The Internet has broken down language barriers, country boundaries, and learning methods. Today, learning at home is not only possible but highly advisable because the World Wide Web gives students resources that otherwise are not available as fast as the time it takes when a student turns on his or her personal computer.
The era of education online means that your ability to obtain higher education is just a mouse click away. Online education is one of the best options for those who want to get a degree and work at the same time. Within the past ten years, online education and internet training has provided many people with a new incentive to learn.
Online education includes a full spectrum of possibilities starting with early childhood education and including college preparation, or complete learning programs for obtaining a college degree. Online courses open a world of possibilities to people who for any given reason were unable to attend regular school programs, or those whose actual activities and limited time, made it hard to stick to a full-time learning schedule.
Online education is spreading across the globe like a wildfire fueled by textbooks and periodic tables. Millions who previously thought that a college degree was firmly out of their reach have discovered that all it takes to attend college in today’s world are the combination of a few free hours each day and access to the Internet.
Online Education Equals Big Business
Originally conceived as a way for adults to earn a college degree later in life than usual, online education or “distance learning” has spread to the point that people of all ages are now involved. Children as young as the fourth grade level now have access to online education in many areas, using it as a supplement to or in place of traditional classes.
With Online Education Everybody Wins
Part of the appeal to online education is that it is literally good for everyone. Educators can enter a new job market in writing and implementing an online curriculum and can use this income to supplement the earnings that receive from classroom education. Students of all ages have an alternative to traditional classes in which they can learn without the interference of other students’ behavioral interruptions. Adults who may have missed out on their high school diplomas or college degrees now have the opportunity, through online education, to complete or further their studies without the scheduling problems that may have made this impossible in the past. Finally, online education offers businesses the chance to educate their workforce at a lower cost and the benefit of a generation of computer literate and more highly educated prospective employees entering the job market.
However, online education is not limited to school subjects. Demand for adult education and online courses are some of the most widely available educational resources on the Internet, intended for developing specific skills. Cooking and baking courses, mechanical reparations, interior decoration, are just a few of those quick courses available online.
Another motivation encouraging online education includes foreign languages learning, or just for broadening your culture. Online options are as many as everyone’s need; degree programs, online education courses, training certificates and more, including accredited formal education.
Online education saves time, money, and offers opportunity to those who may have never had it in the past. It may truly be the wave of the future. Helping students to succeed in both education and career aspirations, online education is fast becoming a convenient, but credible educational tool of the modern era.
Archive for January, 2010
The Era of Online Education
Distance Learning in Education Services to Enhance Your Expertise
Distance learning in education services prepares students for various careers in the field of education. Some of the educational services are elementary and secondary school teacher, college and university faculty, instructional coordinator, vocational education teacher, remedial education teacher, students counselor, library technician, self enrichment teacher and training specialist. Apart from these careers other educational services include education product design and development services, education course and curricula development, international education consulting services, international credential evaluation, etc.
Distance learning in education services enhances your expertise in specialized teaching techniques such as how to create a successful classroom literacy program, how to better examine and expand student’s varying learning styles and intelligence levels, and how to utilize technology to enhance and facilitate the learning process. A degree in education accompanied by a strong academic background gives you confidence and professional expertise in the field of teaching.
New Opportunities
Distance learning in education services, also offer advanced degree courses in education administration, education supervision etc. Education administration degree courses are available in school finance and budgeting, school law, community relations, etc. Education supervision degree courses are available in human relations, curriculum development, supervision of instruction and curriculum, etc.
Online education courses and distance learning facilities have raised more challenges for education professionals than ever before. It has given an international dimension to education. Countries around the world are trying to promote their educational services through online technology. New careers are offered by distance learning in education services targeted for international exposure. An education product design and development professional stays abreast of new education research and technology and continually designs new education strategies and approaches to retain a competitive edge in an international arena. An international education consultant evaluates a number of education programs and materials and provides accurate and up to date information on international higher education. International credential evaluators evaluate educational credentials from any country in the world into their US equivalents.
Resources for Distance Learning in Education Services
There are plenty of online degree programs available for education services. Many of them are accredited by the National Council for accreditation of teacher Education; and by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. The web site ELearners is a search engine for accredited online degrees, while the site CollegeandUniversity is a convenient, comprehensive and personalized source of degree programs and related information. Educational Pathways is a paid subscription newsletter covering distance learning and teaching in higher education. GetEducated is an online degree clearinghouse for accredited colleges and universities while ClassesUSA is also a very good higher education portal.
Demand for education professionals is expected to grow substantially by 2012. Education will continue to hold a special place in people’s lives. Private institutions, local and state governments and corporations will continue to offer various education programs.
Posted in Childhood Education 
Tags: Distance, Education, Enhance, Expertise, Learning, Services 
No Comments »Is Homeschooling Right For Your Family?
I’ve been a private tutor in New York City for the past five years, and in that time I have worked extensively with eight different homeschoolers and had contact with a number of others. Some of these families are providing their children with absolutely magnificent educations. Others are doing a very poor job of it. I’ve given a great deal of thought to the characteristics that set successful homeschooling families apart from unsuccessful ones, and I believe I have some useful ideas for helping families determine whether or not they ought to take the plunge. Of course there are both academic and non-academic considerations to take into account with education, but my topic here is to primarily discuss the academic issues. My first question for any parents considering homeschooling is: Why? There are many possible answers to this question, but I think most of the time, the answers fall into one of three categories. First, there are families who simply feel that they can provide their child with a better education than they could get in any available school. Next, there are families who find themselves in a difficult situation, and homeschooling seems like it might provide a solution (although it was never a first choice). Finally, there are families with children who work (usually as actors) and who can’t reasonably go to regular school, too. All of these categories contain both successful and unsuccessful homeschooling families, although the most common the pitfalls seem to be different. Among families who want to try homeschooling because they believe they can provide a truly superior education, I’ve noticed one major downfall- parents who assume that their interests form the core of a good education. For example, I had a friend in college who was rather bitter about the fact that her parent’s (both math majors from Harvard) version of homeschooling led her to be rather competent at beginning calculus by the age of 11, but sadly unable to write more than a simple sentence or two until she entered public school in the 6th grade. On the other hand, I now have a homeschooling student whose parents know they can’t do math or science justice- that’s why they’ve hired me and it’s why they make a great effort to make sure a variety of adults who are fluent in math and science contribute to her education. That child is getting a great education in the humanities from her parents and a great education in math and science from me and other people. Unfortunately, no one is fully competent in every subject that a child should be exposed to, especially as they get older and material gets more complicated. Have you thought about how you will address all of the subjects that your child should be studying, and not just the ones that are your own personal favorites? Have you considered what the implications are of potentially passing on your own academic weaknesses or prejudices to your child? Do you have a plan to avoid, or at least ameliorate, this potential pitfall? In my experience, families who consider homeschooling because of a difficult situation are perhaps the most diverse group. These are also some of the families who have the most trouble making homeschooling work, for the simple reason that they are already under some sort of intense stress, which makes everything more difficult. The questions I would pose to these families are: Why do you think homeschooling will improve your situation? Do you realistically have the time and energy to devote to this important project? I have seen families who were forced into homeschooling make it work very well and I have also seen homeschooling degenerate into something quite awful. My favorite example of a family that was forced into homeschooling by circumstance but made it work well for them is a family consisting of an aunt and uncle who adopted their very troubled and severely school-phobic nephew. By the time they adopted their nephew, he had already learned to associate school with failure and responded to it with a mixture of indifference and aggression. It was bad enough when he was a prepubecent child, but as he entered adolescence the situation became absolutely untenable. For this student, homeschooling has been a wonderful second chance that has allowed him to begin learning without having to carry the baggage from his previous failures around. He has made enormous progress in the years since I began working with him. I truly believe that he could not have made this amount of progress in any other environment. On the other hand, I once participated in the homeschooling of a boy whose mother was terminally ill. The situation was even worse than you might think because she was on medication that made her quite literally and dramatically insane. The poor woman had many frightening hallucinations and became so fearful that she sometimes didn’t allow her son to leave their apartment for stretches of several days. Although homeschooling by a team of professional educators allowed him to more or less keep up academically, the emotional cost of being isolated from his friends and the outside world while he was trying to deal with his mother’s illness made a terrible situation even worse. I truly believe that it would have been better for him to go to school. Even if he had failed every subject, just getting outside of the house and seeing his peers would have been an improvement. Finally, there are families with a professional child. In these situations, the relevant questions aren’t so much about homeschooling, they’re really about the child’s career. Can this individual child handle a career? Is the desire for a career truly coming from the child? If the career doesn’t carry over into adulthood, will he or she have the skills necessary to make a life in another way? I’ve only known one professional child personally, and she was a charming 8th grade girl who truly loved acting. I homeschooled her while she was performing in an off-Broadway play. She was quite driven to succeed in all aspects of her life, and she was able to do remarkably well in terms of keeping up with her academics as well as her career. I had a lot of admiration for the way she handled all aspects of her life. I also respected the fact that her parents supported her desire to pursue a career in acting, but they absolutely did not push her. Her situation was close to ideal. On the other hand, she told me some disturbing stories about other professional children that she knew who were essentially coerced into pursuing acting careers that they did not want for themselves. Obviously, that is a deeply unethical choice for parents to force on their child. Homeschooling is really beside the point. In my experience, homeschooling families generally do pretty well (and often extremely well) when they enter into homeschooling with their child’s interests truly front and center. They often run into problems when homeschooling is more about the parents than the child. Ask yourself why and how you want to do this before you start. Be as honest as you can with your answers. The way you think about your child’s education will undoubtedly change over time, but if you keep those questions in mind, your chances of making the right choice for your family is quite good.
Editorial Projects in Education – Education Next is the Most Influential Journal in Education
STANFORD, Calif. — Education Next is the most influential journal in education, according to a study released last week by the Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center. The study, Influence: A Study of the Factors Shaping Education Policy, was based on an extensive survey of the education field’s opinion-elite. Education Next, published quarterly by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, was the sole journal, peer-reviewed or otherwise, listed among the top-ten information sources in the EPE survey, surpassed only by agencies of the U. S. government, Education Week, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the non-profit organization Education Trust. “The other editors and I are very pleased to learn that this young journal, now in its sixth year of publication, has attained such prominence and recognition,” said Paul E. Peterson, editor-in-chief of Education Next and director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University. “The honor reminds us to keep focused on our central mission, namely to ‘present the facts as best they can be determined, giving voice (without fear or favor) to worthy research, sound ideas and responsible arguments. ‘” EPE’s study also ranked most influential research in education as well as the most influential individuals. Research on school vouchers conducted by Peterson and his colleagues at Harvard was cited among the thirteen “blockbuster” studies of the past decade. A study of graduation rates by Jay Greene, an Education Next contributing editor, was also listed as one of the top thirteen. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, conducted under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Education, was listed as the most influential research study. Education Next Senior Editor Chester E. Finn Jr. , who also serves as chair of the Hoover Institution’s Koret Task Force on K-12 Education and president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, was named as one of the 20 most influential individuals in education. Microsoft founder Bill Gates held the top spot as the single most influential person in education in the last decade. In a statement, EPE Director Christopher Swanson said the study provides “a unique look at the power-brokers in American education who have shaped much of what happens in our nation’s classrooms over the last 10 years. The influence rankings also shed some light on the movers and shakers to watch in the next decade. ” Education Next features and forums provide opportunities for experts and analysts to cover key issues in school reform. All items in its research section are subject to double-blind peer-review. The journal has garnered national and international attention in recent months with the publication of ground breaking research on such topics as the increased achievement of students when taught by teachers of the same gender, the failure of school phys-ed classes to fight obesity, and the hidden social costs for academically successful minority students in integrated public schools. Regular features of the journal, such as its annual report card on states’ proficiency standards and its “Check the Facts” column, which shines a spotlight on inaccurate and misleading research, are widely referenced by the media, policymakers, government officials, and education practitioners. The current issue of Education Next (Winter 2007) headlines research that shows that state certification requirements that call for a specific course of study in education schools have little impact on student learning in the classroom. The issue also includes analyses of evidence and arguments used in education adequacy lawsuits and an assessment of the effectiveness of early childhood education. Other articles reveal the local barriers to charter school reform and the extent to which school restructuring is not taking place under No Child Left Behind. Read the new issue of Education Next now online. Education Next is a scholarly journal published by the Hoover Institution committed to looking at hard facts about school reform. Other sponsoring institutions are the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.
Posted in Childhood Education Tags: Editorial, Education, Influential, Journal, Most, Next, Projects No Comments »Child Educational Games
A Fun Learning Children can be extremely malleable at times, and quite stubborn at others. Making a recalcitrant child take interest in a particular thing can be a very difficult job. From a very young age, children can differentiate between what they find interesting, and what bores them. It is also not unlikely that what they find interesting at one moment will have completely lost its attraction at another. It is therefore necessary to keep their attention engaged by adopting different techniques. Educational gamescan prove to be a success under such circumstances. It is a known fact that games and toys help the overall development of a child. Toddlers should be given games with basic concepts like sequencing, counting, arranging, and coordinating. These help them develop hand-eye coordination, and also form a distinctive memory. Children can also learn alphabets, numbers, shapes and colors through these games. Another instructional game for small children could revolve around teaching them to read the time. Generally, pre-school children take a little time to grasp the concept of time. To help fasten this process, use of descriptive words and repetition is required. The hands of a clock can be given different names, and the child can be made to understand the association of the placement of these hands with some of his/ her vital activities like eating or going out or watching a show on television. Familiarizing the child with currency and the exchange process can also be interesting for him/ her. The different coins could be pointed out, and their names and values explained. You could ask your child to count the coins or separate them according to their values. This would enhance the analytical and cognitive kills in the child. You can also take your child out for a walk in the park or in the neighborhood and point out the different trees, animals, birds, and anything else that might lie on the way. You can allow him/ her to collect dry leaves and stones, and the child will learn to distinguish not only the shapes and colors but also the trees and animals. This can be an excellent science lesson for your toddler. In addition, this will satiate the child’s inborn curiosity about the environment. Educational games for children are a great way to engage children in some fun learning and give them a lift up the ladder of childhood education. They will go a long way in building the best childhood memories.
Homeschooling – Why Should You Homeschool?
Why should you homeschool? Why you opt to do so, or not, is a personal choice; those who choose to do so have many different reasons. Some parents want to instill certain values, while others want to protect their children from what they see as an unsafe public school environment. Still others think that they can provide a more superior education than the school system can. However, the most common reason is that parents simply think homeschooling is better for their children.
Just what “better” means can vary from parent to parent, but it means the exclusion of certain things as well as the inclusion of others. For instance, children who homeschool are seen as being less susceptible to peer pressure or bullying. Simply put, however, the opinion that homeschooling can provide a better education versus that of public or standard private schools has been quite well researched.
Studies, in fact, agree that homeschooling is generally educationally superior versus public or private schooling in the vast majority of cases.
For proof, we can look at many individual success stories. The winner of the 1997 national spelling bee was a homeschooled student. In addition, one family of four sisters who had all been homeschooled went on to get Master’s degrees from an Ivy League college. One young lady who had been homeschooled went to college and got her Master’s degree by age 16.
Now, detractors might dismiss such achievements as rare and unusual; the students and/or their parents were simply of genius IQ, right? However, the number of people in the world who have a genius IQ is not high enough to account for the steady rate of success among homeschooled students in these areas. Members have said in general the students who are homeschooled are in the 60th to 70th percentiles by the age of 12. On average, this means that these students test at least a grade ahead of their public school peers.
The numbers are even better for older students. By the time a homeschooled student reaches what is the equivalent of eighth grade, that student is roughly four grades ahead of his or her peers. This is as much due to the poor results public school generally provides as it is to the impressive accomplishments of homeschoolers. These numbers, in fact, are not just provided by those who advocate homeschooling, but by the US Department of Education itself.
Simply put, homeschooling works. Of course, most homeschooling parents know that this is not easy. Parents who homeschool often experience burnout, especially when they’re just starting out. It takes a lot of work to teach young people everything they need to know educationally, in addition to being the parent. To expect excellence from one’s children as students and function in the role of teacher takes extra effort. Therefore, the focus is on the parent in homeschooling efforts even more so than it is in general.
Homeschooling parents in general insist that children are natural sponges for knowledge. Although this may be true, many homeschooling parents nonetheless feel that they need to research curriculum options, define goals, and guide their children’s education, as well as a myriad of other tasks on a day-to-day basis. Parents who homeschool but who have not been well educated themselves also face the additional challenge of educating themselves even as they educate their children. They may have to catch up on their own educations before they can truly function as teachers for their own children.
Nonetheless, homeschooling advocates say that the results are worth the effort. Indeed, studies bear this out, as homeschooled students are usually well-adjusted, deep thinking individuals who are ready for whatever challenges life may throw at them.
History of Education
Education and Stone Age
The History of Education goes way back when Adam set his foot on this earth and passed his knowledge on to the generation followed by him. Education thus in Simple words is passing of already discovered knowledge to another generation. Education as a science cannot also be separated from the educational traditions that existed before. Knowledge was actually the natural outcome of an individual while fighting the battle of survival and the transfer of this understanding to the newcomers originated the phenomenon of Education in general. The transfer of knowledge gradually evolved into distinct cultures and oral language was developed into Symbols as well as pictures to further enhance the process of handing over.
When cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond the basic skills of communicating, trading, gathering food, religious practices, etc, formal education, and schooling, eventually followed.
Education and religion:
Initially the most popular mode of education in various regions of the world was religion. The religious priests not only taught religion but also the principles of writing, the sciences, mathematics, and architecture. The regions like Egypt, India and China are popular for the propagation of education through religious scholars. The basis of formal education were really strong in religions like Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Jewish. All of the religions incorporated their sacred worship places as a mode of extending their knowledge and learning about the realities of life.
Education in Greece and Rome
Romans and Greek serves as one of the origin of formal education as the ancient Greeks’ education focused on the study of philosophy. The Romans, on the other hand, were preoccupied with war, conquest, politics, and civil administration. The renowned names in the Greek philosophy include legends like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The main focus of these philosophers in the beginning was grammar, logic, and rhetoric, subjects that eventually formed the core of the liberal arts. Later The Greek philosopher Socrates wanted to discover and teach universal principles of truth, beauty, and goodness. Socrates believed that true knowledge existed within everyone and needed to be brought to consciousness. His educational method, called the Socratic Method, consisted of asking probing questions that forced his students to think deeply about the meaning of life, truth, and justice. Plato, who had studied under Socrates, established a school in Athens called the Academy. Plato believed in an unchanging world of perfect ideas or universal concepts.
He asserted that since true knowledge is the same in every place at every time, education, like truth, should be unchanging. Plato described his educational ideal in the Republic, one of the most notable works of Western philosophy. Where as Plato’s student, Aristotle, founded his own school in Athens called the Lyceum. Believing that human beings are essentially rational, Aristotle thought people could discover natural laws that governed the universe and then follow these laws in their lives. He also concluded that educated people who used reason to make decisions would lead a life of moderation in which they avoided dangerous extremes. Quintilian, another influential Roman educator who lived in the 1st century ad, wrote that education should be based on the stages of individual development from childhood to adulthood. Quintilian devised specific lessons for each stage. He also advised teachers to make their lessons suited to the student’s readiness and ability to learn new material. He urged teachers to motivate students by making learning interesting and attractive.
Famous Methods of Education:
Montessori’s methods of early childhood education have become internationally popular. She developed a specially prepared environment that featured materials and activities based on her observations of children. She found that children enjoy mastering specific skills, prefer work to play, and can sustain concentration. She also believed that children have a power to learn independently if provided a properly stimulating environment. Montessori’s curriculum emphasized three major classes of activity: (1) practical, (2) sensory, and (3) formal skills The work of.
American philosopher and educator John Dewey was especially influential in the U. S. and other countries in the 20th century. Dewey criticized educational methods that simply amused and entertained students or were overly vocational. He advocated education that would fulfill and enrich the current lives of students as well as prepare them for the future. The activity program of education, which derived from the theories of Dewey, stressed the educational development of the child in terms of individual needs and interests. It was the major method of instruction for most of the 20th century in elementary schools of the United States and many other countries.
The work of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget had a major impact on educational theory in the early 20th century, particularly in Europe. Piaget wrote extensively on the development of thought and language patterns in children. He examined children’s conceptions of number, space, logic, geometry, physical reality, and moral judgment. Piaget believed that children, by exploring their environment, create their own cognitive, or intellectual, conceptions of reality.
By continually interacting with their environment, they keep adding to and reshaping their conceptions of the world. Piaget asserted that human intelligence develops in stages, each of which enhances a person’s understanding of the world in a new and more complex way.
Education till today has come along way and here we have just highlight some landmark developments in this yonder as today education is defined as a formal system of learning based on schools, colleges and universities.
For more information about History of Education visit: http://www. 360career. com
Online Education Degree – a Booming Sector That Bring you to a Brighter Future
Are you kind of person who likes to work with children? Are you loves to giving training and teaching to young people? Are you a good communicator especially with children? If you answered yes to the questions above, then online education degree will help you to gain the skills and enhanced you knowledge in education field. Hence, help you to advance your career working in education fields.
The booming education and health sector offers many jobs that involve working with children and youths. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor, the education and health sector is going to grow by 30. 6 percent between now and 2014-faster than any other industries. Seeing the encouraging growth in education section, earn an online education degree will bring you to a brighter future.
In order start or advance your career in education related fields, you need to look for a related online degrees; there are many prestigious online colleges and universities offer degree in education and teaching. Among the featured online universities which offer various online education degree programs include: Capella University
Master of Science in Education focus on area in elementary classroom teaching, secondary classroom teaching, advanced instruction in mathematics, advanced instruction in science, teacher leadership, and virtual school teaching.
Master of Science in Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction is a specialized master degree offers to those licensed K12 teachers who looking to gain key competencies through theoretical study and collaboration with seasoned practitioners. You will acquire tools and techniques to help your district design instructional models and assessments that focus on increasing student achievement.
Master of Science in Education with concentration in Leadership in Educational Administration, offer to those K12 teachers who are looking for education career advancement in school administration. Walden University
Online master education degrees offered by Walden University include area in education leadership, Grades K-6 Elementary Reading & Mathematics, Grades 6-8 and K-5 mathematics which provide you with the key skills and knowledge to success in educational field. University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix’s education master degrees are mainly focus on education leadership and administration, education technology specialized in computer education.
If you are interested in early childhood education, then you should look for online education programs offer by Lehigh Valley College, Sullivan University, Rasmussen College, Hesser College. Since the introduction of concept “Education Start from Age 0″; the childhood education and child care management related careers are in a booming trend. Students who graduate with a childhood education degree usually go to work immediately after graduation due to high demand in this field.
If you are gaga for education, opportunities for meaningful and well-paid work abound. Some other career possibilities include: Child Psychiatrist, Children Youth and Family Counselor, Doula, Pediatric Rehabilitation Counselor, and Play Therapist.
In short, the statistics show that the education section is in the booming trend and educational experts are always in demand. Online education degrees will prepare you with the necessary skills and get you success in this highly demand job marketplace.
Take a visit to http://www. studykiosk. com for more information on all online degrees available. Earning your education is one of the biggest and most important investments in your life. Our goal is to help you quickly find online degrees and online degree programs. We feature over 1,000 online degrees and accredited online degree programs.
Posted in Childhood Education Tags: Booming, Brighter, Bring, Degree, Education, Future, Online, Sector No Comments »Causes of Childhood Obesity
Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. There are various medicines like Phentermine, Adipex etc. which aid in the weight loss for adults but these medicines are definitely not meant for children. Causes of Childhood Obesity:- Family: A child whose both parents are obese has a higher chance of developing obesity as compared to other children. This can happen for a variety of reasons like genetic factors or may be the sedentary lifestyle of the parents or the lack of exercise in their daily routine. This can make the child born with obesity. – Inactive Life: Children these days spend more of their time on playing video games and watching T. V. This has prevented the children of today to engage in some healthy ground activities like sports. Hence children are gradually becoming couch potatoes. Leading an inactive life has made them grow into an obese from just being overweight. – Heredity: Since not all children leading a sedentary lifestyle, watching more of television, and eating just about anything does not make every child obese therefore researchers are working upon the reasons that why it is so. Heredity has recently been shown to influence fatness, regional fat distribution, and response to overfeeding. In addition, infants born to overweight mothers have been found to be less active and to gain more weight by age three months when compared with infants of normal weight mothers, suggesting a possible inborn drive to conserve energy. – Lower income and education levels correlate to lower physical exercise levels in developed countries. – Television advertising of food and beverages directed towards children are usually for products that are high in calories, sugar, sodium, and fat. Being overweight can cause: 1. Low self-esteem and bullying 2. Behavior and learning problems 3. Stress and anxiety 4. Comfort eating 5. Depression 6. Type 2 diabetes 7. High blood pressure 8. Asthma and other respiratory problems 9. Sleep disorders 10. Liver disease 11. Early puberty 12. Eating disorders Prevention of Childhood Obesity: Obesity is easier to prevent than to treat, and prevention focuses in large measure on parent education. In infancy, parent education should center on promotion of breastfeeding, recognition of signals of satiety, and delayed introduction of solid foods. In early childhood, education should include proper nutrition, selection of low-fat snacks, good exercise/activity habits, and monitoring of television viewing. In cases where preventive measures cannot totally overcome the influence of hereditary factors, parent education should focus on building self-esteem and address psychological issues. Childhood obesity is an increasingly difficult problem. Action, if taken early, can change the outcome for obese children or even prevent it happening in the first place. An appropriate exercise problem is one tool that can alter the outcome for such children.
Homeschooling – Homeschool Tips and Resources
Homeschool can quickly grow and become an enterprise that is overwhelming. There is so much that parents need to learn before they can begin to educate their children. However, just like any other large and complex task, it is much easier to tackle when you break it down into simple to handle pieces. Plus, homeschooling is not nearly as difficult as many people think it is – or as the make it seem.
The first thing to remember in homeschooling is that there is no “one size fits all” and what is right for one person may not work for someone else. This being said, there is no single starting point that is right for everyone. Different parents present different skill sets and have different life experiences. However, nearly every single parent who attacks this task will at some point experience some trickle of doubt as to whether they can actually DO this or if homeschooling is right for their child or even their family. The doubts are normal, but what it boils down to is that only the parent and child can decide if it is right. Family members who do not understand or approve can not make the very personal decision regarding how your child is educated – only you and your child can do that.
If you decide to go with homeschooling, know that homeschooled children, on the average, outscore their peers on standardized tests and perform at the top of their class in college. Within the home, parents can offer an environment to the child that is safe, fun and is conducive to learning. They can tailor an educational program that is structured specifically for their child’s needs and interests. This is an area where public schools often fail.
The Law
One of the first things that you should do once you make the decision to homeschool your child is to learn everything that you can about the laws and regulations in your state. Learning the legal requirements and restrictions should be done very early in the process. The HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) can provide you with a wealth of information and assistance. They can guide you through the process of researching the laws in your state. While homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, certain aspects differ such as the amount of paperwork and the level of involvement of local school districts. Some states also require that homeschooled students be tested at certain points to track their progression.
Support Groups
Modern homeschooling has been around for more than 40 years. Literally hundreds of organizations have been formed during at time that covers every state and nearly every area in the United States. You can find a list for your area by visiting http://www. thehomeschoolmom. com/states/index. php. There are also many online groups and many are even region specific. Yahoo groups, Google groups and MSN groups all have very useful clubs where homeschoolers can share curriculum, tips, support and supplies including books. Some local online groups even have field trips, get togethers, play groups and teen nights to aid in the socialization process for the children.
Books and Magazines
There are many books and magazines that are available to help with homeschooling issues. However, as the internet has grown and expanded, there is even more information readily available to homeschooling parents as well as students. Parents can sign up for homeschooling newsletters and they can even go on to teacher resource websites and sign up for newsletters and daily tips.
If you are interested in reading the philosophy of homeschooling and its origins, John Holt’s books are fascinating. “Teach Your Own” by Patrick Farenga is also a very popular book on homeschooling. “Classical Homeschooling Magazine” is available at http://www. classicalhomeschooling. com. While it mainly focuses on the classical homeschooling approach, homeschoolers of all types can gain valuable information from it. “Home Education Magazine” is another very popular publication regarding homeschooling.
Materials and Resources
Materials and resources are integral to the homeschoolers success, but not in the manner that you may think. Many parents elect the school-at-home route, at least initially. What this does is basically take the books and materials out of the classroom and place them in the home where the child learns them and the parent is the teacher. It usually does not take long for parents to realize how much effort is involved in this method and they often find the materials substandard at best.
There are alternative materials and curricula available from many commercial sources. The homeschooling clubs and groups mentioned earlier can also offer a wealth of information. There are materials and curricula that can be downloaded on the internet for free and these groups can point you in the right direction. A popular forum that provides good information is http://forum. homeschool. com/forum/default. asp. Another popular source is HEM (Home Education Magazine). You can access their site at http://www. homeedmag. com/wlcm_netwrk. html. Another site is http://www. home-school. com/forums.
All of these sites give parents helpful tips, suggestions for curriculum design and materials and much more.
Your approach to homeschooling your child may be structured or unstructured. It depends on you and your child’s goals, whether they are college, art school or just a good foundation of knowledge and a keen mind. Whatever your concerns and issues, you can find the help that you need to get you started and make your homeschool experience a success.
Effectiveness Of Schooling In The Early Childhood Phase
Are you eager to jumpstart your child’s early schooling? You are right to assume that at an early age your child can start learning. His or her mind is ready to soak up new experiences and information. Since children are impressionistic, the right educational method and learning environment should be selected in order to maximize the effectiveness of schooling in the early childhood phase. Give Your Child the Edge Evidence shows the importance of education during the early phase of childhood is unquestionable. It is through education that a child can achieve his whole potential and be whatever he/she desires to become. Early childhood is the right time to spur him along. The effectiveness of schooling in the early childhood phase is also unquestionable, especially as it relates to the child’s personal development. However, it is correct to question the effectiveness of early educational programs or tools used, and how it suits the child’s learning style. Does your child learn faster by doing? Listening? Or observing? Researchers on the issue have established that not all educational tools for early education are equally effective in the advancement of development and learning of young children. It is safe to say that the effectiveness of schooling in the early childhood phase is greatly dependent upon the following: Environment, quality staff, appropriate curriculum & teaching tools, appropriate grouping practices, parental involvement, and enforcement of consistent schedules. Key Areas to Consider Studies show that long term benefits of early childhood education are only evident in high-quality programs. Thus, you have to look into certain areas such as trained teaching staff, the style of administrative leadership, curriculum, ratio of class to teacher, competency of teaching assistants, and rapport between parents and teachers. As a parent, play it by ear. Talk to the teachers and get the feel of the school and find out if the learning environment involves the children in meaningful and active learning. Find out if their program is developmentally appropriate for different age groups and different learning styles and temperament. Talk to parents of young children already enrolled to find out what opinions they have on the effectiveness of the schooling provided for their child. If you receive the answers you need to hear, then you may have found a school that can effectively teach your child in the early childhood development phase. In many cases, early childhood learning in a classroom setting will prepare your child for the future, both emotionally and academically.
Continuing Education College Becomes a Requirement
Importance of a good college education is inestimable; its profit is incalculable. Although college tuition can cost you a few thousand dollars, not going can cost much more in your lifetime. In fact, there are plenty of available financial aid options to help you face the cost of your college tuition. From federal to private organization, if you are interested in finding financial aid to continue your education, you will surely find an institution to help you. This article explains the importance of a college education and steps to take to find financial aid. Education aims to provide every individual the physical, intellectual and moral development they need. It allows you to manage your lives and face the demands of the society in which you live. Education has always been essential in human life. From the beginning of time, humankind has sought to invent new technologies to better meet their needs. However, with the advancement of science, higher education is becoming increasingly more important. In developed countries like the United States and Canada, a degree in college is “necessary” to live a life more or less modest. Not long ago while I was in hospital, I met a pretty woman who was working in the hospital as a Registered Nurse. She seems so happy that I asked questions about the job she was doing and why she is so happy. She started telling me the reason of her joy. Before becoming a RN, she used to work in a restaurant as a dishwasher. When she realized that she was going to lose her fingers by water/sanitizer solution, she decided to get a part time job and went to college. Now, being a RN, she works less, and makes much more money. She told me, “That’s the greatest decision I ever made in my life. ” I am not telling you there is no success in life without a college education, but the chances are slim. Even those who are, because of their talents, succeed without an education are often full of social gap; although money seems to talk in this society. Truly, if he were not educated, Obama would never break the barrier of racism to become the first black president in the US, which for many remains unbelievable. You are not Obama and you will never be; however, you can be a professional in a branch. Nothing is more rewarding than a good professional education. According to a study published by U. S. Department of Labor, nearly 90 percent of the fastest growing job (mostly in computer and medical fields) require a college education or technical school training. In addition, there is a big difference between college and high school graduates salaries. A college graduate employee in the U. S. earns nearly twice as much as an employee with just a high school diploma. It is estimated that college graduates will earn $ 1 million dollars more than those with only a high school diploma, according to University of Wisconsin-River Falls. If life becomes harder day by day, college education becomes more necessary to cope with the exigencies of the society. As jobs continue to decline, it becomes more difficult for high school graduates to obtain a “medium-paying job” that was once available. The benefits of a good education are unlimited; having it is as precious as gold and silver. The question is how to pay for that education? If you do not want to take student loans, it may be difficult for you to go college. Find grant is difficult but not impossible. You can find a list of top colleges in the US and all information you need to find financial aid to pursue your education. For details, Visit continuingeducationcollege. com, or visit the link in the resource box below.
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