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Why learn Norwegian? Lecturer in Scandinavian studies Guy Puzey lists the delights of the language. Norway has deep cultural connections with its neighbours across the North Sea. In fact, Norway is Scotland’s closest continental neighbour, only about 200 miles away from Shetland. Still, as with many lesser-taught languages, people who learn Norwegian always seem to get asked why they made that choice. The most common reasons are having some relationship with Norway, Norwegians and Norwegian culture, but there are plenty of others. Norway has a fascinating culture Norway has come top of the United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality of life, more times than any other country in the world. It leads the world in fields as diverse as the maritime and energy industries, crime fiction, architecture, knitting, black metal music and so-called ‘slow TV’: hours of video of train journeys, logs burning, or salmon fishing. What’s more, if you want to apply language skills professionally in fields like translation and interpreting, Norwegian makes an excellent choice. Competency in Scandinavian languages is a niche skill that’s highly in demand. Many graduates in Scandinavian studies go on to work as literary translators, which can be fascinating work. Why I learnt Norwegian There isn’t a single explanation as to why I chose to learn Norwegian, but it feels like a very logical course to have taken. As a child, I spent hours studying maps and atlases, and planning imaginary journeys. Among the places with which I felt a special affinity was Norway. As a teenager, I had a battery radio that came in handy during power cuts. There was only a bit of sea and some oil rigs between Norway and where I grew up in the Highlands of Scotland, so it was usually possible to pick up the medium wave radio transmissions from Norway. When I first heard these broadcasts from across the North Sea, I was intrigued that it was possible to get the gist of some of what was being said without ever having studied Norwegian. I became interested in Norwegian music, and made friends through an online fan club for a Norwegian singer called Lene Marlin, including one especially charming person from Italy who is now my wife. As a result, I decided to study languages: in particular Italian and Norwegian. Learning Norwegian in the UK The best way to learn Norwegian is with other people. I learnt the language at the University of Edinburgh, where I am now a lecturer in Scandinavian studies. Our students come from all over the world: the only continent not represented is Antarctica, but that’s made up for by Sir Nils Olav, a famous penguin at Edinburgh Zoo who has been granted honorary brigadier status in the Norwegian Army. The vast majority of students start university with no knowledge of Scandinavian languages. By the end of the second year, they’ll read books in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, and will be prepared for their third year abroad. When they return to Edinburgh for their fourth year, they study more advanced literature, linguistics, history, and translation. You can also do short evening courses at several universities in the UK, or attend summer schools in Norway. Improve your Norwegian by watching television It’s easier than ever before to access Nordic films and TV series. People studying Scandinavian languages today are extremely lucky, as these are usually available in the original languages with English subtitles. If you’ve been learning for a while, try watching Norwegian films and TV programmes with subtitles on in Norwegian, so you can read and compare what you see with what you hear. For several years, Norway was arguably a little behind Denmark and Sweden in terms of exporting quality films and TV series. The exception was the ‘slow TV’ concept, which meant marathon viewing experiences (such as a 134-hour coastal journey from Bergen to Kirkenes), usually involving a lot of breath-taking Norwegian scenery but not much talking. The real game-changer, for people who want to hear more Norwegian spoken, was the acclaimed web-based drama series Skam, telling the story of a group of high-school pupils in Oslo. Although the initial target audience was fifteen-year-olds, it has proved wildly popular with all ages. If you can, watch it: you’ll be hooked. Norwegian is a democratic language Norwegians speak their own dialects in virtually all social contexts. It was decided as early as 1878 that children should be taught in their own spoken language, which effectively means that children are allowed to speak dialect, and that teachers have no right to correct the way that children speak. This is a profoundly democratic idea, and gives Norwegians great linguistic self-confidence. There are two forms of written Norwegian Norwegian has not only one official written standard language, but two: Bokmål (literally ‘book language’) and Nynorsk (literally ‘new Norwegian’). In 1814, after more than 400 years of Danish rule, Norway was put into political union with Sweden (eventually becoming independent in 1905). Written Norwegian had fallen out of use, so Norway had no written language of its own, although Norwegian dialects were still being spoken. Two main solutions emerged. A self-taught linguist from western Norway, Ivar Aasen, proposed a clean break with Danish, and created a new written language based on a common denominator of dialects spoken in Norway. This became Nynorsk. Meanwhile, a school teacher, Knud Knudsen, proposed gradual spelling changes to bring the Danish written language closer to spoken Norwegian. This became Bokmål. Bokmål and Nynorsk today Officially, both standards have equal status, but Bokmål is the first written language of about 85 per cent of Norwegians, and the language of the largest urban centres. Nynorsk is mostly associated with rural parts of the country, especially on the west coast. Both standards have gone through many reforms over the years to bring them closer to the ‘language of the people’. Which should you learn? If you really want to understand Norway, it’s a good idea to become acquainted with both. Most learners start by learning Bokmål because it is the dominant language, and there are more textbooks available for Bokmål, but it depends where you go. Although I learnt Bokmål first, I prefer to use Nynorsk, and being familiar with Nynorsk will help you to get to grips with Norway's diverse dialects. How different are the two standards? It varies. Some phrases may look exactly the same, for instance: Det er kaldt i dag (‘It’s cold today’). Other times, every word might be different. You might learn to ask Hvor kommer hun fra? (‘Where does she come from?’) in Bokmål, but the same question in Nynorsk would be Kvar kjem ho frå? Even the name of Norway is slightly different in the two standards: in Bokmål it’s Norge, and in Nynorsk it’s Noreg. Norwegian has liberal grammar and spelling rules There's a surprising degree of variation in both standards of Norwegian. For example, like many languages, Norwegian nouns are organised according to gender. There are normally three genders in Norwegian (masculine, feminine, and neuter), but in Bokmål, you can choose to use a two-gender system, treating some or all feminine nouns as if they were masculine. Take the feminine nouns bok (‘book’) and sol (‘sun’). You can treat these as feminine, using the definite forms boka and sola, or as masculine, in which case you would write boken and solen. Most Bokmål users end up using two and a half genders (masculine, neuter, and varying degrees of the feminine gender). There are also liberal rules for spelling. Thousands of words can be spelt in more than one way, or have more than one acceptable form. For instance, in Bokmål, ‘milk’ can be either melk or mjølk, ‘road’ can be either veg or vei, and ‘stone’ can be either stein or sten (in Nynorsk, they can only be mjølk, veg, and stein). In Nynorsk, the second-person plural pronoun ‘we’ can be either vi or me, ‘friend’ can be either ven or venn, and ‘school’ can be either skule or skole (in Bokmål they can only be vi, venn, and skole). To start with, this can be a bit confusing, but I think most learners of Norwegian eventually find it liberating. The important thing is to try to be consistent. Three (or four) languages for the price of one One of the best things about learning Norwegian is that, with a little extra effort and training, it’s quite possible to understand Danish and Swedish too. In fact, of the three mainland Scandinavian languages, Norwegian is the one that puts learners in the best position to understand the other two. This is because it sits linguistically in between the other two: written Bokmål is a development of written Danish, which makes Danish quite easy to read. Spoken Danish is more of a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. Meanwhile, spoken Norwegian is closer to Swedish. So if you learn Norwegian, you’re really getting three languages for the price of one (or four, if you count Bokmål and Nynorsk). Typically Norwegian words If the English language had to borrow some words from Norwegian, it could do a lot worse than going for vocabulary related to packed lunches, not least pålegg. This noun describes different toppings for open sandwiches, the stereotypical Norwegian lunch. Once you’ve prepared your open sandwiches, you can put a piece of specially adapted greaseproof paper (mellomleggspapir) in between each slice and then do some origami to wrap the whole thing in more greaseproof paper (matpapir). Another special word is dugnad, which was once voted the most Norwegian word of all. It describes a type of communal voluntary work, where neighbours spruce up common areas and gardens. Typically, once the work is done, everybody shares some food. Some Norwegian words have become internationally known, such as ski (which is actually pronounced like the English word ‘she’). What's difficult about learning Norwegian The hardest thing about learning Norwegian is that practically all Norwegians speak English very well. This means it’s easy to fall into the trap of just speaking English with Norwegians. It’s important to get past this, and people will normally understand if you say you’d like to practise your Norwegian and ask them nicely to be patient. In terms of the language itself, the hardest things to master are probably choosing the right prepositions (e.g. på, i or til) and learning to distinguish between the two differently pitched tones, which give most dialects of Norwegian a song-like intonation. Crucially, you also need to get used to the differences between dialects. Tell Norwegians how much you like their dialects, and ask them to speak a little more slowly so you can tune in to them. The other real challenge about learning Norwegian is that Norway can be an expensive country: so start saving now. Guy Puzey is a lecturer in Scandinavian studies at the University of Edinburgh. Find out more about Norway and other Nordic countries by visiting the Nordic Matters festival at the Southbank Centre until the end of 2017.

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It’s time to shine a light on our unsung education heroes. We all know someone who just gets on with their work, day-in day-out, dedicating themselves to their students, and always thinking of a better way to teach and learn. Well, it’s time to reward them for their efforts. To say thanks for everything. And tell them how exceptional they are. Nominations for the 2022 NEiTA Awards are now closed. What happens if your unsung hero wins..? Award winners receive a professional development grant of up to $10,000 to further their career and to find ways to help their students reach their potential. They’ll be honoured in a virtual awards ceremony and be invited to meet and network with the other recipients and NEiTA alumni. And most importantly, they’ll know they’re appreciated, noticed, and that we’re all truly thankful for what they do. These acknowledge outstanding teachers who’ve gone above & beyond for their students. 12 primary and secondary school teachers are selected in Australia, and four in New Zealand. There is a $5000 professional development grant for all winners. Recognising the efforts of preschool teachers, and early childhood educators, who lay the foundations for lifelong practice and enjoyment of learning. Two are chosen from Australia, and two from New Zealand, with a $5000 professional development grant given to both. This year a Seed ‘Teams’ Award is also up for grabs, with a shared professional development grant of $10,000 going to the winning team. For principals and school heads, in recognition of outstanding stewardship of student education and welfare, and exemplary teacher and school community leadership. A $10,000 grant to be presented to at least two recipients in both Australia, and New Zealand. Powering Potential Awards Created in a partnership between NEiTA Foundation and The Smith Family to celebrate and reward remarkable teachers who are working to help children experiencing disadvantage achieve their potential. These awards will be presented to two educators – one primary and one secondary – drawn from schools supported by The Smith Family in Australia. Each teacher will receive a $10,000 grant from the NEiTA Foundation. Recipients are also eligible for extra professional recognition. The Terry O’Connell Regional and Remote Teachers’ Award In memory of our former NEiTA Foundation Chairman, this award is given to those who go the extra mile – literally – for their students in remote and regional areas of Australia. Early Career Teaching Award This award recognises the achievement of an early career teacher, who has been teaching from one to five years. It’s given to those who manage to incorporate advanced strategies, to meet the learning needs of their students. Teacher Mentor Award Teaching is a collegiate profession, with sharing of practice an ideal part of professional development, and this award is available for each of the Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary categories. The NEITA Foundation actively encourages the development of formal and informal mentoring programs, and this is part of the process. Futurity Parents’ Awards This award goes to the most deserving teacher, or early childhood educator, as nominated by the parents, and members, of Futurity Investment Group. One award is available, in Australia only. What category of awards are there…?

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November 26, 2018 Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. For a dozen years straight, Kenyon has been recognized as a top producer of winners of the J. William Fulbright Fellowship. Among national baccalaureate institutions, the College tied for 11th in the number of Fulbright winners it produced for 2015-16, according to a report published Feb. 22 in the Chronicle of Higher Education. “This honor demonstrates Kenyon’s commitment to helping our students thrive in a globalized world,” said Thomas Hawks, associate professor of English, who directs Kenyon’s Office of National Fellowships and Scholarships. “It also speaks highly of Kenyon students that they are singled out so frequently by the Institute of International Education to represent the U.S. around the world.” Last year, Kenyon produced 11 Fulbright winners who were selected to teach English to students in Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Kosovo, Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey and Uruguay. Hawks added that the Fulbright gives these students “a leg up on careers in teaching, research and international work.” Joe Walsh ’15, an anthropology major from Baltimore, traveled to Prizren, Kosovo, to teach English and learn about the country’s cultures and how they interact. “My Fulbright has given me a great opportunity to live in a completely different place where people think in very different ways,” he said. “On a Fulbright, you learn lessons and discover questions you did not know you had.” Walsh, who has gained experience working with Kosovo’s non-governmental organization Cultural Heritage without Borders, wants to pursue a career related to cultural studies, archaeological and heritage preservation or human rights. “I have become interested in human rights in the second youngest country in the world and how the country will develop in the future,” he said. “This experience has helped me put my life, education and future into perspective.” Olivia Lott ’15 from Minneapolis is teaching 20 English classes a week to students at the Universidad de Boyacá in Tunja, Colombia. The Spanish literature major also is developing a research project to translate contemporary Colombian poetry into English. “The project has granted me access to Colombia’s literary culture, to poetry readings and events, and to private conversations and friendships with new writers who are forging the path their national poetry will take,” she said. Lott wants to apply her experience to a doctorate program in Hispanic literatures and pursue a career as a translator, professor and scholar of Colombian poetry. To promote international education opportunities like Walsh’s and Lott's, President Sean Decatur hosts an annual reception for sophomores that gives them an early introduction to the Fulbright and other fellowships. The Center for Global Engagement also works with students interested in off-campus study, matching about 45 percent of the junior class to programs abroad, developing their passion for international study. Hawks, who replaced retired director Jane Martindell in the National Fellowships and Scholarships Office this year, also credits the work of Martindell and Kenyon faculty members in recruiting Fulbright applicants and helping them succeed. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright program provides funding for students and young professionals seeking graduate study, advanced research and teaching opportunities worldwide. Around 1,900 grants are awarded annually by the program, which operates in more than 140 countries.

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Career Information and Exploration The in-school internship is taken preferably after a student has taken the careers class. The student is placed with a PCS employee and is trained with some basic work skills. This is a wonderful opportunity for the student to work on learning some work related skills before doing an out-of-school internship. Below is the tentative syllabus and coursework the student must complete during a 12-week trimester. It is subject to change at teacher choice. Career Information and Exploration Syllabus

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The LIA Youth Leadership Boot Camp provides hands-on leadership training for LIA youth who are elected to LIA leadership positions in their classes. The camp is designed to fortify youth with the tools, skills, and self-efficacy to succeed academically, as well as becoming visible leaders in their communities. College chapter students serve as mentors and counselors for the students, guiding them through their learning experience. It’s an unparalleled, formative experience for these youth that prepares them to lead during the school year. Students stay on a local university’s campus, participate in workshops, collaborate with school teams to set goals and plan their year, compete in team-building activities, and enjoy an etiquette dinner, dance, and outdoor recreational activities.

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The Khorana Program offers scholarships to Indian students to undertake research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and partner universities in summer 2020 for a period of 10 weeks. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward are partnering to support the prestigious Khorana Program for Scholars to undertake research at University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and partner universities in Summer 2018. User Review( votes) The Khorana Program is envisaged to provide encouragement to young scholars to undertake R&D, enable students to carry out research at a premier University in the United States and Transform research into societal benefits Build a seamless scientific community between India and the United States The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), established under an agreement between the Governments of India and the United States of America in March 2000, is an autonomous, not for profit society that promotes and catalyzes Indo-US bilateral collaborations in science, technology, engineering and biomedical research through substantive interaction among government, academia and industry. Course Level: The Khorana Program will provide opportunities to Indian students to undertake research at University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and partner universities in Summer 2020 for a period of 10 weeks. Study Subject: Scholarship is awarded in all fields of research. Scholarship Award: Scholarship offers Stipend, Airfare, and Health Insurance to the applicants. Scholarship can be taken in USA (University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and Partner Universities) Eligibility: The following criteria must be met in order for applicants to be eligible for scholarship: - Tech, M.Tech and B.Sc./M.Sc. students currently enrolled in recognized institutions of higher education in India in Biotechnology and allied areas are eligible to apply. - Students pursuing Ph.D/Final year students are not eligible to apply. Nationality: Indian applicants are eligible to apply for this scholarship programme. How to Apply: The mode of application is online. Application Deadline: Scholarship application deadline is October 31, 2019.

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FROM:���������� Stephen T. Hulbert, Chancellor ����������������������� Western Montana College of The University of Montana EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM WMC-UM has been offering early childhood coursework at off-campus sites for over 14 years.� The recent interest in early childhood education and the federal mandate that 50% of teachers in Head Start classrooms have a minimum of an associate degree in Early Childhood has created an increased demand for the program.� Students are typically place-bound women who have spent many years working in the field of early childhood.� Many are first generation college students and for many this is their first experience with college coursework.� Students can obtain the WMC-UM 24-credit early childhood core in Missoula, Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Havre, Butte, Helena, and Dillon.� This core of early childhood coursework can be used to meet the training requirement for a CDA (Child Development Associate), a national credential awarded by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition.� These credits also form the professional core of courses required for an AAS in Early Childhood Education (ECE).� If the student has a degree in Elementary Education, this core can be applied toward a minor in ECE resulting in an endorsement on their teaching certificate. This semester there are 160 students taking the early childhood core off-campus. A recent grant from DPHHS has allowed the ECE program to develop a new model (EC Rural) for students who do not have access to higher education.� This model combines intensives and self-study.� Research on the outcomes for student in this model versus the one-night-a-week model employed at the other sites is being conducted.�� Due to the seamless nature of the program, coordination with other higher education institutions, and the unique delivery model, the WMC-UM ECE program is one of six programs in the nation being highlighted in a book published by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition.

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Shared opinions soaked in knowledge & experience – all well tested. What Is Going On? Many parents will have only heard of the word, NAPLAN, and wondered what it means and, perhaps, why it seems to be causing a lot of fuss? Why is it the cause of all the fuss? This Treehorn Express here tries to provide a compendium of terms and issues and references for those who would like to understand and use the associated terms with more confidence during discussion with their child’s teacher or principal. This is for you, Mum or Dad. NAPLAN is an acronym for National Assessment Program Literacy And Numeracy. It is a program that is fully controlled by the Federal Minister for Education. State Ministers are required to follow. National – Every school in Australia is expected to provide pupils from Grades 3, 5, 7, 9 for testing during May each year. It is ‘expected’ that every child will participate. The tests themselves are compiled by a central authority. The scores are gathered by the same authority, which then makes various judgements about standards of schooling, pupil ability, teacher ability, administrative effectiveness. Scorers and measurement experts are in charge of the detail. While this notion breaches basic tenets of the principle of subsidiarity when applied to evaluation of pupil progress, it remains in force. Assessment is the term applied to this gathering of scores and assignment of opinions for public information. Only political leaders are allowed to express an official opinion. The reliability and validity of the tests and their use in this manner for assessment purposes has been criticised by school-oriented expert statisticians and by classroom experienced educators. [See ‘testucators’ or ‘educators’] from around the world. The scores are released in September. Being so remote in time and distance from the measuring authority’s conclusions, the results are, obviously, of little use to anyone. Program – Test construction has an range of sources. The Testing Industry, world-wide, is one of the most profitable. Once test questions have been purchased or arranged by the central authority, there is intense security in the arrangements made for testing procedures. Since 2008, Australian-issued tests have been of the paper-and-pencils variety. Pupils, for most of the tests, fill in ‘bubbles’ next to compiled questions. [Samples are readily available on-line and practice tests can be purchased. www.nap.edu.au ] Intense test practice is generally encouraged and supported in schools that want to get higher scores than some other school. Manipulation of testing administration’s orders is generally called ‘cheating’ and the guilty are ‘counselled’. Some details of such misdemeanours are available on-line in a subtle name-and-shame way. There has to be strict loyalty to good order and routine. Cheating on a wide scale, however, is approved and encouraged. That is : schools may practice as much as they like using published and supplied practice tests. That creates impure results, but it doesn’t matter. Literacy refers to Reading, Writing and Language Conventions [once called ‘Grammar’] Numeracy refers to the usual measureable mathematical basics. History of Standardised Blanket Testing of which NAPLAN is a sample. Every now and then a cultural meme spreads around the world without apparent sponsorship. It could be a philosophical or political thought [e.g. Domino Theory, Reds under the bed, fascism, democracy], fashion statement [e.g. tattoos, torn jeans. long hair], health care [e.g. sun screen, water bottles] that cross national and cultural boundaries speedily in mysterious ways. Ever wondered? See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme Some are beneficial; some can be loosely classified as ‘peculiar’; some are downright dangerous. One of the most dangerous educational meme was a persistent criticism of basic school achievements that spread world-wide during the nineties, sponsored and supported by corporate interests and managerial mis-fits. Increased enrolments at tertiary institutions had reduced the quality of the left-over intellectual pool, so businesses who had to hire lower level workers thought that schools were not doing their job properly. The meme spread. The previous scato-memo of the seventies had started for similar reasons. British University snobs could only handle top-quality intellectuals in their classes. When attendance of the mere-bright students grew through the 1960s and 70s and challenged their teaching ability, some academic British chappies wrote ‘The Black Papers’, a series that blamed schools for a fall in standards; then academic snobs in other countries adopted their forte. Australian children of this second decade of the 21st century are now tolerating the 1990s’ scatty notions of a New York macabre system, which based its schooling philosophy on left-overs from the 70s. Education policies, powered by stubborn political behaviour has yet to be successful in advanced countries. Schooling per se has been a busy host to quite a number of memes over the past few decades. There have been some really beneficial ones that have assisted the delivery of the school curriculum. Some, such as Standardised Blanket Testing, however, are pure scato-memes, more scatological than epistemological. When the 1970s’ scato-meme cut loose, it had more drastic consequences for U.SA. and U.K. than anywhere else. In the U.S. the Black Papers ‘Back to Basics’ scato-meme of this time led to the destructive Minimal Competency Movement invented by legislators to control graduation requirements in almost all school districts in the USA. The establishment of the Assessment of Performance Unit in the U.K. at the same time, proved to be a very costly exercise that led to the cessation of the kinds of British-based classroom activities that the rest of the world envied. [The world described what the Brits had been doing by semantic tags like ‘Integrated Day’, ‘Open Plan’. ‘Freedom to Learn’, all sorts of tags. The Brits just went ahead, however, teaching with the belief that a child’s natural love for learning can be happily integrated with a deep-seated desire to learn more and to achieve to the limits of personal ability….forever. No tags.] Over the centuries there have only been quixotic responses to such ‘school basics’ issues, powered by mediocrity-bound sciolists who move into control positions where they exert their coercive and reward powers on schools with such detrimental damage to children’s cognitive development, that it takes years to repair. As Forest Gump observed, “It happens.” The term Standardised Blanket Testing ensures that exactly the same test is given to the same sort of school cohort at the same time, without account for individual, social or human differences. NAPLAN is the Australian version compiled by non-school measurers following strict orders… for three days each May. ‘National Standards’ tests, as they are called. are imposed on schools in New Zealand and the UK countries; NCLB [No Child Left Behind] and Race to the Top tests are names given to required SBTs in the U.S.A…..all the same dogs, different leg action. It’s a pandemic which only child-oriented curriculum-wise countries [e.g. Finland] have avoided. Finland decided to call a halt to schadenfreude-based teaching and think about how children learn best at school and then put the thoughts into action…. over 30 years ago. It now avoids SBTs, recognising their threat to learning outcomes. SBT is opposed in each and every GERM-ridden country by highly reputable educators whose concern for basic achievements and children’s love for learning is obvious. Testucators are a different brand of fish. In each GERM country, Testucators maintain a high-stakes testing climate as compliant glautiers and kleinists, who have suspended normal educational principles to follow, blindly, all government directions without question. If enough serious teachers and loving parents said that they wanted to re-introduce child-oriented learning into schools, NAPLAN and its dysfunctional cohort or SBT-freaks would disappear forthwith. There is no doubt. Australia would take that Finnish step…and think. Sadly, children in classrooms in each GERM country have no sincere advocacy. That’s the basic problem. They have been deserted by those they love and respect. Fictional Treehorn typifies a contemporary school child. GERM stands for Global Education Reform Movement, a term that Pasi Sahlberg created to describe those countries that believe in the use of fear to motivate higher achievements in ‘basic’ subjects, that concentrate on basic subjects, high stakes testing and then construct opinions about teacher quality and school leadership based on children’s scores. As a rule, they compile SBT tests, then write curriculum material without learning in mind, without classroom knowledge of the teaching-learning, pupilling exchanges. GERM-infected SBT relies on zombic functionalism to survive. By the way, Mum and Dad, we imported the current Australian GERM system of schooling direct from New York with little to no modification. Fear-based, it was the modus operandi of a NY lawyer called Joel Klein who [as some American states are wont to do with inexperienced ‘know-it-alls’] was placed in charge of a large school district. His fearsome tactics, based on the coercions surrounding test performance. worked to a degree for a while, so much so that he was head-hunted by Rupert Murdoch to run his test publishing industry, worth billions. Get the connection? Klein proudly claims ownership of the Australian system. We call it Kleinism in his honour. He must be proud of how Julia, his protege protects it. One day we might be able to have a system all of our own….based on love for learning and for achievement, teaching our children how to test their own progress as they are self-motivated towards high-level personal achievements while they outreach their diverse learning needs. Let’s try a “Love for…..” rather than NAPLAN’s “Fear of….” credo, when we talk about schooling. One day SBTs will go! It’s up to you, as to how quickly. You’re a voter. “The seventh heresy is the apparent belief that the sole purpose of education is academic achievement. High marks, good test scores – that’s all that matters. No one denies the central importance of academic achievement in schools. But it is not all that matters. not historically. Schools are places where children come together to learn, and it turns out that the coming together is as important as the learning. Or rather the coming together enables learning of a different kind – establishing an identity among peers, taking responsibility for one’s own actions, learning to tolerate and maybe appreciate diversity, balancing one’s own interests and desires with a sense of the common good. A good education helps children become competent, wise, and just. Competence is not enough. Our education system efforts need to be informed by a deeper and more spacious conception of teaching and learning. Reducing the potential richness of a child’s education to a standardized test score is indeed heretical.” Tom Sobo, former N.Y. State Commissioner of Education. 2003. http://practicaltheory.org/serendipity/index.php?url=archives/757-A-Smarter-Mind-than-Mine-Takes-on-NCLB8serendipity[cview]=linear Let’s make sure that NAPLAN eradication becomes a top election issue. Click: ‘Care for Kids’ January 31 2013

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USD students host Halloween costume drive for area children More than 55 children had an opportunity to select a new or used costume for Halloween through the costume drive. Candy, party favors and safety glow sticks for trick-or-treating were also purchased through a service-learning grant for the project. The service-learning project was a component of the students' First-Year Experience (FYE) seminar, which is one of USD's four signature programs. The Halloween costume drive was chosen for its connection to the class theme, which focuses on the supernatural. "The Halloween costume drive made me feel like I was part of the USD and Vermillion community," said Jessica Muilenburg, a USD student from Yankton, S.D. "I was giving something back and helping others, which is always a great feeling." USD student Ren Morris of Aberdeen, S.D. added, "the experience, to me, was extremely gratifying. I felt like I was helping so many people when the kids would walk out the door grinning ear to ear." This project was supported in part through a grant awarded to the Center for Academic Engagement at from Learn and Serve America through the Midwest Consortium for Service-Learning in Higher Education and the Corporation for National & Community Service. In addition to Morris and Muilenburg, USD students coordinating the Halloween costume drive included Hannah Korcuska of Vermillion; Taylor Haugan, Sara Palen and Jamie Peck of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Erin Siversten of Aberdeen, S.D.; Carolyn Soulek of Delmont, S.D.; Levi Parker of Lennox, S.D.; Emily Lundgren of Yankton, S.D.; Tommy Bottger and Brian Reed of Elk Point, S.D.; Lisa Weber of Pierre, S.D.; and Johnny Westhoff of Mitchell, S.D. Courtney Huse Wika, Ph.D., FYE instructor, incorporated the service-learning project into the course. You May Also Like AUSTIN, Texas — South Dakota senior guard Ciara Duffy was one of five Division I women's basketball players selected to the Academic All-America first team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Duffy earns Academic All-America honors for the third consecutive season. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — All five South Dakota starters scored in double-figures and the Coyotes completed perhaps the greatest regular season in Summit League history with a 63-58 win against rival and second-seeded South Dakota State in the tournament championship game Tuesday inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. VERMILLION, S.D. – Two University of South Dakota faculty members are partnering with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Sioux Falls agency Call to Freedom to better understand what sex trafficking survivors think about the services they receive — and to learn what services they find most helpful.

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“My upstairs neighbour regularly played loud music late into the evening. I tried earplugs but still couldn't sleep. I invited my neighbour over for a coffee. I explained how I had to get up early for work. I played a recording. My neighbour said they had no idea how loud it was. They apologized. Now they play their music more quietly, and not after 10 pm. I’m glad we talked. I’m finally able to get some sleep, and we’re still on good terms.” – Edwin, Victoria, BC If you have a problem with a neighbour, there are steps you can take. Your best course of action will depend on several factors. These include the nature of the problem, what your relationship with your neighbour is like, and how successful you think a particular step might be. You don’t have to go through these steps in order. You can start with any of them.

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Who is this service for? College and career counseling may be right for your son or daughter if you want to help them gain an increased understanding of both their core personality and their unique interests. Looking at these two dimensions together will give them an excellent composite picture for making well-informed college and life work decisions. What you can expect to receive? Your student will walk away with a clear understanding of their core personality and its significance in finding a well-suited career. The more they understand who they are the better they will be in discerning their future. They will also discover which broad occupational fields they are best suited for, receive specific college or career recommendations and gain insight into their own personal approach to work. This composite perspective will help you and them approach the college and career decision-making process with greater insight and confidence. What will be included? Two Assessments: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory 1. An introductory session to clarify their personal interests, goals and questions 2. A second session providing a personalized interpretation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (See a Sample MBTI Career Report) 3. A third session providing a personalized interpretation of the Strong Interest Inventory (See a sample SII College Report) Two Customized Interpretive Reports: These reports will summarize key findings and include: 1. Suggestions to help guide them in their college or career decision-making process 2. Perspective on their unique preference in work tasks and work environment 3. Input on developing a customized strategy to improve their college and career exploration What is the price? $400 "Little did I know that walking into that meeting would reveal so much about myself, and my potential. As a student I never thought that some of the rather "hidden" dreams and talents would really mean much, but seeing it on paper has opened my eyes. It helped me look at my education with more understanding.” Mark

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Please note our new contact number WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS COURSE? No creature or organism can exist purposefully on earth without the tools and attributes of communication. Communication implies the transmission from one person to another through thoughts, feelings and ideas. Humans are gregarious animals. It is for this reason that understanding (or lack thereof) will create conflict. Communication is a tool for the promotion of positive and effective interaction. It is therefore critical to be aware of your Body Language and what it may / may not communicate. Back to Training Courses Duration: 2 days Complete the form for more information

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Safe Space for All Chaparral Star Academy is a welcoming environment with a diverse student population. Students of varying race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability and/or sexual orientation thrive under CSA’s non-discrimination model. Students enter our hallways with a focus of learning and preparing for post-secondary goals. CSA prides itself on having a staff that supports student individuality, to include all walks of life. The diversity of our community mandates that CSA maintain a safe space for all. CSA continues to report low number of discipline issues because students and staff respect each other as members of a loving community.

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Effect Sizes as Evidence – The single most important pitfall to avoid Despite widespread use of effect sizes across industries as a standardized measure of impact, effect size calculations remain one of the most incorrectly applied and misinterpreted statistics. An effect size is nothing more than a standardized comparison, or “effect” , that captures the difference between an average value and a meaningful comparison in the metric of standard deviation. While many statistical formulations and variations of effect sizes exist, meaningful effect size calculations should formulate the comparison group as a control group or an expected result. The comparison group must represent a control group or an expected result An effect size is a meaningful statistic only if it represents the effect from a meaningful control, benchmark, or expectation of what is likely to be observed. Too often, especially in the field of education, effect sizes are formulated as a pretest to post-test change score. This before and after formulation of an effect size provides little to no useful information as the expected change is not represented in the calculation. For example, a particular school district may wish to evaluate if a reading intervention program is effective. The district calculates an effect size by comparing reading scores before the intervention to reading scores after the intervention. This type of an effect size is impossible to interpret without additional information. Without knowing the expected change from the pretest to the posttest absent the intervention (the control) one has no basis for how to interpret the magnitude of the effect. As a general rule, formulate effect sizes as the difference between a treatment and a control group, or as the difference between an observed value and an expected value. In the reading intervention example, the control should represent one of the following: - A true control group that captures the typical result without the intervention, but with all other confounding variables being equal - A projection-model control group that uses additional student data as a means of establishing an expected value while holding other confounding variables constant If an effect size is not formulated accordingly, be skeptical and very cautious when interpreting the magnitude of an effect.

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Clinical Psychology is a graduate-level introduction to the field of clinical psychology. While most textbooks focus on either assessment, treatment, or research, this textbook covers all three together specifically for the introductory level graduate course. Chapter coverage is diverse and contributors come from both PhD and PsyD programs and a variety of theoretical orientations. Chapter topics cover the major activities of the contemporary clinical psychologist with an introduction focusing on training models. The book has a mentoring style designed to highlight the relevance of the topics discussed to clinicians in training. Assessment and treatment chapters focus on evidence-based practice, comparing and contrasting different options, the basis for clinical choice between them, and efficacy of same. It will also introduce the business and ethical aspects of the clinical career that current introductory books do not include, such ethics in assessment, treatment, and research; third party payers; technological developments; dissemination of research findings; cross-cultural issues; and the future of the profession. The text is designed for students in their first year of clinical psychology graduate training.

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Source: European Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 37, Issue 3, 2014, pages 374-389. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the efficacy of using ePortfolios to enhance career skills for newly qualified teachers (NQTs). Specifically, this paper focuses on a new area of ePortfolio-related research in teacher education; the transition from university into employment. The context is the final phase of a longitudinal action research project investigating whether an ePortfolio, created as a pre-service teacher to evidence a digital story of developing professional identity, could transition into employability, i.e. the first year as an NQT. The findings indicate a changing purpose of the ePortfolio from training to the workplace, an increasing strength of ownership as part of the transition, and empowerment in becoming a teacher. Secondary findings demonstrate an increasing acceptance amongst head teachers regarding the usefulness of the ePortfolio in pre-service teacher education and in the continuing professional development of qualified teachers.

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Job Description and Jobs - 1) Counsels individuals and provides group educational and vocational guidance services: Collects, organizes, and analyzes information about individuals through records, tests, interviews, and professional sources, to appraise their interests, aptitudes, abilities, and personality characteristics, for vocational and educational planning. - 2) Compiles and studies occupational, educational, and economic information to aid counselees in making and carrying out vocational and educational objectives. - 3) Refers students to placement service. - 4) Assists individuals to understand and overcome social and emotional problems. - 5) May engage in research and follow-up activities to evaluate counseling techniques. - 7) May be designated according to area of activity as Academic Counselor; Career Placement Services Counselor; Employment Counselor; Guidance Counselor; Vocational Adviser. Is being a "COUNSELOR" your very best career choice? Our Career Interest Test will show you which careers match your interests. Our Free Personality Test will show you which careers match your personality and why. Click here for "COUNSELOR" Jobs See the Future Outlook and Educational Requirements for "COUNSELOR" Our Most Popular Products End Of Job Description for: "COUNSELOR" Job Number: 2442

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Exciting research projects are taking shape in Wakefield District over the next year. One of the most high profile is the ‘Born and Bred in Wakefield’ (BaBI Wakefield) cohort study, which aims to recruit and track the progress of all babies born in Wakefield District. Other important initiatives include the HENRY trial (Health and Nutrition for the Very Young), and our Adult Population Health Survey. We want all of our residents to have the opportunity to take part in research, and to benefit from the findings of major studies. It’s also important that all our residents and communities take part in shaping research questions as the Council and its partners plan future research activity. This role is an exciting new opportunity to work with communities and individuals who have traditionally been underserved by research or who may face barriers to participating in research studies. Working closely with the local VCSE and community organisations, you will use innovative ways to explain the benefits of research in our District and to understand the priorities of local communities in planning future research. An immediate priority will be to work with different communities to support fully representative recruitment of expectant parents to the BaBI project. It’s really important that this study recruits as large and diverse a sample of parents and babies as possible, so in this role you will help to identify and address any barriers to participation in different communities. You should have skills, enthusiasm and a strong track record of working with underserved communities. It would also be helpful for you to have an interest in research and some understanding of how research studies work, although this is less important than your experience of working with communities. You should enjoy a challenge and be a self-starter who can develop new ideas and ways of working quickly. The role will require regular attendance at community events and venues around Wakefield District. A level of flexibility to attend weekend and evening events, compensated by time off in lieu, would be helpful. The office-based portions of the role can be undertaken either working from home or from Wakefield One. The Public Health team continues to be a strong supporter of hybrid working models. Particularly given the short duration of this role, applicants wishing to work part-time are very welcome, as are applicants interested in an internal secondment (with the agreement of your line manager). For further information or a discussion about the role, please contact Clare Offer ([email protected]). Want to Know More? If you would like to know more about the role, the recruitment process or working for Wakefield Council feel free to contact Clare Offer. PR2692 001 Research Co-production and Engagement Officer.doc To apply please click the Apply Now link below.

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Youth Mental Health in Education (YMHE) Action Group – Ensuring Accessible Education for Students with Mental Health Disabilities - October 21, 2014 On October 7, 2014, Toronto District School Board teacher Sheryl Boswell hosted the “Taking Action in Youth Mental Health in Education” event to raise awareness and funds for the Youth Mental Health in Education (YMHE) Action group. The YMHE Action group is comprised of educators, parents, people with experience in mental health issues, and concerned community members, all of whom share the goals of increasing awareness of youth mental health issues in the educational system and ensuring that accessible education is a reality for all. To learn more about the event and the work of the YMHE Action group, please read this article (link to article) or watch the videos on the YMHE website (link to website), where you can also make donations to support accessible education for students with mental health disabilities. For more information about accommodation in education, please feel free to contact us (link), or please review our bakerlaw brochure designed to highlight some avenues in seeking and maintaining accommodation for students with disabilities in education: Guide to Accommodations in Education for Students with Disabilities (link to brochure)

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Above, Rachel Slobert, Batavia Academy principal, celebrates being first to be successfully pied. Submitted photos and press release: Every fall, Batavia Academy students enjoy a special Thanksgiving dinner. This year, students worked together to raise funds for this luncheon by collecting cans and bottles, and offering a pizza sale as well as an in-school snack cart sale. New this year, the students organized a Pie the Face event. Students and staff paid to throw a whipped cream pie in the face of Batavia Academy teachers, administrators and campus administrators. This was the first time such an event was held and it was a great success! Much laughter and many cheers occurred as Batavia Academy teachers and staff, along with Rachel Slobert, Batavia Academy principal; Jon Sanfratello, executive principal of the Batavia Campus; and Chad Cummings, school resource officer of the Batavia Campus, took their turns getting "pied." “This was a great fundraiser that raised $120 for our Thanksgiving dinner. We hope to make it an annual event,” said Rachel Slobert, as she carefully wiped whipped cream from her face. About Batavia Academy The Batavia Academy is an alternative education program that provides a small, nurturing environment, which gives each student the maximum amount of attention necessary to improve academic and social skills. Programs have been specifically designed to provide an educational option for students from our component school districts in grades 7-12 whose needs are not met by our traditional secondary schools. Teachers assist students in attaining a high school diploma through maintaining the same academic requirements as home schools. The Batavia Academy is set on the Genesee Valley Education Partnership campus located in Batavia. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State. Below: Chad Cummings, Batavia Campus school resource officer, gets a pie in the face. Nice mustache! Below: It's a direct hit! Jon Sanfratello, Batavia Campus executive principal, gets a pie smash.

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Paul Mensah from Ghana Could you tell us about yourself and your background? I am an avid reader and a community service advocate. I believe that literacy can be a potent tool to nurture the next generation of leaders for community development and social change. In 2018, while doing my gap year at a local community school, my paths crossed with Precious, a 9 year old student who could neither read nor write. Through an after school literacy programme I started in the school, Precious found hope when she learned to put letters together to become words and words into sentences. Today, Precious can read and write and boldly express herself about what she imagines her future to be. My time with Precious inspired me to start LibrariesWithoutWalls to introduce a culture of reading in the school and community and encourage young people to find a voice through literacy. Over 15 volunteers help to make this happen. The project operates a school-based reading engagement programme, a mobile reading programme for kids and youth in hard-to-reach rural communities, and a creative arts programme for kids to express themselves through colours and paints. These projects shape communities by getting the youth to volunteer and participate in community engagement and also provide mentorship for at-risk girls. What prompted you to participate in #libraryselfie2021, and how did you feel when you emerged as one of the winners? The #libraryselfie2021 was an incredibly unique opportunity to connect with young leaders across the continent to expand literacy opportunities to the next generation of African leaders! When I received the email announcing that I was one of the winners, I was elated, and this was not just because I was going to get the prizes, but because the opportunity to participate in such a keenly contested international competition was a great honour and a huge moment for LibrariesWithoutWalls. How has participating in #libraryselfie2021 contributed to your passion for reading and learning? #libraryselfie2021 gave me the inspiration to read more and opened up the opportunity to connect with other leaders of change across Africa. I got a sneak peek into many libraries around Africa and saw some interesting books and library ideas. From the perspective of the reading programme I run for rural kids, participating in the competition spurred me on to continue to give more kids the opportunity to read, learn and grow with books. It also made me realise that we can transform any space into a lively, vibrant haven for learning. As a #libraryselfie2021 winner in your country, how do you plan to continuously contribute to improving learning and reading through libraries? I am committed to leading LibrariesWithoutWalls to use its current sustainable mobile library idea and community book corners and creative spaces to expand literacy opportunities for children and the youth through book reading, mentorship and creative engagements. We are excited about transforming communal spaces into hubs for reading and we will continue to collaborate with schools without libraries to create reading corners in the classrooms and involve children in the arts and other programmes that give them opportunities to learn. Goethe-Institut awarded you a 200 Euro mini-grant to implement a mini project in your community. Could you give us an insight into your project and what you hope to achieve with it? We love to see children turn letters into words and words into sentences. LibrariesWithoutWalls will use the 200 Euro grant from the Goethe-Institut to implement a reading and arts programme to make reading an enjoyable hobby for at least 210 children in 3 communities across Ghana. We believe we can achieve this by creating warm and welcoming reading spots where children can come and be guided to read age-appropriate books. We know every child is an artist, and we intend to also engage the kids who are excited about colours to draw, paint and colour their lives! Through this project, we want to tackle the poor reading culture among children in rural communities, expand creative and safe play opportunities for the kids and use literacy as a tool to unlock inequality and encourage community cohesion and also support the achievement of SDG 4. We are confident that 80% of participating children will make at least 2 levels of progress in reading over the period of the project. We will measure this by comparing the children’s reading levels at the start of the programme with the end.

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The holistic education establishes that external action should be an expression of the inner life, referring to the new paradigm of holistic education which should lead us to a change, a revolution of consciousness with a sense and universal love, a transformation. Our current problem is human is to say it is a problem of evolution of consciousness and we must be prepared to fully understand the world we inhabit and to understand ourselves. The students aren’t machines, empty containers or raw material that needs to be processed. They are alive and in growth that has their own knowledge and the need for find their own meanings. Transdisciplinarity is the only thing that allows us to consider the student as a multidimensional being. This works with six aspects in students: educate us as holistic educator really is essentially a spiritual awakening, this awakening to your true spiritual nature is the heart of your training as educator holistic. The holistic education is first a State of consciousness, an integral vision of life, a call to live in universal love, a compassionate attitude, an inclusive opening of diversity. This essay summarizes each of the themes of the books of learning communities, education for life and peace and education that humanity needs, on what we’ve seen in the Masters program and provide very valuable elements. Also found me very interesting because show us as found in the understanding on the awakening of consciousness and the holistic education. Here Ramon Gallegos realizes that when the knowledge comes from an integral vision are you called wisdom, it implies a responsible use of the same, it involves a relevant purpose which will not cause harm, but if that knowledge comes from a perception of fragmentation may be used with different destructive purposes. It is an ethical intelligence that takes you to that you feel the importance of integrity, gratitude, is going to be an honest person.

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Of all the challenges posed by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, this may be the greatest: if we are truly to be a nation of college-goers, we must not only raise the bar on what students learn but we must also leverage an understanding of noncognitive factors to teach adolescents how to become effective learners. In the absence of developing students as learners, current reform efforts are unlikely to succeed at increasing students’ readiness for college.UCHICAGO CCSR Literature Review, Teaching Adolescents To Become Learners This excerpt, from a report that describes the impact of noncognitive factors on student learning, achievement, and college readiness, has always resonated with me as a classroom teacher. I knew early on that many of the students I served struggled academically for no other reason than they had never had the opportunity to develop as learners. When students gain regular practice with the skills and habits that are the foundation for learning they approach their education with strategy, confidence, and resilience. Organized Binder evolved out of my practice because I wanted to instill that academic dexterity in my students. I cared more about this work and less about the content I was charged to teach because it was clear to me that if I was to increase the rigor of my course without also developing them as learners, my efforts would fall short. Clearly we are not getting this right in classrooms around the country. A report from California Community Colleges found that, “More than 70 percent of community college students who enter the system are under prepared to do college-level work with the majority being first generation college students, low-income and/or minority."Recommendations from the Student Success Task Force for Community Colleges It does not have to be this way. Change is possible. Students can graduate from their K12 journey equipped for college or to pursue a career. The key is for teachers to embed the teaching of skills and habits into the teaching of content. The report from the University of Chicago cited above goes on to say that, "To make this shift, educators need to understand how best to help adolescents develop as learners in their classes. This should not be framed as an additional task for teachers, though for many it may mean teaching in new ways." When teachers see the teaching of noncognitive factors as one more thing they need to do or teach, they become overwhelmed because there is rarely enough time in the school day, the class period, the semester, or the school year to teach all of the content in their course in the first place. An AP Biology teacher from San Jose, CA a few years back emailed in to share his students success with NGSS and the Common Core. He wrote, “I thoroughly enjoy Organized Binder as a dynamic component in my Biology class and my 2 sections of AP Biology. It aligns perfectly with CCSS & NGSS, making students read, write, and think!” In a follow up conversation with this teacher I asked him to explain further "read, write, and think!" He explained that by incorporating the system into his classes he could focus largely on teaching Biology because his students, by virtue of the classroom routine, were getting practice with the skills and habits needed to be successful in his rigorous AP course. Until we take as seriously the teaching of skills as we do the teaching of content our efforts are unlikely to have any influence on students' success and their ability to thrive at the post-secondary level. How do you teach skills and habits to your students? What impact is it having on your class and your efforts to prepare your students for live beyond your class.

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The vast majority sooner or later in their lives experience an extraordinary performer, except if obviously they live under a stone. What’s more, the majority of those individuals in the event that they are sufficiently fortunate get the opportunity to see multiple. In view of my experience it is anything but a mishap that a few performers emerge from the group. It depends on a deliberately spread out arrangement that incorporates; organize nearness, lowliness, certainty, mental planning, regular ability, experience and one mystery fixing. Open talking or any sort of execution before a crowd of people takes practice. It is not just about what to state or do, it is about how to state or do it. Most incredible performers realize that it is far less significant what you state or do; it is the means by which you state or do it. All in all, how would you figure out how to give an extraordinary exhibition? Indeed, the principal thing you need is the correct data. It generally astonishes me what a small number of individuals realize how to interface with a group of people. It is not just about being sure it is about where to stand, how to stand, when to talk, how to talk and non-verbal communication, how to move and how to address the crowd. This sort of data begins with a format. There really is a format for giving any sort of introduction. Most extraordinary performers know this. They do not make things up along the way. For instance, there is a layout only for the presentation which incorporates things like; how to make that big appearance, what to state first, asking selecting inquiries, procuring the privilege and deliberately letting the group of onlookers what the introduction is about and what’s coming up for me. While this may appear to be a straightforward thing, it is most certainly not. A performer has to know precisely how to play out every last one of these means. It is insufficient just to know the means; you have to realize how to convey them. At that point, when you have the format down the hardest part comes straightaway; how to put your character into the layout. This is the part that takes the most practice. I recall when I originally set the layout in motion it was out and out a fiasco. Why? Since, I endeavored to be somebody else. A crowd of people can see directly through that. I expected to end up inside the format and figure out how to be me while as yet covering everything I have to do to interface with the gathering of people. Why not try these out http://www.eao.com.au/.

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Ministry of Education Lack of Enforcement on Ventilation. July 27, Being a teacher in early childhood education means making a difference to the lives of many children and families. There are some scholarships for students in-training. Check out the wage rates and what you can earn. Your experience working with young children can make you attractive to employers in other industries and sectors too. And, your NZ teaching qualification can open the door to jobs in overseas ECE services. Recognition of Qualification. Primary School Trained Teachers. Qualified primary school teachers can work in early childhood education. Although you have not been trained for this,

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The youth program is developed to assist middle and high school youth with disabilities in making healthy decisions as they approach adulthood and graduation. This program is designed to meet the unique needs that youth with disabilities face in their daily lives. Our focus is to give youth ideas about building vocational, educational, or independent living goals. Exciting field trips, motivational speakers, and recreational activities with their peers occur during the program. Enrollment for the youth program typically begins in April and space is limited. The program is open to students, ages 14 to 24, residing in the 26-county Panhandle region. Because of generous support from local businesses, there is no cost for the youth. For more information, call the center toll-free at (800) 585-6768 or locally at (806) 374-1400.

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1. Question: What diplomas does The Vietnamese Bible Institute (VBI) offer? Answer: Currently we offer the following diplomas: 1. Certificate (1 year = 13 courses) 2. Associate degree in Theology/ Ministry (2 years = 23 courses) 3. Bachelor in Theology/ Ministry (4 years = 43 courses) 4. Doctoral of Ministry (D.Min) for our professor cadidates only. 5. Master in Theology/ Ministry (MA) will be offered in 2016-2017. 2. Question: What requirement courses are for a Certificate? Answer: Students can choose one of the five majors to get a Certificate. Here they are: 1. Biblical studies 3. Church Growth 4. Christian Education 5. Church Administration * Three special courses are Practicing Open a new Church, The Spiritual Gifts, and Christian Businessmen. 3. Question: What is the difference between Associate degree in Theology and Associate degree in Ministry? Answer: To earn Associate degree in Theology, students must pass 10 courses in “Theology” major, 10 courses in any other majors, and 3 special courses (see question 2). In the same manner, to earn Associate degree in Ministry, students must pass 10 courses in “Church Administration” major, 10 courses in any other majors, and 3 special courses (see question 2). 4. Question: What is the difference between Bachelor in Theology and Bachelor in Ministry? Answer: To earn Bachelor in Theology, students must pass 10 courses in “Theology” major, 10 courses in “Biblical studies” major, 20 courses in any other two majors, and 3 special courses (see question 2). In the same manner, to earn Bachelor in Ministry, students must pass 10 courses in “Church Administration” major, 10 courses in “Church Growth” major, 20 courses in any other two majors, and 3 special courses (see question 2). 5. Question: Who is qualifying for the Master in Theology/ Ministry program at VBI? Answer: Students that earned a Bachelor degree from VBI qualify for continuing study Master degree. Students earned a Bachelor degree (not Theology/ Ministry major) from other schools need to pass any of 10 courses from VBI, then students may continue their Master degree at VBI. 6. Question: Who is qualifying for DMin program at VBI? Answer: Firstly, they are all of the professors who currently are or will be teaching at VBI. Secondly, they are VBI students who finished the Master program from VBI. Students from other schools (not Theology/ Ministry major) must be had an interview and an exam. 7. Question: What courses are each of the major? Answer: Each major has more than ten courses. Students can choose 10 courses in each of major. Here they are: I. Biblical studies course: 3.The Book of Psalms 4.The Synoptic Gospels 5.The Gospel of Matthew 6.The Gospel of Mark 7.The Gospel of Luke 8.The Gospel of John 9.Acts of the Apostles 11.I and II Corinthians 15.Daniel and Revelation II. Theology course: 1.Introduction to the Bible 2.Old Testament Survey I 3.Old Testament Survey II 4.New Testament Survey 6.Old Testament Message 7.New Testament Message 8.Systematic Theology I 9.Systematic Theology II 10.Biblical Heritage and Customs 11.PNEUMATOLOGY - A Study of the Holy Spirit 12.Introduction to Theological Studies 13.Old Testament Theology 14.New Testament Theology III. Church Growth course: 3.Introduction to Psychology 5.Strategy of Evangelism 8.Church Growth Principles 9.Nursering New Members Principles IV. Christian Education course: 1.Foundations for Education 2.Educational Philo. In a Global Society 5.History of Christianity in America 6.Church History Survey 7.Intro. to Christian Education 8.Teaching & Preaching V. Church Administration course: 1.Introduction to Management 6.Methods of Leading Bible Study Groups 10.The Work of Pastor 8. Question: How can I become a professor at VBI? Answer:To be qualified as a professor at VBI, the candidate must: 1. earn a Master degree in Theology/ Ministry 2. present the previous/ current ministry 3. present the reasons to be a partner with VBI 4. write an official letter to VBI about those above The method for Professor teaching: Here are the basic weekly (in 10 weeks) tasks: 1. Give one/ two lecture. It could be from the textbook or own 2. Ask one/two question(s) for the students to discuss. The professor may or may not involve in the discussion. 3. Ask one/two questions as homework or multiple choice questions as a quiz. It is taken from the lecture and textbook reading. 4. Give one Final Exam/ Final project at the Final week. Notice, the professor can be flexible on his/her choosing textbooks and other materials. If there is anything other change, the professor needs to discuss with the school.

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Grant Wood AEA provides services and resources to families with pre-school aged children. These services are available to both families with children with developmental concerns as well a children without special education needs. Services are free, flexible to your schedule and do not require insurance. Early ACCESS – Birth to Age 3 Infants and toddlers under the age of 3 are eligible to receive Early ACCESS early intervention services. Early ACCESS is a partnership between families with young children (birth to age 3) and providers from the Iowa Departments of Education, Public Health and Human Services, Child Health Specialty Clinics and Iowa’s AEAs. Families and Early ACCESS staff work together to identify, coordinate and provide needed services and resources that help families assist their infants and toddlers who have either a developmental delay, or have a condition that has a high probability of later delays if early intervention services are not provided. Grant Wood AEA’s Early ACCESS program is available at no cost to populations of children with disabilities or at risk of having disabilities. Early ACCESS providers have training in various professions including: autism, early childhood education, hearing intervention, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, speech-language pathology, and vision intervention. Do you want your child evaluated for potential delays? Infants and toddlers under the age of 3 are eligible to receive Early ACCESS early intervention services when they meet any one of the three following criteria: 1. The child has a diagnosed and documented physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delays. 2. The child has a 25% or more delay in one or more of the following developmental areas: - Cognitive Development - Physical Development (including vision and hearing) - Communication Development - Social/Emotional Development - Adaptive Development 3. An informed clinical opinion may establish a child’s eligibility. Early ACCESS Partners Frequently Asked Questions Will people be coming into our home? If so, who will they be? Children learn best with people they know and in the places they spend most of their time. Early ACCESS professionals help families build on the things they do every day to support their child’s learning and development in order. Toward that end, Grant Wood AEA employs physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, home intervention teachers, nurse consultants and other professionals who work side-by-side with children and families in their homes or the places where their children spend most of their time. How do caregivers learn to support a child’s growth? Early ACCESS service providers get to know a family’s daily activities, priorities and hopes for their child. Together, service providers and caregivers plan and practice interventions that can be used throughout the day in routines and activities that the family already does. Does this work? I am not a trained therapist or teacher. Yes. Service providers do not expect caregivers to do what they do. They support families by coaching them to help their child grow and learn. Everyday routines and activities are teaching and learning opportunities. The more children are able to practice skills, the more they are being supported in development. What are everyday routines and activities? Routines are activities we do so much that we may not have to think about what we are doing to complete them. For example, changing diapers, getting a snack, getting the mail or picking up toys are all routines. Inviting children to assist with routines and activities is a way to help them learn and grow. Routines are predictable so we know what is coming next. Other activities that may not be done as often as routines can be helpful for children, too. For example, watering flowers, playing peek-a-boo, dropping brothers and sisters off at school or feeding the dog can all be good teaching and learning activities. What happens if I don’t have time? Do I have to have a schedule? There is no need for a special time or schedule. Children learn throughout the day when they are part of activities and routines, such as snack time, bath time, getting dressed and going in the car. Service providers work with caregivers to find ways to embed learning into these activities. Age 3- 5 Early Childhood Services If your child is between the ages of 3 to 5 years, is not yet enrolled in school, and you have concerns about his/her development, you may contact GWAEA for more information about its Early Childhood Services. Grant Wood AEA’s Early Childhood special education professionals provide training and serve as a resource to early childhood special education teachers in public schools, early childhood providers in community settings such as preschool, child care and Head Start programs to meet the developmental learning needs of young children. Also, families and early childhood providers may request information about appropriate expectations for children’s development. The Childcare Alliance Response Team (CART) The Childcare Alliance Response Team (CART) is a program that will provide a rapid response of intensive behavioral support for children ages 0-5 who are not labeled as having special education needs. Children may be referred by childcare providers of families for extremely challenging behaviors in their childcare setting. This can be a big help to families who may be in danger of losing their employment if their child is unable to remain in their childcare setting. CART staff will conduct a behavior analysis of each child, identify strategies childcare providers may use, and provide coaching/implementation assistance to childcare providers working with referred children. Each child care provider will also participate in an environmental rating process that will give the provider information about ways they can assure their childcare setting contributes to the success and well-being of all children in their care. CART Services Include: - General education interventions/strategies - Collaborative development of individual plans - Referral to other resources as necessary Note: Because CART is a Benton, Cedar, Linn, Johnson, Jones and Washington County Early Childhood Iowa Grant funded program, this program is limited only to those counties. If your child needs behavioral support, contact 319-399-6746 or fill out the referral form.

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Washington ROARS in 1st Grade as students demonstrate social emotional skills at recess! Here at Washington students are working on developing their social emotional skills to build positive relationships with others. Students at Washington participate in weekly social skills lessons and class meetings to problem solve, practice empathy, and learn how to manage their emotions. We all show our Washington ROARS by demonstrating respect, ownership, attitude, responsibility and safety. Our Washington students are not only successful with academics, they’re building life skills to be kind and compassionate individuals. School Social Worker

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Educational systems in developing countries are under the influence of factors which have critical effects on curriculum evaluation and interpretation of its effects. A model for curriculum evaluation was developed, in the present study, to evaluate the effectiveness of a new biology curriculum implemented in 1974 in the Iranian system of education. The target population were 14-15 year-old students and their teachers at the first year of the secondary education in four state capital cities and 43 schools. The teachers had previously been to an in-service course. The curriculum material consisted only of a single textbook for students. The model for curriculum evaluation was a summative model. It was developed in two stages: (1) pilot study stage, to investigate problem areas and develop the instruments; and (2) fieldwork or experimental stage to evaluate the innovation. The model emphasised the use of both experimental and illuminative evaluation strategies to evaluate the intrinsic and extrinsic criteria. The results obtained from the application of the above model suggested that most of the curriculum objectives were attainable if the textbook could be taught completely. In reality students and their teachers had reached a compromise about what should be taught and what should be learnt. The results from 45 criterion-referenced ecology test items showed that a selective number of concepts and principles were taught in each individual school. However, the high marks obtained by students in the teachers' examination proved that they were fulfilling the official cut-off score (12 out of 20). The above model, although used to evaluate the biology curriculum, seems to have a universal application for evaluating other subjects. It can be used for curriculum evaluation in any developing country that has similar characteristics to those in Iran. |Date of Award||1978|

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Academic Graduation Hoods PhD Hood - Doctoral hood Left: PhD hood on deluxe doctoral gown (with black velvet). Right: PhD hood on deluxe PhD gown (with PhD blue velvet). Following a custom established in the 14th century, modern-day scholars display their academic achievements by wearing academic graduation hoods on their commencements together with their academic gowns and caps. All of our university regalia strictly complies with the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Academic Customs and Ceremonies, appointed in 1959 by the American Council on Education. An academic hood is comprised of a fabric shell (usually black), "degree velvet" and "school lining". The velvet of the hood represents your degree. For a Ph.D., the degree velvet is rich royal blue, or PhD blue. For other doctorates (non PhD) or degrees, the hood velvet colors are listed below: Arts / Letters / Humanities - academic hood velvet: White Business / Accountancy / Commerce - academic hood velvet: Drab Communications / Journalism - academic hood velvet: Crimson Dentistry - academic hood velvet: Lilac Economics - academic hood velvet: Copper Education - academic hood velvet: Light Blue Engineering - academic hood velvet: Orange Fine Arts (including Architecture) - Brown Forestry - academic hood velvet: Russet Journalism - Communications / academic hood velvet: Crimson Law - academic hood velvet: Purple Library Science - academic hood velvet: Lemon Yellow Medicine - academic hood velvet: Hunter Green Music - academic hood velvet: Pink Nursing - academic hood velvet: Apricot Oratory (Speech) - academic hood velvet: Silver - Gray Pharmacy - academic hood velvet: Olive Green Philosophy - academic hood velvet: PhD Rich Royal Blue Physical Education - academic hood velvet: Sage Green Public Administration (includes Foreign Service) - academic hood velvet: Peacock Blue Public Health - academic hood velvet: Salmon Pink Science - academic hood velvet: Bright Gold Social Work - academic hood velvet: Citron Theology (including Divinity, Ministry, Religion) - academic hood velvet: Scarlet Veterinary Science - academic hood velvet: Gray Customized deluxe J.D. doctoral hood with doctoral gown. Purple velvet on both gown and hood to represent Law. Bright gold piping added to both gown and hood. In addition to the degree colors, each school generally has its own colors. These "school colors" are represented by the colors of the satin lining in the back of the hood. As we have THOUSANDS of schools in our data base, we cannot list them all here. Instead, when ordering, just let us know which school you graduated from, and we will look up the colors for you. Deluxe MBA Master's hood with Faculty Master's gown. Navy & White lining. No additional piping added. As each hood is custom-made according to your school colors, degree colors, and type of degree (BA, MA, or PhD), we ask that you give us about +/- 8 weeks to process your order, especially during the graduation season. What if you don't have that much time to wait? No problem -- ask us about our free loaner hood program! Deluxe quality PhD hoods / Doctoral hoods Notwithstanding the discipline velvet colors listed on the top paragraph, the correct velvet color for all PhD hoods is dark blue, representing the mastery of the discipline of scholarship attested to by the awarding of the Ph.D. On the other hand, the correct velvet color for all non-PhD doctorate holders (as well as masters and bachelors) would be that of their particular field. That means that while a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) would receive light blue velvet, but a PhD in English would receive the dark blue velvet. Similarly a non-PhD Doctor of Science would receive Gold velvet, but a PhD in Science would receive the dark Blue Velvet. a non-PhD Doctor of Engineering would receive Orange Velvet, but a PhD in Engineering would each receive the dark blue velvet. To avoid confusion, it is very important therefore for all doctors ordering hoods to clearly specify whether they are a PhD (and would be receiving the dark blue velvet regardless of their field) or a Doctor of … For that reason, we offer the option of added piping on our PhD gowns and hoods, for example light blue piping for a PhD in education; scarlet piping for a PhD in theology, etc., such that PhD's in fields other than philosophy can "show their discipline" at the same time that they show their PhD. Generic gold piping is also an option for doctors wanting to "dress up" their gown and/or hood. Deluxe Ed.D. doctoral hood with doctoral gown. Light blue piping added to both gown and hood. Piping is often added to customized doctoral hoods to match Doctoral Gowns with piping. Deluxe doctoral gown and Ed.D. doctoral hood. Gold piping added to both gown and hood. Deluxe Customized PhD gown and PhD hood. Light blue piping added to both gown and hood to represent PhD in Education. The price for deluxe hoods with piping is $145.00 The price for deluxe hoods without piping is $130.00 The price for souvenir - student hoods (no piping) is $80.00 Deluxe PhD hood shown above, with gold piping added. Royal & Gold lining. To order your PhD hood, use our Online Doctoral Regalia Order Form If you would like us to send you a more complete e-mail description about our Doctoral Gowns and hoods, e-mail us [email protected] ||Academic Regalia Depot ... Finest Academic Graduation Regalia, and Personalized Customer Service

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The Washington University community lost a beloved member when James E. “Jim” McLeod died in 2011. McLeod was vice chancellor for students and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, however, he might best be remembered as a dispenser of wisdom. Every year, McLeod delivered a talk called “Habits of Achievement” to incoming Ervin Scholars in his role as director of the Ervin Scholars Program. This speech, fondly remembered by alumni of the Ervin program, had never been printed or even written down. Until now. In preparation for the 25th anniversary of the Ervin Scholars Program in September 2012, several Ervin alumni decided they would like to have the “Habits of Achievement” published. And so began the process that resulted in Habits of Achievement: Lessons for a Life Well-Lived, a book that weaves Ervin alumni recollections of McLeod with his speech. It also includes a short biography of McLeod’s life. “The book was an 18-month labor of love,” said Ervin alumna Trina (Williams) Shanks, Class of ’92, MSW ’00, PhD ’03. Shanks used a recording of McLeod’s talk and notes taken by current Ervin Scholars and Ervin alumni to write the “Habits of Achievement” section of the book, which includes quotes from alumni about how much the “Habits” meant to them. These quotes were gathered from the Ervin Facebook page, the Ervin website and from condolences sent after McLeod died. The biography section was written by the book’s editor, Mary Ellen Benson, former assistant vice chancellor for public affairs. After the Chancellor’s Office agreed to fund the project, the book was readied for the printer, which included getting permissions for all the quotes and perfecting the layout. “This later effort to perfect final details was less taxing for me but took lots of work by the editor, Mary Ellen Benson, and the designer, Marcy Mamroth,” said Shanks, associate professor of social work at the University of Michigan. “The ‘Habits of Achievement’ project meant a lot to me because I have seen how Dean McLeod touched so many lives over the years, and I wanted to generate something that would attempt to commemorate all that he has done for individuals through his various roles at Washington University,” Shanks said. “I have received supportive emails and Facebook messages from dozens of alumni, as well as others affiliated with Washington University who have seen the book,” she said. Habits of Achievement was unveiled by Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton during a special luncheon May 1 at the Whittemore House. He also mentioned the book in his remarks to graduates at Commencement. A limited number of copies are available in the Campus Bookstore on the Danforth Campus for a $10 donation to the McLeod Scholars Program. For more information, contact Mary McGinley at [email protected] or (314) 935-5580.

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Two coaches introduce the purpose of “presence at hand clips”. You will see colleagues in typical communication situations “before- without preparation” and “after-with preparation”. Too often we are not prepared. Don´t be caught by surprise. Prepare your core business messages. And then it is easy to be spontaneous. Facts and figures alone aren´t enough to convince. If your passionate purpose is unclear, the audience starts to interpret. Find your own ritual to get ready for the stage. Under stress, our muscles and vocal chords stiffen. Breathe and relax. Storytelling is a technique. Keep a few points in mind and master it. But overall: Keep it short. After telling a good story, get the business message across. If content and body language are not congruent, the audience will judge you by signals of your body language. Avoiding eye contact might keep us in our comfort zone. But your audience wants to connect with you. Keep eye contact. Q&A sometimes troubles us. Welcome every question from the audience. Especially the critical ones. We all know these inner voices. Often they come from the past. Perceive them and understand: This is not you. The applause at the end of a speech is not only a gift for the speaker. It is likewise important for the audience to give appreciation. Be active. Introduce yourself with a story, a metaphor or a picture. No longer than 1 min. Stay connected with your “audience”. Do not bore with details of your business CV. You have the lead. Be prepared. Make agenda and rules clear. Use the Team Clock in order to keep the overview during the call. Ask for short input from the participants – no longer than two minutes! Summarize!

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I have crossed over to the “dark side.” I am now an assistant principal. Although I transitioned from a teacher leader to an assistant principal over two months ago, I made this decision back in 2013. It was a tumultuous year, one in which I decided that the safest place for my students and me was my classroom, room 134. Most of my colleagues were hiding in our rooms due to a hostile working environment and poor leadership. Sitting at my desk that April, I had an idea that school should be very different—more like a garden than anything. A leader, I said to myself, should be the gardener: Planting seeds, nurturing them and promoting growth. Since becoming an assistant principal two months ago, I have to admit that I am not yet tending a healthy and tranquil garden. Each day I struggle. I struggle to be the leader our staff needs and to place myself in the shoes of the educators I work with. I fight to remember what it feels like to be a teacher, including the incredible pressure I felt to meet the ongoing needs of students, always keeping myself focused on what is best for them. Each day I go home tired, worn out and wondering if the decisions that I have made in the day are the right decisions. I laugh at what I thought this job would be like before I began. I had such thoughts of grandeur about how I was going to “revolutionize” my school. Sometimes I question the impact I make. In a moment of being very hard on myself, I thought, “Am I truly making a difference?” Then a staff member will stop by my office and thank me for replying to her emails so quickly. “That means so much to us,” she will say. At those moments, I remind myself that I may not yet be tackling the heavy stuff to make a huge difference, but being a positive force does not always require a huge accomplishment. I take a breath and determine to focus on being a PC(3) leader—not one who is politically correct, but a leader who is present, who communicates, is compassionate, and composed. That’s PC(3). The teacher in me says, “That may not be everything, but it is a very fine way to start.” To truly support our teachers, I have to be where they are. I conduct regular informal walkthroughs and make it a priority to get into halls and classrooms. Every morning I greet teachers with a friendly hello, and the end of the day say goodbye and thank them. I want the staff to know that I care about them beyond their job. I care about them as people. On-going, authentic, two-way communication is hard to come by these days. But nothing as various and complex as a school environment can grow and thrive without it. I make and seek out opportunities to have two-way communication with staff and encourage the teacher leader that resides within them. Open communication leads to transparency, and transparency is a vital part of a safe and trust school. That’s why I always give timely feedback after walking through a classroom. As an educator, I yearned for a meaningful response to my work. Now I see this feedback as the water that encourages growth. When possible, it’s best to communicate in person. I don’t handle volatile situations over email. Teachers tell me they feel more listened to when I respond to an angry email by showing up in their room to talk it over. Maybe we can get more done over the Internet, but an important personal connection is sacrificed in our pursuit for efficiency. The other day, I was speaking with a staff member behind closed doors, and she became very upset about something personal. I had no words, but I asked her, “Can I hug you?” She opened her arms said, “I am so glad you’re here.” A compassionate leader is empathetic and responsive. We don’t always have all of the answers, but if something is important to my teachers, it should be important to me. I just want to love on my teachers the same way I did for my students. There are many situations that will arise during a school day that may present difficulties, but an instructional leader must remain composed and poised under the pressure. Just recently, I had a situation today where all of the staff members were crying in the room due to a serious situation. As much as I wanted to cry, as my empathy was kicking in, I knew that I had to remain calm and provide some assurance and continuity. When everyone else feels pulled apart, a leader has to be the glue. Do I miss the classroom? God, yes. But I know I am where I am needed, tending our garden. I never want teachers to feel like I felt in 2013. Not on my watch. Kelisa Wing is the author of "Weeds & Seeds: How To Stay Positive in the Midst of Life’s Storms" and "Promises and Possibilities: Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline" (both available on Amazon). She also is a 2017 State Teacher of the year, speaker, teacher and activist for discipline reform. Kelisa holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland University College, a ...

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Energy and the Environment Since the 1970s, presidential candidates have used energy as a key platform promise, highlighting our need to be energy independent. As our awareness of our vulnerability in relying on foreign sources of energy and the global nature of energy companies grew, we started using more alternative power and accessing more domestic resources than ever before. So what exactly do we mean by energy security? In this conversation, we talk about our evolving understanding of energy, sustainability, energy choices and how our lives are impacted by the energy we use. What can we learn about our shared stories that is similar? And where are the common themes that we all share? Let's Get Started! Living Room Conversations offers a simple, sociable and structured way to practice communicating across differences while building understanding and relationships. Typically, 4-6 people meet in person or by video call for about 90 minutes to listen to and be heard by others on one of our nearly 100 topics. Rather than debating or convincing others, we take turns talking to share, learn, and be curious. No preparation is required, though background links with balanced views are available on some topic pages online. Anyone can host using these italicized instructions. Hosts also participate. Why We're Here (~10 min) Share your name, where you live, what drew you here, and if this is your first conversation. How We'll Engage (~5 min) These will set the tone of our conversation; participants may volunteer to take turns reading them aloud. (Click here for the full conversation agreements.) - Be curious and listen to understand. - Show respect and suspend judgment. - Note any common ground as well as any differences. - Be authentic and welcome that from others. - Be purposeful and to the point. - Own and guide the conversation. What We’ll Talk About Optional: a participant can keep track of time and gently let people know when their time has elapsed. Getting to Know Each Other (~10 min) Each participant can take 1-2 minutes to answer one of these questions: - What are your hopes and concerns for your family, community and/or the country? - What would your best friend say about who you are? - What sense of purpose / mission / duty guides you in your life? Take ~2 minutes each to answer a question below without interruption or crosstalk. After everyone has answered, the group may take a few minutes for clarifying or follow up questions/responses. Continue exploring additional questions as time allows.. - How is the energy/power you use generated? - What are your thoughts about this type of power? - Have you made any changes to the energy you use? Why? - What is energy security? How would we know we have it? - What are your concerns around the environment, as it relates to our energy types? Reflecting on the Conversation (~15 min) Take 2 minutes to answer one of the following questions: - What was most meaningful / valuable to you in this Living Room Conversation? - What learning, new understanding or common ground was found on the topic? - How has this conversation changed your perception of anyone in this group, including yourself? - Is there a next step you would like to take based upon the conversation you just had?

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Selecting a Program High school is one of the most formative times in your learning life. We have two excellent programs that will meet your academic, cultural and spiritual demands. launched October, 2020 Do you like the high school program you currently attend? Great! I’m sure it addresses all your academic needs and will suitably prepare you for the next level of learning. However, your excellent secular school education will not prepare you for what’s coming next in your Jewish life. ADRABA’s Part-Time Program will bring you together with Jewish peers from across the GTA and the province to explore our history, thought or food culture. In the process, you’ll learn critical thinking skills, how to ask questions and find answers – and most importantly, connect to our tradition, histories and values in a totally new way. beginning sometime after 2022 Are you an exceptional middle schooler considering your options for high school? This city has a plethora of traditional options – but only one which brings together cutting-edge technology, personalized learning, secular and Jewish studies in one place. ADRABA will deliver the same innovative, personalized experience part-time learners experience – except you’ll have even more time to explore, inquire and grow as a learner as you accomplish all of your learning goals toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Imagine learning in school they way you learn in life. Start with a challenge or a question and bring to bear all the tools technology puts at your disposal to solve it. Consult your peers. Consult experts in house and across the planet. Come up with a solution. Test it. Fail. Try again.

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We want St. Michael’s Primary School to be a happy and safe place for all, where we treat each person in a respectful manner and live with each other in the love of Christ. For school to be a positive experience for students at our school student wellbeing has to be a priority; it is the foundation from which all learning, academic and social, is built. We believe that it is the responsibility of parents and school staff to work together, leading, guiding and encouraging children, so that the students at our school develop a healthy self-esteem, are optimistic and resilient, and have the capacity to develop positive and caring relationships with each other and with adults in their lives. To support this environment within the school, we include the following programs and strategies: - Bounce Back Program to encourage resilience - Explicit teaching of social skills - Whole school approach to student management - Buddy Program - Student Leadership teams - Multi-age days - Religious Education - Participation in Social Justice activities (e.g. Caritas) - Games and Hobbies Club one lunchtime per week - Seasons – a program to assist students to deal with loss - Student support programs - Transition programs

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Cameron University’s history is rooted in Oklahoma’s statehood. In 1908, a year after Statehood, the Oklahoma Legislature created six agricultural high schools – one in each judicial district. The Cameron State School of Agriculture was named for the Rev. E. D. Cameron, a Baptist minister and Oklahoma’s first State Superintendent of Schools. Cameron offers an honors program, early admission, advanced standing, a study abroad program, and college-level examination programs. Free tutoring is available in labs across campus and at the Office of Teaching and Learning, all designed to help students achieve academic success. For more than 20 years, Oklahoma Research Day continues to be THE premier annual event celebrating student and faculty research, creative, and scholarly activities. This conference has grown in numbers and in stature with contributions from all of Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education, including many collaborative contributions from national and international academic and research institutions. In 2019, Oklahoma Research Day hosted more than 700 registered students, faculty, and guests and featured 562 unique poster presentations. Cameron University Career Services assists students and alumni in achieving their career goals, by providing excellent career-related resources, programs, services, and opportunities that equip and empower them for the workforce. The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction Awards This is the place for current and prospective international students to find out more about Cameron University, the wide variety of degree options, and about life in Lawton, Oklahoma, USA. Student Housing at Cameron University is dedicated to providing a quality living experience that complements the academic mission of Cameron University and provides for the holistic development of our residents. Living on campus makes it easier for residents to be successful. At Cameron University, Student Housing is dedicated to providing the environment and resources to allow our residents to be successful in the classroom, as well as life. Cameron University Library supports the learning needs of the Cameron community by connecting students, faculty, staff, and community members to information resources and services. Cameron ITS provides direction and strategic planning for Cameron University in information delivery and computing standards, resources and management. We offer computer support, email support, networking administration, computer lab maintenance, audio/visual support, wireless connectivity, basic mobile device assistance, and distance learning services. The Student Wellness Center, located on the first floor of North Shepler, offers both acute medical care and mental health counseling for students at no charge. The Student Wellness Center is staffed by a Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner under the supervision of a Physician for quality health care service. Living on campus makes it easier for residents to be successful. At Cameron University, Student Housing is dedicated to providing the environment and resources to allow our residents to be successful in the classroom, as well as life. We thank you for taking the time to look over our webpage. The Aggie Rec Center offers a top quality facility designed to help assist you with your everyday fitness and recreational goals! The facility consists of the following areas: free and machine weight area, cardio area, group fitness area, spin room, indoor pool, basketball courts, sand volleyball court, three racquetball courts, stretch/personal DVD area, and outdoor patio. The Aggie Rec Center serves as the home base for the Aggie Mile walking/running trail and Disc Golf course. Cameron University realizes that Student Organizations are an integral part of the student experience. You are encouraged to find an organization that interests you and get involved! Cameron university is accredited by the higher learning commission. Starting as a B.A students in the university of buea Cameroon in ASTI (ADVANCED SCHOOL OF TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS) , my experience there is not bad because they make sure to improve the students language because it's a language which studies varieties ofb different languages , that performs our manner in talking or addressing to people becomes different . I would say... Tuition Fees are affordable comparatively, even better with in-state tuition waiver. In the psychology department, the professors are very eager to assist you in anyways they can. Scholarships are not quite as plentiful as other schools but as previously mentioned tuition is really not expensive. WELL IT HAS TO DO WITH ATTENDING LEACTURES LATE IN THE NIGHT Go to your profile page to get personalised recommendations!

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Teachers go on free school supply spree HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - With the new school year just around the corner, teachers are already preparing their classrooms. Tuesday morning, a new store aimed at helping them out with no out-of-pocket cost opened. Called 'Free2Teach,' it is open to teachers in Madison City, Madison County, and Huntsville City Schools. The store gets its supplies from donations. "Free2Teach has been very helpful i knowing that I can come here and just get the everyday supplies to help my students succeed," said third-grade teacher Paige Green. The store is on 9th Avenue between Memorial Parkway and Governors Drive in Huntsville. Organizers ask that you register with them online before you come to pick up supplies. You can also visit their website to learn how to donate. Copyright 2014 WAFF. All rights reserved.

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Come learn 2000+ kanji and 6000+ vocabulary words with WaniKani. noun, する verb Exhibit what you want to mention in a loud, clear statement. You have to say it if you want people to listen. This is a jukugo word that uses the on'yomi readings of the kanji. You should be able to read this on your own. First, the defendant will perform their opening statement.

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Integrate Technical, Social, and Cultural Dimensions of Science and Technology Incorporate technical scientific knowledge with analytical thinking from a social perspective. Focus on developing a broad understanding of the technical, historical, and social dimensions of science and technology. Curriculum options include engineering, the natural sciences, computer science, information sciences, business, the social sciences, and/or humanities. Take an interdisciplinary approach to explore the significance, challenges, and effects that science and technology present to society. Contact us today to discuss your academic pathway! Blended Schedule Advising Appointment [email protected] Phone: 256.824.6673 Chat with CPS Advisor Explore the Ways that Technology and Science Affect Our World Today! Use interdisciplinary framework to gain perspective on connections between science/technology and the social world: Effectively blend technical knowledge with communication capabilities to adapt technical information to non-technical situations Analyze information using both quantitative and qualitative skills Apply critical and analytical thought processes to examine the interaction of social and cultural conditions with science and technology Discover the professional, cultural, and ethical impact of technical and scientific innovations Study science and technology through an interdisciplinary lens Easily adapt from a technical environment to a business environment Bachelor of Arts/Science in Professional Studies Program of Study — Technology, Science, and Society Concentration (120 hours) Charger Foundations (General Ed - 41 Hours) AGSC Area Hours I Freshman Composition 3-6 II1 Fine Arts 3 Humanities (literature) 3 Humanities (literature or non-literature) 3 Humanities/Fine Arts 3 III Mathematics 3-4 Natural Sciences (lab) 8 IV1 History 3 Social & Behavioral Sciences (non-history) 6 History/SBS 3 1Take either 1 EH (Literature) + 2 HY (History) or 2 EH (Literature) + 1 HY (History). Take no more than six hours in a single discipline in Area II or Area IV. General Electives2 (27-34 Hours) Choose any course at any level, not required to be major-related. 2Up to 34 hours technical credit may be accepted as electives. Interdisciplinary Core (18 Hours) PRO 301 Theories & Practices of Adult Learning (waived w/permission) 7 week term 3 PRO 310 Academic Writing for Professional Studies 7 week term 3 PRO 320 Interdisciplinary Perspectives & Critical Thinking 7 week term 3 PRO 325 Interdisciplinary Research & Applications 7 week term 3 PRO 498 Inquiry & Learning 10 week term 3 PRO 499 Capstone Experience: Research Thesis/Project Full term 3 Interdisciplinary Concentration - Technology, Science, and Society (30 Hours) PRO 322 Technology Science and Society for Interdisciplinary Studies 3 Science, Engineering, and/or Technology Related Courses 12-21 Arts, Humanities & Social Science Related Courses 9-18 Total Degree Requirements 120 View/Print Program of Study PDF Technology, Science and Society Skills and Careers Skills and Careers Why Technology, Science, and Society? Our interdisciplinary concentrations prepare students to meet the demands of a competitive and diverse labor market. Check out Career Planning Resources!

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There's still time to apply and start teacher training this September. Find your postgraduate teacher training course now(opens in new window). Citizens of every country in the world can apply to train to teach in England. Already a qualified teacher? If you’re already a qualified teacher, find out how you can teach in England if you completed your teacher training outside the UK. Why train to teach in England? Teacher training in England is practical, hands-on and supportive. As an international applicant, you’ll have the opportunity to train at a world class institution where creativity and innovation is valued, gaining lots of classroom experience along the way. When you have successfully completed your training, you will be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window), a professional qualification valued globally. QTS will allow you to teach in all schools in England. Some courses combine QTS with a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) or postgraduate diploma in education (PGDE). These are optional: you do not need a PGCE or PGDE to teach in England. Read teachers’ stories about the rewards of training to teach in England. Other ways to train You can also apply to train to teach in Wales(opens in new window), train to teach in Scotland(opens in new window) or train to teach in Northern Ireland(opens in new window). If you don’t want to come to England to study you can apply to train for international qualified teacher status (iQTS). This meets the same high standards as English qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window) and, if successfully completed, leads to the automatic award of QTS. For teachers who qualified outside the UK, as well as those with teaching experience, other routes to qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window) are also open. Need to know When you plan your training, bear in mind that: - international candidates can expect to pay between £12,000 and £22,000, plus living costs, to train (depending on your immigration status, you may get a reduction in fees and some financial support) - training lasts one 1 academic year full-time, or longer part-time - you can apply for paid teaching jobs as soon as you successfully complete your training - you’ll earn at least £25,000 a year, and £32,000 in London, when you qualify as a teacher - you can update, extend or switch your visa to live and work in the UK long-term Apply for teacher training We can help you make an application for teacher training in England. Sign up for a teacher training adviser to get help right away and throughout the application process. 1. Get support and advice For help applying, you can: - sign up to get a teacher training adviser(opens in new window) – you’ll be asked for your phone number, email and location so a dedicated adviser can call you back in your time zone - call +44 800 389 2500, Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 5:30pm (UK local time) – calls will be charged at your standard rate - use the live chat service at the bottom of this page 2. Check your eligibility To train to teach in England, you will need: - a bachelor’s degree (this can be from a university outside the UK) - an English language qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - a maths qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE - if teaching children aged 3 to 11 in primary school, a physics, chemistry or biology (science) qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE A GCSE is an academic qualification awarded for exams in England, usually taken at age 16. You will also need to: - have the health and physical capacity to train to teach - undergo safeguarding and criminal record checks carried out by your training provider or employer Help comparing English and international qualifications For help, call us on +44 800 389 2500. We can check your degree and other qualifications meet the standards set for English teacher training. When you make your application for teacher training, some teacher training providers will want to see a statement of comparability(opens in new window) from the UK European Network of Information Centres (UK ENIC). A statement of comparability proves that your school and university qualifications are the same standard as UK GCSEs and a UK undergraduate degree. We can help you with a free statement of comparability, once you’ve submitted your application, if your provider asks for this. English language, maths and science proficiency Your English language qualification could be evidence you’ve reached a certain standard in an English language test, for example, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)(opens in new window), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)(opens in new window), or C2 Proficiency, formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)(opens in new window), If you haven’t passed an English language test like this, or do not have qualifications in maths or science which are the same standard as grade 4 GCSE, some teacher training providers will let you sit tests in these subjects. It’s best to contact them to ask about their policy before you apply. If you do not have a university degree If you do not have a degree, you can apply to study a 3 to 4 year undergraduate course in England(opens in new window) which combines a teaching degree with qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window). When you complete your studies, you’ll be able to apply for jobs as a teacher in England. The UK Council for International Student Affairs(opens in new window) have lots of helpful information about studying at an English university. 3. Find out about fees and financial support Fees vary between training providers, but range from about £12,000 to about £22,000 in total. You’ll also have to pay your living costs. Alternatively, you can apply for a salaried teacher training course, and earn money while you train in a school. However, these courses are limited in number and very competitive. You will usually need to have achieved highly in your bachelor’s degree and have at least 3 years’ relevant work experience. Any financial support, for example a reduction in your fees to the rate paid by UK applicants (set at a maximum of £9,250) is dependent on your immigration status. Most international candidates will not be eligible for financial support. Already living in the UK? You may be eligible to get financial support with your teacher training course if you: Check your eligibility for financial support(opens in new window). 4. Search and apply for teacher training courses Find postgraduate teacher training courses(opens in new window) in England leading to qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window). When you have chosen your course, you can apply for teacher training(opens in new window). First apply for your training place, then apply for your visa If you need a visa to train to teach in England, you must have a confirmed offer of a training place on a course offering student or skilled worker visa sponsorship before you apply for your visa. You can search for courses where student or skilled worker visa sponsorship is available(opens in new window). You can also search by location, teaching subject and age group, and for courses which pay a salary. Due to rules about immigration, not all providers can accept international applicants – we suggest you contact them before you apply to check. Already living in the UK? If you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme(opens in new window), or indefinite leave to remain(opens in new window), you can apply to any English teacher training provider. Choosing a subject to teach and preparing to apply The subject you apply to teach must usually be the same, or closely related to, the subject you studied at university. (For example, engineering graduates can apply to train to teach physics, but computer science graduates are unlikely to be accepted to train to teach geography.) Your teacher training adviser can help with: - your choice of subject - writing a personal statement - ways to research the English education system - preparing for your interview Ways to train You can train in a school or in a university setting, and study full-time (over a year) or part-time (over 2 or more years). Get a dedicated adviser(opens in new window) to learn about the different types of courses available, or explore how to train to be a teacher in England. You may also wish to read detailed guidance about fee-paying and salaried courses and qualified teacher status(opens in new window). 5. Apply for your visa If you’re not sure about your immigration status, you can check if you need a UK visa(opens in new window). You can also contact UK Visas and Immigration for help(opens in new window). Already living in the UK? If you don’t already have an immigration status allowing you to train to teach in the UK, you’ll need to apply for a student visa(opens in new window). You can do this once you have a confirmed offer of a training place from a training provider who can sponsor student visas. If you have a place on a salaried training course, you’ll need a skilled worker visa(opens in new window). Alternatively, you may be eligible for a different type of visa which allows you to study without being sponsored by your training provider or employer. Find out more about applying for the right visa for your teacher training course(opens in new window). 6. Plan your move to the UK Visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs(opens in new window) for advice about immigration, finding a place to live and opening a bank account. Their Student Advice Line(opens in new window) also offers support over the phone. Your teacher training provider may also be able to help you plan your move to the UK – contact them directly to ask. 7. Complete your teacher training and gain qualified teacher status (QTS) If you’re accepted on to a teacher training course in England, you’ll train for one year (or longer if you’re part-time) to gain qualified teacher status (QTS)(opens in new window). Apply for your first teaching job When you have qualified teacher status, you will be able to apply for paid teaching jobs in all schools in England. To find a teaching job, you must apply to individual schools (not the Department for Education). Use the Teaching Vacancies(opens in new window) service to search for jobs by region, subject specialism and age group. You may need to apply for a different visa to work in England as a qualified teacher. Our guidance for non-UK nationals wishing to teach in England(opens in new window) explains the skilled worker visa and covers other ways you can update, extend or switch your visa when you finish your training. Learn more about your first teaching job in England(opens in new window). Learn more about life as a teacher and the English education system Join the Aspiring Teachers Forum on Facebook(opens in new window). Read interviews with real teachers. Learn more about English education: - types of English school(opens in new window) - curriculum and qualifications(opens in new window) - behaviour and discipline in schools(opens in new window) - Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)(opens in new window) - The Education Endowment Foundation(opens in new window) – a charity gathering international evidence on teaching 5 to 16 year olds - Times Educational Supplement (TES)(opens in new window) – information and resources for teachers The Department for Education does not administer teacher training courses or appoint teachers, so we cannot help with individual applications to training providers or schools. You can get support and advice with your application. However, if you have general questions about the information on this page, you can email us at [email protected].

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School for Newly Arrived Haitians An American poetry therapist and a Haitian-American U.S. Army veteran founded a public high school four years ago for the growing Haitian community in the small city in Delray Beach, Fla. They named the school the Toussaint L'Ouverture School for the Arts and Social Justice, after the father of Haiti's independence movement. These students, most recently arrived from Haiti, learn in their native Creole language and in English. About 65 percent of the students studying there are recently arrived immigrants from Haiti, which has been battered in the past year by deadly floods and ongoing political strife. In their English class, the students write poetry to describe the problems in Haiti -- and also express their own hopes and dreams. This "audio postcard" from Youth Radio features poetry by students Sherely Luc and Vanessa Ramier, as well as a church choral from the high school girls’ choir. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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When the pressure rises in the workplace, nerves often affect our communication skills. We can end up bigging ourselves up to try to make ourselves sound important, but it usually makes us sound pushy and pompous. Alternatively, stuttering or mumbling indicates a lack of confidence and self-doubt. So, how do we impress our colleagues with our calm and collected people skills? Here, communication coach Robin Kermode highlights five things not to do when you’re talking to colleagues… 1. Dont big yourself up. How many times has a colleague asked you at the coffee machine or at a networking event, ‘What are you up to this weekend?’ only to follow it up immediately with ‘Well, we’re going a mini-break to Paris’ - or something that they think is equally smart? That isn’t really a question, it’s just an excuse to boast about themselves, which makes you feel small, and no one likes to be made to feel small. In the same vein, often people can end up sounding self-important when giving a talk at work because nerves make them wear a public mask of formality. To avoid this, make sure you speak with your natural, genuine voice, avoiding jargon or phrases you wouldn’t normally use. This ensures you stay down to earth and colleagues get to see the real ‘you’. 2. Dont underplay yourself to impress others. Nerves can also make us put others on a pedestal. When you bump into a celebrity that you idolise or the CEO of the company that you really admire, it’s hard to have a regular conversation without getting nervous. We think that by underplaying ourselves, even knocking our achievements will make ourselves more likeable, but in fact, it does the opposite! When you display self-doubt, people will struggle to believe in you and you won’t be taken seriously. Show respect, of course, but speak on a peer-to-peer basis. People will only connect with us if we give them respect and we respect ourselves. 3. Dont ride the roller coaster of emotions be consistent! Consistency is important when it comes to ensuring that your colleagues respect you. As a manager, if you are clear and consistent in your expectations, your team will know where it stands and will know how to meet your targets. This is true across the corporate world. Consistency is vital when it comes to a customer’s expectations of a brand. When we visit a business’ website or see an advert on the TV, we immediately recognise the design, colour scheme and font. Consistent branding, across all platforms, helps us to feel a particular way about a corporation and as a result, we know what to expect from that business. Conduct yourself in the same way. In the workplace, your colleagues, clients and friends will have set expectations about you, and if you aren’t consistent, they will be uncertain about you and your character. 4. Dont speak before thinking. In the same way that you shouldn’t write anything in an email that you wouldn’t want on the front page of a newspaper, you shouldn’t say things before thinking about the consequences. Although this is easier said than done, it can really help prevent any awkward situations with colleagues and clients. Not only can you look foolish by jumping in too soon, it can actually pay off to sit back and see what’s really going on in a meeting, so you can take an intelligent and measured approach. 5. Dont be dishonest. Authenticity is about being genuine, saying what you mean and what you believe. Your colleagues will spot inauthenticity a mile off. It pays to be honest and it will gain you respect in the long run. The HR department is a good example of an authentic body in the workplace. It provides honest feedback in appraisals and in times of crisis, is the first point of call for a helping hand. In order for the department to work within the wider company, there needs to be a level of trust and this is the same for individual relationships.

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Presentations and public speaking are not everybody’s cup of tea. But, an engaging deck can help ensure your presentation goes smoothly. It not only helps attract and keep the viewers’ attention, but can also aid you in better getting your message across. While a poorly designed and executed presentation can distract, a stellar presentation deck will help you achieve your goals. Read on for 10 tips to ensure your presentations are visually pleasing and engaging: 1. First and foremost, focus on the content As important as it is to have a visually dynamic presentation deck, the key component to your presentation is interesting and engaging content that is relevant to your audience. Create an outline for your presentation and ensure the points you make are interesting, concise and key to the topic at hand. 2. Develop a look for the presentation and continue that look throughout the deck Having visual consistency helps to unify the slides and keep the reader focused on the content and not distracted by a lack of visual harmony. Use the same colors and typography throughout to give a visual flow. 3. Select fonts and colors that will be easy to read and won’t be a distraction It is imperative that the presentation deck is designed to read well and serve as a background to the content. If it is a corporate piece, make sure you follow brand guidelines for fonts and colors to connect with your company’s branding. If it is a standalone presentation, select fonts that are clean and simple, and consider an accent font to add personality. Also remember to use colors that are pleasing to the eye. The information on the slides is key and shouldn’t be overwhelmed by garish colors and illegible fonts. Also make sure the fonts are at a size that is easy to read from a distance. 4. Don’t overwhelm the slides with too much text A presentation deck is meant to be a guide for the speaker, not a script to follow verbatim. The audience will be listening to what you say– forcing them to try to listen and read at the same time makes it harder for them to comprehend your message. Keep it simple; highlight the main points you are covering on each slide, and then speak to the slide in more detail. You can use the slide notes area to write comments for yourself to cover, but don’t give it all away on the slide. If you’re presenting complex information, you can always create a secondary document that carries the content and give that as a handout after the presentation. 5. Consider your topic transitions Often a presentation will be broken down into numerous sub-topics. In order to help your audience digest the information more effectively, visual breaks in your presentation are a necessity. If you have a presentation where content is presented on a predominantly white slide, use a title slide of a different color or with a full image background to help the viewer pause and understand that you are moving into another topic. 6. Use high quality graphics and photography Your audience will judge your presentation based on the visuals you choose. Inserting low quality clip art into your presentation is distracting and looks unprofessional. There are many stock photography sites available that give access to beautiful, high-quality photography and illustrations. Utilize these sites to select photos and graphics that fit in with the deck’s overall visual theme. This will create consistency in your slides and help viewers relate to the presentation topic. 7. Use clean and easy-to-understand charts and graphs for data Charts and graphs are meant to make data easier to understand. Choose clean fonts and bold colors that match the rest of your deck (but also create contrast) to make the data easier to digest. 8. Avoid using too many special effects and animations PowerPoint offers many types of animations that are meant to add “pizazz” to your deck – however, when overused, these animations end up being a distraction. When making the choice to incorporate one of these effects, ask yourself, “is this adding to my presentation or distracting from it?” You want the audience to listen to your presentation and reflect on the content, not be thrown off by the way the headline or image zooms in. 9. Limit the number of slides you use Using too many slides and flipping through them too quickly can be overwhelming to the audience. Having the ideal number of slides and speed requires a good marriage between the content per slide and how that content is presented. Each slide should carry one to two talking points where the presenter can stop on the slide and elaborate on those points for the audience. Presenting one slide per minute is a good rule of thumb. 10. Practice, practice, practice A visually stunning deck is a great way to hold your audience’s attention, however it won’t do much good if the person giving the presentation is unprepared. A successful presentation requires a combination of displaying the content effectively and presenting the content in an engaging way. Practice your presentation to ensure the timing is right and all the necessary points are covered – this will allow you to see where there are gaps in the visuals and establish a confident tone that will hold the audience’s interest. Whether you love or hate public speaking, use these tips in your next presentation deck to retain attention and better emphasize your message. And, if you’re not sure where to start, The Agency at Sikich can help with the visuals and messaging to create an effective, engaging presentation.

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Well, 2015 was an exciting year. It was so exciting that it’s kept me away from this space for a while. I know you thought I’d gone on some walkabout. Well, I did, sort of. This same time last year, my book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain had been out only six weeks. As more and more teachers began reading it, I wanted to find out what was going on in classrooms around CRT. So, I set out to learn what questions, misconceptions, and challenges teachers had related to it. Over the 10 months that followed, I crisscrossed the country and listened as teachers talked about CRT. Here are five things I learned about how they think about culturally responsive teaching that might be getting in the way. 1. Teachers still think of CRT as separate from “regular” teaching. On several occasions, a group of teachers would be talking and someone would say, “But when I go back to regular teaching…” When we think of culturally responsive teaching as different from our “regular” instructional routine, we reinforce the mindset that it’s an add-on set of strategies. Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings reminds us that culturally responsive teaching is “just good teaching.” 2. Leaders still conceive of it as simply about social-emotional learning and not about cognitive development. I was talking with a teacher during a recent workshop. She was very interested in setting up more culturally responsive structures and routines that were focused on reducing stress before the main lesson began. When I asked her why she hadn’t, she said that her principal pushed back on the idea. “ He said he wants us to focus on getting test scores up, not on relationships or CRT.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate that there’s been a much needed focus on SEL in schools in the past few years. Yet, not understanding how the CRT and SEL are connected is short sighted. Unfortunately, there’s still not enough effort to connect the dots between what neuroscience tells us about SEL, relational trust, and the student’s ability to do higher order thinking or deep learning. These are at the heart of what it means to be culturally responsive. It’s not either/or but both/and. If you want more information to help them connect the dots, check out The Social Neuroscience of Education. 3. Teachers still confuse CRT with multicultural education. Another mindset that keeps teachers from implementing culturally responsive teaching effectively is the fact that they confuse CRT with multicultural education. If we were to do a Venn diagram, I’m sure we’d see some overlap. But the truth is culturally responsive teaching and multicultural education each have very different purposes. Multicultural education is focused on celebrating the diversity among students. It aims to expose children to different cultural traditions through literature and social experiences. On the other hand, culturally responsive teaching is focused not on celebrating diversity but on using culture as a cognitive scaffold for processing new content during learning. Remember, each is important, but multicultural education doesn’t concern itself with cognitive development and increasing brainpower for culturally and linguistically diverse students like CRT does. 4. Teachers have a limited definition of what it means to be a warm demander. It’s funny how many times I’d hear a teacher say, “Oh, I already do that,” when I talk about being a warm demander. Turns out they were usually talking about being a “no non-sense nurturer” as it relates to classroom management. It’s a pretty common stance these days thanks to Doug Lemov’s “warm/strict” technique made popular in his book, Teach Like a Champion. But, that’s just half the story. In culturally responsive teaching, the warm demander stance isn’t about classroom management but about getting the student’s permission to push him cognitively into his zone of proximal development (ZPD). The demanding part involves helping students stay focused and persevere through the hard parts of learning with care. (Oh yeah, another SEL connection: Relational trust is the key to getting students’ permission to push them). 5. Most teachers can’t figure out how to bridge the “knowing-doing” gap. The last mindset I came across on a regular basis this year was the confusion many teachers have around how to move from understanding culturally responsive teaching conceptually and operationalizing it in their classrooms. To successfully implement CRT we have to consider some of the mundane things that go into effective teaching like time, routines, groupwork, formative assessments, and timely corrective feedback, to name a few. Developing a CRT growth mindset in 2016. Think about how these mindsets show up around culturally responsive teaching for you. This year, I’ll be spending time thinking about how to support more teachers to implement elements of CRT in their classrooms and how to help them cultivate a growth-oriented mindset toward CRT so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Here’s to a fruitful 2016.

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Counseling Office Hours 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Students are welcome to come in before school, after school, or during their lunch period. Students are also welcome to come in during the above times to make appointments to see their counselors by asking Ms. Guerrero or Ms. Folley at the front desk for an appointment slip, filling it out, and turning it back in to them. PHONE: (210) 356-0800 FAX: (210) 442-0326 Ms. Beth Farmer - (210) 356-0851 Ms. Norma Folley - (210) 356-0855 Ms. Tina Guerrero - (210) 356-0853 Ms. Christina Valdez - (210) 356-0852 Comprehensive Guidance Plan The guidance curriculum is designed to systematically provide lessons to students that facilitate growth, development, and transferable skills in the areas of educational, career, personal, and social development. Guidance lesson topics will include Healthy Coping Skills and Mental Health, Healthy Relationships, Bullying, Cyber-Bullying, and Social Media Safety, and Healthy Life Choices. The purpose of responsive services is to intervene on behalf of students whose immediate personal concerns or circumstances put their continued educational, career, personal, and social development at risk. These services include responding to crisis, individual counseling, group counseling, and parent conferences. The purpose of individual planning is to guide all students as they plan, monitor, and manage their individual educational, career, personal, and social development. The purpose of system support is to identify and coordinate resources and activities on campus and in the community that indirectly benefit students.

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VANCOUVER, B.C. – A new partnership between Vancouver Community College (VCC) and the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) will benefit students and industry professionals interested in improving accessibility in commercial and public settings. The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program is designed to rate a given site or facility's overall accessibility against a national, universal scale. VCC will offer a two-week RHFAC Accessibility Assessors training beginning Sept. 25, to help people with disabilities, professionals already working in the field, or others interested in learning to analyze a site or facility for overall accessibility. Students are trained through interactive instructor presentations, in-class exercises, disability simulation experiences, reading assignments, and small and large group work. The training course will prepare students to become Accessibility Assessors and conduct ratings using RHFAC criteria. For those wanting formal accreditation, students must pass a written exam administered by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) after completing the course. Graduates will gain skills to become independent consultants to conduct RHFAC ratings and provide expertise in Universal Design, and support community education and awareness on the importance of accessibility. “We know the importance of what a program like this truly means to people’s lives. With one of the highest population of students with disabilities in post-secondary in the province, we are acquainted with the wide range of mobility challenges people contend with on a daily basis. It’s wonderful to work with RHF to make a difference by training the professionals who will contribute to creating better facilities that work for everyone,” says Kathryn McNaughton, vice-president, academic, students and research. “We’re very excited to combine the expertise of Vancouver Community College and the Rick Hansen Foundation to deliver this course as part of continuing education in B.C. Well-trained assessors are at the heart of the RHF Accessibility Certification program. It will bring new opportunities for anyone interested in creating more accessible built environments and help move access considerations into the normal design process,” says Brad McCannell, vice-president, access and inclusion, RHF. About Vancouver Community College: VCC celebrates more than 50 years of inspiring students to reach their career and educational goals, offering post-secondary training in 125 programs including bachelor's degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeships. With three campuses located on Broadway, Downtown, and on Annacis Island, students can choose from hands-on instruction in culinary arts, business, design, health sciences, hospitality, transportation trades, and music. About the Rick Hansen Foundation: The Rick Hansen Foundation was established in 1988, following the completion of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour, to continue raising funds and awareness to create a world without barriers for people with disabilities. Over nearly 30 years, RHF has made transformational change in raising awareness and removing barriers for people with disabilities, and funding research for the cure and care of people with spinal cord injuries. Today, the Foundation focuses on improving accessibility to create a world that’s accessible and inclusive for all. Media can contact: Amanda Basi, Manager, Accessibility Certification Program Rick Hansen Foundation Karen Wilson, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications Vancouver Community College 604.871.7000, ext. 7429, [email protected]

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Wales Campus Frequently Asked Questions How do two schools share a campus? The school district of Kettle Moraine commonly uses the model of hosting multiple learning environments on one campus. This allows for collaboration between legacy and charter environments, as well as provides efficiencies of sharing staff, space and operational costs. Wales Elementary occupies the central and north ends of the first floor and the entire second floor on the Wales Campus. KM Explore is housed on the south and west ends of the first floor. Both schools share common spaces on the campus such as the cafeteria, library, playground, gym, music room and art room. Classroom teachers have a dedicated teaching assignment either at Wales Elementary or at KM Explore. Specialist teachers, support teachers, and paraprofessionals have shared responsibility depending on their role and need. Both schools use the main, secure entrance facing Oak Crest Drive. Who is the administrative leader in the building and what is their roles? Chris Otto is the Wales Campus Principal, and the KM Explore Director. Mr. Otto leads teachers in curriculum initiatives and instructional programming for students at Wales Elementary and KM Explore. Mr. Otto also serves as the Director of Operations for the Wales Campus, including student, staff and building safety, and facility needs. Do the two schools participate in events, field trips and activities together? Part of the reason for having two separate schools, instead of just a program or track, is because there are two distinct identities, philosophies and initiatives. Thus, not every field trip, activity or event aligns to both schools’ pedagogies. From time to time, the entire campus is together for certain events, assemblies and activities. Other times, schools, grade levels or classrooms participate in their own planned events and activities. How are the two schools funded? All schools in the Kettle Moraine School District are funded on a per pupil basis. This means that dollars follow the child and the building budget is set based, in part, on the number of students that attend. Both KM Explore and Wales Elementary have their own operating budgets.

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Our CTE classes are aligned with California’s CTE Model Curriculum Standards, and the pathways all focus on preparation for post-secondary success and connect core academic content with real-world applications. Our award winning programs and teachers are nationally recognized.Additionally, most CTE courses also meet the University of California A-G subject requirements. Education Code Section 51226 provides legal authority to develop the CTE standards and framework. This legislation requires the development and adoption of CTE standards that incorporate the integration of career technical and academic education no later than June 1, 2005. The original CTE Model Curriculum Standards were adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) on May 11, 2005. The standards, written for grades seven through twelve, specify learning goals in 58 career pathways organized around 15 industry sectors. The California State Plan for Career Technical Education, A BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE 2008–2012, approved by the State Board of Education in May 2008, provides guidance for California’s CTE programs in California. The State Plan states, “CTE programs are dynamic; curricula need to stay current with rapid changes in the workplace, requiring ongoing updates and learning on the part of CTE faculty.” The adoption of the English Language Arts and Mathematics Common Core State Standards furthered the need to revise and align the CTE Standards with this new academic core. Commencing in May 2011, 117 individuals representing secondary and post-secondary education and business and industry met to review the 2005 standards and make recommendations for improvement. Following the May 2011 meeting, industry sector meetings were held to develop the revised CTE standards based on the recommendations. Subsequently, the revised CTE Standards were share with the general public for public review, comment, and suggestions. Once the CTE Standards were revised, academic and CTE teachers collaborated on the alignment with the Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Core Ideas, and the History/Social Science Standards. The newly revised CTE Model Curriculum Standards designed to prepare students to be both Career and College ready were adopted by the SBE on January 16, 2013.

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There is a cottage industry that exists in consulting and coaching Corporate America in speech and presentation skills. There is some information out there on the preparation of presentation materials, but virtually no information on preparing for the best live and recorded presentation. There is a certain give and take with considerations to the live audience versus the DVD or web viewers, and it is helpful to know how to maximize the quality for both. PowerPoint (and other presentation materials) If designing your own PowerPoint presentation, try to use dark backgrounds like blue with white letters. White or light backgrounds create a great deal of contrast between the relatively low light level on the presenter and the brightness of the screen. Blue makes a nice background that also compliments skin tone and makes it look warmer. It is best to be able to secure either a rear screen or be able to position the laptop and projector close enough to the screen that the presenter is never standing in the projection. It is best to stand between the projector and the audience and definitely to be closer to the audience, if possible, than the screen. You can refer to the slide without having to physically touch it. A laser pointer can be effective when there is a lot of information up there, but most of the time, the audience can follow the information on the simpler slides. It is more pleasing to have the presenter looking forward at the audience instead of looking back at the screen. It is much easier to get a good video with the presenter downstage with the slide behind and slightly above him. It makes it easier to light also. Many presentation consultants coach that a lot of movement gives the presenter and the audience a sense of energy and helps the presenter “stay in the flow.” This technique may need to be modified for a video/DVD presentation. Constant pacing back and forth makes it difficult for the camera to follow; resulting in either a wide shot or a constant panning that will make the viewer sick. Come to think of, constant pacing can sometimes make the live audience sick also. Try to use your arms and body to express yourself without moving out of a five by five area, for the most part. There are times when moving through the audience or making a dramatic move from one end to the other is effective, but not if it is done throughout the presentation. Use this energy instead in your vocal and gesture expression. This is one of the classic trade-off issues between the live audience and video cameras. Low lighting is often aesthetically pleasing for presentation materials and the comfort of the audience and presenter. However, even good cameras need some light and the more light, the less grainy. Positioning the presenter as described above makes it possible to put one diffused spot-type light on the presenter without spilling on the screen. This light will likely be positioned somewhat to the side and as far back out of the way as possible. Some room lighting on the audience would be desirable. Fluorescent lighting should be avoided if possible. Best to wear a colored shirt, such as blue. Avoid solid white, thin stripes or a big contrast between a dark suit and light shirt, if possible. Most men’s suits make it very easy to apply a lapel mic and make it as inconspicuous as a tie tack. Women’s suits are also easy, but a dress or jacketless shirt that has no collar or neckline is a little more difficult to deal with. Since there is usually not a lot of time to mic a presenter, it is recommended to wear a suit jacket if possible. Finally, it is necessary to mic any presenter. Often the presenter will already have a microphone in order to be heard over a house AV sound system. The video camera person then has the option of taking an audio cable out of the house sound system, providing he can position himself close enough to the system or has enough cable and set-up time to be further away. Speaking of set-up time, the camera operator will need a few extra minutes to test the house sound coming into his camera, which is best done prior to the audience entering the room. The sound may come through distorted or be incompatible with the camera. This is why I usually opt for putting my own wireless mic on the presenter, even if he/she is already wearing one. The best option would be to use both sources, just in case, but this is not always feasible. If and only if the entire presentation will take place from a podium, a second mic (wireless or hard-wired can be secured to the podium. The general audio of the audience will be picked up by the presenter’s mic and possible a secondary ambient mic. Additional considerations exist for Q&A. There is often structured and unstructured Q&A and it is difficult to anticipate everything that may happen and record all this audio. A handheld mic could be run around the room or a boom mic operator could go crazy trying to cover it all, but usually it is very cumbersome for the presenter to manage this. We suggest the presenter always try to repeat the questions for the benefit of the viewers and the live audience. Setting-up and testing just one camera, one wireless mic and one light, takes at least a half hour, preferably one hour to be safe, if possible. The cameraperson needs to add time on top of this to make sure he/she can park and get into the facility in a timely fashion. For more than two presenters, most cameras have two inputs, a separate audio/mixer package would be needed and set-up time would be doubled. It is best for the presenter or meeting planner and the camera operator to either be familiar with the location or get a good description of the facility by asking all of these questions.

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02-02-2022 04:45 PM - edited 02-02-2022 05:03 PM After a very uncertain two years, it's natural that planning for the future may feel really tough for young people. On our online community for teens, we've been hearing from young people about how a lot of them are struggling a bit with motivation, or feeling really worried about their future plans. We've put together some resources here that may be helpful for any parents and carers who are looking for ways to support their teens who are worried about the future, or unsure about what comes next. Headspace work and study are free programs that support 15-25 year olds to plan a career, find employment, or work towards further education - services include one to one support with careers specialists, to linking in with industry-specific mentors. It's available online or over the phone, and having that kind of practical support can be really helpful to young people who may be about to finish school or further study, and aren't sure what is the best path for them to take. We'd love to hear from you -how is your teen feeling about the year ahead? I know in my family, my tween is still having slightly mixed feelings about what this year may bring - on one hand, they're really excited to be back at school and in a more 'normal' routine. On the other hand, they still find it hard to get really excited about the year ahead, because they experienced so many cancelled plans and disappointment in the last 2 years. I'm hoping that I can help to support her to build coping skills- as well as doing the same for myself - and that smoother waters lie ahead.

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Location: Life Sciences Building, Room 313, 501 S. Nedderman Dr., Arlington, TX 76019 Mailing address: P.O. Box 19528 What is Psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychologists study emotional, cognitive, and social processes and behaviors in people. They study mental processes and human behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and the environment. Psychologists strive to understand and articulate the thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behaviors of their clients. They use techniques including observation, assessment, and experimentation, and they gather information and evaluate behavior through controlled laboratory experiments, psychoanalysis, or psychotherapy. They also may administer personality, performance, aptitude, or intelligence tests. As an academic discipline, psychology is extremely wide-ranging in scope. Some of the most common areas of specialty in psychology include: neuropsychology, health psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, forensic psychology, clinical psychology, and counseling psychology. Clinical and counseling psychologists typically need doctoral degrees, but for other areas, graduates can secure jobs with bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Some psychologists work alone, while others work as part of teams at healthcare, academic, or other institutions, and still others work as consultants. Psychology Degree Programs - Bachelor of Science in Psychology - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Master of Science in Psychology (Specialization in Industrial/Organizational) - Master of Science in Learning Analytics - Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology

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SIMPSON PRIZE COMPETITION The Simpson Prize is a national competition for Year 9 and 10 students that focuses on the service of Australians in World War I. One winner and one runner-up from each State and Territory will participate in a three-day program in Canberra in early 2022. Winning students will also travel to key historical and commemorative site/s across Australia noting that the final itinerary is subject to confirmation.* Subject to COVID19 restrictions RESULTS 2022 SIMPSON PRIZE The Simpson Prize Advisory Committee will like to congratulate the successful students in the 2022 Simpson Prize as follows: Essays can be accessed by clicking on the student’s name Australian Capital Territory Lucy Yang-Tobler, Canberra High School New South Wales Mia Luu, The McDonald College Northern Territory Gabriella Francis, Dripstone Middle School Queensland William Shackel Anglican Church Grammar School South Australia Matthew Jones, Blackfriars Priory School Tasmania Henry Carls, St Patrick’s College Victoria Katrina Luu, Presbyterian Ladies’ College Western Australia Qi Qi, Liu Willetton Senior High School Australian Capital Territory Fae Indrele, Canberra High School New South Wales Lana Marsic, Mercy Catholic College Northern Territory Eli Ramirez, Dripstone Middle School Queensland Vy Nguyen, St Monica’s College South Australia Charlee Hunter, Kadina Memorial School Tasmania Eve Cooper, The Friends’ School Victoria Serene Karanuratne, Presbyterian Ladies’ College Western Australia Navisha Shukla, Karratha Senior High School 2023 Simpson Prize Question How significant was Australia’s contribution to the Allied military victory on the Western Front in 1918? The Simpson Prize requires you to respond to the question above using both the Simpson Prize Australian War Memorial Source Selection (https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/simpson2023) and your own research. You are encouraged to discuss and respond to the question from a variety of perspectives, both individual and national using a variety of sources. You are expected to make effective use of a minimum of four of the sources provided (see link above). Up to half of your response should also make use of information drawn from your own knowledge and research. Schools are permitted to submit up to 3 Student Entries. Submissions will be due by 5.00pm Friday 4 November 2022 NOTE: If you have submitted entries for judging you would have received an automated receipt. If not please check your junk mail. If you have not received pleae submit again. Students: Please go to Student Entry Requirements before beginning your entry. Teachers: Teachers who are submitting student entries are eligible to become a teacher chaperone for Simpson Prize activities, please go to Teacher Chaperone Entry Requirements for details. Note: Winners will participate in Simpson Prize activities in 2023 How to submit completed entries is found at How to submit entries The competition is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and run by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia.

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The Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings course is designed to teach students the development of humans from early to elder years. This units of this course teach students to develop a broad range of skills such as: - Development of babies children – covering birth and pregnancy, - Childhood and Adulthood Development – healthy lifestyles and safeguarding, - Caring for the elderly – including living with Dementia The course is theory based, but practical tasks have been introduced to make it as hands on and practical as possible. Students will use realistic dolls to dress and learn how to deliver personal care. They will learn how to make up baby bottles for safely feeding a new born, and they will learn techniques to support dementia patients. The assessments of the course are in the form of creative displays, rather than lots of essay writing. This course can set students up for further Level 2 study in Health and Social Care or apprenticeships in the industry. It is designed to introduce students to careers in Childcare, Paramedics, Nursing, Caring, Midwifery and other Healthcare. Meet Your Tutor Wendy is the Vocational Tutor for Health and Social Care at St Eds. Wendy worked in the sector for 28 years, predominantly in residential and nursing homes, so she is extremely experienced. She completed her nursing exams and was lucky enough to travel the world as a nanny for an Australian family. Following this, she started training staff at care homes across Norfolk and Suffolk. She realised her passion was to capture the minds of students at a young age. She believes that everyone can learn and develop given the right learning environment, support and encouragement. She believes there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a learner realise their potential, work towards a qualification and then achieve it.

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Unique Partnership with Toyota and National Center for Families Learning Benefits Literacy A national two-generation family learning program that aims to provide a solution to the educational challenges facing low-income and ethnically diverse families was recently unveiled in Plano. The program – funded by a $175,000 grant from Toyota – is led by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Plano Independent School District is working hand-in-hand with NCFL to implement Toyota Family Learning. The program is now up-and-running at Plano Family Literacy School and Sigler Elementary where more than 200 family members have been enrolled since September. Toyota Family Learning empowers parents and caregivers, as well as their children, to become engaged in their schools and communities. It also leverages technology as parents and children learn together and serve their communities through NCFL’s Family Service Learning approach, Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time® and family-to-family mentoring. “This is a unique program that is beneficial to our Plano families in so many ways,” said Dr. Brian Binggeli, Plano ISD superintendent of schools. “What is key is that parents and children learn together. Whether it is reading or engaging in skill-building activities, they do them with each other. It strengthens the parent-child bond and improves our community at the same time.” Plano is the 11th community to become part of Toyota Family Learning. Four other cities will be unveiled this year. In total, Toyota has committed $10 million over a six-year period for this national education initiative. Parents and their preschool aged children spend 20 hours a week learning together at the two schools in this free program. In addition to gaining skills to help their children succeed in and outside the classroom, parents also build important technology, language literacy, and job skills. Mireira Escobar, who attends classes with her pre-school daughter, Maggie, said the program is beneficial in many ways. “My life is better now than it was before. At school, I practice my English; now, when I go to the store or talk to teachers, I am much more comfortable. It has helped my entire life – both at home and out in the community.” She said her nine-year-old daughter Jackie also benefits. “She comes to homework night. It helps her a lot. Her grades are higher now than ever before. Next year she’s going into honors math! We are very thankful.” Independent evaluation shows that among families graduating from Toyota Family Learning in 2015: • 90% of parents increased their engagement in their children’s education. • 96% of parents became better teachers to their children. • 75% of parents increased their English language skills. • 34% of parents got a better job. “Toyota Family Learning makes an impact that will be seen and felt for decades to come,” said Sharon Darling, president and founder of NCFL. “Parents and children need to learn in real-world context, and this initiative does just that, generating service learning benefits that have major implications for both generations’ learning and employability skills.” This year, NCFL and Toyota celebrate 25 years of partnership. Since 1991, more than 2 million families across the country have been impacted by programs developed by NCFL – a pioneer in the concept of families learning and serving together to raise literacy levels and improve communities. These various programs have been brought to life in nearly 60 cities across the U.S. “We are proud to stand with NCFL to make a real difference in the lives of families across the country,” said Latondra Newton, group vice president and chief social innovation officer for Toyota Motor North America, Inc. “It is especially exciting to bring this program to Plano, site of our new headquarters. By offering ways to learn that are innovative and engaging, we are able to bridge the gap between classroom and lifelong learning so that people can find success on the road of life.” The Toyota Family Learning initiative also includes two online learning communities: Family Time Machine, which encourages grantee site families to learn and thrive together, and Toyota Family Trails, a website that inspires families nationwide to learn through family exploration and adventure.

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- The education minister announced that grades this semester won't count toward the R-Score for Quebec cégep students. - The government acknowledged that students could have difficulty learning during this period. There's some good news for Quebec's cégep students this semester that's sure to bring relief to some people. In "the sake of fairness," the government decided to not count this semester's grades toward the R-Score. Education Minister Jean-François Roberge made the announcement Monday morning in a press release. "Today's decision is in line with the actions taken so far," said Roberge. "Our desire is to ensure that no student is unfairly penalized because of COVID-19." He did, however, acknowledge that this might put some students in a difficult situation, especially those who have been able to maintain their studies despite the health crisis. Quebec schools have been closed since the beginning of March in response to the ongoing pandemic. The government argues that due to the disparity in access to education during the crisis, calculating the R-Score would be "ineffective" this semester. "Even partial maintenance of the R-Score would have disadvantaged [the students] considerably and unjustly, for example for admission to quota-based university programs," he added. The R-Score is the standardized grading system through which all students in Quebec are evaluated. According to the government, in "normal teaching conditions" the R-Score is a fair and optimal way to evaluate student performance. While some students might be concerned about their prospects due to the R-Score freeze, all classes will still be credited and will show up on transcripts. "The freezing of the R-Score will ensure that all students can continue their learning, have their courses credited and continue their academic journey, in a fair and equitable manner," said Roberge. "In these exceptional circumstances, it was the best decision to make, as evidenced by the consensus in this sense that was made among our partners in the college network." The original plan was to maintain R-Score calculation despite the need for distance schooling during the pandemic. Education experts, however, thought that it would be best to not calculate it this semester. The reasoning is that far too many Quebec students might not have access to proper educational channels during the crisis. COVID-19 Information for Students FAQs: We are working with the government, the CEGEP network & other groups to cla… https://t.co/OnNqqN55CF— Vanier College (@Vanier College) 1586278292.0 It's recommended that cégep students check in with their respective institutions to find out more details about what to expect after this semester is over. (4/4) Cette décision permettra à tous de compléter leurs apprentissages, de réussir leurs cours et de poursuivre l… https://t.co/YZRggDTB1n— Jean-F. Roberge (@Jean-F. Roberge) 1587385802.0 The government is currently evaluating its options concerning school and business reopening dates. Stay tuned for more news.

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Campus collaboration brings period equity to Furman It started out as homework. But sometimes an idea demands more than a grade. This one called for action. Periods2Progress will provide free, organic period products in more than 50 bathrooms across campus beginning this summer. “It’s about time,” said Olivia Glad ’21, post-baccalaureate fellow for the women’s, gender and sexuality studies program. The project came to life through extensive collaboration: academics, facilities, internship, fellowship, grants, budgets. Morgan Abell ’22, who partnered with Glad on the project, said it would have been easy for the different entities to be unaware of the ways their ideas and funding might align. “At Furman, we made that connection,” she said. The initial concept was drafted by some of Savita Nair’s students. Nair is a professor of history and Asian studies and director of women’s, gender and sexuality studies. Her Issues in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies class ends with an advocacy project in which groups of students develop ideas, usually campus-based, and write hypothetical implementation plans. In 2016, one of those projects explored providing free period products on campus. The supplies are costly on their own and taxed like luxuries, Nair said, when, in fact, they’re medical necessities. “There are students for whom it is prohibitively expensive,” she said. Nair received approval for a post-baccalaureate fellow in the WGSS program and hired Glad. When they began to brainstorm ways to serve students’ needs, work toward equity and grow visibility for the program, Nair remembered that class assignment from several years back. Glad loved it. She wrote a grant application and submitted it to the diversity, equity and inclusion office. The $900 grant would serve as seed money but wasn’t enough to sustain long-term change. But the facilities department was ready to join the effort. Custodial manager Jim Benes knew it was a great idea when he first talked with Nair. With the support of Rick Schosky, director of facility services, he agreed to put the ongoing costs into his budget. Furman is “a family,” Benes said. “And once we put our mind to something, we agree on it, we just get it done.” Through an alumni connection, Benes knew of a Boston-based company, TOP The Organic Project, and suggested they might make a good partner. TOP supplies organic cotton period products with plant-based applicators. Abell connected with Nair and Glad last winter and interned with TOP during the spring semester. In addition to her work as a research and data analyst for TOP, she also helped coordinate Periods2Progress. The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities co-sponsored the Earth Day launch and provided reusable menstrual cups for distribution alongside TOP’s sample packs of tampons and pads. Admittedly, “period products” wasn’t a great opening line at the table outside the library. “We got them in with, ‘You want free stickers? You want free pins?’” Glad said, laughing. But there was genuine interest once they got beyond freebies and into conversation. Abell was especially surprised by how many students took a menstrual cup. They had heard of them but had been hesitant to invest without knowing how they’d work. The launch also included a display of the dispensers, which were donated by TOP. They are going into every female and gender-neutral bathroom in academic buildings and the dining hall. Periods2Progress will probably mostly help those who are caught off guard by a period or who forgot to throw products in their bags in the morning. But Abell hopes it won’t be long before someone goes further, “getting to the issue of period product insecurity.” She would love to see free packs available for students to pick up as needed. Glad is finishing her fellowship this spring and a new fellow, Riley Hughes ’22, will come on board for 2022-23. But Glad hopes Periods2Progress is just the beginning. She wants more visibility for issues related to women’s health. “I just hope this is something people will continue to see the value in,” she said.

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DISTRIBUTE GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY CREATING LARGE-SCALE, GLOBAL PROGRAMS THAT FEEL LIKE LOCAL CHANGE INITIATIVES As Simon, the vice president of sales for a global accounting firm, said, “We have 17,000 account managers in more than 90 countries. We have never found a learning program that could handle our numbers and still have a meaningful impact.” Teaching six to twenty people is very straightforward—present the knowledge, then follow up with each student to make sure everyone is applying it. But this approach doesn't work with thousands of people who are all over the world. Developing great leadership programs for large numbers of geographically ...

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SOUTH SEVIER MIDDLE SCHOOL LEA SPECIFIC LICENSES - The following designations or levels apply to educator licenses, license areas (i.e.-elementary, secondary, special education), and content endorsements (i.e.-mathematics, music, Spanish, social studies): - Professional: The educator has completed an educator preparation program that includes content and pedagogical knowledge. This program may have been completed at a university or in an alternate pathway that was supported by school districts/charters and the Utah State Board of Education. - Associate: The educator is currently completing an educator preparation program, but has not yet completed all requirements for a Professional Educator License, license area, or endorsement. The educator is enrolled in a university-based or Local Education Agency (LEA)-based program. When the educator completes the program, they will have a professional level. - LEA-Specific: The educator has not completed an educator preparation and is not currently enrolled in one - As of 04-05-2021, this school employs educators with the following types of licensure: - Professional License - 89% - Associate License - 6% - LEA-specific License - 6% - Not USBE Qualified - 0% - Individual educator credentials are public information and may be found here: https://cactus.schools.utah.gov/PersonSearch Welcome to South Sevier Middle School 300 East Center Monroe, UT 84754 Mission Statement: South Sevier Middle School aims to provide a safe and positive learning experience where students are enthusiastic learners, confident individuals, and successful citizens who practice the habits of critical thinking, grit, and acceptance of self and others on a daily basis. Vision Statement: With the support of parents/guardians and the community, all students will achieve academic, emotional, and social growth leaving South Sevier Middle School prepared to find success as a high school student. Academic Program Philosophy Learn, Master, Explore Learn core skills and concepts taught by your teachers, demonstrate mastery through repeated practice & effort, then explore a variety of pathways that can lead you to career, hobby, and adult life success! Citizenship Program Philosophy |Real Rams Show...| |Be a Real Ram, Show PRIDE!| New program being coordinated between SSMS and Central Utah Six County AoG... Foster Grandparents! Click here for more info:

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B.A. International Relations The international relations curriculum enables students to analyze the legal, historical, socioeconomic, and political factors that are key elements in this field of study. Webster students also examine the dynamics, structural characteristics, and humanitarian issues of the global community. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to: Demonstrate knowledge of key subfields and theories of international relations as a discipline. Identify major actors and institutions of international relations and know their functions. Analyze international issues from perspectives other than their own. Display familiarity with foreign cultures and languages. •Signed Application Form •Proof of English Proficiency: – TOEFL: PBT 550 | iBT 80 – IELTS: 6.0 – Pearson: 53 •High School Transcript •Essay: 300-500 word essay on a topic of your choice OR Curriculum Vitae (CV) •One Letter of Recommendation •Certificate of Finance showing * •Copy of Passport ID Page •Official University/College Transcripts (for Transfer Students) •Some programs have additional entry requirements. Please contact your advisor for more information. 4 years (128 Credit Hours) Values, Vision & Characteristics Global. Action-oriented. Academically excellent You are unique, so is Webster. From our historic Webster Groves campus to locations worldwide, every Webster University campus is inviting and personal — with an esteemed student-focused faculty. Our programs are flexible and our reach is global; both our students and faculty are from around the world creating a diverse learning environment. Learn what makes Webster as unique as you are — and how we can provide the quality education, personal attention, diverse community, and global experience you are looking for. Distinctive student experience - Students experience an ideal, student-centered environment with small classes and personalized learning - Students attend from across the United States and from more than 100 countries - Diversity and inclusion are core values—we offer a welcoming environment - Distinguished faculty members offer the right balance of global scholarship and professional experience - Travel awards available – your opportunity to travel to worldwide Webster locations with Webster faculty and students

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The JIS curriculum aims to develop passionate, inquisitive, and creative learners who embody our seven values and develop their learning dispositions. We teach students how to learn in systematic, explicit ways, developing their competencies to be resourceful, manage their own cognitive processes, and relate with others. These principles put students at the center of teaching and learning, asserting that they should experience a curriculum that engages and challenges them, is forward-looking and inclusive. JIS is proud to offer three outstanding internationally recognized programs of study: the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, the IB Career-related Programme, and the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Program. Here you will find information comparing these three great programs. IB Diploma Programme International Baccalaureate (IB®) is a two-year pre-university program leading either to the IB Diploma or to separate IB subject certificates, depending on the student's plans for further education. A highly respected academic program, the IB is recognized by colleges and universities in nearly 90 countries across six continents. IB Career-Related Programme The International Baccalaureate (IB®) Career-Related Programme is designed for students who want to dedicate themselves to career-related learning fostering lifelong, transferable skills in applied ethics, intercultural understanding, critical and creating thinking, effective communication, and personal development. The College Board's Advanced Placement (AP®) is a rigorous academic program that allows academically prepared high school students to study and learn at the college level. Each AP course is modeled on a comparable college course.

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Amber’s practicum was hosted by the BC Assembly of First Nations. Amber compiled a resource directory for suicide prevention, aimed at providing support and information for those around individuals at-risk. How well prepared did you feel entering into the project? I felt really good about the project, mostly because the assignments from FNSP 310 and 320 had allowed me to apply some of the skills that were needed to gather reliable information. The assignments in FNSP 400 also allowed for a mental transition into the working world (ie. resume work..interview skills…things you forget when you are in school hahaha). What are three things you learned from or about the organization? 1. There are ALWAYS inter- and intra- office politics 2. People wanting to achieve the same thing may have total different ideas about how to achieve that, and that can actually stall or halt progress. 3. Politics as a career means your life is politics, you can’t just ‘leave it at the office’ What was the highlight of the experience? Having my family, friends and peers watch me give the presentation. That was the most frightened I have ever been in my life, but knowing I had done it was the best feeling in the world. What surprised you the most? That even after the project ends you still find yourself questioning, double checking and wondering about what happened, what might happen with the project or similar future initiatives. What advice do you have for next year’s students? Partnerships can be appealing, but require a well-detailed contingency plan. PS. when the instructor says make a contingency plan, LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!

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Clarke University has long been the tri-states’ leader in teacher preparation. As the needs of our schools and communities change, Clarke is proud to develop new offerings that rise to the challenge of 21st century education. The Accelerated Elementary Education degree was designed to help professionals in the field, such as substitute teachers and paraprofessionals, take the next step in their careers while maintaining their ability to work full-time. This 100% online program allows for flexibility to fit your schedule, while also providing the support and guidance Clarke is known for. - 74 credits via 8-week sessions focused on core teaching concepts - Receive the support and guidance of our experienced faculty - Cohort-style learning means you progress through the program with other area professionals - Degree includes Reading Endorsement Start date: May 16, 2022 with degree completion in Fall 2023 For full consideration, completed applications must be received by May 1. Quality Education at Your Fingertips With the Accelerated Elementary Education degree, you’ll complete the same core education curriculum our traditional students experience, with the added benefit of being able to apply what you learn in the classrooms where you work. Our courses are shaped by the most up-to-date research on effective learner engagement, as well as the years of experience of our dedicated faculty, ensuring everything you learn is grounded in real-world applications. Flexible and Supportive Learning Environment The Accelerated Elementary Education program embraces the collaborative and supportive atmosphere Clarke is known for and delivers it in a 100% online format. Interactive discussions are built into each course so you can network with professionals throughout the region while enjoying the flexibility of accessing your courses when it fits your schedule. In under two years, you can earn your degree and advance your career. Pathways to Fit Your Needs As educators, you know that everyone’s approach to learning is different. The Accelerated Elementary Education program recognizes this by offering multiple paths to earning a degree in elementary education. If you have an AA or AS degree, or at least 60 credit hours as required by Iowa and Wisconsin substitute teaching licensure, you can complete the core education requirements with Clarke and earn your elementary education degree in 18 months. If you have some or no college credit, you can borrow courses from Clarke’s Bachelor of Applied Studies program to complete your degree in 2-3 years. More information on supplemental courses with the Bachelor of Applied Studies is available at learn.clarke.edu.

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There are a few things that you need to know before you start a casual childcare career. First, casual childcare is not the same as traditional daycare. In traditional daycare, children are usually watched by a single caregiver who is paid a set salary. In casual childcare, parents are usually employed as part of their regular job and take care of their children during their free time. Second, you need to be prepared to work flexible hours. Most casual childcare providers offer hours that range from morning until late afternoon or early evening. This means that you can usually fit your work schedule around your child’s school hours. You may go through https://zrecruitment.com.au/ to get the perfect guidance for a casual childcare career. Image Source: Google Finally, make sure to research the providers that are available in your area. There are many excellent casual daycare providers that offer great services at affordable prices. If you are looking for quality care for your child while you work, Casual Childcare might be the right option for you! To become a childcare worker, you first need to find a position that is right for you. You can look in newspapers, online, or through job search websites. Once you find a position, you will then need to submit an application and meet with the director of the childcare facility. After that, you will be given a tour of the facility and interviewed by the directors. Here are the basics of a successful childcare career: Work Flexible Hours – A successful childcare career requires flexibility, and that means working hours that fit with your lifestyle. Many childcare providers work part-time, which means they can take care of their own personal schedules while still having time for their children. If this is something you're interested in, be sure to inquire about working hours when you interview. Be Persistent – No matter how long it takes, always strive to improve your skills and qualifications. If you want to be a successful childcare provider, you must be willing to work hard and always seek new training opportunities. Be Team-Oriented – A successful childcare career requires teamwork. You'll need to be able to communicate well with your co-workers and be able to work as part of a team. This will require both leadership and interpersonal skills.

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The Business Presentations course is designed to introduce students to tools and techniques used to create and deliver effective presentations to many types of audiences, including managers, colleagues and existing and prospective clients. Students are given the opportunity to explore and practice these techniques throughout the course. Students gain insight into producing effective presentations at each stage of the presentation development process, i.e., planning, creating, strengthening, and delivery. Students are given the opportunity to practice, apply, and develop presentation skills through the completion of hands-on tasks and exercises found throughout each lesson. Course manual provided for on-going reference. There is a final exam upon completion of the course. Participants who receive 75% or higher on their exam will receive a certificate. Lesson 1: General Introduction to Business Presentations; Types of Business Presentations; Virtual Presentations Lesson 2: Planning and Setting Objectives; Knowing Your Audience and Environment; Doing the Research; Time Management Tips; Presentation Preparation Checklist Lesson 3: Envisioning and Creating Structure; Effective Openings, Closings, and Transitions; Advanced Presentation Formats; Creating Presentation Notes; Using Presentation Aids Effectively Lesson 4: Using Language Effectively; Adding Dimension and Personality; Rehearsing for Success; Overcoming Fear and Nervousness Lesson 5: Tips for Effective Delivery; Capturing and Maintaining Your Listeners’ Attention; Managing Questions and Objectives; Conclusion and Wrap-Up; Guidelines and Pitfalls

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Social Work Courses SOWK 3201 Family: Dynamics and Intervention (3 credits) Introduction to knowledge, skills, and values related to working with families as small groups. Students learn and apply tools integral to assessment and intervention strategies of generalist social work practice with families, including the strengths perspective, human diversity framework, family systems, cultural competence, and the ecosystems approach. Students critically examine family systems, elements of family well being, level of need and intervention models, ethics, and practice implications particularly related to contemporary social welfare issues. Prerequisite: SOWK 2160 for majors, PSY 1100 for nonmajors. Common Course Outline

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Please answer one of the following questions: 1. Using examples from the book, describe how Dr. Hammerschlag changed his thinking and became a more effective physician – i.e., a true healer. 2. Citing parallels in the book, describe a significant experience in your life that caused you to make a major shift in your own thinking.

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D E N M A R K 0. INTRODUCTION * The Kingdom of Denmark belongs to the group of Nordic countries and is situated in the northern part of Europe. It has an area of 43,100 sq. km. (excluding the Faroe Islands - 1,400 sq. km. and Greenland - 2,175,600 sq. km.). The population, 5.3 million (excluding the Faroe Islands and Greenland in mid-1996), is Danish, as is also the language. 94 per cent of the population profess Christianity, and belong to the Danish Lutheran Church. Culture is defined in broad terms in Denmark, - as a way of life whose basis is the general freedom of action vested in the people. Culture is the joint property of the people, and this broad cultural concept forms the basis of the government's cultural policy. The general policy objective is to support and develop the multiplicity of culture and to ensure many-sidedness as well as quality. The professed social function of culture is not only asserted, but also acted upon, relying on the coordination of the social and cultural, as well as educational, policies. 1. GENERAL DIRECTIONS OF CULTURAL POLICY 1 Denmark has a long tradition of public support for artistic and cultural activities. This tradition was started by the Church and then gradually taken over by the royal family and the court, as a manifestation of their interest in culture and its support. When Denmark adopted its first democratic constitution in the middle of the 19th century, the responsibility for supporting the arts and culture shifted from the court to the newly formed civil administration. The first national administration dealing with culture in the broad sense of the word was the Ministry of Education, which was responsible for education, religious affairs and culture. It was only in 1961 that the Danish government established its first Ministry of Culture. In the early 1960s, a programme of cultural legislation was implemented and a wide range of reforms were introduced. Provision was made for subsidies to theatres, film production and symphony orchestras. The working conditions of the creative artist improved with the 1964 Act setting up the State Art Foundation. In parallel with this, the activities of the public library system were expanded and consolidated with the Public Libraries Act of 1964. The first basic principle underlying the new legislation was that the State should encourage, rather than direct or control. In consequence, the legislation governing the activities of the State Art Foundation and the Film Subsidy Authority explicitly stipulated that all decisions on financial support in these spheres should be made exclusively by special committees made up of experts. Neither the Ministry nor Parliament can influence or alter such decisions. Moreover, the second basic principle was that cultural policies should aim at involving as many people as possible in cultural activities. This effort has been very successful in Danish legislation pertaining to schools and education. To execute such a policy, the need for decentralisation is obvious. Some central institutions set up branches throughout the country, and opportunities were created for the establishment of independent cultural institutions in different regions. But decentralisation also meant the transfer of responsibility, funds, and the right to decide to local bodies and the encouragement of the kind of cultural activities that arise spontaneously all over the country. The third important principle, consistently followed since the establishment of the Ministry of Culture and the introduction of new legislation, was that cultural policy in Denmark was to be based on a wider concept of culture than the traditional one. The latest step in this direction, designed to stimulate a more active involvement of the population in the planning of cultural activities, was the formation of the Cultural Fund in 1990. The objective of the Cultural Fund is to offer financial assistance to new or cross-sectorial cultural initiatives involving cooperation between the arts and cultural institutions on the one hand and popular culture on the other. Furthermore, the Fund is designed to provide grants for the realisation of new ideas within established cultural institutions and the arts. In recent years, the scope for expansion in the cultural sector has been limited by the smaller rate of growth in cultural budgets. Cultural policy has also become a question of priorities. In this situation, the topic of heated debate in the coming years will no doubt be whether the Government and Parliament should give more weight to supporting the arts or to bringing cultural activities to a larger and broader spectrum of the population. Finally, the division of labour between the national, regional and local levels of administration and institutions will probably also require some clarification in the near future. The main body responsible for cultural policy at the governmental level is the Ministry of Culture, established in 1961. The Ministry is responsible for questions relating to cultural planning, development, copyright legislation, sports, archives, libraries, museums, theatre and films, circus, artistic education (including the training of architects), radio and television broadcasting, promotion of culture in the broadest sense, international cultural relations. It comprises a central division and a number of cultural institutes. The institutes are divided into three main areas: the creative and performing arts, the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage and higher education and training. Cultural institutes enjoy considerable freedom and independence in relation to the Ministry. Generally, the Ministry does not involve in concrete subsidy allocation or act as an arbiter of taste in any of the arts or cultural fields. It acts as an architect of frameworks of overall cultural policy and, in interaction with Parliament, sets the objectives, financial frameworks, subsidy arrangements and organizational structures which form the basis of cultural policy in Denmark. A number of cultural tasks are performed by the Ministry of the Environment and its National Agency for the Protection of Nature, Monuments and Sites, established in 1975, as well the as Ministries of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs. The Ministry of Education is responsible for comprehensive education, free schools and private primary and lower-secondary schools, county council single-subject courses for adults, the operation of the State Educational Grant and Loan Scheme, upper-secondary schools, matriculation courses, higher preparatory examinations, commercial schools, technical schools, leisure time education, universities, university centres and other institutions of higher education. The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs deals with matters relating to public worship and religious practice. In keeping with the policy of decentralization, many cultural activities are the responsibility of local authorities at the regional, county and local-district levels (the Association of County Councils and the Association of Local Authorities), thus assuring a greater degree of participation in cultural life in both the professional and amateur context. The local authorities have a large measure of self-government, but are required to abide by certain statutory guidelines. Statens Kunstfond (The States Arts Foundation) supports visual arts, literature, music, arts and crafts, artistic design, architecture. In each field the relevant committee awards grants to artists. Funds are also available for the purchase of works of art to be deposited in public and private institutions and for the decoration of buildings. Akademiet for de skonne Kunster (The Royal Academy of Fine Arts) is an educational institution for painters, sculptors and architects. It also advises the State and county and local authorities and administers scholarships and prizes for artists. Kulturfonden (Culture Fund) exists to support financially new cultural initiatives involving cooperation between the arts and popular culture. Furthermore, the Fund can support the realisation of new ideas within the established cultural institutions and the arts. Dansk Kunstnerrad (Danish Arts Council) is an association of 18 professional arts organizations representing creative and working artists in the fields of visual arts, actors, architects, craftsmen, film workers, photographers, stage designers, etc. Danske Kunsthandvarkeres Landsammenslutning (DKL) (Danish Arts and Crafts Association) is founded in 1976. It arranges exhibitions and gives professional advice to schools, museums, etc. It has 380 members and 8 regional groups of artist-craftsmen. The Association publishes Dansk Kunsthandverk (quarterly). Kunstforeningen i Kobenhavn (Copenhagen Art Society) is founded in 1825. It stages exhibitions and publishes art books for its 3,500 members. Ny Carlsbergfondet (New Carlsberg Foundation) supports art and history of art in Denmark. Sammenslutningen af Danske Kunstforeninger (National Committee of Danish Art Societies), founded in 1942, arranges touring exhibitions with government support. It has 15,000 members. All funds in support of cultural activity in Denmark provided by official sources, from the national to the local level, stem from taxation. There are also state as well as private foundations whose purpose is to further science and culture. Although no general study has been made to determine how much culture contributes to the national product, some studies suggest that, in money terms, this contribution is considerable. Spending on culture by the central government represents approximately 1.4 per cent of the total public expenditure. Government subsidy for the arts is authorized under the State Arts Foundation Act, amended in 1978. The State Arts Foundation is intended to further the Danish creative effort in the fields of visual arts, literature, music, arts and crafts, artistic design, architecture, and other forms of creative art unable to obtain state support by other legislative means. The Fondation's terms of reference include the funding of public decoration, purchase of art objects, grants to artists, including working and travel scholarships, production awards for authors and composers, and also old-age pensions for selected artists. Subsidies to creative artists are given on the basis of artistic merit, with no special social subsidy arrangements. The Danish National Music Council, the Theatre Council, the State Board of Museums, and the State Film Institute are organizations which offer recommendations to the Ministry of Culture for the allocation of subsidies in their respective fields. In 1983, a special committee on the Taxation of Artists' Earnings was set up, which proposed various measures designed to balance the fluctuating incomes of artists and thus alleviate the difficult economic position of creative artists. The share of business sponsorship increased during the period of constraints in the public sector in the 1980s, and local authority support is becoming increasingly important. In the 1996 government arts budget, cultural activities received DKK 3.5 billion, or almost 40 per cent of the total arts budget. Municipalities contributed DKK 5.1 billion, or 57 per cent, whereas the counties spent DKK 0.4 billion on culture or about 4 per cent. The past few years have generally seen very few shifts in the distribution of expenditure between the state, municipal and county levels. In addition to the above, a number of cultural activities are financed by the National Lottery and the Football Pools, and television and radio licence fees. Therefore, public spending on the cultural budget is augmented by an additional DKK 3.3 billion. This figure, however, does not appear in the annual Finance Bill and is not included in the national cultural budget. In real terms, the central government's expenditure grew from DKK 2.5 billion in 1986 to DKK 3.5 billion in 1996, equivalent to a real increase of approximately 40 per cent. The period from 1986 to 1996 saw a very stable trend in the breakdown of the central government's total expenditure on cultural activities. Thus in 1996, support for artists, etc. accounted for 7 per cent, music 7 per cent, theatre 16 per cent, film 6 per cent, libraries 15 per cent, archives 3 per cent, museums and zoological gardens 13 per cent, artistic training and education 15 per cent, international and general cultural relations 5 per cent, and, finally, cultural facilities 11 per cent. Budgeted cultural expenditure for 1996 by the central government, municipalities and counties (DKK billion) Source: Cultural Profile: Danish cultural policy. Copenhagen. Danish Ministry of Culture, 1996, pp. 9 Denmark has appropriate legislation to cover most cultural fields: museums, archives, drama, cinema, broadcasting, music, and preservation of cultural heritage. Since the late 70s, decentralization has been the main principle in the design of cultural policy legislation. The Danish Act of Copyright should especially be mentioned because it is today one of the most progressive copyright acts in the world. It was totally revised in 1995 and gives creative and performing artists, producers of audio recordings and films and broadcasters basic sole and exclusive rights over their creations. The Danish Literature Act was adopted in 1996. (see Literature and literary production) The preservation of cultural heritage is the responsibility of the following central governmental agencies: the Danish State Archives, the Royal Library, the National Art Museum, and the National Museum. The oral heritage is preserved by the Danish Folklore Collection. The responsibilities of the Danish State Archives include the preservation of records of historical interest and value or records serving to document matters of important administrative and legal relevance to citizens and authorities and to make these records available to state officials and the general public for research and other purposes. The Danish library system embraces two main types of libraries: public libraries and public research libraries. Public libraries promote and disseminate information, knowledge and culture by providing books and other material free of charge to the general public. Research libraries gather, register and publish scientific material, serving the universities and other institutes of education. Statens Museumsnaevn (The State Museum Board) is the body responsible for the Danish museums, whose tasks include assisting and advising the Ministry in questions relating to museums, calculating the basis for the award of government grants and supervising such awards, and furnishing museums with technical and other professional assistance. The National Museum collects, preserves, investigates, and provides information about specimens serving to elucidate the history of human culture. The office of the Keeper of National Antiquities is responsible for archaeological excavations in Denmark. See paragraph 4.4 below. There are two bodies that cover the visual and performing arts field: the Committee for Fine Arts Exhibitions Abroad and the Danish Theatre Council. The task of the Committee is to promote official Danish art exhibitions abroad and to advise Danish visual artist's staging exhibitions within the framework of Denmark's cultural cooperation with foreign countries. In its role of the Danish Section of the Nordic Art Association, the Committee also has the task of promoting Nordic cooperation in the field of visual arts. Subsidies to the visual arts are managed by the Danish Arts Foundation under the provisions of the Danish Arts Foundation Act 1964, as amended in 1996. The National Workshop for Arts and Crafts provides workshops and training facilities for artists. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts is a national body established to advise the Government on cultural issues. The Danish Theatre Council is an expert body responsible for advising the Ministry of Culture and other authorities on matters relating to theatres, and administering the support arrangements provided for by the Theatre Act 1990, as amended in 1996. The purpose of the Theatre Act is to promote the art and culture of theatre in Denmark. The Royal Theatre is Denmark's national theatre with the main objective to enact plays, opera and ballet. Three regional theatre companies contribute to catering for the drama needs of the provinces. Regional or local theatres can be established in the initiative of local communities. The majority of them specialize in the area of children's and experimental theatre. The situation in the book industry is difficult, despite the large number of titles published each year. The book market is characterized by falling print-runs, rising book prices, and decreasing purchases by libraries. The living and working conditions of Danish writers depend very much on the situation in the book market, and the national policy reflects the concern for the improvement of the position of literature in the overall cultural field. One of the most important institutions concerned with literature is the Danish Literature Information Centre (Dansk Litteraturinformationscenter), whose task is to promote Danish literature abroad. The Centre publishes information and bibliographies on Danish literature in English, French and German, as well as a guide to Danish children's literature and, twice a year, the Danish Literary Journal, a newsletter on Danish literature in English. The Centre administers funds allocated for translation grants and various literary activities. The financial support for writers comes from special funds and foundations. Most of the foundations which give aid to authors are administered by the Danish Authors' Association and funding is distributed by the National Library Authority. Moreover, the Ministry of Culture maintains contacts with a large number of private foundations and societies which provide money for literary purposes. Denmark's first Literature Act was adopted in spring 1996 and a Literature Council established in autumn 1996. The Council's task is to administer the new subsidy arrangements provided for the new legislation plus a number of existing schemes. The objective of the new legislation is to promote literature and access to literature in Denmark, while promoting Danish literature abroad. The Danish Music Council is a body of experts whose aim is the promotion of musical life in Denmark and appreciation of Danish music abroad. The Council assists and advises to public authorities and institutions on aspects of music and submits recommendations concerning the implementation of the Music Act 1976, as amended in 1993. Selective subsidies for investment or loans are granted each year to a number of periodical publications, which also enjoy reduced postage rates. Indirect measures include VAT exemption in the case of the press (350 dailies and weeklies). Radio and television companies in Denmark are regulated by the Broadcasting Act 1992, as amended in 1996. Radio Denmark (Radio and TV Section) is a public institution with a monopoly on radio and TV broadcasting in Denmark. It enjoys an independent status and complete freedom in programme choice and planning. The Radio Council is responsible for the running of Radio Denmark. Most political parties and certain listener/viewer organizations are represented in the Council. Radio Denmark is financed almost exclusively by licence fees. TV 2 is financed by commercial advertising (about 70%) and licence fees. Local commissions grant licences to companies, associations and similar bodies to engage in radio or television broadcasting within a local area. There are approximately 300 radio licences and 30 TV licences. Some financial support is given for the production of alternative records. Subsidies are given for individual productions. An additional 30 per cent tax is levied on the retail price of records, calculated exclusive of VAT (22 per cent). Denmark produces about 10 full-length feature films a year. Danish film production is supported with grants for screenplays given by the Danish Cinema Institute which provides 50% of production costs. The Danish Radio and Television Co-production Fund helps to finance the production of films by offsetting possible losses on the basis of quality criteria. Assistance is also provided for the distribution of imported films of artistic value and imported films for children. Attendance at cultural performances and participation in cultural creation has been steadily rising in Denmark over the last twenty years. The same period has also seen a constant increase in the public expenditure on culture. The participation and attendance figures are not expected to show any significant change in the next several years, although cuts in public spending have taken place in the last few years. Educational levels still account for differences in the frequency of participation of the population, although, on the whole, the differences between the urban and rural population are diminishing. It can be said that a certain urbanization of leisure activities has taken place in villages and rural districts. The recent trend in cultural development has been in the direction of bringing established culture (creative arts and its institutions - museums, theatres, libraries, etc.) closer together with popular culture, originating at the local popular level and controlled by the people involved. This is being attempted through the Cultural Policy Ideas Programme, which is both a supplement and an alternative to the traditional cultural policy. One of the main objectives of the programme, in its trial period from 1990 to 1993, was to provide increased opportunities for carrying into effect ideas on cultural policy which unite popular and established culture. Another objective was to transcend the existing division into sectors as far as cultural funding is concerned. The aim of the programme was also to introduce innovation and experimentation in the ways in which institutions of established culture propagate arts and culture, thus paving the way for other ways of expression and perception. The Ideas Programme was implemented through a special Cultural Fund, financed with a government grant of DKK 120 million over three years, with additional financial support from private funds and companies. Areas of cultural life affected by the programme included libraries, art museums, museums of cultural history, sports, adult education centres, youth schools, art associations, open universities, community centres, artists in all fields of art, artistic education, popular education bodies, evening courses, single-subject examination courses, clubs and associations in local communities, archives, theatres, music schools, etc. Another important project concerns children. The Try yourself scheme initiated by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs invited children to start their own cultural projects. The scheme has caught root on the local level as well, with positive experiences. The primary aim of the Danish cultural policy in relation to other countries is to address, on the basis of mutual respect, a wider audience for Danish culture abroad, so that culture may be used as a tool for greater mutual understanding among nations. Denmark has concluded bilateral cultural agreements with eighteen countries. Formal exchange programmes have been agreed upon with three other countries, and unofficial or semi-official cultural relations are maintained with non-European countries. The country participates in the work of UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Denmark's international cultural cooperation is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. The Danish Institute, which is an independent, mostly government funded non-profit body, engages in the dissemination of knowledge about Danish culture abroad, utilizing a network of staff members in a number of European countries. Denmark collaborates with other Nordic countries through the Nordic Council of Ministers. The traditionally strong Nordic cultural ties were formalized in a treaty of general cooperation signed in 1962 and extended in 1971. Denmark also takes part in the joint Nordic cultural activities abroad, such as the Scandinavia Today event in the USA. The Danish Contemporary Art Foundation, established in 1995, has the main objective to promote contemporary Danish art, design and decorative art generally, including cooperation with the Danish Contemporary Art Gallery (DCA) in New York. The Danish Literature Information Center was established to promote interest in and awareness of Danish literature abroad. The Danish Music Information Centre is responsible for the registration, documentation and supply of information on Danish music at home and abroad and at the same time plans and arranges public performances of Danish music internationally. The objective of the Baltic Media Center is to promote media cooperation in the Baltic region, between the former Socialist countries and the West, and to ensure the media a role in democratic development. The function of the Danish Cultural Institute is to provide information on Danish society, promote Danish culture and offer Danish language courses. The Institute's head office is in Copenhagen with divisions in Edinburgh (UK), Brussels (Belgium/Benelux), Hannover (Germany), Vienna (Austria), Kecskemét (Hungary), Gdansk (Poland), Riga (Latvia), Tallin (Estonia) and Vilnius (Lithuania). Four other institutes also operate abroad (in Rome, Hamburg, Athens and Damascus) concentrating mainly in the fields of humanistic and cultural research and cooperation. 8. ADDRESSES 2 Cultural Policy and Administration in Europe: 42 outlines. Vienna, Österreichische Kulturdokumentation, Internationales Archiv für Kulturanalysen, 1996, pp. 47-52 Cultural Profile: Danish cultural policy. Copenhagen, The Danish Ministry of Culture, 1996, 30 pp Fisher, Rod. Briefing Notes on the Organisation of Culture in EEC Countries. Briefing Notes on the Organisation of Culture in Denmark. London, Arts Council of Great Britain, 1990 Handbook of Cultural Affairs in Denmark. Copenhagen, Ministry of Culture of Denmark, 1993. pp. 3 - 22 Handbook of Cultural Affairs in Europe, Baden-Baden, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 1995, pp. 223-240 Host, Helvinn: The Situation in Denmark, in: Participation in Cultural Life. Papers presented to the European Round Table on Cultural Research. Moscow, April 1991. Bonn, Zentrum für Kulturforschung in Co-operation with C.I.R.C.L.E. (Ed.), Kultur & Wissenschaft, Band 8, ARCult, 1991. pp. 77 - 83 Kulturens Penge, Information fra Kulturministeriet, Offentlige udgifter til kultur og folkeoplysning, juli 1989, Denmark, p. 39 Kulturens Penge, Information fra Kulturministeriet, Offentlige udgifter til kultur og folkeoplysning, oktober 1992, Denmark, pp.10-12 Mitchell, Ritva. Cultural policies in the Nordic Countries: Past Development, Present Problems and Future Perspectives. Stockholm, Nordic National Commission for UNESCO, Departementens Reprocenral, 1982, 47 pp. Report on Danish Cultural Policy and Programme of Ideas, Information from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Ministry of Cultural Affairs. April 1989. Rouet, François; Dupin, Xavier. Le soutien public aux industries culturelles. Paris, La Documentation Française, 1991, pp. 53-59 Situation and Trends in Cultural Policy in Member States of Europe: World Conference on Cultural Policies, Mexico City. Paris, UNESCO, 1982, pp. 30-34 Source Index of Cultural Statistics in Europe. Luxembourg, European Commission/Eurostat, 1997 The World Almanach and Book of Facts 1997. Mahwah, New Jersey, World Almanach Books, 1997 10. FOOTNOTES* This monograph is based on a selection of data from the Cultural Policies Data Bank and on documents collected by the Documentation Centre for Cultural Development and Cooperation, Culturelink. The original draft, written by Zrinjka Perusko Culek, has been revised by the Kulturministeriet, Denmark. It has also been revised in 1997 by Daniela Angelina Jelincic.

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Reading levels - students' ability to understand and evaluate texts - have improved, but are still significantly lower than they were at the start of the millennium. The new PISA figures for the 36 countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, show that ten are performing better than Scottish pupils in reading.Maths and science However maths and science have continued to decline, and Scotland now sits 25th and 24th respectively when compared to the other OECD countries. It is below both the English and UK average in both. The figures also suggest that the closure of the attainment gap has stalled since the last round of PISA tests in 2015. The report states an 86 point gap between the reading scores of the poorest and wealthiest pupils - equivalent to three years' schooling - up slightly from 83 points the last time the tests were carried out. The attainment gap in maths gap has fallen from 87 to 83 points in the same period, with science up slightly from 97 to 98 points. The random testing of Scottish pupils took place between last October and December and involved 107 secondary schools across state and private sectors, with a total of 2969 students taking part. It is the seventh time Scotland has taken part in the three-yearly PISA analysis, which shows the mean scores for every country. Reading was at its highest level in 2000 when Scotland scored 526 compared to today's figure of 504 - although that is a rise from the 2015 result which saw it hit its lowest point of 493. In maths, Scotland's high point was in 2003 with a score of 524, which has now fallen to 489; in science the high water mark was in 2006 at 515, with today's figure standing at 490. Today Education Secretary John Swinney welcomed the improvement in reading, and said it was the result of the government's literacy attainment challenge which was introduced in 2015 when the PISA reading score had fallen to 493. He said that maths and science were also being "being tackled". “These are very encouraging results and the latest sign that our education reforms are working," he said. "Scottish schools are improving and this international study confirms that. “Reading underpins all learning, and the sharp rise in performance is good news." He said the improvement had been "driven by great teachers and well-supported pupils" and the government's "unrelenting focus on improving literacy through the Scottish Attainment Challenge and Pupil Equity Fund. Those efforts are now paying dividends, with only five countries scoring higher than Scotland at reading." Despite the figures for maths and science showing steady decline, Mr Swinney described the scores as "stable" and at the OECD average. However he added: "We need to see the kind of improvement that we now see in literacy in these areas too. That is the challenge. “An inspection of maths and numeracy published by Education Scotland shows what is working and how we can improve. It will help as we move on the next phase of driving up standards in Scotland’s schools. “And, in science, good progress has been made with delivery of our five-year STEM strategy, with the roll-out of career-long professional learning grants and new online resources for teachers. The impact of it will only just be beginning to be felt on the ground and we will continue to push for the improvements that we know can be made. “There is plenty of work still to do to improve Scottish education but today’s report should give people a strong sense that we are on the right track, making substantial progress and seeing results where it counts – in the classroom.”'Failing schools and children' However, the PISA scores were described as proof the government was "failing schools and children". Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson Iain Gray said: “While Nicola Sturgeon tours the TV studios and election debates boasting of her supposed achievements, the reality is that her so-called priority of education continues a slow decline. “The small improvement in reading is welcome, but further falls in maths and science are alarming. John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon have been warned again and again that we have a problem with STEM subjects being squeezed out of the curriculum but they refuse to listen. These are the critical skills our next generation need for the jobs of the future." He added: "John Swinney persists with unwanted and unhelpful “reforms” like his standardised tests while failing to ensure that our schools have enough resources and enough teachers with enough time and support to do the job we know they can. “The SNP have abolished most measures of performance in our schools, but they cannot hide from these figures which show they have failed our schools and our children.” And Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative education spokesperson, said: “This is damning evidence revealing the full extent of the SNP’s shameful 12 years running down Scotland’s schools. “Nicola Sturgeon asked to be judged on education. This summer saw the fourth consecutive year of decline in Higher pass rates and now the SNP is presiding over the worst ever PISA results in both maths and science. In reading, where it should be acknowledged that there is encouraging improvement since 2015, the score is still lower than the 2012 result and considerably lower than the score in 2000. "Performance in maths and science is absolutely vital for the future of Scotland's economy and for industries such as engineering and IT. These results are a humiliation for the SNP and they also mean that the potential of Scotland’s economy has been tarnished. “After the last set of poor PISA results, the SNP said that the curriculum had to change. Yet these results are a new low and we know there have been many failings within the delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence. It is not just time to change the curriculum but also to change the government in Scotland.” Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie added: "John Swinney can't hide from these appalling results.Scotland used to have one of the best education systems in the world, but under the SNP its now just average. "Scottish teachers have been messed about for too long. John Swinney has refused to listen to them. Support in their classrooms has been cut to the bone and they simply don't believe in the policies being imposed on them, not least the national testing of four and five-year-olds. "Nicola Sturgeon once claimed education was her top priority, but nobody is now in any doubt that the SNP will always put independence first no matter the cost." Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said that international comparisons "should rarely be taken at face value" and that while PISA was "useful in context" it wasn't required "to tell us what the problems are in Scottish education."He added: "Years of budget cuts, thousands of lost teaching and support staff and a near total failure to support children with additional needs are at the root of many of the problems our still relatively robust education system now faces. "The major barrier now is an SNP government unwilling to address these problems and which is instead still pursuing governance reforms so unnecessary, unwelcome and unhelpful they couldn't even get them through Parliament."

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Virtual open days Read about how to make the most of virtual open days and events and find out what you need to know. You can still see the campus in all its glory at virtual open days and events. Virtual tours are offered by most UK universities. They let you watch videos and use interactive maps so you can get a feel of the university and its surroundings. Make sure you see examples of accommodation, lecture halls and the city/town streets. This way, you can get as good a feel of the place as possible. Do as many tours as you can You can sit in the comfort of your own room and visit a range of universities without worrying about the cost and practicalities of travelling the entire country. Use this to your advantage to compare and contrast each city/town and uni. Think about the accommodation and facilities, and how each university ticks the boxes you’re looking for. Ask lots of questions Most universities will offer virtual tours with current students and staff. Use the opportunity to ask as many questions as you can, like you would on an in-person open day. You could ask parents/family to log in too and ask questions relevant to them. This way, they can have any of their concerns answered, and may even ask a question you hadn't thought of. Treat it as a live chat and Q&A rather than an open day. You won't really get the feel of a campus or accommodation online, or really grasp how far the accommodation is from lectures, or how safe the area is where the university is based (although the CUG crime tables can help), so this is more of a fact-finding mission. James Seymour, Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at University of Gloucestershire - READ MORE - What to ask at a university open day Don’t fixate on coronavirus It’s good to remember that going to university is a three-year (or more) commitment. There are a lot of other things to ask, to see and to compare that’ll affect your experience and lifestyle over your entire time there. Ask what you need to know about the current covid situation by all means, but be aware of things to consider outside of the immediate circumstances, such as accommodation, clubs and societies, and transport links. Phone a friend Perhaps a friend is looking at the same universities or similar subjects. Chat with them and discuss what you’ve seen at different universities so far. Two people looking at the same place may notice different things, so you can discuss the pros and cons together.

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Career Kuel Category Expert: Gayle Petrillo The Workforce has changed as many of you have noticed. If you are returning to work in a new role or new company, you may feel intimidated. While I understand that trepidation, I’m here to tell you put those thoughts out of your head. I know, it’s easier said than done. That little voice is telling you to look around and notice all the younger people. You don’t fit in. You can’t make friends. NONSENSE! Remember that while you may be older than some of your colleagues, maybe even your boss, you were hired based on two things: your first impression and your experiences. You are unique. No one else is like you. No other human being has your smile, your background, nor your brand. Take advantage of those traits. That doesn’t mean go into a meeting feeling full of yourself, all-knowing. It does, however, mean walk into that meeting with confidence. A Few Other Suggestions That May Be Helpful: Sit next to one or more people, not by yourself, and not at the head of the table at either end. Do not be the first to speak, unless you are asked to introduce yourself. If you are requested to speak, be sure your back isn’t to anyone. You may stand up to ensure you are facing everyone in the room. Be an active listener. Lean in. Nod your head. Ask questions to clarify what someone else said. Use a phrase like, “help me understand” or “what I heard you say is, ____”, “please explain further”, or “did I understand correctly?” Notice other people’s body language. It’s a signal to you of the culture of your surroundings. When you meet someone for the first time, it’s imperative to make that all important first impression. We never get a second opportunity to do that. Your ‘soft skills’ may need a refresher. Smiles are contagious; so be sure you put that on when you walk out of your house. Smile when you enter your workplace and/or when you walk into a meeting. It will automatically open doors and people will respond in a positive manner towards you. How do you shake someone’s hand? Use the three second rule. Less is not long enough; longer is too long. A firm handshake tells the other person you are confident. A ‘wishy-washy’ handshake will quickly undermine you. Don’t use your fingers. Grasp the other individual’s hand with your entire hand. You should be standing 2 to 3 feet apart. Closer is within the other person’s personal space. Farther apart may send the message that you are hesitant. As you extend your hand, your thumb should be facing upward, toward the ceiling. Your fingers should be pressed together and as you shake, lean in. Shake three times with a firm grip; however, beware not to grip too tightly. Try shaking hands like you are holding a glass of water. Make eye contact as you extend your hand and smile. It’s rude to stare, so a trick is to look just above the person’s eyebrows. Here’s another trick. If your hand(s) is sweaty from nerves, if you can place your hand around a glass or bottle of water, do so. Then you can use the wet glass as an excuse for your ‘wet’ hand. Move the bottle or glass from your right hand to your left hand to do so. About The Author: Gayle Petrillo is President of First Impressions, Image Consulting. Gayle is an image consultant working with both businesses and individuals. Her services include: customer service training; team building skills; secret shopper services; gossip avoidance techniques; closet analysis; wardrobe transformations, personal shopping; employment coaching; and presentation skills.

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We are a team of expert practitioners developing customized education solutions to accelerate student achievement in schools across the nation. Our unique partnership approach provides customized solutions to solve for educations most pressing challenges. Our school improvement and support services are research-based, data-driven and designed to develop sustainable student, school, and district performance and achievement. - Instructional Coaching - Curriculum Mapping & Audits - Special Education Support Services - Transformation/Turn-Around Services - Innovation & Personalized Learning Our analytical support involves the ongoing collection and review of data, which we combine with reflection and planning, resulting in improved teaching and learning. - Data Support Services for Assessment, Reporting & Compliance - Assessment Data Aggregation & Linking Studies - Predictive Modeling rooted in Academic + Non-Academic Factors Climate & Culture We deliver innovative methodology for addressing climate and culture in schools through supporting and training the staff with professional development, coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance. - Focusing in on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion - Frameworks to Support Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) - Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) - Restorative Justice Leadership development designed to support superintendents, school boards, principal and building leaders with our coaching , all levels of leadership receive in-depth supports to improve their schools and learn critical instructional leadership, capacity-building, and management skills. - School Board Governance Leadership Team Governance Instructional Leadership Coaching

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A passion for building relationships Before business school, when Ashley Thurmond Abraham ’22 was teaching in Baltimore as part of the Teach For America program, her school was struggling with low attendance. The teachers would create great lesson plans, but those plans weren’t worth much if students didn’t show up to class. The teachers sat down together, frustrated but hopeful, and asked the question: How can we encourage and support students to show up to school every day? An idea came. The teachers had all grown up with great extracurricular activities — things that kept them coming back to school even on days when they didn’t necessarily want to come. The school they were teaching at didn’t have many activities, so the teachers created their own. Abraham and a co-worker started a dance team, while another teacher and Abraham started a yearbook club. The kids began coming to class more often, she said, and the school felt more like a community. “For our dancers, we had to check their attendance and make sure they came,” she said. “They were excited to be at practice, but they knew that if they hadn’t shown up to their classes, they were going to have to talk to us later so we could work together to improve their attendance and academic performance.” Years later, Abraham — now a Full-Time MBA student at the Kellogg School of Management — realized that this initiative was a small-scale example of what she’s learning in her classes about the social impact space. “If we could just scale that and give people more resources, I think it would make such a big difference,” Abraham said. Abraham has felt the impact of support from others throughout her career. As a Posse Scholar in college, for example, she received a full-tuition scholarship and connections with peers. At Kellogg, Abraham feels the impact of other people through her own extracurricular activities. She’s an F.C. Austin Scholar, a member of the Net Impact Club, co-president of the Public Policy Club, and the allyship director of the Black Management Association, among other roles. Abraham was also an MBA intern with the city of Chicago, where she completed a field study with the deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development. In addition, Abraham runs her own startup, Reinforcements — part of The Garage, Northwestern’s startup incubator — which serves as a staffing agency to help businesses in the local community. This list may sound exhausting, but for Abraham, it’s enthralling. These groups and activities have all had an impact on her, she said, and she hopes that she’s had an impact on others too. The opportunity to get involved was also a big reason why she decided to attend Kellogg.“I wanted a community that was very supportive and collaborative — a place where I could learn from my peers, where I could ask all the questions that I had, and also where I felt like I could offer a lot,” she said. “I felt like Kellogg was a space that really values the student voice.” After she graduates this year, Abraham will work as a consultant with Boston Consulting Group, where she hopes to keep making a difference on a person-to-person level. That’s what impact means to her: having genuine, authentic relationships and always learning from one another. To Abraham, it’s about adding support where it’s truly needed. “When I think about the impact I hope to make in the future, I want to bring my full self,” she said. “And that includes all the people I’ve interacted with.”

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Exam results are upon us. After the 2020 debacle which saw exams cancelled due to COVID and the first set of algorithm-generated results quickly overturned following complaints of unfairness, what teachers and young people really needed in 2021 was confidence in the grading system. The process for awarding marks was duly announced in March. And this time, as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has reiterated, for one year only there would be no algorithm. Instead students would receive marks based on teacher estimates. Now, results day just wouldn’t be the same without the perennial discussion of grade inflation, with commentators comparing the proportion of top grades being awarded. In pre-COVID times, this is seen to undermine the value of the qualifications in the long term. In 2021, though, concerns about grade inflation are misplaced, for three reasons. The method by which grades have been determined this year differs fundamentally from previous years. Further, as we attempt to make an economic and societal recovery from the pandemic, seeing more young people get the grades they need to get into universities and colleges is to be celebrated, as the guarantee of a well-qualified future workforce. Finally, and most importantly, given the stress and disruption young people have experienced since COVID hit our shores in March 2020, their achievements should be celebrated, not questioned. Talk of grade inflation inaccurate and unhelpful In December 2020 Williamson confirmed that, contrary to the first year of the pandemic, exams in England would not be cancelled in 2021. Guidance subsequently issued by the government’s office of qualifications and examinations regulation (Ofqual) and the department for education detailed the range of evidence from students that would be used to determine their grades. This included school-based exams, coursework and portfolios. The guidance specified that this range of work was to be marked against criteria provided by exam boards, and that the marking would then checked by the school, with exam boards carrying out quality-assurance checks on that marking. This is the system schools have followed. Students have been awarded the grade their work deserves and teacher judgements have been checked for quality. This is called criterion-based assessment because the assessment is based on work meeting criteria. By contrast, GCSEs and A-levels in previous years, including the first round of results that were retracted in 2020, were norm-referenced: the results were compared to other students. In this system, students’ result depends on their ranking within the cohort, rather than their ability to meet the assessment criteria. This aligns this year’s A-levels with BTecs, which have always been criterion-referenced. Each system, of course, has advantages and disadvantages but the outcomes should not be compared. Student marks this year have been awarded under an approach that is different but no less robust. There is therefore no reason to suggest that they are less valid than in previous years or that there is a long-term problem with grade inflation. As with so many aspects of life during the pandemic, things are just different this year. Student success is good for everyone Record levels of success have been reported, with as many as 45% more students getting top A* grades at A-level according to some reports, and a smaller rise in the number of students achieving A*-C grades too. Given these results, it seems likely many students will be able to take their places at universities and colleges. This is a good thing for the economy, especially when youth unemployment is at such worryingly high levels. Places on medicine courses have been in particular demand and the government has already had to add 9,000 extra places for the coming year. Given the pressure our health service is currently under, it is hard to view more medical students as a problem. Teacher training has also seen strong growth in numbers. It is inspiring that so many young people are choosing to train for careers in public service. In this way, universities and colleges will play a vital role in pandemic recovery by ensuring young people can be successful. This, surely, is a win-win situation? Young people deserve praise for their achievements Despite the best efforts of teachers, schools and support groups, there have been many barriers to success for the class of 2021. Pupils studying for their BTecs and A-levels this year have been uniquely disadvantaged. They have done at least seven of the 20 months of their two-year courses online during lockdown. Often in their bedrooms and at kitchen tables, away from their usual support network, many found this strange and isolating during what is a crucial period in their education. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds have been particularly badly affected by this. Some have struggled with poor access to technology and spaces to learn. Student mental health has been badly affected by the increased isolation, enduring uncertainty and severely restricted access to help during lockdown. We can only hope that this this set of circumstances will never be repeated. It is even more important to celebrate the achievements of young people this week. We need to congratulate them and support them on their way, as the future healthcare workers, teachers and business leaders we will all be depending on for years to come. This article was originally posted by The Conversation. Read the Article here.

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(August 5, 2022) To celebrate the RCSD’s Summer of Discovery, the District is highlighting staff members who support our summer learning programming. Ms. Jennifer Monroe-Dewitz is the summer school principal for the Summer Quest program at Henry Hudson School No. 28. An Assistant Principal at School No. 28, Ms. Monroe-Dewitz is overseeing a summer science program focused on providing engaging, relevant, tactile experiences, and learning through math and science labs. “The team of teachers working in the program are committed to relationships, providing engaging experiences and building community,” said Monroe-Dewitz. “Students love attending each day and are eager to share what they are learning.” Ms. Monroe-Dewitz has been with the District for 25 years. She has worked as a pier diem substitute, taught at Monroe High School and Martin B. Anderson School No. 1, and has also served as an ELA coach. Please join us in applauding Ms. Monroe-Dewitz for her efforts to help RCSD scholars succeed!

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List of Top Best CBSE Schools Mahe India 2022 Ranking Checkout list of Top CBSE Schools in Mahe 2022 offering CBSE board curriculum. Find below the complete list of CBSE Schools in Mahe India offering CBSE Curriculum with information on Fees, Admission procedure, Ranking, Rating & Reviews, Curriculum, Facilities, Contact Details and address. This list of Top Best CBSE Schools in Mahe covers CBSE affiliated Schools in Mahe India. Click on the name of the CBSE school for information on Admission, Fees, Curriculum, School Contact Details, Ranking, Reviews and Ratings of Best CBSE Schools in Mahe India. List contains both National and International CBSE Schools in Mahe covering list of Daycare, Playschool/Pre School/Pre Primary, Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools and K12 Schools. The below list of CBSE schools in Mahe India covers Girls Schools, Boys Schools and Co-ed schools providing Day or Boarding/Residential schools in Mahe India. Use search filters to find Schools based on School Type (Coeducational or Boys or Girls), School Curriculum, School Level, School Boarding Type (Day, Day-cum-Boarding School or Boarding/Residential School). Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Pandakkal, Mahe is a Coed Boarding School with classes from VI to XII located in Pandakkal Mahe. The school has classes from Middle School (VI-VIII) to Senior Secondary School (XI-XII) and follows curriculum prescribed by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mahe is a Coed Day School with classes from I to X located in Chembra Mahe. The school has classes from Primary School (I-V) to Secondary School (IX-X) and follows curriculum prescribed by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. Explore Schools in Popular localities in and around Mahe Explore by Other Cities in Puducherry Browse Schools by States About the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) programmes The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) headquarterd in Delhi, India, is an Autonomous Body set up by the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in the year 1929. The CBSE is a national level Board of school education having authority to affiliate public and private schools for school education, conducting the Secondary School Examination and the Senior School Certificate Examination, and award of certificates. The CBSE has authority to affiliate schools for the entire school education stage right from Primary to the Senior Secondary stage. There are approximately 21,038 schools in India and 225 schools in 28 foreign countries affiliated to the CBSE. CBSE conducts the final examinations for Class 10 and Class 12. Exams Conducted by CBSE The CBSE conducts the two following external examinations: - Secondary School Examination - Senior School Certificate Examination CBSE class 10 exam is known as All India Secondary School Exam (AISSE) and the class 12 exam is known as All India Senior School Certificate Exam (AISSCE). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About SchoolMyKids' Ratings As an independent private organisation, our aim at SchoolMyKids is to help all parents and school seekers get a great education for their kids. We believe that every parent needs reliable information in order to ensure a good school for their child. Through our ratings, we intend to help parents with a better understanding of school quality. We are continually working with various stakeholders to acquire more school data for schools across the world. How can I help other parents? Thank you for showing interest in helping out other parents. If your kids are studying or have studied in any of the above schools, a simple verification of the school page's content and rating & review on our website can help thousands of other parents. How can I find Schools near me? SchoolMyKids help parents and students find best school near them. Use search filters to find Schools near me based on School Country, School City, School Locality, School Type (Coeducational or Boys or Girls), School Curriculum (CBSE, ICSE, IB, CIE, etc...), School Level, School Boarding Type (Day-cum-Boarding School or full Boarding/Residential School).

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Felsted School 13 Plus (13+) Pretest Practice Tests (and Courses) Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later. Table of Contents Founded in 1564, Felsted School is a co-educational day and boarding school in Felsted, in Essex. The school is known for its British public school traditions and is one of the twelve founding members of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school educates students aged between 4 and 18 and comes highly recommended by the Good School’s Guide. Located on a rural 80-acre village campus, the school offers a holistic education that aims to build good character. For an insight into what it’s like to study at Felsted School, take a look at this short promotional video: How to Apply for 13 Plus Entry to Felsted School Before applying for a place at Felsted School, parents and students are encouraged to attend one of the Whole School Open Mornings which are held on Saturdays from May to September. At the open morning, parents and pupils will have the opportunity to meet the Headteacher, staff members and current pupils at the school. Parents can book a place at one of the open mornings here. For students who would like to board at the school, Felsted also offers a taster night where prospective pupils will be assigned a buddy from the same year group. The taster night includes attending sample lessons during the day as well as participating in activities, sports and meal times. Parents should register their child using the school’s online registration form and pay the registration fee. Students are then added to the list of applicants and parents will be contacted with a date for their child to take the ISEB Common Pretest. For more information on registering at Felsted School, please contact the UK Admissions Registrar on 01371 822605, or email [email protected]. Felsted School 13 Plus Pretest Assessment After registration, students are invited to take the ISEB Common Pretest. The pretest is taken online and comprises of Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English, and Maths. This online test lasts for 2.5 hours and aims to test for academic potential as well as attainment. Felsted School Admissions Criteria For more information on the admissions process at Felsted School, parents can visit the Admissions page of the school website or contact the Admissions Officer on 01622 845206. How to Prepare for the Felsted School Pretest The key to preparing for the ISEB Common Pretest is organisation. Beginning preparation in good time will allow students to identify improve any weak areas. Parents should help their child create a study schedule that outlines what needs to be studied and when. By covering the four areas of the test – Verbal, Non-Verbal, English, and Maths – over the course of a few months, students won’t become overwhelmed with studying. A ‘little and often’ approach usually works best. In addition to following a study schedule, we’d recommend that students use practice tests and courses to help them become familiar with the test layout and the types of questions they may be asked. At Pretest Plus, we specialise in producing online pretest practice tests and courses to help students prepare for the ISEB Common Pretest. Students who are preparing for the Felsted School pretest will find that our resources are well suited to their requirements. They utilise the same format, structure, timings and question types as the actual tests. Our tests cover all four subject areas and parents and students can look back over their answers once a test is complete. Each practice test provides detailed explanations of each question, which can help students to build their confidence ahead of the test. The tests also provide statistical averages to give an indication of the student’s relative performance compared to their peer-group. You can learn more about pretest practice tests and courses by using the links below. Felsted School Pretest Practice Tests and Courses You can learn more about our highly accurate online ISEB Pretest practice tests by clicking on the links below. These Practice Tests are available to take online immediately after purchase. Each module is marked automatically and is then available for review with answers and explanations provided for every question. We also provide comparative ranking statistics on a per module basis so you can quickly identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses. We’ve also produced online video courses that cover everything your child needs to know for each section of the ISEB Pretest assessment. These video courses consist of a series of lessons that go through each question type in great detail, providing step-by-step explanations and techniques to help your child recognise the underlying patterns to look out for. They cover every possible question type that could come up in the ISEB Pretest. Our Skill Practice products consist of focused tests that allow your child to target specific question formats that appear in the ISEB Pretest. They are an efficient way to improve skills and boost scores quickly. Don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200! The information in this post was correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post. Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the ISEB Common Pre-test or any other Pre-test publisher.

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This year’s summer exams, including GCSEs, A levels, and other qualifications have been cancelled due to the pandemic. However, the exam regulator, Ofqual, and exam boards in the UK will be working with teachers to provide grades to students who will not be entering summer exams in 2020 due to the cancellation. The COVID-19 pandemic has been causing unprecedented challenges to, firstly, the day-to-day lives of people, businesses, and education and it is currently crucial to slow the spread of the virus. People are constantly being advised to avoid social interactions as much as possible, while universities have switched to online classes in order to avoid face-to-face teaching as a safety measure against the disease. The education system has also been facing challenges and disruptions during this pandemic. Although UK universities are trying their best to make sure the distributions are minimal while proceeding with classes virtually, grading students has been yet another challenge they had to tackle. The education sector wants to make sure that the educational progress of the young generation faces as little disruption as possible and that students will be able to progress with their education normally when the pandemic ends. Just recently, arrangements have been made with regards to cancelled exams due to coronavirus. More specifically, students will be able to be graded for their GCSEs, AS and A levels this summer, through a process which recognizes and evaluates students’ work in order to come up with a specific grade. These grades will be awarded this summer, and anyone who does not want to accept the grade can enter the exam as soon as possible, early on the next academic year. While education is currently proceeding on an online-basis, with the majority of classes being conducted virtually, grading still seems to be a point of discussion. Universities are expected to be flexible and support students on their journey towards higher education. The aim of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is to be fair to all students and ensure they are able to proceed with sixth form, college, university, or any training or work which would be impacted by the cancellation of exams. In a letter directed towards all GCSE, AS and A level students this summer, the chief regulator of Ofqual, Sally Collier, writes: “Please be reassured that the grades you get this summer will look exactly the same as in previous years, and they will have equal status with universities, colleges and employers, to help you move forward in your lives as planned.” The grades will be calculated through pieces of information that your school or college sends about you. This information includes the instructors’ knowledge on your work and achievements on each of your subjects. You will be assigned a grade which the school or college think you would get if you were to enter the exam. Additionally, for each grade and within each subject, an order of students by performance should also be submitted. This will help to standardize judgement and create an equal standard in different schools and colleges. The grades that your school sends for you are confidential, and you must not require to see them. Firstly, because the final grade you get might not be the one that the school of college has sent to the exam board. The exam board will use the information sent by institutions in order to give a fair assessment to everyone since not all schools and colleges have the same grading standards. Basically, what your school will submit, depending on the resources, is your classwork, homework, assignments, non-exam assessments, mock exams, or other course work. Your grade will not be affected if you were unable to complete any assignment given after school closures. For those who are enrolled in distance learning programmes or are being homeschooled, your school/centre should send all the information they have about your achievements or performance. If they are unable to send something sufficient to make a judgement, then you might be required to enter the exam early on the upcoming academic year. Ofqual and exam boards are working to offer the possibility of additional exams on the autumn term for all those who will be left without a grade or are unsatisfied with the one they received. These grades will allow students to progress in their next stage of education and will have equal status to the grades that were awarded in the previous year. They will also be reported in the same way as they previously were in results slips and certificates. Universities, colleges, and employers are expected to treat these grades equally as they would have, had the exams not been cancelled. Students are expected to get their grading results in August and possibly earlier. For those who want to enter the exams early on the new academic year and also want to apply to university, it is uncertain whether universities will be flexible enough in admission decisions or when it comes to delaying entry courses, taking into consideration that exam results might be delayed. It all depends on the higher education institution. Alternatively, students may also choose to take their exams in summer of 2021. It is possible that universities might also be impacted by the current coronavirus situation, however, the Government and the higher education sector are working to ensure that the admission system will remain fair and equal for all students. Universities Minister Michelle Donelan, claimed that students should not feel pressured and make quick decisions, she said: “We must also look out for students too, who in these uncertain times may be feeling anxious about their futures. I want to reassure students that we will provide them with the grades they need. No student should feel pressured into making a quick decision which may end up not being in their best interest.” She also urged universities to “act responsibly to maintain the integrity of the higher education system”, on a press release published on March, 23. She advised against changing the applicants’ offers from ‘conditional’ to ‘unconditional’, in order to secure their attendance in the upcoming academic year. This, she claimed, would contribute to financial uncertainty and might destabilise the admission system and should be refrained for the next two weeks.

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Leek High School believes strongly in the importance and the role of Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEAIG). We have a comprehensive careers education and guidance program, which includes detailed preparation for post-16 courses and all work experience placements. Our CEAIG programme includes employer workshops for students and activities including ‘Dragons Den’, career taster days, and our annual careers exhibition (over 25 exhibitors attended in October 2018). Students also have opportunities to attend careers events in Further Education and Higher Education, go on visits to employers and businesses. Some of our key business partners include: Ornua Foods, Belle Engineering and Stoke City. Mrs Jan Wheat leads CEAIG for the school as part of her role as Director of Business, Careers and Enterprise. Alex Kenneth, our independent careers advisor from Entrust, offers impartial advice and guidance working with Leek High students and their parents/carers from Year 9 right through to Year 13. Additional support is provided for students in Year 9 when they are choosing their Key Stage 4 (GCSE/BTEC) options. To help parents and carers steer their children through the confusing world of careers choices, take a look at this Parents and Carers eBook. This guide has it all – from university and apprenticeships to work experience and gap years. The START careers website offers valuable information and guidance on future career pathways: https://www.startprofile.com The Government’s Careers Strategy and statutory guidance uses the Gatsby Benchmarks to set out a range of requirements that schools and colleges must meet. We have mapped out how each our activities and events can support our students to make informed careers choices and achieve their full potential. An effective careers programme, as outlined in the Gatsby Report must meet the following 8 benchmarks: 1. A stable careers programme 2. Learning from career and labour market information 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers 5. Encounters with employers and employees 6. Experiences of workplaces 7. Encounters with further and higher education 8. Personal guidance The COMPASS benchmark tool assesses schools’ progress towards meeting the 8 benchmarks. You can click here to view our current progress. All students leaving Leek High will be given a wide range of impartial information to make informed post-16 choices about their future. We liaise with local and specialist national colleges, training providers, employers and the voluntary sector to ensure that knowledge is up to date and information can be shared about the needs, demands and the trends within the labour market locally, nationally and globally. All past students of Leek High School and College, are invited to join our Linkdin alumni group. This group has been set up to develop and foster lifelong relationships between the school and its past learners and can be accessed here. Leek Federation Sixth Form: https://wwc.ttlt.org.uk/sixth-form/ Stoke on Trent College: https://www.stokecoll.ac.uk/ NSCG Newcastle College: https://nscg.ac.uk/ Reaseheath College: www.reaseheath.ac.uk Jobs Live UK: https://jobsliveuk.com National Apprenticeships website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship Juniper Training: Virtual Open Day www.junipertraining.co.uk PM Training: https://www.pmtraining.org.uk/ Careermap apprenticeships and jobs: https://careermap.co.uk/ Entrust Education Services: https://entrust.education/ Careers Education Council (CEC): https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/ Click here for a list of useful websites and resources with information on colleges, Post 18 options, apprenticeship, careers and much more.

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Promoting Productive Collaboration Through Inquiry: The Limits Of Policy Mandates Our guest author today is Robert Shand, the Novice G. Fawcett Postdoctoral Researcher in Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on the economics of education, teacher collaboration and professional development, and how teachers and school leaders make decisions based on data and research to improve student outcomes. In some ways, it is hard to dispute the traditional view that K-12 teaching is a professionally solitary activity. At the end of the day, most instruction still occurs with a single teacher standing in front of a classroom. When I tell folks that I study teacher collaboration for a living, some are puzzled – other than team teaching, what would teachers even collaborate about? Some former colleagues from my time as a middle and high school teacher even bristle at the growing demands by administrators that they collaborate. These former colleagues no doubt envision pointless meetings, contrived team-based scenarios, and freeloading colleagues trying to offload their work onto others. Despite these negative preconceptions, there is growing evidence that meaningful work with colleagues can enhance teacher productivity, effectiveness, and professional growth, and even increase job satisfaction. Teachers can share ideas and instructional strategies, divide the work of developing curriculum, learn from colleagues, and analyze data and evidence to solve instructional problems and help meet diverse student needs. The evidence for the potential benefits of collaboration is so compelling, and collaborative work in education is becoming so pervasive, that the Every Student Succeeds Act legally redefines professional development to include “collaborative” as part of the definition. Many studies have found links between teacher collaboration and positive outcomes for teachers and students. Historically, much of this evidence has been observational (e.g., from rich qualitative work on Professional Learning Communities) or correlational, which provides some evidence in support of the value of collaboration but leaves open the question of whether collaboration makes teachers better, or simply that better teachers collaborate more (or sort into schools with more collaborative cultures). Recent research has made use of randomized experiments (Gallimore, Ermeling, Saunders & Goldenberg, 2009; Papay, Taylor, Tyler & Laski, 2016), changes over time within the same teacher or school (Jackson & Bruegmann, 2009; Ronfeldt, Farmer, McQueen & Grissom, 2015), and other strategies (e.g., Sun, Loeb & Grissom, 2016) to estimate a causal link between teacher collaboration and effectiveness. In spite of these recent advances in collaboration research, important questions remain. Even with robust evidence that collaboration can cause improvements in teaching and learning, my former colleagues may have reason to be skeptical of policy initiatives that impose additional collaboration requirements on them. First, it is clear that not all collaboration is equally productive. While some research exists on the conditions that make collaboration more effective – time, sustained focus, and meaningful participation and support by leaders are commonly cited conditions – the evidence on the features of productive collaboration is less robust than the evidence on the benefits of collaboration overall. Secondly, most existing research, even the causal work, captures naturalistic variation in collaboration. We are left with the question of whether effective collaboration – and the conditions that support it – can be induced by policy. A collaboration initiative as part of a larger reform in a large urban school district provides an opportunity to answer that question. Traditional policies to enhance teacher knowledge, productivity, and effectiveness revolve around professional development. More recently, particularly catalyzed by Race to the Top and No Child Left Behind waivers, policy has shifted toward a performance management approach, whereby schools and teachers are held accountable for how much they contribute to growth in student learning. Both of these approaches have advantages but also important limitations – the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of most traditional PD is weak, and there are concerns about validity, fairness, bias, and gaming with value-added and teacher incentive systems. Depending upon their implementation as part of a larger accountability and policy framework, they can either contribute to or undermine the conditions that lead to productive collaborative cultures in schools. The school district mentioned above aimed to “square the circle,” so to speak, by holding schools accountable for student learning outcomes while also providing them with greater autonomy over staffing, budget, and curriculum decisions, and investing in supports to build school and teacher capacity to use assessments, data, and other tools to solve instructional problems. A key aspect of these reforms was reorganizing traditional professional development around team-based problem-solving, with the goals of making PD better tailored to the needs of teachers and students, leveraging the knowledge-sharing and positive teacher peer effects that could arise from teamwork, and encouraging a continuous improvement mindset within schools. This approach, known as collaborative inquiry or inquiry teams, was inspired by the Japanese kaizen model of ongoing improvements through team-based problem-solving in business, as well as by theories of customization of provision of social services, including education, by autonomous professionals while preserving democratic oversight of the process. The basic team process proceeded as follows. Teams of teachers, administrators, and other professionals with some shared goal or challenge would assemble – most often, the teams would map on to some existing collaborative structure within a school, such as a team of teachers within the same grade level, teachers of the same subject, or teachers who worked with one specific population of high-needs students. The team would then identify a small target group of students who were struggling with a particular skill and use refined assessment instruments and data analysis protocols to identify a very specific sub-skill to serve as the team’s initial area of focus. With a sub-group and sub-skill in hand to give focus and discipline to the team’s work, the team would enter into a series of iterative cycles by which they would locate or develop instructional strategies to help improve student performance in the sub-skill, systematically monitor improvement and revise or test new strategies, and then, as they found strategies that were effective, share them with colleagues and move on to new or more carefully refined sub-skills. This cycle-based approach had three objectives: to improve performance for the targeted sub-group of students so as to close achievement gaps within the school; to build teacher capacity in data analysis and instructional problem-solving via the team process; and to identify and share best instructional practices identified through action research. The initiative builds upon what we know from prior research about the potential power of collaboration. In particular, inquiry teams relate to the crucial interaction between human capital and social capital. Human capital development is inhibited when it occurs in isolation, as teachers facing instructional challenges with their students often do not know where to go to seek new solutions and strategies. Inquiry teams help bridge that gap by connecting teacher professional development with collaborative work with their colleagues – teachers can learn new strategies from one another, and also work together to problem-solve and consult academic research to address novel challenges. The phase-in of the inquiry team initiative over time provides an ideal setting for research. In the pilot year of the initiative, 2007-2008, each school in the district was required to assemble one team, selected by the principal among teacher volunteers. In 2008-2009, each school was to have multiple teams, with the ultimate aim of at least 90 percent of teachers participating on a team by 2009-2010 and the culture of inquiry suffusing all professional development and collaboration throughout the school. Since teachers volunteered to participate on teams and were selected by their principals, a simple comparison of the effectiveness of teachers on teams to those not on teams would likely be biased – we wouldn’t be able to tell if inquiry helped teachers become more effective, or if more effective teachers chose to participate in inquiry. Instead, I use two natural experiments and one more descriptive or correlational approach to analyze the effects of inquiry: I compare first-year teachers who happen to be placed in a grade with an inquiry team to those placed in grades without teams, and teachers who switch grades from a grade without a team to a grade with a team to those who were at grades that either always or never had a team. The basic underlying assumption behind these experiments is that if a teacher or principal thought that teamwork would be especially useful to a teacher, it would be easier to form a team at the grade a teacher was teaching rather than to switch grades; therefore, the effectiveness of teamwork is unrelated to grade switching. The descriptive approach analyzes differences within the same school in test score growth for grade-subject-student subgroup (e.g., English language learners) combinations that are identified as the target of team work versus those that are not. This is less causally robust than the natural experiments but provides some evidence on the proximal effects of teamwork on the students it directly targeted. Using these methods, I found extremely modest effects of collaborative inquiry overall. There are some small (on the order of 5 percent of a standard deviation) effects on test scores for the students directly targeted by inquiry teams, and some very small effects on retention and value-added for first-year teachers. However, there are no effects on value-added of teachers in general, or via the grade-switching experiment. This pattern of results, along with analysis of heterogeneity and intensity of implementation by teams, suggests a few hypotheses. First, inquiry teams seem modestly effective at improving outcomes for targeted students, but not teacher capacity overall, suggesting that targeting instruction helps, but if not done appropriately, could come at the expense of other students (e.g., redirecting teacher time to providing tutoring and extra support to the targeted sub-group). The effects on first-year teachers suggest that inquiry could serve as a kind of on-the-job training or induction and mentoring program, and help new teachers adapt to the unique needs of a particular school environment. Finally, textual analysis of team narrative entries into a centralized database on team process suggests that implementation of the initiative was weak overall, potentially hobbled by other demands on teacher time or lack of time and support. By the third year of the initiative, only 6 percent of teams engaged in more than one “cycle” of inquiry activity, and almost 30 percent of teams didn’t even set a goal for their work. While the results are somewhat disappointing, they do not suggest that inquiry teams specifically, and teacher collaboration more generally, are not beneficial. Rather, they point to the challenge of implementing effective collaboration through policy mandates, as well as the careful balance required in what to mandate. This policy mandated that all teachers participate, but deliberately made the process itself very flexible. Perhaps this was not quite the right balance – unlike the game show Jeopardy!, inquiry is not the best response to every question, and teachers likely needed more support and resources, in addition to better targeting, to make the policy work. Finally, my research speaks to the critical importance of ongoing work in how best to measure teacher collaboration. On the one hand, this study represents an important contribution in that it’s the first I’m aware of that uses administrative, rather than survey, data to assess teacher collaboration, and is therefore less subject to bias due to teachers saying what they think researchers want to hear, as opposed to what they actually did, on surveys. On the other hand, it’s clear that subtle differences in quality and intensity of implementation matter a great deal, and those nuances are very difficult to perceive in administrative data. Future work will focus on what we can glean from the narrative responses to refine survey instruments to better capture the “secret sauce” that makes some collaborations more fruitful than others.

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Aug 15, 2022 For multi-age licenses, a student majors in an academic area and completes courses required for license. Degrees offered include B.A., B.S., and B.M.E., depending upon major. Minimum Professional Education Credits Required: 46 Basic professional education course requirements: Include the following courses and their credit hour values: - PSY 325 - Adolescent Development, 4 credit hours - EDU 101X - Introduction to Education and Teaching, 3 credit hours - EDU 103DX - Education of Children with Special Needs, 2 credit hours - EDU 114 - 21st Century Productivity Tools, 1 credit hour - EDU 206 - Introduction to Adolescent Education, 3 credit hours - EDU 211D - Exploring Education in a Diverse Society, 3 credit hours - EDU 212 - Teaching and Learning, 3 credit hours - EDU 214 - Media Resources for the Education Professional, 2 credit hours - EDU 306 - Differentiated Instruction and Assessment, 3 credit hours - EDU 312 - Classroom Learning Environment, 3 credit hours - EDU 314 - 21st Century Classroom Technology, 1 credit hour - EDU 348 - Reading in the Content Area, 3 credit hours - EDU 350-357 - Special Methods in Adolescent Young Adult/Multi-age Teaching Field, 3/4 credit hours - EDU 490 - Clinical Practice, Multi-Age Education, 9 credit hours - EDU 492 - Senior Capstone Seminar, 3 credit hours *Completing Multi-Age requirements constitutes a minor in Education. Multi-Age Education (prekindergarten through twelve): Foreign Languages-French, German, Spanish; Health; Music; Physical Education; andd Visual Arts. See School of Education for REQUIRED courses in each area. Music Education candidates have a professional education program that varies from the program listed here. See Music Education for details. To earn an additional license in Mild/Moderate Educational Needs, the Multi-Age Education candidate must complete the following sequence of courses: - EDU 204 - Phonics and Spelling Development, 3 credit hours - EDU 274 - Introduction to Students with Mild/Moderate Educational Needs, 3 credit hours - EDU 275 - Professional Collaboration and Transition Development, 3 credit hours - EDU 343 - Literacy Instruction with Adolescents, 3 credit hours - EDU 347 - Mathematics Instruction in Middle Childhood Education, 3 credit hours - EDU 377 - Academic/Life Skills Assessment and Data-Based Decision Making for Students with Special Needs, 3 credit hours - EDU 378 - Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support, 3 credit hours - EDU 434 - Diagnostic and Remedial Reading Methods, 3 credit hours - EDU 494 - Remediation Across the Curriculum, 3 credit hours - EDU 415 - Clinical Practice in Mild/Moderate Educational Needs, 5 credit hours (1/2 semester) - EDU 419 - Clinical Practice in Adolescent Young Adult/Multi-Age Education, 4 credit hours (1/2 semester)

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Leaders from district cohorts in our partner states want to learn how to implement personalized, competency-based learning in different ways to see what works for their communities – whether that’s from expert leaders, other states’ cohorts or KnowledgeWorks. KnowledgeWorks needed to know if we and our partners were on the right path and what we could do better. So we partnered with Research For Action to conduct a cross-state analysis of the implementation of personalized, competency-based learning. From State Commitment to District Implementation: Approaches and Strategies for Personalized, Competency-Based Learning documents and analyzes how personalized, competency-based learning is taking hold in these states and the initial cohort of school districts implementing the work. Based on the data collection and the analysis presented in the report, here are five recommendations for district leaders in the field: - Set clear goals for the work. Just as clear goals are critical at the state level, they are also essential to district implementation. District respondents identified the lack of a shared set of short-term results and long-term impacts for the effort, as well as indicators to measure progress, as challenges in moving the work forward. District design teams should develop their goals for the work at the outset and revisit those goals regularly to determine their progress and continuously improve the work. - Develop district policy and practice that supports the work and removes barriers. Study districts recognized that they needed to build systems in which personalized, competency-based learning could be implemented. District systems change in areas such as teacher evaluation is essential to ensure alignment between local policy and classroom instruction. - Allow time for teacher orientation and implementation. Personalized, competency-based learning is an ambitious approach to education that changes the roles of both teachers and students in the classroom. That level of implementation reform requires time for teachers to prepare for instruction on a weekly basis, and over the long-term through ongoing professional development, implementation, and continuous improvement. - Provide opportunities for classroom observations and reflections. Observations were consistently identified as an effective way to build teacher capacity, whether in the district or outside. Allowing for peer reflection afterwards is also essential to help teachers process what they saw and clarify what they learned and can take back to their own classroom. - Offer both human and material resources to provide ongoing support. Teachers will not have all the capacity they need to implement personalized, competency-based learning after a single professional development session; this approach requires ongoing technical assistance. Some districts utilized instructional coaches to provide customized, district-based supports that were considered effective. At the same time, providing lesson plans and templates for instructional strategies that can be modified to fit individual classrooms were also identified as valuable resources.

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Marie Vivas is the IB Americas University Relations Manager. She has overall responsibility for university recognition in the Americas region, working closely with admissions professionals counseling university bound students. Back in the mid-nineties, when I was an IB newbie at Escuela Campo Alegre, my best student refused to do the IB Diploma Programme. He could have been our first perfect score! I was a little annoyed but, mostly, I was curious. I knew this guy always challenged himself, pursued the most rigorous courses, took on leadership positions in extra-curricular activities, thought critically, and acted creatively. He also demonstrated great integrity, individuality and thoughtfulness. Why not do the IB? His answer was multi-layered. He wanted to focus on the sciences and on writing. He wanted to be immersed in all three of the traditional sciences and also meander into programming and journalism. He demanded opportunities to specialize and to concentrate on his interests. How could I argue with that? Knowing this guy, it made perfect sense. Still, I had a nagging suspicion that he would miss out on the really cool aspects of the IB Diploma – not taking TOK, not completing an Extended Essay, not sharing the CAS experience – would it hurt his college prospects? Today, I would point this guy firmly in the direction of the IB Career-related Programme (CP). The CP framework allows students to specialize in, a career-related pathway. CP students take at least two Diploma Programme courses, pursue their career-related studies and fulfill the distinctive CP core requirements. The CP core connects the dots through the study of a second language, a Personal and Professional Skills course, community service, and a culminating project which addresses an ethical issue in their chosen field. I have been thinking a lot about what makes the CP such a compelling option. Would my guy have been well served by the requirements of the CP? Probably, but he is not the reason I think this is such an exciting study path. To demonstrate the strength, potential and momentum of the CP, I asked colleagues from the International School of Geneva and Watkins Mill High School to allow me to share the stories of some students for whom the CP was a transformative experience. Here are some of their comments: “Student A was weak in math and writing. On the other hand, he was a competitive skateboarder and had spent some time filming skating-action sequences. For his last two years of high school he took IB Film and French with a CP specialization in art and design. He is now off to film school in London.” “*** was dyslexic. He would get very stressed during exams and was glad to be offered more opportunities for showing his knowledge in the portfolio assessments and the more practical applications in his business courses. Within a month of joining the CP he became more active in school life and joined in classroom debates with a newly found confidence and enthusiasm. He is going to one of the top hotel schools in the world this fall.” “As I stroll down the lane, one of the first kids who comes to mind is ***. This little girl began her MCPS career in the ESOL program, coming here from Nepal with her family when she was 9 years old. She was from a hard working but economically disadvantaged family, and was on our FARMS list (Free and Reduced Meals). She was a student who would have “settled” for the DP had we not had the CP, but she was dead set on a medical profession and passionately wanted to undertake our Medical Careers Academy. The timing was perfect for her, as she was right in line to be a member of our first CP graduating cohort, and was able to experience her top choice here: Completing the Medical Academy while participating in a meaningful and exciting new IB Program: The CP. Her IB DP Courses over 11th and 12th grades, were HL English (Language A), HL Biology, and IB Physics. She took the full array of Medical Careers coursework, which also included challenging science courses as well as the Medical Internship, and graduated with a Maryland state Diploma, certification as a CNA (certified Nurse’s assistant), a certification in CPR, and a Career-related Program Certificate, She earned a 3.76 straight GPA and a 4.34 weighted GPA, having worked so hard throughout the program. Her SAT scores were stronger in Math and were slightly weak in Language, again remembering that she’d only been speaking English for about 7 -8 years by the time she took it. As a result of her industriousness and her challenging program, *** earned an amazing and prestigious scholarship to college: The Posse Scholarship, 4 years, full tuition, at Grinnell College. She is well on her way to achieving her goal of becoming a medical doctor” Skills based learning, academic rigor, reflection and engagement – whether you’re in Geneva or Gaithersburg, the CP might be the perfect choice for your students. To learn more about the CP or the entire IB Continuum, visit www.ibo.org/ib4all

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Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists The Bulletin equips the public, policymakers, and scientists with the information needed to reduce man-made threats to our existence. At our core, the Bulletin is a media organization, posting free articles on its website and publishing a premium digital magazine. But we are much more. The Bulletin’s website, iconic Doomsday Clock, and regular events help advance actionable ideas at a time when technology is outpacing our ability to control it. The Bulletin focuses on three main areas: nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. What connects these topics is a driving belief that because humans created them, we can control them. The Bulletin is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization. We gather a diverse array of the most informed and influential voices tracking man-made threats and bring their innovative thinking to a global audience. We apply intellectual rigor to the conversation and do not shrink from alarming truths. The Bulletin is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The profound challenges of our moment cannot be met without increasing the diversity of background and perspective of our organization. Data show that homogenous organizations have blind spots that obscure incoming risks and areas of opportunities. The Bulletin is determined to improve diversity along the lines of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression. We are less far along on race and ethnicity than we are in improving diversity in the other categories. No one person makes a team diverse, but together, we are committed to moving intentionally toward greater diversity so that we may better represent our growing audience and more powerfully reflect and advance our mission that affects all humanity. The Bulletin has many audiences: the general public, which will ultimately benefit or suffer from scientific breakthroughs; policymakers, whose duty is to harness those breakthroughs for good; and the scientists themselves, who produce those technological advances and thus bear a special responsibility. Our community is international, with half of our website visitors coming from outside the United States. It is also young. Half are under the age of 35. We promise to be understandable and influential: We provide lucid facts and commentary that are accessible to the public, policymakers, and scientists. We move people to action. We make appropriate use of our Doomsday Clock to help the public quickly grasp the jeopardy they are in. The Clock is an educational tool and is often how both children and adults are introduced to our mission. We promise to be vigilant: We maintain worldwide surveillance on the evolution of already-identified threats as well as emerging dangers that may not be on our readers’ radar. We promise to be solution-oriented: We are an early-warning system, but we are also determined to inject hope into the conversation by offering achievable actions. We are not a debating society; we strive to fix problems. We promise to be fair-minded: We are not partisan; we believe that government policies must be based on facts, not ideology. We have one prejudice: We are opposed to extinction. The Bulletin began as an emergency action, created by scientists who saw an immediate need for a public reckoning in the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One mission was to urge fellow scientists to help shape national and international policy. A second mission was to help the public understand what the bombings meant for humanity. These scientists anticipated that the atom bomb would be “only the first of many dangerous presents from the Pandora’s Box of modern science.” They were all too correct. Humanity now faces additional threats from greenhouse gases, cyber attacks, and the misuse of genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. The Bulletin’s Doomsday Clock serves as a vivid symbol of these multiplying perils, its hands showing how close to extinction we are. With the energy of words and ideas, we seek to motivate our audience to acknowledge emerging threats, manage their dangers and turn back the hands of the Doomsday Clock. Message from the President and CEO I am frequently reminded that the research we publish and the discussions we generate are not for the faint of heart. Nuclear proliferation, the effects of climate change, and the unnamed ethical challenges that we may face from disruptive technologies are serious, sobering, and real. And yet, I am grateful and encouraged by the heart and intelligence of the growing numbers of followers, readers, and supporters of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. With your gifts and your engagement, you confirm that we’re up to the challenges we face—as dire and urgent as they are. In extending my appreciation to all who stand with us, I assure you that we’re as determined as you are to reduce these terrible risks.

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8th Language Arts Scope and Sequence What can we learn from the experiences of others? How can Democracy be expressed through an individual's voice? Build writing skills through daily journals, short stories, poetry, research projects, and five paragraph essays Annotate texts and use textual evidence in support of ideas Study and apply classical roots to build vocabulary Social Action presentations Civil Rights project

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Civic and Professional Leadership (CPL) The minor provides a vehicle for students to engage in leadership study. The program offers intellectual learning communities where students from multiple disciplinary areas can identify and acquire an understanding of leadership theory and leadership skills. For centuries people believed leaders were born and not made and most often came from places of privilege and/or nobility. Today's theoretical understanding of leadership debunks this antiquated notion and sees everyone with leadership potential and leadership as a set of teachable theory and practice. Vocations from a wide an inclusive spectrum prize individuals who show willingness to knowledgeably step forward and demonstrate civic engagement. The minor in Civic and Professional Leadership Studies, housed in the Honors College, welcomes all students on campus. Any student may apply for the minor if they complete HON 110 or CPL 120 – Leadership Theories for Today’s Societies with a C+ or better. *Students who served as Discussion Leaders [DL] for HON 110 can apply for a waiver; - Beyond HON 110 and/or CPL 120, to receive the minor, students need to complete: - A minimum of three HON seminars - A 300-level CPL seminar allowing students to directly focus leadership lessons within their academic majors A Word from Professor Zachary Wooten about the International Leadership Association This month I attended the International Leadership Association’s virtual conference. Representing more than 60 countries, the ILA is committed to advancing leadership knowledge and practice by creating a trusted space for leadership learning across boundaries and providing a trusted source of leadership resources. I am proud to say that this year I had the opportunity to work with the ILA to send two student volunteers from WCU to the conference. Jordan Avallone and Ronan McDermott represented WCU by serving as international student leadership volunteers, going through volunteer training with ILA staff and committing hours of their time to serving as virtual hosts at conference presentations from scholars around the world. Here’s what they had to say about the experience: a sophomore Secondary English Education Major with a Minor in Civic and Professional Leadership shared, “My experience as a room host for the International Leadership Association was enlightening and empowering. Volunteering for this organization allowed me to network within the circle of leadership studies and beyond, as well as learn a great amount about the current discussions within the leadership field." a first-year Pharmaceutical Product Development Major with plans to Minor in Civic and Professional Leadership, saw many connections between her experience at the conference and her leadership education at WCU. She told me, “I saw many connections from HON 352 such as servant leadership and leadership development amongst students…I also was heavily impacted by the openness and kindness of the presenters on most panels.”

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Our next ELGL webinar offering will explore the important and sometimes tumultuous relationships between universities and the towns they reside in. Known as Town-Gown relations, university and municipal administrators have to work together despite sometimes centuries of baggage. Dr. Stephen Gavazzi will explain how we can measure and understand these relationships by knowing how marriage and family relationships work. Town & Gown Relationships: How Campuses & Communities Work Together or …. Don’t What if you had a marriage that was arranged by others, which could not be ended, but that you had to make work regardless of how you felt about your partner? That, in a nutshell is the relationship between a college campus and the community that surrounds it. Dr. Stephen M. Gavazzi, Ph.D., creator of The Optimal College Town Assessment, Dean and Director of The Ohio State University at Mansfield, and Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology will walk us through his work exploring the complex relationships between higher education institutions and local governments and discuss 4 case studies. Webinar participants should walk away with a framework from which to view these relationships and some practical applications, including how data can be used to institute strong Town Gown practices. Meet the Speaker Dr. Stephen M. Gavazzi is the dean and director of the Ohio State University at Mansfield, a position he’s been in since 2011. He’s also the founder and CEO of Great Thinker Productions an organization that provides consulting and technical assistance on issues involving families and development. A professor of Human Development and Family Science, Dr. Gavazzi co-authored two recent articles arguing that research on marriages and families can help us understand Town-Gown relations. The articles are: - Understanding Campus and Community Relationships through Marriage and Family Metaphors A Town-Gown Typology - A Tale of Three Cities piloting a Measure of Effort and Comfort Levels within Town-Gown Relationships Register for this FREE webinar taking place on February 27 at 10:00 am PT (12:00 pm CT, 1:00 pm ET) at town-gown-webinar.eventbrite.com. All of our webinars take place at anymeeting.com/ELGLwebinar where you can log in with your email address.

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By Melissa Turosik The Youngstown State University Honors College Honors Pen Pals program involves students in the Honors College writing to a specific elementary student, corresponding with and eventually meeting their pen pals. Honors College Director Amy Cossentino said she was contacted in 2012 by the Youngstown Board of Education at the request of Dr. Rashid Abdu, a Youngstown surgeon who tutors at Harding Elementary, to start a pen pal program similar to Ohio State University’s program. Cossentino said several members of the Youngstown Board of Education knew that honors students have a volunteer requirement and thought honors students would be interested in spearheading the project. “We had a lot of interest from our students with several wanting to engage in the leadership,” Cossentino said. Pen Pal co-coordinator Hannah Crites said the mission of Honors Pen Pals is to provide elementary school students and honors students with a chance to communicate, to learn from and inspire one another. Crites said honors students will act as positive role models to the students and hopefully leave a lasting impression on their pen pal. “This program gives elementary students an opportunity to develop writing skills while gaining another perspective in their lives,” Crites said. “Also, this is a way YSU can give back to the community.” Crites said the students get excited when their journal is returned, and they cannot wait to read what their pen pal has written. “They also become excited to share thoughts and ideas, encouraging reading and writing skills in a different way and in some cases the journals provide positive reinforcement of someone listening to them,” Crites said. Mellicent Costarella, a pen pal participant, said she first got involved with Honors Pen Pals during her freshmen year of college. “It is an amazing experience connecting with students and getting to know about them and their different experiences growing up,” Costarella said. “Writing and communicating with a different age group grants you a new perspective in life.” Costarella said she finds Honors Pen Pals as a rewarding way to volunteer and help the community of Youngstown. Starting this semester, a new writing program called Writing with Residents will begin. It will involve Honors Students writing to residents in nursing homes in the surrounding area. Writing with Residents coordinator Jennie Wensel said the creation of Writing with Residents came from visiting her own great-grandmother in a nursing home before she passed away. “Before my great grandmother passed away, I spent a lot of time in the nursing home visiting her,” Wensel said. “Some of my great-grandmother’s friends even told her how lucky she was to have a regular visitor.” Wensel said looking back on the time she had spent there, she realized a lot of elderly people did not have family or friends to socialize with from outside of the nursing home. Wensel said 140 people have signed up for the program that will involve sending the residents letters. “Though the majority of the program is letter writing, there is also an option for students to visit if they have time in their schedules,” Wensel said. “YSU Honors College students will be writing biweekly for the rest of the semester to their residents.” Wensel said when the idea was presented to her, she jumped and took charge. “I think the idea of special people who have lots of stories and wisdom to share being lonely just kills me inside. The hope that this program will genuinely help residents who feel even slightly lonely has inspired me,” Wensel said.

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WELCOME, WE’RE glad you came! We’re proud to be known as Alaska’s longest-operating and largest residential vocational school—and pleased to share that GILA is celebrating our 25th anniversary this 2022/23 school year! GILA has become the school of choice for Alaskan high school students seeking a unique educational opportunity to prepare for a career or post-secondary school advancement. As a fully accredited school, GILA offers Alaska teens the chance to gain industry-standard experience, skills, and certifications within popular career pathways: drone aviation, applied mechanics, construction trades, health science, media and information technology. Galena Interior Learning Academy’s residential campus is located in Galena, Alaska, in the heart of the Interior on the mighty Yukon River. Positioned on and around the former Galena Air Force Base and adjacent to the airstrip, just north of the river and northwest of town, GILA is surrounded by wilderness. CAREER + TECHNICAL FOCUS GILA offers vocational training in automotive mechanics, welding, woodworking, cosmetology, health sciences, media and information technology, and drone aviation, along with a rigorous academic curriculum. Students have come from many communities across Alaska to take advantage of GILA’s unique career and technical education opportunities. GILA enjoys long-running partnerships with the City of Galena, Louden Tribal Council, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and various local organizations and Alaskan businesses. These partnerships help prepare GILA students for continued study at the University, post-secondary career and technical training centers, or for direct entry into the workforce. The campus is continuously growing and changing, with new buildings being obtained, remodeled, or built. The many facilities available to students provide the luxuries and technology less common in typical Alaska bush communities. Likewise, the community of Galena offers a multitude of leisure and outdoor activities, community and cultural events, and valuable resources and services.

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Unlike subjects such as chemistry, history or linguistics, language as such does not have a specific focus or topic. You can use it to speak about anything, or at least anything that is within the limits of your language skills. So when you are confronted with the question, "Say something in X", you need to pick something from a vast range of choices that potentially covers everything that exists. This leads to overchoice or choice overload, which Alvin Toffler in 1970 described as follows: "[Overchoice takes place when] the advantages of diversity and individualization are canceled by the complexity of buyer's Simply put, the decision becomes overwhelming because there are too many options. The phenomenon has also been studied in commercial settings. For example, researchers set up a booth with a range of jams in a supermarket and let customers taste some of the jams and choose one. The choice is a lot easier when fewer types of jam are available. (See also The Jam Study Strikes Back: When Less Choice Does Mean More Sales.) In the case of foreign languages, the solution can be simple: just talk about the languages that you speak and how long you have spent learning each of them.

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Adult Learners Week Monday 1st September to Monday 8th September 2014. Businesses supporting the activities include Redpath Education, STePS Education & Training, Group Training NT, Australian First Aid, Girl Guides and Scouts. Interested parties include Facility Child Care and Family Day Care providers, Aboriginal Liaison Officer's (ALO’s) from Alice Springs Hospital, supported by Bellette and Southern Cross Television. The Adult Learners Week project is funded through the Northern Territory Government - Department of Business, designed to celebrate and promote lifelong learning. It recognises achievements in and raises awareness of adult education, providing an opportunity for organisations to promote what they do in the wider community. Activities such as training sessions in First Aid, CPR, Food Safety, Asthma and Anaphylaxis Management as well as Safety training will be offered to the public free of charge, with Information sessions highlighting learning pathways available within the region will be delivered at the Girl Guide Hall for the full week. STePS Education & Training will provide face to face information & support for learners undertaking training programs in Alice Springs and remote areas. The event schedule below outlines the weeks events, to book courses please visit our course schedule page. Community Leaders in Girl Guides and Scouts will discuss how formal adult training programs are supported within the activities of not for profit organisations, and how this translates into real employability skills. Group Training NT and other organisations will be supported during the week through information sessions anddiscussions of apprenticeships and traineeships, and reciprocal information sessions will be delivered in support of GTNT's Apprenticeship & Traineeship Futures. An industry forum will review training needs of new and existing employees in Child Care services, with representatives of services and training providers, as well as NTG representatives and interested parties. The Aboriginal Liaison Officers from Alice Springs Hospital will discuss opportunities for contextualised workplace learning, highlighting how training is for everyone, and how formal or informal learning can be fun and engaging. On Monday 8th Sept we will celebrate with the learners and educators, while presenting certificates for the weeks formal learning outcomes. We thank all stakeholders who are supporting this years program of activities, to make the week a great success, and welcome all Learners to participated in the weeks training sessions, to enable you to apply your new knowledge and skills in workplace opportunities and other learning pathways. For more information please contact our office Read about our:

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Arrowsmith School is a privately owned co-educational and non-denominational day school that is dedicated to helping students with specific learning difficulties. The Arrowsmith Program of cognitive exercises was first offered to students with learning difficulties in 1978 and Arrowsmith School was established in 1980. Arrowsmith School has operated continuously in Toronto since then and now occupies the two buildings which it owns on St. Clair Avenue West in mid-town Toronto. Students who come to Arrowsmith School have been struggling in school – some are just starting their schooling but their experience has already shown a pattern of learning problems. Others have been finding school a challenge for years. Each new student is assessed at Arrowsmith School so that we may identify his or her individual learning profile and then design a program of cognitive exercises for that student. Information about the assessment process may be found on the Assessment page of our web site. Our program has been of benefit for students having difficulty with reading, writing and mathematics, comprehension, logical reasoning, problem solving, visual and auditory memory, non-verbal learning, attention, processing speed and dyslexia. For an overview of the more common problems addressed please read our Chart of Learning Outcomes. Our goal is for our students to become effective, confident and self-directed learners for life and to enable them to achieve their goals of academic and career success.. Hear from our Students The annual tuition fee for Full-Time In-Person Program is $30,000 and includes all program and academic fees and materials for the full school year. The tuition fee includes an activity fee of $250 that covers such things as the school yearbook, school trips and other special events. There are no other fees or charges. Tuition fees are not subject to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) or Provincial Sales Tax. |Academic Teachers||Cognitive Teachers| |English||Math||Mike Cerovich||Dan Goodman| |Ian Taylor Wright|| Sherri Lane Howie |Remote & Extended Day Teachers||Psychometrist| |Reception, Office Admin & School Support||Alumni Administrator| |Marika Kotani||Daina Luszczek| |Online Campus Lead & Parent Liaison||Admissions Officers| |Arrowsmith Financial Administrator||Financial Manager| |Helen Fadakis||Andrew Sommerhalder| |Head of School||Director| |Shelley Woon||Barbara Arrowsmith Young|

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Contra Costa County Adult - Earn a high school diploma or prepare to take a high school equivalency exam (Pearson Vue GED or ETS HiSET.) - Learn English or prepare for the Citizenship Exam - Train for a career - Improve your academic skills to prepare for college. What are you waiting for? Move Ahead with Adult Ed Start anytime at Contra Costa Adult Schools! Free and low-cost classes begin year-round. Learn online or in a classroom. We’re here to help you every step of the way! Complete the form below and an admissions counselor from a Contra Costa Adult School will be in touch to help you register.

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Four Leith Academy pupils have won a nationwide competition to intern as part of US Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign in the US in November. Morven MacKay, Caitlin Munn, Liam Stobie and Katie Ewart will be travelling to America with their teacher Ms Steele on 29 October as part of a small team of around 20 UK pupils. The pupils will be based in Tampa, Florida where they will be spending time working on Clinton’s presidential campaign and the campaigns for several House of Representatives and Senate candidates. The trip will conclude with a short visit to Washington DC where the pupils will get a chance to see the White House and Capitol Hill for themselves. Crucially they will be in America for election day on 8 November. The Inspire US 2016 competition, organised by The Transformation Trust, received entries from schools all around the UK. Of the five winning schools the pupils from Leith Academy were the only ones from Scotland (three of the five are London-based schools). Competition entrants had to submit videos answering questions about who their dream presidential candidates would be, and what executive order would they invoke if they were president. In later rounds of the competition the pupils had to give presentations via Skype on what type of campaign they would run upon their return that could highlight the skills learned during the internship. The trip is fully funded with all travel and accommodation covered, and is a repeat of a successful 2012 trip. The Leith Academy pupils’ dream presidential nominees included figures as diverse as Malala Yousafzai and Morgan Freeman. The issue they opted to tackle with their executive order was to place a cap on the spending involved in lobbying and financing during the election cycle (a major talking point during this presidential election). The pupils did their Skype presentation from Holyrood on the issue of 16-year-old voters, entitled “Cross My Name Off”. “We didn’t think we were going to get it at first,” the pupils said on winning the competition, before adding “it feels really good though, knowing how many other schools applied.” Nadia Steele, who teaches Modern Studies and will be accompanying the pupils on their trip, was the person who entered the school into the contest. She said : “The competition came to my notice as a way of engaging pupils who might not have the opportunity to otherwise go and experience America in a political context. I immediately started thinking of which pupils had put in a lot of effort on their course work, gave 100% and would be up for the challenge of taking part in it.” Asked whether any of the pupils had plans of pursuing a career in politics, 16 year old Liam Stobie said: “It’s an idea I have, although I’m not 100% sure yet. This will be good experience for finding out.” Fellow pupil Katie Ewart echoed his remarks, adding: “This trip could be a “decider” for me.” Ms Steele added: “I think the skills that they’ll pick up out there will be invaluable whatever they go on to do.” Would they ever go out to work for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign? Morven Mackay said: “I think it would be interesting to see what kind of people support him and what their reasons are.” And Katie Ewart added: “I’d like to see how his campaign works differently in comparison to Hillary’s.” Liam Stobie thinks it will be very interesting: “Yes, I’d definitely like to see how that man’s mind works.”

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For my reflection, I had the privilege of having a great discussion with Jean Catubay, one of the Interviewers and Editors of the High Tech High Podcast UnBoxed. You can take a listen here on YouTube. Cliff Notes for my Reflection: Teaching super powers: My first teaching power is that I always try to make the work that we do relevant to the lives of students in these moments. I always want my lessons to be things that center the knowledge that students bring to the table as well. I am an empathetic teacher. I always try to look at the students whole experience in their lives. For example looking at things that they share about their personal ife or things tha help them feel joy in their lives. Areas for growth: One palace where I could grow is in the timing of my lesson plans. I want to continue to figure out What motivates students to be both receptive to their work And what motivates students to take agency over the work that they do? For their own learning. What does Anti-Racist and Equality focused look like to me? Whenever we are doing anti-Racist work, it is implied work that we continue to examine and re-examine, as well as negotiate our stance on issues all of the time. Where do we sit on this spectrum of creating change and unlearning. Whenever I think about equity I think of my IEP, 504 and EBL students and how injustice has played out in their education and has maybe even jaded their experiences on the possibility of enjoying school work. I think of my job as a teacher as the person who helps to energize my students in pursuit of their passions while in school Curiosities to pursue for next year: How might I learn how to better motivate my students to take agency over the work that they do in the direction of their own learning?

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10 helpful habits to develop a lifelong learning mindset By Brian Fairbanks August 04, 2021 • 7 minute read At a glance Lifelong learning is more than just getting a degree, it is a commitment to ongoing and self-taught education. People who wish to become lifelong learners must embrace a growth mindset and make it a way of life. Lifelong learning can consist of multiple activities from earning a degree and reading to pursuing certifications and on-the-job training. University of Phoenix offers opportunities to continue to learn, such as certificates, single courses, and professional development offerings. What is a lifelong learner? A lifelong learner is someone who uses both formal and informal learning opportunities to foster continuous development and improvement of the knowledge and skills needed for employment and personal fulfillment. One of the best parts about college or any school experience is the actual process of learning. From understanding how something works (the human body, the universe, a foreign language) to why people do what they do (history, sociology, psychology), that “aha” moment is what keeps many students motivated to study and stay in the classroom. But what about after school? The good news is that learning doesn’t have to stop with the completion of a degree. Through continuous learning, whether that’s professional development courses, advanced degree programs, or self-study, adults can further their careers and continue to grow as people. And while that’s reward enough, being a lifelong learner offers additional advantages in the real-world job market, too. After all, curious, intellectual people only enhance any organization they join. What does it mean to be a lifelong learner? Being a lifelong learner can mean different things to different people, but at its core, it’s about cultivating curiosity and gratifying a thirst for knowledge. lifelong learning is the ongoing education of the self. Because it’s on a continuum, this type of learning is self-motivated and often self-taught. It’s about turning the act of learning in a classroom into a daily mindset and habit. It’s about having a fierce desire to gain knowledge and skills whenever, wherever, and however. How to become a lifelong learner Getting a formal education in a structured setting — a degree from a university or a certificate from a job-training class, for example — is one way to pursue lifelong learning, but it’s not the only way. In fact, if you want to develop your personal relationships, advance in your career, and stay ahead in our always-on, always-changing society, it can’t be the only way. That’s where lifelong learning comes in. Lifelong learning is the ongoing education of the self. Because it’s on a continuum, this type of learning is self-motivated and often self-taught. It’s about turning the act of learning in a classroom into a daily mindset and habit for personal development. It’s about having a fierce desire to gain knowledge and skills whenever, wherever, and however. Learning environments come in various forms. How about learning at a museum or through an online class or a self-help book? The point is there’s no wrong way to be a lifelong learner. You don’t even have to be someone who likes school. You just have to commit to putting in the effort and being open to new challenges and ways of thinking — every single day. The benefits of being a lifelong learner are as vast and varied as the ways to become one: increased competence and confidence, a sense of purpose and satisfaction, an ability to adapt to change and overcome challenges, greater employability, and so on. Here are 10 steps you can take to begin the rewarding, never-ending process of personal learning. 10 ways to develop a lifelong learning mindset Griffin says that lifelong learners are people who seek out opportunities for continuous learning to enrich their lives, including personal and professional development. She shares the following tips for personal development and adult learning. 1. Recognize that you already have the traits of a lifelong learner Being a lifelong learner has nothing to do with what you put on your LinkedIn® profile. It’s not reflected in what can be seen in an online bio or resume because lifelong learning is about what’s inside you. A positive attitude of “I can and I will,” not “I can’t and this will never be,” is essential. Lifelong learning represents a desire to actively seek out opportunities for growth, not being complacent and waiting for them to come to you. It’s about having the self-motivation to be willing to put in a sustained effort to learn. 2. Take a careful inventory of yourself Developing a lifelong learning mindset starts with knowing yourself. How can you improve your current skills? What knowledge can you continue to build? Have your friends and family commented on a talent you have? What are your strengths and weaknesses, both personally and professionally? Do you fear public speaking … or are really good at it? Do you love staying up-to-date with computers and software… or are you kind of a Luddite? Identify the areas where you think a few extra skills or knowledge could go a long way and then see if there are classes that can help you fill in those gaps. Set a learning goal and attack it. 3. Embrace a growth mindset You can’t be a lifelong learner if you have a fixed mindset, but you can be with a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, you believe your intelligence and life skills can be developed with concerted effort and thoughtful feedback, not that they’re innate and immutable. You care about the hard work you put into learning, not about how smart you’ll look when the course is over. Here’s what every lifelong learner believes: If you have an idea of what you want, there’s always a way to get there. Most people have a can-do attitude about something. If you get excited about a series of fantasy novels and learn everything you can about their author or the universe in which they’re set, that’s an example of a lifelong learning mindset. Seize that feeling and apply it to other areas of your life, from career development to new hobbies. 4. Be curious Learners need to be open-minded. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s what sustains a lifelong learner. You have to be open to new experiences, good and bad, and what they can teach you. In a way, being a lifelong learner means having constant FOMO—not fear of missing out on a social event, but of missing out on the opportunity to learn and do something new outside your comfort zone. Curiosity is at the heart of all questions. Always ask questions — of yourself, of people you know, of the internet. When you don’t understand something at work, are confused by what a friend is saying, or don’t understand a news reference, ask. Curiosity yields questions, asking questions yields answers, and gaining knowledge is what lifelong learning is all about. 5. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable Change can be uncomfortable because your ego may want to protect itself from what’s new and challenging. But discomfort is necessary for the growth that comes from lifelong learning — that whole “two steps forward, one step back” thing. Every hiking trail begins with someone trampling through uncharted territory. Imagine you are that first adventurous soul, and that all the hikers in the future will be grateful for a marked trail. The more you confront resistance to new things, the easier it gets. Reading is key to adult education, raising lifelong learners, and is the best way to gain new perspectives, think differently, learn how others struggle and thrive, and expand your ideas of what’s possible. Think of reading as a tree, with the reader moving from branch to branch. You start with one book, then based on what you learn, you read another book, and soon, you’re reading four or five books back-to-back. Novels, essays, memoirs, poetry collections, blog posts, magazine stories, newspapers, and articles — read it all. If you’re going to start your lifelong learning journey anywhere, do it by choosing something to read. Reading widely and frequently is the best way to glean a wealth of knowledge. But if you’re not a natural reader, don’t give up! You don’t have to finish every book you start. You don’t have to make it a chore. Simply read what interests you, stay open to finding new interests and work reading into your daily life (think 10 pages before bed or a chapter during your lunch break). 7. Know that physical health Is mental health Health and wellness work hand-in-hand with becoming a lifelong learner. When you feel your best, you’re at your best and most receptive. Think of it as a holistic approach to learning and life: How you do one thing is how you do everything. The better you take care of yourself (eating right, sleeping well, getting regular exercise), the better you’ll perform mentally. 8. Understand how your environment — online and off — matters You can’t fill a house with your furniture if the previous owner’s furniture is still there, right? That applies to lifelong learning. You have to declutter your work environment and your mind to make room for the new you. Cleaning your workspace, and priming it for productivity, will remove distractions and help form a lasting connection in your mind. It says, “Cleaning my workspace means learning.” 9. Look at lifelong learning as a way of life, not a one-off activity Becoming a lifelong learner doesn’t mean turning your life upside down overnight. Start with small, simple, and gradual changes, like being more conscious of how you spend your time. Rather than scrolling on social media over breakfast, read a long-form article you’ve saved. Listen to a productivity podcast instead of music or watch a documentary about a business innovator instead of sitcom reruns. Have a coffee chat with someone whose career path you admire, rather than a drink with a co-worker who enables your unhealthiest habits. Over time, micro-changes become macro-habits. 10. In these unprecedented times, embrace more time with yourself The isolation brought about by the pandemic can prompt productive questions. What do you want to learn? What skills do you want to improve? What’s something you should do more of because it will bring you joy? The pandemic hasn’t stopped you from answering and acting on any of these questions. Think about how good it will feel to emerge from the pandemic with a new skill or a new area of knowledge. Why is lifelong learning important? Lifelong learning isn’t just a fulfilling personal trait. It can offer real career advantages as well. In fact, according to the Chief Learning Officer blog, companies, “shop for workers based on skills rather than official qualifications or job titles.” That means the more skills you gain, whether through official channels like degree programs and certifications, or self-directed modalities, the more valuable you become to employers. As the Chief Learning Officer blog puts it, “generic experience and flexibility cannot compete with serial mastery.” Lifelong learning in action Terms like “continuing education” and even “lifelong learning” can feel overwhelming but following this path can happen one step at a time. If you’re looking to start down the path of becoming a lifelong learner, there are several ways to gratify a lifelong learning mindset. These might include:

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This course is open to MA and research MA students in Classics and Ancient Civilizations (specialization Classics). Admission requirements for other students: a BA degree in Classics obtained from a university in the Netherlands, or a comparable qualification obtained from a university outside the Netherlands. Moreover, students with an international degree have to contact the coordinator of studies to check admissibility. Is an orator allowed to use his eloquence to defend something which is morally entirely unacceptable or should he himself remain a person of integrity? Assuming he has integrity and wants to communicate nothing but the truth, is there any use in stirring up his audience’s emotions and embellishing what could be said even in a few words? Can an emotive performance be an essential contribution to the process of communicating knowledge? Quintilian’s Institutio oratoria is not only a handbook or compilation of rhetorical strategies; it is rather also concerned with the aesthetic and ethic dimensions of an orator’s duties and the question of how young people have to be educated in order to meet the requirements of becoming an “orator perfectus”. The treatise eventually proves to be a compelling and entertaining discussion of these questions. In the seminar we will read and discuss some of the passages which have turned out to be crucial for aesthetic theory up to the present day. After the completion of this tutorial, a student has: a basic knowledge of the history of rhetoric; an overview over Quintilian’s Institutio oratoria; an insight into crucial rhetorical terms and concepts (such as enárgeia, pathos etc.). can find, select, and critically assess relevant secondary literature; knows how to formulate an independent research question; can construct a convincing argument on the basis of independent research (students are required to write an essay); can present research results clearly and effectively both in oral and written form; can give a critical response to research results (in oral form) and open a discussion (students are required to respond to one the essays). Please consult the timetable on the Classics and Ancient Civilizations website. Mode of instruction When taken for 10.0 EC: Oral presentation (20 min.): 30% Essay & response: 30% When taken for 5.0 EC: Oral presentation (20 min.): 50% Essay & response: 50% A reader will be available via Blackboard. Quintiliani Institutionis Oratoriae libri XII, 2 vols, ed. M. Winterbottom, Oxford 1970 (OCT)

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Today, I could not decide whether I should post anything or not, because I’m feeling a little bit guilty for neglecting the feast of the Assumption yesterday, though, if you think about it, I shouldn’t. After all, what is Mary’s Assumption about if not hope? Yes, there’s hope for all of us. … which brings me to my second point. I also could not decide whether I wanted to reblog this illuminating post from a fellow blogger and friend, Trebor Fairwell (pronounced: //’Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd//), or just link to it, which would allow me to elaborate on it here. As you can see, I ended up choosing the latter. Trebor asks, “Are you smarter than an eighth-grader?” In 1912, that is. To find out, click on this link and see how well you do on this high school entrance exam — not college, high school. I’ll share here what I commented there: There are numerous causes of the dumbing down of public education in this country. I think they can mostly be boiled down to one main contributor, two if we are cynical. The cynic would insist that education’s demise in this country was simply a matter of orchestrated social engineering. I’m not ruling that out, because in part I think that’s true. But I can’t bring myself to say that’s the primary factor, since it makes more sense to believe that most educators want to optimize student’s learning potential, not inhibit it. When you look at what has been lost over time and how the standards have been dropped in just over 100 years (as evidenced by this exam), you see a dramatic loss of faith in the mind’s potential, especially with regard to the young person’s mind. As a result, we’ve become skeptics about… just about everything. Why? Not only because we can’t know (because we haven’t been properly taught); more importantly, because we no longer have the whereabouts to know that we can even know things that used to be taken for common knowledge. For example, just basic knowledge of things like pythagorean triads makes the first question you posted a no-brainer. That’s why this is scary. We are no longer being taught to use our brains. Then again, why should we anymore? This is why we have Wikipedia, after all. On the positive side, this exam reflects what we once knew for certain — that we can still be a smarter society if we teach our citizens to apply their mind’s full potential. Back to my original point, there’s hope for all of us, still. A third reason I could not decide is that today is the anniversary of the death of “The King.” The King of Rock and Roll, that is, in case I needed to specify. Now I’m faced with the problem of tying all this together, and… I can’t. But still, I can’t help ending with a small tribute to Ea-yell-vuhs (that’s Graceland dialect for Elvis). And that’s why they call him “The King.” While we’re on the topic of Elvis, take time to watch this cute baby video. You have to watch it to the end. And try not to smile! And where there’s smiles, there hope!

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Would you be interested in becoming a powerful public speaker, yet are too afraid to try? Many people wish they had the ability to inspire audiences with a speech. The tips that follow will help you improve upon your skills. Love your topic. To help you be able to talk confidently when speaking in front of others, choose a topic that you know a lot about. Include tidbits of information that is not commonly known to keep your audience engaged. Finally, speak in a conversational tone to help you remain calm and composed. The tone of your speech should depend on who you are giving it to. For instance, if your speech is work-related, your speech should be professional. On the other hand, if you are around friends and have to make a speech, you can be more personal. Base your whole speech on your audience. Make eye contact with your audience members. Doing so makes them feel as if you are speaking directly to them and helps keep them engaged. It also makes you appear confident and poised. Look at various members of the audience as you speak to help engage as many of them as possible. If you accidentally forget to touch on a point during your speech that isn’t mandatory, don’t stop. By pausing to correct yourself, you could end up blowing the entire speech. This will make it very difficult for you to keep going. Whether you are new to public speaking or it is something you have done dozens of times, watching videos of the pro can be helpful. Viewing them allows you to see what the experts do and say to engage their audience. You can then try using these techniques when you give your next speech. Do not be afraid to let your audience know that you have no idea of the answer to some of their questions. People will respect your honesty and understand that you are human. This is much better than rambling on trying to convince them you know what is going on when you don’t. If you must do a lot of extemporaneous speaking, be sure to keep up on current events and topics of interest. In this way, you will always have something new and interesting to say. Remember that it is usually best to choose a complimentary approach rather than a humorous one unless you are extremely sure of your ability to amuse people! It is a good idea to use slides as a visual aid, but do not allow this to be the largest part of your presentation. If people notice that there is more on the slides than what is coming from your mouth, they will lose interest before you know it. If you use a computer program to present pictures and information, be sure that you know how to operate it. The last thing you want is to waste the time when you are supposed to be speaking with a lot of computer fiddling. Practice your speech and your visual aids presentation thoroughly. Always leave your audience wanting more. Nothing is worse than a speaker who drones on and on for what seems like hours. Instead, get your information delivered in a timely fashion. Keep the speech within the requested time parameters. However, do not keep your speech so short that you do not give your audience the information that they desire. Videotape a couple of practice sessions of your public speaking engagements. When you can see yourself in action this way, you can easily see what you can improve upon. It may be the way you move your hands or the expression on your face. Seeing this on film gives you a more objective perspective. To effectively communicate key data points, supplement your oral presentation with visuals. Reciting numbers and figures is more difficult than conveying words and concepts. Many audience members have trouble visualizing statistics and appreciate simple infographics, such as charts, tables, and graphs. You can also print this data and distribute copies to audience members beforehand. When you are making eye contact with your audience, try not to let your eyes dance around too much. Make eye contact with one person while you finish a sentence. You can engage your audience better this way. It will also make your points seem more forceful when you direct it to an individual. Prior to giving a speech in public, get to know your audience well. Who will be in the audience should influence how you prepare your material. For instance, your colleagues will expect to learn something. Family and friends may just be looking to be entertained. Regardless of your listeners, try to make them happy. If you are using cue cards, only write down simple sound bites that will help you keep on track. Don’t write down your entire speech. If you do, you may end up simply reading your speech off of those cards. That makes for a very boring event to say the least. Do not take public speaking with a grain of salt. Do your homework, refine techniques and make sure you’re ready to give your speech. Being a comfortable speaker will take some time and effort. Make sure you prepare correctly for each speech. This will make people remember your speeches for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones. These tips are the best way to get the most from public speaking. Pay attention to your voice when you are speaking in public. Not only do you want your voice to carry to each member in the audience, but you want to vary your voice to keep the audience’s interest. Vary the tone of your voice. Pause now and then for effect. Keep your audience’s attention with variations in your voice, even if you are talking about a dull topic, such as math. Some public speakers have the ability to be powerful. You can start using this advice today to become one of these people. Use the tips you read here to become an accomplished public speaker!

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