A joy that
is shared is a joy made double.
Anonymous English Proverb
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| Lesson Pro Exceeds Expectations!! |
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If you are one of the writers for LessonPro, pat
yourself on the back! The LessonPro model for developing lessons from the best writers
across the country is surprising everyone with its success rate. Over 700 teachers have
enrolled and of those, over 100 are writing lessons. We believe that teachers create the
best curriculum. e-Tutor has provided a way to develop lessons and earn money at the same
time. Lessons |
| are made available to
the teacher and students to use in school. If you have not done so, you will want to sign
up today at http://www.lessonpro.net.
Joining the Circle of Writers will benefit both you and your students. |
The longer
I live, the more beautiful life becomes.
Frank Lloyd Wright
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Of all the characteristics in a leader, four
are particularly important:
- Do you relate to the larger picture? Beginning with your first job, did you try
to understand how your department related to the larger overall organization? And did you
think outside the organization, trying to understand the markets in which your
organization competed, as well as possible future trends?
- Do you have a vision? The best visions are characterized by two elements: (1)
they are simple and easily understood by all; (2) they are attainable by everyone working
together.
- Are you willing to change your mind? Are you prepared to change direction
whenever new information warrants making a shift? Top leaders are.
- Do you think long-term? Your focus must extend far into the future. How long? At
least a decade, often longer.
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To hone your own abilities,
begin to couch your thinking in leadership terms. Look at the larger picture. Work to
develop a vision. Always be open to new ideas and be willing to change course if new
information warrants it. And think as long-term as possible. |
All
art has this characteristic…it unites people.
Leo Tolstoy, Russian Author
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 Try these tips to cope with stressful situations:
- Schedule anticipated stress. When possible, space stressful situations so they
don’t come all at once.
- Arrange for privacy. Find a place and schedule a time where you can think alone
without interruption.
- Maintain control. Don’t allow insignificant events to control you.
- Establish support systems among family, friends and colleagues.
- Don’t procrastinate. Stressful situations get worse the longer you tolerate
them.
- Make decisions based on your needs rather than what others expect your needs to
be.
Peg Kraft, The Newslink
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The end of
labor is to gain leisure.
Aristotle
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| At
this time of year, many older children are home alone. The following suggestion may help
with your children.Fill a large zip-top plastic bag with all the little things your
children might need in an emergency:a flashlight with batteries that work;band aids;
cotton balls; mild antiseptic; several quarters; safety pins; at least six direct-dial
telephone numbers of relatives, neighbors, or co-workers; a piece of candy or some
sugarless gum. Have your children help you
pack the bag. Talk about each item as you include it. Have your child decide which phone
number they would call first, second, and so on. Then put the bag in a place that is easy
to find.
Even when children are old enough to be home alone (most
experts say that is at least age 10), minor emergencies can crop up. Having a focal point
within the household for emergencies helps the child…and the parent…feel a
little more secure.
Adapted from Parents Make The Difference
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The interests of childhood and youth are the interests of humanity.
Edmund Storer Jones
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| For
Students…Make Reading Fun! |
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Students
who get good grades agree with teachers on at least one point. The better you read, the
fewer problems you will have with schoolwork. What’s more, reading provides an
excellent way to relax after a stressful day. Students who read well have discovered a
secret: pleasure reading. Not sure how to get started? Here are some suggestions on how
you can learn to make reading a pleasure rather than a chore. |
- Set aside a special time, devoted solely to reading, and do this on a regular
basis. Even if you only manage 15 minutes a day or an hour on the weekend. This can be
enough to get the reading habit established.
- Aim for comfort. Stretch out on the sofa, lie on the floor, or sit under a tree.
Many people find bedtime reading to be enjoyable. Add a little music to the background if
you wish…at low volume. (You may want to stay away from the TV set, however, since
this can be distracting.
 Make this individual
reading time your time, not someone else’s. In other words, don’t read a
textbook or anything else connected with
schoolwork. Read only what you enjoy. Your choice could be a romance novel, a
detective story, an article about how to relate to the opposite sex, or even a comic book.
- Not sure what you would enjoy? Read about something that
interests you. Do you like tinkering with cars? Do you want to dig up some trivia facts
about your favorite
- football team? Do you want to know what’s hot and what’s not on the
fashion scene? Would you like information about a career? No matter what the subject is,
chances are you can find dozens of books and articles about it. If you don’t know
where to look, a librarian will be glad to help you
- Finally start small. You don’t have to read a whole book in one sitting.
Read a short newspaper or magazine article. If you want to tackle a book, read one chapter
a night or a certain number of pages. If the story line compels you to keep turning the
pages, that’s fine too.
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The more you read, the better
you’ll read. The better you read, the more you’ll enjoy it. In fact, those who
read well often report that reading is one of their hobbies. And while homework may never
be your favorite pastime, you might find that it gets easier. Adapted
from Illinois Association of School Boards
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The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read
them.
Samuel Butler
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For the first time in our evolution, an entire
generation of children has the opportunity, or misfortune, of living a sedentary
lifestyle. The habitual activity level of our children may be insufficient to provide the
health protection that was inherent in the lifestyle of previous generations. This
problematic, because the lack of activity could result in the accelerated onset of chronic
disease and a premature loss of human resources and productivity. |
 Findings in research as part of the Elementary School Climate Study
in New Brunswick, based on a large representative sample of grade six students, show that
increased physical activity is related to higher self-esteem. The self-esteem of many
children, particularly females, declines during adolescence. These results suggest that
participation in physical activities may help children traverse this difficult period.
Some children, especially those in lower socioeconomic families, have less access to
recreational and sport facilities outside of school, and face other barriers to
participation. Atlantic Center for Policy Research,
University of New Brunswick, Sept. 99
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| Andy Warhol was wrong: in the
future, everyone won’t be famous for fifteen minutes. But everyone will have their
own web site." Jon Winokur, Author
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The Bullying Project was created to help young people help
each other deal with the problems of bullying and teasing.
http://www.bullying.org
Web Awareness for Teachers provides resources to help teachers and librarians
give students the skills they need to evaluate online information and to protect their
privacy and their personal safety as they surf the net.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/webaware/teachers/thome.htm
After School Gov. includes some great resources put together by various
departments of the government.
http://www.afterschool.gov/kidsnteens.html
A great resource of information for teachers and administrator of all
disciplines.
http://www.teachertidbytes.com
Great Books OnLine
http://www.bartleby.com/
Each week, The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology features a
new bird with sounds, great photos, and other great resources.
http://birds.cornell.edu/bow/
As the primary races are heating up, FreedomChannel lets you
take a look at what the candidates are really saying.
http://www.freedomchannel.com/
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It looks
like we are finally moving to the wonderful office space that I told you about several
months ago. With fits and starts, we have been in and out of space for too long. But like
so many other things, nothing comes easy. While this is not the first place we thought we
would be in, it will be just fine and will, hopefully, be home to us for at least a year. 
The e-Tutor staff has been absolutely wonderful. They have literally
been tripping over each other in our small cramped quarters. We have continued to hire
staff through it all. With a growing company we could not slow down…so with patience
and a desire to grow together, a great staff has continued to produce the quality
instructional program we have built our reputation on.
The Fourth of July came and went in a blast of heat
and humidity here. The flags, the fireworks and parades can’t help to get one into a
festive mood. This is a happy time of year. Children playing, parents barbecuing, friends
gathering, couples strolling…happy faces, happy times. I love the sounds as I take my
walk each evening. 