Avenues for Math Teacher Improvement

Being a teacher is hard work. If you teach junior high or high school, you probably have over a hundred students to know and to teach. If you teach elementary, then you have an entire day with the same squirrely kids, and multiple subjects to cover. None of this even mentions the countless other challenges teachers face. One of the most recent ones is the implementation of the Common Core. If you are looking for programs for math teacher improvement that can help you teach this Core, continue reading for some ideas on what to do.

Personal Study

Probably the best thing you can do before going to any training sessions or taking classes is to explore the Core Standards on your own. You can do this online. Read through everything the students have to know at the grade level you are teaching. Read through sample performance tasks, student sample work, and the suggested texts. This will help you to identify where your weakest areas are. It can also help you realize parts of the Core that may be confusing to you. Then you can adjust your learning more directly to your needs.

Use Your Resources

You have many options for information and resources. You can use the Internet, where there are countless forums of teachers and experts you can talk to. These people are willing to share their ideas and methods, and tell you what worked and what didn’t. Your colleagues can do this with you too, of course. And you can also look at classes offered through your district. This is often the easiest direction to go because you can receive stipends or credits more easily through them.

Take a Class

Another option is to take a class on implementing the Common Core Standards. Many classes are offered online, which is great so that you can go at your own pace. Some programs also allow you to self-design the experience, choosing which modules and content strands you want to focus on. If you’re a math teacher looking for math teacher improvement programs, and want to focus on specific things, this is probably the best way to go after you’ve done your own personal study and online research. 

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

Easily Packed Projects When You Live in Temporary Housing

Packing up your life for extended stays in temporary housing in Lubbock, TX, can be tiring. Living out of a suitcase for days or weeks out of the month means that you have to make sacrifices. You can’t always enjoy the comforts of home when you have a weight limit on your suitcase. But making room for a couple items that help you feel comfortable and relaxed is important. Projects or hobbies give you something to do in your downtime, engage your mind, and help you release stresses from work. The feeling of accomplishing something you find personally enjoyable and for which there is no pressure or deadline often comes as a relief. Here are some ideas for easily packed projects.

Stuff You Can Do on a Computer

You already have your laptop with you, so why not utilize it further? As an aspiring author, you can knock out a few thousand words every evening with your favorite word processing software. If you’re really serious about banging out the great American novel, there are different programs available that offer lots of features both amateur and professional authors find very useful in organizing research, character points, and plot items. If it’s the picture that’s worth the thousand words, you can easily indulge in your creative scrapbooking hobby by using digital methods of organizing your photos.

Computerized games are an incredibly popular way to unwind and de-stress. Social media sites give you access to numerous games you can play alone or against online buddies. Some are more mindless than others, so choose your level of intellectual involvement and have at it. Don’t forget the value of having a subscription to an online video streaming site so you can catch up on your favorite movies or television series.

Using Your Hands

If the thought of sitting in front of a computer screen for one more minute is too much to handle, it’s time to get your hands busy. Unfortunately, hobbies that require large pieces of machinery won’t fit into your suitcase, but it might be possible to bring a small portion of a project along with you. Some yarn and a crochet hook or knitting needles don’t take up too much room, especially if your project can be completed in pieces that will be connected later. Other ideas: small whittling or woodworking projects that require a few hand tools; a sketchbook and pencils; a deck of cards; crossword puzzles and Sudoku; mini sewing machine and fabric; a good digital camera or video camera (along with some editing software); books; audio books and jogging shoes; and a cookbook with interesting recipes you’ve always wanted to try (this works best in furnished temporary housing in Lubbock, TX). There’s no reason to waste your time while away on business trips. Hobbies and projects keep your mind engaged and help you relax, which is important for both your mental and your physical health.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

The Difference of Adolescent Rehab

When people think of drug rehab or a treatment facility, they often picture adult treatments. Though there are many adult treatment centers, there are also quite a few out there for younger people. Adolescent rehab can be something that saves your son or daughter. If you have a child who is struggling with drug addiction, they aren’t alone. Don’t hesitate to consider placing them into treatment. You may think that you can handle it on your own or that they will grow out of this phase, but why risk it? Why not give them a chance to change their future? A short stay at a treatment facility can change their life forever. There are differences in treatment when dealing with youth. Here are a few of them.

Education

When youth are sent to treatment, they are still expected to receive their education. The majority of treatment centers include schooling. They have special classes or packets that your child can do in order to stay caught up in school while they are there. This is a common concern for parents, but it is one that is unnecessary.

Willingness

The willingness of your child may make a difference in what type of treatment facility they enter. The majority of adults admit themselves to treatment, but youth are often pushed or prodded by parents. If you talk to your child and they seem fairly willing to go to treatment and do the work, they would probably thrive in a less restrictive facility. If you know that your child is going to resist at every turn, you should probably find a place that has more staff and more training in how to deal with resistance, defiance, and run away incidents. The less willing your child is to participate in treatment, the longer it will take.

Gender Seclusion

You may want to consider whether or not it would be beneficial to have your child in a place with only their gender. Some kids would do just fine going to group therapy with both boys and girls, but many would be more comfortable in a same-sex facility. There are many different  adolescent rehab facilities that will have different programs, including different ideas on the benefits or drawbacks of gender seclusion.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

The Multiple Uses of Phone Cases and Other Accessories

People like to personalize items to help express themselves as a unique individual. So even though you and everyone you know seem to have the same Smartphone, you also have access to a wide variety of accessories that allows you to make it your own. Certain accessories, such as cellphonecases.com phone covers, as well as cases offered at similar websites, can do more than just assist in protecting your phone. Here are some of the accessories you can find for your Smartphone and how they can benefit you, whether it is for an Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC, or other phone brand.

Chargers and Cables

Your phone may be able to last for a while without a charger, but it will not be for long. Whether you lost the original that came with your phone or if you desire a backup that can be left in a suitcase or purse, it can be particularly handy to have extras. Travel chargers are also a great help, as they allow you to charge your phone through the port in your vehicle. This can be particularly helpful on a long, boring car trip. Most Smartphone charger cables also double as USB ports, which allow you to upload pictures onto a computer or upload music from your computer to your phone.

But there are other cables that you can purchase for a Smartphone, such as auxiliary cables. Auxiliary cables allow you to hook your phone directly to your vehicle’s stereo system. In this way, you can listen to music on your phone through the car stereo or even a phone call. Micro-HDMI cables allow you to hook your phone to the television or similar devices. You can then view pictures from the phone, or even stream video. Do not confuse micro cables with mini HDMI cables, which are made for other devices such as DSLR cameras and camcorders.

Phone Case Variety

Like the phone charger, phone cases have come a long way. Not only can the phone covers help reduce the risk of your phone breaking when dropped, but some of them can also protect your phone from water or even from being run over. Other cases double as more than just a decorative phone case. Certain cellphonecases.com phone covers and other cases can also function as a wallet, or may have a stand to hold your phone for viewing. And the designs vary greatly, from cases of bright colors or patterns, to those with a mesh covering, to cases that are soft to the touch. Other accessories you may consider for your phone may be stylus pens, headsets, and screen protectors.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

Do You Know the Classifications for River Rapids?

Navigating rivers has been done for many, many years, beginning with canoes and other small crafts used to travel the rivers. Today, rafting and kayaking is more of a form of recreation than a means of travel. While it can be an exciting hobby or a fun family adventure, it is not a sport you can just jump into. For one, you should have somewhat of an idea of how river rapids are classified to ensure you do not get into a situation that can be regrettable or even life-threatening.

Establishing Classifications

In 1954, the American Whitewater Association was formed to help create a better regulatory system for the use of whitewater rapids. One of the first tasks the association performed was to create a classification system for rapids to help improve safety. This classification system is known as the International Scale of River Difficulty, which is used not only in the United States, but in several countries around the world.

The association updates the scale from time to time, with a major update having been completed in 1998. With this update, the association compiled the opinions of 100 expert rafters about over 3,000 different rapids. The ratings are based upon features and hazards for certain stretches of water, with the classifications being determined from comparisons to well-known rapids with already agreed upon classifications.


The Classifications

There are six basic classifications for how river rapids are classified, with a plus and minus system to determine how advanced within that class the rapids may be. Keep in mind, however, that these classifications are a guide, and can vary with water flow and new hazards. Class I entails slower-moving water that is flat with a few, small waves and very few obstructions. Class II waves are considered more for a novice rafter, with small waves and easy-to-maneuver obstructions. Class III is more of an intermediate classification, generally with a swift current and higher, irregular waves. The passages become narrower, and the obstacles require more maneuvering. At class IV, you get into the more advanced rapids, with faster-moving water; large, long waves; and narrow passages with more advanced maneuvering. Class IV also has a chance of holes, which are points within the current where the water may reverse flow due to obstructions, which may cause the raft to become stuck or even sink. Class V takes on a different rating system, with some rapids being classified as 5.1, 5.2, and so on , and is generally only for experts. The rapids are swift and continuous, with large, irregular waves, holes, and drops. While class V is considered complex, the final class, class VI, can be described as extreme. This classification is often given to rapids that have been rafted very little, as it can be extremely dangerous, even for experts.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

The Evolution of the Limousine

Although they have become a much more common occurrence for different special events of ordinary people, you may not be able to help wondering if there is someone of great importance hidden within the limo in Chicago that just passed you by. But why do limousines bring to mind images of the rich and famous? Where exactly did these luxury vehicles come from?

Early Beginnings

For centuries, people have been escorting their royals and figures of importance, whether carrying them within a litter upon the back of servants or within a horse-drawn carriage. The first conveyances that were determined as limousines, however, were created in France in the 1700s. The carriages were often ordained in gold and pulled by the best horses, and had the passengers within an enclosed space while the driver was on the outside.

The name itself may have been derived from a heavy cloak worn by shepherds in the Limousin region of France. It is thought that either the name was given to the coaches because of their resemblance to the cloaks, or because the drivers wore similar cloaks. The name also may have simply been derived from the town of the limo’s birth, Limoges.

Limos and the Automobile

In 1902, an automobile version of the limousine was introduced. This vehicle, like the carriage, featured an interior space separate from the outside driver space. In 1916, the limousine was given a definition by the Society of Automobile Engineers as “a closed car seating three to five inside, with driver’s seat outside.”

The stretch limousines you may be more familiar with today came about in 1928 in Arkansas. Originally, these vehicles were designed to carry band and orchestra members and their equipment. As a result, they were often referred to as “big band buses.” Airports and hotels also found the vehicles useful for shuttling customers, as did tour companies, affording them yet another nickname of “aiporter stretch coach.”


The Rich, Famous, and Beyond

As the limousine began gaining popularity in the 1930s, production companies decided to begin using them as well. At first they were used to take the film crew and other personnel around the sets, but over time they began to be a popular conveyance for actors and other celebrities. Many presidents have also made use of the limos.

Today, however, a limo in Chicago may carry anyone with the desire to rent one, whether for a wedding, prom, or a special night on the town. While the classic Cadillac and Lincoln stretch limousines still usually come to mind first, you can also find stretched SUVs and even trucks. One thing all of these vehicles still have in common, however, is a classy, luxurious interior passenger space, still separated from the driver’s space.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.

Stick with It: Get Your Engineering Degree

Gaining a college education is a must in the technological, highly educated society in which you live. You have always had a gift for math and science, something your mother never had, a fact she reminds you of often! She also reminds you often that you have a responsibility to use the gift you have been given to enrich the world you live in and are a part of. Because you are a good girl and you listen to your mother, you are now looking into pursuing your engineering degree. Read on to learn about this process and the specialties that are available to you and others that are pursuing the same degree.

Aerospace

One of the specialties an Engineer can work towards is Aerospace. When you think of the Aerospace industry, you may just think of becoming an astronaut. Although that may be an option, it is definitely not all that is included. An aerospace engineer can develop new technologies for use in defense systems, aviation, and space exploration. They are responsible for creating cutting edge, amazing machines including drones, jumbo jets, space shuttles, and so much more. Salary can range from $50,000 to $75,000 for entry level engineers.

Biomedical

Biomedical engineers work designing solutions to problems in medicine and biology. These solutions help improve the effectiveness and quality of patient care. They may design new instruments and devices or improve on existing ones, or they may work on biomedical software. They may also be involved in developing software to run medical equipment, computer simulations for new drug testing, or even create artificial limbs. Starting salary can range from $35,000 to $63,000.

Chemical

To work in the chemical engineering field, you must first obtain an engineering degree. Engineers use the principles found in chemistry, biology, and physics to solve problems or create faster or more efficient processes. Chemical engineers may work in the food industry, fuel industry, or in the field of developing new prescription drugs. They may also work in the architectural industry, in the industry of developing synthetic fibers, and so much more. The starting salary range for this type of engineer ranges from $52,000 to $78,000.

This is a guest post provided to Me, Myself & the City for its readers.