Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt Biography Essay Example for Free

Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt Biography Essay D. O. B-D. O. B: September 6, 1817 September 19, 1893, in London, England and came to Canada in 1835 to work for the British American Land Company. Family Information: On February 9, 1848, Galt married Elliott Torrance, the daughter of John Torrance, of Saint-Antoine Hall, Montreal. She died on May 25, 1850, shortly after giving birth to their only son, Elliott. Later he married her younger sister, Amy Gordon Torrance. Amy gave birth to 7 daughters and 2 more sons. They lived in Montreal at their house within the Golden Square Mile, which Galt built in about 1860. Galt appears to have had a very non-sectarian approach to religious faith and although the grandson of a Calvinist theologian, Alexander Galt supported both the Methodist and Anglican churches while his wife, Amy, was a lifelong Presbyterian. Occupation: He was a politician, member of the Canadian parliament. Is the Father of Confederation. Personality: Alexander Tilloch Galt, who was of Scottish descent, spent his early years with his brothers John and Thomas partly in the London area, partly in Scotland. Addiction: Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt had no addictions to anything. Political Party: Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt is from a Liberal-Conservative party. Political Beliefs: He was a member of the Great Coalition government in the Province of Canada that secured Confederation between 1864 and 1867. He became a leading figure in the creation of the Coalition when he was asked to become premier of the Province of Canada by then Governor General Sir Edmund Walker Head. Doubting his own ability to demand the loyalty of the majority of members of the Legislative Assembly, he turned down the position, but recommended that George-Etienne Cartier and John A. Macdonald be asked to become co-leaders of the new government. Political Career: The remainder of Galts political career was spent as the Canadian governments representative abroad until 1883, when he returned to the business world. Chronic health problems late in life forced him to limit his activities after 1890. He died at home in Montreal on September 19, 1893 Contribution to Confederation: He was one of the pioneers of the philosophy of Confederation. As early as 1858, he proposed a federation of the colonies of British North and planned the financial arrangements for the new nation. After Confederation, he served briefly as the Minister of Finance, but drifted into the position of Independent Conservative and in 1880 he was appointed as the first high commissioner to Great Britain which he kept until 1883. Additional Information: Alexander Tilloch Galt was one of the most influential politicians of his time. His role was most prominent during the constitutional conferences; he was involved in the issue of economic development and was committed to defending the rights of religious minorities. These things together made him truly one of the Fathers of Confederation. In 1824, Alexanders father John Galt founded the Canada Company a settlement company active in the area of Lake Huron and laid the groundwork for the city of Guelph, Ontario. It was during this time that the young Alexander first came to Canada, in 1828. He remained for two years. Despite the failure of the Canada Company, John Galt helped found the British American Land Company in 1834 and arranged for his son to be taken on as a clerk in the Sherbrook office. Thus, in 1835, Alexander Tilloch Galt returned to Canada for the second time. In 1840, he drafted a report on the companys successes and failures, and the document made its way to London. Galt had made an impression: in October 1843, the London office made him secretary of the British American Land Company and, in 1844, he was named commissioner.

Organisational development and organisatins effectiveness and viabi

Organisational development and organisatins effectiveness and viabi The most bizarre thing about Organisational development is that there is not a single definition capable of explaining it properly; in simple terms Organisational development can be regarded as planned change concept, organisation wide effort to increase an organisations effectiveness and viability. Organization development is interdisciplinary in nature and draws on sociology, personality, psychology, and theories of motivation. It is considered both applied behavioural science focused on understanding and managing organizational change as well as a field of scientific study and enquiry (en.wikipedia.orgwiki/organization_development). Kurt Lewin (1898-1947) is credited with the origin and development as it is his work on Group dynamics and Action-Research which corroborates the basic OD process. Going through the history it would be worth saying that 1960s were the Influential period of T-group which saw the inculcation of Lewins Force Field analysis and organisational theory (Lawre nce and Lorsch, 1967; Argyris, 1962; Harisson, 1963, 66). Planned change approach coined by Kurt Lewin is corroborated by the humanistic and democratic values and had its focus upon resolving group issues and improvement through the involvement of managers, employees and a change consultant (Bernard Burnes, 2004). Till 1980s planned Change was the dominant approach to manage organisational change, however by 1980s it faced harsh criticism regarding the ability to stand for the organisations operating in dynamic and unpredictable environments. This essay will discuss the origin and objectives of Organisational development. Going further insights will be developed regarding the evolution of organisational development and its present scenario. Critical evaluation and comparison will be done in order to determine the difference between the present one and the original developed and to understand whether Organisational development still hold its purpose and coherence. ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT It will be worth saying that it is an uphill task to put Organisational development under a single definition. In an organisation team building with top corporate management, Job enrichment in manufacturing are all examples of Organisational development (Cummings and Worley). Some definitions of Organisational development are described as under Organisational development is a Planned process of change in an organisations culture through the utilization of behavioural science technology, research and theory. (Warner Burke) Organisational development is An effort (1) planned, (2) organisation-wide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organisational effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organisations processes using behavioural science knowledge. (Richard Beckhard) Organisation development refers to a Long-range effort to improve an organisations problem-solving capabilities and its ability to cope with changes in its external environment with the help of external or internal behavioural-scientist consultants, or change agents, as they are sometimes called. (Wendell French) Organisational development is Long term, planned changes in the culture, technology and management of a total organisation or at least significant part of the total organisation. (Jamieson, Bach Kallick and Kur, 1984) From the above explained definitions it is quite obvious that all of them differ on several important dimensions such as some focus on culture, some on the importance of top management support while other on the importance of technology, there is no doubt that do exhibit some common features Organisational development is concerned with managing planned change targeting organisation-wide issues, problems and challenges. Organisational development is basically a data-driven process, collected through process of action research by ways such as observations, assessments and surveys. Intent of organisational development to improve organisational effectiveness and it serves the purpose of both the creation as well as the subsequent reinforcement of change. Organisational development is concerned with the change in strategy, structure and/or process of an entire system. Organisational development is based upon the application and transfer of behavioural knowledge and practice such as leadership, group dynamics, and organization design. (Cummings and Worley, 2005) An attempt have been made by Cummings and Worley to incorporate most of the views expressed in various definitions through the very definition explained below Organisation development is a system wide application and transfer of behavioural science knowledge to the planned development, improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies, structures and processes that lead to organisation effectiveness. Organisational development had its origin in the 1960s when the need of Organisational health preponderant. Organisational development tends to works by acknowledging the dysfunctions and correcting them in order to retain equilibrium. Initial approaches to Organisational development was developed on the theories of Kurt Lewin who described it as a planned change and is based on Field theory, Group dynamics, Action Research and Three step model. Apart from significant work carried out by Kurt Lewin there are other prominent researchers in this field such as Bullock and Batten(1985) who proposed a four phase model of planned change Exploration phase, Planning phase, Action phase and Integration phase. It will be worth mentioning that in spite of the extensive work carried the focus was on change at Individual and Group level ignoring the organisations in their entirety. The main objectives of Organisation development are to address and smoothen the process of change that will in turn help the organisation to achieve greater effectiveness. Evolution of Organisational Development Organisational development have emerged from five basic backgrounds or stems as described below (Cummings and Worley) Growth of National Training Laboratories (NTL) and development of training groups known as T-groups. This very stem of Organisational development pioneered the T-Group a small, unstructured group in which the participants are expected to gain from their own interactions and developing dynamics such as interpersonal relations, leadership, and group dynamics. With the passage of time T- Groups have declined on their importance as OD intervention and is often associated with the reputation of Organisational development as touchy-feely process. The practical aspects of T-Group organisations are better known as team building and worth saying that it is one of the institutionalized forms of Organisational development today. Inculcation of action research as a way of applying research to managing change. An important feature of action research was survey feedback. It was well-understood that in order to manage change research needs to be in close ties with action. Action research was seen as two-pronged process and it focuses on the fact that change requires action that can be achieved by carefully analysing the situation properly, looking out for all the possible alternatives and going for the most apt. to situation at hand (Bennet, 1983). Action research stresses that change can only be effective if it is taken at the group level by involving concerned ones and it must be a participative and collaborative process. (French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b). One of the key components of action research studies was the systematic collection of survey data that was fed back. The third one is associated with a normative view i.e. One best way to manage organisations. The third stem that popped out was the normative view which closely held the view that Human relations approach represents a One best way to manage organisations. Furthermore, this normative belief was illustrated by through Likerts Participative Management style i.e. Participative Group systems and Blake and Moutons Grid OD program with organisational effectiveness. (R. Likert, 1967; R. Blake and J. Mouton, 1964) The fourth stem can very well be described as the approach focusing on quality of work life and productivity. This very stem or we can say the background to OD can be described under two phases that initially took off by the projects developed and their emergence in 1950s, 60s and lasted until mid 1970s. This phase of QWL programs were concerned with providing employees high levels of discretion, task variety and feedback about results. One of the main characteristic of QWL was Self-managing groups as a form of work design. It lost its importance during 1970s due to other important and emerging issues such as inflation and energy costs. Second phase of QWL extended its scope and inculcated other features such as work flows, reward systems, management styles that effect employee productivity and satisfaction and is known by the term Employee Involvement. (Cummings and Worley, 05) The fifth and last stem of organisational development involves strategic change and organisation transformation. The latest of Strategic change background have an overarching influence on Organisational Developments evolution. In current scenario the environments known as technological, socio-political environments are more complex and uncertain than ever before which in turns calls for planned change process and strategic perspective from Organisational development (D. Naddler, 1988). Strategic change intervention helps to improve both the organisational effectiveness and its relationship to its environment. Moreover, Strategic changes to organisational development have made its presence felt in mergers and acquisitions, alliance formation. (M. Marks and P.Mirvis, 1998). All the above explained five stems have great influence on the current practice of organisational development as well as by the trends that are responsible of shaping change in the organisations. The commonality between all the backgrounds is that all wholeheartedly support the transfer of knowledge and skill to the client system and making them capable of managing better change. This field of organisational development is on a growth spree as it can be witnessed through the new researchers, theorists, practitioners who are building their work on the work of early pioneers and making it perfect for the contemporary situations. Findings Organisational change as a planned discipline is concerned with the application of behavioural knowledge and practice in order to help organisation to achieve greater effectiveness but growing with the evolution phase, Current phase of organisational development goes far beyond its humanistic origins and it will be worth saying that as now a days practitioners of Organisational development took a more prescriptive approach as compared to early pioneers of Organisation development who took analytical approach. Lawrence and Lorsch (1969) draw organisational development in terms of activities at three interfaces Organisation to environment, Group to group, and Individual to organisation. Till 1980s planned change approach as coined by Kurt Lewin with its set of tools, techniques and practitioners was the dominant approach in managing organisational change unless it faced criticism from certain quarters regarding its inability to cope up with emerging and coercive situations such as dyn amic and unpredictable environments. Even in todays scenario there is a continuing argument over the proper definition, its state of art and the skills required for practising it. Despite certain limitations cited who have opposed it by saying that Planned change is more flexible and holistic approach than it is being considered and is en route on a transition phase from being a miscellany of certain devices to becoming a mature, usable set of principles and procedures for organisational change (Cummings and Worley, 2001; French and Bell, 1995; Robert L.Kahn, 2002). The problems cited with Planned change to change are that it was developed for the organisations operating in Top-down, autocratic environment (Wooten and White, 1999:8). It also have been criticized on the other note that it is more emphasized on Incremental and isolated change rather than its ability to cope up with more radical and transformational change (Dawson,1994 ; Schein,1985). Planned change is more suitable fo r the group and individual context but lacks strength for system-wide change. One of the problems of organisational development is the inclusion of conversational and commercial terms as independent variables such as T-Group training as a number of activities lies with the preference of trainer itself (Back, 1972). Other problem that can be cited is that Organisational development relies too much on the expertise and experience of trainees and change agent. Though often the process of planned change in terms of three successive phases Unfreezing, Moving and Freezing is often quoted without proper understanding of it as well as the Lewinian quasi-stationary equilibrium is often seen but without undergoing any proper system conceptualization calls for more serious attention so that a more holistic approach can be developed in managing Organisational change. In a nutshell, it can be said that it is not fruitful to look solely at group and individual level, the need is to look for the organisations in their entirety as seen from the concepts developed by Kurt Lewin. Organisational development practitioners have understood the importance of understanding organisational culture and organisational learning. The concepts coined by Kurt Lewin and others pioneers in this field are still relevant and needs a more in-depth understanding. The need of the hour is the conjugation of the emergent approaches such as punctuated-equilibrium, continuous transformation models with the existing approaches so that more benefits can be realized in terms of organization effectiveness by achieving planned organisational change. In the end it is worth mentioning that organisational development is not that Strategic and this is the prime reason why Organisational development have lost its purpose and coherence. Though there has not been a single approach for Org anisational Development but the combination of all the approaches make it a very coherent approach and it needs to be developed with the ever changing scenario so that nothing affects its suitability. References en.wikipedia.orgwiki/organization_development. Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967; Argyris, 1962; Harisson, 1963, 66 Bernard Burnes, 2004 ; Managing Change W.Burke, Organisation Development: Principles and Practice (Boston: Little,Brown, 1982); Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) W. French, Organization development: objectives, Assumptions, and Strategies, California Management Review 12,2 (1969):23-24; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) R. Beckhard, Organisational Development :Strategies and models (Reading,Mass: Addison-Wesley, 1969) ; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) (Jamieson, Bach Kallick and Kur, 1984); Introduction and overview of Organisational Development as a data driven approach for Organisational change ( Janine Waclawski, Allan H.Church) Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) Bullock and Batten, 1985; Bernard Burnes, 2004 (Managing Change) French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) R. Likert, 1967; R. Blake and J. Mouton, 1964; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) D. Naddler, 1988; M. Marks and P.Mirvis, 1998; Cummings and Worley (Organisation development and change, 2005) Cummings and Worley, 2001; French and Bell, 1995; Robert L.Kahn, 2002; Wooten and White, 1999:8; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002) Dawson,1994 ; Schein,1985; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002) Back, 1972; Organisational development : Some problems and proposals, (Robert L. Kahn,2002)

Reading Intervention Programme

Reading Intervention Programme Effects of an Out-of-school Intervention Program on Reading Ability and Attitude in Low-achieving First-grade Students Abstract This study, conducted at *****, proposes instituting a before- or after-school program to address the needs of struggling first-grader readers. Biweekly intervention sessions, lasting 30 minutes each, will take place from early September through May. Using individualized instruction targeting deficiencies in individual student skills and a balanced literacy approach, data will be collected to determine the effectiveness of the program and student attitudes about reading. Parent attitudes and participation in their children’s learning will also be explored. Data will then be compared to the average gains made by typical first-grade students. I anticipate these sessions will have a positive effect on student learning and attitudes, and that participants will make slightly greater gains than typical first graders. Introduction Background/School Information In the fall of 2008, I will begin my third year as a first-grade teacher at ******. According to the 2007 School Report Card (2007), the **** student population includes 335 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a diverse school (51.9% White, 2.1% African American, 34.0% Hispanic, and 11.9% Asian/Pacific Islander). 17.6% of students are from low-income families and 21.2% have limited English skills. The average size of my class over the past two years has been 25 students, with over half (14 last year) speaking a second language (including Italian, Polish, Serbian, Spanish, Tagal, and Urdu) at home. Some parents refuse bilingual or ELL services in favor of a regular classroom placement. Students begin the year at many different literacy levels. The majority of students make excellent progress with the current literacy program (Harcourt Trophies). While most of the students who attend kindergarten in our district have mastered their letter names and successfully integrat e their phonemic awareness skills with phonics instruction, there are a few students each year that struggle with these skills and have not mastered our basic kindergarten sight words. Often students who come from other school districts are even further behind. Some parents of these students have admitted to spending little or no time reading with them at home, either because the child is reluctant to work with the parent, lack of time, or because their own literacy skills may be lacking. My Philosophy/Past Efforts I believe it is my responsibility to ensure that every student learns the necessary skills to become a successful reader and to develop a love of reading. I also assume that every student will learn if expectations are high. I believe in using a balanced approach to literacy instruction (Tompkins, 2003), using phonemic awareness, phonics, and literacy instruction which incorporates both reading (shared and independent) and writing. In searching for a way to reach struggling students and help them improve their emerging reading skills, I began a biweekly guided reading group during lunch during the 2006-07 school year for four struggling students. The students were tested using AIMSweb ® and made considerable improvement between January when the program was implemented and the end of the year. One student’s reading fluency increased from ten to 33 wpm, an increase of 330% in four months. Although the lunch hour was a convenient time to work with the students, it was difficult to ensure they were focusing on the lesson and finishing their meals at the same time. I have considered the advantages and disadvantages of working with them either before or after school. While an after-school program will afford more structured time to better meet their needs, a before-school program might ensure better attendance (***, personal communication, July 7, 2008). **** has offered both a before-school remediation program with fourth graders and an after-school book club with second graders, noted that students seemed more focused in morning sessions (*****, personal communication, July 14, 2008). Before implementation, I will survey parents to determine which format best suits their schedule. Role of the Researcher As an active participant and researcher in this study, I will be working directly with four to six of my lowest-achieving first-grade students. Individual student needs will be targeted through word activities, shared reading, independent reading, guided reading, and writing activities. Area of Focus The purpose of this study is to describe the effects of a biweekly out-of-school intervention and guided reading program on reading ability and student attitude about reading in low-achieving first-grade students. Research Questions My focus question is: How will implementing an out-of-school intervention and guided reading program affect reading ability and student attitude about reading in low-achieving first-grade students? I plan on implementing this program at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year and continuing it through the end of May. I hope to answer the following questions through this action research project: How will biweekly out-of-school intervention and guided reading sessions affect reading fluency? How will these sessions affect student reading comprehension? What effect will this program have on student attitudes about reading and school in general? What effect will these sessions have on student writing ability? What effect will this program have on parent attitudes about their child’s reading ability and education in general? Will parent involvement in working with their children be affected by their participation in the program? Key Terms AIMSweb ® – â€Å"a scientifically based, formative assessment system that informs the teaching and learning process by providing continuous student performance data and reporting improvement to parents, teachers, and administrators to enable evidence-based evaluation and data-driven instruction† (AIMSweb ® Organization Website, n.d.). Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) – â€Å"The ARI is an individually-administered assessment conducted during a one-on-one reading conference. It is administered periodically to students in grades 4-8. Results are used to determine a student’s instructional reading level, guide teachers in planning classroom instruction, identify appropriate supports and interventions, and document progress over time.† (â€Å"Student Testing,† n.d.) Differentiate – â€Å"To use differentiated instruction – an approach to teaching essential content in ways that address the varied learning needs of students with the goal of maximizing the possibilities of each learner† (ASCD Website, n.d.). Fluency – â€Å"Reading smoothly, quickly, and with expression† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 397). Grapheme – â€Å"A written representation of a sound using one or more letters† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 398). Phoneme – â€Å"A sound; it is represented in print with slashes (e.g., /s/ and /th/)† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 399). Phonemic awareness – â€Å"The ability to manipulate the sounds in words orally† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 399). Phonics – â€Å"Instruction about phoneme-grapheme correspondences and spelling rules† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 399). Running Records – While observing individual children as they read aloud, â€Å"teachers calculate the percentage of words the child reads correctly and then analyzes the miscues or errors† (Tompkins, 2003, p. 386). Effects of an Out-of-school Intervention Program on Reading Ability and Attitude in Low-achieving First-grade Students Literature Review Introduction Students today enter school at very different developmental and readiness levels. First grade is a year of exciting growth, presenting new challenges for developing children – from the all-day format to learning how to read. While many students adapt to the all-day schedule and flourish in the first-grade classroom, some are not able to keep up, slowly falling further and further behind their classmates. Teachers often struggle to differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students. They also look for ways to ensure that every student is functioning at or above grade level, particularly since the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was enacted in January, 2001 (Huncosky, 2004). Because time is limited during the school day and class sizes are often large, many teachers turn to after-school hours to remediate instruction for their struggling students (Brown, 2008; Davis-Allen, 2008; Huncosky; Little Hines, 2006; Saddler Staulters, 2008). Their studies show varied results in gains among the lowest-achieving students. What is a struggling student? Davis-Allen (2008) uses the term â€Å"at-risk,† describing these students as â€Å"strangers to the behaviors and values of the middle-class (as cited in Davis-Allen, 2008). Students were asked to participate in her study because of prior substandard academic achievement (Davis-Allen). To meet Huncosky’s (2004) criteria, students were functioning below grade level in reading or failing to turn in homework. Reading Recovery uses an assortment of tests given at the onset of first grade to target the lowest-achieving students for their 12-20 week program (MacKenzie, 2001). In simpler terms, struggling students are those who, academically, are not performing at grade level. As I begin my third year teaching first grade at Wesley School in Addison, Illinois, and as I reflect on ways to improve learning for all my students, I have found that the majority of my students have been well-prepared for first grade, with a strong background in phonemic awareness and a firm grasp of phonics. They already understand the grapheme-phoneme connection and are ready to begin putting letters and sounds together to make words. Even those who may be a little behind their classmates developmentally catch up quickly and are usually reading at grade level by the middle of the year. Unfortunately, each year I have had three or four students that slowly lose ground, either because they lack a solid background in literacy, have difficulty attending to the daily lessons, or have potential learning disabilities which have not yet been diagnosed. As the work gets progressively more difficult, these students struggle with the district’s literacy curriculum. The second grade teachers report that these low-achieving students sometimes continue to struggle throughout second grade (C. Walters, personal communication, July 14, 2008). This led me to wonder if we were to target the lowest students right from the beginning of the year, would this lead to better outcomes for them in first grade and beyond? According to C. Wartman (personal communication, July 7, 2008), principal at Wesley School, we often take a wait-and-see approach in first grade. As stated earlier, many low students are successful with the curriculum as we differentiate to their needs in the typical classroom; thus, the wait-and-see approach works for them. But for those few who quickly fall behind, the wait-and-see approach is not acceptable. My goal through my action research project is to find a way to reach these students before they fall too far behind their peers. These past two years I have had the assistance of a reading aide for 2-1/2 hours per week. At the beginning of the 2006-07 year, she led extra guided reading sessions with all of my students through a push-in model. It quickly became clear that four students needed extra remediation; therefore, she began pulling them out three times a week. This offered several disadvantages, the most significant being they missed valuable classroom instruction and may have felt disconnected from their classmates. How, then, might I find a way to fill in the gaps in their education without taking them out of the classroom for remediation? My first thought was to institute an out-of-school program. Relevant Literature Very little research is available on out-of-school programs for first graders. Perhaps this is because it is already a great adjustment for them to be in school all day, and it may be difficult for them to add an extra half hour or more to their already demanding schedule (C. Wartman, personal communication, July 7, 2008). Parents may not be available, particularly those who work, to drop their children off early or pick them up after the school bus has already departed (C. Wartman). A study by Huncosky (2004) addressed at-risk students in first through third grades through a ten-week, biweekly, after-school reading and math program (Huncosky). Students were selected for this program either because they were below grade level in reading achievement or because they failed to complete homework (Huncosky). One teacher who worked with students in this program commented, â€Å"It is not a program to narrow the huge gap. It’s a program to help kids who are ready to be helped† (Huncosky, p. 14). Other teachers believed that the students accepted in the program should be able to work well on their own and in small groups (Huncosky). Most low-achieving first graders, because they are not yet able to work independently, do not meet these criteria. Huncosky (2004) did not include a pre- or post-assessment, instead relying on teacher questionnaires to evaluate the effects of the program. The literacy activities used varied from teacher to teacher, and she does not state whether or not efforts were made to address the needs of individual students (Huncosky). The focus of the study was on student attitudes about reading, rather than on assessing their performance (Huncosky). Qualitative data (teacher questionnaire addressing reading gains) of the survey showed mixed responses as to improvement in reading ability in these students. With a teacher-to-student ratio of 8:1 and inconsistent teaching approaches, this format would not work well with struggling first-g rade students. This study indicates a need for structure and consistency in instruction, lessons which address specific skills in which individual students are deficient, and small teacher-to-student ratios in order to meet the needs of low-achieving first-grade students. Reading Partners I reviewed literature on two programs that include one-on-one instruction with elementary students. The first program, Reading Partners, used trained tutors (master’s degree students) who implemented consistent interventions with at-risk fourth grade readers in an inner-city elementary school. The tutors were trained to: â€Å"(a) review past material; (b) introduce or extend a strategy; (c) read a new selection; (d) engage in related writing; and (e) provide a related, supplemental activity to extend or enrich the learning† (Saddler et al., 2008, p. 204). Sessions were held twice a week and were 60 minutes long. An Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) (cited by Saddler et al., 2008, p. 205) and interest inventories were used to assess student reading and comprehension ability and to form bonds between the tutors and tutees (Saddler et al.). The average participant gained at least one grade level in reading, along with other intangible benefits, such as a more positive attitude and interest in reading (Saddler et al.). Reading Recovery Another very successful program that addresses struggling first graders is Reading Recovery. According to their website, â€Å"Reading Recovery is a highly effective short-term intervention of one-to-one tutoring for low-achieving first graders† (â€Å"Reading Recovery,† n.d.). The program targets the four lowest first-grade readers for daily half-hour one-on-one sessions with teachers trained in the Reading Recovery program format (â€Å"Reading Recovery†). Once a student is reading at grade level (after an average of 12-20 weeks), he/she graduates from the program and becomes part of a literacy booster group (MacKenzie, 2001). The Reading Recovery organization reports that 75% of struggling readers are reading at grade level after completion of the program, while the remaining 25% are recommended for further evaluation and remediation (â€Å"Reading Recovery†). Both the Reading Partner and Reading Recovery programs reinforce the positive academic benefits of one-on-one and small group lessons to assist low-achieving students to make and maintain gains in their literacy development. It also demonstrates the need for continued small-group reinforcement once students are working at grade level. Students with High Reading Potential Next, I turned to literature to find out what other types of programs are being offered and which are the most successful. Little and Hines (2006) studied the effects of a 12-week, biweekly, after-school reading program on students in third through sixth grade. The study targeted students with â€Å"high reading potential† (Little et al., 2006, p. 11), offering book talks, read-alouds, and supported independent reading, followed by choices of literacy activities. As part of the 90-minute sessions, students were encouraged to read books independently that would be challenging and of interest to them (Little et al.). The goals of the program were to build reading fluency and to make reading more pleasurable (Little et al.). Although the study showed varied results, students in third and fifth grade made above average weekly gains in reading fluency compared to a national sample (Little et al.). One sixth grade student with a â€Å"negative attitude† (Little et al., p. 29) had a 40-point decline between pre- and post-test scores, which adversely affected the average scores of the 15 sixth-grade students in the study (Little et al.). This study demonstrated the benefits of teacher read-alouds, self-selected independent reading, and varied literacy activities. It also indicated a positive correlation between students in an after-school program who read books at their instructional level and weekly reading fluency gains. 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative Brown (2008) studied a 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative (CCLC) after-school program over three years, following the progress of 20 at-risk students from second through fourth grade in rural Georgia. She discusses the many benefits of a structured after-school program, such as improved attendance rates, attitude, homework completion, social skills, and student aspirations (as cited in Brown, 2008). Brown used yearly Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) reading scores to assess student progress. The students’ scores improved between second and third grade (+1.85 points), but decreased between third and fourth (-23.85 points) for an overall decrease of 22 points. Report card grades in reading also decreased 2.9 points between second and fourth grades. While this may, on the surface, seem discouraging, these students outperformed the average student at the school, whose CRCT scores decreased 34 points over this same period. With no control group, we cannot ascertain how these students compare to similar at-risk students who did not participate in the after-school program. Because program participants outperformed the average student, I believe the program was successful for these students, and it demonstrates the benefits of out-of-school remediation for at-risk primary students. After-school Programs and NCLB In 2003, the U.S. Congress, seeing a need for quality after-school programs to ensure that every child is successful, set aside $993.5 million for after-school programs as part of the NCLB Act (as cited in Brown, 2008; Davis-Allen, 2008). Recent literature shows mixed reviews of the effectiveness of these programs. One reason for this may be that many of the studies do not have a control group; thus, it becomes difficult to determine whether after-school programs are truly effective. Many students, despite enrollment in after-school programs, are still achieving below grade level, but without these programs, they may possibly have fallen even further behind. Because the students have made greater gains than the norm in most of these studies, I believe they demonstrate that extra remediation sessions, particularly those that target specific deficiencies in individual students and include one-on-one and small group remediation, are effective in achieving success for struggling students . Conclusion The review of existing literature has led to some important components I will include to remediate instruction to my struggling first-grade students. To ensure optimum attendance, I will first survey parents to find a before- or after-school time that will fit their weekly schedule. Through pre-assessment and teacher observations, instruction will be targeted to individual student needs. At the beginning of the year, we will work on phonemic awareness, phonics, and sight words to address deficiencies in student reading readiness. Future sessions will follow a consistent schedule, including word work in targeted areas, teacher read-alouds, independent reading, guided reading, and writing. Guided reading at student instructional levels will be conducted in small groups of four or fewer students. Time will be spent each session working one-on-one with students or having the students read one-on-one with me, in order to assess their individual needs. This one-on-one time will also be use d to assess student progress through running records, AIMSweb ® testing, and/or reading inventories. In order to incorporate these strategies, the biweekly sessions will be limited to four students with each period lasting 30 minutes. If necessary, a third weekly session may be added to meet the needs of these emerging readers. I will track their progress and make adjustments to the curriculum depending on student progress. Parent involvement is a major component in student learning outcomes, particularly in struggling students where an â€Å"extra boost makes all the difference in the world† (H. Byers, personal communication, July 14, 2008). To encourage their participation, I will use parent surveys and home reading logs to determine and track parent involvement in working with their children. Data Collection Methodology 1. My reading aide will administer AIMS Web tests biweekly to assess student progress in fluency. This will serve as an objective assessment (quantitative data) of whether my intervention program is successful and will be one method of tracking student progress. 2. I will also assess using running records once or twice a month. Since I will administer these assessments myself, they will give me a good indication of what areas to target in our before-school sessions. I will use the results (quantitative data) to track student progress and adjust instruction. 3. During one-on-one and small group guided reading time, I will use a checklist (and take notes) to determine if students are able to read with expression. This will be a third indicator (quantitative and qualitative data) of reading progress to document in my study. 4. I will collect data on individual student reading comprehension using three methods: 4a. The weekly end-of-story tests (quantitative) will be an immediate indicator of whether students are able to read using recently-taught skills and comprehend what they are reading. The ability to write an answer the open-ended question at the end of the test will also be used to assess student progress (qualitative data). 4b. Once students develop basic reading skills, I will assess each student using a reading inventory – either the John’s Basic Reading Inventory (BRI) or a Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) to target areas that need remediation. This will be used on an as-needed basis, depending on student progress. It will also be used to track the success of the remediation program (quantitative and qualitative data). 4c. The third comprehension assessment will be in the form of unfamiliar reading passages, followed by a series of questions. These will most likely be introduced during the second half of the year, and will provide quantitative data to assess student comprehension by recording the number of correct answers. 5. I will also use several surveys to assess student and parent attitudes. These surveys will include closed- and open-ended questions and will be given at the beginning and end of the year to determine if participation in the program has changed student/parentattitudes, interest, and motivation to read. 6. I will use teacher observations (in the form of a Likert scale) to assess student attitudes, interest, and motivation in reading. 6. Another survey will be used to assess parent involvement in literacy activities with their children. By using pre- and post-survey data, I will discover if parent involvement is affected by student participation in my remediation program. Call for Action References 2007 School Report Card (2007). Retrieved July 7, 2008 from http://www.asd4.org/docs/srcards/Wesley.pdf. AIMSweb ® Website (n.d.). Retrieved July 16, 2008 from http://www.aimsweb.com. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD Website (n.d.) Retrieved July 16, 2008 from http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.3adeebc6736780dddeb3ffdb62108a0c/. Brown, G. D. (2008). An analysis of an after-school program in a small, rural elementary school in Georgia. (Ph.D., Capella University, Minneapolis, MN). Retrieved July 5, 2008, from Dissertations Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3297914). Davis-Allen, Y. R. (2008). Impacts of an after-school program on student achievement for at-risk children. (D.Ed., Capella University, Minneapolis, MN). Retrieved July 7, 2008, from Dissertations Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3289497). Huncosky, K. (2004). Closing the achievement gap at Huegel Elementary School: What can I do? Madison, WI: Huegel Elementary School. Little, C. A., Hines, A. H. (2006). Time to read: Advancing reading achievement after school. Journal of Advanced Academics, 18(1; 1), 8-33. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ753969) Retrieved July 5, 2008, from ERIC database. MacKenzie, K. K. (2001). Using literacy booster groups to maintain and extend Reading Recovery success in the primary grades. Reading Teacher, 55(3), 222. Reading Recovery: Basic Facts (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2008, from http://www.readingrecovery.org/reading_recovery/facts/index.asp. Saddler, B., Staulters, M. (2008). Beyond tutoring: After-school literacy instruction. Intervention in School Clinic, 43(4; 4), 203-209. Student Testing on San Diego Unified School District Website (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2008, from http://www.sandi.net/indices/testscores.html. Tompkins, G. E. (2003). Literacy for the 21st century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Appendix A Beginning of Year Parent Survey – Page 1 Appendix A Beginning of Year Parent Survey – Page 2 Appendix B End of Year Parent Survey Appendix C Beginning of Year Student Questionnaire Appendix D End of Year Student Questionnaire – Page 1 Appendix D End of Year Student Questionnaire – Page 2 Appendix E Checklist Appendix F Interview Protocol 1.Do you think a before- or after-school format is better suited for first grade remediation? 2.How do you think an after-school literacy and guided reading program might affect struggling first grade students? 3.How would you decide which students should be included in an after-school program? 4.How many first graders should be included? Should there be a limit? 5.What strategies would you recommend to help these students? 6. If is always helpful to have reinforcement at home. What methods can be used to encourage parents to read with their children? 7.How do you think parent involvement affects student outcomes? 8.How do you think student involvement in an after-school program would affect parent involvement in reading to their children? 9. How do you think technology can be used in remediation programs? 10.How effective do you think â€Å"reading buddies† are to help first graders improve reading skills? 11.How long do you think each session should last? What do you think the optimal size of each guided reading group should be? What literacy skills are lacking in second grade students at the beginning of the year? How might the leveled books that will be available this fall be used in an after-school program? Are there any leveled books available to be sent home with the students? Very little literature exists on after-school programs for first graders. Why do you think that might be? 17.Are there any recommendations you might have for this program? Appendix A Triangulation Matrix Research Questions Data Source 1 2 3 1. How would two extra literacy/Guided Reading sessions a week affect reading fluency in struggling readers? AIMSweb ® Pre- and Post-Tests Running Records (Ongoing) Teacher Observations/ checklist 2. How would these sessions affect student reading comprehension? End-of-Story Tests Comprehension Passage Quizzes Reading Inventory 3. What effect would this program have on student writing ability? Writing Portfolio End-of-Story Tests Teacher Observations 4. What effect would this program have on student attitudes about reading and school in general? Pre-Survey

The Impact of Television on American Society Essay -- essays research

The Impact of Television on American Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What role does television play in society? For decades we have seen many parts of our world rapidly going through changes in technology. Today’s society has been transformed by means of communication and the available information through mass media. Most Americans rely on television for news, sports, and entertainment. Television is just one of the many examples of how technology has changed our lives. Since the invention of the television in the early 1900’s, it has played a very important role in our lives. Having a television set in the home has become very essential in today’s society. We depend on it to entertain us with its sitcoms and to inform us about current world issues. The problem is that sometimes what we hear or see on television is not always accurate or correct. Sometimes news stories give us the wrong information and we believe that it is true because it is being said on television. They may give you a story, but they may lea ve out some details to prove their point or to make the story more interesting. Americans are among the most ill-informed people in the world. Television, in other words, is not the great information machine. It is the great disinformation machine. TV tends to mislead us with its stories and in many ways we allow ourselves to be fall behind in the world as we tend to want to watch the entertainment shows and not the news broadcasts. Thus, we are not informed about what is going on in o...

Essay --

Middle Ages building all over the world, good number of them has captured the imagination of visitors throughout time like the Alhambra. Its average daily visitors reaches, 6,000 tourists visit the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Much grant has occurred with respect to the Palace of the Lions, one of two castles that made it throughout the original six or seven. What makes it such a rich mine for study is the ample improved way in decoration and styling, and additionally its abnormal floor arrangement and then the water fountain. While many differing viewpoints on the Palace of the Lions have been carefully noted and very well supported, all concur that the Alhambra is a sublime mosaic in which impacts from Europe, the Almohads, the Fatimids, and the Eastern Islamic world can be seen. Instead of giving just detailed, step-by-step description on of the floor plan and layout of the palaces (which abound in the literature), I will focus on an overview of the Alhambra, a few of the unique features of the Palace of the Lions that reflects Arabs cultures, and then examine how writers and schol...

Exceptionalism: Native Americans in the United States and Pew Research Center Essay

The idea of American exceptionalism is not a new one. Thomas Jefferson spoke of civilizing the Indians many believed they were savages. Surely the Native Americans thought the white newcomers were the savages. The white men forced the Natives off of the â€Å"new† land and proceeded to murder them. The United States continues this tradition today, going into countries where we are not welcome, and trying to change them, make them more like us. What I can gather from reading Wilfred McClay’s, The Founding Fathers, is that he believes America is what is because of our past. From the time the Europeans came to America to settle, we have believed we are superior. Mr. McClay states that we need to stay connected to past and learn from those who discovered our great Nation (McClay 2006). Following his writing was not easy, it did not seem quite clear. It seems as though he feels Americans place themselves on a pedestal, but that is why our country is so great. Americans justify their actions by making our own stories; we teach people what we want them to know, not what truly happened. Howard Zinn does not feel Americans should insist on exceptionalism (Zinn 2005). The United States does not have the right to push its beliefs on the other nations of the world. He discusses the issues of American Superiority in his article, The Power and Glory. According to Mr. Zinn, there is a growing trend among Americans who refuse to accept that we are a superior people. A 2011 Gallup Poll confirms this statement. In 2002 approximately 60% of Americans believed our culture was superior to others (Pew Research Center 2011). In 2011 number dropped to 49% (Pew Research Center). I agree with Howard Zinn in that Americans are not exceptional, we are from other people, just as each individual is different. Although many believe we are better because we have so much freedom, and we are the land of opportunity, we are not. We have homeless people, our politicians are corrupt, and children go to bed hungry. The United States bully’s other countries for our own self-interest. Decisions are made to take control of other countries. What other military has bases all over the planet? The United States needs to take care of its own people, and then it will be exceptional. I have been to other countries, and in my eyes, they seem to be doing it right, but I am sure they have their own issues as well. Bibliography McClay, Wilfred M. 2006. The Founding Nations. First Things. March 2006. Accessed January 24, 2015. http://www. firstthings. com/article/2006/03/the-founding-of- nations Pew Research Center. 2011. The American-Western European Gap. Pew Research Center. November 17, 2011. Accessed January 29, 2015. www. pewglobal .org/2011/11/17/the-american-western-european-values-gap/ Zinn, Howard. 2005. The Power and the Glory. Boston Review. June 1,2005. Accessed January 25, 2015. http://bostonreview. net/zinn-power-glory.

Sustainable Fresh Water Supply for Chennai City

Sustainable Fresh Water Supply for Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, India A Status Update Joseph Thomas, Chief Technology Officer, Villgro, Chennai, India 3H, IIT Madras Research Park, Kanagam Road, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India 600113. Telephone +91 44 6663 0400, email:[email  protected] org, mobile +91 98840 49116 Key Words: Rain water harvesting, Sustainable water supply, Urban fresh water. Abstract Chennai city, one of the major metropolises of India, is situated at the northern coastal edge of the State of Tamil Nadu. The city is more well-known by its older name of Madras.Currently, Chennai is inhabited by more than 7 million people in an area of 176 sq km. Water supply for this population is maintained by tapping a combination of surface storage reservoirs and aquifers. The Chennai Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), a statutory body established in 1978, is responsible for water supply and sewerage services in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The main sources of public water supply in the city are the three reservoirs — Poondi, Redhills and Cholavaram — with an aggregate storage capacity of 175 million cubic metres (MCM).The other major resource is groundwater from the well-fields in the Araniar-Kortaliyar basin and the southern coastal aquifer, and also a large number of wells and tube-wells spread all across the city (Figure 1). Over-extraction of groundwater resulted in a rapid ingress of seawater, which extended from 3 km inshore in 1969 to 7 km in 1983 and 9 km in 1987[[i]]. Groundwater levels within the city also fell and brackish water began to appear, even in localities which earlier had good quality groundwater sources.The CMWSSB calculates water availability based on surface and aquifer contributions under its direct control. Since it perceived reservoirs and other surface supply as more significant for a long time, very little attention was paid to subsurface storage or ground water recharge. As an outcome of resea rch, done by several agencies the CMWSSB embarked on a campaign to create ground water recharge facilities in the city, and later throughout the State. This led to significant changes in ground water levels and to the quantum of water available to the population of a growing metropolis. pic]Figure 1. Introduction The Chennai Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is solely responsible for providing drinking water and sewerage services to the residents of Chennai. One of India’s major metropolises, Chennai is situated at the northern coastal edge of the State of Tamil Nadu. The city is more well-known by its older name of Madras. Currently, Chennai is inhabited by more than 7 million people in an area of 176 sq km. The CMWSSB depends on surface reservoirs and ground water sources to maintain water supply to the residents.Supply is maintained through multiple means. Since Chennai is essentially low-lying and water supply is intermittent, most residents build undergr ound sumps that store the water. Subsequently, the water is pumped up to an overhead tank. In other cases, water tankers are dispatched by CMWSSB to various localities and the sumps are filled from the tankers. In other localities, CMWSSB has put in place above-ground water tanks and these are filled by the water tankers.In yet other places, residents collect water directly from the tanker, see Figure 2. [pic] Figure 2: Drinking water collection from tankers directly by residents. Despite the seemingly abundant sources of water, Chennai suffers continuously from water stress since the entire basin is dependent on rainfall. The annual rainfall in Chennai is 1200 mm [[ii]]. This quantum is, given the size of the Chennai basin, sufficient to meet the needs of the population. The problem is with the distribution of the rainfall.There are two rainy seasons in Chennai. The first is the Southwest monsoon, which has patchy rains and contributes about 25% of the total rain and falls between May and September. This does not do much for ground water recharge. However, the Northwest Monsoon (Oct to Dec) is usually characterized by a series of storms that brings the remaining 75% of total rain in extremely short bursts. During this time, Chennai is prone to flooding and, before 2003, a large part of this water would have been lost as run-off into the sea.CMWSSB traditionally focused its attention on increasing surface storage, transporting fresh water from long distances. Like the Telugu Ganga project – probably one of the longest canals built for water supply to the city that failed to ease the water problem. Another attempt was to divert water from Chembaramabakkam and Veeranam tanks whereby the water rights of the agrarian community were infringed. Drilling of borewells in the Cuddalore belt and installation of turbine pumps to tap 100mld whereby the groundwater which again supports the local agriculture community was depleted.None of these solutions were sustain able in the long run and yet CMWWSSB paid very little attention to ground water recharge that had that potential. In 1997, at the Shri AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre (MCRC), Chennai, [[iii]] a study was conducted to understand the user experience. The study surveyed 10,000 households in 155 corporation wards of Chennai. The focus was on how residents get their water needs met and how the water is utilised. Raw data from this study was further analyzed by Dr. A Vaidyanathan and J. Saravanan [[iv]].These studies clearly established that the contribution of ground water could be as high as 80% in some cases. The next section will take up a quick summary of the research and the subsequent sections will deal with the steps taken by CMWSSB and other civil society organisations to get rain water harvesting introduced. The final section will describe the results of these efforts on the ground water table. The research and changes The survey conducted by MCRC was across 10,000 househ olds, representing a roughly 1 percent sample.Another 2500 surveys across, business, educational, institutional, governmental and industrial establishments were undertaken between September, 1995 and January, 1996. The analysis phase took up another year. The main recommendations of the study were to a) encourage public participation in water conservation and ground water recharge b) promote and propagate water saving/replacement technologies in the domestic sector c) use surface water to reduce ground water usage d) encourage ground water recharge by adoption of low-cost water harvesting ystems, cleaning of water-ways and renovation of existing recharge structures, such as temple tanks. In 1999 a National Water Harvesters’ Network was set up by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) water harvesters’ advisory committee in New Delhi. Members suggested that a regional network be initiated in Tamil Nadu to promote rainwater harvesting in Chennai [[v]]. Professor M. S. Swaminathan, provided office space for the network unit in Chennai and Prof. A. Vaidyanathan agreed to chair the group.The Tamil Nadu unit of the national water-harvesting network was launched in April 1999. The network was meant to: (i) provide an opportunity for individuals and institutions actively engaged in water harvesting, in Chennai, to share their knowledge and experience and promote free and open interaction among them; and (ii) to reach out to a wider public in the city and outside to propagate the role of urban rainwater harvesting in terms of technology, experience and its potential contribution in meeting urban water needs. It was Prof.Vaidyanathan who then asked for the raw data from the MCRC study and did his own assertion of the data and analysis. In the background paper that came out of the analysis [3] the following was stated: â€Å"The present paper is meant to give an overview of the present and future needs of the city, the limited and expensive scope for augmenting surface supplies, the need for a two-pronged strategy of conservation/recycling and Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) to increase ground water recharge. † This confirmed the results of the MCRC study.Both the MCRC study and the CSE study highlighted the dependence of people on multiple sources for their water consumption rather than just CMWSSB and the heavy dependence on groundwater by both. Thus the RWH campaign was backed up by strong research results of MCRC and CSE. These studies were necessary to convince the public and the policy makers. It should be mentioned here that the then Chairman and Managing Director of CMWSSB, Ms. Shanta Sheela Nair understood these results and backed the RWH movement fully. In a 2006 publication [[vi] ] Prof. Vaidyanathan and his colleague, J.Saravanan summarized the action of the government as follows: â€Å"In Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, the growing dependence on groundwater since the 1970s is evident in the sinking of increa sing numbers of open wells and deep bore wells. This trend, a symptom of the increasing water scarcity in the city, led to a progressive decline in groundwater levels as well as seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers. Faced with this crisis, the State government passed the Chennai Groundwater Regulation Act in 1987, which sought mainly to curb the commercial groundwater exploitation within the city limits.In 2001, rainwater harvesting (RWH) became mandatory in multi-storeyed buildings. The unprecedented and severe droughts in the ensuing two years intensified the groundwater crisis to such a degree that, in August 2003, the government passed an ordinance making RWH mandatory for all buildings (existing and new) in the city and throughout the State. It further set a deadline of October 31, 2003 for this process to be completed. A vigorous publicity drive convinced the public that the government was serious about implementing the programme and providing technical advice and help in th e design and construction of RWH structures.This led to unprecedented activity across the towns and cities of the State, especially Chennai city, and the programme was seen as successful. In this endeavour, however, very few turned to the municipal corporation, private consultants or NGOs with the relevant expertise for assistance in designing and building their RWH structures. Most relied on plumbers or their own expertise. Independent experts pointed out several problems with the programme, noting that ) the time given for the implementation of this ordinance was too short; b) there were far too few professionals with the knowledge and experience needed to design appropriate systems for the widely varying conditions; c) the supply of trained and skilled labour to implement the works was also inadequate to cope with the scale and speed of the programme; d) the availability of quality materials for implementation was also inadequate; and e) there was hardly any systematic follow-up to check the quality of the works reported to be completed.There were widespread but unverified reports that, simply in order to meet the stipulations, grossly inadequate RWH structures had been put in place; the capacity as well as quality of design and implementation leaving much to be desired. This was an instance of decentralisation that, despite the presence of a â€Å"felt need†, occurred without adequate consultation. The legislation in regard of RWH was welcome but the actual programme was poorly implemented and monitored. Although the programme applied to all classes of housing, it ignored those living in informal settlements such as slums within the city limits.These areas could have benefited from RWH in public building and public spaces — an aspect that received very little attention. Moreover, no steps were taken under this programme to reclaim tanks and wetlands in the city that, in the past, not only functioned as recharge structures but were also used a s sources of domestic water by communities. † The Government has since 2009 been working towards cleaning up the waterways of Chennai. This effort has seen the government draw on municipal corporation, private consultants and NGOs with the relevant expertise to work on this massive effort.There is a project with an outlay of Rs 1,400 crore (approx US $300 million) to make the city flood-free[[vii]]. In March 2010 the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority held a Seminar on Waterways in Chennai. The proceedings [[viii] ] contain a list of 36 recommendations and some of them are re-produced here: 1. The sequence of actions to tackle the problem may be – (a) flood alleviation (b) prevention of pollution to the waterways (c) cleaning up of the waterways by removing encroachments & obstructions (d) restoration / improvements to the waterways and its continued maintenance. . Floods are opportunities to augment ground water recharge to be facilitated by construction of che ck dams, filter wells, and underground tunnels/storage reservoirs, if the soil conditions and slopes permit. 3. Flood plains should be developed along the waterways in the areas outside the towns and cities, adopting the retention model, as a solution against flood hazards; these flood plains could be developed as parks or green belts for recreation such as camp sites. 4. Eco-engineering should also be adopted as a solution to bring nature back and rejuvenate the rivers. 5.It is recommended that corporate sector participation, and general public participation, in planning and improvement of lakes and rivers should be encouraged. Cleaning up of rivers and conservation of water bodies should be thought of as a movement with the participation of all stakeholders including the general public. 6. Adequate public awareness about the hazards of pollution of water bodies and the remedial measures has to be created by organizing community education campaigns. Getting the citizens involved is important, ‘Saving Waterways’ should become a people’s movement. . Use of sewage for power generation and recycling of waste water should be encouraged. 8. Area development plans prepared at micro level, such as Detailed Development Plans, should contain plans for ground water recharge, at least in large premises such as schools and public places. Sustainability measures should form part of the Integrated River Restoration Plans. What is evident here is that the outcomes of studies take time to percolate down to the agencies mandated to make the changes required for sustainability. It also requires a good amount of political will.Much of the change of attitude of governmental institutions can also be traced backed to strong political thrust to implement the changes. Results Data on change in groundwater quantity and quality has to be presented here, mostly based on media stories. Some researchers feel that the effects of rain water harvesting and subsequent grou nd water recharge are so noticeable that quantifying is not a priority. The Table below (Figure 3) shows the number of rain water harvesting structures built by the Corporation of Chennai, as reported on its website. Rain Water Harvesting done by Corporation of Chennai Corporation owned buildings |1344 Structures | |Flyovers and Bridges |29 Structures | |Open low-lying areas |242 Structures | |Road Margins |945 Structures | |Corporation Streets |2698 Structures | |Corporation pond |1 No. | |Temple Tanks |16 Nos. | |Residential / Commercial / Institution Buildings |329959 Buildings | Figure 3[[ix]] An article published in a leading daily in Chennai, The Hindu, dated January, 31 2009 had many interesting points to make about the results of RWH and ground-water recharge. [x]] â€Å"The CMWSSB study of 759 RWH observatory wells shows that ever since the installation of RWH structures in about 500,000 of its consumer households was made mandatory in 2004, there has been a 50 per ce nt rise in the water level. According to the CMWSSB officials, over the last five years, the water level across the city has gone up by three to six metres. Similarly, the water quality in several areas has also showed improvement. The sustained normal rainfall since 2004 and the proper maintenance of RWH structures in most households have been the principal reasons. Following the drought period in 2003, when Chennai received only about 690 mm of rainfall as against its normal of 1,200 mm, the water table had receded and, on an average, was at 7-8 metres below ground. In many places it was at 10 m depth and, in some, it was at 10 m.Following a good monsoon (2,064 mm) in 2005 and rainwater harvesting, the ground water table saw an appreciable rise in several areas and the water table reached 1 m depth below ground. The total dissolved solids (TDS), which were earlier as high as 4,900 parts per million (ppm) in some areas, dropped to permissible levels of 500 ppm, greatly improving th e quality of water (see Figure 4). [pic] Figure 4[10] â€Å"Before the onset of every monsoon, Metrowater officials conduct a random check of the RWH structures for their maintenance and create awareness about the need to keep these in good shape. Harnessing of rainwater that gets collected in storm water drain network would help reduce the inundation on roads and large volumes of water draining into sea every year†¦..Unless rainwater runoff in both public and private spaces in the city is harnessed, Chennai may lose out on the precious resource and may end up with water problems during the summer months,† note rain-water harvesting experts. Conclusions This presentation has tried to show that it takes many years of persistent effort to address a problem in civil society. In Chennai, and indeed the whole of Tamil Nadu, the problem was one of water stress. Research showed that the available rainfall could help people cope but fresh water from the rain was being lost to th e sea. Based on this, a proposal was made that ground water recharge was a viable, low-cost solution. This proposal had to be championed. Prof. Vaidyanathan and the then Chairman of CMWSSB, Shanta Sheela Nair, did just that.They showed with great determination and several pilot studies that rain water harvesting would be viable and worthwhile. They managed to convince the government of this, and RWH became a statutory requirement for all buildings in the state. Monitoring the quantity and quality of the ground water has shown the significant changes this legislation has brought in. As a side-effect a greater understanding of the need to clean, preserve and secure all types of fresh water bodies has prevailed among the political circles, bureaucracy, NGOs and civil society. The people have also shown great resolve in implementing the solution since it directly affects their lives.The type of study conducted by MCRC and CSE can be a methodology to assess the water sources, consumption pattern, per capita availability and requirement particularly in developing countries. This way the water supply system can be better planned and implemented to be sustainable. References ———————– [i] http://www. rainwaterharvesting. org/Crisis/Urbanwater-scenario. htm [ii] Balakrishnan, T. , Technical Report Series District Groundwater Brochure, Chennai District, Tamil Nadu. Central Ground Water Board, South East Coastal Region, Chennai, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, November 2008. Published by Regional Director, CGWB, SECR, E-1, Rajaji Bhavan, Besant Nagar, Chennai -600090, Tel:+9144 24912941/24914494, Fax +9144 24914334 Web: www. cgwb. gov. in email [email  protected] in iii] Thomas, Joseph, Sustainable Fresh Water Supply for Madras (now Chennai) City, India (Contract No. S$P/95/0042) Final report submitted to UNICEF, 73, Lodi Estate , New Delhi 110 003, Printed by Shri AMM Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre, Tharamani, Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India 600 113, May 1997. [iv] A. Vaidyanathan & J. Saravanan, Chennai’s Water Supply Problems and Prospects (A background paper) National Water Harvestors Network –Tamil Nadu Unit, Centre for Science and Environment. (undated circa 2000) [v] http://www. manage. gov. in/managelib/extdig/Jul99Water. htm [vi] Vaidyanathan, A. with Saravanan, J. ‘The Urban Water Scene: A Case Study -Water Situation in Chennai City’ in A.Vaidyanathan, India’s Water Resources: Contemporary Issues on Irrigation. New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 209-247 (2006). [vii] http://www. business-standard. com/india/news/tn-govt-to-takers-1400-cr-flood-control-project/397769/ [viii] http://www. cmdachennai. gov. in/pdfs/SeminarOnWaterways/1. pdf [ix] http://www. chennaicorporation. gov. in/departments/storm-water-drain/introduction. htm [x] http://www. hindu. com/pp/2009/01/31/stories/2009013150010100. htm Acknowledgements The author gratefully acknowledges the Villgro Innovations Foundation for the time given to write this paper. The valuable inputs from J. Saravanan also gave the author the confidence to make some of the conclusions presented here.