Three Women Talking Essay Example For Students

Three Women Talking Essay Women on men and vice versa  Toward the end of Arnold Weskers new play Three Women Talking, a slightly tipsy character named Claire Dawn Hope delivers a long speech at an all-female dinner party. Introduced mock-portentously as the Puzaltski story, the speech is a vulgar joke about a wife who fills in for her football-player husband on his last game with the team. Injured heroically on the field, shes hauled off to the locker room, where the trainer, incapable of believing a woman could have performed so superbly, pushes down on her breasts and assures her that as soon as I getcha balls back into place your prick will come out of hiding, trust me! We will write a custom essay on Three Women Talking specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Though the rest of its conversation generally takes place on a more elevated level, Three Women Talking never strays from the topics embodied in the Puzaltski story. The two-act comedy-drama   currently receiving its premiere, not in Weskers home base of England but at Northlight Theatre in the Chicago suburb of Evanston is permeated by themes of competition and violence (primarily psychological). It explores the experience of being an outsider (Wesker says his Jewishness makes him an alien voice in the British theatre), womens painful efforts to assert themselves on the male-dominated playing field of society, and mens tendency to ignore womens distinctive sexual and emotional characteristics and their power. The Puzaltski story, with its topic of cross-gender impersonation, also leads to the question of a male playwrights ability to put himself in womens positions. Wesker says his intention was to write a play about the way women talk about men. I know what youre going to ask: How do you presume to say you know how women talk? I never know what to say to that. There were strong women in my life. My mother, my sister, four aunts, some special cousinsI prefer women. Nearly all my plays have women as central characters. Theyre more courageous, intense. The characters in Three Women Talking, male and female, are certainly intense. The play might more accurately be called Three Couples Talking, though the couples are estranged. The men speak first, in a series of short monologues: Leo, a 44-year-old financial analyst, is in anguish because his wife Mischa has left him; Montcrieff, a 55-year-old writer, rambles on to an imagined mistress about his ex-wife Minerva, whom he left five years earlier; Vincent, a rising Labor Party politician, rehearses for an upcoming television interview. It is to watch Vincents interview that the three women have gathered over dinner at Mischas apartment. The hostess (Carmen Roman), 42, is an academic of Eastern European Jewish ancestry; Minerva (Mary Ann Thebus) is a 50-year-old businesswoman and disillusioned ex-feminist; and Claire (Margo Buchanan), a 39-year-old political researcher, is the recently discarded mistress of Vincent, who dumped her to preserve the family-man image necessary to his political career. An embittered anti-idealist, Claire seems the most proper and least earthy of the three women; but, like the Mrs. Puzaltski of her joke, she reveals an unsuspected capacity for getting down and dirty when the game gets rough. Nevertheless, Three Women Talking is very much a play of ideas. Wesker, who came to prominence in the late 1950s and early |60s with such plays as Roots, The Kitchen and Chips with Everything, thinks internationally, yet feels domestically, the late British critic Kenneth Tynan once wrote. Despite its homey settings   including the mock-living room set of the TV talkshow Vincent appears on   Three Women Talking addresses far-reaching issues: possible war between Islamic theocracies and Western societies that lack a unifying religious ideology; the Holocaust; and the scientific theory of chaos. Weskers characters toss about educated references to high and low culture ranging from the Bible to John Ruskin, from Singin in the Rain to Shakespeare. .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .postImageUrl , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:hover , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:visited , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:active { border:0!important; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:active , .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7e68a32147a6c0983208825df14cd4bc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Three Birds Alighting on a Field EssayMostly, though, the characters talk about sexual relationships   from the raw realities of physical intercourse to the most perverse ambiguities of love, hate, faith and betrayal. The first words out of a womans mouth are commonplace hyperbole: Men! Theyre all the same! Interchangeable! sneers the disenchanted Minerva. The play then proceeds to disprove her by laying bare the myriad inconsistencies of all its characters. Minervas put-down of men as interchangeable also functions as a theatrica joke: While the women are played by three different actresses, the men are portrayed by a single actor, David Downs. At the plays climax, Downs performs a trio with himself, as Montcrieff holds the stage in a long speech about wishing he could give birth   to give meaning to this hopeless, helpless, weird and wonderful life   while Leo is heard on tape and Vincent is seen and heard on videotape. This device was conceived last summer when Northlights artistic director, Russell Vandenbroucke, traveled to Weskers home in Wales for woodshedding sessions. (The relationship between Wesker and Northlight was established in 1988, when the theatre presented Weskers 1976 Lover Letters on Blue Paper.) I like the idea as a theatrical coup, says Wesker. It also means the actor has a substantial role. But what does Wesker really think about ideas like Claires assertion, Men are for manipulating. Why else were we given tears? I think women often say things like that, he shrugs. And at a certain level its true. There are unpleasant characteristics which men hold in common. And there are unpleasant characteristics which women hold in common. I didnt research this play   but I hear women talking about men. Its sort of an accumulation of observations over the years. Some of it is imagined, of course. I projected myself into these personalities. I really dont think characters live on the stage unless they have substance, so I endow my characters with ideas, Wesker adds. Sometimes the ideas these characters express are confused with the ideas of the playwright. They shouldnt be. Still, its hard not to hear the writers own self-examination echoed in the words of his character Montcrieff, who longs to experience the uniquely female process of birth and says hes cursed with this infantile obsession to produce. That leads to a riff on the subject of literature. What is it? Scavenging! A writer is a vulture that picks at the dead and the partly living.And when Ive got it all down in a book I go into a marketplace and I take it out of my pocket like a vendor of dirty little postcards, slightly ashamed. You wanna look-see? You buy? Cheap and lovely literature! Best art in town!'

Free Essays on Federal Bankruptcy Law

RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE Topic. Federal Bankruptcy Law Thesis. Bankruptcy and reorganization is a complicated process. If the situation should ever arise an individual needs to know which Chapter suits his or her needs. A. Federal Bankruptcy Code a. Explanation of the origin b. Federal Bankruptcy Law c. Jurisdiction of courts B. Chapter 7 Liquidation Bankruptcy a. Procedure i. Filing a petition ii. Meeting of creditors iii. Appointment of trustee iv. Proof of claims b. Automatic stay c. Case dismissal d. Alternatives to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy e. Discharge C. Chapter 11 Reorganization Bankruptcy a. Why choose Chapter 11 b. Plan of reorganization i. Who develops the plan ii. Steps in the plan c. Discharge D. Chapter 13 Consumer Debt Adjustment a. Chapter 13 eligibility b. Important features c. Filing d. Automatic stay e. Plan of payment f. Confirmation of the plan g. Discharge E. Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 F. Rights of Creditors G. Conclusion Thesis Bankruptcy and reorganization is a complicated process. If the situation should ever arise an individual needs to know which Chapter suits his or her needs. Federal Bankruptcy Code The original Bankruptcy Act was enacted by Congress in 1878. In 1938 it was amended by the Chandler Act and completely revised again in 1978 by the Bankruptcy Reform Act that became effective on October 1, 1979. In 1984 the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act made bankruptcy courts part of the federal district court system and attached one to each district. The president appoints bankruptcy judges for 14-year terms. The term Bankruptcy Code refers to the amended act of 1978. Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the U.S. Constitution provides that â€Å"The Congress shall have the . . . to establish . . . uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States.† Federal bankruptcy law establishes procedures for filing for bankr... Free Essays on Federal Bankruptcy Law Free Essays on Federal Bankruptcy Law RESEARCH PAPER OUTLINE Topic. Federal Bankruptcy Law Thesis. Bankruptcy and reorganization is a complicated process. If the situation should ever arise an individual needs to know which Chapter suits his or her needs. A. Federal Bankruptcy Code a. Explanation of the origin b. Federal Bankruptcy Law c. Jurisdiction of courts B. Chapter 7 Liquidation Bankruptcy a. Procedure i. Filing a petition ii. Meeting of creditors iii. Appointment of trustee iv. Proof of claims b. Automatic stay c. Case dismissal d. Alternatives to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy e. Discharge C. Chapter 11 Reorganization Bankruptcy a. Why choose Chapter 11 b. Plan of reorganization i. Who develops the plan ii. Steps in the plan c. Discharge D. Chapter 13 Consumer Debt Adjustment a. Chapter 13 eligibility b. Important features c. Filing d. Automatic stay e. Plan of payment f. Confirmation of the plan g. Discharge E. Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 F. Rights of Creditors G. Conclusion Thesis Bankruptcy and reorganization is a complicated process. If the situation should ever arise an individual needs to know which Chapter suits his or her needs. Federal Bankruptcy Code The original Bankruptcy Act was enacted by Congress in 1878. In 1938 it was amended by the Chandler Act and completely revised again in 1978 by the Bankruptcy Reform Act that became effective on October 1, 1979. In 1984 the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act made bankruptcy courts part of the federal district court system and attached one to each district. The president appoints bankruptcy judges for 14-year terms. The term Bankruptcy Code refers to the amended act of 1978. Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the U.S. Constitution provides that â€Å"The Congress shall have the . . . to establish . . . uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States.† Federal bankruptcy law establishes procedures for filing for bankr...

What to Do When Your Work Is Stolen

What to Do When Your Work Is Stolen The unthinkable happens. Your work is published without your knowledge, consent or compensation. Whether it is large slushpiles, lack of time, memory lapses or non-existent ethics, theres no excuse for unprofessionalism or deceit. If the publication gets away with it once, they may do it again! Sure, you challenge them. You take the moral high ground, argue facts logically, point out copyrights, escalate to publishers or web domain owners; but your remonstrations fall on deaf ears. When editors dont remedy the situation early and sufficiently, heres how you can take action. Publicize Reputations carry businesses, but are fragile. Social media is a powerful tool, but an untamed beast. Nothing travels faster than bad news. Use Facebook, Twitter, blogs, or your own mailing lists of writers/editors/sources to make noise. However, before you bandy about anyones good name, remember publicity is a two-way street. Choose your words carefully. Dont post on a public forum in a passion. Defamation charges can be difficult to defend, and the last thing you need is to have your life stolen too. Invoice anyway What have you got to lose? Invoicing a publication that has published your work without permission sends a clear message that you are a professional who knows the industry. PayPal has a professional template and a reminder system. Make your invoice due on receipt and clearly state terms and conditions including penalties for delayed payments. Join forces Yours may not be a solitary incident. Ask around. Someone may have experience dealing with the publications idiosyncrasies and may be able to advise you. Hit them where it hurts Magazines exist for sales. Contact the retail outlets where the magazine is sold and inform them of the transgression. They may stop stocking it. Go to court Before you recourse to judiciary as your last resort, consider: a) Money: Lawyers fees are ruinous. Unless you claim Donald Trump as a relation or have engaged a lawyer to work pro bono, think twice. b) Time: Court battles can drag on for years. You may end up resigning your great-grandchildren to life revolving around courthouse working hours. c) Effort: Meetings, filing forms, understanding the law, dealing with red tape there are an awful lot of legal hoops to jump through that drain energy. Will your court battle drain you of the sheer physical stamina to attend your daughters graduation ceremony, steal the mental inclination to host that long-overdue dinner party, rob you of the emotional wherewithal to cope with a friends illness? d) Scandal: Court cases are open affairs. You may think truth and public interest are on your side, but theres no guarantee how the case will develop. Your reputation may emerge out of the ordeal smelling like a bouquet of roses, or it may crawl out looking like something the cat dragged in. Can you live with the local garbage-man and that cute shop assistant at your favorite boutique knowing all about your dirty laundry? e) Practicalities: If you live in the US and the publication is based in Singapore, how do you propose to duel? So weigh pros and cons, calculate cost versus benefit and take action. Or finally, write off the loss and move on. Its great to be principled and fight for fairness. Its also natural to feel to want to get even. But is the article worth the tumult? If not, consider it an occupational hazard and move on. Lesson learned. Whatever you do, hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. Remain positive, proactive, and dont stop writing. As freelancer Judee Fong says, Thieves steal only from the best! 🙂 ID: 181074Â © Abdone | Dreamstime Stock Photos

The Fight for and Evolution of Same Sex Marriage in America Essay

The Fight for and Evolution of Same Sex Marriage in America - Essay Example The validity of the volume is incontestable because of its thorough application of qualitative methodologies, specifically in-depth interviews and observations. The volume also considers other important legal issues such as inheritance rights and health privileges. All over the discussion, arguments from all parties of the debate come out, thus creating a balanced discourse. (2) Alderson, K. & Lahey, K. (2004) Same-Sex Marriage: The Personal and the Political. New York: Insomniac Press. This volume summarizes the historic court decisions in Canada to recognize the marriage of homosexuals; the statutes in Belgium and Netherlands which have granted the permission to homosexual couples to marry; and the legal issues of same-sex marriage in the courts of California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and other states (Alderson & Lahey, 2004). The volume is relevant to the thesis because of its elaboration discussion on the evolution of same-sex marriage typified by heightened personal happiness on t he one hand and by landmark legal interpretation and traditional social movement on the other. Although the volume is largely exploratory and descriptive, the authors’ thorough analysis of earlier literature and current empirical findings on the legal status of same-sex marriage builds it credibility. (3) Attorney, F.H. & Attorney, E.D. (2011) Making it Legal: A Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnership & Civil Unions. Berkeley, CA: NOLO. The volume sums up the past, current, and potential status of same-sex marriage statutes in the United States. The volume is relevant to the thesis because the authors present a thorough evaluation of the factors that affect the choice to marry, explains the complicated and constantly changing directives of statutes on same-sex relationship, and offers realistic recommendations on the institution of marriage (Attorney & Attorney, 2011). The trustworthiness of the volume is unquestionable since the authors have personal experience with and professional knowledge of the past, present, and future legal status of same-sex marriage. Aside from their own perspectives, the authors involved other legal scholars and practitioners to contribute to the same-sex marriage discourse. (4) Barclay, S. & Fisher, S. (2003) â€Å"The States and the Differing Impetus for Divergent Paths on Same-Sex Marriage, 1990-2001,† Policy Studies Journal, 31(3), 331+ This article is related to the thesis because it puts emphasis on the motivations for the implementation of state legislations that prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriages. The article is adequate in terms of validity and reliability due to its use of a ‘regression model of pooled time series data from the 50 states in the period 1990 to 2001’ (Barclay & Fisher, 2003, 331). The authors take into account the validity of current social, demographic, and political movement variables (p. 331) that have been connected in the past to the passing of statutes re garding sexual perception of the local and central government. (5) Cahill, S. (2004) Same Sex Marriage in the United States: Focus on the Facts. Oxford, UK: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. The book systematically compares between civil marriage, domestic partnership, and civil union prior to discussing the empirical findings concerning both the anti- and pro-same-sex marriage campaigns (Cahill, 2004). The author also discloses findings

Philosophy of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosophy of Management - Essay Example Having gained their consent, she took the campaign to other levels. Moved by her determination to improve the health of our nation, my manager took practical steps to convince the people as well as the government. She arranged public visits to the hospitals to show them children that have acquired the genetic diseases. My manager was righteous in her cause. She wanted to reduce the number of children with genetically acquired diseases. She was offered bribery by various agencies to convince her to abandon her plans of making the testing before marriage a law, but she refused all of them. She is self-less, and worked for a greater cause than becoming rich herself. Concluding, a manager has to be intelligent, practical and righteous in order to succeed. Since my manager had all these qualities, she became successful in her campaign and after the meeting with the King, testing before marriage was made a law in the Kingdom of Saudi

Review Of Related Literature Education Essay

Review Of Related Literature Education Essay The Problems of Indiscipline in Rivers State Secondary Schools: A Survey of Schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate The Problems of Indiscipline in Secondary Schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. One hundred teachers constituted the study sample. Questionnaire was administered to teachers to obtain data for five research questions. The statistical tool used to analyse the raw data was percentage method. The results showed that lack of corporal punishment, irregular payment of teachers salaries, poor administration constitutes the major problems to indiscipline in schools. In this regard, it was suggested that corporal punishment should be introduced in schools; also, more and adequate incentives should be provided to the teachers. CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Education in any perspective finds its usefulness in the areas of moral, intellectual, social and spiritual development of the child. This development to a great extent is a function of the quality of the educational system, which is partly measured on the basis of students discipline. Discipline constitutes one of the fundamental, critical and challenging functions of the teacher. Mostly, when viewed from the fact that students whom they manage their affairs are drawn from different home background, accommodates the influence of peer groups and thus, were bound to exhibit different patterns of behaviour that may not conform with the instructional standard of the school. Discipline is an aspect of school function which if not well maintained can render the school system ineffective. School discipline as a matter of fact is seen as a vital element in the process by which students are enabled to function in the society. The general idea underlying this fact is that if the school is situated in the society and it is hoped that the products of these schools will be absorbed into the society, the students must therefore be made to develop rule-following and law, adding habits so that they conform to the general social expectations of the main culture absorbing its basic attitudes and beliefs, Sieber and wilder (1997:70) point out that a society without rules is inconceivable, and rules without attitude of disapproval towards them are inconceivable. In the English Elementary School, obedience was enforced mildly without any military goal in mind and in that discipline was seen essentially as a process of obedient training for society at large. On the other hand, thinking of discipline in terms of training for society, Docking (1990:4) says it may encourage a schooling for subordination where teachers use their disciplinary authority to satisfy some unfulfilled need within themselves so that they are to view children as a means rather than as ends. The promotion or maintenance of effective discipline is essential if organised group action is to be effective or productive whether the group is a club, society, a union, a company, a business or industrial concern or a nation. The word discipline connotes that the members or a group should reasonably conform to the rules and regulations, which is the code of behaviour which have been formed for it or by it, so that every one may benefit by them. Peoples morale or industrial peace are definitely proper by maintenance of discipline if the members of a group do not abide by the rules of the organisation, it may collapse. Chaos, confusion, disobedience, disloyalty and antisocial or anti-organisational activities develop to the detriment of every one. In the word of Spriegel (1997:34) discipline is the force that prompts an individual or a group to observe the rules, regulations which are seemed to be necessary to the attainment of an objective. It is a factor, which restrains an indivi dual from doing certain things, which are deemed to be disruptive for the group objectives. It is also the exercise of restraint or the enforcement of penalties for the violation of group regulations. Thus, discipline can be said as an attitude of the mind, a product of culture and a particular environment which promotes an individual to willingly co-operate in the observance of the rules of the organizational to which he belongs. School discipline is often seen as an important ingredient in the process by which children are enabled to function in the society because living in the society entails living in association with certain agreed rules, which govern ones behaviour. Thus, keeping order in the school is a multi-faced problem associated with range of interacting factors, such as the child himself, home and neighbourhood influence, changing societal values and expectations, the school and its natural environment, and the individual teacher. The problem of indiscipline is more apparent among secondary school students all over the world. Indiscipline among them has attracted serious attention of scholars and administrators. These scholars and administrators attributes to their state of development. They opine that when students notice certain biological changes signalling maturity in the course of the growth and development, they tend to misbehave by faulting school rules and regulations Mukhargee (1995:17). Indiscipline is a mode of life not in conformity with rules and non-subjected to control. By extension, the term connotes the violation of school rules and regulations capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly, functioning of the school system Adeyemo (1995:22). School rules and regulations in most cases affect students more than any other thing because they are made by the school authorities in order to guide and protect the students while in school. Statement of the Problem In the teaching and learning process certain identifiable problems of indiscipline militate against its success and achievements. That means for effective teaching and learning to take place there must be discipline in order to make reasonable achievements. In spite of the effort so far made by the government for the past eight years to curb indiscipline in our secondary schools, delinquency, truancy, disobedience, absenteeism, etc. are some of the problems of teaching and learning in our secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. This study is therefore interested in addressing the problems of indiscipline so that teaching and learning will improve in our schools. Purpose of the Study The general purpose of this study includes the following: (a) Determine the factors underlying the problem of maintaining effective discipline in secondary schools. (b) Ascertain the effects of such factors on academic performance. (c) Make recommendation on the areas that would solve these problems. Research Questions The study shall be guided by the following research questions: What factors are responsible for school indiscipline? What are the effects of such factors on students academic performance? What are the strategies adopted by teachers to prevent classroom indiscipline? Does the rate of indiscipline among secondary school students increase or decrease for the past three years? Are girls more receptive to instruction than boys in secondary schools? Significance of the Study The importance of this study includes the following: (1) To provide information for government and school administrators about the solution to the problems of school indiscipline. (2) To provide relevant data about the causes of indiscipline from teachers perspective. (3) To make recommendations and suggestions that possibly could help solve the problem of indiscipline. Scope of the Study The study focus on school indiscipline from twenty-two (22) selected secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State. Definition of Terms For the purpose of this study, the following terminologies shall be defined thus: Student: A person who is studying in a school, especially a secondary school. Secondary School: This is a school for young people between the age of 11 and 16. Regulation: This is an official rule made by authority. Discipline: This is the practice of training people to obey rules and regulations. Indiscipline: This is lack of discipline, control in the behaviour of a group of people. CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The chapter can be reviewed under the following headings. 2.1. Students discipline in Nigeria schools 2.2 Imperative of indiscipline in secondary schools 2.3. Causes of indiscipline 2.4 School indiscipline and academic achievement 2.5 School rules and regulations on student discipline 2.6 The concept of in loco-parentis and its relationship to students discipline 2.7 Student discipline and classroom management 2.8 Strategies of curbing indiscipline 2.9 Summary of the literature reviewed 2.1 Students Discipline in Nigeria Schools According to Matsoga (2003:54) violence and misbehaviour exist in Nigeria schools. This lack of discipline which interferes with the teaching and learning process, manifests itself in various ways including bullying, vandalism, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy, inability or unwillingness to do homework etc. Moswele (2004:146) and Matsoga (2003:53). Vandalizing school property is at rampart and this has influenced the government to introduce school fees in order to mend, that which was broken such as window, panes, furniture and walls. Theft is also common. For instance, in 2003 students in one senior secondary school broke into a biology laboratory to steal ethanol Banda (2004:16) some of these students lost their lives and others lost their sight. In another senior secondary school, 19-year-old boy committed suicide after fighting with another student over a borrowed plate Maleka (2003:162). These horrible acts left the nation speechless, not knowing where such behaviour originates. These incidents sprang the debate on the use of corporal punishment in schools which concluded that Nigeria cannot do away with it, but it has to be used guardedly Maleka (2003:162) and Keorang (2004:51). Experience had it that, teachers may ask for transfers; while parents withdraw their children from schools with numerous cases of student misconduct such as the one mentioned above. 2.2 Imperative of indiscipline in secondary schools Discipline in these schools is now passing through an eclipse. The problem of indiscipline is found everywhere, therefore, students do no longer believe in hard work as the only honourable path to success. Slangs connoting examination malpractice like choke exhibit, dagbo, omokirikiri and the like are common during examination time and they are expressed in such free but shameful that one somehow think that it does not mean anything. Children of the high and low, big and small, powerful and the downtrodden are involved in varying degrees. At this juncture, it would be worthwhile to highlight some of the prevalent cases and acts of indiscipline amongst secondary school students. 1. Cultism Cultism has suddenly become the giant monster that has swallowed up our ethics and morals; any student who fails to belong is quickly packed off the stage by either being intimidated out of school or killed. Many have been forced to join counter cultist group, which often produced fatal consequences. Section 329 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria defines cultism (secret cult) as an association that uses secret signs, oaths, rites or symbols and which is formed to promote a cause, the purpose or part of the purpose which is to foster the interest of its members and to aid one another under any circumstance without the regard to merit, fair or justice to the demerit of those who are not members. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦who members are sworn to observe oaths of secrecyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 2. Indecent Dressing Near naked and other forms of nudity is the order of the day in our schools. Kpakol (2004:62) argues that peer pressure, self-indulgence, and dress to kill-the deliberate habit of putting on seductive clothes to attract those of the opposite gender sexually or throw off balance emotionally. In this connection Bellow, (1993:3) states that school discipline is the training which produces in children self-restraint, orderliness, good conduct, operation and the habit of getting the best out of themselves. It involves intellectual and moral education as opposed to mere order and instruction. 3. Curriculum content Any society whose educational system is careless about the need of the society is doomed. It thus, not enough to have a curriculum. It is most important that the curriculum relates and adequately takes care of the entire societal aspiration. Our curriculum today is greatly deficient in moral education as contained in the curriculum is shabby and neglected. In some schools, it is not even taught. The subjects of History, Civic and Nature study and so on that immediately inculcates the ideal nation building to the youth are abolished social studies and integrated science that is fashioned in their stead has proved to be incapable in content and practice. 4. Parental Training Charity it is said begins from home. A parent who is not firm with his children and lets them go the bad is not kind to them. Parents do not often consider the future welfare and success of their children as of great importance. Firmness is not shown by constant scolding, beating and fussing, this is to many educators indicates weakness. In addition, some parents are always quarrelling and fighting. This definitely makes the students not to have affection and develop negative attitude to life. In school, that student may be and always picking quarrel with his peer because this is what he grew up with. 2.3 Causes of Indiscipline Indiscipline as we have noted elsewhere is not a new phenomenon. It has engaged the attention of many writers and authors at different levels. Causes of indiscipline in secondary schools are numerous. They include school society, wrong ideals, idleness, lack of good leadership, injustice, lack of realistic rules, bad home training and upbringing, etc. Okoroma (2000:1109) and Nwankwo (1991:67) note that the causes and symptoms of indiscipline are many and vary from school to school and from place to place. In their view, some symptoms of indiscipline include general unrest and deliberate breaches of school rules, peaceful and violent demonstration, mass disobedience, truancy, delinquency, absenteeism, drug use and abuse, as well as drunkenness. Shakaran (1997:47) and Nwankwo (1991:67) have identified the causes of indiscipline in secondary schools in Nigeria to include authoritarian methods, bad staff behaviour, harsh school rules, poor communication, results, lack of adequate school facilities, influence of home and society. In this paper, we however, proffer a multi-dimensional approach to this burning issue of indiscipline in our secondary schools; hence our consideration of the causes of indiscipline will be multi-dimensional. 1. Social Influence There has become a sudden shift from merit to lack lustre. Achievements are no longer measured by commitment and capability but influence and material wealth who you know than what you are measured up in terms of merit, is what determines promotion. Thus, a student need not burn the night candle. 2. Corruption This is the oldest son of indiscipline. This son has grown up that it often stands shoulder to shoulder with its father indiscipline. What permeates all the stretch of our society today is how to make it quickly. Public finance meant for welfare programmes that would have stemmed the aid of mal-behaviour in our youths and adolescents gets diverted to redundant programmes or private pockets. To such extent, there is no motivation in those who should be seen to be disciplined. With empty stomach, ragged dressing, hopeless accommodation, intolerable health, there is no way a person can resist temptation. 3. Rural-urban Drift Closely related to the issue of government policy and corruption is the issue of rural-urban drift. A writer once said that everyone is a village by root. The rate, at which our youths and adolescents migrate from the serene, quiet and less atrocious life in the village to the noisy, burdensome, busy and unnecessarily over populated cities, is alarming. One identified reason for this as outright lack of basic facilities and infrastructure in our villages. Where there is any, it is often in a state of despair so grossly inadequate that no youth would see his mate coming home from the city without being tempted to taste the city. This sudden transformation from the village to city life is bound to produce unpalatable consequences. This explains why secondary school students are engaged in crimes nowadays either to be able to sustain the tempo of life in the city or in preparation to get to the city. 2.4 School Indiscipline and Academic Achievement In classroom teaching, discipline implies the control of a class to achieve desirable behaviour. The concept of school discipline and school rewards has the similar objectives of assisting students to make maximum achievement in their academic pursuits. According to Nwankwo (1991:67) discipline behaviour involves characteristics such as self-sacrifice, diligence, co-operation, integrity, consideration and sympathy for others as well as the fear of God. He goes on to say that discipline is a system of guiding the individual to make reasonable and responsible decisions. In classroom teaching, discipline means the control of a class to achieve desirable behaviour. Discipline involves self-control; a disciplined person knows and takes the right course of action. He is guided not simply by self-interest, but also by consideration of interest of others. A disciplined individual is also guided in his behaviour by moral and social principles. Factors of indiscipline that lead to low academic achievement are common with student from socio-economic status families Alumode (2002:84). This is because teachers are often prejudiced against youth from low socio-economic status families and show preferential treatment to students from high socio-economic status families Manster (2001:297). Another reason is that peer influences on low socio-economic students are often antisocial and delinquency prone, emphasizing early marriage for the girls and gang activities for the boys Conger (1993:13). Blodsoe (2005:28) believes that the quality of interaction among members of the adolescents family influence the degree of discipline and success in school work. According to him, the studies of the family relationship of bright, high-achieving students versus under-achieving high school students shows that the high achievers more often than under-achievers describe their parents as typically sharing vacation and ideas as understanding, appro ving, trusting, affection etc. encouraging (but not pressuring) with respect to achievement and over restrictive or severe in discipline. 2.5 School Rules and Regulation on Discipline The Education Act of 1999 has documented some rules and regulations that govern student discipline in Nigeria schools. It stipulates methods and procedure for minor and severe disciplinary measures such as corporal punishment, suspension and student expulsion. Rules and regulations are drawn for the orderly conduct of the school affairs. Some of them are written and others are implied and they recognised by law. Addressing the issue of rules and regulations Nwangwu (2009:142) state that: The Schools Board and individual school authorities have the right to make any reasonable rules and regulations for the orderly conduct of school affairs in the interest of the entire school and school system. The fundamental point raised above is that those provisions are made by relevant authorized bodies to direct and spell out the relationship between teachers, student and school authorities. The responsibility is therefore on every member of the school system to respect and obey the rules, as any breach must be followed by the application of appropriate disciplinary measures. The courts of law shall always put into consideration the reasonableness and constitutional right of the school rules and regulations. Rules that encroached on a constitutional right of students will invariably be invalidated by courts. 2.6 The Concept of in Loco-Parentis and its Relationship to Students Discipline In educational circle, the special relationship which exists between students and the schoolteacher regarding discipline is termed in loco-parentis. It is assumed that the teacher in performing certain roles especially as it relate to control of parental jurisdiction. According to Remmlein and Wane in Igwe (1998:82) in loco-parentis means in place of the parent, charged with some of the parents right, duties and responsibilities. The implication is that schoolteachers or authorities stand in place of parents in respect to students education and discipline. By this it is expected that teacher have the invariably contracted with parents to perform some of the duties and functions of the latter. The teacher is therefore expected to act reasonably in this capacity. In present, the teachers acting in loco-parent is to discipline an erring student, and should ensure that the punishment was done reasonably and in good faith in order to avoid costly and embarrassing court cases. The teacher should act within the limit of this principle, because according to Eferakaya (1998:17), school officials who perpetuate acts of indiscipline can no longer be protected by the in loco parentis doctrines the courts are quite convinced that the school is incapable of assuming full parental responsibilities. 2.7 Students Indiscipline and Classroom Management The International Dictionary of Education formally defines discipline as a term to describe teacher classroom control or general restraint of pupils behaviour Lingworth (2004:18) argues that coercion can never be a method of educating in the sense that where teachers tend to interpret control of threats thereby forcing students to learn what he has taught them is far behind the truth. Another interesting aspect of discipline and administrative control is the use of scientific procedures known as behaviour modification based on the learning theory developed by Skinner who advocates some technique and positive reinforcement such as using rewards to bring about and maintain desired behaviour combined with extinction behaviour i.e. weakening undesired behaviour by ignoring it or by otherwise removing its reward consequences. However, the work of Lauwerys (1999:42) is discovered to be in contrast with the scientific procedures of behaviour modification and psychodrama work of Piaget. His work on classroom management focuses attention on the teachers public demonstration that he knows what is going on, his ability to facilitate smooth transaction from one activity to another and handle movement and type of demand he makes from pupil. There is bound to be conflict when administration in school is taken to be rigid and regimentation, where students have to fear administrations rather than respect them. Fagbula (2002:80) in his work concludes that teachers rather than settle their minor matters take them to the school administrators create a problem to administrative control of schools. Bad administrative control can hinder effective discipline tone in the school. These can take the form of giving bad and inadequate food to students, ineffective teaching, bad staff behaviour, authoritarian methods of administ ration, high school rules, arrogant attitude of the school prefects, unsatisfactory curricula, poor examination results, poor communication between administrators and school pupils. 2.8 Strategies for Curbing Indiscipline It is imperative to ensure that the best behaviours and conditions are inculcates, established and maintained for effective learning to take place in our secondary schools. This can be realised if we accept that the teacher has the power to impose discipline by using some sort of power over this students. However, this is only possible to a little extent, for it to have meaningful impact it must also take into account the psychological needs and development level of the student. A well-managed school begins with thorough advance planning by the school head and the teachers. Accordingly, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation should be used, positive and negative motivation, provision and satisfaction of students need the teacher having adequate knowledge of the subject, teaching students how to learn and making them to use their time effectively. The school environment should be busy, and an active place in which the students and teachers know that they are on the same side working together to achieve something worthwhile. Such an environment is likely to establish mutual respect, and a mild reproof or expression of disappointment on the part of the teacher will enhance discipline. Cleanliness and tidiness of surrounding, not being excessively noisy or disruptive when others are working, taking care of communal property, and punctuality exhibition of normal courtesies expected by the society to be observed. The rules can be established by quite persistence and good example by the teacher. In essence, good discipline enables the sort of psychological need proposed by Maslow and others to be satisfied. This is because most disciplinary cases are as a result of unfulfilled basic needs. The teacher should look carefully at each level including the most basic psychological one of nutrition and ventilation. 2.9 Summary of the Reviewed Literature The chapter examined the concept of indiscipline as it derived from the word discipline. Discipline here means a mode of life in accordance with rules, subjected to control. Therefore, indiscipline means lack of control in the behaviour of a group of people. Relating the above to the school environment, indiscipline could be referred to as inability of a person to live in accordance with school rules and regulation; it is the breaking of rules and regulations of institution. Imperative and causes of indiscipline were discussed from the multi-dimensional perspective, which include cultism, indecent dressing, curriculum content, parental training, societal influence, corruption and rural-urban drift. Again, school indiscipline and academic achievement, which implies the control of a class to achieve desired behaviour was discussed. The chapter also examined school rules and regulations on discipline, which are drawn up to regulate school activities for the orderly conduct of the school affairs. The concept of in loco-parentis and its relationship to student discipline, which is the special relationship that exist between students and the school teacher regarding discipline, because the teacher is expected to stand in place of the parent in respect to students education and discipline. Finally, strategies of curbing indiscipline which include pedagogical, social and psychological techniques of curbing indiscipline in secondary school were proffered. CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the research methodology to be adopted for the study. It is organised under the following heading: Research Design, Population of the Study, Sample and Sampling Technique, Instrumentation, Validity of the Instrument, Administration of the Instrument, and Data Analysis Technique. 3.1 Research Design The research design adopted for this study is the descriptive survey research design, which is concerned with condition or relationships that exist and practices that prevail. Specifically, it is concerned with identified the problems of indiscipline in secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. 3.2 Population of the Study The population of this study is 440 persons, who are teachers in the twenty-two (22) secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. 3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques A stratified random sampling technique was used for the study. Out of twenty-two (22) secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, ten (10) were sampled out through the ballot system; this represents 46% of secondary schools in Abua/Odual Local Government. In each school, ten (10) teachers were randomly selected to give 100 teachers, which represent 52% of the total number of teachers in Abua/Odual Local Government Area. Thus, the sample for this study is made up of 100 respondents. 3.4 Development of Research Instrument The instrument for this study is questionnaire titled Questionnaire for Teachers on indiscipline problems (QTIP). It was developed for this study and addressed to various respondents with structured questions developed based on the objectives of the study and the literature reviewed. The instrument is divided into two (2) sections (A and B). Section A deals with the personal data of the respondents; section B sought responses to items on factors, which militate against the effective maintenance of discipline in secondary schools. The questionnaire adopted the 4-point Likert summated rating scale with values: Strongly Agree (SA) = 4; Agree (A) = 3; Disagree (D) = 2; and Strongly Disagree (SD) = 1. 3.5 Validity of the Instrument The instrument was given to the supervisor and senior lecturers in the department who are experts in educational management to examine and make corrections. They scrutinize item by item and decide its validity to elicit the necessary information needed to provide adequate answers to the research questions. The final draft of instrument was designed to reflect corrections of the experts in the department. Also the researcher ensured that the five interested research problem areas, which militate against the effective maintenance of discipline in secondary schools to ensure that it is adequate enough to measure, what is supposed to measure and ensuring that the desirable result is achieved. 3.6 Administration of the Instrument The instrument for this study was administered personally by the researcher. The completed copies were retrieved on the spot while the others were retrieved later. 3.7 Data Analysis Technique The responses was based on the 4-point Likert summated rating scale will be analysed and presented in table by means of percentages. A decision on the research questions was made to arrive at by dividing frequency of occurrence by the total number of respondents and multiplied the product by 100, that is: Frequency of occurrence x 100 Number of respondents 1 CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA In this chapter the data collected is presented and analysed as follows: Research question one: What factors are responsible for school indiscipline? Note: the following was used to analyze the work. Strongly Agree (SA) = 4 Agree (A) = 3 Disagree (D) = 2

Memo in Finance Essay

This memo is being prepared to analyze the acceptability of the new production facility for company at different hurdle rates and the implications of accepting the same on company earnings, cash flow and contribution to return on equity. This will strengthen the justification why this project was chosen as against other options. This project has positive net present value (NPV) at different rates of 10, 15% and 18%, which makes it acceptable. Positive NPV in finance theory means that at cost of capital, the present values of cash outflow and outflows will be beneficial to the company as it will increase the company cash position and earnings (Brigham and Houston, 2002). To illustrate if the NPV of $1,291,659. 16, if is assumed to be most accurate value based on cost of capital at 10%, then said amount is effectively an increase in cash under the balance sheet of the same amount and increase in income under the income statement. See Appendix A. Increasing cash position improves as well liquidity position of the company. Liquidity position is measured by quick ratio and current ratio. In both cases, increasing cash, which is part of quick assets or current assets, by certain amounts without corresponding increase in current liability will definitely increase the said liquidity ratios and could strengthen the company’s position against possible bankruptcy. It must be noted that computations in Appendix A treated as cash outflows the following: rental or lease expense of $1. 5 million a year, other expenses of $100,000 per year as cash outflows, project cost of $4 million and the corresponding taxes, while the cash inflows include the yearly revenues and the depreciation which was added back because it does not entail a cash outflow when deducted as part of operating expenses for tax purposes. In effect, the depreciation provided a tax shield for the project. In terms of its impact of return to equity (ROE), the same will also increase the said rate even assuming that the $4,000,000 initial cash outflow at year 0 was financed by equity. If is assumed that company has a present equity of $100 million and the project cost of $4,000,000 was financed through equity or additional investment from owners, its 2003 income statement at $ 29. 4 million, assuming the same level of income, will be attained when the production facility is implemented, would increase to $30. 69 million. If the same amount is divided by new equity of $104 million, this could increase the ROE to 29. 51% from 29. 4% before the project. It is therefore recommended that the project of new production facility should be accepted by the company because the project has positive NPV and its MIRR of 18% is greater than cost of capital of 10%. See Appendix A. Recommendation is further based on increase in the cash position of the company, increase net earnings and increased return on equity that could further attract investors by possibly increasing the stock price of the company. Appendix A- See Excel File References: Brigham and Houston (2002) Introduction to Financial Management, Thomson-South Western, USA. Case study- given with income statement