Homework is a form of independent practice of students. It plays a significant role in the learning process because it solidifies new learning in the minds of students, increases students’ responsibility, extends time on task beyond the school day and favors students’ self-education. It contributes a lot to effective students’ intellectual and personal development. But if homework is not done accurately and independently, it may set back learning progress of students. That’s why proper planning and management of homework are extremely necessary for successful students’ education and development.

The necessity of homework is caused by the fact that knowledge, skills and abilities are mastered better only through constant repetition. Besides, it allows students to reveal, to test their capacities, to learn independently, to overcome different difficulties and obstacles by themselves.

In order that homework consolidates skills already taught, teachers should instruct students to be attentive and observant, to be able to memorize, to use their mental faculties, to dispose time effectively, to remember everything read, heard, seen. In a word, homework should be aimed at establishing study habits and learning skills of the students.

Besides homework should be accurately fixed according to students’ age, their level of knowledge, and correspond current subject matter in order not to overstrain students’ mind. In general, homework should take about 1-2 hours per a day.

Homework should result in low student error rates. Because of it, homework assignment should be regular, clearly explained by a teacher. Student should have all necessary material to accomplish it. And they should understand the assignment quite well. As a result they are supposed to be more motivated and to complete it more successfully doing as little errors as possible.

As a rule, the success of students’ homework depends on a teacher. Because a teacher should check it quickly in order to understand students’ errors, explain and discuss them in class. It can provide students with a feedback, which in its turn allows students to know their individual progress and not to repeat their mistakes in future. After checking homework assignment the teacher should emphasize students’ success to improve their attitudes to the learning process.

Homework ought to be highly aligned with daily lessons. That’s why it should be organized in such a way that homework assignment will be a kind of continuation of the assignment given at the lesson. For example, homework should be a consolidation of the material explained at the lesson or should be a preparation for new lessons. It makes the learning process more rapid and effective. Besides homework should be flexible and diverse to make students interested in the learning process. It makes its accomplishing more creative and exciting.

As we can see student homework should be appropriately managed, because it can solidify everything already taught, it can result in low error rates and allow teacher to control the learning process effectively. This management should be realized by providing the learning process with the development of some students’ personal traits such as independence, responsibility and proper studying skills. Another strategies are regular, fixed, well-explained homework assignments; their flexibility and logical alignment with daily lessons; feedback and appropriate explanation of students’ errors; high level of students’ motivation, etc.

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In this article we’re going to discuss just how important a college education really is today.

There was a time when, if you went to college, you could pretty much write your own ticket to success. A perfect example of this is back in the late 70s to early 80s when computers started becoming a part of business. True, they were crude in comparison to today’s models but they still had a function in many businesses. Back then, if you were just a college graduate you could be trained in the field of computers if that’s what you wanted. As a matter of fact, data processing was a common field for many math majors to go into.

Today, it is a different story. There are college graduates who can’t get jobs, let alone one in data processing because their field of major is not highly sought after. For example, political science majors have a hard time finding work unless they plan to go on to law school. Many end of working at fast food restaurants because that is all they can find.

The truth is, years ago, very few people went to college. Usually only the very rich or the very smart. A child who wasn’t all that bright wasn’t expected to go to college. He or she could easily go to a trade school and take up machine shop or auto shop and become a mechanic. For that matter back in the good old days a high school graduate with good grades could easily get a job at a bank or an insurance company and work their way up to manager within a few years.

Today, without a college education your chances of employment are limited at best. Today, everyone goes to college. Students who aren’t academically gifted are pushed through by programs like No Child Left Behind and there are many colleges for them to go to that are really no more than glorified high schools. The skills that they learn at these colleges are things that they should have learned in high school.

And therein lies the problem with today’s colleges. With affirmative action and no child left behind, college curriculums are watered down to accommodate the less academically gifted child. Thus, the college education itself just isn’t worth what it was years ago. Add to that the fact that college tuition is through the roof and even after getting a degree you’re not guaranteed to get a job, the benefits of having a college degree itself are just not what they were. Many students are left with debts that they can’t pay off because they can’t find work.

This is not to suggest that a student should not go to college. Certainly the opportunities for a child without a college degree are close to non existent. A student just needs to know that the piece of paper itself just isn’t worth what it used to be worth. A student needs to go the extra mile. A masters degree, which at one time was truly optional, is now pretty much a requirement. Also, a student should pick something that is going to be practical and in demand. Again, political science isn’t going to do it for you unless you plan on three years of law school after.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College

In this article we’re going to discuss the SAT exam and exactly what it means for a student trying to get into a college.

For those who don’t know what the SAT is, it is short for Scholastic Aptitude Test. It is given to young high school students who desire to get into a college after they have received their high school diploma.

The test itself is administered by the college board. This is a non profit organization that is dedicated to doing all it can to prepare students for the challenges they can expect to meet when attending a college. The college board itself was founded in 1900 and now has over 3,800 colleges and universities as part of its organization. The college board helps over 3 million students in over 22,000 high schools each year connect with over 3,500 colleges.

To take the SAT you have to register beforehand. You can either do this online or through your local high school by contacting your guidance councillor. After you have registered and paid your registration fee you are then contacted with the date, time and place where the test is being administered.

The SAT itself covers many aspects of knowledge including math, reading and writing skills. After the test is completed, the scores are calculated and are then made available to you to send to any colleges you wish to apply to for admission.

The verbal section of the SAT includes 19 analogy questions, 19 questions where sentences need to be completed with the appropriate word or phrase and 40 critical reading questions where a paragraph is presented and the student must answer questions pertaining to the material just read. This type of test requires that a student think quickly as there is no time to prepare for these questions.

The math portion of the SAT includes 35 multiple choice questions where the student has to choose one of four possible answers, 15 quantitative comparison questions and 10 open ended questions. These are questions where a scenario is given and the student must not only give the correct numerical answer to the question but also explain his answer. The math portion of the exam requires a student to know basic Algebra, Geometry and also have some logical reasoning skills.

To prepare for these exams, students have many options to choose from. The most commonly used are workshops where they take practice exams. These are usually held at schools or other public buildings. There is a fee for these workshops and some of them are rather expensive.

Another option a student has is to take the PSAT, which is the Pre Scholastic Aptitude Test. This gives the student a chance to take an actual exam that doesn’t count towards his SAT scores. This is a great way to get a feel for what the SAT will be like as the two are very similar.

Students who complete the SAT and score well are way ahead of the game as far as getting considered for the college of their choice. Many times a good SAT score can mean the difference between a student being accepted to college or not.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College
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In this article we’re going to discuss what a student can do in order to get a scholarship to help pay for his college expenses.

One of the myths that needs to be done away with is the one where students believe that there is no way they’re going to get a scholarship because they don’t have good enough grades, their SAT scores aren’t high enough or they just don’t have the smarts.

There are many ways to get scholarships. The traditional way and your main scholarship will be from good grades. There is no getting around that. A student at the top of his or her class with good SAT scores, when accepted to a college will most likely get a full or at least partial scholarship to the school of their choice. Of course a lot of this has to do with the school itself. The more elite schools will have stricter requirements for giving out scholarships. For example, a student applying to a county college may get a full scholarship for being number one or two in the class while that same student when applying to an Ivy League school may only get a partial scholarship or none at all. But again, good grades and SAT scores are only part of the equation.

The next part of the equation is economic need. There are many organizations who provide funds for students to go to school who simply can’t afford it. The main organization for this is FAFSA. A student’s first step in financing their education should be to file an application for financial aid with FAFSA. You can get an application for this at any college office or fill one out online. After filing, their program will immediately tell you, based on your reported income, how much money you will be expected to pay towards your child’s education. For example, if your child is going to a school that is going to cost $30,000 a year and the FAFSA application says you are responsible for $20,000 then that means you should be getting $10,000 in aid from the government after you have submitted the paperwork to them with your school expenses.

Does that mean you’re stuck with paying $20,000 for your kid’s education? Not at all. Even if the college itself doesn’t give your child any money, there are plenty of other places to get funds from.

Go to your local library or do an online search. You will find literally hundreds of private organizations that offer scholarships for students. Each one has different requirements but they all usually fall into one of several criteria.

The first criteria is that some of these organizations offer scholarships based on grades and SAT scores. In these cases, simply submit this information to the organization. They will get back to you and let you know if you’re going to get a scholarship.

Some organizations base scholarships on essays. They pick out the students who wrote the best essays and these are the ones who get scholarships. There may be three scholarship awards for these essay contests.

Then there are organizations that offer scholarships based on some affiliation that you have such as if you had a family member who fought in a foreign war. Then there are organizations like the Masons, Elks and Rotary, that offer scholarships if a family member is part of their organization. Most of these organizations are districted and usually give out only one or two scholarships per district.

So, as you can see, there are more ways for your kid to get money for college besides just getting good grades. But they do help.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College
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In this article we’re going to discuss how a kid can conquer the inevitable homesickness that hits him once he begins his life on campus.

It’s the dream of every kid. Go to college and live on campus. The chance to get away from Mom and Dad. No more, "Do your chores," "Eat your veggies," and all the other things that come with living at home. Then the kid finally leaves, sets up housekeeping and then…BAM! He’s calling home to Mommy because he’s homesick. Happens to everyone. Fortunately, there are some things you can do as a student to keep from wanting to run back home to your parents.

For starters, get involved! There are plenty of school activities you can do. Most colleges have fraternities and other social groups that are the core of on campus life. Just look at the campus calendar or newspaper and you’re bound to find a ton of things covering a number of interests. Go to a concert. Attend a sporting event. Just don’t sit around in your dorm room.

Outside of campus activities, there are also those things that you yourself enjoy doing. Got a hobby? Bring it with you to the campus. Maybe it’s even something that your roommate and you can share together. Bring some books if you like to read. That’s always a great way to kill time, especially if you’re reading something like "Lord Of The Rings".

Another thing that will keep you busy and also be quite beneficial is to get organized. Don’t just let your college experience happen. Plan as many things as you can. Keep a datebook. Make sure you keep track of all homework assignments, tests and papers that are due and when. The last thing you want is to walk into class and realize that you had a test scheduled for that day and you forgot all about it. Don’t trust your memory.

Make friends and make time to go out with them. Most campuses have local ice cream shops or other retail places where you can hang out and have a good time. Making friends will also make you realize that these kids are going through the same things that you’re going through and they probably miss their parents as well.

Need something else to keep your mind off your problems? Volunteer. There has to be a student who could use some help with a tough course. Maybe they have a local radio station or some other activity you can volunteer your time to. Nobody will turn down help if you offer it for free.

And of course the number one thing on your list is to keep in touch with your family. All of a sudden, that little sister who used to drive you crazy isn’t such a terrible person any more. Give her and your parents a call or write them a long letter. Let them know what you’re doing at school and how things are going. If you miss them, tell them you do.

This is a great time to realize just how much you really love your family and at the same time embark on a part of your life that you’ll look back on someday with a great big smile.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College
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In this article we’re going to discuss a topic that is becoming more and more common, adults going back to college.

Picture this scenario. You’re all grown up. You’re married, have a couple of kids, work a full time job and even have a part time job and you’re thinking of going back to college or even going for the first time if you’ve never gone before.

Believe it or not, this is becoming a very common theme in the life of a family for several reasons.

Unfortunately, the main reason that adults are going back to school is because they have to. With the ever growing and changing world, especially technically, adults are finding that their skills are no longer enough to handle the jobs that they have or to even get a job if they’ve been laid off. Many adults who are still working have all but been told by their employers that they have to further their education because of the advances in the workplace. Their choices are either to comply with the employer’s suggestion or risk being laid off. Therefore many adults are left with looking for a college that can satisfy their employer’s wishes.

Another reason for an adult going back to school is not so much to keep their job or even find another one but to advance in the workplace. Many companies reward workers who further their education by offering them better paying positions. This is a great incentive to those who want to get ahead in the workplace.

Then there are those who go back to college simply because they are tired of what they’re doing. They want to do something else with their lives. Maybe they have been at a particular job for a long time and there’s just no more challenge to it. By going back to college and learning something new it is like starting life all over again. This is a great way to put the fun back into your life.

Many people have misconceptions of how they will be looked at for going back to school so late in life. They think people will look at them as losers who have to do this because they’re uneducated and need to go back in order to get a decent job. The truth is, people who go back to school late in life are actually looked upon with great respect. Many young students who see an older person in a classroom are impressed by the person being able to continue their education at this stage in their life.

There are of course sacrifices that have to be made. Going back to college means you’re going to have less time to devote to your family and friends. It is going to mean countless nights of studying and hard work. Learning is not as easy when you’re older. The challenges are great. But the rewards are just as great, knowing that you’ve accomplished something like this when most people wouldn’t even attempt it. Plus, going back to school will simply make you feel better about yourself as a person and will give your children a positive outlook on education itself. After all, if Mom or Dad can do it so can they.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College
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In this article we’re going to discuss some things you can do in order to have the best chance of surviving your college experience without losing your mind.

Let’s not kid ourselves. College can be tough. With the way most high schools are now spoon feeding kids and almost pushing them through, college can be a real wake up call. So how does a student survive the reality check that he gets when starting his college education?

The first thing that a student can do to prepare for his college education is to plan ahead. Write to the college for a catalogue. Get a list of courses offered. Get a handbook. Go to the admissions office. Get as much information about the college you plan to attend so you can prepare yourself for what lies ahead.

Check out any organizations the college has such as special clubs or support services. Knowing where to go based on what you need can save you a lot of time and anxiety.

Before you enrol, go to the campus. Pay them a visit. Meet with your financial aid councillor. Go to admissions. Meet with anyone you can who can help you get situated in your new surroundings especially the department chair of the major you’re planning.

Make sure you give yourself a tour of the whole campus. It’s good to know where everything is in advance. This way you’re not looking for things last minute and driving yourself crazy trying to find them.

When registration day comes, relax. These days are always long, boring and frustrating. These days are chaos for everyone involved, not just the students. Just know that there are others going through the same thing as you.

Don’t be afraid to meet and get to know other students. There are going to be a lot of strange faces. You’re going to want to make friends because college can be a lonely experience if you try to go it alone. These kids are all in the same boat as you. Right there you already have something in common.

In the first couple of weeks of classes take the time to meet with all your teachers. Let them know what you expect to get out of their classes. Show them that you are really serious about your education. If they see this that will make their relationship with you much stronger right from the start. Having a teacher in your corner puts you ahead of the game.

When given an assignment, give yourself plenty of time to complete it. Don’t leave things for the last minute. College work can pile up on you very fast. By starting assignments right away you give yourself the best chance of not getting buried in your work.

Finally, allow yourself to be a human being. Nobody is expecting you to be superman. Many students try too hard to fit in by joining every social club they can. By taking on too much you’re only going to wear yourself out. If you want to do something then do it. But don’t do it just to be "one of the boys".

By following the above tips you give yourself the best chance of getting through college in one piece and with all your marbles.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to College
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As more law firms and corporations seek to lower costs, paralegals will be in much higher demand. Kaplan University offers four accredited paralegal programs, which will give students the skills they need in order to thrive in this demanding market.

The first program that the Kaplan University offers is the Advanced B.S. in Paralegal Studies. If you already have your Associates Degree, and are looking to get even more education, this is the program for you. A Bachelor of Paralegal Studies will increase your income and will give you excellent employment prospects. Over the course of a lifetime, a Bachelor’s degree will bring you increased earnings.

This program brings together the career focus of a two-year degree with the academic requirements of a four-year program. This program will enhance your communications and critical thinking skills; making you a valuable asset to any law firm you join.

The Kaplan University Advanced Bachelor’s of Paralegal Studies is excellent for students who are either moving into the market place after finishing or continuing on to graduate level studies. The three primary areas of this program are Office Management, Personal Injury, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The second type of paralegal degree offered by the University of Kaplan is the A.A.S in Paralegal Studies. If you are looking to change to a new career or advance your skills as a paralegal, this would be an excellent program for you to take.

You will be taught how to communicate with your peers in the legal department, as well as understanding important legal concepts. You will also learn how to do proper legal research, and study criminal law as well as civil litigation. You will also learn about ethics, and how to make proper decisions.

The third type of degree available at the Kaplan University is the B.S. in Paralegal Studies. This degree is aimed at students who have a strong liberal arts foundation. Students who graduate from this program may become employed with private law firms or federal agencies. The student will gain analytical skills in specialized areas of law.

The fourth type of degree, which is available to students at the Kaplan University, is the Pathway to Paralegal Certificate. This program is good for students with an Associates or Bachelor’s degree who are looking for entry level work as a paralegal.

The program increases you understanding of the paralegal field and also gives you an understanding of the legal system in America. Students will learn how to gather facts as well as manage cases and strategies. Students will also study litigation, and how to properly do legal research. Learning how to use this research in legal arguments is a prime goal of this program.

Mansi aggarwal recommends that you visit Kaplan University Online Paralegal Degree for more information.

Today’s young people are taking over 5.3 years to earn a 4-year degree. This low expectation is costing parents thousands of dollars. Part of the reason for this may now be traced to the gap between parents’ beliefs about college readiness and actual reality.

In early 2006, the Public Agenda Organization released a reality survey that suggested the following:

This data when compared with research from ACT indicates that the majority of parents need a reality check. Only 51% of the ACT test takers met the college readiness benchmarks in reading. The ACT data confirms what the Nation’s Report Card revealed that national reading scores for 17 year olds have not changed in 33 years and are not even near what is demanded of today’s knowledge workers.

And even if the young person graduates from college, over 50% of them will not be able to compare credit card offers, interpret a table about exercise or blood pressure or understand the arguments of newspaper editorials. (Source:American Institutes for Research)

The reasonable explanation for this gap may be that many parents believe what they experienced in college 20 or 30 years ago is what their children will be experiencing. Given that many of these parents attended public schools, they believe that their high school education was satisfactory for college readiness and college success. With the addition of new curriculum including technology (computers), advance college placement courses and the influx of best practices research from local universities, why should parents believe that high school is not preparing their children for college success?

Only when the majority of parents change their beliefs about this college readiness myth and become more proactive in their children’s education, we will begin to see dramatically improved performance both in high school and college. Until that time, universities will continue to smile as they take millions of dollars to the bank at the expense of students, parents and taxpayers.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, works with students, parents and large urban to private schools to improve performance through student leadership in wrap time. Using proven tools, we can quickly help your son or daughter to improve their college readiness skills and create an Action Plan for ongoing success in school and out of school.

What would the value be if your child graduated college in 4 years and had the necessary skills to be successful in the real world?

ADVANCED SYSTEMS

Connecting Passion to Purpose to DOUBLE Performance in Real Time

These 17 safety tips are on target to protect yourself and your property away at school…while still having college fun.

Not to mention, just think how at ease your parents will feel when you tell them about your safety plan.

1. Find out the best route between your residence hall, classes and activities. Take the safest route, not the fastest.

2. Don’t become distracted when walking alone. Keep the cell, i-pod, or other devices in your bag until you reach your destination. Contrary to popular believe, talking on the cell does not prevent an attacker from picking you. You become a prime target because you’re being distracted and your guard is down.

3. Travel in groups of two or more at night and always walk in well-lit, heavily traveled areas. Walk facing traffic so you’re never pulled-up upon unexpectedly.

4. Stay on sidewalks and away from shrubs, dark alleys, and doorways.

5. Make sure to share your class and activity schedule with friends and family.

6. When you go out, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to come back.

7. Know where the emergency telephones are located. Program your cell phone’s speed dial with emergency numbers that include family and friends and keep it with you.

8. Use shuttle buses after dark. If buses have stopped running, call the Escort Service or a taxi for a ride. Your life is worth the cab fare.

9. Wherever you are, stay alert to your surroundings and the actions of people around you…even at a party. Do not wander off alone with anyone. Keep around groups of friends. Remember, alcohol and/or drugs are involved in 90 percent of campus crimes.

10. Don’t flash large amounts of cash or other items like jewelry or expensive clothing. This makes you a prime target for those willing to mug or rob you at a later time.

11. Room doors should be equipped with peep holes and deadbolts. Always lock them when you are absent. Do not loan out your key. Have locks changed immediately when a key is lost or stolen. It’s bothersome, but very worth the time.

12. Always lock your doors on the 1st AND 2nd floor windows at night. Never leave a door unlocked for your roommate. Value yourself. Your life and safety are more important than their convenience.

13. Do not open your door to anyone unless you’re positive who is on the other side.

14. Do not enter elevators with someone who looks suspicious. If you get a bad feeling about them, TRUST IT. Don’t get on or get off at the next floor and take the next elevator. Report the person to security or the police right away.

15. Make it a rule. Do not use stairways alone.

16. Mark your property; personal computers, laptops, audio and video equipment with property tags and locks. Most are available online.

17. Visit your college or university’s security office. Ask questions. Laws require colleges and universities to automatically provide current students and staff with basic campus crime statistics and security policies. Prospective students and staff are to be notified of the availability of this information and to be given it upon request.

Statistics for certain off-campus areas have to be disclosed and schools with a security department must maintain a daily crime log.

Also, colleges and universities must provide the collection and disclosure of information about convicted, registered sex offenders either enrolled in or employed at the institution of higher education.

Michelle Annese, “The Diva of Defense™” is a self defense instructor, consultant, speaker, author, and copywriter. With a third degree black belt and inductee into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Ms. Annese is a safety advocate teaching thousands each year in school talks, special events and assemblies in elementary, high schools, and colleges nationwide. She is also the author of the book: “101 Self Defense Strategies” and creator of the programs “Diva Defense Training” and “The SafeGuard System for Kids”. Complete information on Michelle Annese’s books and other services offered is available from her web site http://www.michelleannese.com And while there, don’t forget to subscribe to her FREE weekly Ezine!