Oliver Button Is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola

Oliver Button Is a Sissy, a childrens picture book written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, is the story of a boy who stands up to bullies not by fighting, but by staying true to himself. The book is particularly recommended  for ages 4-8, but it has also been used successfully with upper elementary and middle school kids in conjunction with discussions about bullying. The Story of  Oliver Button Is a Sissy The story, based on the childhood experiences of Tomie dePaola, is a simple one. Oliver Button doesn’t like sports like the other boys do. He likes to read, draw pictures, dress up in costumes, and sing and dance. Even his father calls him a sissy and tells him to play ball. But Oliver isn’t good at sports and he isn’t interested. His mother tells him he needs to get some exercise, and when Oliver mentions he likes to dance, his parents enroll him in Ms. Leah’s Dancing School. His father says it is, Especially for the exercise. Oliver loves to dance and loves his shiny new tap shoes. However, it hurts his feelings when the other boys make fun of him. One day when he arrives at school, he sees that someone has written on the school wall, Oliver Button Is a sissy. Despite the teasing and bullying, Oliver continues dance lessons. In fact, he increases his practice time in hopes of winning the big talent show. When his teacher encourages the other students to attend and root for Oliver, the boys in his class whisper, Sissy! Although Oliver hopes to win and does not, both of his parents are very proud of his dancing ability. After losing the talent show, Oliver is reluctant to go back to school and be teased and bullied again. Imagine his surprise and delight when he walks into the schoolyard and discovers that someone has crossed out the word sissy on the school wall and added a new word. Now the sign reads, Oliver Button is a star! Author and Illustrator Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola is known for his childrens picture books and his chapter books. Hes the author and/or illustrator of more than 200 childrens books. These include Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland  and a number of books, including board books of Mother Goose rhymes, among many others. Book Recommendation Oliver Button Is a Sissy is a wonderful book. Since it was first published in 1979, parents and teachers have shared this picture book with children from four to fourteen. It helps children to get the message that its important for them to do what’s right for them despite teasing and  bullying. Children also begin to understand how important it is not to bully others for being different. Reading the book to your child is an excellent way to start a conversation about bullying. However, whats best about Oliver Button Is a Sissy is that it is a good story that engages childrens interest. It is well written, with wonderful complementary illustrations. It is highly recommended, particularly for kids ages 4-8, but also for elementary and middle school teachers to include in any discussion of bullies and bullying. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1979. ISBN: 9780156681407)

Inclusion, The Educational Practice Of Children With...

Inclusion, the educational practice of instructing children with disabilities as well as children without disabilities in one classroom, is a very controversial topic regarding the education of students in today’s society. â€Å"Inclusion seeks to establish collaborative, supportive, and nurturing communities of learners that are based on giving all students the services and accommodations they need to learn, as well as respecting and learning from each other’s individual differences† (Salend 5). The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure that every child obtains the best education possible by placing them in the best learning atmosphere possible. When implemented properly, an inclusive classroom can be beneficial to not only the students with disabilities, but also the regular education students. It is important for inclusive classrooms to be practiced because they promote more stimulating environments where the students with disabilities are able to better th ere social skills while the regular education students are able to accept differences between themselves and their peers. To begin to understand what the goal of inclusion is, it is important to know how the movement of this practice began. The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case ruling that â€Å"separate is not equal† opened to floor for parents and educators to argue for equal access for students with disabilities in public schools. Among various education and civil rights laws that followed this case, the most importantShow MoreRelatedInclusion Is The Educational Practice Of Educating Children With Disabilities819 Words   |  4 PagesInclusion is the educational practice of educating children with disabilities in the classroom with children without disabilities. In the past, people believed that children with disabilities were not capable of learning. This thought process hindered children with disabilities from being included in the general education population. After the ruling of Brown v Board of Education, families with children with disabilities began to fight for the rights of their children. Various families believed thatRead MoreTeaching Assistant Level 3 - assignment 6 Essay1452 Words   |  6 PagesTeaching Assistant Diploma – Assignment Six 1. What is meant by the term educational inclusion? Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with special needs. Under the inclusion model, students with special needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. Implementation of these practices varies. Schools most frequently use them for selected students with mild to severe special needs. Inclusive education differs from previously held notions of integrationRead MoreImproving Student Participation Is A Matter Of Importance1543 Words   |  7 Pagesparticipation is a matter of importance, since children are at times deprived of equal right to use inclusive education from early childhood through to adulthood. Inclusive education means eliminating the distinction between special and regular education and giving equal opportunities despite their level of disability. It implies that providing educational facilities to students with additional educational needs which are used by most other students. The word inclusion is based on the idea that schools shouldRead MoreEquality Diversity Inclusion1538 Words   |  7 Pagessex orientation in addition to religion, educational background, geographical location, family income, and parent status (Ladson-Billing, 2001; LAS definition of div ersity, 2004). Inclusion Inclusion is being a part of what everyone is, being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. In other words, to make others feel included. Inclusion is supporting and educating children with learning difficulties and disabilities in classrooms with children without these problems. It allows studentsRead MoreSpecial Education Students Placement and Performance Outcomes on Math Assessments1508 Words   |  7 PagesThe issue of educational placements for students with disabilities has been an ongoing issue of debate brought to attention in 1975 by the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). This act required that procedures be enacted that would protect the rights of disabled children and assure that to the extent appropriate handicapped children are educated with children who are not handicapped and that the removal of handicappedRead MoreEquality Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People956 Words   |  4 PagesEquality diversity and inclusion in work with children and young people: Alison Brooks Assessment of how own attitude values and behaviour could impact on work with young people and children. 2.3 All those working in the school have a legal duty to protect the rights of children and young people. It is important that you examine your own attitudes and values critically; to consider how these may impact on the way you work with children Rigid and divisive views from adults can be reflectedRead MoreLeadership, Organization And Administration1529 Words   |  7 Pageswill learn using IDEA and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are met while improving educational outcomes. As with economics as John F. Kennedy coined, â€Å"A rising tide lifts all†, therefore improving the instructional policies and practices in the special education classroom ensures the benefit of all students. Today, schools must provide students with disabilities appropriate access to the general curriculum and effective instructional support. 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Ro Vargo was fortunate enough to have parents who closely monitored the learning environment and advocated for their daughter. They followed her education each step of the way. She continued to build on positive responses and outcomes during her educational experiences of inclusion to build her resiliency and reduceRead MoreA Brief Note On Education And Individual Education870 Words   |  4 Pagesspecial needs students. When it comes to a student with disabilities educational placement and the consideration of inclusion, I believe that the educational placement decision should be determined on an individual student basis. There are many advantages, as well as, some disadvantages of inclusion for s tudents with and without disabilities. Before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the inclusion, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) must be explored. IDEA states that all special

The Performance Evaluation and Bonus Free Essays

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of managing a company is to provide a performance evaluation technique that does not frighten employees. The fear in my organization, among those marginal performers, is that the evaluation may cause their being fired. â€Å"One of the most controversial tools for boosting performance is ranking employees and dismissing the laggards. We will write a custom essay sample on The Performance Evaluation and Bonus or any similar topic only for you Order Now Proponents argue that the practice stretches star employees†¦(Marchetti 2005 16). Those at the bottom of the performance scale tend not to be as motivated as they might be, simply because the fear of being poorly evaluated stifles their determination to improve. While there are many companies which automatically provide a cost of living raise to their employees (sometimes due to labor contracts), the idea of providing bonuses or merit awards also can cause some serious problems, and such â€Å"merit raises† often cause more conflict within a business than they solve in the way of increased productivity and/or efficiency. Here is one author’s proof: â€Å"It’s clear that employers’ compensation systems aren’t making the grade. Only 10 percent of organizations describe their merit pay programs as â€Å"very effective,† according to an employee attitude survey conducted in 2002 of 335 companies by Hay Insight (the research and survey arm of Philadelphia-based HR consulting firm The Hay Group), WorldatWork and Loyola University of Chicago† (Wells 2005 76). One problem with many businesses today is that management is too lenient, too worried about hurting someone’s feelings. In today’s competitive world, where every worker must pull his weight or make way for someone who can, such leniency may be costly. Wells (2005) suggests something called â€Å"tough love.†: â€Å"By contrast, adopting–and enforcing–the get-tough approach to merit pay has clear advantages: It doesn’t waste increasingly precious salary-budget dollars, it sends the right message that improvement is imperative, and it doesn’t fund under-performers at the expense of high-performing employees† (Wells 2005 78). In my particular organization, the idea of performance evaluation and some sort of bonus or merit award is now no longer strictly limited to the top performers. It is the middle level, what some tend to call â€Å"B performers† that have some stake in the company’s bottom line. Again, here is some proof of that: â€Å"Midlevel performers thrive when they know they’ve got something to work toward–and you’ve got to give that to them. In fact, 52 percent of respondents who qualify for incentive programs at their companies–which typically reward the top 10 percent of workers–feel they have only somewhat or no chance of winning an award. This is far from motivating. ‘Your B-players have a significant effect on your bottom line,’ says Rodger Stotz, vice president and managing consultant for Maritz Inc. ‘You’ll always have a top five percent, but those rewards don’t move the middle'† (Galea 2005 9). What is needed to ease the pain and strain of performance evaluation and resultant merit increases or bonuses is the fact that top management must now set specific targets and goals, by the month, by the quarter, by six months, annually, and even provides some projections for one, two and five years into the future. With such goals specifically outlined, employees- whether on a production line or white collar, now know exactly what is required of them. To make performance evaluation less painful; and more effective requires supervisors to keep track of performance of their section or departments, as well as individual employees. In this way, if someone falls short, there is an opportunity for a one-on-one discussion that may provide both a reason for such a shortfall and a means of improving performance. This personal oversight by supervisors can go a long way to eliminate the fear of being discharged as a marginal or low performer, and at the same time reward what Galea (2005) calls â€Å"B Performers.† Therefore, what will make performance evaluation and compensation tied to it far more effective in my company is to focus on these mid-=level performers as well as providing a means â€Å"up the ladder† for the marginal ones, knowing the top performers will always continue to shine. By also stressing teamwork, it becomes the responsibility of everyone within a section or department to make sure everyone contributes to reaching the goal. How to cite The Performance Evaluation and Bonus, Essay examples

Construction Law for Disruption in Construction - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theConstruction Law for Delay and Disruption in Construction. Answer: Introduction The distinctive branch of Law that manages engineering, construction and other related activities is called Construction Law. Taking construction law as backbone, other streams like the employment law, planning law, commercial law, torts, etc. were originated. The law in question has taken upon itself to cover a wide range of problems, such as negligence, guarantees, securities, bonds, constructional claims, tender related issues, consultancy contracts, etc (Hughes, Champion and Murdoch, 2015). Such laws focus on several participants, socially, economically, legally and financially. Financial Institutions, Engineers, builders, architects, constructional workers, industries, companies and other institutions can be called its prime benefactors and the ones affected by it the most. Australian Standards in Construction Law It can be stated that for construction and building related laws, Australia has developed many standards.[1] Such standards directly affect the engineering and construction industries while also factoring in the effectiveness of work, the quality, safety and the efficiency. In this case, a document providing rules and regulations and a detailed overview of how these rules are applicable on the varied lawful situations, would be called a standard. The Building Code of Australia is a culmination and record of all laws and standards that can be put to use in an appropriate situation to counter subjects and also to maintain lawful actions, some of its uses are specified below: Maintaining the waterproofing system and constructing things necessary to support it in buildings.[2] Implementation of design in the disability access structures.[3] Standards of products and production of test-modules for doors, windows etc.[4] Standardizing and implementing designs for production of smoke detectors. The lawyers in Australia have to follow a series of activities that come under the construction law as a whole; they are drafting contracts and Advising, preparing agreements for joint venture, recovery of debt, distribution of litigation and resolution, development and planning of various applications with council members etc. It should be remembered that all such combinations are only possible when approved by state, local and federal laws of the country.[5] National Construction Code (NCC) and other Acts The National Construction Code or the NCC was a code formulated by the Australian Building codes Board (ABCB) that presents, in detail, the necessary requirements for architecting and constructing a new building in Australia. It is seen that the code examines in the great detail, the safety, amenity and any health related issues that can be connected with the said building and its overall design. Within it are the Building Codes of Australia (BCA) and Plumbing Codes of Australia (PCA) in the volumes 1 and 2 and the volume 3, respectively.[6] The current amended act is the version of NCC 2016 which has been lawfully accepted and followed by all states in Australia. Keeping the NCC aside, several other acts can be accounted for the advent of Australian Construction laws, such as: Building Act, 1975 Building Code of Australia Building and Construction Industry Payments Act, 2004 (BCIPA) Building and Construction Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Act, 1991 Fair Work Act, 2009; and several other acts. Legislations Based on State and Territory Apart from the acts stated above and the NCC, it is only natural that each state might have their own rules regarding the laws of building in general. Such laws are made in a way that they can cover sectors and issues like the Licensing, Contractual formalities, Registration issues, statutory warranties in contracts, insurance etc. such laws and acts segregated among states are mentioned below: Victoria: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, 2002. New South Wales: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, 1999 and the Contractors Debts Act 1997. Australian Capital Territory: Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act, 2009. Queensland: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004, Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 and the Subcontractors Charges Act, 1974. South Australia: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2009 and the Workers Liens Act, 1893. Western Australia: Construction Contracts Act, 2004. Tasmania: Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, 2009. Northern Territory: Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act, 2004. State legislations for Payment and Security Judging from above, it is pretty safe to state that states can have security and payment legislations as well that primarily indulges only subcontractors and contractors.[7] The framework ensures that payment procedures are safe and righteously made and disputes and money recovery can be made without a possible scenario of litigation. References Bailey, I.H., Bell, M. and Bell, C., 2011.Construction law in Australia. Lawbook Company. Burr, A. (Ed.). (2016).Delay and disruption in construction contracts. CRC Press. Gan, X., Zuo, J., Ye, K., Skitmore, M., Xiong, B. (2015). Why sustainable construction? Why not? An owner's perspective.Habitat International,47, 61-68. Hughes, W., Champion, R., Murdoch, J. (2015).Construction contracts: law and management. Routledge. Murray, M. (2013).Corporate social responsibility in the construction industry. Routledge. Zhou, Z., Goh, Y. M., Li, Q. (2015). Overview and analysis of safety management studies in the construction industry.Safety science,72, 337-350.