http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/activities-that-will-help-to-foster-child-development.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/activities-that-will-help-to-foster-child-development.html Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Learning is such an important step in every child's life, and there are many factors that contribute to whether a child is successful in their academic career. Each child learns in a slightly different manner, creating a challenge for some to know how to effectively teach each student. Activities are one of the most fundamental learning tools used to reach the widest student audience possible. Games, worksheets, teamwork and educational software can all work to enhance the educational experience of a student.

Games

One of the best ways to foster a child's learning is to make it a fun experience. Games are a great way to encourage children to both have fun and to learn at the same time. There are many educational resources that are designed to generate game ideas for a particular lesson. Games could be short and in the classroom, could be for a single subject matter, could be meant to be played individually or could be expanded into a group or team project. No matter which format of educational games are chosen to teach, they will add to the overall learning experience for the student.

Worksheets

Printable worksheets and activities are a great way to encourage children to learn. Worksheets are often age dependent and are targeted to a specific learning topic. As you are preparing your lesson plan, consider what tools are available to supplement your overall lesson's theme. For young children, worksheets could involve simple writing or reading games, coloring books or matching games to reinforce a particular subject matter. For older students, worksheets are often used as a comprehension tool to foster classroom learning at home.

Team Activities

Working in a team is an important adult skill to be able to master, for college and for the career world. Starting at a young age will help to build this skill and can also help to improve the educational experience throughout all grade levels. Team activities are a great way to foster communication skills and retention of particular subject matters. Team projects could be completed in a single classroom setting or could be expanded into a larger project that requires outside of the classroom organization. As students age, group activities become more and more common in almost any classroom subject matter.

Educational Software

Computers and the Internet have expanded the ability to teach as there are now a number of educational tools available to foster learning. Online tutoring has become a major source of homework help to assist struggling students. In addition, educational software is available to work with students at any age on almost any subject matter. Educational software is also a valuable tool for teachers who are looking for curriculum and lesson plan ideas or way to add interest to their classroom.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to children learning, education and home schooling which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/helping-your-children-to-read-and-write.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/helping-your-children-to-read-and-write.html Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Reading and writing are two of the most fundamental learning basics of any education program. Parents often like to get a jumpstart on facilitating how quickly their children are learning to read or learning to write. Follow these suggestions to help your children to read and write:

1. Build an environment that fosters reading and writing in your home. Things such as books, educational toys, learning supplies and an area that is dedicated to learning will help with writing in particular. Writing is largely hand/eye coordination ad the more that you can encourage your child to write and draw, the stronger those skills will develop.
2. If you are working with your young child on learning to read or write, ensure that the sessions are brief in nature. Young children have short attention spans and you will want to have effective, short lessons that are spaced apart. This method of teaching will ensure a greater retention of the material.
3. Leverage educational tools and teaching aids such as phonics programs, activity lessons, and activity white boards. Children learn by what they hear, see and do, so the more stimuli that you can use to teach your child to read and write, the more effective you will be as a teacher.
4. Use everyday experiences to foster learning for your child. Point to as many stimuli that you come into contact with daily and help them to associate the word with the item in a repetitive fashion until your child picks it up. For example, when you are driving if you see something of interest like an animal, or a landscape or even another car, point at it and use the word.
5. Reading is a great way to teach your child both reading and language skills. Young children love to hear stories. So, choose books that weave stories together with learning to engage your child. Point to the pictures and say the associated words to help your child to learn them as well. Read a variety of books to your child to also help them expand their learning capabilities.
6. Work to make learning fun for your child. Working with different lessons, different learning tools and different environments will not only help your child to learn, but it will help them to build an appreciation and a fondness for the learning process.
7. Be consistent with your children when you are teaching them something. This requires discipline on the part of the parent, but is necessary to reinforce concepts and ideas. Work with your child until they have grasped a concept and then move onto the next learning concept.
8. Use positive reinforcement when you are teaching your child. It is important that your child does not associate learning as a negative process. So, reward when appropriate and be encouraging when they are having challenges with a particular subject or area.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to learning, education and reading techniques which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/is-homeschooling-the-right-decision-for-your-family.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/is-homeschooling-the-right-decision-for-your-family.html Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Concern for your children's education is often the driving force behind a parent's decision to homeschool their children. Home schooling requires a parent or caregiver to take full responsibility for the education that their child or children will receive outside of the traditional parameters of the classroom. If you are considering homeschooling as an option, you likely have many questions and concerns. Consider the following topics as you make your decision to homeschool your children:

1. Are both parents in agreement?

Homeschooling your children is a significant decision to make, and it is important that both parents are in agreement with regards to the decision. If one parent is not supportive, it can make the entire process very challenging.

2. How does your child feel about homeschooling?

It is not only important for both parents to feel comfortable and to be in agreement with homeschooling, but it is also vital that you speak with your child or children to also gain commitment. When you speak to them, talk about why you feel that this decision is the best decision and try to encourage an open discussion. It will make the entire learning process very challenging if your child or children are not in agreement with the decision.

3. Do you feel like you will be able to provide the necessary teaching to your child?

Homeschooling your children will require that one of the parents or the caregivers will need to teach subjects such as language arts, reading and writing, and other subject matters. Do you feel prepared to educate your children on these topics?

4. Do you have the time available to make the commitment?

When you are considering homeschooling, ensure that you realize that it is a full time responsibility. You are in essence replacing their current education with a home based curriculum. Make sure that you dedicate the time to spend preparing for lessons and for teaching your children.

5. Do you have a plan on how you will still be able to provide socialization opportunities for your child or children?

If you select homsechooling as an option, your children will be less likely to be around other students as they would in a traditional classroom setting. Consider ways that your children will still have exposure to other children in activities such as sports, music or other community activities. Not only is this healthy for the child's development, but it is also a way to make the transition easier.

6. Have you considered how homeschooling will affect your household financially?

While it is very possible to find homeschooling materials for low costs and even for free, the most significant financial decision will be that the primary educator will likely be unable to have employment outside of the home unless it is during the evenings and on weekends. It is important to carefully consider the financial impact of the decision to homeschool on the entire family.

7. Have you developed a plan to manage your existing household responsibilities along with homeschooling as well as a space in the house that will accommodate?

If you currently are staying home to manage your household and you are considering taking on the added responsibility of homeschooling, make sure that you have considered a plan to not let the other responsibilities of yours go by the way side. Proper time management will be necessary to keep your home in the order in which you desire.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to reading and writing, education and reading techniques which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/the-top-5-teaching-tips.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/education/the-top-5-teaching-tips.html Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Education is one of the cornerstones of a child's future and the methods of teaching that are used will be instrumental in the absorption of the material being taught to a child. Teaching a child is a significant responsibility and requires both patience and dedication. If you are looking for ideas on how to effectively teach a child, follow these 5 tips:

1. Use Multiple Teaching Approaches

Children all learn in different manners. So, when you are working with your student, use a variety of approaches and activities for each session and each subject matter. Consider lectures, small group discussions, written assignments, videos or online trainings, and even art projects to teach.

2. Be Well Prepared

Teaching requires a substantial amount of preparation ahead of time. Ensure that you have well thought out lesson plans and activities that will engage the student in the learning process. Think about the message that you are trying to communicate and what you would like the student to learn during the session. Also, ensure that you have enough of the required materials and activities ready before you begin teaching.

3. Use Audio and Visual Aids Effectively

In addition to the written assignments and lectures, use audio and visual aids to help students with the comprehension of the materials. You can be creative with overhead slides, movies and the chalkboard to break up a lesson and to emphasize learning objectives. Not only will these materials help to make the lesson more interesting to the students, but it will also work to improve retention and understanding of the subject matter being taught.

4. Use Handouts and Homework

Handouts can be a way to help students to follow along with a particular lecture. Some students learn well with a partially completed handout that requires them to pay attention to what is being verbally communicated. Also, homework can be a great way to continue the learning process and to enhance retention of the material taught during the classroom session. Choose homework that will test understanding and that will add to the material that you taught earlier. Reinforcement of ideas will help to improve academic retention.

5. Check Consistently for Understanding

As you are teaching, be sure to check in with your student to ensure that they are understanding the materials. You can do this by asking open ended discussion questions, by engaging the students in group exercises or other interaction activities and by giving out short comprehension quizzes. Many students will not speak out if they don't understand a particular topic, so the more that you can check in for their understanding, the more effective you will be at teaching a subject matter.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to educational software, education and learn to read which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/some-homeschooling-home-what-you-need-to-know.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/some-homeschooling-home-what-you-need-to-know.html Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Many research findings carried out suggest that not only do home schooled children have better social skills, but that they are less dependent on heir peers. Dr. Raymond Moore who wrote the book Better late than Early, found out that homeschooled individuals (those that have already become adults) are much more aware of the issues affecting their communities than the conventionally educated ones. They take their civil obligations like voting more seriously and many more belong to community organizations.

Experts believe that homeschooling contributes adequately to ideal child development, and since they learn their graces from many different age groups, not least their parents, they are capable of developing healthy relationships with just about anyone. Children who go to a traditional school on the other hand, get to spend time with their peers and not all of their time is spent learning in a classroom.

The first generation of homeschooled adults has already finished college and entered the job market. There are as many as 1,400 colleges that take in homeschooled students, so those facts should debunk the myth that homeschooled children are less likely to go to college. And the benefits of home school learning can be seen later in life as research suggests that those that took home learning have develop strong moral bases, exhibit greater work ethic and develop greater leadership skills as well.

There are fears that teaching children is a skill that not everyone has, and a parent would have hard time teaching subjects such as algebra. Well, it is undeniable that guiding your children how to read is not a simple task. But it’s a skill that any parent can learn, and especially motivated by the great benefits that comes with interacting with your children, like developing a strong bond. Secondly point is that one does not have to teach slightly technical subjects like algebra to children less than 10 years. This can wait until the child has matured a bit, and has expressed interest in science and math. Then you can look for ways to incorporate algebra into child leaning program, even using a tutor if you are not comfortable teaching the subject on your own.

You can also find a ways to home school the children without breaking the bank as teaching children at home can be expensive if you allow it to be. It is safe to assume that home schooling at home will be more costly than public schooling but less costly than private schooling. If you use a box curriculum or hook up with an independent study program, you can expect to pay a little more. There is an option of incorporating some public means to bring down costs, like using a public library, or public playground.

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Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to children learning, education and home schooling which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/tips-for-successful-home-schooling.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/tips-for-successful-home-schooling.html Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Inspire your Child to learn how to write

Writing assignments elicit more sighs and yawns more than other types of leaning assignments for a child, but it’s possible to allow children to like writing assignments by giving them practical assignments. For instance, you can get a child to write what he likes most about his/her toy; or to write a letter to a favorite relative as a way of keeping touch. You can also introduce the child to blogging online. If your child sees posts by other children, it is likely he will want to try writing his own topic. Pen pal letters also stimulate the child to learn how to write.

Inculcate a reading culture

It’s always god to teach your child how to read (appropriate materials please). But, you also need to take steps to ensure that the child does not have conditions that might hinder reading like visual problems or dyslexia. When you are home schooling, you will need to set a good example by reading for pleasure, and make sure that your child notices. Don’t pick reading materials that are too complicated for the child to comprehend, as this will lead to frustration. Computer games that have text in them are good for reading as they are for child development.

Learn to compromise

As to how much further you can go in insisting that your child performs a particular task for home schooling, there are no easy answers. Suppose your child wants to learn science and you had scheduled algebra, what do you do? You can change the schedule a bit and accommodate your child’s educational cravings; just ensure this is not often repeated and putting your foot down sometimes is necessary skill when teaching children. Home schooling does not necessary mean you follow your own schedule; you will need to be flexible.

You will want to ensure that your child’s education is at par with his peers’ learning at public/private schools. One way of doing this is getting your hands on a used or free curriculum which can help you have significant costs savings and will allow you to duplicate the curriculum that your child would receive in a traditional classroom setting. You can also pick inexpensive learning materials that are up for sale from a local library, or from numerous online stores.

If your child has refused a task, then a time off may be a good idea. Home schooling doesn’t have to be a battleground.

Sometimes a change is good than a rest

There are times that your child may not want to touch a book or is plainly bored. You may not have much success teaching such a child at that moment. But you may improve results significantly by simply changing the home school environment. You may proceed to a park or a restaurant or the park or to a close relative’s house. You can also simply change the schedule and go the extra curricular way; it works wonders.

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Rebecca Walker writes articles on child development. More articles written by Rebecca Walker related to learning, education and reading techniques which are available in the internet.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/buy-old-hammered-coins-online.html http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/buy-old-hammered-coins-online.html Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
When buying old hammered coins online, one problem that many people have is worrying about whether or not they will receive exactly what they were expecting. Many specialized and well known hammered coin dealers do not have the same level of risk attached, however the same cannot be said about everyone who is selling hammered coins over the internet. An example of this would be the many hammered coins that are available on auction websites such as Ebay. One way to make sure that you are less likely to end up out of pocket, can be to always ensure that you buy using a credit card. When you do this, you will always be able to do a charge-back should you end up not receiving the goods that you ordered.

As well as being able to do a charge-back, you should always do certain checks before hand to ensure that everything looks above board. If you are buying through a website, for example, you should look to see if the merchant makes their contact details publicly available – if they do not then you should stay well away. Another great tip can be to ask the retailer for the contact details of their prior customers. You can contact them and see if they were happy with the service levels that they received. However, you can avoid these problems by buying from a ‘known’ dealer. The coin associations (British Numismatic Society or British Numismatic Trade Association) should be able to tell you if the dealer concerned is known to them. Alternatively one of the major International dealers (i.e. Spink & Son) will probably know the dealer and his/her specialised field.

Before you make any purchase online, you should always make sure that you are paying a fair price which reflects the current rates in the market place. This is especially relevant when it comes to buying hammered coins. You should try and find out the price that coins, of a similar time period and value, sold for in the past. You can then use that information to find out if you are going to be charged a fair price. When you buy from hammered coin dealers you should be expecting to, and be willing to, pay more for your purchase. The reason for this is that they will go to the effort of checking the authenticity of the coin and do research with regard to its origin and condition. They will also make sure that buyers pay a fair price, and are not being ripped off due to their ignorance or excessive desire to get a particular coin.

Finding a hammered coin dealer online is simple. Firstly go to a search engine and type in hammered coins, or a similar phrase that indicates your intention. You can even visit a directory and find out if they have a section that is dedicated to hammered coins websites.

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Anthony Travis writes articles about Hammered CoinsFurther articles written by the author related to English Hammered Coinswhich are avilable on the web.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/getting-the-best-price-for-your-hammered-coins.html http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/getting-the-best-price-for-your-hammered-coins.html Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500 generally continued to rise, more so in portrait coins of Henry V111, EdwardV1, Elizabeth 1, James 1 and Charles 1 coins than many earlier including Celtic. Through being prudent in your approach to selling, you may find that someone will be willing to pay a very fair price.

Before you decide to sell your hammered coin, you should firstly consider if it what you are really wanting to do. There are many reasons why it can be wise to hang on to a coin, rather than sell it straight away:

1. Over time the price of a coin can increase well beyond the rate of inflation. The reason for this is that supply of old hammered coins is continuing to shrink, while demand is doing the opposite. Through hanging onto your coins for longer, you may find that you are able to reap the rewards financially.
2. It's a piece of history that you may have difficulty replacing. You may think that the money sounds appealing, however does it truly outweigh the value that you gain from having the coin? That is the question you should be asking yourself before you decide to sell.
3. Through hanging onto the coin you can wait until a time where you are offered the best deal. Some people are able to get more value from having the coin, and others have bigger budgets than others. Through hanging onto it, you will be able to wait until the best deal comes along.

If you are sure that you want to sell, then it is important that you go to all measures in ensuring that you get the best deal. The first stage should be to get a professional to evaluate its potential value. The professional may also be willing to make an offer to you if they would like to buy the piece, so getting evaluations can be useful in two ways. After you have got a valuation from a specialist, then your goal should be to sell it to a specialist dealer or collector if you want to make the most money. A dealer will be looking to make a mark-up on selling to the collector, but will probably have a customer for your item or be happy to have it in stock for what could be months .Generally, specialist collectors prefer to deal with reputable dealers as they know their coin will gain provenance(i.e. a coins history of ownership can be traced thus in many cases enhancing the value). An ‘unknown’ coin (e.g. detector find) will not have this ‘provenance’

Another great way to get the best deal for your hammered coins can be to sell them at a specialist auction. At a specialist auction there will be an array of people that are looking for, and already have vast knowledge, surrounding coins. This could mean that, if they start competing for your item, that you could end up with much more money for your piece than it had been valued at – this is even more likely to be the case if the piece is rare. Always remember to have a reserve on your item, and don't be scared to wait until the price being offered is fair. It may well be worth you while to ask a dealer to handle an auction sale for you. He could negotiate better auction fees for you and would probably pick an auction which would be the best for your particular coin(s)

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Anthony Travis writes articles about Hammered CoinsFurther articles written by the author related to English Hammered Coinswhich are avilable on the web.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/getting-the-best-priced-hammered-coins.html http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/getting-the-best-priced-hammered-coins.html Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Getting a fair price is obviously imperative for buyers, however no more so than ensuring that they do not get ripped off by buying something which is either not authentic or not as valuable as their initial research or presumptions would suggest. That is why you always need to go to measures to ensuring that you are buying the real deal. Often collectors and dealer will have experience in this area and will know what to look out for. If you do not, then you need to be seriously considering the trustworthiness of your source. You should ask them about the origins of the piece, how it came into their hands, if they offer a refund and any other questions that you feel could be useful in working out whether or not you are getting what you are paying for. If they are unable to offer any guarantees then you should be naturally sceptical and be prepared to walk away unless you are certain that the piece is as valuable as the price tag would suggest.

Collectors of hammered coins often complain that they are difficult to come across, which means it is difficult for them to broaden their collection. This is the case for a number of reasons, not least the liquidity of old hammered coins as an asset, and the intrinsic value that they have as a piece of history. One way to overcome this is to buy from someone who does not know as much as you do, or does not appreciate their value quite as much! If you go to car boot sales and attend auctions at your local auction house then you can be sure to be there when the right hammered coin comes along. Be sure to act cool, and not appear too desperate, and you could find yourself walking away with a real bargain.

The same applies when it comes to online auction websites such as Ebay. Because they are selling to such a broad audience, a specialist like yourself can be sure to pick up a good deal. You should also consider contacting dealers in your area, and dealers online, and letting them know what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay. You may find, that although you are not willing to pay market prices, they contact you in instances where they are not able to sell the item right away. They may also decide to sell to you at times where they are looking to improve cash flow to make another purchase. Be prepared to wait, and you can be sure to pick up a great bargain from time to time. Knowledge is everything- so pick your particular period and study it well. Trying to master all can lead to expensive mistakes!

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Anthony Travis writes articles about Hammered CoinsFurther articles written by the author related to English Hammered Coinswhich are avilable on the web.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/hammered-gold-and-hammered-silver-coins-evaluating-their-price.html http://www.articletrader.com/shopping/hammered-gold-and-hammered-silver-coins-evaluating-their-price.html Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Before you buy and sell hammered silver coins, or hammered gold coins for that matter, you firstly have to consider how much they are worth to you. If the market suggests a price that is much lower than what it is worth to you, then buy rather than sell. If the market suggests a price that is much higher than what it is worth to you, then sell rather than buy. Although that may seem simple, there are also other factors to consider.

One thing you have to be careful about is ensuring the item you are buying, or selling, is authentic. If you are selling it to a broker or through an auction they will usually take measures to ensure that this is the case, however if you are not completing the transaction using either of those methods then ensure that due diligence is undertaken. Even if you do not want to involve a broker in the transaction directly, you could consider offering a consultation fee for the piece to be evaluated. The internet is also awash with a lot of great information on hammered coins. This can be a great way to add further weight to whether or not the piece is exactly what everyone thinks it is. You can find out the moulds that were being used at the times that the piece is dates, check out the type of metal that was being used and other factors that could further verify if everything is above board.

One great way to find out the value of an item is to find out how much similar items have sold for in the past. Although, ultimately, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, this can be a great way to get a rough figure on which to base further negotiations. If you know other hammered coin collectors in your area then you should ask them for advice on how much they think the item is worth. You may also find that they may show an interest in the item and make an unexpected offer which you could go on to accept. In the case that you are looking to buy an item, be careful that they do not jump in ahead of you!

Remember not to go ahead with a purchase unless you are confident it is what you want to do. You should also not go ahead unless you feel you are going to be fairly remunerated and that you are not going to regret the decision later. In order to ensure this happens you should always sleep on any decisions before going ahead with it, and once you make up your mind you should stick to your guns!

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The Author Anthony Travis writes articles about Celtic Hammered CoinsFurther articles written by the author related to Hammered Silver Coinswhich are avilable on the web.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>