Tuesday, September 28, 2010

U.S. Department of Education Awards More Than $9.2 Million to Institutions of Higher Education for Crisis Management Planning

Institutions of higher education in 17 new sites will be able to develop or review and improve, and fully integrate their emergency management planning efforts as a result of more than $9.2 million in Emergency Management for Higher Education (EMHE) grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The EMHE grant program supports institutions of higher education projects that address all four phases of emergency management: Prevention-Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

Among the typical activities included in grantee programs are reviewing and revising existing emergency management plans; conducting vulnerability assessments of campus facilities and grounds; providing training to campus staff, faculty and students; organizing tabletop exercises or large-scale drills; improving on-campus communications; collaborating with local first responders and community partners; and developing or enhancing behavioral threat assessment processes on campus. 

"Sending a child off to college should be a time of looking ahead, with great anticipation, to the next stage of their journey. We shouldn't have to worry whether or not they'll be safe on campus or if the university has emergency management plans in place to help do that," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "The fact is no college or university can be a great school until it is a safe school first, and these grants will support those efforts."

The grants are housed within the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, which supports efforts to create safe schools, respond to crises, prevent drug and alcohol abuse, ensure the health and well being of students, and teach students good citizenship and character. The office also coordinates the Department's efforts in these areas with other federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides funding to support the EMHE grant program. For additional information on the EMHE grant program, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/emergencyhighed/index.html.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Education Secretary Michael Gove announces review of music education

All young people should have the chance to learn an instrument, read music and receive top quality music education, Education Secretary Michael Gove said today.

Launching an independent review of music education, which will be led by Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM, Mr Gove said broadening the access and opportunities young people have to experience and understand music is central to raising standards.

Research shows that quality music education improves behaviour, attention and concentration, and has a hugely positive affect on numeracy and language skills. Giving all young people the best possible music education will help the Government achieve its twin aims of driving up standards and reducing the attainment gap.

The review will look at

* how to make sure music funding benefits more young people
* improving the music opportunities young people receive both in and out of school
* improving the teacher training and professional development offered to music teachers
* how to attract more music professionals into schools
* how best to offer quality live music experiences to all young people.

Michael Gove said:   It’s a sad fact that too many children in state schools are denied the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. Evidence suggests that learning an instrument can improve numeracy, literacy and behaviour. But more than that, it is simply unfair that the joy of musical discovery should be the preserve of those whose parents can afford it.

Monday, September 20, 2010

To know how to become a fashion designer

Are you dying to find out how to become a fashion designer? Want to become the next Giorgio Armani or Coco Channel? Well, you'd better get started now, and you'd better recognize people - the chances that you'll reach the stages of success that those well-known names did are slim to none. The good news is that if you have capacity and are ready to work hard, you can have a fashion profession that gives you a relaxed and fulfilling life, even if you don't become a family name.

The initial step to becoming a fashion designer is to evaluate your abilities. You must be able to plan and sew and you must have an eye for colors, models, designs and details. You'll also require an internal drive and a strong will to do well even when things look miserable and people are serious of your work, since the competition is severe in this industry. If you still think that you have what it takes, the next step is to get at least two-year degree in fashion design, if not a bachelor's degree. Business paths will be very supportive in addition to the designing and design-software courses because they will educate you how to advertise yourself and get ahead. Furthermore, internships are very helpful for you to grow experience.

Be sure to keep all your drawings and take photographs of your finished work to put together a portfolio. Once you're done with school, teaching programs and/or internships, then you can begin screening the world how creative you are by relating for jobs with fashion houses, you can begin advertising your own creations to local shops with your portfolio in hand. If you finished an internship, you may also be able to get appointed on as an employee when your internship is finished. If anything, use your internship as a position to make connections-this is what you require more than anything to get in front as a fashion designer.

The medium expected salary for fashion designers is just under $50,000, but if you are one of the lucky ones you can make around millions. It is significant to be realistic, though, since there are only so many Versace in the world.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Indiana's Academic Standards & Resources

Driven by information, powered by knowledge and energized by technology our world is changing quickly. In order for students to make reasoned decisions about their lives and contribute to their family, community, and nation they need more skills and knowledge than ever before. To meet these challenges, Indiana established world-class academic standards that clearly outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and subject area.

Learning resources:

To support students and educators in meeting these essential expectations, the Indiana Department of Education offers a variety of online learning resources for teachers to use in aligning classroom instruction and assessment to Indiana’s Academic Standards, including:
  •  A companion to Indiana’s Academic Standards, the Core Standards help teachers prioritize instruction and connect the “big ideas” students need to know in order to advance.

  •  A series of instructional activities geared toward the teaching of each standard. The activities feature opportunities for incorporating technology, links to other content areas and standards; tips for extending the activities and meeting the individual needs of students and more.

  •  Assessments designed to measure what students know and what they need to learn in relation to the standards. For grades K-8, the classroom assessments include short standards-based quizzes for each standard or cluster of related standard indicators. At the high school level, the assessments are designed to measure student progress at the end of the course.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Learn the Tips on training With an LCD Projector

The LCD projector will be the valuable tool in the classroom. This classroom projector will get the most averse learner that is concerned with a lesson. You are talented to use it for different purposes, across all the curriculum and also with all the age groups. Though it was the expensive tool when it first came out, currently LCD is much reasonable. Hence, even with the tighter school budget, it will be still potential for you in to adding this to the teaching magazine.

For the first step that you must do is that you require to buy the LCD projector with the proper lumens for the classroom. The projector with more lumens will be more observable in the intensely lit the classroom. You will require in pulling the shades to appropriately see the lower-lumens classroom projector. Subsequent to that, you should keep in mind that the classroom projector with the higher lumens normally costs more to buy than the model with the lower lumens.

For the second step, you should place or even hang up the LCD projector then the students will happily view it. The students who are meeting too distant to the left or even right of a projection screen will see the faint images. By meeting too close to a screen, it will also be uncomfortable for the students.

For the next step, you should attach your LCD projector to the laptop or yet desktop computer. You need to set it up therefore you will happily see the students and also cooperate with them as good as perform the significant tasks on the computer.

For the last step, you should make known with the operation of your LCD projector before you are opening the first lesson. You have to know the way to regulate the clarity and also the way to focus a screen. Of course, all the time you may use making adjustments through the class will be lost instructional time.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Important Tips - Learn to speak new language

Study Frequently and repeatedly

Try to learn at least 30 minutes to 1 hour per day. It helps to utilize an audio program or software as contrasting to studying 4 hours once a day. It has been demonstrated that spreading your study time out is improved for maintaining the information you have learned.

Begin With Basic Vocabulary

The most excellent way to do start out with a new language is to start with the basic vocabulary from the language you are frustrating to learn. Practice it with spark cards.

Set practical Expectations

Appreciate that it is going to take time to learn a new language and speed yourself. There is so much to be trained and complete mastery will take years. However, you can get a good head start and a good basis by daily study. Realize that it is going to take although and don't give up.

Try to Watch TV Shows or Movies

If you are desire to discover a new language faster, one thing that actually helps is to regularly watch movies and tv shows that you have previously watched before in the new language you are trying to learn. If you are watching a movie or explain for the first time then you can add subtitles to help you study the meaning of some of the words you don't understand. Doing this over and over can actually help you get used to the sound of the new language and help you get in the habit of idea in the new language.