Math is an important skill in life. Are you looking for a way to improve and learn math skills? Would you like to improve your grades in school, particularly in math? If so, you’ve come to the right place!  

Read through the strategies below and pick two or three you’re not doing and implement them into your studies.  By doing this, you will learn math skills as well as increase your knowledge and study in such an important area…MATH.

IMPORTANT SKILLS-You will need to know the following skills in order to further your understanding of mathematics and learn math skills.  The level of understanding will vary based on your grade level.

1. Know the related addition or subtraction math facts required for your grade level.

2. Know the related multiplication or division math facts required for your grade level.

3. Learn the meaning of addition and subtraction and how they are related.

4. Learn the meaning of multiplication and division and how they are related.

5. Identify patterns in numbers and symbols to further understand concepts.

6. Practice estimating numbers in the following place values: Tens, Hundreds, Thousands, Hundred Thousands, Millions, and Billions

ASSIGNMENT TIPS- Practice these skills when managing your assignments at home or school.

7. Always complete your daily assignments and be willing to do more assignments.

8. Create a daily assignment notebook.

9. Start a journal or project book of math activities.

10. Make sure you take daily work home each night.

11. Be careful and work slow on assignments.

12. Take part in math enrichment activities.

13. Be sure to check assignments/tests for errors before you hand them in

STUDY HABITS- Get in the routine of doing these activities to strengthen and learn math skills.

14. Review concepts taught in class every night, regardless of whether or not an assignment has been issued.

15. Prepare for tests or develop math puzzles for review.

16. Participate in review opportunities, before test, regardless of when they are held for example during: recess, lunch, before school and after school.

17. Review the most important definitions of math vocabulary.

TEACHING OTHERS AND CLARIFYING SKILLS- In order to retain information at the highest level you must teach those skills to others.  It is also important to develop a deep understanding of the concepts.

18. Make sure to ask questions when you have troubles understanding information.

19. Provide tutoring for a friend or younger student.

20. Create math problems to challenge friends or family

PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES- Use any of the following strategies to solve problems.

21. Draw a diagram.

22. Make a model and act out a problem.

23. Use trial and error then test the result.

24. Work the problem backward.

25. Look for a pattern.

26. Create a table.

By implementing these tips you will enable yourself to better learn math skills to improve your grades in school!

One nice way to organize your children or grandchildren for college financially is to buy into a 529 college savings plan. There are two basic sorts and every one has its benefits – dependent on your wants – plus theirs. Here are some details about the 529 college savings plan that might show you why it may be the choice you wish to contemplate for your future college student.

Two Types of 529 Plans Offered

529 college savings plans, that are simply managed mutual funds, are obtainable in two other forms in most states. All colleges may not have their own arrange but several of them do. Each 529 plan however, will be either a prepaid college plan or a college savings plan.

A prepaid college set up gives you the advantage of locking in the cost of tuition for the year of purchase. It does this by permitting you to purchase segments of tuition at the modern rate. These plans purely cowl tuition and different fees, but you mostly can buy area plus board separately. The quantity that may be contributed can be restricted according to the age of the beneficiary, and state residency is mostly required. Prepaid savings plans have a plus because they are already guaranteed by the state. There is usually a restricted time during the year when you can enroll in the plan.

The alternative shape of 529 arrange is the college savings plan. Here do not lock in the cost of tuition, plus can not be guaranteed by the state. The funds in a very 529 college savings set up are available for each one college expenses, and you don’t need to be a resident in that state to be eligible. More than $200000 can be place into this plan, plus enrollment is open to any time of year.

529 Plans Are On the market in Every one States

Each one states have a few form of 529 plans, and therefore will Washington, DC. This makes it very convenient to get one after you are ready. It’s to your advantage to search at purchasing one in the state where the young person is most likely to move to school.

Each state may create a few aspects of the plan peculiar to which state. This means you may have to get out what the differences are prior to you buy into a 529 plan. The majority of states do not have an age limit prior to that the cash need to be used.

Things To Watch for In A 529 Plan

After you appear at the assorted section 529 plans available, it’s critical that you compare the fees. Some plans have fees (brokerage and maintenance) which may really leave you with fewer at the finish of the year than when the year started – due to higher interest rates. Plans which are offered by brokers are frequently a little higher than state offered plans.

Finally, it is a better plan to keep the 529 college savings plan during the name of the set up creator rather than the student. This manner, the money in the plan will not prevent the coed from getting different monetary aid for which he or she may be eligible.

Paying for four-years of college isn’t any simple task. college costs have escalated in leaps plus bounds from year to year! Taking advantage of collegeamerica 529 is a smart plan for a range of reasons — including tax benefits. The fewer money one needs to take out in student loans the better, as loans have to be repaid.

Oftentimes specialized labor utilized by government or courts of law is a pretty recession-proof career path.  Though many industries are failing right now in today’s economy and lots of people are struggling to find work, there are many industries that are growing at an above average rate. A court reporter career fits both of these categories to a tea. To choose a court reporter career is a decision that will earn you a very specialized skill that sets you quite a bit apart from others in the job market. 

Court reporter job description profiles can vary. Court reporters are responsible for transcribing court proceedings verbatim for public record, so their job is extremely important.  Not even the fastest typist on earth could transcribe court proceedings accurately enough to obtain a court reporter career; as court reporters are often expected to transcribe well over 200 words per minute.  To do this, special technological methods are used that only specialized training can teach, making a court reporting career full of location options and oftentimes a very lucrative career.  Here are three different technologies used in court reporter careers that accredited schools train.

Court Reporting by Stenotype

Stenographic court reporting takes advantage of a special stenotype machine that looks kind of like a lap top computer.  Stenotype machines contain keys that represent a group of letters that formulate phonetic sounds common in speech, and match them against a dictionary of words that allows them to transcribe words when combinations of phonetics are pressed simultaneously. Those interested in a court reporter career must learn how to maintain their phonetic dictionary, add new words to it when necessary and how to type quickly enough after becoming familiar with the keypad’s special phonetic layout. This type of technology is also used in television closed captioning.

Court Reporting by Voice Writing

Another court reporting method utilizes different scopes of technology related to voice recognition software.  A microphone built in to a device that looks like an oxygen mask on an airplane is used to dictate speech into a computer.  The computer uses voice recognition software to translate the dictation.  Those interested in a court reporter career must learn the ins and outs of the software and take adequate notes regarding the names of who is speaking in order to later edit a verbatim transcript.

Court reporter training will usually teach both of these techniques, including principles of audio recording, as most court reporters use microphones to record the meetings or hearings they transcribe as a failsafe or additional means of obtaining an accurate transcription.  There are over 60 different accredited court reporter career schools that offer classes in person or online to teach the specialized skills needed for a court reporter career.  According to the US department of Labor statistics, those pursuing a court reporter career can expect to make between 35 and 64 thousand dollars per year, with the median salary being about 50 thousand dollars per year, and the industry is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

It’s tough when the economy’s down and you’re in danger of losing income or your job altogether, but a recession can be a blessing in determining the strength of industries and help you decide when to make a good career change.  Especially if you haven’t been satisfied with the work you’ve done in the past, considering a career change that is more fulfilling and leads to a better salary can be a great way to use the downtrodden economy to your advantage. 

Many people are caught up in life and don’t want to spend years going back to school and racking up debt, but oftentimes you don’t have to.  A paralegal career for example can take as little as three months to train for and appropriate certifications might only require 50 hours of research to pass.  A career as a paralegal offers salaries of 34-60 thousand dollars per year and the industry is expected to grow by 28% over the next few years according to US Department of Labor statistics.

A paralegal career can be as dynamic as a degree in law.  Virtually every sect of law incorporates the use of paralegals on their staff to assist in cases, filings, research, documentation and client relations.  Paralegals can work for patent attorneys, corporate lawyers and even for criminal cases.  

A paralegal career usually means that you’ll be working in a private law firm or practice, as about 75% of paralegals did according to the US Department of Labor in 2008.  Paralegals can advance by jumping to other law firms that require a more specialized assistant, obtaining certifications and even managing other paralegals in large law firms.  Paralegals are often called law assistants, and do just about everything a lawyer can do except practice law, provide definitive legal advice or proceed in courtrooms.

Paralegal career training can take up to 2 years in an associates degree program, but many vocational schools and online paralegal degrees can certify paralegals within 3 months.  Often an internship to gain some real life experience is necessary before landing a first job, but many law firms will also provide on-the-job training for the right applicants since the paralegal career is highly specialized contingent on the law firm. 

Well over 200,000 people work as paralegals, and roughly 15,000 are certifies by the National Association of Legal Assistants or the American Alliance of Paralegals, so obtaining these certifications can help you stand out in initiating your paralegal career. 

To obtain certification in these governing paralegal bodies, it’s usually only a matter of about 50 hours of learning and taking a 2-day exam.  The NALA and AAP usually ask that their certified paralegals obtain certification every 5 years with new courses of study in order to keep atop on the industry.  Having a good understanding of law databases and resources, in addition to court filings and proceedings related to a specific area of law can substantially help you land a paralegal career.  

If you’re like many people in today’s recession, you may have recently lost your job or are looking for a career change.  One of the most popular job markets to transition into today is the medical field.  Whether the US Government health care programs grow or free enterprise continues its grasp on the industry, the medical field has to expand to support the country’s needs and is expected to increase more than almost any other industry over the next several years according to the US department of labor.  Pharmacy technician careers are just one of the medical industry’s fields that is rapidly growing and experiencing a current shortage of workers.

Pharmacy technician careers are available in many large chain drug store pharmacies, private pharmacies and in hospitals and medical clinics alike.  Good technicians can expect to make decent entry-level wages once they’re certified in the field. Plus, it doesn’t take long to be presented with advancement opportunities once you’re in the industry.  Many different technicians are needed in the medical industry from equipment operators to physician and surgical assistants and most doctors and hospitals don’t require costly 2 or 4 year degrees when hiring for these positions.  There are many communications positions and management positions on the clerical side of the health care industry, so opportunities begin to reveal themselves beyond the scope of a pharmacy technician career once in the industry.

Pharmacy technician Career Training

A pharmacy technician career can be a great entry into the medical industry without having to go back to school or obtain an expensive two or four year degree.  Though college tuition varies and many community colleges offer programs for medical technicians, federal funding for community schools is being cut with the recession and loans are necessary to subsidize your living expenses while in school.  Luckily, many vocational schools have great pharmacy technician training programs to suit the schedule and financial needs of professionals looking for a new career.  Many of these programs will give you the tools you need to get certified for a pharmacy technician career and many offer externships and even job placement after you graduate.  These vocational schools usually cost a fraction of what college tuition costs and can be completed in well under a year’s time; some even have pharmacy technician career programs that are under six months.

Pharmacy Technician Career Training Online

Some vocational schools offer career training online that you can complete at your own pace while working another job to support your career change.  The curriculum is oftentimes the same and gets you prepared with medical and pharmaceutical terminology, as well as the skills necessary for counting and measuring units of medications and familiarizing yourself with the meanings of moniker’s and dosage stamps used to identify medications.  A pharmacy technician career will also require certifications and tests issued by the state, so it’s important to choose accredited career schools that will get you prepped for the necessary exams.

In today’s economy, many workers in tons of industries are experiencing layoffs, pay cuts and overall difficulty finding work.  Luckily, the best time to shift careers and get into a new line of work is during a recession.  With tons of industries booming and growing in today’s world of advanced technology and larger populations, it’s a perfect time to transition into a more fulfilling career in the health care industry.  Health care jobs exist for every line of work, ranging from administrative jobs to physician’s assistants.  Many people are finding current times to be a great opportunity to train for a surgical technician career.  A surgical technician career can seem daunting and like it requires extensive training, but the reality is many surgical technician training programs can be completed in 9 to 24 months.

Surgical Technician Career Duties

Those considering a surgical technician career can expect to work mainly in hospitals.  According to US Department of Labor statistics, over 70 percent of surgical technicians work out of hospitals, though it is also common to work in specialty clinics and even dental offices. 

Surgical technician job description include prepping surgery tables and instruments for specialized surgeries, assisting the surgeon with instruments as well as sterilization, and usually specialize in certain types of specific surgery in order to assist with basic surgical necessities such as keeping patient airwaves open and blood flow circulating.  Many surgical technicians work in multiple locations or outside of hospitals for specialty teams, such as transplant surgeons.   It’s also possible for a surgical technician career to extend into administrative work for insurance companies and hospital or clinic billing industries.

Surgical Technician Career Training

Surgical technicians can gain their academic experience in college in the form of a Health Information Technology degree in the form of a 4 year or 2 year program, but these degrees oftentimes include general education and a vast amount of curriculum related to hospital front and back offices.  For specialized learning, surgical technician career training will last from 9-24 months, covering courses such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and other special areas of study related to surgical equipment and operation. 

Certified technicians earn more than non-certified technicians and specialty surgeries like heart or neurosurgeries will usually compensate their technicians more.  A surgical technician career is likely to earn you 38-46 thousand dollars a year, according to 2008 Department of Labor statistics.

Surgical Technician Career Training Online

Many accredited programs offer certain elements of surgical technician career training online.  Though hands-on learning is necessary for many applications of surgical technician’s responsibilities, courses for anatomy, physiology and pharmacology can definitely be taken online at a student’s pace while working another job.  Either way, a surgical technician career can be a great way to transition into a fulfilling well-paid career in the health care industry as the average surgical technician salary is high.  Surgical technician careers require fairly little training before certification can be achieved and on-the-job training can begin with hospitals, clinics or dental offices.

Index Cards are a brilliant way to help break an essay into more manageable elements and to develop structure for your final piece of writing. This is so easy that I am sure you will have success with this process!

Let’s pretend my teacher told the class they had to research an illness and turn in an assignment describing the ways in which that illness can be treated:

I am very interested in depression because I have heard heaps about that illness in the media lately. Therefore I head to the library and read about depression and the ways in which it can be treated. I find some great books and also browse for some websites on the world wide web. While I am reading, I scrawl down some of the major notes on Index Cards like this:

Now that I have the major dot points for this subject written down on index cards, I am able to order them logically so that my essay will have a good structure. You most likely understand that a well-written assignment has an introduction (defining the topic and summarizing the main points), a body (with each paragraph detailing a main point) and a conclusion (the last paragraph that reminds the reader about the main points and reaches some kind of decision on the topic). Considering this I may sort my index cards in this way:

Now that my cards are rearranged into a logical order, I can draft my assignment. The first card will form the basis of my introduction. It will outline depression as a disorder and I will probably add a sentence about the two major treatments. The rest of the cards then become another paragraph in my essay: I simply expand on the points I have written on the cards and write the content in my own words as full sentences. Then, I outline a conclusion that summarizes the main points from my assignment. I might also write a final sentence along these lines: “Depression is very treatable with medication and psychotherapy so patients do not have to suffer in silence.” This would draw my assignment to a nice conclusion.

I hope this helps you to write some top scoring assignments!

Making use of index cards is just one way to organize your thinking. I prefer a strategy called Mind Mapping for taking notes and planning assignments. You can find more information about Mind Mapping at Buzan’s Mind Mapping site.

Code Update

Finally !

A 2008 Michigan NEC Update Class…THAT WORKS !
Only $100

And, it’s ALL ONLINE…

I know, in the past, it has been hard to find a uncomplicated online class for the State of Michigan that can provide you with the 15-hr NEC Update Certificate you need, for a decent price. So, I built After Hours Electric Continuing Education aka After Hours CEU’s.

As an Electrician myself, I know what a hassle it is to leave my wife & kids , drive to some hotel conference room and sit through a lecture-style class where someone reads word-for-word out of some textbook.  I understand the expense and lost time !  That’s why the ONLINE solution is best!

Read more below and find out why Electricians prefer online classes from Steve Mazur.

Some student comments…

• “Thank You for providing this service. I like the format and also I don’t have to spend half of my life just trying to get my Continuing Ed. There were not any trick questions and the length of the tests were not overwhelming.”
• This material is just right. The content and instructor are great. Definitely makes every professional electrician evaluate what they are doing with quality and workmanship as well as stay current on the National Electrical Code. I will strongly recommend to anyone I can. Very nice on-line program and testing.
• “Your course was excellent!”
• “Great CEU program. Thanks!”
• “After completing your course, I have a better understanding of the NEC”
• “This course was a good value for the money that I paid…Thank you Steve…”
• “I’ll be back next cycle. I will recommend this course to others and have.”

Steve Mazur’s contact Page – to contact Steve

AK, ID, ME, MT, NM, OR, TX, UT, WA – Other State Electrical updates

Code Update Registration – To Register for 15-hr 2008 Michigan Update

Homeschooling is an important decision for a parent to make. Homeschooling can be difficult. Parents should take the time to think about homeschooling to make the best decision for themselves and their child. Consider the following when deciding if homeschooling is right for you.

• Sacrifices – Homeschooling parents must sacrifice their personal time and many things they want to do. By homeschooling your child, you will be with your child all of the time, all day, every day. Make sure that you are comfortable sacrificing your personal time to teach your child at home.
• Time – Homeschooling takes a lot of time. You will have to do more than sit down with your child and a few books for an hour. You must teach your child, including leading him or her through projects, experiments, and more. It will take time to prepare lesson plans, grade papers, plan educational field trips, and so forth. If you cannot put the time into your child’s homeschooling, it will not work for you or your child.
• Socialization – You must make the effort to socialize your child if he or she will not be putting their social skills into practice at regular school. Make time to get your child together with other children and adults. Homeschool enrichment classes are great for giving your child a chance to work on their social skills. However, it is up to you to ensure the socialization of your child. One bonus for many parents is that since you control the social situations, you control your child’s friends. If socialization is a concern, homeschooling may not be the best choice for your child.
• Money – One parent will have to stay home to adequately homeschool a child. This can create a financial strain on a family accustomed to two paychecks. If money is an issue and you still need two incomes, homeschooling might not work for you and your family.
• Unanimous Decision – Both parents should agree to homeschooling. It is a difficult process if both parents do not unanimously support the homeschooling decision. If both parents do not believe homeschooling is best, it probably will not be a good choice for your child.
• Does Your Child Agree – Homeschooling may be difficult if the child does not want to be homeschooled. Your child will learn only if he or she is willing. If your child does not want to be homeschooled, you should probably explore other options.
• Organization – Your household work, shopping, and cooking still needs to get done, so you will have to make a schedule for organization. In addition, you need an organized dedicated school space for homeschooling. If you do not think you can organize your time, homeschooling may not work for you.
• Confidence – Are you confident about your teaching skills? Homeschooling curriculums will help guide you through teaching, but you need to feel comfortable and confident to effectively teach your child.

Getting a Bachelors Degree in one year might seem impossible, but it is not. There are certain key factors that will help you complete your degree in one year and save money.

Follow these steps to get your college degree in one year:

STEP 1
First,  speak with the main college office and complete life experience forms; the college will request some evidence that you genuinely have life experience from work or your own life to get credits for certain courses. Myself, I have a computer networking background and was able to earn credit for several networking courses. That saved me $1200 due to the fact that I did not have to complete the course in a class. You can use the money you save to take additional classes and pay for college textbooks.

STEP 2
Take CLEP tests to pass the 100 level classes to save time as well, the tests are moderately difficult and does cost money, but not as much as a complete course. If you have some type of military background , transferring credits from your military development can be done through a program called Smart Transcript.

STEP 3
If you also completed certifications, they sometimes can be used to get college credits, but you need a solid foundation on the topic and need to prove that you use the subject daily . This will help save lots of tuition money and college textbook costs, not to mention lower the amount of time you have to complete your bachelors degree.

STEP 4
Have a plan and follow it. Map out a goal of when you will finish your college degree based on the leftover courses in your degree . This will help you gauge where you are at clearly and understand how any courses you have left to get your degree.