Education News-4: "Zee Learn to set up 300 Schools in India!"

Zee Learn, the education division of the media and entertainment giant, Essel Group, will invest Rs.350 crore in the next five years for setting up 300 schools across India. The plan includes setting up and acquiring existing schools to reach the targeted number.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, December 18, 2008.

For more information on Zee Learn:

http://www.zeelearn.com/

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Zee Learn.

For Students: "Latest addition to Dictionary"

'Meh', a word that suggests lack of enthusiasm, has beaten other contenders to become the latest addition to the Collins English Dictionary.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, November 18, 2008("Newscape")

Detailed Wikipedia article on "Meh":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meh

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

How To-80: "How to Use English Punctuation Correctly"

How to Use English Punctuation Correctly

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

With the dawn of the Internet, the birth of Internet slang, and the growing age of SMS, many individuals are forgetting the fundamental aspects of English punctuation. Would you like to write a great paper for one of your classes? Maybe you need to submit a polished, impeccable proposal to your boss. If so, it will help to know proper usage of punctuation. Consider this article a crash course in English punctuation, and read on.

Steps

1. End your sentences with a period (full stop), question mark, or exclamation point (exclamation mark or shout mark).
   
• Use the period (full stop) to denote a full stop at the end of a statement. The period ( . ) is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks.
  
• The accessibility of the computer has increased tremendously over the past several years.
  
• The question mark ( ? ), used at the end of a sentence, suggests an interrogatory remark or inquiry.
  
• What has humanity done about the growing concern of global warming?
  
• The exclamation point (exclamation mark, shout mark)( ! ) suggests excitement or emphasis in a sentence.
  
• I can't believe how difficult the exam was!
  
2. Use the semicolon and colon properly.
   
• The semicolon ( ; ) has a few uses.
  
• Use a semicolon to separate two related but independent clauses. Note that, if the two clauses are very wordy or complex, it is better to use a period instead.
  
• People continue to worry about the future; our failure to conserve resources has put the world at risk.
  
• Use a semicolon to separate a complex series of items, especially those that contain commas.
  
• I went to the show with Jake, my close friend; his friend, Jane; and her best friend, Jenna.
  
• The colon ( : ) has multiple uses.
  
• Use the colon to introduce a list. Be careful not to use a colon when denoting a regular series. Usually, the word following suggests the use of a colon. Use only after a full sentence which ends in a noun.
  
• The professor has given me three options: to retake the exam, to accept the extra credit assignment, or to fail the class.
  
• INCORRECT - The Easter basket contained: Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits, and other candy.
  
3. Understand the differences between a hyphen and a dash.
   
• The hyphen ( - ) was once a common punctuation mark on typewriters, when a long word might have been split between two lines. The hyphen is still used in a number of other areas:
  
• Use a hyphen when adding a prefix to some words. The purpose of this hyphen is to make the word easier to read. If you were to leave the hyphen out of a word like re-examine, it would be reexamine, which would be harder to read. Understand that some words do not require a hyphen to separate the prefix from the word, such as restate, pretest, and undo. Let a dictionary be your guide for when to use the hyphen after a prefix. When you use a hyphen, the two words have to rely on each other. Example: re-arrange.
  
• Cara is his ex-girlfriend.
  
• Use hyphens when creating compound words from separate words.
  
• The up-to-date newspaper reporters were quick to jump on the latest scandal.
  
• Use a hyphen when writing numbers out as words. Separate the two words of any number under one hundred with a hyphen.
  
• There are fifty-two playing cards in a deck. ("The amount is one hundred and eighty" is a common error in US English, where the "and" is usually omitted. Elsewhere in the English-speaking world, however, the "and" is usually included.)
  
• Be careful with spelling out numbers above one hundred—if the number is used as an adjective, it is completely hyphenated, since all compound adjectives are hyphenated (I have one-hundred tapes). Otherwise, a hyphen should only occur if a number greater than 100 occurs within the larger number, e.g., He lived to be one hundred twenty-one.
  
• The dash ( -- or — ) should be used when making a brief interruption within a statement, a sudden change of thought, an additional comment, or a dramatic qualification. It can also be used to add a parenthetical statement, such as for further clarification, but should still be relevant to the sentence. Otherwise, use parentheses. Keep in mind that the rest of the sentence should still flow naturally. Try to remove the statement within the dash from the sentence; if the sentence appears disjointed or does not make sense, then you may need to revise. There should be spaces before and after the dash in British English.
  
• An introductory clause is a brief phrase that comes—yes, you guessed it—at the beginning of a sentence.
  
• This is the end of our sentence—or so we thought.
  
4. Use the double quotation mark and single quotation mark/apostrophe for different purposes.
   
• The double quotation ( " ) encloses a direct quotation, whether made by a person or taken from a piece of literature.
  
• "I can't wait to see him perform!" John exclaimed.
  
• According to the article, the value of the dollar in developing nations is "strongly influenced by its aesthetic value, rather than its face value."
  
• The single quotation mark or apostrophe ( ' ) has a variety of uses.
  
• Use the apostrophe together with the letter s to indicate possession. Be aware of the difference in using an apostrophe with singular or plural nouns. A singular noun will use 's, whereas the plural version of that singular noun will use s'. Also, be mindful of nouns that are always considered to be plural, such as children and people — here, you should use 's. Be aware of pronouns that are already possessive and do not require apostrophes, such as hers and its (it's is used only for the contractions of it is and it has). Their is possessive without apostrophe or s, except as a predicate adjective, where it becomes theirs.
  
• The hamster's water tube needs to be refilled.
  
• A singular noun with possession.
  
• In the pet store, the hamsters' bedding needed to be changed.
  
• A pluralized singular noun with possession.
  
• These children's test scores are the highest in the nation.
  
• A plural noun with possession.
  
• Use the apostrophe to combine two words to make a contraction. For example, cannot becomes can't, you are becomes you're, and they have becomes they've.
  
• Use the single quotation mark within a regular quotation to indicate a quotation within a quotation.
  
• Ali said, "Anna told me, 'I wasn't sure if you wanted to come!'"
  
• Note that an apostrophe is not used with 's' to make a plural noun from a singular. This is a very common mistake and should be avoided.
  
• CORRECT - apple → apples
  
• INCORRECT - apple → apple's
  
5. Indicate a break or pause within a sentence with the comma ( , ). This is another commonly used punctuation mark. There are several instances where you might use a comma:
   
• Use the comma when denoting an appositive, or a break within a sentence that supplements and adds information to the subject.
  
• Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, is the developer of the operating system known as Windows.
  
• Use the comma when denoting a series. This is a set of three or more "list" items within a sentence. To save space in newspapers, some writers may omit the last comma.
  
• The fruit basket contained apples, bananas, and oranges.
  
• The computer store was filled with video games, computer hardware and other electronic paraphernalia.
  
• Use a comma if your subject has two or more adjectives describing it. This is somewhat similar to a series, except that it is incorrect to place a comma after the final adjective.
  
• CORRECT - The powerful, resonating sound caught our attention.
  
• INCORRECT - The powerful, resonating, sound caught our attention.
  
• Use a comma when referring to a city and state. It is also necessary to use a comma to separate the city and state from the rest of the sentence.
  
• I am originally from Freehold, NJ.
  
• Los Angeles, CA, is one of the largest cities in the United States.
  
• Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase (which is usually one or more prepositional phrases) from the rest of the sentence. An introductory phrase briefly introduces the sentence, but is not part of the sentence's subject or predicate, and it therefore should be separated from the main clause by a comma.
  
• After the show, John and I went out to dinner.
  
• On the back of my couch, my cat's claws have slowly been carving a large hole.
  
• Use the comma to separate two independent clauses. Having two independent clauses in a sentence simply means that you can split the sentence into two. If your sentence contains two independent clauses that are separated by a conjunction (such as and, as, but, for, nor, so, or yet ), place a comma before the conjunction.
  
• Ryan went to the beach yesterday, but he forgot his sunscreen.
  
• Water bills usually rise during the summer, as people are thirstier during hot and humid days.
  
• Use a comma when making a direct address. When calling one's attention by name, separate the person's name and the rest of the statement with a comma. Note that this kind of comma is used rarely in writing, because this is something that we do normally while speaking.
  
• Amber, could you come here for a moment?
  
• Use a comma to separate direct quotations. A comma should come after the last word before a quotation that is being introduced. It is not necessary to use a comma in an indirect quote. A comma is usually not necessary if you are not quoting an entire statement.
  
• While I was at his house, John asked me if I wanted anything to eat.
  
• An indirect quotation that does not require a comma.
  
• While I was at his house, John asked, "Do you want anything to eat?"
  
• A direct quotation.
  
• According to the client, the lawyer was "lazy and incompetent."
  
• A partial direct quotation that does not require a comma.
  
6. Understand the difference between parentheses, brackets, and braces.
   
• Use parentheses ( ( ) ) to clarify, to place an afterthought, or to add a personal comment. Be sure to include the period after the closing parenthesis.
  
• Steve Case (AOL's former CEO) resigned from the Time-Warner board of directors in 2005.
  
• Used for clarification. Here, commas can replace the parentheses.
  
• You will need a flashlight for the camping trip (don't forget the batteries!).
  
• An afterthought. Note that the period (full stop) follows the last parentheses — not before the first. Also note that replacing the parentheses with a comma may not be entirely suitable here, and is better off with a period or a semicolon.
  
• Most grammarians believe that parentheses and commas are always interchangeable (I disagree).
  
• A personal comment.
  
• Use brackets ( [ ] ) to signify an editor's note in a regular piece of writing. You can also use brackets to clarify or to revise a direct quote so that it appeals to your own writing. Brackets are often used to encompass the word "sic" (Latin for thus), suggesting that the previous word or phrase was written "as is", with the error intended to be displayed.
  
• "[The blast] was absolutely devastating," said Susan Smith, a local bystander at the scene of the incident.
  
• "It was absolutely devastating!" – the actual quote by Susan Smith.
  
• Braces ( { } ) are most widely used in denoting a numeric set in mathematics. Though generally uncommon, braces can also be used in regular writing to indicate a set of equal, independent choices.
  
• { 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 }
  
• Choose your favorite utensil { fork, knife, spoon } and bring it to me.
  
7. Know how to use the slash ( / ).
   
• Use the slash to separate "and" and "or", when appropriate. The phrase "and/or" suggests that a series of options are not mutually exclusive.
  
• "To register, you will need your driver's license and/or your birth certificate."
  
• The slash is used when quoting lyrics and poetry to denote a line break. Be sure to add spaces between your slashes here.
  
• "Row, row, row your boat / gently down the stream / Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, / life is but a dream."
  
• The slash can replace the word "and" to join two nouns. By replacing "and" with a slash, you suggest that there is equal important to both characteristics. Use these replacements in moderation to place greater emphasis where "and" may not do so—as well as as not to confuse the reader. You can also do the same for "or", as in "his/her". However you should not use the slash to separate independent clauses, as shown below.
  
• "The student and part-time employee has very little free time." → "The student/part-time employee has very little free time."
  
• "Do you want to go to the grocery store, or would you prefer to go to the mall?" → "Do you want to go to the grocery store / would you prefer to go to the mall? – This is incorrect.

Tips

• If you write in a professional capacity, be sure to follow any guidelines or style guides provided by your employer. In some cases, their rules can be at odds with what you read here or elsewhere, but their rules always take precedence. For example, some companies use serial commas (a, b, and c) and others do not (a, b and c).
  
• Many grammar experts believe that parentheses and commas are often interchangeable when setting off information. While this is sometimes true, there are some cases where a set of parentheses might be more suitable, such as in indicating one's personal thought.
  
• Although dashes and parentheses have similar uses, remember that parentheses indicate a stronger "side notion" than dashes.
  
• There are exceptions to the hyphen-dash rule. In making compound words, when one of the words is itself composed of two words, use an en dash ( – ) rather than a hyphen, as in, "He took the Paris–New York route." En dashes are also used between numbers, as in page numbers or years, to denote a range. ("A discussion on personal finance is found in pages 45–62.")
  
• The placement of punctuation marks before or after a closing quotation mark varies. American English leaves the punctuation mark inside the quotation if it is part of the quotation, "like so." (Commas and periods (full stops) are always put inside the quotation marks for a sentence in American English, regardless of whether the quotation has punctuation at the end. Other types of punctuation marks are put outside the quotation if they are not part of the quotation.) British English tends to leave the punctuation mark outside the quotation, "like so".
  
• At times, British English will switch back and forth between the inside and outside, depending on the context. For example, interrogative quotations may keep the question mark inside the quotation, as in, "Do you like this question?"
  
• In formal writing, try to avoid excessive use of question marks and exclamation points. Most of your sentences should be declarative statements.
  
• Dashes are usually considered to be informal. You might want to replace the use of a dash with a set of parentheses, or even commas. Similarly, limit the frequency of dash use in your writing; they should be reserved to emphasize a couple of important points.
  
• If you decide against the serial comma in your work, make sure that the meaning of the sentence can stand without its use. Think about the classic example of a sentence in which the serial comma is needed: "My heroes are my parents, Mother Teresa and the Pope."
  
• If you find that a sentence seems to drag on, find a way to add a comma or two, so that it is easier on the reader's eyes. If a sentence becomes too long, then consider splitting it into two or more sentences.
  
• Never be afraid to have short sentences in your writing by splitting up long sentences that contain several points. Your reader will appreciate writing that is clear and concise with briefer statements, as opposed to a one-page paragraph with twenty words per sentence.

Warnings

• While using English punctuation inappropriately may help your writing to flow much more smoothly, generally creating a more "intelligent" appearance, don't overdo it. It's best to err on the side of omission than to add several superfluous apostrophes and commas.

Related wikiHows

• How to Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing
  
• How to Use Apostrophes
  
• How to Use Question Marks Correctly
  
• How to Use a Dictionary
  
• How to Learn English
  
• How to Use Generic Pronouns
  
• How to Use There, Their and They're
  
• How to Write a Report on Paul Revere
  
• How to Enrich Your English Language Vocabulary
  
• How to Be Articulate
  
• How to Write a Poem

Sources and Citations

• Wikipedia's guide to the Apostrophe

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use English Punctuation Correctly. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-79: "How to Become an Adult Self Learner"

How to Become an Adult Self Learner

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

People who are truly effective generally did not get that way by sitting still, and learning doesn't stop just because school does. Make a commitment to yourself to learn something new every day. Then, keep at it and enjoy what you discover.

Steps

1. Learn how you learn. Determine your own preferred learning style or styles. Notice what learning techniques are most effective for you and use them as much as is practical.
   
• Most people learn through multiple methods but favor one or two. Use your preferences to your advantage.
  
2. Learn where your talents and interests lie. Try many different things.
   
3. Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore. Don't force yourself to learn things just because they're important. Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn. Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty.
   
4. Read, read, read. Make friends with your local library and new and used book sellers.
   
• Read all sorts of books. Just because you're usually a mystery fan doesn't mean you shouldn't try nonfiction now and then. Don't limit yourself.
  
• Recognize the educational value in whatever you read. Nonfiction, of course, teaches about its subject. Fiction teaches writing, storytelling, vocabulary, and various things about human nature.
  
• Newspapers, magazines, manuals, and comic books are all reading.
  
5. Broaden your definition of learning. Take a look at the theory of multiple intelligences if you don't know it yet. Consider how you might fit in, and where you can improve.
   
• Refine your existing skills. Are you already good at fly fishing? Computers? Teaching? Playing saxophone? Hone these skills and take them to the next level.
  
• Try new things, both inside and outside your preferred skill areas.
  
6. Do things. As an adult, your experience may be your best teacher. Whether you work for pay or volunteer your time, focus on a project or tinker with whatever grabs your attention, try lots of things and notice the results.
   
7. Create. Not all learning comes from outside you. In fact, some of the most powerful learning happens when you are creating or formulating something for yourself. Try different media and methods and refine the ones you like. Creation, like intelligence, can be artistic or scientific; physical or intellectual; social or solitary.
   
8. Observe. Look more closely at your world, and examine both the usual and the unusual. Also, look at the world from different levels. Chances are you already respond differently to the news of a friend than to the news of a country, for example.
   
9. Respond to what you observe, and notice and examine your own response.
   
10. Take classes, both formal and informal. No matter how dedicated an autodidact you are, some subjects are best learned with the aid of a teacher. Remember that a teacher may be found in a classroom, but also in an office, a neighbor's garage, a store, a restaurant, or a taxi cab.
    
11. Ask questions. Asking the right questions can be more important than having the answers. It can also turn just about anybody into a teacher. Be sure to listen closely and understand the response.
    
12. Evaluate and reflect on what you learn. Does it make sense? Is it true? Who said so? How was it determined? Can it be verified? Is an argument or piece of advice logical, valuable, applicable?
    
13. Keep a journal or notebook to record what you learn and what questions you still have. Questions can teach as much as or more than answers. A journal or notebook can also record your progress.
    
14. Apply what you learn. This is the best way to test it and it will help you learn it more completely and retain it longer.
    
15. Teach others. Teaching is a wonderful way to learn a subject better and improve your own understanding of it. If you're not a teacher or tutor, you can write about your knowledge in a wiki or forum or simply volunteer an answer when somebody asks.

Tips

• Keep an open mind. Some of the greatest scientific, mathematical, artistic, and other advances came from questioning conventional wisdom and being open to unusual results and new, different ways of doing things.
  
• Leave your perfectionism behind. Experiment, make mistakes, and ask silly questions. If you wait until you know it all, you'll be waiting a long time.
  
• Have fun. Fun is a very important part of learning, especially as an adult. It is a big part of your motivation to continue.
  
• Sleep, exercise, and eat properly. Your overall health will influence how much you can effectively learn.
  
• Do what works best for you.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Become an Adult Self Learner. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-78: "How to Motivate Students"

How to Motivate Students

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Teaching students is not exactly easy.
Motivating students is even more difficult. In a school or college environment you have to constantly deal with kids that resent the idea of being influenced. Here's the thing though, this resentment is only due misinterpretation on the part of the teacher and the student. There are ways to bridge the generation gap so that you can get to the kids, and so that they can get you.

Steps

1. Understand why motivating students is such a challenge. The thing about students is that they are exposed to so many different people acting as 'teachers' in their lives. Everyone and everything is at this point, trying extremely hard to stimulate these kids, make them think, make them work and make them into people the world can be proud of. Because of this overwhelming input of stimulus and influence, kids struggle to find their own identity. Once they have recognized this, they tend to deal with the constant environmental pressure by adopting one important policy: "I will only allow you to influence me if you prove to me that you're worth it". This policy is their mechanism of making sure that the right person gets to them at the right time, and it's a good way of doing it. The only time it becomes an issue is when they get impressed by a person who is a bad influence, or when a good person makes no effort to impress them.
   
2. Stand Out. Having read the above step, you should have realized that you need to prove your worth to the students so they can allow you to influence them. You can't do this if you blend into the murky background of life. You need to stand out, catch their attention and hold it.
   
• Be Vocal. Have an opinion and make sure you submit it at an appropriate time. Avoid talking too much and/or being too opinionated. You need to come across as being informative, intelligent and as a person who is not afraid to speak their mind, not someone who is arrogant and self-centered.
  
• Be passionate about what you're teaching. Wide eyes, a grin and barely suppressed enthusiasm does wonders for a student. Even if they're not interested in your subject, your manner would amuse them. Most of all, because you are adamantly expressing your love for a subject, they will tend to mark you as a genuine person.
  
• Be energetic Enthusiasm is contagious. It is also a lot harder for kids to fall asleep in class if the teacher is bouncing off the walls (not that I am recommending bouncing off the walls). Make sure you have the energy to market your subject and yourself well.
  
• Bend a few rules. This requires a bit of care, but tends to really establish trust. If a student has been consistently not turning in work and they show up and tell you they haven't completed the assignment again. You need to recognize that something is wrong (even if it is just the student's attitude) and help. Discretely give them a bit more time to do it and make the topic a little bit easier. Yes it's bending the rules, but what you're doing is eliminating reasons for this to repeat itself. Make sure it is clear that you will not grant extensions like this again.
  
• Go the extra mile...even if it is just once. Do more than the average teacher is expected to do. In the case of the student above for example, if they fail to do the work on time, again. Call them after class and go through the entire assignment with them. Help them write it, show them how to do research, show them some papers other students have written. This is great because it eliminates all problems: if it's the student's attitude you are eliminating their excuses and if they genuinely were struggling with the work, they know exactly how to deal with it now. Be attentive, answer all questions and make sure they've completely understood your actions. Make sure you tell them that you will not work with them like this again. Ask them if they have understood and wait for their affirmative response before dismissing them.
  
• Put an effort into your appearance. You need to make a good impression, make sure you walk into class looking good. Try to dress a little better or differently than the average person.
  
3. Volunteer Information. This doesn't seem as important, but most teachers don't do it or don't do it right. Keep the students updated with recent developments regarding their subject. If you are a science teacher for example, you could 1) Bring an article from Scientific American for the students to read in class or 2) Give the students a summary of the article, show them pictures of the article, ask them questions about the concepts in the article and what certain sentences mean and tell them that you have copies of the article if anyone wants to pick them up after class. The second option is the better one. You need to understand that it is your job to get the students interested not the job of the material you present to them.
   
4. Dare to Jump Out of the Box. Do an extensive class project that is unconventional and fun. For example, your class could put on a science-related (or whichever subject related) play that you could perform at a local museum for younger children. The whole class could write a book that you could publish using a self-publishing service (these are rather cheap) and donate it to a local library. The thing about this is that the idea has to be different, you have to do it during class time or during some time in school (to avoid transportation and excess time issues) and you have to work with everyone every step of the way.
   
5. Watch the sarcasm. Sarcasm is actually a pretty good way to get along with students. It gives them the impression that you aren't vying for their approval, know the rules and have a good sense of humor. Your sarcasm though has to be well versed, well placed and make sure you smile while you're being sarcastic or right after. This is rather important. Students love sarcasm but your body language has to accompany it and make you come across as pleasant not mean.
   
6. Brag a little but not too much. You are trying to convince students that you are worth listening to, especially if you are trying to motivate them towards your field of study. You need to exhibit your talents. You are not just a teacher, you are really and truly good at what you do. It is almost like how you would present yourself during a job interview. Be humble about it but don't hide it. Make sure your pride comes through when you are talking to the students about your experiences or contributions. If you have impressive contacts invite them over. Try not to ask them to make a speech though, an interview type of interaction would be best.
   
7. Pay attention. If a student looks depressed or unwell. Call them out after class and just ask them if they are alright. Try to keep yourself semi-occupied when you do this. Look at them when you ask but don't keep staring at them until they answer you. If they say they are fine, don't press them. Just say "Alright, just thought you looked a bit down back there" and drop it and continue working. Just the fact that you're concerned is enough for them.
   
8. Bring out student opinions. Ask them what their opinions are on certain issues. Avoid questions like: "What do you think about the Presidential Election?", this tends to be a bit annoying. Just throw a one-liner that they can't avoid answering like "Democrat or Republican?". If their opinion differ from yours or are the same as yours, argue with them lightly, like you would informally with friends. Admit defeat once in a while. Even if you think you're right, you could end with: "You're good. I'll get back to you on that one"
   
9. Make a difference. If you see a problem or issue worth tackling, bring it up. Tell the students you want to do something about it and ask them what they think. Deal with the problem together and you'll make a difference together.
   
10. Make your expectations clear. Tell your entire class what you expect of them. What you want them to become. What kind of contributions you want them to make in their field, and in the world. Be passionate and be genuine. The most critical mistake that teachers make with this speech is this: they deliver it at the beginning of their class with the students. This usually brings about an opposite motivation. If you have a new class and you stand up before them and tell them how you know they are all wonderful people and in this class they will learn how to change the world, they students won't believe you and they will lose respect for you. What they're thinking is how can you know what kind of people they are without making an effort to find out? How do you expect them to change the world when you aren't telling them what the world is? How can you have the exact same expectation of everybody? And they're right. To most teachers all students are the same and so they feel comfortable expressing themselves in that sort of speech, but to a good teacher, each student is different. Even avoid the "Some of You" speech ("Some of you will become lawyers, some of you doctors..etc"). Save the speech for one of the last classes you have with them (not the last class) and make it personal. For example: "Ryan will find a cure for cancer, Kevin will give Bill Gates a run for his money, Wendy will decorate the world, Carol will probably give Kevin a run for his money...". Add a bit of humor and make sure it's obvious to the students that you have gotten to know something about every one of them. These are your expectations for these kids, just as you have proven yourself to them, they have proven themselves to you.
    
11. Expose them to the stimulus that they were blocking off before. Issues concerning people, the community, the country, the world. Anything that is important to you. Anything you want to motivate them with. Now that you've gained they're trust and they've decided you're worth listening to...they will. They will try and understand where you're coming from and why you feel a certain way. Even if they don't agree, they will be willing to make the effort.

Tips

• Do not talk slowly and deliberately. This gives students the impression that you don't think they'll get it if you talk at a normal pace.
  
• If you are a slow speaker generally, try talking faster than usual.
  
• Don't try to 'relate'. Most people don't do a very good job and its easy to see through.
  
• You have a teacher-student relationship, do not jeopardize that. Don't put yourself out as 'friend not teacher'. You need to respect the boundary here. You are a teacher, just a really good and different one.
  
• Make your involvement seem effortless. Whether you're talking, teaching, listening, clearing up your desk, reading something. You need to make it look completely effortless.
  
• Do not be over-attentive.
  
• Do not smile too much and don't smile to the whole class. Smile occasionally and to a specific person.
  
• You can't come across as someone who is "only human". If you are having a bad day, don't let it show. If you are upset or angry, don't let it show. You need to be the superhero figure here. At this point in their lives, these kids' role models are turning human. They are falling sick, disappointing everyone, getting divorced, getting depressed and are leaning on the student. The student interprets this as a sign that they are not strong enough to hold themselves up and don't lean back. They need someone to lean on, just in case. Your 'mortality' will jeopardize the chances of that someone being you. Don't tell them your problems, don't show them your weaknesses (unless its something trivial like drawing a straight line). If they come to you with a problem, relate by saying "That happened to me once" instead of saying "Oh crap, I know what that's like".

Warnings

• You can't get through to everybody. Be prepared for that.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Motivate Students. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-77: "How to Teach Younger Children"

How to Teach Younger Children

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The younger the children are, the easier it is to teach them. They are eager to learn, and are curious about everything. Their minds are like blank slates, waiting for information to be placed inside. It is never too young to teach a child, and parents should understand, that a young brain is open for information. Once a child gets older, and once their brain has not been used since birth, teaching and them remembering becomes more difficult

Steps

1. Teach them childrens' sign langage, while you teach yourself. Even at six months, a child can watch the videos and listen to the songs that teach Sign Language. They will watch, absorb and remember, and will be able to use the information themselves in a few more months. It is important , that the parents or parents watch with the child, so that they themselves will learn and can use the signs together.
   


2. Preparing breakfast in front of a young child is also a way to teach them. By the time a child reaches one year old, they should know about the foods they eat or drink. They should know how to set a table. Teach them, by telling them what is a fork, and a spoon. Teaching is an ongoing activity. Talking to them as you cut open an orange, will teach them what an orange is, and if you mention the color, they will learn the color orange also.
   


3. Buy books for the younger children. Buy books with simple story lines, and those that are repititious in words and phrases. Read them the sing song nursery rhymes, and make up little dances for them, or special movements even if they sit in a chair, with their hands. Make everything fun so they will enjoy learning.
   


4. Read a magazine with them, show them the pictures and teach them colors, words, and shapes. Buy them puzzles, and make room on the table for it. This should keep the child amused for quite a while.
   


5. Teaching does not have to mean sitting down and learning. Teaching should and be done on a daily basis, with everything that you do, or your child does with you.
   
   


• Brush your teeth in the morning, and teach them about their teeth.
  


• Wash your hands before you eat, teach them about cleanliness.
  


• Say prayers with them, if you are so inclined,and teach them why.
  


6. Answer questions when your child asks, remember, the child has only you to teach them, so teach them manners, how to tie their shoes, how to say thank you and please, and anything else that you know about.

Tips

• Remember, that you are smarter than the child at this stage, so do not feel uncomfortable teaching them how to read. If you cannot read well yourself, you still know more than they do.
  


• They love you, and need you, so be comfortable with them, find things for them to play with, and if you need to learn more crafts, just visit wikiHow, and find more.
  


• Enjoy your children, take them with you to visit the library, help them pick out books they would like to have read to them. Get them a library card of their own. This is always fun for a child to have.

Related wikiHows

• How to Teach Your Child Colors
  


• How to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike
  


• How to Teach Your Child to Recognize the Letters of the Alphabet
  


• How to Praise a Child
  


• How to Raise a Child

Sources and Citations

• Child sign language Source of information.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Teach Younger Children. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-76: "How to Be an Inspirational Teacher"

How to Be an Inspirational Teacher

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


An editor has suggested that this article be merged with: "How to Be a Teacher" Per the merge policy, if these topics are determined to be similar but distinct, then the articles will remain separate. Please comment on the discussion page. Notice added on 2008-01-24.
This article will show that any teacher can Be inspirational.

Steps

1. Have Empathy. Probably the greatest quality a teacher can have. Creating empathy is about bonding with your students. Cry with them, laugh with them. Try to be on their wavelength. Get to know their emotions and understand their feelings. Young people are easily stressed and sometimes under great pressure, but all you might see is anger, aggression, bad attitude or impatience. At this time you need to be compassionate and understand some bad stuff is going on in their lives. Search for the real person underneath and when you find them they will open up to you.
   
2. Develop a Positive Mental Attitude. Teachers are human like anyone else; however, the stresses of working with young people especially those with attitudinal and behavioural problems can sometimes be immense. This is the time you need to be strong. To keep a smile on your face when things get tough. To see the bright side of things. To seek to find the positive in every negative situation. To be philosophical. Why? Because your attitude is contagious. You have the choice to bring a light into your classroom or cast a shadow.
   
3. 'Grow' your Verbal Skills. Every great teacher is a great orator. If you can keep your students focused and interested just by talking to them then you are doing a great job. When was the last time you spoke about something and you could hear a pin drop? 'Just talking to them' means using passion, emotion, great eye contact, animated body language, voice modulation and feeling. Talk with conviction. Believe in what you say. Take your students on a wonderful journey every day.
   
4. Show Respect. Respect every human being that is in your classroom. Talk to them like you would talk to your closest friends. No one is more important in this world than anyone else. A great inspirational teacher is a human being who respects everyone no matter their attitude, colour, religion, creed or country. Every one of your students has a place on this earth. You can help them make a positive impact on it too. You have the power to change their lives. The Law of Reciprocity (you reap what you sow) will ensure that the respect you give out will come back to you a hundredfold.
   
5. Remember that your students are Individuals. Know your students inside and out. Do not pick on reward/punishment for all students, because they are all different individuals. Talk to your students and be involved in their lives. Use different teaching styles and strategies within the classroom, because everyone learns differently. Have options for big projects or presentations within your class. Most importantly, let your students be creative, do not limit them. Also, do not judge them. Do not have your own thoughts about them before they walk in your room, or after they leave. Look for the deeper meaning behind actions, instead of getting angry or upset.
   
6. Know that teaching is a noble profession. The day a teacher realizes that they have been given a great gift - the power to change lives, is the day an inspirational teacher is born. You have a choice either to believe you are a mediocre teacher teaching a boring subject to boring kids. Or, a human being helping other human beings to realize their full potential and go on and make a positive difference in their world. Your beliefs create your world.

Tips

• be different
  
• be humorous
  
• be kind
  
• be patient
  
• be respectful
  
• be understanding
  
• be helpful
  
• be loving
  
• just be the very best human being you can be

Sources and Citations

• http://school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/goodteacher.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be an Inspirational Teacher. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-75: "How to Be a Popular Teacher"

How to Be a Popular Teacher

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Don't you hate it when you get the feeling that your pupils hate you? Here are some tips to get on their good side.

Steps

1. Have a unique character. This normally only works if you're new, but if you stick to a certain personality that may be mean/angry etc. you will gain respect for it, as long as you're not stupid or act like a snob.
   
2. Ask for a class opinion. Have a discussion with your class about what could make class more interesting. The same things normally come up like listening to music. Listen to their suggestions and compromise.
   
3. Be flexible. Listen to your students! You'll be amazed how much they'll respect you when you do. But don't let the kids rule you. Of course they'll want to take advantage of these fun things, but you still want to maintain control. Do not be overly strict.
   
4. Make the work you give to students fun. Any subject can be interesting if done through a game or puzzles. Never waste the students' time. Make sure that your assignment is actually going to teach them something or help them apply class principles in real life. Busy work is a hassle for everyone. Moreover, they will see it it as pointless for you teach something not relevant to the subject you are teaching.
   
5. Stay in fashion. While still dressing appropriately for your age and maintaining decorum, keep in touch with fashion to help the students relate to you more. Discussing what's new in trends with your students will give you a better feel for where they're coming from as well.
   
6. Keep in mind that your students cannot remember everything. Make sure to remind them about things when necessary.
   
7. Know how to console your students. Be someone who can give advice on solving the students' dilemma. Give respect, and never humiliate a student in front of the class unless the context is a very clear joke. Remember, humiliation offends far more people than just the student in question.
   
8. Show your passion! Stay interested and involved with your work, remember why you became a teacher in the beginning. Your love of a subject and excitement for it can influence your pupils greatly.

Tips

• DO NOT be hypocritical. If you want your students to take their coats off indoors, make sure you do so too.
  
• Grade fairly. Make sure that not all of your assignments are subjective. For those that are, take precautions such as reading the first page with the name last, or having students write their names on the backs of the papers so you don't know who it is before you grade.
  
• Don't be someone you're not. People can see right through you. It is more likely to get you made fun of than popular with students.
  
• If you don't know the answer, don't be afraid to say "I don't know." Students often know when the teacher doesn't have a clue and that leads to a dramatic loss of respect. (And then don't take the question as a challenge to your knowledge. Take it as a good question from a good, curious student.)
  
• If you have a student who has read something that you haven't or has an idea you don't know how to respond to, respect their opinion and appreciate that someone has taken the time to do some extra research. If you don't know how to respond, say things like "I've never heard that before. I will have to do some research." It will actually make the student feel that his opinions are valid.
  
• Don't naively believe that everyone believes the same things you do (especially when it comes to religion), even if you live in a region where most people believe the same things.
  
• Stop complaining how much you have to grade. You were the one who assigned it. If you don't want to grade it, don't assign it!
  
• Don't check out, especially if you teach high school. Letting movies teach your class for you isn't cool; it is lazy and shows the students you don't care.
  
• Care about what you teach! If you don't like it, your students won't either. If you expect your students to get good grades and put forth an effort, you have to as well.
  
• Remember that education is more than teaching students what to think, it is also teaching them how to think. Encourage diverse opinions (even if those opinions differ from your own).
  
• Don't complain about your job, salary, or that you have to do conferences - it is part of your job, you picked it. If a business man told his customers how much he hated his job, would they buy his product? No! It also makes students feel bad about themselves if you hate being there with them.

Related wikiHows

• How to Become Popular by Using Good Communication Skills
  
• How to Become Popular On Your Own Terms
  
• How to Become a Tutor/personal Teacher
  
• How to Become Liked

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Popular Teacher. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-74: "How to Use Web Resources for Teaching"

How to Use Web Resources for Teaching

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


This article is a stub. You can help by expanding and clarifying it. Notice added on 2007-10-23.

We can get together as educators and document all the useful resources on the web that will enhance our teaching experience. There's so many websites out there that are just waiting for us to find. Let's get started. Post you favorite websites here!

Steps

1. Post your original lesson plans on the Reading International Wiki. This will turn them into a collaborative writing project and put them in the public domain. http://riwiki.jot.com/WikiHome
2. Use a computer to record the audio of you giving a lesson. Save it as a mp3 and upload it to a web host. Students will be able to download the lesson and review the lesson again and again at home. Those students who were absent will be able to keep up by downloading the lesson and listening at home.

Tips

1. Do a general search using common search engines such as google, altavista, northernlights or a multi-search engine such as metacrawler or dogpile.
   
2. Narrow your search by clicking on the 'advance' search option.
   
3. Scan your results and choose the one you find most useful and interesting.
   
4. Enter forum and discuss your findings.

Things You'll Need

* Audio recording software is available free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

* Internet Group for posting links to materials and announcements.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Web Resources for Teaching. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-73: "How to Teach"

How to Teach

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Teaching well is an art, but there are definitely techniques that have been proven to work better than the typical "stand and deliver" lecture of information. Here's how you can help facilitate significant, long-term learning with integrated course design.

Steps

1. Analyze your teaching situation. Consider your students and whatever you already know (or can guess) about them. Consider the expectations of the organization that has brought you in to teach. What are your minimum requirements?
   
2. Identify your Learning Goals. Ideally, what would you like the students to remember and/or do from your class a year later? Ideally, how do you want this class to leave a lasting effect on their lives?
   
3. Identify your feedback and assessment options. Whether you have to grade the class or not, how will you know whether the students have achieved the Learning Goals? One option: Educative Evaluation (vs. Auditive) where you ask students to imagine a specific future situation related to what you've been teaching about, and ask them how they would respond to the situation. This helps students personalize (and retain) what they've been learning about. The more immediately you can give the students feedback on whether they're "getting it" or not, the more quickly their brains will retain the learning. Tests are the most common assessments in graded classes; one way to make a multiple-choice test more of a learning activity instead of just an audit is to give them immediate feedback as they take the test, perhaps by using something like the Epstein IFAT test form.
   
4. Choose Learning Activities. Based on your situation, learning goals and feedback & assessment options, what activities will help students experientially learn what you want them to? Active learning (here students participate in some sort of way) has been proven to be more effective than passive learning (e.g. listening only to a lecture or presentation). One simple way to add active learning to a lecture is to include "Think, Pair, Share" moments after every chunk of conceptual information (7-15 minutes max).
   
5. Check for Integration. After pulling together the learning activities and assessment techniques, check to see if they integrate to effectively facilitate the learning goals with the kinds of students you will have. Consider checking with someone else, perhaps beta-testing activities you haven't tried before, so that you can improve on the clarity of the instructions.
   
6. Get Student Feedback. Don't wait for a generic course evaluation at the end! Check with students frequently during the course to get feedback on what is working well and what could be improved, either immediately or the next time you teach. One way, if you are teaching in a graded attendance-required class, is to have students complete a simple half-sheet evaluation each day, asking 1) what are your take aways" today? 2) what could have been better today? How? 3) what grade would you give this session (on a scale of 1 to 5).
   
7. Keep Learning More About How To Teach! No matter how good you are, you can continue improving. Stay open to new ideas, and look for opportunities to learn from others. What works and what doesn't. Just because an activity doesn't work smoothly the first time does not mean it won't work - many times they just need refining. For a more detailed step-by-step guide to course design, try the free downloadable Self Directed Guide to Creating Significant Learning.

Related wikiHows

• How to Homeschool Your Children
  
• How to Make a Classroom
  
• How to Write a Comparative Essay
  
• How to Write a Scheme of Work
  
• How to Work With Students With Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Sources and Citations

• Self-Directed Guide to Creating Significant Learning http://www.ou.edu/idp/significant/selfdirected1.pdf
  
• Think-Pair-Share http://www.teach.virginia.edu/go/readquest/strat/tps.html
  
• Epstein IFAT Test Form http://www.epsteineducation.com/ifat.php

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Teach. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.