Are Obama Grants Encouraging More Moms to Get a Degree

Despite the fact that higher education is important, there are often a number of obstacles that can hinder potential students from enrolling in college. Family obligations and financial concerns are often at the top of this list, especially when it affects single mothers. Obama grants, which are meant to encourage mothers to return to college to earn a degree, attempt to ease some of the concerns associated with going to college. The purpose of federal grants, in many cases, is to help disadvantaged groups to attend college. One endowment often given to low-income students is the federal Pell grant. Since the Obama administration has stated that it places a high priority on education, the benefits of Pell grants have been augmented in order to be a greater help to potential students. A title given to a portion of the standard Pell grant program is the Scholarships for Moms program. Working moms are especially encouraged to apply for this. Equipping low-income mothers to earn a degree will provide a stimulus to the lagging economy, the administration believes, and also be a great benefit to the families of those mothers, as a result of which will be an increase in their earning power in the work force. $5,000 from a Pell grant may not seem like a lot of money, when you look at the high cost of education these days, but it should help defray the other expenses associated with going to college. As well as books and supplies, a student has to pay for housing and travel expenses as well. For single moms, these miscellaneous expenses may also include childcare. One of the great advantages of the Pell grant award is that the money awarded does not necessarily have to be applied to college tuition. Any expense that can be seen to be necessary to obtaining an education, can be covered by the grant money. It must be remembered that this program is not specifically catering to traditional students; it provides opportunity for traditional and non-traditional students alike. Mothers who want to return to college to earn a degree are just as welcome as a student who is fresh out of high school. Consideration is given equally to potential students who would prefer to go to a small community college as well as mothers who would like to stay home and take care of their children while taking online courses. The most important thing is that all willing students are able to earn a degree that will provide them with significant opportunity in the job market. Obama grants are purely an effort by the current administration to show that education truly is the key to a bright future. Everyone from young adults to working mothers has a chance to go to college, by the allocation of a significant amount of money to pay for education.

The Role Of The Paralegal Or Legal Assistant In The Criminal Justice Field By Kenneth Echie

Paralegal or Legal Assistant is an exciting profession in the Criminal Justice field. It is hard to imagine a law office without a paralegal. They can be described as the right hand of the lawyer. In this article I examine the role of the paralegal or legal assistant in the criminal justice field.

The legal assistant as the name suggests is there to assist the lawyer. It is vitally important to know that the paralegal cannot give legal advice or act as a lawyer. What the paralegal does must be under the supervision of a lawyer. The paralegal can do the following under the watchful eye of a lawyer:

1. The paralegal can conduct client interviews. They must identify themselves as paralegals to the client before starting the interview. In this instance, the legal assistant helps the lawyer ascertain the facts of a case by talking to the client. This saves the lawyer valuable time. The lawyer can use that time to work on strategies for the case.

2. The legal assistant can locate and interview witnesses. If you watched the movie Erin Brockovich, you saw Julia Roberts play the role of a paralegal that locates and interviews clients. In one of the scenes, she clearly states that she is not a lawyer. This underlines the point above that paralegals cannot give legal advice. It also underlines the point that they identify themselves as such.

3. Legal assistants can research and prepare legal documents. Paralegals do acquire the training and experience necessary to prepare legal documents. All the lawyer has to do is double check the work to make sure it meets the legal requirements that such document requires. Again, I don’t have to tell what a valuable timesaver this is to a lawyer.

4. The paralegal can attend court trials. In this case, they help the lawyer with the case files. This way the lawyer is not fumbling in court looking for files or evidence. The paralegal is there to keep him or her organized.

I can write more volume on the role of the legal assistant or paralegal in the criminal justice field, but you get the point. It is indeed an exciting profession. Think of all the intriguing things that can be involved in a legal case. As a paralegal, you can be in the middle of it all.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are live links.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=172752&ca=Education

Homeschooling With A Packaged Curriculum By Cynthia Brandolini

Once the decision is made to homeschool, the next major issue is which curriculum or methodology to use. While there are pros and cons for every option, this article will focus on homeschooling with a packaged curriculum.

A packaged curriculum will usually include all the books, lesson plans, and scope and sequence planning needed for an entire school year. Some providers also include additional services for enrolled families. These services can include counseling, grading, report cards, and even diplomas. While this path is often more expensive, there is the advantage of having everything already planned out in advance. This alone is a great time saver, which becomes more of an issue when there are several children being homeschooled in one family.

Another point to consider is accreditation. When a program is accredited, it means that it has been reviewed by an outside agency or committee and has been determined to meet certain standards. Why would this be important? This will help greatly when time comes to apply to college. If the student has a high school diploma from an accredited high school, there should be much less difficulty proving to admissions offices that a high school education has indeed been completed. Also, credits may be more easily transferred to another school if necessary.

When we first decided to educate our children at home, I was faced with researching and planning what to cover in a school year for four children - grades 6, 4, 2, and preschool - with about a month to have it complete. The packaged curriculum I chose from Seton Home Study School proved to be invaluable. As I was brand new at this, I honestly did not know where to start. The more I read about the various educational methodologies and the limitless choices of textbooks, the more I realized it would make more sense to enlist the help of a company with many years of experience.

By using a prepared curriculum, I can be assured that each child is covering all the most important topics and acquiring the necessary skills. The lesson plans do just that - plan out each lesson for us, including many suggestions for additional activities and enrichment. They also include many recommended resources, especially pertinent websites for further study.

One of the chief complaints about packaged curricula is that they are not very flexible, and tend to be quite rigid regarding what to do when. Our experience thus far has not been so. The program we use emphasizes that parents should adjust the program to fit the child, not the child to fit the program. In reality, nothing is actually 'required.' We can use or skip any suggestions we choose. The only true requirements exist only if you want an actual report card or diploma. Certain assignments must be completed and submitted in order to verify completion of the material. I find that keeping a portfolio of work that has been graded by an outside party is a good 'insurance policy' against the regulations imposed by our state.

While I readily admit that not everyone will work well with a packaged curriculum, this option does provide many advantages. For anyone who is just starting out and has little or no experience working out a plan of study, a prepared curriculum provides a solid beginning and helps the parent learn more too. Many families will start with a complete packaged curriculum, and then as time goes by, they start making modifications and adjustments as they gain experience and confidence. As can be seen, the many packaged curricula available today can prove to be a very useful tool for many home schooling families.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173392&ca=Education

Internet Home Schooling - A Reality By Nic Haffner

Is Internet Home Schooling for Everyone actually? Almost everything is available on the Internet - you name it and it's there; Internet home schooling is no exception. However, is Internet home schooling for everyone?

Online Home Schooling

As a matter of fact this is a task that brings great responsibility upon the parent and child alike; Internet home schooling can be done from home, not requiring physical presence of the child in a school or any other institution. Below are listed a few things one will need to consider when choosing Internet home schooling:

* The parents need to supervise the child even if they don't have to teach the subjects.

* The child is basically following his or her own schedule so parents need to step in and draw some studying hours which need to be followed everyday.

* The responsibility of finishing a task or home work needs to be verified by the parents.

* The Parents need to dedicate much more time to the child and his/her activities, as they are not having any social life or interaction with children that they would have normally have in school.

Home schooling can really be tough, as the pressure is directly on the parents as far as the child's education; however, Internet home schooling is a better choice if you don't think you will do justice in providing quality teachings to your child.

What are the Benefits of Internet Home Schooling?

Below are some benefits of Internet home schooling over parent home schooling:

* The child will be exposed to actual teachers with academic background and experience in teaching over the internet

* The child interacts with other children at his or her own age and will be able to create a social life besides the one available in the home

* The Parents can get help with the child's home schooling from teachers and other parents in similar situations

* Internet or online home schooling has a number of activities that will help you and your child cope with home schooling and achieve the best results

Home schooling is a great responsibility and while some have done a great job and have children who are grateful for the decision, others can make huge mistakes that will reflect on the child later in his/her life.

You should make such decisions carefully and only after considering all risks and available options. It goes without saying that all parents want what is best for their children but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. Sometimes doing everything yourself in order to do it right is not the right choice for you or your family and sometimes that is the only choice. No one else but the parents can make that decision. Whether we prefer studying on the web or not, we must find a home schooling program that is right for us.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=111400&ca=Education

What Does Homeschooling Mean To Me? By Cynthia Brandolini

What does homeschooling mean to me? It has become such an integral part of who we are as a family, that it would be difficult to analyze it separately. It truly has become our way of life.

Homeschooling means I spend more time with my children - all of them, not just the little ones. My older kids attended a 'regular' school for several years before we started homeschooling, and I always felt out of touch with what was going on in their lives. We were growing apart, both figuratively and literally. Why has society accepted that parents should want to be with the babies and toddlers, but once the kids reach school age, we're supposed to prefer to not have them around? I didn't have children in order to send them off to spend their day with some other adult. I didn't feel that way when they were born, and I don't feel that way today. I deeply enjoy each and every one of my children, and I love having them with me every day.

Homeschooling means we are free to discuss our faith openly, and apply it to all areas of life and study. God is not relegated to only Sunday school, or even only Religion class. History is full of faith-filled people whose actions and ideas were directly related to their faith, including the founding fathers of our country. I really don't see how one could teach about how America began without mentioning God. Science is in reality a study of God's creation. How can one look at such an amazing world and not appreciate the Source of all? Writing and reading can include faith-related topics. When dealing with discipline issues, God and His teachings can be included in the discussions. It would seem unnatural for a person of any faith to spend their entire day forbidden to mention their God.

Homeschooling means I have an incredibly open and close relationship with my two teenagers. They will talk to me about anything, and are not embarassed to be seen with me or our whole family. We laugh together, and actually enjoy each other's company. My sixteen-year-old daughter and fourteen-year-old son have become great friends to each other. They have not been made to feel that parents are irrelevant, or the enemy. More time together means we know each other much better.

Homeschooling means I know, and select, which books my children read and learn from. I am also aware of, and guide, the topics of discussion. I don't have to wonder what 'life lessons' they are picking up at recess, on the school bus, or even in class. I choose when they learn certain things, when they are ready (and it has been at a different age for each of them). I plan and direct their education, a level of involvement which is very important to me.

Homeschooling means my children can progress through their studies at their own pace. When they learn something quickly, they can just move on. When they need more time with something, we can slow down to make sure they master it. And I know right away when they need more help. Problems are not hidden until they become major issues; we can take care of them right away. I know and love my children better than anyone else, so their success is paramount.

Homeschooling means my older kids get to see the younger ones grow and develop. They were just as amazed to hear the youngest laugh for the first time as I was. Everyone is learning more about child care, and patience, and putting the needs of others ahead of their own. These are life skills that are important for anyone.

Homeschooling means a more relaxed daily schedule - OUR schedule - which results in less stress. Our day is flexible; we can schedule appointments at less busy times. We don't have to get up before dawn to catch a bus at 6:50 am. I really don't think anyone should have to be out of bed while it is still dark out. :)

Homeschooling means more free time to pursue other activities. We can finish a day's work in less time since we don't have to continually organize a classroom of 20 or 30 students, or spend time walking up and down long hallways.

Homeschooling means we can visit DisneyWorld during the off-peak times, instead of fighting crowds of people stuck to school vacation schedules.

Homeschooling means, on the other hand, living in a house that is never quite all clean. Having six children home all day, every day, creates more mess (especially in the kitchen), and makes it more difficult to keep up with the cleaning, laundry, etc. It doesn't bother me as much as it did at first, because I had to set priorities. The education and growth of my children come first. They do help with chores, but not at the expense of schoolwork. Every couple of days, when I reach my limit, everyone takes a break and cleans up. But until they all move out, there will still be some mess.

Homeschooling means I can slow down and live in the present moment when necessary. I have grown to really appreciate the time I have with my younger children, taking a few minutes at any time to watch them take such joy in each new skill they learn. I definitely feel less rushed since we started homeschooling, and I am able to be there for each small, yet monumental moment in the life of a child.

Homeschooling means, in short, more time and opportunity to fully live out my vocation of motherhood.

[Please don't misconstrue my words to imply that these things are not possible for anyone who does not homeschool. This has been a discussion of what homeschooling means to ME. Every family is unique; every family has their own path to follow in finding what is best for them.]

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173396&ca=Education

San Antonio Schools Address Nutrition Problem By Patricia Hawke

Every day children show up to school tired and hungry. I’m not talking about homeless or abused children. But kids from loving homes near the San Antonio Schools whose parents don’t understand the impact of nutrition and a good night’s sleep on a student’s ability to focus and learn. Good nutrition is a necessity of life. A healthy diet enables the body to work more efficiently, improves mental health, and makes learning possible. A person who does not eat well tends to be more sedentary, depressed, and uninterested in learning. San Antonio Schools are not only providing their students with good, healthy meals, but also offer various opportunities and tips for students and parents to learn more about healthy eating.

Thousands of students enrolled in San Antonio Schools depend on free breakfast and lunch at school as their main source of nutrition. In the summer months, San Antonio Schools students can continue to enjoy these meals at no charge. As part of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s “Seamless Summer Nutrition Program”, San Antonio Schools campuses that are hosting summer school programs will offer anyone 18 years old and younger one breakfast and one lunch through Aug. 9, free of charge, regardless of ability to pay.

The “Seamless Summer Nutrition Program” is required by law in San Antonio Schools where large numbers of students receive free meals during the school year, such as those who attend San Antonio Schools. Participants are eligible regardless of whether they are enrolled in a summer program and no application is required.

How many children would have better focus if they ate a healthy breakfast, and stopped living on a sugar high? The mission of the San Antonio Schools Food and Child Nutrition Services is to enhance the learning and health of children by nourishing their bodies and minds through healthy, nutritious meals that meet or exceed the Federal requirements set forth by the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. It’s about time that districts recognize that holistic health impacts learning.

The San Antonio Schools nutrition department partners with the USDA in offering these tips for healthy eating:

1. Make half your grains whole
2. Vary your veggies
3. Focus on fruits
4. Get your calcium-rich foods
5. Go lean with protein
6. Change your oil
7. Don’t sugarcoat it

Tips offered for San Antonio Schools students who want to get active:

1 Set a good example: Be active and get your family to join you.

2 Take the President’s Challenge: As a family, track your activities at
http://www.presidentschallenge.org.

3 Establish a routine: Adults need at least 30 minutes of activity most days of the week; and children should exercise 60 minutes everyday or most days.

4 Have an activity party, such as skating or bowling.

5 Set up a home gym; use canned foods for weights and the steps as a stairmaster.

6 Move it! Instead of sitting through TV commercials, get up and move.

7 Give activity gifts

San Antonio Schools are working hard to give their students good nutrition when they are on campus and good education about nutrition, healthy eating habits and exercise tips for when they are off campus. Go San Antonio!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173103&ca=Education

Selecting An Online University By Manu Goel

Considering an online degree? If you are planning to pursue an online degree, selection of a university for the program is an important task. You must choose an educational institution after considering all factors that may affect or concerned to you. The following factors you should consider while selecting a university or a college for an online program.

The university or the college and the program should be accredited: There are many institutions that are providing online courses without being accredited. You should be aware of the fact that there are many fraud institutes also. The program you want to pursue should also be an accredited one. Else, your time and money will go on waste.

You should know that the accreditation process guarantees that the educational institution has been reviewed in terms of its academics, recruiting, admissions, faculty, and more. It indicates us that the institution will provide quality education and continuously work to improve its overall effectiveness and student outcomes.

Consider the tuition fee: Before taking admission into an online course, check the tuition fee. Compare the fees with that of two-three other institutes and see which one is less. At the same time you should also see the facilities the university will provide to the online students. The institution should have the required infrastructure for the course.

The University should have qualified instructors: There are many universities that do not have qualified and efficient teachers. You should check that before taking admission into the college or the university. Also, the teachers should be trained for teaching online students. You may face difficulties and you may not get all the knowledge about the course if there are no efficient instructors.

Check whether the university is 100 per cent online or you have to attend some classes in its premises: If you are not able to attend the classes in the university premises, you should not go for that course, that will be wastage of time and money and you will not be able to complete the distant education successfully.

Some universities facilitate financing even for online students: If you want that you need finance, then choose a university which help in financing for the program. See other option for funding for the course.

Check the duration of the course: Some online colleges and universities are not sincere and they may not have proper schedule for the program. The course may get delayed for completion.

Besides, you must see the program you are intending to pursue from the selected university is serving your purpose at the end. Pursuing an online program successfully will demand from you, your patience, self-discipline and self-motivation, as pursuing an online program is different from the direct education in a college or a university. You do not have a classroom and fellow classmates. You have to depend on the internet and the study materials the institute will provide to you. You must take the online education as a challenge to become successful.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173138&ca=Education

Homeschool Your Child To Vedic Math - The Worlds Fastest Mental Math System By Gaurav Tekriwal

Some questions to ponder:

- How could the Aryan civilization, near the Hunza Valley, 5,000 years ago, mentally compute mathematical operations that today only a calculator could achieve?

- And if the Math could not be done mentally, how could they do everything we know today, IN ONE-LINE? eg: converting the fraction 1/19 into a decimal is an 18 digit answer that requires 35 lines of exhausting long division, how could they do it in a one simple line solution?

- Why is NASA using this MENTAL ONE-LINE SYSTEM OF ARITHMETIC in the field of Advanced Artificial Intelligence? Why is INTEL using it in chip designing?

- How can your child become a Human Bio-Calculator?

- Is the current Western Math Curriculum keeping our Children in a state of limited intelligence?

You are home schooling your 14 year old teen in Math. You feel you can instill better values, character and education to your children. You want to give the Best to your child. You want to provide quality which is unattainable in schools. Imagine how your child would feel when he immediately realizes that you are teaching him powerful ways to do Math Calculations without any extra burden on the both of you. Infact he would now want you to take the Math Classes more often so that he gets a hang on to these new systems.

This system of teaching Math can complement your family’s strong learning system and can instill the values you want to develop in your child. It requires just knowledge of multiplication tables up to 9 to start learning it and it is easy to learn, Master and teach your child without being overwhelmed. Infact once you spend 2 minutes with your child on teaching him how to do this sum (shown here) he can at once teach 5 more of his friends to do it. It’s that simple!
Here’s a quick example of one of the Technique:

65 x 65 = ?

It is quite simple since both digits start from 6, so you take 6 and multiply with the next number 7 which gives you= 42 , the first part of the answer and take 5 and multiply by the next units 5 which gives you 25,so the final answer is 4225. Try 85 x 85 now. Answer 7225. Try 95 x 95 – Answer 9025 in the similar way.

Now how long did that take? This method can also be said to be the fastest in the world in mental math.

This system has the prowess to speed up Math Calculations by up to 1500% and supposedly seemingly difficult calculations like 998 x 997 can be solved in less than five seconds flat. With this system you can home school your child into becoming a Human Bio Calculator in a matter of a week’s time.

The answers to the question posed by this article in the beginning are found by understanding the ancient Indian system of High Speed Vedic (Sanskrit for Knowledge) Mathematics. It was rediscovered by Tirthaji (1884-1960) who was dux of India in Math and Sanskrit Philosopher who wrote and spoke perfect English. He reached the position of a Respected Pope in India, toured the United States in 1958 giving math lectures in Stanford, Caltech and even MIT and discovered the math knowledge which can solve every known math problem mentally and faster. He called his book and the subject ‘Vedic Mathematics’ after the Indian Scriptures called Vedas which mean knowledge. It is absolutely mathematical, scientific and global in nature and has nothing to do with any religion. Which means any person of any religion, country, ethnicity, color or race can use it and apply it and enjoy its tremendous benefits all across the world. No wonder it is being used by students from around the Globe of every race and origin to making their math calculations easier and is increasingly getting popular. Even NASA, INTEL and Microsoft are using it for the high end applications of Vedic Math.

A Look at this High Speed Vedic Mental Math tutorials and slide shows confirms the fact that it is indeed a miracle waiting to happen to your child.

Any teenager can learn Vedic Mathematics and enhance his numerical abilities. It helps the students not only in traditional academics, but it also enhances the IQ by enhancing the analytical skills and thought processes. This happens because the system is very coherent and intuitive and uses both sides of the brain thereby giving the student the winning edge. It is very satisfying to see young children’s eyes brighten when they see and learn the High Speed Vedic system and techniques.

Thomas, a 16 year old was able to apply these techniques with ease and without confusion when he learnt the Vertically and Crosswise Formula of multiplying two and three digit numbers Mentally and in One Line. He was able to solve correctly over 75 problems in less than 10 minutes which normally takes from 45-90 minutes to solve. This is simply incredible.

So how do you get started and homeschool your child into this system in a week’s time?

First your child should be over 14 years of age and should know multiplication tables upto 9. That is the only criteria to learn this system.

Try going through the High Speed Vedic Mental Math tutorials and see if your child enjoys the new methods. Show them the slide shows. You would have live results for your self whether or not to choose this as an alternative means to learn Math.

Squares of Numbers ending in 5

Multiplying numbers by 11-19 in less than five seconds

Instant Subtractions

Speed Division by 9.

See if he shows an interest. It shouldn’t overwhelm or burden him in any way. It should be as natural as possible.

Ask Questions to us. Go through the FAQ on our website below. Clarify your doubts you would have before deciding to introduce your child to it.

If you feel satisfied and your child is showing interest order a book or a DVD Set of over 10 hours on this phenomenal system which would suit your child best. I am sure if you could do these methods and are wondering why you didn’t learn them as a child-remember you could relive your childhood by introducing them to your child now. You could be igniting such a spark in your child now that he could be using this system for all his life and even introducing them to the next generation.

Give your child the best of education unattainable in schools.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=172500&ca=Education

What Is Homeschooling All About, Anyway? By Cynthia Brandolini

The term 'homeschooling' refers to choosing to educate one's children at home, rather than in a public or private school. Usually one or both parents act as 'teacher,' though not in the same way as a classroom teacher. Yes, it is entirely legal in all fifty states. In fact, it would be illegal or even unconstitutional to deny parents the right to choose where, how, and what their children are taught.

Home schooling provides a personal, individualized educational experience for the child. Children learn faster, and more, when they receive the one-on-one interaction of a parent or tutor. Parents care more about the individual success of each child because it is THEIR child - no one loves your child more than you do.

Anyone who homeschools will tell you that the experience builds a closer relationship among all the members of the family. There are very few problems with teenagers and parents getting along, and each child learns to contribute to the family as a whole. They are learning to interact with people of all ages, as the real world operates, rather than being forced into an unnatural grouping where everyone is the same age.

There are as many different ways to homeschool as there are families who homeschool. Each family will develop their own system, routine, rhythm - whatever works best for them. This doesn't mean you have to know everything before starting. Most families will research many different theories, curricula, etc., and then try out whatever appeals to them. If something doesn't quite work for them, they try something else. There are no hard and fast rules.

This highlights one of the main advantages to homeschooling - namely, that the methods used are chosen to best fit the child's needs and learning style. When a particular topic is too easy, you can just move on. When a child needs to spend more time learning a skill, you can take whatever time is needed. In a traditional classroom, the teacher needs to keep everyone doing the same thing at the same time, which either bores those who have mastered the skill, or leaves behind those who need extra attention. This child-centered, individual-paced feature of homeschooling is a major attraction for many.

There are no special skills or training required for homeschooling. You are teachers simply because you are parents. Requirements for homeschoolers vary from state to state, but I don't know of a state that requires any certification or special degrees for homeschooling parents. Besides, most education courses of study apply to traditional classrooms and managing 20 or 30 students at a time. They really don't focus on one-on-one teaching. There are plenty of resources available to help parents who don't have any experience at homeschooling. For example, the curriculum we have been using (now in our sixth year) provides me with a daily lesson plan which spells out everything to do to learn the topic. They also have counselors available to answer any questions we may have. It would be very difficult to fail with so much help and support.

Of course, a packaged curriculum is not for everyone. But even those who create their own plan of study will be able to find books, websites, support groups, and more to assist them. No one needs to 're-invent the wheel' when starting out with homeschooling.

Wherever you may be in this journey, I wish you the best. In the end, you need to discover the path that works best for YOU - so don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173394&ca=Education

What Is Continuing Education? By Manu Goel

Continuing education in general is quite similar to adult education since it is also intended for adult learners, especially those adults who are beyond traditional undergraduate college or university age. However, it is wrong to club continuing education with other educational programs such as vocational training. As its name suggests, it is a continuation of education. The student of continuing education already has an education prior to taking up continuing education.

Continuing education in the simplest term is a form of post-secondary learning activities and programs. Some of the programs under continuing education may include non-degree career training, degree credit courses by non-traditional students, formal personal enrichment courses, workforce training, experiential learning, and self-directed learning which is done through online interest clubs and groups or personal research activities.

Many universities and colleges in the US cater to continuing education programs. Often there is either a division or a school of continuing education, which is also at times given names such as university extension or extension school. Continuing education involves both credit-granting courses as well as non-credit-granting courses. Such non-credit-granting courses are often taken for personal, non-vocational enrichment. There are many community colleges in the US that cater to such programs.

It is not only students who need continuing education, but also professionals who need it to update their knowledge and skill set. In fact, it is a compulsory for people practicing certain professions. Licensing authorities in a number of fields make continuing education compulsory on members who hold licenses to practice within a particular profession. The licenses to practice their profession are issued for a fixed term and are to be renewed after the expiry of this term. If they fail to update themselves through continuing education, their licenses are not renewed. This is done to encourage professionals to expand their knowledge base and keep pace with new developments. This may be achieved through college or university coursework, extension courses or conferences and seminars attendance.

The method and format of delivering continuing education includes conventional classroom lectures as well as distance learning. Students who enroll for continuing education in a college or university often opt for classroom and laboratory classes. However, much weight is given to distance learning as maximum of those who opt for continuing education are working people who have little or no time to attend classroom lectures.

In such distance learning, education is imparted through CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming. Education online is also one area that has seen fast development in recent years. Material for study is delivered over the Internet. In fact online degrees are pursued by many students and professional who finds them very convenient. Students can earn some extra pocket money working part time and professional can pursue an online degree that will help them in career growth.

Other than CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming, continuing education is also delivered through independent study and use of conference-type group study. Again the Internet plays a big role here. These groups with similar interests meet together online and discuss and exchanges ideas and knowledge. These online communities are very effective in sharing knowledge and new findings.

Another way of facilitating continuing education is through seminars and workshops. A combination of traditional or conventional, distance, and conference-type study, or two of these three types, may be used for a particular continuing education course or program.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173136&ca=Education

Advantages Of Online Education By Manu Goel

Considering an online degree to improve your career and your living style? Online education is definitely a good option. Besides, there are so many advantages with which you can be benefited with if you pursue a distance learning course. Some of the benefits of online education are discussed below.

Low cost:

Online studies cost less than any college direct programs. Universities and college charge very less tuition fee for any online course compared to the direct program. You also do not have to live in college hostel or any other place away from your home. You can stay at your home with your family and pursue the online course. What you require is a computer and an internet connection. You do not have to spend a huge amount in living out of your home and family.

A flexible time schedule:

You will be the master of your own schedule. Time is not a constraint in an online course. You can attend lectures, complete assignments and take exams at your own time. You have to make your schedule as per your suitability. In case of a direct school program, you cannot schedule your own timetable. You have to go with the college timetable. So you are the driver of your own schedule of programs.

Effective learning:

Online learning is more effective due to technological involvement. You will get study materials easily through the internet. You do no have to work hard in taking notes of every lecture as in case of a direct college program. Universities and colleges offering online programs are facilitating transcripts, live discussions and training materials which can be retrieved via mail, e-mail or the school’s website for reading, downloading and printing. Instructors are also available at Students’ convenient times and respond to queries quickly through e-mail.

Convenient education:

Online education is student-centered learning. You can prioritize the things you want to learn as per your convenience. Also, it will be your choice that which distance educational methodology – audio, visual or oral components, you want to use. You will dictate your own terms and make the learning enjoyable.

Performance matters most:

In online education degree programs, there is fair playing field. Here there is no teacher-student direct interaction and the decision-making will not be based on the candidates’ gender, physical appearance, ethnicity or gender. So your performance matters most in online study.

Despite all these advantages in online education, you may face some disadvantages also. Online courses are not accepted by some employers as they think it not so effective like other direct courses. You may not be able to motivate yourself in online learning, as you yourself have to drive your own decision and motivation.

All courses are not available online. Besides, online learning requires a complete dedication and patience from the students. So you have to decide whether an online course will help you or you will not be successful in a distance-learning program. There are so many universities and colleges offering online programs all across the United States.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173137&ca=Education

How To Make Your Teaching Lessons Interesting? By Sky Joe

Being a teacher can be a very challenging and enriching career for a lot of people. The task and responsibility of a teacher is to enrich the knowledge of the young, preparing the students for their future endeavors. In the midst of doing all these, the teacher is actually shaping the future of the whole nation. If you have chosen to become one of them, you should be proud of yourself.

However, being a teacher who is able to conduct effective lessons is not an easy task to achieve. This is mainly because it’s very difficult to capture the full attention of the students throughout the whole day. For a typical student, the time to concentrate fully can only last up to two hours. This means that schools are spending more efforts to employ teachers who can engage their students in interesting lessons.

One of the basics for teaching is to conduct lessons that interest your students. Bored students won't remember much of the lesson. Refrain from giving long lectures that will only encourage your students to wander to slumberland. Instead, keep students involved and interacting with them in English. Some students may prefer to listen quietly as they are shy to make any comments. If this kind interaction makes your students nervous, provide plenty of support by giving clear and very specific directions. In addition, make your lessons livelier by adding games or using real-life objects such as a telephone, cook book, or musical instrument. You can also bring your students out of the classroom for a educational tour. This will greatly increase their attention lifespan and assist to absorb the knowledge easily.

Another effective way to attract their attention is to provide some rewards during the lessons. Studies have shown that students will be able to learn better when they perceive a personal reward. To boost internal motivation, remind them of the benefits that English can provide, such as English-speaking friends, better job opportunities, easier shopping, or less stress at the doctor's office, and then teach language that will bring them closer to those benefits. External motivation can be achieved by praise and encouragement as well as tangible rewards like prizes or certificates. These rewards have been proven to be very effective in encouraging the students to put in extra efforts in their daily learning.

Learners will remember material better and take more interest in it if it has applicable contextual meaning. This means that good teachers should be able to relate the teaching materials to daily usage or practical examples. By providing appropriate applications, students will be able to remember them better and longer. Arbitrary rote learning (word lists or grammar drills) may be useful in solidifying language forms, but unless there's a real-world application, sooner or later it's likely to be forgotten.

Experienced teachers usually motivate their students to build up their self-confidence. In other words, teachers should allow them to use their own ability to complete a task. If they lack self-confidence, they tend not to take risks, and risk-taking is necessary in language learning. By trying out new or less familiar language, they may find that they are indeed capable of more communication than they thought. On your part, you can encourage them to interact more by reducing feelings of embarrassment when mistakes are made, and give far more compliments than criticisms. You can also instruct them to perform tasks that are easily achieved so that everyone is guaranteed success. This will help to develop their confidence gradually and increase their learning abilities.

For more information on the different ways of teaching English, teaching opportunities available or getting a teaching degree, please visit the following website: http://teaching.mygeneralknowledge.com/

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=94986&ca=Education

Portland Schools Exceed Budget By $ 1.7 Million By Patricia Hawke

Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, Mary Jo O’Connor announced that the Portland Schools have exceeded their $81.7 budget by about 2%. This is despite $500,000 in cuts made in May of 2006. O’Connor explained that the increased spending was due to factors beyond the control of Portland Schools officials.

Unavoidable Increases for Portland Schools

O’Connor stated that the deficit was “regrettable but unavoidable”. Federal and state education mandates, increased utility costs, and collective bargaining agreements were cited as causes of the huge deficit. Portland Schools has seen significant increases in energy costs and health insurance costs since the budget was first approved. Portland Schools say that all looked good with the budget until the end of May 2007, when forecasts projected the year-end deficit. What happened?

In the fall of 2006 the Portland Schools approved the hiring of over 7 new Special Education positions to fulfill state and federal mandates. Also, in November the Portland Schools Committee approved a collective bargaining contract at 3%, rather than the projected 2.5%. The figures show that Portland Schools spent an additional $625,000 meeting the Special Education requirements. That number includes transportation services and out-of-district fees. The collective bargaining increases added an extra $675,000 to the Portland Schools budget. Electricity increases, higher than expected bus maintenance, and increased health insurances costs added up to $625,000. Finally, the cost of purchasing software to comply with updated standards from the Maine Department of Education added $80,000 to the Portland Schools budget. Balanced with under spent funds the district ended up overspending about $1.7 million.

Mandates Cause Deficit for Portland Schools

The Portland Schools have been challenged to use existing funds to meet No Child Left Behind mandates along with district and state polices. When the Portland Schools committee initially voted to reduce the budget by $500,000 in April of 2006, there was expected debate over where to make the cuts. Reductions resulted the following areas: professional services $30,000; transportation and travel expenses $85,000; books and supplies $165,000; oil and natural gas conservation measures $65,000; audiovisual and computer supplies $65,000; and deferred capital equipment purchases $60,000.

Despite the publicity over the exceeded budget, the Portland Schools have seen many positive outcomes result from changes over the last few years. The Maine Initiative requiring all students to take the SATs in their junior years raised the bar for graduation requirements. And the Maine program that provides Apple laptop computers to middle school students has been widely successful. Still, the Portland Schools will face increased pressure to insure that the budget numbers are aligned for the coming school year. According to the Superintendent, “It is now our task, on behalf of our students, parents and taxpayers to balance the realities of limited financial resources with the goal of providing quality education….”

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=171598&ca=Education

How Hard Is It To Learn Spanish? By Anthony Dwyer

One of the things that turns a lot of people off learning a new language is worrying about how difficult it is going to be. And, depending on the language, this can be an issue. Not all languages are created equal. Fortunately for you, learning Spanish is not rocket science. Yes, it will take effort and commitment, but, for an English speaker, Spanish is one of the easier languages to learn.

For starters, if you haven't already realised, English and Spanish use the same alphabet. This is due to the Roman invasion of most of Europe. So, from day 1, you'll be able to read Spanish easily. While there are a couple of minor differences, it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes to learn all these. Compare this to learning a language like Chinese, with tens of thousands of different characters!

Secondly, a lot of words are similar looking or sounding. You'd be surprised to know how many words are very similar and this makes learning a Spanish even easier. Imagine being able to start learning a language already having a vocabulary of a few hundred words. Due to Hispanic influence on Western culture, you may come to realise that English speakers are already using some Spanish words in conversation. Just another reason to breathe a sigh of relief.

Thirdly, Spanish is quite easy to pronounce. There are some sounds they have that English speakers don't, like the rolling r, but as a whole, Spanish is pretty phonetic. You would be surprised at how well you can already enunciate your words.

Another reason why Spanish is so easy to learn is the fact that there are so many opportunities for you to use it. With Spanish speakers approaching 30% in the USA, I'm sure you know some people who speak the language you are trying to learn. This means more people to practice with and as you know, practice makes perfect.

Ok, that's about it. If you're still worried about the difficulties involved with speaking Spanish, definitely get yourself over to my site where I can take you through the motions without the usual pains. Check the author bio for more details.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=111902&ca=Education

The Importance Of A Proper Accent In English... Or In Any Language By Frank Gerace

How to Improve Your Accent

Are you tired of people asking you to repeat because they don't understand you? Your friends say, 'Just do this!' and they expect you to make the sound! Would you like to learn once and for all what to do with your lips, tongue and mouth to make the sounds of English?

Do you feel that everything sounds the same? You know you are pronouncing the words wrong; you know that you are pausing too much; you know that when you talk, it doesn't sound like English, but you don't know what to do.

Wouldn't you like to learn once and for all what are the most common errors that people make when they learn English so you could concentrate on those errors.

First of all, you have to realize that an accent is made up of three parts: intonation, liaisons, and pronunciation.

You have to learn the 'rules' of these three components of your new language. The work 'rule' is in quotes because in speech all 'rules' may be broken by native speakers in special circumstances. Still, if a 'rule' helps you 9 times out of ten, you shouldn't complain if it fails you once.

Intonation is the most important and the most difficult to change. It is the 'music', the rhythm or a language.

Liaisons, or linkages, are the ways that words and parts of words are linked together in a language. This may be very different from how you do it in your native language.

And pronunciation is the way that sounds are made in the new language. These sounds may be similar (rarely exactly the same) to the sounds of your own language, or they may be very different. To learn the sounds, you have to learn where in the mouth the sound is made, how it is made, and the position of the tongue in making the sound.

Most people do not work on their accents. Some achieve very good, even perfect, accents after living many years in their new country or by using their new language for many years.
However, this is not automatic. There are many people who spend years using a language and never get rid of a heavy accent.

Often, it doesn't matter to the person. If they live in an immigrant community, sometimes it is even a negative thing to achieve a good accent in the new language. This is because friends and family might think that one is trying to forget their origins.

But if you live and work among people who speak the new language well, you should work at improving your accent. Unfortunately, some people make judgments about your worth and your intelligence according to how well you speak their language. Read what the Chinese American writer Amy Tan says about her own feelings about her mother's accent:

Lately, I've been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as 'broken' or 'fractured' English. But I wince when I say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than 'broken,' as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. I've heard other terms used, 'limited English,' for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people's perceptions of the limited English speaker.

I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, my mother's 'limited' English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. And 1 had plenty of evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

If even a daughter can think that her mother is limited because of her limited English, you can be sure that other people think this way also. So you should start improving your accent.

You can go to a specialist who can work with you. This is the best way but it can be expensive. You can use recordings and courses to imporve your accent. This can be as good as working with the expert IF YOU DO IT! It is just like the difference between having exercise equipment in your house and using a personal trainer. The trick is to do it. For some accent reduction programs go to: http://www.goodaccent.com/accentbooks.htm !

You can start with this little exercise to get used to working on your accent. First, try this: Listen to recordings of how people who speak your language pronounce English or whatever language you are learning. Next, make a recording of your own voice. Compare, do it over, see if that helps a little.

PRONUNCIATION: AN IMPORTANT PART OF ACCENT

Proper pronunciation is only one of the parts of a good accent and maybe not even the most important one (many linguists think that intonation is the most important part of a correct accent). But pronunciation is where a learner of a new language can make the best progress. The correct Pronunciation of the sounds of a new language CAN be learned!

Of course, it takes listening and practice but one little tip for English is to recall that the 'long' vowels in English, like the 'e' in May, the 'o' in toe, have a little 'slide' at their end, either a 'y' or a 'u'. That is why an English speaker ends up 'smiling' after a word ending with a 'long a', or 'puckering' after an 'o'. The mouth of speakers of other languages barely move when he pronounces their vowels.

Here's another trick that might help you pronounce English correctly. The consonants 'p' and 't' are pronounced with a puff of air in English. All you have to do to make a huge jump in your English is to practice saying words with these letters, such as Peter, pepper, table, etc. with a lit match in front of your mouth. If the match goes out, you're speaking English.

Obviously the two examples just given are brief and crude explanations only meant to open the discussion that will be presented more carefully in the recommendations you will find in the lists on this page. The most important thing to realize is that Accent is more than Pronunciation!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=172074&ca=Education

Raleigh Schools Continue Transition To Year Round Schools By Patricia Hawke

Since 1989 the Wake County District of Raleigh Schools in North Carolina have been experimenting with year round schools. In the Raleigh Schools, a year round school requires that children attend the same 180 school days, but on a non-traditional schedule. Rather than the conventional September to June calendar, with a long summer break, students and teachers in Raleigh Public Schools year round program attend on a continuous cycle of 45 days on with 3 week breaks between. While the concept of year round schools has been approved by educational experts for decades, resistance from many parents and teachers has the prevented the concept from becoming as wide spread as many would like. But Raleigh Schools’ gradual implementation of the concept is gathering many devotees.

From 1992 to 2004 the district added 13 more year round schools. In the 2006-2007 school year, another 5 were added. And 2007-2008 will mark the fastest growth ever when the Raleigh Schools will add 26 more schools to its year round model. 4 of these will be brand new and 22 will be transitioned over. Parents and teachers are coming to accept and enjoy the flexibility of the year round model. And the benefits to the district are meaningful.

Benefits of Year Round Raleigh Schools

Cost savings are the biggest benefit to the administrators of the Raleigh Schools. By rotating groups of classes in and out of buildings throughout the school year, the district can accommodate up to 33% more children, and save on both construction and operating costs. Here’s how it works.

A typical year round school may have 4 separate tracks of students and teachers, all on separate schedules. So three tracks will begin the school year on July 10th, while the fourth track will be on their break and have the first day of school on July 31st. Because the tracks will rotate into a different classroom each time, the school uses less classroom space, and even needs fewer school buildings to accommodate the students. While cost savings vary based on capacity and enrollment, the Raleigh Schools have experienced average savings from 20-33%. These savings roll over to books, materials, and other equipment.

What about benefits for families and teachers of the Raleigh Schools? Many are surprised by how much flexibility the schedule allows. Families love the ability to take vacations during less popular travel times. And the biggest concern- childcare, is proving manageable for most. The Raleigh Schools have lists of day care providers who accommodate the year round schools. Another benefit is that students retain information better than over the long summer break. Raleigh Schools also provide remedial and enrichment tutoring during students’ break time. Of course, there are challenges.

Challenges of the Year Round Raleigh Schools

The greatest challenges to the Raleigh Schools have been cleaning and maintenance scheduling, siblings on different tracks, the initial work of finding day care, make-up weather days that must be held on Saturdays, and interference with traditional summer activities. In spite of these challenges, the program is gaining in popularity. Many educators in the Raleigh Schools feel that the biggest challenge is getting families to give the new model a chance. As the nation calls for sweeping educational reform, Raleigh Schools think that year round schools may be the future of education.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=171599&ca=Education

What You Should Know About Praxis Ii Tests By Mario Churchill

Praxis II tests are also known as Subject Assessment Tests. These are required by many states and professional organizations in the U.S. in order for beginning teachers to obtain their teaching certification or licensing. The Praxis II was developed as a way to measure and assess a teacher's knowledge in certain subjects and to test for teaching skills.

Many colleges and universities also view Praxis II tests as an important evaluation of a would-be teacher's skills in the content area that they are planning on concentrating. Many teachers take the Praxis II tests in order to increase their list of qualifications.

Who takes the Praxis II tests?
Students normally register for and take the registered Praxis II tests before the completion of their undergraduate or graduate courses. Only 44 states require the Praxis series, although many colleges, universities and licensing agencies for professionals require these tests.

Where are Praxis II tests offered?
Testing locations are found in different regions and states throughout the U.S. for paper-based testing. While most of these test centers offer tests using the English language, there are also test centers that cater to students or beginning teachers whose principal language is not English.

There are three major categories in the Praxis II test. These are:
Subject Assessment Tests
Measure a teacher's specific content knowledge and consists of multiple choice tests and constructed response questionnaires.

Principles of Learning and Teaching Tests
Assess a teacher's pedagogic knowledge and skills for four specific age groups of students: early childhood, kindergarten to 6, 5 to 9 and 7 to 12. Consists of multiple choice tests and constructed response questionnaires using case studies.

Teaching Foundation
Assess a teacher's knowledge in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and Language Arts. Also consists of multiple choice tests and constructed response questionnaires.

Scoring the tests
The raw score on a multiple choice Praxis II test indicates the number of correct answers while the scores on the constructed response tests reflects the points given by the appointed test scorers. The test takers will receive their score report about four to six weeks after taking the exam. Additional score reports or ASR may also be requested for an extra fee.

The passing scores of the Praxis II tests are mandated by the state. If you want to know the score you need to obtain to get your initial teaching licensure, simply get in touch with your state's Department of Education or check out the Educational Testing Service website. The http://ETS.org website also includes information on which Praxis tests you may be required to take additionally as a requirement of the state you're planning to teach in.

Preparing for the Praxis II Tests
Preparing prior to taking the Praxis II tests is an important component of taking the tests successfully. It's recommended that you review books on your subject area, educational methods, techniques and psychology. Preparing and taking the tests can cost money so it's preferable that you invest only once in a successful attempt.

The Praxis II test is a paper-based test and is not available through computer testing. Registering for the test may be done online, however. Simply go to the http://ETS.org website for a list of schedules and to fill out the registration form.

Praxis II tests can last from one hour to four hours. If you prefer, you can take a combination of tests to save time. Some tutors and experienced educators, however, recommend that test takers keep to just 2 tests in 1 day, especially if you experience some anxiety or uncertainty.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=171699&ca=Education

An Insight Into Online Bachelors Degree Programs By Manu Goel

If you are an undergraduate and working, you can improve your career and living by pursuing an online bachelor degree course. It may not be possible for you to go for study for a college degree, but you can do an online one without disturbing your present schedule of work and staying where you are now. What you need is a computer and an internet connection at your home. Wherever you are – in any corner of the United States – you can pursue an online bachelor degree course.

An online bachelor degree is also affordable. Studying in a college online for a degree may cost you in average $12,000 a year, but an online program will cost much less. Costs vary between colleges. Before you opt for any course and college, it is very important that you must do a little research about the cost and the programs.

Also, by choosing an online program from an institution in your home state, you can save a great deal of money. For example, an online degree from Florida Gulf Coast University has tuition costs of only $12,410 if you are a Florida resident and for non-residents, the fee more than triples to $45,902. Some employers also provide tuition assistance to their employees. So before choosing an education online program, check with your employer and find out if they provide tuition assistance. If the degree you select is work-related, chances are good that your employer will provide at least part of the costs.

Some affordable bachelor degree online programs are Bachelor of Science in Business and Management from East Carolina University, Bachelor of Science in Business and Management from Fort Hays State University, Bachelor of Science in Business and Management from the University of Wyoming, Bachelor of Science in Communications by University of Phoenix, Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management - Liberal Studies by Ashford University, B.S. in Communication by Kaplan University, BA-English/Professional Writing by Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Arts in Communication by Regent University and BS in Communication by Drexel University.

Besides, there are hundreds of colleges and universities providing bachelor degree online in Accounting, Applied Management, Business Administration, Business Communications, Business Information Systems, Business Leadership, eBusiness and eCommerce, Economics, Finance, Hotel and Hospitality Management, Human Resources, International Business, Management, Marketing, Organizational Management, Project Management, Real Estate and Small Business Management.

If you are interested in computer education, there are colleges and universities offering bachelor degree online in Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Security, Databases, Graphics and Multimedia, Information Systems, Information Technology, Internet Networks, Programming, Software Engineering, Technology Management, Telecommunications, Web Design and Web Development. Walden University, University of Phoenix, Saint Leo University, National American University, DeVry University, Ashford University, Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology Colorado Technical University Online, Columbia Southern University, Capella University , American InterContinental, University Online University of Maryland University College / UMUC Online, Strayer University, Regis University, Drexel University and Western Governors University are providing these bachelor degree courses.

Before you go for any of the course in any of the online universities, check the credibility and validity of the program. There are frauds moving around so beware of them.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=173140&ca=Education

How To Write A Successful Application Essay By Alex Martin

So you are now ready to join the college. But getting admission into the college of your choice won’t be that easy, as more and more pupils are applying for the limited slots every academic year. You are now facing the challenge of writing the most successful application essay for the eyes of admission officers; who would also be judging the essays of all the other applicants, probably with the same profiles, backgrounds and test scores as you have.

This 500-word application essay becomes the bases for the acceptance and rejection, as it is the only way admission officers can judge the worth of the applicant. It is very natural to feel concerned at this stage; standing out in a crowd is not an easy task and thus calls for extra care and preparation. But what ever the case may be, let not the essay stress you out, be very playful to gain utmost.

Follow the following while you write the essay:

Brainstorming; a crucial step:

The key to truly presenting an insightful and incisive application essay is to go through the exercise of brainstorming. It brings out the ideas and thoughts out on the paper that might not be consciously significant to you in the first place.

If you are finding it difficult you can always take help from your friends and family that knows you well. There point of view would be different and really revealing at times. If you have a role model, study his or her personality to discover yourself.

It would be better if you set out goals for the life ahead of you. Brainstorming sessions will help you go through it. It might give you a fresh outlook of what you really want out of life.

Prepare a rough, unedited initial draft and consider the following when pondering:

1.Note down your skills, aptitude and interests no matter how meager they seems to be, like wise accomplishments and ambitions.

2.Noticeable highlights of your life, which have changed your perspectives in anyway.

3.The struggles of your life and their outcomes; either positive or negative and how it has changed your life.

4.Your contributions towards the society through community services etc.

5.And most of all, brainstorm why you want to join the specific institute, what is compelling you to apply there and how will you proof commendable of it.

What to write; choosing the theme or topic of the essay:

The essay could be about anything, you can describe you in any way you desire. You can discuss any topic you wish on earth. But the challenge remains of using the essay up to the maximum. Remember it is the only way of proving your self to be outstanding.

Present your goals, ambitions and accomplishments of life. If you are not the high achiever explain why you are not so. Always keep the theme of the essay positive. Show yourself as a stronger person rather than a pitiable one. Present as if you the one who could work against all odds and can put up a good fight against obstacles. You must attempt writing on such topic that shows your individuality and promotes your desire to be the attendant of the college as well.

Choose a theme about which you have ample amount of knowledge. Difficult and tricky topics, merely to impress the readers will render you with nothing. More avoid the complex, controversial topics. Like politics and religious affairs, even if you choose to write about them, write down more about your point of view rather than commenting who is right and who wrong.

Final Draft: Tips for writing good essays:

1.It is quite advisable to visit the desired college or visit its website and read brochures and introductions. This way, you will have the insight of what the organization believes in and you can arrange the essay accordingly.

2.Take your time and understand what you are expected to write. Understand the questions you have been asked and the requirements you have to fulfill. Take about three or four weeks to ponder on the essay and the ideas you have in mind.

3.Analyzing other previously attempted application essays would help you a lot. Writing application must be a new task for you and going through the others gives you a good idea for writing your own.

4.Copying the style of others would not help, be original and be you. There would be experiences in your life that can set you apart from other people and similar actions. So be open to express yourself and your feeling about a topic you decide to write about.

5.Make an outline or a plan to follow through out the process and refer back continually. The paragraphs of the essay should relate to each other, follow the rules of logical flow in writing.

6.You could be creative in your presentation. Catchy openings can do much more then a dry, lengthy and uninteresting essay. Introduce yourself in the first paragraph as the readers are found to maintain the interest for first few minutes. Show off your self as captivating as you can for those few moments. Creating Mystery is one good idea of keeping the interest of the readers for the rest of the essay.

7.Show what have you achieved by using the action verbs and active voice. Describe your life by applying adjectives and descriptive nouns. It would be more impressive and will make a picture in the mind of the admission officers. Imagery presentations are like five-sense experience and eye catching. At the end of the day, after reading thousands of the essays, your way of presenting yourself will be in the minds of the admission officers.

8.Conclude your essay with caution. It might be the last chance of convincing your reader that you deserve to be in there.

9.Your essay should not be the repetition of your information given in the other parts of the
application; it must discuss the dimensions of your personality that needs description.

10.Use different words to express yourself. Do not hesitate to use dictionary or thesaurus. It will give a good perspective to your essay. Remember too much of the repetition of the words would dull the essay and loss of interest on the part of the readers. But using thesaurus doesn’t mean complex words can impress the officers, it might rebound if you use them out of context and if simple and common words are better off.

11.Too many long or short the sentences makes the presentation monotonous and boring.

12.Take great care in using the language. Look out for the spelling mistakes and other common grammatical errors. These avoidable errors make the essay off-putting and the impact on the readers about your personality is ruinous. You might be assumed as careless person.

13.You can proof read the essay before submitting it. Revision is one of the most important key to a successful and custom written admission essay.

14.It would be better if you could leave the essay after writing for few days; and then get back to it. The fresh look might help you improve the essay.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=134161&ca=Education

Finding Science And Art In Phoenix Schools By Patricia Hawke

Many, many programs are available to students throughout all Phoenix Public Schools districts. Sensing the constant need for improvements, and to keep up with national and global standards, Phoenix Schools are meeting these demands head on. For example, some Phoenix Schools have implemented innovative Science, Art, and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs.

InnoWorks, a new science program available to underprivileged Phoenix Schools middle-school students, was implemented in February 2007 by Grace Hsieh, a junior at the University of Arizona. Hsieh was looking to start a peer mentor and tutoring program when she came across a website detailing the program InnoWorks, which had its beginnings at Duke University.

Phoenix Schools middle-schoolers take part in a free science camp organized and run entirely by UA undergraduates. Twenty-four students from six Phoenix Schools were selected for the camp. InnoWorks’ leaders hope that by exposing underprivileged Phoenix Schools students to college campuses and science research, more students will be inspired to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

'Immediately it was easy to recognize what a great program it was, in its philosophy and vision,' Hsieh said.

Hsieh has gathered about $20,000 in donations to fund the program, recruited about 20 fellow students to work as mentors, and sought out campers by calling Phoenix Schools counselors and teachers.

Explorer Middle School recently received the Mayor's School of Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts Education. Integrating arts into their academic classes is one thing that makes this member of the Phoenix Schools unique.

Principal Marianne Bursi believes that the appreciation of art relates to all fields of study.

'We find students learn more by doing,' said Bursi. 'The brain remembers more with visuals rather than just looking at plain old text. The [students] discover [they have] many hidden talents because art is incorporated into all their academics.'

Each quarter, seventh-graders are encouraged to take chorus, visual arts, world languages and applied technology courses. Once they are in eighth grade, these Phoenix Schools children can then choose which they prefer for the year

Phoenix Schools are beginning to offer children in Grades K-10 an opportunity to learn via the International Baccalaureate program. This is a teaching model used around the world that pushes students to become proficient in at least two languages, think critically and learn from a global perspective by studying other cultures.

Mesa Public Schools could soon become the first school district in Phoenix Schools, and one of only a handful nationwide, to offer an IB program to students from kindergarten through the end of high school.

Gregg Good, is the IB coordinator for one Phoenix Schools high school which began offering the program last year. Administrators are still determining the best way to test young Phoenix Schools elementary students in a 'culturally neutral' way to decide which children will participate in the rigorous IB program for the 2007-2008 school year.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=171595&ca=Education

Webucation Is The Next Growth Opportunity By Ern Teng Chu

By now most people understand what webucation is, however for those that don’t, this article is for you. Webucation is just a modern term that is used to describe the online educational process. This is also called distance learning. Basically, if you want to become informed about a specific subject over the internet, you would turn to a webucation course that would assist you. You can learn just about anything over the internet these days; from journalism and mechanics, to computers and IT. The best part is that you can learn how to earn your wealth through webucation services that can teach to you get residual income that requires little to no work on your part. In essence you can learn to earn.

When you are looking for a specific webucation to take, you can most likely go to the internet search engines and type in the specific training that you require. For example, if you are looking for training in IT (internet technology such as affiliation) you would simply search under ‘IT webucation’ and the various courses that you can take will come up. In getting your training online, you can save yourself much time and money. This certainly seems great, but many people wonder about the credit they receive. ‘Is it really accredited and recognized everywhere?’ The fact is that many of the webucation courses can be offered through accredited colleges and universities. You just have to do your research first. Or you can make your life easier by going to Success university or SkyQuestCom.

By training online you can also keep your day job. This is perhaps the most beneficial aspect of distance learning. You can be trained to upgrade your current skills or you can use webucation as a means of changing your career goals completely. If you are a waitress, you can go online and train to be an accountant. It’s really that simple. Training online allows you much more freedom to learn at your own pace as well. This means that you do not have to stress yourself out in trying to keep up with unrealistic standards for learning. It also means that if you prefer, you can rush through the training as fast as possible so that you can begin a new career even faster. If you want to begin your own webucation courses, you should make sure to check out the schools that offer the services and make sure that they are nationally accredited. If they are, you can also check to see if they offer financial aid services should you need them. After that, all should be gravy and you can start signing up today; so that you can start training for that new career tomorrow.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93139&ca=Education