School Names

With The Deck Of Casino Cards To The School Blackboard. Part One.

Traditional thinking always associates deck of cards with sin. Even if there is no official ban on gambling and deck of cards is considered to be a sin. This is the opinion not only of the strict moralists like religious personages. However, regardless the common opinion, deck of cards played an important role in culture and first of all in Education. Lets look at the facts.

The deck of cards have been used for educational purposes virtually from the moment of their occurrence in Europe. The cards were used at the lessons of history and geography, logic and law, Latin and grammar, astronomy, mathematics and arts, heraldry and military tactics. These are classical examples of the so-called secondary target usage of cards carefully researched by specialists.

In 1507 Franciscan monk, bachelor of theology in Krakow, Thomas Murner published a book “Chartiludium logicae”, consisting of training cards used by the monk to teach Logic. Murner was so successful in Didactics, that he was even accused of witchcraft hardly avoid to be at stake. But his defence presented at the court the evidence of harmlessness of the methods applied by the Franciscan. They also proved that these methods were based on the well-known in the Middle Ages mnemonic techniques – memorizing with the help of the pictures and as the modern educators would call them “reference signals”.

Much earlier Murner applied the same principle to teaching the Code of Justinian. In 1502 he wrote to Geiler von Kaisersberg that his contribution to the teaching of the code was the most significant. In the other letter to the Strasbourg lawyer, Thomas Wolf, he says: “I confess, that for Kaisersberg constitution, as far as my weak abilities permit, I issued a card game as a commentary and in this way I have managed to facilitate memorizing the text of Code of Justinian using the visual images… In my intention to implant the love of reading I aspired to replace boring and stupid game by the fascinating and exciting one and I would be more than happy if I succeeded in substituting the bad with the good”.

Probably the methodology invented by Murner seemed very efficient to he European teachers if they willingly applied it to educate the monarchs, for example Louis XIV. It is known that the arch bishop of Paris Jardin de Perete, who was teaching the dauphin, used training cards; the engravings for them were done by the greatest engraver ever – Stefano della Bella. When Louis XIV was six years old he had four decks of cards: “kings of France”, “Famous Kingdoms”, “Geography” and “Metamorphoses”. The future The Sun King (in French Le Roi Soleil) in his early childhood learnt who was Karl the Great, the countries of the world and what fairy tales Lucius Apuleius and Publius Ovidius wrote. He learnt it and memorized it only due to the deck of cards.

If to consider thoroughly the educational function of the cards, we cannot do that without Japanese and Chinese cards back in XIth century. By that time there was formed a definite type of cards which is a predecessor of XVIII-XIX century cards. The image on the face side comprises two parts: on the top there is a “cherry picking” from some play; in the bottom there is a picture of the respective scene from the play. Toasts were also written on the cards: “give two glasses to the scholarly guest” or “let people sitting close to each other drink for one another’s health” or “treat the man with a just born son with the biggest glass of wine”.

Many people are aware that a person who has studied in a culinary school can be called an expert in the field of meal preparation. But how easy is it to enter a culinary school, especially for those aspiring to become the best cooks in their fields?

A culinary school offers several programs and disciplines so before applying, you should have already decided on the specialty or the area that you are interested to focus on.

Future cooks can choose from a two-year associate degree program, a bachelors degree program or from a variety of certificate or diploma programs.

A person who wants to be educated in the area of culinary arts but who cannot decide on a specialty can opt for an associate degree program since it involves the basics of culinary arts like proper nutrition, food presentation, kitchen procedures and the basic knife skills. Most schools offering an associate degree programs in culinary arts require their students to do undergo an internship program before they are allowed to graduate. A culinary arts associate degree holder can find work in hotels and restaurants and in private catering companies particularly in the areas of food production and management of the kitchen. The associate degree course can be credited when the person with an associate degree decides to pursue a four-year course.

Interested students can also choose an associate degree in restaurant and hospitality management where they will have hands-on training on the industrys business aspects, pastry and baking or professional catering where they will learn the intricacies of food preparation and the business aspects of establishing their own catering businesses.

The Bachelors degree program focuses more on providing management skills as well as culinary arts courses to the students. Some institutions require students who take up the Bachelors degree to also take up business management to prepare them for managerial positions in the industry. Among the programs offered under the Bachelors degree include management programs for food and beverage, pastry and baking, culinary as well as for hospitality establishments.

Those who want to take up short term courses can choose from the certificate and diploma programs in the areas of pastry and baking, cooking, managing a restaurant and culinary arts. These programs can be easily completed in several weeks and is ideal for those who are already gainfully employed but who lack formal training.

If you enjoy cooking and other people also enjoy what you cook for them, then you may just have the potential of becoming a good cook or baker or perhaps, the owner of a restaurant someday. Learn the basics of culinary arts and restaurant management by enrolling in culinary schools. Who knows, this may be the beginning of a good business venture or a lifelong hobby.

Thousands of independent non profit schools are governed by Boards of Directors made up primarily of parents. These volunteers agree to take responsibility for school finances, fundraising, planning, budgeting, and oversight of the school principal or director. With little or no training, private school Boards tackle projects involving finance, real estate, leasing, contracts, insurance, and liability. In some cases these Boards accomplish great things by working together with school staff and parents to build a community of support for the children in their care. However, often times, private school Boards fail to support their institutions and lead them into crises or decline. Board members are rarely given the training they need to approach their jobs effectively.

One of the most important ideas for Board members to understand is the challenge of being both and owner and a customer in the same organization. In most of our day to day life we are either owner or customer. As owners of a business we strive to make decisions that will benefit us long term. We seek to satisfy all of our customers, even those whose needs differ widely from others. We don’t make business policies to please one particular customer or another. Instead we try to create policy that meets the organizations goal, supports its mission and supports the greatest number of customers.

The customer’s needs on the other hand, are primarily short term and personal. Customers simply want to find the product or service they desire at the best price. They don’t concern themselves too much with the needs of others, long term organizational goals or the needs of other customers. Customers seek out products or services from a variety of sources with little concern about the long term needs of the supplier.

One of the common pitfalls of the parent-run school Board is the belief among Boar members that their job is to represent their fellow customers. We hear slogans like “the customer is always right” and Board members believe that as parents, they are appointed or elected to represent the customer interests of all their friends and acquaintances. The truth is that to do their job well they must take off their customer hat when they enter the Board room. The Board and its committees must always be wearing their ownership hats when doing the Board’s work. This doesn’t mean that the school’s customers have no where to go for service and redress. In a well run school they get their customer service from the the staff, the teachers and and administrators. This is no different than in a for-profit business. Imagine you are at a fast food restaurant and you get a cold cup of coffee. You don’t go to the corporate Board of Directors for a new cup. You speak to the person behind the counter.

In a non profit school, the members of the Board are the ownership. They are elected or appointed to represent the ownership interests of the school’s stake holders. They guide and maneuver the institution within the greater marketplace. They set prices, policies and planning goals for all of the school’s stake holders including staff and parents. If they sit at the Board table wearing their customer hats they will create an institution that meets their personal and short term needs and will leave the school unable to meet the needs of all its customers for the long term. Only by thinking as owners, and taking into account the needs of all the school’s stake holders (both parents and staff), can the Board guide and nurture the institution that they love. This is not an easy task, and getting agreement from all Board members to take off their customer hats when making policy is not always attainable. However, it is critical if the Board hopes to get beyond the short term cost cutting that so often hinders the stability of non profit institutions.

The toughest part of thinking like an owner comes when the Board is confronted by customers who pressure the Board to make customer-friendly policies like the lowest possible tuition rates. Low-cost tuition is often associated with low teacher salaries and benefits since labor at a non profit school is regularly 70 to 80% of the total budget. Lower tuition through low teacher wages keeps the customers happy but degrades trust between the Board and staff and leads to higher teacher turnover which negatively effects programs. The trick to having meaningful discussions with parents from an ownership perspective is to educate them about the importance of leaving their customer hats at the door when school policy is discussed. The Board must make it clear to all stake holders that in the Boardroom the ownership perspective rules. Once this is understood the tough decisions about improving programs and budgeting for longevity and stability can be addressed with a common sense of purpose.

Going to school is all about learning the facts. Its also about gaining knowledge on how to interpret these facts and form opinions based on them. While many students excel academically, there are an equal amount of those who do not. And the number of minority and low-income students in the San Diego Public Schools who dont succeed is way too high.

Its important to not only identify the students who are struggling, but to get them the help they need to succeed in school without feeling discouraged or stupid. Students attending San Diego Schools are among the millions of students throughout the nation who can take advantage of free services to help them catch up in school. While each individual school district offers a variety of programs to get students back on track when they need the extra help, can these programs alone meet the need?

Free Programs at San Diego Schools

San Diego Schools offer two interesting programs; tutor provider fairs, and live, on-line homework help. The homework help for students attending San Diego Schools is provided in conjunction with the San Diego Public Library, the City of San Diego, and http:tutor.com. Parents of students attending Program Improvement schools in San Diego Schools have been invited to attend one of seven tutoring provider fairs scheduled in July and August. This is key, because reaching out to parents of struggling students is often the answer.

The service provider fairs give San Diego Schools parents the opportunity to meet and speak with the tutoring providers and choose the one that best fits their students needs.

Schools That Need Help

In many cases, entire San Diego Schools are the case in need. The federal No Child Left Behind Act provides options to parents of San Diego Schools students attending campuses that have been categorized as Program Improvement for a minimum of one school year. Under the act, schools in program improvement for 2 years more must offer these San Diego Schools students supplemental educational services, which include free tutoring. San Diego Schools parents of students in affected schools received a booklet by mail detailing the program. More than 30 education providers are expected to attend. These programs are approved by the California Department of Education.

Live Homework Help is a free, live, one-to-one online tutoring service connecting students in San Diego Schools to qualified tutors from any Internet-enabled computer. English and Spanish-speaking tutors are available. San Diego Schools students, parents and teachers can connect to online tutors — seven days a week any time between 1:00 – 10:00 pm. Students can use Live Homework Help whenever they need assistance. Currently, the service is only accessible on computers running Microsoft Windows. Work is underway to provide the service across other computer platforms, as well as within San Diego Schools themselves. Of course, that asks the question- do low-income students have access to computers?

To use Live Homework Help and connect with a live online tutor, a San Diego Schools student needs either a valid San Diego Public Library card number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) or a San Diego Public Library Access Card.

Gail was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. Since this person didnt think of working after finishing from high school and become a homemaker instead, college was never a priority for this person.

The one talent this woman was cooking. The skill of cooking some exotic dishes was passed on from one generation to the next and since Gail wanted to know more about it, this person checked around to see if thee was a school that specialized in the culinary arts. The institution found was called Middlesex County Vocational School.

The Middlesex Country Vocational and Technical School is a network of public institutions scattered all around New Jersey. It is made of four campuses that are there to cater secondary school students, adults and people who have special needs.

Founded in the year 2000, it serves more than 140 students of different cultures. Parents and people who find it too far to see the campus in East Brunswick can try the others at Perth Amboy, Piscataway or Woodbridge.

The admissions officer explained the culinary arts would take more than a year to finish. Since the husband was very supportive, there was no problem in getting some money to pay for the tuition.

Since the couple lived nearby the cost of living was not that high compared to those who decided to live with a family or rent a place until the program was finished.

There were an equal number of men and women who were studying in the vocational school. This is because the courses offered were beneficial for both genders such as about business management, architecture, basic repairs, sales and distribution.

People who want to know more then should check out the schools website or visit the campus personally to see if this is conducive for learning.

A year later, Gail graduated and put up a small caf in Trenton. This entrepreneur made some of the dishes personally while the staff took care of the rest. As a way to give back to the community, this individual took interns from the vocational school to work in the establishment.

Gails determination to succeed just shows that everyone can be successful with a little knowledge from a vocational school. The person may not have the same passion for the culinary arts but may be interested in another field. It is advisable to find an ideal program first then enroll in it regardless if this is in Middlesex County or another institution that is closer to home.

What is Student Loan Consolidation?

Consolidation Loans combine several student or parent loans into one bigger loan from a single lender, which is then used to pay off the balances on the other loans. It is very similar to refinancing a mortgage. Consolidation loans are available for most federal loans…including FFELP (Stafford, PLUS and SLS), FISL, Perkins, Health Professional Student Loans, NSL, HEAL, Guaranteed Student Loans and Direct loans. Some lenders offer private consolidation loans for private education loans as well. School Loan consolidation is among the most important and advantageous financial decisions recent graduates and former students can make.
Why Do Most Students Consolidate Their School Loans?
- To lower monthly payment amounts by up to 45%
- To give them an opportunity to build their credit rating
- To make only one student loan payment each month

The Info on School Loan Consolidation Discounts.

Why Lenders Offer Loan Discounts.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 sets the maximum interest rates and fees on student loans. This helps protect loan gouging by student loan lenders, making access to student loans relatively easy for those who are in need of financial aid. Nothing, however, prevents a lender from charging lower interest rates and fees. (The illegal inducements regulations prevent lenders from providing immediate rebates, which would be similar to paying borrowers for their loans. However, most lenders work around these restrictions by instituting a one month delay in rebate discounts, or by providing the discounts when the loan enters repayment)
Lenders offer loan discounts for competitive reasons. Originally the competition was with the Direct Loan program. However, with the repeal of the single holder rule, lenders are increasingly competing with each other for the highly profitable student loan market. If you currently have multiple student loans, you should get the proper information regarding consolidation of those loans.

Visit SchoolLoanInfo.com for more information on http://www.schoolloaninfo.com

One of the biggest problems across our nation is large classrooms and too many students falling behind in their education. There are too few teachers for individualized instruction, and generally those parents of children who fall behind cannot afford private tutoring. They personally cannot tutor their own children, in most cases, because they either lack sufficient education themselves or are too busy sometimes working two and three jobs to support their family.

In the fall of 2005, the Chicago schools got the help they needed in this area from the United Stated Department of Education that now underwrites the new Chicago schools A.I.M. High! program. (A.I.M. means Advancing Individual Mastery.) The program gives supplemental tutoring services after-school to low-performing students, who attend Chicago schools that have not met adequate yearly progress for three consecutive years under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

The tutoring is held in the childs school at no cost, covering Chicago schools students in grades one through twelve. There are a maximum of 15 students for each tutoring class, and a maximum of 20 weeks of instruction per student, including 60 to 80 hours in reading and math. Tutoring teachers receive professional development and are both highly qualified and certified. Tutors are familiar with each students particular needs, using an individualized tutoring plan that specifies achievement objectives for each student with timetables. Nationally recognized instructional tutoring materials are used by these Chicago schools tutors. Children with special needs receive special accommodations.

According to Chicago schools Superintendent Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings cut through the red tape and bureaucracy to make the tutoring program happen. Duncan expressed his appreciation to Spellings at a special ceremony in 2005, which was attended by the Secretary, Mayor Richard Daley, Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Mike Enzi, Congressman Danny David, Congressman Bobby Rush, and other city and Chicago schools officials.

Though such assistance was promised by NCLB, this extra assistance from Spellings for the Chicago schools means a win-win situation for the schools, the educators, the community, the parents, and especially for the Chicago schools students. Spellings noted that A.I.M. High! will make a huge difference for Chicago schools students in their futures meaning there may be an opportunity to continue on to college and knowing that they will be prepared to enter the workforce with sufficient skills to be successful.

Both the Chicago schools and Spellings see this as a new opportunity for the U.S. Department of Education and school districts across the nation to work together to help students succeed in life. It is definitely a win-win situation for all concerned.

The Mayors College Fair Provides Tuition Assistance For Washington D.C. Schools

The Mayors College Fair

The Mayors College Fair brings together a variety of programs available for the Washington D.C. schools and their students preparing for college tuition costs. This event takes place on September 15, 2006 and provides information about a variety of college tuition assistantship programs. Students in the Washington D.C. schools are encouraged to attend the Mayors College Fair in order to learn more about the special programs open to them as Washington D.C. students.

The Mayors College Fair is being held for the first time this year as part of the Washington D.C. schools effort to coordinate the various assistantships available to graduating seniors as well as provide a public forum for discussing and disseminating this information. Hopefully, this will become an annual event at the beginning of each school year as a new class of seniors looks forward to the joys and burdens of financing a college education. This meeting will hopefully provide a structure for students in Washington D.C. schools seeking guidance about financial aid programs and packages available for Washington D.C. students.

The D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program

One program that has promised great potential in aiding Washington D.C. school graduates pay for college is the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAGP). This program has been going on since 2000 and provided over 100 million towards the education costs of DC residents attending college. This program covers the difference between instate and out of state tuition, up to 10,000 per year for qualified applicants. The grant can be extended over six years at any public college or university nationwide. In addition, there are limited funds available for students attending private colleges in the Washington D.C. area as well as two year community colleges nationwide.

The D.C. Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program

The D.C. Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program (DCLEAP) provides 1500 annually to those Washington D.C. school residents who show financial need. This award can be used at any accredited university nationwide. These funds are intended to be used to fill the gaps in a students financial aid package and cover many of the costs other than tuition that many students face when paying for books, housing, etc. This program is designed to help Washington D.C. school residents to find the extra help that they need to make ends meet while in college.

The D.C. Adoption Scholarship Program

The DC Adoption Scholarship (DCAS) provides up to 10,000 a year for post-high school education and training of District of Columbia children who were adopted through DCs Child and Family Services Agency, andor children who lost one or both parents in the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. These funds are meant to help lower the financial burden to those who lost their parents due to the terrorist attacks and now must take the burden of paying for college on themselves. The grants are targeted toward those members of the community most affected by the attacks as well as keeping community awareness high about the continued impact that the attacks have had on the United States.

The Connection between the New Insecurity in Middle Management and Complaints of School Performance

There are impediments to the maximization of organizational effectiveness strewn throughout your company. We often focus on lower personnel, blaming the schools for lower standards and youth in general for a lack of seriousness. As business owners or those charged with overall management of the organization, these are easy targets. You generally have little contact with these individuals, most of your knowledge of them comes from your management team. And of course, your management team is a pretty good one, they recognize how wonderful you are and always have your interest and the interest of the company foremost in their minds. Additionally, youre well aware of their Herculean efforts and the wonderful ideas they generate to improve the bottom line.

But what if these are exactly the people causing the stagnation in growth and overall negative environment youve seen develop? New eyes should generate a wealth of new ideas. When that doesnt occur, especially in those with backgrounds that indicate otherwise, you may have to initiate plans to stimulate creativity. And you have to open your mind to the possibility that the wonderful management team around you may be the source of the poor performance in new employees. They are the pipeline between you and your new people. Is this line clear and efficient or is it a clogged artery interfering with the health of the organization.

There are many reasons those with authority over the pipeline want to maintain the status quo. Insecure or overly ambitious individuals may feel threatened by a new person who generates a wealth of ideas. In some cases, they may present the ideas as their own. Nothing interferes with the creativity of an employee like the knowledge that their superiors take credit for their efforts. Nothing switches off the creative elements in the brain like this type of betrayal.

Perhaps new employees are not receiving the training necessary for success in their positions. Its common knowledge that new employees are expected to hit the ground running in many cases. But regardless of technical expertise, entering a new position always requires training in the way things are done in that particular company. Those same insecure or overly ambitious managers mentioned in the previous paragraph sometimes remain indispensable by hoarding the knowledge others need to succeed. And of course, you dont have to be an insecure person by nature to realize that middle management has become dispensable in these times of downsizing.

How do you find out if your organization is afflicted with these maladies? The managers relying on these methods arent going to expose themselves. And its often not a good idea to allow employees to evaluate their managers. This can lead to an increase in what is probably already a hostile environment. Besides, such evaluations are often viewed with skepticism, discarded as just an opportunity for disgruntled employees to take revenge on those trying to whip them into shape.

A better idea, and one that gets lip service but little else in organizations, is to make the management team responsible for the performance of their people. You could schedule regular meetings with your managers, where the positive contributions of their employees are the focus. Ask each manager to cite new ideas generated by those they supervise. Reward those managers who are adept at stimulating the creative processes in their people. Make sure a manager receives almost as much credit for an idea that originated beneath them as they do for those they create themselves.

And dont neglect training. Ask for details on the training provided to those who arent performing up to standards. Let your management team know that as the gap between their knowledge and that of their employees decreases, their esteem within the organization increases. Whatever you reward, youll receive. Reward management for the performance of new employees, and youll see that maybe the schools arent pumping out defective product after all.

Billy loved everything about cars. This person loved the roar of the engine to the little parts that made the vehicle run. Since there were not were not any universities or colleges that specialized in automobiles, the only one that could offer this was the vocational school in Camden County where this individual resided in.

Camden County Vocational School has over a thousand students currently enrolled every year. Though majority of those studying are men, it offers courses for women who want to learn and get a better job.

Most vocational schools require the student to request for a brochure online. Billy filled up the application form, left the telephone number and address so that a representative from campus can call and a brochure can be sent.

A few days later, the brochure arrived. There were two programs being offered that could teach Billy to become a better mechanic. The first was automotive body repair while the second was automotive technician.

Billy believed a skilled mechanic should know everything inside and outside of the automobile. Given that this person wasnt doing anything, this person decided to enroll in both to be able to get certification.

Normally, vocational courses may take from one to two years. Billy was a smart guy and didnt have any problems with getting a full load. Because of this persons hard work and dedication, the two were finished in less than 18 months making the student graduate ahead of the rest in the class.

After graduation, this individual applied for work at the local body shop. Given that this individual did an internship while in school and had two degrees, Billy was able to ask for a salary higher than the minimum wage.

The money earned was then invested in buying parts for the roadster that was being assembled by hand in the garage.

Camden County Vocational School also has other courses for prospective students. It offers cosmetology, computer maintenance, carpentry, graphic designer, machine assistant and a lot more.

The courses offered by this school are accredited by an agency under the Department of Education. This means graduates can be sure the certificate earned can go a long way in moving up the corporate ladder.

It is never too late to learn something new. Those who want to go back to school and perhaps make more cash should ask for a brochure and obtain more information.