Victor Guskov
506

If you are worried about the future of the school mathematical education or about concrete pupil’s lack of success in math, then do not hasten to think that the problem of elementary mental computational skills is insignificant or trivial. The level of progress in simple mental computations defines the first threshold of school math’s learning ability. To put it mildly, it is a little bit higher than the level of standard requirements. The pupils who have not crossed this threshold are doomed to poor progress.
Many children in secondary school have bad results in mathematics. My experience show that problems start in primary school ?the root is in bad practical skills in count and simple mental computations. All kids who have problems with addition and subtraction within the limits of 20, multiplication and division within the limits of 100 can not master many basic topics of school math successfully. They have difficulties with common fractions, simple algebraic transformations, simple equations and so on.
When make a diagnosis of quality of the simple mental computational skills we must pay attention not only to correctness but to swiftness of computations too. It is a very important criterion, but we often underrate its significance. Slow mental computations are one of possible causes of failure in understanding more complicated operations: reducing to a common denominator, operations with brackets and similar terms, solving simple equations.
The results of my investigations have allowed figuring criteria of permissible level of the simple mental computational skills for different ages. All pupils who have not reached this level could not learn mathematics without big problems. In contrary, in those cases when it is possible to improve the skills, they begin to make progress.
I offer you a simple computer test for diagnosis of a level of simple mental computational skills. You can download it free at my site
http://www.simplar.boom.ru
You can find there also a short description of the implemented study with some figures and diagrams and a description of two effective ways for improvement of the skills.
Undoubtedly you have one or several familiar persons more or less successfully (maybe more or less unsuccessfully) gnawing a granite of sciences in a primary or secondary school. If they have learnt the multiplication table already, offer them this simple test and you will see that many of them will not pass it. A pupil must implement a sequence of simple operations not only nearly errorless but quickly also. The speed of mental computation is one of the two criteria of automatism ?the top quality of skills. Whereas a minimal number of errors is permissible (an error will be caused not only by lack of knowledge), a testing will end in failure because of slowness even if there will be no mistakes. The values of parameters using in the test were figured experimentally in correspondence with time passed after the multiplication table was completely studied.

Tyler Benson
296

Let’s start with elementary arithmetic. A day comprises only 24 hours: sleeping takes at least 8 hours and there are also work and study hours to be taken into account. And not much time remains for yourself. Many people in our wild and instantly changing age hardly have any minute to spare for their beloved activity. It is not fair. We need to find time for recreation, entertaining and relaxing, we must do it. To live a complete and fulfilling life. You want it, don’t you? Then let’s see how to make the most of these 24 hours. Do you know what you want? Time problems arise when you can’t make the right choice. You often scatter yourself to fulfilling tasks of doubtful necessity. You usually start working on something just because it caught your eye or somebody asked you for a favor. Your indecision and failure to refuse are the reasons why you are not master of your own time. You may utterly change the situation by asking yourself three simple questions before you set yourself to doing something. Is it really very necessary? Do I have to do it right now? May I entrust someone else with this task?
Acting like this you will spare yourself from extra waste of time, energy and strength. The same goes for implementing long ?term goals. You are likely to have more than one version of a future, some of which may appear very tempting. But only one can be realized. It does not essentially concern global questions. More frequently you are exhausted and take as a burden even rather trifle problems. Take it easy. The above questions may not appear to be helpful when you decide on a long term goal. How then must we make the right choice and release from the inner tension and alongside set it to the right course? Give freedom to your sub consciousness (it is never wrong) and don’t fall into useless reflection. Consider the following effective method that is also very simple. Before going to bed, formulate the problem you want to solve in a clear and brief manner. Assume a positive attitude. For example, “I will manage to write a win - win marketing essay (www.bestessays.com/marketing.php) for the college? Let this phrase be your last thought for this day. As for routine problems you will find solution in a day or two. A more serious matter will take longer, but you will require less effort than when you are “thinking?as usual.
A great power of planning. You have determined your goal. But how to find the time for its implementing? - You definitely need a plan. Sit down

Mark Woodcock
303

You might be at a crossroads in your life. You might realize that you need your Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree to land that exciting and high-paying job you have always wanted. You might realize that you need your Master’s degree to rise higher in your current profession. You might realize that you are ready to return to work after taking a break to raise your family, and that getting a degree will help you achieve your professional goals. Simply the most convenient and flexible way to achieve any of these ambitions is by getting your degree from a college that offers a distance learning degree program. Distance learning is not “correspondence? Rather, it utilizes today’s Web technologies to allow anyone from anywhere to attend college via the Internet, and receive a college education.
There are many advantages of choosing to receive your degree via a distance-learning program. Chief among them is convenience. Proximity is no longer a factor in determining where you attend college. Studying for a college education online allows you to achieve your educational and professional goals at your own pace, whether you want to get a 2-year Associate’s degree, a 4-year Bachelor’s degree, or take an accelerated course program to receive a professional certificate. There is no need to live near or commute to a college when all classes can be attended and all work submitted online. Distance learning is a great option for you if you have uncertainties about going to college as an older student or returning after many years. Studying for a college education online can be an easy way to ease into the routine of class work and projects, and can reduce the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger students. Further, course availability is often convenient for those who work full time or care for a family. Often, colleges offer evening and weekend classes.
There is a distance learning degree program available for just about every professional and academic discipline out there. Fields of study include Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Library and Information Sciences, Education, Nursing, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and various Healthcare programs. These are but a few of the subjects in which you can earn a college education by choosing an online program. While many online programs are delivered through fully accredited online colleges and Universities, more and more traditional colleges and Universities are adding distance learning degree programs to their curricula, which gives you seemingly limitless options.
You might be concerned about affording to attend a distance learning degree program. Often, financial aid is available to students in the form of grants, loans, even scholarships. Also, many employers are willing to pay for part or all of an employee’s tuition and fees. Investing in an employee’s future reaps benefits for everyone involved.
The misconception of receiving your degree via a distance-learning program is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending face-to-face classes at a traditional college or University. This just isn’t the case. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. While it is true that being an online student requires a certain amount of self-discipline and organization, receiving your degree through distance learning will probably help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop your time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with a college education and your dream career, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology. Going the route of distance learning to get your degree is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities, and have the career you have always dreamt about.

Cathy Warschaw
99

Attention, students ?now is the time to seriously think about your future job in the dental field. You probably have many questions, such as: “Where can I get quality skills training? How am I going to afford vocational training? How do I write a professional resume?? Well, the search is over — you’ve got a place that has all the answers ?MyDentalCareer.com!
MyDentalCareer.com is a website that is dedicated to addressing the unique needs of high school seniors. You’ll find great information on how to enroll in a fantastic front desk training program that gives you the necessary skills to enter the lucrative dental field once you have graduated. This 8-12 week comprehensive program is provided by the Warschaw Learning Institute, an institute of highly qualified staff, who offer the program in a personalized format that is conveniently accessed via the Internet. Additionally, all participants who successfully complete this short and specialized program are awarded a Certificate of Completion that will show employers that you mean business!
You will also find useful tips and information on — creating professional resumes, effective job search skills, interviewing to get the job, developing self-esteem, and a host of other helpful topics ?all designed with first-time job seekers in mind.
Your promising career in the dental field is important to MyDentalCareer.com; that’s why we strive to provide you with a high-quality dental office front desk training program that will place you head and shoulders above the competition. You owe it to your future to take advantage of this excellent training opportunity.
You’ve got questions and MyDentalCareer.com has the answers. It’s only a click away. After all, a quality education should never have to be a compromise!
“Changing Lives…One Career at a Time.”

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933
441

In studying for your CCNA exam and preparing to earn this valuable certification, you may be tempted to spend little time studying static routing and head right for the more exciting dynamic routing protocols like RIP, EIGRP, and OSPF. This is an understandable mistake, but still a mistake. Static routing is not complicated, but it’s an important topic on the CCNA exam and a valuable skill for real-world networking.
To create static routes on a Cisco router, you use the ip route command followed by the destination network, network mask, and either the next-hop IP address or the local exit interface. It’s vital to keep that last part in mind - you’re either configuring the IP address of the downstream router, or the interface on the local router that will serve as the exit interface.
Let’s say your local router has a serial0 interface with an IP address of 200.1.1.1/30, and the downstream router that will be the next hop will receive packets on its serial1 interface with an IP address of 200.1.1.2/30. The static route will be for packets destined for the 172.10.1.0 network. Either of the following ip route statements would be correct.
R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.0 255.255.255.0 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)
OR
R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.0 255.255.255.0 serial0 ( local exit interface)
You can also write a static route that matches only one destination. This is a host route, and has 255.255.255.255 for a mask. If the above static routes should only be used to send packets to 172.10.1.1., the following commands would do the job.
R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.1 255.255.255.255 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)
OR
R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.1 255.255.255.255 serial0 ( local exit interface)
Finally, a default static route serves as a gateway of last resort. If there are no matches for a destination in the routing table, the default route will be used. Default routes use all zeroes for both the destination and mask, and again a next-hop IP address or local exit interface can be used.
R1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)
OR
R1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 serial0 ( local exit interface)
IP route statements seem simple enough, but the details regarding the next-hop IP address, the local exit interface, default static routes, and the syntax of the command are vital for success on CCNA exam day and in the real world.

Tawee Subsomboon
108

There has always been a lot of debate as to whether an online college education is as good as a traditional college education. The answer to this is quite simple; there are good institutions that offer an online college education and there are bad establishments that offer an online college education. So, you need to do your research in the same way when you are looking for the best place to pursue your online college education with as you would an offline course.
Of course you are not going to particularly bother finding out about the location of the colleges that offer an online college education because it really doesn’t matter. However, a lot of the other points that you would consider before attending a college should also be taken into consideration before you enrol with an organisation offering an online college education.
The growth in the numbers of people pursuing an online college education has led to increased competition amongst institutions to attract students. The best way to assess the credibility of a site advertising the best online college education is to ask about the accreditation of its courses. Accreditation means that a governing body for a particular field has endorsed the course and this is extremely important in helping you to decide who to trust with your online college education. If a course is not accredited then you need to find out why.
There may be a number of courses that have not yet received accreditation from an appropriate association or governing body but still offer a good online college education. For example, the establishment may have applied for accreditation but not yet been assessed, in which case you can actually check with the particular body that they are in the process of assessing the application for accreditation. Another reason may be that there is no appropriate body that the course can be accredited to. This is less likely but is, nevertheless, a valid reason and does not indicate that the course offered is not going to be worth taking to advance your online college education.
If, however, you find that the online college education institution has been refused accreditation they are likely to try to tell you that accreditation is not important. This is quite simply untrue. An online college education from a non-accredited institution is not going to be viewed as highly as one from an establishment that is accredited. Choose where you gain your online college education from with care to ensure that you are not wasting your time and money by having an almost worthless qualification.

Donna Moran
275

With the economy the way it is today, large numbers of people, both young and old are looking for a long term career which has some stability. The most common of which are police officers, firefighters, and postal employees. In the past many of these job-seekers would merely fill out an application in order to take an entrance exam, and then blindly go take the exam without really knowing or having an idea what to expect. Some would purchase generic books from their local bookstores, only to find out that the material covered was not even close to their exam.
Well that all has changed thanks to a new innovative company. Enter CareerQuiz Inc. (www.careerquizinc.com). For a small charge CareerQuiz Inc. prepares its members for thousands of law enforcement exams, firefighter exams, and postal exams throughout the country. What makes CareerQuiz Inc. different from other similar businesses is that that they target the specific agency that you are applying for. Depending on the agency that the job-seeker is looker for, CareerQuiz Inc. presents that person with up-to-date study materials and online practice exams to assist the test taker come exam day.
According to Augie Caamano, Jr. founder of CareerQuiz Inc. “Apart from being our main business, there is a great sense of satisfaction to see all of these men and women completing our study programs and getting the positions they’re seeking. I enjoy reading e-mails from past members who have been sworn in to their agencies or accepted positions as a result of our online preparation programs.”
A look at CareerQuizInc.com quickly conveys to the visitor their commitment to online test preparation. The web portal quickly allows you to choose which field you are targeting, and depending on your selection directs you to one of three sites, either PoliceQuiz.com, FireQuiz.com or MailQuiz.com. Once a selection is made you are instantly taken to that prep site to choose the actual agency you are targeting. PoliceQuiz.com and FireQuiz.com both list over 4,800 agencies for every state and territory in the U.S.
Caamano states “We would not have thousands of members throughout the country if we did not know the testing business. I’m so sure that we can help, that I offer every member a money back guarantee that they pass the exam on their first try. Therefore, our members have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by preparing for their respective exams at CareerQuiz Inc.”
For a modest one-time modest fee of only $24.95, CareerQuiz Inc. provides it’s members with hundreds of sample practice questions, along with test strategies and tips. They also provide all members the opportunity to communicate with past members who have already taken their entrance exam, and who may be able to provide better insight as to what to expect.
When asked if he would expand his service to other types of entrance exams, Caamano stated “We only want to prepare our members for exams that we know and have researched. Our subject matter experts carefully screen exams throughout the country so that our members have the best possible opportunity to pass that first critical step in the hiring process”.
For more information about preparing for the police officer, firefighter and postal exam. Be sure to visit CareerQuiz Inc. at http://www.careerquizinc.com
Donna Moran is the author of “Becoming A Police Officer Just Became Easier (2004)” mailto:support@acdeigns.net

George Williams
417

Now, you decide to learn how to speak English. There are many online resources that can help you improve and practice you English. Now if you are like most other ESL students reading this article then you already have a fairly good notion of the English language. You most likely are looking for a place to practice and enhance your English skills. So, here are four easy steps to do just that.
1. Preparation
There is no need to start from the beginning, since you already a fairly good notion of English. Take stock of your current skills and find out where you are weak. Once you know what you need to learn…all you have to do is learn it.
So, pick out something from your list of things that you know you need/want to learn. Take a few minutes to analyze why you want learn this information, and make sure you focus on that particular point while studying. It is super easy to get side-tracked onto other topics.
If you do see something of interest while you are on your search for information…make sure to take note of it so you can come back at a later time. But for now…FOCUS on the task at hand!
2. Practice
Now that you know what you know what you want to learn, jump over to Google or Yahoo and do a quick search on your chosen topic of interest. From there you should be able to find sites that will provide you with tools and resources such as audio files, video files, exercises, and tests to practice what you want to learn.
3. Use
Alright! You are ripping, raring, and ready-to-go! You studied what it was you wanted to learn, and now you need to put it into use in real life situations. Use what you just learned on your friends and acquaintances. Hit the forums and try out what you now know. Try to use it at least thirty times to really assimilate it well and make it a part of you.
4. Evaluate
Once you are done for the day, sit down for a few minutes and evaluate how you did. Did you learn everything that is required? Are you still weak in certain areas of this topic?
If you have a strong determination to learn English, take note of these things. Start making plan now and start practice it tomorrow. Make sure to do these four steps everyday, and you will steadily see your skills progressing. So now…just go do it!

Matthew Kellmer
325

Education in today’s world is a must. No longer can the youth of today rely upon only a high school education to get them where they want to be in life. As a matter of fact, today’s 4-year college degree is becoming yesterday’s high school diploma. There are some specific reasons as to why this has happened. Students in America’s educational system are growing at a rate that the schools are not able to keep up with. We can also look to America’s involvement in globalization. America has more international students studying in the states than ever before. This has created even more competition for the youth of America. Another aspect to look at is the life of students and resources available to them by the school. So what is being done now to help students deal with all these factors that have never before been an issue? The answer is online tutoring and education.
With the large growth in students throughout America, schools have struggled to keep with the basic needs. According to OnTheIssues, the population of students in grades K-12 is over 50 million. This number is and has been steadily rising by 1 million students per year. OnTheIssues also notes that school spending for grades K-12 is now at $0 billion per year. As the amount of students continues to increase, the amount of spending will also continue to increase. This is not the only factor that is affecting students in a negative way.
Many students today, high school and college, do not have the time to research for sources and help on-campus. Mainly because students today are working jobs while taking full-loads in school. This leaves minimal time to be able to take advantage of a school’s resources. Online tutoring and education is becoming the answer to this problem. WashingtonPost author, Mike Chediak, says that according to Sloan Consortium, more than 2.6 million students studied through online tutoring and educational courses last fall. This number is up from 1.9 million back in 2003, which is about a 23% growth rate in only one year.
It’s also important to look at the resources that are offered by schools. The main goal of education is to prepare students for a career path. In high school this is a general path and in college this is a much more specific path. It is estimated that only 25% of 4-year college graduates actually work in the field that they earned their degree. Since online tutoring and education is able to cover such a broad area, students are able to get the help they need, when they need it. Online tutoring and education is now offered by some programs over a 24-hour period, which completely caters to the student’s needs.
While schools are not keeping up with the resources to fully help their students, online tutoring and education is able to fill the gap. Many schools are starting to partner with online tutoring service companies so they can get their students the help they need. Online tutoring and education is a service that will continue to grow and thrive in the upcoming years for America.
Resources
Background on Education. On The Issues.
http://www.issues2000.org/Background_Education.htm
Chediak, Mark. Online Tutoring Part of Growing Trend. 16 Aug. 2005. Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/15/AR20050815015.html
The Sloan Consortium. Committed to Quality Online Education.
http://www.sloan-c.org/

Vikas Agarwal
78

This is to catch attention of all the professionals around, regarding their attempts to career advances. I felt the need for writing such an article because:
Yesterday, I sent a mail seeking resumes of all of interested guys for a technical job opening at the organization, where I am working. I received responses from 4-5 people by the time of writing this article and was really disappointed to see the resumes attached therein. In my view, your resume is your first impression upon your employer, and I am sure, no one intends to spoil his/her first impression. I saw a number of blunders in those resume, which could be sufficient reasons for an employer to reject your profile into the trash. I am trying to articulate them, and requesting you all to first look at the body of anything you write before you send it to anyone else, be it your resume.
* Run a thorough spell-check on your resume. [very important, and I found many mistakes]
* Read it completely and let any one else with good semantic knowledge of English read it, to check the flow in it. [I found titles of projects and trainings, not matching the description.]
* Don’t write much (don’t create fuss over) about the small and irrelevant details, because you need to be packed with the explanation for those things at the time of personal or technical discussion.
* Elaborate on the projects, which seem relevant to the particular opening. They increase chances of your profile selection.
* Don’t repeat) the description of the projects with each project being added in your profile. They have to different somehow! I saw this peculiar thing is the resume, I am attaching herewith.
* Highlight those skills, which you really have!) Otherwise, interviewer having better knowledge on the subject may screw you anytime during your interview. For example, writing, Reading, as your hobby may attract a good discussion between you and interview. That may end up exasperating you if you don’t have guts or wits to justify all that.
* Have a specific career objective, which really shows your interest in joining that particular company and highlight your some particular skills matching their requirements, if possible.
* Write a cover letter, especially for a particular opening, if possible. More importantly, don’t let your friend copy your cover letter, if he is going to apply for the same post in same company.

Alex Heiphetz
231

A short editorial published by Education Today in early October of 2002 started a debate that is not settled to this time. Moreover, in many regards it becomes sharper as distance learning evolves. The argument is between two principally different approaches to learning. On one side are advocates of developing standardized courses that can be delivered easily and cheaply by any educator, in any environment, to any student body. In other words, these are advocates of commoditization of education. They are opposed by proponents of education that is highly specific to both educator’s background and students?needs. This education can promptly incorporate and respond to newest scientific achievements and challenges. Sir John Daniel, at the time UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education and the author of the editorial, was the first to coherently articulate the former position that can be reduced to the following ideas:
 Commoditization ?is a key process for bringing prosperity to ordinary people?Commoditization of learning material [is] a way to bring education to all.
 Secret [to success] is to offer a limited range of dishes as commodities that have the same look, taste and quality everywhere.
 Commoditizing education need not mean commercializing education. The educational community should adopt the model of the open source software movement. We can imagine a future in which teachers and institutions make their courseware and learning materials freely available on the web. Anyone else can translate and adapt them for local use provided they make their new version freely available too.
 When products become commodities there is fierce price competition between manufacturers and profit margins are squeezed. Producers hate this and industries often have to restructure, but consumers benefit greatly.
Concisely written in a lively language with comparisons drawn between McDonald’s restaurants and educational institutions, this article apparently touched a raw nerve of educational community around the world. Many of the educators criticized Sir John Daniel for “consumeristic?approach to education, where process of learning does not differ from the process of purchasing food. This approach is characterized by very narrow vision of the educational process that sees learning in the first place as the consequence of the provision of data and materials. (See, for example, response by Jan Visser, President, Learning Development Institute, and Member of the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction — http://www.learndev.org/dl/SenseNonsenseMcDo.pdf). Others criticized implicit one-size-fits-all approach; “the assumption that there are people who can think and people who can, at most, apply or adapt what “thinkers?come up with? (See an excellent compilation at http://www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/mceducationforall.htm).
Interestingly (but not surprisingly), all the protestations did not do much good. Established institutions expand their distance learning programs with only intermittent success. Commoditization remains one of the main concerns among educators as a number of newcomers to the educational field offering any and all degrees unbelievably fast, conspicuously easy and really cheap grows year over year. And Sir John Daniel continues his labors as a President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning ?a Canada-based “intergovernmental organisation that was created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies?(see http://www.col.org/jdaniel.htm).
The question, therefore, arises - is McEducation really the only alternative? Perhaps, in terms of the restaurant analogy, there is a place and opportunity for both McDonald’s of education, and other eating places, with better, more specialized cuisine. Cheap, fast, bland education might indeed be a solution when that is what you need, or, at least, what you are ready to accept. Specialized, advanced knowledge education cannot be duplicated easily, if at all. It requires educators to be professionals in two fields simultaneously: their academic field and education, and be active in current research. These are the characteristics of educational institutions that sometimes “lost in translation? Cutting edge knowledge can manifest itself only if instructor uses his or her personal research and experience. This is something not available in a generic textbook and video.
You cannot beat McDonald’s at its game, but is it your game? Your students will much rather appreciate unique specialized knowledge you can share with them. This is your institution’s trademark strength. Translate this traditional strength into the language and tools of distance learning. Our experience working with educational institutions and corporate training departments alike shows maximum enrollment, highest retention rate and highest student satisfaction in courses that use courseware prepared by educators based on their own research and experience. This courseware might include printed materials, audio on CDs, as well as video presentations on DVDs. Two latter formats (audio and video) can be also accessed as streaming audio and video served by a web server. These materials obviously must reflect the current state of science. Textbooks student purchase in a book store reflect data and methodology that are at least two — three years old, in most cases more than that. Generally available educational video is often ten or more years old. Today it is unacceptable. Current technology does not require you to produce courseware by thousands copies and use it over the period of several years with few, if any changes. Both printed materials, and audio / video can and should be updated by educators to each course and produced on-demand. They will provide students today’s data and methodology at an angle that is specific to your course and student body.
Technology allows you to take competition out of realm of commoditization (”who can provide me with the cheapest degree? into the realm of value (”what education is most valuable for me?. Experience shows that this is not the field where McEducators want to compete.

Alan Lipton
244

Getting older isn’t what it used to be. There was a time when senior members of the community lived amongst their extended family, relying on their children or grandchildren for support. But as the Baby Boomer generation pushes the population’s media age higher and higher, and as each generation seems to move farther and farther from its geographical roots, the act of younger generations caring for their elderly relatives is becoming less common. Nowadays, the elderly must find alternative ways to receive the type of care they need, though many seniors are reluctant to move into retirement homes or assisted living facilities.
This demographic shift and the elderly’s general aversion to retirement homes point to the need for something called geriatric care management. Once the unpaid job of a relative, neighbor, or community member with a heart of gold, this emerging profession serves a growing population of seniors with a blend of social work, psychology, gerontology and advocacy. When younger family members are too distant or busy to help their elders adapt to declining health or ability, someone has to do the job. That person must have a case-by-case understanding of what options are practical, what resources are available, and how to connect clients with the services they need. He or she must have the personality to invite confidence and the resilience to be there for minor or major emergencies.
If you’re considering a career as a geriatric care manager (GCM), you should be proficient in six areas:
?Assessing your client means evaluating his or her medical, social and economic situation. Does this person show signs of dementia? Is there a support network, and is it reliable? Is home care an affordable option over a move to assisted living? Many of the decisions facing your client’s family members will be the basis of your assessment.
?Planning involves setting goals that are both optimal and realistic for your client, and that will maximize available resources. As a case manager working for a family, you must respect your clients’ wishes and ideas.
?For implementation of these goals, be available and ready to intervene, whether dealing with current crises or preventing them from happening.
?Through coordination, you connect your client to any appropriate services, such as medical care or home assistance programs.
?Monitoring your client’s ongoing care means that you’re the liaison between all members of the team you’ve assembled.
?Evaluation is similar to your first assessment, but as an ongoing view from an insider’s perspective. Now that your client is on track toward a specific goal, it’s your job to determine his or her progress and whether those goals might need to change.
This can be a demanding workload, especially if you’re handling anywhere from five to 30 simultaneous cases. But when you consider that GCMs’ average hourly rate is $74, with some established professionals charging up to $200 and billing in 15-minute increments, it’s easy to see the advantages of entering this growing profession.
While there are no legal requirements for establishing a GCM practice, at the minimum you should have an understanding of gerontology, whether through previous professional background or extensive self-study. You should also be familiar with the legal and financial realities of the elderly, and know how to best focus your motivational and conflict resolution techniques. There are many ways to build your skill set, although a comprehensive approach will save time and money.
Consider, for instance, the online certificate program in Geriatric Care Management from Kaplan University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, which is recommended for health and human services professionals actively interested in this evolving sector of the health care industry. During Kaplan’s 12-month, non-credit program, you’ll work through seven courses that should provide all the information you’ll need.
Introduction to Geriatric Care Management begins with a professional overview of what this market demands and what you’ll require to succeed in it.
Aging as a Reality approaches the science of gerontology Here you’ll learn about age’s physical and mental effects on the human system, along with medical intervention, cultural perceptions and public policy.
Psychosocial Issues in Aging examines how elderly people handle grief, isolation, family dynamics, sexuality, change and hope.
Balancing Age and Independence addresses how, as a GCM, you can build the support systems that will allow seniors to continue living on their own or to transition with comfort and dignity into an assisted living situation.
Financial Considerations of the Elderly explores the world of investments, pensions and retirement plans, the maze of Medicare and other public assistance programs, and practical concerns such as housing and long-term care.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Geriatric Care Management discusses elder abuse or neglect, and end-of-life decisions. GCMs will also learn about mandatory reporting laws in the states where they intend to practice.
Successful Aging introduces health and wellness strategies, empowerment, adjustment to change, and the positive trends among an aging population in a youth-oriented culture.
Kaplan University, headquartered in Davenport, IA, operates 69 campuses in 16 states and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The GCM certificate program, launched in December 2004, is the latest addition to Kaplan’s Health Care Pathways series. You can participate from anywhere in the world with a personal computer, email and web access, and the ability to handle MS Word documents. During the recommended 8 to 12 hours of weekly study time, online message board discussions will put you on equal footing with your fellow students. Instructors can easily monitor your progress through the coursework, and you’ll have access to faculty members and academic advisers throughout the program.
With the American population living longer and the elderly requiring a more integrated approach to their care than ever before, certificate programs like Kaplan University’s Geriatric Care Management program play a large role in preparing the workforce to handle this growing need. At the same time, it empowers its graduates to jumpstart a great career while making a big difference in the lives of elderly persons who can use a helping hand.

Reverend Brenda Hoffman
233

Many school districts now require homeschoolers to present portfolios showing their student’s progress in an organized fashion. This is actually a very convenient method of recording whenever it is done properly. Here are some ideas on how to create, maintain, and present your homeschool portfolio for a successful assessment, evaluation and review.
First of all, it is important to have a firm grasp on precisely what a homeschool portfolio is. Basically, a homeschool portfolio is a collection of materials that are used in order to showcase what your child has learned over the course of the “school year.” This is important because numerous states require an annual assessment of homeschooled students either via testing or the presentation of a portfolio. While it may seem that keeping a portfolio is only good in so far as you need to comply with the law. This is not the case however. Portfolios can also help parents and their children to record their progress and achievements. This becomes even more important once a child has reached high school and needs a diploma.
Now that we understand the importance of a portfolio, it is also important to understand that there is no right or wrong way in which to create a portfolio. It is up to the parent and/or child what materials the portfolio will contain. However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of material in order to reflect what the child has learned, experienced and accomplished throughout the year. Some items that should be included in your portfolio are: Suggested items to include are:
(1.) A journal which contains notes about activities and the progress that has been made.
(2.) A list of resources (ie books, computer software, games, toys and outside classes).
(3.) Samples of the child’s work (ie samples of creative writing and drawings, text book or workbook pages, and if possible you may include audio or video tapes of your child singing, playing a musical instrument, reading aloud, or taking part in a a dramatic performance - pictures will also sometimes work well in place of audio or video tapes).
(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects and family life.
(5.) Brochures and booklets from field trips and other activities.
(6.) A list of books that the child has read including both the title and the author.
(7.) A list of your goals for the year.
While this may seem quite overwhelming, you’d honestly be surprised at how easily you can accomplish this when you start preparing your portfolio at the beginning of the year. Simply use a three ring binder and add paper for your journaling. Start off by listing a few of your goals for the year and what resources you’ll be using to achieve those goals (these can be modified throughout the year as needed). Then begin collecting samples of work, organizing them by subject, and punching holes in them to place them in your binder. Always have at least a throw away camera at hand so that you can take pictures of anything that you’d like that your child does (ie reading, playing, dancing). You’ll also want to take pictures at field trips as well as pictures of your child’s projects and creations. These pictures can either be placed in a photo album or if you’re feeling really craftsy you could organize them into a scrapbook. You’ll also want to make sure to hold onto any brochures or other paper items that you collect while on an educational outing. These can be easily placed in clear see-through sheet protectors. This is also a good time to begin accumulating a list of books that are being read.
Once you have put together the beginnings of your portfolio, don’t stop there. Regular maintenance (I suggest weekly as it will help you to write your lesson plans for the following week) should include regular journal entries and an ongoing collection of work samples, photos and whatever else you wish to include. Some school districts will require a quarterly assessment throughout your homeschool year. This is a time for parents and children to reflect upon their progress and accomplishments from the previous months. Yet, even if your school district doesn’t require a quarterly review, you won’t want to wait until the end of the year to scramble and race to put together a portfolio that your school district will approve of. Neither you nor your child deserve having to go through the unneeded stress of having to sort through all of the material that has been collected throughout the year.
When it is time for review you may choose to remove some of the materials from your portfolio. You will find that some of these things simply do not properly reflect what you’ve accomplished throughout the year. If/when you decide to weed through your portfolio, you need to remember that the purpose of the review is to provide a general overview of the homeschool year, demonstrate that the child is engaged in homeschooling and that progress is being made.
The portfolio review can be exciting since it provides both parents and children with a time to talk about what they’ve been doing at home. When discussing this with your child, you may find it helpful to write down a summary of the items that you wish to highlight during your year before the review. For instance, if your child learned to read or master a skill you may wish to point this out to the reviewer. Of course, you should never view your portfolio review as a time for you to be judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn and support from your reviewer. Your child does not need to be present during this time. However, if your child wants a chance to “brag” about their accomplishments and progress to other homeschoolers, then this review is a perfect opportunity for them to do so.

Chris Davis
139

The Federal government is one of the best sources for college financial aid. From low interest loans to free grants, the array of government aid is open to just about everyone. As long as you have passing grades and financial need, you almost certainly qualify for something.
The search for federal aid begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form can be filled out on paper or submitted online. Once it is processed, the government will make a judgement about the level and kinds of aid you are eligible for. To receive funding, you must have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or have met state standards to enroll in a qualified higher education school. You must also be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen, such as a permanent resident. The key factor in determining how much aid you receive will be financial need, not grades. Of course, if you fail to maintain passing grades, you will lose all assistance. However, it is not necessary to be an “A plus?student.
Undergraduates who meet the need criteria can receive Pell Grants. These range from $400 to $4,050 a year. Students with exception financial need may qualify for a Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (FSEOGs), which ranges from $100 to $4,000 a year. The amount you can receive may be reduced if you have other sources of aid, such as a scholarship. These grants do not have to be paid back.
Federal loan programs are offered to supplement grant awards, and for those who were not eligible for a grant. For some loans, you do not have to demonstrate need. The amount you can borrow will depend both on your school expenses and your grade level. Perkins loans are offered first to Pell Grant recipients. Only a certain amount is awarded each year and when that runs out, no more loans are given until the following year. Stafford loans are available to both graduates and undergraduates. You must be enrolled at least part-time. Financial need is not a requirement for the Stafford, but for lower income students, the government may award a subsidized loan. This means that the interest will be paid for you while you are a student, and during a six-month grace period after you graduate. Finally, the parents of dependent undergraduate students can take out a Plus loan to cover educational costs.
If you plan to take advantage of any of the programs, you can apply between January 1st and June 30th and receive funds for the following Fall semester. It is highly recommended that you apply as early as possible, as some schools and states require an application be submitted much earlier. In any case, submitting the FAFSA is an essential part of college financial aid. Many scholarships, private foundations, and other sources of aid will require you to first exhaust all federal aid possibilities before they will consider your application.

John Davison
9

In today’s ever-expanding world of business on an ever-shrinking planet, not only is it easy to market your organization’s products and services globally, but it is also just good business sense. With the prevalence of the Internet in every aspect of our English-speaking culture and society, it makes sense to reach out globally and put your products and/or services out for the whole world to take advantage of. Though it seems like the Internet has reduced the size of our world, marked cultural and language barriers still exist which make marketing a product or service from an English-speaking organization to a foreign market an immense challenge. In order to succeed globally, you must consider foreign language translation as a necessary faction of your organization. Whether you are considering opening offices internationally, or you just want to make your services available to foreign markets, consider employing the services of a professional foreign language translation firm in order to make every aspect of your business (both electronic and paper-based) understandable and user-friendly to whatever nationality you decide to promote your business to.
In order to fully make the most of the foreign expansion of your business, you might want to open offices in other countries in addition to providing services and products via the Internet. This might require you to hire staff members in those countries who are not native English speakers. Though this will no doubt be a benefit in helping your organization immerse itself into another culture, and help your products and/or services gain a foothold there, it will also prove challenging in trying to adapt your organization’s policies and procedures to a group of employees that will not be able to read manuals and documents in English, and not understand some of the informal grammar. For this reason, hiring a foreign language translation organization is a sensible business decision.
A foreign language translation firm typically employs native speakers from many different countries. Not only do their employees have an inherent grasp on one or more foreign languages, but they are also fluent in the English language. In addition, it is possible to hire staff that are specialists in particular areas of business, which helps to facilitate translations and allows the translators to convert your materials into understandable, relevant, and culturally sensitive documents. For your business, translators can adapt software, training and development materials, web sites, and internal organization documentation. Foreign language translation firms utilize the latest software that will translate documentation into nearly every language on Earth, as well as translate documentation into English, so that the lines of communication will be open and unhindered. Many different fields of industry utilize foreign language translation firms, including the medical field, the legal field, the computer industry, and of course, the business and marketing fields.
If you are considering the global development of your business, educating yourself on the cultures of those countries you plan to approach is very important. There are often strict differences among countries, even if they are neighbors to one another. There are also often strict differences between English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries. Being sensitive to other cultural standards will help you to understand the business climate of whatever country you want to expand your business into. This is of utmost importance for successful expansion into non-English-speaking countries. For that reason, taking advantage of one of the many online foreign language translators that are available is a sensible method of education for yourself and your organization. There are several web page translators that are available online for free. Taking the time to research the demands of your potential customers will pay off for you in the long run.
For worldwide expansion of your business, there is no more sensible decision to make than to employ a foreign language translation organization to tend to the conversion of all of your English-based business documents into whatever foreign language you need. And taking the time to research the non-English speaking markets you wish to expand into will help you understand the cultural climates you intend to take your products and/or services into. Foreign language translators make the transition into the global business community easier for your business. http://www.foreign-languages-school.com
Find the essential information on where and how to learn a new or second language at Foreign Language Translation

Laura Adams
348

Your resume is a marketing tool that should effectively sell your skills, experience, and educational qualifications to prospective employers. When developing your resume, there are two different types of resume formats you should consider: a chronological resume and a functional resume. Your decision to choose one format over another should be dependent on your career background and personal circumstances. The ultimate decision will be based on that format that allows you to most effectively present your qualifications.
Chronological Resumes
Q. What is a chronological resume?
A. In a chronological resume format, your employment experience history is organized in reverse chronological order so that your most recent job position is listed first. This type of format emphasizes your job titles and employers, as well as your dates of employment with each employer. Your responsibilities and accomplishments should be described in detail for each individual position.
Q. What are the advantages to using a chronological resume?
A. Chronological resumes are easy to read, use a logical flow, and can effectively highlight career growth. Since this type of resume emphasizes the details of each position, using a chronological resume will draw attention to impressive titles and prestigious employers.
Q. What are the disadvantages to using a chronological resume?
A. Because of the format of a chronological resumes, this style easily undercover gaps in your employment history and frequent job changes. It also draws attention to the fact that you may be relative experienced in the workforce or in a particular career.
Q. What types of candidates should choose to use a chronological resume?
A. Chronological resumes are best suited for those individuals whose job history reflects steady career growth, those who are remaining in the same field, and those whose career goals are clearly defined and in alignment with their work history. This type of resume is also suitable for candidates who have prior employment with a prestigious employer that they want to highlight.
Functional Resumes
Q. What is a functional resume?
A. Functional resumes have often been referred to as problem solving resumes in that they allow you to organize your resume by functional skills as opposed to purely chronological order. This allows individuals to make sense of their work history by matching up skills and accomplishments from different jobs that might otherwise be overlooked by an employer in a more traditional chronological formatted resume. The goal is to highlight specific key qualifications which have been demonstrated through a variety of work-related achievements. As opposed to a chronological resume, skills do not have to be presented in the order of accomplished in a functional resume, but instead may be presented in order of importance and relevance to the job for which you are applying.
Q. What are the advantages to using a functional resume?
A. Using a functional resume keeps the emphasis on key relevant skills you possess that make you a good fit for a position. It allows candidates to align accomplishments from several different positions for a more powerful impact, since these skills might otherwise be lot in the shuffle in a traditional resume. Functional resumes also minimize the impact of inexperience in the workforce or field, frequent job changes, and any gaps in your employment history.
Q. What are the disadvantages to using a functional resume?
A. The presence of a clear career progression can easily be lost in a functional resume, as can extended experience in your targeted industry or field. Impressive employers or job titles are de-emphasized, which is a disadvantage if these are strong selling points in your experience. Additionally, some recruiters and managers dislike functional resumes due to their perceived lack of logical flow.
Q. What types of candidates should choose to use a functional resume?
A. A functional resume is a solid option for individuals who are looking to change careers, returning to the job market after a long absence, trying to minimize fair-to-average career growth. This format is also appropriate for new graduates, candidates with limited work experience, and individuals whose work history is a mixed bag of unrelated experience.

Stuart Simpson

You don’t need to go to graduate school. This is true. You’ve got your college degree and this will help you maintain a roomy house in a nice neighborhood. But what will a graduate degree do for you?
First, there is a little more money. Lifetime earnings average $234,000 more than an individual with just a bachelor’s degree. But if you got a doctorate, then increase the amount by $504,000 above the master’s level. Doctoral education along with the apprenticeship work can take 10 years or longer. And the 10 years are some of the most grueling work you’ll ever do. So let’s focus on just the graduate degree. Whew.
Another reason for obtaining a graduate degree is to make yourself more valuable to your employer. They aren’t going to can the guy with the MBA. In this age of layoffs and cutbacks, you need a competitive advantage over your coworker. Everyone is replaceable. If you think you aren’t, better think twice. Just make it harder on your employer to find another employee with a graduate degree at your salary. See what I mean?
Getting your graduate degree usually entails being motivated by some other source. I started my graduate program when I decided to leave my current job. I wanted that advantage over the next applicant when I found the job I was looking for. The people in my class were of the same caliber. Some were just getting the degree “while they were still in school mode? Most of the others were like me, going back the 2nd time for actual learning and motivation to find something better than our current jobs.
But you don’t need an MBA to get a job ?right? True, but it does make it a lot easier finding and holding a job you like and getting compensated for your education. I took a career path after college for several years. After a while, I realized I had time before retirement for another full and complete career of something totally different. Nobody says you have to work at the same place for 35 years. I know a lot of folks who do.
The main thing is ?you’ve got time to decide where you want to go and what you want to be. Me? I quit that dead end job. I enjoyed my MBA classes so much I want to be a college instructor. Don’t think I can handle the doctoral program yet, but in time. . .maybe. What are your interests? Find them. Set goals. You can do it.

David Chandler
174

Art Galleries are generally known for art that highlights the natural beauty all around the world. Everyday there are people creating entirely new works of art, and placing them in art galleries all over the world.
The type of art included in a gallery can vary. Art can encompass a wide variety of medium, such as, drawings, paintings, photography, and sculpture, to name a few. The purpose of the art gallery is to show off the work of local and national artists in a way that people will want to purchase them. Many of the artist’s works can also be bought as prints. This allows the artist to sell more, while making the price more affordable to people.
Local Art Galleries
Art Galleries are generally known for art that highlights the natural beauty all around the world. Everyday there are people creating entirely new works of art, and placing them in art galleries all over the world.
The type of art included in a gallery can vary. Art can encompass a wide variety of medium, such as, drawings, paintings, photography, and sculpture, to name a few. The purpose of the art gallery is to show off the work of local and national artists in a way that people will want to purchase them. Many of the artist’s works can also be bought as prints. This allows the artist to sell more, while making the price more affordable to people.
Local Art Galleries
Most major cities have wonderful art galleries. If you have never visited an art gallery, you should make a point to do so. You may think that an art gallery is not where you would want to spend the afternoon, but you may be surprised at how interesting an art gallery can be. Check your local phone book for an art gallery near you.
Virtual Art Galleries
If you have Internet access, then you can find an online art gallery, my choice as well. If you can view and possibly order from the comfort of your own home why not. Virtual tours of art galleries are a lot of fun.
As with walk in art galleries, virtual art galleries are also worldwide. Listed below are a few galleries that you can visit online.

Art Vitam, Miami, Florida
Art of this Century, Paris, France
Art Space/Virginia Miller Galleries, Coral Gables, Florida
Artco Galleria de Arte, Lima, Peru
Casa d’Arte San Lorenzo, Pisa, Italy
Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts, Miami, Florida
Espace D’Art Yvonamor Palix, Paris, France
Galleria El Museo, Bogot? Colombia
Galleria Habana, Mexico D.F., Mexico
Galleria de Arte Isabel Aninat, Santiago, Chile

Take the time to experience wonderful works of art at your local art gallery or on the internet. Even if you are not an art enthusiast, the works of fine artists all over the world will impress you.

Eddie Yakubovich
585

With the amazing growth of the forex market, you are going to see an astounding amount of traders lose all their money. Unfortunately, they haven’t followed the simple steps I have laid out for you. Go through these steps and give yourself the greatest opportunity to achieve your goals.
1. Have Faith In Yourself
To reach the level of elite forex trader, you must trust in yourself and your forex trading education. You must be willing to make all your trading decisions, instead of relying on someone else’s thoughts or ability (or lack of). Of course, you will prepare yourself fully before every risking any money.
2. Accept Your Learning Curve
Unless you are a veteran trader, you will lose money trading the Forex market. This is a near certainty. I don’t say this to talk you out of trading. In fact, quite the opposite. You will be trading against others that fall to this reality day in and day out. You, however, will not risk a dime until you have learned the skills you need to make money trading the forex.
3. Decide What Type of Trader You Are
There are many ways to trade the forex. They range from very active to very patient. You must decide which style suits you best. The best time to learn this about yourself is while you are trading a demo account. There is no need to allow your learning curve to cost you money.
4. Get Educated
Education is the shortest path to elite forex trading. Regardless of your ultimate goals, you will reach them quicker with a great forex trading education. Take some time to review different options before deciding on who to trust with your forex trading education needs. A forex seminar will help shorten your learning curve drastically.
5. Continue to Get Educated
In order to achieve and retain elite forex trading skills, you must constantly be adding to you knowledge base. Your education should never end. In fact, one of the key points to look for in an elite forex trading course is ongoing education. It’s nice to have an ongoing relationship with the person/people helping you to achieve your goals.
What separates an elite forex trader from all others is their desire and ability to be independent. Many traders are willing to follow signals, systems, strategies, or anything else you may call them. By taking this approach, however, these traders are only as good as the people they follow.
An elite forex trader will lead. Their decisions will be calculated and analyzed to near perfection. They will make decisions with no hesitation, and handle the growth of their account in a predetermined, intelligent fashion. Take your trading to their level and you will never look back.