The Harvey Memory Project - The Writers For Hire

THE HARVEY MEMORY PROJECT It’s hard to believe that it has already been more than a year since Hurricane Harvey dropped more than 30 trillion gallons of water along the Texas Gulf Coast, causing immeasurable amounts of destruction and devastation. To those who experienced the disaster firsthand, memories of those days (and the months of recovery after) are burned forever in their minds. In an effort to preserve, protect, and archive those memories, Rice University, Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library, and the University of Houston Libraries have teamed up to form the Harvey Memory Project. The project, which is funded by the Rice Houston Engagement and Recovery Effort and by the Rice Humanities Research Centers Public Humanities Initiative, aims to collect various stories, pictures, and audio-visual recordings from people who survived the epic hurricane. The contributions that are collected will be held in a memorial repository, which will be available for use by both the general public and by researchers and students studying the history of Hurricane Harvey. For more information, to make a contribution, or to browse stories and pictures that have already been submitted, just click here: Harvey Memory Project.

Why Great Leaders Should Be Great Writers

Why Great Leaders Should Be Great Writers Much has been written on the qualities of a good leader. Top-10 lists from leadership gurus and online articles generally offer characteristics such as influential, passionate, dedicated, disciplined, and great communication skills (to name a few) as the most valued qualities a leader can demonstrate. However, not all these lists touch on one of the most important qualities of a great leader, which is being a great writer.Theres a reason why degree programs across a variety of fields require extensive writing- writing is an essential skill in the business world. Equally, there are several reasons why leaders should focus on honing their writing abilities, especially if they want to build their personal brand as someone who knows how to lead and lead well.As a leader, youre likely writing a lot. It simply comes with the territory in most management or leadership positions. Whether its a quick memo or a larger thought leadership piece to be published in the company newsletter, every wo rd you write will reveal something about your character. So lets discuss how this happens and the reasons why to hone your writing skills even more if you are in a leadership role.Leaders are influencers and good writing influencesPhoto by Helloquence on UnsplashYouve likely often heard the adage, The pen is mightier than the sword. While this proverb was written in reference to a free press being more important than political violence, it holds true for other facets of life as well.Good writing can be enormously influential. It can sway hearts and minds, it can clarify points that were unclear, it can rally support for a cause, and it can bring people together with an inspiring message. As a leader, being able to do these things through your writing is crucial if you want to gain the type of respect and devotion great leaders need to get things accomplished.Particularly if a company is experiencing quick growth, sharing your vision and strategy through writing ensures that everyone is on the same page with a shared mission for the future. While writing doesnt replace face-to-face conversation, it can offer leaders a valuable way to connect with employees and relate information that is personalized to a particular department or initiative.Another reason leaders should be producing thoughtful, well-written content is that it allows them to be influencers within their industry, as well. Trade journals, industry magazines, online forums and many other publishing opportunities are available to push written content and build your brand as a thought leader and expert in your field.Leaders should model great communication skillsPhoto by Lubo Minar on UnsplashRonald Reagan, John Kennedy, Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr.- some of the greatest leaders in history have also been great communicators and writers. Being able to speak comfortably (and write the same) to any audience is the mark of a leader who understands the importance of their position and doesnt take it lightly.And leaders like these also understood that every word spoken (or written) could have enormous consequences. Therefore, every word must be chosen with care and concern that seeks to avoid miscommunication or misunderstandings within an organization. As Mark Twain wrote, The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.Another mark of modeling these communication skills is when leaders are able to successfully communicate with people on their level. Whether this is speaking to employees, members of a board, leadership team peers, or another organization- finding the right words and expressions to connect with others is crucial to maintaining the kind of respect a leader needs to maintain to effectively lead others.Leaders should demonstrate creativity and passion- both can be done through writingPhoto by Ian Schneider on UnsplashSteve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, once said, You have to be burning with a n idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If youre not passionate enough from the start, youll never stick it out. He also practiced what he preached. According to this article, Steve Jobs passion and creativity not only helped found Apple- it moved the company into wildly unpredictable success through his constant push for new gadgets and fresh ideas being brought to life. Jobs was, above all else, creative in his pursuit of new technology and this became evident from his earliest leadership role.One of the easiest ways to demonstrate this level of passion and creativity is through writing. Something as simple as a company newsletter with articles from thought leadership circles allows employees to see the level of passion their leaders have for the organization and their role in it. Building on this, leaders can show their creativity through discussing ideas of future growth or changes while asking for feedback from others in the process.Leaders should be trusted an d poor writing/grammar decreases thatPhoto by Bernard Hermant on UnsplashWhen your writing is full of grammatical errors, poor word choice, confusing structure, or spelling issues, your audience will not take you as seriously- its a simple fact about human nature. This is especially true for leaders, who need to maintain integrity in their work, communication, and role as an influencer. Leaders work hard to build their image. They want to be seen as capable and trustworthy, especially in a time when there is a general lack of trust in leadership among employees. A lack of employee trust due to a leaders poor communication skills (whether written or spoken) can sow seeds of doubt in the leaders ability to do his or her job effectively.What to do (and what to avoid)Now that you understand the reasons why great leaders should be great writers, lets break it down into some best practices to follow, along with mistakes to avoid. These rules pertain to writing that is made public (or at l east available to everyone in the company), such as newsletters, online forums, industry publications or website content.As a leader, your writing should†¦Be positive, encouraging, hopeful and inspiring. These qualities make people want to read what you have written because they like to be uplifted and inspired.Be tactful. Sometimes choosing the right word can mean the difference between your writing coming across as disparaging or encouraging.Model the attitude and philosophy of your company, organization, or brand. As a leader, you are the voice of your company or department. Make sure that voice reflects well on your business.Be well researched, without inaccuracies in statistics or facts presented.Your writing should not†¦Include public shaming or fault-finding in others. This sort of negativity in purpose will only do more harm than good, in most situations. If there is a problem to address, it is often best handled through face-to-face conversation with the parties i nvolved.Have any grammar, syntax, punctuation, or spelling errors. As mentioned earlier, these types of easily avoidable mistakes can affect a leaders reputation negatively. With online editors available and many offering 1 to 2-hour turnaround times for projects, theres really no excuse to publish writing containing these errors.Include quotes or references to others work without proper citation of the source material.Above all, keep in mind that developing your skills as a writer isnt something that can happen overnight. Continue to learn best practices as a writer and expert in your field, and youll find that your writing will improve (along with your leadership skills).

Amplification Definition and Examples in Rhetoric

Amplification Definition and Examples in Rhetoric Amplification is a rhetorical term for all the ways that an argument, explanation, or description can be expanded and enriched. Also called rhetorical amplification. A natural virtue in an oral culture, amplification provides redundancy of information, ceremonial amplitude, and scope for a memorable syntax and diction (Richard Lanham, A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms, 1991). In The Arte of Rhetorique  (1553), Thomas Wilson (who regarded amplification as a method of the invention) emphasized the value of this strategy: Among all the figures of rhetoric, there is no one that helpeth forward an oration and beautifieth the same with such delightful ornaments as doth amplification. In both speech and writing, amplification tends to accentuate the importance of a topic and  induce an emotional response (pathos) in the  audience. Examples and Observations In amplification, writers repeat something theyve just said while adding more details and information to the original description. . .The main purpose of amplification is to focus the readers attention on an idea he or she might otherwise miss.(Brendan McGuigan, Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers. Prestwick House, 2007) One of the Biggest Trees in Pittsburgh A massive tree centuries old holds out against the odds here across from my mothers house, one of the biggest trees in Pittsburgh, anchored in a green tangle of weeds and bushes, trunk thick as a Buick, black as night after rain soaks its striated hide. Huge spread of its branches canopies the foot of the hill where the streets come together. Certain times of day in summer it shades my mothers front porch. If it ever tore loose from its moorings, it would crush her house like a sledgehammer. . . . (John Edgar Wideman, All Stories Are True. The Stories of John Edgar Wideman. Random House, 1996) Bill Bryson on Britain's Landscapes In terms of natural wonders, you know, Britain is a pretty unspectacular place. It has no alpine peaks or broad rift valleys, no mighty gorges or thundering cataracts. It is built to really quite a modest scale. And yet with a few unassuming natural endowments, a great deal of time and an unfailing instinct for improvement, the makers of Britain created the most superlatively park-like landscapes, the most orderly cities, the handsomest provincial towns, the jauntiest seaside resorts, the stateliest homes, the most dreamily spired, cathedral-rich, castle-strewn, abbey-bedecked, folly-scattered, green-wooded, winding-laned, sheep-dotted, plumply hedgerowed, well-tended, sublimely decorated 50,318 square miles the world has ever knownalmost none of it undertaken with aesthetics in mind, but all of it adding up to something that is, quite often, perfect. What an achievement that is. (Bill Bryson, The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes From a Small Island. Doubleday, 2015)   Dickens on Newness Mr. and Mrs. Veneering were bran-new people in a bran-new house in a bran-new quarter of London. Everything about the Veneerings was spick and span new. All their furniture was new, all their friends were new, all their servants were new, their place was new, . . . their harness was new, their horses were new, their pictures were new, they themselves were new, they were as newly-married as was lawfully compatible with their having a bran-new baby, and if they had set up a great-grandfather, he would have come home in matting from Pantechnicon, without a scratch upon him, French-polished to the crown of his head. (Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, 1864-65) "More Light!" Goethes final words: More light. Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, thats been our unifying cry: More light. Sunlight. Torchlight. Candlelight. Neon. Incandescent. Lights that banish the darkness from our caves, to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators. Big floods for the night games at Soldiers field. Little tiny flashlight for those books we read under the covers when were supposed to be asleep. Light is more than watts and footcandles. Light is metaphor. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from homeLead Thou me on! Arise, shine, for thy light has come. Light is knowledge. Light is life. Light is light. (Chris Stevens, Northern Exposure, 1992) Henry Peacham on Amplification In The Garden of Eloquence  (1593), Henry  Peacham describes [the] effects [of amplification] in the following manner: It is full of light, plenty and variety causing the orator to teach and tell things plainly, to amplify largely, and to prove and conclude mightily. The very wording of this passage demonstrates the procedure of amplifying one term, amplification itself, and that with the purpose of catching the readers attention.(Thomas O. Sloane,  Encyclopedia of Rhetoric. Oxford University Press, 2001) Selective Amplification Judgment is to be exercised in deciding what thoughts require amplification and what do not. A greater degree of expansion is necessary in oral than in written discourse; and in popular works than in purely scientific. A brief exposition may be sufficient for those who have some acquaintance with the subject, while in addressing those of less intelligence a greater fullness of details is necessary. It is always a most serious fault to dwell on what is unimportant, trivial, or what can be supplied by the reader; it indicates a want of the power of just discrimination on the part of the writer. (Andrew D. Hepburn, Manual of English Rhetoric, 1875) The Lighter Side of Amplification: Blackadder's Crisis This is a crisis. A large crisis. In fact, if youve got a moment, its a twelve-story crisis with a magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24-hour portage, and an enormous sign on the roof, saying This Is a Large Crisis. A large crisis requires a large plan. Get me two pencils and a pair of underpants. (Rowan Atkinson as Captain Blackadder in Goodbyeee. Blackadder Goes Forth, 1989) Pronunciation: am-pli-fi-KAY-shun Etymology: From the Latin enlargement

Who are you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Who are you - Essay Example He will point out that soul is a non material substance that was hardly be transplanted with the help of a part of brain as the latter does not contain it in the strict meaning of this verb (Elkaisy-Friemuth and Dillon 2). One of the most important assumptions that are made by this kind of thinking is that if a body does, the soul is released free and there is no way to return it. It is understandable that Plato is not able to present any factual evidence to support his claims. That is why it would be logical to treat his position from the point of view of speculation as well as personal interpretation of the facts as Plato primarily refers to different consideration and logical models in order to convince the audience. The second friend who will express his opinion about the situation in question is Aristotle. His main argument will be focused on the idea that soul is closely connected to the body. Therefore, it is possible to influence the former with the help of the latter (Johansen 119). The most important assumption in this case is that if one locates the part of the body where the soul is, it is possible to remove it and place into a different body. Speaking of the factual evidence, Aristotle might suggest that unhealthy body is not able to produce a sound soul. While this evidence is factual, it may be rather difficult to verify as a lot of different abstract notions are taken into consideration. That is why, one would make no mistake while pointing out that the claims that are presented by Aristotle are also may be regarded as speculations. It is quite understandable that it is safe to accept the premises which are expressed by Plato regarding the impossibility of transplanting a soul with the help of a brain as the argument that he makes features sound logic. Of course, some might question several aspects of it such as What if the soul decided to choose a different

Optical Distortion, Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Optical Distortion, Inc - Case Study Example The aim was to increase the egg production and meat for its customers. The firm, serving in most regions in the United States, has increased its revenue and is making substantial margins from the sale of eggs The population of birds continues to grow not only in the US but it is rapidly spreading to other parts such as Europe, South America and Latin America. It has increased the efficiency of poultry production by reducing the psychological stress and trauma caused by debeaking and cannibalism.. However, the main challenge has been price fixing as farmers would not want to be exploited or exorbitantly charged. The ODI continues to penetrate new and unexploited markets through timely strategies set by its executives. It has gained reputation in the last 50 years due to excellent customer excellence, cost leadership and continued research and development in the industry. Through timely panning, execution and evaluation of its marketing and other programs, it has gained and continues t o gain a larger market share in the industry. ANALYSIS Consumer Orientation A critical analysis of the firm reveals a set of problems that faces the firm. First, it how to hedge the ever increasing costs when farmers respond negatively to any increase in price. As the pointed out in the article, farmers would wish prices to remain low and affordable. This is regardless of many benefits a farmer derives from the services offered by the technical specialists from the firm such as reduced cannibalism, less trauma and greater feeding efficiency. It is pointed that advertising and promotional costs can only be offset if prices go beyond $0.08 per pair. Consumers learn about products from the advertising campaigns enacted and executed by the firm through promotional tools like trade shows, exhibition and newspapers in both local and national papers. Brand Awareness Consumers are well informed about the optical lenses manufactured by the firm as shown by the increasing population of birds in the all regions surveyed. A thorough examination of the chicken census reveals an upwards trend and has an incremental percentage of 6. %.It can deductively be revealed that more and more consumers both individual and organizational have favorable and regular purchasing patterns. Furthermore, through the services of breed and other extension service officers, consumers are motivated to purchase from the firm stocks. Company Capacity Optical Distortion Inc is worried about the costs that may soar higher with an increase in services without rising of prices. As evidenced from the financial statements, is an upcoming firm in the industry with a leaner budget and high production costs than the already established companies. Due to its limited resources and stiff competition from the mature firms, one of the executives is really worried about costs. The executive is indifference as whether to increase the advertising and promotional costs without increasing the price, as it will impac t negatively on its financial performance. Its capacity is further tainted by the firm’s dedication by the management as none of them, if fully devoted to the affairs of the company. As pointed out p6, their financial and managerial is limited as evidenced on the company’s balance sheet. However, the company has adopted offensive strategies of diversification, innovation and product development to suit a variety of needs of customers. Collaboration

Impact of Bullying and Interventions

Impact of Bullying and Interventions Kelli Piperata I. Introduction Harassment and bullying in schools is not given the attention that is needed to correct the problem. In the article, Low-Level Violence, A Neglected Aspect of School Culture, David Dupper and Nancy Meyer-Adams bring attention to the issues that students face due to bullying and harassment. In this essay, I will aim to demonstrate the different types of bullying, the impact it has on students and steps that can be taken to implement change within schools to correct these deviant behaviors. II. Bullying in Schools Bullying in schools is a form of harassment that includes psychological and physical deviant behaviors towards other students. Some forms of this bullying include social, physical, cyber and verbal abuse. According to the article, A Neglected Aspect of School Culture, there are different reasons for students being harassed by other students. For females this can be because they are pretty enough, or they are not dressed in the style of clothes that is currently the trending fashion. For boys there can also be multiple reasons for peer harassment such as, not being a part of a sports team and not having certain strengths that other male students may have. III. Other Forms of Harassment Bullying can take on different forms of harassment that is not always by fellow students. Peer sexual harassment is another issue that students face this form of harassment is mostly directed to the female student. Unwanted sexual comments, spreading rumors, grabbing a student, sexual jokes and gestures are some of the common forms of sexual harassment. Moreover, these actions can make a student self-conscious, uncomfortable and embarrassed, and not want to attend classes. A bigger issue with peer sexual harassment is that many students that are perpetuating these acts feel that they are not doing anything wrong, that it is a part of school life. Another disturbing issue is that there are teachers and personnel who witness these acts and yet they do nothing to reprimand the students that are partaking in these deviant acts. Another form of bullying can be directly attributed from teachers. This is a psychological form of abuse; however, it has been taken to physical levels as well. Teachers are in a position of authority and sometimes that authority role has taken advantage of by the teacher. There have been incidences of teachers mistreating students by using fear mongering tactics that include yelling, threatening, and embarrassing students in front of others. In addition, there are some cases where teachers also physically battered students by hitting them or grabbing them forcefully. The sexual orientation of students seems to be one of the prime targets of harassment by fellow peers. A student who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender often are targets of homophobic fears of others. There is often physical and verbal out lashes towards these students, and often teachers and faculty do nothing to intervene or protect the victims in these situations. According to the reading, many times teachers, guidance counselors harbor the same feelings and may also act out on these feelings in the same manner as the students perpetrating these acts. Religious, cultural and racial bullying are also forms of harassment seen in schools. Students that do not share the same dominant religious ideologies can be targeted and ridiculed by other peers and persons of authority. Additionally, cultural differences are also a problem for students. Students and teachers who believe that the culture of others is perhaps weird or wrong are looking at it from a perspective of ethnocentrism. Furthermore, racism is also a part of bullying. Individuals who see someone that does not share the same skin color or has dissimilar features and reflect these notions onto other students is racial intimidation. VI. How Does Harassment Affect Students Students are affected in numerous ways due to low-level violence. In some cases, harassment can cause a student to take their own life, in other cases these victims can pushed so far that they retaliate and cause extreme harm upon others. Although taking their own life or inflicting harm on others may be extreme, they still in fact happen. However, there are less extreme implecations that are much more common for victims of bullying. Some of these effects may shape the rest of their lives, such as low-self-esteem and students dropping out of school. Additionally, students that are harassed may withdraw from their studies and feel isolated from social activities. This in effect hurts students outcomes on their grades as well as their overall experiences both socially and academically. Hazler (1994) stated that: [T]heir grades may suffer because their attention is being drawn away from learning. Being repeatedly victimized may push even good kids to extremes, such as starting fights or bringing weapons to school to exact vengeance on their tormentors, [and] even students and adults who are witnesses are affected [in that] they must deal with the lowered self-esteem and loss of control that accompanies feeling unsafe and unable to take action. The result is children and adults who do all they can to avoid recognizing when someone else is being hurt. V. How to Implement Change There are a number of ways to implement change within the school systems. One way is for parents, teachers and faculty members to not tolerate these types of behaviors. When they witness an individual bullying or harassing a student they should intervene and take the appropriate actions to stop this from reoccurring. In addition, teachers and faculty members should attend workshops that are properly educating professionals on how to deescalate and handle these situations. Overall, the change must come from the culture within the school, in order to achieve this, school should embrace and promote diversity, positive reinforcements and a no tolerance approach towards individuals who choose to perpetuate acts of bullying and harassment. VI. Conclusion Bullying and harassment is a growing problem within schools that is not being addressed properly. Students are not the only ones that are perpetrating these acts, school faculty are sometimes also ones that are guilty of these behaviors. The victims of low-level-violence are often faced with negative and lifelong impacts including low-self-esteem and sometimes victims seek out retaliation against their perpetrators. There are ways to implement change and create a diverse atmosphere for schools but certain guidelines, techniques and procedures need to be put in place for faculty and teachers. References David R. Dupper, Nancy Meyer-Adams. Low-Level Violence, A Neglected Aspect of School Culture. Jeanne H. Ballantine, Joan Z. Spade. Schools and Society. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 2015. 200-208. Print.

Asses sociological explanations for ethnic differences in educational achievement Essay

Ethnicity refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of people from another. That is, ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage. The most common characteristics distinguishing various ethnic groups are ancestry, a sense of history, language and religion. Modern Britain is said to be a multicultural society made up of many different ethnic groups. Achievement within education is very varied across cultures, with some such as Chinese and Indian students performing above the average, and African-Caribbean and Pakistani students performing well below average. There are many factors which can reduce a child from an ethnic backgrounds attainment. For instance, Material deprivation. Material deprivation focuses on income inequality and the material problems that are associated with it. An example of such a study is J. W. B Douglas, ‘The Home and The School’ (1964). He argued that an interlocking network of inequalities existed which operated against many working class students. This included, differential effects of regional and variations in educational provision and expenditure. Also, housing and environmental factors. Which led to chances of access to ‘good’ primary schools. Therefore, hindering the chance of access to top streams. As a result, minority ethnic children are more likely to live in low-income households. This means they face the problems that Douglas highlighted, the material factors, such as poor quality housing, no working space and even possibly bad influence of peers. One other reason for differences in educational achievement between ethnicities is the basic family life. African-Caribbean communities have a high level of lone parenthood. Actually, it is estimated 50% of African-Caribbean households have a lone-parent . This can mean that many face financial problems, this can lead to lower achievement in school (Douglas’ material factors). Conversely, single mothers can be a positive role model or influence for many young girls, meaning they perform better in education. Another explanation for ethnic differences is Language. For many children of an ethnic minority English is not their primary language. This can be a disadvantage because they may not understand exams as well as others. Also they might struggle to express themselves with limited English. Finally, some teachers may mistake poor English for a lack of intelligence, when actually this could be completely untrue, meaning that a clever child may be let down by the teacher who might not push the student to their full potential. However, you could argue that Chinese and Indian students first language isn’t English, on the other hand in these two cultures it is the norm to learn English as a strong second language. Therefore, they are not hindered by the second language barrier, as opposed to Bangladeshi’s for example. Language was such a big issue that Bernstein (1973) categorised students into two groups. Elaborated and restricted. In the case of an elaborated code, the speaker will select from a relatively extensive range of alternatives. However in the case of a restricted code the number of these alternatives is often severely limited. Bernstein’s work was not always praised. For instance, Labov (1974) argued that young blacks in the United States, although using language which certainly seems an example of the restricted code, nevertheless display a clear ability to argue logically. Their lack of knowledge concerning the subject may reach further than just the exams they have to take. For instance, due to the large amount of failing black Caribbean’s and Bangladeshi’s (a combined total of 41% managed to get 5 A* – C grades), teachers may be subconsciously prejudiced against ethnic minorities. This can lower the students attainments in many ways, one is that the teachers give the student lower grades. Another way is that the teacher negatively labels a student of ethnic minority which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. Racism can also lead to conflict between students and teachers, making learning a much harder task. Lastly, racism can lead to low-self esteem among ethnic minorities. A researcher who studies this was Howard Becker (1971). Becker Interviewed 60 Chicago high school teachers. He found that they judged pupils according to how closely they fitted image of â€Å"ideal pupil†. Their conduct & appearance influenced judgement. Middle class was closest to ideal, working class furthest away & labelled as badly behaved. As a result you can see, if teachers labelled students on how they look, you can imagine how they would label a whole ethnic race. Another factor for ethnic differences in educational achievement is the ethnocentric curriculum. There are several reasons why ethnic minorities may struggle due to this curriculum. One is that the subjects often focus on British culture; naturally White British students will have grown up with this culture, so they might have a greater understanding of the content than students who grew up in a different culture. Another reason is that the content of the curriculum could lower ethnic minorities self-esteem, this is because often the white character is seen as â€Å"good† and superior whilst the ethnic minorities are seen as â€Å"not as academic†. However, it is crucial not to forget that every ethnic minority underachieves at this level. In fact, in the UK, Chinese and Indian pupils score better grades than the â€Å"White† ethnic race. One of the main reasons for this is the support of the parents. Research has shown that some parents of ethnic minority, such as Chinese and Indian, take more interest in their child’s education, they also encourage their child more than other in other cultures. This obviously leads to higher achievement for the child. Not only the parents play a part. Some teachers may stereotype some ethnic minorities to be intelligent and hard-working. This encouragement and sort of support can aid a student in raising their grades. To conclude, there are many sociological explanations for the ethnic differences in educational achievement, from language barriers to family life at home. However, it is important to remember not all ethnic minorities to underachieve. Rafi Kentafi – Lindill 12P.