Self Assessment on Child Learning Environment

Self Assessment on Child Learning Environment Part A Reflecting on a childs learning and development as a practitioner is important in order to gauge an understanding of the childs ability to learn and how it can be continually improved. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) developed a curriculum framework, known as Aistear, which supports practitioners in early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings to reflect, identify and assess childrens learning. Assessment of the childs learning allows the practitioner to gather an understanding about how the child thinks, their abilities, and interests. For a practitioner to understand and assess a childs thinking, abilities and interests they must interact with the child. Good assessment practices depend on listening, empathising, watching and talking with the child (Dunphy, 2008). It is through these types of interactions in everyday activities and experiences with the adult and other children that help form a successful learning process for them. In order to plan and develop appropriate experiences which the child will find enjoyable and exciting, it is important that the practitioner has a good assessment process in place in the ECCE setting. Through observation the practitioner can assess the childs progress and develop a plan to continually enhance the childs development further. It is up to the practitioner to interpret the childs learning using the aims and learning goals outlined by Aistear to then form and plan the learning further. The practitioner must observe to note childrens progress in all areas of their development including skills, dispositions, attitudes, knowledge and understanding (NCCA, 2009). Development through planning is done through two assessment approaches defined in Aistear which include the assessment for learning and the assessment of learning. Assessment for learning takes the approach of supporting and planning the childs learning through reflection and assessment whereas assessment of learning is the approach of measuring, comparing, analysing and reporting (Daly and Forster cited in Mhic Mhathà ºna and Taylor, 2012). These approaches use many different methods of assessment. Each method helps to create portraits of the childrens learning and development. Observation is a key method in assessing a childs learning. Observing a child allows the practitioner to physically see the childs capabilities and document their learning. It allows them to see where the child excels or where they may need further support. It can also show a practitioner how a child interacts in social situations and how they play. While many practitioners use this as their main assessment method it is not the only one. Through the use of different assessment methods the practitioner can form a bigger picture of a childs learning and development. Aistear outlines the five assessment methods; self-assessment, conversations, observations, setting tasks and testing (NCCA, 2009). Self-assessment consists of the children themselves assessing their own learning and development. The child can begin to identity their own achievements and progress. It is then up to the practitioner to help guide the child and discuss with them about their experience. Discussing and having conversations with the child allow the practitioner to further assess and gather a better understanding of the childs learning (NCCA, 2009). By using conversation as an assessment method the practitioner can gain a better insight into the childs thinking then they would from just observing, thus allowing the practitioner to offer the appropriate support for the child. These assessment methods so far discussed are very child lead assessment. It is the child who shows the practitioner their learning and development with the practitioner acting as an observer. Observation can also be adult lead assessment as well as setting tasks and testing. If the practitioner needs to collect information on certain aspects of the childs learning they may design certain activities to help them do so (NCCA, 2009). Through observing, the adult can design activities which interest and excite the child to help them further gather information they may have set out to obtain. From setting these tasks the practitioner can help explain and encourage the child to further their learning and development. This is similar to the assessment method of testing. The assessment should focus on strengths and also aspects which may need further improvement (Dunphy, 2008). The practitioner complies all they have learned through observing and discussing with the child to test the child on certain aspects of their learning and development, such as social abilities. This can allow the practitioners to compare the outcomes with other children of similar ages therefore allowing t hem to see which children are meeting their milestones and who may need further assistance. There is a huge necessity for these assessment methods because without them the practitioner would not be able to understand or have the information needed to assist the child appropriately to develop into a well-rounded holistic child. While using Aistear as a framework to help with good assessment practices in ECCE settings the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education developed the quality framework Sà ­olta, which also promotes good assessment practices. Sà ­olta was designed to assess and support ECCE settings to continually improve the environment for which the child learns and develops. Sà ­olta aids the practitioner to reflect upon their own role assessing themselves to ensure they are providing quality experiences for every child (CECDE, 2006). As well as reflecting upon themselves is allows the practitioner to assess the environment, equipment, curriculum and interactions, all areas which assist in childrens learning and development. While assessing the child helps create portraits of their learning and development it is also important to use frameworks, such as Sà ­olta, to assess the learning environment. Without an appropriate educational environment which engages, assists, challenges and offers the child different experiences then a child will not learn and develop to their full potential. Part B Lesson Plan for Spring Month: Febuary/March Weekly Theme: Plants Flowers Type of Setting: Montessori/Aistear Room: Pre-School Age of Children: 3-5 Rationale for topic: A child brought a flower to the setting which prompted the other children to want their own flowers. Lesson Plan 1 Hand Print Flower Date: 27th Febuary Number of Children: 8 Dispostions developed: Persistance, responsibilty, investigative, Curiousity, Fun, independence. Rationale for choice of activity: Allow the children to express themselves creatively through visual arts using paint. Make marks to record their own idea of flowers. Long-term aim: To develop their abilities to express themselves creatively, express their imagination and to refine fine motor skills. Develop a connection between flowers and spring. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG1 COM A4 LG2 ET A3 LG1 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 6: Play Component 6.5 encourages him/her to explore, be creative and use previous learning to make new meaning. Material and/or equipment needed: White paper, various colour paints, paint brushes. Plan: To begin the practitioner will demonstrate how to create a flower using your handprints. The practitioner will paint their hand using a paint brush, printing it in a circular motion around the page then using their fingers to paint the other parts of the flower. Once the practitioner has demonstrated to the children how to create the flower, the children are invited to explore the materials and create their own concept of a flower. Children will be able to choose their own colours and method to create their flower. Reflection: The activity went well as the children actively engaged with the idea of the activity, each creating and exploring their own idea of a flower. They demonstrated curiosity as they printed their hands on the page at different angles to make marks with the paint. The children each used different methods to paint the flower. Some imitated the practitioner while others just used their fingers or the paintbrush. I then noticed (P) had painted squares at the bottom of the page and asked them what did you make when you did these. (P) told me There flower pots, my mammy has lots of flowers in flower pots. This then got one child particularly curious asking me where do flowers grow and how do you make flowers. I told them how flowers grow from seeds either in the ground or they can be planted in a flower pot. The children then shifted their focus from the painting to the discussion and each child shared their idea on how flowers grow. Critique and Evaluate: As the children all wanted their own flower, I set them a task to design their own. They showed confidence in their ability to independently paint their own hands and design their own flowers with the different methods they those. By setting the children the task they have demonstrated the aim of the activity, to express themselves creatively by making marks to record their ideas. Setting the task enabled the children to choose their own colours acting upon their curiosity to explore different marks and experiment with different colours. During the task the children took the lead during the natural occurring opportunity of one child asking questions about where and how flowers grow. This prompted all the childrens curiosity as they all moved their focus from painting to get involved in the discussion. It is important when using the method of setting tasks outlined in Aistear as an assessment method that going forward I use their questions about the flower to co ntinue their interests in planning the next activity. Lesson Plan 2 Plant Flower Seeds Date: 28th FebuaryNumber of children: 8 Dispostions developed: Responsibilty, Curiousity, independence. Rationale for choice of topic: During painting our own flowers the topic of where and how do flowers grow was asked. Planting the seeds and physically watching the flowers will help give the children a better understanding of where and how they grow. Long-term aim: The children will be able to have a better understanding of working theories of where and how the flowers grow. It will also develop the disposition of responsibility as the children will need to care for their flower to help it grow. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG5 IB A4 LG4 ET A2 LG3 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 7: Curriculum Component 7.4.1 What strategies do you use in implementing the curriculum/programme? Example being facilitating the childrens interest. Material and/or equipment needed: Flower seeds, flower pots, soil, gloves, hand shovel and water. Plan: The practitioner will demonstrate how to plant the flower seed. The children will then be given the hand shovel taking it in turns to spoon soil into their flower pot. Using their finger they will place a hole in the middle of the soil and place the flower seed into the hole covering it over. Once the seed is planted, the children will then use a jug to water the seed. While planting the practitioner will discuss how we care for our plant and what it needs to grow. Reflection: This activity went really well as the children really engaged and showed interest. They demonstrated great independence and manipulation skills as they spooned the soil into the flower pots with great control. (B) did struggle with spooning to soil into to pot and (S) demonstrated great care Ill help you do it as she assisted (B) to get the soil in his pot. (S) than went on to discuss with the other children what they had to do next assisting each of them. Once the children had planted their seeds I discussed with them what the plant needed in order to grow. I asked I wonder what the seed needs to grow. (B) said you pour water on top of it while (A) contradicted (B) telling them No you just put it in the pot. I then said youre both right the plant needs water and soil to grow but it also needs sun. Where should we put the plants so they can get sun?. The children looked around the room (S) shouted to everyone the sun is at the window look as they decided we would place ou r pots here. (B) then reminded everyone we forgot the water lets put it on top the children took turns watering their plant. I discussed with them that the plant will grow roots and drink the water in the soil but this seemed to confuse them especially (B) who kept telling everyone that you pour the water on top of the plant. Critique and Evaluate: The link with Aistears method of assessment using conversations is evident during this activity as the children took turns in talking, listening and discussing their ideas with each other. It is also evident as I responded to the children agreeing with both (A) and (B) as we discussed and I gave feedback about what the plant needed. I also used conversation to prompt the children to share their ideas using an open ended question about where was best to place the flower to get sun therefore aiding the children in expressing their own views and making their own decisions, which Aistears Identity and belonging learning goals outlines. Through conversing with the children it has given them the opportunity to expand on their own knowledge about how to care for materials in their environment and what they need to survive. Lesson Plan 3 Experiment: How plants drink water using food colouring. Date: 1st March-3rd March (observed the flowers over a few days.) Number of Children: 8 Dispostions developed: Investigative, Curiousity, Fun. Rationale for choice of activity: The children will be able to see the food colouring stain the flowers as it absorbs the water helping them develop thinking skills as they can come to an understanding of plants absorbing water. Long-term aim: To continue their intrests about flowers and give the children a better understanding about how the plants absorb water. Aistear Link Codes: WB A3 LG 1 ET A1 LG4 Sà ­olta Standard: Standard 8: Planning and Evaluation Enriching and informing all aspects of practice within the setting requires cycles of observation, planning, action and evaluation, undertaken on a regular basis- the activity planned is from observing and evaluating the childrens interests and taking action to plan according to their needs and interests. Material needed: Food colouring, flowers, jug, and water. Plan: Under the guidance of the practitioner,the childrenwill fill a jug with water and place some flowers in the jug. They will then add food colouring into the water and place the flowers in an area of sunlight. With this activity the flowers need to be observed over a few days to observe the flower changing colour from absorbing the stained water. Reflection: The initial activity was short and prompted many curious questions from the children such as why is the water green how will they drink that how will it change colour. After discussing and answering their questions the children were eager to move on and conduct the experiment. They demonstrated their independence as once provided with the materials and instructions about what and how we were going to do the experiment, they supported and enabled each other to carry it out. I then observed the children as they continually went back to the flowers that day watching to see if they had changed colours. The following day, upon arrival the children raced to the flowers screaming with excitement to see that one of the leaves had green spots on it. (B) look everybody its gone green (S) the plant drank the green water (P) it drinks it from the bottom. Over the next few days the children still continued to have interest over the experiment as I observed them going over to look shar ing it with the other children and even their parents. Critique and Evaluate: From watching and listening to the children I observed how excited and involved they all got while discussing and carrying out the experiment. Using observation as an assessment method has allowed me to see how the children express their excitement and awe using their language, gestures and facial expressions. From taking a step back and observing the children I could see how the children expressed their feeling and thoughts with each other and their excitement to involve their parents. Using observation as an assessment method has shown me that building on the child interests to help them make sense of the world truly excites them. (See appendices for photographs of the activities.) Part C Using the topic of spring, the assessment of the activities helped to plan further activities based on the childs interests. Aistears outlines the features of good assessment practices which involve collecting, documenting, reflecting and using the information (NCCA, 2009). In each activity, the assessment of the activity benefited the child as it built on the childs past experiences which they shared to support the development of new learning. From collecting and documenting the childs interests, it allowed a portrait of the childs interests, abilities and knowledge to be assessed and used to plan further experiences which would help the child/children develop. From using the different methods of assessment such as setting a task, conversations and observation it allowed for appropriate activities to be planned according to the stage of development and interests the child/children were at. Observing over a period of time during the how plants drink water experiment highlighted how e xcited the children got from watching the plant change colour sharing the information with parents. This allows the parent to gain an insight into what the child is interested in which can be further developed outside the classroom. In each activity the children developed the disposition of curiosity. Their curious nature engaged the children to get involved in the painting, planting and experimenting. The activities also showed evidence of the childrens knowledge developing as while planting the children believed that pouring water on the top of the flower helped it to grow were it then became clear during the experiment that they absorbed water from the bottom. From planning the activities, to observing the children while implementing them and using Aistears different assessment methods to record and reflect on the experience, it gives a portrait of the child/children which helps the practitioner to continually provide and enhance future experiences to help develop a holistic chil d. References Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE). (2006), Sà ­olta: The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. Dublin: Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. Daly, M and Forster, A. (2012). Aistear: the early childhood curriculum framework. In: Mhic Mhathà ºna, M. and Taylor, M., eds., Early childhood education and care: an introduction for students in Ireland. Dublin 12: Gill Macmillan. Dunphy, E. (2008). Supporting early learning and development through formative assessment: a research paper. Dublin 2, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dunphy, E. (2008). Supporting early learning and development through formative assessment: a research paper: executive Summary. Dublin 2, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework: supporting learning and development through assessment. Dublin: NCCA. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). (2009) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework: principles and themes. Dublin: NCCA.

Jasper Jones Southern Gothic Genre Essay

There are points in a person’s life when they must grow, drop their naà ¯ve illusions about the world and step into the shoes of an adult and accept the harsh reality of life. Jasper Jones is a ‘coming of age’ novel written by Craig Silvey set in small town Corrogan. With the main theme being right of passage or coming of age. Jasper Jones has been compared to a Southern Gothic Genre story. Using the narrative conventions of characterisation, setting and language elements of Jasper Jones will be shown to have a connection to the Southern Gothic Genre. Using the narrative convention of characterisation particularly of the novels protagonist Charlie Bucktin is the perfect example of a coming of age character in which Charlie overcomes the obstacles set before him to emerge as a stronger and well-developed character. A good example is on page 12, Craig Silvey demonstrates how the Southern gothic genre by using this example ‘It is a girl†¦ she is pale. In the silver light I can see she bears scratches down her arms and her calves and her face is smudged and bruised and bloody†¦ she is still. She is limp†¦ her head is to the side, like a piece of biblical art. She looks disappointed and sad. Surrendered†¦ â€Å"Who is it† Jasper Jones takes some time to answer Laura Wishart. Its Laura.’ We can infer the text that despite witnessing what appears to be a brutal murder Charlie still has enough presence of mind to think and plan and not be overwhelmed by the tragic death ha has just witnessed. Throug hout the story of Jasper Jones Charlie sees or reads some of the darker truths if the world beyond the naiveties of a child Charlie experiences: death, torture, racism, hypocrisy, abuse of power, adultery, scapegoat and other traumatic or dark experiences. Due to being subjected to this Charlie is forced to grow and step out of his comfort zone to take on the challenges and obstacles set before him throughout the course of the story. An example of this is Charlies confrontation of his greatest fear, insects. On pages 386-387 Craig Silvey demonstrates how Charlie comes of age by using this example ‘I look down. There’s a lumpy carpet of decaying peaches at my feet. It’s a windfall but  it does very little to dissolve my worry. Because hovering above them are dozens and dozens of insects. Mostly bees, I follow there flight and see a hive under a gutter in the house. There are black ants running trails, slaters and worms burrowing into the soft flesh. March flies, blowflies and houseflies. It’s the stuff of nightmares†¦ I look down my breath is short. There’s a teeming metropolis of insects down there†¦ I feel as though I’m already covered in them. Like they’re crawling all over my body, scratching and slithering. I clasp my hands together and grind my palms†¦ either way I have no choice I have to get brave.’ We can infer form these text extracts that from Charlies original plan to allow him safety, he must truly conquer is biggest fear. Because of the insects inside Jack Lionels background Charlie defeats his greatest fear and shows that he has developed from a boy full of fear into not a boy devoid of fear but one who has nonetheless conquered his fears. Charlie is faced with many obstacles found almost exclusively within Sothern Gothic Genre this link shows that elements of the Southern Gothic Genre are prevalent on Jasper Jones more specifically. Jasper Jones is set in a small town in Western Australia Corrogan, in the mid 1960s. Corrogan during the day is a beautiful town, full of kids playing sports. But at night Corrogan is a desolate place comparable to some settings of Southern Gothic Genre. On page 3 Craig Silvey demonstrates how the Southern Gothic Genre effects settings by using this example ‘After climbing my back fence we head downhill into Corrogan houses huddle and cluster together and then stop abruptly as we reach the middle of the town. This late the architecture is desolate and leeched of colour. It feels like we’re traipsing through a post card. We can infer from this text extract that small mining town Corrogan is a desolate place abstract of positive traits and full of decayed dark, derelict, desolate, disturbed and other characteristics only found exclusively within the Southern Gothic Genre. On page 300 Craig Silvey uses a second example of decayed or settings with this example ‘the yard beyond is scruffy and dilapidated. Along the boarder closest to the river, where the brush meets the property, a thick thatch of blackberries press through the rusted wire fence†¦ crows moan from grey leafless branches. They look like silhouettes. Crow shaped holes. We can infer from this text extract that Jack Lionels front yard during the night  is similar to the decayed, dark ominous and derelict settings often found within the Southern Gothic Genre. In addition each of there scenarios feature Charlie overcoming a fear and growing up or ‘coming of age’. Jasper Jones has been often compared to a Southern Gothic Genre one of the greatest examples of this is the speech used throughout Jasper Jones, particularly racism that is experienced most prominently by Jeffrey Lu and his family Craig Silvey takes advantage of the racism against Vietnamese within the specific time frame within Jasper Jones. Using racist phrases such as ‘fuck of Cong’ and ‘oh me so Solly’ page 78, creates a great example of Southern Gothic Genre using the flawed or deeply disturbed characters as a base. In addition to the racism experienced by Jeffrey there are examples of when his family is subjected to racism in particular Jeffrey’s father An Lu. When An Lu’s garden is affected by citizens of Corrogan the phrase ‘red rat’ is mentioned a racist phrase about Vietnamese. We can infer from this as another example of the flawed or deeply disturbed characters found in Southern Gothic Genre, In addition Jeffrey’ s immunity to the racist taunts shows his ‘unflappable’ will or coming of age outlook. In conclusion Jasper Jones has many likes to Southern Gothic Genre, in addition the main theme being coming of age or right of passage is seen repeatedly throughout Jasper Jones. Jasper Jones is connected to Southern Gothic Genre through the deeply disturbed or flawed characters and the decayed or derelict settings. Jasper Jones is a novel that has elements of Southern Gothic Genre all around it.

The Importance Of A Healthy Lifestyle For Individuals With...

Fritz’s mom is a parent that is clearly and actively involved in her son’s education. She has some valid concerns about her son’s education, and should work closely with the teachers and para-professionals to find balance between school and family functions in order to help Fritz live a healthy and successful life. According to chapter 3 in the Turnbull et al. text, a key aspect of family functions is affection, either by exchanging verbal and physical affection or exchanging unconditional love. Busy teaching programs with lots of rigorous homework, such as the one described by â€Å"The Dynamos† team, often interferes with some family’s only opportunities to catch up on the day’s events, or engage in recreational activities. When this happens it is useful to reconsider the plan to achieve a balance in meeting affection needs not just educational needs (p.57-58). 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Essay on Pepsi’s 2003 Advertising Campaign - 1085 Words

Pepsi’s 2003 Advertising Campaign Nowadays PepsiCo Inc. is among the most successful consumer product companies in the world. It divides into two major domestic and international businesses, beverages and snack foods. In order to attract the broadest number of customers, advertising plays a significant role. In this essay, the advertising campaign of Pepsi in 2003, which was unveiled not only on TV, but outdoor advertising as well, will be analyzed. The aim for this campaign is about combine consumption of food and Pepsi. A general picture of this advertising campaign will be given at first. After that, more details will be given by how that campaign has been presented, what the main message†¦show more content†¦A young woman dressed in a hot dog costume is passing out leaflets for the grand opening of Wiener World and she becomes distraught when the passers-by ignore her. However, she finds a friend, a young man, dressed as a Pepsi outside a nearby store. 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For Coca-Cola, they attempted to enter into Indian market by joining with Parle and became â€Å"Coca-Cola India† Some of these effects may have been anticipated, especially foreseeing the corruptionRead MoreCoke and Pepsi Learn to Compete in India1558 Words   |  7 Pagesobtained anywhere else within the country, imports of similar items were forbidden. This made Indian consumers had a little choice of products or brands and no guarantees of quality or reliability. - Indian Laws, the government mandated that Pepsi’s products be promoted under the â€Å"Lehar Pepsi† name. For Coca-Cola, they attempted to enter into Indian market by joining with Parle and became â€Å"Coca-Cola India† Some of these effects may have been anticipated, especially foreseeing the corruptionRead MoreBrand and Pepsi3309 Words   |  14 Pagessix-ounce bottles, and sales increased to 19,848 gallons. In 1909, automobile race pioneer Barney Oldfield was the first celebrity to endorse Pepsi-Cola, describing it as A bully drink...refreshing, invigorating, a fine bracer before a race. The advertising theme Delicious and Healthful was then used over the next two decades. In 1926, Pepsi received its first logo redesign since the original design of 1905. In 1929, the logo was changed again. But how has this iconic brand become a legend? MoreRead MoreCase Coke and Pepsi Learn to Compete in India1002 Words   |  5 Pagesuse famous people in India to promote their products and their target market was young people. | Pepsi started out with an aggressive pricing policy to try to get immediate market share from Indian competitors. Coca-Cola cut its prices by 15-25% in 2003. They both implement ed bottles with less ml to increase the frequency of purchase. | At the beginning they focused on major cities but then wanted to explore rural areas of the country. Coca-cola products also were distributed in the â€Å"Red Lounge† -gt;Read MorePepsico Case8696 Words   |  35 Pagesover a million dollars and was on its way to making history. Building a Brand Guth had many challenges to overcome in order to save the struggling brand. Through the Great Depression, Pepsi carefully positioned itself as a low cost leader and made advertising history when it released the nation’s first jingle â€Å"nickel, nickel,† which was heard across the nation. With financially-strapped customers reluctant to pay a nickel for a drink, Guth began offering twice the amount of Pepsi for the same price,

The Family Of A Single Parent Family - 2262 Words

In the United States, two-parent families were considered the norm. Historically, the myth of the perfect family unit consisted of a two-parent heterosexual home. The family unit has evolved though, and it is far more complex, diverse, dimensional and varies in ethnicity and family members than the status quo. Today, families are made up of same sex parents, adopted children,extended families, children raised by their grandparents, and a growing percentage of women, choosing to be single mothers, and single-mothers chosen by circumstances of life. With more than half of all marriages in the USA ending in divorce, every year millions of children enter a new family structure: the single-parent family. By the year 2000, just over 30% of all children in the USA lived in single-parent homes. Undeniably, there is a distinction between a single-parent and a two-parent home. With these new statistics, our goal is to understand how the academic outcomes of Latino children raised by single m others can be improved. The findings and sources available to help children academically succeed are discussed. Most researchers agree that children fare better in a two-parent home. In the United States, the living arrangements of children in single- parent families vary greatly by ethnicity. However, in all ethnicities, more children live in single-mother than single-father families.In the book, Middle Childhood Development, A Contextual Approach, authors Mary Jo Zembar and Libby BalterShow MoreRelatedParent Families And The Single Parent Family1738 Words   |  7 Pagesyears, one of the most remarkable changes in family structure has been the increase in the number of single-parent families. In this type of family, one parent in the household is raising the children due to the high divorce rates and adults choosing not to marry. 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Business Analysis and Valuation Exam Notes Free Essays

Topic 7: NOA1=NOA0+OIt – (C1-I1) NFO1=NFO0+NFE1 – (C1-I1)+d1 NFA1=NFA0+NFI1 – (C1-I1)-d1 CSE1=CSE0+OI1 – NFE1 – d1 NI1=OI1 – NFE1 (C1-I1) = d1+F1 d1=div+ share buyback – share issues F=net purchases of FAs – interest on FAs – net issue of debt + Interest on debt d=C-I+NFI-NFA d=C-I-NFE+NFO FCF=OI-NOA (Method 1) FCF=NFA-NFI+d (Method 2) FCF=NFO+NFE+d CSE=NOA+NFA/(-NFO) CSE1=CSE0+Earnt-dt Net Operating Accruals = OI1 – C1 or NOA – I1 If C-I-i d: lend or buy down debt. If C-I-i d: borrow or reduce lending. The rate of return from investing in a firms’ stock is its holding period return. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Analysis and Valuation Exam Notes or any similar topic only for you Order Now [(div+P1)/P0]. Topic 8: Reformulated CSE Statement CSE0 +Net transactions with s/holders +Share issues – Share buy backs – Dividends +Comprehensive Income +NI reported +/- securities avail. For sale +/- currency translations +/- hedging +/- prior earnings restatements CSE1 Table 8. 1 of Dirty Surplus Items: OI Items Changes in accting for contingencies Additional minimum pension liability Tax benefits of loss carry-forwards acquires Tax benefits of dividends paid to ESOPs Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities avail. For sale Some adjustments of deferred tax valuation allowances funding status of pension plans Financing inc (or exp) items Preferred dividends Unrealized gains on losses on debt securities avail. For sale Operating or Financing inc items F. C. translation gains (losses) Gains(losses) on derivative instruments for hedging purposes Restatement of prior years’ income due to accting principles. Bal/sheet items to be reclassified Credits to s/holders’ equity for stock compensation exp. Dividends payable. Topic 9: Effective tax rate for operations Tax on OIOI before tax ReOI1=OI1 – ( – 1) NOA0 Operating PM from sales OI from Sales (after tax)Sales Net CI Margin = CI/Sales RNOA = OI/Ave. NOA NBC = NFE/Ave. NFO RNFA = NFI/Ave. NFA ROCE = Earn (CI)/Ave. CSE OLLEV = OL/NOA Capitalization Ratio = NOA/CSE FLEV = NFO/CSE SPREAD = RNOA – NBC Reformulated Bal/sheet FAs: Cash equivalents S/T investments S/T notes receivable* L/T debt investments FLs: S/T borrowings Current maturities on L/T debt S/T note payable* L/T borrowings Lease obligations Preferred stock OAs OLs: All else Minority Interest CSE *notes are FA/Ls if they bear the mkt rate of interest. L/T equity investments are usually OAs if they are a 20% holding, recorded at mkt value if avail. for sale or, at cost if held to maturity. S/T equity/marketable investments are OAs if part of a trading portfolio. If used mop up excess cash = FA. Minority interest is a separate line item. And NOA – NFO = CSE + Minority Int. Reformulated Income Statement Net sales -Expenses to generate sales =OI from sales (before tax) -Tax on OI from sales +Tax as reported +Tax benefit from NFE – Tax allocated to other OI =OI from sales (after tax) Other OI (exp) requiring tax alloc. Restructuring charges and asset impair. Merger exps Gains/Losses on asset sales Gains/Losses on security transactions -Tax on other OI After-tax operating items Equity share in subsidiary income Operating items in extraordinary inc Dirty surplus op. items in Table 8. Hidden dirty surplus op. items OI (after tax) -NFE (after tax) +Interest exp -Interest inc. Realized gains/losses on FAs =NFE before tax -Tax benefit from NFE =NFE after tax Gains/loss on debt retirement +unrealized holding loss D-S items in Table 8. 1 (incl. Pref. dividends) Hidden d-s financing items -Minority Interest =Comp. Income to common Topic 10: Reformulated CF Statement CF from operations +Reported cash from op. Net cash interest payments after tax – CF from investing +Reported cash from inv. +Liquidation of assets +Sale of assets +Maturities of assets – Purchases of Assets Working Cash =FCF from op. ctivities Net Dividends +Dividends +Share buy back – Share issue +Net Debt Financing Cash and Cash Equivalents + net payments to d/holders and issuers =Cash paid for financing activities Topic 11: ROCE = RNOA+[FLEV(RNOA-NBC)] Implicit int. on OL= S/T borrowing rate (after tax) OL ROOA=OI+Implicit Int. (aft. tax)OA RNOA=ROOA+(OLLEVOLSPREAD)OLSPREAD = ROOA – S/T borrowing rate (after tax) ROA=NI+Int Exp (aft. tax)Ave Total Assets Minority interest is added to numerator if any. 2 Drivers of RNOA: RNOA = PM ATO PM = OI (aft. Tax)/Sales ATO = Sales/NOA (usually expressed as 1/ATO) PM Drivers: PM = Sales PM + other items PM Sales PM=Gross margin ratio – Exp ratios =GMsales-Admin. expsales-Sell. expsales-RDsales-Operating taxessales Other Op. items PM=subsidiary incsales+other equity incsales+Special itemssales+other gains and lossessales Drivers of ATO (1/ATO) can be broken down into ratios for the individual assets and liabilities. Drivers of NBC is calculated from the weighted average of the costs for different sources of net financing. NBC=FONFO? aft. tax int. on FOFO-FANFO? aft. tax on FAFA-FANFO? Unrealized gains on FAFA+Pref. stockNFO? Pref. DivPref. stock+†¦ Topic 12: OI = Core OI from sales + Core Other OI + Unusual Items RNOA=Core OI from SalesNOA+Core other OINOA+UINOA Core OI from salesNOA=Core sales PM? ATO=Core OI from salesSales? SalesATO NBC=Core NFENFO+UFENFO RNOA1=(core sales PM1ATO0) +(ATO1Core Sales PM1) +(core other OI/NOA)+ (UI/NOA) Changes in core sales PM are driven by variable and fixed costs. Sales PM = (Sales – VC – FC)/Sales Contribution Margin Ratio = 1 – (VC/Sales) OLEV=CM ratio/PM %Core OI=OLEV%Core sales CSE1=(sales11/ATO0) +[(1/ATO1)Sales1] – NFO1 Reformulated OI Core OI Core Sales Rev. Core CoS = Core GM Core Op. Exp. = Core OI from sales bef. Tax Tax on core OI from sales +Tax as reported +Tax benefit from NFE Tax alloc To core other OI Tax alloc to UI = Core OI from sales + Core other OI + Equity income in subsidiaries + Earnings on pension assets + Other continuing inc not from sales Tax on core other OI = Core OI Unusual Items Special charges Special liability accruals Nonrecurring items Asset write-downs estimates Start-up costs expensed P/L from asset sales Restructuring charges P/L from discon operations Extraordinary op items Accounting charges Unrealized g/l on equity investments Gains from share issues Currency gains and losses Derivative g/l (operations) Tax allocated to unusual items = Comprehensive OI Topic 13: Earnings component: i) Operating income (ii) Net financial expense (iii) Earnings Book value component: (i) NOA (ii) NFO (iii) CSE Residual Earnings measure: (i) ReOI1 = OI1 – (F – 1) NOA0 (ii) ReNFE1 = NFE1 – (D – 1) NFO0 (iii) RE1 = Earn1 – (E – 1) CSE0 Value of NFO: V0NFO=NFO+ReNFET? D+CVT? DT Value of NOA: V0NOA=NOA0+ReOIT? F +CVT? FT Value of Equity: V0E=CSE0+ReOIT? F+CVT? FT NFO is usually measured at market value. Therefore forecasted ReNFE are zero. Usually: VoE=V0NOA-V0NFO But with ReNFE = 0, VE = VNOA Drivers of RE: RE1 = [ROCE1 – (E – 1)] CSE0 (1) amount of s/holders’ investment (2) rate of return on investment relative to E. Drivers of ReOI: ReOI1 = [RNOA1 – (F – 1)] NOA0 (1) amount of NOA put in place (2) profitability of assets relative to F. Drivers of ReNFE: ReNFE1 = [NBC1 – (D – 1)] NFO0 (1) amount of net financial debt (2) NBC relative to D. AEG Measure (i) AOIG=[OI1 + (F – 1)FCF0] – FOI0 (ii) ANFEG=[NFE1+(D – 1)F0] – DNFE0 (iii) AEG=[Earn1+(E-1)d0] – EEarn0 V0NOA=1? F-1OI1+AOIGT? F Cost of capital: ?E=? F+VoDV0E? F-? D P/B Ratio: V0ECSE0=V0NOANOA0+NFO0CSE0V0NOANOA0-1 Forward P/E ratio: V0EEarn1=V0NOAOI1+ELEV1V0NOAOI1-1NBC1 ELEV = NFE/Earnings Trailing P/E ratio: V0E+d0Earn0=V0NOA+FCF0OI0 +ELEV0V0NOA+FCF0OI0-1NBC0-1 How to cite Business Analysis and Valuation Exam Notes, Essay examples

Personal Reflection and Personal Development Plan free essay sample

Creating a personal development plan involves more than simply contemplating what you want from your life and how to go about achieving it. If you want to create a personal development plan that helps you to achieve your goals, preparation is the key. To prepare, one must have a great deal of self-awareness. This includes clear understanding of personal values and ethics, analyzing personality characteristics, evaluation of learning styles and identifying strengths, weaknesses, motivators, opportunities and threats. Preparing for this personal development plan has been a thought-provoking study encouraging self-evaluation, reflection and realization within the context of self-improvement in career education and relationships. I have analyzed my personality traits to understand how each correlates with my strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. I have learned that my own perceptions and actions may be motivated by feelings that influence me instinctively. Although many traits stem from my personality, that doesn’t mean I can’t develop and improve. I can learn how to use my strengths in better ways and turn weaknesses into strong suits. I have learned through the Jungian Typology that my personality tendencies are moderately introverted, sensing and feeling, and distinctive judging (ISFJ). I have studied the key traits of this personality type and contemplated how it defines me in relationships, parenthood, career and the workplace. I am highly altruistic, supportive and traditional. I am motivated intrinsically and have excellent people-sensing skills. Consequently, my personality type is moderately introverted lending me to repress feelings and create more stress for myself. I am moderately bashful; networking is not a natural for the purpose of advancing my career. Finally, I often overload myself with other people’s work or problems. Another key point of self awareness is the knowledge acquired about myself being a moderate internal locus of control. This will help me with personal development planning in terms understanding my natural tendencies and adapting to situations within and outside of my control. Other self assessments have enabled me to understand my learning style, become more aware of my productivity and stress levels, and how to recognize if I am experiencing burnout. Awareness in all of these topics is crucial and each needs to be considered when staging an effective development plan. Becoming more self-aware and embracing my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are the first steps to enhancing the quality of my life. Overall, I have potential I have not been using optimally and opportunities for development I have essentially been ignoring. I would like my personal development plan to be a compass; provide direction and help me stay focused on the developmental opportunities. I would also like this plan to be a gauge; a means to track progress and keep me motivated. SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses †¢I have excellent interpersonal skills and foster good relationships. †¢I positively influence others. †¢I am a patient, effective and creative in instructional design and training. †¢I have very strong values and work ethic. †¢I am caring, compassionate and sensitive to others. †¢I am altruistic, traditional and supportive. †¢I have excellent people-sensing skills. †¢I have exceptional communication skills. †¢I consistently give people respect, trust, compassion, stability and hope. †¢I Have not completed my college education. †¢Sometimes distressed situations of others tend to make me be more lenient in my expectations. †¢My personality type is moderately introverted so I often repress feelings causing more stress. †¢I am moderately bashful; networking is not a natural for the purpose of advancing my career. †¢I often overload myself with other people’s work or problems. OpportunitiesThreats †¢I can complete my college degree with a high GPA. †¢I can better manage stress and be diligent in conveying my feelings. †¢I can learn and implement networking strategies. †¢I can be a positive influence and good role model for others. †¢I can educate children or adults. †¢I can council children or adults. †¢ I can use my strength of relationship building to create or lead groups/teams. †¢I can positively influence others, promote ideas and establish visions that can positively impact individuals, teams and work environment. †¢I can mediate conflict resolution, helping others work through problem situations. †¢I can model organizational values and coach others by leading by example. †¢I am more limited in many career developmental opportunities because I have not completed my college degree. †¢I am at higher risk for stress because I repress feelings and do not manage stress well. †¢I am higher risk for burnout and productivity lulls because I overload myself by taking on the burden of other people’s work or problems. †¢I socialize well, but I do not network extensively to help me achieve my goals or advance my career. Completing the SWOT Analysis exercise helped me see a realistic picture of myself. The SWOT analysis has been very helpful for creating a personal development plan because it is based on self-actualization and brings focus to strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. I find it interesting to realize that performing a SWOT analysis for a career role of interest can help me identify if it is a good fit and how my strengths align with key strengths needed for a role. Further, pinpointing areas of development I would need to accomplish to be successful in roles of interest can help me design a career path to get where I desire to go within an organization. Another interesting observation from my SWOT analysis is that in some situations strength could be perceived as a weakness or a weakness as strength. For example, I listed I am altruistic, traditional and supportive in my strengths. This may be perceived as a weakness in some situational leadership roles, yet significant strengths in other roles, for example, counseling or education. Pest Analysis FactorOpportunityThreat Political1. New and modified environmental regulations will continue to impact Caterpillar products and business. 2. Caterpillar has been approached by several other states with attractive incentives to change locations. 3. Caterpillar has been under fire by many environmental groups because products include earth stripping and moving machines, underground mining equipment, and diesel engines. 1. Caterpillar can be EPA compliant in all countries as well as a leader in reduced gas emission from engines, machines and greenhouse gas emissions of the their factories. 2. Cat can continue to partake in social responsibilities and promote them in the media. For example, disaster relief, rescue missions and sustainable energy efforts such as building dams. 1. Strict government regulations increase cost of production. 2. If Caterpillar does not keep up to date on regulations globally, it could result in hefty penalties. Economic1. Significant revenue loss in the Mining Division. 2. Product Sales have flattened or decreased. Significant infrastructure development in other countries such as Asia and India brings great growth opportunities for Caterpillar. 1. Establish and grow business in countries heavily immersed in infrastructure development. 2. Focus on growth of rental business will offset lost sales. 1. A stifled economy and lost revenue limits enablement for Caterpillar to invest in research and development. 2. Economic crisis with limited government spending on infrastructure in many countries. 3. Higher interest rates causing Caterpillar to lower company investment in capital. Socio-Cultural1. Caterpillar is a world-wide organization; therefore the availability and cost labor is always a key factor in business strategy. 2. Development of infrastructure can bring prosperity to inaccessible regions. 3. Growing world population requires infrastructure changes and sustainability. 1. Having a strong global footprint allows Caterpillar to analyze labor and cost more effectively and utilize existing assets for strategic planning. 2. Caterpillar can establish strong relationships with partnering businesses in development of other countries, leading to strong partnerships and new business adventures. 1. In already established regions with infrastructure in place, completion is stronger and could threaten growth and revenue for Caterpillar. Technological1. Caterpillar is focused on sustainability and green technologies. 2. There are large pushes for automated machinery to reduce operating costs and increase productivity. 3. Customer Push for fuel efficiency. 4. World-wide Business collaboration and Transformation platform using SAP for Finance, Sales to Delivery and Supply Chain. 1. Once SAP and processes are implemented globally, Caterpillar will realize significant operational improvements, cost reductions, and efficiencies. Caterpillar has a successful recruiting team and fluent pipeline of talented engineers to lead the industry in innovation. 1. Technological efforts increase in production costs. 2. If Caterpillar does not embrace and lead in new technology that supports sustainability such as e-mobility, bio fuel, other power alternatives, it will lose the competitive edge dominance in its industry. Caterpillar has vast opportunities and threats politically, economically, socio-culturally and technologically around the world. The PEST Analysis has helped me realize the opportunities Caterpillar embraces and the threats it faces, not just in the USA, but globally. I find it highly interesting that Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of equipment and machines that are used in business operations that are heavily scrutinized by environmentalists. Caterpillar’s business growth depends on industries such as mining, forestry and fracking, yet still maintains a high socially responsible profile. To do this, Caterpillar has invested in new ventures such as solar power turbines, e-mobility and hybrid engines. The organization has a rich history of infrastructure contributions in the USA and abroad, attesting to its vested interest in building a safe society and sustainable world. Lastly, Caterpillar equipment and volunteers have been monumental in disaster relief and recovery around the world. Recently, Caterpillar has gone through significant reorganization, downsizing and cost cutting efforts in reaction to the economy and significant revenue loss in mining division with a staggering decreased profit of $15 billion last year. This has displaced everyone in my department and threatens job security for employees on all levels of the  organization. Additionally, new technology and automation of processes eliminate jobs every day and increase the demand for unique skill sets and deep expertise in technology and business acumen. In order to be valuable contributors and assets in the organization, teams, groups and individuals need to evolve with the business through continuous growth and d evelopment in a variety of skill sets including communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving, decision making, leadership and management skills. Caterpillar has been an evolving business for 85 years strong and shall continue to be for years to come. This PEST Analysis has helped me understanding that Caterpillar is making strategic decisions everyday based on this analysis. I need to do the same. Personal Develop Plan GoalsAction StepsPotential ObstaclesPlan to Overcome Implement actions to reduce stress. 1. Join the YMCA and exercise 4 times a week. 2. Join Yoga classes one time a week. 3. At home, delegate tasks to others. 4. Implement schedules to keep organized and manage time better. Review with family for ongoing support. 1. Taking on too much to help others in the family, 2. Making sure I allocate time to manage my stress will be difficult with long hours at work as well as school and family obligations. 3. Limited time with my toddler twins creates burden and regrets and can also contribute to stress and burnout. 1. Say no more often to family requests to do things for them. Often times these requests can be done themselves or by someone else. 2. Develop and maintain an exercise schedule and stick to it. Ensure than family also knows this routine and supports my plan. 3. Routinely allocate time with children each evening. Do homework after bedtime. Plan weekend activities with them. Improve Networking skills. 1. Schedule informational interviews with managers and recruiters within my organization. 2. Schedule information interviews with resources outside my organization, with focus on areas of interest, such as education. 3. Join and participate in at least one social club available through work. 1. Bashful tendencies and personality traits that make it difficult to network for personal gain. 2. Lack of time to participate in social activities. 1. Identify the information I would like to gain from sessions. Develop a conversation guide with talking points and questions. Preparation may ease anxieties. 2. Join a social club with people of similar interests and participate in lunch time activities more than the activities that occur outside of work. Improve self-confidence 1. Document achievements. 2. Focus on personal SWOT analysis. 3. Set and achieve small goals, followed by more challenging ones. 4. Incorporate useful tools. Purchase the Life Plan Workbook from Mind tools, a proven method to gain self confidence. 5. Continuously build the knowledge needed to succeed, including completing my undergraduate degree. 1. Negative self talk. 2. Surfacing doubts. 3. Giving up. Seems too difficult or unattainable. 4. Worries about ability to accomplish educational goals. 1. Practice rational positive thinking, imagery and meditations to redirect negative self talk. 2. Journal doubts. Analyze if they due to genuine threats. If so, set or modify goals to manage. In not, redirect with positive thinking techniques. 3. Use the Life Plan Workbook and other tools. Focus on small goals and achievements. Practice positive thinking and remind self this goal is a journey and takes significant time and commitment. 4. Be cognizant of learning style and practice techniques proven to enhance learning. I have many development opportunities that should help me personally, professionally and academically. However, the SWOT Analysis and PEST Analysis were vital in prioritizing the top three goals used for this personal development plan. My priorities are based on current circumstances, threats, and areas of development that may result in the most significant positive impacts in my life. Moreover, when considering action steps, potential obstacles and plans to overcome them, I gave careful thought to my learning style, personality traits, internal locus of control and other factors that may aid or impede accomplishing the goals. Self improvement is important to me, but more than that, this plan is valuable because it can transform every aspect of my life. Managing stress is important for my physical and emotional health and will also improve relationships, focus and stamina. Taking steps to improve networking skills is an immediate need given my current circumstances. In light of a major reorganization eliminating my entire department, networking with managers, other business units and recruiters is crucial in order to identify opportunities to stay within the organization long before positions are posted on job boards. Finally, improving self-confidence is going to be the most challenging goal of all. I was reluctant to add this goal because of the very reason for its existence; lack of self confidence. After all, it is documented as one of the most difficult goals to achieve. However, gaining self confidence is fundamental in improving in many other areas I have identified when preparing for developing this plan. Self confidence will help me manage stress better and improve essential workplace skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, decision making, networking, leadership and management skills. Stress management and networking skills are goals I can achieve because they are ones I can prepare for more and realize immediate results. With immediate results, comes motivation and confidence to master and maintain those skills. I am not as sure about making big strides improving self-confidence. Perhaps this is because no precise step by step plan exists; it is a journey with many winding paths and no clear direction. However, many tools and resources are available to help stay focused on goals, realize achievements and keep me motivated with each confident step.