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