Thursday, December 26, 2019

How to Introduce Your Class Rules (Grades K-6)

A well-founded set of class rules has the power to make any school year great. Great teachers know that rules make learning possible and work hard to choose them. Follow these tips for coming up with the right rules for your class and implementing them. Keep It Simple Because rules are meant to serve students, they should be logical and straightforward enough that they make sense after minimal explanation. If a rule is confusing and/or its purpose unclear, your students will have trouble practicing it. Follow these guidelines for designing a functional set of rules that is most likely to have its intended results. Dont overdo it. Be economical with your rules list to increase the likelihood of your students remembering it. There isnt a magic amount but the number of rules you implement should generally not exceed half the age of your students (e.g. No greater than three or four rules for second graders, four or five for fourth graders, etc.).Include important unwritten rules. Never make assumptions about what your students do or dont already know. Every child is raised differently and cultural contrasts are never more prominent than when it comes to behavioral management and rules. Hold your students all to the same standards only after teaching the rules and not before.Use positive language. Write what students should do rather than what they should not do. Positive language is easier to follow because it communicates expectations more clearly. Choosing Between General and Class-Specific Rules Most teachers tend to follow a similar roadmap for rule-setting: Briefly highlight student preparedness, outline what being respectful of others and school property looks like, and set behavioral expectations during instruction. These standard guidelines are prominent for good reason. There is nothing wrong with having rules similar to those of other teachers. In fact, this can make your students lives easier in a lot of ways. However, nonspecific rules dont always make the most sense and you shouldnt feel tied to them. Teachers can deviate from the norm as they see fit based on what will work best in their classroom. Use a combination of general and class-specific rules until you are comfortable with your code of conduct. Sample General Rules There are some rules that can be applied to every classroom. This is true of the following examples. Come to class prepared.Listen when someone else is talking.Always try your best.Wait for your turn to speak (then raise your hand)Treat others the way you want to be treated. Sample Class-Specific Rules When general rules dont cut it, teachers can use more precise language to put their expectations into words. Here are some examples. Complete morning work as soon as you come in.Always be helpful to others.Give eye contact when someone is talking.Ask questions when you dont understand.Never make a classmate feel like you dont want to work with them. Steps for Introducing Class Rules to Students Always introduce rules to your students as soon as possible, ideally within the first few days of school. Prioritize this over other activities and introductions because rules lay the groundwork for how your class will function. Follow these steps for success when presenting class guidelines to students. Involve your students. Many teachers create class rules with the help of their students. This is an excellent strategy for long-term success. Instilling a sense of ownership in your students with regard to the rules will make it more likely that they follow and value them. You can even have your students agree to abide by them by signing a contract.Explicitly teach the rules. Once your class has come up with practical rules, work together to talk about what they mean. Teach and model the rules so that the entire class is on the same page. Let your students help you demonstrate desired behavior and have meaningful conversations about why rules are important.Post the rules. Your students cant be expected to remember every rule after only hearing them once. Post them somewhere visible so that they can be easily referenced—some teachers even send students home with their own copies. Keep the rules fresh in their minds and remember that sometimes they merely forget and are not deli berately misbehaving.Talk about the rules often. Keep the conversation going as the year progresses because posting the rules isnt always enough. Issues will come up that require you to revisit your guidelines with individuals, groups of students, and even the whole class. No one is perfect and your students will need to reset sometimes.Add more rules as needed. You dont have to have it all figured out the day your new students walk into class. If you ever realize that there are rules missing that would make everything run more smoothly, go ahead and add, teach, and post them as you did with all the others. Teach your students about adapting to change whenever you add a new rule.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

What Specific Theory Or Big Idea That You Studied During...

Paper #1 Danielle Heafner M.Ed Final Exam October 14, 2014 What specific theory or big idea that you studied during your M.Ed. program will you take with you to your future career? How has this program changed the way you think about education and the application of research and theory in the classroom? Would you recommend a Master’s program in Education and what benefits do you believe it offers students? What was your â€Å"ah ha† moment during your Master’s course work and how did it impact your work and understanding? As I walk through the doors of the school in which I teach, there is a poster with a quote framed and hanging proudly on the wall for all teachers to see as if it were a monument. â€Å"If a child can’t learn the way†¦show more content†¦It was then I realized how imperative a great teacher such as this was. My teacher truly encouraged me and boosted my confidence, thus my inspiration for myself doing the same for my own students. Over the course of my time devoted to receiving my degree there has been several aspects of education that I feel left an imprint of my philosophy of education, and two in particular that will remain within my teaching for years to come. One overall aspect that I will implement in the future is one of analyzing my own teaching behavior in order to create a learning environment in which my students can grow and learn within. Some behaviors that a great teacher should possess should include positive reinforcement. â€Å"Positive reinforcement is a very powerful and effective tool to help mold and change behavior. It works by praising and rewarding desired behavior, which then makes the behavior more likely to happen in the future† (Teaching: Positive vs Negative Reinforcement, 2012) While my own classroom, I have found that this technique, while quite simple, is an imperative operating tool in which we can see students listen, understand, and maintain overall behaviors that res ult in a successful learning outcome. â€Å"Following intervention, children’s inappropriate behavior, decreased to below baseline levels in all six classrooms. Intervention fidelity in all six

Monday, December 9, 2019

Entrepreneurship Versus Intrapreneurship free essay sample

This paper provides a review of theoretical studies on the concepts of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, pinpointing the similarities and differences between them. Entrepreneurship continues to thrive in almost all corners of the world. Entrepreneurs are reshaping the business environment, creating a world in which their companies play an important role in the vitality of the global economy. But there is not always necessary to establish a company in order to implement new ideas. A great potential lies in applying business principles within existing organizations. Keywords: entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, human capital, business, leadership JEL classification: L26 Introduction Why are entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs suddenly more important today than before? An explanation to this question would be that the world is changing nowadays more rapidly under the influence of new technologies. The increasing competition hinders our work. It does not suffice anymore to stand before our competitors simply driven by our will of competing; we have to bring something new to the market. Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs play a decisive role as they help the company (newly established or existing) to engage in new business and enter new markets. Intrapreneurship represent the initiation and implementation of innovative systems and practices within an organization, by some of its staff under the supervision of a manager who takes the role of an intrapreneur, in order to improve the economical performance of the organization, by using a part of its resources, namely those that previously have not been used in an appropriate manner. Intrapreneurship improves the economical and financial performance of the company, by applying a more efficient use of the resources and by using a suitable motivational system for its employees (Istocescu, 2003). Similarities and differences between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship Unlike the entrepreneur, the intrapreneur acts within an existing organization. The intrapreneur is the revolutionary inside the organization, who fights for change and renewal from within the system. This may give rise to conflicts within the organization, so respect is the necessary key in order to channel these conflicts and transform them into positive aspects for the organization. Even though intrapreneurs benefit from using the resources of the organization for the implementation of the emerging opportunities, there are several motives why innovation is more difficult to implement in an existing organization, such as (Malek Ilbach, 2004): †¢ The size: the bigger the organization the more difficult it is to have an overview of the actions of every employee †¢ Lack of communication: Specialization and separation, help in concentrating on the areas of interest, but hinder communication. Internal competition: Internal competition amplifies the problem because instead of sharing the knowledge with others it borders the knowledge sharing. Everyone wants to keep the information for themselves. †¢ Feedback received in case of success/mistake: Costs in case of failure are too great and the reward for a successful outcome too small. Intrapreneurs must be allowed to commit mistakes, because such mistakes are an inevitable part in the entrepreneurial proc ess. The recognition of success is also very rare. No company provides payment in advance for what an entrepreneur might accomplish, but a lot of them like to talk about the concept of intapreneurship and expected their employees to get involved and assume their risk. But finally, when motivated employees get involves and have success their only reward is a small bonus. †¢ Dullness: Many companies are slow and reluctant to change. Intrapreneurs bump many times into the well known sentence â€Å"We always did it this way†, which leaves little or no space to creativity. The willingness to try new things appears only when the companys shortcomings become apparent, but even so they don’t give room to an innovative leadership. †¢ Hierarchies: Organizational hierarchies compel employees to ask permission for actions that fall outside their daily duties. The more complex the hierarchy the more difficult it is to impose change. Hierarchies 972 Volume 12, Issue 5, December 2011 Review of International Comparative Management have also tended to create a short-term thinking. Employees on lower hierarchical levels have a â€Å"Victim-Mentality† due to a reduced area of action and reduced responsibilities. Those who wish to implement innovative ideas should first consider what the best option for them is: as an intrapreneur, as part of an existing organization, or an entrepreneur in a newly established company. In order to give an answer to this question an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts is required. The table below helps someone decide what type of business best suits him after confronting him with the advantages and disadvantages that await him. Table 1: Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship: advantages and disadvantages ENTREPRENEURSHIP Advantages Disadvantages You are your own boss independency †¢ Money pressure – giving up on the security of a regular paycheck The income increases †¢ Less benefits as the business is new You have the chance to be original You have part of excitement and adventure †¢ Long working hours †¢ Mistakes are magnified There are a lot of possibilities Salary potential – you decide upon your †¢ All decisions must be made alone own salary INTRAPRENEURSHIP Advantages Disadvantages Ability to stay in a friendly, well known †¢ Reward may not be up to expectation environment †¢ Innovation may not be appreciated Practicing your skills within an organizaaccordingly tion – lower risk †¢ You can be innovative but to a cerUsing companies resources, good name, tain limit – you are not your own knowledge boss Access to customers, infrastructur e †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ After seeing the pros and the cons of each concept we think that it is useful to see also the similarities and differences between these two concepts. Morris Kuratko (2002) are of the opinion that the literature is sometimes confusing in underlining what exactly makes an entrepreneur different from an intrapreneur and what they have in common. This is why they point out a serious a similarities and differences: Review of International Comparative Management Volume 12, Issue 5, December 2011 973 Table 2: Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship: similarities and differences †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Similarities Both involve opportunity recognition and definition. Both require a unique business concept that takes the form of a product, process, or service. Both are driven by an individual champion who works with a team to bring the concept to fruition. Both require that the entrepreneur be able to balance vision with managerial skill, passion with pragmatism, and proactiveness with patience. Both involve concepts that are most vulnerable in the formative stage, and that require adaptation over time. Both entail a window of opportunity within which the concept can be successfully capitalized upon. Both are predicated on value creation and accountability to a customer. Both entail risk and require risk management strategies. Both require the entrepreneur to develop creative strategies for leveraging resources. Both involve significant ambiguity. Both require harvesting strategies. Differences †¢ In start-up entrepreneurship, the entrepreneur takes the risk in intrapreneurship and the company takes the risk other than career-related risk. In start-up the individual entrepreneur owns the concept and business in intrapreneurship; the company typically owns the concept and intellectual rights with the individual entrepreneur having little or no equity in the venture at all. †¢ In a start-up potential rewards for the individual entrepreneur are theoretically unlimited where in intrapreneurship an organizational structure is in place to limit rewards/compensation to the entrepreneur/employee. †¢ In a start-up venture, one strategic gaffe could mean instant failure; in intrapreneurship the organization has more flexibility for management errors. †¢ In a start-up the entrepreneur is subject or more susceptible to outside influences; in intrapreneurship the organization is more insulated from outside forces or influence. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Source: MorrisKuratko, 2000 Other famous authors have also pinpointed some differences between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. Even though intrapreneurship is rooted in entrepreneurship (Amo Kolvereid, 2005; Antoncic, 2001; Davis, 1999; Honig, 2001), there are several differences between these two concepts. In this context Antoncic Hisrich (2003) note that while intrapreneurs make risky decisions by using the resources of the company, the entrepreneurs make risky decisions using their own resources (Antoncic Hisrich, 2003). Intrapreneurship takes place among employees from within an organization while entrepreneurship tends to mainly be externally focused (Antoncic Hisrich, 2003; Davis, 1999). Entrepreneurs prefer to develop tacit knowledge, in new organizations, instead of using procedures and mechanisms from other companies. On the other hand intrapreneurs work in organizations that have their own policies, procedures and bureaucracy (Antoncic Hisrich, 2003; Davis, 1999). 974 Volume 12, Issue 5, December 2011 Review of International Comparative Management Although there are several differences between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, they also have some connections because intrapreneurship is consistently positioned as entrepreneurship within organizations (Antoncic, 2001; Davis, 1999). Conclusions In this paper we have reviewed the literature, which explores both entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship and the relations between them. An important outcome of the review is the identification of the similarities and differences between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship and also the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts. Nowadays, when we are facing economically difficult times, entrepreneurship and inrapreneurship are an excellent tool for breaking out of the trend trough innovation, by bringing something new on the market. Both entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship are instruments of innovation that help in creating new competencies and accessing new markets. Finally, without developing the insight towards these various aspects, no change of the company can be realized, and changing, so adapting means in fact, the survival of that company.

Monday, December 2, 2019

WordPress for Beginners 20 Frequently Asked Questions Answered

While WordPress is known for being a fairly user-friendly platform, theres still a lot to learn when it comes to WordPress for beginners.Thats why weve compiled this list of 20 of the most frequently asked questions about WordPress. Once you understand these concepts, you can confidently jump into WordPress with both feet and take on your new project.Below, youll find short answers and additional resources to help guide you through your entry into the world of WordPress. Hang on tight – here we go! This is what makes it an excellent tool for creating blogs and other websites. In fact, WordPress powers over one-third of all sites on the web.2. Whats the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?The differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org are one of the things thats most confusing when it comes to WordPress for beginners.Figuring out which is right for you can definitely be a challenge if you arent familiar with the pros and cons of each.In short, WordPress. com is more akin to a website builder site such as Squarespace or Wix. On the other hand, WordPress.org – also known as self-hosted WordPress – requires you to find your own hosting solution, but gives you complete control over your site.3. Can I build a WordPress website for free?The answer is yes and no. You can build a WordPress.com site for free, but it will be branded and youll have fewer options in the way of customization:Self-hosted WordPress is always free to download, but youll have to pay for a few elements in order to use it, such as web hosting, a domain, and more.There are also many plugins and themes available for use with WordPress. While there are plenty of high-quality free options, there are also premium products you can purchase if you choose. In short, WordPress is as expensive as you decide to make it.4. What does open-source mean?If youve done any poking around WordPress.org, you may have come across the term open-source. This means WordPress sou rce code – i.e. the nuts and bolts of code – is developed by a community, some of which are volunteers. It also means that the core WordPress software is 100% free.There are several requirements a platform must meet in order to be considered open-source. Its an interesting topic you could benefit from reading up on, but ultimately WordPress open-source nature doesnt affect most people.5. Can I build a WordPress website on my own?WordPress is designed to be user-friendly, even to those with absolutely no web development or coding experience. Theres no reason why you cant create a high-quality and professional-looking site using the right combination of a theme and plugins.Even so, there are also many  WordPress developers you can hire to build more complex custom features if you feel you need them.6. What are a domain name and web hosting, and do I need them to use WordPress?Your domain name is your websites address for example, our domain name is  themeisle.com. W eb hosting  is basically space on a computer server that you rent to power your site and make it available to visitors from around the world.If youre using self-hosted WordPress, youll have to acquire both a domain name and a web hosting account. These can run as low as $10 per year and $3 per month, respectively, or easily soar to rates of hundreds per month.7. Whats the difference between plugins and themes?These two components are both vital, but very different. A plugin adds some kind of functionality to your WordPress installation, such as security scanning or spam prevention:Themes, on the other hand, control how your site looks. Some more complex themes may also incorporate special functionality, but generally, theyre concerned with aspects such as layout and style.8. How do I install plugins and themes?There are a few different ways to install a plugin or theme. Both take place in the admin dashboard of your site.You can navigate to the plugin or theme directory in your da shboard to search for, install, and activate one. Alternatively, you can also upload them to your site, which is the usual method for installing premium products.9. Is WordPress safe/secure?If you follow WordPress security best practices, the platform is as secure as any other. However, if you neglect your site it will quickly become more susceptible to cyber attacks.There are several plugins, services, and other tools you can use to make your site more secure. Its also key to always keep your installation, plugins, and theme up-to-date.10. What are categories and tags, and do I have to use them?Categories and tags are ways of classifying content in WordPress – taxonomies. While theyre not a requirement, they have plenty of uses:By keeping your site organized, categories and tags help users and search engines find information on your site. Youll be able to rank higher on results pages and provide better user experience by incorporating them.11. Isnt WordPress only for bloggin g?While WordPress started out as a blogging platform, it has become much more versatile since its early days. Through the use of plugins and tailored themes, people now use WordPress to create many types of sites.With the right tools, you can easily turn your WordPress installation into an online store, portfolio, business site, or something else entirely.For example, WordPress is actually the most popular way to build an eCommerce store even more popular than Shopify!12. How do I maintain my WordPress site?A lot goes into maintaining any kind of website. Youll need to back it up, update it, monitor its security, and dozens of other tasks. Fortunately, you can automate many of them  in WordPress. There are also services that can maintain your site for you, although theyre not an obligatory purchase.13. How do I configure my WordPress settings?You can access your settings in your dashboard sidebar. Theyre broken down into seven sections:  General, Writing, Reading, Discussion, M edia, Permalinks, and  Privacy:The default settings work well enough for many sites. However, if you need to make changes, youll find lots of guidance in our post on the topic.14. Whats the difference between posts and pages?These two types of content are easy to get confused. Basically, a page is a permanent, static fixture on your site, such as a home page, About page, or Contact page.A post is typically a time-sensitive blog post or article. However, you can adapt your posts to meet the needs of your site and use them for other functions, such as announcements, recipes, or other content.As you move beyond WordPress for beginners and become more familiar with the platform, you can introduce new custom classifications for other types of content, too.15. Whats a widget?A widget is a small content area that appears at various spots on your site. Though the exact location depends on your WordPress theme, theyre usually located in a sidebar or your footer:Common widgets include recen t posts, contact information, social media channels, and search bars. Theyre often highly visible, and not considered part of your primary site content.16. My home page shows my blog posts – can I have a separate home page instead?You can!  To change it, you need to modify a setting in your WordPress installation.In your admin dashboard, navigate to  Settings Reading,  then select the option under  Your homepage displays that reads  A static page:Select your desired home page from the first drop-down, and use the second to choose a blog archive page.17. How do I add images to my WordPress site?WordPress stores images and other media in the WordPress Media Library. You can upload content to it directly by navigating to  Media Add New in your admin dashboard:You can also add images in the WordPress editor. Either choose an image block and click the  Upload button or simply drag-and-drop the file from your desktop.18. Can I add video and audio files to my WordPre ss site?Both audio and video files are compatible with WordPress! However, these files tend to be large and can slow your site down, particularly when it comes to videos. You may want to consider hosting larger media files off-site instead.19. Can I customize my theme?WordPress includes a native tool called the Customizer that enables users to make changes to their themes. You can access it by navigating to  Appearance Customize  in your dashboard:If you happen to know code, you can also always modify your themes files directly or add your own custom CSS. This isnt recommended for less-experienced users, however.20. Can I use my WordPress website to make money?WordPress users make money from their websites every day. The WooCommerce plugin makes it easy to turn your site into an online store, as just one example. There are many other ways to make money online too, all of which are available to you as a WordPress site owner.WordPress for beginners? Youre an expert now!Understand ing WordPress for beginners can feel overwhelming. However, the answers to a few simple questions can offer significant insight into how WordPress works and what you can use it to accomplish.From WordPress basics to more complex inquiries about its security and profitability, weve covered a lot of ground in this post. While we hope you now feel ready to start working with the platform, you can keep learning by visiting our blog for more informative posts.Ready to get started? Check out our two guides on how to launch a website with WordPress:How to make a website with WordPressHow to create a blog with WordPress Confused by #WordPress? 🠤” These 20 beginner FAQs will get you up and running Click To Tweet Do you have any questions about WordPress for beginners? Leave them in the comments section below!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips.