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1. 8 Tips On How To Do Good In School

Below the average, average people and super genius mega minds...nah, it's not about that, well yeah, a part of success is about that but, one still has a long way to go before having the time of his life. And everything starts at home...after that it's school so let's get down to business. Here are eight tips on how to do good in school.

1. Jot 'Em Down

This step is somewhat a must. However, if you consider yourself a super computer robot, you can skip number one and get down to number two...you're still reading so you don't think that you're a mega mind. That's good because it's never great to be too confident with yourself.

Number one is writing them all down. It never hurts to write all of the things you need to do. Write them in a small notebook, a tickler or something, or jot them down in a piece of paper and post it on your refrigerator door or on your own bulletin if you have one. And don't forget to write when you need to do or accomplish these things or in other words, your deadlines.

2. Prioritize

Imagine that you're a juggler. Now, you're juggling balls. These balls are made of various materials. Rubber, plastic, glass, and crystals. The balls that you're juggling got too many and you can't handle them all. Some balls MUST fall or the whole act will be a disaster. And that's when the word "prioritize" comes in. You have to let the rubber balls fall. Why? Because if you don't do this, say you refuse to let a ball or two fall, they'll all slip out of your hands. If you let the wrong ball fall, well, you're a wreck. That's why you have to set your priorities. Which in your to-do list is the most important and which things can be left out or can be given little attention.

3. Get To Work

Don't just get stuck with listing and prioritizing. Do them of course. Sometimes people tend to get discouraged when they look at the things they need to do and find that they're just so many! Well, nothing's gonna happen if you just sit around, stare at the things you got to do and think how much energy you need to exert to finish all those. Get on your feet. You'll be done without even knowing it.

4. Study Habits

I'm pretty sure this is not new to you. Nevertheless, it's still very important, maybe the most important, so you can't just set this aside. Study your lessons everyday for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. This prevents cramming during exam weeks which you know isn't very helpful. And don't make your hectic schedule an excuse for not studying. Remember, if there's a will, there's a way.

5. Be A "Neat Freak"

I know this is hard but...you have to be organized. This may be the hardest part of being a student and at the same time of being a kid or a teenager. Because they're very restless and energetic and tend to just pile things up. But if you already did number one and number two, you're already started in being an organized person!

Give everything a proper place. Put your books and notebooks in one corner or a suitable place. Compile your test papers, certificates and other paper works from school. Place them in a folder, clear book, an envelope or a file case. You'll never know when you'll need them. Other materials which are reusable like envelopes, folders, colored papers and a lot more, keep them all together, may be in a case or a shoebox, it's up to you. Colors, pencils, paper clips and other materials of the same kind, separate them also, it's still up to you as long as it's organized. Educational materials, if you have, it's good to compile them too. Maybe you're asking, why do I need to do all these?

When your things and surroundings are organized, you tend to think clear. That's why organized people have organized minds. Lastly, the night before going to school, put everything you'll be needing for school inside your bag. Get your uniform or whatever it is that you're wearing for school ready. And don't forget to set your alarm clock.

6. Go For The Extra Mile

You don't just do things for compliance. You don't want to waste your efforts. Since you started to do things, give them your best shot. Do your best and that will be enough to go for the extra mile. You'll never know when an opportunity comes so always give it your all.

7. Be Humble

Now that you're a step ahead of your peers, don't be over confident, like the one stated at the first number. Don't be conceited because you didn't accomplish everything on your own. The higher you get, the harder you'll fall so always keep your feet on the ground. And being humble also gains you great friends.

8. Just Keep Going

You did it for the first time, you got to do it for the second, third, fourth, and so on...time. Be consistent for this will be the foundation of your success. Don't stop until you reach your goal. And when you reach your goal, reward yourself then look again for another goal. And when failure finds its way through your efforts, keep moving forward. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

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2. Five Reasons Why Using iPads for High School Is a Good Idea

Many schools have computer labs equipped with desktop computers and specialized teachers ready to provide students with the instruction that they need. Here is why school districts and high schools should strongly consider adding iPads to their technology budget.

1. Cuts down on books and paper

High schools are responsible for providing textbooks to students. It can become pretty expensive for a school to continuously supply students with textbooks year after year. Using iPads would greatly cut down on that expense. In addition, using an iPad would allow students to learn from the most up to date information. They don't need to worry about students learning from 20-year-old text books.

Students and teachers also won't need to worry so much about paper. By using an iPad, teachers will be able to give their photocopiers a break and save on buying reams of paper.

2. Keeps teachers motivated and encouraged

The iPad allows teachers new and creative ways to engage students. Teachers can use the iPad's mirroring capabilities to display notes and other content in front of the class on a projector. The teacher can then save those notes and easily send them to all of the students.

There are also various methods of communication that allow for student/teacher interaction. When students are able to interact with teachers on a greater level, it helps develop their interest and passion for learning.

3. Extends learning outside the classroom

Thanks to the iPad, a classroom without walls is now a real possibility. Students have the ability to continue their learning outside of the classroom. The iPad's audio and video capabilities allow students to listen to lessons outside of the classroom. Students can engage educational content without the presence of a teacher.

4. Language development

High school is when many students begin to learn a foreign language. (Granted, this trend has changed slightly over the last few years.) While learning a new language is essential for being accepted to college, it can be a tough task for many students to grasp. The iPad is a great tool for language development. Language development applications can help students increase their ability to speak, read and write in a foreign language.

5. Reference

With an iPad in hand, students have the ability to quickly access any information they need. Students can easily look up terms and definitions in English and language arts courses. They can also look up formulas for math and science courses.

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3. How Best Way to Get a Permanent School Fund?

It's vital for educational institutions to use a permanent school fund. It is through extra-curricular pursuits like theater, football, and glee club that students can expand their horizon. With no secure funding program, on the other hand, schools cannot afford to teach students for games or take them to play a part in renowned academic competitive events. Board members turn to closing creative departments caused by school funding issues.

If you are a concerned parent, you may cease this from taking place. Persuade other parents in the community to sign up in preserving resources flowing. There are many ways to evading school funding issues and generating revenue.

Listed below are some good tips that might be handy:

-Market something Good and Useful

Selling goods, whether or not they are food or attire, remains to be the most common and efficient way of increasing school funds. One well-liked idea amongst mothers is a bake sale. Both students and parents work together to create cupcakes, cookies or any other light pastries. Profits should go to the school. Others consider having garage sales. They offer used but functional items which may be of use with other people.

One way of exercising artistic and business skills is actually by selling artwork or hand-made trinkets like earrings, bracelets and necklaces. It's also possible to sell home-made crafts including candles, soap, and perfume. Nonetheless, try and get help from a specialist in making them. You can also learn some useful do-it-yourself articles on the net.

Study your target market first. This is to make sure you know which items are much more profitable. You must generate more profit in comparison to the money you have invested.

-Offer Services that are in-demand

Another way of having permanent school fund aside from fundraising is by offering services. By way of example, talk to students the possibility of having a car wash. This is common with students.

You may also offer other solutions for instance house cleaning, lawn mowing, and baby-sitting tasks for a particular cost. Another special gimmick is having an auction. These are generally typical for college fundraising activities. This requires fraternity and sorority houses auctioning off their members for a friendly date with the highest bidder.

-Concerts and also other Performances

One enjoyable way to raise school funds is actually by setting up a show. It may be a talent show, a musical or even a play. This allows students to show off their talents and offer great entertainment. School funding issues will not be a problem since you can generate finances through ticket sales. You can even host a telethon where donors can call in their pledges while enjoying a variety show.

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4. How Finding Accredited Nursing Schools in Southern California?

There are actually a lot of accredited nursing schools in southern California. Southern California has many large metropolitan areas; thus, there is a need for a growing number of nurses. In fact, a significant population of nurses have come from different countries. This phenomenon just goes to show that the demand for nurses remains high. It is therefore extremely important that aspiring nurses be given the opportunity to study in the best nursing schools available so that they may be able to serve the community well. Let us take a look at accredited nursing schools in southern California and see for ourselves how they fare.

One of the accredited nursing schools in southern California is the School of Nursing at California Baptist University. The School of Nursing in this university is arguably one of the best private Christian nursing schools in California. They equip their students with excellent skills that would make them very competitive in the market today. Nursing is definitely one of the noblest professions one can have. Not only that, being a nurse is very rewarding. The preparation to becoming a nurse is extremely rigorous and challenging, but it is very worth it. In addition, due to the steadily growing elderly population, the demand for nurses has never been this great; and it is in fact expected to grow even more in the coming years.

When finding accredited nursing schools in southern California, there is no need to look further as California Baptist University already provides a well-rounded program. Their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree provides students adequate training that they will need in their future profession. In addition, their program gives students the option to choose between two start dates, one in the fall and the other during spring. This flexibility that is offered will allow students to decide for themselves which would best fit their schedule.

Another of the accredited nursing schools in southern California is the Department of Nursing at the College of Natural Sciences in California State University San Bernardino. The Department of Nursing is dedicated to continuously improve collaboration and promote innovation in nursing education. There is an average of 350 undergraduate Nursing majors under the Bachelor of Science in nursing program that the department offers. They also provide twice a year admissions: one in the fall and the other during winter. The Department of Nursing draws on the talents and expertise of its faculty and staff to provide the best learning environment for its students. The courses included are centered on students and are designed to promote learning and achievement. The educational experience is infused with research so that students will develop their critical thinking abilities.

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5. What Advantages of Taking the Landmark Education?

There are times when we don't have the answers for our problems. This is why you need to involve other people when looking for solutions to our issues in life. Today, one of the best things that you can do is get inspirations from people who have succeeded and from those who have the tips for leading a successful life. Enrolling to the landmark forum could be a great step to take if you wish to transform your life. This is an option that will change your life in a great way and enable you to achieve better results at the end of the day. Below are some of the reported benefits by people who have done the landmark education.

The first and most notable benefit is improvement in quality of life. This is made possible by the fact that the landmark education will help you perceive life in a whole new way. Some people fail not because they lack the skills but simply because they have the wrong mindset. The landmark forum is designed to help learners change their perception towards life. This is to mean that you will be able to view things in a whole new way. With the transition from pessimism to optimism, the learners are able to turn things around to their advantage.

Communication skills are also improved after completing the landmark education. This is simply because the training will help you change your perception towards other people and life at large. Effective communication skills will also be instilled. This have proved to help improve relationship with loved ones as well as others. Performance is further improved by the fact that you will be able to explain your idea better and respond accordingly to the questions of other people. Improved communication will further improve your self confidence hence the ability to take more risks.

After taking the landmark education, you will have understanding about life. As aforementioned, the training is aimed at helping you change your perception towards life. This is to mean that the training will help you understand why some things happen the way they do. It is this understanding that will help you keep off from sloppiness in decision making. The profound understanding will also help you in planning your future and enhance your managerial skills.

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6. What Is Included In Insurance CE Courses?

Unfortunately some people, including insurance professionals, tend to get stuck in a training rut. They go to one online company, the one recommended by their boss or by a colleague, and they stick with that company. This is true even if the courses are not that comprehensive or are not provided in a way that is interesting, applicable and relevant to daily interactions as an insurance professional. The courses literally are a just filling a paperwork need and not truly providing any type of professional improvement.

If this sounds familiar there are several things that you can do to find insurance CE courses that will be helpful, engaging and interesting. Start by looking around online and choosing national training programs that are highly rated. These training programs will be easy to identify because they will be at the top of the search engine rankings. They will also be mentioned in various forums and reviews where other insurance professionals comment on the quality of training that they received.

In addition those insurance CE courses that are professionally designed and taught will also be very clear about the topics and issues that will be covered in the course. This means that an online syllabus or course overview is provided with very specific information. This will include specific language that states that the course is designed to help with claims, agent liability, increasing your insurance business, reducing losses and in mitigating risks. They may also include long-term care product training that will be tied to state specific Medicare laws and regulations.

Browsing through online descriptions of courses is a must to know just what training is covered in the program. Typically the course will highlight, often in bullet form, the specific topics addressed in the program. The course outline should also provide information on the instructional method. Typically this will be designated as an online course, textbook course or an in-person training. Choosing which format works best for you may also be a factor in availability of the training in your area.

The company providing the insurance CE courses should be clear about the cost of the program. Typically pricing is done per total hours and the actual credit hours of the course are listed on the course description. This allows you to fill all your credit requirements accurately and not end up one or two hours short of your state requirements.
The course description should also be very clear as to what license or training type it is applicable for. This could include a specific type of insurance such as property and casualty, life and health or long term care. The course can also be specifically designed to meet the ethics training requirements of each state.

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7. Why Tour And Travel Management As A Career Option?

The tourism industry is one of the most inquisitive among all industries established. It not only provides students a variety of avenues to grow but also provide leverage to their careers as well. The glory of past cultures, traditions and relics and food according to a geographical location as recorded in history mesmerizes everyone around the world. This industry is substantial and vibrant and is becoming a global destination for students. India's gross profit during 2006 was more than US $ 8.9 billion while four million domestic tourists visited.

India's GDP is always given a boost by the tourism industry which contributes to more than 8% annually. This figure increases every year with a continuous growth in the industry as it attracts lots of admirers from all over the world. It is directly linked to other sectors as well. Hospitality management and employment are related to them. Unless large chunk of foreigners come to Indian destinations it becomes worthless for other sectors to prove their medal to esteemed customers or tourists. Disposable income of India has grown to 10.11% which is still on the rise; it eventually will be benefiting other sectors equally.

There are variety of colleges all over India providing education related to travel and tourism. More than 15% of the youth brigade annually takes up this field as a career choice. All these students need to have a good growth in the industry in order to make themselves worthwhile. Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) is one such institute which provides a complete set of courses related to tourism. Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Tourism & Leisure), Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Service), Post Graduate Diploma In Management (International Business) and Post Graduate Diploma In Management (Tourism & Travel) are some of the courses offered by IITTM.

Their campuses are located in Gwalior, Nellore, Goa, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar. These courses have their own merits respectively and placements are in accordance with the understanding, comprehension and thinking of students on individual basis. Remuneration and growth are proportional to any candidate's overall thinking about the industry as a whole. The process to enter any institute related to tourism is to be a senior secondary pass out. Entrance tests for these courses are equally enticing as they tend to ask all types of analytical and logical questions along with general knowledge too.

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8. How Learning Life Lessons From the Hebrew Alphabet?

So what you should do is hold fast to the strength of the leader of your house and if your house is out of order, it's real simple. Do you know how to get your life in order? You discover where you at in the Hebrew Alphabet and most of it end up in the letter Tet. You find out where you at in the Hebrew Alphabet and you go in reverse until you discover where you made your mistake. It is the answer for everybody. This alphabet literally is your life. Did you know your DNA is connected to the Hebrew Alphabet? Every part of the DNA is connected to one single letter. This Alphabet is your life you just don't know it yet.

All you have to do is discover it, once you know the alphabet and you discover where you're at,you are going to be like "this is my problem, and this is the negative side of this letter and this is the positive side. This is the issue that I'm having in my life it's connected to this negative part of a letter, that's where I'm at, the mistake is two letters earlier, wow! That's where I need to change."

You change on that letter and it's like dominos, everything falls in line now you get to start over and go from the next part of that letter. What is the next letter? You get to go to that letter, once you do that one right, you go to the next letter so take the strength of the leader of the house and transform yourself into a generous human being because we're not getting revelation until we get generous and that's just the truth.

Whatever message you want to spread will not be going global, He is not going to take the message to the nations until God's people, the remnant wakes up, smell the coffee, and recognize the God that they serve is not a stiff tight God, He is an open handed generous God that is going to give you anything that you need if you just give your life to Him. He will open up a door and bring revelation. He will open up Dalet to bring He. Isn't our God amazing?

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9. Schools For Gifted Students Are Important

Teachers In Gifted Schools Know How To Help Smart Kids Learn

Teaching smart students has its own set of challenges and teachers who work in a school that caters to these kids will know how to help them learn. Exceptional students have a deeper thirst for knowledge and it takes a special kind of teacher to help them grow. Additionally, these teachers will know how to plan classes that enrich the original lessons. Exceptionally smart children will oftentimes grasp the key points of a lesson quickly (which means they can actually become bored and disruptive throughout the class) and teachers who work with them will know how to best keep their attention through special supplemental lessons and more.

Schools For Gifted Students Often Have Smaller Class Sizes

Another big benefit of this type of environment is that the classes are often smaller. A public school's classrooms can easily have 30 or more children, especially in this day of budget cuts. But what do smaller class sizes mean for students? Numerous studies have shown that kids learn better in a small setting. Many larger classes in a public school realize this, which is why teachers in these classrooms often try to break their students up into small groups. Smaller class sizes also allow pupils to directly interact more with the teacher. If you're interested in finding schools for gifted students, ask how big the average class is before enrolling your child.

Gifted Schools Offer More Options For Advanced Classes

Another advantage of these gifted schools is that they oftentimes offer more advanced classes for pupils. A regular public school will likely have a handful of advanced classes for each grade level, but what happens if your child finishes them? They'll either have to sit bored while the others catch up or have a makeshift curriculum. On the contrary, schools for gifted students will have classes that are specially designed to meet the needs of exceptional pupils. Parents won't have to worry that their kids are getting bored in school because they'll be busy and engaged in their advanced classes.

Many Gifted Schools Are Flexible

What if your second grader is reading at a sixth grade level? Some teachers might be tempted to just give her a sixth grade level book, but this might not be the best option. A younger student may be able to read and understand a more advanced book, but this doesn't mean that the book will be appropriate for the younger child. A school with experience in working with exceptional children will know how to find a book that's both age and reading-level appropriate so that your young student isn't introduced to themes that are too mature.

Keeping your exceptional kids engaged throughout the school day can be easier if they're going to an educational institution that is just for them. Whether they're outstanding in all areas or they're exceptionally talented in just one area, these educational institutions might be the place for your children.

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10. Controversial Rules in Schools

I do wonder what these people were thinking when they came up with some of them but I'm sure it made total sense to them when they did.

Anyway, here are some of the rules I've found in schools which seem to inhibit teaching and learning more than help in my opinion.

Overly Strict Uniform Codes

I personally think school uniforms are a thing of the past but I do understand that some schools want their students to wear their uniforms.

However, some schools take things too far and punish their students for the slightest thing out of place with their uniform.

A student may wish to learn as much as they can and have the potential of becoming the next Einstein but they may just be a little messy when it comes to the way they dress.

Should they be punished and effectively prevented from learning because of this? I think not.

No Hugging Rule

Again I do understand the reasoning behind this rule as it tries to reduce the chance that things may go too far between students but it is simply ineffective.

If the students want to do these kinds of activities and take things further they'll find a way. Stopping them hugging won't prevent this.

I think a simple hug is a natural way for people to express themselves and is part of a child's learning experience.

No Phone in Hallways

I can fully understand and agree with that phones should be turned off inside the classroom but why extend this rule for the hallways?

To me this doesn't make sense. Of course if students are shouting on their phones in the hallway then they need to tone it down a little but I do not believe banning phones completely in hallways is the answer.

ID Cards

I haven't experienced this personally but some schools force their students to have an ID card and wear it around their neck.

In my opinion this seems completely over the top and simply not required.

I can understand some schools need their students to have IDs but why force them to wear them around their necks?

No Lunches for Friends Rule

This rule made me laugh. Again, I have not seen this first hand myself but have read about it. Apparently some schools will only allow parents to bring a lunch box for their own child. If they want to hand a lunch box to a friend's child then it is against the rules.

I'm sorry but this is absurd. I'm sure there is some silly health and safety rule behind this but it comes to a point where parents and students can't do anything without break some kind of rule.

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11. Redefining Education for Global Opportunities

Addressing resistance to change
Why don't we get the best out of people? It's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies - far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity - are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences.

Children should be encouraged to answer boldly and not be afraid of being wrong, because if you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original. If you're not prepared to be wrong, by the time they get to be adults, most kids have lost that capacity. They have become frightened of being wrong.

Our education system is outdated and is based on a hierarchy wherein most useful subjects for a job are considered to be the most important and academic ability, which has really come to dominate our view of intelligence because the universities designed the system in their image. The modern educational system vastly underestimates the power of the human imagination.

More people, which highlights the importance of two points that need to be focused on- technology and its transformation effect on work. Suddenly, degrees are no guarantee for attaining a job. You need an MA where the previous job required a BA, and now you need a PhD for the other. It's a process of academic inflation. It indicates the whole structure of education is shifting beneath our feet. We need to radically rethink our view of intelligence. Our education system has mined our minds in the way that we strip-mine the earth, for a particular commodity, and for the future, it won't serve us.

The honest truth is that no-one really likes change because it involves moving from a position of comfort and stepping into place which is unknown. As spectators we like to sit on the fence and applaud good ideas but refuse to change ourselves. Instead we think we can ride it out and somehow it won't affect us. We like to argue and always focus on the negatives, pushing for decisions to be made and then criticising them. We tend to see change as an opportunity to learn and grow.

We have all experienced behaviour like this ourselves, it's a natural human reaction. It's a little easier to see it in others than ourselves but never the less, once you can recognise it, you can change it.

Governmental agencies and organizations that support and promote quality education for all children must move beyond traditional models to help children develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are relevant to their lives and that can lift them out of poverty. Mastery of the basic primary school curriculum is not the best means for improving life chances and alleviating poverty in developing countries, that model is broken. It is time to seek out the interventions that lead to the greatest social and economic impact for the poor.

The 21st century will require knowledge generation, not just information delivery, and schools will need to create a "culture of inquiry". In the past a learner was a young person who went to school, spent a specified amount of time in certain courses, received passing grades and graduated. Today we must see learners in a new context:

First - we must maintain student interest by helping them see how what they are learning prepares them for life in the real world.
Second - we must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning.
Third - we must be flexible in how we teach.
Fourth - we must excite learners to become even more resourceful so that they will continue to learn outside the formal school day.

The classroom is expanded to include the greater community. Students are self-directed, and work both independently and interdependently. The curriculum and instruction are designed to challenge all students, and provides for differentiation.

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12. Why Community College May Be A Good First Option?

Entering into college isn't an easy task but it is feasible for those who have this as a goal. In an ideal situation if you are college bound you have addressed the issues that need to be addressed during your high school career and have a good enough record under your belt to be accepted to the college or colleges of your selection. Unfortunately some students don't think about going to college until after high school is done, and if they failed to make the grade or didn't do well on or in some cases even take the SATs they may believe that their chances for getting into a good college have vanished.

If you failed to get it together during your stint in high school or made a late decision on attending college there is no need to fret. There are several things that you can still do in order to make yourself ready to attend the school of your choice in the coming year.

It all initiates with making application to your local community college. Most people don't think that community colleges are worth attending but in fact they supply numerous benefits for students who are late bloomers academically and for those that are in need of a stepping stone between high school and a fully accredited University. A community college can aid a student to attain everything they need to become eligible for a good quality school in about a year's time.

There are numerous benefits but one of the biggest benefits of attending a community college for a segment of your college career is the cost is so much less that you can save thousands of dollars just by doing a year or two of classes there before moving on to the University of your choice. It is for this reason that many students, even those that are prepared to enter college straight out of high school, are opting to attend a local community college. Not only do they find that they save money off their tuition but most also discover they can save more money by living at home and working locally while completing their first few semesters of college.

All in all community colleges are a great stepping-stone between high school and an upper scale university. More and more students are using this as an option to get the grades and basic coursework they need at a lower out of pocket cost, allowing them to spend the big money on the college of their choice for only two years instead of the full four.

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13. Five Tips for Learning How to Study

Learning how to study effectively is always a challenge for students who are often overwhelmed and over-committed to school, work and extra-curricular activities. The following tips are some I learned as I struggled through my undergraduate studies. If I had known these things in high school, I'm sure I would have been a better student. By the time I reached graduate school, I was an expert. Follow these suggestions and take the fast track to success!

1.    Avoid being overwhelmed the last weeks of class by preparing all semester. Of course, the best practice is to stay current with your reading and assignments as they are given. Realistically, staying current doesn't always happen, especially if you have other more demanding classes that require your attention just to stay afloat. If this is the case, you will want to focus on Tip 2 more than ever.

2.    Spend quality time with your reading assignments. I used to tell my Introductory Psychology classes not to read a chapter word for word. The truth is, especially in Intro courses, the textbook chapters are long and arduous. Unless you're super-human, your reading attention span won't last past the first few pages. Your mind will start to wonder, and the time you spend will be non-productive. Instead, spend quality time with the chapters. Start by flipping through the pages. Look at the section titles to get a general understanding of the chapter content. Go to the end of the chapter and read the Summary or Review sections. You'll be amazed at how much you can get out of a chapter by following the steps described above. Once you have a pretty good idea of the chapter content, go back and take a more careful look. Go through the chapter section by section. Focus your reading around the words in bold print. These point to the key ideas in the chapter. Jot down some notes to help you remember these particular concepts. Be sure to include in your notes the page number on which the topic can be found for future reference. This is especially helpful if you're allowed to use your book or notes for the exam. If you spend 20-30 minutes of quality time with your reading, I guarantee you'll get more out of it than trying to read the entire chapter cover to cover.

3.    Don't cheat sleep. This tip is critical to good performance. Yes, we can push ourselves a little by staying up later than usual or getting up a little earlier, but the better you do at maintaining your regular sleep schedule, the happier and less stressed you'll be. Disrupting sleep patterns has serious consequences including insomnia. Once you've messed with your circadian rhythm, it's hard to get back to a normal sleep routine because your brain doesn't know when it's time to start shutting down. A common complaint from college students is that their brains won't shut off so they can go to sleep. Lack of sleep also triggers our stress response system, which means your body is being flooded with cortisol. Increased cortisol levels can cause insomnia so you can see it's a viscous cycle. The truth is, you can perform better when rested; therefore, you can complete the work in about half the time. If you study when you're rested, you'll not only be able to retain more information, you'll be a happier person to be around.

4.    Avoid cramming. Cramming for a test rarely produces a positive outcome. Here's the problem. Our brains can hold only a certain amount of information in short-term memory. When you cram for a test, you are literally trying to cram information into short-term memory, but your brain will only retain a limited amount of what you cram into it. I used to give this example to my students. Hold your hands together to form a cup shape. Now imagine you're putting information into this rather small container. Eventually, the container will get full. If you keep trying to put information in the container, some of the information you already put in will be forced to spill out. It works kind of like pouring too much tea into a teacup. How do you solve this problem? If you follow Tip 2 above, you will effectively transfer some of the information to long-term memory, which has a much larger capacity for retaining information. You can create large networks of information by tying the new information to something you already know. Figure out how to make it make sense and you won't forget it. Guaranteed!

5.    Factor down time into your schedule. Believe it or not, this act will help you be a better student. The truth is that our brains and bodies need down time to recover and rejuvenate. A rejuvenated brain will perform better than a brain that is drained and exhausted. The thought of down time might seem unrealistic when you're experiencing end-of-the-semester crunch time. Assignments, papers, and projects are due, and you have to get ready for the final exam. Down time doesn't have to be a long time. It just has to be time that you don't read, use the computer, or think about all the work you have ahead. Down time has to be quality time. It might include a walk around the block, 30 minutes of television, dinner with a friend, or relaxing meditation.

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14. Educational Resources Helping Develop Social Skills

You can now include a wide range of educational resources for both outdoor and indoor activities for your children. They are available under different categories, such as art and crafts offering paints, adhesives, easels and pencils and crayons. Children can make use of imaginative play with the help of products that involve structures, such as prams, dolls and accessories for improving their role play skills.

Such kind of dramatic play resources can be stocked and propped up in the house or in the classroom, so that young children can play make believe games to stir their imagination. These can be in the form of pots and pans or stuffed toys that are washable and unbreakable. They can consist of a whole range of items, such as hats, purses, dolls, tea sets, beds and homes for dolls and so on. Such imaginative play helps kids to concentrate and they can benefit by increasing their attentive powers and self control abilities. For instance, the child can play a game of pretending to be someone who works in a supermarket, where they set up a counter and pretends to be selling cans of food and drink at a till. They can make use of a cash register and handle pretend money, and also place different items of groceries on the shelves. The child improves their talent for sequential acts and also learning numeracy skills. The child also learns the importance of doing things logically and correctly with the help of such educational resources.

The child can make use of miniature doll houses and transport items, such as cars and trains to create an entire story. He can also learn to substitute objects in case he does not have certain items. This will improve imagination and creativity. The child also learns to use a lot of emotions in this way and will learn to empathize with others through such educational games. They can, for instance, learn to sympathize for a doll that is hurt in the game or scold another doll for being naughty or even praise them.

Fine motor control can be developed with the help of such products. This can actually prove to be a precursor to writing, as the child starts making use of these toys in fantasy. Even small groups can play or work on such projects and games. Whether they use these educational resources by themselves or with others, the children learn to respect the ideas of others and develop their social skills, which is an important part of childhood education. It also helps them to solve problems and find solutions easily.

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15. The Academic Work Of Students

Importance Of Proof Reading

Essays, dissertation, projects, research papers etc are inevitable in university life. It is considered highly unprofessional to create grammatical and spelling errors in these writings. The quality of your written work will get reflected on the marks scored by you in your academic writing work. When you are working under pressure to complete your research work, it is natural to make some mistakes. The students will not get enough time to proofread their writings. Here the professional proofreading services come to their help. To make your work free of incorrect citations, wrong information and spelling mistakes, it is necessary to do proofreading. All your efforts will be wasted if you will be unable to score good marks for your academic work just because of some spelling and grammatical mistakes. The online proofreading services are very convenient for students as they will not have to go in person to get the work proofread.

Student Proofreading Service

There are different types of services offered by the online professional proofreading companies and student academic work proofreading is one among them. The rates for student proofreading depend on the type of writing that is getting proofread. If the student is a native English speaking person there are fewer chances of grammatical and spelling errors, whereas foreign students tends to make more mistake. Some of the proofreading services are charging rates after enquiring the nativity details of the student. A professional proofreader from the proofreading service will point out the mistakes and will suggest the necessary changes to correct the mistake. The student proofreading services are the best option to make your academic work free of mistakes and to get valuable marks for your dissertation work. Most of the provide their service at very reasonable price.

Finding The Experts

To find the most suitable for the student's need, there are many ways. You can consult your friends and other senior students about the best professional proof readers in your area. If you are not in a position to get out of your campus in search of professional, you can go for the online proofreading services. Select the specialists in students proofreading services by searching in the web. You can get your documents proofread faster through an online proof reading service. The proofreaders should have the essential qualifications to understand the academic work done by the student and good command over the language to clear the errors. With professional you can make your writing to have consistency and clarity. Finding reputable services is necessary to avoid plagiarism.

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16. Improving Motor Skills With Educational Resources

Educational resources can involve a whole range of products that can kindle and fire the imagination of your toddler. There are specific products available in the form of outdoor products or indoor games. These are aimed at improving the motor skills of the child and can contribute to constructive learning. For instance, outdoor garden products such as pots and saucers and wheel spinners or also gardening tools for the child will help to improve these skills in different ways. They can make use of a fork, trowel and gardening gloves for a day out doors.

Outdoor fun is the type of activity that all young children enjoy. They can also learn a lot through such resources. For instance, the child can play in a jungle gym structure which is made of slides and poles. This enables the child to make use of multiple skills. They can also use their imagination to create several scenarios playing on such game structures. They can make use of products that are ideal for digging, building or for hauling. The larger muscles or gross motor skills are refined in this manner. The child will find it very useful to develop these skills of cross lateral movement, especially in the later days of reading and writing. Outdoor playground time is very important in developing movement of right arm with left leg combination, as it is critical to success in later life activities.

The child can let his imagination loose while playing with structures, such as the Rabbit sculpture or the wobble foot board tacking tactile boards. While playing such physical games with educational resources, they can have fun and learn as well.

Children can also build with blocks as part of their learning in the primary stage or in the preschool classroom. Building blocks can be a lot of fun and the child is able to learn many concepts, which actually lay the foundation for the child in later years. It can help the child understand complex scientific theories in later years. The child learns about gravity and balance as well as other complex systems of the universe when building with blocks. He learns all this on a trial and error basis and starts wondering and learning about the properties of different types of matter. These are actually play activities that can build a solid scientific framework for the child in the formative years. They learn concepts by using the small motor skills and this increases their self confidence and esteem. Math skills can also be developed with the help of blocks.

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17. Medical Billing and Coding Schools

There is no doubt that medical billing and coding is a rewarding career. This is one of the reasons as to why many students today pursue the program. There are many Medical billing and coding schools and offer a wide range of programs. Students have a wide selection from which, to choose the best schools and the right programs that favor their career goals. Even so, students must make wise and informed decisions before enrolling in a school to enhance chances of getting valuable training.

Type of school
Medical billing and coding schools come in handy today. Not all schools guarantee the best training to their students. It is therefore essential for students to do their homework well when choosing schools for their training. A good school is accredited and offers accredited programs. Settle for a school that offers programs that favor your career goals in terms of course coverage and valuable learning resources.

Value of certificates
Despite a large number of Medical billing and coding schools in the market, it is imperative to determine the value of certificates a school issues. There are many students who complete their programs but are unable to secure good jobs due to low quality certificates. This is a waste of time and cash. Utilize the internet, accreditation bodies and testimonials from other students. You will be in a position to make wise and informed decisions.

Detailed course coverage
Medical billing and coding is a wide field. A good school offers detailed course that covers anatomy, patient rights, medical terminology, legal aspects and pharmaceutical products among other areas. It also offers the best learning and research tools to its students. This is custom made to ensure that students get the best theoretical and practical experience. At the end of your study period, you will get valuable training that enhance your chance of becoming a competent professional in future.

Length of time required for you to complete your studies
With many Medical billing and coding schools, students are spoilt of choices when it comes to choosing a place to study. There are schools that offer bogus programs that take a short length of time. A valuable program takes two to 3 years for you to complete it in universities and colleges. Therefore, ensure to do your homework well and settle for valuable training. This will enhance your chances of getting a fulfilling job in the future.

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18. How to Prepare For Any Exam?

Testing and examinations seem to be part of life whether you're a student, a professional looking to qualify for a license, or keeping up with accreditation. Whatever the reason for your exam taking, it will serve a person well to review the following tips to success. While there is nothing to take the place of good study, there are certainly other activities that can help you achieve success.

Start the process early and lay out a plan. This is especially true for college entrance and professional licensing exams where one must fit studying into an existing schedule. Plan out at least six months before the exam date where you need to be methodical and deliberate. Break things down into manageable chunks and stick to the schedule. Include key dates for registration, practice exams, test prep courses and the like. For your study plan, break things into subject matter and sub-categorize from there. Studying with a specific purpose and goal is much more effective.

Make those around you aware that you're preparing for an exam. This will give you the leeway to focus on the task at hand - passing your exam - and not having to worry about too many obligations. This is especially important if you are working where telling it to your boss and colleagues could help a lot. They may be able to at least temporarily lighten your workload (or at least not add to it) so you can adequately prepare. Also ask friends and family to help you study and prepare. It will make a solitary task a little less lonesome.

Activate different learning modes. Reading is not really the most efficient way to learn, but of course, it is necessary. Think about ways to involve the other senses to retain knowledge. For example, note taking is important, but there are different modes of note taking that might be more beneficial, such as creating a mind map (search online for instructions). Conventional wisdom says that teaching someone a subject improves learning, so take some time, and explain difficult materials to a friend. Often, one can find lectures online or on DVDs at the local library.

Along the same line, consider exam preparation services. These companies have perfected the art of exam taking, both from a learning standpoint, and also from the point of test taking strategy. While some of these courses can be expensive, depending on the exam you're taking, it could be well worth it as some cases of failing the exam can have a huge impact on future earnings. If one can't commit to a full course, you might consider a one-day seminar, which provides exam taking tips that can be very enlightening.

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19. Preschool Is Essential For Your Child's Development

When it comes to our children, we only want the very best for them, so whatever those measures may be, it is essential that we take them, so that our kids can have the best and brightest futures. Although it is very hard to say goodbye to our children for the first time when sending them to school, it does get easier, and they are receiving huge benefits from the education they are part of. Many parents worry about sending their children to preschool, however, it may not be compulsory or mandatory, but it comes highly recommended that you do send your children to a preschool or nursery before they attend school. There are many reasons why you should send your children to preschool, as the development and education they receive there will set them up for when they have to attend school. Having your child at home with you for the first three years of their life may not be as beneficial for them, and as we want the best for our kids, preschool is a much better option to take.

As mentioned previously, it is understandable that it is difficult to say goodbye to your young child for the first time, but that two and a half hours a day you get by yourself can do you and your child wonders. Your child will be learning, and performing activities, and you will have some free time to relax and do things around the house that have been put off. There are numerous skills your child can learn at preschools, one being painting, others drawing and making things, they often make gifts to bring home, it can be a very pleasant and wonderful experience for both you and your child.

One of the most beneficial points of preschool is the opportunity your child has to mingle with other kids and communicate with others. Your child will learn social skills, and be able to play and talk nicely to other children and adults. It is so important that your child develops good communication skills before attending school, so that when they finally do go to school, they are ready to learn, and find it easy to understand what teachers and other children are saying to them. They will make friends through communication, and you will see a whole new amazing side to your child's life. It also gives you the opportunity to meet other parents, and even plan things outside of preschool so that your children and you can make new friends. All this really boosts you and your child's confidence in life.

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20. Importance of Having the ISO Certification

Having an ISO certification behind your company's name can great increase the visibility and profits of your business. ISO is recognized internationally and gives consumers and clients the confidence to use your products and services because they are deemed reliable and of the utmost quality since they are made in accordance with the standards of ISO.

ISO stands for the International Organization of Standardization. This organization determines what standards are necessary to ensure that any products and services that are provided are provided in accordance with all of the necessary guidelines that will make ensure quality and compliance. This is a highly sought after standard that many companies need to maintain in order to stay in business.

In order for a company to obtain their ISO certification, there are a few challenges that must be met. Once the ISO certification is given, it is not permanent. Companies are inspected several times per year to ensure that they continuously meet the standards that are put in place. Anyone who is interested in using the company for services or products can view the history of that particular company's ISO certifications. As you can see, it is crucial to have this credential in order to stay in business and retain clients.

Any business can benefit from having this kind of credential. A small business can use it to improve the way the business is run, every process that is involved in the daily operations to be written out and all documents will be thoroughly organized. This increases the effectiveness of management and how the employees are managed and their work flow. This also improves customer service. Everyone knows how much bad customer service can negatively impact a business. In order to create a general standardization and improve the quality of service that is provided, ISO can keep employees in check so that they only provide your customers with the best customer service experience they will ever have.

In order to keep a successful business running efficiently, it is important to have audits. These audits can provide management and decision makers with crucial information about any flaws in the way the business is run. These audits take an in depth look at every aspect that is needed for a day of successful operations. Having audits that use ISO standards, can point out all of the little kinks and bugs so that you can fix them to improve your structure and performance.

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21. How to Create an Exam Plan and Study Guide?

Exams can be stressful. The key to success is applying discipline and good planning to one's studying. If you've got an upcoming exam for school, college entry, or professional licensing or accreditation, use this guide to help you prepare a strong exam success plan.

The most important aspect of a good plan is to start early and giving yourself enough time to study and review the information, as well as taking practice exams. To figure out how much time you need, review the coursework and start dividing and categorizing. Here are some of the key questions to consider:

1. How much material needs to be covered?
2. How familiar are you with the material? How difficult is it?
3. What areas am I stronger and weaker? Where may I need help?
4. Are there study guides and other study support materials available?
5. Should I consider co-op group study?

Set a weekly time for studying and then start allocating hours. For some professional licensing exams, this may mean a year's worth of preparation, while other situations may only need a few weeks.

Once you've determined how much preparation time you need, write it on a calendar. Success depends greatly on one's discipline and commitment, writing a plan will help you stick with it. Be reasonable with your expectations. Also, be specific with your study calendar. Don't simply put "study" in a two-hour block. Write down the particular material and coursework that needs to be reviewed. In addition, allocate time for notes review. This type of deliberate planning will not only lead to a more thorough plan, but it is important to see the broad picture so you can be sure your not miss anything important.

For some examinations, such as college entry standardized tests or professional licensing tests, it might be wise to look into a professional exam preparation course. Consider this early in the process, as one's calendar will have to accommodate this time, too. If one cannot commit to a full course, it may be useful to inquire about a one or two-day test preparation seminar, which focuses on test taking strategies that arms you with useful tips to help on the actual exam itself.

Another important component of the calendar and study planning are practice exams. These are crucial for standardized tests and licensing exams as they provide a gauge to progress where it can illuminate weak areas that need more study time. These exams are available in published study guide books as well as online. Take a practice exam early in the process so you leave time in your schedule to make up for deficient areas or adapt your study plan.

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22. How Do You Improve Your Ability to Learn?

The pace of change in today's world is accelerating. A person needs every advantage that he or she can obtain to compete and stay ahead. If you are without strong learning skills to help you keep up with and understand changing technology you are already falling behind. You truly need to improve your learning skills and learn to love to learn™.
So, how can you improve your ability to learn? Listed below are six steps that you can follow to improve your learning. These have a basis in research on how learning takes place.
First, you must be motivated to learn. Learning is hard work. You'd be amazed at how many people pass up learning opportunities because they are lazy. You must have a burning desire to learn. Successful learning requires a huge amount of intrinsic motivation. This comes from the inside and no one can give it to you. You have to "wanna" learn.
Extrinsic motivation, that is, studying hard to get a good grade or to get a raise or some type of certification, is powerful, too. But a burning desire to learn (intrinsic motivation) trumps everything. You literally can't be stopped if you are self-directed and have personal discipline.
Second, you need to possess a strong basic learning skill set. Do you read fast and comprehend it? Are you good at math? Do you know how to use the tools of modern data processing? You have to be able to answer "yes" to each of these questions and a few more or you are setting yourself up for failure.
You have some work ahead of you if you are without a strong set of basic learning skills. You can do it but only if you are aware what needs to be improved upon. Skip this step and the success of your learning attempts is in question.
Third, you need to take advantage of what we know about how people learn. For example, learning situations that supply the learner with immediate feedback provides a superior learning experience. If you just read a chapter in a book and set it down and walk away you have missed an opportunity to improve your learning. It would have been better to have constructed your own test questions while you were reading and take the test that you designed the next day.
Fourth, use spaced study sessions rather than mass practice sessions. You would be better off, for example, to have three, 30 minute reading sessions spaced by 15 minute breaks than to read straight for an hour and a half. Massing study sessions, otherwise known as "cramming", isn't an efficient way to learn and you may very well become fatigued.
Fifth, use multiple senses when attempting to learn. Saying it, writing it, typing it, viewing it, recording it, listening to it all involve multiple senses and provide for superior learning results. Use as much input to different senses as you can. You can create your own study notes by writing, typing or recording them (audio or video). Re-read them. Listen to them. Watch them.

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23. MOVING DAY


Dear Friends,
At long last I have claimed the address I always wanted: irenelatham.blogspot.com. The place is still a mess, but I'll throw up a new coat of paint and get the furniture all arranged in no time. Please come visit! And if you've got links or bookmarks, you can really help me out by updating them to the new address.
With love and thanks to all my fellow word lovers,
Irene

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24. VOICES IN MY HEAD


Yes, what you may have suspected is actually true: I hear voices. And being a writer, I am fond of creating analogies to describe those voices.

For instance, in the latest revision of LEAVING GEE'S BEND, I described one character's voice as "jagged as a saw blade." Then I thought of this: "gritty as greens that ain't been washed too good." (Obviously rural Alabama, right?)

Anyhow, turns out there are others who enjoy describing voices. Check out NPR's Vocal Impressions series. I particularly love this description of Morgan Freeman's voice: "Hash browns being grilled in olive oil" — Bill Isenberger

Anyone got a good one for Norah Jones?? Love her.

"Silence is more musical than any song."

- Christina Rossetti

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25. REVISION MADNESS


We've all heard the old adage, "be careful what you wish for." Well. I've been wishing for my edits, and now I'm buried under them! Will come out soon.

Meanwhile, check out my friend Jessica's brilliant blog that's all about Keeping it Real. She is seriously awesome, and you will love her outlook on life.

Now, back to it....

Instead of a quote today, check out your very own Perseverence Quotient. Do you have what it takes to make your dreams come true?

That's what I thought. :)

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