Get Pro Sports Physical Therapy

Injuries are part of the payment package for professional athletes. That means physical therapy is also part and parcel of a pro athlete's life. Finding a good physical therapist to treat those injuries can make all the difference in the rehabilitation process. Professional sports teams have their own staff of physical therapists, many of whom go out on their own. So even amateurs can have the benefit of a former or current pro sports therapist.

Instructions

1. Look up "Pro Sports Therapy" in your local Yellow Pages. Many local clinics use this in their name when affiliated with a professional sports therapist.

2. Request the therapist on staff who actually works with the professional athletes. Many times he may just be the owner of the clinic, who allows his name and credentials to be used, while employing new or inexperienced physical therapists to actually work on patients.

3. Interview physical therapists before beginning a program. Many therapists have had professional sports experience and bring that level of work to their current job, even though they may not promote that past experience. Make sure to check a therapist's credentials through the Society of Sports Specialists.

4. Call a local pro sports team and ask who they use for their team physical therapist. Also, ask them what kinds of products they use in their daily regimen.

5. Try to avoid injuries. Consider using a professional massage therapist for prevention of injuries.

6. Invest in the equipment used by the pro athletes. Use it to round out your own physical therapy regimen both for problems and prevention.

Tags: physical therapists, physical therapist, physical therapy, professional athletes, sports therapist

Esl Lesson Plans On Food

The food unit can be a crucial one because it is extremely beneficial for someone studying English to learn use food items in a sentence. This unit not only introduces the use of count and noncount nouns but also integrates how "much" and "many" can be utilized in a sentence. Because this unit deals with situations that we encounter every day, it is important to stress how food is used in the English language.

Noncount and Count Nouns

Write a list of some food items onto the board. Make sure you write a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables and drinks. You will now get the students involved by giving one person a chalk or a marker and asking him to draw a circle around one count noun food such as an apple or banana. After the student is done making the circle, he will then pass it to the other side of the room where the next student in line will drawl a square around one noncount noun such as meat and tea. When everyone has marked the food items on the board, ask the class if there are any errors and let them come up to fix them.

Restaurant Menu

Ask the class to break into partners and write a menu for a restaurant. Make sure that they are only writing items for a western-style menu with the foods written in English. Do not let them write, say, a Korean food menu. The partners will then alternate between ordering the food and taking the order. When ordering, make sure that you emphasize "I would like to have..." The person who is taking the order should practice saying "What would you like?" Depending on how high the level of the class is, you can get more in depth by asking "How well do you want it to be cooked?" and giving a reply.

Grocery Store

Set up a scenario where the class acts out as if they are in a grocery store. One person will play a customer; another will be the clerk. To begin, distribute handouts to the students that have one column of count nouns (such as newspapers) and one of noncount noun items (such as milk). The customer will then ask "How much milk is left?" or "How many apples are left?" The clerk will then say "There isn't much left" or "There are many left." Make sure that you establish the connection between "much" and noncount nouns and "many" and count nouns. Have the partners switch roles when they have completed their handout sheet.

Tags: will then, food items, Make sure, sure that, count nouns, Make sure that

What Do With A Degree In Accounting

There are numerous jobs available for people with accounting degrees. Accounting jobs vary depending upon the type of degree that you have, such as whether you have an associate or bachelor's degree. Some job possibilities if you have an accounting degree include accounting clerk, budget analyst, certified public accountant, tax preparer, financial adviser and auditor.

Accounting Clerk

If you just graduated with your accounting degree and you're looking for a job, then an accounting clerk position would be a good place to start your career. Accounting clerk positions are typically entry-level jobs that combine accounting duties with general clerical duties. As an accounting clerk, you would be working in bookkeeping and payroll processing, in addition to answering the phones, filing, processing mail and typing reports.

Budget Analyst

Being a budget analyst is another job that someone with an accounting degree could tackle. A budget analyst's duties include preparing and examining an organization's budget and handling accounts receivable and accounts payable information. Budget analysts ensure that a company stays within its budget guidelines.

Certified Public Accountant

With a bachelor's accounting degree and passage of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant exam, you can become a CPA. CPAs help companies run smoothly by maintaining their financial records. A CPA will typically keep track of how company money is spent and how profits are made.

Tax Preparer

With an accounting degree, you can be a tax preparer. As a tax preparer, your duties would entail preparing income tax returns and providing tax advice to clients. Typically, tax preparers are busiest during the income tax season, but they provide tax advice throughout the entire year.

Financial Adviser

If you enjoy working with numbers and helping people, then you can put your accounting degree to work as a financial adviser. Financial advisers typically have a bachelor's degree and advise clients on how best to invest and save their money by examining current financial market conditions and trends.

Auditor

With an accounting degree, you could be an auditor. Auditors investigate company financial records to ensure that they are in compliance with state and federal guidelines and that company officials are accurately recording their profits and losses.

Tags: accounting degree, accounting clerk, accounting degree could, bachelor degree, budget analyst, Certified Public, degree could

What Can Teachers Write Off On Taxes

There is a special tax deductions just for teachers.

Teachers often miss key write-offs on taxes that could result in a larger tax refund. By being aware of the benefits and items that can be deducted, tax time can be more of a pleasure and less of a pain.

Must Haves

Have the following items ready before filing taxes: receipts, a spreadsheet of purchased items, Form 1040 and electronic filing software. Anything associated with your teaching profession should be recorded.

Track Expenses

Track all of your expenses during the school year. Save your receipts and record all of your purchases on a spreadsheet (or in a software program such as Quicken).

Guaranteed Money

All teachers are guaranteed a $250 tax credit. Make sure you claim it.

Rollover Effect

Carry over any additional funds from the previous year to next year. For instance, if you spent more than $250 during the filing year (which most teachers do), you can carry over additional funds for taxes the following year. Keep accurate records.

Mileage

Track, record and deduct mileage. If your teaching position requires you to travel from school to school (or to students' homes), you can deduct the mileage.

Tags: additional funds, deduct mileage, over additional, over additional funds, your teaching

Drown Out Loud Roommates

With a little creativity, you can drown out a noisy roommate.

Living communally with a roommate or in a dorm may require a bit of adjustment on your part. Roommates may not wash their dirty dishes or they may leave underwear strung in the bathroom. It can be even more annoying when they can keep you awake by snoring, blaring loud music or pursuing romantic endeavors when you are in earshot. This rude behavior moves past mild inconvenience when it affects your study time or critical sleep, but fortunately, there are some tricks to drowning out the noise and returning once again to dreamland.

Instructions

1. Employ white noise. If a shut door doesn't do the trick, buy a fan or get a recording that plays more relaxing noises like rain or waves gently lapping against the shore and play that right next to your bed.

2. Buy noise-canceling earplugs to get rid of all the extra noise so you can sleep. This will help if your roommate shares the dorm with you and keeps you up at night snoring or chatting on the phone.

3. Use headphones and listen to your own music, but use caution. You may not totally be able to drown out all the noise from your roommate and blaring music into your headphones can damage your hearing.

4. Block out windows and door frames or shared walls with soundproofing curtains. This will help muffle the sound coming from other rooms.

Tags: This will, This will help, will help, your roommate

Play Taxi Theater Game

The game "Taxi" compels students to act spontaneously.

"Taxi" or "Taxi Cab Driver" is a classic improvisational game for theater and improv students. The game is appropriate as a warm-up activity or as tool to help students fine-tune their abilities to mimic or to think quickly. The game encourages players to make strong choices and to develop characters and then discard those characters and develop new ones with new motivations and goals. According to Philip Bernardi, author of the book "Improv Starters," such a game forces players "to react spontaneously to what is happening on stage."

Instructions

1. Choose one player to act as the "cab driver." This player will pretend to drive around the room or stage as the other players watch. Encourage the player to develop a distinct personality as a cab driver and to talk or mumble to herself.

2. Instruct one of the watching players to pretend to enter the backseat of the cab and ride around in the cab as a "passenger" with the cab driver.

3. Tell the passenger to pick a distinct personality, profession and destination and to chat with the cab driver in this new personality. For example, he could be a British doctor on the way to the hospital to deliver a baby, a Southern belle on her way to a dance or even an obnoxious child. There's no limit to the characters that can be invented.

4. Tell the cab driver that she must adopt the accent and mannerisms of the passenger exactly as she converses with her passenger.

5. Tell another player to jump in the cab with the other passenger. Make it clear that this passenger must also have a distinct personality, different from the others. The first passenger and the driver must now imitate the accent and mannerisms of this new passenger.

6. Continue to have the remaining players enter the cab as passengers with new personalities and accents, which the others will imitate.

Tags: distinct personality, accent mannerisms, this passenger, with driver

Become A Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers solve problems by developing several medical- and health-related devices and procedures. Biomedical engineers also collaborate with life scientists, chemists and medical scientists to research new medical developments. Follow these steps to enter this fascinating field.

Instructions

1. Do an Internet search on all colleges and universities that offer an accredited engineering program. These programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Apply to the schools of your choice.

2. Verify that you meet all of the admissions requirements to enter the engineering program. Take high school courses such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. It's also a plus if you've taken biology, chemistry, physics, along with English and social studies.

3. Register for courses in mathematics, life and physical sciences, engineering technology, computer and laboratory classes. Skills related to these subjects will be needed when you apply for an entry-level job in biomedical engineering. Most engineering programs take four or five years to complete.

4. Choose your specialty. Students are required to gain some experience in mechanical and electronics engineering alongside biomedical engineering to work with medical devices or imaging such as MRIs. Specialties of biomedical engineering include biomechanics, medical imaging, biomaterials, orthopedic and rehabilitation engineering.

5. Decide which direction you want to take upon college graduation. Entry-level jobs are usually offered at offices, industrial plants and construction sites. Or, pursue a graduate degree if you wish to obtain a faculty or research position related to biomedical engineering.

Tags: biomedical engineering, Biomedical engineers, engineering program

Get Mbe Or Wbe Certified To Bid

Minority and women business enterprises must receive certification before conducting in subcontractor bidding.

Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) can receive certification for doing business in subcontract bidding. For a company to be considered as an MBE, it must have at least 51 percent of an owned and operated structure consisting of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. A business wanting certification as a WBE must have at least 51 percent operations owned and controlled by women (under 10 percent and 8 percent statutes).

MBE and WBE can receive certification from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Native American tribal government, state or local governments, or from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Instructions

1. Attempt to receive certification through SBA, DOT, a state or local government, tribal government or through an independent private organization that has a certification equivalent to the criteria of the EPA's. Go through the EPA Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) for certification if the other attempts fail.

2. Receive an application package based on the type of business you have. Provide attestation concerning the information's truthfulness and accuracy. Show your business has had a beginning and continued net worth less than $750,000.

3. Give evidence the business is owned and operated by one or more disadvantaged individuals. Provide narratives or certifications regarding each person's disadvantaged status. Include all documentation of previous denials of certification with the application package to the EPA OSBP.

4. Wait 15 days for an EPA response to the application package on whether it has complete information for evaluation. Give additional information upon request if the package does not meet requirements. You will receive a decision within 30 days of the application's receipt.

Tags: receive certification, application package, disadvantaged individuals, have least, have least percent, least percent

Examples Of Bad Communication In Business

Returning phone calls is an essential part of good business communication.

Communication in business covers all the information being passed within a company, as well as the communication between that company's employees and customers, or between the company's employees and other companies. Good communication can help a firm increase market share and competitiveness, improve customer service and satisfaction, and keep employees happy at the company. Bad communication, on the other hand, can be destructive.

Over-Inflated Written Communication

Bad communication in business often takes the form of writing that uses too many big words and convoluted sentence structure to convey a simple point. One example is that quoted by communication training consultant Dianna Booher of a Fortune 500 company manager who issued a 40-word, nearly incomprehensible sentence just to say he was the training director.

Lack of Specific Communications with Customers

Bad business communication exists when companies have no mechanism in place to handle special orders from its customers. Without communication from management to the sales and customer service staffs on handle such situations, and without good communication with the customers involved, such a company is likely to lose customers.

Conveying Important Messages by Email

In 2006, Radio Shack laid off 400 workers by email with no notice. Here the mode of communication was poorly chosen, as email is not appropriate for a layoff notice. In addition, the notice itself was overwritten and hard to follow.

Bad Communication via PowerPoint

PowerPoint presentations are prone to bad communication because of the nature of the medium. It's so easy to create a PowerPoint that people end up using more slides than they need, packing the slides with text so they can't be followed, and distracting the audience from what the presenter is actually saying. In addition, it hinders the opportunities for spontaneous conversation about the point at hand, thus hampering the communication it was intended to foster.

Selfish Communication

One hallmark of bad communication is its one-sidedness, as happens when people contact their business associates only when they want a favor of some kind, such as when they're job hunting or need some ideas. When such people don't return telephone calls or emails at other times, they reinforce the weakness of their communication skills.

Lack of Rumor Control

In a volatile business environment, it's important to make sure that information about sensitive subjects, such as layoffs, is communicated directly and clearly. Allowing rumors to circulate unchecked and unconfirmed will only result in a drop in employee morale, as well as in the possibility that some employees will move to another company in advance of the actual layoff announcement.

Communications Sent in Anger

A prime example of bad communication occurred in 2001 at medical software company the Cerner Corporation, where the CEO sent an angry email to the entire team berating staff members for coming in late and leaving early, and threatened to take revenge by taking away benefits. The email was posted on the Internet, resulting in a huge drop in the company's stock price.

Lack of Consideration and Follow-Through

Bad business communication often occurs when one person fails to return telephone calls or emails, and especially when he fails to say thank you for favors done or to report back when expected to do so.

Tags: business communication, calls emails, company employees, customer service, return telephone

Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements

Veterinarians treat a variety of domestic and wild animals.

Veterinarians are highly trained professionals who provide medical care to animals. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than three-fourths of private practice veterinarians provide care for domestic pets. Some veterinarians specialize in treating domestic livestock, zoo animals, wildlife and other animals. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited college of veterinary medicine is required to practice, according to the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Undergraduate Education

Many veterinary medical colleges require extensive undergraduate course work, and most prefer candidates who hold bachelor's degrees from accredited colleges or universities, according to the BLS. Pre-veterinary course work typically includes chemistry, biology, physics, animal nutrition, systemic physiology, genetics, embryology and other science courses. General education courses such as the humanities, English, the social sciences and mathematics are required by some schools. Education-Portal.com notes that candidates typically must also achieve satisfactory scores on a graduate-level standardized test such as the Graduate Record Examination, the Veterinary College Admission Test or the Medical College Admission Test.

Residency

Many veterinary schools offer preferential treatment to residents of their state, according to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. The Auburn University program allots about half of each class for Alabama residents but also allocates 40 slots for students from Kentucky and two from West Virginia. Ohio State University limits nonresident slots to 40 of the 140 total available new student positions in its College of Veterinary Science. The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin allocates 60 to 70 of the 80 available entering class positions to Wisconsin residents.

Prior Experience

Competition for admission to veterinary medical schools is strong. According to the BLS, in 2007 only a third of applicants were accepted. In addition to formal education, test scores and residency, veterinary schools also look for experience in the animal care field. The BLS notes that on-the-job training in veterinary hospitals, zoos, clinical science laboratories, agribusiness or other health science institutions provides additional weight to a candidate's application. A demonstrated love of animals, excellent communication skills, manual dexterity and business acumen are also taken into consideration.

Tags: Admission Test, American Veterinary, American Veterinary Medical, College Admission, College Admission Test, course work, from accredited

Choose A Teen Study Abroad Program

Living and studying in a different country is an excellent opportunity for young people. A teen study abroad program gives a young person a chance to learn another language, immerse themselves in a different culture, meet new people and have fun. Studying abroad provides social benefits to teenagers. They have the opportunity to meet new people with different traditions and experiences. Follow these steps to find the best program for your teen.

Instructions

1. Decide what length of time you want to be abroad. Programs usually range from a few weeks to the whole academic year. Semester programs which are about three or four months may also be available. Some programs offer a summer study aboard option.

2. Discuss goals with your school counselor. There are study abroad programs which focus primarily on language. Other programs include volunteer work and learning extensively about the culture. Before you select a program determine if you will receive school credits.

3. Review finances. Costs of programs will vary depending on length of stay, country you are traveling to and living arrangements. Talk with directors of studying abroad programs to understand all costs involved before choosing a program. Costs will likely include airfare, tuition and possibly food and lodging depending on the program.

4. Research countries. Consider what culture and language you are interested in learning about. Review health and safety information on a country you are considering.

5. Evaluate living arrangements. Some students studying abroad may live with host families. Other options include foreign language camps. Some students will live in a large city, others in a more rural setting. Think about the type of living situation you are comfortable with.

6. Contact programs. Ask for referrals to programs from teachers and school counselors. Talk to other students who have studied abroad and ask what programs they went through. Contact organizations such as The American Institute for Foreign Study and Youth for Understanding. They list programs available to teens.

7. Select a program. Once you have decided on a location and program put in an application. Learn all you can about the country you are traveling to. Read books and start to learn the language. Be aware of any vaccinations you may need. Get a passport.

Tags: abroad programs, country traveling, living arrangements, meet people, programs which, Some students, studying abroad

Jesus In The Temple Crafts For Kids

"After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions." - Luke 2:46

The story of Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:41-52, teaches children that by studying and learning they can grow in favor with God and man. Children are often very proud of what they are learning. This Bible story teaches them that just as they are growing and learning many things, so did Jesus when he was a child. It emphasizes the importance of wisdom, growth and obedience. There are many easy crafts and art projects that help children to remember this Bible story. With a few basic art supplies, add these crafts to a Jesus in the Temple lesson plan.

Growing for Jesus Poster

Have your children help you in making a Growing for Jesus flower chore chart or memory verse chart. Explain to the children that Jesus grew in favor with God and man by working hard and learning. Decide with your children what chores they need help remembering to do. With older children, you could use the poster to reward the children for new Bible verses recited by memory. Take a large poster board and have the children help you paint "Growing for Jesus" at the top of the poster. The children can then use green paint or marker to make grass along the bottom of the poster; be sure to include 10 stems for the flowers. Use blue paint or markers to add clouds around the words at the top. Using multiple colors of construction paper, cut out large flowers and have your child decorate them with paint, glitter or stickers. Every time a child does his chore or recites a new bible verse by memory, have her pick a flower to tape on the poster. When the poster is full of flowers, reward your children for their "growth" in a way you deem appropriate.

Ice Cream Stick Temple

Use ice cream sticks and tacky craft glue to build a temple. Tacky craft glue can be found at a variety of craft stores and department stores. It will hold the ice cream sticks together much faster than white school glue. Start by gluing the sticks to make a flat, square bottom for the temple. Build the walls up and put a roof across the top of the walls. You may want to leave a space open in the roof so that the temple can be used as a piggy bank or place to store marbles that are earned by the children. The marbles or coins can then be turned in by the children for a special reward. Once the glue is dry, use paint or markers to decorate the temple.

Church and Finger Puppets

Fold a piece of heavy cardstock in half. Draw a simple outline of a church with the peak of the roof on the fold. Cut it out and open it up. Have the children color the church. They can glue pieces of torn tissue paper to the windows to make stained glass. Fold the church again so that it stands up on the taple. Using pipe cleaners, make several big pipe cleaner people and one little pipe cleaner person. Cut faces, hair and clothing shapes out of construction paper to glue on your pipe cleaner people. The bigger people represent the teachers at the Temple, Mary and Joseph. The smaller pipe cleaner person is Jesus.

Stained Glass Church Window

Fold two pieces of construction paper in half and cut so that there is a matching window in the middle of each paper. You can cut any shape. Cut pieces of multicolored tissue paper into 1-inch squares. Each project will require 40 to 50 small pieces of tissue. Cut two clear plastic transparency sheets so that they cover the windows. Glue the transparencies over each window. Spray each sheet with spray glue. Place the tissue paper all over the window so that the pieces are overlapping. Carefully position the other window over the tissue papered window. Press down to seal the two sides together. Punch a hole in the top and hang it in a window using a piece of ribbon.

Promise Cards

Take five to 10 index cards and punch a hole in the upper left corner of each. Have the child decorate each card with a chore that he promises to do when presented with that card. For example, a card may say "take out the trash" with a picture of a trash can. You can use clip art or stickers, or the child can draw his own picture. Thread the cards onto a ribbon and tie it in a bow.

Tags: pipe cleaner, construction paper, Growing Jesus, Jesus Temple, tissue paper, your children, Bible story

What Is The Minimum Education Needed To Become A Doctor

Doctors are required to complete several years of education.

There are two main classifications of physicians: Medical doctors, or MDs, and osteopathic doctors, DOs. Medical doctors, the more traditional of the two, treat patients based on the assumption that when their individual body systems are diseased or afflicted, they require medication or surgery for health restoration. Osteopathic doctors provide whole-body care in an attempt to re-align patients with their natural abilities to heal themselves. Both MDs and DOs must complete medical school and residency programs. DOs must complete a year-long internship, as well.

High School Diploma or GED Equivalent

Preparatory education to become a physician may begin as early as high school. A high school diploma or GED equivalent is necessary to gain admission to a college or university, and a bachelor's degree is necessary for admission to medical school. High school students planning to pursue pre-medical studies might take courses in health, biology, chemistry, mathematics and English. Courses in a foreign language are also recommended. In preparation for college admission, high school students should sit for the ACT or SAT.

Bachelor's Degree

Many pre-med students working toward a bachelor's degree major in one of the sciences, such as biology, chemistry or physics, but medical schools accept students from a plethora of majors and degree programs. Medical school admissions review boards look for applicants who are serious about a medical career, have some health care experience, have maintained a high grade-point average and have competitive Medical College Admissions Test---or MCAT---scores.

Medical School

Successful completion of degree requirements at a four-year medical school accredited either by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association follows undergraduate studies. A student who wishes to become a medical doctor must attend a LCME-accredited school; a student who intends to become an osteopathic doctor must attend an AOA-accredited school. The curriculum is similar. During the first two years students take classroom courses in biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, psychology, microbiology, pathology, medical laws and medical ethics. During the final two years, students rotate through various specialties, gaining supervised clinical practice. Specialties include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry and surgery.

Internship

Following graduation, osteopathic doctors are typically required to complete a year-long internship before beginning their residency. They continue their education during their internship by rotating through various specialties under instruction of a licensed physician.

Residency

Medical doctors and osteopathic doctors complete the final step of their medical education during a hospital residency. Paid residencies allow doctors to focus on their intended specialty while observing, diagnosing and treating patients under the close supervision of an attending physician. Residencies may last from two to six years.

Tags: Medical doctors, medical school, biology chemistry, complete year-long, complete year-long internship, doctor must

How Does An Mcat Score Work

What is an MCAT?

The MCAT, or Medical College Admissions Test, is one of the main decision factors that medical college admissions officers use to determine whether or not potential students will be admitted into thier colleges and universities. Once an MCAT score is three years old, it usually is no longer accepted by medical schools.

The MCAT is a multiple choice exam designed to determine how well a student excels in problem solving, critical thinking, writing and thier capacity of science knowledge and science principles that are critical for medical school. There is also a writing sample portion of the test, and test takers are given 60 minutes to complete it. It takes about four and a half hours to complete the test, but there are a few 10 minute breaks within the test to allow test takers to rest.

There are four sections of the MCAT: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Sample and Biological Sciences. Students generally receive their scores within 30 days of the test date.

MCAT Scores

Depending on the college, a good score on the MCAT is relative as to what each university will consider as an acceptable score for potential students. For the multiple choice sections of the test, a student can score up to 45, since each of the objective sections (three total) counts 1-15 points.

The national average of MCAT scores is 8 points on each of the sections for a total score of 24. If a student scores higher than 30 on the MCAT, that is considered to be high at most medical schools in the country. The closer a candidate gets to a score of 45, the more competitive his or her score will be when admissions officers compare him or her to other applicants.

A student should strive to score as high as possible on each section of the test since admissions officers look at the scores in each section, as well as the cumulative score for admissions decisions.

In addition, students should not fall by the wayside on the writing portion of the test. In addition to the multiple choice sections, the writing portion is also weighted heavily. Students with a score of P or Q are considered to be the most competitive.

The Writing Sample Score

On the MCAT, there are two 30-minute essays that comprise the writing sample portion of the test. Both sections are rated on a six point scale. On this scale, depth, clarity and the cohesiveness of each essay will determine how high it is scored.

Both essays are scored twice and the combination of the scores comprises the final writing score for the MCAT. While each essay is given a numerical score from 1-6 with 6 being the highest, the final score is turned into an alphabetical value. For the alphabetical scores, J is the lowest and T is the highest.

A score of 6 for each essay would mean that the essay was clear, that it showed complexity and depth and that the main ideas of the essay question were fully developed.

Tags: admissions officers, each essay, multiple choice, portion test, choice sections

Fashion Designing Colleges In Pakistan

If you want to be involved in the Pakistani fashion scene, one way to get started in the field is to attend a program in Fashion or Textile Design. Admission is competitive, and tuition fees can be steep, so it's best to do your research and know what options are available.

Types of Programs

Fashion design schools in Pakistan offer several different types of programs. Bachelor's degree program options include Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design (BA), Bachelor of Design (BDes) and Bachelor of Science in Textile Design (BSc). A BA generally gives the student a broader background in the creative and liberal arts, while a BSc grounds the student's fashion studies in the sciences. At least one college offers a Master of Arts in Textile Design, and various short professional or foundational courses can be taken at fashion institutes.

Length of Programs

Bachelor's degree programs usually span eight semesters and require three to four years to complete, depending on the school's academic calendar. Most schools have two semesters per academic year, but some schools offer a summer semester as well. Master's degree programs usually take at least two years of full-time study to complete. Workshops can range from one day to one month, while some institutes offer a one-year foundational program. Summer is a popular time for short workshops.

Admissions

Admission to most four-year Fashion Design or Textile Design programs in Pakistan is competitive. Some schools require applicants to take an entrance examination, and some schools require face-to-face interviews. If you are thinking about applying to a four-year program, you should contact the schools you are interested in to make sure you meet the admissions requirements. Some programs require A-level examinations in certain subjects.

Schools in Lahore

The majority of Fashion Design and Textile Design programs are located in Lahore. The National College of Arts offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Textile Design. Hajvery University's Fashion Institute of Technology also offers Bachelor's-level and Master's-level programs. For students interested in a liberal arts education, Beaconhouse National University has a four-year Bachelor of Design program in either textiles or jewelry. Linked with the fashion scene in Paris, the Pakistan School of Fashion Design also has a four-year program.

Schools in Karachi

Although more academic programs for Fashion Design are available in Lahore, Karachi is also a center of the fashion and textile design industry. The Karachi School of Art offers a two-year certificate program and a four-year diploma program. The Textile Institute of Pakistan has an eight-semester Bachelor of Science program that requires four years of full-time study to complete.

Tags: Textile Design, Arts Textile, Arts Textile Design, Bachelor degree, Bachelor Design

Tax Deductions For Grandchildren

Unless you are the primary means of support for a grandchild, opportunities for tax deductions are very limited for grandparents. The trend in Congress has been to provide tax benefits for saving for education and for the care of minor children through tax credits, rather than through deductions. IRS Publication 970 -- Tax Benefits for Education, contains the details on a number of tax incentives for college savings that may be applicable to grandparents.

Exemptions and Dependency Deductions

You may be able to claim your grandchild as a dependent, if you meet certain qualifications. Specifically, you must provide a majority of the support for the child during the tax year, and the child must not be able to claim himself or herself as a dependent. If your grandchild is a full-time student, you may be able to claim him or her as a dependent until age 24. If your grandchild is permanently and totally disabled, there is no age test. For tax year 2010, you can deduct $3,650 against income for each exemption.

Education

The most significant tax deduction opportunity for grandparents is the Section 529 plan, named for a section in the tax code that allows families to save tax deductible dollars for college. Contributions are tax deductible, earnings grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals for qualified college expenses are tax-free. The law allows you to contribute for grandchildren, grand-nieces, grand-nephews or anyone else you choose. There are no income restrictions on your eligibility to contribute. Each state sponsors its own version of the Section 529 plan. Contribution limits can range up to $200,000 per year and more.

Estate tax considerations

Beginning in tax year 2011, estates over $1 million will be subject to a federal estate tax of up to 55 percent of amounts over that figure. Contributions to section 529 plans out of your name, as well as gifts and transfers to irrevocable trusts naming your grandchildren as beneficiaries will not be subject to the estate tax, however.

Tags: able claim, your grandchild, Section plan, will subject

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Content Management Systems In Distance Education

Distance education allows students access to higher education from the comfort of their own homes.

Distance education brings higher education via computer to students who cannot or do not wish to be in a traditional classroom setting. There are different ways to manage a distance education website, each with advantages and disadvantages. One option is a content management system (CMS), which is an application that provides its users with a back-end administration panel that can be used to update the site.

Organization

A content management system (CMS) is able to keep information on the site organized. CMS websites are organized hierarchically, meaning there are typically pages, sub-pages underneath and then further sub-pages. CMS sites also allow you to organize your users into different groups, automatically giving access to certain parts of the website only to certain groups. Therefore, when a new user joins your distance education program, she only has access to, for instance, physics classes.

Time

A CMS may save your organization time -- or it may take up more time. If your staff is not familiar with the way a CMS works, it may take time to train them and even more time for them to get the hang of it. This can slow the whole operation down. However, once properly trained, your staff should be able to easily add tasks, content and updates to your site.

Security

On top of being able to organize which users have access to the different sections of your distance education site, CMS websites can also provide additional security. Administrator privileges can be granted only to members of your staff so even the most tech savvy students cannot change your site or access private information. As there will likely be a high volume of sensitive information within your site, this extra security can be valuable.

Formatting

One disadvantage of a CMS is that its content is rigidly formatted and the look and feel of your website can be changed if it is not used properly. If someone editing the site breaks from the style guide provided by your CMS, it can affect the entire website at once. For this reason, it is important that anyone with administrator privileges be thoroughly trained on use the system.

Tags: your site, your staff, content management system, distance education, higher education, management system

Write A Case Study Analysis

Case study analyses are reports or presentations written by business and management students that focus on a particular problem or situation at a company or organization. This situation can be a real one, or one created by the instructor for the purpose of providing the student with a topic. A case study is written as though it is being read by a manager or other upper level executive who has to make a decision based on the study. While there is no universally accepted approach to writing a case study analysis, there are certain things you can do to create an effective report.

Instructions

1. Choose a topic for the case study. The best way to do this is to consider subjects that have been discussed in your class or been reviewed in class readings. For example, you might look at the application of the Japanese Total Quality Management manufacturing system.

2. Choose the business or organization that you will study. This should be a group dealing with the problem or issue that you selected in the previous step. For example, it might be a manufacturer that is trying to introduce total quality management into a factory system.

3. Conduct interviews of managers or employees at the business or organization who are involved in dealing with the selected issue. Design your questions to elicit the maximum amount of information about the issue, such as who at the company is involved and how it is being handled.

4. Research both online sources and relevant library journals about the business or organization and issue chosen. Make careful notes on those points you want to raise in your case study.

5. Analyze the information you have gathered in your interviews and research notes. Based on this information, write your case study analysis. The case study should include an introduction, or summary, and background information section. This should then be followed by detailed sections that discuss the issue you are evaluating, how it impacts the organization, and your findings. There should also be a concluding paragraph that offers possible solutions to the problem.

Tags: business organization, case study, case study, case study analysis, dealing with, example might, study analysis

Scholarships For Phd Students

By the time you have made it to your PhD, you are likely weary of all the funds you have had to beg for and borrow in order to complete so many years of higher education. Thankfully, there are a number of external programs offering rewards to hard-working students attempting to complete their doctorates.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program

As its name suggests, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program aids PhD students in completing their doctoral dissertations. The scholarship, valid for one full year, comes with a $25,000 stipend, while also covering university fees of up to $5,000 and research fees of up to $3,000. Applicants must be in the humanities and social sciences and in their final year of writing their doctoral dissertations. As of 2010, the Foundation awards 65 fellowships each year. All requirements for the PhD except the dissertation must be complete at the time of application.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program

American Council of Learned Societies

633 Third Avenue, 8th floor

New York, NY 10017-6795

212-697-1505

acls.org/grants/Default.aspx?id=510&linkidentifier=id&itemid=510

Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF) Program

The Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF) Program helps students in the early part of their PhD. The funding, meant to go towards pre-dissertation research, targets students pursuing interdisciplinary studies in the humanities and social sciences. The program consists of two four-day-long summer workshops meant to aid students in their research and in formulating their dissertation proposals. Accepted students can apply for funds of up to $5,000 to support their research projects. The program is typically only offered to second and third year PhD students, though exceptions occasionally will be made.

Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF) Program

Social Science Research Council

One Pierrepont Plaza, 15th Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA

212-377-2700

ssrc.org/programs/dpdf/

The Udall Foundation Environmental Public Policy and Conflict Resolution Dissertation Fellowship

PhD students who are focusing their research on U.S. environmental public policy and/or environmental conflict resolution can apply for the Udall Foundation Environmental Public Policy and Conflict Resolution Dissertation Fellowship. The Udall Foundation rewards two students each year with grants of up to $24,000. Students should already be entering their final year of writing their dissertation. The scholarship covers both your academic expenses and your living expenses for the period of one full year. The scholarship is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents and U.S. nationals.

Udall Foundation

130 South Scott Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85701

520-901-8500

udall.gov/OurPrograms/ECRFellowship/ECRFellowship.aspx

Tags: Udall Foundation, Andrew Mellon, Andrew Mellon Foundation, Development Fellowship, Development Fellowship DPDF, Dissertation Proposal

Improve Listening Skills In Students

Improve Listening Skills in Students

Many teachers lament that fact that students often fail to listen. In truth, listening actively is not something that people are born knowing do. Just like tying your shoe, people need to learn listen. Teachers can assist their students in developing the listening skills necessary for academic and real world success by engaging them in a series of listening activities. These activities help students hone their listening skills and encourage them to use these listening skills and listen actively.

Instructions

1. Explore learning styles. Give your students a learning style inventory, allowing them to determine how they learn best. If students see that they do not learn well when taught in an auditory fashion, they will know that they need to put more effort into actively listening.

2. Require student response. Select a buzzword that would likely come up throughout a school day, such as pencil. Tell students that, every time you say pencil, they should raise both their hands. If you notice students drifting off during a lesson, throw your word into the mix, requiring movement that will re-engage them and encourage them to listen up.

3. Instruct students to keep their eyes on the speaker. When people are actively listening, they look at the person speaking. Explain to your students that you expect them to keep their eyes on you when you are speaking and not instead rifle through papers. This allows you to see that your students are listening and provides actively listening practice for your pupils.

4. Play telephone. Line your students up, start a message at one end, and allow them to move the message down the line whispering it to each's neighbor. See how close the message that comes out of the end is to the original. Play this game regularly to encourage your students to develop their listening acuity.

5. Require students to answer questions about stories read orally. Traditionally, teachers provide copies of text to students. To improve listening skills, don't do this. Tell the students that they are going to have to answer questions using only the knowledge they gained by listening. This encourages students to tune in to the lesson.

6. Engage students in dictation activities. Practicing this task with your students can be highly effective in improving their attention to detail. Periodically, ask students to write what you say as you read a passage. If students find the activity tiresome, spice it up by offering a prize to the student who records what you say with the fewest errors.

Tags: your students, students that, actively listening, listening skills, that they, answer questions

Use Recorded Videos In Divorce Court

Electronic evidence such as video can be useful in a divorce court setting to prove parenting skills, domestic violence, or even hidden assets. However, stringent federal and state laws regulate the use of nonconsented video evidence in court due to concerns of privacy. The Federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act regulates the recording of communication without someone's consent. Because using videos in divorce court is such a legally complex issue, it is advisable that you hire an attorney to assist you.

Instructions

1. Present the video to your attorney to first determine that its content is relevant to the case. Establish relevance by demonstrating that the content of the video will add value to the divorce proceeding at hand. This will depend on what you want to prove and what type of settlement you want from the proceedings. For example, if the case deals with child custody, provide evidence of the other party's handling of the child.

2. Explain to the court how you recorded the video. Show the court that the process and system that you used in recording has not tampered with or manipulated the evidence that you have brought forth. Describe how the video system you used works and how it served to produce accurate information.

3. Authenticate that the content of the video is a true representation of the events that took place while you were recording. Present this evidence to the other party during the pretrial discovery phase for him to admit to the content of the video. Call on witnesses during the trial to back up your claim that the events in the recording are true. Point to the distinctive characteristics and physical appearances of the other party as proof that she is the person in the video.

4. Prove that the content is not hearsay by testifying under oath and submitting to cross-examination and questioning by the other party or his attorney. Keep your statements in court consistent with the content in the video to prevent your evidence from being dismissed as inadmissible hearsay.

Tags: content video, other party, that content, divorce court, evidence other, evidence other party, that content video

Grants & Scholarships For Grad School

A graduate degree often means a higher salary.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that individuals with graduate level degrees earned $1.4 million more than individuals with undergraduate degrees over the course of a lifetime. Graduate school therefore, looks very attractive to those who do not have a master's degree. If prospective students lack the funds to earn a higher degree, there are a number of grants and scholarships available for grad school to help them in their educational goals.

Graduate Student Scholar

Students can receive scholarships based on their field of study. Students who are majoring in education and are outstanding in their graduate studies are eligible for the Graduate Student Scholar Award, which is given by the Pi Lambda Theta Educational Endowment. Recipients of the award receive $1,000 as of 2010.

University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering Scholarship

Graduate students at the University of Southern California can apply for any of the Viterbi School of Engineering scholarships. In order to qualify for any of the seven scholarships, candidates must maintain a certain cumulative grade point average. The amount of each of the scholarships varies; engineering graduate students who are interested should investigate the scholarships available within their own individual field of study in the Viterbi School of Engineering.

International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium Scholarship

For students who have completed degrees in information security, and wish to complete higher level degrees, there is scholarship money available. The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium offers awards to students seeking advanced degrees in information security. Scholarships are offered globally to four full-time students in the amount of $12,500 each and are renewable. Recipients of the award are chosen based on their financial need and for the relevance of their topic of research.

Texas Space Grant Consortium Fellowship

Colleges and universities offer financial awards to their students based on their level and field of study. The Texas Space Grant Consortium offers fellowships to graduate students who are studying in the field of space science or in the field of engineering. Candidates must be students at any of the colleges and universities that are one of the Consortium institutions. The amount of the award in 2011 is $5,000, and can be renewed for up to three years.

Tags: based their, field study, School Engineering, Viterbi School, Viterbi School Engineering, amount each

Become A Professional Home Designer

Most states do not govern professional home designers by requiring them to hold a license. You will enter a very competitive field when pursuing professional home design as a career. Whether you possess a degree or experience alone, following these steps will aid you in your journey of becoming a professional home designer.

Instructions

1. Acquiring The National Council of Building Designer Certification or accreditation from an approved university will serve as verifiable credentials for any potential clients. You will be required to pass a set of testing standards recognized around the globe.

2. Secure a position with an established home designer and note the proven methods for implementation in your own professional home design career. Become familiar with all facets of the construction process and observe how obstacles are overcome.

3. Master several of the software programs available in home design. This will greatly aid you in streamlining your calculations and minimizing errors.

4. Create a professional portfolio highlighting your previous designs. Ask your prior clients to write a letter of recommendation to attach to each project design. Include individual names and numbers so they can be contacted as references.

5. Include sketches in your portfolio. When pitching your design idea you are selling your abilities on the spot. Listen to what the homeowner envisions as an ideal dwelling and start your design process with sketches so the homeowner can truly see and appreciate your talents.

6. Practice being a team leader. Your projects will involve your taking control of the situation from the beginning to the end to ensure a successful project.

7. Network with people in the field. Word of mouth is often all the recommendation people will need in order to give you the opportunity to display your talents. Become skilled in presentation.

Tags: professional home, home design, design career, home design career, home designer

Cite With Turabian Style

All thorough and respectable research contains a bibliography. Students and professionals can set themselves apart with solid references and proper citations. If you're aspiring to sell your non-fiction writing or get an outstanding grade on your research paper, using this style is a must. Named for Kate Turabian, the style is still considered to be the benchmark for creating your bibliography. Turabian became the University of Chicago's first dissertation secretary in 1930 and went on to author "A Manual for Writers" which has sold over 8 million copies in seven editions.

Instructions

1. Cite books with a single author in the following sequence: author's name (Last name, First name), title (NOTE: book titles appear in italics or underlined), place of publication, publisher and date. Use punctuation as shown in this example:

Doe, John. Creating Bibliographies. New York: ABC Publishing, 2009.

Remember, the title, in this case Creating Bibliographies, should appear in italics.

2. Use the following if there are two authors:

Doe, John and Jane Smith. Cite Books. New York: ABC Publishing, 2009.

Again, the title should appear in italics. In this example the title is Cite Books. Notice the second author's name does not appear as last name, first name.

3. Create citations for compiled books that reference an editor instead of an author in similar fashion:

Mouse, Michael, ed. Essays on Cartoons. Orlando: WWD Publishing, 1995.

In this example, the book title is Essays on Cartoons and will appear in italics when used.

4. Use the same structure for books that are published electronically; however, be sure to include the URL and the date you accessed the site. The example would look like this:

Doe, John. Creating Bibliographies. New York: ABC Publishing, 2009. http://www.bibios_r_us.com/books/ (accessed June 11, 2009).

5. Notice that when citing websites, you also include the URL and date you accessed the site. The Turabian order for citing websites is: Site publisher, page title, author, URL and access date.

Cartoons Rock. "Inside the History of Cartoons." Duck, Donald. http://www.cartoonsrock.com/article/ (accessed December 31, 2008).

The author of the site is not always known and can be omitted.

6. Cite periodicals that are included in your research. You will need to include both the title of the article as well as the name of the magazine. Here's an example:

Mouse, Michael. "Why Cartoons Are Important." Journal of Cartoons, May 2009, p. 25-30.

In this example, the title of the article appears in quotations and the name of the magazine (Journal of Cartoons) will be in italic type or underlined.

7. Use similar structure when citing newspaper articles:

Mouse, Michael. "I Love Cartoons." Cartoon Daily News, June 11, 2009, Arts section.

Again, the title of the newspaper article appears in quotation marks and the name of the newspaper (Cartoon Daily News) is in italics or underlined

8. Alphabetize your bibliography by the first word of each entry. Long bibliographies can be broken into categories (books, periodicals, websites) and then alphabetized in each section.

Tags: appear italics, this example, Creating Bibliographies, Mouse Michael, Publishing 2009, York Publishing

What Are The Consequences Of Not Paying A Car Title Loan

Car title lenders offer quick, easy-approval loans using a borrower's vehicle as collateral. Loan amounts are based on a fraction of the car's resale value. Expect to leave your title, spare keys and a signed contract to obtain your loan. The USA.gov website warns that interest rates for car title loans are as high as 25 percent for a one-month term and are often difficult to pay back for borrowers with limited resources.

Vehicle Repossession

If you don't pay the title loan company, it will likely repossess your vehicle without warning depending on your state's rules. Some title loan companies repossess a vehicle as little as one day after a missed payment. The company can seize your vehicle from just about anywhere, such as your employer's parking lot, your driveway or from a store parking lot. Once the company repossesses your vehicle, it may resell it and keep the profit from the sale unless you pay your loan balance in full.

Damaged Credit

Some title loan companies report to the credit bureaus; some don't. Ask your lender directly about its credit reporting procedures. If you fail to make your payments, the repossession is reported to the credit bureaus and remains on your credit report for at least seven years. A repossession affects future lending opportunities. You might obtain a loan approval after the repossession, but with higher interest rates and restricted loan terms, such as a short term or large down payment requirement.

Interest Charges and Late Fees

Car title lenders are considered predatory lenders because of extreme interest charges and late fees. Some loan companies charge a high interest rate, such as 25 percent, and a full loan payment within 30 days. If you don't pay the loan, you can roll the balance into another 30-day payment plan and pay an additional 25 percent interest including late fees. If you're unable to make payments by the loan maturity date, you might pay back thousands of dollars in interest. The USA.gov website warns that triple-digit interest charges from extending the loan results in high payments.

Warning

Don't pursue a title loan unless you have the resources to repay the loan amount. Most people who need fast cash on short notice are often experiencing financial hardship, so paying back the loan with high a interest rate might prove difficult. Title loan lenders provide loans equal to a small percentage of a car's value, so consider selling your vehicle for its full private sale value instead. If you have questions about the title-lending rules in your state, the USA.gov website suggests contacting your state's consumer protection office.

Tags: your vehicle, loan companies, title loan, your state, credit bureaus, high interest

Grants For Nonprofit Senior Citizen Foundations

Senior citizen nonprofit groups can benefit from grant funding.

Senior citizen foundations and related nonprofit groups may be eligible for grant funds from private, public and government sources. While some grants specifically state that they support senior citizen interests, not all do. Grants that can benefit senior citizen foundations are sometimes classified as health and human services grants.

Types

Of the grants available to nonprofit senior citizen foundations, most are one-time grants, but a few are recurring grants. Recurring grants do not require annual applications to secure continued funding. Some of the grants available are geared specifically toward assisting senior citizens with a specific goal, while others are more flexible about what types of projects would be approved under the specific grant guidelines (see References for details).

Apply

Applying for grants to help fund nonprofit senior citizen groups depends on each grant. You can find government funded grant applications online, as well as many of the private corporation based grants. Some more localized grants through community service organizations require the submission of paper applications which you can get by contacting the organization directly. The requirements for grant applications also vary. Some common requirements include a description of the organization and the project that will benefit from the grant funds, tax records for the nonprofit group seeking the grant, records of previous projects completed with grant funds, number of people served by the foundation or group, brief history of the foundation or group, and financial records of the foundation or group.

Requirements

Some common requirements for these grants are being a nonprofit group with 501c(3) status and being affiliated with a specific community or religious group. Grant providers, both governmental and public, refuse to provide grants to individuals and groups affiliated with political organizations. Grant projects should benefit senior citizens within the community. This may include providing medical transportation, health services, meals or activities.

Previous Recipients

The Westfield Foundation supporting the community of Westfield, New Jersey granted $240,000 to various groups in the community including the Meals on Wheels program and the SAGE Eldercare group. The St. Louis County Economic Council awarded a grant to the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging. The Mid-East Area Agency on Aging provides a range of services to senior citizens including transportation and caregiver assistance. The Mitte Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to Austin Groups for the Elderly in 2010. The grant funded 400 days of adult day care for low-income seniors. WalMart granted $18,000 to various groups upon opening of a new store in Jamestown, N.D. in 2008. The James River Senior Citizens Center was one of the recipients of a portion of the grant funds.

Tags: grant funds, citizen foundations, foundation group, affiliated with, Agency Aging

What Are The Causes Of Conflict In The Work Place

Employees can get along once the root cause of conflict is found.

Conflict in the workplace can be a very stressful situation for both the employees and boss, and trying to solve the conflicts may be a complex situation or problem of its own. Finding the root causes of why conflict happens, though, can ultimately lead to better solutions. In some cases, it may involve rethinking how a boss deals with his employees.

Differing Styles and Needs

Every employee is going to have a different personality and approach in do his job. The University of Florida says that conducting personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs test can help identify where a particular employee can best be placed in a company. Some employees may like a structured way to work, and others may prefer a more unstructured environment. Having them work apart would ultimately be better than working together and instigating serious conflict.

Also, the needs of certain employees can lead to situations of what the University of Florida calls the "haves" and "have nots." In these scenarios, some employees may not have access to certain resources that can help them succeed while others do. For example, one department may get access to newer computers while another department doesn't, or it could be that some employees get more time interacting with the boss while others don't. This can lead to the "have nots" plotting against the "haves."

Lack of Information and Communication

Important information that doesn't get to every employee in a company can lead to serious conflict, according to Conflict911.com. Such a scenario can still happen despite memos, emails, reports or meetings. When certain information gets passed around a large company, it's important that everybody understands use the information that was sent to them and that the information is as clear as possible. Managers should hold meetings to go over memos or reports so that every word and idea is clearly understood by all employees.

Undefined Areas of Responsibility

Chart Learning Solutions says that an employee not knowing what his responsibility is can lead to conflicts among staff. Comprehensive training for every employee is essential so employees don't flounder or complain in the process of not knowing exactly what they're supposed to do.

Differing Perceptions

The University of Florida says that employees can sometimes view incidents with differing perceptions. For instance, different departments can get the perception that they are more useful than others. In other cases, hiring someone like an administrative assistant can be seen as a positive step forward by some employees and a slap in the face to others. Even performance reviews, memos or office rumors can be looked at with differing perspectives and in a negative light.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Failures

Conflict911.com says the process of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is being used more often in organizations for conflict mediation. The process of ADR involves hiring a person with an unbiased opinion to act as a mediator to help solve a crisis between people. However, sometimes getting the ADR process implemented can happen too late. This can create more employee discord in the process. It nevertheless can help considerably if alternative resolution methods are implemented as early as possible.

Tags: says that, University Florida, Florida says, Florida says that, have nots, information that

Engage Online Learners

A few best practices can help to engage online students.

One of the primary differences between the in-seat classroom and the online classroom is the ability to gauge student interest and respond to any problems in real time, as the problems arise. While the online environment inherently lacks some of the spontaneity and direct communication of the on-ground classroom, there are some ways that online instructors can ensure that they stay in open and honest communication with students.

Instructions

1. Communicate individually with each student. If possible, try to email each student before the class and give them basic information about the class and expectations. Try to personalize your e-mails by using each student's name and a warm, inviting tone.

2. Make expectations clear. Students might come into the class with varying levels of experience with academia. In an online classroom, it's important to lay out the expectations for writing, participation and assignment completion clearly and directly.

3. Respond quickly to any student questions. Provide an "office" area where students can ask you questions and invite questions of a personal nature by email. When students do ask questions, respond to them quickly and warmly with an invitation for follow-ups if needed.

4. Communicate frequently with the class through announcements, discussion board postings, assignment comments and email. Students need to know that you are present in the classroom, and the only way to indicate this in an online classroom is to interact frequently in writing with your students and their work. Aim to interact at least five out of seven days a week.

5. Post class assignments ahead of time. If students know what is expected of them, then they will feel less anxiety about completing the work and can schedule their workload.

Tags: each student, online classroom, students questions

What Does "Optimistic" Mean

An optimistic person might see a cup as half full.

The word "optimistic" describes people with a positive outlook on life and a tendency to expect the best from situations they encounter. An optimistic viewpoint assumes positive things will happen, while a pessimistic viewpoint assumes negative things will happen.

Identification

California State University, Northridge refers to Scheier and Carver's 1985 definition of optimism. They describe an optimistic attitude as the tendency to expect good rather than bad outcomes from life situations, and a positive attitude towards problems approached.

Significance

According to Ohio State University, while optimism and the expectation of good outcomes may improve a person's mood, a person can hold both optimistic and pessimistic views, and avoiding pessimistic thinking has a more important effect on mental health than encouraging optimistic thinking.

Misconceptions

Optimism and happiness, often conflated, have different characteristics. While colloquially, the question of whether a glass is "half full" or "half empty" describes whether a person has an optimistic or pessimistic philosophy, Deirdre V. Lovecky, Ph.D., suggests that the question also involves the difference between convergent and divergent thinking.

Tags: half full, optimistic pessimistic, State University, tendency expect, things will, things will happen, viewpoint assumes

Teach Someone To Speak Korean

King Sejong commissioned the creation of the Korean alphabet in 1443.

Success in teaching spoken Korean depends on the native language of your student. About 70 percent of Korean and a lot of Japanese vocabulary are of Chinese origin, the so called "Han-mun."

The simplicity of the Korean writing system creates an advantage for those studying Korean. Thus, the main difficulty lies with syntax, grammar and pronunciation.

Knowledge of grammar is crucial for speaking Korean. Consider using two teachers, one to teach Korean grammar in the student's native language and a Korean native speaker who will teach pronunciation and vocabulary.

Instructions

Vocabulary

1. Teach your student the Korean alphabet. Provide simple sentences for reading and pronunciation.

2. Encourage your student to learn no less than 2,000 words per year. Be sure he learns Han-mun and indigenous Korean vocabulary separately, and make sure he can recognize whether the words are indigenous Korean or Han-mun.

3. Teach both Korean and Chinese numerals with counting words for diverse types of things, demonstrating their appropriate application.

Syntax

4. Explain to your student that Korean has a subject-object-verb sentence structure, not the English subject-verb-object.

5. Demonstrate that there are postpositions instead of prepositions in Korean. Stress that all particles follow the noun, so the structure is "table on apple an is."

6. Indicate that a sentence can consist of several subsentences preceding the main verb which ends the sentence. Each subsentence is grouped around an action expressed by verbal participle, which has no precise analogue in English. Directly translated, a Korean sentence reads: "We restaurant at dinner having had, friends with having met theater to went."

Grammar

7. Emphasize an importance of "the styles of politeness" expressed grammatically. Provide cultural background for using special vocabulary and verb endings for each style.

8. Make sure your student has a thorough understanding of the neutral polite style of communication, where all the final verbs and adjectives end in "yo."

9. Show that the Korean verb and the adjective are similar in their formal grammatical expression and close in their syntactic functioning.

10. Explain use suffixes for past and future tenses.

11. Give your student an idea of Korean auxiliary verbs.

General Suggestions

12. Discuss with your student simple and practically valuable topics, namely: get a job, enter a Korean university, date a Korean person, where to go for sightseeing in Korea and especially Korean food and traditions.

13. Show your student the best Korean movies without subtitles, because subtitles hold students' attention and do not stimulate understanding of the Korean language.

14. Encourage her to write down unknown words heard in the movies and ask her to find them in a dictionary.

15. Attend Korean Christian church services together.

16. Carry on a phone conversation in Korean with your student..

17.Teach to your student popular Korean songs.

Tags: your student, indigenous Korean, Korean alphabet, native language, Teach your, Teach your student, that Korean

Get The Maximum Student Aid

Apply for student aid to help pay for college.

The maximum amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive is not a set amount -- instead, it is based on your income, dependents, course load and year in school. Two students living in the same dorm room taking the same of classes with the same grade point average might not even receive the same amount of aid depending on their job status and whether or not they are dependents of their parents. The only way to ensure you get the maximum amount of student aid available to you based on your financial situation is to fill out your free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) which is required for any student looking to obtain financial aid.

Instructions

1. Obtain a paper copy of the FAFSA from the financial aid department of your college campus or fill out and submit the application online. Enter all of the information required, which includes your personal, financial, student and tax information.

2. Complete your FAFSA as early as possible. There is not a nationwide deadline for FAFSA application submissions but each state does have its own deadlines for student aid applications, which means submitting yours late could cost you certain financial aid awards. Once your application is processed by the federal government the results are passed on to your school and your aid is determined and awarded.

3. Speak with a financial aid counselor on your college campus regarding additional aid. If your FAFSA application nets you only so much financial aid and you still need more, your financial aid counselor will provide you with scholarship and grant forms to fill out in an effort to obtain more student aid.

Tags: based your, college campus, FAFSA application, financial counselor, maximum amount, your college