When you see children playing house or other pretend games, you can see what they have learned from watching the interactions in their home. It is important that you take playtime seriously and let your children use their imaginations, creativity and incredibly sponge like brains in a way that works best for them. Playtime is the way that children learn and reinforce what they understand about the world.

Once you understand the importance of playtime, you will begin to wonder what kind of toys to buy for your developing child. There are a few things that you should keep in mind when you are buying toys. The most important rule that you should follow is the age appropriateness rule. Even though you may believe that your child is mature beyond their years, it is vital that you choose toys that are appropriate to their age. If your child is advanced there are other ways that you can stimulate their inquisitive brain and leave the toys age appropriate.

The reasons for the age restrictions on some toys are primarily safety. Even though you believe that your little ray of sunshine would never put the toy in their mouth and choke because they are just too smart for that, they will. Why take the chance? There are other hazards that could be on toys that you had not even though of until it is too late. Take the warnings and the age restrictions seriously to keep your child safe.

It is possible to find toys for an advanced child that is still age appropriate. Look in the toy stores that specialize in these types of toys. Look for toys that give the child an opportunity to learn much more than just how to operate the toy. For instance, a telescope is a great toy for an inquisitive mind. They can learn all about the telescope and how it works, which is fascinating to some children. And once they understand how the telescope works, they can learn about all of the things that the telescope shows them. If you have a child with an insatiable curiosity, and who doesn’t, a toy like this will have to be accompanied with the appropriate materials so that they can satisfy their curiosity about the things that they see. An Internet connection should suffice.

Finally, the best way to determine which toys are going to be used and learned from and which ones are going to be left in the box is to talk to your child. It might be difficult with a younger child, but pay attention to the things that they enjoy. Their unique taste and style will begin to show through in no time at all. For little girls that love to play dress up, you might have a budding fashion designer on your hands. Encourage it and give her a trunk of flamboyant clothes that you put together just for her. Costume shops and thrift stores are great for this type of toy. Use your creativity and think outside of the packaged toys that are in the stores and you will find some great toys for your child.

Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group marketing company. Peter develops and implements strategic marketing programs for businesses including educational learning toys and early childhood education.

What you need to firstly do is to see where you stand currently i.e what are your strengths and weaknesses, and you can do this by taking one or two mock tests. Never fear if you find that you are weak nearly in every area because converting your weakness to your strength doesn’t need more time, it needs smart time. After deciphering your strengths and weaknesses, it’s time either to collect the reading material or to join a coaching classes. Many students ask why do we need coaching classes; well then the answer to this question is: coaching institutes will organize your study habit; off course they aren’t alchemist who will turn you into gold. But if you are a working official and think that you are a good manager in organising your study time then nothing is better than that.Therefore, organized study is the first main key point to this smart journey of preparation; after all you are going to become a manager so everything should be organized and managed.

Second key point is ‘Stick to the Rules’; though the irony is CAT never does but by not sticking to the rules they are checking whether you does. So; make a time table of your study plan and keep it in your pocket or paste it on your notice board of office or home. Time table of every aspirant will be different so keep in mind your weaknesses while making the itinerary. Give more time to your weaknesses and practice as much as you can. Main problem with many students is that they organize their studies for few days, and after that they procrastinate the assigned targets or don’t give the required time to their studies. But perseverance and patience are the two traits which every aspirant should have as CAT will check your patience by giving you a whole together a different paper; so you should maintain your calmness and don’t get flummoxed.

Third point is to keep track of your performance and your mistakes. After all you are preparing to improve and if you are not tracking your performance then how will you get to know whether you are improving in your weak areas or not. Never repeat your mistakes. Keep your mind fit by eating healthy food and by reading some good novels and newspapers. Good is a subjective term but here what I imply is read those novels or articles in newspapers which you hate reading in normal circumstances; CAT is not good in giving your favorite RC passages. After all for ESLs (English as a Second Language) reading is the strongest tool to hone its English skills.

Lastly, never think that your aim is to clear written exam. You are not preparing for getting a call, you are preparing for getting into IIMs, so participate in GD sessions and keep yourself updated with current affairs. If you haven’t join any coaching institute then you can join any public forum online or offline for practicing GD and Interview sessions.

At the end I will summarize my rules:

a) Know your strengths and weaknesses.

b) Organize your studies.

c) Keep track of your performance and mistakes.

d) Read healthy.

e) Keep preparing for GD & Interview.

As it is not in my scope to give you each and every aspect of preparation but I have tried to write some of the key points which I have noticed in every IIM student. So, don’t just toil, have some smart oil.

Check out http://www.MBATutes.com for some tips on how to prepare for MBA and understand MBA Basics.

• In Assan, the main gods of the Dravidian tribes were the rivers of that country.

• The people of Vedas called upon the rivers for aid in times of need.

• Slavonic tribes paid homage to the rivers.

• Ancient Germans prayed to the Rhine.

• The Franks and the Alamanns worshiped the rivers and the fountains as well. Prayers were held along the banks of the river and candles and other offerings were left at wells. If the Franks needed to cross a river, they sacrificed women and children.

• The Scots sacrificed bulls to Mourie, who lived on an island in Loch Maree.

• The Welsh sacrificed horses at St. George’s well.

• The Persians also sacrificed horses to the god Xerxes.

• Water nymphs received black sheep and cat sacrifices in Germany and Sweden.

Other river deities in literature

In some cases, the worship of the waters was made to an actual god in human form, but often the worship was given to the water itself. It was thought that the waters had their own souls, which allowed them to rise and fall as they wished. Hesiod warned travelers to pray at streams and outdoor waterfalls (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=1067) before crossing. Many of Homer’s heroes were children of the river gods. When Achilles angered the river Scamander, the god takes human form to address him. When Achilles refuses to listen, the river god changes back into water and tries to drown him. Only through the help of the god of fire, Hephaestus, is Achilles able to escape.

In the Bible, there is a story of the pool at Bethesda, where the sick and disabled visited. When the water stirred, it was an angel moving it, and the first person to get into the water at that point would be cured of his disease or disability.

Celebrations of water

Besides the worship of water gods, there were also numerous festivals surrounding water. For example, ancient Romans celebrated Fontinalia in October as a way to honor the water nymphs. Flowers were thrown into fountains and crowns of flowers placed over the wells. This custom was also followed in modern-day Britain.

The Greeks threw money into the well when asking advice from the oracle of Amphiaraiis. In Romania, if water is drawn from a well, a few drops are spilled to honor the water spirit. In Laconia, worshippers at the spring outdoor fountain (http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Garden+Fountains) of Inus would throw sacrificial cakes into the water. If the cakes were accepted, they sank; if they rose in the water, they were rejected, and the worshippers had to find more suitable offerings.

Other wells were associated with being able to tell the future, such as the well of Demeter. This well would foretell if a person was going to live or die.

Water has played an important part in religions and literature throughout the world.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in the history of water and its influence on different cultures over the years. For an amazing outdoor fountain or for outdoor waterfalls, please visit http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

Teachers complain about their students poor study habits. Their student’s lack of study skills is clearly evident on the first test of the school year. Many students and parents struggle with having a good study plan. Of course most parents would love for their son/daughter to earn an A+ in every class. Most parents know the value of good study skills but they struggle to convince their student of its importance.

Good study skills begin with the altitude in the attitudes of students. A student with good study habits realizes that it takes time to memorize information and to give it a personal meaning. They know that studying for 20 minutes after school will not lead to success. Students need a study guide that will teach them how to study. Books such as the “Seven Secrets of How to Study” offer effective study skills strategies. Students need test taking tips that will launch them into a successful academic year. There are seven ways to optimize your study skills:

1. When you read the assigned text book write notes about important points. Review your additional notes everyday.

2. You can improve your study skills memory by using 3 x 5 cards to review important terms.

3. Create study skills activities that you will use every week. For example have a weekly session where you write down important facts on a sheet of paper using your memory alone.

4. Start your own study skills lesson plan for each subject. Your study skills lesson plan should include test taking ideas that you will use for each class.

5. Don’t allow test anxiety to creep into his emotions. Reduce your test anxiety by spending more time preparing for each test. Spread your test preparation time out over five days.

6. The main helpful study skills resource is your teacher or tutor. Don’t be too prideful to pursue help when you need it.

7. Write down notes on important facts so that you can review them the morning of your test. If you are involved in a math or science course write out all of the important formulas on one sheet of paper and review these formulas the morning of your next test.

Study skills as a way of life is the key to your success in school. Prepare a list of questions before you go to class. If your questions are not answered during class meet with your teacher or send an e-mail that contains your questions. You need to be pro-active in using creative study skills activities that tap into your own learning style.

Lastly, maintain a positive attitude and don’t let test anxiety overcome you. Expect to have success on every test and you will. A belief that you will fail will lead to failure. Develop a new study skills list each day and follow it. Implementing all of these study skills strategies will lead to a successful learning strategy and the best grades possible.

For twenty-six years, Dr. Jones has delivered presentations on numerous topics including how to study, leadership, effective communication, and innovative management practices. He is the author of two books one is titled

California has a total number of 13,014 schools and out of this there are 2079 high schools.

1. Belmont Senior High School is the largest high school in California due to the heavy population of Westlake district. It has total enrollees of 5,336 in 2006. It is located in downtown Los Angeles and caters to students from grades 9 to 12. It was established in September 11, 1923 and is now led by Gary Yoshinobu as their District Principal. Team members represent the school as Sentinels. Heavy enrollment will soon be distributed to another center, the Belmont Learning Center now known as Vista Hermosa Learning Center.

2. Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School is the second largest school in California with a total number of 5,126 students and 220 full time teachers. A regular school that belongs to the Los Angeles unified district, which caters to grades 9-12 and a teacher student ratio of 1:23. Ethnicity is composed of Asians, American Indians, Non-Hispanics, Hispanics, and the Whites. As of date, the school is populated the most with Hispanics.

3. Long Beach Polytechnic High School is the third largest school in California. It is located in Long Beach. It accommodates high school students from not only Long Beach but also Bixby Knolls, Signal Hill and Lakewood. It was founded in 1895 and was formerly known as Long Beach High School and now more popularly known as Poly it belongs to the Long Beach Unified District. It is populated with more than 5000 students. This school is not only geared towards the academics but also in athletics because of which Sports Illustrated Magazine named it as “Sports School of the Century” in 2005. It has also won multiple Grammy awards for its music program. Famous alumni include Snoop Dogg, Tony Gwynn, Billie Jean King, and Cameron Diaz.

4. James A. Garfield Senior High School is the fourth largest high school in California. It caters to grades 9-12 with a total of 4569 students.

5. John H. Francis Polytechnic High School is the fifth largest high school in California. It is a comprehensive school from the Los Angeles Unified District, which is located in the Sun Valley of Los Angeles. It was founded in the 1900’s and a known rival of North Hollywood High School. It has a parrot mascot named Joe Poly.

6. John Marshall Senior High School is the sixth largest high school in California. It is a public school, which caters to students in grades 9-12 and has a total population of 4561 students. It was founded in 1931, named after the Great Chief Justice John Marshall who built the American system of constitutional law. The motto of the school is veritas vincit or truth conquers. Students are known as barristers since the school’s mascot is Johnny Barrister. Recently, it launched programs to help supply school funds one of which is Parent Involvement. This mandate indicates that parents are required to actively participate in planning and evaluation of school budgets and programs.

7. Bell High School is the home of the mighty eagles and is the seventh largest high school in California. It is another member of Los Angeles Unified District, which caters to students in grades 9-12. It was founded in 1925 and has 4778 number of students as of the last survey.

8. Los Angeles Senior High School is the eight largest high schools in California. It’s a public school, which caters to students in grades 9-12 and has a population of 4405 students.

9. James Monroe High is the ninth largest high school in California. It is also under the Los Angeles Unified District. It is popular for its small learning communities and magnet schools. It was founded in 1958 and it located in North Hills California.

10. Wilson High School, the tenth largest high school in California is another member of the Los Angeles Unified District, which was established in 1937. Popularly known as Woodrow Wilson High School, it is a public school, which includes students in grades 9-12. It is open to students from Hillside Village, El Sereno, and University Hills, plus City Terrace and Ramona Gardens. It has a population of 3000 students with a Seymour mascot called Mule.

For more information on High Schools List please visit our website.

A pylon race course is defined by three pylons. Each pylon is between 15-20 feet high. Pylon-1 is positioned at one end of the course near a signal board. The start/finish line is positioned 508 feet from Pylon #1 down the center of the course and 100 feet from a line connecting pylons #2 and #3. Pylons #2 and #3 were separated by 100 feet and formed the end of a triangular course.

Ten laps around the course equals 2.5 miles. The actual distance flown around the course probably varies between about 3 to 3.5 miles. This is so because the aircraft fly in loops around the pylons, have to fly around and pass traffic, and change altitude for one reason or another. The pilots fly their aircraft around the course in a counterclockwise direction, making sharp, left-hand turns only.

The course length was selected to result in 10-lap times between one minute (fast pace) and two minutes (slow pace for beginners). For the quickest aircraft, the speed around the course is typically between 180-200mph.

The signal board is equipped with red lights to signal when a pilot’s aircraft “breaks the gate.” The “gate” is a line from pylon-1 to the “flaggers” position not less than 300 feet away. As an aircraft passes this line, a flagger activates a light for pilot’s assigned lane. A pilot seeing his signal knew that he could make his turn at pylon-1 without “cutting.” There are also two white lights on the board for each of the four lanes. These are used to indicate a “cut” (a turn on the inside of a pylon). The cut lights are also controlled by the flaggers.

The start/finish line for the race has four lanes: a maximum of four pilots can participate at once. The lanes are designated according to where, on an aircraft, an identifying red or green decal is applied.

If you visualize an aircraft in front of you during a sharp left-hand bank away from you and around a pylon, one end of the wing will be higher than the other. Aircraft in Lane 1 or 2 have a decal on the low end of the wing; aircraft in Lane 3 or 4 have a decal on the high end of the wing.

Pilots apply a decal according to their assigned starting-lane position for a heat as follows:

Lane-1, green decal on the low end of the wing,

Lane-2, red decal on the low end of the wing,

Lane-3, green decal on the high end of the wing, and

Lane-4, red decal on the high end of the wing

A matching color scheme is used to indicate the lanes on the signal board.

Course judges use the decals to identify each aircraft. For example, a “Cut Judge” might report a cut like this, “Cut on high red.”

Before the races begin, the pilots perform last minute checks on their aircraft, fuel them, and apply the colored decal.

The Contest Director (CD) conducts short informational meetings for both course workers and pilots. The course workers include cut judges, fueling supervisor, flaggers, and timers/lap counters.

After the meetings, the course workers occupy their stations around the course and the pilots for the first heat are driven to the start/finish line.

Everyone on the course is required to wear a hard hat for safety. Also, for safety, all course-worker stations are a minimum of 300 feet from the race course.

When the pilots are positioned at the start/finish line, a 60-second timer is started. Pilots have just one minute to start their engines and prepare for takeoff.

Pilots are prepared for takeoff when their aircraft engines are started and they are facing pylon #1 with both hands on the radio transmitter. Pilots not prepared for takeoff before the timer runs out are disqualified for the heat. As soon as all pilots are in position and ready to control their aircraft, the starter gives the signal to launch, and the heat begins.

From the start of a heat until the end, the aircraft run “flat-out.” There is no remote-throttle control to vary the engine’s speed

During the race, the pilot’s partner, the caller, is of critical assistance to the pilot. In addition to launching the aircraft, and because the pilot’s attention is so focused on controlling the aircraft, the caller determines when the pilot should commence a turn around a pylon and calls this out to the pilot. Pilot and caller teams typically have long-time associations, and are often family members.

Cut judges are assigned to each pylon in order to insure that the aircraft turn outside the pylons instead of “cutting” inside a pylon during a turn. One “cut” requires an extra lap around the course for a pilot’s aircraft; two “cuts” disqualifies the pilot’s aircraft from the heat. Cuts are indicated to pilots by the white lights on the signal board. When a pilot or pilot’s caller sees a cut light for the assigned lane, they know that the point at which the turn commences must be adjusted.

After each heat, the winning aircraft is weighed to insure that it is not lighter than the AMA’s minimum weight requirements.

Winners for the race are determined on the basis of several heats.

After the last race, both pilots and course workers return from the field for awards and prize drawings.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and the rainy season has begun. The pylon-racing season is over for the year–but you can bet I’ll be at the next event held in my area.

I hope you enjoyed this article,

Royce Tivel

Royce Tivel is learning to fly a radio controlled airplane. He now has the opportunity to combine his interest in digital photography with his new interest in RC aircraft. For an extended version of this article, complete with numerious images showing what an RC pylon race is all about, please visit the Radio Controlled Model Aircraft section at http://www.selectdigitals.com

Students are screaming murder that they are not getting some privacy anymore even in the johns. But teachers know that strange things happen there all the time. Incidents like smoking, drinking, and some hair pulling and bullying can be enacted there with impunity if there is no CCTV camera watching. Conclusion - students have to behave in there or get a pass to the Principal’s office.

But instead of whining about the school surveillance cameras, why not make it work for you? Since there are cameras everywhere, you can use these to your advantage if you want to be discovered for your dancing, singing, or athletic talent. Sounds unbelievable? Well, teachers are rabid talent scouts and they can know real talent when they see one. An invitation to an audition will come your way in no time.

Instead of scuttling a CCTV camera on the school playgrounds, strut your stuff with like-minded friends. Certainly, the entire show will caught on CCTV and who knows, a talent scout may see your potentials as drama actor, cheerleader, gymnast or comic. You might get kudos from a talking CCTV camera!

One more thing, show your teachers you studied hard for exams by concentrating on your paper, not you neighbor’s. Got a high grade for once? The teachers won’t doubt you because everything is on tape even if they play the tape on slow motion they’ll see you haven’t moved a hair during the exams. Aren’t those spy cameras cool?

Teachers and Security Cameras

The school CCTV camera inside the classroom is an essential item. It deters cheating, and unruly behavior. Since everything is on tape, there is no error in finding out the culprits and the cheaters.

Although teachers are not the prime target of security cameras, they are also caught on tape giving exams, lectures, and subject demos. The taped video recording can be used to evaluate a teacher’s performance in classrooms. If you are the teacher, ask the principal if you can view the video taped recordings so you can review it and check out the following:

* Are you taking charge in the classroom?

* Evaluate your impact on students, do they listen?

* Distinguish the different reaction of students to your lectures, are they bored?

* Evaluate class participation

* Check your posture, is it threatening?

* Are you doing all the talking?

* Are you frequently referring to your notes

* Do the students prefer lectures or do they perform better with self-regulated goals?

Your behavior in the classroom also reflects the way you are as a teacher. Viewing the tapes caught by your classroom CCTV camera helps you see yourself from a different perspective and you can self-assess your weak and strong points and improve your teaching strategies to pull up your performance a notch higher.

Although teaching skill is important, it is also critical that teachers have the will to teach. You’ll know from the video tape if you’re a committed and energetic teacher with smart ideas or teacher who is bored and dissatisfied with teaching. The CCTV camera does not lie.

The school CCTV camera and surveillance tools boost CCTV security and closed circuit television systems. Need more information? Ask the experts at Video-Surveillance-Guide.com.

First, and foremost, you must pay careful attention to the program’s accreditation and standards. Some programs are purely online with no bricks-and-mortar location. many of these online programs are reputable and properly accredited, but not all, so be a careful consumer and check this out thoroughly. Also, make sure the program is credible in the field you want to enter. It would be a terrible thing to spend a lot of time and money investing in a degree that will not let you fulfill your dreams. Of course online version of traditional programs can also be problematic. While there isn’t the problem of accreditation and status, not all traditional programs “do” online well. Creating an online class or program requires a different pedagogy and planning than the more traditional counterpart. Make sure your program gets the difference between online and traditional instruction.

It is also important to find out before you choose a program how supportive the online degree program is that you are considering. On campus there are a number of readily available sources to support your education, but what if you are not on a campus? Is there somewhere to turn for technical assistance? How can you contact your instructors and are they readily available to offer help and guidance? Is there library support? Is there a way to develop relationships with faculty and students? While what you learn in class is important, it is also important to remember that the sum of those classes is not the total of your education. Can this program offer the ability to develop a support network for after graduation?

Last, but not least, how expensive will your online degree program be? Some institutions charge more for online programs. Some institutions do not offer financial aid for online programs. Find out the facts ahead of time and plan how you will support your educational plans.

The best source of information about a program are students of the online degree program you are considering, especially graduates of that program. Students can tell you about the level of support the program offers students and how well designed the classes are for distance learning. Graduates can tell you about how well received the online degree is in the field. Do not forget to ask those students if they would choose this program again knowing what they know now. Ask the program for referrals but also seek out your own. Harness the power of the internet and do searches for the degree to find those graduates. Many people post their resumes and vitas to the web so you should be able to find some students. If you cannot then that might also be telling.

Learn more about distance learning at http://www.squidoo.com/distancelearningprograms

Lock it up – Be sure to always lock your vehicle at campus. No matter where you’re at, how many people are around and what time it is, always lock your car. If someone sees that your car is unlocked they may be temped to go snooping through your car and try to take some of your things.

Never keep your windows down – Also, you never want to have your windows rolled down. It is very easy for someone to break into your vehicle. Once they’re in, they’re in. Who knows what they may take from you. If no one is in the area, what is keeping them from doing it?

Hide your stuff – Be sure to keep your things hidden. You don’t ever want to tempt someone by letting your stuff sit out in the open. Be sure to keep your things under the seats, in the glove box and anywhere out of site. Students often get their Ipods, books, purses and much more stolen due to keeping their stuff out.

Avoid expensive items – Try to avoid bringing expensive things to school. Don’t bring anything that isn’t school related, you’re only asking for someone to take your belongings. Students like to bring their Ipods, expensive phones and all their other luxurious items to school to use in class and in between classes. I say if you can’t use it in class, don’t bring it.

Always hold onto your backpack – It sounds silly but it is something you should definitely do. Other students like to steal other peoples books. Why? Textbooks can be worth a lot of money. If they are capable of selling them online, that is just like you handing cash to them. Remember how much you paid for your books? They are very expensive, so make sure you hold on to them.

There are many things college students can do to avoid theft. Although it isn’t something that may happen everyday, it does happen. You don’t want to be the one who gets their stuff stolen so be sure to look out for your belongings and avoid loosing your money to theives. Just keep in mind that some students may be doing everything they can do afford college even if it means stealing. If you follow some of these tips listed above consider yourself one step ahead of everyone else. These will keep your from theft and save you money!

Find student credit cards and more of Tom’s work at FINDcollegecards.

One way that employers are able to see what students have done in their previous work experience is to view their college internship portfolios. An internship portfolio can give an employer a great deal of insight into the skills that the student has and what areas they need to work on. It can also give the employer a good idea of whether or not the student would be a good fit for the position.

The college internship portfolio is also a great way to spark conversations during the interview process and can help students remember points that they wanted to bring up during the interview that they may have otherwise overlooked. The student will be able to not just give details from their internship college but to provide examples of what they are describing. Employers usually like to get a feel for the work style of potential employees and a detailed portfolio can show the student’s style and work process on their college internship projects from start to finish.

Not only will a full college internship portfolio impress a potential employer, it will give them a good idea of how the student will fit into their company. A student that they may have otherwise written off as inexperienced may be viewed in a very different way when that student exhibits a thick, well organized portfolio of their previous work from both in the classroom, during their internship college and during any other previous relevant jobs.

Portfolios are not relevant to all career fields and those career fields where a portfolio is not relevant probably have their own measures of a student’s ability to succeed at a job. Portfolios can be applied to many career fields however. Many examples of projects that a student worked on during their college internship that they are particularly proud of can be included in the portfolio. Recommendation letters and a review from the student’s internship college employer can even be included in the portfolio. Basically anything that will showcase the student’s skills and abilities are great items to include.

Depending on the student’s career field, different portfolios can be organized in different ways. Some are organized chronologically, while others are organized with the projects that the student is most proud of being placed in the front. As long as the way it is organized makes sense and is explained to the interviewer, the portfolio can be a great asset in the interview process and can do a great deal to complement the student’s skills and knowledge in their career field.

More information on college internship opportunities for college students, college tuition payment methods via internships and College Works Painting in your area is just a click away.