Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The New SAT
The SAT may be the most important test a student will ever take. When it comes to determining college admissions and awarding scholarships, no single exam is more important. It has recently undergone some major changes, and every college-bound student must pay close attention to the new format.
Partly because of criticism that the old SAT failed as a indicator of college success, the College Board (the makers of the test) have recast the assessment instead as a measure of achievement and college preparation. Its new name, the SAT Reasoning Test, reflects its new emphasis on critical thinking skills needed for college. The changes go far beyond the name. Overall, students are likely to find the new version more challenging than the old.
The new SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes long and is divided into three parts: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. Each section contains important revisions from the old version. In the Reading section, the much hated analogy questions have been removed. Instead, students will answer critical thinking questions on a series of passages, ranging in length from sentences to long passages. The Math section now includes Algebra II level problems, in addition to geometry and many other high school level problems. The College Board says that this is to keep pace with the ever more sophisticated high school curriculums, but many students are likely to be unprepared for such advanced work. The multiple choice section and the student response questions of the old version have not been removed. The Writing section will cover grammar usage as well as essay writing skills. Students are allowed 25 minutes for the essay. This may be one of the more worrisome changes for students. Anyone hoping to bluff their way through this part of the test will be disappointed. Two graders will read each essay, and judge it on how well the student’s thesis is developed and supported. Certainly, the addition of the essay makes the SAT a better measure of the skills needed for college level work, but this is a skill that many students just do not pick up from the standard English class.
Clearly, the changes to the SAT make additional preparation, beyond regular course work, a necessity. The simple test taking techniques taught in so many tradition prep courses will no longer be adequate. Smart students will seek out prep courses that also offer tutoring on weak subjects, stress the fundamentals of writing good essays, and provide opportunities to take practice tests multiple times.
Several Tips to Finding the Right School Fast
consuming and confusing time and knowing which
ones to apply for and then which one to accept can be
difficult ad even a little traumatic. But there are many
ways of minimizing both the time taken and the
confusion involved so that the process is a little less
stressful.
Firstly you need to decide whether you want to attend
school or college in your own area or state, or whether
you are prepared to move to another location; and if so,
how far you are prepared to relocate. Of course, your
test scores may preclude some choice in this matter.
You also need to have some idea of what you can
afford some colleges are more expensive than others
and some offer payment plans and scholarships while
others do not.
Then talk to your current schools career advisor to
seek their counsel and see what they have to say.
They may recommend some schools above others as
they may be more suited to your needs, talents and
situation and overall career ambition.
The next thing to do is get online. There are many web
sites on the Internet where you can enter information,
such as your region, annual cost preference, freshman
year class size preference, preference regarding the
size of the surrounding community, and school type
(public or private) they are then processed in a
database and the site spits out a series of school
recommendations. Other sites offer tips and strategies
for obtaining scholarships and paying for college.
Another web site allows you to register for a SAT
Program test and send the results to various colleges
and scholarship programs.
A Google entry for school/college search will give you
more than 660,000 results. Some results are region or
specialty specific for instance there is a web site
devoted to assisting you to find the right college at
which to complete your MBA. Some sites are quite
possibly not as legitimate or as thorough as others.
There are a myriad to choose from. Which ever school
you choose, using the World Wide Web to guide your
search for a college or school will definitely make it an
easier, less time-consuming and hopefully a far less
confusing task.
What to Look for When Choosing an Online Degree Program
Choosing an online education program should be exciting and fun. While there a many good, recognized diploma or degree programs available through online education, choosing the one which is right for you can seem like a daunting task.
There are many factors which you should take into consideration, when choosing your online college. For example, you'll need to consider which technologies are used in the program. Does the institution use print, audio, or video delivery media? How will you interact between the instructor and the rest of the class? Will it be via asynchronous means, such as email, listservs, or newsgroups, via synchronous delivery methods, like streaming online audio and video, or shared whiteboards? The technological delivery of the course content will be key to your decision, as it will determine the amount and frequency of your interaction with the instructor and other students.
You should also be diligent about researching the college's accreditation and its reputation. In order to be certain that you are getting the best education possible, you must be certain that the institution has some sort of official recognition. Accreditation is the process through which a college's educational programs are evaluated to ensure that certain standards are upheld. This process is usually done by a form of peer review, and the standards tend to vary from awarding body to awarding body. Being aware of the university's accreditation is usually a good indicator of what sort of value that you are getting for your tuition.
Likewise, it is very important to check out your instructor's credentials and experience in the field, as well. Your experience of the course will depend upon his or her knowledge and delivery style, so make sure that you know with whom you will be working.
Finally, you may want to consider speaking with one of the college's former students, as this will give you an insider's look into the program and the university. Alumnae are often honest about their experiences- whether good or bad- and they can give you a better idea of what to expect from the course.
Pursuing a degree online can be a rewarding and memorable experience, especially if you do your homework before logging-in to the course.
Why education & work experiences are an effective leadership development program
Reflect back to your education and to as recent as the previous job you held. Ask yourself how you have reached your current level of leadership and how your skills have developed over time. During this time, you were most likely exposed to a number of activities and experiences that evolved into your own personal leadership development program. Many of these skills and learning developed over time can be applied to your current workplace. Let’s look at how you can make the most out of past experiences and apply them to your current work situation.
PAST - BEING A PART OF A TEAM
You may have been a part of a basketball team, a support group, or a local community effort. This type of active involvement helps to fine tune leadership skills such as delegating, empowering team members, and learning to communicate effectively. Being associated with ‘teams’ gives an individual a chance to be a part of something, work together among counterparts, and contribute to a shared interest.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
By experiencing a team environment outside of work, you have the opportunity to share many skills and capabilities that will take your people and organization to the next level. As other team members become leaders within your organizations, they will also recall past experiences and what it means to fulfill a selfless work ethic and build healthy relations among work associates. Good leaders will not segregate themselves away from their subordinates, but involve themselves fairly among a workload, and help lead and guide others from their personal leadership development program.
PAST - TAKING OWNERSHIP
Deciding what we want to do with our life (continue school, find a career, or start a business) is when many of us first experienced a true sense of ownership. At some point there was a discovery that really piqued your potential interest. Through a variety of educational classes, job searching, or through trial and error, you narrowed your focus to the best fit or option; then came learning for the experience of others.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
As an apprentice we learned many tricks of the trade by shadowing our mentors or being observant or passionate about their work. Now as mentors, we need to focus on instructing or guiding others to learn effective and efficient work skills to provide credible and productive results for the organization. Law, medical and business schools are prime examples of educating students so that they can take ownership of their profession and eventually contribute to their field.
PAST - STAYING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION
After formal education, many people are optimistic and confident that they will get the “dream job” fresh out of college. Like hundreds of thousands of students graduating at the same time, you compete against qualifying candidates as well as experienced professionals vying for the same job. The job outlook at the time was probably overwhelming and sometimes frustrating, but your competitive circumstances kept you driven to contend among your counterparts and stay ahead of the competition.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
In our day to day work environment, we must also be competitive to stay ahead of the competition. Through positive encouragement, thinking strategically, and feeling the drive to compete will help us stay ahead. For some it may be of value to provide a leadership development program that will increase an individual’s work potential. This will keep them ahead of the game and help them to be on top of the competition.
Every team provides leadership opportunities for the individuals. By being cognizant of how personal leadership development programs the above three benefits, it will give us the opportunity to help individuals develop leadership qualities essential to beating the competition in our fierce business environment.
Earning your Associate’s Degree Online
An Associate’s degree, or a “two-year” degree, provides a valuable pathway to career enhancement, and provides an educational foundation which makes it easier to earn a Bachelor’s degree down the road. Earning an Associate’s degree online is a flexible, convenient, and innovative way to advance your career and improve your education. Traditionally, going to college requires a student to physically attend. This often requires relocating, or settling for a college because it is close to home. The advantages of technology now afford students the opportunity to attend college outside the confines of a traditional college, and earn a degree online. As the popularity of earning a degree online increases, more traditional colleges are joining online-only colleges in offering educations over the Internet, presenting students with broader educational options, not to mention flexibility and convenience.
In order to land that promotion you’ve worked so hard for, or attain the career of your dreams, it’s often necessary to have some type of secondary education. There are many advantages to earning your Associate’s degree online. Receiving your Associate’s degree online allows you to achieve your career goals at your own pace, without interfering with your current work commitments. You need not live locally to attend the college of your choosing. Attending courses and submitting coursework online eliminates the need for commuting or relocating. Convenience is another plus in earning a degree online. A college may offer more sections of popular courses at many convenient times, including nights and weekends, allowing you more options as to when to attend class. This allows you more flexibility, and is ideal if you work full time and/or care for a family. In addition, who wouldn’t find it appealing to attend college from the comforts of home?
There are many types of Associate’s degrees you can learn online. There is certainly a degree to suit every educational and professional need. Some of these programs include General Education, Information Technology, Paralegal Studies, Business, Healthcare, and various professional certificates. These are but a few of the programs available to study online. Most of these programs are offered at fully accredited colleges that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, which is a necessity if you have prior college credits that you wish to transfer, if you intend to continue at another college in order to receive a Bachelor’s degree, or if you want your degree recognized by your employer and any professional organizations you are affiliated with.
You might be worried about affording an online Associate’s degree. Often, financial aid is available to online students in the form of grants, loans, and even scholarships. Also, many employers may be willing to pay for part or all of your tuition and fees. After all, investing in your education is investing in the firm’s future as well.
The misconception of receiving your Associate’s degree online is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending face-to-face classes at a traditional college. The degree programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. In fact, continuing your education online might help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with a degree, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology, which could prove to enhance your career as well. Receiving your Associate’s degree online is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities.
Home Study: What Life-enhancing Skill do You Learn?
You're already doing unofficial home study when you research a project online. Study in class has its place, but...
Up to date I've done many courses in classrooms but only two were very useful. I've learned most of the useful stuff from books or the Internet.
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What will help you most in life?
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The most valuable thing you learn at school is to write an essay. Essays help you organise your thoughts. An essay helps you convince people. Your
feedback in a home study course will mostly be essays. This will encourage you to write a good essay.
Many years ago I read about Electronics, and took a correspondence course on the subject, and made electronic gadgets for where I worked.
Then I decided to study Electronics at college. Unfortunately the nearest I could get to it was Physics with Electronics as the main subject, so I qualified in Physics.
The lecturers were shockingly out of date. One of my classmates and I spent a lot of time instructing the lecturers. We'd learned modern stuff from books and practical use.
It has been said "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." What this means is that lecturers sat through lectures and passed exams. They go on to teach what they learned in these lectures - which is already out of date. That's the first benefit of home study.
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Three advantages of classroom study
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1. You can get recognised certificates when you
pass exams
2. You can get a useful plan for what to study
3. Facilities for practical work
You'll have noticed that although I learned more from my home study course, I still did a four-year course at college. I couldn't get recognised exam certificates from correspondence courses. That was the main benefit.
If you want to study genetics and you don't even know what a gene is, you obviously don't know enough to plan a syllabus for your home study.
You get a useful skeleton outline from your lectures. Using my book about exams you will learn how to improve on the skeleton, but you need one
to improve on!
At home you don't have a chemistry laboratory or a machine shop or volunteers to practice dentistry.
Apprenticeships let you learn about real life from an employer. Schools and colleges have labs and workshops for you to do your practical work.
Lecturers don't know as much about practical work as an employer would. I hated doing chemical titrations because they took such a long time.
Then I noticed that one of my classmates took about a quarter of the time, with greater accuracy. He worked during his holidays at a chemistry lab. He showed me the tricks and I was soon flying through my titrations too.
Even if you do have a machine shop at home, you'll be taught safe working procedure in a conventional course. That could save you from being a cripple for the rest of your life.
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Instant Feedback
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When I was about to hold a chunk of metal with a rag wrapped round my hand to give me extra grip, my lecturer yelled a warning. That probably kept me from losing my hand.
Even if you're learning something safe like oil painting, you can learn faster with instant feedback from a lecturer strolling around behind the students.
Oh, you could take a digital photograph of your oil painting and shoot it down the line to an instructor, but she could be having a meal, or even be asleep if she is on the other side of the world. So you still won't have instant feedback.
Writing essays works fine.
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Conventional courses for abilities
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It seems that conventional courses win out when you want to develop an ability, unless your parents already have that ability to pass on to you.
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Knowledge courses
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Of course, there are knowledge courses such as English, Philosophy, History, Anthropology where you don't have a practical syllabus. These are
ideal for home study, and perfect for using an essay as a tool.
More and more Universities offer online courses. You can get recognised certificates with home study. You just need to be good at writing an essay (see my free report) and a few other exam techniques to succeed.
Even technical courses have lots of theory. University extension courses allow you to study the theory online. Then you just go to college for your practical work.
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Distractions
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A friend of mine refused to be distracted by girls or parties or sport until he completed his degree as a dentist.
I don't think I could have overcome these distractions. If you do home study you don't have any distractions.
Conclusion:
I prefer home study any time that it is available. However you can't learn to sing, or karate, or dentistry without a teacher, so conventional study is often needed to supplement home study. Essay writing is particularly useful in home study.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
A School Loan Consolidation Primer
Federal programs are the single, largest source of school loan consolidation. The first step in applying for this type of aid is going on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website, at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, and fill out a comprehensive questionnaire. It generally takes around 7 days to process, at which point you will receive a Data Release Number, and Estimated Financial Contribution. It is important to find out if the school you will be attending participates in the federal student aid programs, most do.
There are several federal programs available for student aid, assuming school participation. The Federal Stafford Loans, are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. First-year undergraduates are eligible for loans up to $2,625. Amounts increase for subsequent years of study, with higher amounts for graduate students. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 8.25 percent. The Federal PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans made to parents; the interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 9 percent. Federal Work Study provides jobs to undergraduate and graduate students, allowing them to earn money to pay education expenses. These are the major federal sources of loan money for college.
Private education loans are also available from a variety of sources to provide supplemental funding when other financial aid does not cover costs. These loans are not sponsored by government agencies, and are offered by banks or other financial institutions. Sallie Mae is a unique loan that consists of a comprehensive package of both private and federal loans.
After accumulating 4 years of undergraduate education loans, it is best to consider a School Loan Consolidation Program. Very simply, you can elect to combine all your outstanding loans into one student consolidated loan, which may create more favorable terms and simplify repayment, benefiting both the borrower, and the lending agency. Major benefits include the convenience of lower monthly payments, a single fixed rate, and one payment per month. There is a minor downside, however, students who do not consolidate their Stafford loans will have a 6-month grace period after graduation to begin making payments. Students who consolidate must begin making payments within 60 days of their consolidation. Both parents and students are eligible to consolidate student loans. The school loan consolidation program streamlines repayment by eliminating different terms, repayment schedules, and lenders.
Will I be able to afford my son’s college education? Careful financial planning, and research should make this endeavor a reality. While it is true that college tuitions continue to rise, there is more financial aid available to compensate for the increases. Ultimately, a good education is your best investment.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Information On Private Student Loans
Student loans are a popular choice, but federal student loans are based on financial need, and some students do not fit into those guidelines. An alternative choice for these students or their parents is a private student loan. These are loans done through private lenders instead of the government. The advantage of these types of direct student loans is that they have many of the same kinds of benefits as federal loans.
These loans can be used for any and all college expenses. Things like tuition, books, supplies, computers, and living expenses are all things that qualify for private student loan funds. These loans are unsecured, meaning that no collateral is needed. The loans are credit-based instead. This can mean that the student might need a co-signer if they have not established a credit history, or their parents can apply for the loan instead.
A private education loan is usually a low-interest loan. Borrowers can shop around to find the best rate. There are generally no application fees to apply for this type of loan and there are also no deadlines for applying. The money can be delivered in as little as five days, and the money is given to the student instead of the school. The student is then responsible for paying for their various educational expenses.
This kind of loan has other advantages similar to federal loans. The interest and principal payments can be deferred until the student graduates from school. For most of these loans, a student is required to be attending school at least half time for the deferral of payments and interest.
When the student does graduate from college, the loans can usually be deferred for six months until the student finds employment, and then the loan holder will generally have a variety of repayment options available so that the student can tailor their payments to their income.
A private student loan is the ideal answer for students who do not meet federal requirements for financial need or whose educational expenses are not fully covered by their federal financial aid. Many lenders offer private student loans to students or their parents and the application process is simple and free. The loan requirements are usually less stringent and the repayment options are affordable for young professionals. A private student loan is a great way to finance the education of any student that needs financial help.
Environmental Trends In Elearning Reviewed
Twenty years ago a typical college classroom had very little technology. Maybe there were a few computers, but for the most part students turned in assignments written from a typewriter. Ten years ago technology began to seep into the college academic setting. For example, Professors started simple WebPages containing course information and perhaps links to reference resources.
In the late 1990’s, however, college academia took a giant step forward in elearning by introducing courses that could be taken entirely online. The environmental trends in elearning have changed dramatically from the infrequent use of the Internet and elearning to relying on the elearning for an entire course.
This environmental trend in elearning opened up the opportunity to study at the college level to many more students. Technical colleges, for example, are home to many nontraditional older students. These students have full time jobs, families, and little free time. It is difficult to miss work to attend class during the day. Night classes are possible, but that means less time with family. That is when an online course can save the day and allow these types of students to work on their degree.
Online courses are available at many four-year and two-year colleges and universities. In the last few years, online colleges have emerged that offer an entire degree program online. These comprehensive courses of study allow a more diverse student population to have access to the education they seek.
Another environmental trend in elearning is the way classes are conducted. Classes are administered through software programs such as Blackboard and WebCT. These web-based programs allow students to login to a virtual classroom. They can access course materials such as lecture notes, assignments, and tests. They can communicate with the instructor and other classmates through email messages and a class message forum.
Professors, teachers, and instructors also have an array of options. There are calendar, email, and syllabus tools. Electronic grade books are a nice feature of elearning software programs. Electronic grade books are more than just a repository of grades. They can actually calculate final grades based on specific classroom grading criteria and policies. This is a welcome addition for many teachers that are technologically savvy. Plus students can view their grades online throughout the semester and track their progress.
As technology progresses so will the elearning environment. The academic options are far different from what they were even ten years ago. Imagine what the options will entail ten years from now.
Successful Home Schooling
The decision to home school your child can be a difficult one to make. Many parents wonder if it is the right thing to do. Many wonder if their children can get the same "grade" of education if they are homeschooled.
There are many reasons why parents choose to homeschool their kids. For many it is because they want to add religious content to their children’s learning experience.
Making the decision to home school is usually a very difficult not and it is not one to be taken lightly. It is a personal decision that no one can make for you, but maybe I can help in the thought process by providing you with a comprehensive guide to making the choice to homeschool your kids a successful one.
When making the homeschool decision, you must first consider these things:
1. Time commitment that is involved. Homeschooling has a tendency to take up a lot of time in your day. It involves more than just sitting down with books for a couple of hours. There are experiments and projects that have to be done, lessons to prepare, papers to grade, field trips, park days, music lessons, and the list just keeps on going. You can go online and search for some sample schedules that will help to give you an idea of a typical day.
2. Personal sacrifice. The homeschooling parent has very little personal time or time alone and away from their children. If a lot of care is not taken to set aside time for yourself, it is easy for the parent to feel overwhelmed. Basically, the parent and child are together 24 hours a day and this can get frustrating on both sides.
3. Financial problems can arise. Homeschooling can be accomplished with very little cost to you; however, it usually requires that the teaching parent will not be working out of the home. Some sacrifices will need to be made if the family is used to two incomes. Of course, if you are a single parent, this could pose an even bigger problem.
4. Time for socialization. More attention will need to be given to getting your children together with his/her peers. The best part of homeschooling is being able to have more control of the social contacts your child makes. However, the downside is that you must prepare your child yourself on how to socialize with other kids. Homeschooling has a tendency to make your child feel isolated.
5. Household organization is harder. Housework and laundry and other house work will still have to be done, but it probably won't get done first thing in the morning. If you are a neat freak, you might be in for a big surprise. Not only does housework need to be let go at times, but homeschooling creates messes and clutter on its own. You will have to get organized so that you can keep your home together.
6. Both parents must agree to it. It is important that both parents agree to homeschooling. It is very difficult for this to work if one of the parents is against it. If your spouse is against it at this time, try doing more research and talking to more people so that you can be absolutely certain it is something that both of you can agree upon. Otherwise, the chances for success are much lower.
7. Your child has to be willing. A willing student is crucial to the success of homeschooling. Ultimately, the decision is the parents to make, but if your child is dead against it, you might have a very difficult time in teaching them. The fact of the matter is that an unwilling child can sabotage his or her own school efforts.
8. Know that it works one year at a time. It isn't a lifetime commitment and doesn’t have to become one. If you find that homeschooling just isn’t worth it, you can choose to go the regular route.
There is a lot more to homeschooling than deciding to just do it. As a parent, you must know that your child’s education is the most important factor in his or her future. You need to be thoroughly prepared for all of the time and commitment that is involved.
Why education & work experiences are an effective leadership development program
Reflect back to your education and to as recent as the previous job you held. Ask yourself how you have reached your current level of leadership and how your skills have developed over time. During this time, you were most likely exposed to a number of activities and experiences that evolved into your own personal leadership development program. Many of these skills and learning developed over time can be applied to your current workplace. Let’s look at how you can make the most out of past experiences and apply them to your current work situation.
PAST - BEING A PART OF A TEAM
You may have been a part of a basketball team, a support group, or a local community effort. This type of active involvement helps to fine tune leadership skills such as delegating, empowering team members, and learning to communicate effectively. Being associated with ‘teams’ gives an individual a chance to be a part of something, work together among counterparts, and contribute to a shared interest.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
By experiencing a team environment outside of work, you have the opportunity to share many skills and capabilities that will take your people and organization to the next level. As other team members become leaders within your organizations, they will also recall past experiences and what it means to fulfill a selfless work ethic and build healthy relations among work associates. Good leaders will not segregate themselves away from their subordinates, but involve themselves fairly among a workload, and help lead and guide others from their personal leadership development program.
PAST - TAKING OWNERSHIP
Deciding what we want to do with our life (continue school, find a career, or start a business) is when many of us first experienced a true sense of ownership. At some point there was a discovery that really piqued your potential interest. Through a variety of educational classes, job searching, or through trial and error, you narrowed your focus to the best fit or option; then came learning for the experience of others.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
As an apprentice we learned many tricks of the trade by shadowing our mentors or being observant or passionate about their work. Now as mentors, we need to focus on instructing or guiding others to learn effective and efficient work skills to provide credible and productive results for the organization. Law, medical and business schools are prime examples of educating students so that they can take ownership of their profession and eventually contribute to their field.
PAST - STAYING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION
After formal education, many people are optimistic and confident that they will get the “dream job” fresh out of college. Like hundreds of thousands of students graduating at the same time, you compete against qualifying candidates as well as experienced professionals vying for the same job. The job outlook at the time was probably overwhelming and sometimes frustrating, but your competitive circumstances kept you driven to contend among your counterparts and stay ahead of the competition.
CURRENT – APPLYING EXPERIENCES TO WORK
In our day to day work environment, we must also be competitive to stay ahead of the competition. Through positive encouragement, thinking strategically, and feeling the drive to compete will help us stay ahead. For some it may be of value to provide a leadership development program that will increase an individual’s work potential. This will keep them ahead of the game and help them to be on top of the competition.
Every team provides leadership opportunities for the individuals. By being cognizant of how personal leadership development programs the above three benefits, it will give us the opportunity to help individuals develop leadership qualities essential to beating the competition in our fierce business environment.
General Requirements for Homeschooling
Each state has its own general requirements for homeschoooling students. There are four categories of legal options for homeschooling. The four categories are: states requiring no notice, states with low regulation, moderate regulation and high regulation.
Many of the regulations include parental notification, test scores, professional evaluation of student progress and curriculum approval. Families shouldn't be scared off by the general requirements for homeschooling. There may be some initial paperwork to handle but as long as the teaching parent can keep good records there shouldn't be andy fear of the state stepping in and ordering your child back to public school.
The states that have no requirements for homeschooling do not require the parents to initiate any contact. These states include Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut, New Jersey and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. Parents are not obligated to contact the school districts to notify them that they will be homeschooling their children.
States that have low general requirements for homeschooling require the parents to notify the school district that they are homeschooling their children and nothing else. These states include California, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Delaware, Washington D.C. and the territory of the Virgin Islands.
Moderately regulated states require parents to send notification, test scores and provide a professional evaluation of the student's progress. The states in this category include Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and the territories of American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands.
States with the highest regulations may be the most troublesome to parents contemplating homeschooling. These states general requirements for homeschooling stipulate parents have to send notification or achievement test scores, provide professional evaluations of student progress as well as provide a written curriculum that needs to be approved by the state, teacher qualification of the parents and on some occasions visits by state officials to check the student's progress. These states include Washington, Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. These states have few requirements for the Kindergarten level but the regulations become stricter at each subsequent grade level.
A parent is considered competent to operate a homeschool if they follow the individual state's regulations; they do not need to have teacher certification. The parents need to file a notice at their local school that they intend to homeschool in the low to highly regulated states. Those that fall within the medium to highly regulated states will also need to keep attendance records, file quarterly reports and a grade narrative for each of the subjects taught. Highly regulated states may require an annual assessment at the end of the school year.
The general requirements for homeschool vary greatly from state to state. The parents should be well versed in the legal aspects of homeschooling before they decide to attempt it. Most parents will find that the red tape at the beginning is well worth it.
To stay abreast of the current trends, information and resources available for homeschool parents, teachers and students subscribe to Homeschool Success News.
If you need an online tutor, courseware or wish to offer your services as a paid online tutor contact our TutorBug website.
Magic Learning Systems also provides excellent products to enhance the homeschool experience for teachers and students. http://magic.homeschooltutorpro.com
Boost Your Education And Life With An Online Degree
Obtaining an online bachelors degree can be a swift and easy way to further your career,prospects and life in general. But before you enroll, there are a few important points you need to know get your head around.
Number one, you'll want to make ensure that the college that offers you a degree online is accredited. School and universities are accredited on a national or state level. This accreditation means that a relevant board of education has researched and approved the schools curriculum and course.
Secondly, you will want to make sure that the school is highly recognized and that the bachelors degree can be transfered. This will help because someday you might need to further enhance your education by completing your masters degree and you might be required to transfer your bachelors credits.
Prerequisite to obtaining your bachelors degree from a university or college, First you must have the minimum of a G.E.D or a high school diploma. It will also help to have some college or previous work experience under your belt. If you have attained previous college credits, then they can be put toward your bachelors degree program and the period of time that you will need to be enrolled in school will be shortened.
If you have not attained previous college credits, The majority of bachelors degree online programs take about thirty six months to finish. This period of time is based on a person that takes a minimum of twenty hours of course work per week. With previous college credits, or by spending a larger amount of time on course work every week, some individuals can finish their bachelors online degree program in as little as twelve months.
To choose which university or college to enroll with, it is best to decide what type of degree program you require. The majority of colleges offer these type of programs but some specialize in man varied fields. For example, an individual who wants a bachelors degree in business might decide to go with Ashworth College, while a person that wants an degree for education would want to go with Penn State University.
When you have chosen a bachelors online degree course, you need to research its class schedule. Most online programs or courses allow you to download the course work and complete it at your own leisure, but some programs insist that you log on to the Internet for virtual class sessions at a designated time a few times a week. Now you know the basics you will see that making up for lost time can be easier than you might have thought and topping up your education is a real possibility. Go on what have you got to lose?
The Facts About Homeschools
on socialization, learning opportunities and that their parents are radicals. More often than not, soccer moms start homeschools. The average homeschooling parent has
a college degree and is simply looking for a better way of education their children.
There are many methods that parents can choose from when starting a homeschool. The methods include eclectic, Charlotte Mason, Christian, classical, Montessori, unit studies, natural learning and Waldorf education. It may take a parent or child a year or more to decide which category they fall into. Many parents find that they take the eclectic method approach because they can combine several methods to teach their children.
The Charlotte Mason method is defined as an applied philosophy, which is individualized by the family to best suit their child. Charlotte Mason stated, "The duty of parents is to sustain a child's inner life with ideas as they sustain his body with food." Ideas children have are as important as the lessons found in books. Lessons are kept short and children learn by doing activities and by reciting what they have learned back to the teacher. There is no grading or competition in this type of homeschool. This method also focuses on humanities, unedited literature and a favorite of all children, free afternoons with no homework.
The Christian method is simply teaching children classically but with emphasis on teaching Christian moral values. This method is a favorite among parents that don't want to send their children to parochial schools but don't approve of public schools that appear to be anti-Christian.
The Montessori method builds on each previous lesson so that a student masters each aspect of their education before moving onto the next. This is also a form of child-led education. The three principles of a Montessori education are observation, individual liberty and preparation of the environment.
The Unit Studies method used in homeschools integrates all school subjects into one theme or topic. For example, if a child shows particular interest in butterflies then all aspects of schooling could be applied to this unit; math, science, English and history.
The Natural learning method is child-led learning. The child's interests determine which direction the learning will take. This doesn't mean that the child designs the curriculum; rather you can expand upon topics of special interest when teaching.
The Waldorf education method is gaining in popularity in homeschools. Its basic tenets are to balance academic subjects with artistic and practical activities. It also teaches that children should enjoy learning and there is no need for competitive testing and grading. Central to the teaching are classes, which are considered expendable by public schools. These include music, art, gardening and foreign languages. Children also learn practical activities such as knitting, toy making and sewing.
Families that are just starting their homeschools are going to have fun deciding which method best suits each individual child. Parents may choose one method for a child and a different method for a second child. Each child learns differently and that is the beauty of homeschooling children.
To stay abreast of the current trends, information and resources available for homeschool parents, teachers and students subscribe to Homeschool Success News.
If you need an online tutor, courseware or wish to offer your services as a paid online tutor contact our TutorBug website
Magic Learning Systems also provides excellent products to enhance the homeschool experience for teachers and students.
Are You A Good Candidate For Distance Learning?
If you have the self-determination and drive to listen well and study harder then you can learn in a live university or an online school. But some people seem better suited than others for distance learning programs. Researchers have found that one of the factors that contributes to an effective distance learner in addition to the ability to work hard is their personality type.
Their studies have discovered that people who have the ability to get their energy from inside sources are generally better candidates for online learning. It’s effective in distance learning because most of your learning time is spent working and studying alone. So if you have trouble with that you may have problems in getting an online degree.
If your personality type will allow you to learn and grow on your own then you are ready to consider distance learning to get a technical certificate or online degree. Your next steps are to consider your purpose for undertaking an online learning program.
Is it to benefit your career growth, are you thinking about changing careers, or do you simply want the fulfillment of your lifelong goal to get a college education. These are the most common goals of successful distance learning participants and if you share these goals then online learning may be right for you.
Okay, you know you have the personality type to learn online and you have goals that will help you to be motivated to succeed. Now what? You get all your paperwork ready so that you can determine whether you have to start from scratch or whether those two years of community college can be applied to your online degree program. Many programs will also give you up to 25f the total credits required for your online degree foe your work and life experience in a related field so update and refine your resume to reflect this experience.
Next you need to find a university or college that offers your program of study. There are hundreds of accredited online degree granting schools in the country, over 750 at last count, to choose from. Contact the school and find out their admissions policy and any regulations that you have to meet. Their response and their website should tell you a lot about how organized their programs are and whether you think it will match your online aspirations.
Then gather up all of the responses and compare them using your own criteria as a guide. Talk to friends and relations that you trust and then make a decision. You will soon find out if the online campus life is for you and hopefully it will be the right step to getting an online degree and creating a better life for yourself and your family.
Benefits Of An Online Degree
There are a number of benefits to entering a distance learning program to earn your online degree. You get to learn at your own speed in the comfort of your own home and you can work at your kitchen table or on your back porch if you have a long enough extension cord.
But you also get the opportunity to learn again, which for many of us is really a great gift. Some of us are stuck in low-paying jobs and careers that are stifling our creativity and intellect. Others simply want to experience the natural high that comes from pursuing a life-long interest.
With hundreds of schools, universities, and colleges offering accredited online degree programs that opportunity and those benefits are waiting to be picked like low-hanging fruit. Enroll in an online degree program and let distance learning help you harvest your share.
Even though most of your online learning is done in the solitude of your own home there are many resources available to assist you progress towards your online degree. A virtual and real army of teachers, advisors and counselors are waiting to help. Some institutions even provide you with your own academic advisor who will help you navigate through course outlines and curricula in order to select the study program that meets your needs.
One of the major benefits to getting an online degree is almost guaranteed pay raise. Your current employer should be given first chance to reward your efforts by giving you a new job or assignment or by adding to your pay envelope. But if that is not possible then the marketplace will reward you for your specialized training with further opportunities to increase your earning power.
But perhaps the biggest benefits of getting an online degree are actually the intangible ones. The pride and boost to your self-esteem that you will feel from finally graduating is worth any amount of money.
The respect and admiration of your family and friends is also priceless. Even people at work may start to treat you a little different as you become more knowledgeable in your work and you may find that you are sought out for advice and guidance.
To realize your dreams is really the purpose of life and the elation that you feel as a result of achieving yours will last and endure for a long, long time. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
A New Way To Learn: Online
There are many barriers to overcome in order to get a college education. They range from cost to motivation to accessibility. Many young people and their families simply cannot afford to pay the tens of thousands of dollars that is necessary in a regular degree program. Others live in remote areas of the country that make it impossible to attend college without major support and subsidies.
Distance learning allows them to overcome many of these challenges by connecting to the school of their choice through the Internet and enrolling in online degree granting programs in their field of choice. They can get a college education and still help out on the farm at home or they can work to support themselves during the day and take online classes at night.
These types of programs have transformed the higher education landscape almost overnight. Many millions of American kids will follow their college dreams right after high school, but they are now being joined in the academic world by military veterans, housewives, and thousands of other people who want a second chance at living out their dream.
Distance learning has democratized the higher education system in this country and it doesn’t matter now how much money your family has or what stage of life you choose to continue your education. An online degree from a reputable and accredited program is worth just as much as if you went to that school for four years right after high school.
If you could picture an online classroom you would see a wide range of ages and life experiences sitting at their home computer, engaged in the pursuit of an online degree. Their enthusiasm to learn is just as great as those who sit in a regular classroom or lecture hall at the university. But what may strike you the most is that these people who are studying for an online degree have a zeal for learning and a motivation to get ahead that any university professor would love to see in his much younger class. These people desperately want to get their college education and distance learning will help them get there.
Avoiding The Distractions In Distance Learning
In order to learn at home in a distance learning program we first must learn to avoid the distractions. They are the things that will keep us focused and motivated on learning and studying and if we don’t find a way to avoid or eliminate them we can find ourselves not accomplishing what we set out to do.
The first step to reducing distractions to our distance learning program is to identify them. They may include everything from our family and friends, although we certainly don’t want to eliminate them, to noise from both inside and outside our home. They may also include the constant intrusion of the telephone or our cell phone to the master distracter, the television.
Once we have identified the sources of our distractions we can then develop a plan to deal with them. Like most things that need to change we need to go first. Start by developing a study plan and a timetable of hours that you will devote to your distance learning program. Next determine which space in your home would be the best place to your studies and organize it so that it is comfortable, and hopefully separate from the rest of your household activities.
Then talk to your friends and family and advice them of your plan and timetable. Ask them for their cooperation during this period of time and to respect your need for time, space, and quiet to do your work. You may need to remind your kids that they need to keep their music a little lower from time to time and to tell your friends to drop over for coffee at another time, after your studies are complete.
The next step is to reduce the noise level so that you can concentrate on your studies. Find a quiet place in your home so that you are not disturbed by the regular noise of your kids playing, the neighbors mowing the lawn, or people having heated discussions or debates that sometimes grow loud with their arguments or laughter. Use headphones if you have to, but create that quiet space that will help you learn.
Finally, turn off the outside world. Shut off your e-mail program and turn off your personal digital assistance and pager. Unplug the telephone to avoid interruptions. Last but not least, turn off the television, the master distracter. You can tape the latest episode of your favorite television show and watch it later, but don’t try and do both. One will suffer and it almost always be your distance learning program.
Stay focused, stay motivated, reduce and eliminate distractions, and study hard. You will have your online college degree in less time than you think.
Bogus Online Degrees
There will always be con artists, people trying to make a buck on the shady side of the street. They prey on the unsuspecting and the ill-informed. Every year thousands of Americans are hoodwinked by direct mail scams that offer them great prizes and vacations. Some of these victims, many of them elderly or senior citizens invest their hard earned savings with unscrupulous crooks who fleece them of their money through promises of exorbitant returns. The bottom line in business is to know who you are dealing with and check them out if things they say or do raise concern.
Unfortunately these scammers have found the Internet to be a great and anonymous way to select new victims. One way they do this is by creating fake universities and colleges that grant bogus degrees.
A bogus online degree is one that will be worthless to you in the future and will not be accepted as proof of your credentials by any other institution or employer.
Some experts say that there are at least thirty “universities” offering bogus online degree programs and they are willing to sell you a degree, even if you never plan to attend classes. Be forewarned, a degree without the proper accreditation is only worth the piece of paper that it is written on and no one will give you any of the respect and rewards that you think you may deserve with a bogus degree.
The process of accreditation is supervised by a set of regional accreditation agencies across the United States. They examine all aspects of the online degree program to ensure that it meets or exceeds nationally established standards. They look at the curriculum, the instructors, the course material and the quality control processes that the institution has in place before they agree to accredit the program. This ensures that an online degree granted by one institution is as least as good as all of the rest and it protects students, the school and prospective employees from embarrassment or disappointment later.
There are over 750 online degree programs that are accredited and open to the public across the United States. Some are very small and highly specialized; others are the giants of the university world and offer online degree programs in every program that you can imagine.
If you are going to the trouble of getting your online college degree, make sure that you avoid the bogus scam artists. Look for the accreditation seal of approval so that you will reap the rewards of your studies.
The Truth About Our Physical Education History
Remember high school gym class? You played volleyball, ran a mile on the track, and ducked before being hit in the face during a vigorous game of dodge ball? Physical education has been part of the educational scene for nearly 200 years. It is vital that students participate in physical education to keep their mind and body in peak learning condition. Currently, the childhood obesity rate is dangerously climbing to epidemic levels. Therefore, the focus on physical education is more important then ever before.
The question is how should physical education be conducted? First, take a look at physical education history. Physical education has evolved over the years. Physical education is defined as “instruction in the development and care of the body ranging from simple calisthenics exercises to a course of study providing training in hygiene, gymnastics, and the performance and management of athletic games (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).” This definition is broad because you can learn several topics ranging from the rules of basketball to sex education. It depends on the school policies of your state educational system.
Physical education was officially recognized in the United States in the early 1800’s. Colleges and Universities began to offer physical education programs throughout the 1800’s. Finally, in 1866 California was the first to mandate physical education. Many states followed this mandate within the next 30 years. The importance of training the body as well as the mind became prevalent in the educational system.
The 20th century brought varying levels of physical education to each state. Presidents such as Eisenhower and Kennedy promoted physical education and fitness. Children took the Presidential Fitness test each year to assess their physical fitness level. This arose from the need for U.S. students to be as physical fit as their European counterparts.
Controversial issues have played an integral role in physical education history. For example, in 1972 Title IX banned sexual discrimination in schools regarding sports and academics. This allowed female athletes to actively participate in team sports other than cheerleading with the financial and emotional support of the school system.
Another controversial issue is sexual education. It has been the subject of intense debate for many decades. Each state has specific guidelines about what will be taught and whether students can opt out of the sexual education program. Some states allow students to watch a video of a child being born while other states only discuss abstinence.
The official employment of physical education programs has a 200 year history which has become home to controversial issues, social reform, and overall child well being. Physical education will continue to evolve as the needs of the student population changes, societal attitudes fluctuate, and the flow of educational funds towards physical education is maintained.
Students Worldwide Are Learning How To Excel In School From Home.
Now what many public school systems offer is overcrowded classrooms. Teachers are being grossly underpaid for their skills and overworked. Outdated learning material, metal detectors, violence, cuts in federal spending for education...
Remedial help is sorely needed for some students so they can keep up. If a child can't receive the education they deserve, how are they expected to prosper in society? Parents, students, and the public school systems already know that this is a huge problem, but who can they turn to for help?
More and more parents are turning to tutoring to supplement their children's education and to further their children's abilities to be successful in the future.
Tutoring is a $4 Billion business that is growing steadily. Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, supplemental educational services are funded by school districts with a portion of their allocation from the U.S. Department of Education.
The Federal Government allocates as much as $1800 per eligible student, but so far, less than 10 percent of eligible students are electing to participate, according to providers' estimates.
One of the toughest challenges is simply convincing parents that the service is free to them. Parents will often hang up when sales reps for tutoring firms call to explain the program.
They think it is a scam because "free" usually means too good to be true. And sometimes parents simply don't want to acknowledge that their child needs help. Parents have been known to ask "What's wrong with my child that he needs to be tutored?"
In spite of these challenges, online tutoring, or Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) is expected to grow at an unprecedented rate. IDL is where a student receives live, one-on-one tutoring in a virtual classroom setting or in large group sessions over a video conferencing system.
Students who have access to a computer at home or in school can log in to the system and have a live tutor help them day or night. Subjects like Math, English, Calculus, World History, Latin, French, Chemistry, Physics and many others can be taught to them by certified tutors/teachers.
And there are online tutoring systems that even supply their own courseware library, featuring some of the finest programmed learning courses in computer sciences, management and academic subjects.
Children who receive one-on-one remedial tutoring have been known to have increased self-esteem and self confidence, increased focus and lengthened attention span.
My advice to parents everywhere is to find an online tutoring system that focuses on academic remedial courses for ages K-12, as well as for college students.
Why not give your child the best chance at passing each class with the help he or she needs? There's federal money allocated for the parents to provide online remedial help for their children. Also, parents are able to schedule tutoring sessions to fit into their time schedule.