The Best Place to Study Spanish in South America Is...

The financial crash of 2001 in Argentina resulted in a devaluation of the peso, which caused a significant foreign tourism boom. A result of this has been the emergence of a number of high quality Spanish schools that offer you the chance to study Spanish on a budget. In addition to cost though, there are further grounds for opting to learn to speak Spanish there.

(1) Few Argentines speak English. In contrast to countries in the northern hemisphere, which have greater contact with native English speaking tourists, businesses, and pop culture, Argentina has had relatively little contact with the English-speaking world. Until recently, Argentines considered French to be of a higher standing than English and the people who had the means and interest to learn a second language tended to learn that language instead.

Even though attitudes are fast changing there now (English instruction now being an obligatory element of public school education), English is still seldom spoken fluently by Argentines. This represents an ideal situation for those wanting to learn Spanish as they will be forced to use the local language in order to get by.

(2) Argentines are easy to understand. Argentines do not talk too fast, nor do they mumble or swallow consonants, which can be common for Caribbean or Central American speakers. Many beginner students have difficulty differentiating between words with spoken Spanish due to them not being able to hear the stopping of one word and the beginning of the next and learning Spanish in Argentina reduces this issue.

You will of course acquire an Argentine accent when you speak Spanish, but this is no great problem, and you will still easily be able to be understood by Spanish speakers in other countries. In fact, having a slight variation on standard European Spanish can be a good thing, as when you speak in Spanish to natives of other Spanish speaking countries, they will be intrigued as to how you acquired your accent, making it a good ice breaker.

(3) Talking a lot is common in Argentina. You will find no problem in finding others to practice with because Argentina has a talkative culture and it is easy to start a conversation with perfect strangers. No-one will think you strange or crazy if you walk up to them and ask them how they are doing and what their plans are for the day.

When Argentines find out that you have gone there specifically to study Spanish and to learn about their culture, they will be particularly welcoming, and you can expect to be asked to have dinner at their houses, and to be taken sightseeing. Confident learners will undoubtedly benefit from such an open environment.

If this sounds like an interesting opportunity to you, you just need to do a little research on the internet. Whether you prefer a relatively short month long study holiday, a half year home stay arrangement, or something between the two, you will be sure to find something in Argentina for you.

Is Computer Language Learning Suitable For Me? By Terry Roberts

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL), often known simply as computer language learning, is a form of computer-based assisted learning. The first thing to be said is that it is not a method, but a tool to facilitate learning - under whatever method is being used. Perhaps one of the most useful things about computer language learning is that it is student-centered and allows each user to progress at their own speed. Moreover, it can be programmed to be interactive and, as a result, individualized. Finally, it can form a stand-alone course, and be used on its own, or it can be used as a reinforcement of class learning.

Where computer language learning is used in the latter role, as learning reinforcement, it has often led to a revision of both the teacher's and student's role in the language learning process. For example, when it is used as a major component of a foreign language course, the teacher must get used to the fact that they are no longer simply the provider of knowledge, but must now guide the student in their interaction with the computer. The student, for their part, must become accustomed to taking on greater responsibility for their own learning.

It is often said that computer language learning, even when used to provide a stand-alone course, does not entirely eliminate the need for an instructor, or teacher. While this may be true in certain circumstances, the latest CALL courses, usually available for self-study in stores or on internet, incorporate many advances that enable a motivated learner to take almost complete control of their learning experience. Speech-recognition software allows them to compare their pronunciation to the computer's model, and access to an instructor, either by phone or via an internet forum, gives them the support necessary at crucial moment in the learning process.

Indeed, for many students, computer language learning can create a much more stimulating environment than a classroom. Although some students learn better in a classic teaching setting, with instructor and peers, others may find it intimidating. This is obviously true for shy students, who can feel freer in their own self-created learning environment.

However, the advantages are not limited to shy students. The use of technology tends to make learning more interesting for many people. Personalizing information, by integrating the student's name or familiar contexts within the instruction, can promote motivation. Another very successful way to do this is to use much more realistic contexts (real-world or fantasy) that are not directly related to language learning per se.

One way a program or activity can promote motivation in students is by personalizing information, for example by integrating the student’s name or familiar contexts as part of the program or task. Others include having animate objects on the screen, providing practice activities that incorporate challenges and curiosity and providing a context (real-world or fantasy) that is not directly language-oriented.

Finally, computer language learning gives the student the ability to control not only the pace of their learning, but also, in many cases, the actual content. This is because they can choose what to learn, in what order, they can omit lessons they think are unnecessary and do extra work - or devote more time - to their perceived problem areas. This makes them feel more competent in their learning. Moreover, students tend to prefer the type of exercise where they can control the content and direction of their learning, such as branching stories, puzzles, logic problems or adventures.

All in all, if you're not too worried about not being able to learn in a classroom environment, with permanent access to an instructor, computer language learning could be just the thing you're looking for to bring greater motivation to your language learning experience.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374299&ca=Education

Do You Think Learning Italian is Hard? Try With Some Italian Courses in Florence By Lorenzo Cardelli

Do you think learning Italian is hard? It’s no harder than learning Spanish and like any other language the absolute best way to learn as an adult is to immerse yourself in the language on a daily basis. The best way to do this is by taking Italian language courses in Italy. If you are trying to learn in the United States or any other English speaking country then practicing outside of class is quite difficult. You also have limited exposure to the language, even in a university level course the most time you will spending will be five hours a week. Enter the Italian learning experience.

Whether you are attending school in Italy, taking an extended vacation or relocating for work, taking Italian courses upon your arrival will make your transition immensely easier. You will have classmates from around the world to practice with. In Florence, for example, everyday you walk out to study Italian into streets filled with speakers you can practice with. The further away from the tourist zones you are the easier it will be to practice as well. Not falling into the speaking English as a default helps to learn as well. Many Italians speak English and will welcome the practice, but if you maintain your responses in Italian you will find that a few weeks of day to day life complements your Italian language course greatly, especially in the ability to retain the information.

The benefit of learn Italian in Florence, while you are surrounded by native speakers, is greatly increased by the pace of many programs. While it is possible to take only an hour a day in lessons, which is ideal for students who will be in the country for an entire year, most of the programs will be roughly four hours a day. This reinforces everything you learn well, building day by day on what you have covered the day before. You may be quite surprised at how quickly you are able to pick up the language at this pace. The fact that you are able to add private lessons and also do intensive programs increases greatly the speed at which you can learn in most Italian courses in Florence, Italy. Here there is a large number of ex patriots and tourists, and you will find the greatest variety of schools.

For those with the love and the motivation learning Italian will not be that hard. Any background in other Romance languages helps a great deal, and the idiomatic expressions will come more slowly than verb conjugation. But by taking Italian courses in Italy you will get the benefit of native speakers being around you everyday. They will help you immensely, especially in the form of language exchange, practice English for an hour, then Italian for an hour. Very shortly you will learn to never order a latte unless you want a glass of milk and that an espresso is a newspaper and not a coffee and you will be on your way to speaking like a native.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374742&ca=Education

Lassen Peak National Park By Allison Ryan

The volcanic national parks in the Untied States include Lassen, Crater Lake, Mount Rainier, Yellowstone, and Hawaii. Lassen, Crater Lake, and Mount Rainier are distributed along the Cascade Mountains running from northeastern California through Oregon and then on to the northern edge of Washington.

This whole range was volcanic. It resulted from a great outpouring of lava, forming a plateau about eight thousand feet high. Peaks were formed upon it due to further eruptions which heaped up cones of lava and ash forced through vent holes. Some of these volcanoes were big, others were little.

Many of the smaller volcanoes disappeared under the growing bulk of their mightier neighbors. They did not have the technology to create a petition online or the brain capacity to create a petition, so they didn't file a petition to create equal opportunities for smaller volcanic formations.

Lassen Peak is named after a Danish settler named Peter Lassen, who had a ranch near the base of the volcano even before the area was declared as a part of the United States. It stood at 10,453 feet, well above its surroundings. Lassen used it as a landmark to pilot westbound parties from Humboldt Sink over high ridges into Sacramento Valley.

Lassen Peak probably had no plume of smoke or steam at its summit a hundred years ago, for it seems to have been dormant for several hundred years prior to its volcanic activity in 1914. On May 30, 1914, the mountain awoke with a shudder of earth-shaking explosions.

Although activity continued during the next seven years, none was very destructive and the flow of lava was not large, especially when contrasted with the fountains that have several times in recent years poured huge lakes of molten rock from Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii. No concerned citizens attempted to write a petition in protest or to write petition letters just because they wanted to write a petition.

About a year after this activity began glowing lava squeezed up and filled the bottom of the crater before leaking out through a low place in the west rim wall, flowing 1000 feet or more down the mountain's side. The resulting heat melted the late-lying snows. The floods coursing down the northeast slope caused great mud flows.

They also loosened huge boulders that bounced down Lassen's broad flanks and rolled 5 and 6 miles out into Hat Creek and Lost Creek valleys. A few days later there were more mud flows, followed by a hot blast that poured down the northeast slope with such violence that it flattened trees 3 miles below the crater.

A column of vapor and ash rose some 5 miles into the air, and the devastation in the area was so great that after more than 40 years the forest cover slowly begun to heal the wounds. Had it been a major corporation and not a volcano doing the action, many environmentalist groups would have protested. They might have even decided to get an online petition to start free petition sites and use petitions to get the companies to stop destroying the forest.

Much of the park is carpeted with a heavy evergreen forest, although there are large areas, too, of chaparral thickets, principally manzanita, tobacco brush, and chinquapin. There are enough aspens, cottonwoods, willows, and alders along the creek beds so that there is a warmth of color in the fall; and there are several hundred varieties of wildflowers, which bloom between May and late September.

The crimson snow plant invigorates the meadows in the spring, and it and other flowers follow the melting snow up into the high country. The Indian paintbrush, scarlet bugler, bleeding heart, mimulus, and tiger lily are very common, and the subalpine uplands are aglow in mid-August with lupine, pentstemon, laurel, and heather.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374876&ca=Education

Home School: Child Development By Jose Rocha

School at Home

There are a number of dissimilar alternatives available to people where their education is concerned and home schooling is one of those alternatives. The method of home schooling simply requires that the student is schooled at home by their parents, guardians or a teacher that is specially hired by the point for the child. Teaching at home school in terms of set of courses can be diverse, but at the same time the learner will end up learning a lot of the same things that they would have learned had they stayed in public school or had they gone to the private school that was near by to them.

The attractiveness of learning

While there are a number of dissimilar countries in the world that have a sizable chunk of their inhabitants involved in home schooling, at the same time the attractiveness of the activity in different countries vary. The countries in which home schooling is most established are the countries of Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Other countries with close ties to the UK such as Australia and New Zealand also be inclined to have a reasonable amount of home schooling in their country, whereas other Western European Countries like France, Germany and so forth tend to have little to no home schooling because of a state mandate.

Reason

There are many causes as to why parents might want their children to receive an education through home schooling. If you ask the standard person in a popular home schooling country like the United States what they thought the reasons might be, most people would probably guess that the parents objected to the teaching of certain subjects or their children education of certain subjects on religious grounds. And yes, while it is certainly true that many students that are home schooled by their parents are schooled due to religious grounds, at the same time this is not the main reason that is given in surveys.

Students being home schooled for religious grounds number around 38.4% of the total home schooling population and that is in fact not even the most frequently given reason. In a recent survey done on the reasons for home schooling, 48.9% of people that answered the question actually felt that they could provide their children a better tutoring through home schooling than they felt they were getting at their local community school. This has to do with all walks of teaching and not just the one or two that people might object to for religious reasons.

An additional reason that was well liked on the list of grounds for home schooling was that the parents felt that there was a poor teaching environment at school where the quality of poor teaching was inadequate and the material being taught was perhaps a little bit below where other neighbouring districts or states might be. Some parents follow what their children learn very carefully and some in doing this have reached the conclusion that the school is either not teaching material at a fast enough pace, is not teaching the material suitable to a specific class or is doing something else that the parent feels is dropping the quality of education that their child gets. There are many grounds for parents home schooling their children so if you have a particular qualm with the public school system, chances are there are many other parents that share that bad feeling with you.

Other main grounds for home schooling a child comprise family convenience, mood that the child is not being challenged enough at school, The parent having a career that avoids them from seeing the child at a far away public school and of course the child having disabilities that definite school can not attend to.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372973&ca=Education

Is Online Tutoring the Best Route to Take? By Heather Eagar

Have you heard a lot about online tutoring but are just unsure as to whether it is the best route for you to take? Your apprehension is definitely understandable – especially if you’ve been given no information about the differences between online and standard tutoring.

So if online tutoring has been suggested to you, yet you don’t know if it will actually benefit you, don’t spend anymore time wondering. Instead, take a few minutes to explore some of its characteristics to help you make a more informed decision.

Online Tutoring is Similar to Offline Tutoring

One of the first concepts to understand about online tutoring is that it is not much different from offline tutoring. Of course, there are a few distinctions to consider, including the fact that a tutor will not be walking into your home and sitting at a desk with you to work. However, in many other ways, the online tutoring experience can be very similar to that off the offline experience.

For example, there are services available, such as live chats with certified tutors, that can provide the same or better support than you would have received in person. Of course, you don’t get the benefit of the face-to-face conversation with body language. However, it this is not so much of an issue, then utilizing online tutoring resources such as live chats or tutoring through email correspondence may just work out well for you.

Online Tutoring Can Offer Numerous Resources and Heightened Convenience

As the Internet continues to improve, so do the resources offered through it. It is for this reason that now many online tutoring services offer live one-on one chats. But that’s not all that you can take advantage of. Some sites allow you to engage in live group sessions with other students. Also, you may be able to take advantage of 24/7 website access, downloadable study forms, tutorials, tips, and FAQs that can keep you informed in the wee hours of the night when you’re biting your nails about a homework assignment or big test. But what’s best, is there are a ton of certified tutors, teachers, and even college professors offering their services online. So you don’t have to worry about reliability through this vehicle.

Online Tutoring Requires an Internet Connection

Before you say yes to online tutoring, you want to keep in mind that it inevitably requires an Internet connection unless you utilize a downloadable program (some still require a connection for tech support). Whether you want to take on live chat, email tutoring, or interactive tutorials, you will need a connection to conduct your activities. If you don’t have Internet access at home, or think you won’t be able to get to a computer sometime during the weeks that you need assistance, then utilizing the traditional face-to-face tutoring format will probably work best for you.

If online tutoring sounds good, but you still can’t make up your mind, your decision may come down to cost. Some online resources require one-time fees, while others may charge monthly. Comparing online costs to in-person tutoring services may help make the ultimate decision that much easier.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372969&ca=Education

The Benefits of Assisted SAT Preparation By Heather Eagar

There is often nothing scarier than having to take the SAT for the first time. You are faced with so many unanswered questions regarding the exam. How long will it take? What will I be tested on? How will I be scored? How in the world can I prepare for this thing?

Because there is so much that you don’t know about taking this important college entrance exam, it’s good to engage in some form of SAT preparation. There are a number of books that can help you study on your own, but there are also some benefits to getting assistance with your SAT preparation. Here are a few …

Help from an Instructor

One of the major benefits of seeking assistance for your SAT preparation is working with an instructor. You can utilize instructor-assisted preparation over the Internet or in a classroom setting, and both are uniquely helpful as they both place you in an interactive, group environment where other students are asked to participate while the certified teacher instructs.

Whether you choose the online/offline group environment vs. the one-on-one individual tutoring environment (which is also available online or offline), you benefit from someone else providing a unique and well-informed perspective on the ins and outs of the exam. So while your preference of online or offline and individualized or group tutoring is completely up to you, it’s good to know that any of them can likely guide you more poignantly than preparing alone, especially if this is your first time taking the exam.

Motivation from Other Students

Whether you’re getting SAT prep assistance in a classroom setting, or working in a group chatting environment, the competition you can receive from other students in prep courses may just be the motivator you need to dig in and excel. There’s often no better feeling than knowing that you understanding the work you’re studying. And a way to verify this knowing is through classroom participation. So for those students who are better motivated by participation and competition with other students then getting assisted SAT preparation through group prep courses can be very beneficial.

Confidence Building

If you’ve heard about the SAT exam and maybe have even thumbed through a test prep book but still feel extremely underconfident about the exam and what to expect then assisted SAT preparation can be very beneficial. While the SAT is similar to other standardized tests in that it is timed per section, the test material is likely to be vastly different. Because there aren’t other tests that take on its specific format, it’s good to get help from someone skilled with this exam. This way, you can go from being clueless to feeling completely confident that you’re going to be prepared on the big day.

If you’re self-disciplined and love preparing for any exam on your own, then you may benefit greatly from your own personal SAT prep sessions. But if you prefer the assistance of an instructor, like being motivated by others, or are simply too unsure to go at it alone, then assisted SAT preparation is probably the best route for you to take.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=373730&ca=Education

Taking Advantage of SAT Assistance Online By Heather Eagar

If you’ve recently signed up for the SAT exam then you may be biting your nails wondering how you’ll actually be able to prepare for it. Your school may offer preparation courses or workshops that can help you out a lot. But what if you don’t have time to stay after school, or can’t secure transportation home afterward?

In the past, this would mean spending time flipping through SAT prep books on your own in hopes of cramming in every detail. But now, with many online resources being available that offer similar benefits as afterschool courses, you can just as easily prepare for your test from the comfort of your home.

So what’s available? Let’s take a look at some options you might want to take advantage of …

Online Prep Courses

So you probably didn’t know that you can take advantage of online prep courses that are similar to those that are available at your school or local library. You definitely can. There are resources that offer live online sessions very similar to the face-to-face tutoring environment – however, they’re conducted through chat. This means you don’t have to make sure you’re at a specific place to take on the session. Instead, you can take your computer with you wherever you’re comfortable and simply log on to the session when it’s time.

Also, incorporated in many online prep courses are practice tests that allow you to take the SAT as you would on the actual exam day. This simulation allows you to work through the problems in a timely fashion so that you’re comfortable with each section.

Tutoring

In addition to online SAT preparation courses, you can take advantage of tutoring resources that help you work through sections that may be giving you more problems than others. For instance, if you make low scores on the critical reading section when you take the practice test, this raises a red flag that you may want to seek some type of tutoring assistance before taking the practice exam again. Luckily, there are live chats, as well as online tutorials, that can help you with each section. Even better, some resources give you access 24/7, allowing you to relieve those late-night jitters that would otherwise leave you yearning for more assistance.

Test-Taking Strategies

Did you know that there are specific strategies that you can take advantage of that can help you move effortlessly through the SAT exam? You’d be surprised by the tips out there that can leave you feeling much more confident on exam day. Some of these tips might include never spending more than 2 minutes on a question, or leaving questions blank if you don’t know the answer because doing so doesn’t cost you points. There are so many other great strategies out there that not seeking them out and utilizing them would be a crime.

Now that the secret’s out – there are great online SAT resources available – it’s time for you to take advantage of them. If you don’t, you may lose out on that edge that can get you the SAT score you’ve been dreaming of.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371925&ca=Education

English: Should You Lose The Accent? By A Nutt

When learning English as a second language, many students feel that they have failed if they don`t speak it flawlessly and without an accent. The simple truth is, however, that the majority of ESL students will not be able to completely get rid of their accent in English without many years of hard work. If you are able to speak clearly and have others understand you, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with having an accent.

What IS Important

Being able to speak like a native doesn`t necessarily mean that you`ll be accent free. In fact, your accent could be just what you need to set your voice apart from millions of others. But there are a few things that you do need to know if you are serious about speaking the language well.

Avoid common mispronunciations. This varies depending on your mother tongue, but most people have some set pronunciations that can cause problems in English. For example, most adult Asians pronounce the letter 'r' as 'l'. Spanish speakers will usually say 'b' for the letter 'v'. If you know what your particular mispronunciations are, you can be conscious of them and make a real effort not to say these sounds wrong. This will make your English far more understandable. Children will have less of a problem with this than adults.

Enunciate. In your rush to speak English like a native, you may try to speed up, but this can make it hard for people to understand you. Slow down a little and make sure you say each word clearly and there will be far less chance of misunderstanding. You can practice your enunciation, as well. This doesn`t mean that you need to get rid of your accent, only that you need to speak clearly so everyone will understand
what you have said .. . this is something that many native English speakers also have problems with.
Increase your vocabulary. It`s far easier to express yourself if you know what words to use. This basically means you need to do a lot of studying and reading. Watching movies and television shows in

English can also help with building vocabulary, as well as improving your accent. Speaking with others is another method of learning new words, as long as you are with someone you feel comfortable asking the definition from. Otherwise, get in the practice of carrying a small pocket dictionary with you.

Practice, practice, practice. The more you practice, the better you`ll get at speaking English. That means striking up conversations with strangers, calling up friends on the phone to speak English (phones can be difficult, but are excellent practice for speaking clearly), and getting in as much conversation time as possible. Many English students even hire someone to converse with them, but you should be able to find plenty of people who are happy to just have a conversation.

If you really do wish to reduce your accent, then there are specialists who help people with this. A speech therapist will be able to help you move your mouth differently than you are accustomed to and help you correct the more common pronunciation problems so that you will be able to speak more like a native speaker.

Speaking English well takes time and practice. There`s no instant method for picking up a new language perfectly and while you may want to work on speaking more like a native, it isn`t necessary. In fact, you may find that many people enjoy listening to an accent, as long as you are able to speak clearly and be understood.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371654&ca=Education

Places to Teach By Matthew Kepnes

There are many places all over the world where you can teach English. They provide an excellent chance for people to explore a new culture and find themselves. One of the most popular places in the world is Asia because there are so many teaching jobs, most of the teachers are young, the expat scene is vibrant, and there are a lot of parties there. However, there are many great places to teach all over the planet, each with its own great reason to go there.

In Asia, there are many good places to go teach English. Korea is usually the place most people go because they have the most benefits and highest salaries. Salaries in Japan are high but the cost of living eats up a lot of your money and it's not unless you stay there for a long time will you save some money. China is the new rising star and lots of people are going there. Taiwan is also a good place to go but only if you like to teach kids as there are not many adult classes offered.

Besides Japan, China also offers ESL teaching programs. The pay is good and accommodation and cost of living is considerably cheap and affordable. You can save a sizable amount and complete all your loans back home. With many American companies opening shop in China you can always get a job in one of the reputed tech companies after one year of teaching English. Living a decent life in China is cheap and affordable. Housing costs are reasonable and so is food. You can save a sizable amount and may be even buy a house back home. Chinese people are enterprising and you can learn a lot from them. Once you have been an ESL teacher for a year you can always move to another field where English knowledge is a must.

The Middle East offers very high salaries and great packages for teachers. All of which is tax free. However, you must be a certified teacher and have a few years experience if you want to teach there. Most of the people who tend to teach there are older and more settled so don't expect a party scene. However, if you are an experience and qualified teacher, the Middle East will probably be the best place for you.

Italy and Spain are another great place for ESL teachers. Italy and Spain are two beautiful cities where you can always switch jobs after your stint as an ESL is completed. Fashion industry in Milan would love to hire English knowing people to work with international models and designers. Tourism is another industry where English knowledge will come handy. Moreover, by teaching in Europe you have the ability to travel every weekend to a new country and visit a new culture. Europe has a lot to offer.

Teaching English overseas is a really rewarding experience. It's great for people looking to take time out from their job and their routine and get to see the world. Most English teachers only work twenty hours a week and earn a lot of money. There is a lot of vacation time so you can travel a lot. Teaching English is a great way to see a new place and these countries and places are a great place to go if you are interested.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=370665&ca=Education

Does Your Child Need a Math Tutor? By Heather Eagar

Math is a tough subject. It starts with difficult concepts such as addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication, which can be very challenging for young children. But as time evolves, and the concepts become more difficult, incorporating algebra, geometry, and maybe even calculus, math can become downright impossible to understand.

If one or more of your children are currently taking math classes, you may or may not need a tutor to help them excel in this challenging subject. To help you determine whether it’s right for you, let’s take a look at some signs that they may need help.

Your Child is Working Hard with No Results

One sign that your child may need a tutor is if you notice that he or she is working extremely hard but doesn’t seem to be achieving desired results. For example, suppose your child is participating in class, doing everything the teacher asks, yet is still having problems mastering the concepts and getting the grades you both hope for. In this case, your child may need more individualized time with a certified math tutor who can administer various learning methods coupled with repitition to help your child excel.

Another sign that your child may need math tutoring assistance is if he or she is working hard and is achieving desired results in homework, but not test taking, or vice versa. Usually, if the child is doing well with homework and not test taking then this is a sign of test anxiety. He or she may panic when the time comes to answer questions on the spot, resulting in an inability to focus. On the other hand, the student may do great with tests, but may have problems completing homework assignments. In this case, the student may feel bored by the work and unmotivated to complete assignments. In either case a tutor can help to either increase confidence for tests or come up with fun games to make homework more exciting.

Your Child Isn’t Working Hard

Another way to determine that your child may need math tutoring is looking for signs that he or she is showing a complete lack of motivation and is simply not making an effort in the classroom and/or during homework sessions. As opposed to the previous example where the student is working hard but isn’t mastering the concepts, in this scenario, your child hasn’t tried hard enough to know whether or not he or she is capable of understanding the work.

If you have an unmotivated child, a math tutor can be just as beneficial as in the previous example. However, in addition to finding a tutor who is good at teaching math concepts, you will also want one that has a personality equipped to handle a lack of motivation. The tutor needs to help your child understand the importance of math in the classroom and in life. Also, that tutor should be skilled in ways to make math fun.

It’s no secret that math can be a challenging subject for just about anyone to master. But the sooner you and a tutor can get your child motivated about the subject, the more quickly you will see the results both of you have hoped for.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=372731&ca=Education

Research on Postmodern Curriculum Part 2 By Dr. Henry T. Yeh

5. Requirements of postmodern curriculum

Doll replaced traditional “3R” Standard of curriculum (Reading，writing，arithmetic) with “4R” Standard. “4R” refers to richness, recursion, relation and rigor.; Richness refers to depth, level of meaning and multiple possibilities or multiple explanations of a curriculum; recursion means that there is no starting point or end point of a curriculum, and any conclusion of curriculum activity implies a new start; relation indicates internal relations of curriculum structures, and association with cultural view or world outlook beyond curriculum; rigor relates to explanation and uncertainty, namely purposefully seeking various possible options. In our opinion, the transit of modern curriculum to postmodern curriculum shall meet following requirements.

5.1 Systematism

Traditional curriculum emphasizes multiplicity as external force imposed on curriculum, thus harmonious connection between multiplicities is neglected; relations between teachers and students, or between curriculum and teachers & students are regarded as relations between activeness and passiveness; For instance, traditional curriculum emphasizes the content of a single curriculum, but neglects contents of other curriculums; teachers impart knowledge of other subject only if some patents request that students should gain more knowledge, and even new curriculums are established based on the request of society, public and government, otherwise, some curriculums would be continued over the years. Based on the hypotheses of internality or cultivation of Dewey, Piaget, and Toulmin, any change of curriculum is internal reorganization of organism itself or its response to external forces. Postmodern curriculum attaches importance to students’ ability of organization, cultivation and construction which show strong feature of systematism. Modern curriculum belongs to closed system with entirety and target to be determined in advance; such modern curriculum is under rigorous control and emphasizes efficiency, it deals with few variables and enjoys high predictability. Postmodern curriculum belongs to open system, continuously deriving variable materials and energies from external environment as feedback to facilitate internal transformation and renovation. Such postmodern curriculum needs appropriate alteration, chaos, disorder and fault to inspire reorganization of system, encouraging students to establish new organization from chaotic uncertainty by turning fault, opportunity and failure into branch point of experience transformation（Briggs & Peat, 1999）.

5.2 Richness

Richness refers to depth, level of meaning and multiple possibilities or multiple explanations of curriculum. Teachers and students shall be encouraged to experience transformation and passive transformation, while curriculum shall bear “proper” uncertainty, abnormality, unavailability, confusion, unbalance, dissipation and vitality. Such proper features couldn’t be decided in advance, but shall be continuously coordinated among teachers, students and texts. Each discipline shall explain ‘richness’ in its own way. It is obvious that richness is on the margin of chaos, which is a kind of uncertainty with irregular emergence of innovative thought; according to Dewey（1971）9, practical thinking is a process and a person can continuously change (p.72）if only he thinks. Therefore, parts of results can be produced, namely curriculums are temporary stops for old ideas and starting points of next thoughts （p.75）. Such opinion can be found in currere (Latin word of curriculum) of Pinar10, which regards curriculum as an initiative course, a kind of overall life experience; so according to Pinar ,curriculum isn’t confined to a certain product, plan, textbook, teaching guide, standardized examination and target, etc11（Kincheloe, 1998）.

Design of postmodern curriculum indicates uncertainty, since curriculum is a series of texts, people not only keep and create various interactive and inter- challenging texts, but also incorporate their own life experiences in their created texts12（Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998）. We continuously deconstruct our world of curriculum, and create new texts from our interaction with texts. Teaching process is no longer implemented through linear transmission, and doesn’t always require clear and exact sectors, but requires circulation, development and dissemination in a significant network which is always changing, incomplete and to be supplemented13.(Cherryholmes,1988). Changing curriculums can continuously produce new connotation. Uncertainty itself has created richness, while richness continuously promotes production of uncertainties.

5.3 Relation

“Relation” has double meanings of “education” and “culture” as to postmodern curriculum. The former can be called “educational relation” indicating large network consisting of concepts in curriculum, text, teacher, student, medium and other factors. One focus of educational relation exists in internal relation of curriculum structures, the depth of which shall be developed through recursive reflection. Curriculum can improve its richness based on reflection. The latter is called “cultural relation”, namely all our explanations not only relate to local culture, and also correlative with other cultures. We shall realize such “cultural relation” to better understand all teaching actions and thoughts of “dialogists” in a teaching process. Only thoughts of dialogists participated in a teaching process are coordinated with cultural background, expected functions of teaching press can be realized.

Scholars insisting on ecological orientation of post modernity claim that postmodern holistic philosophy shall be developed to renovate tragedy of modernity and through education people shall realize: all phenomena involving biology, mentality, society and environment in our living world are interacted with each other, yet not independently. Orr（1992）contended that all education is environment education14（p.90）, curriculum shall teach how to care for our earth and ecology to realize its educational effects. Destroying of external natural environment and destroying of man’s internal psychological environment are two aspects of one problem; ecological crisis, waste of or irresponsibility for earth resources reveal the failure of modern knowledge and educational system in moral and civil education. Technically people’s technically introducing some issue of environmental science education couldn’t solve such problem, but fundamentally it is a problem of moral or civil education. Thus it can be seen that relation is not only embodied in curriculum itself, but more importantly embodied in philosophy of entire curriculum that highly emphasize the importance of relation in the system.

5.4 Rigor

“Rigor” under the frame of modernism claims that individual subjectivity shall be removed into objectivity, observability, measurability and operability. Therefore, “rigor” of 20th century emphasizes logic of learning, precision of scientific observance and math. Rigor of postmodern frame is uncertain and explanatory. The presentation of rigor is to overcome nonlinear features emphasized by postmodern curriculum, which might drive curriculum into boundless relativism or exclusionism. Postmodern curriculum is inclined to regard openness and transformation as anti-standardization or non-standardization. In fact, postmodern curriculum replaces precise standards with bounds, i.e., it couldn’t be too early to regard one opinion as correct or final answer to certain problem, but shall apply various opinions to multiple combinations to produce open and creative possible results. Therefore, rigor refers to purposely seeking and exploring different options and their interrelations.

5.5 Emergence from background

Emergence from background indicates internal relations of structures of curriculum content as well as relations between curriculum content and cultural background; postmodern curriculums are established based on richness, uncertainty, relation and systematism, thus knowledge and thinking constantly appear among the entire event and emerge from background. According to Lyotard15（1984）, postmodern curriculum contends that there is no dominant narrative or grand narrative; There’s no leading example, either. Curriculum isn’t a single thing, explanation and theory of curriculum aren’t confined to one mode, and curriculum theory isn’t a precise & systematic hypothesis and validation, but is no more than partial conclusion consisting of various language games and foreign components. If we only appealed to certain common or abstract principle, particularity and partial thing of daily life would be denied, various differences would be prohibited by universal violations, and special rights of history would be legalized 16（Aronowitz & Giroux, 1991; Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998）.Post modernity has consistent characterization in fighting against the world; no grand narrative or structure can explain our life and world. An entity doesn’t have well-connected stable structure, but always consists of changing fragments. Relations between entity and language as well as speaking manner are changing; meanings aren’t fixed, but concepts are continuously reshaped during discussion and action, and new combination methods of meanings constantly emerge17（Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998）。 These continuously emerged meanings aren’t nameless, but originate from whole curriculum, more particularly, from practice of curriculum.

Conclusions

The main motivation of postmodern curriculum exploration is to adapt such curriculum to the changing society, which aims to eliminate crises of traditional curriculums through practice of curriculum. Postmodern curriculum is one embodiment or one branch of system science or complexity science, which is the product of transformation of peoples’ simple thought to systematic and multiple thought emphasizing relations. Systematic features can also be applied to description of postmodern curriculum. Postmodern curriculum attempts to seek a kind of innovative curriculum in an open background.

References
Aronowitz, S. & Giroux, H. A. (1991). Postmodern education: Politics, culture and social criticism. University of Minnesota Press. N.Y.：Routledge.

Behar- Horenstein, L. S. (2000). Can the modern view of curriculum be refined by postmodern criticism? In L.S. Behar- Horenstein & J.Glanz (Eds.), Paradigm debates in curriculum and supervision: Modern and postmodern perspectives (pp.6-33). London: Bergin & Garvey.

Briggs, J. & Peat, F. D. (1999). Seven life lessons of chaos: Timeless wisdom from the science of change. N. Y.: Harper Collins Publishers.
Cherryholmes, C. H. (1988). Power and criticism：Poststructural investigations in education. N. Y.: Teachers College.

Dewey, J. (1971). How we think. Chicago: Henry Regnery. (Original work published 1993).

Doll, W. E. (1989). Foundations of a post-modern curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 21(3), 243-253.

Kincheloe, J. (1998). Pinar’s Currere and Identity in Hyperreality: Grounding the Post-formal Nation of Intrapersonal Intelligence. In W. F. Pinar (Ed.), Curriculum toward new identities (pp.129-142). London & N. Y.: Garland.

Lyotard, J. F. (1984). Postmodern condition: A report on knowledge. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota University.

Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins, F. P. (1998). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Orr, D. (1992). Ecological literacy—Education and the transition to a postmodern world. Albany: Suny Press.

Pinar, W. F., Reynolds, W. M., Slattery, P. & Taubman, P. M. (2005). Understanding Curriculum: An introduction to study of historical and contemporary curriculum discourses. N.Y.: Peter Lang .

Slattery, P. (1995). Curriculum development in the postmodern era. N.Y.: Garland.

Thomas, T. P. & Schubert, W. H. (1997) Recent curriculum theory: Proposals for understanding, critical praxis, inquiry and expansion. Educational Theory, 47 (2), 261-285.

Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=370110&ca=Education

Athletic Scholarship Study Shows Full Ride May Have Something to Hide By Laurie Richter

Conventional wisdom in college recruiting is that the best high school student athletes won't have to pay a penny for a college education because they will get full ride scholarships to Division I athletic programs. The premise of a full ride scholarship has always been that the full cost of an education from soup to nuts will be covered by this scholarship.

A recent study by the NCPA (National College Players Association) in conjunction with Ellen J. Staurowsky (Professor and Chair, graduate program of Sports Management at Ithaca College in New York) sheds some doubt on whether there really is such a thing as a full ride scholarship.

Why is this important to you? Because if you are lucky enough to have multiple scholarship offers to choose between, having a more complete picture of the hidden costs you may incur at one school vs. another could influence your decision. In addition, those who assume they will have no financial liability for their child's college education may not be prepared to finance whatever the scholarship doesn't cover. This information can help you better plan for these costs.

Here's what you need to know. The NCAA is very specific about what athletic scholarships can cover: tuition and fees, room and board, and course-related books. Each school reports an estimate of the total cost of attendance (COA). This is typically found on the school's website, and information for the 2008-2009 academic year was used for this study. It was supplemented with data from the United States Department of Education National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) as well. This study looked at the COA for 336 Division I universities, and compared it to the costs that the NCAA allows a scholarship to cover. They found additional educational expenses across the different schools (not covered by an athletic scholarship) that ranged from $200 per year to $6000 per year, a surprisingly large variation across schools. The average out-of-pocket expenses were $2763 per year. At this rate, over the course of five years, a typical athlete who is redshirted freshman year would have to pay $13,800. At the schools with the highest incidental expenses, a five year tab could exceed $30,000. So much for a free ride.

What constitutes these out of pocket expenses that aren't covered by a scholarship? They vary widely from school to school and could include a student orientation fee, first year program fee, new student fee, continuing student fee, student activity fee, parking fee, loan fee, and numerous other program fees. Apparently, colleges excel at coming up with fees.

Here's what you can do about it. The NCPA has a tool on their website which allows you to calculate the estimated scholarship shortfall for any of 336 Division I universities. Find it at http://apps.ncpanow.org/shortfall_search.asp. Take a look at the estimated additional costs at the schools you're seriously looking at. And consider this just another important piece of information that can help you zero in on the right college decision.

You are welcome to reprint this article. However, please credit me as the source with the following:

Laurie A. Richter, author of Put Me In, Coach: A Parent's Guide to Winning the Game of College Recruiting.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=371834&ca=Education

The History of the Cigar Lighter By Bryan Halverson

The lighter was invented in 1816. The first lighter was called 'Dobereiner's Lamp' (named after its creator, Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner). But his lighter did not use butane or oil as fuel, it used hydrogen. Another difference was that these lighters used platinum as the catalyst (used to start the chemical change of fuel to fire) instead of flint, or a Piezoelectric spark.

Common smokers mostly used matches until the flint lighter became more popular. By 1908, the flint lighter was refined enough and small enough to fit inside a pocket. Special flint made specifically for lighters went into mass production at this time. Obviously, flint is a fraction of the cost of platinum. Using platinum as a catalyst faded out and flint took its place. This lit the kindling which would light the fire that fueled rise of the lighter.

The development of lighters accelerated during World War I.

In the 1920s, lighters were still somewhat of a luxury for smokers. It would be a heavy setback for the average blue collar worker who smoked. But when the 1930s came along, a man named George G. Blaisdell noticed an awkward Austrian lighter that had room for improvement and acted on it.

He improved the ergonomics of the lighter's case, so it was not as awkward to hold. Then he designed a perforated hood for the wick, which kept the lighter's flame windproof ! Additionally, he modified the fuel chamber to be more efficient, and added a hinged flip-top lid. And voila ! Zippo entered the world of lighters.

After the emergence of Zippo, other lighter companies started popping up. All the competition caused prices to fall dramatically. Lighters then became a hot novelty and were very collectible. Ronson made their first automatic lighter in the late 1920s but did not gain in popularity, until the rise of Zippo. Dunhill became more aggressive in the production of their lighters. St. Dupont added lighters to their line of products. Also, Colibri began making their first automatic lighters.

The fuel used in most of the lighters in the 1930s was naphtha, an oily liquid that comes from petroleum. In the 1930s-40s, a ground-breaking innovation to the lighter emerged. It is hard to say exactly who conceived of the idea, but Ronson starting producing mass-producing lighters that used butane as a fuel, instead of naphtha.

A technology also started to rapidly develop after the first World War--Piezoelectricity. Like the lighter, Piezoelectricity was invented in the early 1800s, but the full potential of it was only first realized in 1917, by French scientists. Ronson used the same Piezoelectric effect used in this machine, to create an igniter for lighters that transforms energy into an electric spark.

Since the late 1950s, when the Piezoelectric spark was introduced, lighters have been used by almost all smokers. Now, there are more lighter manufacturers than ever. There are also many different flame types. Aside from a natural flame, there are now lighters that produce torch and jet flames and even multi-flames.

Today smokers might choose a different flame type as a matter of preference or because of what they are smoking (pipes or cigars). Cigar smokers usually use torch lighters and pipe smokers would probably prefer a natural flame lighter.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=374892&ca=Education