Scholarship For Moms - Flexible Class Schedules And Online Courses Are All Covered By The $10,000 Grant

Attention all single mothers, if you have been wanting to improve yourself and your chances at a better future through a college education, but have been unable to do so because of tight financial situation, now's your chance. Several specialized scholarships for moms have been made available through the US Government. If you are in the situation where a college education would give both you and your child a brighter future but have been unable to do so, now's your chance. Best of all, the money that you get for school never has to be repaid!

Single Mother Grants
have been promulgated by the government due to increasing number of divorce in the United States. Obama’s grant is aimed at giving single mothers the opportunity to enhance themselves through education. All you have to do is to apply and submit the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” to colleges that support such grant. Afterwards, a confirmation of your grant status is sent to you in the form of “Student Aid Report (SAR)”

Sometimes a single mother may find getting to and from a campus where classes are head a bit difficiult either due to travle time or maybe a lack of child care. While that may have been a problem in the past, many college's these days have several courses that can be done online, giving you the flexability to go through your school work when time permits. Or maybe when day courses are out of the question, afternoon or evning classes may be available once again working around your schedule so you don't miss out.

It is important, especially for mothers, to obtain a college degree or complete their education. More income and revenue can be generated when a person holds a degree. In order to have better lives, single mothers are given opportunity to improve their status so they could get good jobs. Obama’s program scholarships for moms and women who want to go back to school is a wonderful aid that you must grab for the sake of your child’s future. Help yourself and your country by being a responsible and educated mother and citizen.

But They All Read At Different Levels By Laura Robb

Not too long ago, on a visit to two sixth-grade classrooms, I saw very clearly the challenge teachers have before them when they try to differentiate reading. In both classrooms, 11-year-olds who read like fourth graders shared tables with classmates who read like the average ninth grader - a five-year span. How you approach this challenge can make a huge difference for all levels of readers.

In the first classroom, where the students were leaning about biography, the teacher asked them to read the first two chapters of The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myers. But only half the class read the chapters. A few students just looked at the photographs, two students wrote notes to each other, one put her head on her desk, and several others began doodling. Roughly five minutes into the silent reading period, the teacher gathered the non-reading students and read the chapters aloud to them. When class ended, she sighed. 'What else can I do? They can't read the book, so I read it to them.' This is one way to manage whole-class reading. But there is another way.

In the second classroom - in the same school - the teacher read aloud a passage from Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull. As she read, she modeled cause/effect strategy by thinking aloud and answering students' questions about her thinking process. Next, she gave students instructions for silent reading: They were to read the next two chapters of their book, jotting down tough words on self-stick notes. Each student was reading a biography at his or her own level. Some pairs read the same title, but most students had their own specially chosen books. As the group read, the teacher held individual conferences. When she met with Josh, she focused on making inferences. Keisha and Carla practiced using context clues. With David, she focused on causes and effects. Each conference lasted no more than a few minutes.

You're probably thinking that you'd have a much better chance of reaching all your learners if your classroom looked more like the second one. But maybe you don't know how to do it. Here are the 10 most frequently asked questions I get from teachers on differentiating reading instruction. I hope they'll help you diversity, too!

How do I get started with differentiation?

The first step is to move away from organizing your teaching around single books. Instead, choose a genre from which all books will be drawn, and pick a topic or theme. You can then focus on a particular issue that is present in all texts. Students studying realistic fiction, for instance, might discuss what constitutes a family, and what determines whether their relationship is smooth or rocky. If you have students read different books on the same topic, they'll be able to bring a variety of ideas and perspectives to their discussions. Besides, using different texts means students will be able to advertise great books to one another!

How do I find books at each student's reading level?

I ask students to use the 'three-finger method' to see if a book is just right for them. Have students open their book to a age near the middle and read it. Using the fingers on one hand, students should count the number of words they can't say or don't understand. If students get past three fingers, the book is too hard. The book is 'just right' if students understand and can say all but two or three words and if they can retell what they read. Of course, as you get to know your students better, you will be able to predict what kind of books will be just right for each one. Then you can gather books from your local library, school library, or reading resource room. Also, check out book club offerings or host a book fair at your school. Keep a small monthly allowance for searching local yard sales, and collect reading material from friends, family members, and neighbors, too.

What does a unit plan look like? How much planning do I need to do in advance?

I suggest making an overall plan for each unit, including the theme, your choice of reading and vocabulary strategies for modeling and student practice, the selection of read-alouds, a variety of independent texts for students to choose from, journal entry assignments, and tiered projects that meet the varied reading and writing levels of students in your class, as well as their particular interests. You know your class best.

Should I have individual conferences with students? What should I cover?

Meet with students individually while the group is doing silent reading. You might talk about a reading strategy you're working on or discuss specific aspects of text structure. For students who read far below grade level, you'll want to check their general comprehension before talking about these topics. Ask them to retell part of the text. You can also work with students on using context clues or discussing how your theme connects to the text they're reading. Students who can work independently can have partner conferences and then turn in a paper showing what they discussed.

How do I keep conferences to only five minutes?

The key is to focus the conference on a single topic. For example, if you're holding a conference on a specific reading strategy, first have the student explain the strategy and tell how it helps her understand what she reads. Then, have the student open her book and read one page aloud to you, doing a think-aloud to show how she applies the strategy to her independent text. Take notes on the student's performance, and provide scaffolding as needed. To make sure you don't lose track of time, us a kitchen timer.

How do I assess students when they have different assignments?

Try using journal entries. If I want to grade students on their comprehension of realistic fiction, I might ask them to write journal entries that tell how they drew conclusions about a character's personality, what changed from the beginning to the end of the book, what the conflict was, and so on. Also try using tiered activities; that is, give students a menu of activities at different levels. Tiered activities can help you discover students' levels because students will usually choose activities they know they can complete successfully.

Should I organize students into groups so they can discuss their reading?

Absolutely! I like to take some of the week's class time to meet with small groups for a 10- to 15-minute discussion. During these discussions, ask group members to talk about an open-ended genre question (for biography, Do you feel the person's accomplishments were positive or negative? Why?), or you can ask them to connect their book to an issue you've been discussing. Holding these conferences reinforces the social aspects of reading, and moves interaction beyond you and the student to the whole group.

My students are reading so many different books. do I need to read them all?

The answer is — fortunately — no! You can try to skim several books before a unit starts, but don't be discouraged if it's not possible to get to know them all. You'll be able to determine whether a student has read a book by the amount of detail he offers in his discussion. When you get a response such as, 'The main character is a detective, and she's really smart. She solves the whole mystery,' you should definitely probe further. Ask the student to give examples of why he thinks the character is smart and how she solves the mystery. If the student can't do this, he may not have read the book or he may have found it too difficult. Ask gently, 'Why is it tough for you to remember the details?' If the book was too hard, give the student a few other choices.

Does every student need to read the same number of books?

No. Your stronger readers may choose longer texts, which means they will read fewer books. Meanwhile, struggling readers may read shorter texts but read more of them. Negotiate with your class the minimum number of books they should read in a unit. Prepare a schedule with reading and writing due dates, and remind students of the dates often. Help students budget their time by scaffolding the process. For example, break down a writing assignment into chunks (drafting, revising, publishing) and give a due date for each step. This way, you can offer students feedback between each step, further scaffolding their final outcomes.

What do I do if students don't complete their reading assignments?

This situation must be handled with care in order to build trust and help students develop a passion for reading. One of my students, Zach, arrived at school announcing that he disliked reading and hadn't done any of the summer reading. 'Are you going to call my mom?' he asked. I told him we would try to work it out together. We had several lunch meetings during which I found out more about Zach's reading struggles and about his personal interests. After we found books that suited his needs, Zach began to enjoy reading and did a lot of it. By the time he asked me if he still had summer reading to make up, I told him that he already had!

As teachers, our most basic goal is to reach each and every one of our students. By implementing differentiated instruction, you can meet your students where they are and provide the scaffolding and inspiration they need to move forward.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=245270&ca=Education

Advice Tutors Can Share With Parents About Homework By Shari Nielsen

A common struggle between children and their parents is getting homework done in a timely manner and without tears. Parents often turn to tutors not only to provide their child with help with specific concepts but for advice on how they can help their own child complete homework without the stress that they often deal with.

Feel free to pass on the following advice to your clients regarding completing homework.

1. Help children get organized and develop good habits by writing down the homework assignment in an assignment or agenda pad each day. They should bring this pad to and from school each day and refer to it when they sit down to tackle their homework. Parents should also review the assignment pad nightly to see that all homework is completed.

2. Provide children with a calendar to chart long term assignments and any other activities that may interfere with completing nightly homework.

3. Parents should look over previous night’s homework to see if their child is on the right track and meeting the teacher’s expectations.

4. Assume that children have homework every night. Even if nothing is written in the assignment pad and the child claims that there is no homework, they should still spend some time reviewing class notes, studying for upcoming quizzes or tests, or working on practice problems dealing with concepts that they may have struggled with in the past.

5. Children should attempt homework on their own before eliciting the help of a parent or a tutor. Struggling for a little while with a concept is not a bad thing and will help a student realize that not everything will come easy and most things can be figured out if they put a little thought and effort into it. However, don’t let children get too frustrated. Parents should step in before their kids become discouraged.

6. If children have attempted the homework on their own and are struggling quite a bit, then sit down with them and work out the beginning of the homework together and then let them try the rest.

7. Do not do homework for the child. Ask leading questions and prompt them in the direction of the answer, but don’t give away the answers. If children know that eventually Mom or Dad will do their homework for them, then they will always pretend to struggle until someone does it for them.

8. Praise works wonders. Identify what the children are doing well and let them know that you noticed these things.

9. Parents should stay in touch with their children’s teachers. A simple email every once in a while will keep the lines of communication open and provide feedback about how the children are performing at home and in the classroom.

10. Parents should show their children that even adults have “homework”. Sitting down to pay the bills, balance a checkbook, write thank you notes or a letter to a friend, look up recipes, or simply read for pleasure will show kids that the skills they are learning in school now will be applied in their adult life.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246040&ca=Education

Practical Homeschooling Online - Home Schooling Custody Laws By Jane A. Smith

Custody is not a prime feature in home schooling laws and therefore custody laws could turn out to be problematical. It is more evident if parents reside in separate states. It is therefore advised that prior to deciding for home school flight, get the custody laws enlisted and get well versed to all the laws that govern home schooling laws affecting you.

If you have any custody issues with regards to home schooling, ensure that your ex-partner and you sort out all disagreements that where the child will take home schooling. If you decide then online home schooling shall be a good option. If you do not have full ideas of your state's custody laws then you should check them out, Home School Legal Defense Association's (HSLDA) homepage is the place where you can find all the info. The site provides a fairly good overview but some specific custody laws could still be missing.

Here you should try and consult an attorney who has considerable knowledge in this field so that you sure that you aren't violating any local or state laws. You can also visit HSLDA to seek advice as to where you can find an attorney who could meet your requirements at a local place.

There are quite a few laws that govern home schooling in California state. An existing judgment from Second Appellate District Court of LA taken on a family (home school) could have drastic effects for California home schoolers. This opinion on home schooling is based in a court ruling taken in a 1950's. In short the judgment says schooling from home is illegal in California state.

Feeling inquisitive, read all at www.hsdla.org. In California there exist some special laws for attendance and custody. If the child is enrolled in a private school or tuitions he is excused from obligatory public school attendance. Here below is one such California laws that defines attendance & custody in the following manners:

'…48200.5. in spite of Section 48200, any person living in Carson city and is either a legal guardian or a parent of a person who is undergoing obligatory education is allowed to seek admission of that particular person in a school district wherein the residence of parent/guardian is within Unified School District of Los Angeles subject to an agreement terms that allow transfers that have been permitted by the Unified School District of Los Angeles & Unified School District of Compton '

http://www.legalinfo.ca.gov/calaw.html is the source from where the statement has been derived. It must be noted that in California home schooling laws are very complex as the state is sans a statute for home schools. If home schooling then ensure you file the entire paperwork. Issues pertaining to custody & California laws give you enough reason to make everything doubly sure before taking a step. Incase both homes of custodial parents could be used for schooling then that will be ideal. Despite the above noting its still better to go over to an attorney and take his advice if the school districts of parents are different.

If an overview of the home schooling custody laws are taken then they all appear to be pretty much indecisive, but attendance is compulsory and also a few more requirements. It is in your interest to adhere to state laws.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=245725&ca=Education

Austin Independent School District By Ronnie Bredahl

Following the motto of “A Universe of Opportunity for Every Child,” Austin Independent School District embraces the wealth of cultural diversity within its 113 campuses. Demographic information for Austin ISD notes a culturally as well as economically diverse student population with a large number of students speaking languages other than English.

Austin ISD student population includes 82,541 students on 113 campuses, consisting of 78 Elementary Schools, 17 Middle Schools, 12 High Schools, and 6 Special Campuses. The district offers several advanced academic magnet programs available to students at the secondary level. The Kealing Magnet School focuses on Math, Science, and Liberal Arts. The Humanities and Law Magnet for International Studies emphasizes Humanities and Law. The Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) offers concentrated studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Each magnet school program has its own admission criteria and application process. Magnet school programs offer students challenging academic programs at a faster pace than the regular school coupled with intensive studies. The students in magnet school programs thrive on challenge from their peers and learn cooperative work strategies to achieve goals.

Austin Independent School District offers the lowest tax rate of any school district in Central Texas at $1.163/$100 valuation.

Each year the Texas Education Agency (TEA) issues an Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) Report Card rating schools upon a number of criteria, one of which is performance on statewide testing. Austin ISD was rated as Academically Acceptable for 2007. Austin ISD has maintained this Academically Acceptable rating each year since the TEA Accountability Rating System has been in place. The averages for Austin ISD were well above state standards in all five content areas.

On the individual school Report Cards, seven Elementary Schools were rated as Exemplary by TEA: Baranoff, Casis, Gullett, Highland Park, Hill, Kiker, and Mills.

In addition, seventeen Austin ISD schools obtained Recognized status for 2007. The Recognized Elementary Schools included Barton Hills, Blanton, Bryker Woods, Clayton, Cowan, Cunningham, Davis, Doss, Joslin, Lee, Metz, Oak Hill, Ortega, Pillow, Summit, and Zilker. Bailey Middle School and Small Middle School, both located in Southwest Austin, were also identified as Recognized campuses.

Seven Austin ISD schools have been distinguished by the United States Department of Education as National Blue Ribbon Schools. Schools receiving this recognition are those that excel in academics in their states or demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement. Crockett High School, Lamar Middle School, Davis Elementary, Doss Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Hill Elementary, and Pillow Elementary have been distinguished as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Eighth grade students within the Austin ISD participated in the Writing Test of the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress, the Nation’s Report Card. Of the ten large urban school districts participating, Austin ISD’s eighth graders scored as well or better, on the average, than the majority of the other school districts.

Austin Independent School District is your choice for culturally diverse schools with a wealth of innovative program options. Texas takes each child's education serious and over the years has improved to become a respectable school district. To find out more information about current standing with the Austin Independent School District, visit their web site at www.austinisd.org.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=244396&ca=Education

Truth Behind Dinosaur Fossils By David H. Urmann

Paleontology is the branch of biology that studies the forms of life that existed in the past geologic periods and eras, mainly by studying and scrutinizing of its remains, the fossils. Basically, fossils are those what is left and remnants of a dead animal or a plant that can be seen these days that has been ingenuously planted on rocks and other form of hard earthly surfaces. Although, of course, it doesn’t mean that the said “remains” are the real skeletons or the actual plant rather fossils can be a petrified product of the original and also be the imprints like footprints. Fossils are believed and considered to have been submerged on water before, for the reason of the belief of that the remains of animal or plant was first covered by a soft soil and after some times layers of it gathered on it, hardened, solidify and then were pressed on together by natural processes. The water that is made up of minerals goes through the layers and changed the plant or animal relics into a rock like appearance and features.

The most intriguing kinds are the dinosaur fossils. The name dinosaur is a derived word from Latin terms: deinos, which means, 'Great;' sauros for 'lizard;' and fossils meaning 'dug up.' Literally, it means 'great lizard that was dug up.' The occurrence of these things is not new to us anymore. In fact, people have been finding dinosaur fossils for almost thousands of years. The very fist recorded finding of the existence of dinosaurs is most of it in England, through a British fossil finder named as William Buckland. It was in the year 1819 when he exposed his findings of Megalosaurus Bucklandii (Buckland's Giant Lizard) from England. In the year1824, his discovery was named after him. However, earlier than this, Reverend Plot had discovered a very large femur bone during the year 1676 also in England. After careful studies, authorities imply that it may in fact have belonged to a dinosaur. Nevertheless, because there were past discoveries of enormous human skeletal remains that may range from 8 feet to 12 feet-tall many assumed that the discovery might have belonged to a very tall, almost a giant like human. However, during the year 1838, the entire dinosaur fossil was seen at New Jersey, USA by William Parker Foulke.

Out of curiosity, many people would hollow out information about the presence and occurrence of dinosaurs way back early times and this helped them become aware of their existence so the next fossil discovery was given enough attention. Also, dinosaur fossils were believed to be millions of years old, which were based on its geologic column, which dates fossils based on the rock’s type, appearance, and formation where they are found. These fossils are located all through the earth's sedimentary layers. Almost 95.0% of all earth's fossil recorded comes from the remains of marine invertebrates, 4.74% are from plants and estimate of 0.25% are land invertebrates and 0.0125% are a vertebrate. Among those vertebrates, the majority comes from fishes. Furthermore, those 95% vertebrates are found to have only one bone or less.

Through these dinosaur fossils, people of modern days are able to recognize that there are animals living here on earth even before the existence of the first man. This, in one way or another made us realize the importance of animals consequently believing that modern animals should be preserved as much as possible. These “leftovers” also give us a picture of what the earth looks like before now.

Dinosaur fossils were first found in England. Discover more about the past by visiting http://FossilsRocksMinerals.Com.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246780&ca=Education

How To Study For Exams More Efficiently By Guled Cirro

There are several different theories on how to study efficiently, what you are about to read is only one of them. I therefor advice you to not adhere blindly to any method you read or hear about but try out different methods in order to see which one fits you the best. Having said that, I want to emphasize that studying for an exam is not something you should think about the day before the exam, it's something that should of been on your mind well before the actual date.

Hence, I would recommend you to make a simple calendar starting somewhere about a month prior to the date of your exam. Then start dividing your material into different subjects and study one or two subjects every day depending on how busy you are that day, it could be anything from 30min to 3 hours. The important thing to note here is not really the amount of time you spend on studying per day, but that you actually do it every day! Also keep in mind the level of difficulty each course involves in order to apply the appropriate time each and every course needs. If you don't own a calendar then buy one, if you can't do that, then there are plenty of free ones on the net. The point I'm trying to make is; if you are not planning to succeed (on your exam), you are in fact planning for failure.

Be sure that your friends are people who motivate you to study, if they are lazy, there's a risk that this may have an impact on your results. Your study habits could be formed by the habits of your friends, so be as vigilant as possible. If you have friends that care about school, you'll most likely notice that you can study without getting distracted. I'm obviously not telling you to throw any one of your friends under the bus, that's your choice, but I do want to keep you alert on the dire consequences some friendships may lead to.

Also, remember that attentiveness in class is crucial for your understanding on the subject. Always try to listen as attentively as possible, this will be a great asset when your actually studying. It's a common thing that some teachers may playfully – with or without them paying attention to it- hint subtly on what may appear or not appear on a test. Lend them your ears and take notes when ever such a possible hint may have been given. Some teachers have a specific style in how they form their tests, it could thus be helpful if you've seen any of their previous exams or if you could get a hold of one of the teachers previous students. Finally, I would like to remind you to take notes.

Take as many notes as possible, this is not to say that you should record anything you deem as invaluable but should rather be viewed as an exhortation to note as diligent as possible. If there's something you don't understand, make sure you ask the teacher (or anyone who could give you a good answer), what if this exact problem shows up on the test? Better be safe than sorry.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246524&ca=Education

Ten Ways You Can Promote A Sense Of Responsibility By Linda Bress Silbert, Ph.D. And Alvin J. Silbert, Ed.D.

Timothy walked into STRONG Learning Center for his tutoring session, but that day he was too distressed to begin his schoolwork. 'Every morning I have to wash my face, get dressed, comb my hair, brush my teeth, and eat breakfast,' he blurted. 'And my mom wants me to feed the cat too! How many chores can a kid do? I probably have more chores than any ten-year-old in the world!'

While Timothy's list of chores may have been reasonable for most ten-year-olds, Timothy was clearly overloaded. Since he had many learning and physical disabilities, taking care of himself in the morning — doing the 'chores' on his list — was all he could handle. The thought of taking on one additional responsibility, feeding the cat, catapulted him into overload. Without anyone realizing it, this one extra chore upset a delicate balance, which had already begun to take its toll on his schoolwork.

Responsibility is a prerequisite to growth and development; it is also essential to the development of good character and school success. Youngsters with a sense of responsibility to self and to others are more likely to succeed in school than those who do not. Furthermore, as adults, these youngsters are more likely to become assets to their community. In most cases, children who are encouraged to take on age-appropriate chores and responsibilities tend to grow more self-confident, self-reliant, and responsible.

Ten Ways You Can Promote A Sense of Responsibility In Your Children

1. BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL. Your children watch everything you do. If they see you as responsible, they will be more inclined to be responsible.

2. PROVIDE STRUCTURE. You can help your child focus and succeed by creating a structure in which he can succeed. He may agree to do his homework on Sunday, but it will increase the chances of him actually doing the work if he is obliged to add more structure by selecting a specific time on Sunday.

3. HELP YOUR CHILDREN WITH SCHEDULING. By creating lists, tally sheets or charts, your child can monitor her own progress on homework, chores or projects. This will remind her of the jobs she has yet to complete. It will also give her feelings of worth and pride when she sees a task has been completed. This in turn promotes a sense of responsibility and high self-esteem.

The following is a sample of an after-school checklist for a middle-schooler or high-schooler.

√ 3:30-4:30 Snack, watch television (relax and unwind)
√ 4:30-6:00 Do homework (follow assignment book closely)
√ 6:00-7:00 Dinner and chores (decided upon together)
√ 7:00-8:00 Finish homework (if needed); practice drums/karate
√ 8:00-9:00 Call & e-mail friends (everyone needs some fun)

4. AVOID PERFORMING TASKS CHILDREN CAN DO FOR THEMSELVES. You may be surprised at what your child is capable of doing for herself if you allow her to tackle tasks you usually do for her. Parents sometimes continue to tie shoes, button coats or even clean out school backpacks for their children long after the kids are capable of doing such tasks themselves. Generally, the more they do on their own, the higher self-esteem they will have. Paradoxically, in many situations, the less you help your child, the more you help your child.

Once again, it's a fine line parents walk, so take care to gauge how much your child can handle. To help ourselves, even though it is difficult, we should put ourselves into our children's shoes, attempt to see things from their points of view. As in the case of Timothy, sometimes what seems normal to you may seem overwhelming to your child.

5. ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO HELP YOU. Invite him to work along with you to clean the kitchen, straighten up a room, take care of a pet, set the table, dust the furniture, or mow the lawn. He will enjoy helping you and being responsible — especially if you enjoy his company and remember not to criticize him if he slows you down or does a less-than-perfect job. This works particularly well if you are a bit creative with the tasks. (Remember Mary Poppins?) What child can resist a contest to see who can get the most clean laundry into the appropriate open drawers from across the room?

6. AVOID SETTING STANDARDS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY NOT BE CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING. Do you demand B's or even A's in every subject? Are you telling your thirteen-year-old how important it is to get into an Ivy League college? Then you are running the risk of dooming her to feeling like a failure even if she succeeds, for your expectations may be too specific and too high; or, if she meets those standards, she may be doing so for your benefit, not her own, so her success might not contribute to her self-esteem.

How do you know what your child is capable of? It is very difficult to judge. One way is to observe her as she performs the task in question. Evaluate if she is doing it correctly. If she consistently fails to perform certain tasks, instead of criticizing her, investigate the causes of this failure. Consider seeking ability and/or educational testing for school-related issues. Your child may not be emotionally, socially and/or intellectually developed enough to perform certain tasks, and you may need to change your expectations and/or help her learn strategies.

7. ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR TRAINING. Like adults, children need time — to learn new things, to do chores, to finish their homework. It takes time to process new information. The youngster who is rushed may follow directions by mimicking what you are doing, but probably will not understand the significance of the task or process the new information. Also, if you feel rushed, you may be applying pressure to your child, and she may become discouraged. So remember that building responsibility takes time.

8. KEEP ENCOURAGING YOUR CHILD. When a child is occasionally discouraged either by the weight of her responsibility or by her failure to be responsible, you can counteract such discouragement by reminding her of her successes in previously performed tasks. For example, if your child calls you at work and says, 'I have so much homework, I don't think I can do it all,' you may respond, 'You know you always come through somehow. Why don't you make a list of everything you need to do. Remember we did that last time you had a lot of homework. Do only one thing at a time, like you did last time. If you get stuck on anything leave it, and Daddy or I will help you when we get home. And, don’t become overwhelmed. You always manage. I'm always impressed with how well you handle all this work.'

9. EMPHASIZE THE LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR. Once you are certain that your child is capable of performing a task and has had enough time to do so, he needs to experience the consequences (the effects) of irresponsibility (the cause). These consequences should be neither punitive nor abusive.

Let's return, for a moment, to the example about Sunday night homework. Let's assume that in spite of your efforts, your child doesn't do his homework. While it may be tempting for you to do the homework for him out of frustration, this is an unacceptable choice because in effect, all you'll be doing is showing him that he is untrustworthy, and he will learn that he can be irresponsible without any real consequences.

That leaves the choice of letting him experience the consequences of his irresponsibility. For now, simply extricate yourself from the situation and let whatever happens happen — no yelling, no dirty looks — just let it be. The consequences for an occasional responsibility-mishap may be minor; he may get away with it, but it is more likely that he will receive a zero for the assignment and possibly fail the next test. His irresponsible behavior may even spin out of control and he may have to experience the heavy hand of logical consequences: he may fail the course and have to make it up in summer or night school, double up next year or be retained. Some children need to see firsthand that they are not invincible, that there are real consequences for irresponsible behavior.

10. HELP YOUR CHILDREN BECOME RESPONSIBLE BY ESTABLISHING RULES THAT ARE FAIR, SENSIBLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW. We all need rules, children and adults alike. They serve as boundaries to establish what is and is not acceptable behavior. Parents begin setting boundaries for their children from the time their children are born. To be effective, the rules need to be well thought out, logical, and fair to all involved.

As a parent, how do you know your rules are conducive to developing a responsible child? Here are some points to consider.

• Be sure your rules make sense. When moms and dads create rules, they have the best intentions. However, sometimes the rules, especially those that were created on the fly, are arbitrary and illogical. Such rules need to be evaluated and modified. This should not be interpreted as caving-in, but as part of a natural, evolving family process.

• Be sure your children understand the logic behind your rules. It is easy for parents, and adults in general, to assume that children understand the logic behind rules. But often they do not. As they are more inclined to obey rules if they understand the logic behind them, it is a good idea to explain to them the rationale behind your rules, and not just say, 'Because I said so.'

• Be sure that your rules are fair. Children should be part of the rule-evaluation process. Consider their input and adapt the rules as appropriate. Ask yourself if a rule has been established for your child's benefit or for your convenience. Also, how do you know if rules are too strict or too lax? The answer is simple: your children will let you know by their behavior. For example, they may act out, become defiant, cry or become sad. When that happens, talk to them about it, and see if you can arrive at a solution that will be both effective and fair.

• When your child breaks a rule, find out why! Sometimes parents and teachers punish children for breaking rules without first looking into the reasons why they broke them. They may say, 'Why'd you do that?' He may be so intimidated that he can't think of saying anything more than, 'I don't know.' Then the parent will punish and say, 'Well, next time you'll know.' Needless to say, this is an ineffective way to respond to the breaking of a rule.

• Try to avoid pulling rank. One of the most difficult parts of this rule-establishing business is avoiding the temptation to pull rank as in: 'I'm the parent, so I can do whatever I want.' Or: 'This is my house so you'll do as I say.' While this may be appropriate in some areas, in others it creates a double standard, which sets the stage for big family problems.

• Keep monitoring your rules. As conditions change, so should some rules. For example, a 'no food in the living room rule' may make sense when a child is two, but it needs to be revisited as the child grows older. As a parent, you need to reevaluate your rules from time to time to make sure they continue to make sense.

In conclusion, as responsibility is essential to the development of good character and school success, it is wise for parents to give thought to how they can facilitate the process. If your goal is to have an educated, responsible, well-adjusted child, your whole family needs to work together, sometimes making sacrifices, to achieve that goal. Will it be easy? No. But it will be well worth your time and energy.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=245276&ca=Education

5 Lies You Learned In School That Are Holding You Back By Susanna Lange

In the 25 years since graduating from high school, I’ve come to the conclusion that many of the lessons I was taught in school haven’t helped me succeed in my life or career. And I’m not alone. These damaging lies cost people friendships and fulfilling relationships, rob them of joy, and provoke feelings of jealousy and meanness. But once you can identify the lessons, you can let go of the old baggage and take off the brakes that have been holding you back.

Lie #1 – Your DNA Determines Your Intelligence

Schools like to label kids. Early on they’re observed, tested and pegged as smart, average or needing special assistance. The truth is, a lot of intelligence and capabilities are never realized because the senses aren’t as sharp and precise as they could be and the nervous system isn’t processing information effectively.

Various exercises can improve the flow of information through the nervous system and unblock the brain. That allows more information to get in and improves focus as well as mental and emotional clarity. In reality, there are no limits to growing your intelligence.

Lie #2 – Logic and IQ Are Most Important

School teaches us to read, write, do math and have an understanding of science. But does it train us in interacting with other people? Does it teach us how to find our way back home without a map when we get lost? Does it support and bring out each student’s uniqueness and exceptional qualities?

The ability to influence others to be their best is one of the most important skills to have. And it can be developed just as well as logical thinking. Our school system caters to a very limited intelligence and if your brain doesn’t work the way the school system requires, you can wind up feel inadequate, lacking, or somewhere deep down in your heart, stupid.

Lie #3 – You Need to Sit Still

Movement is essential for the brain to integrate new information. The brain only develops new neuro-pathways effectively if there is a certain amount of movement involved with learning. Yet, one of the first things we learn in school is to sit quietly in our seats. The human body always moves – internally and externally: Even at night we turn around during our sleep dozens of times. The huge impact of physical movement for learning and brain development has been under-estimated for too long. Sitting still is torture for the nervous system because it slows down learning and development. Successful entrepreneurs and self-made millionaires rarely sit for long periods of time.

Lie #4 – Don’t Show Your Feelings

Studies have shown that the best way to learn is when a feeling is involved. Look back over your life and find the moments you remember most. They’re often moments that greatly impacted what you felt. So why does our school system teach the lesson that feelings and emotions get in the way of effective learning?

You can learn a theory in physics and while the theory remains the same for everyone, each person will feel something different about it. The ability to share these feelings helps develop maturity and respect. It’s the foundation for innovation and invention. Not being able to express feelings dumbs you down as an individual. It dumbs down your innate creative abilities.

Lie #5 – Everyone Needs to Be Treated the Same

Teachers are educated to treat every student the same. But people aren’t the same. When teachers treat all students alike, lessons become too slow for the gifted, too fast and overwhelming for the slow and thorough learner, too visual for auditory learners and too auditory for the interactive learning style. The result? Everyone is bored at one time or another.

On a biological level nothing seems to be more obvious than our individual uniqueness. We all have our own fingerprints, blood types and DNA. So it is with each person’s innate combination of talent, communication style and personal preference. Sadly, the education system hasn’t realized the limitation of treating every student the same and continues to churn out people who forget they’re unique and valuable individuals with powerful capabilities and the potential to make a difference.

Don’t fool yourself--our school system and society teach these beliefs every day. If you can’t immediately identify with them it doesn’t mean you don’t have them. It might simply mean that you’ve gotten so used to them that you confuse them as being you. But--believe me--these beliefs don’t reflect the natural genius you truly are. They are programs you learned when growing up that now limit your birth right of genius. It’s time to let them go!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=245168&ca=Education

Chased Away From Student Loans By Stuart Nachbar

On April 16, JP Morgan/Chase Manhattan, the bank that recently worked with the Fed to acquire the former Bear Stearns investment bank, announced that they will not be making student loans to entering or continuing students enrolled at schools that have a poor repayment rate. Yet their spokesperson refused to mention the schools that would be affected by the announcement.

When I checked out comments on the Chronicle of Higher Education online, commentors speculated that the affected schools would be community colleges and for-profit colleges. They gave no reasons for their speculation, though I can offer one of my own: low graduation rates, meaning, that if students did not finish their education they were less likely to repay their student loans. I guess that government guarantees were not enough for Chase to continue lending to students at these schools. No surprise, they weren't good enough for Citibank 30 years ago during the Chrysler bailout.

I would understand the rationale of Chase's decision better if I knew which schools were on their list. Without seeing the list, I have to wonder if they have something to hide, such as a lending methodology. The last thing prospective borrowers need to hear is that a money center bank is 'redlining' by providing more favorable loan terms to students who attend some schools over others. The very next things prospective borrowers should do, if their college-bound student is sincerely interested in a 'redlined' school, is to look at other schools or cease doing any business with that bank.

Lending officers have no qualifications to make academic judgments about loan applicants or the academic qualities of a school. If university administrators fear the growing importance of media rankings, I can only imagine their fears if lenders determine the schools that will be their 'haves' and 'have nots.'

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has assured schools and borrowers that there are still plenty of lenders who will make student loans as well as the capacity to expand direct lending, where the government acts as lender of last resort. But she should be concerned that Chase's decision will have a ripple effect on other lenders. Even with no comments from Chase, word will get out on the Internet from prospective borrowers and that word will spread to other financial institutions as well. It's difficult to say if other lenders will fill the void to offer loans, offer tougher terms or refuse to take the same risk with Chase's targeted schools.

If nothing else, Chase's decision has spurred a need for a new form of government intervention in the student loan markets: to publish an annual listing of 'deadbeat' schools. There would be only one criterion for this list: a below-average repayment rate for government-supported student loans.

The federal government would make no judgment on the academic quality of the schools, nor their graduation and retention rates. This list would be made available to educators, parents, students and lenders so that each may make their own decisions. It's true that the government would be taking the lenders off the hook; the banks would not need to disclose lending practices to the public if the government becomes the published resource.

However, government would be doing all parties: educators, lenders and borrowers an important service. And the federal government has every right to use such a list as a means to collect their money.

(Originally published at Educated Quest blog and reprinted with permission of the author, Stuart Nachbar).

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247403&ca=Education

Chased Away From Student Loans By Stuart Nachbar

On April 16, JP Morgan/Chase Manhattan, the bank that recently worked with the Fed to acquire the former Bear Stearns investment bank, announced that they will not be making student loans to entering or continuing students enrolled at schools that have a poor repayment rate. Yet their spokesperson refused to mention the schools that would be affected by the announcement.

When I checked out comments on the Chronicle of Higher Education online, commentors speculated that the affected schools would be community colleges and for-profit colleges. They gave no reasons for their speculation, though I can offer one of my own: low graduation rates, meaning, that if students did not finish their education they were less likely to repay their student loans. I guess that government guarantees were not enough for Chase to continue lending to students at these schools. No surprise, they weren't good enough for Citibank 30 years ago during the Chrysler bailout.

I would understand the rationale of Chase's decision better if I knew which schools were on their list. Without seeing the list, I have to wonder if they have something to hide, such as a lending methodology. The last thing prospective borrowers need to hear is that a money center bank is 'redlining' by providing more favorable loan terms to students who attend some schools over others. The very next things prospective borrowers should do, if their college-bound student is sincerely interested in a 'redlined' school, is to look at other schools or cease doing any business with that bank.

Lending officers have no qualifications to make academic judgments about loan applicants or the academic qualities of a school. If university administrators fear the growing importance of media rankings, I can only imagine their fears if lenders determine the schools that will be their 'haves' and 'have nots.'

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has assured schools and borrowers that there are still plenty of lenders who will make student loans as well as the capacity to expand direct lending, where the government acts as lender of last resort. But she should be concerned that Chase's decision will have a ripple effect on other lenders. Even with no comments from Chase, word will get out on the Internet from prospective borrowers and that word will spread to other financial institutions as well. It's difficult to say if other lenders will fill the void to offer loans, offer tougher terms or refuse to take the same risk with Chase's targeted schools.

If nothing else, Chase's decision has spurred a need for a new form of government intervention in the student loan markets: to publish an annual listing of 'deadbeat' schools. There would be only one criterion for this list: a below-average repayment rate for government-supported student loans.

The federal government would make no judgment on the academic quality of the schools, nor their graduation and retention rates. This list would be made available to educators, parents, students and lenders so that each may make their own decisions. It's true that the government would be taking the lenders off the hook; the banks would not need to disclose lending practices to the public if the government becomes the published resource.

However, government would be doing all parties: educators, lenders and borrowers an important service. And the federal government has every right to use such a list as a means to collect their money.

(Originally published at Educated Quest blog and reprinted with permission of the author, Stuart Nachbar).

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247403&ca=Education

Free Legal Research 101 By Mark Warner

For non-lawyers, conducting legal research can seem like an overwhelming challenge. But it doesn’t have to be, if you know where to look.

First, define the specific information you need and determine the jurisdiction. Once you know which court or government agency handles your area of concern, you’re ready to start researching.

But before you begin, you need to learn about citations and abbreviations. Law books are cited in this sequence: volume number, book and page. For instance, 380 U.S. 97 indicates volume 380 of United States Reports, page 97. Statutes are cited by the statute title and section number. For example, 42 U.S.C. § 7622 for title 42 United States Code, section 7622.

Most public libraries, especially the larger ones, have resources for legal research. Law school libraries also are open to the public, providing depository libraries of federal materials. Many federal publications now are available online at www.access.gpo.gov, as the Internet is increasingly being used for legal research.

Simply “Googling” a specific topic is not the most efficient way to go, especially considering the soaring number of “spamdexing” sites you’ll have to sift through in your search results. Instead, visit sites specifically designed for legal research including RealDealDocs, www.realdealdocs.com; FindLaw, www.findlaw.com; LexisOne, www.lexisone.com; The Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu; Washburn University School of Law, www.washlaw.ed; The American Bar Association, www.abalawinfo.com; and HierosGamos, www.hg.org.

While doing a web search via Google can be a hit or miss approach, using it to search for news stories related to your topic often yields very helpful information. Just run a search on Google’s main page and then click on the “News” link. Or you can start your search directly from Google’s News site at www.news.google.com.

To get an overview of a topic, legal encyclopedias are a good place to start: Corpus Juris Secundum (C.J.S.) and American Jurisprudence 2d (Am. Jur. 2d). Many states also publish encyclopedias of state laws.

Also useful are articles published in bar association journals or law schools reviews. You can look up a specific topic in printed or computer indexes including Index to Legal Periodicals or Legal Resource Index. In some cases, you may find free articles online at such sites as the University Law Review Project at www.lawreview.org or the Jurist’s Law Review page at www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/lawrev.htm.

Codes contain legal rules known as statutes, regulations or ordinances, which are mandatory. You can access codes through an index that refers you to a numbered section. To keep them current for research, they are updated by supplements or pocket parts or are in looseleaf form.

Many public libraries and all law libraries have a copy of local state code, as well as city or county ordinance codes. Most state and some local law can be found online using directories such as Piper Resources’ State and Local Government on the Net at www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm. Or you can use the URL address www.state.xx.us, and fill in your state’s postal abbreviation where the “xx” is shown.

For questions with federal jurisdiction, look to these resources: United States Code (U.S.C.), United States Code Annotated (U.S.C.A.), or United States Code Service (U.S.C.S.). The U.S.C. is available on the Web at uscode.house.gov/, but other sites containing the U.S.C. (such as www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ and others mentioned herein) provide simpler ways to locate a statute.

Of course, those with the financial means can always hire an independent paralegal to conduct legal research for them. These freelancers can also assist you with any forms preparation you may need. More information is available on the National Federation of Paralegal Associations site at www.paralegals.org.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247621&ca=Education

Create An Inviting Classroom Library By Laura Robb

When I support a school district with improving reading and motivating middle school students to read, I always interview dozens of students from each grade during my first two visits. I find that middle school students are candid, and these interviews often spotlight students' needs and provide me with the data I need to work with administrators and teachers.

David (pseudonym) was the first seventh grader I interviewed on my first day at his school. When I asked him how I could help improve his reading, he blurted: 'Give me words. Oh, yeah,' David added, 'and stuff I can read.' Indeed, when I reviewed David's standardized testing and the Independent Reading Inventories teachers had administered in the past, David and too many other students at this school had weak vocabularies and were so far behind their grade level that they weren't able to read the grade level anthology in language arts classes and the textbooks in science and social studies.

Outside of school David read 'some comics,' but not books or magazines. 'Man, I don't touch those,' he told me.

The language arts classrooms in David's school had no libraries. Moreover, the school's library was inadequate and manned by parent volunteers who were not there all the time and who lacked the training and authority to order books and magazines. Readers like David, who needed access to books to practice reading to enlarge their vocabularies and background knowledge, lost reading ground each year. The first initiative teachers, parents, and administrators rallied around was to raise money for rich and varied classrooms libraries. I helped them understand that immediate access to books, magazines, and graphic novels at a wide range of reading levels in a classroom library would enable students to choose books that interested them, books they could connect to and enjoy (Cunningham & Allington, 2003). Immediate access to materials they could and wanted to read would provide the practice reading students needed to become better readers.

It's wrong to assume that books and other reading materials are available to all children in the United States. Moreover, differences in access to books cause gaps in reading achievement. Now let's explore ways to make the classroom library not an 'add on' to curriculum or a luxury item for independent reading but an embedded literacy strategy, one that promotes independent reading.

Inspire Students to Read With Your Classroom Library

With schools using government approved basal anthologies - one grade level text for all - those learners who need the most reading practice to improve don't have easy access to books. Like Richard Allington, I believe that readers who struggle need to read as much, if not more than proficient readers. That's why I believe that if more schools put classroom libraries at the top of their wish lists, they could make it happen and meet the needs of all students.

A library should be one of the first resources schools buy. I want books to be central, and reading them the heart and soul of every middle school classroom. Books should be the first thing that catches students' attention when they enter a classroom, and they best serve students when they are arranged to 'sell' themselves, not unlike how you find them displayed in a good bookstore. I organize and label my books and book shelves by genre because I find that middle school students look first for a favorite genre - and then for a beloved author or one recommended by someone. I separate fiction and nonfiction genres into categories such as realistic fiction, suspense, biography, nature books, and so on. Come up with your own ways of organizing your books that reflect your students' reading interests. Here are the genres I suggest you collect:

Poetry: this includes fiction written in free verse such as Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes, The Taking of Room 114 by Mel Glenn, Witness by Karen Hesse, and Carver by Marilyn Nelson.

Short Texts: short stories, fairy and folk tales, myths and legends such as Kathleen Krull's Lives of Extraordinary Women and Lives of the Athletes, Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton, Heroes and Monsters of Greek Myths by Bernard and Dorothy Evslin, and Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes.

Fiction: realistic, historical, letters, diaries, suspense, fantasy, science fiction, graphic novels and comics. Here are a few books my students rate as topnotch: California Blue by David Klass, Crash by Jerry Spinelli, Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson, Somewhere in Darkness by Walter Dean Myers. A few all-time favorite authors are Richard Peck, Diana Wynn Jones, Avi, Barbara Cooney, Walter Dean Myers, Gordon Korman, and Jacqueline Woodson.

Nonfiction: informational chapter books and picture books, biography and autobiography, diaries, letters, journals. Black Whiteness: Admiral Bird Alone in the Antarctic by Robert Burleigh, Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, Confucius: The Golden Rule, and Lincoln: A Photobiography both by Russell Freeman are titles students repeatedly check out. Beloved nonfiction authors are James Cross Giblin, Russell Freedman.

Suspense, Mystery, Horror, Romance, Series, Graphic Novels, Magazines: In addition to the above categories, I also include a section on horror and suspense, romance and 'girlie' books (my students' name for these), comics, graphic novels, and magazines. Each year students bring comics and magazines for their peers to check out. I always permit students to choose what they enjoy and find interesting. Through book talks by me and their peers, most students branch out from comics to books. That's why my library contains books by R. L. Stine, Stephen King, Carolyn Cooney, John Bellairs, and Joan Lowry Nixon. Authors of series that are frequently passed from student-to-student are Gordon Korman and Aiden Chambers.

It takes time to build a large and varied classroom library. You can ask your PTA to raise dollars for books, you can apply for grants, and you can order titles from book clubs and use your bonus points to enlarge your library. Make sure that you create appealing displays that shout to students, 'Read! Read! Read!'

Keep Book Displays Dynamic
Books in a neat row with spines showing save space, but it's not an ideal display for book-browsing. Here are some strategies for enticing young readers to pick up a book:

Create clear, colorful labels above each section (mysteries, biographies, etc.).

On each shelf, place two to three books with covers facing outward.

Use your entire classroom. Set up displays on window sills, line some up in the chalk tray of your chalkboard, on an extra table, on your desk, or on the top of bookshelves.

Change displays every five to six weeks and take a few minutes of class time to point out each new crop of books that arrives. Pique students' interest by sharing the genre, author, cover photo, and if you have time, read the text on the back or inside cover. Advertise books so they invite students to browse and explore genres and authors that are new for them.

When my students write about their personal reading lives, they give high marks to classroom libraries. Christa Doerwaldt notes, 'I love having a library in our classroom! It has books at our reading levels, and it is easier to see what books are there than in a big library.' And Alice agrees when she explains that 'A library in class really helps me because I have so many books at the tip of my fingers.'

Knowing students' interests early in the year can empower you to help them select books that will motivate them to continue to read. Also, negotiate a way to keep track of books that have been checked out. Here's a system that works for me.

Tips for Keeping Track of Library Books

Put your name in each book.

Record each book title in a data base on your computer.

Create a check-out system so students can take books home. I use a notebook where students write their name, the book's title, the date checked out, and date returned. Students can keep books up to a month.

If a student fails to return a book, I work with that student. Most of the time students return books. However, it's wise to accept that there will be some books lost each year that you may have to replace.

Have students shelve returned books.

Since most schools have small to no budgets for classroom libraries, you'll have to be creative to enlarge your collect. Here are some suggestions:

First: Ask parents to donate books they no longer need.
Second: Mine those yard sales and your local good will store.
Third: Ask your parent organization to do some fund raisers to purchase books.
Fourth: Use book clubs and build your library with the bonus points you receive.
Fifth: Visit local business and ask them for contributions to books for classroom libraries.

Make sure that you let your principal know what you plan to do.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247399&ca=Education

Health Centers' Role Critical In Screening Students For High-Risk Drinking By Cassie Harman

For most students, college is a learning experience that goes well beyond the classroom. More freedom and responsibility means more risk, which is borne out in the statistics surroundings students’ use of alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one in three 18 to 24 year olds admitted to the emergency room is intoxicated, and about half of all fatal traffic crashes amongst this age group involve alcohol.

College health professionals are charged with a duty of care for students’ health and wellbeing; the somewhat daunting task of keeping them safe from alcohol-related injury and death can be seen as part of that responsibility. The question is, how can an already-stretched college health center best tackle the continuing problem of harm related to binge drinking?

An increasing number of health professionals, including Dr. James Schaus, assistant director for clinical services at the University of Central Florida, and principal investigator in the NIAAA-funded study entititled “Alcohol Screening and Intervention in a College Clinic”, believe the answer lies in a well-implemented program of alcohol screening followed by brief interventions for high-risk students. The goal of a brief intervention is to reduce harm and effect a change in behavior. This is particularly important for this age group, explains Schaus.

“Students are at a pivotal time in their life,” he said. “If you can connect with a college student on the topic of alcohol and other social and preventative health issues, and get them to recognize that there is a problem and maybe even do something to change it, you’re likely to be affecting their behavior for life.”

The first step, however, is to screen students for high-risk drinking. There are several ways to do this. The AUDIT or Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test is a 10 question screen developed and validated by the World Health Organization, but there are other, even simpler screens also available. Schaus recommends a single question screen that includes the “5/4” definition of high-risk drinking. “If the student is male, the question is ‘In the last two weeks, have you had five or more drinks in a row?’ If the student is female, the figure changes to four or more drinks in a row.”

Schaus believes that the key to successful screening is to take a non-judgmental, student-centered approach. “Alcohol can be a sensitive topic with students. If you ask them straight out about their consumption of alcohol or drugs, you’re not likely to get an honest answer,” he said. “But if you use a motivational interview style and approach the subject on their terms, making sure you’re non-judgmental in the way you deal with it, they feel more comfortable.”

This style of interviewing can be applied to substance abuse, eating disorders and a range of other problems. In fact, claims Schaus, when you use this approach, you can often end up discussing other important problems that the student didn’t initially plan on broaching. If the student has a positive experience talking about these sensitive topics, it also makes it more likely that they will return to the health center if they have a problem in the future.

Once you’ve identified the high-risk students, the next step is to conduct a brief intervention. As the name suggests, it doesn’t have to be time consuming. There have been a number of studies delivered by counselors suggesting that even very brief sessions – as little as five minutes – can reduce harm. Schaus suggests, if possible, scheduling two 20-minute sessions and using a behavioral change counseling approach. This type of counseling is based on motivational interviewing but requires less time to be effective.

Most students fall into the category of at-risk consumption, which brief interventions are effective at tackling. According to Schaus, traditional, longer-term counseling is more appropriate for alcohol use disorders, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency. However, usually only five to 10 percent of college students fall into these categories.

The challenge, of course, is to incorporate this into the schedule of a busy student health center. One tactic for doing this is known as the “teachable moment”. Schaus explains, “If a student presents with a sprained ankle because they fell over when drunk, or if they’re being tested for an STD because they had a high-risk sexual encounter while intoxicated, you can use these incidents as a starting point to talk about alcohol.”

Additionally, Schaus advises that there should be a dedicated formal screen at initial patient registration at the health center. Making sure that all students have participated can be a simple process if your health center has a practice management system such as Nuesoft Xpress™. With the click of a button, a list can be compiled of all students who have not yet been screened, and a follow up letter sent to each one. Students can even schedule their own screenings via Nuesoft Xpress’ student Web portal.

Schaus’ screening and intervention recommendations seem to be practical ones. Yet a 2004 article by Foote in Journal of American College Health indicated that only 32 percent of college health centers routinely screen and only 12 percent use a standardized, approved screen. What’s more, says Schaus, the majority of these health centers use the CAGE screen (so called because it is a mnemonic of the key words from each question) which is a screen primarily used to detect alcohol dependency rather than at-risk consumption.

“Apart from the lack of time and money, many college health centers feel their staff hasn’t had adequate training to deliver an intervention,” says Schaus. “But only eight hours of training are required for staff to be able to deliver an effective brief intervention.” Educational resources are accessible either through the BASICS program or the College Drinking Prevention Curriculum developed by the NIAAA.

This combination of screening and brief interventions appears to be effective at identifying at-risk students and changing their behavior significantly.

“At 12 months out from our initial study, we’re seeing a lasting effect,” said Schaus.

Not only did the study show statistically significant reductions in all eight alcohol consumption outcomes (including peak blood alcohol count and number of drinks consumed in one sitting); it also showed reductions in alcohol related harms including driving after three or more drinks, taking foolish risks and physical injuries.

Those college health centers with Nuesoft Xpress can use the clinical study feature to track the effectiveness of their own alcohol prevention program over time. As the results of studies such as Schaus’ become publicized, more college health centers will find a way to implement these types of screenings and brief interventions, making high-risk drinking on campus less prevalent and helping to safeguard students.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=244771&ca=Education

Midterm Questions Of Social History Of America: Native American And African American By Brain Haley

America has always been a pluralistic society, broken into small groups with symbolic boundaries separating different sects. Positively, the pluralistic society allowed certain immigrant groups to remain affectionate and loyal to their ancestral religions and cultures, and also to actively participate in American political life. A civic culture developed in America, under the guidelines of republicanism:

“Government through elected officials, the eligibility of all citizens to participate in public life, and the freedom to differ in religious and individual life “(Miljkovic-Gacic & Ferrell, 129-133)

European immigrants could become members of the polity on a basis of equal rights with native born citizens regardless of the country they came from or the religion they believed in. While European immigrants were enveloped in the American myth, and all this vast land had to offer, two other groups: blacks and Native Americans were not allowed the same opportunities. The myth did not apply to Native Americans (Indians). Indians were not encouraged to remain in touch with their cultural and religious roots the way other groups were. The American government did not want the heathens to continue with their uncivilized lifestyle.

Consequently, several programs were developed to help the Indians assimilate to the American way of life. Once the Indians were pushed onto the least fertile land in the country, tribes were divided up and individuals were given their own plots of land in order to become self-sufficient. Indian children were taken away from their parents to be educated about the civilized life and the white man’s' laws. This separation was another attempt, by the white man, to discourage the continuation of the heathen traditions. Unlike the European immigrants, the majority of the Native Americans did not care to assimilate, nor did they wish to participate in the American government. The Indians just wanted to continue with the tribal pluralism that they practiced in the time before the white man's arrival. The Native Americans wished to remain self-governing, independent nations.

As tragic as the story of Native Americans is, there is another story: that of African Americans (blacks), that some would consider even more tragic. While Indians were constantly being encouraged to assimilate against their will, black: who often believed in American ideals, were forced to live in a segregated society. Blacks were never believed to be equals of the white man. From the time the first twenty blacks were brought to the United States as indentured servants in the 1600's; until the 1970's, blacks were considered to be inferior to whites (some would argue that this belief still prevails). Many believed, as did our great leader: Thomas Jefferson that blacks were intellectually, spiritually, and physically inferior to whites. Accordingly, the majority of our nation's history is plagued with pluralism caste.

This pluralism has been accompanied by all the aspects of a caste system: social indignity, physical brutality, educational deprivation, and political exclusion. Unlike the Indians, however, the torment and exclusion of blacks only strengthened their belief in the ideals of the Constitution and the American myth. African-Americans and Native Americans were all affected by laws passed between 1865 and 1900. Some, like the child labor laws, were beneficial to these groups, but mostly the laws were unfair and unbeneficial. Whether they were federal, state, or local laws, they all had a big impact on the lives of these people.

Works Cited
Miljkovic-Gacic I, Ferrell RE, Patrick AL. Estimates of African, European and Native American ancestry in Afro-Caribbean men on the island of Tobago. ISSN: 0001-5652, 2005; Vol. 60 (3), pp. 129-33

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=247809&ca=Education

Homeschooling Online - Home Schooling In The Eyes Of Federal Law By Jane A. Smith

Home Schooling the United States has no specific Federal Law. As per the 10th United States Constitution Amendment, it makes clear the government has high regards for education and therefore all matters are bestowed in the hands of the states. US Constitution makes it pretty clear that the government shall neither interfere nor control with education, private or public. This, as a matter of fact is untrue.

So if this is true then certainly home schooling as per Federal Law is legal, that is because there exist no rule to suggest otherwise. Some of United States most famous Presidents came from home schools for instance - Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, all emerged from home schools. Why all the fuss if it's legal? As per Federal Level the whole matter is legal.

But as soon as the matter reaches to state level, it is a complete chaos, that because of poor understanding by local officials of public schools of the basis laws. Most of then are completely ignorant when it comes down to understanding the meaning of these laws. And to a certain extent the officials are not at fault, there exists no uniform laws and laws vary across different states. What is prevalent in New York may not be the same as in California.

Of all the states l pertaining to home schools in California could be termed the most complex. North Carolina has more leniencies but then too some regulations can baffle people. Till federal laws are not put in place this situation is expected to continue, the matter worsens as home schoolers are against any Federal bindings.

If home schooling is your way then what's the way to follow Federal Law! Do not scratch your heads; Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has all the answers for your requirements. They keep a complete eye on new bills that are introduced and also fresh laws of senate and the house, this helps home schoolers keep a track of new developments. The US Constitution clearly says that Federal government have no rights to create new laws & rules to attempt to control public or private education but this far from reality.

The No Child Left Behind Act is a prime example. This act surely gives a controlling like feel public & private schools. There are more examples wherein laws have been made to control education itself. HSDLA is basically a regulator assigned the imperative task of viewing the legislation in at federal government level and of each state while it also takes up the work of giving families of home school legal assistance when they get stuck in legal tangles.

Home schools; can they stay far from the reaches of legal hassles? Do there exists any laws protecting home schools? ? The tenth US Constitution Amendment is the rescue path. But if you require professional guidance it is best advised to consult a lawyer who has in depth knowledge of the legal issues that govern local and federal home school laws.

The matter be dependent on the legal wrangle of your issue, violation of First Amendment rights might take place. What you can do best would be to approach a HSLDA person, if they would be willing to help you out or would they be in a position to find you an appropriate attorney.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=246981&ca=Education