The Best Method of Finding International Schools

As the world becomes more integrated, the challenges of producing up to date human resources becomes greater. In order for youths to keep up with heavy competition in the international market, the need for excellent international schools can never be overemphasized.

In today's world, the ideal education should be global without any cultural or language barrier so that the student will be well equipped for global relevance. Today's student must not only know about the culture of his/her immediate environment, but also must know a lot about the culture of people from other parts of the world so that he/she will be able to cope in the emerging new world.

International schools have grown tremendously over the past years due to the need by some parents to give their children the desired international education. Unfortunately, a lot of middle class people might not be able to afford such education due to its high cost. But with the intervention of organizations and corporate bodies organizing scholarship programs and offering low-cost educational loans, the dream of this group of people will be achieved on a platter of gold. However, it is very important to properly investigate the right international school before enrolling your child there. Hence, you should make enough enquiries in order not to jeopardize the future of your child.

You can go online to get information on reliable international schools, just carry out a search on your favorite search engine and you can also visit online forums where you will probably get testimonials about top schools with good reputation. Many forum participants will be willing to provide answers to your various questions which will guide you in finding the right school for your child. In addition, you can get information directly from the website of the schools you have been able to shortlist and if you require more information from anyone of them, do not hesitate to contact them through email or put a call through to any of them. It is important to ask the schools about their facilities as well as institutions and bodies they are affiliated with.

You should also show interest in knowing the cost, curriculum, teacher to student ratio and so on. Without a sound curriculum, there will be no need for international schools and if the teacher to student ratio is not reasonable, your child might not get the desired attention for proper education. By conducting your research properly, you will discover that your effort will not be in vain. If you really want your child to get the best international education that will enable him/her to surmount the challenges of today's world, it is very important to enroll him/her in a good school with the right facilities and curriculum.

Online Tutoring - How It Has Changed The World of Education

Online tutoring was an unheard of concept a decade ago, when classroom learning and tutorial centers were the only options that students had. Today online tutoring has revolutionized education by making it easy to access, affordable and providing a viable method for students to get the help they need, wherever they might be.

Classroom education still plays the major role in educating children although college level degrees can now be obtained online through participation in virtual classes and lectures. Perhaps a major advantage of going to school lies in the social skills students develop and the extra curricular activities that they can participate in. However, schools are not accessible to everyone and this is one of the major challenges that societies face as they try to make basic schooling available to everyone. Online education meets this need by allowing students to learn, wherever they might be.

How Does Online Education Work

As most people may be able to guess, to learn online students need an internet connection and a PC, and that's it.

Just having these two tools can open new vistas and opportunities for children who can now learn comfortably from their homes. It eliminated the need for travel, which is a huge advantage for students located in remote areas. The number and type of courses that can be completed online has grown to give students plenty of choose from.

Classes are conducted in a number of ways. Many courses have online classrooms where students log in at a particular time, listen to live lectures and can interact with the tutor and their peers. Tutoring platforms have a whiteboard, chat and VoIP features which provide the means for clear and unhampered communication between the tutor and student. Most universities have online portals for students to access tutorials, text books and other resources.

The availability and ease of doing and completing online degrees has enabled many adults to go back to school and get the degrees that they want, without having to give up their careers or disrupt their family life. The demographics of online students represent a truly global population, with people of all ages and from all around the world logging onto the internet to learn, and advance their education. It is also the only method of learning that truly lets students learn when they want to. This feature is especially beneficial when students find certain topics or subjects difficult since they can learn at their own pace.

The internet has many resources other than live classes and tutoring, like tutorials, games and quizzes, presentations, and video lessons. Most of these are available for free or at very affordable rates, giving students access to learning aids they would otherwise not have.

I use to face lot of problem while solving math but thanks to online math help sites which made my problems easy and understand concepts quickly. Its always better to have an online tutors who can help us in understanding the topics when ever required.

What Is Montessori? An Approach To Education For A Changing World

In the traditional sense, the concept of school brings to mind images of four-walled classrooms, with the teacher in front and the children lined up or firmly seated in straight rows. All work is centred on books and paperwork, and playtimes are allowed within a specific time frame only. This teaching setup often puts an emphasis on unquestionable authority, obedience, discipline and conformity.

The Montessori method of teaching, on the other hand, looks unstructured and freewheeling to the untrained eye. If you're a parent looking for the right school environment for your children and want to find answer to the question "What is Montessori," you can start by observing a Montessori class. The teacher isn't the centre of attention inside a classroom. Students may be busy with activities different from the activities of their classmates; some are working as a group, others are doing things individually. A lot of them are working with their hands with various toys, materials and learning tools.

While you may get the impression that everything is just free play, the fact is everything that happens inside a Montessori classroom is based on a specific design and a careful and scientific structure. The principles of this approach to education were designed by a doctor who for years closely studied the ways and processes of how children learn, develop and improve as individuals. Such doctor discovered and proved that children learn by doing. They achieve development through the joy of discovery. They improve as individuals because of the confidence and love of learning that they have acquired, and not because of adult intrusion and doing what they are told to do.

Montessori schooling is inspired by the concept of the "absorbent mind," the term used to describe the intense mental activity and the incredible capacity for learning that children exhibit from birth to six years old. During these early years, children will absorb everything there is to learn about their immediate environment - it is an easy, natural and inevitable process; it is their way of survival. This environment can be carefully prepared and designed in order to further encourage children to design their own learning. Preparation of the environment includes the use of manipulative materials and the encouragement of hands-on activities, social interaction and activities that lead to insights and lessons. This environment - an environment enriched with discovery, learning and intelligent observations-is what the Montessori classroom seeks to offer.

For someone new to the concept, it is just natural for many questions to crop up as you get to learn more about the Montessori approach to education. A Montessori teacher will be happy to discuss important points with you. So go ahead and ask your questions. In a changing world, a person who wonders is a person who discovers.

Understand the concept of the Montessori approach to education that's been designed by Dr. Maria Montessori, and find out how it greatly provides your child a wonderful learning environment for his or her better development as a person.

Child's Play and the Role of Early Education

The early childhood years, before school and society begin to wield their influence, could be called the "play years." Though many of us never lose our love of playing, it is this initial period of life when play consumes most of a child's waking hours. Whereas once child's play was considered a waste of time, developmental psychologists now understand that it is an essential and healthy part of childhood. Creative play promotes growth and change in key areas of development, including language, physical, cognitive and social skills.

Early Development

From the very beginning of life we explore the world through sensory experience. Toddlers play pretend when they imitate actions and events of the world around them. By age 5, a child's physical development and motor skills allow them to play independently and with others, running around and using playground equipment. Play with other children is especially important because children learn these large motor skills better from peers than adult instruction. Rapid neurological changes in this stage of life foster imagination growth and social interaction skills. While a 2-year-old is likely to throw temper tantrums and cling to parents in fear of separation, a few years later they have usually learned to handle anger more constructively and successfully play in groups.

Early Education

Play should not be rigid, but rather integrated into the child's freely flowing world. Instructors are trained in early childhood college to base lessons around play and hands-on activities, the primary way young children learn. Games, music, artwork and increasingly computers are popularly used to engage their attention. Puzzles, play-dough and building blocks can inspire imagination and problem-solving skills. Encourage drawing with lots of colours and telling stories, even if verbal mistakes make them tricky to understand. Young children without fear of embarrassment are eager to communicate and their free use of language helps them acquire vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation abilities. Story time plays an essential role in promoting learning, with associated questions, rhyming games or arts and crafts providing the opportunity for them to respond.

Much can be learned about a child's development by observing them in play. It is often a reflection of how they see society, recreating aspects of their life and providing hints about how they feel about themselves. This becomes apparent in observing who they choose to emulate in role-playing and who becomes leader of the group. Watching how materials are distributed illustrates their concept of sharing and respect.

Children with Disabilities

Children with disabilities often have lower self-esteem than their peers and more difficulty developing social skills. Parents or instructors trained with a personal support worker course may have to teach them how to play. If they're over-protected they will lack the requisite peer pressure that group play provides. Play is to a child what work is to an adult - a fruitful and powerful pursuit.

Visit the National Academy of Health and Business for more information about early childhood or accounting courses.

Patrick Quinn is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing, and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.

Montessori School Antenatal And Infant Classes: Progressive Education For Children

The Montessori method is an approach to education that caters to the learning preferences of children according to their natural psychological needs. This method of teaching was formed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, who observed that children flourish best when they are allowed to learn independently and freely interact with their surroundings. Montessori School is one of the few schools in the world that effectively utilises the Montessori approach. For new parents who are interested in Montessori learning, the school offers several courses designed to guide learning for parents and very young children.

For parents who want to learn more about and get a head start on a lifetime of Montessori learning, Parents as Guides programme can be a good source of information and guidance on this unique educational approach. Antenatal classes offers weekly sessions with parents and their children in an environment specially designed to meet developmental needs of newborn babies to one-year-old infants. These weekly sessions are held every Friday (morning or afternoon). Here, parents can observe their children while also gently guiding them as they explore age-appropriate toys and activities provided by the school. These include textured and brightly toys to stimulate sensory development, puzzles to enhance cognitive thinking and safe courses to encourage motor skills.

Infants who are able to walk or those who have reached 15 to 18 months of age can graduate from the Parents as Guides programme and be transferred to the Infant Community, a learning group for children from age one to three. Infant Community sessions are held 4 mornings per week and include activities that focus on developing hand-eye coordination, practical life skills, language and creativity. Fostering a sense of community is an important goal for this class, and children and parents are highly encouraged to interact with other members of the group and help each other through this exciting developmental stage.

In addition to these weekly gatherings for baby groups, parents can also attend a fortnightly discussion session held on Thursday nights. During these sessions, parents will be taught about the developmental milestones expected for every age along with tips for meeting children's needs as they grow. They also offer fortnightly craft sessions where parents can create the objects to be used to aid their child's development.

The principles of the Montessori method are applied in all the teaching sessions. With this spontaneous and unrestricted approach to learning, children and parents can forge stronger ties with each other and the community while at the same time fostering a love for learning, respect for others as well as independent and free thinking.

In this unhindered approach to learning, parent and children can build better relationships with one another as they explore the little things they can do with their children from birth that grow into lifelong attitudes of mutual respect and joyful collaboration. To promote a real love for learning, admiration for other people as well as independent and free thinking, just visit www.themontessoriplace.org.uk.

Private Schools Can Give Your Children a World Class Education

Finding the best place for your children to receive a quality education can be a challenge when you have so many other things to attend too. There are so many different educational facilities popping up all over the place that can make it hard for you to figure out where you should send your kids for school. Now you have more choices than ever to choose from. Don't feel overwhelmed at the amount of options you have before you. Take the easy route and look at the different private schools that can provide your children with a world-class education.

Thanks to many different sources of funding and scholarships, private schools are not just for those that are considered privileged. Any child that has the will and drive to succeed can also enjoy the same opportunities as children whose parents can afford too. In order to give your children the opportunity to matriculate among the elite, you need to find a little time to screen the educational facilities in your area. Don't just base your decision on the academics alone. The social atmosphere is also equally important. Your goal is to find the best educational institute in which your children will strive to succeed, all while feeling socially accepted among their peers.

Even though many private schools can be a bit expensive, there are ways you can help offset some of the costs. There are many different fundraising opportunities for you to participate in throughout the year. There may be scholarships and other sources of funding for you to look into as well. Don't let the cost of receiving a quality education detour you from letting your children learn and mingle among the best. Give your children the push they need and enroll them where they can learn and be nurtured in the safest environment possible.

Many studies show that students who are educated in private schools are more likely to score higher on exams. These students learn and can comprehend material at higher grade levels then what they matriculate at. Not only do they have a thorough understanding of complex materials, they are also able to compete more efficiently against students from around the world. They have access to opportunities and resources that they wouldn't have at a regular institution.

Children that go to private schools are more prepared to matriculate in higher educational facilities like high school and colleges. Instead of struggling during their first years, they understand and often times place into higher-level courses. This can result in less money being spent for college since these students are less likely to fail a course. These students are also more likely to qualify for various scholarships and grant opportunities that can help reduce the amount of money that needs to be paid for their college education. Give your children the chance to receive the best level and quality of education possible. Visit several independent educational facilities and see what your children are missing.

The Importance of Spiritual Education After a Divorce for Children

During the divorce mediation, you will explore and resolve many issues that revolve around planning for the various aspects of your children's lives. After the major issues of custody, residence, medical, and financial areas are dealt with, one important issue that is sometimes overlooked is planning for your children's religious or spiritual future. It is vital that both parents discuss this fundamental foundation of a child's life and the decisions you make now will follow into the adult lives of your children.

When both parents share the same faith or spiritual philosophy, this can be one of the easier parts of your mediation. Still, which facility they will attend, potential counseling through your church or synagogue, and parental attendance at religious events should be covered and settled. A special concern is the spiritual education of your children.

Parents sometimes agree to send their children to religiously affiliated schools. When this happens, the tuition and associated costs can be very high and parents must decide who pays what and how exactly it will be paid. But more than the money involved, recognizing the potential spiritual benefits of a formal religious program should be utmost in a parent's mind.

Often the changing dynamic of a divorce leaves children asking fundamental questions about God's role in their lives. Discussing spirituality with your children can be as challenging as discussions about drugs and sex. A pastor, priest, or rabbi can give the biblical and historic role God plays in their lives and provide a consistent part in listening and advising all family members. Care should be taken to choose clergy that are sympathetic and responsible in their dealings with children. Because of their vulnerability, close supervision is essential.

Both you and your former spouse should speak with a spiritual advisor and remain involved throughout the process. There have been abuses when children are at risk because of their shaken faith, possible intimidation, and misplaced trust in church leaders. The perfect arrangement would be with family group sessions where you are always present when your children meet with clergy.

Because faith based issues affect and involve the entire family, it might be a good idea to consult grandparents, godparents, and aunts and uncles. Often our faith is something passed down through generations and your extended family can be a valuable resource and provide good insight. A church or synagogue can become a kind of home for your child, and when families can agree on these concepts, the institution can be a safe harbor for the entire family as they experience the difficulties of divorce.

Brian James is an experienced Divorce and Family Mediator with offices throughout Chicagoland and Southeastern Wisconsin. He started his mediation practice, C.E.L. and Associates, in late 2005.

Brian earned his B.S. in Sociology from Northern Illinois University in 1994 and completed training in Mediation and Conflict Resolution at Northwestern University.

Brian worked in the Criminal Justice System helping domestic violence and divorcing families resolve family conflicts. He assisted with the healing process that took place after these life-changing events had occurred.

Choosing an Educational Path for Children With Cerebral Palsy

How a child receives his education is one of the most important choices a parent faces. For the parent of a child with cerebral palsy, the choices are no less important and can be very difficult. Like all parents, you want to place your child in an educational environment that will allow him to thrive and reach his or her greatest potential. Every child with cerebral palsy has different needs and abilities and deciding whether to place them in a special education environment, with specially trained instructors or a mainstream education program, where they might find more opportunities to learn how to function in mainstream culture. Either choice has its advantages and disadvantages.

MAINSTREAM

Mainstream doesn't automatically mean "public school." Private schools also offer mainstream education and environment.

If a child's cerebral palsy is deemed "mild," he or she will probably benefit from a mainstream environment. It can provide them with certain social skills and emotional growth they might not get elsewhere. So much of early education is about socialization and learning to interact with others. Proponents of placing children with mild cerebral palsy into mainstream educational systems suggest it benefits both the afflicted child (by giving them a stronger sense of daily routine and boasting their self-esteem) and the non-disabled child (who gains a stronger sense of empathy and inclusivity).

As mandated by law (IDEA - Individual with Disabilities Education Act), children who meet the requirements of "special needs" can and should develop an IEP (individualized education program) to ensure a child's educational needs are met. IEP's may include additional or alternative physical or speech therapy or other special considerations during certain classes. This can help keep them in the mainstream environment while seeing that they get the special attention they require. IEP's can address both physical limitations as well as cognitive.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Children with more severe manifestations of cerebral palsy may not be able to thrive in a mainstream environment and may benefit from attending a special education school. Here they will work with a staff of education specialists trained to educate children with a variety of disabilities, not just cerebral palsy. In a special school program, each needs of each child is independently addressed and monitored, thus eliminating the fear that a mainstream school might move too fast for your child.

The lines between mainstream education and special education are not as harshly defined as they once were. Children who attend special schools often attend classes (such as art and music) at mainstream schools or attend mainstream school for the bulk of their courses and only attend special school classes in subjects they are struggling with.

In choosing an educational path that best fits the needs and abilities of your child, there are ample resources. Teachers, doctors and therapists are all available to work with you in bringing together the right components of the education your child needs and deserves.

Short Courses Ideal for Those with a Busy Schedule

Short courses are not targeted at any particular type of age of person. They can be taken advantage of by anybody who has an interest in a particular subject or the will to become more knowledgeable in a certain field. They can be attended in person and the large majority of educational institutes will offer some form of short course as well as the qualifications, for which they are most well known. There are other institutions that actually specialise in this form of course and put all of their efforts and resources into providing short learning opportunities of quality. In Australia they can be found fairly easily with some basic online research and many of them are not all that expensive. 
 
One of the main advantages of studying a short course is that they don’t require you to commit taking time out of your day to attend classes for a lengthy period of time. Short educational courses will vary in length according to the subject you are studying and the level of depth that you require. Often they will offer courses at a range of levels so you can choose the one that is most appropriate for your standard and if you so choose, on completion of one course you can opt to continue on to complete the next level. The flexibility offered by these shorter courses in another great point that is very different to the rigidity often experienced with longer full qualifications. 

Whilst everyone is welcome to attend such courses, they are particularly ideal for those with a very busy schedule and a limited amount of available time for further study. Sometimes attending one of these courses is a necessity, either to do with your work or because it is linked to a subject that you are studying in more detail. In this case, it is not necessarily your priority and finding the time to work it into your timetable can be a struggle and an inconvenience. Therefore in this case they are by far the better option over taking a full-length course and as I mentioned previously if it does turn out that you decide to take your education to the next step, in most cases there is the option to do so through additional courses. 

Of course another factor worth mentioning, and should especially benefit who are tight for time, is that many institution in Australia are now offering these courses to be completed online. This means that you don’t have the hassle of having to be at a certain place at a certain time and can simply get on with some work whenever you find that you have a few spare minutes. If you are attending the course because it is necessary for your job, you can do it from your place of work or if you prefer to be in the comfort of your home you can also do it from there. Anyone interested in doing a short course should find the relevant information easily accessible online.

Tips for Improving Your Child's Study Habits

I realize that the title of this article makes the assumption that your child already has study habits that we are now going to improve. Unfortunately, it is more often the case that students don't actually have any regular study habits. Many students get to high school and readily admit that they don't actually know HOW to study. This is especially true in math classes. This list of tips applies to students of all ages, but my hope is that parents of early elementary age children will instill these habits into their young children and then continue to reinforce these all the way through high school. What if your child is already in high school? Then start immediately. It is never too late.

1. Always encourage your child. Make sure your child feels that you have confidence in his/her ability to master the material. Likewise, provide a safe place to fail. Your child needs to feel confident that you will support and help him even if he is not successful at first. Take care, though, that your child understands that homework is his responsibility--not yours!

2. Remember that your child is preparing the groundwork for his/her future. Stress success! NEVER say, I wasn't good in math either." (Insert any subject name.) This simply provides an excuse to fail. Likewise, if you were a whiz in school, avoid making an issue of it. Your child may just decide he/she "can't measure up" and won't even try. Keep the emphasis on the child.

3. In your home, set up a study area (not the child's bedroom), and have a consistent study time. Have space for you or a tutor to work with your child. Study sessions should be limited to 15-45 minutes at a time (the time increasing with the age of the child.) Then allow a snack or phone break for 10-15 minutes. Then repeat the pattern until homework or studying is finished. Check over completed homework every day. You do not need to know if the homework is correct. Just check for neatness and completion. If necessary, get an assignment sheet from the teacher so that you know what is expected. If the math homework shows only answers with no work, check with the teacher about the homework policy. Math teachers generally require that students show their work. Do insist on some review time with your child for any subjects causing difficulty.

4. Don't accept "I can't learn math." Remind her that if she can memorize the words to 25 different songs, and the steps to get to level ten in a video game, and the phone numbers or her 15 closest friends, then she can learn!

5. Have your child read homework chapters and questions to you OUT LOUD. Then have him try to explain what he just read. If he can't explain it, then he doesn't really know it, and won't be able to pass a test over it. You don't have to understand the material yourself. Just listen for hesitations and/or the ability to complete a thought. If he obviously doesn't understand it, he should read it again and do so until he understands what he is reading. If he never understands it, then ask the teacher for suggestions.

6. Far too many students do not know how to study for a test, especially a math test. Students tend to think that if they did the homework, they are ready for the test. NOT TRUE! Studying means reading and re-reading the material, verbalizing concepts both old and new, reviewing all previous lessons, studying/reviewing with others, and practicing some of the previous homework questions. If the chapter ends with a practice test, he should do it. Be sure to have a test schedule for each subject. Do not allow your child to slip into the habit of being absent on test day. This creates a situation of the student being behind for the remainder of the school year.

7. Help your child study by using flashcards. This "old-fashioned" idea has lots of new-fangled value in learning in all classes--definitions, math facts, dates, etc. Just because we used flash cards "in the old days" doesn't mean they have no value today.

8. Encourage your child to use his strengths for learning in all classes--if he is artistic, he can make pictures to help understand the material; if musically inclined, he can set class information to music; if addicted to the computer, then you could invest in a good educational program, etc. Learning strengths from one area can help learning in difficult subjects.

9. Keep in close contact with the teacher. Arrange to meet the teachers early in the school year. Check on your child's grades early in the year and check often. Do not wait for six or nine weeks to find out that your child is struggling. Do not expect the teacher to contact you frequently. The teacher may have 150-200 students and contacting all parents frequently is impossible. However, if you initiate contact by phone or email, the teacher will be thrilled to respond to an interested parent! REALLY!

10. Get a tutor at the first indication your child is struggling. Sometimes students are embarrassed to get or ask for help from parents, but would welcome a tutor; and the cost of a tutor is nothing compared to the emotional cost of failure.

The sooner you can establish a good study routine, the quicker it will become ingrained in your child's mind and become habit. If you can start this routine during the early years of school, then your child will begin to grasp the concept that learning is his responsibility, and less and less supervision will be required by you.
About this Author

Shirley Slick, "The Slick Tips Lady," is a retired high school math teacher and tutor with degrees in Mathematics and Psychology and additional training in brain-based learning/teaching. Her goals: (1) to help parents help their children with math, (2) to help eliminate the horrendous Algebra failure rate, and (3) to inform the general public about problematic issues related to the field of education. For your free copy of "10 Slick Tips for Improving Your Child's Study Habits," visit her website at http://myslicktips.com/.

Great Study Tips For Parents

With time comes change and this holds true for methods of parenting. Gone are the days of black and white television or the days when the telephone was connected to the wall in your home and still had a cord! Yes, remember what a telephone with a cord looks like? To even think about having a computer in your home was laughable. Look at us now!

Parenting is not lost among the changes taking place in our world. Let's take a look shall we. The majority of mammals go straight from infancy to puberty. The human baby does nothing of the sort. In fact, although they come into the world with their genetic code intact, without their parents the survival rate for humans would plummet. Looking at the evolution of species, the human baby remains far more dependent upon their parents than any other mammal.

Now for parents of pre-teens and above, the thought of having them fend for themselves at times sounds appealing. You can walk, talk, and dress yourself... see ya! Ah, but that is not how we raise our young, is it? We love and nurture them. We do our best to instill a moral compass. Here is a tantalizing thought, children become capable of reproduction between the ages of 10 - 15, but which one among us would dare say they are ready for the adulthood that awaits them?

What was the parenting style you were brought up in? Does it shape the way you parent now? What's the difference? It is commonly known that if you were brought up strict that as a parent you then lean towards a more liberal approach. The same holds true for those who were brought up with very little boundaries. Did your parents lavish you with hugs, love, and praise, or did they say token words of affection? Does the way we parent have direct consequences on our children's behavior? Very tantalizing questions. Let's look at a few different parenting styles.

PARENTING STYLES:

Indulgent: more responsive to their children than demanding. They don't hold fast to the traditional roles. The lean more towards allowing the child to self-regulate and tend to avoid confrontation with children.

Authoritarian: tend to be more obedience driven. They expect their orders to be obeyed without question.

Authoritative: have clear rules of conduct for their children. Often times are assertive without being overly restrictive. They prefer supportive methods when it comes to discipline.

Uninvolved: self-explanatory... this can lead to neglect and abuse.

Attached: in it's simplest term is to develop a strong emotional bond with parents during childhood.

I was raised in a very strict environment peppered with violence. I learned early that love and affection was earned and just as quickly taken away. How did this affect the way I parent? Dramatically! Although, I will say that through the years of being a parent my techniques have changed with the knowledge gained.

In my early years as a parent (and I will speak only to raising children and not the many complications that are included in the family unit) I did my best to lavish love. To the point of smothering? I tried not, but I definitely did all in power to let my children know that no matter what they did I would always love them.

During the time my children were young, "Attached Parenting" was not as common as it is today. I breast-fed, cuddled, and held my kids when they were crying, hurt, or anything else. I also tried letting them cry themselves to sleep but this often broke my heart. I think those emotions were directly connected to my upbringing. Enough of my parenting attempts, how has your upbringing colored your parenting skills? What do you do the same or different.

Homework Tips for Kids & Teens


Homework has been a perennial headache for kids and teens as well as for their parents. Following are some tips to make homework time more effective and enjoyable for all concerned.

1. No TV. As a general rule, kids should not watch TV while doing their homework. It might be a good policy to have the television turned off any time it's time to do homework, depending, of course, where the television is located.

2. The radio is OK. Contrary to what many so-called experts recommend, actual studies have shown that having the radio on a child's or teenager's favorite music station can actually help him learn better.

3. Set fixed hours. There should be a set schedule for homework. This way, the youngsters can arrange their schedules and make sure they get their homework done every day. It's also a great way for answering those comments. "I'll do it later, after I've finished whatever," which is a standard line among kids when asked if they've finished their homework. You may want to set a standard time for supper and family discussions, followed by study time. If the student doesn't have other commitments and gets home reasonably early from school, some homework can be done before supper.

4. Set telephone rules. As a general rule, kids should not be allowed to use the telephone during those hours when they are supposed to be doing their homework. However, sometimes it becomes necessary to use the phone, say, for confirming homework and the like. In these cases, the parents should set a fixed number of minutes for discussing school-related matters so the kids can get back to their homework right away.

5. Create a good study area. First, designate an area where it would be ideal for your children to do their homework, usually in their rooms. Set up this area to make it conducive for studying by putting proper lighting, an area for studying supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, books, and other essentials and make the area free from distractions. It might be a good idea to set up a bulletin board there as well.

Teaching Methods in Education

To achieve the goal of teaching, the teacher must adopt effective teaching methods in education. The teacher has many options to choose from different teaching methods designed specifically for teaching and learning.

Writing lesson plans is a foremost thing that a teacher must do before executing any teaching strategy in the class. The teaching method should be adopted on the basis of certain criteria like the knowledge of the students, the environment and the set of learning goals decided in the academic curriculum.

Students respond differently to different methods of teaching. Also, the students have their unique way of demonstrating the knowledge acquired and absorbing the information that is imparted. So, to aid this process of demonstrating the knowledge, the teacher has to adopt a technique that assists the students in retaining the information and increasing their understanding. There are many teaching methods for children like questioning. modeling, demonstrating, collaborating and explaining that have been discussed here.

Teaching Methods and Strategies

We all know about the importance of higher education, so now let us learn some methods of teaching as well. Here are some of the basic teaching methods for higher education as well as for the middle education.

Questioning
Testing and questioning are always known to be effective teaching methods due to its interactive nature. The questions are asked by the teacher with an intention to know what the student has learned from earlier discussions and what it helps in deciding what should be taught further.

This can be even vice-verse, students questioning the teachers to clarify the doubts that would enhance their understanding of the subject. The inquisitive instinct of the students evoke them to ask questions and satiate their query.

The teacher should encourage this in a positive way so that the student's critical thinking is developed. Testing differs in one aspect from questioning. Test is done in order to know about the previous knowledge and already taught things to the student.

Explaining
Explaining is one of the very important teaching methods in education. It has taken a form of lectures in teaching methods for higher education where the teacher presents the factual information in a direct and a logical way.

Sometimes the experiences can also be shared as a part of knowledge that would work as a source of inspiration for the students. While adopting this method the teacher should give an introduction and a proper summary. Make sure that the information is specific to the audience.

The explanation should be accompanied with suitable examples for the better understanding of the students. It is like a discourse on a particular subject or topic that is for the entire class or public. Explaining can be clubbed with the modeling process to be more effective and to have a long-lasting effect on the pupils.

Modeling
Modeling is a type of visual aid for teaching as well as learning. It is a known fact that human brain absorbs more and understands better when visual aid facilitates explanation. This method works on three criteria - observing, retaining and replicating. The students learn more by observing the things and acquire it by imitating it time and again.

This is also known as reinforced behavior. This type of learning has very important role to play in the learning process especially during the childhood, though it can happen in any stage of life. This helps the students to visualize the things and, then hypothesize the solution.

Demonstrating
With the help of demonstrative teaching methods in education students get an opportunity to explore the various aspects and understand the theory from a different perspective. Demonstration is a step-by-step explanation along with their reasons and significance for the better understanding of the student. It enhances the student's understanding by practically applying the knowledge and sharpen their skills and hence, they become capable of identifying and organizing the subject matter in a more efficient way. Practical experimentation is a very good method used for demonstrating the subject.

Collaborating
Teamwork is a contemporary form of collaboration. The students are taught to work in a group that makes the instructing easier for the teacher. This method of teaching promotes a sense of mutual responsibility among the students. They learn to put in more effort to research for the topic and apply effective techniques to get the result.

This inculcates patience and develops an ability to critically analyze a subject. It gives an opportunity to the students to solve the problem by a healthy discussion and co-operation. This is what we call 'group discussions' which motivates the students to perform in a team, show leadership skills and enhances the presentation capabilities as well. This is one of the best direct instructional methods.

The teaching methods for special education is a little different from the teaching methods and theories for others. The education is imparted to these students based on their strengths and weaknesses. The teachers cater to the special needs of the students like modification in the regular teaching program, use of supplementary aids that allows students to participate in the learning process. Different effective teaching strategies are adopted on the basis of the disabilities. Four kinds of provisions are adopted in special education and they are inclusion, mainstream, segregation and exclusion.

Apart from these defined methods, nowadays many other teaching methods in education are being adopted to give quality education. The methods like role-play, story or games, seminars, presentations, workshops, conferences, brainstorming, case study, educational trips and modern audio-visual aids like documentary films, computers, internet, etc have been introduced in education. These new methods have increased the pace of learning and understanding. This also enhances the capability of the students to research and logically think for a given problem.

Virtual Worlds For Kids That Focus on Education

In an age of highly advance computer technology and the World Wide Web at our disposal, using virtual worlds for kids that focus on education is a good way to get children interested in learning. It is recommended that you read this article to learn more about these virtual platform of learning to enhance your child's educational development.

Research has shown that children who actively use virtual platform for learning, not only benefit in terms of education but also learn to be technologically smart and the art of socializing. The educational value from using virtual worlds for kids that focus on education can be quantified in terms of engaging a child's mind in study and the ethical values that a child learns from playing games that require ethical decision making skills.

There is this virtual world which allows a child travel to over one hundred factual places around the globe; travelling through time and space, you will meet many famous people, plays loads of enriching and fun games, party with new friends, buy island and build houses, explore many secret places and solve mysteries and puzzles. What could be more inspiring or fun? A safe site that allows children to learn about history and geography and so much more, giving the player fun filled hours of exploration and discovery.

Virtual worlds replicate all of the bullying and racism found in the real world to help educate your child on the realities of life. Parents are advised to take an active approach with their children in these virtual worlds. Going into the virtual world with your child will give you a better understanding of the level of education the child receives from playing these games.

Educational virtual worlds are a combination of different learning activities, imagination and plenty of fun for your child and the adult too. Virtual worlds offer children a range of activities that include puzzle solving, action games, contests, fascinating facts and a host of learning activities, all combined to make learning fun. There are various educational elements of math, history, geography and English woven into the fabric of the games, so children learn while they play.

These virtual platform offer the opportunity of earning virtual money as various activities are completed. The money can then be used to buy different items like homes or pets. The really good part about virtual worlds for kids that focus on education is parents can also register an account and link it to the child's account. In this way parents can control the child's play and chat safety features.
About this Author

Galen spends 48 hours on the Internet every day as the Online Marketing Manager of Mediafreaks. He is currently driving the online marketing efforts of various free online adventure games and commercial projects produced by the award-winning 3D animation studio based in Singapore and China. Galen is also known fondly as 'The China Man' by his colleagues as he spent years in China running the Mediafreaks China office.

Tips to Choose an Online Education Program

Would you like to know tips to choose an online education program? Well, with the many options of online education program, choosing one for you sometimes can be troublesome. As you seemingly have realized, when you have to choose one among so many options, you might become confused. This happens to many people especially to those who try to find an online education program for the first time. If you are trying to find an online education for the first time, you seemingly have not yet known how to choose an online education program. In this situation, you might not be able to choose an online program that is right for you.
Actually, there are three simple tips to choose online bsn programs and other online programs that can become your consideration. The first tip is to listen to other people’s recommendation. Whether it is a friend or family recommendation, you should listen to it because recommendation from people who have ever attended an online program is surely based on the reality. Then the second tip is to read online sources about online education. These days, there are many websites providing information about online education so you can easily find a list of online education programs opening rn msn. You have to visit those online resources and read related information there to help you finding an online program that is worth to consider. Since there are many online resources, you can get comprehensive information that can be used to help you making a good decision.
Furthermore, the third tip is to choose a program offering online masters in psycholog that is listed on the top of certified and accredited online programs. As you should have known, good online programs have certification and accreditation as a token that the programs have met the standards of online education.

Get to know some tips before writing an essay

For some people, writing an essay is not easy. For them, writing an essay will spend their time. Now, I want to ask you some questions. Do you find some problems in finishing your essay? Do you know how to solve your essay? Do you need help for doing your essay? Well, if you want to write a good essay, you need to know some tips on how to create a good essay. Some teachers are really frustrated because many students are not able to write a good essay. It’s not because they don’t have skill in writing, but it’s because they have no idea how to write an essay. What do you know about persuasive essay? How is the difference between persuasive essay and other essays?

Many people say that persuasive essay plays important role in life. How come? In writing persuasive essay you need to know how to defend your views. Just remember that you are the one that creates this essay. So, you have to able to defend on something that you have written. Then, how to write a good persuasive essay? These are some tips to write a good essay, especially persuasive essay. The first thing is about the topic. Choosing a topic is very important because it will be the main key for the rest of your essay. You need to find some sources or articles that can support your essay. Many people don’t really know how to make a good topic. It’s something that must be relevant and logic.

If you need free help with essay writing, then this site is perfect for you. By knowing about some tips to write a good essay, you don’t need to order at writing or essay service. Writing a good essay it complicated, but every people can create a good one if they know some tips to write essay.