Piaget And Vygotsky s Theories - 1729 Words

The two most influential psychologists of the twentieth century, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky dedicated their lives to the field of Developmental Psychology. They spent every possible day studying the wide span of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth and development over a human lifespan. Apart from many criticisms regarding their work, Piaget and Vygotsky’s enduring research is an important part in children s education around the world. In addition to spreading light on a child develops into an adolescent and adult. Piaget Jean Piaget’s research revolved around cognitive development. This construction of thought processes includes thinking, knowing, remembering and problem solving, as well as decision making and communicating. As Piaget held more experiments with more children, he began to notice the child’s individual reasoning for their answer to a specific question. Intrigued, he began to analyze their incorrect answers than their correct ones. Piaget explained their individual reasoning by explaining each person holds concepts, or ‘mental molds’. Children answer these questions differently because they are accustomed to their previous knowledge. These molds, or schemas, help organize knowledge and group similar ‘things’ in the brain. If a child is involved in a new experience or idea, they will go from a state of equilibrium to disequilibrium. This state of disequilibrium is why children become confused and ask the constant ‘why?’. To return back to theShow MoreRelatedPiaget And Vygotsky s Theories Essay890 Words   |  4 Pagesdistinct yet, unique theories developed by Piaget and Vygotsky. These two theories are similar in various ways but also have unlike qualities, as well. Loudin (2012) suggests that even though Piaget and Vygotsky’s understanding and teaching of their theories are similar but stresses to point out that there is a distinct quality that one cannot see and wishes to share with readers. Other articles will discuss their level of understanding of either Piaget’s or Vygotsky’s theories. This paper examinesRead MorePiaget And Vygotsky s Theory1400 Words   |  6 PagesPiaget and Vygotsky provide highly influential theories of learning which have enhanced the way children are taught in today’s schools (Pound, 2005, p.36). But despite the similarities, there were fundamental differences between their theories. In this assignment I will be comparing and contrasting their theorie s and relating this to my current personal experience of teaching and learning. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) developed a theory that the mind of a child evolves through a series of pre-determinedRead MorePiaget And Vygotsky s Theories1008 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Piaget and Vygotsky Bruner (2015) discusses a time of great change in the world of psychology in Germany, America, and in Britain through contributions of several â€Å"new heroes [that] were much more holistic, much less reductionist†¦the worldwide major figures in the field of developmental psychology were now Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget†. Lourenà §o (2012) reiterated the importance of Piaget and Vygotsky as two influential developmental psychologists and added that â€Å"their contributions toRead MoreA Comparison Between Piaget s Theory And Vygotsky Theory1844 Words   |  8 Pages A Comparison Between Piaget s Theory and Vygotsky s Theory Tracey Moore William Carey University Child psychology is an important part of the process of teaching a child, knowing child psychology in teaching is a characteristic every teacher should have. Using child psychology in everyday teaching will improve a teacher s ability to teach as well as improve a student s ability to learn. When incorporating psychology into everyday teaching, two veryRead MoreComparing Piaget And Vygotsky s Theory Of Cognitive Development813 Words   |  4 PagesJean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are considered to be very prominent figures in the area of cognitive development. Both of these men considered themselves a constructivist, which entails a viewpoint that is concerned with the nature of knowledge. In their lifetime, both of them made contributions in the area of education and even after death, their theories still influence teaching methods. The purpose of this paper is to show some similarities as well as differences in the theories of Piaget and VygotskyRead MoreVygotsky And Jean Piaget s Theories On Language Acquisition3023 Words   |  13 PagesWhen comparing the works of Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget, the simplest analogy would be nurture versus nature. According to the Lecture of Theories on Language Acquisition (2014), Piaget was a psychologist and philosopher from Switzerland who is very well known in the education field, especially for his Theory of Cognitive Development. He believes that as a child transitions through the stages of development, learning is internally directed due to a child’s natural inquisitiveness. A child isRead MoreJean Piaget And Vygotsky s Theory On Children s Cognitive Development1507 Words   |  7 Pagespsychologists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, have shared their knowledge on children’s cognitive development. Both psychologists had their own vision of what stimulates and helps a child grow. Jean Piaget s theory was shaped through the thinking and understanding of how knowledge is built through a series of four st ages; preoperational, sensorimotor, formal operational and concrete operational. He believed that the development was with the child themselves. On the contrary, Lev Vygotsky s theory is shapedRead MorePiaget And Vygotsky s Cognitive Development Theory1114 Words   |  5 Pagestwo specific contributors to this area of study, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. First, let us discuss what exactly is cognitive development. Cognitive development is the process of how thought is constructed. This includes language learning, problem solving, reasoning, decision-making, as well as any other mental abilities. Cognitive development begins in childhood and continues to develop all the way through adulthood. Piaget and Vygotsky theories on cognitive development are recognized and acceptedRead MorePiaget And Lev Vygotsky s Theory Of Learning Essay1808 Words   |  8 Pagesare taken into consideration when lesson planning so teaching is as effective as possible. To examine this further I will be discussing the theories of two very influential development psychologists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Piaget’s constructivist approach to learning examines how humans acquire knowledge through experience. Whereas Vygotsky looks at learning from the perspective of a social constructivist believing that humans develop their learning skills through shared knowledgeRead MorePiaget s Eight Stages Of Development And Vygotsky s Theory On Cognitive Development Essay2193 Words   |  9 Pagesthrough life has helped me to understand that everything that happens is just apart of life. Two theories that I would like to focus on that I believe have had the biggest impact in my life are, Erikson’s eight stages of development and Vygotsky’s theory on cognitive development. Erikson’s theory is based off of 8 stages ranging from ages â€Å"zero† (birth); where we learn to either trust our caregiver(s) or we develop mistrust where we may become suspicious or anxious. Up until death, where we end with

Identify the Ash

An ash tree commonly refers to trees of the genus Fraxinus (from Latin ash tree) in the olive family Oleaceae. The ashes are usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. Identification of ash during the spring/early summer growing season is straight forward. Their leaves are opposite (rarely in whorls of three)  and mostly pinnately compound but can be simple in a few species. The seeds, popularly known as keys or helicopter seeds, are a type of fruit known as a samara. The genus Fraxinus contains 45-65 species worldwide. The Common North American Ash Species Green and white ash trees are the two most common ash species and their range covers most of the Eastern United States and Canada. Other significant ash trees to cover significant ranges are black ash, Carolina ash, and blue  ash. green ashwhite ash Unfortunately, both green ash and white ash populations are being decimated by the  emerald ash borer  or EAB. Discovered in 2002 near Detroit, MIichigan, the boring beetle has spread through much of the northern ash range and threatens billions of ash trees. Dormant Identification Ash has shield-shaped leaf scars (at the point where the leaf breaks away from the twig). The tree has tall, pointed buds above the leaf scars. There are no stipules on ash trees so no stipulate scars. The tree in winter has pitchfork-like looking limb tips and there could be long and narrow clustered winged seed or samaras. Ash has continuous bundle scars inside leaf scar looks like smiley face. Important: A leaf scar is the major botanical feature when keying a green or white ash. The white ash will have a U-shaped leaf scar with the bud inside the dip; the green ash will have a D-shaped leaf scar with the bud sitting atop the scar. Leaves: opposite  , pinnately compound , without teeth.Bark: gray and furrowed.Fruit: a single winged key hanging in clusters. The Most Common North American Hardwood List ash  - Genus Fraxinus  beech  - Genus Fagus  basswood  - Genus Tilia  birch  - Genus  Betula  black cherry  Ã‚  - Genus  Prunus  black walnut/butternut  - Genus Juglans  cottonwood  Ã‚  - Genus  Populus  elm  Ã‚  - Genus  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ulmus  hackberry  Ã‚  - Genus   Celtis  hickory  Ã‚  - Genus   Carya  holly  Ã‚  - Genus   IIex  locust  - Genus Robinia and Gleditsia  magnolia  Ã‚  - Genus   Magnolia  maple  - Genus Acer  oak  - Genus Quercus  poplar  Ã‚  - Genus  Populus  red alder  Ã‚  - Genus   Alnus  royal paulownia  Ã‚  - Genus  Paulownia  sassafras  Ã‚  - Genus   Sassafras  sweetgum  - Genus Liquidambar  sycamore  Ã‚  - Genus   Platanus  tupelo  Ã‚  - Genus   Nyssa  willow  Ã‚  - Genus   Salix  yellow-poplar  - Genus  Liriodendron

A Summary Of A Personal Statement - 2169 Words

I have been a communications officer in FCR for 8yrs, I was also a special constable for 7yrs, during my time as a comms officer I have progressed through call taking and dispatching. Last year I was successfully promoted to scale 5 and have been working as a senior comms officer since that time. I am a tutor and have tutored 9 new members of staff on call taking and dispatch and 2 others on the ANPR desk. I am fully trained in ANPR, VODS, recruitment and selection interviewing and as an acting supervisor. I am also the health and safety SPOC along with first aid and fire marshal for FCR a role I volunteered to take on alongside my normal duties. I have completely rewritten the health and safety book to bring it up to date, I have†¦show more content†¦As health and safety SPOC I had noted a breach of fire and HS regulations in relation to the kitchen door. This was a designated fire door, that lead into the kitchen area which is a high risk area for fires and there had been one in there previously. I took away door stop that was preventing the door from closing to comply with regulations. However this then caused issues for disabled members of staff. We currently have 5 members of staff who are not able to open doors properly without help or an automatic door due to disability. This was a concern as disabled members of staff could not access the kitchen without the door being permanently open but this was then breaching fire regulations. I then called and spoke with the HS manager about the options that I could put in place. I then weighed up these options and presented the two best solutions to the local command team to remedy the issue. I had to factor in accessibility with cost and what could be fitted. Of the two options submitted one a push button automatic door was ruled out due to cost, however the other option of placing a magnetic latch on the door was accepted as this would allow the door to remain open at all times, therefore complying with the disability act for accessibility, but would then close on activation of the fire alarm complying with fireShow MoreRelatedEssay on Writing a Strong Nursing Resume1111 Words   |  5 Pagescaption, objective statement, qualifications summary, heading, headlines and bulleted statements outlining the applicants professional background and all (nursing schools) attended, including successfully completed (LPN program) and bridging (RN programs). A caption simply includes the applicants name, address, telephone number, and personal email address. The caption should be centered on the top of the page. Use 13 to 14 point boldface font. An objective statement clearly states whatRead MoreThe Oliver Versus Brock Case1381 Words   |  6 Pageshearsay statements, to prove the truth of the matter. In the Oliver versus Brock case, Cathy (Plaintiff) filed a lawsuit against Bryan Whitfield Memorial Hospital of Demopolis and the treating physicians Dr. F.S. Whitfield, Dr. Paul Ketcham and Dr. E.C. Brock (Defendant) for negligence of care. Analyzing the facts in the affidavits are important in understanding what issues the court has to decide, and how the court decided those issues. The court’s decision to grant Dr. Brock a motion for summary judgmentRead MorePersonal Finance : Using Accounting Principles Of Paying For Or Financing A Life And A Way Of Living808 Words   |  4 Pages(2009)), we know that â€Å"personal finance is the process of paying for or financing a life and a way of living.† That said, we also know that using accounting principles to manage our personal finances will likely yield great su ccess in one’s tracking and planning, financially, in the long run. Understanding the sources (incomes) and uses (expenses) of funds, and the budget deficit/surplus that results, are core accounting measures to consider in short and long term personal financial planning. Read MoreFinancial Plan For Hire A Financial Planner1086 Words   |  5 Pagesdo for your financial plan should go in this folder or binder. It’s going to be your go-to place for all things related to your financial plan. The first tab or subfolder that you need to create is an administrative summary. In your administrative summary, you should list your personal information, including your employment history, address history, who you elect for beneficiaries on your policies, and any other pertinent information. Additionally, you should create a document that lists all of yourRead MoreCritique of the Movie Tinker Tailor Solider Spy850 Words   |  3 Pagesreason. Article Summary The article mentioned above is entitled Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is No Easy Watch and is written by Chris Krapek for the Huffington Post. Krapeks main point in this particular critique of the film is that it is quite a difficult movie to watch and understand. Krapek starts by offering his opinions on the film, including imagining many individuals in his personal life scoffing at how boring the movie actually is. Then, Krapek offers a summary of the film. WithinRead MoreCivil Procedure and Advise Employee Issue Essay1079 Words   |  5 PagesIssue Solution htnksdfSDFGfdgfdgaï » ¿ ADVISE EMPLOYEE Issue SolutionQuestion 1.1 SERVICE - Personal service o R6.02 An originating process shall be served personally on each defendant o R6.03 Personal service is effected by leaving a copy of the writ with the Defendant or putting it down in their presence if they do not accept a copy o Personal service is not effective in this way because the plaintiff has failed to fulfill this requirement - HOWEVER - CommonRead MoreCPA REPORT Essay1368 Words   |  6 Pagesthe financial statements The current of deferred tax consequences of an event are measured by applying the provisions of enacted tax laws to determine the amount of taxes payable or refundable currently or in future years The tax consequences of earning income or incurring losses or expenses in future years or the future enactment of a change in tax laws or rates are not anticipated for purposes of recognition and measurement of a deferred tax liability or asset† (Summary of Statement No. 96). ProceduresRead MoreNegotiation and Communicative Competence1777 Words   |  7 PagesCompetence Summary of Findings: Personal Bargaining Inventory In summarizing and discussing the results of the Personal Bargaining Inventory I took, I have chosen six (6) statements that I feel strongly about, each from Sections I and II. These statements will be the points of discussion for this summary section. Section I is a self-rating inventory of statements describing an individuals negotiation style and attitude towards negotiation. In this section, I felt most strongly about statements 8, 10Read MoreBasic Accounting Syllabus1024 Words   |  5 Pagestechniques used. The material covered will also include coverage of the principles and procedures of the accounting cycle for a sole proprietorship and merchandising organizations. General-purpose financial statements will be reviewed, including the Income Statement, Statement of Equity, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flow, and Bank reconciliation. Other topics such as depreciation, inventory, and ratio analysis will be covered. D. Credit Units: 3 Units E. Pre-requisite: None II. COURSERead MoreVark Learning Styles: Read/Write Learning Style1031 Words   |  5 Pagesout the aspect of making sense of what is read through fixing it in memory by writing it down (Crawford, 2005). Therefore, the method strengthens the learning quality by incorporating both the senses of sight and touch. Pointed out herein is how personal reading/writing strategies compare to the VARK preferred read/write learning style strategies and how the awareness of the individual learning style (read/write style) influences teaching and learning. Preferred learning strategies for read/write

The Debate Over Gay Marriage - 858 Words

Although gay marriage has been legalized in all of the United States, the idea is still heavily debated. Richard Fitzgibbons, one of the various authors of the book Homosexuality: Opposing Viewpoints (Homosexuality is Caused by Psychological Trauma, p.36) believe that in order to get rid of pain, a person can be overcome by strong, erotic desires and actions, however, this does not entirely make sense. If a man were to be sexaully assaulted by another man, they would, more than likely remain straight, considering they were hurt by someone of the same sex. Religion Several people use religion as an argument against homosexuality, such as Matt Slick, writer of the article What does the Bible say about homosexuality?. Matt uses the bible as a source quoting scriptural citations, such as in Leviticus 18:22, where it says: â€Å"You should not lay with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.† This, however, only makes a strong argument in the case of a person who actually believes there is a God. Also, in Leviticus chapter 19, verse 27, the bible clearly says that one should not shave the hairs at the sides of their head, which basically means that haircuts were also a sin. Homosexuality is â€Å"Unnatural† Many times, in an article, a person against gay marriage, or homosexuality in general will use the argument thatShow MoreRelatedThe Debate Over Gay Marriage2100 Words   |  9 Pagesduring a culture shift during the Christian revolution that society began to condemn the practice. Our current society is realizing same-sex relationships do exist and have done so regardless of law allowing them to outwardly celebrate their unions. Gay couples have remained secluded in society and covered their living arrangements under feeble explanations and lies. Hiding true feelings and living a lie is destructive to a person’s well-being and happiness. Recently the United States took stepsRead MoreEssay on Gay Marriage Is Good For America1512 Words   |  7 Pagesdecision. The gay marriage debate has been simmering for as long as I can remember. The four articles I have selected give information from four different perspectives including that of liberals, conservatives, homosexuals, a nd orthodox Jews. With so many differing opinions, one can understand why its been so hard for the nation to come to agree on this issue. In an article titled Witch Hunt in the Golden State, David N. Bass sheds light on on his opinion that same-sex marriage activists areRead MoreGay Marriage: Why Should We Legalize It? Essay1284 Words   |  6 PagesGay Marriage: Why Should We Legalize It? Gay marriage tends to spark many different opinions in the hearts and minds of the citizens of this great nation. This political issue is usually one that would spark a heated debate between even the closest of friends. The subject description typically spurs intense hatred and anger, even. You would more than likely witness numerous signs picketing this issue whether it may be a revised Bible quote deeming it a sin or a sign decked out in the many colorsRead MoreGay Marriage1711 Words   |  7 PagesRWS 305 T 4PM Professor Voth October 13, 2009 Gay Marriage Begins With Separation Our country was built on the foundation of separation between church and state. But has the concrete wall of separation begun to deteriorate? Or was it ever really there at all? As we continuously battle over the rights to same sex marriage, the question of church or state surfaces. It is due time that we examine this matter and decide once and for all if the church should have any opinion in theRead MoreEssay about Gay Marriage and the Government1712 Words   |  7 PagesIn recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown into a nationwide controversy, reverberating into the halls of congress, at the white house, in dozens of state and legislature and courtrooms, and in the rhetoric of election campaigns at both the national and state levels. As the debate rages on, the American religious community remains deeply divided over the issue, and over the morality of homosexuality. The debate has grown from an issue that occasionally arose in a few states to aRead MoreS hould Gay Marriage Be Legalized?1313 Words   |  6 PagesShould gay marriage be legalized? Marriage is considered to be the rite of passage from an religious point of view, it is considered as holy matrimony before the eyes of God. Attraction between individuals of the same sex has been a topic of debate. However, over the past few years gay individuals made a decision to our grievances of oppression despite receiving tremendous critics from the public. Initially, gay marriages wereRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legalized1379 Words   |  6 PagesName: Tutor: Course: Date: Gay Marriages Marriage is considered as hypothetically speaking, a rite of passage whilst from the religious point of view, it is considered as holy matrimony before a supreme being. Attraction between individuals of the same sex has been a topic of debate since time immemorial. However, over the past few years gay individuals have opted to air grievances of oppression despite receiving tremendous critics from the public. Initially, gay marriages were unfathomable eventsRead MoreGeorge Chauncey, Why Marriage?1245 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Chauncey, Why Marriage?: The History Shaping Today s Debate over Gay Equality, 2004 Nisha Chittal, Judges Chip Away at Florida Gay Marriage Ban, msnbc.com, July 26, 2014 Jeffrey M. Jones, Same-Sex Marriage Support Solidifies Above 50% in U.S., Gallup.com, May 13, 2013 Stonewall Rebellion, www.nytimes.com, Apr. 10, 2009 Goldberg, Carey (February 10, 2000). Vermont Panel Shies From Gay Marriage. New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2013. https://www.isidewith.com/poll/965633 Read MoreEssay on Marriage Equailty for the LGBT Community1554 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s society, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community has been more accepted then in years prior, especially in the 1960’s and years prior to that, when anyone in the LGBT community would be horribly ridiculed, if not tortured. However, there still lies a long road for the LGBT community, as it pertains to human rights, equality, and particularly, marriage equality. Each individual has their own perception on marriage equality, whether it is based on moral basis, or onRead MoreDiscrimination Against Gay Marriage is the Voice of Ignorance1447 Words   |  6 PagesDiscrimination Against Gay Marriage is the Voice of Ignorance Marriage is one of the fundamental establishments of the United States. As a young person, one looks forward to many goals in their lifetime: career success, a good life, and very often marriage to the person they love and a family together. This is one of the biggest parts of our American life and culture. Very few heterosexuals would be willing to put their right to marry on a ballot for voter approval, or even in their wildest

NFLDraft Busts Free Essays

NFL Drafts are always an exciting time. So many predictions, so much expert analysis, so much time, money, and energy all spent on one goal: To decide which players will have success in the NFL. An enormous amount of hard work goes into drafting a single player. We will write a custom essay sample on NFLDraft Busts or any similar topic only for you Order Now Teams spend countless hours, days, months, and even years trying to figure out which prospects have the greatest potential to find success. The NFL Draft consists of 7 rounds of all the rounds the first round is the most hyped and anticipated and understandably so as some of the best college players are drafted in this round. When drafted in the first round the future prospect has to live up to the enormous expectations that come with being drafted in the first round. Some go on to find success in the NFL and fulfill their duty as a first round pick, however there are many circumstances in which first round picks fail to live up to the expectations. In that scenario they are considered a â€Å"Bust†. Although first round picks have enormous pressure to perform well they are also very handsomely paid. In 2008, the average guaranteed salary for a first-round pick in the NFL was $11,924,000. For second-round picks, that number drops to $1,932,000, while third-round picks averaged $668,000 guaranteed. The steep drop illustrates the significant financial importance a higher draft slot has for a prospect. So it’s easy to see why there is so much pressure on first round picks. However the first round is not the only round of the draft there are six more rounds behind it. Teams can defiantly find talent in all rounds of the Draft. Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana was drafted in the third round, 3-time MVP Brett Favre was drafted in the 2nd round and 3-time Super Bowl winner and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round with the 199th overall pick. Even with all the great NFL Draft picks there are some really horrible and frankly stupid draft decisions. For every Tom Brady there is a JaMarcus Russell. With that being said we now break down the Top 10 worst draft picks in NFL history. Picks that cost their teams millions and the chance to draft future NFL stars and Hall of Famers. 10. Jeff George, QB, Illinois (1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1) The Colts traded to draft George, making him the first pick in the 1990 draft, and then rewarded him with the richest rookie contract in NFL history. What should have been a dream career with his hometown Colts turned ugly almost from the start? By the time it ended after four seasons with a trade to the Atlanta Falcons, he had made vile gestures to the hometown fans, argued with Coach Ted Marchibroda, held out for 36 days, and tried to get a trade. George would turn out to be a journeyman quarterback being on seven different teams. He had a passer rating of 80. 4 and threw for 27,602 yard with 154 Touchdowns and 113 interceptions. 9. Blair Thomas, RB, Penn State (1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2) Thomas was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round (second overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft. His NFL playing career spanned six seasons. Despite leading NFL rookies in yards-per-carry and AFC rookies in total yardage, he is widely considered another in a long line of Jets draft disappointments. Thomas rushed for only 2,000 yards and five touchdowns in his four seasons with the Jets. Thomas suffered a series of nagging injuries beginning in 1992 and was released by the Jets following the 1993 season. He began the 1994 season with the New England Patriots, but finished it with the Dallas Cowboys. He concluded his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers in 1995. 8. Akili Smith, QB, Oregon (1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 3 overall pick in 1999 draft, Smith never grasped the complexities of the NFL game and failed to show the work ethic required to succeed in the league. He started just 17 games over four years with the Bengals, throwing just five touchdowns. He had two failed comebacks with the Packers and Buccaneers before an uneventful, short stint in the CFL. As for life after football, in March 2010 Smith became a graduate football assistant at Cal. He was hired by head coach Jeff Tedford, who previously coached Smith at Oregon as offensive coordinator. 7. Lawrence Phillips, RB, Nebraska (1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6) Phillips was drafted sixth overall in the 1996 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams despite his considerable character issues; several teams with higher picks declared they passed on him because of his off-the-field troubles. Phillips played the 1996 and part of the 1997 seasons with the Rams before refusing to show for a team meeting and practice in a dispute with coach Dick Vermeil over playing time in November 1997. The Rams cut Phillips in 1997.. Phillips is arguably one of the biggest draft day blunders in NFL history, the Rams thought so highly of him that the team traded his predecessor, Jerome Bettis, to the Pittsburgh Steelers immediately after drafting Phillips, a trade that would later prove beneficial to the Steelers. After the Rams he played two games with the Miami Dolphins before being cut. He later played for the 49ers, CFL, AFL, and NFL Europe. His lone career highlight is an infamous one as he missed a crucial block on all-pro cornerback Aeneas Williams who proceeded to knock out Steve Young during a Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals. This injury would lead to the end of Young’s career. Phillips had one run-in with the law after another after his playing career was over, none worse than the one that sent him to prison last December for attacking his girlfriend and driving his car into three teens. He is currently serving a 31 year prison sentence. 6. Charles Rogers, WR, Michigan State (2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2) The No. 2 overall pick in 2003 by Detroit lasted just three seasons in the NFL, and caught just 36 passes in his 14-game career. Poor attitude, injuries, and a drug habit contributed to his failures as an NFL player. After getting cut by the Lions in 2005, the same year the NFL suspended him for substance abuse, he had tryouts with the Dolphins, Patriots and Buccaneers in 2006, but was not signed. His career was finished. After his career was over Rodgers did not face much better off the field. He was arrested in September 2008 and charged with assault and battery of a female acquaintance. In December 2008, Rogers was sentenced to attend sobriety court or face jail time after violating his probation after testing positive for vicodin. In March 2009, Rogers was jailed for violating probation. On September 16, 2009, Rogers was arrested in Novi, MI for driving under the influence of alcohol after being found unresponsive behind the wheel of his car by police. Rogers was arrested again in Novi, MI on January 5, 2010, having passed out after drinking at an On the Border restaurant, which was a violation of a sobriety court order, and subsequently sentenced to a 93-day jail term. And last month, Rogers was ordered to return $6. 1 million of his $9. 1 million signing bonus to the Lions because his drug use violated the terms of his NFL contract. 5. Heath Shuler, QB, Tennessee (1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL Draft, taken by the Washington Redskins with the third overall pick. ESPN rated him the 4th biggest NFL Draft bust of all time. [3] He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19. 25 million contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI, and Shuler was looked on as the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler’s poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick Gus Frerotte. This was showcased when Shuler threw five interceptions in a game against the Arizona Cardinals. Shuler started only 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte went to the Pro Bowl. He was out of the NFL by 1997. As a pro, his career passer rating was a horrible 54. 3 and in 2004 ESPN rated him the 17th biggest ‘sports flop’ of the past 25 years. Despite his NFL career being a disaster unlike most of the previous top draft busts Shuelr actually did something with his life. After retiring from the NFL, Shuler returned to the University of Tennessee and completed his education, graduating with a degree in psychology. He then became a real estate professional in Knoxville. His real estate company is one of the largest independent firms in East Tennessee. Shuler is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing North Carolina’s 11th congressional district since 2007. 4. Tony Mandarich, OT, Michigan State (1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2) He was the first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1989, second overall behind Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, and ahead of the third selection, Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, the fourth selection, Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas, and the fifth selection, perennial All-Pro cornerback Deion Sanders. In 1989, Sports Illustrated called him â€Å"The Best Offensive line prospect ever†. But his career led into what is considered by many to be one of the biggest busts in NFL history. The â€Å"Incredible Bulk† came into the league as one of the most hyped players in NFL draft history. Both scouts and media began haling Mandarich as the best offensive line prospect ever, touting his â€Å"measurables†, â€Å"He weighed 304, ran the 40 in 4. 65 seconds, did a standing long jump of 10’3†³, leaped vertically 30†³ and bench-pressed 225 pounds an unbelievable 39 times†. The No. overall pick of the Packers in 1989 never lived up to the incredible hype, and after just three disappointing seasons in Green Bay, he was cut. In an ironic twist Sports Illustrated featured Mandarich on its cover s again, however this time labeling him â€Å"The NFL’s Incredible Bust† quite a stark contrast from the previous slogan of The â€Å"Incredible Bulk†. Mandarich later admitted to using steroids all throughout his college career at Michigan State yet he insisted that he played his NFL career clean. 3. Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky (1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1) The top overall pick in the 1999 draft was supposed to be the franchise quarterback for the newly re-coined Cleveland Browns. Drafted before Donavan McNabb there were high expectations for him in Cleveland. Their GM boldly predicted that Couch would win six playoff games. Although Couch did lead the browns to the playoffs most of his time in Cleveland was marred with boos, inconsistent play, and injuries. Couch was plagued by nagging injuries and an inexperienced offensive line; also he just simply didn’t have the makings of an NFL quarterback. After getting cut by the Browns in 2004, he had two failed comebacks and also had a 2 year stint in the CFL. 2. Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington State (1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2) Ryan Leaf at number 2 on the all time bust list? Is this a joke? No there is somebody who we believe is worse than Leaf but don’t get me wrong Leaf was one of the biggest busts not in just the NFL but in professional sports history. There were actually scouts out there who thought Leaf would make a better pro than Peyton Manning. THE Peyton Manning. Although that notion seems ridiculous now there were quite a few people who believed Leaf was the better QB. Good thing for the Colts they picked Manning over Leaf, too bad the same can’t be said for the San Diego Chargers. In the third game of his first season Leaf completed one of fifteen passes for 4 yards and fumbled three times in a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. He was benched after throwing two touchdown passes and thirteen interceptions in nine games, and replaced by Craig Whelihan. After ten games, Leaf had thrown two more interceptions, passing for a total of 1,289 yards, with a 45. 3 percent completion rate and a passer rating of 39. Leaf had poor relationships with the media and his teammates. In one infamous locker room incident during Leaf’s rookie year, he was caught on-camera screaming at San Diego Union Tribune reporter Jay Posner, â€Å"Just f**king don’t talk to me, all right! Knock it off! † and had to be physically restrained by teammate Junior Seau. Another on-camera incident involved Leaf confronting a heckling Chargers fan during a practice session. Two coaches had to restrain Leaf and escort him off the field. Following more poor performances and injury problems, he was released by the Chargers after the season, with four wins as a starter in three years. Unfortunately for Leaf his life didn’t improve off the field either. He has been in trouble with the law multiple times and is currently serving 10 years of probation after pleading guilty in Amarillo, Texas, to eight felony drug charges and losing his job as an assistant football coach at West Texas Aamp;M. 1. JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU (2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1) Presenting the biggest NFL Draft bust of all time. It will truly take great skill to be worse than JaMarcus Russell. Drafted number one overall in the 2007 Draft Russell turned out to be one of the worst draftees of all time. He was hailed as the man who could finally save the hapless Oakland Raiders. He was thought to return them to greatness. He was supposed to be the Franchise. Now he’s out of the franchise but not before talking $40 million and cementing his legacy as the worst draft pick EVER! Failing to reach a contract agreement with the Raiders, Russell held out through training camp and the first weeks of the 2007 NFL season, until September 12, 2007, when he signed a six-year contract worth up to $68 million, with $31. 5 million guaranteed. He is 7-18 as an NFL starter, which is the worst record by a quarterback who was a No. 1 overall pick. He threw for 18 touchdowns and threw 23 interceptions. He threw for 4,083 yards and had a passer rating of 65. 2 He is the fastest quarterback who was a top pick to be released by his drafting team. Russell lasted three years in Oakland. Russell was often cited as being lazy, overweight, and unintelligent. He showed up to camp weighing an astonishing 300 lbs! A ridiculously high number for an NFL quarterback. Although Russell’s numbers are superior to Ryan Leaf’s; Leaf only cost the chargers $11 million, JaMarcus on the other hand cost the Raiders $40 million. So there you have it JaMarcus Russell THE biggest Draft Bust in NFL history. How to cite NFLDraft Busts, Papers

International Journal of Strategic Change Management- Expert sample

Questions: Understand and critically comprehend and discuss the theories, contexts, principles and practices which contribute to the development of the effective management practitioner within an organisation or business context. Plan management activities in an effective reflective, and applied manner in a variety of organisational contexts. Answers: Introduction Alas and Vadi (2015) have described workplace multiplicity as the variety of dissimilarities between the populace in any organization. Diversity in the place of work can be easily defined as recognizing, understanding as well as accepting the differences in individual irrespective of their race, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation. The term diversity has many interpretations, as many scholars have explained the topic differently. Armstrong and Armstrong (2011) have suggested that multiplicity must be understood as the varied perceptions as well as advances to work that the members of an organization are of the different identity groups. With the passage of time, the global market has created the requirements for the international corporations and the global leadership effectiveness has been one of the major issues of concern. In order to understand the significance of effectiveness as well as efficiency in managing the workforce diversity, Tesco has been selected. Tesco is a British multinational grocery and a general merchandise retailer and headquartered in England, United Kingdom. The company serves their products in different parts of the world. Therefore, managing workforce diversity is one if the major concerns of this company. Presently, the company has been focusing on doing the right things for the customers and the colleagues as well as the communities they serve (Tesco plc, 2016). Reviewing the related literature Bell (2014) has demonstrated diversity is the persistent second best of the developed world. The ever-increasing diversity in the workplace represents an underlying requirement of the active communication process among the diverse people in the organization. It has been found that the global economy has moved diversity at the top of their agenda and with the passage of time, immigration, migration of the workers, ethnic and gender differences has continued to change dramatically (Brooks 2011). It has been found that in many workplaces present diversity challenges as well as opportunities that are generally not present in the homogeneous workgroups. Therefore, it can be said that tactfully managing multiplicity means proper understanding the effects and then putting into practice the behaviors, work policies and practices that counter to them in an effectual way. Choi (2016) has suggested that cultural diversity is one of the major issues in the diversity management and this is the differences among the team members in case of race, background, sexual category, religion, population or some other magnitudes of the communal individuality. Figure 1: Dimensions of Diversity (Source: Clausen Kruuse, 2015) Cullen (2013) has stated that diversity becomes one of the most advantageous at the time when an organization wants to expand their perspectives, tactics of the strategy, reposition of the company, launching new products. If diversity in the organization can be well managed, any association can provide assistance from both the synergistic and the exact background advantages taking into account the enhanced creativity, flexibility and the potentialities to solve any organizational issue. In this part, it is important to mention that the probability of the managers to identify along with the potential advantages and disadvantages largely defines the approach of the organization towards managing workplace diversity. Czegldi, Reich and Fonger (2011) have identified three important approaches to manage the diversity and they are Parochial, Ethnocentric and Synergistic. Figure 2: Approaches to Managing Diversity (Source: DiTomaso, Post Parks-Yancy (2011) Any organization can adopt any of the above-mentioned methods in the workplace to manage work diversity. Apart from the approaches, it can be stated that there are some effective strategies that might help an organization to manage tactfully their workplace diversity and this have been explained here. Figure 3: The strategies for managing diversity (Source: Du Plessis, 2011) Eraulj (2011) has discussed that organizational effectiveness is how well an organization achieve the purposes. In order to be successful, the company is required to have the proper cooperation of all the people working in the company along with their support and commitment towards decision-making. Need of diverse workforce It has been seen that the present day commercial traditions believe massive pressure on the labor marketplace because of the steady changes in some places like globalization, financial system, technology, demography, flexibility and feminization in the workplace. It is no doubt to say that globalization influences any business and retail industry is no more exception in this regard. Big retail companies have been operating in different parts of the world and thus, the workplace diversity is one of the common scenarios. Therefore, the management of the company is required to deal with this part carefully in order to get the best result in the company (Ferner, Almond Colling, 2015). Harraf (2015) has stated that as the activities of the organizations spread in different parts of the world, it demands the need of diverse workforce of various places and cultures. This is because heterogeneous and varied workforce can easily satisfy the requirements of both the markets and the customers. Diversified workforce encourages the company to attain high competitive advantage for the retail organization. It helps the retail organizations for making efficient operations in different places by making the use of the excellent diverse workplace (Jackson, 2012). Analysis and evaluation In general, a self-assessment for the intercontinental human resource managers is to assess as well as progress the companys worldwide administration skills. However, this creates challenges for the personality executives who need to direct the workplace diversity transversely both geographical and civilizing areas. Jang (2011) has said that the key perception of managing assortment accepts that dissimilar cultural personnel consist of a diversified employee. The main objective of the company is to engage in the diversified workforce and to make Tesco one of the best places for shopping. Tesco has always tried their best to manage ever-increasing workplace diversity in all the stores in the operating countries. Changed workforce demographics and the new organizational forms are gradually mounting the variety of the work teams in general and the decision-making teams in particular. Equal opportunities in the organization are often seen as treating everyone in the same way. Kossek and Lobel (2011) have argued that the social justice and business issues for diversity are complementary because unless the people are treated fairly in the workplace, they will automatically underperform. All the employees in the work place are aspired to work for the employees with proper service practices and experience properly appreciated at the specified workplace. It has been stated that to be competitive; the organizations are required to receive the best assistance from everyone and the need to produce an inclusion workplace civilization in which everyone feels highly valued. It has been seen that the company especially focuses on gender diversity and ethnicity diversity and age diversity. Through several case studies, it has been understood that the company believes in inclusion along with the diversity practices that tends to provide them the best customer service. The main viewpoint of Tesco is to make the employees and the customer lives better by the power of their diverse workforce and through their products and services (Kumar Gopinadhan, 2011). It has been seen that Tesco always encourages as well as motivate the existing employees to behave as well as act like the owners in regards to exceeding the expectation of the customers (Oishi, 2016). Apart from that, the company wants to collaborate with all their employees that ensure the Tesco is of a true success. It can be said that diversity of Tesco can help the organization in strengthening the relationships with more specific customer groups with the help of making the communication system more effective (Kumar Gopinadhan, 2012). The company at some parts of the world has reported that the unenthusiastic approaches and behaviors have been the barricades to the managerial multiplicity because they can damage the existing operational relation and spoil the morale as well as the work efficiency. The depressing approaches and the behaviors in the workplace take into account prejudice, stereotyping as well as discrimination. The management of the company has become biased to some places and thus, the female employees of the company have felt that they have been discriminated from the male employees (Kummerow Kirby, 2013). Recommendations to the Management Kushata (2016) has opined that diversity is one of the prominent and continuous techniques and process that has no end. Therefore, it is required to balance against the other considerations like clustering of skills and focusing on the best customer service. It can be suggested that the companies must block their ears to the diversity consultants who think that there exist the only solution to every question (Torbert Tolley, 2016). The company needs more diversity of thought on the subject of diversity. In some stores, the managers of Tesco have used management for hiring, retention and the termination practices. It is no doubt to mention that the powerful managers are well aware of the fact that certain skills are required for the creation of a successful and diverse workforce (Mullins, 2011). At first, it can be said that the managers of any company are required to be well aware of discrimination and its consequences. After that, the managers are recommended to recognize their personal cultural biases and prejudices. It is no doubt to mention again that diversity is not about the differences among the existing groups in the company rather about the differences among the individuals (Torbert Tolley, 2016). Each of the employees in the organization are entirely unique in nature and thus naturally that employees does not represent or speak for a specific assembly. Therefore, the organizations as well as the managers of the company are required to learn that that how to manage diversity in the workplace in order to achieve success in the future and stay competitive in the long-run (Nicolas, 2011). Oishi (2016) has critically stated that unfortunately, there exist no single recipe for achieving success and this largely depends on the ability of the managers to understand the best for the company depending on the teamwork and dynamics of the workplace. Therefore, the management of the company is required to focus on this part, as managing work place diversity is one of the comprehensive processes that create such an environment where everyone is valued (Torbert Tolley, 2016). Both the management of the company as well as the associates of the organization is required to be aware of the personal biases. As it has been said that managing diversity is about equal work opportunity and the affirmative action, the managers are required to look at this part sincerely (Schneider Northcraft, 2011). In this regard, another important aspect that can be addressed is that at the time of dealing with variety is endorsing a safe place for the acquaintances to converse easily. Therefore, the management of the company is recommended to hire some powerful leaders who can look after diversity matters carefully in order to avoid any negative impact on the organization. The associates of the company should never be denied essential, productive and the significant response for knowledge about both blunders and success (Shaker Ardakani et al. 2016). Conclusion After the conduction of the entire study, it has been found that managing work force diversity in all the organizations is important. In order to carry on the entire study, Tesco has been selected, as this company operates in different parts of the world and diverse work force is one of the common matters in this regard. In order to analyze the concept, a detailed literature review has been done and several ideas and parameters have been analyzed here. After that, the scenario and the issues of the company have been addressed. After addressing the issues and scenarios in the workplace, some of the effective recommendations have been discussed here. The provided recommendations might help the company to get rid of the issues they have been facing inside some of the stores of Tesco. References Alas, R., Vadi, M. (2015). The impact of organisational culture on organisational learning and attitudes concerning change from an institutional perspective. International Journal Of Strategic Change Management, 1(1/2), 155. doi:10.1504/ijscm.2006.011109 Armstrong, M., Armstrong, M. (2011). Armstrong's handbook of performance management. London: Kogan Page. Bell, C. (2014). The Impact of Participative and Directive Leadership on Organisational Culture: Brooks, I. (2011). Organisational behaviour. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Choi, S. (2016). Workforce Diversity and Job Satisfaction of the Majority and the Minority Analyzing the Asymmetrical Effects of Relational Demography on Whites and Racial/Ethnic Minorities.Review of Public Personnel Administration, 0734371X15623617. Clausen, L., Kruuse, M. (2015). Securing the Workforce. Cullen, J. (2013). Towards an organisational suicidology. Culture And Organization, 20(1), 40-52. doi:10.1080/14759551.2013.852550 Czegldi, C., Reich, M., Fonger, J. (2011). Work Place Health Management as a Diversity-Management-Tool. DiTomaso, N., Post, C., Parks-Yancy, R. (2011). Workforce diversity and inequality: Power, status, and numbers.Annu. Rev. Sociol.,33, 473-501. Du Plessis, M. (2011). The impact of organisational culture on knowledge management. Oxford: Chandos. Eraulj, J. (2011). Organisational Culture as Organisational Identity Between the Public and the Private. Organizacija, 42(3). doi:10.2478/v10051-009-0004-3 Ferner, A., Almond, P., Colling, T. (2015). Institutional theory and the cross-national transfer of employment policy: the case of'workforce diversity'in US multinationals.Journal of International Business Studies, 304-321. Harraf, A. (2015).The relationship of diversity and performance in the 100 best companies to work for in the United States(Doctoral dissertation, INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY). Jackson, S. E. (2012).Diversity in the workplace: Human resources initiatives. Guilford Press. Jang, H. (2011). Performance, performance system, and high performance system. Perf. Improv., 48(3), 16-20. doi:10.1002/pfi.20058 Kossek, E. E., Lobel, S. A. (2011).Managing diversity: Human resource strategies for transforming the workplace. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Business. Kumar, V., Gopinadhan, S. (2011). Organisational behaviour and mass media. Mumbai: Himalaya Pub. House. Kumar, V., Gopinadhan, S. (2012). Organisational behaviour and mass media. Mumbai: Himalaya Pub. House. Kummerow, E., Kirby, N. (2013). Organisational Culture. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Company. Kushata, T. (2016). The Perceived Impact of Workforce Diversity on Shopfloor Performance in the Clothing and Textile Industry: Case Study of Blue Collar South Africans Working with African Foreign Nationals. InThird ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016). Isaconf. Mullins, L. (2011). Essentials of organisational behaviour. Harlow, England: Financial Times Prentice Hall/Pearson. Nicolas, C. (2011). Determining the impact of organisational culture on organisational learning. IJCENT, 1(2), 208. doi:10.1504/ijcent.2009.029290 Oishi, N. (2016). Workforce Diversity in Higher Education in Australia: The Representation of Scholars with Asian Backgrounds. InThird ISA Forum of Sociology (July 10-14, 2016). Isaconf. Schneider, S. K., Northcraft, G. B. (2011). Three social dilemmas of workforce diversity in organizations: A social identity perspective.Human Relations,52(11), 1445-1467. Shaker Ardakani, M., Abzari, M., Shaemi, A., Fathi, S. (2016). Diversity Management and Human Resources Productivity: Mediating Effects of Perceived Organizational Attractiveness, Organizational Justice and Social Identity in Isfahans steel industry.Iranian Journal of Management Studies. Tesco plc,. (2016). Tesco plc. Retrieved 19 February 2016, from https://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp Torbert, J. W., Tolley, B. (2016). Workforce Diversity--Orange County, Florida: Community and Utility Join in Water Education Event (PDF).Journal-American Water Works Association,108(2), 18-21.

The Development of Modern Rap Essay Example For Students

The Development of Modern Rap Essay Rap music as a musical form began among the youth of South Bronx, New York in the mid 1970s. Individuals such Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash were some of the early pioneers of this art form. Through their performances at clubs and promotion of the music, rap consistently gained in popularity throughout the rest of the 1970s. The first commercial success of the rap song Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979 helped bring rap music into the national spotlight. The 1980s saw the continued success of rap music with many artists such as Run DMC (who had the first rap album to go gold in 1984), L.L. Cool J, Fat Boys, and west coast rappers Ice-T and N.W.A becoming popular. Today, in the late 1990s rap music continues to be a prominent and important aspect of African- American culture. Rap music was a way for youths in black inner city neighborhoods to express what they were feeling, seeing, and living and it became a form of entertainment. Hanging out with friends and rapping or listening to others rap kept black youths out of trouble in the dangerous neighborhoods in which they lived. The dominant culture did not have a type of music that filled the needs of these youth, so they created their own. So, rap music originally emerged as a way for black inner city youth to express their everyday life and struggles (Shaomari, 1995, 17). Rap is now seen as a subculture that, includes a large number of middle to upper white class youths, has grown to support and appreciate rap music. Many youth in America today are considered part of the rap subculture because they share a common love for a type of music that combines catchy beats with rhythmic music and thoughtful lyrics to create songs with a distinct political stance. Rap lyrics are about the problems rappers have see n, such as poverty, crime, violence, racism, poor living conditions, drugs, alcoholism, corruption, and prostitution. These are serious problems that many within the rap subculture believe are being ignored by mainstream America. Those within the rap subculture recognize and acknowledge that these problems exist. Those within this subculture consider the other group to be those people who do not understand rap music and the message rap artists are trying to send. The suppresser, or opposition, is the dominant culture, because it ignores these problems and perhaps even acts as a catalyst for some of them. The beats of rap music has people bopping and the words have them thinking, from the tenement-lined streets of Harlem, New York, to the mansion parties of Beverly Hills, California (Shomari, 1995, 45). Rap music, once only popular with blacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, has grown to become Americas freshest form of music, giving off energy found nowhere else. While the vocalist(s) tell a story, the sic jockey provides the rhythm, operating the drum machine and scratching. Scratching is defined as rapidly moving the record back and forth under the needle to create raps famous swishing sound (Small, 1992, 12). The beat can be traditional funk or heavy metal, anything goes. The most important part of rap is rapping, fans want to hear the lyrics. During every generation, some old-fashioned, ill-humored people have become frightened by the sight of kids having a good time and have attacked the source of their pleasure. In the 1950s, the target was rock n roll. So me claimed that the new type of music encouraged wild behavior and evil thoughts. Today, rap faces the same charges. Those who condemn this exciting entertainment have never closely examined it. If they had, they would have discovered that rap permits kids to appreciate the English language by producing comical and meaningful poems set to music. Rappers dont just walk on stage and talk off the top of their heads. They write their songs, and they put a lot of though into them. Part of rapping is quick wit. Rappers like L.L. Cool J grew up rapping in their neighborhood, and they learned to throw down a quick rhyme when they were challenged (Nelson,Gonzales, 1991, 135). But part of it is thoughtful work over many hours, getting the words to sound just right so that the ideas come across with style. As L.L. Cool J describes it, I write all my songs down by hand. Each song starts with a word, like any other sentence, and becomes a manuscript. (Nelson, Gonzales, 1991, 137). Many performer s set a positive example for their followers. Kurtis Blow rapped in a video for the March of Dimes fundraising drive to battle birth defects and he has campaigned against teenage drinking as a spokesperson for the National Council on Alcoholism. On the television show Reading Rainbow, Run-D.M.C. told viewers how books enabled them to become kings of rock. On another occasion, group member Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels said, Little kids like to follow me around the neighborhood. I tell them to stay in school. Then I give them money to get something in the deli. Run-D.M.C. is one of the numerous rap combos advising kids to keep off drugs. Doug E. Fresh and Grandmaster Flash have each made records telling of the horrors of cocaine. On Grandmaster Flashs hit White Lines, he details how the drug can ruin a life, and shouts, Dont do it! From its inception, rap indured a lot of hostility from listenersmany, but not all, Whitewho found the music too harsh, monotonous, and lacking in traditional m elodic values. However, millions of others often, though not always, young African-Americans from underprivileged inner city backgrounds found an immediate connection with the style. Here was poetry of the street, directly reflecting and addressing the day to day reality of the ghetto in a confrontational fashion not found in any other music or medium. You could dance to it, rhyme to it, bring it most anywhere on portable cassette players, and, in the best rock n roll tradition, form your own band without much in the way of formal training (Small, 1992, 177). The basic workouts of early rappers like Kurtis Blow and the Fat Boys can sound a bit tame today. Many were still expecting the music to peter out before Run D.M.C. came along. Rap was, and to a large degree still is, a singles oriented medium, but these men from Queens proved that rappers could maintain interest and diversity over the course of entire full-length albums. Combining hard beats and innovative production with ma terial that emphasized positive social activism without ignoring the cruel realities of urban life, they found as much favor with the critics as the street. Among the first rap groups to climb the pop charts in a big way, they also were among the first to make big inroads into the White and Middle-American audiences when they teamed up with Aerosmithss Stephen Tyler and Joe Perry for the hit single Walk This Way. The mid- and late 80s saw rap continue to explode in popularity, with the birth of superstars like LL Cool J and Hammer (the latter is often accused of providing a safe rap- pop alternative). Although most early rap productions originated in New York City and its environs, the music took hold as a national phenomenon, with strong scenes developing in other East Coast cities like Philadelphia, as well as West Coast strongholds in Los Angeles and Oakland. Production techniques became increasingly sophisticated; electronics, stop-on-a-dime-editing, and sampling from previously recorded sources became prominent. The increased emphasis on electronic beats led to the popularization of the term hip-hop, a designation which is by now used more or less interchangeably with rap. The Beastie Boys, obnoxious white ex-punks from New York, brought rap further into the Middle American mainstream with their vastly popular hybrids of hip-hop, hard rock, and in your face braggadocio (Nelson, Gonzales, 1991, 12). While rap had always forthrightly dealt with urban struggle, the late 80s saw the emergence of a more militant strain of the music. Sometimes advantaged neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, although performers like Philadelphias Schoolly D probed that the genre was not specific to the area. Boogie Down Productions laid down a prototype that was taken to more extreme measures by N.W.A., who reported on the crime, sex and violence of the ghetto with an explicit verve that some viewed as verging on celebration rather than journalism. Enormously controversia l, and enormously popular with record buyers, several N.W.A. members went on to stardom as solo acts, including Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre. The most popular and controversial of the militant rappers, the New York based Public Enemy, were perhaps the most political as well. Their brand of activism, like that of Malcolm Xs two decades earlier, made a lot of people, including liberals, pretty uncomfortable, with their emphasis upon Black Nationalism and careless anti-Sematic, homophobic, and sexist references. Groups such as Public Enemy ignited an ongoing debate in the media. Activist-oriented critics and audiences found a lot to praise in their music. At the same time, they could not let the xenophobic tendencies of these acts pass unnoticed, or ignore the frequent quasi-celebration in much rap music of misogyny, drugs, and violence, and the status to be gained in the urban community by the practice thereof. Passionate advocates of civil liberties and free speech wondered, sometim es aloud, whether rappers were taking those privileges too far. Roman Military EssayNewly emerging gangsta rappers like Snoop Doggy Dogg, Slick Rick, and 2Pac not only take the violent subject matter of their lyrics to new extremes (and to the top of the charts), but have been accused of enacting their scenarios in real life, landing in jail for manslaughter or fighting similarly grave charges. These performers often unrepentantly contend they are only reporting things as they happen in the hood, of a culture that not only shoots people, but is being shot at. Many critics find their line between art and reality too thin, and hate to see them spreading their gospel from the top of the charts (2Pacs 1995 album Me Against the World debuted at No. 1 even as he was serving a prison sentence), or serve as role models for international youth. Gangsta rap may have gotten a lot of the headlines in recent years, but the field of rap as a whole remains diverse and not as dominated by the shoot-em-out minidramas of gangsta rap, as many would have you belie ve. De La Soul took rap and hip-hop productions to new heights with their 1989 debut Three Feet High Rising, an almost psychedelic sampling and editing of a wildly eclectic pool of sources that would do Frank Zappa proud. Their humorous and cheerful vibe inspired a mini-school of Afrocentric acts most notably the Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest. Arrested Development, Digable Planets, and Digital Underground also pursued playful, heavily jazz- and funk-oriented paths to immense success and high critical praise. The work of rap is a highly macho (some would say sexist) environment, but some female performers arose to provide a much needed counterpoint from various perspectives: the saucy (the various Roxannes), the pop (Salt-N-Pepa), and the feminist (Queen Latifah). It is a measure of raps huge influence that the style has infiltrated mainstream soul and rock as well. Producer Teddy Riley gave urban-contemporary performers like Bobby Brown a vaguely hip edge with his brand of New Jack Swing, White alternative rockers like G. Love and most notably Beck devised a strange hybrid of rap, blues, and rock. Vanilla Ice probed that Whitbread pop-rap could top the charts, though he was unable to sustain his success. More than most genres rap/hip-hop has become a culture with its own sub-genres and buzzwords what can seem almost impenetrable to the novice. Despite this proliferation of schools of production and performance, many rap records can appear virtually indistinguishable from each other to a new listener. And theres no getting around the fact that a lot of them are. The market is saturated with repetitive beats and monotonously uncompromising slices of urban street life, to the point that theyve lost a lot of both their musical novelty and shock value (Rose, 1994, 56). Rap music has lost none of its momentum as we head into the last half of the 1990s. Scenes continue to proliferate, not just on the coasts, but in Atlanta, Houston, and such unlikely locales as Paris. It may appeal more to inner-city adolescents than anyone else may, but gangsta rap may be bigger than anything else in RB music may commercially, and there are more multiplatinum rap/hip-hip acts than you can count. Shinehead, Shabba Ranks, and less heralded performers like Sister Carol have fused reggae and rap. And the jazz and rap worlds are being brought closer together than ever through the efforts of Gang Starr and their lead Guru, US3, and the landmark Stolen Moments: Red, Hot + Cool compilation, which united many of the top names of hip-hop and jazz (Rose, 1994, 67).Rap is still a new music form. It is expanding every day, and the sound has grown wide enough to include scores of future stars. Some rap is rock-based, some is funk, and some is very close to the original street sound. A few of the present stars will definitely have a noticeable impact on the future of rap. Themes that are found more and more in rap lyrics are: pride in an African heritage and the call for harmony between men and women. Queen Latifah and MC Lyte are working hard to open doors to women in the music business. Rap fans are also starting to accept more white artists. 3rd Bass and Vanilla Ice are new white rap acts with p romise. The time is near when all of America will be bopping to rap. Rap has already shown signs of crossing over to a new audience. A Grammy category was added for rap music in 1989. D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were the first winners for their single, Parents Just Dont Understand. In 1990 Young MC took home the prize for Bust a Move. And with real proof that rap is reaching more people, Tone Loc became the first rapper ever to reach number one on the pop charts. He did it with his hit single Wild Thing in 1989. Of course, there are still plenty who are afraid of rap and wont listen to its message. Along with the birth and growth of rap comes censorship. This has become a big issue within the music industry, and rap music is at the center of the controversy. Some people want to put warning labels on certain rappers albums and newspapers and magazines have been printing articles about the bad influence that some rappers have on kids. What is it about the music that people fi nd so troubling? Some rappers use strong language. Others are accused of writing racist lyrics, or lyrics that are insulting to women. As with all kinds of music, the more popular it becomes, the more likely you are to find both good and bad sides. But the positive side of rap greatly outweighs the negative. And its positive messages seem to be spreading. The number of new rappers that grows everyday will bring about new forms of rap and constant changes on the old school versions of the music. With these new versions and variations comes new fans and renewed faith from old fans. Regardless of how many rap artists land in jail or end up dead, this music will live on. The fans will make sure of it.