interrelate with alternative, wide-ranging way of considering at leadership style. Krause, T. (2007). Autocratic. Autocratic leaders maintain on doing it all themselves. They have all the power to make all the judgments, and dont frequently tell anyone else approximately what theyre doing. If you work for an autocratic leader, your job is typically to do what youre expressed. Democratic. A democratic leader comprehends that there is no organization deprived of its people. He looks at his and others situations in terms of tasks rather than status, and often refers in decision-making as his own. He receives that expert also means the buck stops with him. Though he understands the organization as an obliging endeavour, he distinguishes that to face the significances of his choices alone. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style. A Laissez-Faire leadership may be the best or the poorest of leadership styles, also recognises as the hands-off ¨ style. He will afford little or no bearing gives to staff. Their will finish much liberty as feasible. All authority or rule given to the employees. They are analogous in that abstracted as passive prevention of problems, decision manufacture and answerability (Avolio et al., 1999). 3.0 Leadership Style Is Apparent In The Effective Provision Of Health Autocratic Leader is sustaining the specialist by force, gravity, pressures, compensation and judgment, or position. While, has perfect image, and potency or may not be track verdict the organization in the particular way, they not nervous with whether anybody else adopts with what they doing or not. Autocratic leadership to variety quick decision-making, and eradicates opinions over how and why belongings get done. If, as is repeatedly true, the lead was alarmed with his own control and standing, hell be observing over his assume, and touching to gurgle any disapproval to him or his thoughts and results. Novelty or the use of others thoughts is only allowable if its fragment of the leaders plan. Effects on the organization Autocratic leaders frequently dispensation fear and caution in their awaken and others in the organization incline to facsimile their defence of their situation. Habitually, autocratically -led organizations are not mostly supportive of special relationships, but much additional input to chain-of-command. Everyone has her individual sphere, and keeps it at all outlays. Communication inclines to go in solitary one direction up as a result of which report can become the normal way of scattering news in the organization. Autocratic leadership affords a stable and threatened work location and conclusive, active leadership. While the autocratic leaders are not insufferable and dreaded, but rather respected, and even precious be contingent on their own behaviours, example like anybody else or they can be enjoyable people, even eager to attend and act on others ideas- on the organization itself like armed or soldiers want somebody resolutely in charge. Democratic Leader, Recognises that there is no organization deprived of its people. He looks at his and others sites in standings of tasks rather than prestige, and often accesses in decision-making. While he petitions, ethics, and takes into reason others attitudes, however, he sees the vital responsibility for judgment making as his own. He accepts that authority also revenues the lowest stops with him. Democratic leadership invitations are the contribution of staff affiliates and others, not only in executive, but in determining the organizations vision. It agrees everyone to express sentiments about how things should be done, and where the organization should go. By carrying in everyones thoughts, it augments the organizations potentials. But it unmoving leaves the final choices about what to do with those philosophies in the indicators of a single person. Effects at the organization Democratic leadership, with its prominence on equivalent status, can inspire friendships and moral relationships during the organization. It benefits people sensation treasured when their ideas are solicited, and even further so if those estimations are merged into a final finding or policy. What a democratic leadership doesnt undeniably do while it can is create staff ownership of the organization and its areas. Although everybody may be demanded for philosophies or sentiments, not all of those are used or combined in the workings of the organization. If there is no actual conversation of ideas, with a subsequent overall agreement, a sense of ownership is improbable. Thus, democratic leadership may have some of the disadvantages of autocratic leadership a absence of buy-in deprived of the advantages of rapid and strong decision-making that originates with the removal of discussion. Laissez-Faire leader. Their believed in freedom of choice for employee and leaving them alone so they can do as they want. The basis for this style of leadership is twofold. Firstly, there is a strong belief that the employees know their jobs and best to leave them alone to do jobs. Secondly, the leader may be in a election-based position and may not want exert power and control for fear. There is virtually no participation, involvement, and to do communication in workforce. Laissez-faire leadership can only lead to anarchy, inefficiency and can be dismissed out of hand as useless. Effective of laissez-faire leadership seem to be negative. Empowering leadership, where leadership-power are deliberately and consciously delegated, organizational empowerment for overall acceptance of this vision is produced. This style of leadership works best when people are capable and motive to decide and are nit hindered by a central coordinator. Effects on the organization Leader behaviour on the organization has passive, non-directive approach. Almost any behaviour by the group is permissible due to the leaders lack of limit-setting and stated expectations All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine their goal, make decisions and resolve problems on their own. The employees are high skilled, experienced, educated and they have pride in their work and also the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts such as staff specialists are being used. The employees are trustworthy and experienced This style should not be used when it makes the employees feel in secure at the unavailability of manager. Leader is unable to thank the employees for their good job. This manager doesnt understand their responsibilities and hoping the employees can cover them. 4.0 Leadership Style Of A Leader That Facilitates Staff Development Both nurses and supervisors stated that it was characteristic for the democratic nurse manager to highlight teamwork and obligation to work. The employees had an option to voice their sentiments and take share in problem-solving and decision-making. Though, the nurse manager was eventually predictable to be a decision-maker Donley, R. (2008). Was different perception of the nurse manager position in these styles? On the hand, dome supervisor felt that nurse manager did not attitude out as managers, but as team members. This destined that the nurse manager individual tasks might be of subordinate importance. She is working a lot with us and she has difficulties performing her own duties as nurse manager. Supervisor said that a nurse consumed a significant role in collaboration and its growth with the members of dissimilar professional group and amid effort components. They services to get the personnel to promise to the joint goal were considered as noteworthy. Planning composed with the personnel moulded a foundation for employee commitment to work. This type of leadership defers to the group to help make decision. This can create an environment in which employees feel valued, but at the same time, it can take some of the leadership authority away from the leader. People will not expect the leader to make important decisions and will devalue their role in the organization. This can cause problem in the long run as it also leads to a slower process for getting things done. Sometime leader is firm, but unlike coercive leader, they also are fair. While this is an improvement, it still having problems. The disadvantage of this is that employees are still not given opportunity to provide feedback o suggest alternative methods for doing things. An experience leader will choose the leadership style that work best in any given situation. Example, when there an emergency Code Blue, on the other hand, she may be a directive autocrat who gives instructions unilaterally to less experienced nurse while she closely supervises their work. Some leadership used a dictating style when leading their employees. With style of leaderships, the leader will make every decision for the group and enforce it strictly. In some situations, this can be a benefit, but at the same time it can lead to problem with employees. If the employees know that they have no input in what goes on, they will get discouraged with their roles. Hey will simply defer to the manager in every area instead their own common sense as well. Critical and creative thinking about the nurses means that there is no time for cautious rumination and planning the nurses must rapidly take situation and produce a solution that is both efficient and causes minimal conflict. The leading nurses also predictable to exhibit creative thinking skill: and also exploit the time they have to safeguard that worker are not just current and working. Nurses attraction upon their original side to suggest new ways of carrying staff together and getting the job done well. The skills nurse required when a nurse graduates from school and yield his RN license, their mostly has basic leadership skills to smear to direct persistent care. As he willingness to variation nurse, nurse manager and, eventually, nurse need to learn more about leaderships. Its significant for a nurse to seek advice and mentoring from senior nurse leader who can provide truthful response about his leadership style. Importance nurse has trended toward a communal governance model of management that includes nurses in decisions moving their preparation. In that model, nurse manager uses a permissive democrat style, hopeful her nurses to actively contribute in clinical decision-making and monitoring their outcomes. The nurse executive, in turn, uses the same style to establish nursing councils with representation from staff nurses. One of the most common types of leadership will involves trying to manage every last detail of an operation. With this type of management, you might get to oversee more details, but you will also create resentment among your employees. Many employees do not like to be like to be micromanaged, and will start to dislike your leadership style. This type of leadership fosters distrust with employees because it makes them feel like you cannot trust them to do even the simplest tasks. Some leaders should to delegate a great deal of responsibility to those underneath them. While this strategy can free up time for the manager, it can also lead to increased mistakes. If the leader delegates too much responsibility, it can overwhelm the lower-level employees and lead to issued. It can also create an unorganized environment in the workplace because this often leader to the leader being absent. Since the lower employees are authorized to do more, the leaders role is diminished. Nurse leaders to guide effectively without hand-holding or condescension, rather than simply telling subordinates what to door not just instructing. He demonstrate the utmost fairness in all situations, they grow more confident both in his leadership performances. The leaders must deal with many kinds of people as doctors and other medical settings. They must cultivate excellent listening skills and the further develop empathy and compassion they possess. When dealing with families and patients, the leaders must exhibits the utmost professionalism without losing touch of their humanity and ability to make an emotional connection. A new nurse as leaders is the fact that effective leaders are also proficient clinically. The new nurses can incorporate leadership fundamentals while developing competency in their profession in exploring the Synergy model Kerfoot (2001) contend, A leader cannot provide direct good care. The leaders obligation is to create the environment in which good people can provide good care, Healthcare management can benefit from examples of the other successful corporate habits in organization The book Built to Last, a study of successful corporate habits indicates that continuity of leader and on-going leadership development contribute significantly to success of an organization. In a follow-up research book, Good to Great, Hersey, P, Blanchar K. (2002) describe a level 5 leader as one who states that level 5 leadership is one of the key determinants of organization greatness. How staff members perceive nurse-manager is critical to recruitment and retention efforts. Effective leaders use successful strategies for time management. Often leaders allow minutes and hours to be wasted on nonessential tasks such as opening mail, filing, and responding to noncritical requests from other. Effective leader is use self-discipline to organize these tasks and assign priority to projects that product result. By learning from management experts such as Stephen Covey, nurses can perfect their time management skills. In his book, The 7 Habit of Highly Effective People, describe the time management matrix that encourages leaders to focus most of their time on noncurrent activities. A leader can use time efficiently while building staff members self-esteem, as exemplified by the concept of 1 minutes praise described in the One Minutes Manager finding creative, quick, and individual ways to thanks staff members, colleagues, and customer is an important leader skill. The personal acknowledgement of staff members builds morale and improves retention. Communication occurs through speech, nonverbal signal, and written documentations. It is essential that leaders disseminate and interpret information quickly and accurately. A 2 year study of Chilean nurse leader suggested that leadership is characterized by exerting a positive influence on others through good communication. At the root of effective communication is delivering the message in such a way that the listener will hear it. Strategies effective decision making such as help leaders understand intuitive decision-making strategies. There are also tool such as the decision tree and force-field analysis that help a group analyse data and options when solving problems. Educating leaders and team members about different decision-making strategies cultivates critical-thinking skills. These tools encourage teams to remain focused as the team members evaluate possible solutions. Creation Skills used by nurse leader create opportunity, value, relationships, and quality for their employees and organizations, for example, implementing a formalized mentor training program to increase the retention of new staffing is creative approach to retention. If a manager does not have a creative solution to a particular situation, the manager should be able to identify these qualities in others so that ideas for improvement are still brought forth for evaluation and implementation Create opportunity for employees that leaders are only as effective as the employees who work for them. A part of a leaders role is to create opportunity to encourage employees personal and professional growth. Brunt provides an overview of the America Nurses Associations scope of standard of practice for professional development of nurses. Leading others by example and role-modelling can be effective. Promoting collaborative practice creates opportunities, especially in the areas of relationships between Doctor and nurses. Create quality through continuous improvement and error reduction should not be hidden in the basement and emergency only before the accreditation survey. A focus on quality and error reduction should be everywhere: in units, at meeting and others. Leader should encourage employees to continually challenge the status quo. Everyone should continually use organizational process improvement, root-cause analysis tools, and creative teamwork to improve process. This goal is accomplished by mentoring, leading by example, and designing reward system that encourage this behaviour. Many organizations are using Six Sigma, a data-drive method of identifying and reducing defects errors such as define, measure, analyze, improve as the steps to improved operations that fall standards. To create relationships with strategic partners with understanding the relationship with partners is imperative. The organizations must find partners with synergies, enter into contacts with person that fill a void in the organization, and then capitalize on the expertise available. It is often best to control partner relationships, not ownership. The doctor are valuable partners, leader-leaders should strive to understand doctor, and help them succeed, incorporate them into hospital process such as operational analysis, error reduction and solution identification. 5.0 Conclusion Today hospitals are struggling operationally and financially. The reasons are complex and multifaceted. Training leaders is an effective way to proactively address operational inefficiencies and ineffective practices in human resources. Leaders should be encouraged to identify their own weakness and use these skills and tools to develop and promote competency. In order to strengthen nurse leaders for nurses and managers should include leadership skills and expectations. Leadership education and training should be one of many initiatives related to process improvement that incorporate research, best practices, and methods that inspire our current and future leaders. An important moral imperative to ensure that our healthcare organizations are led by individuals and team who display relational skills, concern for their employees as persons, and who can work collaboratively to achieve a preferred future for themselves, patients and organization . The healthcares faces a looming shortage of leaders, nurses and other healthcare professionals to implementing strategies to ensure effective leadership is paramount. The developing and promoting viable nursing leadership for future, organizations can achieve the goal of providing quality care for healthcare consumers. The findings suggest that by investing energy into relationships with nurses, relation leaders positively affect the health and well-being of their nurses and, ultimately and outcomes for patients The nurses must use their leadership behaviour to positively influence organizational outcome and need to appreciate the inter-relationship between developing nursing practice, improve quality of care and optimizing patient outcomes. Healthcare organizations need nurse leaders who can develop nursing care, are an advocate for the nursing professions and have a positive effect on healthcare through leadership. In Word Counted 3197 (Excluded Table Of Content Reference)

Movie Analysis: “Goodfellas” and “A Clockwork Orange”

Goodfellas: a film on Juvenile Delinquency. The film â€Å"Goodfellas† by Martin Scorcese showcases the day-to-day life of a Mafia family. As compared to other mafia movies that focus on an individual character, Goodfellas showcased the mafia account as a whole, general point of view. The movie’s main character is Henry Hill, whose transition from a street scum to a mafia became the main plot of the story. All the other events were more in-depth analysis of the formation of a mafia family, its management, its initiation, and its ups and downs (Cannon, 1997). Henry Hill dreamt of a mafia life. He spends time on the streets, looking at working-class people, thinking about their clothes, cars, and basically every luxury that he could dream about. For him, mafia is the only way to achieve a luxurious life. He started running errands for small time gangsters, until one time, Paul Cicero took him under his wing as his apprentice. He became Pauli’s sort of a right hand. As an apprentice, he has adopted some of the mafia ways, and came into liking it, getting accustomed with it. Young Henry’s ways were never a good sight for his parents. They didn’t like him getting along with his gang that’s why they always fill him with arguments, telling him to get away from them. But he never listened to what they say. He liked the gangster life: he easily gained a following, using these people to scare others, thus gaining â€Å"respect† from many people. You are respected by a lot of people if they fear you, and that’s what Henry Hill wanted to earn. Henry failed his schooling, something that his parents never found out, since he put on some frighteners on the postman to make sure that the letters from the school never reaches his parents. There came a time when Henry was arrested by the local police. He was investigated, asked who was with him, but he chose to put a tight lid in his lips. He never squirmed, even with the threats and the physical pains that they gave him. Unknowingly for Henry’s part, he has just completed the final part of the initiation; he is now officially a â€Å"goodfella.† He has been tested by the top leaders of the mafia family, including Pauli, James Conway, and Tommy DeVito. The following years were the â€Å"good times† for Henry. Money was flowing like water for him. The respect he was looking for back then is easily given to him at these good times; even the cops fear him and give him respect. At a certain point in his career, he met a fine young woman, Karen. This Jewish girl becomes his wife and bore of his kids after a few years. Meanwhile, Henry hasn’t given up on a life of a women and wine, wherein he has mistresses and keeps on going into nightclubs. Well, they can have anything they want in these â€Å"good times.† The glory days came to an end when another member, Tommy, killed an important mafia member. Pauli and Henry wind up in jail, but their lives were merely affected: they’re respected even in prison. But his family suffered. Karen was deserted by the people she trusted because there is no more Henry to earn them respect. While in prison, Henry became addicted to drugs. This broke him to half the man he was before. It was then became his problem when he was finally released. A Clockwork Orange. This is set in the future England, 30 years from the actual time that it was made. It revolves around the character of Alex de Large, age fifteen; a leader of a small group of gangsters, which calls themselves as â€Å"droogs.† His activities revolve around deriving pleasures from classical music, to raping various women, and ultraviolence – a random act of unjustified, extreme violence (Dirks, 1996). Alex’ character is basically full of negative aspects, wherein he is used to abusing other people just for the fun of it. He is sent to school by his parents but chose to skip and not attend at all. He has an eccentric character which is justified by his terrarium and a pet boa named Basil. He also has an expensive audio system: a stereo sound deck that plays most of his classical recordings collection. The reign of the evil Alex after an arrest: this was set-up by his droogs. He learns that the person they robbed died, leaving him as the only suspect for the crime, as a murderer, not just a robber. He was sent to prison with 14 years in his head. After two years, he was given a chance to be set free by means of a parole. This is through a deal: he will be a test subject of a certain Ludovico technique, wherein it was said to solve societal crimes. Because of that, he became incapable of violence, and also not able to touch naked women, and not being able to stand Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. When he was released, he has nowhere to go. His parents did not welcome him in their own house. While wandering in the streets of London, he encountered previous acquaintances. These people were oppressed by the evil Alex. Apparently, they have returned the favor and all attempted to kill him. They were assaulting him, and Alex is left with nothing to do but run. The Ludovico left him as a violence-free man, wherein he can’t fight back, even in self defense. He came into the woods and came into a house of a writer. The writer discovered that it was Alex who has raped his wife and has beat him to a pulp. He then drugged Alex and planned to drive him insane by making Alex hear the Ninth Symphony in full blast. Alex decided to kill himself by jumping out of the window, but he did not succeed in killing himself. The movie came to an end with Alex returning to his old self, and a narration, telling that he was cured. Characteristics of Juvenile Delinquents. Looking closely at how the movies portrayed these delinquents, it could be generalized that these delinquents exhibit certain characteristics different from their peers. These characteristics can be classified as either fundamental personality factors, mode of social interaction, or some background traits. It could then be seen as that this traits could be significant indicators of delinquent activity in a person. This is essential in finding out the sources or causes of certain delinquencies, thus making it easier or better to understand these people (Mason, 2004). Fundamental personality factors are often seen as the major trait of a certain delinquent. They exhibit these traits in front of the people, unknowingly or knowingly, since it is their innate trait in them. These traits include hyperactivity, alcoholic tendency, and psychosis. They are often small in stature and of poor health conditions. These are more on the males than the occurrence in females. Their outlook towards the society, or their social interactions could also be a proof of their delinquency. This is associated with bad temper or short temperedness, which is commonly found on most of the delinquents. The traits that are indicators of their social interactions can be unpopularity among peers, disruptive behavior is school, a difficult childhood as perceived by parents, violence towards others, and poor performance in school works and activities. Theories of delinquency. The theory that could be applied in the movie â€Å"Goodfellas† was the Strain Theory. This is theory states that the conditions of a society which could be detrimental to the success or social status of a person could cause him to become a delinquent. In the movie, the young Henry Hill was transformed to become a juvenile delinquent because of his dream of becoming a mafia, because he wants to alleviate his position in life. He is living a poor life, that is why he was somewhat driven to live a life of a gangster. This is a solid manifestation of juvenile delinquency under Strain Theory (â€Å"Strain Theory†, 2001). The theory that could be associated with the movie â€Å"Clockwork Orange† is the Self –Control Theory of Delinquency, proposed by Gottfredson (Welch, 1998). In this theory, it is stated that self control is the main theme in which crimes originates. It is not deterministic; hence the people who engage on these crimes seek a sort of gratification, a certain pleasure that is why they engage on various analogous behaviors. These behaviors that provide this short time pleasure or gratification are smoking, drinking, gambling, irresponsible sex and much more. These are commonly manifested by criminals, who are looking for that instant achievement of pleasure or gratification. Causes of delinquency. In the movie â€Å"The Goodfellas,† as well as the â€Å"Clockwork Orange,† the main cause of his delinquency was his motivation to alleviate his social status from poor to a well-off person, and he views that the only way he can achieve it is through becoming a gangster. With this, he opened himself on becoming a juvenile delinquent. He didn’t attend school, he was involved in fights and other illegal activities, and he adapted the ways of the gangsters who was with him. Analyzing this carefully, we could see that a cause for his delinquency was his social status: he was poor, and he didn’t want to stay that way. Another is the environmental factors that play on a person’s life. This is accounted by his frequent rendezvous with these gangsters, which is also the reason why he adapted a delinquent kind of lifestyle. Juvenile Justice. Juvenile justice is a law in the justice system that deals with persons which are found to have committed crimes below the legal age which is 18 years old. This juvenile justice system is aimed towards rehabilitating these young criminals, since they are not yet of the right age, and assumed to be not in the right frame of mind. But they could relinquish their hold on these criminals depending on the weight of the crime, or the court waives to do so (Burns, 1994). There is legislation for the protection, care, and custody of these children under their jurisdiction, since they are the ones that manage these legal concerns. People often deal with this delinquency problem by looking at the root of the problem: society and its components The society shouldn’t rely on the authorities alone. They have a lot of other concerns that they may have little time to deal with juvenile delinquencies. The people should start with their own homes and see whether they have proper communication with their children. Another is making sure that the environment is safe, free from other factors that could elicit delinquency. If it still couldn’t be managed, then that’s the time we need professional help. The authorities are more than willing to help, especially if the people are cooperating with them. There should be partnership with the authorities and the locals in order to solve the problem of juvenile delinquency. References: Burns, K. S. (1994). Juvenile Justice System. from http://www.karisable.com/crpunyouth.htm Cannon, D. (1997). GoodFellas (1990).  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/GoodFellas.html Dirks, T. (1996). A Clockwork Orange (1971) Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.filmsite.org/cloc.html Mason, T. (2004). The characteristics of delinquents. from http://www.timothyjpmason.com/WebPages/Deviance/Deviance4.htm Strain Theory. (2001).  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/english/courses/en205d/student7/anomie.html Welch, K. (1998). Two Major Theories of Travis Hirschi.  Ã‚   Retrieved April 8, 2007, from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/hirschi.htm      

Basic Skills Test

While growing up we have ideas about what we want to do with our life when we graduate from high school. These decisions include: going to college, picking a major, and figuring out where you want to go after college. I wanted to go to Western Illinois University and declare a major in the elementary education program because Western Illinois has a good teacher education program. I always wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl, because my first grade teacher has inspired me to become a wonderful educator. One of the requirements for education majors is to take the Illinois certification test, which is the Basic Skills test. The Basic Skills test is a certified test that is composed in variety of subjects that an educator needs to know before getting a teacher’s certificate. In order to be approved for teaching in the state of Illinois, you must pass this test. Furthermore, should the Basic Skills be considered a requirement into the education program? According to the Chicago Sun-Times, in 2010 Linda Tomlinson, Assistant Superintendent at the State Board of Education, said, â€Å"some would-be teachers have failed the current test at least 20 times†. However, recent changes now give teaching candidates only five chances to pass (Rossi Rosalind, Chicago Sun Times). I know now that I was not the only one who did not pass the Basic Skills test the first time. Whenever I hear how important this test is from my advisor and even from other education majors around me, I get nervous. Testing is required of candidates seeking an Illinois teaching license since 1988. The only way I can continue in education next semester is to pass the test. After reading this article, I am afraid I won’t be able to major in education anymore because of lack of test-taking skills. I’m not a good test taker because of test anxiety which includes time, forgetting the information, and getting nervous before the big test. If I fail the Basic Skills test a third time, I might have to consider changing my major. I do not want to change my major, because I know I would enjoy teaching very much. If you do not pass the test after five times, you are not allowed to teach in the state of Illinois. According to the Chicago Tribune, in 2011 an unknown â€Å"reporter† said; â€Å"No, we're not rooting for aspiring educators to fail. But we are rooting to see only the best candidates become teachers† (Chicago Tribune). As a future educator, I am opposed to this idea that college students are not becoming teachers because they are failing the Basic Skills. The statistics that updated each year from different universities are losing students who want to become future educators. Taking the Basic Skills test for future educators is harder than you think it would be; because you need to have the knowledge of a future educator when taking this type of state assessment. Most college students have to make a decision about backup plans after realizing that they didn’t pass the test. It would be disappointment knowing that you worked hard, you are halfway through college, and now you can’t continue with your major. I think that the state board of education should rethink the testing procedures because there is more to teaching than just being able to pass the test. For example, future educators can get observed by their work of teaching, have an interview process about the literacy of teaching, and many other kinds of processes that could be established in a college setting to prepare students to become excellent educators. The Basic Skills is one of the most important tests that future educators have seen, taken, or studied for. As a first time test-taker, our job is to research what the test is all about, what is the Basic Skills? More importantly, what is a test? Some people can say that a test is a series of questions that tests our knowledge; or a test can be defined, â€Å"as a particular process or method for trying or assessing (â€Å"Oxford English Dictionary†). † The Basic Skills is a test where you get certification to teach in the state of Illinois. The test considers four different sub sections reading, language arts, mathematics, and writing (Illinois Leisure Testing System). The results I’ve heard from my advisor, and researching some statistics from other Illinois school; there are many future educators who have failed the Basic Skills. Because of that, they are out of the teacher education program. The teacher education program is based on a series of tasks that are required to be pass before moving onto the next level (Jeanne Gage, Advisor). Some of the tasks to be considered are: passing major course classes in college, writing a reflective paper, and aving test taking skills. Returning to the certification process, I ask myself what is certification? Is there a certification just like the Basic Skills? Certification means â€Å"an official document attesting a certain fact, in particular† (Oxford English Dictionary). There are many different types of certification from ownership, achievement, and marriages. For the Basic Skills it’s considered an achievement certification. Teacher certification is known as â€Å"document of proof† that a teacher can use to become a teacher in a school setting. Anyone can take this test and get a teaching certification. You may think that a certification can be easy, as it seems; but not a certification that requires testing abilities and some college classwork. Just like taking your driver’s test to get your license to drive, the teaching certification requires a series of test questions relating to a common course setting and some basic skill methods you learned in school. You may wonder if any other profession has a similar test like the educators do. Lets take a future college student who wants to become a lawyer and what kind of test that he or she would have to take. In research, if a student wants to become a lawyer in the state of his or her choice. The student must take the Bar examination to become a certified lawyer. What is a Bar examination? The Bar examination is a rigid test of knowledge in all fields of law (Illinois State Bar Association). Just like the Basic Skills for educators, the future lawyers have to prepare in a similar fashion to future educators. The difference is the educator is tested in reading, language arts, math, and writing; while the lawyer has to know the different aspects of law that exist today. Another example is a college student who wants to get into the nursing program. All students who want to become a nurse have to take the HESI exam in order to be certified as a nurse. What is the HESI exam? The Health Education Systems Inc. is a timed, computerized test that consists of six academic exams: reading comprehension, vocabulary and general knowledge, grammar, basic math skills, biology and anatomy, and physiology (TMCC). This test is similar to the Basic Skills, but has only two extra subjects that need to be taken. No matter if you’re an educator, a lawyer, or a nursing major there is a test for every type of career that is required to be passed. In the beginning of my research, I have found that many future educators have not passed the Basic Skills. When I thought about how these future educators have not completed the Basic Skills; there should be an alternative process and still become an educator. What would be the opposite of a certificate? I have found no answer to this question: but, in my opinion an optional choice for certification for educators should be this. They should be able to pass all major college courses with a B or above. If a student can be able to get all of their classes passed with this requirement, they can be able to teach after college. Why is the Basic Skills the best way to certify our future educators? Is the state board making the best choice for every future educator? The Basic Skills is the best way to certify our future educators so that each individual should be able to understand the concepts when put into a classroom full of students. Without taking this test, the future educators won’t know what is supposed to be taught when it comes to teaching. For example, if a future educator hasn’t looked at the test, they wouldn’t be able to understand the concepts that are being tested. The state board is making the best choice to have future educators take this test; they need to know if they are the best educators. If we had poor educators, then how would our future students be able to learn their basic skills the correct way? How does the Basic Skills test accomplish its goals? According to the Oxford English Dictionary the definitions of accomplish is known â€Å"as achieve or complete successfully. Oxford English Dictionary)† The purpose of this test is to have future educators be able to accomplish the main standards in Illinois. As of October-December of 2012 only 31 percent out of 3,153 test takers have passed the Basic Skills (Illinois State Board of Education). It is a disappointment that we can’t get more than 31 percent to pass this test. In more depth, from September 2008-August 2011 at Western Illinois University 1,823 students have attempted the test; with having 1,777 students passed the test. But, at Eastern Illinois University 3,910 students have attempted; 3,773 have passed the test (Illinois State Board of Education). Since we don’t want any future educators to fail the Basic Skills, we don’t want to bring down the teacher rate in the near future. The question that we should think about is, should we keep the Basic Skills test or have another option into getting a certification in the State of Illinois? People may wonder if this Basic Skills test has a cost. There is a fee that requires to be paid in order to take the Basic Skills. For example, the Basic Skills test costs about $120 and each different sub section costs about $99. If one future educator has not passed any of the sub sections, they are required to repay $120. If another future educator only passed three of the sub sections, they only have to pay $99 (Illinois Leisure Testing System). I think that it’s ridiculous because we future educators can’t afford these prices, and we cannot afford to buy another examination test. With the economy being a problem in our society, how are we supposed to take a test that costs too much money? This is considered one issue about the Basic Skills and should be reconsidered for future educators. Throughout many generations, a future educator has been through many different processes of becoming a teacher. Recently, to get into the education program, future educators have to take the Basic Skills test to be determined if they are considered an educator. My question I like to consider, how did past future educators become certify as educators? Did they have to take the Basic Skills many years ago? Did they have a whole different certification process compare to what we have today? From my research, I’ve found out many interesting facts on how future educators were certify in past. New Jersey examinees had to take a written examination and receive a high rating in order to get certified in 1983. New Jersey educators would have to write a long essay on what they would be considered for the teaching job; skills, ability, lesson planning, etc. Other than taking the written portion they also accept the state examination that is considered the basic skills; the only difference compared to 1983 is they only had a writing portion instead of multiple assessments and know that they are willing to take the step up in the classroom management developmental process. It’s considered as a student’s choice in New Jersey whether these future educators want to take a huge writing portion and also decide to take the Basic Skills as an optional choice. Another state that I found interesting in the same period is known as the sunny state of Florida. In this journal a debate was in progress on whether the basic skills should be determined as a minimum competency scoring level or have a more higher education and pass a type of GED test that can be require for a certification. Since testing was huge in Florida, college students had the option to become educators but they were the ones to determine their future. This journal has been dated back in 1983 when there was a debate on whether future educators should have an option of choosing a simple exam compare to more of a challenging exam (Florida’s Minimum Competency Program: A Survey of Teacher’s Options). In this journal there are some evaluations charts that show the results of what the future educators consider as a new requirement. For example, â€Å"the Minimum Competency approach will probably result in minimum skills becoming maximum skills†; voters of education majors have marked this type of debate as 37. % agreement, 16% neither, and 46. 3% disagreement. (Florida's Minimum Competency Program: A Survey of Teachers' Opinions) The vote and other ballots have determined efficiency on how teaching requirements could be changed in 1983 (Florida Minimum Competency Program). These ratings/charts can be found on this journal if you need more information on how the voting process has worked and an explanation on each de bate. California, a state providing a large portion of the nations educators, recently had a survey attempting to better understand how educators are assessed. Most of these cases came from interviews, standardized tests, and most importantly how they contributed in a classroom setting (Teacher’s Perspective on Competency-Based Testing). With the different types of observations that were made among the future educators and their observers; the information that was given by the observer, are put into a chart to determined the typical requirements for a California teaching license. Some of the information presented in these charts are what scores each observer have, the percentage of determination, and lastly if they are qualified for the teaching certificate. There is also more information on how the certification process and even some recommendations that can be used for future educators in 1991 (Teacher’s Perspective on Competency-Based Testing). In the state of Illinois there are requirements for a teacher certification from 1919. If you were to become an educator, you had to follow a credit system that is given to you at the beginning of your application fee. A credit system is the based amount of points that you will receive after completing each task. Indeed, back in 1919 you were supposed to fill out an application and pay a small fee in order to begin your application into the field of education. There are also certain sub-sections that are require to be accomplished in order to receive a certification. For example, 35 points for successful teaching, 30 points for attending at the annual institute, 8 points for attending eight one-hour at the superintendent board of education meetings, and there is also many other requirements that are needed to receive the points towards a teacher certificate (Certification of Teachers in Illinois). In my opinion, getting a teacher certification seems pretty easy when you lived back in 1919; because you only have to follow a credit system and not take any kind of assessments that is presented in Illinois today. Most importantly I wish that this could be a permanent option instead of taking the basic skills test for the state of Illinois. No matter what state you’re determined to live in, there is a certain way that there will be a certification test for any future educator. As of today, all fifty states including the state of Illinois are required to take the Basic Skills test in order to become certified as an Illinois teacher. A question to be considered should it be easy to become a teacher? Or would many college students have to rethink of a new major before coming into college? The Basic Skills test is a required test taken by students wanting to become educators. The Basic Skills test is an examination that consists of reading, language arts, math, and writing. These future educators would have to take this examination before moving on into their method courses. In most research, students have failed the Basic Skills test the first time they took it (JSTOR, Google, ERIC). For example, only 31 percent of all test takers have passed while the other 69 percent are still struggling in the state of Illinois (Illinois State Board of Education). There are many resources online including: Illinois Leisure Testing, Test Prep Review, and also some other University websites that can help students to prepare for the Basic Skills. I’ve used all of these websites to help me get some preparations done for the big test date and they are very helpful. There are also preparation classes that are offered in selected universities taught by professors involved in education. Some classes includes: introduction to the Basic Skills, classes for each of the sub section of the test, and just some classes that have tutors who already passed the Basic Skills to help other students. Western Illinois University offers these classes each semester along with Eastern Illinois University, University of Illinois Champaign, and University Illinois Chicago. Recently, the Illinois state board of education allows you to take the ACT instead of the Basic Skills. There are also preparation classes that are offered around the community and online just for the ACT. Taking down some evaluations of future educators, they say that these prep classes work because they have passed the test with the extra help. Many of these resources can help students become more familiar with the test and also have a refresher on many of the subjects that being tested in each of the examinations. Many future educators have failed the Basic Skills and have to decide what to do to not make the same mistakes. Recently, there are many different types of online preparation including study guides, helpful hints, and a practice test to help future educators can get more practice with the test format, or even on a single sub section that he or she needs more help on. These preparation courses are huge among students who want to become educators after graduation. Many of these programs include: Pearson and Stanford Excellence. These companies have come up with completed study guides and some helpful tips when it comes to test day. Google is also another source to look up preparation materials for the test; and it’s very helpful for those who are in danger to pass the test. Cost is considered another reason why many future educators are frustrated over the examination. Do you remember when I mentioned how much a test cost for potential new educator; it costs more than buying a week worth of groceries if you think of it. Many institutions are working on making free preparation classes for students who are in need of practice for the Basic Skills. This semester at Western Illinois University, the education department has taken time to ask many professors to coordinate free preparation classes for students in need of math, reading, and language arts. Not only Western Illinois University has to offer these preparation classes, but many other institutions including: Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and University of Illinois in Champaign. These universities have taken their time to offer classes that can help future educators pass the Basic Skills before moving on into the next step of the career. Besides all of the preparation courses that are offered at institutions, I have taken some time to look at some of the other states in our country regarding about the Basic Skills. California has a policy that students can take an alternative procedure of the Basic Skills and still get into the teacher education program. This policy is considered of having an early alternative admission plan; where students can still take most of their classes and get a low score on their examination (Coping with the CBEST: Alternative and Inclusive Approaches). Unfortunately, as of today this process has been removed from the California State Board of Education; because the State Board has decided to become familiar with a Basic Skills test just like all of the states are doing for their teacher requirements. In my opinion I wish that this process would take over the new requirements for becoming an educator; because if students would like to take classes early and remove their scores from the system. They will be able to get their teacher certification within a breeze of time. Recently in the state of Illinois, the State Board of Education has approved n alternative test arrangement for students who do not want to take the Basic Skills. Every student should know when applying for colleges during their senior year of high school, they have to take the ACT. But, educators can retake their ACT and pass it with a 22 to bypass the Basic Skills. Another option includes the SAT and educators would have to get a score of 1030. Both of these examin ations are required to be less than ten years old from the test date and must include the writing portion of the examination (Illinois Administrative Rule Change). This portion of the certification process can help students who had a hard time with the Basic Skills and be able to take the examinations for less than half the cost of the Basic Skills. The Basic Skills test is a require examination that students have to take before they are educators. In this essay alone, I have found many interesting facts regarding to the Basic Skills within the state of Illinois and even a few other states. Including some of the history, facts, and solutions about this examination. I also hope that this work will help not only myself, but for future educators that are willing to go into the teacher education program. The only way to be able to succeed in the teacher education program is to be able to prepare future educators with this examination. Especially with the solutions I provided in this essay, it should be very helpful to many college students not only around the state of Illinois; but the other 49 states that are involved in this process. The Basic Skills is a required examination, and it’s one of the most important steps in the teaching career.

Relationships in The Girls in Their Summer Dresses Essay

How would one feel if ones significant other was constantly disobeying the relationship? In Irwin Shaw’s â€Å"The Girls in Their Summer Dresses†, he shows how important having a trustworthy and honest relationship is. This short story highlights the flaws in romantic relationships by demonstrating how one needs some type of relationship in life, how fragile a relationship can be, and how many take loved ones for granted. Friendship, Role model, Boyfriend/Girlfriend- all these are examples of a relationship. Everyone sees them constantly begin and end throughout life, but they are still always there. In this short story, Frances and Michael are having a problem with their marriage because Michael can’t keep his eyes off other women. â€Å"This†¦show more content†¦They go from walking down fifth avenue happily, enjoying each other’s company, to Frances saying â€Å"You always look at other women, At every damn woman in the city of New York† (Shaw 2). â€Å"Although he reassures Frances is a good wife, she believes that he only wants freedom† (Petty 2225). They are fighting over Michael looking at other women, which makes Frances extremely insecure about herself. This is building up the tension between them and it finally snaps when Michael tells her why her looks at the other women. â€Å"Almost immediately, however, the tension becomes evident and they ha ve to stop and get a drink in the early afternoon† (Giles, 7). The relationship breaks, showing how fragile it was. Having a fragile relationship relates back to having a relationship in everyday life. Most of the time, people try to push the problem aside so they can keep the relationship strong and have it continue that way. â€Å"Frances appears to have no defense against the ravages of time except her marriage, and she finds the prospect of losing the security difficult to bear† (Archer 5). Frances can’t handle the fact the she is slowly losing interest in her relationship. Throughout this short story, the idea of taking loved ones for granted is constantly portrayed. â€Å"They decide to spend the day alone,Show MoreRelated Irwin Shaws The Girls in Their Summer Dresses Essay687 Words   |  3 PagesIrwin Shaws The Girls in Their Summer Dresses In The Girls in Their Summer Dresses, it is necessary to explore the personal differences that cause problems in the relationship of the couple. 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