Toddlers are at that stage where learning is still fun. This is the key to keeping them school ready when the summer vacation season starts. Studies have shown that if you do not keep them sharp during the summer with educational games and study, they will struggle when they return to school in the fall. So how do you go about keeping them sharp and focused? Here are five outstanding ways to keep them school ready all summer long:

1. Word of the Day - This is a fun game that you can play with your child throughout the summer that will help to keep them focused on learning. The best part about this learning activity is that the child will not even realize they are “studying”. They will see it as a fun game that they play with Mommy and Daddy. Every single morning, you tell your child the “word of the day” and ask them to tell you what it means. Once you work out the meaning and the spelling for the word, you can then quiz them throughout the day about what it is and what it means. Also, have them try to use the word throughout the day. Each time they use the word in a sentence, they get a gold star by their name on a chalk board or poster that you can make.

2. Library Fun Time - The library is still one of the best places in the world for a toddler to learn, in spite of the explosion of the Internet. There is sill a huge amount of fun to be had in the rows and rows of books, and the kids should get that fun time on a regular basis during the summer. Reading is the key to learning, and your toddler will embrace this activity.

3. Science Fun - The best way to capture the attention of a toddler is to challenge their imagination. Nothing does this better than doing science projects. Look online for hundreds of fun and easy science projects you can teach your toddlers during the summer. Try to do at least one per week, and more if you have the time.

4. History Day - This is a fantastic and fun way to teach your toddler about the past. If you put “this day in history” into Google, you will get back a ton of information about what has happened on this day over our history. Use this information to teach your kids about their past and the past of those around them. Every single thing you tell them will enrich them in some way.

5. Art in the Sand - Sandboxes are still among the more popular past times for our kids, and they learn quite a bit about socialization and art in playing in them. Take your child and spend some time building, playing, and meeting other children. This time will be invaluable for keeping the child used to being around other kids, and in building their creative skills as well.

We’ve long since passed the point when all university students have to have a laptop in order to keep up with their courses; but now the University of Missouri Journalism School is requiring students to be in possession of an Apple iPhone, or alternatively, an iPod touch, in order to enroll in classes.

Even though the iPhone will be a “mandatory” requirement for journalism students at the University, school representatives say that the requirement will not be strictly enforced, but is more of a strong suggestion. The associate dean of the University, Brian Brooks, has made it clear that all students should have access to an iPhone or iPod touch to facilitate recording and playing back lectures. Brooks points to recent research which suggests that students who record and playback a lecture retain about three times as much information from the course.

School officials say that the iPod has been officially listed as a requirement to allow students to budget accurately for enrollment in the journalism school, and to make appropriate estimates when applying for any financial aid. If the Apple devices were not listed as requirements, students would be unable to include their cost on financial aid forms. This suggests that the university primarily listed the iPhones as a requirement in order to help students get funding for them.

Dean Brooks also noted that students could potentially use laptops, other smartphones or MP3 players to record lectures, but the university recommended and iPhone or iPod touch in particular out of all these options.

It’s puzzling in some ways that the university would single out the Apple devices as mandatory course requirements, when so many other portable devices would do essentially the same thing. In fact, there are numerous smartphones on the market with quite robust audio recording and playback features, and any self respecting laptop would do an even better job, providing more control over recording quality, playback and editing of audio material.

But regardless of the motive behind the decision to make iPhone’s mandatory, the news is certain to please Apple, who could benefit to the tune of thousands of new sales just from the University of Missouri alone. Even better, being officially recognized as a “necessity” by an institution of higher education lends credibility to the idea that ALL students should have an iPhone, not just those enrolling in journalism school.

A trend like this could quickly spread to other schools, and the iPhone could become as ubiquitous on campus as the laptop computer.

Homeschooling has become a wonderful way for some parents to take control over the dangers and problems of public schools. If the situation is right and the child is responsive, then homeschooling can be a wonderful way to get your child educated. When you begin any homeschooling program, there are a number of common mistakes that most parents make. Avoid the following five problems and you will find that your homeschooling will go much smoother for both you and the child.

1. Not Being Realistic - Homeschooling is not going to be easy, no matter how much it may appear to be. Many parents go into the idea of homeschooling with an oversimplified view of what it will entail. The truth is that homeschooling in many ways is even more difficult than guiding your child through the public school system. Make sure that you are careful to not underestimate the amount of time and energy needed to homeschool your child.

2. Not Being Organized - To homeschool your child, you simply have to be organized. Trying to wing it through the curriculum will not work, and you will find yourself very frustrated in no time flat. Set up a wonderful work area to include a desk and all supplies that your child will need. The work area ideally will be separate from the rest of the house, but if that is not possible, make sure it is at least private. Make sure you keep immaculate notes and records on what you do with your child curriculum wise.

3. Not Asking For Help - When a homeschooling parent gets overwhelmed, it is often because they are trying to do it all themselves. You simply have to reach out to other parents, your own family, and the community to successfully homeschool a child. You need other parents for playdates, advice and the like. You need the rest of your own family to help teach and keep the homeschooling going. Finally, you need the community to take the child out and get real world examples to back up the knowledge that you are giving them. Spend some time at the museum, and other fine examples for support.

4. Not Allowing Your Child To Help - Another common homeschooling problem is when you do not communicate well with your child. Remember that you child is a student like any other, and they are the best indicators of when you should review something or start over. You have to listen to the verbal and nonverbal clues that your child gives you and act accordingly when you homeschool.

5. Not Sticking To The Schedule -It is human nature for you to want to speed through the day so that you have more time left over. This is a very bad idea. Homeschool programs are laid out in time format because students need that amount of time to truly learn it. Regardless of how gifted your child may be, stick to the schedule and do not waver from it. You will find yourself playing a helpless game of homeschool catch up if you do.

Teachers are much like the rest of us, but they seem to hold special powers because they have the power to pass you or fail you in a given class. If that class is a major one, then they could even be holding your graduation in their hands. With such large control, it is a good idea to make sure that your teacher likes you. Because this is not always possible, you have to make sure your teacher at least respects you.

Gaining the respect of a teacher is not always the easiest thing to do as a student. Depending on the teacher, and your previous conduct in other classes, they may already have an opinion about you. Though this is unfair, it is also human. A first impression is always a lasting one. It is for this reason that you want to put your best foot forward from day one.

What is putting your best foot forward you ask? Here are a number of ways to gain the respect of your teacher:

• Turn in assignments and tests on time, every time.
• Do not make excuses when you make a mistake. Own up to the mistakes you make.
• Always be forthright in your communications with them.
• Ask questions often, and show that you have an interest in learning what they are teaching.
• Take the time to help those around you when the situation calls for it.
• Never be late for their class.
• Never speak out of turn, and always be respectful of their position.

If you follow these simple rules, then your teacher will respect you whether they like you or not. Like every other human being, your teacher will have favorites. You may or may not be one of them. Regardless of this, if you are showing them the proper respect by following the rules above, they will have little choice but to appreciate you and give you the grades you deserve.

If you ever feel you are being disrespected by your teacher, then you should let your parents know right away. Be honest in your assessment of the situation and make certain that you are not contributing to the situation in any way. Teachers are also capable of being wrong, and it is not something that you should have to deal with. Make sure that you continue to be respectful regardless of how they treat you, and let your parents deal with the situation instead. If your parents are unable or unwilling to solve the situation, consider speaking with the principal or your guidance counselor.

Gaining the respect of your teacher is not a difficult thing if you are thoughtful of their classroom. Most teachers will value you as a student when you do these things, and they may even look to you to take on a leadership position in their class. Always remember that they are human and have bad days just like you.

On the news tonight was a story about how the local school teachers all had to take a pay cut due to budget problems and it hit me like a ton of bricks. School teachers already make a horrible salary for what they do, and now they are taking away the peanuts they were already making? Sure that this must be a problem that is unique to North Carolina, I began to do an Internet search.

I quickly found out that this same scenario is being played out in schools and districts throughout the United States. Becoming a teacher is quickly becoming dangerous to your pocket book and nobody seems to be making much of a fuss over it. Why is that?

With all the stimulus money, and bail outs, and Federal funding that the United States has been embroiled in, how is it that one of our most valued resources are getting the short end of the stick? Why is the entire nation not rising up in anger at this travesty?

These are the people that are shaping those very minds that will sit in office someday. Without our teachers, we are a society that is second rate. No greatness can come about without a great teacher to mold and shape those minds. It was bad enough that they were making so little in the first place. To ask our teachers to take a pay cut is criminal in my estimation.

I realize that these are tough times. I get that. The fact remains, however, that we just signed over the next two generations worth of debt to the Government to divy out as they saw fit. How is it that our teachers were not in that equation? Surely the teachers deserved enough of that money that they did not have to take a pay cut for goodness sake.

For those brilliant young minds that are graduating college, it is a truly hard sell to talk them into becoming teachers in this economy. They would barely be making the minimum needed to even survive, much less thrive. That is not a good thing for the future of our Country. We must have young minds that are challenged and shaped by brilliance. That brilliance should not come cheaply, and certainly should not be bargain basement material. That is where we are headed if things do not change in this area.

The quality of teachers is bound to diminish if the pay continues to fall. No teacher can afford to work for the pittance that we are currently paying them. Those that do are true heroes in my book, and they deserve much more. Hopefully, between all the car companies and bank bailouts, our Government will see that fact and act.

When you visit a college campus, it is very important that you keep why you are there in mind. Many times, a potential college student will visit with only fun in mind. While certainly you should enjoy your visit to a college campus, you should also be sure to check out everything else. What are the various things that you should do when you visit a potential future college campus?

One very important thing about visiting a college campus is to check out the teachers in your course of study. The majority of college campuses will even let you sit in on a class or two to get an idea of what it might be like. Your biggest part of college will be spent inside those classrooms and with those teachers. Take some time to see if they fit your idea of what you are after in a college.

Always make sure that you visit the dorms on campus. If you plan to live on campus, having a decent dorm is very important. How clean are the dorm rooms and hallways? How is the security? Are the dorms relatively close to the classes? All of these things can be answered by visiting and looking around. Talk to the others that are in the dorms already.

Look into the local economy off campus. The chances are that at some time you will have to get a part time job during college. Look into the various outlets that are available and consider this as well when you are visiting the campus. This is especially important if the college is out of town.

Check out the various study outlets. Libraries, as well as resources throughout the campus are an important part of college life. You will want to ensure that you have a wonderful group of options when it comes time to write that essay or thesis. What kind of resources does the college have available to students?

Make sure you look into what extra curricular activities are available on campus. Different clubs, organizations, and sports can add a good bit of fun to your college experience. Ask the other students about the various things that are available to you.

Of course, visiting a potential college campus should also be fun. Be sure to spend a little time mingling among the students and spending some time asking questions. The whole package of a college is what you have to look at when deciding, and picking the right college is not always easy. The more information that you can gather beforehand, the better your chances at picking the right one after graduation.

A small but growing number of parents and administrators have been voicing concerns that athletics have taken precedence over school work, and wish to have them removed. This controversial opinion is actually gaining traction with some people, and it would be a shame if it actually found its way to the table. There are a number of reasons that high school athletics are necessary, and should not be banned.

One of the biggest reasons that high school athletics should not be banned is because of the scholarship potential. Many kids end up going to college and getting it paid for thanks to their athletic ability. This is an avenue that would be completely eliminated if high school athletics were banned. College athletics are a huge source of financial aid scholarships in our Country, and we need that resource for our kids.

Another important reason that high school athletics should not be banned is because it allows our children to learn teamwork. Playing for a high school sports team is a very educational experience in and of itself. It teaches the participants about working together, overcoming problems and obstacles, and determination. These are all skills that can only help our students succeed in life after school. No book can teach these lessons, and high school athletics fills that role for many students.

School budgets is yet another reason for high school athletics to continue. They are shrinking every single year with the economy being so bad, and the revenue generated from the athletic department is as important and vital as any other. The elimination of sports in high school would eliminate any chance of money generated by those teams. This money is ultimately a valuable reason to keep high school athletics.

Finally, high school athletics are as much a part of the fabric of high school as the prom, homecoming, and even other school activities such as student government, French club, chorus, and other such programs. Eliminating one would almost demand the elimination of the others, and nobody thinks that is such a great idea. These programs should instead be considered privileges that our high school students must earn the right to participate in. If they slip with their grades, then they should lose that privilege.

These rules are in place in the vast majority of high schools across our great nation. The schools that do not take the initiative to implement these requirements are the problem in the high school athletics argument, and should be made to enforce a standard of performance in the classroom.

Parents also should take a more active role in ensuring that their kids are performing in the classroom. No child should be allowed to skim along through their course work, and quarterback the football team on Friday nights. If they are not putting out the grades, then they are not allowed to play on the field or courts. It really should be that simple, and it is at the vast majority of the high schools across America.

Banning high school athletics outright is an outrageous and silly option. All we really need is stronger rules about participation. A school with no athletic department would suffer in all the ways listed above, as well as many others. Lets keep athletics a vital and strong part of our high school communities!

Cramming for exams is not the most effective way to study, but unfortunately some students will find themselves in that position. When this happens, there are some things you can do to have a more effective cram session. Needless to say, you will need to learn a large amount of information in a very short period of time. It is vital that you know where to put those efforts most effectively. Here are some tips to help improve those late night cram sessions:

1. Do not over dramatize the situation. Exams are huge, and very important to your success in college. Still, if you do have a problem with exams, it is not as though your entire college career is bombed. Understand that the exam is only one step in the process, and relax yourself. If you are stressed, your learning capability will drop accordingly.

2. Resist the urge to feel overwhelmed. Though it is certainly understandable if you feel overwhelmed, it is not helpful in this situation at all. Focus on the information and nothing else.

3. Dive into the toughest part of the exam first. The hardest information is the part that you are dreading, and not necessarily the hardest study information. Dive into the part that you dread the most, and you will find that the rest will come much easier. Get it over with, and your cram session will go much smoother.

4. Study as though you are hovering over the concepts. In other words, learn the broad idea of the subject in question, and worry less about specific details. Many exams can be passed with a really good essay. No exam can be passed by knowing a couple of dates. Hit the big information hard, and the minute details less. Those are designed to be learned over time, and you do not have that much time.

5. Make sure you stop and take a walk every so often to clear your mind. Do not try to go nonstop all night. If you do, your mind will be jelly by the time you get to the test. On that same note, make sure you get plenty of sleep over studying all night long. The lack of sleep will eliminate any information that you might have learned.

6. Go through the notes, and overviews of the course repeatedly. The instructor will often hit on the most important things in the syllabus. Learn it backwards and forwards, and focus heavily on his lecture notes. Instructors focus on teaching test material when they speak because those are the details they perceive as important.

7. When you take the test, make sure that you go through and answer all the things you know first. Then go back and work through those questions you are having trouble with. Having those guaranteed correct answers already under your belt will give you confidence for the rest.

Pursuing an online teaching degree is not the bed of roses that some companies try to make it out to be. The course requirements, and organization are every bit as difficult as they are for a degree earned on site at a college or university. Depending on the course of study, the requirements will vary for online degrees in much the same way they do on site. Here is how to go about getting an online teaching degree from start to finish:

The first thing to do is to figure out what type of teacher you wish to be. Much like going to college on site, you must know what your aim is when you go to online schools. While some courses are required regardless of your major, it still helps to have a clear goal and target from the beginning. Nail down the area that you want to teach in, and then go into your online schooling studies with some confidence.

Online schools are really wonders of modern technology. From your desktop, you can attend virtual classes, access grades, use forums to discuss the classwork, and even take your tests. The extent to which you are able to learn is totally up to you and your drive to learn and finish the course. When you finish your work, you usually will turn in assignments via email or through the school online system.

If you are trying to get your teaching degree online, then you can expect a very similar amount of coursework and classtime than you would if you were on campus. The requirements are the same, and the schedule usually is very much in line with what the campus courses are doing. If you think that online college is any type of shortcut, you are mistaken. The online teaching degree is very similar.

The biggest benefit to getting your teaching degree online instead of on campus is that you are able to access the information and work when you specifically are able. If you work first shift, and still want to pursue your degree, then you can do that online very effectively. Likewise for any other work schedule because you are generally not required to be online at a set time. You still must do your work on time, but you do not have to be present every day for roll call.

Because you are pursuing an education degree, most states will still require that you do a student-teacher requirement in real life. If your state requires this, you will still have to do it even if you get your degree online. You should plan for this if your state requires it well in advance both financially, as well as with your job.

Finally, you need to be very careful that the online college you are considering is fully accredited, or else you could end up with a worthless sheet of paper. Spend some time researching any school or online course offered, and make certain that it is on the up and up. If you do these things, you will find that getting your online teaching degree and teaching career is well within reach.

Writing a term paper is something that virtually every college and high school student will eventually have to do. In many cases, the term paper can end up being a large part of the student’s final score for the semester. With such a heavy weight applied to term papers, it stands to reason that picking the right term paper topic is very important. Fortunately, there are some very easy guidelines to follow to find that perfect subject.

The first thing you want to do to find the perfect term paper topic is to ask yourself what the course was all about. The teacher usually includes an outline of this information when you first started the class, and if you have misplaced yours then asking for one is a good idea. The teacher will appreciate your paying attention to detail and giving the term paper topic such attention.

Once you have a good working idea of what the basic thrust of the course was, then you can begin to try to think of logical ideas for term paper topics. What topic will allow you to support the idea (or thesis) of the course? What idea will allow you to refute the thesis? Any of these things will provide topics for you to choose from.

Refer to your text book. More particularly, pay attention to the sources that are cited. You will find a rich amount of ideas if you explore those sources. The reason that you do not want to take your term paper topic straight from your text book is because it will seem redundant to the teacher. Anybody can write a review. Term papers are supposed to make you research and think outside of what is already learned.

Refer to the instructions that came with the term paper assignment. The teacher will often give a list of potential term paper topics. While it is good to pick your own when possible, these topics are often good fall back topics. Do not just take the one that is easy. Challenge and test yourself for your best work.

Explore how the course relates to the current world at large. Taking text book information and applying it in our current lives is a wonderful way to get an A+ on your term paper. Teachers love it when you apply teaching to the real world. That is the point of them teaching it in the first place. Ask yourself about how the information learned can be applied after graduation or used in the real world outside of school.

If you follow these simple guidelines, then you are sure to have a term paper topic that is unique, interesting, and ready made for a great grade. Do not take the easy way out for the grade. The teacher will be looking for you to stretch your knowledge and comfort zone. Give them more than they expected, and you will ace that term paper for sure.

Image Credited To Flickr User Bright Green Pants