EPC Plant Equipment Maintenance Process Free Essays

Man-hours of Planned WOW Standby Man-hours ratio 0 No. Of Standby Man-hours / No. Of total Man-hours Mean work-order execution time (Days) Maintenance cost and cost ratio 0 Total maintenance cost per month / Total equipment book value 0 Differentiated values for man-hours and spare-parts 0 Divided in separated categories of equipment (rotary, fixed, facilities, etc. We will write a custom essay sample on EPC Plant Equipment Maintenance Process or any similar topic only for you Order Now ) Measured monthly Level 1 cross-functional map of the current process We at EPIC have been able to produce and deliver high quality, high-value chemicals to our customers through modern process technologies and hallucinated equipment and facilities. However, The ever increasing competition in the market requires us to reduce our plant maintenance costs and improve maintenance productivity by reducing non-value-adding activities and idle times, optimizing our manpower and machinery resource allocation, reducing spare-parts inventories, and minimizing the equipment idle-time and maintenance/procurement delays. These objectives may not be achieved unless we review, assess, and improve our maintenance planning and execution processes. To achieve an acceptable level of maintenance quality and productivity aimed at increasing production reliability and continuation, we have proposed to initiate a comprehensive analysis of maintenance processes, targeted at 50% reduction in maintenance costs and time, 30% reduction in spare parts inventory, and an average inter-overhaul period of at least 8 years. Implementing the above initiative will hopefully enable us to maintain our cost leadership and remain at the top of the domestic chemicals market. Review/analysis of the current state and its problems/issues As cited in the section n symptoms/problems and the root cause analysis chart, The most basic symptoms of the maintenance process which are manifested in the internal customer’s dissatisfaction are delayed execution and poor quality of maintenance work. These are mainly attributed to unskilled maintenance workers, poor coordination and cooperation between production and maintenance workers, and long procurement procedures, which result in several losses: 0 Downtime from breakdown and changeover times 0 Speed losses (when equipment fails to operate at its optimum speed) 0 Idling and minor stoppages due to the abnormal operation of sensors, blockage of work on hates, etc. 0 Process defects due to scrap and quality defects to be repaired 0 Reduced yield in the period from machine start-up to stable production. But the ultimate cause of all these inefficiencies lies in the non-optimized function-oriented hierarchical organization within the maintenance and other company-wide departments. In fact, this last phenomenon is the cause of fragmented processes and unnecessary control and inspection, which in turn hinder employees’ motivation and empowerment as well as cause very long cycles of spare-parts procurement. Initial improvemen ts- Streamlining How to cite EPC Plant Equipment Maintenance Process, Essays

Impact on the Australian International Business for Communication

Question: Discuss about theImpact on the Australian International Business for Communication. Answer: Introduction Increased benefits are being derived from cross-cultural and multinational businesses such as knowledge that is diverse and new exciting, insightful approaches to dealing with problems that businesses face. Despite the new derived benefits from carrying out international business their certain stumbling blocks in regards to international business and culture (Hult News, 2017). There are numerous ways that one can define culture, but in simple terms, culture is a set of norms that are accepted and shared by society. However, when looking at culture in the international context that is business oriented, it is notable that what a professional from one country deems acceptable is not acceptable at all in another country. To excel in the global business environment then, recognizing and understanding how culture affects business that operates internationally in three core areas is crucial. The areas include communication, organizational hierarchy, and etiquette, and by understanding the areas, any business working at international levels can eliminate any misunderstanding with clients and colleagues from abroad resulting to good business (Hult News, 2017). In any business, local or international communication is fundamental and collaborative activity. Goods and services exchange takes place through close coordination of many people sometimes within a single area and at times across a global distance. To coordinate at such levels, communication becomes essential as specifications of a complex product and schedules of production require understanding that is mutual. Moreover, in any business, negotiating of deals is crucial, and thus effective communication can guarantee success in such deals. Around the world, styles of communication are enormous and contribute to staggering styles of business that are different in a variety of forms. Countries such as Australia and others in the western European roots such as Canada, New Zealand rely heavily on low-context communication while the rest of the world lean towards high-context communication (Hooker , 2008). The paper will look into the communication differences and cultural impact on the I nternational business about Australia with hopes of understanding how contemporary international business issues impact on a countrys business abroad. Analysis In any business, making contacts is an inevitable activity, and the difference in communication context among countries affects the drawing up of contracts. Western contracts such as those drawn in Australia and Canada are very thorough where a simple transaction such as renting a car for an hour may need almost 3 pages of print to state the terms of the deal with any suspectible contingency. In such a contract, when signing takes place, it leaves no room for any sort of flexibility in the terms unless the party to the contract sit down and conclude to alter the terms if they deem that they are both losing. Despite the inflexibility, parties to the contract are always expected to deliver, and failure to do so results in an enforced compliance from the legal systems. On the other hand, contracts that rely on high-context communication have a difference in character due to two major reasons. One reason is that in high-context communication, it is unnecessary to write everything down si nce a simple gesture as a handshake becomes a mutual understanding. When the contract is written, it becomes a mere memorandum of understanding rather than taking it just as a legally binding document. In such communication, the terms are deemed very complex thus creating room for adjustments if need be as the contracting parties are more likely to depend on the relationships of trust that pre-exist rather than place reliance on legal systems. Secondly, contracts that depend on high context communication understand that the very idea of contracts exists only in partictlar cultures, mainly those which aremanipulated historically. The view which a Westerner has when it comes to doing deals is the same view such an individual has when doing business. A convents idea is fundamental to the culture and is also seen to govern the relationship between humans and God in the Old Testament as inscribed in the Christian Bible (Hooker , 2008). However, in a culture that is Confucian, doing business is mainly about relational development that is personal and that are based on family and clan connections. Also, in such cultures undertaking business relies on mutual an obligation that is known as guanxi, a term in Chinese that indicates connections. Therefore, in high-context communication, business arrangements and plans grow along with relationships rather than through communications that are written formally in contracts. Managers in other areas of the world that work with Western low-context communication countries such as Australia draw up contracts to please them but not because they require the contract. By going into such contracts with such countries, the organizations feel trapped as they feel that they require to adjust and amend the contractual terms as soon as the next day after signing the document. They feel enslaved by one piece of paper in a world that is constantly changing and in certain extent may not desi re to do business with such countries that hold them back due to bureaucracy (Hooker , 2008). Decision making and negotiation are essential in business and even more important in every cross-cultural business. In the Western negotiations, a yes may not necessarily mean yes, it may be a maybe and at times the maybe may mean no. When such countries say yes their indication is at times an understanding or an acknowledgment of a proposal. Once the proposal is unsatisfactory, the response that they send indirectly consist of statements such as lets take the time to think about it. In Japanese, for instance, silence or non-follow up of next meeting brings forth a particular meaning to them that were not intended by the other party to the negotiation. When dealing with such indirect high-context communications to pass the message across, reliance is crucial. In the international negotiation, there is always a misunderstanding that is as a result of the way of communication, and most businesses try their best not to offend the other party. Indirect communication that comes forth from indirect speech used by parties to the negotiation occurs in situations where the parties disagree not only in the negotiation but also when discussing a decision or when conflicts require resolutions (Hooker , 2008). The Westerners are always open in such settings as their way of communication affects the situation at hand that the parties are making an effort to solve. Parties in a disagreement state their views openly since their difference in resolution relies on objectives standards where the view that wins is that which has plenty of backing from stronger arguments, calculations from a spreadsheet or the market force logic. Despite the closure of the argument and finding their predicament unpleasant, there is always the expectation that they will subject their feelings to a criterion that is objective. In most parts of the world business, people have plenty of faith in objectivity as life revolves around relations that humans build rather than what are seen as universal rules of logic. Since there is no independent standard to resolve conflict, it is essential therefore for parties in a negotiation not to give offense at the very first place. However, it is not easy for such scruples to appl y in transactions that are transient especially interacting with strangers. Nevertheless, when dealing with associates in business with whom one must ensure a working relationship, it is imperative for the parties to maintain harmony through courtesy, indirection, and deference. The low context communicators in a negotiation meeting expect consideration of the pro and cons and at times expect to arrive at a decision on the spot. The participants to such a negotiation are expected to openly express their opinion, provide backup for their views with arguments and facts. On the other hand, high context communicators that depend on such culture expect deliberations and decision making to take place behind the scenes and at high levels. To them, A meeting is a venue to announce and explain their decision. In a culture which is relationship-based with regards to negotiations, the very concept as it is understood in the West may result in problems. It is not uncommon for such negotiation to get viewed as confrontations that come to undermine harmony. Negotiations to westerners are a poker game where players can lose without resentment as long as the players adhere to the set rules. Such rules are not acknowledged, and only the relationships that are human are considered as real thus crucial to foster good relations that are dependent on trust. Westerners face difficulties in bargaining in a traditional market set up as the conventions are very specific to the culture and require learning over an extended period. The difference in the communication styles between the parties is crucial in behavior regulation. The norm in the Western countries is that communication should be in writing while in the high context culture communication is not always written. The westerners employees may find it offensive to get punished for unwritten communication as they believe they cannot know better unless someone writes, but in high context cultures, correction by an individual is just a way of communicating and regulating behavior(Okoro, 2012). For instance, differences in culture and communication have affected the way Australia does business with other countries. For example, when doing business with China, eating in a banquet is a common business culture. It is impolite to finish your meal as it symbolizes generosity to the host of the banquet. It is also crucial to bring gifts to the dinner and normally there is the expectation that you will refuse the gift before accepting it. It is hard to carry out b usiness with then Chinese if you are offended by the elders spitting in public as it is an expected behavior for them and the sake of the business deal, it is expected the parties to come into agreement in cognizant with the diverse cultures. When giving a business card to them, there is always an expectation that it is done with both hands. Failure to adhere to such societal set standards of behavior may terminate the business before it starts (International Blog). The Australian and the Canadians expect employees to participate less in the decision-making process in the organization. Thus, the production in Japan is very hierarchical. In the Japanese setting, individualism is not encouraged in the work setting unlike in Australia as the Japanese show more preference to groups in conferring identity and status. In countries like Japan, masculinity is expected to get portrayed as a sign of competitiveness as opposed to behavior nurturing which is witnessed in Australia. In Japan, the producers prefer clear plans and policies and procedures in any joint while the Canadian and Australian producers prefer discretion that matches with ambiguity. It is evident that the Japanese and the Australian work under different environments and this will affect their international business as employees who work within their international branches may face conflicts and hard times (McFadyen , Hoskins, Finn ). Conclusion Different Cultures have different ways of communication which affect the way parties undertake the business internationally. It is crucial for a business to understand the culture to those countries it conducts business with so as to ensure effective and efficient communication leading to successful partnership. Failure to communicate appropriately results in misunderstanding affecting the contracts, the work environment and the negotiations between the parties from different countries. The miscommunication hinder the progress of business in the contemporary global market, and therefore management cannot ignore the influence to which the different cultures will have on the development of the organization. The Western countries communicate differently with their counterpart in other regions of the world. Western countries communicate using the low cultural context communication which affects the contracts, negotiations, and behavior. Culture and communication. Organizations in Austral ia are negatively impacted by such communication as it interferes with their business deals. It is thus the role of the management to find ways that can help in adapting to the change and difference in culture to accommodate the rest of the world into their business. It is up to the businesses to adopt training of its employees to enhance the way they carry out business with the world. The global market is not forgiving to those that neglect cultural impact on international businesses. Reference List Hooker, J. (2008). Cultural Differences in Business Communication. In C. B. Paulston. Tepper School of Business Carnegie Mellon University. Hult News. (2017, January 6). 11 Biggest Challenges of International Business in 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from www.hult.edu: https://www.hult.edu/news/international-business-challenges/ Hult News. (2017, January 19). Culture influence international business in 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from www.hult.edu: https://www.hult.edu/news/cultural-differences-impact-international-business/ International Blog. (2015, January 12). Cultural Differences Between Australia and China. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from blogs.acu.edu.au: https://blogs.acu.edu.au/international/16898/cultural-differences-china/ McFadyen, S., Hoskins, C., Finn, A. (n.d.). The Effect of Cultural Differences on the International Co-production of Television Programs and Feature Films. Communication, 23(4). Okoro, E. (2012, June). Cross-Cultural Etiquette and Communication in Global Business: Towards a Strategic Framework for Managing Corporate Expansion. International Journal of Business Management, 7(16), 1833-8119.

Title Essays - Human Pregnancy, Developmental Biology, Embryology

Title: The Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Music on Children's Intelligence Introduction: The experiment that I wish to conduct is the effect of prenatal exposure to audio stimulation on a child's overall intelligence. There have been many studies over the past decade about the relationship between music and intelligence. Emily P. Cary (1987) discovered a correlation between gifted students and music. Students who were exposed to classical music at a young age had better coordination skills, mental ability, and problem solving ability in comparison to those that did not have the exposure to music at a young age. Psychologists have traditionally accepted that memory begins at approximately years of age. However, with the advent of ultrasounds, in uteri monitors, and fiber optics televisions, there has been significant evidence that learning begins in the womb. In 1982, Dr. Brent Logan (1995) developed the pre-learning theory, which will be used in the experiment that I wish to conduct. Dr. Brent (1995) suggested that toward the end of gestation, there is a continual loss of fetal brain cells. The loss of brain cells consists after birth, but ceases at an unspecified time in the months after a child is born. Dr. Logan wanted to see if there was a way in which the brain cell loss can be slowed after birth. Dr. Logan conducted an experiment with twelve infants in 1986. Over a period of three years, he exposed the infants to sonic stimulation daily. He found that the group of children that were stimulated after birth had better memories and coordination when compared to those that did not have sonic stimulation. Based on this experiment, the loss of brain cells is considered a natural phenomenon, yet with sonic stimulation and environmental enrichment, the brain cells did not die, but increased neurology within the experimental group. One of the most cited researchers on prenatal stimulation is the psychologist Beartiz Manrique. Dr. Manrique conducted an experiment in Caracas, Venezuela called "Project Family." She was one of the first doctors to test Dr. Logan's pre-learning on fetuses instead of infants. The "Project Family" has been the largest experiment of its kind. It consisted of 680 families. The 680 families were divided into control groups and experimental groups. The goal of the study was to test the pre-learning theory, and to analyze the relationship between stimulation in uterus babies and child development, family integration, health and education. The study population consisted of Venezuelan mothers between the ages of 18 and 26. The participants had to all be first time mothers, of the same socio-economic status, and had to have an obstetrician certify their pregnancy as healthy. The women also had to commit to frequent visits to a selected OB-GYN to record the progression of the pregnancy and the fetus. The participants were actually divided into four groups, two experimental groups, and two control groups. The experimental group had to perform a prenatal program, neonatal program designed by Dr, Manrique and other specialists. The mothers of the infants also had to make subsequent visits to the doctor until the child reached the age of six years old. Dr. Manrique found from birth, there was a difference between the babies born in the experimental group and those that were born in the control group. Babies from the experimental group were more alert, attempted to turn their heads at the sound of their parents' voices over all ambient noises, and they recognized music that was played while they were still in the womb. Babies that had been prenatally stimulated also seemed to be more social. Overall, the children that received prenatal stimulation did better at the activities that Dr. Manrique had provided to test her subjects. The deliberate audio stimulation ended once the children reached one year of age, but the children were observed continuously until they reached the age of six. Purpose The purpose of my experiment would be to apply Dr. Logan's pre-learning theory to infants at the 16th week of gestation as well as the 27th week of gestation. Most research on prenatal infant stimulation has been conducted at the 27th week of gestation. (Logan 1995) This is the period when Dr. Manrique conducted her experiment as well. Since fetuses begin to develop

Global Green House Effects essays

Global Green House Effects essays The greenhouse effect is an increase in the atmospheric temperature caused by increasing amounts of greenhouse gases. These gases act as a heat blanket insulating the Earth's surface absorbing and trapping heat radiation which normally escapes from the earth. They include carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, CFC's, and other halo-carbons. The earth's atmosphere goes through two processes constantly. Global cooling is the first process. This process uses the clouds which cover 60% of the earth's surface to reflect 30% of the solar radiation. It also uses a sulfate haze, which is formed by sulfur dioxide from industrial sources that enter the atmosphere and react with compounds to form a high-level aerosol. These cool the atmosphere by blocking us from direct contact with the sun. The reflection of the sunlight is referred to as planetary albedo and contributes to the overall cooling. The second is the warming process. This is when light energy comes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by Earth and transformed to heat energy at the planet's surface. The infrared heat energy then radiates upward into space. There the greenhouse gases found naturally in the troposphere absorb some of the infrared radiation. The gases insulate the Earth, but do eventually allow the heat to escape. Without these greenhouse gases the earth would be would 33 C colder. Global temperature is a balance of the effects of the factors leading to global cooling, and warming. Unfortunately, increased emissions of greenhouse gases increase the warming process. For example, every kilogram of fossil fuels burned equals 3 kilograms of carbon dioxide ( the mass triples because each carbon atom in fuel bond to two oxygen atoms, in the course of burning, and forms C02. ) 6 billion tons of fossil fuel carbon are burned each year adding 18 billion tons of C02 to the atmosphere. This has increase the carbon dioxide concentrations by ...

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 34

Assignment - Essay Example By looking at the Earth’s orbit from the above its orbit appears to be much more elliptical. The next step involved measuring the radical velocity the star Arcturus in the solar neighborhood. The star Arcturus is relatively close to the Sun hence its temperature is slightly different from that of the sun. Zooming into the small regions of the spectrum of individual stars, similar absorption lines are observed. The little offset in wavelength is as a result of movement of Arcturus. Since we have obtained the value of the earth’s velocity as 129.74 km/sec, and the period of its orbit is known to be one year, we can calculate earth’s radius (in astronomical units) using the formula 5. The apparent color of the Arcturus changes with the radical velocity. If the object is close to the observer only a single edge of shifting to the other but if the object is far away they will appear as a small dot of light. Incase the observer is moving quickly, the interference of wavelengths will result in spreading of individual lines, a condition known as rotational broadening (Richmond

Team Industry research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team Industry research - Essay Example The company’s net sales for the third quarter of 2014 increased by 15 percent. The net income for the company for the third quarter 2014 was 404 million dollars. Chipotle Company is a fast food firm that specializes in tacos and burritos. The chipotle is a Mexican Spanish name, which implies dried and smoked fast food. The company mission statement and marketing strategy is based on philosophy of food with integrity, which depicts its efforts in utilizing organic ingredients and serves natural food than other established companies such as Taco Bell. Chipotle Company was established in 199 with the intention to serve quality and good food with an experienced that redefined and exceeded fast food experience (Shambora n.p). It is significant to note that the company source locally produced organic food. They utilize dairy ingredients raised in absence of synthetic hormones. In order to show its growth and success, the company ended its third quarter in the year 2014 with a whooping net income of more than 57 percent. The net sales of the company increased to nineteen percent during the third quarter, which the company said it was because of sys tem wide menu price hike. Compared to the Chipotle’ strategy, the Taco Bell strategy revolved on maintaining the current customers and ensuring that they are able to obtain the preferred flavors and taste. The strategy did not consider the impact of the dynamic change in customer preference. The change in the taste and preference of the consumer market affected Burger King Profits and sales, which is an indication of the failure of the strategy (Moskin n.p). In fact, the strategy by Chipotle was different and involved the development of products focusing on the entire market, while Taco Bell focused on super fans for long leading to serious challenge and reduction in the market share. In

Policies for Primary School Teachers

Policies for Primary School Teachers Introduction This essay discusses the question, â€Å"What do you consider to be an effective primary teacher?†. With reference to recent research, government initiatives and your own experience, the essay explores this question, based on my own educational principles and the ways in which these will underpin your professional practice in the future. The essay begins by reviewing the Government policies and initiatives that are relevant to the research question, discussing, in particular, the document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) and the subsequent Primary Strategy framework for primary education. The essay then moves on to discuss the aims of these policies and initiatives and the implications these have had for schools and teachers. The assessment framework is discussed, and how this impacts on teacher effectiveness is also noted. The essay then moves on to looking at the qualities of effective teachers, and effective teaching in a primary setting, and concludes that some of the facets of Government policies and initiatives – such as continual assessments run counter to my ethos of effective teaching and actually serve as little other than distractions from pure teaching time, through all the administration such assessments bring and the amount of time this takes away fro m lesson planning, for example. In terms of Government policy towards primary education, in 2003, the Government launched the policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) which set out a vision for the future of primary education built, formally, on the striving for higher standards through the formulation of a rich and varied curriculum which is aimed at developing children in a number of ways. As explained by the DfCSF (2008), the key to making this vision a reality lies in the need to empower primary school children to take control of their own learning, to be innovative and to develop their own character. The DfCSF (2008) also noted that the aims of the policy Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) should also be achieved through schools being able to set their own targets, based on challenging but realistic targets for the progress of each individual child, with LEA targets being set after this. In addition, the policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) encourages schools to network to learn from each other and to develop good practice, in partnership with parents in order to help children as far as possible and to forge links between schools and communities (DfCSF, 2008). The policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) was intended as an enabler, with leadership in schools being strengthened in terms of professional development of teachers towards the whole curriculum, and in terms of helping schools themselves design broad curriculum that links different areas of the curriculum and which thus provides children with as wide as possible a range of learning experiences (DfCSF, 2008). The policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) argues that the best primary schools are those that offer a broad and rich curriculum, and that, based on this it is fundamental that schools develop their own distinctive character through taking ownership of the curriculum, by being creative and innovative, using tests, targets and tables to help every child to develop his or her potential (DfES, 2003). Essentially, the policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) urged the promotion of excellence in primary teaching through building on the success of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, using the new Primary Strategies to extend this success in to other areas of the curriculum, including in foreign languages, sport and creativity, amongst other areas, measuring the success of this curriculum through assessments (DfES, 2003). There are many ways in which assessment activities can take place in the classroom, including monitoring normal classwork activities, using specific assessment tests designed by the teacher, designating assessment tasks as part of normal classwork, providing assessment tasks as part of homework assignments, and others, which are the domain of higher educational levels than the foundation stage, such as the use of standardized National Curriculum tests and/or formal examinations (Kyriacou, 1999; p.107). Kyriacou (1999; p.107-109) details each of these assessment protocols, showing, for example, how, although monitoring classroom activity is a part of the normal routine of a teacher, the monitoring, when it becomes investigative and active can become a form of assessment (Kyriacou, 1999; p.107; Kyriacou, 1997). In this way, the monitoring can inform teaching practice, through leading to suggestions for improvements in how learning is delivered, based on observations of areas in which t he children are failing to learn as quickly or as thoroughly compared to other areas, for example. In this way, monitoring and assessment can be a route through which teaching can be improved and teachers can become more effective. In terms of how the assessment is actually made (i.e., the actual process of assessment), evidence is collected through an ongoing process, via the teachers knowledge of the child, information from other contributors who are in regular contact with the child, anecdotes about significant moments in the child’s development, and focused assessments, based on observation where observation is understood to mean â€Å"the practice of watching and listening to a child as they engage in an activity and demonstrate specific knowledge, skills and understanding† (NAA, 2007). As pointed out by Kyriacou (1999; p.106), it is imperative that an adequate record of the child’s achievements, and their assessment, is kept, and that portfolios of children’s work are kept in order to exemplify the standards that are being sought, and so that teachers can use these records as a benchmark to build upon, through which improvements to teaching practice can be made and teacher effe ctiveness be improved. Teachers thus need to be competent in many areas in order to ensure that the assessment process goes smoothly for all concerned and that the assessment process is something that can be useful for teachers, in terms of improving teaching practices. The need for teachers to be competent in the assessment of children is reflected in the fact that the DfEE (2000) list of standards for teachers lists the ability to assess and record each pupils progress systematically as a competency (Kyriacou, 1999; p.106). In addition, it is fundamental that assessment judgements are agreed amongst all concerned, so that all those involved can make the best, fullest, use of the information. The Primary Strategies outlined in the policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) thus built on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to lead to the development of the Primary Curriculum, with the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies being embedded in the Primary Strategy (under the framework of the Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics that was launched in October 2006) (DfCSF, 2008). This new framework builds on the learning that has taken place since the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies were launched in 2003, providing new structures and new impetus to the vision embodied in the policy document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003), extending, as it does, the support given only to literacy and to numeracy to other subjects (DfCSF, 2008). The overall ethos of the new Primary Strategy framework is that excellent education is an education that is tailored to child ren’s specific needs, allowing them to engage with the educational process and giving them the start they need to be able to succeed in the context of secondary education (DfCSF, 2008). In terms of the future education of primary children, and how assessments at the primary level affect children’s future educational development, it is well documented that the level of educational attainment of a child (as assessed through Key Stage 1 assessments) cannot – alone – be used as an indicator of how well a particular teacher or school has performed; it is the relative progress that needs to be considered in terms of making an assessment of how children’s future educational prospects are affected by the assessment process (Kyriacou, 1999; p. 106). Ways to do this include taking baseline measurements of achievement and comparing these with achievement following a certain time period of education, or taking value-added measurements (Kyriacou, 1999; p.106). In terms of tracking how children progress beyond the primary level, the relationship between Key Stage 1 assessments and attainment in terms of National Curriculum levels needs to be explored (AAIA, 2007). As discussed by AAIA (2007), however, Key Stage 1 attainments cannot be directly related to National Curriculum levels and any such attempts would result in spurious information (NAA, 2006). It is clear, however, that the higher the child’s assessment at Key Stage 1, the more likely it is that the child would attain high levels following the National Curriculum tests (AAIA, 2007). Cohen et al. (2004) provides information on how to plan and organise classes, and shows how the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has set out principles for early years education (QCA, 1999; 2000; 2001), on the basis that, â€Å"effective education requires both a relevant curriculum and practitioners who understand and are able to implement the curriculum requirements†¦building on what children already know and can do, encouraging a positive attitude and a disposition to learn and to protect against early failure†. As the QCA (1999, 2000, 2001) point out, early years education should be carefully structured, providing different starting points, depending on what the child can already do, should have relevant and appropriate content, matching the different levels of children’s needs and should provide planned and purposeful activities which provide opportunities for teaching both indoors and outdoors, with teachers who are able to observe and respond app ropriately to the children under their care. This is on the basis that â€Å"parents are children’s first and most enduring educators† (QCA, 2000, p.9), and that teachers provide a series of stepping stones through foundation stages, through Early Learning Goals, through primary level, which articulates with the National Curriculum which all children from age five are legally bound to follow (Cohen et al., 2004; Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2000). Cohen et al. (2004) show how key aspects of effective learning at the primary level are active, integrated, socially constructive, cognitively constructive and linguistically rich learning, beginning where the individual learner is at themselves, in terms of their learning process, so that the individual child is the agent of their learning, empowering the children to enable their own learning by casting learning as problem-solving (Morrison, 2000; Cohen et al., 2004). As Morrison (2000; p.122) states, â€Å"the intention (of learning) is to extend play, to empower students and to enable them to take responsibility for their own, active and autonomous, learning and to develop in all aspects of their learning†. This is conducted, generally, through four key elements: classroom arrangements (with such things as centres of interest), daily schedules of plan-do-review sessions, key curricular and learning experiences and content and assessments through observation, recording and s haring, using authentic assessment and portfolios (Cohen et al., 2004). By following such suggestions for enabling learning at the primary level, continuity and progression are ensured. Continuity is generally defined, and understood, as ensuring that the overall aims, values and beliefs that give direction to, and put boundaries around, the scheme of work are consistent, regardless of who is teaching or answering later questions (Fabian and Dunlop, 2002). Progression is defined, and understood, generally, as the process through which the schools planned activities gradually extend pupils’ thinking, their exploration of values and attitudes, enrich language, knowledge and strategies through increasingly demanding inputs and challenging explorations, matched to pupils chronological age, readiness and circumstance (Fabian and Dunlop, 2002). Through ensuring continuity and progression, children can be enabled to achieve the goals they want to achieve, within the frameworks that are set them. My personal teaching ethos This section takes one or two of my principles to explain how I intend to be an effective primary teacher, using examples from your my school experiences. In essence, I concur with Cohen et al. (2004) that, â€Å"effective education requires both a relevant curriculum and practitioners who understand and are able to implement the curriculum requirements†¦building on what children already know and can do, encouraging a positive attitude and a disposition to learn and to protect against early failure† and I agree with the overall stated ethos of the new Primary Strategy framework is that excellent education is an education that is tailored to children’s specific needs, allowing them to engage with the educational process and giving them the start they need to be able to succeed in the context of secondary education (DfCSF, 2008). Taylor and Hayes (2001) provide a discussion as to how education should be delivered, leading me to arrive at several conclusions as to how I should organize my time as a teacher in order to provide the most effective teaching possible to my pupils. I agree with the aims of the Primary Strategy as set out in the policy document, Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003), which encourages schools and teachers to network to learn from each other and to develop good practice, in partnership with parents in order to help children as far as possible and to forge links between schools and communities (DfCSF, 2008). The dictates of the assessment processes and the Curriculum mean I have to teach within these boundaries, but this does not mean that lessons have to be rigid and that assessments and tests and Curriculum have to be frightening terms to primary age pupils. One of my responsibilities as an effective teacher is to prepare students, as well as possible, for the assessments and to teach the Curriculum in such a manner that the children’s sense of wonder is upheld (see Allen and Ainley, 2007) and that children’s awareness of themselves as part of a whole and as spiritual beings is also encouraged (Eaude, 2005). My aim as a primary teacher is to foster a sense of enjoyment in the learning process and, through this, to foster a love of learning that will continue well beyond the primary level, encouraging success at the secondary level and forging a lifelong love of learning in each individual pupil, based on a sense of wonder at the world, its contents and its processes. I, personally, agree with Cohen et al. (2004), who show how key aspects of effective learning at the primary level are active, integrated, socially constructive, cognitively constructive and linguistically rich learning, beginning where the individual learner is at themselves, in terms of their learning process, so that the individual child is the agent of their learning, empowering the children to enable their own learning by casting learning as problem-solving (Morrison, 2000; Cohen et al., 2004). It is my aim as a teacher, wishing to be an effective teacher, to foster the empowerment of children, through developing a sense of the wonder of learning and empowering the children to direct their own learning, within the context of the Curriculum, so that children feel they are capable of learning and are capable of achieving the standards they set themselves. The Success of New Labour’s Policy Towards Primary Education Tymms (2004) look at how successful the changes to primary education have been, following the introduction of the Numeracy and Literacy Strategies and finds that, whilst the introduction of these Strategies contributed to a rise in standards, independent tests of children’s attainment have shown that this rise in standards is not as widespread nor as high as claimed and that, as such, an independent body should be set up to monitor standards over time, with the purpose of testing how Government planning for education is actually being received on the ground, as it were. A recent Oftsted report (Ofsted, 2003) also shows that some of the aims of the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategy were not achieved (with weak subject knowledge being a common failure of schools), suggesting the Government’s approach to primary education needs to be looked at further. Allen and Ainley (2007) back this suggestion, through their analysis of education in the UK, presented in their book Education make you fick, innit? Allen and Ainley argue that as institutionalized learning has become more common-place in the Uk, through schools and work-based training programmes, possibilities have been foreclosed for emancipating minds, something that is increasingly being applied to primary level education, through the introduction of the Primary Strategy, for example, and the assessment-based curriculum this embodies, which, argue Allen and Ainley (2007) forces teachers to concentrate more on training children in the Curriculum for the purpose of attaining high scores on the assessments than on actually instilling a sense of wonder in learning. Allen and Ainley (2007) argue that this process is killing the sense of wonder in children, and that, even for primary school children, education, the process of going to school, has become little more than a daily grind, rather than a joyous process the children are happy to undertake because they enjoy the process and because the process can bring them knowledge and enjoyment. This essay has discussed the question, â€Å"What do you consider to be an effective primary teacher?†. With reference to recent research, government initiatives and your own experience, the essay has explored this question, based on my own educational principles and the ways in which these will underpin your professional practice in the future. The essay began by reviewing the Government policies and initiatives that are relevant to the research question, discussing, in particular, the document Excellence and Enjoyment – A Strategy for Primary Schools (DfES, 2003) and the subsequent Primary Strategy framework for primary education. The essay then moved on to discuss the aims of these policies and initiatives and the implications these have had for schools and teachers. The assessment framework was then discussed, and how this impacts on teacher effectiveness was also noted. The essay then moved on to looking at the qualities of effective teachers, and effective teachin g in a primary setting, and concluded that some of the facets of Government policies and initiatives – such as continual assessments run counter to my ethos of effective teaching and actually serve as little other than distractions from pure teaching time, through all the administration such assessments bring and the amount of time this takes away from lesson planning, for example. The main conclusion to the essay is that effective teaching at the primary level should serve to instill a sense of the wonder of learning and should open children’s minds to the possibilities that learning, and the learning process, encompasses. I converge with Allen and Ainley (2007) that the current trend towards assessments, more assessments and yet more assessments is not healthy for children, because it causes stress and can initiate a sense of failure in children who do not achieve high scores on these assessments and also because managing these assessments takes time away from teaching, through all the administration that the tests generate. The argument that these tests do little than to confirm that the education policies the Government is espousing are correct seems valid, and it is, as has been seen, in any case questionable that the standards suggested by the Government, in the Primary Strategy are actually leading to rises in standards (see Tymms, 2004). That the overall stated ethos of the new Primary Strategy framework is that an excellent education is an education that is tailored to children’s specific needs, allowing them to engage with the educational process and giving them the start they need to be able to succeed in the context of secondary education (DfCSF, 2008) is thus a good basis to begin, as an effective teacher, but, in order to avoid boredom in the education process, and psychological problems, due to the huge amount of testing and assessment primary children are subject to, effective teaching not only needs to teach the Curriculum and prepare children for the battery of tests and assessments they will be subjected to, but also needs to foster the empowerment of children, through developing a sense of the wonder of learning and empowering the children to direct their own learning, within the context of the Curriculum, so that children feel they are capable of learning and are capable of achieving the standards they set themselves. Effective teachers are thus not only bound by the dictates of Government policy and teaching research which suggests how teachers should teach, but they are, in my opinion, also bound by a responsibility to children, to instill in children a sense of the wonder of learning. In my opinion, and something I will endeavour to achieve in my teaching practice, this sense of wonder can be best achieved through empowering children to realise their potential and to realise they can achieve their goals, through fostering a love of learning. These qualities not only make for an effective teacher but also an inspiring teacher, who will inspire their pupils to want to learn. References AAIA (2007). Assessing children’s attainments in the foundation stage: guidance produced by the AAIA. Available from http://www.aaia.org.uk/PDF/FAQs%20-%20assessing%20childrens%20attainment%20in%20the%20foundation%20stage.pdf [Accessed on 29th February 2008]. Alexander, R. (2004). Still no pedagogy? 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