Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Women s Portrayal Of Women - 2098 Words

The portrayal of women in advertisements has changed many times over the years. Women often appear as a sexual object in any kind of advertisement or as an attractive material standing nearby a product. Many companies which include the tobacco industry, alcohol companies as well as clothing and electronic and entertainment industries have used women to reach a target demographic which is typically males between the age of 18-34, in order to sell or market a specific brand. Advertisements objectify women by selectively targeting audiences in order to portray a set of debatable images and or styles even for women to aspire to. The use of women in this particular sense is widespread amongst all major forms of media(tv, print, radio,†¦show more content†¦Magazines like Playboy claims to celebrate women s beauty but Playboy doesn t run pictures of typical women of all ages and physical types but instead run pictures of models who are young, visually appealing to the average m ale, and rarely a plus sized figure. These models are put through a highly selective† process and afterwards they are’t portrayed as multi-dimensional young women they are often posed and dressed in a way to visually reduce a woman to parts of her body, as if she is not a real, whole person almost to de-emphasize individuality. Playboy leads the charge in the objectification of women, they are Playboy’s main tool to market and sell their product to millions. Objectifying women is obviously common in mainstream media and the each industry shows no signs of letting it go. It has been argued that the use of women as a sexual object has a great number of negative effects on individuals and societies. (Berg, 38) There has been growing concerns about the usage of women as a sexual instrument in marketing practices. Parents are complaining about the common use of sexuality and trying to prevent their children from being exposed to it.(Maas, 25) Pro-women associations are voicing their concerns by arguing that these kinds of applications devalue women’s place in a society. Religious groups are

Monday, December 23, 2019

Objectives Of The Curriculum Development - 789 Words

Aims, Goals, Objectives of the Curriculum Development The aim for implementing the DII curriculum initiative at Clement Middle School was to comply with the federal mandate of No Child Left Behind. A law which required all public schools receiving federal funding to administer a statewide standardized test annually to all students. Schools that receive Title I funding through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in test scores. This aim led to setting a more specific goal of choosing DII as a curriculum strategy to consistently help raise student test scores. Once the curriculum instrument was identified, the objective was to deconstruct the power standards of each of the two subjects into explicit manageable objectives that can be measured (Ornstein Hunkins, 2013, pp. 191). With the objectives sequenced, classroom teachers are able to employ DII instructional strategies to help students learn the different concepts in each subject. Implementation Strategy CMS and the school district utilized the systems model to implement the DII curriculum initiative. According to Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) â€Å"successful implementers of curriculum realize that implementation must appeal to participants not only logically, but also emotionally and morally† (p. 218). They go on to add that, â€Å"implementation of new curriculum must be tailored to the school [since] each school is unique, with its own culture† (Ornstein Hunkins,Show MoreRelatedCurriculum Development Theories Of The Tyler Model949 Words   |  4 PagesThis chapter from Oliva and Gordon highlights three different curriculum development theories. The Tyler Model with its focus on goals and objectives gathered from three sources then filtered through a philosophical and psychological set of screening criteria. The five-step Taba Model with a bottom-up emphasis shows teachers as curriculum developers, inductively developing curriculum through learning modules developed for their classrooms then refined. The more complex Oliva Model demonstratesRead MoreModels Of Curriculum Development : Lattuca And Starks Model1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe following is an exploration of four models of curriculum development: Lattuca and Stark’s (2009) academic plan model, Richard Diamond’s (1989) model of curriculum development, Saylor, Alexander, and Lewis’s (1981) administrative model, and Oliva’s (2009) curriculum development model. The works of Saylor, Alexander, and Lewis (1981), and Oliva (2009) were chosen for this assignment, as our textbook authors cited neither. I decided on this approach because our authors do an excellent job of explainingRead MoreApplication Guidelines And Procedures For How The Curriculum Is Designed, Delivered, Monitored, And Evaluated1082 Words   |  5 Pagesguidelines and procedures for how the curriculum is designed, delivered, monitored, and evaluated. At Goodwill Seco ndary we offer a variety of courses to suit students of varying ability. Different types of instructions are expected, in order to address the unique needs of specific students. This instruction will be derived from a set of curriculum skills which are common to all the students. All students will be able to access the curriculum. Curriculum: The Goodwill Secondary School is a technicalRead MoreThe Curriculum Development Theory Within The Educational System947 Words   |  4 PagesThe curriculum development theory in the educational system in American was impelled and fashioned by the following famous curriculum theorists: â€Å"Franklin Bobbitt (1876-1956), Werret Charters (1875-1952), William Kilpatrick (1871-1965), Harold Rugg (1886-1960), Hollis Caswell (1901-1989, and Ralph Tyler (1902-1994). Each of these individuals’ philosophy of education and views on student learned currently impact how we view the development of student learning in America: 1. Bobbitt believed that theRead MoreInstructional Technology Specialist For Cedarburg School District1603 Words   |  7 PagesCurriculum development refers to a process of critical questioning used in framing the activities of teaching and learning in schools. The process of developing a curriculum translates broader statements of intent in actual plans and actio ns. Curriculum development involves designing and developing integrated plans for teaching and learning, implementation, and the evaluation of the plants if they achieve learning objectives. Accordingly, the intention of curriculum development is to align the plannedRead MoreThe Importance of Program Evaluation and Three Evaluation Models1606 Words   |  7 PagesEducation is the process by which we learn of the past and present in order to shape the future and contributes to the over-all development of each individual (Weinstein Fantini, 1973). As such, the educational process and programs are instrumental for changing the world. Parkay Hass (2000), defines curriculum as all the experiences that individual learners have in a programme of education whose purpose is to achieve broad goals and related specific objects, which is planned in terms of a frameworkRead MoreGuidelines And Books For Teaching Essay1681 Words   |  7 PagesCurriculum can be described as a as a description of information or content intended for teaching alongside the methods intended to be used in passing the given information to the learner. Kern, Thomas and Hughes (2009) pointed out some factors that underpin content information in a curriculum. These are: age reflection, culture, skills which are linguistically relevant and child development stage. Education practitioners have largely relied on laid learning standards, guidelines and books forRead MoreCurriculum Development : Teaching And Learning1606 Words   |  7 PagesCurriculum Development Interview Curriculum development refers to a process of critical questioning used in framing the activities of teaching and learning in schools. The process of developing a curriculum translates broader statements of intent in actual plans and actions. Curriculum development involves designing and developing integrated plans for teaching and learning, implementation, and the evaluation of the plants if they achieve learning objectives. Accordingly, the intention of curriculumRead MoreControlling The Work Of Teachers Essay1407 Words   |  6 PagesApple. Apple believes, that teachers are doing more work because of the curriculum and that is not fair. The curriculum is designed by people who are paid and not educators. So, the creators of the curriculum has no idea of what it is like, to be a teacher. Making the designer of the curriculum be someone who has a true interest in education, would help improve the learning environment. Those being in control of the curriculum, that have no inte rest in education is a form of control, that many mayRead MoreUnderstanding The Learning Outcomes And Objectives1357 Words   |  6 Pages6. Defining the Learning Outcomes and Objectives The basis of employee training and development in the HRDNI report is the learning outcomes and objectives. These provide clear expectations and achievement standards for all relevant learners but also provides a clear alignment to the strategic goal of upper management. 6.1 Learning outcomes According to Gagnà © (1984), learning outcomes can be grouped into five categories: intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, verbal information, motor skills;

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Cna Research Free Essays

Pulling the Plug Medical Nursing Aide Jane Roberts Instructor Mary Mooney October 4, 2012 What does life support hold for a person who is living by technology of a support for a machine? The person who is ill does not have a chance of waking up and able to live a normal life. Sometimes people see life support as a lifesaver which in many cases, it can be. In this case if it was me, and I had to make a choice to take them off life support it would be a hard descsion if you know that there is a possible chance they will never come to or be in a veggie state. We will write a custom essay sample on Cna Research or any similar topic only for you Order Now Life support t is a combination of machines and therapies that work together to sustain human life (www. livestrong. com). I know that life support in some case allow a person who has been ill or in accident to get up and carry on with their lives in this case Betty Jean, had punctured her heart and stop breathing twice and had no brain activity, the doctor assured Tony, there was nothing else they could done . In life we have descsion to bring life in this world not to take life. I can agree with parents as well as the husband the parents love their daughter and know parent wants to lose a child but the husband wants his wife taken off life support Betty Jean, also had a living will that stated o ventilator. I think that Tony loved his wife so much and he followed her wishes Betty Jean, had been a nurse so she knew extent of what life support she also was active in hospice so she knew the extent of life support. Tony had to made a tough decision; I think he should of waited like the parents’ wished just a little longer there are several kinds of life support decisions rather it is ventilators or Nutrition and Hydration or (DNR) order which â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate. These are hard decisions for anyone and it best not to make this type decisions on your own. Betty Jeans, living will over power the parent’s rights but morally I would have waited just because of my own beliefs it hard to let a love one go but in this case the husband had to make the last decisions. REFERENCE PAGE Use caution in ending life support for brain-injured, experts say. (2011, U. S. News World Report, , 1. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com; http://www. livestrong. com(2009) How to cite Cna Research, Essays

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Lifespan Development for Responsibility - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theLifespan Developmentfor Maturity and Responsibility. Answer: Transition from adolescence to adulthood is considered to be the most important developmental challenge as this stage is the foundation for the future. In addition, during this transition stage, they consolidate and acquire the attitudes, competencies and values, so, they are vulnerable to healthcare issues like smoking, substance abuse and mental health problems. The following essay deals with the challenges and protective and risk factors associated with this transition. There are many challenges that this transition stage adolescents face during events like completion of high school, decisions about educational training, entry into the labor market and moving away from the family (Arnett, 2014). There is shift in the relationship with the parents as they are moving from dependency and in the increase of maturity and responsibility. There is also exploration of roles at the personal or social level along with identity formation. The most important challenge is the panning of the future as they are transitioning from high school to college. This is the time when they are about to discover self-independence, self-governance to direct their life in the college environment. Social relationships also pose a challenge to this transition stage as they provide emotional, financial and achievement support, social support and act as role models. However, they move away from them to pursue their education and pose a challenge to them. The decisions about ones c areer are made during this stage and this acts as the milestone that decides their future. During this time, they have to decide what they are and what they have to do that will decide their future (Fegran et al., 2014). There are protective as well as risk factors that are associated with this transition stage. Supportive relationships, good attainment of education and economic advantage acts as protective factors that protect them from addictions like alcohol, smoking and substance abuse (Kim et al., 2015). The attainment of proper education influences the behavior and healthier life of the adolescents. Parental and peer support presents caring and calm relationship would be helpful in reducing the minimal problems during this transition period. The proper education attainment promotes positive youth development and ample resilience to cope up with the risk factors faced during this period. There are also risk factors that make them vulnerable to addictions, financial problems and criminal behavior. Parents can also at as risk factors due to lack of support and insecure attachment. In negative family environment where parents are involved in substance abuse and alcohol use also make the adolescents subjected to these addictions and at high risk for multiple problems faced by this group (McCuish et al., 2014). Poor education is also a risk factor that leads to academic failure and eventually dropout. Peer pressure regarding academic expectations, lack of social support and other social norms results in high dropout and risky behaviors particularly substance abuse and alcohol use. These social determinants and low socio-economic status acts as risk factors for this transition stage. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is an important stage if life as it is the deciding period having serious implications for the future. During this stage, they face major developmental challenges that make them prone to risky behavior like addictions and economic disadvantage. There are many protective and risk factors that plays an important role in shaping their adolescent life. References Arnett, J. J. (2014).Adolescence and emerging adulthood. New York, NY, USA:: Pearson Education Limited. Fegran, L., Hall, E. O., Uhrenfeldt, L., Aagaard, H., Ludvigsen, M. S. (2014). Adolescents and young adults transition experiences when transferring from paediatric to adult care: a qualitative metasynthesis.International journal of nursing studies,51(1), 123-135. Kim, B. E., Oesterle, S., Catalano, R. F., Hawkins, J. D. (2015). Change in protective factors across adolescent development.Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,40, 26-37. McCuish, E. C., Corrado, R., Lussier, P., Hart, S. D. (2014). Psychopathic traits and offending trajectories from early adolescence to adulthood.Journal of Criminal Justice,42(1), 66-76.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Spirituality and Magical Realism free essay sample

lity We communicate with people by exchange information between each other. We talk by verbal and nonverbal communication. These tools are used to help us process this information. Those tools are speaking, listening, and our body language, all of these tools help us communicate and to understand others. In the Hispanic and Latino literature they communicate through spirituality, magic, and through myth. These tools play an important part in the way they communicate to one another in their culture. We as American seem to take things for granted of things that are not important and not focus on things that are important. In the story â€Å"the Curing Woman† by Alejandro Morales, draws on the traditional Mexican folktale, it has the elements of social realism and magical realism. The story describes the life of women by the name of Dona Marcelina and Trujillo Benidorm. Marcelina leaves her home at a young age, at the age of thirteen years old, so that she could be with her mother. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirituality and Magical Realism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Marcelina mother was a healer. Marcelina became widely known for her art for curing people. The story was all about the cure of a particular young boy by the name Delfino, who had malady that could not be cured by doctors. The story is more of a myth then reality. To be a doctor we have to go to school. But to cure people like that was in the story Marcelina had no schooling. This is where the spiritual comes in, this is something I believe in. For the young boy to be healed he had to have faith. When we talk about the spirit what I take from it is the Holy Spirit that Jesus left for us and this gives us the power to heal just like Marcelina did in the story. The person that is being healed has to believe in the Holy Spirit in order for them to be healed. The evidence of spiritually and magic in the story â€Å"The Curing Women† was a major part of the story. This is about women having the power to heal the sick. How she healed was her using the spiritual natural to heal people. Humans have many deep spiritual experiences but they don’t share all of them because of what others may  think. Spiritual and magical elements are important to a story because they make the reader dream. Dreams help the reader think about what you are telling them. Spiritual is important in storytelling because it is recognized as an important part of healing, and also self-knowledge. The spiritual stories connect us to other people and to God. Magical realism is a way for the writer t o change the way in which the reader think. Magical realism sparks the reader imagination and it has the effect on the reader fusion of their dreams. It also helps the readers to see things from a different point of view. In the story â€Å"The Curing Women† the curing of the boy was the magical realism people say she can’t heal people that have to be magic. Magical realism is a literary style originated in Latin America. Magical realism is important because it takes the readers to see real but it is just fiction. Not saying magical realist is not connected to reality or political motivation, but they have both because it helps the readers see a different view of different issues. Both of these elements are important to the Hispanic literature because of their culture and to the storytelling to the culture. Both element s brings the cultures together by give the history of the culture. Spiritual, magic and myth is important to the Hispanic and Latino literature. All three elements help the story grow in a way that the readers can take the story and see it in a different way. The author takes the character and mingles what they do and also the events that happen in that story. By the author mingling

Monday, November 25, 2019

What Makes For a Bad College Recommendation

What Makes For a Bad College Recommendation SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Generally speaking, no one is going to purposely hurt your college application and write a negative recommendation (that'd be an oxymoron). If for some reason someone feels like they can't honestly recommend you, they likely would decline or suggest someone else. That being said, there can still be bad recommendations from writers with good intentions. And admissions officers can spot them from a mile away. These letters certainly don't help your application, and they could even hurt your chances of getting accepted. Let's take a closer look at what features make for a "bad" recommendation. A Bad Letter is Lukewarm Again, I'd like to think that no one would agree to provide you with a letter of recommendation and then write damaging, critical things behind your back. This would be unethical, and a pretty mean thing to do. As long as you choose your recommenders carefully, you shouldn't have any concerns about that. The more common problem occurs if the letter writer comes off as unenthusiastic or lukewarm in her recommendation. To admissions officers who have read hundreds, if not thousands, of letters, it's pretty easy to separate the mediocre letters from the great ones. Mediocre letters might be short and generic. They might not express admiration of your academic ability or personal qualities, or express much confidence in what you'll do at college and beyond. Rather than revealing new insights into who you are, bad recommendation letters might just state facts and figures. When I was in high school, I asked a history teacher for a college recommendation. To my surprise (and disappointment), he gave me a generic letter and told me to go through and change the "he's" to "she's" to "customize" it. Needless to say, I quickly asked someone else. In this case, it would have been a good idea to seek advice from my counselor or others about which teachers take the time to write strong letters and which ones use a form letter for all their students. Admissions officers expect you to be thoughtful about who you ask for your recommendation. If you present a letter that reads as though the writer didn't have much to say or was unmotivated to recommend you, then it suggests that you either didn't put much thought into your rec letters or, worse, that this was the best recommendation you could get. If you're limited in your options for recommenders because your school has large class sizes or counselor caseloads, there are still things you can do to connect with your recommenders, like setting up meetings, writing a detailed brag sheet, or sending a supplemental recommendation. Some phrases that could come off as lukewarm include "above average" or "relatively good student." A recommender might communicate that you still have room to grow (who doesn't?), but focusing on this could also communicate that she's not too impressed with what you've done so far. This introduction is an example of a lukewarm start to a letter that doesn't sound too animated, interested, or like the writer tried to say much beyond the obvious. I'm writing to recommend Sylvia for admission to your undergraduate program. I had Sylvia in my 11th grade chemistry class. She was an above average student with an interest in science. Sylvia participated well in class and was reliable with her homework and other assignments. She performed above average throughout the year. Poor Sylvia. Her recommender didn't even say "strongly" or "highly" recommend. This introduction sounds unimpressed and unspecific. Another feature of a letter that's ineffective is that it doesn't go beyond your resume. A Bad Letter Repeats Your Resume A recommendation letter is not supposed to copy your resume. This is a common mistake of recommenders, simply listing out your grades, rank, clubs, and/or awards. Admissions officers already know all this, though. They see it in your application, or maybe you've talked about a particularly significant involvement in your personal essay. If this was all they wanted to see, then there would be no point to requiring recommendation letters. Instead, a letter should add to your story by illustrating who you are, including your values, motivations, and goals for the future. It can describe meaningful observations and interactions that give insight into your character. It adds nuance to your story, speaking to your attitude towards learning and to your personality. Plus, a strong recommendation letter shows that you've connected with your teachers and contributed to your school community. This indicates that you'll do the same once you arrive to college, a positive sign for admissions officers looking to build a dynamic and harmonious class. Here's an example of a recommendation that relies on facts and figures, but doesn't go much beyond the information that's already present in the rest of your application. Tom played football throughout all four years of high school, winning the honor of Most Valuable Player in junior year. When he wasn't practicing football, he was in Woodworking Club, which he participated in during junior and senior year. Tom has challenged himself with college prep and honors classes, earning a GPA of 3.5. He was recognized for his effort by his 10th grade English teacher, who awarded him the Best Effort certificate. Outside of school, Tom works part-time at his father's car dealership. Admissions officers should already know all this by reading Tom's Common Application. This letter just turns bullet points into full sentences. Another feature of an ineffective recommendation is that it comes off as unspecific and unsupported. About as helpful as using Apple Maps. A Bad Letter is Unspecific As discussed above, a recommendation letter should go beyond the obvious and reveal something about your commitments and character. A letter that speaks in generalities doesn't accomplish that, nor does it paint a picture of you for its readers. While it may use general adjectives to describe you, like driven or ambitious, these adjectives don't mean all that much without examples. Like a persuasive essay where you need supporting examples to prove your thesis, a recommendation letter should relate anecdotes that demonstrate something meaningful about you and provide evidence for its assertions. A bad letter might say, Abby is a hard worker. A stronger letter would say, Abby's hard work and persistence endured throughout her in depth, year long research project on the decline of the fishing industry in 19th century Gloucester. (It might go further into detail describing her long days digging through the local library's archives and how the recommender sees her conducting historical research at her college's library next year.) Without the examples to back it up, the first sentence about Abby being a hard worker doesn't explain what she works hard to accomplish or how her recommender knows this to be true. It also could be about almost anyone. If the recommendation letter does little to differentiate you from other students with similar credentials, then it hasn't done it's job. A Bad Letter Could Be About Almost Anyone That form letter I got from my history teacher wasn't just riddled with male pronouns, it also barely talked about me. It was full of generic statements about doing well in history class, working hard, and being committed to academics. All that was general, unsupported by examples, and could have been about any number of studentswho did well in history class. The truth about college admissions is that there are more qualified students than there are spots in the class, especially when it comes to highly selective schools that only let a small percentage of students in. Some may share similar academic and extracurricular profiles. They might have the same GPA, same class selection, and similar involvements in clubs and sports. That's why the recommendation letters, along with the student's own personal essay, are so important for distinguishing one student from another. Letters that are general, don't share anecdotes, and list out facts and data could be about any students that share a similar resume. They're flat, boring to read, and suggest that the teacher doesn't know anything personal about the student. Maybe the student just gave her a resume, and she turned the bulletpoints into prose. Finally, another red flag for admissions officers could be if the letter is simply too short. Not only did the recommender not have anything personal to add to the student's recommendation, but she also didn't have much to say at all. Aw. A Bad Letter is Too Short A recommendation letter should be a full page. It shouldn't usually go beyond a page, but it also shouldn't be shorter. Just having an introduction, short body paragraph, and conclusion wouldn't be sufficient. It might fulfill the application requirement, but it wouldn't look good or communicate all that much. If your letter's short, this is immediately noticeable to a reader. It suggests you didn't choose your recommender very well, she doesn't know you, and you didn't give her much material to work with. Instead of making the positive impression that a good letter of recommendation can leave, it feels lacking. Since no one wants her application dragged down by subpar recommendation letters, what can you do to avoid a bad one? Are these documents out of your hands, or do you have some say in the matter? Be proactive, be be, proactive! What to Do to Avoid a Bad Letter of Recommendation Before you even begin making requests for letters of recommendation, you should go into junior year (and high school, for that matter) with a proactive mindset. Participate in class, get to know at least one or two of your teachers well, and talk to them about your educational goals. Demonstrate your interest in a subject by taking on an independent project or joining a club of which that teacher is an advisor. If you're planning to apply to a selective school or for a certain major, showing a specific commitment like this will impress admissions officers and your future recommenders. When you're finally ready to ask, be thoughtful about who you ask. If your teacher seems hesitant at all, it's probably a good idea to thank her and then ask someone else instead. If she has reservations, that will show through in the letter. Ask early in case you need to change track, plus some teachers set quotas and have a first come, first served policy for writing letters. Give them time, at least a month, to put thought into your letter, rather than rushing through a copy so you have something to send in ahead of deadlines. As I should have done before my recommendation mistake, ask your counselor for her recommendations on who writes good letters. Seasoned teachers are often a good choice, especially if they have a reputation for helping students get into their schools of choice. If you've forged a good relationship with a relatively new teacher, it might be beneficial to share your thoughts on what could make your letter outstanding. Whether or not it's appropriate to share resources on letter writing with your recommender is a judgment call, as you wouldn't want to insult the person you're hoping will praise you. You can feel out whether it would be welcome to share guides like this one with your recommender, or whether she already has a strong sense of purpose in her letter writing. Apart from participating in class and talking to your teachers, you can also give them a detailed brag sheet. Share important information that you want them to know about you, along with specific significant experiences or challenges in your life that they could potentially speak about in their letters. Tell them what qualities and interests you're highlighting in the rest of your application, so they can complement your story without repeating too much of it. Above all, make sure your recommender is genuinely happy to help you get accepted to college and will put in the time and effort to craft a thoughtful, specific, and customized letter of recommendation. While your brag sheet can help her out a great deal, she should still have enough material and inspiration from having you in class or school to create an insightful letter of support. What's Next? Before you can invite your recommenders on the Common App, you're asked about waiving your right to access. Should you agree to this FERPA waiver? What's this question all about? Learn all about it here. If you're a teacher writing letters for your students, check out our complete guide to writing strong recommendations here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Friday, November 22, 2019

Colonization of Mexican Americans in the United States Essay

Colonization of Mexican Americans in the United States - Essay Example (p. 303) Being a major minority group, Mexican Americans are now facing different challenges coping with contemporary American society, given that the nation is still fairly divided regarding the policies on ethnic minorities and immigrants in the United States. As stated by Healy (2006), â€Å"Of all the challenges confronting the United States today, those relating to minority groups continue to be among the most urgent and the most daunting† (p. xix). In this case, this paper aims to look into the different issues faced by Mexican Americans in the United States, in the context of them being a major minority group in this ethnically-diverse country. Specifically, this paper would try to glance into the following controversial issues: the historical background of Mexican colonization in the United States; of Mexican immigration into the United States (both in â€Å"legal† and â€Å"illegal† immigrants); major socioeconomic indicators of Mexican Americans (especi ally poverty), and the conditions of Mexican culture and ethnicity in the context of a multiracial society. In order to understand better the social context of Mexican American minority groups in the United States, it is important to look at the historical context of Mexican colonization and immigration in the country. ... e of the first Mexican presidents, the former rebel general Santa Ana† actually lost it â€Å"to the United States after a two-year war that ended in 1848† (Geographia.com, 2008). This may be one reason why, even up to the present, most Americans of Hispanic descent lives in this region, and why most Mexican Americans choose to migrate in the southwestern part of the United States. One of the main motivations why dominant group Americans conquered this area in the 19th century is because they actually needed a â€Å"cheap labor force in agriculture, ranching, mining, railroad construction, and other areas of dominant group economy in the Southwest† (Healy, 2006, p. 306). Also, because of the proximity of Mexico to the United States, there was a constant population movement across the border (Healy, 2006, p. 306). It can be seen therefore that the presence of many Mexican Americans in the American southwest, as well as their continued immigration into the area, has been largely due to both historical circumstances and economic conditions as major motive factors. This would continue to the trend as Mexican legal immigration, as well as â€Å"illegal immigration† into the United States, would continue well into the present. Concerning the immigration of Mexican Americans into the United States, Healy (2006) actually argues that By and large, the policies of the federal government have responded to these (immigration) conditions and have encouraged immigration during good times and clamped down during bad times (p. 310). As described in the history of Mexican Americans in the United States, dominant groups actually had the initiative of conquering parts of Mexico in the Mexican-American War (which later became the American Southwest), and used its population to serve as