Homeschool Program and Homeschool Programs

Homeschool programs are more prevalent then they once were. A lot of families are opting to have their children homeschooled for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons might consist of the desire to keep them away from public school education. Some parents might think that the public school isn't teaching the proper views they want their children to learn. Another reason homeschool programs exist is so that parents can have more say on what is important for their child to focus on in regard to subject matter. Whether you are a parent or someone who doesn't know a lot about homeschool programs, read along to find out some informative information about a homeschool program that may be offered.
When one hears the words homeschool program, what do you think of? Do you think sheltered child? Do you think about parents who are too afraid to let their kids get connected with public school education? Do you think of homeschool programs as a safe alternative to the world's standard of education? Whatever the case or your stance might be, homeschool programs are here to inform, to encourage, and to assist those wanting to provide a different type of education to their children.
If you are just getting started with the homeschool programs and learning how they work, it might be a good idea to talk with parents who are already involved with the concept. You would be surprised how many families are involved in the homeschool programs in today's day and age. A question that might arise for parents is the concern for their children to be involved socially and to become well-rounded people. If you are thinking of doing a homeschool program, might that be a problem? Not necessarily.
There are homeschool programs that exist where other children can get involved. Many times parents are the main educators in their family when they opt to homeschool. However, they have designed homeschool programs where they connect with other kids for a variety of reasons. Some of the kids might attend a homeschool program that teaches them their science classes. When this happens, a teacher is usually brought in so they can work on their experiments and do their lab requirements. This is a good time for these kids to interact, socialize, and learn with their peers.
These students might also be involved in a homeschool program that gets them together for elective-type courses. Say one of their English requirements is to take a class on drama and theater. The homeschool programs can connect the kids through putting on a play and honing their skills in the area of fine arts. Whatever the case may be, homeschool programs can be a great alternative to today's education system. Research wisely by talking with other parents, churches, homeschooling associations, and programs they offer.

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By Christian N

For more information about homeschool program and homeschool programs, visit:http://www.christianet.com/christianbusinesses/christianeducation/index.htm

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Benefits of Homeschooling

A wise man once said, "We can teach our children to have courage, faith, and endurance and show them how to learn, and they can teach us to laugh, to sing, and to love." In other words, each family member has valuable lessons to teach the family.
When a family homeschools, this reciprocal relationship is magnified. Homeschooling participants are affected by more than just the person who sit at the homeschool table. All generations create and reinforce the bond between family members. Home schooling families spend their time laughing, learning, playing and living with each other 24/7.
You can choose the best curriculum to promote an intrinsic love of lifelong learning. The homeschool curriculum is flexible. The parameters are determined by the best teachers available, the parents, who know and love their children.
Learning never stops in the homeschool environment. The parents are not just lecturers or observers. They are active participants who expand, explain and encourage their children to be inquisitive and explore the specific areas that interest them without the constraints of arbitrary rules set up by an outside source.
Another benefit to homeschooling is that the parents model and reinforce valuable behavior and deemphasize undesirable behavior in a natural manner.
Historically several generations lived in the same home. Everyone benefited from this multi-generational living arrangement, coming away with valuable lessons that cannot be taught in a book. Plus most of the time there was the added advantage of the multi-grade/level schoolhouse for the formal education.
Presently we often put the older generation in nursing homes when they get too bothersome (only to visit them on holidays), and we settle for a failing public school system that has been tasked with being everything to everyone but alienates most participants.
Homeschooling is the best of both worlds. It's good for both the family and for your children's education.
The benefits of home schooling are limitless. As a parent who homeschooled three children, I feel that homeschooling is the greatest gift a parent can give their child. Try it. You’ll like it!

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By Pamela Connolly

Pam Connolly is a professional educator with the San Diego School District. She has been teaching kids how to type for over 11 years. To teach your child typing, visit http://www.1stoplearntotype.com

The Art and Science of Finding a College

Finding the right college and gaining admission to that institution is arguably the most important challenge facing young adults and their parents. The high cost of tuition combined with intense competition makes choosing the right college, university, or technical school difficult. Whether your interest is in the arts or sciences, whether you are seeking sports opportunities or knowledge in a technical field, there are many tools available to help you make your decision and find the learning community that best suits your needs. Even if you haven't decided upon a major, finding a college is an important first step that will set the foundation for your future career path. Finding the perfect match is a matter of patience and planning. Here are some areas to think about when finding a college:

* Location - Do you want your college experience to be an opportunity to strike out on your own, or is it important to you to remain within a reasonable driving distance of home? Do you thrive in an urban environment that has access to a rich variety of cultural venues and the arts, or do you prefer a setting that's more bucolic and low-key?

* Size - Are you seeking the diversity of a large student body, or do you prefer an environment with fewer people? Is your field of interest so specific that course offerings can be found at only large colleges and universities, or do you place more importance on the accessibility of faculty to the student body? How important is the size of the college's library? All of these factors should be considered when finding a college.

* Housing - Will you be commuting from home, or living away from home? If you were living away from home, what housing opportunities would best suit you? If you interested in dorm life, does the college have adequate on-campus housing, or is there a waiting list? If you're more likely to live off-campus, is there a housing shortage in the community? What is the going rate for apartments, and how does that fit into your budget?

* Cost - Although there are a myriad of financial aid options available to students who qualify academically, cost is certain a consideration when finding a college. A community college or state university may be more feasible than a private college or university. Although student loans are available, being faced with an enormous debt upon graduation is less than desirable. Once you have gone about the task of finding a college and have narrowed your choices, you need to work on getting admitted to that institution of higher learning. You may wish to engage a service that will help you define your goals, gain admission to the school of your choice, and transform your dream into a reality.

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By Chris Robertson

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Education Website and Majon's Education directory.

Choosing a Major

One of the many things that several college bound students seem to worry over, is declaring a major. Many people may tell that you should have one chosen by the time you start your first year. Unless you’re absolutely 100% sure of your career path, you don’t need to worry about making that decision just yet. Keep your options open. The actual deadline for choosing a major is the end of your sophomore year. That gives you two years, which is plenty of time. In those first two years of your scholastic journey, you should be exploring possibilities and considering your options. Take general education courses, like History, Literature, Psychology 101, Sociology 101, intro classes, etc., and figure out which one grabs you. It might not be right away. You might pick a major at the last minute.
Take me for example. I didn’t declare my major until the end of my sophomore year. I thought I would never figure out what I wanted to do or what I was good at. I had originally come to school wanting to be a political science major. Then halfway through, I decided that politics was something that I didn’t want to be a part of (for various reasons). Next, I wanted to be a psychology major. I loved the class so much that I decided to declare. Eventually I got bored with psychology and switched to history. I love history and I’m completely fascinated with it. I soon lost interest with being a history major and became an English major. I figured since I love to read and write that this would be perfect. That ended up being a little too much reading and writing for my taste. Plus, I had to take classes like ‘Eighteenth Century British Literature’, which I ended up sleeping in. So I remained undeclared until the Spring Semester of my sophomore year. That semester, I signed up for a video production class. I excelled in the class. I finally found something I loved and something I was good at. I declared Mass Communications as my major and am currently working towards my degree in that field.
It takes time. Don’t get overwhelmed. Don’t get discouraged. Test the waters, try everything, and eventually, you’ll find your niche.

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By Mia Pleasant

Mia Pleasant is finishing up her degree and is a proud member of Writing.Com(http//:http://www.writing.com/) Her portfolio can be viewed at Mia Pleasant.

Continue Your Education With an MBA Online

What is a good way for me to advance my education despite having no real time to myself? I get busy with work and it is difficult for me to consider extending my education when I would have to commute to a campus, find time to go to classes, and then still work. One way I found that can help busy professionals continue their education without even having to leave the house is by pursuing an MBA online. By working on an MBA online, you don’t have to worry about commuting, going to classes at inconvenient times, or even scheduling around your job.

An MBA is a powerful and helpful degree. Also known as a Masters of Business Administration, an MBA is the next logical step in education to extend your business career. However, it is quandary since you are working hard to move up, but also have to find a way to continue your education. The perfect the way to do that is to work on your MBA online. By doing so, you can avoid all the time constraints that go along with a traditional graduate program, plus you can work on your classes when you have the time and when your busy schedule permits.

The best way to find an MBA online is to check through a search engine first. There are a number of universities and business colleges that offer MBA’s over the internet as part of their normal curriculum. There are also universities that specialize in online programs including MBA online schools. No matter which kind you prefer, you may want to begin your search on a search engine.

So how does an MBA online work? You will likely have to first apply, probably online. If it is a traditional school offering an online program, you may have to visit the campus to get everything arranged. Once you are in, you will log in through the internet to take each of the classes required to complete your degree. Depending on the MBA online program, some may be self-pacing. More often, though, they will be on a weekly schedule, but you will be able to actually do the work when you get time. There will still be texts to read and activities to do, but all of it will be available to you from your desktop.

Finding time, as a professional, to continue your education can be very difficult. You are busy with your work and with what time you have, it would probably be nearly impossible to find classes that would work for you. The answer can very possibly be an MBA online program. By pursuing your degree online you can avoid the time constraints that come with a traditional program. You can work around your schedule, do so from your home, and thus be able to get your MBA even with a busy work schedule that isn’t consistent. An MBA is an important degree if you want to move on in the business world, and it can be time consuming. So, consider working on your MBA online to help your career and education progress.

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By Christopher Luck

If you would like to find more of my personal articles on online degrees please check out my education website!

The MBA Conundrum

A colleague on my MBA programme here at the BI in Oslo questioned me somewhat aggressively the other week: “You seem very relaxed about the process of studying. Is this something you really want to do?”
Over the last few years, there has been a lot of scepticism surrounding the true value of MBAs once inside an organisation. As the first term of my MBA programme comes to a close, and I begin to look forward to a week absent of work and full of long Mediterranean dinners and hot evenings, I can’t help reflect as I sit in class now on the validity of all the scepticism. First of all, I am sympathetic to the cynics. For a long time I was a cynic myself of the validity of MBAs – after all, they are usually twenty-somethings like myself who think they know all the answers based on what has to be a fairly limited amount of real, practical experience.
From my experience on this MBA programme here at the BI in Oslo, the scepticism is not unjustified but it is misplaced.
When I chose to study an MBA, it was predominantly for the intellectual process of reasoning and studying that I wanted to do it. Unlike some, for me graduating in the top ten of the class is not an all-consuming goal – it is rather the acquisition of knowledge and the opportunity to be back in one of my favourite places, the classroom, again that are the pivotal reasons I am studying for this degree. It seems I am part of a minority, however. I may be fortunate in not finding the task of getting high grades overly demanding and actually enjoying the process of studying, but putting it diplomatically, there are certainly a number of less than congenial individuals on the programme who are clearly studying an MBA for one sole purpose: because they can’t rise any higher in their careers without one. The problem with these individuals is that studying an MBA is not what they need: what they need is a lesson in how to get on with people. Most of the types I am speaking about ironically have quite outstanding qualifications already; it is certainly not for lack of academic kudos that they have encountered a limit to how far they can rise within their respective organisations.
The problem is in the classification of “MBA’s” as a general categorical statement. It is immediately evident on this programme at least that those who are going to climb the ladder in an organisational context would do so anyway, without an MBA. All the programme does is to sharpen the intellectual process so that those who have been “winging” subjects like accounting for the past four years, like myself, can now talk about it with a sense of meaning. On the other hand, an MBA won’t teach those who have a personality disorder how to acquire a personality. Ironically, it is these students who are the most “grade” focused, and who therefore immediately, at least, come across as the most ambitious: because they have found themselves in the unenviable position of having to be. However, once these individuals assume management positions, they quickly find themselves at square one.
Management is more of an intuitive process than an intellectual one. The problem with studying an MBA for the students who are doing it with the sole purpose of advancing their careers in mind is that, while being somewhat more intuitive perhaps than most degrees, it is still predominantly an intellectual pursuit. MBA’s are great degrees, they are just being used for the wrong purpose.

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By Daniel Harrison

Daniel M. Harrison is currently studying for a MBA at BI, Oslo. Prior to this he was Head of Private Client Services at St. Helen's Capital, and has been responsible for a number of small company fundraisings and IPOs in the U.K.
Daniel has written and lectured in the United Kingdom on Corporate Finance in the small company market as well as on cultural issues including the literary and music scene.
He has a blog at http://danielmarkharrison.blogs.com

Supreme Clowns

Is it just me or are the dunces in the U.S. Senate totally unqualified to pass judgment on Supreme Court nominees? They have been entrusted with a duty that can have no meaning. They can’t do their job because they have no clue what questions to ask. They have to know your dreams and visions, your mistakes and your private conversations to get any idea what questions to ask. Reveal your every private thought to us and we will ask you most excellent questions.
I would have questions without end. If we have a Constitutional Convention next year, what constitutional defects should we address? Should any government have the use of unlimited credit? Doesn’t that create an unfair advantage over those with little or no credit? Should any government have authority to put multiple generations in debt bondage? If they have the authority do they have a moral obligation not to do so? If they ignore their moral obligation, should they not forfeit the credit itself?
Do you believe cruel punishment is desirable once it becomes common or usual? Do you believe a single punishment is appropriate to all crimes? Which is more important to you, justice or mercy? Which would you prefer for yourself on judgment day?
Do you believe it was the intention of the founding fathers to enumerate and restrict the powers of Congress and then add a little phrase such as the general welfare clause that says in effect, “and anything whatsoever pleases you”? Does this defect need correction?
What, in your opinion, makes this contract binding upon the descendents of those who approved it? Do you believe the administration of a loyalty oath, is deceptive when administered in a repeat- after- me fashion upon induction into the armed services? Do you approve? Do you believe those who swear this oath have any idea who the document’s enemies, foreign and domestic are? If they do know them, do they still have to obey orders protecting such? Can a combat soldier become a conscientious objector without fear of retribution in the land o the free?
What makes the court upon which you wish to serve, Supreme? Was it ordained by God or men? Has any group of men ever created something supreme, beyond supreme foolishness? Why do you want this job? Does having the last word in statute and maritime law excite you? Get your juices flowing?
Why is U.S. citizenship an accident of birth and not a personal achievement? Why are the ignorant allowed to vote or sit on juries? Do you believe this is good government and good law? When an ignorant defendant sits before a jury of his peers are they all likewise ignorant? If a defendant is wise, does he get a jury of wise peers? Who would decide such a thing? Lawyers? How would they qualify to judge wisdom and ignorance? Or does the word peer mean economic class, here in the land o the free?
Do you believe there can never be too much law? Can you name any person who ever wrote a good law? If so who? Do you think creating new criminals day after day is a proper function of good government? Do you believe society has a responsibility for the families of those they simply lock out of sight? Do you think the sick people in cages deserve any help whatsoever upon release to society? Prior to release? What kind of help? Would you use your political influence to make such happen? Do you wish you need not answer such questions? Breathe easy. No one else will ask them.

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by: Ed Howes

Ed Howes sought and found. Knocked and entered. Now he sees things differently. To see more of what he sees visit http://www.justanotherview.com

To Serve - or Not

Shall I serve? If I serve, who shall I serve? The young person, regardless of educational achievement, is seldom taught to ask and answer these most basic questions before others are supplying the answers. The Bible says the choice boils down to serving God or money. For most people, the distinction is easily lost. In most cases, the distinction was lost on their parents and grandparents for their entire lifetimes, so it it not a matter of age. It is certainly a matter of wisdom, which is usually in very short supply.
If the choice is to serve money, the matter is greatly simplified and that is the choice most Westerners make. The common choice is to get money. That puts us in the service of money because we are paid to make money for someone else, who makes money for yet another. This is the result of a global value system which places gold and precious stones above all else and values souls and slaves as the cheapest, most disposable merchandise. Therefore, one serves God by serving that of the least value and serves money by serving anything else. To serve God is to reverse all we have observed and all we have been taught. True service is summarized by the great commandments. Love God and love your neighbor. The biblical answer to who is your neighbor is found in parable as a person in need of help. A soul and probably a slave as well. Like or unlike our selves.
And who is a slave? All who serve money, by choice or by force. Herein lies the rub. How do you help slaves in need without serving the money they serve? On the global scale, this is the vexing question in economic aid. Give a poor man money through his national or local leadership and you divide your giving between the slave and his master, who is also a slave. Teach the same man to supply his own needs and he may or may not successfully withhold the fruits of his labor from his masters, for he too must make a choice.
Benjamin Franklin understood that politics amount to fraud and theft. At the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention Franklin said the republic would last until the people were corrupted. He must have said this with a wink because he was witness to the corruption of the conventioners for the entire length of the convention. The conventioners arrived in Philadelphia with authority from their respective state legislatures to revise the Articles of Confederation, which made the states and their citizens the national sovereigns or ultimate power and authority. The conventioners threw the Articles out the window, decided they knew better than anyone what was needed and created a document which made the federal government sovereign, the states and citizens mere agents, servants and slaves. Because these scoundrels we call our founding fathers knew the state legislatures would never accept this political coup and power grab, the conventioners wrote provisions for ratification into the document itself. These provisions would by- pass the state legislatures by requiring committees to ratify and approve the power grab. It was a close fight. The citizens and the states lost it to the money men who would forever enslave a nation. They would call this slavery freedom to help us feel good about the whole thing and we do.
The matter would not be tested until Franklin had been dead for seventy years. Thirteen states and their citizens declared they would not be the slaves of the federal government and fought a very bloody war to make the point. The masters convinced half the slaves to slaughter the other half and restore an involuntary union in the land of the free. They knew involuntary union and liberty could not co- exist. It never has, nor will it in any other part of the world. Americans are a conquered people, no less so than the natives they pushed onto reservations before and after this matter was settled. It is a fundamental of conquest that the conquered survivors and their children live at the mercy and pleasure of the conqueror, who showed mercy for their lives during the conquest. In this case, Washington D.C.. This is why no court will rule against a federal levy of money, property or persons from the citizenry. We are all federal property by right of conquest.
It is not necessary to fight yet another war or violent revolution to end an oligarchy publicly desribed as a democratic republic. This is and has been a government of the people, by the money masters, for the money masters from before the ink dried on the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution made it official. All that is needed to establish a government of the people, by the people, for the people is to revise the U.S. Constitution to make it more like the old Articles of Confederation. The pen is mightier than the sword indeed, yet people are easily persuaded to use the sword because they were corrupted just as Franklin must have expected. From the first moment we accept and support corrupted leadership, we are corrupt ourselves. Because we are corrupt, we deserve slavery and the contempt of others. Likewise, the Africans who came to America on slave ships were victims of the corruption of their leaders and as the practice flourished, corrupted their selves. It was always the duty of those who remained in Africa to end the corruption of their leadership. It is the same for all of us today, everywhere in this world. We excuse the ignorant and call them innocent because they are us.
We see the corruption and how money buys elections and the very laws we are commanded to obey. We smile and wink. Poltics is dirty work, but someone has to do it. Somebody will until the people change the value system and quit serving money. It is forever the people’s right to change the laws and governments they live by and the “supreme law of the land” is the great global fraud. Politics is corrupt. By definition all politicians are corrupt because the righteous do not willingly serve corruption, which brings us again to the subject of service.
All military service is political and corrupt by definition. When one joins, he or she is surprised by a loyalty oath, most never heard of until they obediently “repeat after me”. The oath puts each slave in bondage to the President of the United States, whoever it may be and then the U.S. Congress after him. We are tricked into an oath whereby we swear to defend a commercial contract made by a handful of scoundrels over two hundred years ago for the slaves of that era. We swear to defend a fraud against all enemies, foreign and domestic, with no idea who is an enemy and who is a friend. It is the act of swearing any oath that holds power over us. I have pledged my sacred honor to do as I am told by any and every superior stranger in a military chain of money servants. I keep my pledge by obedience to authority, never understanding that any contract created by fraud is null and void and has no power of obligation on either contracting party. The money servants are free to change the terms and conditions of your agreement as they choose because the “supreme law” is a fraud, the government it created is a fraud and the loyalty oath we swear is a fraud. To defend a fraud is itself a fraud. Slaves have no valid contract with any fraudulent authority. The money masters know this but only a law student will ever read it in a textbook and they intend to serve money.
We who have sworn a fraudulent oath, know not the truth. If and when we do understand, we can call it what it is and walk away. Doing so would likely result in undeserved punishments and make of us an enemy of the fraud, so we wait for our contract to expire and ponder the lesson learned. We keep our mouths shut and warn no one of the fraud. To do so is un patriotic, which means a patriot is any person who promotes and supports the money fraud. He or she declares the patriot kills and dies for freedom and justice when in fact, the patriot believes this as he or she kills and dies for money. The money masters define our words and the truth is too horrible to admit. A dishonor to the deceived. Untold millions are duped in every generation. Not one patriot will ever suggest we change the “supreme law” and dissolve this great commercial slave enterprise that one might be able to serve both God and nation. That one might value souls and slaves above gold and precious stones.
Workers seldom check the habits, ethics and morals of employers before they contract for employment. This is why they deserve whatever treatment they receive and probably worse. They are corrupt. They do not care who or what they serve. They care for the money they receive in exchange for their service. They have likely spent many years in schools, learning HOW to serve. Learning obedience to illegitimate, presumed authority. Training to serve the money masters in their military and in their factories. Scripture tells us “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” No one knows the truth of this better than the money masters. One generation trains the next to serve the money masters and it all works like a well oiled money machine. Because, just because.
I am not saying money cannot be used to serve God. I am saying that rarely happens. I am saying the truth of our labor is too painful to bear, so we prefer all the comforting fraud. We smile and we wink. We try hard not to rock the money boat. We choose to serve money and we love neither God nor neighbor in money’s service. Better any God of love be forgotten. There is much work to be done. Many people to deceive. Many people to devalue.

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by: Ed Howes

Ed Howes sought and found. Knocked and entered. Now he sees things differently. You can see more of what he sees at http://www.justanotherview.com.

When We Help Immigrants, We Help Ourselves

And some of the benefits are immediate!
Almost all of us who are not immigrants, are descended from immigrants. The United States was built by immigrants and it will always be a country of immigrants. When we think of Chinese, Italians, Germans, English, French, etc. we picture distinct people, cultures, food and languages.
When we think of Americans, we picture a combination of all the other countries. And it is always changing. When people used to picture Americans they saw white people from England, Germany and Scandinavia and the black people descended from slaves. Then Irish, Italian and Jewish immigrants came; at that time none of these people were thought of as white. Asian immigrants came next and now the picture we have of Americans is becoming more Spanish speaking and from Latin America.
Throughout our country’s history, there have always been residents who thought the country was full or didn’t need people from certain countries. They seemed to believe, “I’m OK, you’re not”. But the bravest, strongest, most determined, entrepreneurial people from poor countries took a huge chance and moved here to build a better life for themselves. In the process they built a better country for all of us.
If you moved to a new country, what would you do if you knew only a few words of the language and even less of the laws and customs? You would probably first ask your friends, who often wouldn’t know the right answers. Then you might make several attempts to do something and then perhaps give up entirely. Then you would find out the hard way (tickets, fines, evictions, school suspensions) that you did something wrong. New immigrants are trying to adapt to life here and struggle every day to fit in.
When immigrants succeed, we all benefit. Some of the benefits are immediate: helping someone in the checkout line at the grocery store to understand the instructions or make change, helps the line move faster. If we speak slowly and help them learn some English, everything in our daily lives works better. Learning a new language is very difficult, but they won’t be able to assimilate if they don’t learn English. Some people say that these newcomers are stupid or not willing to learn the rules, while they probably are just not able to understand the language or the rules.
If we are friendly and welcoming to new neighbors, they will learn how to fit in and there will be less friction. If there is a neighborhood meeting, take them along. Many of them come from entirely different cultures and have to be shown how to fit into ours.
Tell them about open house and parent-teacher meetings at the local school. Their country’s schools might not have wanted the parents to be involved and they don’t understand how important it is here. Your children’s schools will be better schools if more of the parents are involved and help out. Your children will learn about other countries and cultures from these parents and students, too.
If there is a fire or weather emergency, check on them. Many of them don’t know where to go or who to ask about phone and electric service they have lost. They don’t know there are shelters and help available. Keeping your neighbors safe will make your neighborhood better and maybe they will be helping you next time. A close community of good neighbors has less crime and drugs and other dangerous activities.
In other words, do the same things for these newcomers that you would want them to do for you if you were new residents in their country. This is also called The Golden Rule.
This is our country, we have a right and a responsibility to help new residents learn how to live here. They won’t learn by seeing resentment and hatred on our faces. They will learn by example and friendliness. We will all be happier and we will all benefit when these immigrants become Americans, just like our immigrant ancestors did.

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by: Donna Poisl

Donna Poisl is President of Live & Thrive Press and the author of "How to Live & Thrive in the U.S. / Como Vivir y Prosperar en Estados Unidos". She wrote this reference guide to help immigrants learn our system and succeed in this country. Contact Donna at http://www.howtoliveandthrive.com.

Developing Learning Activities And Simulations In E-Learning Content

What turns your best dress into a showstopper? Accessories. And what turns your online course content into dazzlingly useful learning content? Learning Activities. What is a Learning Activity? In e-learning content development, we use all forms of questions for test and quizzes:
1. Multiple correct, which presents a number of choices as answers to a particular question. There may be more than one answer to this question. The students chooses all answers that are correct.
2. Single correct, which presents multiple choices as answers to a particular questions. One answer of the possible choices is correct.
3. Item matching, in which there is one column of possible answers that relate to another column of questions. Item matching is commonly used for matching the correct term to the definition.
4. Fill-in-the-blank, in which the students enters the correct word or words that complete a sentence.
5. True/false, in which the student answers whether a statement is true or false.
6. Short answer, in which the student enters a one to two sentence answer to a question.
7. Essay, in which the student responds to a question with a page (or more) long response.
All of these question types are useful for testing knowledge gained from taking a course, as well as testing the level of knowledge prior to a course. In addition, such questions are useful in the course itself as learning checks. The learning check enables the student to determine whether he understands the material. Most companies consider these questions to be adequate learning activities. However, learning activities can be much more. Learning activities that are simulations can involve the student and give him a safe environment in which to practice skills gained through the course. .
Learning Activities are interactive activities that help to explain concepts and involve the student with hands-on learning. This may include all forms of drag and drop questions (one to one correlation, many to one correlation) as well as interactive ordering of graphics or text, and finally, simulations.
An IDC article and survey, Technology-Based Simulations: Cloning the Work Environment for More Effective Learning, June 2004 by Michael Brennan, states, "By 2008 the use of simulations will quadruple.... Simulations provide a parallel universe in which employees hone their skills... Innovative companies have realized this, and others will follow."
Simulations are currently the most expensive learning activity. Simulations must be individually designed and programmed. For example, suppose you have a sales course in which you are testing the sales student’s retention of the message that the company wishes to deliver to its customers. You could do a question workshop: several questions that give situations requiring an action in multiple correct or single correct formats. Another, more entertaining, method would be to have the sales person run through a scenario in which he indicates what he would do to sell his product. The learning activity indicates whether the customer would buy this product based on those actions. This feedback could be indicated by a graph indicating customer readiness to buy. It could also be complimented by video, in which the customer appears aggravated when the sales person gives his message incorrectly and pleased when the sales person gives his message correctly.
Online courses are taken privately and at the student’s convenience. If the student requires several attempts with a particular scenario, praise the student for continued effort and eventual competency.
Adding humor to simulations and learning activities is essential yet can be controversial. As the simulation developer or content developer, you do not want to add any humor that could be perceived as offensive, sexist or worse, unfunny. To extend our sales example, when the sales person is unsuccessful at selling his product in the learning activity, you would not want your customer video or simple animation of the customer to offend the sales person. Yet you want him to laugh and try again. Perhaps the customer morosely shaking his head and leaving the room, with text indicating how the sales call went dreadfully south would be acceptable and could be done in a humorous fashion. You would not want this animation to be disturbing – the customer should not shake his fist and yell for a restraining order against the sales person, for example.
In the past, I participated in designing a simulation of patient anesthesia. The computer program consisted of a patient on the operating room table and two dials that the student could turn. One dial administered oxygen, the other dial administered anesthetic. The patient’s parameters could change (height, weight, age). As the student administered the anesthesia, a graph showed the patient’s stats. If you administered too much anesthesia the patient would die! It was a great simulation, but scary. The death knell of the patient was accompanied by funeral music. . Ouch!
On the other hand, sometimes we encounter simulations and learning activities that add nothing to the content or the course. They are superfluous, added to maintain interest. You must be very careful in these instances. If you want to add something to maintain interest, it should still be useful and explore some aspect of the topic. A Flash movie of interesting fractals may be colorful and fun - useless in a course that is not about fractals, art or Flash. For example, suppose you are teaching contractual document details. You can still relate the content of the course to a learning activity in which the student must put the correct elements from a list into three different types of contracts. As dry as you may think detailing the elements of a contract might be, if you add audio that indicates whether the addition was right or wrong, you can keep your student’s interest. “Wrong!” can be contrasted with “Oh, not that element, it does not belong” said in a beautiful feminine voice. The second response can add a smile and cause the student to remember how the contractual elements are added to a contract. A booming male voice that states, “You sir, are correct!” can bring that same acknowledgement.
In conclusion, questions and quizzes while useful are not the end of interactivity. We need to provide the means for simulations inside online courses to provide the hands on learning that students need. Through clever activities that allow seeing the consequences of your actions on the simulation model, we can provide activities that enable retention of material and practice. If these activities lead the student to greater understanding, we have provided not only an entertaining activity but also great value for our online courses.

_______________________________

by: Dana Fine

Dana Fine is a Senior Instructional Designer at SyberWorks, Inc. SyberWorks is a custom e-learning solutions company that specializes in learning management systems, e-learning solutions, and custom online course development. Dana is also a frequent contributor to the Online Training Content Journal.
syberworks.com

Resurrecting an Old Technology - VSR Motors

A 170 year old electrical technology, called variable switched reluctance (VSR) motors was resurrected in the 1980s with the advent of electronic controllers. The Texas based Le Tiurneau.inc has developed a wheeled front end loader for mining work which use large horsepower VSR motors for its wheel drives. Basically, a VSR motor comprises a rotor and a stator with a coil winding in the stator. The rotor, which consists of a laminated permeable material with teeth, is a passive device with no coil winding or permanent magnets.
The stator typically consists of slots containing a series of coil winding, the energization of which is electronically switched to generate a moving field. When one stator coil is set on, a magnetic flux path is generated around the coil and the rotor. The rotor experiences a torque and is moved in the line with the energized coils, minimizing the flux path. with the approximate switching and energization of the stator coils, the rotor can be encouraged to rotate at any desired torque and speed.
VSR Motors offers the following advantages: Since there are no brushes ringing, there is no requirement of commutator maintenance. the motor is more robust since there are no coils or moving parts. A VSR motor can maintain higher torque and efficiency over broader speed ranges than is possible with other advanced variable speed systems. In addition, as the commutation can be accurately controlled with respect to the rotor angle, the motor will operate at its predicted high efficiency. With VSR technology it is possible to design a low cost motor with over 90% system efficiency and variable speed.
VSR motors can be programmed to precisely match the loads the serve, and their simple rugged construction has no expensive magnets or squirrel cages like the induction motor. VSR motors are smaller than DC motors. VSR motor is inherently resistant to overload and immune to single point failure. They have a high level of fault tolerance and are immune to switching faults. According t a spokesman of Le Tourneau, While the initial cost of SR motor and control is a little more expensive than standard DC system, in the failure, there may be little or no difference in the manufacturing costs due to decreasing prices of electronic components. VSR motors are not without their drawbacks, however. The most significant downside is the acoustic noise and the large vibration caused by the motor's high pulsating magnetic flux. Another limitation is torque ripple. But while these drawbacks have an effect in small horsepower VSR motors, they are of no significance in large horsepower traction motors.

______________________________________

By Praise Paul

Praise is the Professor and Head of the Dept of Information Technology of Calicut University. with more than 25 years of Professional Experience in University of Calicut.

The University of Phoenix Degree Program Vs. A Traditional Degree Program

There are different schools of thoughts advocating either a traditional degree or an online degree. Whereas the goal of education and job marketability remains the same, the point of argument is over the ways in which the goal is attained. You will be better able to reach an effective decision if you weigh the pros and cons of both.
A traditional degree requires a student to be physically present for a class at a predetermined location at a specific time. An online education in an accredited institution like the University of Phoenix has been able to make this a non-requirement. You can be anywhere in the world and still access your learning material whenever you find time to do it, thus making it possible for you to pursue your career and maintain a full-time job.
A regular classroom allows a vibrant discussion and proactive learning process through face-to-face interactions with colleagues and guides. Although an online education is unable to ensure the vibrancy and spontaneity of a classroom, it allows interaction with guides and classmates in a virtual classroom situation.
A classroom situation is time bound and follows strict schedules, pressurizing students to meet deadlines and submission dates, unlike the online course that sets flexible time schedules according to students’ requirements. Whereas this enables working learners to fit in education in their busy schedules, it could also prove to be deterrent for those learners who perform better under stricter timelines.
Although an online education might not be the same college experience as a traditional degree, it meets the most important goal of education and should be considered by aspirants who do not find more traditional colleges appealing. The University of Phoenix Online offers a curriculum that fits almost every student’s timetable, with the backing of a strong faculty.

__________________________________

By Hal McIver

Hal McIver is a proponent of higher education, especially at online universities. See http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/the_university__5.html for more information on The University of Phoenix degree program.

How Does An Online University Course Work?

Any online university course has a few prerequisites like a computer, a phone connection, and an Internet Service Provider. With these basics in place, any student anywhere in the world can enroll for the programs being offered by an online university.
After enrolling you will typically be given easy-to-use Internet access software to facilitate quick and smooth retrieval of lectures, questions, and assignments. Since there are no time schedules and frames, the instruction material can be downloaded anytime and reviewed offline at your convenience.
Online research libraries and services are available from the university to cater to the students’ research requirements. The programs are designed to fit in interaction with other students and professionals from the field. This helps the students enrich their assignments before they discuss it in an academic environment with their instructors. Instructors also guide the students through the courses to avoid any learning hitches.
Although this multi-interaction offline scenario enriches the student’s learning experience, the spontaneous classroom scenario is missing in an online course. For some students, the class interaction could be more invigorating than learning online.
However, an online program offers you almost unlimited flexibility. Each course is completed over five to six weeks and students can take breaks between courses. Since the interaction is asynchronous, as in email messages, there are no schedules or fixed timings for classes either. A student doesn’t have to rush from work to meet a class time. Whereas this could also serve as a demotivator for certain students who perform better under strict schedules and timetables, it is advantageous for people with hectic work environments, and for people who can exert self-discipline in setting an effective timetable.

________________________________

By Hal McIver

Hal McIver is a proponent of higher education, especially at online universities. See http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/what_is_an_onli.html for more information on how an online university course works.

Creating, Maintaining and Presenting a Homeschool Portfolio

Many school districts now require homeschoolers to present portfolios showing their student's progress in an organized fashion. This is actually a very convenient method of recording whenever it is done properly. Here are some ideas on how to create, maintain, and present your homeschool portfolio for a successful assessment, evaluation and review.
First of all, it is important to have a firm grasp on precisely what a homeschool portfolio is. Basically, a homeschool portfolio is a collection of materials that are used in order to showcase what your child has learned over the course of the "school year." This is important because numerous states require an annual assessment of homeschooled students either via testing or the presentation of a portfolio. While it may seem that keeping a portfolio is only good in so far as you need to comply with the law. This is not the case however. Portfolios can also help parents and their children to record their progress and achievements. This becomes even more important once a child has reached high school and needs a diploma.
Now that we understand the importance of a portfolio, it is also important to understand that there is no right or wrong way in which to create a portfolio. It is up to the parent and/or child what materials the portfolio will contain. However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of material in order to reflect what the child has learned, experienced and accomplished throughout the year. Some items that should be included in your portfolio are: Suggested items to include are:
(1.) A journal which contains notes about activities and the progress that has been made.

(2.) A list of resources (ie books, computer software, games, toys and outside classes).

(3.) Samples of the child's work (ie samples of creative writing and drawings, text book or workbook pages, and if possible you may include audio or video tapes of your child singing, playing a musical instrument, reading aloud, or taking part in a a dramatic performance - pictures will also sometimes work well in place of audio or video tapes).

(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects and family life.

(5.) Brochures and booklets from field trips and other activities.

(6.) A list of books that the child has read including both the title and the author.

(7.) A list of your goals for the year.
While this may seem quite overwhelming, you'd honestly be surprised at how easily you can accomplish this when you start preparing your portfolio at the beginning of the year. Simply use a three ring binder and add paper for your journaling. Start off by listing a few of your goals for the year and what resources you'll be using to achieve those goals (these can be modified throughout the year as needed). Then begin collecting samples of work, organizing them by subject, and punching holes in them to place them in your binder. Always have at least a throw away camera at hand so that you can take pictures of anything that you'd like that your child does (ie reading, playing, dancing). You'll also want to take pictures at field trips as well as pictures of your child's projects and creations. These pictures can either be placed in a photo album or if you're feeling really craftsy you could organize them into a scrapbook. You'll also want to make sure to hold onto any brochures or other paper items that you collect while on an educational outing. These can be easily placed in clear see-through sheet protectors. This is also a good time to begin accumulating a list of books that are being read.
Once you have put together the beginnings of your portfolio, don't stop there. Regular maintenance (I suggest weekly as it will help you to write your lesson plans for the following week) should include regular journal entries and an ongoing collection of work samples, photos and whatever else you wish to include. Some school districts will require a quarterly assessment throughout your homeschool year. This is a time for parents and children to reflect upon their progress and accomplishments from the previous months. Yet, even if your school district doesn't require a quarterly review, you won't want to wait until the end of the year to scramble and race to put together a portfolio that your school district will approve of. Neither you nor your child deserve having to go through the unneeded stress of having to sort through all of the material that has been collected throughout the year.
When it is time for review you may choose to remove some of the materials from your portfolio. You will find that some of these things simply do not properly reflect what you've accomplished throughout the year. If/when you decide to weed through your portfolio, you need to remember that the purpose of the review is to provide a general overview of the homeschool year, demonstrate that the child is engaged in homeschooling and that progress is being made.
The portfolio review can be exciting since it provides both parents and children with a time to talk about what they've been doing at home. When discussing this with your child, you may find it helpful to write down a summary of the items that you wish to highlight during your year before the review. For instance, if your child learned to read or master a skill you may wish to point this out to the reviewer. Of course, you should never view your portfolio review as a time for you to be judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn and support from your reviewer. Your child does not need to be present during this time. However, if your child wants a chance to "brag" about their accomplishments and progress to other homeschoolers, then this review is a perfect opportunity for them to do so.

____________________________________

By Brenda Hoffman

Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has been delivering holistic wellness advice for over 7 years since receiving a BA in psychology with a minor in education. As a home-based professional and mother of 1, she operates a homeschool network. She invites you over to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/

Accredited Online College and University Programs

It is not unusual to grow indifferent toward your job. Lack of stimulating work, low pay, and limited growth potential within an organization are all excellent reasons to seek out a way to make a change. The best way to realize your full potential is to receive a college education. One of the best, and most convenient, ways to achieve this is by receiving a college education online. This innovative and exciting method of professional development is an ideal option if you are looking for a promotion, or if you are looking for a new career entirely. An education through an accredited online college or University program is your ticket to professional success.
There are many advantages of choosing to receive your education through an accredited online college or university. Studying for a college education online allows you to achieve your educational and professional goals at your own pace, whether you want to get a 2-year Associate’s degree, a 4-year Bachelor’s degree, or take an accelerated course program to receive a professional certificate. There is no need to live near or commute to a college when all classes can be attended and all work submitted online. Attending school online is a great option for those who might have uncertainties about going to college as an older student or returning after many years. Studying for a college education online can be an easy way to ease into the routine of class work and projects, and can reduce the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger students. Further, course availability is often convenient for those who work full time or care for a family. Often, colleges offer evening and weekend classes.
There is an online college education available for just about every professional and academic discipline out there. Fields of study include Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Nursing, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and various Healthcare programs. These are but a few of the subjects in which you can earn a college education by choosing an online program. Many online programs are delivered through colleges and Universities accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation is an important credential to look for when choosing an online program if you have prior college credits you wish to transfer. Accredited institutions are also more readily recognized and accepted by employers and professional organizations.
You might be concerned about affording an education through an accredited online college or University. You have options. Often, financial aid is available to students in the form of grants, loans, even scholarships. Also, many employers are willing to pay for part or all of an employee’s tuition and fees. Investing in an employee’s future reaps benefits for everyone involved.
The misconception of receiving your education from an accredited online college or University is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending campus-based courses at a traditional college or University. This just isn’t the case. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. While it is true that being an online student requires a certain amount of self-discipline and organization, receiving your college education online will probably help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop your time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with a college education and your dream career, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology.
Receiving your education through an accredited online college or University is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities, and have the career you have always dreamt about.

_____________________________________

By Mark Woodcock

Learn the essential information for picking the right online degree course at College and University Programs

Five Controversies in Physics Today

In this article, the author ventures out to communicate to the readers the major five problems of physics, the solution of any one of which shall largely, to a great extent affect the lives of one and all. Also, the author's own viewpoint on them is provided. In this article the first three shall be discussed, and the last two shall be dealt with separately as they require a higher degree of knowledge of Physics. The five major controversies in the field of physics, as the author sees them, are:
Validity of Theory of Relativity
Formation and Evolution of Galaxies
Existence of Life elsewhere
Presence of higher dimensions, which leads to The Holy Grail of Physics, the Grand Unification of All Forces
Validity of the Theory of Relativity:
The General Theory of Relativity has withstood all the experiments and tests meted out to it so far. However, still, the possibility of it failing at some level, is not out. The General Theory of Relativity yields accurate results even at the galactic level, however, it is to be seen whether it holds true at the threshold of time itself, a black hole. Moreover, there is a hypothesis known as the Dirac's Large Number Hypothesis that states that the Gravitational Constant may itself vary with time. If that is true, then The Theory of General Relativity can be proved wrong. Though this hypothesis has not been proved as yet, it may be proved some day in the future. Though general relativity has withstood the tests of time so far and is unrivalled, it is to be remembered that it is the theories without effective rivals that need the most vigilant testing.
Formation of Galaxies:
The exact model of the formation of galaxies has not yet been completely understood, it is still under much speculation. With recent evidence of the presence of supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies, a very likely model is that the formation of galaxies is related to the formation of the black hole at the galactic centre. A few scientists believe that the formation of a black hole might have triggered the formation of a galaxy.
Existence of life elsewhere:
This question, whether life exists elsewhere or not, is gaining popularity. There are many who are quite optimistic of the idea whereas a few others don't quite encourage this thought. The author falls into the former category. It shall be too egoistic to imagine we are the sole life-form in this vast universe. However, only time will tell.

_______________________________

By Sanjith Gopalakrishnan

The author has an inclination towards Physics,mathematics, game theory and psychology.

Creating, Maintaining and Presenting a Homeschool Portfolio

Many school districts now require homeschoolers to present portfolios showing their student's progress in an organized fashion. This is actually a very convenient method of recording whenever it is done properly. Here are some ideas on how to create, maintain, and present your homeschool portfolio for a successful assessment, evaluation and review.
First of all, it is important to have a firm grasp on precisely what a homeschool portfolio is. Basically, a homeschool portfolio is a collection of materials that are used in order to showcase what your child has learned over the course of the "school year." This is important because numerous states require an annual assessment of homeschooled students either via testing or the presentation of a portfolio. While it may seem that keeping a portfolio is only good in so far as you need to comply with the law. This is not the case however. Portfolios can also help parents and their children to record their progress and achievements. This becomes even more important once a child has reached high school and needs a diploma.
Now that we understand the importance of a portfolio, it is also important to understand that there is no right or wrong way in which to create a portfolio. It is up to the parent and/or child what materials the portfolio will contain. However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of material in order to reflect what the child has learned, experienced and accomplished throughout the year. Some items that should be included in your portfolio are: Suggested items to include are:
(1.) A journal which contains notes about activities and the progress that has been made.
(2.) A list of resources (ie books, computer software, games, toys and outside classes).
(3.) Samples of the child's work (ie samples of creative writing and drawings, text book or workbook pages, and if possible you may include audio or video tapes of your child singing, playing a musical instrument, reading aloud, or taking part in a a dramatic performance - pictures will also sometimes work well in place of audio or video tapes).
(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects and family life.
(5.) Brochures and booklets from field trips and other activities.
(6.) A list of books that the child has read including both the title and the author.
(7.) A list of your goals for the year.
While this may seem quite overwhelming, you'd honestly be surprised at how easily you can accomplish this when you start preparing your portfolio at the beginning of the year. Simply use a three ring binder and add paper for your journaling. Start off by listing a few of your goals for the year and what resources you'll be using to achieve those goals (these can be modified throughout the year as needed). Then begin collecting samples of work, organizing them by subject, and punching holes in them to place them in your binder. Always have at least a throw away camera at hand so that you can take pictures of anything that you'd like that your child does (ie reading, playing, dancing). You'll also want to take pictures at field trips as well as pictures of your child's projects and creations. These pictures can either be placed in a photo album or if you're feeling really craftsy you could organize them into a scrapbook. You'll also want to make sure to hold onto any brochures or other paper items that you collect while on an educational outing. These can be easily placed in clear see-through sheet protectors. This is also a good time to begin accumulating a list of books that are being read.
Once you have put together the beginnings of your portfolio, don't stop there. Regular maintenance (I suggest weekly as it will help you to write your lesson plans for the following week) should include regular journal entries and an ongoing collection of work samples, photos and whatever else you wish to include. Some school districts will require a quarterly assessment throughout your homeschool year. This is a time for parents and children to reflect upon their progress and accomplishments from the previous months. Yet, even if your school district doesn't require a quarterly review, you won't want to wait until the end of the year to scramble and race to put together a portfolio that your school district will approve of. Neither you nor your child deserve having to go through the unneeded stress of having to sort through all of the material that has been collected throughout the year.
When it is time for review you may choose to remove some of the materials from your portfolio. You will find that some of these things simply do not properly reflect what you've accomplished throughout the year. If/when you decide to weed through your portfolio, you need to remember that the purpose of the review is to provide a general overview of the homeschool year, demonstrate that the child is engaged in homeschooling and that progress is being made.
The portfolio review can be exciting since it provides both parents and children with a time to talk about what they've been doing at home. When discussing this with your child, you may find it helpful to write down a summary of the items that you wish to highlight during your year before the review. For instance, if your child learned to read or master a skill you may wish to point this out to the reviewer. Of course, you should never view your portfolio review as a time for you to be judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn and support from your reviewer. Your child does not need to be present during this time. However, if your child wants a chance to "brag" about their accomplishments and progress to other homeschoolers, then this review is a perfect opportunity for them to do so.

_________________________________

by: Reverend Brenda Hoffman

Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has been delivering holistic health and wellness advice for over 7 years since receiving a BA in psychology. As a home-based professional and mother of 1, she operates a holistic wellness network. She invites you over to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/ to learn how to improve you and your family's health.

Christmas Customs Around the World

December is well-known for Christmas but do you know how people in countries around the world celebrate it? Here are some customs from various parts of the world.
Australia
Greeting - Merry Christmas
Santa's Name - Santa Claus. Children leave him a piece of cake or biscuits and a glass of milk or a bottle of beer.
Food - Many Christmas dinners include roasted meats and vegetables, special fruit cakes, and puddings with a coin baked inside. Since the temperature can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, people are starting to eat cold meats and salads, tropical fruits like mangoes, and stone fruits like plums. Often, the main meal is eaten for lunch.
Gifts - These are left under the Christmas tree and opened Christmas morning.
Decorations - Shops and homes are decorated with tinsel, Christmas trees, decorations for the holiday, and special lights.
Customs - Traditional and Australian carols are sung by candlelight on Christmas Eve and are broadcast on television. On Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, two sporting events take place:
The Boxing Day Test Match (cricket game) and the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Brazil
Greeting - Feliz Natal
Santa's Name - Papai Noel (Father Noel), who is dressed in a red, silk suit with boots.
Food - Many people eat a traditional feast with roast turkey and vegetables, while others eat chicken and rice or beans. Beer and wine are also served. Some regions begin eating around 9 PM on Christmas Eve, while others eat around midnight.
Gifts - Local charities take in donations but do not seem to have enough presents for all the children.
Decorations - Brazil has a mixture of people so Christmas is celebrated in different ways. In the northeastern area, it is common to find Nativity Scenes; in the southern part, snow is simulated with little pieces of cotton on pine trees.
Customs - Brazilians sing a number of Christmas carols.
Greece
Greeting - Eftihismena Christougenna
Food - Special holiday cakes are baked.
Gifts - Most Greek people exchange gifts on Saint Basil's Day, January 1.
Customs - To honor Saint Basil, the holiday cakes have gold coins hidden inside them. The cakes are cut at midnight on New Year's Eve. Whoever has a gold coin in his piece of cake will have good luck the following year.
Hungary
Santa's Name - Actually, the Baby Jesus is said to bring presents on Christmas Eve. A bell sounds signaling that the Angels have brought the tree and gifts.
Customs - On December 5, children leave out their shoes. During the night, Mikulas and Black Peter come to fill them with goodies for well-behaved children and switches for naughty children.
India
Decorations - Sometimes, houses are decorated with mango leaves; mango or banana trees are also decorated. Small, clay, oil-burning lamps are placed on the edges of flat roofs as decorations.
Israel
Greeting - Chag Semeach (Happy Chanukah)
Santa's Name - Actually, parents, grandparents, and other family members give presents to the children.
Food - Because oil is an important part of the holiday, many foods are prepared with it. A favorite is potato latkes (pancakes).
Gifts - Since Chanukah lasts for eight days, children may receive one present each night.
Decorations - Jewish stars, blue or silver foil garlands,
dreidels (spinning tops), Chanukah gelt (chocolate coins), and pictures of the Macabees (Jewish army that recaptured the Holy Temple and Jerusalem from the Assyrian Greek King Antiochus) are found around the house.
Customs - The menorah (candelabra) is lit each night. On the first night, one candle is lit; on, the second night, two candles; and so on until all the candles are lit on the eighth night. After lighting the candles, families eat a festive meal, dance, play games, and open presents. They also attend Chanukah parties.
Japan
Greeting - Kurisumasu Omedeto
Santa's Name - Santa Kurohsu. He does not appear in person but is pictured in advertisements as a kind old man with a round sack on his back.
Food - Depending upon the family's custom, they eat turkey on Christmas Day or on Christmas Eve. Japanese families also eat Christmas cake.
Gifts - Stores sell merchandise for men, women, and children; and on Christmas Day, families exchange gifts.
Decorations - More and more artificial Christmas trees are beginning to appear. They are decorated with small toys, gold paper fans, dolls, lanterns, paper ornaments, and wind chimes. A popular ornament is the origami swan. Other decorations are mistletoe, evergreen, tinsel, and lights. An amulet is put on the front door for good luck and children exchange 'birds of peace,' pledging there must not be anymore war.
Customs - The daiku, or Great Nine, refers to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and is performed many places.
Mexico
Greeting - Feliz Navidad
Customs - Beginning on December 15, some families carry colorful lanterns and walk from house to house in their neighborhoods, each night, until Christmas Eve. This is called La Posada, which means 'the procession.' On each of the nights, the families are invited into different houses where they become guests at a party. There is plenty to eat and drink. Children play the pinata game, trying to break open the papier-mache figure with a stick while blindfolded; when it is cracked open, candies and small gifts fall out.
Netherlands
Greeting - Hartelijke Kerstroeten
Santa's Name - Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas), who wears a red bishop's hat and bishop's cloak and has white hair and a white beard. He arrives on a white horse with his servant, Black Pete, to put small gifts in children's wooden shoes.
Food - The Dutch people eat lots of marzipan, spiced ginger biscuits, tall chocolate letters, and 'bankletter' - initials made of pastry and filled with almond paste. When they are around the Christmas tree singing songs, they eat 'Kerstkrans' - a Christmas ring.
Gifts - On December 6, after hearing a knock at their door, children find a bag full of toys, nuts, and gifts.
Decorations - The Christmas tree is known as the Paradise Tree. Decorations of the season include dolls, musical instruments, fruit, candies, and lights.
Customs - The Dutch sing carols, the most popular one being "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree."
Sweden
Greeting - God Jul
Food - Coffee, cakes, and special buns are served on Santa Lucia Day, December 13.
Customs - Santa Lucia Day honors Saint Lucy, who helped blind people. The oldest daughter in each Swedish household dresses in a white gown with a red sash, wears a crown of evergreen
with seven candles in it, awakens the family with a song, and serves the coffee, cakes, and buns. Each town and city also chooses a young woman to be Lucia for the day. She then serves coffee and food to the townspeople at schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. From these women, a national Lucia is chosen; followed by a parade, feast, and dance.
Now that you have this data, let your children put the information in a comparison chart. Label the left side with the names of the countries and the bottom with the various information (ie: Greeting, Food, and so on). Then fill in the boxes!
Let your children do research to find out the information I left out.
Conduct research to find out the same customs for other countries, especially the heritage countries of students in your class or your own family.
However you celebrate the holidays, have a safe, wonderful season and a Happy New Year!
I hope these ideas are useful and inspire your own creative thinking.
And remember...Reading is FUNdamental!

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by: Freda J. Glatt, MS

Freda J. Glatt, MS, retired from teaching after a 34-year career in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and develop a love for reading. Visit her site at http://www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental! Copyright © 2003-2005 Sandral Sensations, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida All Rights Reserved

Reading Activity For Kindergarten

As a homeschooler one of the most important tasks for you to accomplish in your child at an early age is getting them interested in and developing good reading habits. At an early age learning to recognize letters, the sounds they make and words they eventually form should be an activity and not a structured assignment. A great reading activity for kindergarten aged children, for example is to read to them.
A natural progression in your reading activities with your children is that after you read them to a passage from the story; have them paraphrase the story back to you. This will help you to understand what level of listening ability and understanding they are at, as well has help them to begin building their vocabulary as they work to find new words they can use with their description of the story they are giving back to you.
Good reading activities don’t always have to occur at the house, or just before bedtime. While you’re running errands around town or on vacation, perhaps have the kids begin to collect words from signs, or spell objects they see. Encourage them to learn different ways to describe objects see. Instead something big, it may by huge, or enormous... or even of gargantuan proportion! Have you child arrange the words they have collected into silly sentences or phrases. Even something as simple as collecting letters from signs, license plates, and such to work their way through the alphabet is a good kindergarten age reading activity.
Not in the car, or travel around much? Use every day items around the house to do the same thing. Labels, there are plenty of labels around the house. Actually put labels on everyday items around the house so your child can associate the spelling, and reading with a tangible item. Then, after a while, take the labels off the items and help your child read and re-label the house.
Once you get your creative juices flowing, you’ll come up with many more reading activities. The key is to make reading activities an every day part of their life. Make an effort to spend an hour a day reading more with an hour less of television. T.V. is an extremely passive thought processing activity. While reading and using one’s imagination is a source of growth and a great foundation from which to build.

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by: Mary Joyce

Mary Joyce is a former educator, successful homeschool parent, and the primary contributor to the Homeschool-Curriculum-4u website. Please visit (www.homeschool-curriculum-4u.com) for a complete list of Mary's articles, resources on homeschool, ideas, and curriculum information.
Also tips guides and how-to's to help you successfully teach your child at home.

Securities License

If you are looking to break into the securities industry or work for a broker-dealer, there are certain securities licenses that you should keep in mind.
People who are currently outside the business or graduating from college are well served in this job market to get some license training and completion.
The NASD
The NASD is the National Association of Securities Dealers. Broker Dealers who are members of the NASD must have their employees licensed based on the job functions of those employees. The NASD is the regulatory authority of the broker dealer industry. There are several licenses that the NASD recognizes to work in the securities industry. Some can be obtained before you enter the business. Other licenses need to be "sponsored" by your employing firm. That means, while you can begin studying for sponsored exams, you can not sit for the actual exams until you are hired. All of the NASD exams (once you are registered)can be taken any day of the week (Mon-Fri) at hundreds of testing centers throughout the country.
Licenses to consider that do not require sponsorship

• Series 65 - The Series 65 licenses you as a Registered Investment Advisor. This is an excellent designation to get before you enter the job market. The license itself is for financial advising. Giving investment advice on assets you are overseeing for a fee. It looks very strong on a resume and it is only a 130 question multiple choice exam. Even if you are unsure of the area of finance to work in, this license is a plus. Employers will consider any licensing a bonus over other candidates who have not obtained this certification. As I said, it does NOT require company sponsorship. Get this first.
• Series 63 - The Series 63 covers the Uniform State Law content of the business. The exam is a short test of state laws, registration procedures and terminology. The license is for registered brokers and advisors. Most states require the 63, before representatives can call out of state investors. This license can be obtained on your own and does not require company sponsorship. Brokerage firms will look for this on your resume.
• Series 3 - The Series 3 exam is specific to the futures and commodities market. It is administered through the NASD testing network, but it is a NFA (National Futures Association) license. Most firms that do not work in this market will not consider this license very important or needed, but if you ever land with a futures firm, you will need it. As with any license, it doesn't hurt to get it at all.
  

There are a few other futures tests (Series 30 and 31), but neither needs to be taken unless you are looking to work specifically with futures - commodity related securities.
Securities license designations such as the Series 7 and Series 6 require company sponsorship before sitting for these exams. Get the licenses you can get on your own. Once you are hired, your company will sponsor you for other exams, if required by your company.
Get the edge in your finance career and begin some securities license training. Do what you can to get your resume placed on top of the pile!

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By Nick Hunter

Nick Hunter is the President of American Investment Training (AIT) http://www.aitraining.com - a securities license training company. He writes for http://www.brokerjobs.com - A career website for incoming brokers and advisors.

Preparing for a Semester Abroad is Hard to Do

Students packing for a trip to another country are often confused - I know I was. It's not hard to wonder how on earth you'll manage to have everything you'll need. After all, you won't know anyone where you're going, or even speak the language most times.
While no advice or tidbit of information can truly prepare someone to spend time in another country, there is some advice to be had. Most importantly, prepare early! Items like passports and vaccinations are extremely important, and may take a long time to get.
Of course, the only way to know exactly which visas and vaccinations you'll need is to do some reading about the place you're going. This reading can also help you prepare for customs requirements for your return trip - everyone likes to bring home gifts and it's important not to buy something that could cause problems when you try to bring it back home.
Familiarizing yourself with the travel requirements, though, isn't the only learning you'll need to do. Each country has its own weather, culture, and expectations of travelers. It's important to have some idea of what to expect when you step off the plane. However, remember that reading other peoples' accounts can only go so far in preparing you for your own experiences!
Finally, the best advice I was given: Pack less clothing than you think you'll need. You will almost certainly buy more clothes while you're in the country. You'll also want to remember that clothes, souvenirs, and gifts for family and friends back home take up space, so packing with some extra room in your suitcases is a good idea. I managed to pack an extra bag inside my suitcase, so when it came time for the trip home I had plenty of extra space. Still, you can always ship any non-essential items back home in the mail if you do run out of space.
So, when planning to study or travel abroad, a student's best friend is planning - not procrastination. Spend a bit of time making a list of everything you'll want to do, and what dates you'll need to do it by. This should make study abroad a breeze.

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By Jen Smith

Jennifer Smith finished her degree at Florida State University by spending a semester studying abroad in the Republic of Panama. She writes for many travel websites.

Study Abroad Gives "Study" a New Meaning

I was only just getting settled onto the plane when I began to have a sinking feeling that I was in over my head. The voice over the intercom told me in fluent Spanish just how unprepared I was for the journey I was about to embark on, convincing me of what I already felt I knew. My three years of college Spanish were not going to prepare me for a semester in the Republic of Panama.
My training in Spanish had earned me a minor, any my LonelyPlanet guide book assured me that English was spoken nearly as widely as Spanish, though I was fairly sure it was overstating just a tad. My school would be in English, but I hadn't yet been assigned a dorm, nor did I know anyone who would be attending. I was leaving everything and everyone I knew behind for four months.
Getting off the plane was worse. Passing through customs was something I'd never done in my own language, let alone one I didn't know. Still, I was excited. Here was my chance to truly learn this new language. Signs were like those I was used to from home, only the Spanish was listed first instead of in the fine print. This I could get used to! As long as I could make it through Customs.
To my very flustered relief, I found that the customs officials didn't need to speak to me at all, so long as I had filled out all the paperwork, so I went to grab my suitcase and pass on through. A metal detector later, and I was free to go out into the terminal and was hit by a wall of balmy air that quickly turned quite simply hot as I searched for the face of a program director I'd never seen before.
She was there, with a glittery sign stating that she was there to pick us up. Apparently there were four of us coming in on the flight from Miami, and one who had arrived on a flight from Costa Rica earlier in the day. "You know, you're the first person I've ever seen to come with only one suitcase!" she exclaimed. I tried to bite back panic, "Well, I packed another one inside." She agreed that it was, in fact, a good idea, and suggested I go wait with my Costa Rican compatriot, and I did. "He's got a surf board," she said, "You'll see him."
It wasn't much of a stretch to believe he'd be easy to find. This was by far the smallest airport I'd seen, except for the small municipal airport near my home. And find him I did, without much of a stretch. We chatted while the other girls met up with our leader, then we loaded into an old white van, which we would quickly learn to love as a main mode of transit for any kind of group trip, and the same style vans were used as buses for cross-country travel, though this van's life had certainly seen a lot less action than those.
This was the beginning of an experience like no other, where I learned a bit more Spanish than I ever thought I'd know. I made friends I never thought I'd have. And I created a history I can never forget. The hardest part was stepping off of that plane. The rest? The rest is history.
Of course, that's what everyone says. And when I was getting onto that plane, all I wanted was to hear more than those trite words of encouragement. If I heard one more person tell me it was the "time of their life" or an "unforgettable experience" I thought I might scream.
I wanted someone to tell me how things went, how they met new people, and the things they saw. It's just that those other parts are so hard to detail out. You meet new people in much the same way you meet all new people, but the only bond you may find you have with the people on the program is that you're all in it together. Often, that can prove to be enough.
Things work out, and you all work together. One of my most memorable experiences was trying with the help of 3 girls and a Spanish-English electronic translator to explain where we were going. We must have found the only cabbie in the whole city that didn't know where we were trying to go, but we got there eventually.
I can't say that there was any one thing that made this such a unique experience, but the top thing I remember is that we all had to work together to get where we were going. That's the kind of thing that can help to create bonds and friendships and truly bring people together.
So, if you want to know what all the buzz is about, you'll have to jump in and give it a try for yourself. Any experiences you have will be uniquely yours, and you'll never lose them. Why not give it a go?

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By Jen Smith

Jennifer Smith writes for several travel websites, and spent a semester studying in the Republic of Panama and finishing a degree in writing at Florida State University.

Take Advantage of the Exploding Popularity in Distance Learning Colleges to Advance Your Career

Distance learning colleges are popping up all over the world. One of the most well-known, University of Phoenix, started in 1976 with 8 students. Currently, its academic enrollment numbers more than 200,000 students located all over the world, making it the largest private, accredited university of the distance learning colleges. In fact, it's the largest private accredited university in the United States, period. Over 100,000 of those students are enrolled strictly in the online distance learning programs.
Distance learning colleges are flourishing for a number of reasons. There is our fast changing economy. People need to stay up to date on their skills, or constantly acquire new one's so that they can advance in their career and stay valuable to their employer, without becoming obsolete.
There are also many people who feel education is a lifelong pursuit and not something that stops once you graduate from college. Both of these lead into one of the biggest reasons for the popularity of distance learning education and that is convenience.
We all lead very hectic lives and the one thing we always seem to be short of is time. Distance learning colleges eliminate the time aspect of education as much as it can be eliminated.
Continuing your education through distance learning eliminates a lot of the hassles of night school. You don't have to work all day and then drive to class, spend three hours of your evening, drive home, and then study. You can just log on to your computer when you get home instead. This is a much less stressful way to pursue a degree. Another advantage is not going through the hassle and stress of finding the right classes, in the right order, that are available at a time that is at least somewhat convenient for you.
What happens when a class you need is only available Tuesday evenings from 6 - 9 and that's the one night of the week that you travel for your job. You're out of luck. But attending college or graduate school through distance learning gets rid of that obstacle. You can get an online degree instead.
Another big obstacle in the way of getting an education is money. There aren't many of us that can quit work to go back to school full time. With a distance learning program you can get an online degree without giving up your current job. This makes it a heck of a lot easier to pursue your degree when you can keep your current income while you go to school.
The virtual classroom that is available in most distance learning colleges offers other advantages compared with typical academic settings, and that's 24-hour access to programs, faculty, and the other students, as well.
With the large number of distance learning colleges you can choose from today, you can find a degree or certification, or continuing education courses, in almost any subject, from journalism, to an MBA, to a PhD, Law degree, accounting, bachelor's, engineering, culinary school, investing, real estate, paralegal, medical billing and more.

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By Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas is a freelance writer and the webmaster for http://www.a1-online-distance-learning.info, where you'll find more free articles on distance learning and online degrees. Have a look around at all the information on distance learning colleges so you can decide what distance learning model is best for your life, goals, and situation.