Malcolm X Essay -- essays research papers fc

Malcolm X No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960’s. Malcolm X was born on May 19, l925 to Rev. Earl and Louise Little in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm Little developed his own ideas and philosophies because of the many events that took place in his life. These events mostly tragic, created the path that Malcolm would travel. His father was his main influence. He was a Baptist minister who believed in freedom and equal rights for black people. He wanted a black nation in America and went underground with secret meetings to further these ideas. Sadly, when Malcolm was six years old, his father was murdered. After the murder his mother was institutionalized and all of the children went to live with neighbors. Malcolm decided to go on with his life an attended a white school. However, he soon realized that he was still treated unequally with whites because he was black. After leaving school Malcolm eventually went to live with his sis...

Television and Media Essay - TV Violence and the V-Chip :: Media Argumentative Persuasive Argument

TV Violence and the V-Chip America has the highest crime rate in the world. Along with that crime rate is also the substantially high violence rate. Why is violence becoming and everyday event in our society? When you flip on the "tele" and tune into the news, the highlight of every show is somehow directly related or connected to violence. We see it every evening and perhaps say "Oh my gosh, how terrible." and then forget all about it two minutes later. Or perhaps we don't even make any comments at all, just a simple grunt or "..huh..". This numbness to violence is very scary and very real. Why is it then that America has the most crime and violence. Why not Switzerland or Australia. Are we not as civilized and advanced as they? I believe it is this numbness to violence that has made America so violent. When I think back to my childhood and remember television I remember watching such programs as "Sesame Street", "Mr. Rogers", and "Scooby - Doo". I have nothing but pleasant memories filled with happiness, peace, understanding, and learning. When you watch children's programs today you see senseless violence often as the first means of solving a problem. The classic view of "good" versus "evil" is the basis of these shows with violence as the answer. When children watch these programs they copy the actions and "morals" of these shows depicting "good" and "evil". Children do not know what "good" is or what "evil" is, how can they? This world is not broken into "good" and "evil". "Evil" to children is what opposes them, what does not agree with them, or any other person or thing that poses a possible difficulty. Children must be taught that there are differences in this world. This world is filled with many people holding different beliefs, ideas, and morals. That is what makes this world so unique and colorful. Children need to learn to respect these differences from a very young age. They need to learn to talk out and solve any disagreements or problems through other means than violence. They must not "know" violence as an answer, as if violence was never even an option to consider in solving a problem. I recently became aware of the problem of violence in children when I started observing small children at play at my apartment complex. I had known one small child in particular when he was just learning to speak. I had watched him and talked with him for several years and noticed nothing "violent" nor

Music: the International Language Essay

Music is a part of people’s lives from all around the world. It has been around for at least 50,000 years and most likely originated in Africa (Wallin, et al. 1). There are several distinct genres of music. The most recognized forms in the western hemisphere are: classical, jazz, rock and folk, as well as others which are essentially branches from the four previously mentioned. Many career options exist for those wishing to pursue music, many of which require one or more scholastic degrees. In music, there are a plethora of diverse structural forms in which music is composed. A structural form usually describes the order the â€Å"sections† in a piece of music are written. Without composers, there would be little music today. Most composers have a unique style that they write in that can be identified by anyone with a trained ear. Music is constantly in an evolutionary state, and the music industry changes to reflect that. The future holds endless possibilities for the social and economical effects of new music. Musical notation was not always nice printed symbols arranged in an easy to read format. The Greeks were the first to implement a system for translating written work into sound. However this system made it difficult for someone to imagine the melody, and was extremely difficult to reproduce, and there were usually many errors on copies. The Romans used the first 15 letters of the Roman alphabet above the applicable words to determine pitch with the first letter as the low pitch and the 15th letter as the high pitch. Neuma, or Neumes, is a very peculiar notation used mostly by 6th to 12th century ecclesiastical writers. Deciphering this notation is essentially guesswork due to the number of variables affecting the sounds. (â€Å"Changes in Musical Notation†). Of all the genres of music, classical is the most distinct. It usually includes string instruments, French horns, and trumpets, as well as others. Rock music or â€Å"devil music† as some people refer to it, has become increasingly popular around the world since its inception in the mid 1900’s. This type of music is known to use electric guitars, drum kit, and vocals. Jazz also uses those instruments, but in a different way. In a typical â€Å"big band† jazz orchestra, there will be five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, a pianist, a drummer and a guitarist. The jazz style is quite different from that of other types of music. Normally, the first and third beat of a four beat measure are emphasized, in jazz the second and fourth beats are emphasized. In music, there are many formal structures (the way sections of a piece repeat) in which songs are written. Sectional form is a mixture of short chunks of a piece (DeLone. et al. 87). Vocal music often employs the use of the strophic form, which repeats the same section over again (AA†¦). Binary form, as the name might suggest, has two different sections played in succession (AB) or one repeated and then the other repeated (AABB). Similarly to binary form, chain form has three or more sections played in succession (ABC) or (AABBCC). Ternary, or tertiary form, similarly to binary form has two different sections, the difference being there is a â€Å"B† section sandwiched in between two â€Å"A† sections (ABA). Arch form has three different sections, one â€Å"C† section in between two â€Å"B† sections, which is then in between two â€Å"A† sections (ABCBA). Finally, rondo form, which comes in two varieties: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical form is (ABACABA) as asymmetrical form is (ABACADAEA) (â€Å"Musical Form†). There are many fun and rewarding careers in music many of which involve working with an assortment of creative individuals. Composition, the art of writing music, is one of the more difficult, yet also more rewarding choices, although it is hard to make a living as a composer unless the utmost dedication is displayed. Teaching others music, either by instruments, theory, or otherwise, is an occupation in high demand around the United States (â€Å"Bachelor of Music†). Musicians are the key element of music, without them there would be no live music. Music therapy is one of the less known musical vocations. Music therapists help people with mental illness or disability by using music (â€Å"Careers in Music Therapy†). There have been many great classical composers, each with his or her own identifying characteristics in their writing. Johann Sebastian Bach is known for never leaving pauses in his music. However, George Frideric Handel writes so that there are moments where no notes are played (grand pause. ) Mozart has written over 600 pieces of music, all of which were written in one draft. Music is all about sound, and for a mostly deaf man, Ludwig Van Beethoven is quite an accomplished composer. The music industry is generally defined as â€Å"the businesses and organizations that record, produce, publish, distribute, and market recorded music† (â€Å"Music Industry†). There are four major record companies or â€Å"labels,† Sony BMG, EMI, Universal and Warner. In 2005, Universal dominated the United States market with a 31. 71% market share. In a close second came Sony BMG with 31. 71%. Warner firmly holds third with a solid 15% market share, leaving EMI to clean up with the remaining 9. 55%. Independent labels cover18. 3% of the US market, but there are many independent companies and none of which hold a candle to he â€Å"big four† (Cashmere). Music artists and record companies alike make most of their money from music sales, but with the rise of peer-to-peer file sharing networks, it has been increasingly popular to illegally download or, pirate, stolen music. According to the American Federation of Musicians, gross revenue for music drops about 20% annually due to piracy. In reaction to the horrifying statistics the Recording Industry Association of America or, RIAA, has taken a number of steps to fight internet piracy. One of their goals is to inform the public of the repercussions music piracy has on the individuals who earn a living from legitimate music exchange (â€Å"Online Music Piracy†). Jazz is the only style of music native to the United States of America. It is clear that many other genres thought to be â€Å"truly American† are actually just bits and pieces from the musical traits of other cultures. Jazz music is brimming with improvisation solos, where a musician is usually given a chord progression also known as â€Å"changes,† and the musician plays notes in the scale of the key given at the specified time. Although the ink on the page may say to play in C7 one could just as well play in Cm in stead. Jazz is also not bound to the â€Å"limitations† of other forms of music and will not always be cut up into easy-to-identify sections. One thing almost all types of music have in common is scalability, for example, there could be a single saxophonist playing â€Å"Harlem Nocturne† on a street corner, or there could be an 18 piece big band orchestra playing the same song in a concert hall. The same applies to classical music, but it is more common to see a street musician playing jazz than classical music. The invention of solid-state electronics brought on many changes. The music world was affected when someone figured that if you make a keyboard and set it so each key you press produces a different frequency at a line level current and run it through an amplifier, there will be an electronic piano-style keyboard! This device later became known as the analog synthesizer and was used in many performing bands. Several years later, digital sound synthesis technology made it possible to have hundreds of different â€Å"patches† on a keyboard, eliminating the need for expensive sound modules for analog synthesizers. Today, both technologies are used, but analog is mostly just used and built for historical and experimental purposes. Every kind of music requires an instrument, be it human vocal cords, a bassoon, or a microchip, at least one instrument is required. There are three types of â€Å"traditional† instruments. Brass instruments are devices in which sound is made by pressing the lips to the large end of an almost conical mouthpiece and buzzing the lips whilst blowing. Instruments requiring no buzzing are referred to as woodwinds. The sound can be made either by a single reed, where the layer places the top front two teeth on top of a tapered mouthpiece and presses the bottom lip over the bottom teeth contacting the reed and blowing so the reed vibrates in between the mouthpiece and the bottom lip. A double reed instrument has no mouthpiece, only two reeds that are pointed together at the end. The third form of woodwind sound production entails placing the lips one the near side of a hole in the mouthpiece and blowing air over the gap, just like making a glass bottle whistle. In music, there are two categories, one for the high society, and one for the low society. The high society music is that of the classical, baroque romantic and other such eras, are usually preformed in formal venues. In contrast, the low society music such as jazz, rap and hip hop could be preformed in places where formal etiquette is not present such as a casino, night club or parking lot. It is apparent that the average audience member of a classical performance will have an income higher than that of an audience member from a hip hop concert. By analyzing this data, musicologists have concluded that the class distinction is not related to the music itself, rather, the crowd associated with that type of music.

Feminist views in the Canterbury Tales Essay

The book The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer holds a collection of stories based in medieval times of several people undergoing a journey. Along the way each character stops to tell a story that teaches a moral. These stories all have their own protagonists that share the storyteller’s beliefs and each tale is told with a unique viewpoint on the changing world. At the end of each tale, the main character faces their judgment or reckoning and a lesson imparts itself upon them. The Wife of Bath’s tale and the Nun’s Priest tale both exemplify this idea clearly and share conflicting views on the role of women during the time period. In the pro-feminist tale of the Wife of Bath the young knight faces his judgment at the end when he allows his wife to choose her appearance and, in the antifeminist Nun’s Priest tale, the rooster, known as Chanticleer, faces his judgment when the fox kidnaps him. The first character that faces his reckoning is the young knight in the tale told by the Wife of Bath. The Wife of Bath presents a pro-feminist view in a time when women were seen as objects and the dilemma the knight faces relates to the theme of the story of how trusting in women always results in happiness. The knight rapes a maiden and is punished by the queen and forced to find what women want the most. Just as the knight is about to give up his search, he stumbles upon a ragged old woman that tells him that she has the answer he seeks but will only reveal it to him if he promises to complete a task for her in the future. He says yes and she tells him that women want dominion over their husbands. He faces his reckoning at the end of the story, after he has married the old woman, when his wife allows him to choose her appearance. He responds, â€Å"My lady and my love, and wif so dere, I putte me in youre wise governaunce† (p234 lines 1236-1237). He is then rewarded for giving supremacy to his wife and she chooses to be beautiful and faithful. The knight reaches this epiphany through his journey, as he had to treat women with respect and give them dominion over himself in order to save his life. This reckoning is appropriate for the knight because, at the beginning of the story, he did not respect women but, throughout his search, he learns that treating women equally and being submissive to them leads to happiness. The second character that faces his reckoning is Chanticleer from the Nun Priest’s tale. Chanticleer is the best rooster in all the land but one day he has a bad dream. He tells his wife of his dream and she lashes out at him saying, â€Å"I can nat love a coward, by my faith. For certes, what so any womman saith, we alle desiren, if it might be, to han a housbondes hardy wise and free† (p252 lines 91-94). This idea contrasts greatly with that of the Wife of Bath’s, which said that women only want dominion over their husbands. Chanticleer chooses to ignore his dream, against his own wishes, in order to please his wife. However, he comes to face his judgment when a fox comes and steals him from the coup. Chanticleer is almost killed for listening to his wife but manages to escape the fox’s grip and get away. This judgment is appropriate for Chanticleer as he represents male supremacy in society. When he listens to his wife above his own intuition he is nearly killed. This tales shows a strong antifeminist viewpoint, in contrast with that of the Wife of Bath, and portrays women as the downfall of man. The narrator even says, â€Å"Wommenes conseils broughte us first to wo, and made Adam fro paradis to go, there as he was ful merye and wel at ese. But for I noot to whom it might displese if I conseil of women wolde blame, pass over† (p259 lines 436-442). The Wife of Bath and the Nun’s Priest tale both show how the characters faced their reckoning after listening to the women in their lives. In the Wife of Bath’s tale the knight is rewarded for treating women with respect while, in the Nun’s Priest tale, Chanticleer is punished. Chaucer wrote these two stories because they show the clash of views on women’s roles in society at that time. While the Wife of Bath supports women’s rights, the Nun’s priest tale condemns them and says women are nothing but pure evil. This clash still exists today and one might wonder if people today could learn a lesson from these two characters.

Reacton Paper for the movie “Boses”

Synopsis: Oboes is a tale of compassion, strength of the human spirit and the redeeming power of music. It tells the story of Nook, a 7-year-old victim of child abuse in the hands of his father. Rendered mute by a physical trauma that damaged his Larynx, Anonymously Duke), who lives with his father in a countryside village, Is rescued by police and taken to a shelter for battered children owned and run by the kindly Ms. Amanda(Cherry Pie Placate).HIS speech dillydally aggravated by the psychological burden of being kept away from his cruel father makes Nook despondent. One day, eyeing the other children taunting a man who lives in a house near the shelter, Nook becomes curious, especially as he later on hears violin music coming from the house. He soon discovers that the man is the violinist Ariel(Coke Ballista), the brother of Amanda who has abandoned his career as a concert violinist In Manila to live as a recluse, apparently In grief and guilt over the death of his woman Blanch(Me rely Syrians).Nook's fascination with violin music leads him to Investigate around Riel's house when it is empty. Sensing the boys interest, Ariel in time subtly manages to encourage Nook to try the violin, and soon discerns a prodigy in the timid boy. A friendship very gently blossoms between the recluse and the battered child, until the boy is ripe for a recital to be witnessed by his father. Reaction: Oboes Is a film which speaks to us a good message of hope despite of a tragic history and how music can change a life of someone.The message which was communicated through excellent direction, fine portrayals, and beautiful music was clear enough to let ourselves be aware of what is really happening around us and be enlightened in mimes of great darkness. The film has several sensitive topics and I'm impressed of how the way they treated these topics. It made the film worthy of being acclaimed. Child abuse Is the main issue that was shown in the movie – on doing harsh actions and making a child a human ashtray – and the worst was, by a parent Itself. The parents have no right to hurt their child Just because they are the parents.Parents are ought to teach moral and good things to their children. Of course, It is not right to make violence at a child's eyes because that could result to another violence, or rose, because of the boys early age, they are already poisoning his innocent mind which is really unfair. And the sad part is that they give the child a life full of fears, traumas and distress which steals the confidence and trust of the boy to himself and the world. Instead of having protection and care which every child ought to have,they create only something that a child can fear.They are depriving the freedom of the child. Sexual harassment was also one issue though it was not really shown in the film. It was actually Shirley story wherein she said the line â€Å"†¦ Anon aka in tatty†. It was really alarming because the one who molested her was her own father. And very distressing to think that she was only five, six or seven years old. Like sexual harassment which was not totally highlighted in the film but still has a great impact child abuse. It's illegal because it is a crime; equivalent to killing and stealing a life of a person. More than that, It is a mortal sin.Sexual harassments, abortion, live-in, pre- marital sex, and suicide were the sensitive topics Eve found out. These are only little tails in the story but still important. Though some weren't given emphasis but still supports the story which makes it worthwhile. The biggest lesson that I got was to keep the faith and hope despite the ruthlessness of life. Nook had lots of scars, both physical and emotional. Beaten by his father, tortured and forced him to eat as in forcing the spoon into his mouth. But at the end, he was able to get back his trust in the world and live a new life.Same as Ariel who was in sorrow and loneliness because of the death of the one that he loves, at the end, he mound the comfort and restored his spirit. And who says that bad people don't have the chance to be good? Of course they have like in the situation of Mans Marcelo (Risky Dave) who at the end was very sorry for the unkindness he had to his son. Basically, the film offers us hope in every problem that we face and might face in the future. Music has a very important role in the story because it is the instrument that healed both Ariel (Coke) and Nooks Aeolian) wounds of the past.Though it leave them scars but scars are physically not painful anymore. Through music, we can express what we feel in a more peaceful and beautiful way. As a music lover, I truly believe on how music can transform lives. Basically, Oboes is a very sensible story and I agree to that. Doses, speaks to us the voice of the children asking freedom from the chains of violence and abuse; crying and shouting out loud but never heard; seeking for themselves that was stol en from them; and the voice which may not be in the form of words, but in the form of something where they can find, somehow, a relief.

Starbucks Marketing.

Coffee houses In the urban area were very popular. The entry strategies for Shattuck across USA and Turkey that might account for the there success was major the Cataracts experience. The experience consist of highest quality coffee from control over the quality and processing of the beans, outstanding people that were recruited and trained on knowledge of coffee along with costumer service and the design of the stores to create a cozy atmosphere with help of there sanctuary Like ambiance with Its aroma, lighting, music and dcord. This basically, attracted people to socialize at Cataracts coffeehouse. ) The Core benefit from Cataracts Turkey is the deferent variety of the Coffee they serve. Actual benefits are the excellent customer service from high trained on the knowledge of coffee along with perfect cozy environment experience. Augmented benefit Is the Turkish coffee that they offer In Turkey. 3) Cataracts uses hybrid-marketing strategy in Turkey. I can claim this confidentially because along with more that 30 varieties of drinks, including espresso based coffee drinks, teas, iced coffees, made from up to 1 5 types of coffee beans, foodItems, and merchandise goods, they also offered Turkish Coffee on their menu in Turkey, which Is part there heritage. 4) Market Penetration strategy: To grow the current products In Turkey, Cataracts can do the following: C] ; Encourage current customers to buy more by providing a stamp system where customer will get 1 cup coffee drink free after every 5 cups. ; Attract competitor's customers: By providing half price offers on selected drinks.C] ; Get non-coffee drinkers to start coming by providing other local coffee substitute which will give hem opportunity to expose them to there core products. Market-Development Strategy: To launch Shattuck in new rural areas, there are three approaches that can be taken: 0 ; Perform advertisement before opening a new store to built anticipation In the surrounding people ; Prove TLS Dive rge Tree at ten new location Tort a couple of days to built potential customers ; Check demographic of the location and dcord the shop accordingly to attract customer by their interests.Product-Development Strategy: If a new product is launched in the current arrest follow strategies can be approached: ; The beverage should be made according to taste of the customers ; Shattuck also introduce some local products, which are preferred with coffee by the common local community like Huzzah ; Provide free Internet in their cafà ©s to attract professional and the student coward. Diversification: If they want to launch a new product for the new market, it's always good to keep following items in mind: ; That product should be exclusive for the locations community, which means that it should be according to their taste. Advertise the new product on large scale to make sure that community is aware of it. According to my understanding of the case, Shattuck has accomplished to penetrate the T urkish market in urban areas but there still growth potential, whereas expanding in the rural areas shouldn't be difficult task if they reduce there prices to some extend and follow some of the strategies mentioned above. 5) My recommendation for Cataracts Turkey to improve sales growth by little more localization while keeping hybrid strategy intact.They should introduce some more coal food items with coffee. Some of their local sweets and Hausa, which also is a long lasting heritage of Turkey and the rest of the Arab community. Like Turkish coffee is an opportunity to socialize similar smoking Hausa with friends is also very common activity in Turkish get together. This is will bring more customers to the coffee house to hang out and by multiple cups of coffee in a single visit. Also reduce price to some extend to make it affordable to a larger variety of coward as Turkey has a very uneven income distribution.

After School Activities and the Effect on Student Academic Performance Essay

Due to an increase in concern surrounding the academic performance of students, a growth in the number of mothers working outside of the home and the risks surrounding children who are unsupervised after school a national concern has been raised as to the after school activities that captivate the students’ attention.   As the result of numerous studies showed the manner in which students spend their time after school is dismissed significantly influenced the students’ behavior a number of after-school programs were created.   In a study performed by the National Center for Education their findings showed the number of schools providing extended programs for elementary and middle school students increased drastically between 1987 and 1999, an increase from 16% to 47%.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     As the various research studies conducted focusing on after-school student activities, researchers began to report their findings surrounding the sudden implementation of school affiliated after school programs.   Many reported results that not only showed an increase in academic achievement, they also revealed that as a result the safety of the children improved and an overall reduction in â€Å"negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol use† had occurred.  Ã‚   [1]   One study performed by White, Russell and Birmingham in 2004 reported that one afterschool program increased the overall student attendance and also had a positive impact on the scores students were receiving in mathematics, a subject that has proven to be a struggle to many students.   There were studies; however that reported findings where no change as well as negative change had occurred.   These reports however, were very few.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study performed in 2003 uncovered 11 factors that afterschool activities influence student behavior, which were then divided into three categories – â€Å"school level practices, teacher-level practices and student-level characteristics.†Ã‚   School level practices involve policies and initiatives within the educational facility; teacher-level practices focus on the activities directly under the teacher’s control; and the student-level characteristics are items that are related to the student’s actual background.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study found that the school and teacher level practices gave the institution and the educator the opportunity to focus on various improvements possible to improve the quality of education provided to the students.   An interesting finding revealed that â€Å"only 20% of the variance in student achievement and that on a student-level characteristics account for an astounding 80%.† [2] As a result, educators came to the realization that in order to increase the level of impact on student achievement, educators must turn their focus on student-level characteristics, which consist of focusing on students’ â€Å"home environment, background knowledge and motivation.†Ã‚   [2] More specific, â€Å"educators can affect three factors of the home environment: parents’ communication with their child about schoolwork, parents’ supervision of their child’s homework, and parents’ communication of their expectations for academic achievement.†Ã‚   [2] Through the act of providing an education for parents and creating a â€Å"home away from home† for students, after school programs can have a positive influence on the overall success of their students in and out of the academic environment.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano suggested that educators should pay careful attention to the knowledge students have already obtained concerning their personal environment, as this has a significant impact on their success in the classroom.   Specifically, â€Å"What students already know about academic content is one of the strongest indicators of how well they will learn new information.†Ã‚   [2] This study concluded that after school programs can stimulate improved academic performance if staff members developed methods â€Å"for enhancing students’ background knowledge include direct academic-oriented experiences; virtual experiences and vocabulary instruction.†Ã‚   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marzano’s study also stressed the benefits of the cultural exposure through fine art and museums as well as the Internet for students.   Data revealed that by simply having access to â€Å"a computer and a high speed Internet connection, students can visit the Egyptian pyramids at Google Earth, investigate the science of skateboarding at the Exploratorium.edu or watch an Elephant Seal in action at NationalGraphic.com†Ã‚   without having to leave the building to gain exposure.   [2] As many studies revealed, low income students stood to benefit from these activities the most, as the opportunity to experience such a wide range of activities was limited.   Many parents who were economically challenged not only lacked the funds to provide certain extras for their children, such as an Internet connection, they lacked the educational background to convey their experiences.   [2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sandra Hofferth and Zita Jankuniene conducted a study in 2001 that posed specific questions surrounding how students spent their time once school had been dismissed.   The focus was placed on preadolescent students and investigated where students went after school and who they spent time with once they had arrived.   The study revealed that students spend approximately 30% of their time free from obligations and supervision weekly and the activities performed during this time has been shown to have a profound impact on â€Å"their long-term achievement and social adjustment.†Ã‚   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hofferth and Jankuniene identified several factors that they feel should concern educators.   One interesting fact uncovered was the fact that 73% of the children surveyed went directly home once school was dismissed and that the dominant activity these particular students performed was watching television.   Two other common activities were reported from children who returned home after school were playing and reading, the statistics were divided equally between the two. Approximately 15% of the students studied reported participating in afterschool sports activities and 10% revealed that they engaged in â€Å"passive leisure,† which consisted of listening to music or sitting around without activity.   [2] The students reported that they spent their time in an after-school program was revealed to be approximately 8% of the group studied.   These students reported that they spent their time after school participating in sports, art activities, socializing with others and playing.   Only 1% of students participating in after school programs reported that they watched television, as it was not easily accessed in this environment.     [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once data was gathered and organized it revealed that the activities students reported varied, however some findings were consistent.   Every student that took part in the study reported that a large percentage of time was spent at home,.   Because of the extended time spent in their home environment, the majority of time he or she spent studying after school took place in the student’s home.   In modern society this produces various implications, one of which is that both parents are most likely to work outside of the home and as a result the number of children spending their time at home after school is decreasing.   As students’ time at home decreases, so does their time spent reading, which is â€Å"the activity most strongly and consistently associated with student achievement.†Ã‚   [3] Yet another implication identified was the fact that even if the focus on reading and studying took place in the presence of a parent, low income families where parents have less education are less likely to provide accurate attention to the student’s progress.   Children from low income families were also found to be less likely to participate in organized activities, such as sports, that were not affiliated with the school.   These children were found more likely to participate in structured activities if they were presented and organized by the public school system.  Ã‚   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers found that school-based programs provided a safe and supervised environment where students stand to benefit from organized activities that stimulate participation and attention to academic activities.   One significant factor that educators face is the fact that as students grow older and mature they prefer the unsupervised environment as they are able to freely â€Å"relax, read and watch television.†Ã‚   [3] For educators to attract the attention of these students, after school programs need to take into account â€Å"the need for independence and self-determination as well as the need for supervision and help with homework.†Ã‚   [3] Preadolescents are a particular challenge to educators; however the statistics showed that the time spent after school is imperative to a student’s performance.   [3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not all studies have reported results that are overwhelmingly positive, as a national evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Center after school programs revealed that â€Å"programs affected the type of care and supervision students received after school† but their â€Å"academic outcomes were not affected and they had more incidents of negative behavior.†Ã‚   [3] This particular study analyzed the behavior of 2,308 elementary students that showed an interest in attending a center and to accurately obtain data for this particular study these students were assigned randomly to a treatment or control group.   The findings that feelings of safety significantly increased did not have a clear basis on which researchers could identify, as the programs shifted students from parental care to unfamiliar adults.   Some speculation was placed on the fact that these programs decreased the amount of time students spent caring for themselves, however this particular study did not address this issue.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study identified a number of key factors that might offer an explanation to the lack of improvement in academic outcomes.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One key factor being the fact that there was no coordination between the regular school day curriculum and the afterschool programming, which staff concluded that they came to understand this as a necessity during the study.  Ã‚   Researchers reported that â€Å"coordination was weak or nonexistent† when outside staff made an attempt to coordinate with teachers, â€Å"using burdensome processes such as having teachers send homework assignments to programs or share lesson plans with them.†Ã‚   [1] The coordination of curriculums was far more successful and consistent if both the school educator and staff responsible for after school activities took place in the same location.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet another aspect uncovered imperative to the after-school program’s success was attendance.   Researchers revealed that a student’s attendance â€Å"may need to pass some minimum threshold before gains are realized.†Ã‚   [1] Students who attended the program regularly and more consistent than others showed positive outcomes, however the study reported â€Å"we cannot draw causal inference from that analysis.†Ã‚   [1] Also shown to have an effect on students’ focus was the amount of time spent focusing on academic activities, as the program’s structure was far more fragmented into various activities such as â€Å"snacks, cultural enrichment, recreation, arts and music.†Ã‚     Ã‚  [1] Researchers admitted the fact that it is quite possible that if the amount of time focusing on academics was increased it is quite possible these findings would have revealed different results.   [1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The results of this particular study, unlike studies completed by other researchers, were inconsistent and did show that some students benefitted from the structured afterschool environment.   They reported that â€Å"By design, the centers included in the study were those that could support random assignment, and those estimates from the study do not represent average impacts of all 21st Century centers serving elementary students.†Ã‚   [1] In order for solid and consistent findings to be revealed, another study would have to take place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 2001 Cosden, Morrison, Albanese and Macias provided a summary of the outcome of a number of studies that had been conducted on the level of influence students receive from their after school activities.   Their summary began by focusing on the fact that when unsupervised, some students have a tendency to act in a negative fashion by committing various crimes.   They revealed that the US Department of Justice reported that the peak time for juvenile crime takes place between the hours of 3pm and 7pm on school days, â€Å"the period after school until parents typically return from work.†Ã‚   [4] The Juvenile Offenders and Victims:   1999 National Report also suggested that this study found that â€Å"after-school programs have greater potential for reducing juvenile crime than imposition of a juvenile curfew.†Ã‚   [4] The students most likely to commit these acts were those students that have been identified as at-risk students, many from families that have limited incomes.   [4]   The government stressed the importance of creating a structured environment for students after school has dismissed offers them the opportunity to focus their mind on positive activities, which will ultimately lessen the number of juvenile crimes committed.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Out of the various studies summarized by Cosden, Morrison, Albanese and Macias each study focused on â€Å"structured after-school programs that offered students assistance with homework and other academic needs.†Ã‚   [4] In addition most of the studies â€Å"focused on children considered at risk for school failure as a result of low income, limited familial resources, and/or poor grades.†Ã‚   [4] Though each program had variances as to the actual curriculum each study provided the students with a structured environment where the students experienced contact with an adult.   The impact of the student’s academic performance appeared to be â€Å"mediated by other child and teacher factors, such as increases in the child’s self-esteem and school bonding and changes in teacher perceptions regarding the effort and capabilities of the student.†Ã‚   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a 1992 study conducted by Halpern and then a similar study in 1999 by Beck, research was gathered pertaining to programs where students were provided a structured location and time where they could receive â€Å"homework and instructional support.†Ã‚   [4]     Beck’s research focused on student ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade and suggested that this program was integral in shaping the students’ level of confidence as well as the teacher’s perception of their level of effort. Similar data was reported by Halpern in his study of children between five and twelve years old, in that he felt the â€Å"participation gave students greater confidence in their abilities and provided an opportunity to develop positive, school-related, adult attachments.†Ã‚   [4] Though neither study revealed that these structured after-school programs offered a positive impact in the amount of homework completed by students, it suggested that the structured environment provided an opportunity to increase the level of self-confidence in each student that participated as well as improve the teacher’s perception of the student’s overall effort.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1992, Ross, Saavedra, Shur, Winters and Felner conducted a study of 400 school aged children that took part in a variety of after-school programs, each offering a structured environment but possessing various cirriculum.   The researchers delivered results that showed each of these programs as integral in building self-esteem in those who took part in the structured activities at the end of the school day.   The group also found that self-esteem was a major factor in determining academic performance in students, as it had â€Å"positive effects on standardized test scores in math and reading.†Ã‚   [4]   This research did, however, report that there were some concerns surrounding after school activities that placed focus specifically on academics.   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a concern if activities after school specifically focus on academic activities and homework assistance this might promote a negative environment for students, as these programs â€Å"do not replace other non-academic extracurricular activities.†Ã‚   [4] The concern surrounding this topic is that many after-school activities provided through the school system do not provide students opportunities that take focus away from the regular school day curriculum. Researchers suggest that many students require some type of incentive to build their self-esteem and if this isn’t provided it may â€Å"increase the student’s risk for school failure.†Ã‚   [4]   Cosden, Morrison, Gutierrez, and Brown suggest that programs should offer activities that â€Å"enhance student engagement to the school while allowing time for homework to occur.†Ã‚   [4]   Students must be given the opportunity to disengage their minds from the regular school day and place a focus on an alternate structured activity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All studies revealed the importance of parental involvement, as the time spent in the care of others is less time spent in the care of the parents.   Parental involvement is important because not only does it provide students with immediate assistance, but it â€Å"models positive attitudes and study skills needed to succeed in school.†Ã‚   [4] Parents who stress the importance of learning have a large impact on their children, as they see their parents as â€Å"both competent and similar to them.†Ã‚   [4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though not all research studies conducted have shown conclusive results that prove the overall effectiveness of afterschool programs, each concluded the level of influence students receive from their after school activities.   The majority of these studies have revealed that the various structured programs available to students provide youth with an opportunity to have afterschool supervision in a structured environment that promotes positive behavior.   For the most part it is agreed that â€Å"involvement in extracurricular activities is associated with school engagement and achievement† and that the fact these students become engaged in a school affiliated program means that students are less likely to commit juvenile crimes, â€Å"are less likely to drop out and more likely to have higher academic achievement.†Ã‚   [4] References [1] James, S., Dynarski, M. & Deke, J. (2007). When Elementary Schools Stay Open Late: Results From the National Evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. . [2] Parsley, D. & LaBounty, S. (2007). Joining Forces. Principal Leadership, 8 (4), 28-31. [3] Hofferth, S. L. & Jankuniene, Z. (2001). Life After School. Educational Leadership, 58 (7), 19, 5p, 3c. [4] Cosden, M., Morrison, G., Gutierrez, L. & Brown, M. (2004). The Effects of Homework Programs and After-School Activities on School Success. Theory Into Practice, 43 (3), 220-228.