A Mechanical Drive for the Space Elevator, the "Reel to Reel Drive"

Part 1: A primitive, possible, but not very advisable method
Part 2: Pulling up with many ropes running over many reels

Abbreviations:

CNT = Carbon nanotubes
s= tensile strength in Newton per square meter (= Pa = Pascal)

CSA = cross-sectional area
1 GPa = 1 billion Pa = 1000 000 000 Pa
1kN = 1000 Newton

GEO = geo synchronous orbit
?= density in kg per cubic meter

L = breaking length (L = s:?)
?= specific weight in Newton per cubic meter (? = ?g)

Taper ratio = maximum CSA divided by minimum CSA (at ground)

Part1:

Would it be possible to lift the cabins ("climbers") of the space elevator like in any other elevator hanging them on a cable which is wound up by a motor? You would need (in addition to the cable, that is fastened to the ground, the "guiding cable") a second cable of the same dimensions, that has to carry its own weight too and hoist up the payload. Up in the end-station it is wound up on a giant winch. The counterweight must be moved accordingly. For a payload of 10t you have to hoist up about 100t CNT (carbon nanotube) cable.

Its weight is much less (with a taper ratio of 1:4 it is 40t) and decreases on the way up because the gravity decreases. The volume of the hoist cable would be 130 cubic meters, therefore a spool of about 6m diameter would do. Acceleration and speed on the way up can be as high as the winch can manage. The energy for hoisting up could come from solar panels (the GEO Station has full solar power nearly all the time) and must be stored by an appropriate method (electrolytic hydrogen and fuel cells, flywheel, etc.).

You can't let the hoist cable at the top run over a pulley like in usual elevators, going down on the other side, because the cable is tapered, and on the other side the thick part would hang under the thin part and it would be torn by its weight.

To bring the cabin back to earth from top-station let gravity do its turn, you just have to brake in time and you can even win energy back by using the motor as a generator. Only at the start you have to use an external force (maybe a tug climber running on the guiding cable), because the weight is only 2% and even this little bit is neutralized by the centrifugal force.

The disadvantages of this construction are a) the need for 2 of these very expensive cables, one of them flexible enough to be wound up on a spool and b) a very low transport capacity: Just one cabin can go up and then down at the time. But the travel time can be shortened with a powerful motor. If you start upwards with comfortable 0.5g acceleration, your weight seems to be 150% of normal. To continue with the same subjective load you can increase the acceleration as the gravity decreases till at some point you have to switch to deceleration. Your seat should swing 180° around, as the gross force now shows upwards. The deceleration can be as much more than 1.5g as your remaining weight and declines to 1.5g at the top station (in or near GEO). The travel time from ground to top would then be about 1 hour.

The travel time downwards depends on the power of the climber tug and over what distance he will haul cabin and hoist cable. The weight of a conductor that brings energy from GEO to the tug is very little up there, but the electric resistance of several 1000km is getting too high. By the way: CNT (carbon nanotubes) is said to be a very good conductor, so the electric current could flow through guiding and hoisting cable to the climber. As soon as the tug leaves, the acceleration will drop to rather low values: about 1%g at 30Mm (1Megameter = 1000km) above ground ("near" GEO-station), 4.4%g at 20Mm, 14%g at 10Mm and at last 1g at 0Mm - a long-time journey.

Part 2:

It would be so much simpler if the hoist rope were endless and could run over rolls/reels/pulleys at top and ground station. But that is impossible because the cable tapers as said before. Cables of constant diameter can be used only if they are shorter than the "breaking length" L, the maximum length of a cable of constant CSA hanging down in 1g gravity without tearing under its own weight. L is the quotient of sand ?. For very good steel with s= 2 GPa and ?= 77 kN per cubic meter (since the density ?is 7.85 gram per cubic centimeter), you get L = 26 km. For carbon nanotubes (CNT) values of sfrom 30 to 120 GPa are given (but due to lattice imperfections and notch effects it's certainly considerably less) and ?is about 13 kN/cubic meter (?= 1.3), hence L is between 2400 and 9600 km. With s= 46 GPa for instance you get L = 3600km. The distance to GEO is 10 times more, so if gravity would be 1g all the way up, the CSA would have to increase by the factor exp10 (e to the 10th power) which is ca. 22 000 and the diameter by the factor 150. Fortunately the gravity decreases strongly, so that a taper ratio from 4:1 to 5:1 will do. The diameter, which has to be some millimeters at ground to carry payloads of some tens of tons will only double on its way to the top.

Back to the untapered cables that can go up and down like a paternoster. Imagine a CNT cable of several mm thickness that can hold its own weight of L = 3600 km length or 20t suspended, or 10t and its weight of 1800 km (or 5t on 2700km or 15t on 9000km etc.) So if there is a motor driven pulley on the ground and another one 1800km higher fixed on the cable of the space elevator and the constant diameter cord running around these pulleys, you could hoist up a 10t payload 1800km high (and simultaneously 10t downwards, which would make it much easier for the motor). In fact you could go even higher, because in 1800 km altitude gravity is already down to 60%. The pulley up there is coupled to another one and from there goes another cord up to the next pulley which can be located several 1000 km higher, because the breaking length up there is much longer (because of the lesser gravity). And so in ever larger steps you get at last to the top station, all the cords and pulleys driven by the motor on the ground.

There are some minor problems, which competent engineers could certainly solve, e.g. how the climbers will change from one cord to the next one. A little more difficult: how to accelerate and decelerate them. Either the cords run with different velocities managed by appropriate gear ratios between the coupled pulleys. Or, if there is only one climber on its way up (and/or one down) all the ropes are accelerated for a while simultaneously and decelerated later.

Steffen Kummerow studied physics at the Universities of Hamburg and Karlsruhe, got his diploma at the Nuclear Research Center of Karlsruhe KFZK and worked in future research and in teaching. He has been a dedicated follower of serious and hard core Science Fiction all his life.

You can find more considerations about the future and the universe on his website http://www.future-universe.com/

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How to Find and Benefit From Adult Scholarships

In the past, it was such an uphill task for an adult to go back to school for further studies mainly because no scholarship provider would consider an adult for their programs. Adults are normally stuck completely when it comes to funding their studies in universities because they have countless financial needs. For example, they have to provide the basic necessities of their families, pay bills, maintain their careers and more. It is therefore next to impossible for an adult to fulfill his/her academic dreams not unless he gets financial support from other sources. That is why adult scholarships are of utmost significance in any part of the world. However, there has been a huge problem regarding adult academic scholarships because up to now, education agencies haven't realized the need to support adults in their pursuit for under and postgraduate degrees. Up to now, there are very few scholarships for adults. This article will help you with tips on how to find adult scholarship chances.

• Ask your employer to sponsor you
Even if there are very few adult scholarships available, that does not mean that you cannot go on with your studies. There are other avenues you can take to improve on your academic qualifications. The first option that you should consider is the scholarship program that is available from your employer. Most companies have in house scholarships for their employees who wish to further their studies. This could be a good chance that you shouldn't hesitate to grab. Moreover, these kinds of scholarships are only available for courses related to what the company specializes in. Thus, you can exploit such a chance to the best of your ability.

• Check the financial aid programs of your dream school
Many colleges and universities have special financial aid programs for adults who wish to enroll. It would be wise of you to contact their finance department and ask if they have any such programs and who is eligible. If they do not have such scholarships, you should request for their assistance in finding other outside sources for scholarships. It is likely that college finance departments have contacts of many scholarship organizations.

• Check From The Professional Organizations
As a way of winning trust from the community, many professional organizations have come up with scholarship programs that are designed to help the less fortunate members of the society. Some also provide such programs to adults especially women as a step towards capacity building. These are possible sources of scholarships that you should never fail to contact. Also, you should contact other adult students and ask them about the available scholarships for adults that they know of. Above all, research on the internet about any scholarships that you can benefit from. There are many websites with information about scholarships that can guide you in your search. The reality is that not many adult scholarships are advertised in the media and therefore you need to intensify your search to find them.

There is nothing wrong in going back to school when you are already fifty or sixty; in fact, it is the best thing you can do to acquaint yourself with the modern skills and techniques in your field and adult Scholarships are available to help you. Therefore, you need to look for the available adult Scholarships so that no much time is wasted.

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How to Write Effective Scholarship Essays

There are hundreds of thousands of scholarship opportunities available to students. Many students are deterred from applying for these opportunities because they worry about scholarship essays. There are a number of resources and tips that students can use in order to learn how to write effective scholarship essays.

One of the most important tips about writing an essay is to determine your topic. Many application forms require that a student write about a general idea and not a specific topic. Students may have to write about a time they showed leadership strengths or how they overcame a problem when working with a group. These broad topics are often given to allow students to relate to a personal experience in their life. Any student who has not encountered a situation that is similar to the topic should state what they would do in that situation. A writer should never lie about a situation. It is better to state that you have not yet been involved in that type of situation.

Another important tip about how to write effective scholarship essays is to have your essays reviewed by a teacher. Students should always spell check and proofread their own work. However, a teacher can often find errors that many students may over look. Students should also consider having their work reviewed by more than one teacher. The more individuals who review your essay, the better chance for constructive feedback as well as catching spelling/grammar errors.

A third tip on how to write effective scholarship essays is to take your time. Students who try to write a scholarship essays in one day often do not have the best essay. Many essays can take weeks or months to properly develop as well as craft. Students should start their essay early to ensure that they have the proper amount of time to think about the topic as well as write their thoughts. Students also should ensure that they complete the rest of their scholarship essay ahead of time. Many students complete their essay only to forget to complete the rest of their application. Ensure that you submit all portions of the paperwork in order to be considered for the scholarship.

Finding out how to write effective scholarship essays does not happen overnight. Students often need to write several essays before they will master the craft. Students should not hesitate to ask for help or guidance from teachers or their parents. Many times, these individuals will have input that can help a good essay become a great essay!

Angry that the cost of education is rising by thousands of dollars a year? Tired of finding it difficult to locate the best scholarships? Want to be able to find scholarships easily and save thousands of dollars? Visit College Source 101.

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Gain Higher Returns by Learning Computers

Education empowers human being in many ways. It helps one to gain wisdom, knowledge and power to stay high in the society. Today, there are many educational organizations which are engaged in offering good education to students. These institutions offer courses in different sections such as business administration, pharmacy, tourism and much more. Yet one among the most revolutionary subject is computer science.

The field of computers is very vast and has sections such as hardware, software, software development and much more. You can just explore any area of computers you wish to. At present, there are a number of certified Computer Hardware and Networking Institutes which are offering well designed computer courses. Are you searching for a similar institution where you can enroll? In order to get better course along with good placement, you can go online. On the Internet platform, you can gather information on many education organizations.

Most of the Computer Hardware and Networking Institutes are highly rich in their course structure and offer value added computer education to students. You can take courses like hardware networks engineering, Network Administration, System Engineering, BTS I&C and much more. In addition, you can even come across institutions which offer Corporate Training Programs and much more. With such programs, it will be easier to venture into the bigger organization and you can learn to be good at your personality too. It helps a normal person to get better on the professional front as you learn the basic communication skills, telephone etiquette's, presentation skills, business writing and much more.

When you join these courses, you are inspired to improve yourself and become smart at work. It is dream of every human being to become well known and earn lots of money. When you join these organizations, there are high probabilities to get a well paid job right in firms you were aspiring. It is worth getting into the Computer Hardware and Networking Institutes you get to learn computers in detail and further, go ahead with learning. The more learned you are, the more are chances that you implement well.

So, you need to do just one thing. Go online and find out the best Computer Hardware And Networking Institute. Do you wish to be a complete computer person, an engineer, a perfectionist in networking or want to excel in communications? There can nothing better than joining hands with Computer Hardware and Networking Institute. Get to the core of computers today!

Aaral Sharma has a 6 long years of career proficiency of working as an instructor. Throughout the years, Ms. Sharma has been instructing about programs in Telecommunication and Customized Training Solutions related issues and has written some of the most searched articles on Placement and Corporate Resource Cell, Technical and Soft Skill Training.

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Medical Grants - Helping Students Meet Medical School Costs

Medical school is one of the most expensive propositions regardless of how one looks at it. This is largely attributed to the long training duration, clinical study and the intensiveness associated with the career. Whenever students seek financial help, they end up owing close to 100k and more in loans. As such, by the time students are through with training, they are deep to their neck in debts. This does not have to be the case however since medical grants are specifically designed for students in dire need for financial help.

How they are disbursed
There are no complexities when it comes to these grants. This is because certain university and college departments are given these funds. The government is largely known to make this provision. While this is the case, it is ideal to note that in other instances, most colleges and schools have offices within their facility that deal with these. Such offices are known to run proposals and they are also responsible for overseeing to the materials which are founded from outside the institutions.

Getting Financial Help
If you want to enjoy the benefits of these grants, you have to make the effort of looking for them. This is mainly because they cannot come to you. There are a couple of things worth noting as you search for these. Some of these are as highlighted below.

• For starters, in order to get this financial help, you must be at least 18 years of age and a citizen. If you are a medical student, you are also eligible to enjoy this benefit. By knowing and understanding your eligibility level, you make the entire process a triple easier.
• There different types of medical grants offered and for this reason, you need to carry out thorough research and find one that perfectly meets your needs. Ensure you focus your attention on applying for one that fits your needs and requirements.
• Note that these can be availed through different sources such as the government and private organizations among others.
• Find out if there are any forms that need to be filled and make sure you do this within the agreed timeframe. This is one of the surest ways of ensuring you meet this end and while at it, it is important to provide information that is accurate to the last detail.

Undergraduate students often receive Pell grant or FSEOG (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity. This is the same as any other level of college education. The amount received aids in catering for books, tuition, medical supplies and equipment costs. For any student to apply for this type of grant, they must fill FAFSA form and ensure it gets submitted. Note that this form is available online and this is what makes the entire process easy. Any other medical grants offered to students above the undergraduate stage is either research grant or some type of fellowship. These could also be from foundations which help with continued education.

There are various types of medical grants available to students and in order to enjoy utmost benefits, it is advisable to find medical grants that perfectly meet your individual needs.

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Learning The Importance Of Customer Focus In The Business World

The really neat thing about Into to Business is that the course encompasses a multitude of business-related subjects. That is because the professor would like for the student to explore the most essential elements of business foundation. These various components are essential because they can either make or break a business. One of the core subjects that might be taught in the class is customer focus.

Students taking the course may learn that in the free enterprise system, the customer is king. Those who cater to customer needs usually have a successful business. Those who do not can fail. Consequently, customer focus is key to maintaining success and growing a business. The following customer focus strategies may be reviewed in your Intro to Business course. They can help a future business owner devise a strategy plan for his or her business.

Keep in touch with the needs of the customer. The best way to do this is by asking. Find ways to touch base with a broad spectrum of customers to get a balanced view. This can be done by conducting prior and post purchase surveys. Be ready for the good news and the bad news. Vocal customers will usually complain more than compliment. Listen and respond to legitimate criticisms.

Put yourself in the customer's shoes. It is a good idea to look at things from the customer's point of view. Think about what you would expect if you were your own customer. What price would you be willing to pay for quality service or a product? What would be the top things you would complain about? As a customer, would you expect a call back when promised? These are the questions that the business owner should be able to answer in a positive way in relation to his or her company.

Make a point to design and arrange whatever you do from the viewpoint of your customer first. A big mistake would be to design and arrange what you do from your viewpoint. Remember, you are not the customer, so everything should be designed with the customer's needs in mind. Follow this rule, and the business will have a good chance to thrive.

Think of yourself as a satisfied customer. Write down all of the satisfactory things that have happened to you as a customer - good value, prompt service, courtesy, and follow-up phone calls. Compare them to our own business. Are your customers experiencing this same satisfaction? Rate successful customer transactions and then use them as a model for all to follow.

Play detective. Check out the work flow and processes at high customer venues, like airports, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and government services. Observe customer service process and determine if they can be duplicated at your place of business.

These are but a few customer service remedies that may be reviewed in business college courses. As you can see, it is a valuable topic for those entering into the business world as a company owner or high level manager. Before enrolling in the class, try to get a copy of the course syllabus to see if customer focus is one of the topics covered. All big universities usually have more than one instructor who teaches the intro class.

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Establishing the Importance of Education

Education is just one of the priceless possessions one can have. However, as the world age and the technologies advance, this value slowly depreciates. Today, people say that education is no longer important so long as you have the skills, you know how to use it, and you know how to improve it. The importance of education is redefined and disregarded. People should think again before deciding to go with the flow of this spoiled modernization.

That is a challenge to those who have totally shut their understanding to the importance of education. Now, let us discuss and re-establish the importance of education.

Education is a National Treasure. The future of a country, its growth and development, and its successful relationship with other countries, relies on the minds of its future.

• Now, imagine an uneducated leader ruling one, or the people of its administration. How can they carry on a country's heritage, or even govern the country? Can we say then, as long as you have the skill to govern and know how to use and improve it, you can effectively become a president? You don't learn the ethics, principles, governance, politics, etc., by just reading resources from the internet; education is the only way to realize a potential leader.

• What about the Nation's economy? Can you simply count 1 to 10 and boost it? You will need to learn problem solving to make a progress.

• How can you turn unemployment into more job opportunities for people? You will need to develop businessmen, economists, industry leaders, and innovators to overcome unemployment, and much more, poverty.

• How can a Nation realize peace, justice, and equality? If there is no rule, no law, no ordinance, then imagine complete chaos and total disaster. You can't just impose a rule or a law on someone and make him follow.

• How can a Nation protect its resources and environment? Imagine a derelict jungle, that's a nation without leaders to protect its resources and environment. Survival of the fittest does not work in real human life, everything and everyone needs to be regulated.

• How about discovering a cure for cancer? Can we say that it flows naturally from within and you can simply create one in the kitchen? Or to discover a disease and its cure can be easily diagnosed by just looking at a person who's been affected? Again, you don't learn that aside from being educated.

Education is an investment. This is a regularly unrecognized fact about the importance of education.

• You build and secure your own future through education.

• A person who gets the privilege of an education is free to choose his career and professional path. Where do uneducated ones go? They scavenge job listings, compete with a more suitable applicant, go find other jobs, compete again, so on and so forth. They do not have much option but accept whatever is available.

• A stable job. A person who invests in education will be secured to land a stable job. Companies and firms prefer people who are knowledgeable rather than those who just completely rely in instincts.

• Financial security. Stable job means stable income, opportunities of pay raise, and retirement pay.

With those importance of education discussed and stated above, who will dare to say skills are just enough?

Jana Reese is a blogger and educator for 10 years and have written hundreds of both on and offline articles based on her experience. She has dedicated a lot of time and effort to promote the importance of education. She highly recommends Education Acceleration to people who wish to learn more tips and tricks on how to get a degree easier and faster.

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Special Education Language - 10 Acronyms You Should Know

The Special Education system in Ontario has a language of its own. If you are the parent of a child who has been recently identified as exceptional by the school board, you can get lost in the language during your first school meetings. There are many acronyms that are used by school administrators and school staff and most often they don't think about the fact that parents may not understand their "language". So it's up to the parents to become knowledgeable about the language of special education. In this article, I am going to explain the meanings of ten of the most important acronyms in special education.

IEP - Individual Education Plan.

The IEP is a document that lists the strengths and needs, and the programs, services, accommodations and supports that are required by a particular student. It lists the annual goals in each alternative or modified subject area, as well as the learning expectations for each term, which are determined by the student's strengths and needs. A student does not have to be formally identified as an exceptional student to receive an IEP. But if the student is formally identified by an IPRC, it is a requirement of the Regulation 181/98 of the Education Act that they receive an IEP.

IPRC - Identification, Placement and Review Committee.

The IPRC is composed of at least three persons, one of whom must be a principal or supervisory officer of the school board. At annual meetings, where the parents are invited to attend, the committee decides whether or not the student should be identified as exceptional and if so, which category of exceptionality. They also decide on an appropriate placement for the student. The parents can either agree to the decisions, or appeal the decisions.

OEN - Ontario Education Number

Parents will notice the OEN on school documents such as the report card. A unique OEN is assigned to every student across the province by the Ministry of Education. The same number will follow the student through his or her elementary and secondary education and will be indicated on all of his or her school records.

OSR - Ontario Student Record

The OSR is a record of a student's educational progress through school. The contents are to be used by school staff for the purpose of "improvement of instruction" of the student, according to the Education Act. Parents are to be told about the purpose of the OSR and its contents. They must be allowed to have access to all of the information contained in the OSR.

EQAO - Education Quality and Accountability Office

EQAO is an arm's-length agency that provides information about student achievement in Ontario, based on periodic assessments. This is basically to see how the teachers, the school boards, and the educational system in general are performing. When students are in grade 3 and again in grade 6 they are required to take reading, writing, and math tests administered by the EQAO. They are also required to take a math test in grade 9. However, the principal is authorized to exempt students from taking any or all of the tests if they are unable to participate for reasons such as a developmental disability.

SERT- Special Education Resource Teacher

There is usually one in every school. As the name implies this teacher is a resource for regular classroom teachers. He or she consults with classroom teachers regarding students who have IEPs and are placed in the regular class. In fact the SERT is usually the lead person in charge of developing the IEP for these students. Sometimes small groups of students are withdrawn from the regular class to a resource room for more intensive instruction in math and language. This class is run by the SERT.

EA - Educational Assistant

EAs are assigned to classrooms, either regular class or small placement, to support students as part of a multidisciplinary team. They also help teachers with non-instructional tasks. In some school boards, EAs may have the same duties as described below for SNAs.

SNA - Special Needs Assistant

The SNA supports students with special educational needs, usually in a special education classroom, under the supervision of a special education teacher. In addition to helping with their learning needs, duties may include assisting with the students' safety and physical needs, including hygiene and feeding, as well as assisting with therapy sessions.

ABA - Applied Behaviour Analysis

ABA methods are best known for treating people with autism and other developmental disabilities.ABA methods are based on scientific principles of learning and behaviour to build useful repertoires of behaviour and reduce problematic ones. The undesired behaviour(s) are clearly defined and recorded, and the antecedents and reinforcers of the undesired behaviour(s) are analysed. Individualized programs are developed based on this information. The teacher must collect and analyze the data on an ongoing basis in order to measure the student's progress in each of the program areas. The program must be altered as necessary to maintain or increase a student's success.

TEACCH - Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped Children.

Intervention strategies include clear and explicit expectations, physical and visual structure, schedules, work systems and task organization. The goal is to allow children with autism to develop skills so that they can be independent of direct adult prompting.

These ten acronyms are just the tip of the iceberg. Take some time to learn some of the "language" of Special Education and you will be a better advocate for your son or daughter with special needs.

Karen Robinson at AFASE at school http://www.afase.com/ provides special education advocacy training and consulting services to parents and guardians whose children are challenged by autism and other developmental disabilities.

I develop my clients into informed, proactive advocates for their children's educational needs. They are empowered by current, customized information that enables them to articulate their children's needs to school staff and school board administrators in a way that is both assertive and collaborative.

Browse through my website to learn more and sign up to receive free advocacy tips and news. http://www.afase.com/

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Minority Grants - How They Work

Many students falling under the minority groups will find a number of minority grants availed to them by different types of organization. These grants are offered to these students to allow them get the financial help they need in order to complete their studies. Unlike scholarships, these grants are not based on the academic merit as well as financial needs, or both; instead, they are based on the underrepresented students in schools across the country.

Types
Students will find two main types of funds to choose from. The first one is the ethnic minority grant that is designed to offer assistance to students as based on their ethnic challenges. These funds are available for students with an African-American background or Hispanics.

The other option is the non ethnic funds offered to students who are challenged in terms of physical barriers or in other ways when it comes to pursuing their education and professional career. There are minority grants that are meant for students who suffer from autism, ADD as well as physical disabilities. Women can take advantage of the women grants that are meant to help them get into different fields and programs that were traditionally meant for men.

Where to find them?
The students can get these funds from a variety of sources, starting with the federal and state government. These two have been proactive for offering them, and students can check out their websites for more information.

The other option is the minority foundations. There are quite a number of them offering these grants as well as scholarships for different groups of students, such as women or members of specific ethnic groups. It is the responsibility of the students to make sure that they are eligible for these funds before applying for them.

It is important to keep in mind that some of these options are very competitive and students need to keep checking out for them so that they take advantage of them and get to handle their finances for academic needs.

FAFSA matters
One of the most important things that students must keep in mind when looking for these funds is the FAFSA- Free application for Federal Student Aid. The student must complete this application, and submit it so that they are considered for the programs. Without this, they will not only miss their deadline but also forfeit their chances to earn thousands of dollars in college cash.

The Federal FAFSA deadline is June of every year, but the state deadlines vary from state to state. It is important that the students fill out the form in completion. They can also ask their financial aid department for assistance when applying for the minority grants. The FAFSA is the tool that will help determine whether the students qualify for the financial aid because these funds are offered as based on the financial needs of the students.

Getting minority grants is easy because there are different types of organizations offering them. However, students need to keep in mind that these minority grants are competitive and they require the FAFSA.

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Universal Thinking

"We are the vessels through which the universe has come to recognise itself"-Carl Sagan

Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? Are we alone? They are but a few questions that human intelligence has the audacity to ask, but still in the 21st Century the majority of society doesn't ask, and if they do then it is without any meaningful desire to find out and understand. Has society become too addicted to selfishness and the pursuit of happiness through the universally narrow minded system of capitalism that it has become totally ignorant to the beauty and wonder of our existence and the search for the true meaning of life and living?

We live on a tiny planet in a solar system revolving around one star in a galaxy estimated of having 200-400 billion stars and 50 billion planets in a universe of an estimated 200-400 billion galaxies with hundreds of billions of stars with an unknown and possibly unbelievable amount of planets of which some could support life of all kinds.

If there is intelligent life somewhere out there upon the vast cloud of unknown, who have the intelligence of humans or most likely millions or even billions of years more advanced than us, will their societies be more worried in material prosperity and universal isolation as that of humankind or would they have long overcome mass ignorance and material greed that now their galaxies have become their "EARTH". By educating their societies in a spirit of universal harmony in a process over hundreds and thousands of years that finally they broke free of their planet or galaxy and travelled further afield with a new advanced sophisticated view of life, a view of universal nationalism, nationalism were everything is defined by laws of the universe, a view were respect for life and the importance of life is understood deeply, a view of educating every person from a young age in cosmology and physics through suitable ways, were every person understands the responsibility humankind potentially holds on life in the universe, were societies number one priority is to work in advancing humankind's understanding, searching and travelling of the universe.

In the modern world society is controlled through the means of media, business and politicians whose decades long war on social intellect in order to keep capitalism alive has resulted in the majority of society more interested in the life of a celebrity rather than the true meaning of why the celebrity exists at all.

"In order to make an apple pie from scratch you must first create the universe"-Carl Sagan

A basic question that every human has the intelligence to ask but don't because they have become comfort junkies as in they have become so comfortable with looking well, shopping, partying and so on that they don't bother to ask the big questions the questions we all should be searching for and which governments should be based upon and striving all the time to keep the public aware and dedicated in the search for understanding.

It is only when this desire amongst society to change their view of the world with a spirit of universal harmony instead of an egotistic isolationist view, that society will truly feel mentally and physically free.

AUTHOR. Darren M

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Special Needs Education

Special needs is a blanket term used to describe an overwhelming number of diseases and disorders. These disorders are diverse, and can describe mild learning disabilities, severe mental retardation, psychiatric problems, mobility problems, anxiety disorders and any number of other difficulties that must be overcome. What is common to all of these children, though, is that parents and educators should pay extra attention and be sensitive to these needs in order to promote healthy childhood development into adults that are as functional as possible. Often the self-teaching, play-to-learn approach presented by educational toys are a-n ideal means of helping children to overcome the common difficulties incurred by learning and other disorders. Some characteristics are common to many disorders, and many kinds of educational toys can help children overcome these problems.

Frustration

Special needs children often feel a great deal of frustration with the world around them, as they are met with more difficulty than their peers in mastering basic tasks, and because they often struggle to understand their environment. Educational toys provide children with a sense of satisfaction and self-achievement. This positive, rewarding experience can help to soothe the frustration that is understandably experienced by these children.

Anxiety

Children suffering from learning, developmental or psychiatric disorders are often very insecure and unsure of their environment, which causes an extraordinary amount of anxiety. The play-and-learn approach encourages children to become immersed in their work and to develop a positive, more satiated demeanor that helps to offset feelings of insecurity or anxiousness.

Self-esteem

Many times special education children feel insufficient and inferior to their peers, which can cause extremely low confidence and self-esteem. Because children teach themselves and learn independently with educational toys, achievements gained self-sufficiently help these children to build a sense of confidence and self-assurance. This increased self-esteem then allows children to interact more comfortably with their environment, and gives them the confidence needed to approach learning.

Communication

Due to speech impediments, hearing problems, social anxiety or other communication problems, educators often struggle to communicate with special education children. Educational toys allow children to teach themselves through the enjoyable and engaging play-to-learn approach. With this strategy, children are able to learn independently, and their development is no longer hindered by communication problems. Additionally, the visual perception, concentration and self-esteem skills nurtured by educational and self-teaching toys allow for children to be more accepting of their environment. This receptiveness can open the lines of communication, allowing special needs children to learn and to grow.

Special needs children have a very widespread range of difficulty, and the needs of each child are unique. Educational toys' engaging nature helps to keep these children motivated, and the self-teaching approach allows for them to move at their own pace. Ultimately, they are an outstanding means to help children master visual perception, linguistic, critical thinking, reasoning, object recognition, logical thinking, concentration and other vital developmental skills. This helps to provide a framework for special needs children to grow and to move on to live functional, fulfilling lives.

The best educational toys for parents, teachers and children. Speical Luk

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Strategies of Locating Grants for Women for College

In the yesteryears, women had no chance of seeking college education simply because of gender disparities. This for many reasons caused several women who had the urge of seeking college education to feel discriminated and left out. However, with time, this changed and several organizations have come up to provide grants for women to have college education. The best thing about it is that, they are readily available and women can easily obtain them. While this is the case, women are advised to have ample knowledge on how they can obtain them in the best way possible in order to save time and energy as well. There are approaches that women ought to use in order to locate these grants easily. Here are some.

• Firstly, for those who want to obtain grants for women to pursue their college education, it is imperative to determine the type that you are interested in. This simple means that you ought to determine which field you wish to pursue among the several such as engineering, writing, art history, visual art, math, science as well as technical fields. Making an early determination is beneficial as it will help you in narrowing your choices and at the same time make your search a lot easier.

• Determine college sources that are available in your state. In most colleges, you will find some departments offering grants for women to pursue college education. While this is the case, you are required to set aside some time and visit the respective department and ask for the available opportunities. On the other hand, you can book an appointment with an academic adviser to get all the necessary information.

• Since there are several of them, it is highly advisable to start with the minority ones and then as time goes by, you will be able to graduate to the major ones. You can easily find private as well as public organizations offering them and you will be able to make your decision based on what you want.

• As you do your research to locate these grants, make sure you base it on family as well as child rearing. In case you left college due to some reasons such as pregnancy and you wish to return, you can easily do it. In addition, you will get some that will get you out of a stressing financial situation especially of raising a family on your own.

• Lastly, you can choose to join a professional institution. Taking this step is very beneficial due to the fact that, you stand a chance of winning some opportunities that suits your educational goals. To achieve this, you can simply find out the kind of education activities being offered by the institution and become an active member so that your chances of receiving the funding can easily be increased. Keep in mind that success does not come easily but it is earned.

For those seeking grants for women, they are highly advised not to pay for any information related to them since most grants for women are freely available by searching online.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506141

Baby Sign Language: Dialogue in Silence

Baby sign language is not only about a few signs that you can learn and then teach your child. That is what I learned on my recent trip overseas, to my homeland, Israel. During my visit, I visited a fascinating children museum exhibit! The walls were monochromatic. The rooms were bare and sparsely furnished. Our museum guide was completely silent.

Sign Language and a museum?! What do they have to do with each other?!

Sign Language is easy to learn. Well, would you believe it was one of the most integrative and amazing museum visits I and my kids have ever experienced? The exhibit is called "Dialogue in Silence" Can you guess what the theme was? As you guessed, the tour explores the world of a deaf or hearing-impaired person. This tour's goal is to give the visitor the real experience of how it feels to be deaf or hearing impaired. It is a true hands-on exhibit. So, how can you really empathize with a deaf person? The answer is --- experience what he or she feels.... The SILENCE.

Sign Language is the only way of communication the guide used with us. The guide we had was deaf herself, and she welcomed us into her world of soundlessness by distributing soundproof headphones. At first, it was disorienting, we couldn't hear a thing, and we were not allowed to speak either (I am so proud of my 4 years old son who was quiet the entire time, although the tour is geared towards 9 years old and up).

Sign Language?! Is it only for people who know sign language?! The answer is no. Our tour guide was so engaging and the activities were so evocative and exciting, that soon we all forgot completely that we couldn't hear anything!

Baby Sign Language?! Baby Signing?! Baby Signs?! No, not only. The experience certainly wasn't just a tour to promote. Rather, it made everyone aware of many tools of communication.

(Baby) Sign Language emphasizes the basic tools of communication:

Facial expressionsBody languageGesturesHand movement

Signing with Children during the tour opened up for us a world of richer communication, every little movement matters. Even I, an avid sign language user, discovered an astonishing new world without the crutch of verbal communication.

Every hint of an emotion, every gesture, every look--- all must be noticed in order to understand each other. Being conscious of all those signs you send out becomes even more important when there are no voices or verbal expressions, just like with children and kids

The end of the tour ended with a real life experience: ordering snacks and drinks in a cafeteria mimicking the deaf world. The children had to order all in sign language. They used sign language easily to order snacks and drinks at the cafeteria near the end of the tour. Each person was also given his or her name in signing, just like we do in SignShine classes. What a gift we have given our children!

Etel Leit is an internationally recognized leader in the field of signing with babies and young children. The wide reach of her business in California; the international reach of the website Etel administers; as well as her blogs, her articles, her seminars, and her live and television appearances worldwide, offer a very strong platform for promoting EzineArticles. Etel has been Presenter of the Month by Sign2Me, an international organization; She a regular online contributor to the Hot Moms Club magazine; and has been featured on Brian Williams NBC night show, FOX11, CNN.com, AOL, Yahoo, MSN, in Family Magazine, the Jewish Journal, Baby LA Parent, and many other publications. As a leader at the forefront of baby signing, Etel Leit, the owner and founder of SignShine invites you to our program http://www.signshine.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6446619

Important Information About Federal Student Financial Aid - FAFSA Application

Studying hard so as to land a position at a college or university of your choice is one thing and meeting the financial demands that come with it is another. Many people feel lonely and frustrated after they realize how hard it is for them to pay for their higher education. The situation is sometimes very serious and it can lead to bright students not continuing with their education. Some graduate degrees are very costly for a common student to afford and this can be a serious problem because it would mean that, only the students from rich families can make it to universities and colleges. That is why the American government and other stakeholders designed the federal financial aid program to support needy students in funding their university studies. The FAFSA application is free and open to all students provided they meet the requirements. Here are some of the things you need to familiarize yourself with when applying.

Understanding What Is FAFSA?
FAFSA application form is a type of form provided by the government to students who are willing to apply for school grants and loans to help them fund for their university education. For you to be considered for these grants, you must first fill these forms and submit them to the relevant bodies for verification. Precisely, for anyone seeking for the government's help in financing his education, this FAFSA form is what will serve as an application form.

The government will check out your details from the form to verify if you are eligible for any federal loans and grants. Some of the details keenly checked include:

• Financial status: When filling the form, you are required to indicate all your details and most importantly, your financial dependency. This is what the government will consider in determining whether you need any financial assistance.
• Your age also determines your eligibility because in most cases, the government views students as dependents of their guardians.
• For the married and graduate students, parameters applied in determining their eligibility is somehow different. If you want to know the kind of parameters they use, you can inquire from your financial aid counselor or department.

You may also check from a variety of websites that specialize in financial aid matters.

What You Need When Filling The FAFSA Application?
There are several details you need to put in the FAFSA form before submitting it for verification. These details are very important because they play a key role in determining your eligibility for a federal loan or grant. You need to have your social security number, W-2s of the previous year and a license number if you already have one. If you are married, you must provide your tax returns as well as those of your spouse. You also need to indicate information on your other untaxed incomes such as social security funds. Your current bank statement is also important as well as details of any kind of investments you may have. Once you have all these details ready, you can go ahead to fill in the form.

You should not kill your career dreams just because you do not have money to pay for your higher education. FAFSA application should help you in convincing the government to offer enough federal grants to see you through your university studies. To get FAFSA application form, check the link below.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506114

Does The US Have a Student Loan Debt Problem On Its Hands?

Well, it seems like the federal government of the United States has got itself into an economic pickle. Further many of these grandiose ideas of retraining Americans for future jobs seems rather troubling. Consider if you will that technology is moving fairly quickly, and we don't know what types of jobs there will be in the future, and we can't seem to find jobs for those students that are graduating right now. Worse, the students graduating have student loans to pay, and if they don't get to work in the next five years, their degrees won't be worth the paper they are written on anymore, as the job market will change.

As a taxpayer this concerns me greatly, because as a taxpayer I am guaranteeing those student loans. I have been further dismayed at the fact that the tuition costs are rising rapidly, but the benefits to students who have degrees has not increased. In fact, the benefits of those degrees on student's resume has decreased. What I'm saying to you is the cost of college tuition has risen, but the benefits of those college degrees has diminished so the students may never pay back those loans. Therefore the overall value is worth quite a bit less, and therefore I want to know why my tax dollar is guaranteeing the student loans to pay for it all.

It seems as if whenever we look for the federal government to help create jobs for Americans, which I believe to be the wrong way to play it, the federal government always says that we need to retrain our workforce, and offer more courses at community colleges and universities to prepare people for the new jobs as our economy changes. Yes, we've been doing that, we've been doing that for a long time with grants, low interest rate student loans, and more money being funneled to colleges and universities, but it hasn't worked.

There was an interesting article in the LA times not too long ago which was titled; "Retraining Alone Doesn't Do the Job," and it appeared on Sunday, July 10, 2011 in a special section titled "rebuilding America" by Don Lee. That was a very telling article, and perhaps it makes my point for me here. Our local community college where I live has been graduating more and more students with AS degrees in industries and subjects for which they cannot find jobs.

It appears to me to be arrogant for the federal government to tell us that they know how to create jobs at a time when they are grabbing a hold of production, capital flows, and money flows if not downright nationalizing industries, and destroying jobs. They tell us that the answer is education, but they always tell us that, and it never is, meanwhile we are digging a bigger hole, and we've created a bubble in academia which has raised the cost of going to college to the point where there is no return on investment for that education.

Apparently the utopian socialist society we were promised is beginning to crack. Isn't it time that we cut our losses and took America back?

Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,500 articles by August 24th or 25th will be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

http://EzineArticles.com/6506359

Surpass Academic Goals With Financial Aid for School

A few years back, accessing tertiary education was nothing but a preserve of the better off in society. Many academic ambitions had to be abandoned prematurely just because of the skyrocketing costs of college education. However, the situation is different as of now due to the many grants and scholarships being offered to students. In as much as these facilities may not be adequate for each and every deserving student, the truth is that a good percentage of otherwise wasted students have and still continue to benefit. The good thing is that these facilities are available for public and private universities, colleges and schools.

Who Is Eligible For This Aid?
Many students have failed to take advantage of such opportunities simply because they rule themselves out. Before doing this however, it is important that you know who is eligible for financial aid for school. One's eligibility largely depends on the type of aid in question, and these may be classified into two as follows:

1. Merit-based: This includes grants and scholarships awarded by learning institutions and organizations to students who show exemplary academic achievements such as high SAT or ACT scores. Some may be awarded to students with special talents in fields such as music, sports or art, or display any outstanding personal characteristics.
2. Need-based: Need-based aid is a preserve for students whose parents or guardian can hardly afford to keep them in school. Different agencies are used to determine the financial status of applicants, such the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in the US.

In many countries, some forms of scholarships or grants are limited to citizens or states, while a good number are usually available even for international students.

Financial aid for school usually takes three main forms. These are:
• Student loans
• Scholarships
• Grants

Loans are usually to be repaid once the student lands an employment opportunity in future. As for scholarships, all the tuition expenses of the students are taken care of, and very little is left to be paid. Such are issued by colleges, governments as well as certain external organizations. Unlike loans, grants are free cash rewards for paying fees and purchasing other learning materials, which is not to be repaid.

How to Access Aid?
The trick with getting these benefits is to start planning early. Late applications are likely not to be considered and actually show some lack of need on the part of the applicant. The first thing to do if you need financial aid for school is to fill the required forms such as the FAFSA form. You can then visit college websites to find out if any grants or scholarships are being offered. Apply for a couple of these to increase your chances. Even when some conditions look tough to meet, never rule yourself out if you desire to surpass your academic goals.

Financial aid for school comes in form of student loans, scholarships and grants. In case you need financial aid for school, the secret is to start applications early.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506160

Succeed in Your Career With a Goldwater Scholarship

In the current world, education has become very expensive, getting money to fund high school and college education is proving to be a challenge to many people. Goldwater scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships available today. This scholarship is granted by Barry M Goldwater. This institution was constituted in 1986 by congress in honor of Barry M Goldwater a US senator. He was a member of the senate for thirty years. This scholarship is awarded to students with interest of pursuing education in math, engineering and science subjects. This is aimed at helping them build bright careers in these fields.

The most unique thing about this scholarship is that it is awarded to senior students in high school. As such, it is not awarded to juniors and sophomores in college. This ensures that it is given to students who are already in chosen fields. Such students can receive a maximum quantum of $ 7,500 in an academic year. This is awarded to about three hundred students only every year. When applying for this scholarship, there are things you need to have in mind.

• Goldwater scholarship has a lot of competition. As such, getting it is not easy. Only four lucky students are nominated every year. The nominations are usually done by the universities which give the most deserving students. However, it is important to know that Princeton is on the record as having the highest number of students who have received the award.

• Trustees foundation board who are the ultimate decision makers as far as these scholarships are concerned always have the final say. They decide who will be the lucky nominees to receive the award. They do this after scrutinizing the students thoroughly. In doing this, they perform a keen consideration of the student career study and field of interest. They also consider the overall merit and career objectives.

• Students who could be interest in getting Goldwater scholarship work hard in math and sciences to increase their chances of benefiting from the scholarship. To achieve this, they will need to choose colleges with a good record of performance in sciences and mathematics. They should also consider schools which have programs aimed at helping students keep improving their performance in those subjects.

• Considering how covetous this scholarship is, it is important that students who are nominated take it upon themselves and explain their career objectives. They should do this in the best way possible and show their potential. To increase their chances of benefiting from the scholarship, it is important that they show the foundation board the contribution they intend to bring to the field they have chosen.

• Although this may not guarantee them success, it may increase their chances of being awarded the scholarship. They may also benefit from other grants and loans from people or institutions which are looking for qualified math and science students.

Although Goldwater scholarship is hard to get, it is very rewarding once a student gets it. Therefore, it is important that students interested in math and sciences work hard in school. This will increase their chances of benefiting from Goldwater scholarship.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506147

The Advantages of Prince2

The fact is that no matter what size your company or corporation is and what business niche it occupies, it can and will benefit from the Prince2 management training course. It's just common sense, and that is when your project managers possess more advanced skills to oversee projects, your organization benefits on multiple levels.

Established in 1989 by what is now the UK Office of Government Commerce, what makes this management methodology study program so different from all the others out there, is it's approved and accredited by the British government.

In fact this is the very training regimen that they use to government managers advanced training.

The Prince Management training program was created and based off of principles of an earlier program known as PROMPT. A project management oriented training regimen that was created by Simpact Systems Ltd. back in 1975.

The training program was adopted by the CCTA in 1979 until when it was subsequently replaced by Prince.

The Prince program was then upgraded to the Prince2 program which is what is now taught today. That upgrade happened back in 1996, and in total some 150 European business and government entities have contributed to what is now the prince2 training program.

It can best be described as taking a structured approach to project management, enveloped in a well defined framework where a project is broken down into separate more easily defined and managed increments.

Project portions if you will, that are then completed in a step-by-step process really is the core foundation of this management program.

So step one in the training process is for a project manager to achieve certification with what is known as the Prince2 foundation qualification.

This certification means the trainee has a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles and methodology of the Prince2 program. Then up from that, is what is known as Prince2 Practitioner Exam.

With this exam, student's ability for managing and overseeing the project utilizing Prince2 basic principles is assessed. It's not an easy exam, and in fact statistically some 36% of all training candidates take the three hour test fail.

At the same time, although it may be new to them, so much of what the management student studies and comes to eventually learn is really quite basic. For instance the program teaches how to manage a project in group system off of a basic wall mounted storyboard.

The first phase is when the managing supervisor analyzes and breaks up an assigned project into its separate parts or increments. Step two, is to assign these separate parts to individuals or groups in the project team based on their level of skill and experience.

The storyboard or project board is then used to track project parts as they are tracked, completed and finally marked off.

In the final phase, all the parts are gathered together and assembled to form the completed project. Once the project has been completed it is then sent up in the organization as yet a new project is seamlessly brought up, put up on the board to begin the process yet again.

Pearce Mayfield are an organisation that specialise in project management training and Prince2 Courses.

http://EzineArticles.com/6507660

Bursary and Financial Aid Options for Students

Financing your studies can be such a mission and finding a bursary or scholarship can drive you up the wall. Before you start looking for bursaries, do you know what a bursary is? A bursary is a monetary contribution by an institution to further the applicant's education. There are two types of bursaries in South Africa: a student bursary and a company bursary.

Student bursaries are provided to students who either have high academic marks or are considered to be in need of financial assistance. In the case of company bursaries, most companies expect the student to accept a position within the company once the student has qualified. In a sense, the student would be working off the bursary. This relieves a lot of pressure from the student, as there is a guarantee of a job after graduation. Now doesn't that sound great, walking out of varsity straight into a career in your field of study?

Receiving a scholarship on the other hand is like hitting the jackpot. A scholarship is different to a bursary in that there is no repayment or work involved with the acceptance of the financial aid. Both, bursaries and scholarships are based on academic or extramural prestige and accomplishment and are provided by all major institutions.

How to apply for a bursary? Applying for a bursary is similar to applying for a student loan or bank loan at a financial institution. You need to have proof of registration, residence, income, bank statements, identity and a surety.

The only difference between processing a bursary and processing a loan is that the bursary will take longer because the academic or sporting achievements of the applicant need to be evaluated and/or the financial needs of the student. Loans look solely at the credit worthiness of the applicant.

Bursary applications can take up to three months to process. The outcome will in most cases, be posted to the applicant to inform them of the outcome of the application. Here's a hint on making the application count in your favour, attach a motivational letter stating your current financial circumstances and your motivation for studying further.

How to search for a bursary? If you have applied at an institution in South Africa and you are accepted then why not make use of their bursary and loans department. They should be able to provide you with information on the institutions that provide student and company bursaries. Talk to them and see if anything matches your criteria.

Another option is to search the internet for bursary and financial aid available in South Africa. Do remember to read and understand the terms and conditions clause for all the options you are interested in, to avoid this being a determining factor later down the line. Banking institutions and other corporate bodies always have brochures that will give you some sort of idea of what to expect and what they offer. If you are unsure about anything, or wish to find out more do not hesitate to give them a call.

SAstudy.co.za is the most comprehensive online database of South Africa's undergraduate courses. It offers Grade 10 - 12's and students all the life skills, financial advice, institution information, course and career opportunities they need to make wise career decisions.

http://EzineArticles.com/6472354

No Essay College Scholarships: Is That Available?

No essay college scholarships? Are those even possible? Well, it depends on where you look, and if you look on the Internet, you'll find that they are possible!

The need for college education is growing, and with it, the tuition fees and other expenses a student will incur. In fact, College Board-the SAT watchdog-released stats on the 2009-2010 private and public education costs. During that school year, annual tuition costs for private schools amounted to $26,273, while public education costs at the high school levels were at $7,020 a year per student.

For the millions of American students who wish to go to college, there's good news: There is approximately $168 billion in student financial aid available to prospective college applicants. Now most of these require students to submit essays in order to qualify, but there are some scholarships that don't give this requirement.

The monthly College Prowler "$2,000 No Essay" college scholarships went live in 2002. It is a website for students who write college reviews from their perspective. College Prowler currently offers a monthly $2,000 scholarship for students, a scholarship that requires simply filling out a form, but no essay is needed. On the College Prowler website, an applicant may click on "$2000 Scholarship" link and be taken to an online form.

College Prowler only permits applicants to enter once a month. At the end of each month, a winner is randomly selected, and is informed on the 15th of the next month if he or she has won the scholarship. High school, college and graduate students are eligible to apply for the no-essay college scholarship including international students who have approved visas. Students must be at least 13 years old in order to apply.

The Discover Scholarship Program's no essay college scholarships is from the same operators of the Discover Card. Each year, the Discover Financial Services offers up to $250,000 in scholarships annually to high school juniors from all over the United States for students who have completed specific application requirements. The financial aid awarded to these students can be used to finance various types of post-secondary education programs.

Some of the requirements a student must present are a 2.75 cumulative grade point average, an excellent record in community service involvement and accomplishments, and most importantly, a section of how he or she hurdled a monumental challenge or setback in life. Students interested in applying for the Discover Financial Scholarship may contact Discover Financial Services at their Corporate Headquarters, or go to the website and click on the "Scholarships" link.

Another college scholarship that does not require an essay-only some creativity-is Stuck at Prom. This is a contest sponsored by Duck duct tape, and requires that only couples (preferably prom dates) apply. The only requirement is for the applying couple to create a complete prom ensemble made completely out of duct tape. The designs must be completely original. The couple must then photograph the prom outfits and submit them along with their application, which may be uploaded on the Duck brand website. Winners are determined by the most votes for a couple. Truly, this is one of the most entertaining no essay college scholarships you'll ever see!

Find out more about Left Handed Scholarships and Social Work Scholarships and many other available sources of funding.

http://EzineArticles.com/6510588

Three Ways to Use Aroma Therapy to Inspire Learning

I have found three ways to easily use aroma therapy in the classroom to inspire learning. Besides melting candles, bringing in live flowers, using potpourri and simmer scents are a great way enhance and inspire learning in the classroom.

1: On each teacher's birthday, I had the habit of bringing in a dozen roses in his or her favorite color to the classroom. This not only brightened the teacher's day, it also encouraged the students achievement. Everyone seemed to work better and get along on those days. Sometimes the teachers would leave the flowers to enjoy in the classroom until the weekend, when they would take them home. Everyday the flowers were there good things happened in the classroom. Some times when moral was low at the school I would get a couple dozen roses and deliver each rose with a smile to random teachers throughout the school, men included. The smile on their faces was well worth the effort.

2: Especially during holiday times, but anytime during the year when we needed a boost I would bring in potpourri and put it in an out of the way place. The students would enter, acknowledge the great smell and work harder. I had to do some research to see which fragrances worked best. However, I was usually alright when using natural scents like cinnamon and pine. There was a holiday feeling in the room which encouraged the students achievement and teachers to work a little harder and happier.

3: When there is room, Simmer Scents is a great way to apply aroma therapy. The fruit is sliced and the spices added to water in a crock pot and left to simmer all day. Each year I would deliver a bag containing one orange, one apple, one lemon, a stick of cinnamon, 10 cloves and a bay leaf to each member of the staff. This included Administration and support staff. This helped me get to match faces with names and to meet some fabulous people. When the administrators and support staff would come through the room I could introduce them to the students. Besides inspiring the students to learn the simmer scent adaptation brought good feelings to all the students and staff.

Adding aroma therapy in these three ways has enhanced learning success in my classrooms. It has also brought the staff together in a happy way. As you know a happy staff makes for happy students and achievement rules.

Thank you for listening,

Sheri McBride
Certified Teacher of Special Education and Elementary Education

Feel free to submit your ideas and comments to http://listenandtutor.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6504800

Gifted Children - Programs Available For Gifted Children

The truth is that many parents in the wide world like to consider their children gifted. However, it is very important to accept the fact that true talent and gift are not necessarily synonyms, where neither of the two cannot be measured in a process which would be hundred percent accurate and reliable. Even countless IQ tests for the youngest cannot define gift with a hundred percent certainty. High IQ does not always prove or show itself in real life, in comparison to what ordinary IQ people might achieve.

Throughout the world, at least in the developed parts of it, societies are trying to identify the gifted ones from the earliest stage and provide programs which will further define their specifics in comparison to other children. Along with this, not every society will define gift in children similarly, which is in direct relation to various societies' cultures and their values. Although gifted children might be acknowledged similarly in various societies, the significance of their future abilities might be even misinterpreted and neglected.

In modern and developed societies, programs for gifted children are versatile, from the early stage of kinder garden to additional programs in schools or even specialized academic curricula which meet their abilities and needs. Most schools will provide programs within existing curriculum with additional time spent after regular lessons, where kids might improve in areas they already showed higher skills or interests than others. It is definitely a necessity to try to spot a gifted child in the environment of others of similar age, so that easy comparison can be made of the child's true gift and ability to advance faster. Most such after school hours will be in the arrangement of attending pre-school or school systems. Saturdays and programs conducted during spring or summer breaks can serve as excellent time for spending more time with gifted children. This time allows them to show their preeminence, boosting their interests with the ability to go further and even finish the school earlier than usually determined.

However, spotting the true talents requires seasoned and dedicated teachers and psychologists, which will be able to recognize some children's supremacy towards others through materials and tests which are similar to all kids in one class. This is probably the easiest way of qualifying for attending additional classes with more complex teaching materials. There are lucky societies which can afford versatile special schools of very specific orientation, which allow gifted children to start developing their skills at a very early stage. On the other hand, the individual approach to each child with a special gift is a necessity, since such kids usually require absolutely different standards and treatment. Simply put, a single size never fits every kid, physically as much as psychologically.

Aside from specialized schools with programs developed for further advance of gifted children, there are areas where kids cannot easily attend even the regular schools. For such cases, societies which care for higher educational needs have developed a variety of distance learning programs, which consist of various topics and allow gifted children to see if they are truly gifted for further education in a specialized school, college or university. Geographical distance does not have to be an issue providing distant education is conceptually thought off, where each child might try teaching materials for higher grades, thus qualifying as gifted for further advanced education.

In developed societies, gifted children might earn possibility to start college or university at much younger age than their peers, which might be a great way of wasting their years with teaching material they can deal with in several months only. The programs of students' exchange are also available for those who prove themselves worthy and eager to develop their gift further. This is one of the most popular ways of learning different languages and cultures, at the same time giving opportunity to accommodate a child from another country the same opportunity. The program of exchanging for gifted children and teenagers is also extraordinary opportunity for parents to travel and see whatever their children are learning, having a great time being either a guest or a host to the family from another side of the world.

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NCLEX - RN: Use The 3-Step "Narrow Down" Technique To Pass The NCLEX Exam

The National Council Licensure Examination or the NCLEX is a test that is administered for the licensing of nurses in America. If you are an aspiring nurse in the United States, you need to pass the NCLEX. A nurse who fails the NCLEX exam cannot practice his profession. This is why it is important for you to know a certain technique that can help you pass the NCLEX exam.

You might be tempted to read a lot of study materials in preparing for the NCLEX exam. This might be because you believe that this will help you in preparing better for the licensure test. The problem here is you are trying to amass a lot of information in such a limited time. This can lead you to overlook other important topics. You can also read just for the sake of reading without properly understanding what you are studying.

Are you starting to feel pressured now? Don't be! You can focus on reading just one or two references to help you prepare for the NCLEX exam. This will be enough if you know a great technique in helping you pass the NCLEX test. Did I get you excited right there? I surely did, right? Well, I am going to share with you something that can increase your chances of passing the NCLEX exam.

The NCLEX exam is usually given using Computer Adaptive Testing or CAT. This puts more weight on how you analyze various scenarios and on critical thinking rather than your knowledge on theories and concepts. So what does this mean? This only means that I can show you how to pass the NCLEX exam using an effective technique!

You must now really be wondering what technique I am pertaining to. Well, let us cut on the chase, shall we? The technique which you can use when you take the NCLEX exam is known as the 3-step "narrow down" technique. Other people would call this the "elimination method" or simply "elimination". Whatever you want to call this technique, it sure is an effective one!

It is understandable for you to feel stressed when taking the NCLEX exam. Fortunately for you, knowing the 3-step "narrow down" technique can help you manage your stressful moments during the test. I can assure you that you will feel more relaxed knowing that you have an effective technique to help you in answering the difficult NCLEX questions.

Here are the 3 basic and most important things on how to master the 3-step "narrow down" technique:

1. Answer first without taking a peek at the choices. If you look at the choices before answering, this can affect the way you use the 3-step narrow down technique. Instead, try answering without looking at the choices. Look at the choices only after you have made a selection. Compare your answer to the given choices of answers. This is a great way to avoid getting confused with closely related choices.

2. Take note of certain cues which can pinpoint the correct choice. If you encounter a question with choices that are radically opposite or ones that pertain to the same thing, watch out! These are cues which you can take advantage of. Choices with the words "always", "never", "all" and "none" are key word indicators. These can help you narrow down your choices by eliminating those with similar or opposite meanings.

3. Check for more than one correct choices. There are times that more than one answer is correct for a particular NCLEX question. Similarly, there are times that none of the answers is correct Look for the choices "all of the above" or "none of the above" to help you resort to this third step.

Remember these 3 important steps of the "narrow down" technique to help you pass the NCLEX exam.

Discover more of the best NCLEX Review Material. Get more information on NCLEX RN test prep resources today.

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ADHD And Refueling

So one day, my son and I were reviewing his day. He was somewhat frustrated because he again had gotten into some trouble. During a class, he said that he had become bored. He changed his lap top settings to show areas of high interest, including the stock market and flight plans. When the teacher discovered that he was not following along with current content being discussed, he was admonished and sent out of the classroom. He told me that it helped him to move to what he liked and that after he did that, he was able to follow along with better focus. How about that? My fourteen year old son who is struggling to understand himself and how he learns...as well as how he can cope with his ADHD impairments...has figured out the concept of re-fueling! I had read something about this sometime after this happened! Of course I knew that kids with ADHD can certainly hyperfocus on areas of interest. But the fact that it actually gives them the power to better focus on an area that might not be of high interest (at least for a little while), was quite something.

Here is an area where positive reinforcement for our children with ADHD could be used in the classroom. Of course it is understandable that teachers are focused on curriculum. Whether a child's interests are discovered by lap top settings or by inquiry, wouldn't it be great if they and all children could be provided a way to incorporate those interests into requirements of the classroom. Literature talks about the need for positive reinforcement, the need for positive relationships in the child's day, and increased self-esteem. Yes, they need to know that there is work needed that they may not always like or may have difficulty in doing well. But it seems that if their teachers have acknowledged their interests and are willing to support them in some way, then perhaps it is a positive situation: a contribution to a very shaky self-esteem and a building of relationships that promote hard work. The reward, again talked about in the literature as being very important, is a healthy self-esteem.

This leads me to the topic of self-advocacy. Parents and teachers certainly need to teach this since it will be absolutely necessary to know how to self-advocate throughout their lives. We parents who support our children with ADHD need to realize that there will come a time that they need to speak for themselves. Certainly self-advocacy can grow with given opportunities like more flexibility in the classroom.

Karen K Lowry, R.N.,M.S.N.
Parent2Parent Family Trainer for CHADD, Children and Adults with ADHD
Author of book, The Seventh Inning Sit: A Journey of ADHD
ADHD Coach for Teens and College Students

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Building Upon The Basics Of Introduction To Business

What students most frequently recall about an Introduction to Business class is the abundance of information they received, on many levels in the profession. Many business owners say that some of the things they learned helped them on the path to the success they attained in their careers. Many have used the skills they acquired to branch out into their own ventures.

The number of areas covered in an Introduction to Business course is what moved many people to choose a career in business. In the class, they learned accounting, bookkeeping, administrative duties, and much more. For prominent head secretaries working for large companies, the skills they learned in the business course helped them climb the ladder of success.

Besides the subjects mentioned above, those who went to school before the advent of computers, learned to type, mastered shorthand, and perfected the art of constructing the business letter. Today, Introduction to Business has replaced shorthand and letter writing with classes focused on computer technology. All businesses are digital now, and learning even the basic computer skills is a huge advantage. Some students have gone on to become computer programmers, while others work in the help desk departments of large businesses.

In an Introduction to Business, students also learn how to budget, manage, and distribute funds. They also learn about supply and demand. They learn techniques in how to attract repeat business from customers. Good business ethics is also a valuable lesson taught in the class.

Once students learn the workings of business from the very top to the very bottom, they will discover there are many different departments within one business that work together to keep it running smoothly. Students may decide to continue on to specialized areas of business, whether in management, finances, human resources, and many more.

All of the skills taught in the class prepare students for many different career choices. It is also a great way to jump-start a student's desire to one day own and run his or her own business. Those students who excel in math may pursue accounting positions or budget management careers. Other students who do extremely well in English can choose careers in advertising or writing copy, product descriptions, or company newsletters.

As with any other area in today's world, technology is the key. Running an entire network of computers for small and big businesses alike is a job custom made for those who want to stay on the cutting edge of new computer technology. Others may find that repairing and fixing computer problems is something they feel they were born to do. Every business has at least one computer, while others have hundreds, and the need for good computer tech people will always be around.

Introduction to Business may be the first taste students receive on the way a company runs and what is involved in the process. They may realize for the first time how many people are involved in running a company and that the choices for careers is this field are endless. Students are able to earn their university degrees though a variety of business school programs.

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Educational Toys and Childhood Development

Almost all toys can be described as educational, each offering a physical, sensory or creative aspect from which the child can learn and develop. There are, of course, educational toys out there which have been specially created to help nurture childhood development, designed to support a specific development such as co-ordination or identification.

But why are toys such an important part of childhood development? No child is born understanding the world they're brought in to, so from day one they have to learn what things are and how they work. This makes it important to let children play and explore with everything to help build their knowledge and understanding.

There are a range of educational toys all designed to help with the development of various vital learning skills. For example, infants particularly need sensory products which allow them to experience different textures and noises. These sorts of stimulating educational toys are great for infants to begin to understand how things fit into the world. For example, you will probably notice how babies love to drop and pick up; this is them beginning to understand gravity. Toys such as rattles allow them to find a connection between an action (shaking) and an outcome (noise), with push-pull toys again teaching them that they are initiators.

Toddlers can then build on these foundations, and play with educational toys which help them to imitate more adult skills. Much more physical at this age, toddlers enjoy educational toys which involve co-ordination and experimentation, with it important to encourage understanding of the toys and activity they are taking part in. Allowing toddlers to express themselves, either through arts and crafts or dressing-up, enables them to be creative, and important tool to allow them to independently make choices.

For pre-school and early primary school ages, the encouragement of turn-taking is important, so games should be introduced to allow the understanding of 'fair play' to develop. Much more social at this stage, pre-school children can use educational toys and games to help initiate social interaction, and can also allow parents to really introduce the importance of good and bad behaviour. They are also still building on their understanding of adult skills and knowledge, and enjoy identifying objects from the world around them. Animal and transport toys in particular are favourites amongst this age group, as they help to satisfy the child's curiosity.

Educational toys are important as they allow children to learn as they are having fun. Even as adults, we all know the importance of fun to help encourage interest, and for children nothing is more important than getting them to engage in learning and development. The development of skills such as imagination and creativity are just as important as skills such as fairness and knowing right-from-wrong, so providing children with a wide array of educational toys is essential.

With childhood development taking place from the day they are born, children need toys from day one to ensure they are stimulated and encouraged to learn the next set of skills. All of this helps to make sure that come school-time they are equipped with the basic skills to support their understanding of lesson-based subjects.

Willis Toys was established in 1973 as a manufacturer of quality wooden educational toys. From our offices in Widdington in Essex, we strive to supply schools, shops, kindergartens and institutions with products that satisfy their needs for good quality toys and games with great educational value.

Visit our website at the link above to see our full range of educational toys and puzzles.

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Parents participation in the Classroom

While the teacher training course of early childhood education a childcare professional correctly focuses on the wellbeing and education of young children, over and over again too little attention is paid to the role of parents and family members--both as active participants and as part of the daily curriculum--in the early childhood education classes. After all, frequently the very cause that kids are being cared for outside the residence is because parents are at work (and therefore busy) or desire an outside social and learning experience for their children. However, it is serious to remember that parents are the "experts" on their own children and their company, personally and through every day play and projects, should be viewed as a significant part of a child's achievement. It is very important that families take a vital role, and this can be encouraged by the approach of the childcare expert and the syllabus used in the classroom. Form a family-friendly atmosphere! Simple additions like additional coat hooks and chairs, a message board, or a extraordinary area for family members to settle in and play with or read to a child offer obvious signs of greet. Let parents make out that their being there is likely and esteemed by showing them where books, craft items and toys are stored so they can take part spontaneously. Communicate! Newsletters, emails, weekly notes, parent-teacher conference, and every day conversation will keep parents connected to the classroom and the development of their children. Teachers and parentsshould try at all times to stay linked with one another, sharing any concerns or celebrate any success the children practice.Invite family members straight into the classroom to share hobbies, cultural traditions, unique recipes, family pets, etc. This is not only a magnificent opportunity for the little child to see and take pride in her own family, and a great learning experience for the other children in your care, but it also tells families that their exclusive stories are cherished and valued in the classroom. Establish volunteer and social opportunities for families who have stiff work hours: after-work pot-lucks, craft preparation (which might include cutting or assembling), farming, painting, fundraising, etc. Be imaginative and flexible. Don't assume that a parent who is always in a hurry or barely makes it in on time for pickup is not involved in your program. Offer him a opportunity to help or socialize outside of business hours.During the day you can also bring a child's attention to her family and her place within it by the debate and projects that you take on in the classroom.Here are just of few of countless ways you can get started:Help children make a family tree. For very young children, this "tree" might merely be naming everybody in their immediate households and the others who are exceptional to them--including pets, imaginary friends, and toys!A preschooler might enjoy the challenge of exploring another generation or two and including aunts, uncles, and cousins. Keep the tree simple and uncluttered and refer back to it regularly as a source of discussion. Update the trees with the births of siblings and cousins as the children share family news.Using a small box or container covered in attractive paper, help every child craft a photo box with images of his home and family. This "family box" can beused to assist calm a child in need of console or as a tool to begin discussions precise to the child's home wellbeing.Read good books! There are lots of, many excellent children's books that affirm the diversity of today's families. Recognize when choosing readingmaterial that not every child may live in a traditional household, and make sure that your library reflect this. Choose books that symbolize a range of family types, including children living with grandparents or sole heads of household, interracial families, foster families, etc. Be responsive to family
variety with any classroom project you undertake, but know that books give you a unique opportunity to legitimize and support all families.
Helping the children in your program acknowledge and rejoice differences and
similarities among families will assist them create self-worth, confidence, and healthy self-identity. So take the time to get to know your families. It will be a magnificent learning experience for everybody!

Would you like to learn more about
corporate training? John Cruser from Prism Technologies is helping people to achieve with Corporate training. Soft skills Trainingfrom Prism Training.

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