Education Guideline

How to Get Motivated and Set Goals: The Top Ten Tips

2009-01-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

It’s easy to get motivated to do something you enjoy. The trick is to learn how to self-motivate to accomplish the things that involve practice that you don’t enjoy. Follow these Top Ten Tips to increase motivation and to set goals that are truly achievable.

Define your goal. You’ve got to clearly understand where you want to end up before you begin any journey. Set goals that are realistic and specific.

Don’t try to do everything at once. Limit your goals to follow a one-at-a-time model. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Make your goals public. Tell those close to you what your goal is and that you want their feedback and support as you work toward your set goals. Ask them to ask about your progress.

Break down your goal into manageable mini-goals. Get expert help in how to organize your plan to achieve success.

Set personal rewards for achieving each of your mini-goals. Behavioralists are right—positive reinforcement stimulates sustained effort.

Start small, but start. Starting small can produce big results. Even the longest journey begins with a single step, but you have to take that step. Start by spending just ten minutes extra each day, working toward your set goals.

Practice correctly. More golf swings do not improve a golf game. Expert advice and coaching makes a difference.

Practice consistently but don’t over-do. Limit practice to avoid burn-out. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. So keep moving to accomplish your set goals.

Avoid procrastination. An object at rest tends to stay at rest. Make consistent effort a habitual practice. However, if you miss practice, forgive yourself and then start again.

Evaluate your progress toward your set goals and be flexible. What is working and what needs adjustment? Do the set goals or practice need refinement? Get expert, or at least, objective help to properly evaluate.

Share by: Mark Pennington

Paying For College With College Scholarships and Student Loans

2009-01-03T03:11:00.000-08:00

It is getting harder to pay for a college education these days, but it is by no means impossible. Getting college scholarships is still the best way to go, and there are plenty of them still around - even though money may be getting tighter. Here are some tips about how to get money to pay for your college education with college scholarships and student loans.

GET AS MANY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AS YOU CAN

The best way to go to college is to go free. College scholarships can enable a student to go to college without cost - if there are enough of them. In order to get as many as is needed to go without cost, you will need to apply to as many scholarships as possible. Of course, you want to only apply for those college scholarships that you have a good possibility of actually winning.

Finding the right college scholarships to apply to will require some work - and possibly some imagination, too. There are college scholarships for just about everything you can think of these days - and possibly some that are almost out of reach of the imagination, too. You can find them for academics, sports, hobbies, uniqueness - like a special last name or for left-handers, etc., your locale, and some that are just plain weird - like the duct tape prom college scholarship.

In order for you to learn about what college scholarships are available, you will need to do some homework. This includes researching them online, in the library, letting scholarship groups help you (be careful of these - some are scams), talking to your school counselors, and more. You can also look at the Web sites of the colleges that you are interested in, and they will show you what college scholarships are available there.

LOOK FOR COMPANY SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

Many companies also offer college scholarships, too. They do this because they want to have a qualified and trained pool of potential employees available when they need them. They usually look for exceptionally bright prospects that can bring much to the table if they should hire them.

Getting a college scholarship or an internship with a great company can lead to a great job right out of college. Sometimes, you may even be able to find your needed college scholarship simply by looking at the various companies you would dream of working for after you get your college degree. Look at their Web sites for more information.

APPLY FOR COLLEGE STUDENT LOANS

Because college scholarships may not cover your entire school bill, you may also need some college financing. Direct loans are available from the government, which will also give you the lowest interest rate possible on education loans.

Direct student loans, which includes the Stafford loans and the PLUS loans, accumulate no interest while you are in school (because the government pays for it while you are in college), or drop to less than half-time. You will not need to make any payments on the loan until you have been out of school for 6 months.

Graduate students and families of college students have access to PLUS loans for education and they also have the same terms as the Stafford loans - but a little higher interest rate. All government loans can be consolidated after graduation for easy payments.

GET STARTED EARLY

If you want to get the most out of college scholarships and student loans, then you will need to get started early. In fact, you should get started earlier than was necessary in previous years. With less money going around and with some college scholarships going on a first-come, first-served basis - you have no time to lose.

Finding the right college scholarships takes a considerable amount of time, and so does filling out scholarship applications and writing scholarship essays. In addition, in order to get a Direct loan, you will need to have filled out the FAFSA form, which is required for all government student loans.

FILL OUT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CAREFULLY

College scholarship applications require that they be filled out accurately and carefully. A little carelessness (or haste) in answering a question or two could needlessly cost you a college scholarship. This could mean that you may need to take much longer to pay off a college loan - when you didn't have to.

Writing a quality college scholarship essay that will win a scholarship requires that you understand what the group offering it is looking for. Make yourself look like the person that they would like to represent and promote their company, college, etc., and you could walk away with the free college education you want. Be honest, though, in what you write - and you'll be glad you did.

Share by: Mark B. Allen

Teen or Pre-teen Girls Camp - Fostering in Them Learning Skills and Confidence

2009-01-02T06:04:00.000-08:00

Summer camps that are based on technology have now been aiming at fostering in girls a love of science and technology. The curriculum and courses are designed specifically to suit them. Girls are not left behind compared to boys. They are ahead of in the world of information technology as well as in the world of fashion!

Girls' aspirations are at the centre in such girls camp. The camp organizers know that there is nothing holding girls back from attending and joining camps. As a result, they have customized curriculum to suit girls. There has been wide range of options for girls to excel in. Such creative fields are graphic design, film-making, 3D modeling, gaming, or even fashion design and more.

You girls have many opportunities to instill your skills and confidence level in you. This will help stand steadfast in this competitive world. You can join amazing courses and enable your dreams come true.

Please mark that the best camps have more possibility of more professional and powerful staff. They will make you learn about the latest, relevant technologies, and how these can be helpful in future careers. The camp options for you girls are limitless these days.

Join a summer camp that can give you a camp experience of real college campus life. For teen or pre-teen girls, there are lots of opportunities to explore university life through programs of day and overnight summer camps.

Choose overnight camps and get the opportunity to live in actual student dorms. You would also have the opportunity to eat in the dining halls and take campus tours.

And finally, explore suitable locations for summer camps to join and have an opportunity to experience the different facets of student life. The summer camp experiences can enrich your lives from an educational standpoint. Get prepared for a college!

Share by: Ronald

Maybe You Shouldn't Be A Teacher

2009-01-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

The sad fact is this has become the norm for many parents who would rather criticize their child's teacher than admit that their own child is in anyway wrong.

Mr. Kaye looked at the computer screen. The time read 10:25. If this class was going to be dismissed on time, he was going to have to get moving and minimize the distractions. The class had over ten pages scheduled to read aloud, as part of the curriculum for today. Still the class continued to yammer, as though it were lunch or maybe a crowded rock concert. Mr. Kaye raised his hand and roughly five to six of thirty in the class raised their hands. Most of the class was ignoring him, laughing, being social and exercising their freedom of ignorance. This was pretty much an everyday occurrence in Mr. Kaye's class. He had complained to many facets at the school that were supposed to support him, but in the end nothing ever seemed to be done.

Finally after Mr. Kaye started calling out, "A minutes and twenty seconds...A minute and twenty-one second," holding up a stopwatch, most of the class quieted down. There were still a few whispers toward the back, but Mr. Kaye recognized (for his class) this was as good as gets.

Mr. Kaye told the students to open their books on their desks to page 36. Then, he walked around the room, forcing many students to flip the books on their desks open to, because quiet frankly most of these children didn't care, obeying a direct order from a teacher was second nature to them.

Mr. Kaye started to read from the book, but a kid yelled out, "Kawika...Kawika...Kawika!"He was yelling across the classroom with a weird sort of quiet whisper. When Mr. Kaye looked at him, he gave his teacher a look like, "WHAT!!!"

Mr. Kaye started to read again, but he had to stop almost immediately because a girl was playing with her cell phone. He approached the girl, and she quickly shoved the cell phone between her legs, denying that she was even playing with it. Mr. Kaye continued reading, but had to stop five to ten more times for various interruptions. The time was now 10:35, and in ten minutes the class had progressed about two sentences. Mr. Kaye tried reading again, but was interrupted by spitballs and girls writing notes. Mr. Kaye called out, "Ashley put that note away."Ashley replied, "It's not a note."

Mr. Kaye warned the class one last time, "We can do this the easy way, or the HARD WAY." The class acknowledged they were going to do better, but the words were only hollow sounds coming out of their mouths. At 10:40 the class had still not even finished the first paragraph that was when Mr. Kaye put the book down. Mr. Kaye told the whole class to take out a sheet of paper, and with approximately twenty minutes left, he gave the class an assignment. He wrote it on the board.

THE HARD WAY!

During the next ten to fifteen minutes, many students fooled around and talked. A few were writing vigorously, but most wasted the entire time talking and laughing. AT 10:55 Mr. Kaye called the counselor, and asked her, if she could notify the cafeteria some students would be going a little late and to hold the door. Before the bell was going to ring many students began to get angry. There was swearing, some even looked as though they were going to throw temper tantrums. Mr. Kaye calmly assured the students they needed to finish the assignment before they went to lunch. Many students began to complain. Mr. Kaye told all of them the same thing. You need to finish your assignment before you go to lunch.

One student wrote Mr. Kaye a letter in which he blatantly told him he was not going to do the assignment and threatening the security of his job, saying he was going to call his Mom, and perhaps he would have Mr. Kaye fired.

After reading the letter, Mr. Kaye sprang to the telephone, "Let's call your Mom."

"Go ahead," the boy forewarned him, "She's going to be pissed you called her at work."

Mr. Kaye dialed the phone number, and after two to three minutes of waiting, got the Mom on the phone. He calmly explained the scenario, exactly as it happened.

After a long pause, the Mom asked plainly, "How did he threaten you?"

"Did he say he was going to hurt you?"

"No," Mr. Kaye replied.

"How's that a threat?" the Mom asked.

Mr. Kaye explained, how he perceived the child was trying to threaten the security of his job. The Mom replied, "That's not a threat!"

Mr. Kaye replied, "I felt threatened."

The Mom could only say, "She had to hear her son's side of the story."

Mr. Kaye assured her the story he told her was completely unbiased. The Mom continued to stick to her guns, saying she wanted to hear her son's side of the story. When Mr. Kaye realized nothing was going to be done, he asked if the Mom could come in for a parent conference immediately. The Mom told him she would come in two weeks.

Although this seems like a fictional, over-exaggerated story, this is a reality in many classrooms. This happened in my classroom. The day of the parent conference, the Mom told me in so many words, "I don't understand why you became a teacher, if you can't handle getting threatened by a child." That was it. No apology. No alibi. Apparently, I'm supposed to suck it up, because parents are going to keep allowing their children to act however they want to act. I wasn't really sure what to do about it, I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. I felt weak and angry about the whole experience. Was I over-reacting? I didn't think so, but if I challenged this mother on her questionable parenting skills, I could be fired, or put on probation. I don't understand when it became acceptable for children to bully adults or when teachers lost all their civil rights in the classroom, but this is one teacher who is seriously considering changing careers.

Share by: tradere

Parents Have No Power over Public Schools

2008-12-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

“What seems undeniable is that there is a substantial contrast between the vision of what public education is supposed to be and the reality of schooling itself.”

-- Bruce Goldberg, Why Schools Fail

In my state, Connecticut, children are not required to attend school, but the law requires children to be given instruction in certain basic skills and knowledge, and parents are responsible whether they send them to school or not. Public schools offer what they call “educational opportunities” but they take no responsibility for their results.

Many parents assume that the school system is educating children in the basic skills of reading, writing and calculating, but today’s schools are failing to provide that basic instruction. Not only are the skills neglected, but they are obscured by poor teaching methods and inadequately trained teachers. In fact, many call the schools an educational dis-service.

Because of the schools’ poor quality, private businesses now offer remediation for children whose schools have failed them. Even more telling, some of those businesses are designed to deal with the psychological problems that children acquire as a result of attending public schools.

Many people wonder why their children spend so much time in schools where they learn so little of what they need and want to know. Even worse, they wonder why the children are having so many psychological problems. While the schools blame the children, the parents, TV, and society, they never blame themselves. Yet, we now realize that the educational malpractice and the children’s problems often come from the same place: the schools.

While parents have the ultimate responsibility for their children’s learning, when they send them to the government schools, a strange phenomenon occurs. The schools do not allow the parents to assume their responsibilities for determining what that learning will include. Administrators repeat their mantra, “Trust us, we’re professionals” and, "Parents are not qualified." However, today, the public is learning that those employees are not always what they claim to be and the schools are not doing what parents want them to do, but in many cases, exactly the opposite.

What we discover is that the schools are not controlled by the communities they claim to serve. Even though the school establishment tells the public that local control exists, the fact is that local school boards are directed by the state, under the control of bureaucrats and politicians. Not only is there no local control, but with new federal laws such as No Child Left Behind, even state control is losing ground to the feds.

The results are parent frustration, school board impotence, children being denied their proper skills, political indoctrination, and many more ills. Today, school employees create pretenses and excuses for what some call a culture of corruption and deception. It has become the job of superintendents to hide the many ulterior motives and agendas the government has for its schools, while pretending that its purpose is what parents want – even though it is not. The contrast between what parents want and what schools offer is clear and the gap is large, and every day parents are losing their power to change it.

The superintendent has become spokesperson for the government, often in opposition to the community. Today’s superintendent stands between the parents and the education establishment while also being puppet master of the school board. He is ready with a mountain of statistics and a blizzard of spin and nonsense to defend what amounts to fraud, mismanagement and corruption. His message to the parents is that they and their children are helpless pawns in the government game called public school.We cannot control what we do not own.

Share by: Ned Vare

Misconceptions In Parenting And Teaching Special Needs Children

2008-12-30T05:49:00.000-08:00

Having a special need child in the family doesn’t mean you have to panic. Just like other kids, special needs children can learn to live a normal life and reach their full potential. Guidance, teaching and love are primary ingredients in rearing a special child and helping him reach full potential.

The “panicking” of parents upon learning about their child’s situation can be attributed to some common misconceptions in dealing with special needs children. These misconceptions lead to the thought that there is no bright future for special needs children. Unless these myths are fully understood and corrected, parents will never know that special needs children will still reach their full potentials.

Here are the top 3 common special child misconceptions and the truth about them:

Parenting and teaching a special child will take away all your happiness and replace it with difficulties.

This may be true to some persons who don’t love the child at all – but does this type of person exist? How can parents not love their own child no matter what his needs are? Parenting and teaching a special child is not a reason to be unhappy. It is all in the attitude! Rearing a child with special needs doesn’t take away your happiness. You may be unhappy but it’s your choice. You can choose to be happy and satisfied caring and teaching your special child. Rather than letting yourself be imprisoned by the situation, be in control. Plan exciting activities that will help you enjoy at the same time leave an effective learning experience to your child.

Special needs children will never reach their full potential

This is another myth. Just like any other children, special needs children can reach their full potential. They can learn to speak, read, and interact with other people. They have the ability to live a happy, satisfied and complete life. But they won’t be able to achieve these on their own. They need guidance and proper teaching for them to be the best person that they could be. You should not be the judge of your child’s potential. Let him explore and learn. There are several education materials that cater to teaching special needs children reach their full potential.

Nobody understands the difficulties of parenting and teaching special needs children.

No two persons are the same. The individual difference theory is true but it doesn’t apply to situations. You may be facing the challenge of parenting or teaching differently abled children but you are not alone. Many other parents or teachers have been through the same situation. The only thing that differs is the way people handle special situations like this. There are even foundations and organizations that cater to helping parents and teachers cope up with the challenge of teaching and parenting children with special needs.

Parenting and teaching special needs children is an easy task if you know how to handle the situation. Don’t panic! Know what is true and what is not. Don’t judge a situation based on pure misconceptions. As long as you know what to do, parenting and teaching children with special needs will be a satisfying and fulfilling experience.
About the Author

POPS Resources provides books, games and teaching materials for special needs and differently abled children. These teaching resources aim to help special needs children reach their full potential. For more information on how to foster the unique potential of your child, please visit POPS Special Needs Resources.

Share by: Monica Corral-lorica

Student Leadership Program Should Create Future Knowledge Workers and Deliver Positive ROI

2008-12-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

Leadership is a popular topic both in the business and education worlds. The main reason for this popularity is that effective leadership is a primary factor for the success of any organization. By implementing leadership at the middle school and high school grades, the belief is that this earlier intervention will ultimately help not only the students, but the local communities, small businesses and larger corporate citizens.

What constitutes an effective middle school or high school system wide leadership program that delivers a positive return on your investment? These 10 pointers may help you better answer that question.

All staff must be developed at leaders to ensure consistency of behaviors through modeling. From bus drivers to superintendents, these individuals become role models for many young people. If their behavior is not consistent with any curriculum, then the likelihood of sustained success is doubtful. Using a student leadership program that evolved from a proven adult leadership process is probably a better way to proceed.

The desired end results for this leadership program should be clearly articulated before adoption of any curriculum. Simple benchmarks could be improved grades, improved high school retention and less discipline referrals. All benchmarks need to be measurable because as the old adage goes “if you can measure it, you can’t manage it.” This is the beginning to determine a positive or negative return on your investment for the leadership program or any change initiative.

The curriculum should focus on the affective learning domain especially interpersonal skills. Additionally, the cognitive and psychomotor domains should include: communication, conflict resolution, goal setting and goal achievement, higher order thinking skills, team building and time management.

Alignment between the leadership curriculum and the other academic disciplines is also necessary to the success of such a program. There needs to be numerous opportunities to apply newly learned concepts outside of the leadership classroom.

A goal setting and goal achievement Action Plan is probably the most critical piece to the success of this program. This Action Plan for success should allow for all students to self-evaluate themselves and provide a mechanism to prioritize and organize current and future goals.

A mentoring or alumni program should follow the student leadership development program. At this juncture is when the youth can fully participate in community projects as well as mentor younger students.

Parents need to be informed and if possible included within this leadership program. With many parents lacking the necessary skills and tools to help their children, by proactively working with parents helps both the young people and the school.

Local small business owners to larger corporate citizens need to be also involved. These companies can help by participating as keynote speakers as well as work to fund scholarships to help offset the cost of the leadership program and employing the graduates.

The curriculum should be highly interactive, highly adaptable and flexible and modeled after the best corporate training and development programs. Also, this curriculum should be researched based and should reinforce sound educational research including emotional intelligence, cognitive retention, etc.

Any student leadership program should also include pre and post assessments both cognitive and attitudinal. Additionally, a mechanism should be included to track these students for longitudinal data collection. These assessments show both the short-term return on investments as well as the long-term investments.

Finally, this leadership program should be for the majority of your student body and not just the high performing students. The success of our country is due to the as much if not more so to the every day efforts of the average citizen.

If constructing a viable and sustainable student world-class leadership program is in your current or future plans, then these pointers should catapult you ahead of the class because you now know that you have created self-leaders who are capable of being the knowledge workers needed in the 21st century workforce.

By: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Moral and Values Based Leadership

2008-12-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

“Public school leaders today are somewhat like an heir receiving a handsome legacy from a distant relative, who neglected to include in the will instructions for maintaining the bequest,” (Tyack & Hansot, 1981, p. 14). Criticism of public education today may be due, in part, to technological advances outpacing the ability of schools to compete and the ensuing ‘erosion of traditional authority;’ past successes leading to more educated, critical, and vocal complainants; a pervasive doubt that true change and improvement can be made; and a certain level of ignorance regarding the true state of performance compared to past performance of our educational system (Schlecty, 2001, p. 21).

Research shows that many school-level factors have been proposed to be the true basis for effectiveness in education (Marzano, 2003, p. 15); however, considering school factors alone do not provide an understanding of the overall climate of our culture and how outside factors affect teachers and students (Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon, 2004, p. 33). There is more to school reform and school improvement than just getting the job done. School reform and school improvement must add value to the process by managing limited resources and maximizing outcomes through collaboration and capacity building (Sergiovanni, 2005, p. x).

Criticism of Public Education

There has always been a divide between educational policy and actual practice; therefore, meaningful and lasting school reform efforts have struggled. Policymakers continue to propose educational reforms that fail to consider real schools, educators, parents, and students (Plaut & Sharkey, 2003). Unfortunately, the public does not always trust the reformers. While there appears to be agreement between the public and the reformers in a broad view regarding the goals of education, there remains a deep chasm in the perspectives on how best to meet these goals. Although more children are graduating than ever before, and more enrolling in college, dissatisfaction with public education, in urban areas in particular, stands at an all time high (Schorr, 1997, p. 245).
School Factors in the Larger Context

Poverty dramatically affects growing numbers of children in our country today. “As a group, children are America’s poorest citizens,” (Canestrari & Marlowe, 2004, p. 85). The proportion of American children living in poverty has risen dramatically over the last decade and continues to rise at an alarming rate, and the greatest concentration of poverty tends to be found among single-headed households, particularly those headed by women (Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, Smith, & Leal, 2002, p. 10).

Poverty, unemployment, bad housing, blighted and unkempt physical environments, single-parents, and married couples struggling to raise children, earn a living and make ends meet became yet a another facet of the malady of our distressed society (Taylor, 2002). Poverty impacts the ability to obtain adequate medical care, food, and shelter. The size of the school, quality of curriculum, resources, teachers’ expectations, and potential for tracking has been an issue, and low income and minority students are more likely to be in low ability classes or non-college-bound curriculum opportunities.

Even students, who are successful in the low-status curriculum and able to move on to more college-bound tracks, are prevented from doing so due to missing out on the learning experiences considered prerequisites to the higher curriculum (Oakes & Guiton, 1995). Under funded schools, poorly regulated childcare, and federal mandates are other factors affecting public education today (Glickman, et al., 2004, 33). These and other outside factors can lead to classrooms of “disengaged, unmotivated, and/or disruptive learners, who may find school irrelevant, or even hostile to their values,” (Canestrari & Marlowe, 2004, p. 79).

Moral and Value-Added Leadership for School Improvement

Although few school reform advocates threaten to upend the entire system and start with a fresh slate (Sergiovanni, 2005, x), these radical school reformers often include special interest groups hiding their true intentions “behind the cloak of reform and of school improvement,” (Canestrari & Marlowe, 2004, p. 121). The overall prevailing strategy by reformers tends towards relying upon “a school’s existing strengths and to build capacity by developing a collaborative culture of continuous improvement,” (Sergiovanni, 2005, p. x).

Lists of school-factors in school effectiveness may include a guaranteed and viable curriculum; challenging goals and effective feedback; parent and community involvement; safe and orderly environment; and collegiality and professionalism (Marzano, 2003, p. 15). However, school-factors alone cannot account for the change necessary in education if we are not to “drive out the best educators and undermine the natural drive to do one’s best that lies at the heart of good parenting and good schooling,” (Schorr, 1997, p. 103). Parents, academics, school reformers, educators, and politicians agree that drastic change is needed. Schools need to be able to provide students with the skills and abilities to create a world where people will have the best that humanity and technology have to offer, and the ability and desire to engage in lifelong learning in this complex, competitive world.

"Extraordinary times need extraordinary solutions, and the times aren't just tough, they are changing. Institutions face resource shortfalls and changes in public expectations that will not disappear when economic conditions improve. Focusing on value can provide just the catalyst needed for rethinking and reconfiguring the core elements of the educational model." (Caraveli & Norris, 2006, p. 1)

Share by: Michelle Fattig-Smith, Ed.S.

Adult Learning Theory

2008-12-29T08:07:00.000-08:00

It goes without saying that nowadays we are all confronted with an environment of continuous change and speedy shifts. Technology has altered the very nature of business and this had greatly influenced the employment market. Jobs requiring expertise and technical skills are growing in nearly every sector of the economy. The continuous change in what employees need to know and be able to handle suggests that learning, training and education will occur over the length of a career and, in fact, a lifetime. In light of this, adults have had to become life-long learners by consistently challenging themselves to pursue learning opportunities.

Thus, a large and growing segment of the education industry more so for the post graduate courses are made of "non-traditional" students. These are working adults who are interested in enhancing their job skills, retooling for new positions and careers, and pursuing other customized learning experiences. With the changing trend in the employment market, higher learning institutions are experiencing increased demand for a larger variety of rapid paced educational resource options for the adult learning community.

However, one of the greatest challenges faced by higher learning institutions is identifying instructional or delivery methods that enhance adult learning process. Thus the objective of any higher learning institutions should be to provide and establish learning objectives which are attainable by students and to use the appropriate instructional method in order that these objectives be met. This paper will explore the opportunities available for working adults to further their studies and also identify the instructional methods in delivering lessons.

Education helps in the development of the human mind, and it increases the powers of observations, analysis, integration, understanding, decision making, and adjustment to new situations. In other words, education is concerned with increasing one's knowledge and understanding the total environment. Among the major research areas of learning are the self-directed learning, critical reflection, experiential learning and learning to learn.

The first, self-directed learning is one that uses past experience as a resource base for learning, fitting new knowledge into current work and personal life situations. This brings with it real-life problem- solving and time-management advantages for the time-conscious student. The second, known as critical reflection, Brookfield observes it as the psychological development of an adult. This would relate to a host of constructs such as embedded logic, dialectical thinking, working intelligence, reflective judgment, post-formal reasoning and epistemic cognition which explain how adults come to think contextually and critically. As for experiential learning introduced by Liademan, the emphasis is on the experience of the working adult. Adult education is therefore a continuing process of evaluating experience, which is central to the concept of andragogy that has evolved to describe adult education. The fourth; learning to learn, is about the ability of adults seen in a range of different situations and through a range of different styles. Both the concepts of epistemic cognition and reflective judgment were introduced in this process of learning to learn.

The pedagogical model of instruction is the foremost instructional method used in delivering lessons. This mode of teaching is also known as the traditional or teacher-directed approach. Knowles, mentions that pedagogy is derived from the Greek word "paid" meaning child plus "agogos", meaning leading. Thus, pedagogy has been defined as the art and science of teaching children. The traditional teaching in this context is teacher centered instruction in which teachers do most of the talking and instructing while students do a lot of passive listening and memorizing. This type of teaching is best characterized by the phrase; the teacher is the sage on the stage. Teachers define terms, give directions, explain problems, answer questions, and otherwise present information to students.

In contrast, non-traditional teaching is student centered instruction in which teachers have a very different role, one best characterized by the phrase; the teacher is the guide on the side. Knowles, carried out extensive research into adult education and highlighted the problems of inappropriate learning for mature age students. He revived the use of the term "andragogy" and defined it as the "art and science of helping adult learn". The emphasis in andragogy is that the teacher takes the role of facilitator rather than teacher, and allows student to realize his or her own potential. In such an environment, students do lots of investigating, exploring, solving, discussing and explaining to their peers and teacher. As a result of researches by Brookfield and Knowles, adult learning is now strongly identified with personal growth and social change. This point is particularly relevant for adult students who return to tertiary education at postgraduate level to prepare themselves for senior positions within their professional communities. However the andragogy model asserts that five issues be considered and addressed in formal learning. They include: (1) letting learners know why something is important to learn, (2) showing learners how to direct themselves through information, and (3) relating the topic to the learners' experiences. In addition, (4) people will not learn until they are ready and motivated to learn. Often this (5) requires helping them overcome inhibitions, behaviors, and beliefs about learning.

Adult Learning Pursuits The traditional educational model was well suited to the industrial age society where individuals had rigidly defined roles in which carrying out certain actions under certain circumstances would generally yield the desired results. However, the information age has replaced the relative predictability of the industrial age with an increase of uncertainty that will require greater levels of flexibility and adaptability in order to survive and thrive. Education would need to change from being a process of conditioning to one of empowerment. Learning would need to change from being a homogenous commodity to a customized experience tailored to the needs and characteristics of the individual. In this aspect, the executive MBA (EMBA) which is also known as the non-traditional MBA would appeal to the working adults who wish to continue their studies. The EMBA programs are delivered via the non-traditional educational model, which is related to the andragogy learning concepts. These programs are also designed specifically for the middle or upper level managers with some working experience. However, this perception no longer holds true as more working adults from different executive levels are enrolling for these MBA programs. The wide acceptance for this is because of its customer-suited packaged which offers greater flexibility to better serve the needs of students, particularly the working adults.

Non-traditional Format Prospects The education industry has been profoundly affected by the emergence of communication and information technologies which provide opportunities for learning programs to deliver in ways that better serve the needs of students, particularly working adults and non-traditional students. Conventional service patterns are becoming obsolete as a growing number of education providers use interactive video, Internet and other distance-learning technologies to reach students. However, a point to note is that technology does not determine learning outcomes as it is merely a tool used to support new ways of delivery; non-traditional systems. It is therefore clearly seen that the traditional lecture format used in higher learning institutions has greatly changed with the integration of technology. In light of modern research and technology, the traditional format use is limited. The educational literatures do suggest a number of new educational delivery systems that could be used to improve teaching methods both in terms of learning outcomes and the efficiency with which these outcomes are achieved. With the integration of new educational delivery, the teaching format is transformed to meet the new competitive trends that are found to be more prevalent in post-graduate courses.

With this brief explanation on the evolution of the education system, we will look at the advantages as well as the disadvantages faced by students (with particular attention to working adults) enrolled in courses that are offered via the non traditional format. Time and location are the main barriers that hinder working adults' from continuing their studies. Due to their commitment to work, they are usually hard-pressed for time. Many of them do not have specific available time blocks which they can reserve or allocate for their studies. They also do not want to travel long distance in order to attend classes. Here, distance learning via the online mode provides learning opportunities that free students from the constraints of time and distance while increasing their flexibility in accessing courses. At the same time, working adults prefer self-paced and self-directed learning opportunities delivered by these web-based teaching that meets their needs. On-line or web-based MBA programs also offer the potential of delivering a personalized learning experience to individual learners. People have different strengths and weaknesses and learn in different ways. In a classroom setting, the same experience is delivered to every student. In a non-traditional learning environment, a unique learning experience may be presented based upon individual characteristics and performance. These would improve their overall level of comprehension and commitment to study. The non-traditional learning environment such as e-learning, online and video conferencing is never static, but reflects the dynamism of the working adult communities. The technology used in the delivery system provides near-instantaneous access to vast qualities of information and learning materials at a low cost (Internet charges). The dialogue of the online classroom stimulates the learning environment in which students interact with each other to expand their ideas via electronic forums and communication tools such as learning group discussions, bulletin boards, Internet relay chat, E-mail, etc. The e-learning module is also a social activity and learners tap the learning network to verbalize their thoughts. The technological advantages of online classrooms promote active group learning through technology-mediated dialogues. In addition, the somewhat impersonal online medium promotes greater student reflections. According to Cordell, online learning provides; greater cognitive development, critical thinking skills to challenge assumptions, exploration to further professional practice, empowerment of professionals to heighten personal responsibilities towards creating social change, and discovery of new knowledge. The ability to meet people, to forge professional networks and personal friendships around the world is one advantage that simply cannot be found in a traditional class. Time and distance aside, distance learning students discover the valuable benefit of online learning which is supported by a world wide network that far surpass that of the somewhat limited interpersonal relationships of a traditional face-to-face classroom.

Theories of learning that undergrad much of adult and tertiary education also calls for a different emphasis, one that is more learner-centered and one that depends on contextualized learning opportunities. Under the more traditional teaching-learning paradigm, such goals have not always been easily achieved. The emergence of some of the new technologies, particularly the Internet and the Worldwide Web which is actively used in the non-traditional teaching system, supports the use of these more collaborative contextualized approaches. Thus, the benefits of the use of non-traditional format in providing opportunities for working adults to continue their studies can be summarized as: instantaneous material access; convenience; improved learning retention; real world application; practicality, flexibility and learning consistency; timely information for career-active students; minimal disruption of family and work life responsibilities; elimination of time and geographical constraints and increased peer interaction.

As with any medium, there are disadvantages. By its nature, distance education relies heavily on the individual students' ability to manage and control their personal and situational circumstances to be successful. In fact, excellent time management skills are mandatory in online courses as most of the students have a full time job. The structure of a traditional class is not present in an online class and sometimes distance learning students fall behind in their work because there is no requirement to 'attend class'. In distance education, the learners (especially those using online and web programs) are usually isolated despite a wide network of friends and peers through Internet interaction. The motivational factors arising from the contact or competition with other students is absent. These students also lack the immediate support of a teacher who is present to motivate, and if necessary, to give attention to actual needs and difficulties that surface during studies. Therefore, academic achievement co-relates with more positive internal beliefs, which relates to the competitiveness and motivations to learn and excel.

Apart from the human factor, technology plays an important part in information and communication flow. At present, limited bandwidth (the capacity of communication links) and slow modems hamper the delivery of sound, video and graphics, although technology is advancing. Reliance on learner initiative can be a drawback for those who prefer more structure. Learner success also depends on technical skills in computer operations and Internet navigation, as well as the ability to cope with technical difficulties. Information overload is also an issue; the volume of E-mail messages to read, to reflect on and to respond to can be overwhelming while the proliferation of data bases and websites demands for information management skills. Access to the Internet is still a problem for some rural areas.

Society is moving into a new era. An era of rapid change and inherent unpredictability are driven by ongoing advancement in information and communication technology. This new era will impact upon every aspect of society. Individuals of the information age will need different kinds of skills compared to those that serve them in the industrial age. They will need to be managers of their own destiny. They will need to find relevant information from the morass of freely available data. They will need to interpret and evaluate their findings. They will need to adapt to every changing condition. And they will need to learn throughout their lives.

Traditional Behaviorist approaches to education will no longer be sufficient in the information age. Education will need to adopt Constructivism principles to empower learners through an individualized and active learning experience. However, constantly improving technology can provide for exciting new ways of delivering such learning. In conclusion, for working adults who are eager to engage in the advantages and stimulation of an active adult learning environment, distance learning education programs, like the executive MBA, is highly appropriate.

Share by: Gabriel Rise

Classroom Management Plan

2008-12-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Looking for an effective classroom management plan is hard. Student behaviour is getting worse due to a variety of different factors, so it is no surprise that people everywhere are looking for an effective classroom management plan.

So what should be part of your classroom management plan in your attempt to improve student behavior? Well an effective classroom management plan has many elements, but there are three things that every teacher can do tomorrow to ensure better student behavior.

Number 1. Stay Positive - It is so easy when you are stuck in a rut in the middle of January to become downbeat and negative. If you are negative, then your students will be negative and that can only be a bad thing for your classroom management.

What tends to happen in these situations is that you get yourself into a vicious circle, the more negative that you become, the more badly behaved your students become. Take yourself out of the bubble and try and remember why you became a teacher in the first place. If you can walk into your classroom with a smile on your face you will get a much more positive reaction from your students.

Number 2. Praise, praise and more praise - If you want good classroom management from your students then praise them whenever you have the opportunity. You need to train your students exactly how you want them to behave, and the use of praise is an excellent way to do this.

With the worst students in your class actively look for them being well behaved. When you find this (even the worst students behave for brief moments!) make sure that you heap praise on them. This is extremely hard to do when you are fed up, and the child in question has made you life hell for weeks, but if you do this you will notice a big improvement in their future behavior.

Number 3. Use the language of choice - I can't overstate this enough. Instead of telling children to do something, explain to them that you would like to them to chose to do something. This subtle change in language is incredibly powerful and is sure to produce positive results.

An example of this would be explaining to John "I would like you to choose to sit down quietly", as opposed to saying "sit down quietly".

These three steps can be an incredibly effective way to improve your classroom management plan quickly. Make these subtle changes now and reap the rewards in your classroom tomorrow.

Share by: Lee Davies

Effective Classroom Management

2008-12-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

When we are put in stressful situations the directions and instructions we give out to pupils who are annoying us are often very unclear and often impulsive. As such they virtually guarantee conflict when they are stated.

Children become confused unless the instructions we give them are very specific - especially when they are in a state of anxiety themselves.

Vague instructions give them choice, and if you want them to behave in a certain, specific way, you need to tell them exactly what that specific way entails - choice is the last thing you want to give them.

Let's not also forget that a large proportion of pupils in our classes are EBD, ADHD or on the autistic spectrum and as such, have a genuine need for unambiguous, precise instructions.

The following example illustrates this need perfectly:

At the first EBD centre I taught in, the pupils (11-14yrs) were allowed on the yard at break to play football.

These sessions were a living nightmare for whoever was on duty because even when the boys were given explicit instructions to "walk down to the yard quietly", they were unable to contain themselves for more than a few steps before tearing off shouting and yelling at the tops of their voices and running wild in the school grounds.

The solution to this problem came when I remembered that the same 'chunking' method I used in class with these boys, whereby their work was broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks, would be necessary in all their activities if they were to be kept under control.

The instructions, which sound incredibly pedantic, broke the short 200 yard journey into very small segments and went something like this...

"Stand silently behind your chairs." (wait for them to stand in silence before giving next instruction) "Walk across the hall to the fire door and wait in line." "Go though the doors and walk down the corridor to the outside doors. Wait in line at the doors, don't go through them." "Now walk to the gate and wait in line."

.. and so on.

At every stage, if a child misbehaved in any way they were sent back to the previous door to have another go at following the instructions properly. And in their eagerness to get to the yard, they complied every time!

Whenever a child continued to play up, they were calmly reminded that the consequence of their silliness was that they were missing their break. Again, this usually resulted in a compliant child without the need for tantrums from either the staff or the pupil concerned.

These extremely tight, precise instructions transformed break-times from a living hell into an enjoyable activity for everyone. The boys appreciated the tight boundaries because they could have a full 20 minutes of football - whereas before, they weren't even getting a game started; and the staff were no longer having to spend 20 very stressful minutes chasing wild boys round the grounds, and then a further hour calming them down in class.

By giving directions that are specific and unambiguous, we alleviate the need for us to raise our voices or get annoyed and we eliminate all tension from the situation.

The key is that the child's options are reduced to a minimum and they know exactly what is expected of them and exactly what they have to do in order to succeed. Isn't that better than repeating a vague command over and over again, becoming more exasperated and frustrated each time we are ignored?

Here's another example to show how vague instructions are such a waste of time...

On the way back from the yard at break one day, Mark was deliberately lagging behind, bouncing the football.

"Come on Mark, quick... Hurry up Mark, lessons have started... Mark! Break's over Mark!... Come on... Quickly Mark!... Mark!... Stop that and hurry up!"

After a few minutes of totally ignoring the first yells from the teacher Mark eventually complied perfectly with the final request - "Stop that and hurry up" - by standing still and bouncing the ball as fast as he could, with a sly grin!

Mark then proceeded to enjoy the undivided attention of two members of staff as they altered their approach from friendly cajoling and encouragement to aggressive shouting and frustrated threats. The incident tied up all three of them for the whole morning as Mark became more and more abusive and aggressive - incensed at the unfair punishment he believed he was receiving.

Had the teacher altered her instruction slightly at the beginning, the situation could have been very different. By giving one clear, specific direction and an explanation of the consequence for not complying, she could have remained in total control, Mark could have returned to lessons and the other member of staff would have been free to teach his lesson.

"Mark break is over. You need to bring the ball here now otherwise you will be paying time back next break."

You'll see how this incident could have been resolved calmly and efficiently - even if Mark had still refused to follow the instructions when you read The Three Requests Technique in my new ebook - "Magic Classroom Management - How To Get The Most From The Worst Kids In School"

To discover more effective classroom management tools as well as a free mini-course visit www.Classroom-management.org.

Share by: Rob Johnson

Keep It Super Simple

2008-12-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

I hear of so many teachers that spend 60, 70, 80 hours a week working. I like my job. I love my students. I adore teaching, but we don't get paid enough to spend that kind of time on our career. And the best part is that you don't have to.

I work from 6:30 - 4:00 most days. Then, I go home with empty hands and don't think about school again until the next day. Even maintaining these hours, I am able to run a well organized, exciting, academically driven, high-achieving classroom.

My goal is to provide you with a few quick strategies to streamline your planning, organizing and work so that you can be successful as a teacher and still have a life!

First, plan with a team. In team planning you "share the wealth". Each teacher brings strengths to the table, and putting them together to plan raises the level of everyone's plans. Working on a team also gives you the opportunity to bounce ideas off of other people in a non-threatening setting.

If there are not other teachers at your school to plan with, find some in the area. Teaching is, sadly, a mostly isolated profession - teaching, planning, grading, and working alone. Planning shouldn't be. You're only as good as your plans, so find other professionals to plan with.

Second, plan "in bulk". At my school we take one afternoon a week and plan for each subject for a month. The first week we plan reading, the second week we plan math, the third week we plan writing, and so on. In doing this you know what you need in advance, so there is never a last minute rush. This also covers you in case of illness or other unexpected emergency. If you have teaching aides or parent volunteers coming into your room, you know in advance if you need something for them to help you cut, buy, or put together.

Planning in bulk can also help you make sure you are covering all of the standards and expectations. You're never left hanging in the wind with 3 weeks of school left if you are continually looking forward in big blocks of time.

Third, simplify your lessons. Every lesson does not need to have some cute art project, worksheet or product. The best lessons are lessons that have a clear purpose, concise goal, streamlined teaching and maintain academic flow. My classroom is a "no worksheet" zone. Children do not learn from worksheets. They learn from clear teaching, real-world application and use of all of the senses.

One of my all time favorite teaching tools is plain, white copy paper. You can do almost anything with plain, white paper. There are 100's of ways to turn it into graphic organizers, stories, books, reviews, word family charts and more. The children feel ownership in their products, and it is authentic assessment. To find great things to do with paper, visit Dinah's Archives.

I have every type of student in my classroom - just like you: "typical", gifted, ESE, ADHD, and the list goes on and on. Most of these students do not want to be in a chair all day - they would much rather move! Having a classroom that allows children to learn in the way that they are most capable makes sense. During my day we have tons of music, movement, dancing, writing, drawing, cooperative work, hands-on centers and structured "learning through play".

Try one of these tips and see if you become a happier teacher with more time for YOU to play!

Share by: mrsmikesell

Facing Your Fears as an Adult Returning to School

2008-12-29T06:26:00.000-08:00

In case you hadn't noticed, career colleges aren't just for learning a vocational trade anymore. Nowadays, career colleges can help you obtain a Bachelor's, Master's, or even Doctorate Degree in just about any field of study, or they can even help you simply brush up on skills you might already have on your way to earning a certification or Associate's Degree. So while some career schools might still specialize in vocational trades like auto body repair, masonry or hair styling, the majority of today's career colleges are designed to help working professionals meet their career objectives.

Prompted by an inviting and growing selection of career and online colleges, more adults are returning to school than ever before. Whether you're seeking to advance your current career and education, break into a whole new field, or just enjoy studying something you've always wanted to, going back to school can be enjoyable and rewarding.

And yet, many potential students who could clearly benefit from enrollment at a career college are hesitant to do so. The reason? In too many cases, they are being held back by nothing other than their own fear.

The First Step is Admitting It

Let's begin by getting everything out on the table. Some reservations commonly heard from working adults who are considering a return to college include the concerns that:

They won't fit in It's too expensive There isn't enough time in the day It will take forever to complete a degree Employers won't view the degree (or certification) as credible The coursework won't be valuable or useful

In reality, just about any student who has attended a career college--whether online or on-campus--will tell you that there really isn't anything to fear in a return to school. While they may have once had the same fears as you do now, they learned very quickly that those fears were actually unwarranted.

By taking each fear one by one, we can begin to understand what these current students now know and how glad they are that they didn't let their fears hold them back.

I'm Afraid I Won't Fit In

It is common for a person in their thirties or forties to worry that they'll stick out like a sore thumb in a classroom filled with "kids" from the ages of 18 to 25. However, recent information from the Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education states that adult students are the fastest growing educational demographic, revealing that 40% of college students are now 25 or older. Further information from the National Center for Education Statistics points out that students age 35 and older rose from 823,00 in 1970 to nearly 3 million by 2001.

If you're still worried about fitting in to the classroom as an adult, a few facts that might help allay your concerns include:

With online learning, you'll be working on a more individual basis and won't have to worry about 'standing out' in a physical classroom; Many colleges, traditional or otherwise, have seen a spike in their 'older' students, and it's likely you won't be the tiny minority that you expect; and Many older adults actually find it rejuvenating and refreshing to be in a classroom environment with a younger group that is eager to learn.

I'm Afraid It Will Be Too Expensive

Tuition?books?it all adds up. And many potential students get scared off by the investment it requires to earn their degree. But the key to overcoming this fear is to consider it as just that: an investment in your future. Think long term instead of short term. In almost every case, the career advancement you will get after earning your degree will easily make up for the upfront costs of attending school. Besides, many career colleges--especially those online--may be more affordable than you realize. Do your homework and weigh the long-term benefits before deciding not to enroll in a school for this reason.

I'm Afraid It Will Take Up Too Much Time

For the busy working adult, the notion of taking on any additional endeavors can be downright stifling. It's not always easy balancing work with personal life, and adding school on top of all your other responsibilities might seem virtually impossible.

And yet, it's not. You'd be amazed at how much extra time you can squeeze into a day. Sure, there will be some sacrifices you'll have to make, but if you just try watching a little less television, say, or letting your friends know that you won't be able to make that barbecue next weekend, you'll be amazed at how much time you can free up. Just remember to keep your eye on the prize, and your sacrifices will all seem worthwhile.

One good option for students who might have a hard time committing to a schedule is to enroll in online courses that are "asynchronous." The asynchronous learning model works a bit like email in that you can access the coursework, instructor's lessons and classmates comments at your convenience, then respond whenever you are able. There are no set classes for you to attend, no specific schedules that might conflict with the rest of your day, and, because you'll be taking classes online, no commute time for you to worry about.

I'm Afraid It Will Take Forever To Complete My Degree

Traditionally, a Bachelor's Degree takes up to four years to complete, a Master's Degree requires at least two years, and a Doctorate Degree can take up to eight years or more. That's all fine and good for someone who can dedicate themselves to being a full time student, but for those who can only commit to part-time status, those timelines might appear too far off the horizon.

But the facts of the matter are that most degree programs at today's career colleges are based on accelerated learning, meaning that most degrees take less time to complete than traditional learning environments. Coursework is based on shorter semesters--typically five weeks--and delivering a quality education as rapidly as possible without sacrificing the student's ability to learn and absorb the material. In some cases you can even earn your degree is less than a year!

I'm Afraid That Employers Won't Take My Degree Seriously

Because their degree won't be coming from some top-name university like Harvard or Yale, some would-be students decide that it's not worth getting a degree from a school that employer's won't view as credible.

In reality, however, most employers today do view degrees from career colleges as not only credible, but oftentimes on par with their more traditional counterparts. It wasn't that long ago that many HR professional may have viewed career colleges--particularly online career colleges--as carrying less weight than traditional colleges, but as the online education space evolves and faculty members and curriculums at online schools catches up with those at traditional schools, more and more HR executives are realizing the validity of degrees earned online or through career colleges. In fact, to some, an online degree represents a certain career ambition, technological prowess and commitment to seeing something through to the end on behalf of the applicant.

I'm Afraid I Won't Learn Anything New Or Valuable

Many potential students are fearful of the fact that their trouble to go out and earn their degree might be all for naught--that the classes won't teach them anything they hadn't learned already in their professional experiences.

As anyone who has ever taken so much as a single class at a career college or online school will tell you, however, this perception couldn't be further from the truth. Classes at any accredited university are taught by qualified experts with lots of experience in their chosen field, while you will also be surrounded by classmates who bring their own, unique experiences to share. Whether the "classroom" is physical or virtual, you will learn more than you ever imagined from those around you.

Another point to consider is that most career colleges are centered around a team learning approach, in which students learn not only from their instructors, but from other students as well. With this approach, you'll engage in dialogues with other students who have much to share from their own work experiences, and you'll gain valuable lessons that you can take back and immediately apply to your own work.

Why Make The Move?

In today's modern learning environment, with numerous career and online schools focused entirely on their educational needs, adults have nothing to fear in a return to school - and so much to gain. Here are some of the main reasons more adults than ever are going back to school:

Career advancement or transition. If you're not currently working at the job of your dreams, nothing can change that faster than a more advanced degree and additional expertise.

To complete a degree from years ago. Plenty of first-time college students leave before they earn a degree, and a return to college is a supremely satisfying way to take care of that unfinished business.

To set an example for their children. What better way to encourage your growing children to pursue a college education than getting one of your own?

To fully prepare for running their own business. Whether you're interested in opening a B&B or your own accounting firm, the perfect college program is available online or on-campus.

Returning to school is a big step, but it shouldn't be an overwhelming one. For those who plan the move properly and take aim on getting all they can out of life, it can be the best decision they ever make.

Share by: Matt Mc Allister

How to Train your Child in Perseverance

2008-12-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

I chose to write about Perseverance not only as a goal that I can see I need to work at in my life, but one which is so extremely important for us to pass on to our children. If I have difficulty in persevering when I am feeling a bit down, overwhelmed, or tired and give in so easily, and I am an adult, this is obviously a life-long trait which needs to be built into our character from an early age. Our culture does not encourage perseverance. As long as you are enjoying what you are doing, you are encouraged to keep going, but if you don't like the boss you can toss in the job, drop out of a course, and avoid the difficulties you might be facing.

Even in homeschooling, it is easy to give in to our children's whines:

"I don't want to play soccer anymore - it's too cold!"
"I hate music practice! I do not want to learn the piano anymore."
"Why do I have to learn spelling? It's so boring!"

And then as parents, we become confused. We hear a persuasive voice telling us to back out of our children's lives and let them decide where they are headed. Let them pursue their interests (as long or as short that may be), follow their hearts, develop the skills that they deem necessary to walk in their own way. The philosophy of today tells us that our children would be far better off, if we just left them alone.

So, how do we face this all? Do we strap them to their seats in front of endless books and meaningless worksheets, hoping to develop diligence? Of course not! At times, it is a difficult line to work out. Yes, I want to develop perseverance in my child. No! I don't want them to sit purposelessly behind a desk hoping that they will learn staying power.

So, how?

Firstly I need to recognize that not all their education will be "fun." I am not about to apologize for that! Struggling through a maths problem, and conquering it, can give any child an enormous sense of satisfaction. If our children never struggle, they will miss out on the unique sense of achievement and accomplishment which follows a difficulty. Have you ever felt the satisfaction of a "good days work" after hard, physical labour? Well, our children should have opportunities to experience this as well - not only physical labour (which is also crucial), but mental labour as well.

Secondly, I need to take care that the work they do has purpose. Nobody likes slaving away at a meaningless task. Give your children real things to do - writing letters or lists; making a family newspaper; writing a website or web page; playing an instrument with other members in the family, in a band, in church or busking; maintaining a vegetable patch; finding out the best supermarket specials; playing a game until the end, even if they are losing; or even, being in charge of pairing socks in the household. I am not a fan of workbooks simply because I don't want to waste their time - as though we need to fill up their day!

Thirdly, I need to insist that they complete what they start. If they have signed up for a season with a soccer club, they need to show commitment and a team spirit, even if they are cold, tired or sick of losing. It takes perseverance for the parents too - we brought five children to soccer every Saturday this year. If they begin a vegie patch, they need to water and weed it through the season. Of course, there are some things that are passing phases and it doesn't matter if they tinker for a while with one idea and leave it for another. But, if responsibility comes with certain hobbies, it is important that our child learns to commit through the good and the bad times.

Don't you love that colloquialism: "stick-to-it-iveness."

Fourthly, I need to stand by them, being their coach and cheerleader. I need to urge them to face the difficulty and to encourage and reward them with praise for their efforts. We don't want to set an impossible goal for them to reach, but we do want them to rise to challenges which are set before them. This will develop strong qualities in them.

Fifthly, I need to be an example to my children. I need to show that the battle to give in, is just as real in my life. Children love to hear stories from our own experience, so we should share difficulties we have faced and how by God's grace, He has helped us, guided us and walked with us. We also need to show stick-to-it-iveness in our lives.

The danger of allowing our children to make all their choices, based on their whims at all times, is the same danger that you and I face. I would not mind going out for coffee with friends when life is messy and the house is in chaos; I may even think of sending them to school at times and enjoying six or more hours of quiet and peace; I would hide away in my study and write a website about homeschooling without doing "it"; I'd have more take-away meals and moan about not having the money to employ someone to iron my clothes; I wouldn't be quick to make a meal for a friend or provide hospitality for the new visitors at church. Yes, if I could make all my own choices depending on how my day is, I would be indulging my selfish tendencies and living life exactly on my own terms, avoiding all hardships. It may sound tempting - but it's not real and it isn't the way God wants us to live. He calls us to persevere.

Perseverance is a godly trait, which helps us to improve ourselves and bring benefit to others.

Share by: Marianne Vanderkolk

Teachers And The Teaching Profession

2008-12-29T01:54:00.000-08:00

How important is it really the master of education? Many people rely largely on the teacher in schools for the education of their children. At the same time, educational institutions are also proud of the ability of teachers to spread the knowledge of youth. They have invested heavily in hiring the best teachers to join their staff. It seems, then, that these teachers play a central role in schools and the education sector in general. In this article, the characteristics of a good teacher and his responsibilities will be discussed in depth in a way.

The teachers are part of an institution of learning. If you can not find a school that is not in its teachers. Of course, it can not be called to a school, if they are not teachers. A teacher is a person who is responsible for the transmission of knowledge to students to prepare them to become competitive and productive society. As you know, a teacher teaches students about the information, experience and skills they need in accordance with the established program.

A good teacher is the quality and the ability to transmit knowledge and wisdom to students. This is important because teachers are the coaches of the new generation of citizens who are the heirs of the company. E 'task of teacher training and to prepare well for the young to face the challenges that come upon them once they have graduated from the school. A teacher has the responsibility to pass on to future generations the knowledge of managers of the company. These tasks have been done more for the development of society and the advancement of technology.

As society and technology progresses, the challenges faced by teachers have also become huge. Must be able to cope with the rapid progress of technology with their teaching methods. At present, more and more students are connected to the Internet. Thousands of information, some of which are harmful to students, are published on the website. This could prove detrimental to the learning process of students. Teachers should be able to view, or at least find a way to see these things or to provide clarification on this information unsolicited.

In addition, teachers can take advantage of technological innovations. They can also use this technology to improve their teaching methods. If you are connected with other schools, you can use the convenience of the Internet to communicate with other teachers to share experiences, methods and information on the effectiveness of teaching.

It can be said, therefore, that teachers are very important for the development of society. Without them, the transmission of knowledge gained from past generations, the new generation of guardians of the company will not be possible. This responsibility is on the shoulders is a huge task. The profession of teaching is one of the noblest professions in society. As the great philosopher Aristotle once said, there are only three true professionals in society, are lawyers, doctors and teachers.

Share by: Barbara Overton13