anything schooling

2011-04-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Basic Information About Verb Conjugation

Author: June Sabe

There are a few important things you need to know about French verbs before learning how to conjugate them. First, there are very few irregular French verbs. Second, you need to learn only 6 forms of a French verb. Third, there is a logical relation between the moods, the tenses, or the subject persons. And last, in French verb conjugation patterns, most verbs share a common conjugation pattern with one or more other verbs. In French, in order to reflect the verb's mood and tense, and concur with its subject in person and number, the verb is inflected. The set of inflected verb forms in French is known as the verb's conjugation. In English, the infinite tense is built by adding "to " before the verb, while in French, the infinite tense is indicated by adding -er, -ir or -re to the verb ending, as in "parler (to talk)", "finir (to end)", and être (to be). It is important to note that different conjugation rules apply to each group of verbs. Here is a list of all the French pronouns: • Je (I) • Tu (you, informal and singular) • Il/Elle (he/she) • Nous (we) • Vous (you, formal and plural) • Ils/Elles (they) There are several verb tenses in French, but not all of them are used in the spoken language. The present tense is the simplest verb tense, and verb conjugation in the present tense is a little more complicated than in English because verbs termination differs in accordance with person and the verb group. For example, when the -er group verbs like "parler", is conjugated, it comes to "je parle (I talk)", "tu parles (you talk)", and "il/elle parle (he/she talks)", and so on. On the other hand, -ir group verbs like "finir" becomes "je finis", "tu finis", and "il/elle finit". Important point to note with French is that the English concept of 'it' doesn't really apply, since all nouns are in either masculine or feminine (il or elle). While in English, there are three ways of expressing the present tense, the present tense in French uses only one form of expression, as in "je parle" which can imply "I talk", "I am talking", and "I do talk". The French verbs "être (to be)" and "avoir (to have)", referred to as auxilliaries (such as to have, will, would, shall, should, can, could, in English), play a special role in French. They are, in fact, the only two auxiliary verbs used in the French language, and conjugating these verbs can be irregular. For example, in the present tense, "être" is conjugated as "je suis", "tu es", "il/elle est", "nous sommes", "vous êtes", and "ils/elles sont"; while "avoir" is conjugated as "j'ai", "tu as", "il/elle a", "nous avons", "vous avez", and "ils/elles ont".

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/basic-information-about-verb-conjugation-4546934.html

About the Author

Find tips about potty training yorkies and chihuahua potty training at the Potty Training Regression website.

2011-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Modern Day Playgrounds

Author: Pete Tooley

Gone are the days of outdoor playground equipment rusting and becoming an eyesore in the park, playground designers are moving their ideas into environmental play areas and green school playground equipment. To add to the changes within play, the new designs are also incorporating the learning of social skills and confidence building of children, alongside working with schools to gain the most out of the spaces they have. Aside from the integral design of the playground the materials used have changed from that previously used, although there are still wooden structures, but this are sourced from sustainable sources. The steel used in many of the modern green playground equipment is from recycled steel and can contain up to 89% of recyclable material. The use of plastic bottles and other material which would otherwise be added to the dumping ground or incinerators have undergone reinvention and are now moulded into areas within the playground equipment such as handrails or tiles on playhouses. Schools are seeing great benefits from investing in their pupil's leisure time and sports pursuits, with the integration of play and learning rolled into one. The design of multi use games areas (MUGA) and multi-activity spaces give children the ability to learn at play time and within PE lessons. The introduction of skills play involving mathematics and sports excites children to learn without realising they are actually performing equations in their heads. This in turn leads to better performance in school lessons. The MUGA equipment has enable schools to have football, basketball and netball in one outdoor space, rather than separate areas. Freeing up extra areas in the school grounds for outdoor classrooms and wildlife areas, also sensory gardens to help children experience things on another level. As some schools have had to reduce the amount of land they have for pupils, this type of school playground equipment is vital for a good all round PE lesson and for essential play. New eco-friendly playground equipment really helps in reducing a child's carbon footprint from an early age and also encourages the child to think about their overall impact on the environment. The designs of the equipment are such, that confidence in play can be seen when the children are using traverse beams or from the climbing walls and rocks. Social skills are developed in the team activities of the MUGA and this works its way towards learning activities in the classroom. Overall they are more than just environmental benefits to new playgrounds, they harness a child's learning abilities and help schools and parks in being eco-friendly.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/teenagers-articles/modern-day-playgrounds-4504302.html

About the Author

Written by Pete Tooley, a former teacher who now designs outdoor play areas for schools using eco-friendly school playground equipment. The use of outdoor classrooms can have amazing results and a opens up a whole a new way of teaching.

2011-03-22T06:22:00.001-07:00

Students Who Have The Advantages Of Private School

Author: Hary Markus

Independent schools are subject to state regulation. The regulation of these institutions is usually under loose conditions which frees the institution to promote the beliefs, values, and practices they favor. This reason makes the private school sector appealing to many families and students.

One of the many advantages are that the parents are paying for the children's education directly. When paying for education directly there is more control of what and how things are done in the school. Parents tend to be more active in the education of the children and volunteer at the institution more frequently.

The independent sector tends to have less students than the public system. Many families enjoy the low student to teacher ratio in the classes. This helps the child receive more one on one attention that they may need and may not be receiving in the public institution.

Children may have talents that are not being met in the public sector such as music or dance. The independent institution may offer the students more classes that enhance their talent. Schools offering some of these extra programs may help enhance the children's education.

Not all children learn the same way. For these students there are online independent tuition programs available. These programs help with the shy child who may be intimidated or dominated by stronger classmates. These students have more time to gather their thoughts and respond to questions eliminating hasty answers. Some children don't perform well during normal school hours. These online schools allow children to learn when it is optimal for them.

Families may enroll children in private parochial institutions because of religious beliefs. Separation of church and state does not allow children to practice their religious beliefs in the public institutions. Parochial institutions offer religious education and celebration along with academic support.

Families in these institutions often enjoy a sense of community not found in the large public school system. Families in these programs generally have more things in common and will tend to become friends. There are often more opportunities from fundraisers, auctions, volunteering, sporting events, music events and possibly religious celebrations in these institutions for the parents to meet one another.

When there are a smaller amount of children in an institution there tends to be many long term advantages. Independent institutions tend to have lower drop out rates and more of the students go on to attend college by percentage. Higher scores on standardized tests and college exams are achieved by the children.

Discipline is another advantage in a tuition institution. Because of the lower student to teacher ratio students can be disciplined individually and not as a class which is not an effective way of discipline.

It is difficult to expel children from public schools. When children in an institution with tuition are non-compliant they can be removed from the school easier making the environment better for the other students. This results in fewer drug problems and less reports of violence in the private system.

Hudson college and private schools offer a balanced curriculum from Pre-Kindergarten through to University/College entrance.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/students-who-have-the-advantages-of-private-school-4453994.html

About the Author

African universitite in the 21st century

2011-03-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

African universitite in the 21st century

Author: Turad Senesie

Whenever one is chanced to talk to academics that belong to the 20th century, you are told that standards in the world of academia in the 21st century are falling on a daily basis. The conviction here is that the products of the universities do not measure up to societal expectations. They are not casting blame on the capacity of the service providers neither the students, but in actual fact they are saying that institutions responsible for providing the direction are no longer on a sound footing. The university is the highest place of discrimination and it is not meant for all because you are a citizen of a country. Therefore recruitment into the university, be you a tutor or a student should be formalized and procedures observed accordingly.

African Universities are been informalised to a great extent that local factors in terms of recruitments negate official protocols and procedures. This has raised some kind of ugly situations in which admission rules are bypass in the interests of family or clan connections. As a result, non university materials are been recruited while competent and qualified persons are left out. The resultant effects is that these same products are the ones replacing retired academics who see no value in the essence of being part of the academic society. To them the reward for work is money and can compromise academic standards for material rewards and clan or family connections.

The above is a misminor though a very strong factor for academic backwardness in the 21st century. The academic world is suppose to be an independent community devoid of political interference. The simple reason is that research that informs policy decisions should be provided by academics from the universities. Because of poor conditions of service in African Universities, each and every university lecturer is either a member of a political party or one associated with policies of a political party with the hope of being rewarded in terms of political appointment. So the question of research on problems affecting society by academics is a non starter for the Universities in Africa.

Infrastructural development is very important and scientific knowledge that supports such initiatives is a must. Budgetary supports for the development of African Universities is not a priority and as such, basic infrastructures such as laboratories, teaching hospitals, libraries/ internet centers, conference centres , sports complex etc are many a time not available in African Universities. This again suggests that teachings are based on theories alone and students subjected to memory learning. This practice is in sharp contrast with the demands of societies. University graduates that are suppose to provide solutions to societal problems become academic pioneers of problems in society. Ill equipped to address the requirements of job descriptions are left with synthetic solutions in addressing a given task. The multiplier effects is that Africa is always in need of qualify manpower to address the issues of development. High school graduates from the western countries are hired as experts to do the jobs and there is a capital flight, hence depriving African economies of the much needed capital that could have been saved by indigenes and subsequently used for further investments.

Political interference again is another obstacle to increased productivity in African universities. In some states in Africa, the Presidents are the chancellors of the university and the appointment of the vice chancellors is political. In situations where the President has but very little academic capacity, the university is never a priority to him. He therefore becomes comfortable by appointing an opportunist as Vice Chancellor who can only act by the dictates of the Chancellor. Initiatives that should develop the university are in short supply as the administrative head is only concern about protecting his job. In circumstances where the administrative head has got good plans for the development of the institution, changes in the political system can automatically forestall his ambition. This is so because the new dispensation would require a new appointment and hence end previous plans.

From the above, it is therefore clear that the informalisation of the university systems is responsible for the backwardness of university education in Africa and it is a must that measures are taken at the right time by the right people to correct the present situation.

Turad Senesie

(Human Rights Defender and Political Commentator)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/african-universitite-in-the-21st-century-4355679.html

About the Author

Turad Senesie is a Human Rights Defender and Political Commentator from Sierra Leone

Preparing Kids for the Challenges of the First Days of School

2009-05-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to imagine what goes on in a little one’s mind when he goes to the big school, but you can help him overcome some fears by talking to him before hand.

For example, many kids at pre-school and even kindergarten level, are nervous about the bathroom. Reassure your child that he can ask to go any time. Some kids have accidents at school, and he should be aware that this type of thing can happen, and does happen to a lot of kids. If you have given him strict instructions on other people touching him in the bathroom, make sure he is aware of how changes in caregiving my change that policy, for example if a teacher has to wipe him. Some kids will time their bowel movements to avoid school time. Discuss this with your doctor if it becomes and issue.

Buy clothes for your child with easy closures. No child at this point wants to have to ask their teacher to help them button their pants. Just at the moment you are trying to teach them autonomy, don’t burden them suddenly with shoelaces that need to be tied by an adult.

School is an ideal time to teach about making friends. You don’t have to be a car salesman to know the value of walking right up to someone, pointing to something you have in common (your love of sand or the color of your tennis shoes) and introducing yourself. This is not a skill that comes easily, but kids can learn these skills to, especially if you show them how it works, by introducing yourself to other moms and dads.

Lunchtime might also be stressful, if your child has never had to eat on her own. Many kids get stressed at lunchtime because they don’t have the leisure to drag it out like they do at home. Make sure your child has items that are easy to manipulate on her own rather than complicated foods that need to be reheated and might be hard to eat.

Your child may be scared of other small details that don’t worry you at all. He might think the school nurse means lots of shots. Or the school bus looks like a big scary tunnel he might get lost in and never find his way back home. Explore and discuss things like this with your child by asking him about his likes and dislikes about the school.

With a very small amount of putting yourself in their shoes, you can easily take steps to ease into the transition to school.

About the Author:

Paul Banas is a founder of GreatDad.com. He writes articles on parenting styles, parenting, pregnancy and dads, parenting tips, baby names, pregnancy symptoms and many more topics related to dads.

2009-03-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

Paying College Tuition Bills: An Easier Way

Author: Nicole Tanga

Students across the country struggle with the high cost of higher education these days. There seems to be no end in sight for how high colleges and universities will continue to increase their price of admission. Students often find scholarships, grants and other ways of obtaining free money for college, but when these options do not add up, many students are left wondering what is next.

College tuition bills are a problem for many students across the nation. Families everywhere struggle with the prospect of foregoing college and sitting it out while their peers and former classmates from high school go off to enjoy successful and prosperous college careers. Deserving, hardworking students should not be left behind because of financial hardship, but it is up to these students to make things right, take a little initiative and find a new way of earning the money to pay their college tuition bills.

Paying for classes, books, rent, utilities, food and other expenses facing college students these days is a burden that brings many students way down to the ground. Unwilling to fight for their right to attend school, many end up entering the workforce before they are ready or before they want to. While college is not for everybody, for those who do dream of earning that college degree, there should be nothing strong enough to stand in their way.

Unfortunately for many students, finances are something that can be hard to overcome, even for the most ambitious students. Most students do not have any experience in dealing with financial hardship first hand. Their parents may have dealt with it their whole lives, but they have not yet been required to figure out how to make ends meet. Facing these prospects for the first time, many young teenagers are frightened by the prospect.

It is important to realize that they are not alone in their struggle and students across the nation, and across the world, are struggling with the very same thing. They must realize it is their responsibility to do something about it and make sure that they find a way of attending school and paying for their college tuition. One way of finding the money necessary to attend school is by finding a good college internship that will allow them to earn money towards their degree and get some real world experience at the same time.

This is a good option for many students who may struggle with the fact that they are being left behind while their friends are all off to school for the first time. Being on their own, their friends may tell them stories about how great their new lives are and how exciting college life can be. Feeling like they are being forgotten, students may feel discouraged and despondent.

This is a terrible feeling, but students should not let it get them down for too long, as there are always ways of making ends meet enough so that they can start earning college credit and working towards a degree. Being able to support themselves through school, these students will gain a new perspective on life, one their peers will not understand. Growing up a tad faster than the rest, students putting themselves through school and paying their own college tuition bills will be better prepared for the real world.

Being able to manage their own lives in the busy time that is their college career, dealing with life's challenges after graduation may seem like a cakewalk. Students that are not responsible for putting themselves through school will not have this experience and will not be as well-prepared as these other students.

While being able to relax a bit in college is a good thing once in a while, having an internship that requires them to be a bit more active can actually have a positive impact on a student's college career. Being able to clear their head off at their internship for a few hours will allow students to come back feeling mentally refreshed and ready to hit the books again. This may even translate into a higher grade point average and a more successful college career.

About the Author:

More information on college tuition payment opportunities via internships, College Works Painting estimates and College Works Painting resources in your area is just a click away.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/paying-college-tuition-bills-an-easier-way-811173.html

2009-02-09T08:30:00.001-08:00

Are All Studies Worth Study?

Author: Knight Pierce Hirst

An Israeli study found that radiologists report more details when pictures of patients’ faces accompany radiology files. The focus of the study – involving 15 radiologists and 318 patients – wasn’t on the ailment being evaluated, but on incidental findings that show up on CT scans. When there were accompanying photos, incidental findings were reported in 81 scans. Three months later when the radiologists reviewed the 81 scans without photos, 80% fewer incidental findings were reported. The pictures had caused the radiologists to feel more empathy for the patients, which subconsciously motivated them to work harder – giving new meaning to being picture-perfect.

Two Indiana University doctors have reported that at least a dozen carefully controlled studies haven’t found any effect of dietary sugar on children’s behavior. These studies include ones done on children labeled hyperactive, thought to be at greater risk for a reaction. It seems part of the problem is parental expectation. This was confirmed by a study in which parents scored their children’s behavior as hyperactive after the children drank what “the parents thought” was a sugary beverage. Undoubtedly not all parents’ minds will be changed about sugar – some will think these studies are sweet nothings.

A study done at the University of Utah found that cell phones are more distracting to drivers than passengers. In an experiment with 96 adults ages 18 to 49 using driving simulators, researchers found that drivers using hands-free devices drifted out of lanes and missed more exits than drivers talking to passengers. This is because passengers are aware of traffic conditions and can modify their conversation accordingly. They can also act as a second pair of eyes. When someone on the phone “tells you where to go”, it’s insulting. When someone in your car tells you, it can be helpful.

Finally, a study done by Harris Interactive revealed that 46% of American women would rather give up sex for 2 weeks than give up internet access. For men the percentage was 30%. Amongst the 2,119 adults questioned, however, the percentage gap between women and men was less for ages 18 to 34 – 49% for women and 39% for men. Then there’s the study done in Britain by the electronics retailer Comet. It found that almost 50% of men would give up sex for 6 months to get a 50-inch plasma TV. When it comes to priorities, British men don’t seem to get the picture.

About the Author:

Knight Pierce Hirst has written for television, newspapers and greeting cards. Now she writes a 400-word blog three ties a week. KNIGHT WATCH, a second look at what makes life interesting, takes only seconds at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/are-all-studies-worth-study-762623.html

Understanding the Mechanics of Speed Reading

2009-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Understanding the Mechanics of Speed Reading

Author: Dr Jay Polmar

The human mind is an extraordinarily force that we only use a very small portion of. In this book, "Speed Reading in only One Hour" I will demonstrate how to tap some of that unused power and use it for your own success in high school, college, and life.

Your brain can understand from 10,000 to 50,000 bits of data per minute; one bit equates to one word. Although this information comes from old statistics (1980's),. based on recently developed speed reading technology, and strides in various types of learning technology, you can achieve phenomenal reading speeds.

The average high school graduate, when tested, reads about 250 words per minute. The college student reads at about 300 words per minute. But, no matter what your beginning reading speed, don't worry, it is only the beginning. Imagine what an advantage you will have to be able to read over 100% faster than you had before; the possibilities are limitless.

We receive information through our five physical senses, (touching, tasting, hearing, smelling, and seeing) and through those senses we make decisions. We make choices and judgments from various factors that the physical senses bring into play. The five physical senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch) are preprogrammed for automatic response.

We learn in many way, not only from physical senses, but through other forms of thought. Most thinking is conscious in nature. Senses, on the other hand, work automatically. An example of an automatic response might be: when a hungry teenager smells pizza, he or she begins salivating. Or was that Pavlov's dog? Actually, it's the same! What's taking place is that the sense of smell (called olfactory senses) has automatically brought up a thought, "PIZZA", to the brain and mind. The thought may be unconscious.

Sensing food is a physical expression of your sense smell and possibly taste. It is a mental sensation (unconsciously or consciously) through your thought processes. And finally, there seems to be a physical sensation by eating, swallowing, and smiling. To summarize the PIZZA concept here: Mind is where the "action" is -- and your body is where your "reaction" is.

Your brain and the mind has awesome untapped potential; I'll teach you how to tap into that potential by using the course Speed Reading in One Hour, available at speedread.org . I'll show you how you can be a total success in your college life and beyond.

About the Author:

Dr. Jay Polmar, is the founder of Speedread.org, and Speedread America. He's outspoken and a powerful advocate for freedoms, freedom of speech, freedom of love, freedom of rights. He's written 40 books at www.speedread.org, www.speedreadcomplete.com, and for other writers since 1977.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/understanding-the-mechanics-of-speed-reading-751459.html

Outwitting the Schoolyard Bully

2009-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

By: Laurel Springs

Schools report that more than a quarter of a million students are physically attacked during the school day with 160,000 kids missing school everyday due to bullying and school violence. Nearly a million students across the U.S. bring weapons to school every month. More than 5.7 million young people in the U.S. are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. Unchecked bullying can escalate to more serious violence as 75% of school-shooting incidents have been linked to harassment and bullying issues. Bullying is deeply seated in our tough and competitive culture. Experts maintain that it is a barbaric, ingrained human survival behavior. Though regrettable, that may explain its widespread presence in our everyday lives: in schools, households, workplaces, sports arenas, media and politics. However, with a nation shaken by school tragedies, it remains difficult to comprehend what fuels such behavior.

What’s not difficult is assessing the impact on its victims. The tension and anxiety created by bullying is burdening kids with worry. The threat affects concentration, health, relationships and self-worth. It can create social isolation and depression with long term consequences. One out of every 10 students who drop out of school does so because of repeated bullying, and those who are bullied are five times more likely to be depressed and far more likely to be suicidal.

Brock Bowman, a ninth grader living near Columbus, Ohio who found difficulty in the classroom despite his high IQ, found a solution through distance learning. Brock was not thriving in his public school and was labeled ADD. Angie Bowman, Brock’s mother said, “This diagnosis led to Brock being placed in a reading special services program, which only made matters worse. His peers picked on him relentlessly and his self-esteem plummeted.” The stress left him completely exhausted, school became unbearable and they looked into distance learning options. “We were able to find a fully accredited school with caring teachers that eliminated negative social distractions and reignited Brock’s interest in learning,” said Angie.

Families looking for peaceful solutions to bullying are turning increasingly to distance learning providers like Laurel Springs School. At Laurel Springs, the focus is on Brock’s learning style, interests and passions. Established in 1991, Laurel Springs now has more than 4,250 students in 50 states and in 43 countries. Distance learning in an all-inclusive learning environment creates a place for skill building and mastery without the threats of bullies. For Brock, Laurel Springs offers web-based and text-based curriculum built on state standards. Instruction is targeted to his innate learning style profile; a proactive evaluation of his disposition, motivators, interests and learning modalities. No attacks occur. No guns are drawn. Students and families blossom in the natural flow of the learning process. Nick Marks-Paschal, an eleventh grader, was emotionally shut-down at school even though he demonstrated creative genius outside of the classroom. According to his mother, Shelley Marks, “Nick was put-off by school-wide bullying and antagonizing. He withdrew, not wanting to participate in this dynamic, and others called him stupid and slow. At Laurel Springs, he took the Learning Styles Profile and the results were an astounding endorsement of him.” Nick’s learning style is ‘invent/perform’ — he learns best by discovering, designing and exploring in an independent environment. He was assigned a teacher appropriate for his learning style and together, they designed curriculum to bring out his highest ‘invent’ capacity. “Nick is inspired by the aligned focus of his learning and has a huge digital multimedia design career ahead,” Shelley added.

Distance learning is a growing option with the impact of the Internet, educational software, video learning tools and online communications systems. It began mostly as a higher education convenience for completion of college and continuing educational credits. Now the trend is evolving to support K-12 students, challenging the traditional premise that learning occurs best within the confines of a classroom under the control of faculty. “Most people are still in the Industrial Age mind-set, even though our economy has moved into the information knowledge age that requires an ‘unleashing of talent’,” according to noted author, Stephen R. Covey. “Management means control; leadership means release.” The same goes for our educational systems and finding ways to foster greatness beyond drawing lines of control that can breed conflict.

Schools like Laurel Springs have the information age in mind and are bringing distance learning programs to K-12 students. By linking students like Brock and Nick with excellent teachers and personalized curriculum, K-12 distance learning provides a realistic alternative. Students, parents, counselors, administrators and teachers have begun to recognize that distance learning for K-12 students is transformative – moving education from a school-centered to a student-centered approach and often providing talented, tormented kids with a safe haven from the schoolyard bully.

Article Source: http://www.freeforallarticles.com

Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, speaker, author and founder of Laurel Springs School, a private distance learning school for grades K-12 that specializes in college preparatory curriculum and services. Marilyn is also the president of the Global 500 forum for the United Nations. You can visit his site at www.laurelsprings.com/.

Top 10 Decorating Tips for College Dorms

2009-01-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Rooms for students in college dorms are often small, compact, and crammed, even before students move their belongings in. There are dorms that have different layouts and different sizes of rooms, and some of them are large, but those are usually reserved for floor counselors or the RAs of these dorms. Despite the challenges that most dorm rooms present to students, there are ten important tips that will help you make the most of your small space away from home.

1. Make your dorms feel like home. The homier dorms feel, the less you may miss home, especially in the beginning of your college life. Trinkets from home, favorite decorations, and other small knick knacks will create little reminders of home at every turn.

2. Buy cheap supplies. Where you can suffice with cheaper pencils, paper plates, or anything else, go for it. Those few cents saved can add up to big pocket change that can come in handy when cash from parents at home is scarce.

3. Create space everywhere. Use shelving where ever you can, whether it be on walls, in corners, or in closets. Space is like gold when it comes to dorms, so youll want to make the most of what little you have. Scope every nook and cranny for possible shelving and space savers.

4. Choose items carefully when you are packing for dorms. You just cannot bring everything you own to college, so it is important to bring only the small, cherished items. Be careful, however, you may not want to bring anything that has a high cash or sentimental value to the dorms.

5. Pillows are an under estimated commodity at dorms. Throw pillows and colorful little cushions not only make comfy beds and futons, but they also by themselves make great sitting spots on the floors.

6. Use Wall space at every opportunity in dorms. However, dont use tacks, nails, or tape. There is something called wall putty that will hold photos, pictures, and other light things on your walls, which will free up valuable desk and counter space for you.

7. Plenty of pictures are an absolute must in dorms. It is important that students feel ties to home while they are away for long periods at a time.

8. Closet organizers are great ways to save space and stay organized in small dorms, where every little bit of space helps. There are special handy hangers, shelves, and even boxes that can really be great for rooms, because when dorms are small, the closets are smaller!

9. Lofts are some of the greatest inventions for dorm rooms; a single loft can free up the floor space of one bed, and a double loft can raise beds high to free up the entire floor space, making room for futons, fridges, and anything else that will fit.

10. Plants dress up dorms in ways that many people underestimate. Even a tiny cactus sitting in a blank corner of the room can pull the entire place together and even reduce stress that dorms can induce.
Author Resource:- For more information on dorms , please visit our website.

Article From ArticleSlide.com

Integrating Artistic Creativity Into Homeschooling With Children's Art Programs

2009-01-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

Developing an appreciation for artistic creativity in young people has wide-reaching, lifelong impacts. It can help them build eye-hand coordination, expand their motor skills, and even bolster their ability to learn and retain concepts. With prolonged exposure, that appreciation can help teenagers develop a level of emotional maturity often found lacking in their peers.

For parents who choose to homeschool their kids, finding time to teach them the value of artistic expression can be challenging. After all, they have an assumed responsibility to devote time to a variety of subjects; developing artistic literacy may seem impossible given the time constraints. Plus, parents often feel ill equipped to do so. Today, we'll explore how parents can integrate children's art programs into their homeschooling regimen. We'll also probe the benefits that a children's art school can offer.

Understanding Its Place

Too often, parents who assume the role of teacher dismiss paintings, sculptures, and other forms of artistic expression as nonessential. Worse, some even consider them an expendable extravagance. But, creative works such as these can provide a historical backdrop for a child. Because painters, sculptors, and other artists typically express the times in which they lived through their works, their creations help young people appreciate the dynamic of a given period in history. For example, studying a painting that was created during the European Renaissance provides a glimpse into the people and culture of the time.

Integration Into Daily Education

The most effective strategy for integrating artistic literacy into a child's daily education is by enrolling him or her into a children's art school. The curriculum is carefully designed to engage a child's natural curiosity and imagination. If enrollment into a specialized educational facility isn't possible, parents who homeschool their kids can still incorporate the development of that literacy at home.

While giving young people the tools to express themselves artistically and allowing them to do so without direction can be a valuable exercise, true appreciation begins with studying masterpieces. They should be taught to identify how light and shadow are used in paintings in order to create mood. They should spend time analyzing a piece's composition with regards to space and perspective. Doing so can yield a surprising level of insight in young people. Kids should also have the opportunity to work with a wide array of media, including watercolors, clay, pencil, and charcoal.

By allowing kids to study past masterpieces and work with a variety of media, parents can help them understand history in a new light while developing their natural creativity.

Benefits Of A Children's Art School

Helping young people develop an appreciation for all forms of artistic expression while letting them explore their own creativity presents a challenge for which many parents are unprepared. A children's art school can fill the gap by providing fundamental skills with an approach that develops other traits from which young people benefit.

For example, rather than merely teaching a child how to draw, a specialized educational facility will help kids understand the basics of composition, balance, and proportion. They'll learn how color is used to evoke mood and perspective. As a result, kids learn the value of detail and precision. Plus, the greater their exposure, the further their imagination expands. As they learn an assortment of techniques and the reasons behind their use, their creativity grows.

A children's art school offers kids far more than the ability to draw or sculpt. It teaches them to complete projects while maintaining their focus. It helps them to develop a level of persistence and patience that other kids lack. Eventually, their confidence in themselves and their skills grow stronger. Parents who homeschool their kids can give them an enormous life advantage by enrolling them into a children's art school.
Author Resource:- Christine O'Kelly is a writer for Young Rembrandts, an innovative provider of children's art programs. They encourage creativity and active participation by offering a children's art school that focuses on developing a true passion for art.

Article From ArticleSlide.com

Study overseas in Australia

2009-01-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Study overseas is something very popular among young students. Australia has a very impressive reputation when it comes to welcoming foreign students in their universities. It is actually said that Australia offers a very good overseas education which can be combined with a fun and exciting lifestyle. No surprise why international student choose very often to go to Australia to study overseas.

Australia is a pretty big country so you will have plenty of cities to choose from when deciding where you want to go.
Will you want to go to a big metropolis like Sydney or a much more relaxed city like Perth? It is also important to consider the weather when you go to this country. So you will also have to decide whether you prefer the humidity of the northern states or if you are more for the temperate climate of the southern states. You will certainly also have to consider what you want to study. You may have to go to a certain city if you want to study a particular topic.

Universities in Australia really offer a flexible and innovative environment for international students to study in the best conditions possible, with a range of subjects vey wide.
The most popular programme offered in Australia is called the bachelors degree, one of the main undergraduate qualification in Australia.
If you can not get to your chosen university course due to your qualifications, you can still go for a foundation course as an option. A foundation course is a one year intensive course providing the needed skills to undertake an undergraduate course.

International students in Australia can expect to enjoy a high quality of life at a very reasonable cost, with Australia being currently rated as one of the most affordable place to study and with a cost of living much lower than the United Kingdom for example.
There are a lot of different types of accommodation options for students in Australia from home stay to hostels and shared accommodation with obviously the prices varying depending on your choice, going from two hundred Australian dollars to more than one thousand dollars. So make sure you choose everything carefully before doing anything.

In the end, Australia offers a great array of renowned study institutions, amazing living standard and obviously a great number of outdoor activities in a wonderful country. It certainly is a great country to go for your international education.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com

Education: 3 Steps To Getting An Online High School Education

2009-01-19T16:19:00.001-08:00

Online high school education might make it possible for you to get your diploma. After you have left school, finishing your education is hard. There are a lot of barriers you have to overcome. High school doesn't fit well into the adult world you live in now, but you need that diploma in order to do what you want to with your life. Here are some ideas for getting your diploma using online high school education.

Step 1: Assess

Start by looking at where you are and where you want to be. If you are only a couple of classes short of the requirements for high school graduation in your school district, maybe they offer the classes over the internet, and you could finish up and graduate from your home high school.

If you need more than a couple of classes to graduate, you could earn your diploma and graduate from an online high school, taking classes to meet their graduation requirements.

Look at where you want to be, too. If you are finishing high school for your own self development, or so that you can advance in your present job, online high school education classes might be what you need. If, however, you want to go to college after you get your diploma, you might be able to find "double duty" classes that will give you both high school and college credit, so that you can enter college ahead of the game.

Step 2: Gather Information

There are four places you should look for online high school education classes: your local school district, community education in your area, local colleges and online high school education providers. Compare the requirements each program has for high school graduation, and what you would have to do to complete those requirements.

Look into ways to pay for your online high school education. If you are under 21, your local school district may be a good place to look for funding. Whether you get help from a local school district or not, you should be able to find a way to complete your high school education for free or at a low cost.

If you plan to enter college when you are done, find out what the entrance requirements are for your top three or four college choices. If they require two years of foreign language, for instance, it is much less expensive to take the classes as part of an online high school education than it is to make up the deficiency later.

Step 3:

Get started. Put together all the information you have gathered, and decide how you will go about getting an online high school education. Do the paperwork, go through the hoops and enroll in a class. You are on your way to completing your diploma through online high school education.

About the Author
Dean Iggo is the webmaster of www.continuingstudy.com where you can find the best distance learning programs and degrees to suit your needs including law enforcement training online

Top 5 Interesting Adult Education Classes

2009-01-16T17:54:00.001-08:00

Top 5 Interesting Adult Education Classes

Author: ajax

You must’ve heard that it’s never too late to learn anything, and must’ve also seen some inspiring examples establish the adage. It’s this insatiable hunger among some spirited seniors that has stirred people to start educational and recreational classes for seniors. Glance through some of the opportunities present for seniors in this list of what seniors can actually dabble with.

Be a Multi-lingual

Language proficiency has to be the most valuable arsenal that anyone can have. It saves our day while trotting across the world and seniors would be particularly interested in the globetrotting bit. They can tour Europe, Mexico or China with ease since there are a good many institutes now, which are offering special classes for seniors. So traveling to Spain or France should be no big deal n’est- ce pas?

Getting Fiddle Fit

If the importance of fitness applies to people of every age group, the significance is even more pronounced for seniors. Brittle bones and muscle loss are the biggest concerns apart from usual worries like fat and cholesterol. Seniors can find special classes imparting aerobics, yoga, Pilates and other stretching methods that keep the body supple and flexible giving them a chance to age healthily.

Tech Savvy at 60

Computers- Love them or hate them, but you simply can’t ignore them. It’s the generation of this gadget that resembles the idiot box, but is a lot niftier than that. Computer-wary seniors have also recognized the fact and are showing some enthusiasm and urgency to learn the nuances of a computer. Internet for seniors is an added incentive. Spotting this sea change in attitude among senior adults, many computer institutes have started classes that simplify computers for them. Also, elderly gifts like this software for seniors, adds to the attempts made by institutes to make the older generation tech savvy. Computer literate seniors can also delve into visual media with various courses of Adobe or Macromedia on offer.

Golf Course- a Retirement Haven

It’s a man’s favorite sport after retirement. That’s where you’ll spot long lost buddies meeting. Some clubs have started golf classes for beginners at low cost. Even the equipments are provided to members. What more could someone ask for?

The Artistic Seniors

If you have a long lost dream of indulging in a hobby that you never could during your working days, then this is the time. If it’s singing, pottery or painting, there are lots of courses that seniors can now take up to hone their artistic skills. So if you couldn’t get into a band in the 60’s, try your luck getting into one now.

When you look a little further, the list seems pretty endless with gardening, jewelry designing and memory enhancing classes. Seniors are living in times when they’ve got an enviable number of options on hand.

About the Author:

Writing articles is my hobby.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/top-5-interesting-adult-education-classes-724660.html

Deodorant Ingredients

2009-01-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

One of my friends had a good theory when it came to food and eating considering the fact that most of our foods are so chemical laden. She refused to eat anything for which she couldn’t pronounce the name of the ingredients.

Having scared myself by reading my deodorant ingredients, I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree with her, only in this case, I have resolved not to put anything on my body that has ingredient names that I can’t pronounce.

Most of the deodorant ingredients that you find these days are bad for you in some way or other, and although some of them might only be used in minute amounts and therefore alright to use, isn’t it true that we use our deodorants every single day, year after year?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it true that even a minute amount of toxins, if taken on a long term basis, will have an effect on our system? And that’s where the confusion and the denials begin, and throw people off the scent. Yes, claim the scientists and other associated people, this is perfectly true, because even a small amount of toxins taken over a long period of time, can add up to something bigger.

But, and this is where the tap dancing begins, it has not been conclusively proven that any of the deodorant ingredients that you find on the labeling are toxic to man (or woman). We need more proof to tell us that the deodorant ingredients we use now can be harmful to human beings.

Need I remind anyone that up until a few years ago arsenic was commonly used in households, and let’s not even go into the whole CFC thing. How many times do we need to be hit over the head with these things before we wise up?

With the turn of the twentieth century however, there has been a positive trend, and people now seem to lean more towards natural products, and to stay away from the chemical laden products that we are bombarded with.

Although the majority of the people have yet to be convinced on the matter either way, it is uplifting indeed to see the numbers of those willing to turn away from these chemical laden products, swell the ranks of those already existing people.

And to think that on my part at least, it all started because I took the time one day to read the deodorant ingredients on something that I had been using ever since I hit puberty. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it?

By: Bakhru

Source: Free Articles

Best dance schools in Los Angeles

2008-12-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for the Best dance schools in LosAngeles? This may sound easier that it actually seems.
Here are things to consider when looking for the Best dance schools in Los Angeles.

First of all, you must find the Best dance schools in Los Angeles that can give you many lessons each week. This is because salsa dancing is very complicated. It involves many interwoven f beats and it takes time to tune your ears and feet to the rhythms.

Once you have found the Best dance schools in Los Angeles it can help you reinforce what you are learning and it will improve your dancing skills.

Another thing you should look for in the Best dance schools in Los Angeles is that they provide group lessons that help you learn and have fun at the same time. When joining a group class, pick a dance class that is adept for your skill level.

Here are a few tips to think about when looking for the Best dance schools in Los Angeles.

1) Find the Best dance schools in Los Angeles that runs for 6 to 10 weeks at least once a week. 2) Find the Best dance schools in Los Angeles that have progressive classes; this is where you build up each week on the moves learned. 3) Find a group you can practice with outside of class. Once you have scored the Best dance schools in Los Angeles, you should take your classes and you are well on your way in learning how to dance.

Scrabble: How the World Came to Play Words

2008-12-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

BoomerYearbook.com, December, 2008 - The rule is simple. Search for words, select the right letter block, and send them straight to the board. Scrabble is the name of the game. Introduced in 1948, Scrabble continues to be the most popular word game with varied names such as Scramble, Skip-A-Cross, Spelofun, Palabras Cruzadas, Alfapet, Funworder, and Literati. The 15-by-15 grid game board is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in US and Canada and of Murfett Regency in Australia but was acquired by the Mattel subsidiary J.W. Spear & Sons in 1993.
The sale of Scrabble is one hundred million sets and it is sold in 121 countries in 29 different language versions. Its popularity in America is highly visible as one out of three homes own a Scrabble board set.

The history of Scrabble dates back to 1938 and its creation was based on a previous word game called “Lexiko.” Although both Lexiko and Scrabble use the same set of letter tiles, Scrabble creator Alfred Mosher Butts made an advancement in the distribution and point values and included The New York Times as a reference source. Butts was initially able to manufacture the set, but was not able to sell the game to any major game manufacturers. When James Brunot bought the rights of Butts’ Criss-Crosswords game, he decided to alter the name of the game to “Scrabble,” which means “to scratch frantically.”

Scrabble went into the TV airwaves in 1984 when NBC turned the board game into a daytime game show that ran from July 1984 to March 1990 and from January to June 1993. And continues to be ever popularized through the annual World Scrabble Championship.

Scratching for more boomer toys? Come join others at boomeryearbook.com

Boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit

China: A Dynasty Of Mathematical Genius

2008-12-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

12 One of the most fascinating things about history is the amount of it that's been wiped out - on purpose. For example, in the ninth century CE, the greatest library in the world, the Library of Alexandria, was burned in an act of war, and ever since, history buffs have kept themselves tantalized and amused by trying to guess the identity of some of those books we'll never see. From the burning of libraries to the destruction of presidential diaries today, the idea of the lost book holds a certain romantic - albeit frustrating - appeal.
Folks who've studied the history of mathematics have their own "lost library" to wonder about - the treasure trove of early Chinese mathematical treatises burned by the order of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 212 BCE.

China has been on the leading edge of math for nearly as long as civilization has existed. Evidence of a highly developed number system has emerged from as far back as the Shin Dynasty period - 1600 to 1046 years before Christ. This early Chinese number system also includes decimals, a major intellectual breakthrough in itself. To write the number 260, for example, you'd write the number two, followed by the symbol for a hundred, then six followed by the symbol for ten - You get the idea. There's also evidence that Chinese mathematicians had developed their own version of the abacus (an ancient calculating machine that used rods with movable counters) from a very early period. So whatever was contained in those burned math books of 212 BCE, it was probably significant work.

A handful of early Chinese mathematical works did survive this public purging (the reasons for which aren't clear). From as long ago as 1046 BCE, we have the I Ching, a favorite of '60s hippies and of mystics even today, and the Mo Jing, a compilation of geometry and physical science dating from around the fifth century BCE. These two survivors illustrate the high level of intellectualism and imagination characteristic of ancient Chinese math.

Writers during the Han dynasty period - a four-hundred-year stretch of time that begins in 202 BCE and extends to 220 CE - did their best to preserve and build upon what was known of math in China before the burning of 212. The Han mathematicians were synthesists, putting together the best insights of ancient thinkers, and their most important work was the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art. This pivotal compilation illustrates the proper way to use geometry to build a structurally sound dwelling; it also shows that Chinese mathematicians understood pi (the seemingly-unending number by which we calculate the circumference of a circle) and various laws concerning right triangles. Perhaps most strikingly, it uses Cavalieri's principle for figuring out the volume of a shape - but it does so more than a thousand years before Cavalieri came up with the idea. In other words, Chinese mathematicians understood some geometrical ideas a good while before anyone in the West did.
Elsewhere during the Han dynasty, other Chinese mathematicians were also "getting there first," including Jing Fang (78-37 BCE), a musical theorist who discovered principles of temperament that had to wait, in the West, until the seventeenth century.

For a thousand years following the Han dynasty, Chinese mathematicians continued to yield great insights - all during a time when European mathematicians didn't, strictly speaking, exist. Chinese thinkers developed such ideas as negative numbers (the brilliant invention that helps us all keep our bank balances straight), the use of matrices to solve linear equations (an idea that continues to stump Western eleventh-graders to this day), and elements of calculus and trigonometry. From prehistory to the middle ages, China produced some of the greatest mathematical reasoning ever found.

Still - you wonder what further heights these brilliant thinkers might have scaled if their foundation hadn't been partially destroyed. Just as playwrights and poets today lament the great tragedies and epics that were probably lost in the burning of the library of Alexandria, historians of human genius must wonder what wonderful insights fell victim to the pride of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. (His order, after all, only pertained to provinces of China that fell outside his own state of Qin - so presumably, though we don't know for sure, he only wanted people from his own part of China to be able to read for themselves.) On the other hand, maybe he did Chinese math a favor. By giving the Han dynasty mathematicians the impetus to save and consolidate every scrap of mathematical lore still available, perhaps he lit another fire - one he never intended.

About the Author:
Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar.

Article Source:
http://www.freearticles.co.za/culture-and-society/china-dynasty-mathematical-genius.html

Nursing Degree Applications Up, but Demand Still Exceeds Supply

2008-12-02T08:30:00.001-08:00

For the fifth year in a row, applications have increased for schools offering a nursing degree according to American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Unfortunately this continuing increase still can't keep up with the demand as over 32,000 students were turned away.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Registered Nursing as the top occupation in terms of job growth through the year 2012. According to the latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2012.

Students are either looking for other careers or looking for other schools. One resource that many students are finding helpful is the website www.best-nursing-degree.info . In many cases students are finding out about nursing programs within their area, but offered by schools other than their closest public university.

One option that is growing in popularity is the accelerated bachelor nursing degree. This program allows students with a bachelor's degree in a different field to obtain a BSN in 12 to 18 months. This program has grown from 31 schools in 1990 to 168 today. The program is intense with 40 hours of class and lab time per week plus study time. There are usually no breaks between terms either. The cost is steep as well--$30,000 but many students are able to qualify for grants and loans.

At the other end of the spectrum are part-time students that are looking to change careers or need to work full-time. These students take one or two classes per semester and will take several years beyond the standard 4 to complete their degree.

The payoff? Starting salaries from $45,000 and up. There is of course more advancement to the levels of nurse practitioners and graduate degrees.

With demand continuing to outpace supply, all types of students that are interested in the field are encouraged to begin pursuing a nursing degree by viewing the resources at www.best-nursing-degree.info

Article Source: http://www.ArticlesandAuthors.com - THE Premier Site for Articles AND Authors

Culinary Arts Schools Offer a End to Really Boring Jobs and Careers

2008-11-26T07:16:00.001-08:00

Day in and day out slaving at a job or working on a career a person really dislikes, can be very tiring. A lot of people who work at boring jobs think they do not have much of a choice, but nothing could be farther from reality. For those individuals in today's job market who are willing to seek new and exciting careers, there are various interesting and creative jobs and careers available. One exciting career is in the culinary arts industry, which have many culinary arts jobs and careers available that would stimulate a persons natural enjoyment of the art of cooking. Even with no culinary arts work experience, there are many college and university culinary arts associate and bachelor's degree programs available that will help people gain the experience necessary to obtain a culinary arts job or career of their dreams.

College and university culinary arts programs develop an extensive plan for their degrees to cover all aspects of the culinary arts for a job or a career. When students graduate with an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree and for a new exciting career, they will be fully prepared for the culinary arts industry. College and university culinary arts schools usually have an associate's degree for students who pursue a basic career or a bachelor's degree for the ambitious students who want more of a career in culinary arts. There are many college and university culinary arts schools that offer students recreational classes, who just love to cook and improve their skills. There are culinary arts schools who offer associate degrees in the confectionary arts, and bachelor degrees in culinary arts management, plus various recreational classes in the evening and on the weekends.

College and university culinary arts courses will offer a variety of skills and information to teach students. Food sanitation, food storage, and basic food production skills are well known topics in the culinary industry, and are very important parts of culinary arts programs. To prepare a student for various cooking jobs in their career, culinary arts schools will offer courses on basic nutrition, planning menus, and on different cultural, international cuisine. Special cooking skills and specific courses like in baking are thought in most culinary arts schools. Some culinary schools will teach classes on business management and hospitality law which are advanced programs in culinary arts management.

A college or university culinary arts education will prepare a student for a number of jobs or a career in the culinary industry. Food preparation positions, assembling ingredients for complex dishes, positions involving a lot of responsibility and making top level decisions, such as a sous-chef (under-chef of the kitchen) is the direct assistant of the executive chef or the head chef. An education from one of these culinary arts schools will ensure the culinary job or career of a student's dream.

James Murray is a successful writer and online SEO and SEM expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in seo and sem strategies. His numerous articles found on the Internet, provide useful and factual seo and sem information and insight. Some of his websites are : http://www.seo-worldwide.net , http://www.atclickbank.com , http://www.website-submissions-worldwide.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

How Do Virtual Classrooms of Distance Learning Work?

2008-11-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

The idea of attending online classes can be daunting if you are not familiar with how the distance learning works. The online learning concept has been widely accepted by most students and the degrees or qualifications earned through distance learning programs have been widely recognized by employers. You might heard about the advantages of attending distance learning that may draw your interest to earn your career credential through this online setting, but due to unfamiliar with distance learning, you may have some concerns during making your decision to pursue your degree in virtual classrooms. How exactly virtual classrooms of distance learning work? Let do some exploration about them.
Virtual classrooms are an online learning environment where students and teachers meet each others. The virtual classrooms usually include various communication facilities where students get their learning materials & assignments from teachers; and, upload their completed assignments or project reports to be reviewed by the online tutors. The chat rooms and messaging boards are among the key features for virtual classrooms where students communicate with their peers and teachers. Some virtual classrooms may include real time video streaming facilities that allow the interaction among students and teachers which will make the classroom session more interesting with dynamic interacting.

A virtual classroom is part of online learning systems (LMS), the software that contains full set of learning & teaching features that delivers and maintains the virtual classroom. The common LMS used by colleges are Blackboard, WebCT and Moodle. The features included into these online learning system may be varied, but they are designed with the same purpose in mind that deliver easy of use for online students and teachers. The online teachers are able to create their online teaching courses without the need to have web design skills while students will find easy to navigate through the virtual classrooms.

Once you have signup a distance learning program, you will be able to logon to the online learning system using your username and password; there is usually a section that contains all the links to different pages of the virtual classroom. Although, most virtual classrooms are easy to navigate, it's always a good idea to go through the virtual classroom tutorial before starting a course so that you can fully understand on how the virtual classroom of your distance learning program works and make sure your know where to get the lectures notes, assignments, tests and other learning materials when you start the course.

The advantages of attending a distance learning program are numerous; it opens up opportunities for working adults to earn their degree for their career advancement without the need to give up their paycheck while allowing students who prefer a flexible learning environment to learn from their comfort home. Moreover, getting a degree online can be very cost effective because you can save a lot of money by eliminating many miscellaneous costs such as traveling and the purchase of printed books as most of online learning materials are in digital format.

In summary, virtual classrooms of distance learning programs are working in a simple and easy navigation format, you should have no problem to use them while you can benefits from the numerous advantages of distance learning program.

Julie Harvard, an author who writes topics related to education especially in online education programs. You can explore more information and resources from her website at URL: http://www.studykiosk.com. You also could request FREE information pack on your selected degree programs by filling in a simple search for online degrees form.

Related Articles - distance learning program, virtual classroom, online learning environment, online degree, career,

How to get the best scholarship opportunities By : James Maroney

2008-11-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

It is seen that very often students search frantically for scholarship opportunities. In this article we will try to find out where these opportunities lie and how can we get the right information at the right time.

Academic scholarships are given by Governments, colleges and private institutions or individuals. However, some of the funds go under utilized because students are not aware that funds are available. The best way to get information is to search for scholarship information on the Internet. Students should not focus their search on the website of any particular college but broaden their search to different colleges. Now what we have here is a wide number of websites which offer scholarship information for number of colleges. Some of these sites have a database of over 1200 colleges. Apart from the information of the colleges, the websites also have features which allow the students to search a college based upon their GPA and SAT scores.

Getting academic scholarships has become much easier than it was earlier. The scope of academic scholarships has increased and so has the amount of funds that are being given out to students. The condition is quite the same for foreign students who want to take admissions to US colleges. Scope of merit scholarships for International students has also increased in the recent years. Once the application is done, students need to wait for the results. As a first step to search for scholarship information, students need to create their profiles on the website before they can embark on searching for college scholarships. Apart from scholarship information, they can also view information on student loans and need-based aid which are offered by many institutions. Some of these websites have video tips on how to get college scholarship. This will help the students to get a better picture.

The best part is that most of these websites are free for all the services offered. These are a niche category of websites which have a mission to disseminate scholarship among students rather than making their cash registers ring. Students in US and across the globe are happy with the service provided by these one-stop-shops for scholarship information. Seeing the tremendous response that students are giving to these sites, it would not be unexpected to see many more websites with scholarship information coming up. With the level of services and quality of information increasing it is the students who stand to gain.

Many people think that Academic Scholarships are limited to a privileged few outstanding students who scored on their standardized tests and are at the top of their class. With the launch of the CollegeTreasure, many more students will realize that these scholarships aren’t reserved for the select few and we are bound to see many more students gaining admission into the famed halls of American Colleges. Students can do their bit to promote these websites by sharing information with their peers. This will help many more students to get merit scholarship. Scholarship opportunities will help them to progress their career in a field of their choice.

Article Source: http://articlestoreprint.com

Information about the Author:
James Maroney is the author of this article on college scholarships. Find more information relating to scholarship information, and scholarship opportunities here.

2008-11-05T11:54:00.001-08:00

Ole Miss Rebels Living The School Spirits For A New Level Of Fun

By: Freddie Brister

College is one of the most exciting events in our lives. This period is very exciting as you get to enter a new phase wherein you exercise independence and a chance to become an adult. Formal education changes, as it becomes a preparation for the professional world. Gone are the days with the basics and we say hello to a more in depth discussion of science, math and other subjects. Parties become prominent and you get to meet many people. You also get to experience a different level of sports at this time. The way you wear your clothes, the way you carry yourself and you attitude as well habits changes. These will get you ready for the extremes of this life.

In college life, sports events are one of the most awaited things to happen. Sports become an ultimate key to entertainment and you get to be part of the history or just a spectator. It is inevitable for a person to become part of it as we all know it the representatives of the school is there to win and to bring glory to it. Thus, you as part of the community get a chance to have taste of what it is like to be known as part of the best schools in the history of sports. Say for example, if the Ole Miss Rebels wins a tournament, not only they are winning but you are part of it.

When the school varsities have games, do what it takes to support them. Live the school spirit and show your support in various ways. You can do the following:

1.Watch their games when you can. This is not only a way of entertaining yourself but it is also a way to add up the supporters of the team on the stands. If you feel uncomfortable watching it alone, grab your friends so that you can have someone to share your emotions. You can witness history in the making. Events like this make good memories that you can look back in the years to come.

2.Cheer for them as much as you can. The union of voices among the fans can send signals to the team that there are people behind their backs, who came to see them win and bring glory to school. Having a lot of audience can boost their morale in games. Just avoid booing or give any negative reaction if your own player commits a mistake.

3.Wear T shirts with your school logo on it or any prints that is highly attributed to your school. Be proud of where you come from. Also, remember that the colors identify the teams. If you do not have school shirts or jackets, try to wear anything with the colors of your school. If you are a supporter of the Ole Miss Rebels, then choose red and blue.

These are just some of the few ways on how to live your school spirit during games. Try it once in a while.

Author Resource:-> Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the SEC and the Ole Miss Rebels Check out his Ole Miss Rebels Merchandise at http://www.sportsfantreasures.com/ole_miss.htm

Article From Freebie Articles

2008-10-27T11:54:00.001-07:00

How to get your Child to Graduate High School Early and Into College for Free

How to get your Child to Graduate High School Early and Into College for Free

You’re probably wondering, what? How? I will show you a few strategies that can help you obtain just that. I will start off with, how they can graduate high school early.

1. For students to take a placement test, and skipping 2-3 grades.
2. My favorite way is through home schooling.

Plan number 1: skip grades.

Students taking a placement test and passing it to the next class is not as hard as many parents think. The problem is that we don’t give our kids the benefit of doubt. All of our kids are geniuses, all we need to do is help them see it, and so they are motivated to excel on their own. Without mommy and daddy always looking behind their shoulders. How I suggest this gets done, is for all the busy people who have to work, they need to for the first 2 -3 years of their child’s education, is sit with them every evening and go over homework and also have the child explain it to the parents. I know you’re probably thinking I don’t have any time for that, with dinner to serve, baths, etc. I am telling you that if you want your child to excel and not worry about nagging them later, then you need to sacrifice some time and be there for them when it counts. Like myself cook the whole weeks meal on Sunday’s and just heat and serve during the week. Take the phone off of the hook and just focus on your child for 1-2 hours. If you have more than one child, have all of them studying at the same time and spend a few minutes with each one. Basically make rounds during that time, so they each get your full attention. Again this will take some training and some pushing on your part, but remember the benefits are for you. If you can get all of your children to get scholarships to College would that alone not be worth it? If you have two to three children, that is saving a whole lot of money from your pocket. If they get in a great school, each can save about $30,000- $50,000 from paying the University. Is that not worth it for your time? What’s sad is that most parents don’t even have that money to help their kids out with College, so everyone gets in debt for school. I am just showing you that if you help them focus on themselves you will save time and money later. It can’t be any easier than that. Let’s just say that you really can’t due it, because of how your life is scheduled right now, what about hiring a tutor for just a few dollars an hour, a young teenager to help your child with what you want. Believe me it will give your child confidence and skills that they didn’t know they had.

Plan number 2: home schooling your children.

You know when they are home schooled, they are above average. Those are the kids who Yale, Stanford and Harvard seek to recruit first. For they are disciplined to learn and teach themselves. You’re probably thinking, “I am too busy, I can’t home school.” That’s what I was saying; I used to be a corporate mom and enjoyed it too. After I realized that no one cared as much about my kid’s education as me, I changed my lifestyle to make it happen. However, I can hear some of you saying right now, “but I can’t do it, because of my responsibilities.” I understand, and will not push you do it my way, but for all of those moms who are at home, they can home school. Imagine spending about 3 hours a day with your child to learn and the rest of the time, they teach themselves. They have to read books, do projects, explore. Imagine if you had a curriculum that helped them graduate High School by the age of 14. Which College would not want them? If they are that smart, you will have schools fighting for them. At that age I personally recommend a University close to home, so the parents can drop and pick them up.

There are many systems set up to that does just that. For more information email me
at zohra@zohrasarwari.com

Imagine raising 2, 3, 4 great kids. Who are smart, talented, well-educated and loved. What can those kids do for us? Anything. The problem with society nowadays is we all want to do everything and be great at it. We simply can’t do everything as humans, something will suffer. That’s just how it is. Usually what suffer are our families. Be it our marriage, or our kids. We need to refocus and think about our lives, if we were to be alive 15 years from now, what is most important to us? Is it our careers, being a CEO of a company? Is it being the best lawyer? Or is it raising super stars and working part time with it? I am not saying ladies don’t have careers, all I am saying is that we need to focus on our families too. Maybe the first 15 years teaching our kids manners, love, respect, haddiths of the Prophet (PBUH). Most importantly Quran. Every morning wake them up to pray and read Quran before they leave the house. Instead of watching cartoons, TV, or doing homework which should have been done already. I’m saying it is up to the mom’s how their children turn out to be. They should be our first priority every moment. And then everything else. For once we lose them, we lose them forever. We need to focus on our marriages again. We need to build families and not just careers. Allah (SWT) has put us on earth to test us. One of the tests is motherhood. Are we really doing what we should be doing, or are we westernized? Want what the western women want? Be honest, think about my questions. I personally see more and more Muslim Women being more westernized than Islamic. I am not saying we shouldn’t be modernized, just not westernized. Remember who we are. Remember that our families are our first priorities and should always be. If we don’t take care of our kids, with love, knowledge and patience, why will they want to take care of us as we age? Think about it. Think deeply. I will let you read this story to help better understand my point:

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.

But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.
That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

I will leave you with this; your child can become anything, but needs your support with it. Your child needs your love, compassion and patience to teach him or her. Be the best parent you can be, so that you don’t have regrets later!

For anyone who wants more information on home schooling, or how to make this process happen for them, please email me at zohra@zohrasarwari.com

Author:

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List of top art and design colleges and institutes

2008-10-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

List of Top Art and Design Colleges and Institutes

By: saatchi gallery

Nowadays, there are a number of professions that are available for those who have a passion for art. However, apart from the fact that there are quite a number of careers in art to choose from, some of these professions pay really well, which makes them very attractive to those who want to have a career in art. As a result, there are now a large number of art colleges that help people who want a career in art get the skills they need to be able to practice a profession in art design, direction, and other professions. Unfortunately, the wide selection of art colleges to choose from in the market can make the search for an art college very difficult.
Some helpful colleges list is as follows-
San Francisco Art Institute
Founded in 1871 by artists, writers, and community leaders who possessed a cultural vision for the West, the San Francisco Art Association (SFAA) became a locus for artists and thinkers. The California School of Design (renamed California School of Fine Arts in 1916 and San Francisco Art Institute in 1961) was launched by SFAA two years later, and has been central to the development of many of this country’s most notable art movements.
The School of Art & Design Berlin
The School of Art and Design Berlin Weissensee was set up in 1946 as the "Northern Art School" in a Berlin that had been completely destroyed but not yet divided. It is founded by artists associated with the Bauhaus. Teaching began with some 500 students in the summer of 1946. The School's first director was the metal sculptor Otto Sticht (1901 - 1973). One year later the Soviet Military Administration issued the School with the necessary licence to gain state recognition as a university of art. From that time the School was called "University of Applied Art".
School Of Visual Arts, New York
Beginning as a trade school with three instructors and 35 students, the School of Visual Arts has grown into a dynamic multi-disciplinary institution with a faculty of more than 800 and a student body of over 3,500.In 1947, Silas H. Rhodes and illustrator (Tarzan) Burne Hogarth co-founded the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, with New York City-based professionals working in the arts as faculty, a practice that continues to this day. In 1956, the institution was renamed School of Visual Arts (SVA), reflecting a belief that there is more to art than technique, and that learning to become an artist is not the same as learning a trade.
New York University
Located in the Heart of Downtown New York, NYU Steinhardt's Department of Art and Art Professions is shaped by the intensity and innovation of the international art world. A home for artists, who are celebrated for their dedication, creativity, and skill in exploring unconventional ideas, New York City has long been a place where art truly matters.

Author Resource:-> Find the top Art and Design Colleges and Institutes View Art Colleges around the world at The Saatchi Gallery - London contemporary art gallery.

Article From Free Articles - Free Article Submission

Homeschooling - Do It Right or Don't Do It At All

2008-10-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

When it comes to homeschooling your son or daughter, it is important to realize that you are assuming a huge responsibility in the shaping and molding of his or her education. You really do not have that much time or flexibility to try out a hundred different approaches and programs until you hit on the right one. You need to have some guiding mechanism which insures that you are achieving your objectives. If you don't, the one who suffers is your son or daughter.

Homeschooling has to be one of the most challenging and all-encompassing responsibilities of our modern world. To think that a parent would rather assume this responsibility than to leave it in the hands of our educational system says a lot about just that---our educational system.

Yet I think there is more of an implication here: with moral depravity and negative societal influences at unprecedented highs, it is easy to understand why a parent might want to assume the educational caretaking role until at least the formative years have taken place and the child's mind is on the right track. Too many children, by attending ordinary middle and high schools, get caught in the peer pressure track, and suddenly engage in negative behaviors that have serious ramifications on both their emotional development and ultimate educational success.
Thus if you decide to take the plunge and homeschool your child, more power to you.

Just make sure that you do it right---or don't do it at all. Be mindful that less is sometimes more: don't try to cram too much information down your kids' throats. Understand that you would be better off getting to the heart of the matter with every subject and topic you teach them.
Twenty-five years was the time it took me to fully understand this concept. Yet however long this indoctrination took, it was well worth the time. For now, I have the ability to teach and help others with methods that have "ripened" like a sweet fruit in the most precious of groves.

To reiterate: hone the basics.
The three R's are not what they are for nothing. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are essential to any child's education. You would be surprised at how many people tell me they are struggling in their math course, which may be precalculus at the college level, because they never learned the fundamentals. They sought of slip through the cracks, one at a time, and then find themselves struggling more and more. Hone the basics and the rest will be easy.

Once you have your child on strong academic fundamentals, they will be ready to steer a long way, using the previously learned tools to guide their way. Once your kids are on the right track, there is less likelihood that, should a bump in the ride occur, they are suddenly derailed because of faulty learning.
See more on my ebooks, which can help steer that ride, at these links:
Cool Math Site
and
Homeschool Math Ebooks

Joe is a prolific writer of self-help and educational material and an award-winning former teacher of both college and high school mathematics. Joe is the creator of the Wiz Kid series of math ebooks, Arithmetic Magic, the little classic on the ABC's of arithmetic, the original collection of poetry, Poems for the Mathematically Insecure, and the short but highly effective fraction troubleshooter Fractions for the Faint of Heart. The diverse genre of his writings (novel, short story, essay, script, and poetry)-particularly in regard to its educational flavor- continues to captivate readers and to earn him recognition.

Joe propagates his teaching philosophy through his articles and books and is dedicated to helping educate children living in impoverished countries. Toward this end, he donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every ebook. For more information go to http://www.mathbyjoe.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Pagano

HOME::Reference-and-Education X

2008-10-18T14:13:00.001-07:00

If you are of the belief that everything has an opposite, then when it comes to the calculus you are absolutely right, in that the derivative has its very own opposite: the antiderivative. The process of taking the derivative of a function is known as differentiation. The process of going from the derivative back to the original function is known as "antidifferentiation," or integration.

Both processes have important applications in mathematics, and, by extension, the real world.
The derivative of a function f(x) is denoted many ways but most often using the symbol ' called prime as in f'(x), read "f prime of x." The derivative gives the instantaneous rate of change of the dependent variable y as the independent variable x approaches 0. To make sense out of this mumbo jumbo let us look at a specific example. Let us take the function s = -16t^2 + 60t + 5.

If you have read some of my other articles, you recognize this equation as a second-degree polynomial in t, or a quadratic; as such the graph, or picture that it produces, is that of a parabola. Moreover, since the coefficient of the t^2 term is -16, the parabola opens down.

In the above function, the independent variable is t and the dependent s, completely analogous to x and y in other functions. The reason s and t are used here is that this function gives the distance an object falls in space subject to the gravitational field of the earth, and here t represents time and s distance. Now the derivative of this function, s'(t), gives the instantaneous rate of change of s as the change in successive time intervals approaches 0. In other words, if we examine the function as time passes in ever smaller intervals-for example, as time goes from 1 second to one nanosecond later-then we are getting very close to what we mean by an instantaneous rate of change.

If we take the derivative of this distance function s we obtain s'(t) = -32t + 60. Interestingly, this turns out to be the speed or velocity of the object that the original function is describing.

That's right. The derivative of the distance function gives the velocity. For example, at t = 1 second, the original function gives that the distance fallen is 49 feet (where t is in seconds and s is in feet). You obtain this by plugging 1 into the original function. The velocity at this instant is 28 ft/sec.
Since there are times we know the funtion for velocity but not the distance, the question beomes can we find the equation which describes distance? This is where the antiderivative comes in.

For example, let us start with the velocity function, which we will call v(t) = -32t + 60. If you notice, this is the same as s'(t) above. Using the process of integration or antidifferentiation, we can find the function s(t) by finding the antiderivative of v(t) = -32t + 60. Using techniques we shall explore in another series of articles, the antiderivative turns out to be -16t^2 + 60t + c, where c stands for a constant. Now if you compare this to the original distance function you will see that c needs to be 5 in order for them to agree. So why do we get just c after we take the antiderivative of the velocity function?

Well the answer is that when we take the derivative of a constant we get 0; and when we antidifferentiate any function we must always allow for a number to be there since it vanishes when we take the derivative. This may sound a little confusing, but again in another series of articles this will become clearer. Ultimately we need to ask how we get back to that original distance function in which c = 5. The answer is that we use something called initial conditions. For example, if we are given the velocity function and told that the distance of this particle at time 0 is 5, we can then determine c to be 5.
The derivative and antiderivative are two key aspects of calculus and indeed form two of its fundamental branches: differential calculus and integral calculus. To follow will be some articles that reveal a little more about the inner workings and applications of the antiderivative. See you then.
You can go to my site for more information on my ebooks and articles Order Ebooks
Joe is a prolific writer of self-help and educational material and an award-winning former teacher of both college and high school mathematics. Joe is the creator of the Wiz Kid series of math ebooks, Arithmetic Magic, the little classic on the ABC's of arithmetic, the original collection of poetry, Poems for the Mathematically Insecure, and the short but highly effective fraction troubleshooter Fractions for the Faint of Heart. The diverse genre of his writings (novel, short story, essay, script, and poetry)-particularly in regard to its educational flavor- continues to captivate readers and to earn him recognition.

Joe propagates his teaching philosophy through his articles and books and is dedicated to helping educate children living in impoverished countries. Toward this end, he donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every ebook. For more information go to http://www.mathbyjoe.com

A Glimpse into Music School of U.S.

2008-10-14T08:07:00.001-07:00

Music is the most sought after hobby and activity all over the world. There are several music schools in U.S. that claim to train the students in highly professional and skilled manner. But Musicians Institute has bagged the tag of best music school imparting music lesson in various areas of music. Here we would see different types of music training given at this music college. We help our students build up a lucrative music career by giving state of the art training in various musical instruments and music programs. Music knows no limits in terms of geographical location or religion. Students from all over the world come here to take training and polish their skills.

Musicians institute of music offers excellent degree and certificate courses in bass lesson, vocal lesson, guitar lesson, keyboard lesson, percussion, audio engineering, music recording, music video production and setting up of music business. Students choose the music program they wish from the wide range of music course curriculum. Those who are aspiring for music engineering can join in the music production school where topics related to it are taught like music mixing, digital signal processing, practical recording, track programming, etc. The student should carefully study the available music programs, facilities, career opportunities, fees, etc of an audio engineering school before taking in the admission.

Music video production is also another career option for music lovers. There are various aspects related to this concept, like- editing, directing, producing, filming, cinematography, etc. A good music production school would cover all essential topics that go in designing state of the art music course. Are you searching for a good music recording school? Then your search ends at Musicians Institute.
Song analysis, visual media, recording, etc are taught here in a professional manner. This institute offers degree program, certificate, majors and non-certificate in many music programs.

About the author:
The author of this article is expert in writing articles for top notch music schools in U.S. He has the relevant experience of the music industry thus adding that practical aspect to his writing. Look out for other articles on music school, music education, guitar school, music audio engineering and many more to get greater knowledge about the music industry.

Math Help: Why is My Child Struggling in Math?

2008-10-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

Parents often ask why their children are doing poorly in math, particularly in grades 2-6. For young children, abstract quantities can be daunting, especially when taught in the context of skill drills. Many children do not find immediate meaning in numbers as symbols, although that is what parents and math teachers hope to convey to them.

Children in third through fifth grades who are having difficulty with procedural operations, such as long division and multi-digit multiplication, very often have not had any kinetic activity associated with the learning of the multiplication tables which are the basis for their computations. They become distracted from the procedures of multiplication and division by their concern over the "blank space" in their knowledge of multiplication tables and they lose momentum.

Parents often say that they download tables form the Internet or they use flash cards. Another, perhaps better, alternative is to provide art and craft materials for the student to use in writing his or her own personal multiplication tables. When the tables are personalized and used frequently with pride and familiarity, students gain in experience, confidence and expertise.Children tend to enjoy having their own personally crafted multiplication tables from 1x1 through 12x12. They use these with pride and confidence. Even taking them to the supermarket to compute the total cost of multiple items will help to make the applications of arithmetic real and valued to a child.

Making a child's learning experiential is of utmost importance in creating interest in math and developing skills. Many are not aware of the essential uses of elementary mathematical and spatial concepts in daily lives. Heightening awareness of these events is essential to pointing them out to children and sharing experience with them.

Just as parents read to our children, so should they communicate a reliance on mathematical principles. This may vary from family to family depending on individual pursuits and interests. For some families whose common interest is sports competition, a short discussion of the role of sports statistics could make that dreaded skills homework more interesting and relevant to a child's life. Others may be interested in video games, which use computer programming that requires trigonometric applications. Cartoon animation programming uses principles of topology, the mathematics of mapping in space.

Road trips and map reading are also mathematical adventures for parents to share with children. Topographical maps use numbers in an obvious way, while road maps with scale measurements open the discussion to ratios and scale.

The history of measurement and attempts at standardization can become real when discussing money or the differences among the metric, imperial and U.S. measurement systems.

Toddlers, even with a rudimentary understanding of concrete quantity, can enjoy games of "which is less and which is more?" Counting games and rhymes abound and have been traditionally used to accustom children to quantitative symbols even at very young ages.

Perhaps the most useful tool of all in developing a child's math ability at an early age is precision in language. Most students who have experienced the "drill and kill" math experience in school are shocked when they start to solve math word problems as a mathematical exercise. These applications of the skills so long deemed to be the foundation of math education are daunting to children who have been trained to believe that mathematical studies begin and end with computation.

If children learn mathematics as a foreign language, with symbols and grammar of its own, they are better able to handle the rigors of higher mathematics - with its whole new set of symbols and logic - and they are more productive students. Reading to a child, discussing concepts of "more and less," "before and after," "twice as much" and hierarchical classifications such as supermarket shelf organization and street name organization can pay off in a child's mathematical performance.