What is Special Education Teaching?

Special Education teaching is not familiar to the general public due to the little exposure and attention it gets from the media. In fact, special educators teach individually designed instruction to students with specific learning disabilities. These students include those who are cognitively impaired, have physical disabilities, loss of sensory such as hearing or vision, have emotional disorders, have speech or language impairments, or diagnosed with autism. Special Education teachers modify curriculum, utilize resources, develop learning plans, and work with other teachers. Teaching may be in a general education class, self contained classroom or in a resource room where students visit for part of the day. Other places that Special Education teachers work in are youth authority facilities and home or hospital settings. In general, Special Education teachers work with 8-16 students with one or more teacher aids if they are in a classroom. Compare this to the regular classrooms that can have up to 50 students in the secondary level and seeing about 200 students over the course of a five period day. Special Education teachers have a difficult job of working with challenged learners, but the resources are plentiful and the case load is much smaller to compensate for the attention given to each student. Special Educators find it most rewarding when they are able to spend quality time and energy focusing on helping students.

How do I become a Special Education Teacher?

For those who are curious about teaching Special Education, the path to becoming fully credentialed is not difficult at all. If you already have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college, then the next step would be to enroll in a credentialing program. Teachers may choose one of these six credential areas to specialize in: Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Visual Impairment, Physical and Health Impairment, or Early Childhood Special Education. The preliminary credential can be completed within one to two years and ultimately the professional clear allows you five years to finish. There will be other requirements like basic skills tests. Since specifics vary from state to state, speak to a university’s credential department to find out all the details.
What is the job market for Special Education teaching?
Choosing Special Education teaching has its advantages over other careers because you could be hired while you complete the coursework . The state of California will issue an emergency credential to very few subject areas for teachers to enter the classroom immediately because of the shortage and Special Education is one of them. Averages of 10-20% job openings go unfilled each year and hiring is ongoing in most school districts. There is a great need for professionals in this field. Consider if this career is for you by volunteering in a special education classroom or completing a service learning program involved with special education.

Financial advantages

For those seeking careers in special education, financial assistance is available from the local and federal government. Special education teachers may qualify for up to $19,000 in forgivable loans if they meet certain conditions. This could be to work at an inner city school for several years. Many think that teachers are very under paid and that could be true in suburban or private settings. Considering that special education teachers work 9 months out of the whole year making on average $44,000, it isn’t as low as we think. The hourly rate would come out to almost $35 dollars an hour. Plus, teaching jobs always include a benefits package that covers health and or dental/vision. If you want a stable job or are looking for a second career teaching special education would be a favorable choice.

Studying At Interstate Colleges

Students have many reasons to relocate to pursue their studies. It could be that a particular course is only available interstate, or that an interstate university has the best course or research infrastructure in their chosen field. Perhaps the entry score at an interstate university is slightly lower. Money could also be a factor, with lower course fees or living costs in some areas. For southerners the sun and surf of the northern states has a definite appeal.

Distance is probably what deters most school leavers from applying interstate, with the expense and time of travelling back to see family and friends being much greater here than in some countries overseas.

There are those who will move a distance within their state, from a regional area to a metropolitan one, or to a regional area from the city. Many students can’t wait to hit the bright lights of a big city campus. On the other hand, students considering regional campuses should know that they have much to offer. Life is a bit more relaxed and with fewer students, there is often a more personal touch than at the big city campuses.

Regional universities are also known to be successful in niche study areas such as brewing or tropical ecology, and at linking courses and research to the local environment or industry.

The obstacles that regional living can present, such as poor access to services, are felt less (if at all) on a well resourced campus. In many regional cities the cost of living is significantly lower than in the capital. It may be a cliché, but the slower pace of life outside the city is certainly conducive to helping you find your feet and make new friends.

Studying away from home also offers you the chance to broaden your horizons and force you out of your comfort zone. Perhaps more college students should follow their counterparts and look at the academic, lifestyle and financial advantages offered by metropolitan and regional campuses around the country.

What Is Procrastination

Procrastination is continually putting off the important stuff. It often leads to a cycle of stress and guilt and can
prevent students from succeeding in their studies. So, if this is a problem for you, ask yourself:

• Do you have difficulty with time management and feel overwhelmed that you can’t get everything done?
• Is concentration difficult, or do you feel bored or tired when studying?
• Do you put off starting studies because you worry you will fail, or expect yourself to achieve to a perfect (impossible) standard? If so, Examine your standards, and allow yourself to do your best, given the limits on your time and energy available.
• Do you worry about failing and have ‘unrealistic’ thoughts (eg: “It will be a disaster if I fail”?) If so, try replacing them with more encouraging statements: “If I make a good go of it, I will have a better chance of passing.”

Motivation & Goal Setting Study Skills

To get motivated and inspired about your study, think about where it will get you (qualifications, career etc.)
Take the time now to write down your study, career and personal goals – what do you want to achieve in six
months and in two years time? Keep the following ‘SMART’ principles in mind when
identifying your goals:
Simple Keep your goals short
Measurable Write the goals in a way that enables you to know when you have achieved them.
Achievable Make sure you can practically achieve them, given the resources that you have available
Realistic Are your goals realistic, given your time constraints and responsibilities?
Timed Set realistic time deadlines

Study Skils: Concentration & Focus

Effective studying requires focus and optimum use of the time you have available. If you are finding it difficult
to concentrate and notice yourself getting distracted, try these ideas.

• Review your long and medium term goals and take a moment to see yourself having achieved them.
• Have clear goals every time you sit down to study (eg. I will write three pages of my assignment)
• Keep your study space quiet, clutter-free and have everything you need at hand (stationery, computer, study notes and books etc).
• Are you struggling to understand a topic? Be sure to seek help from teachers.
• Keep yourself interested – do you prefer to alternate your reading between different topics, or to focus on one subject at a time?
• Energy – are you a night or a morning person? Study when you’re able to concentrate best and have the least distractions. Remember to have regular mini-breaks during your study, to keep you fresh and focussed (eg. a five minute walk after one hour of study).

Study Skills: Rewarding Yourself

Every time you accomplish a step towards your study goals, you deserve a reward. This will also keep you
feeling positive and motivated to continue your work.

• Reward yourself only after you have completed your daily study goals (eg. watch TV, call a friend, or have a cup of tea after study).
• Think of how you can reward yourself after completing your assignment and write it on your timetable. (reward examples may include: outings with friends, pampering or buying something for yourself, playing or listening to music).
• Make sure you do carry out the reward too!

Mandarin Language Learning Tips

• Use the language as much as possible.  Even when you can’t speak but a few phrases, use those phrases.  Textbooks and websites are excellent sources of gaining new understanding and vocabulary, but finding a native speaker to practice with is essential for developing any real fluency.
• Think in the language.  This takes a long time to achieve, but it is the only true fluency.  As phrases and sentence patterns become natural to you, your mind will be capable of using that vocabulary and grammar in thinking.  If you want to increase your fluency you must force your mind to think in the language rather than your native tongue when studying.
• Consider putting off studying Chinese characters.  If your goal is oral fluency, you may wish to hold off on learning characters.  Chinese characters are a large investment in time.  If you only have a few months of study before you need to use your Chinese, you may want to budget all your time for learning how to speak and understand.  Characters will aid you in learning, but the time it takes to learn a sufficient amount of characters may be too high of a cost.  On the other hand, if you can wait for fluency, studying the characters parallel to your regular study is probably the most effective method.
• Constantly study and review.  Carry flashcards everywhere.  You can spend 5 minutes waiting in line doing nothing, or you can spend 5 minutes in line learning something you want to know.
• Concentrate when someone is talking to you in Mandarin. It’s easy to tune someone out and just pretend you are understanding once you get lost in a conversation.  Stick with it, it will increase your retentive ability.  If you do get lost, try to listen for words you know or ask them to repeat (if possible).
• When you get a headache, take a break.  When you feel unwell your ability to learn is decreased.  In fact, if you are studying hard you should take frequent breaks to keep your mind fresh.
• In Mandarin, accuracy is better than large vocabulary.  If you know a lot of words but you say them wrong, it doesn’t help much.  Practice the sounds and tones constantly.  Ask for correction.  Chinese people would rather not point out your mistakes and tend to emphasize how good you are doing.
• Correct yourself whenever you notice yourself make a mistake.  Repeat a new word or phrase until you get it right.  If you make a mistake while talking to someone else, stop yourself and say it right.  You may even wish to ask them to model the phrase for you if you feel that would be appropriate.
• Don’t be shy.  Try to say what you can in the language, and if you get it wrong, explain until someone understands what you mean.  Then ask them how they’d say it.  Try to give the explanation in the language even if the person you speak to knows good English.
• Write new vocabulary down.Use the romanization as well as characters (if you are learning characters).  This will help you to listen and will give you good practice with the romanization system.  After you write it down, ask someone what the meaning is and give them the context you heard it in.  Then, review that new vocabulary when waiting around.
• Buy a good dictionary and a good language text.While using a language is the only way to get fluent, good literature can add lots of new vocabulary to practice.
• Spend at least 30 consecutive minutes a day studying the language, more if you’re on a roll.

If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, you might have some hope. From April 2009 onwards the UK government has introduced a new government skills training program that is designed to help benefit unemployed persons looking to add to their skills and training in the hopes of acquiring better employment opportunities.

What Is The National 6 Month Offer?

According to the UK Department of Work and Pensions,

“The 6 month offer has been introduced as part of an enhanced range of measures to target additional support to the 6 month unemployed group and help overcome barriers faced by these longer term unemployed. Everyone reaching six months unemployed from April 2009 onwards will receive significant extra support from Jobcentre Plus.

The Government has pledged up to £0.5 billion over two years from April 2009 to fund this programme. It is estimated that the package will fund around 500,000 opportunities within the new options over the two years from April 2009.”

In other words, if you have been unemployed for six months or more (since April 2009), you can take advantage of the six month offer.

National 6 Month Offer Inclusions

The UK six month offer is a comprehensive package that will equip unemployed persons with a combination of work experience and skills to enable them to successfully re enter the work force again. To quote the Learning and Skills Council of England,

“The options making up the package are:

• A recruitment and training subsidy of up to £2500 for companies that take on new recruits, made up of £1000 recruitment subsidy and typically £1500 of training through Train to Gain once in work
• A self-employment package, developed by DWP and BERR based on an enhanced offer via Jobcentre Plus and Business Link.
• A new approach to volunteering, which is likely to be supported by specialist brokers.
• A new training package building on the existing IES approach that will offer a more intensive type of tailored support for those whose skills levels have proved to be a barrier to a quick re entry into employment. The provision will have a strong labour market focus and will be promoted as the gateway for people to take a significant step up in their skills levels, thereby opening up previously inaccessible career opportunities.

National 6 Month Offer Skills Training Help

You can use the Six Month Offer to get the skills you need to move back into the type of work you’ve done before. You can use it to get a qualification to back up your ‘on the job’ experience. You can also use it to get skills for a new area of work. It doesn’t matter if you’ve already got qualifications – you can still take a course to train for a new job.

To be eligible you need to:

• be aged 19 or over
• be receiving Jobseekers’ Allowance
• have been unemployed for six months or more.

Study Partner Tips

• A study partner will help you remember a due date or the date of an exam. Never forget another test! Share calendars with your study partner and both of you will know when a big project or paper is due.
• Your study partner can share flashcards with you and quiz you before a test. Create your paper cards and meet up to study or use online flashcards together.
• Two heads are better than one, so your study partner may think of practice essay questions that you didn’t think of.
• Study partners can switch papers and pre-grade each other before assignments are turned in. Proofread together and share your thoughts and ideas.
• A study partner can have your back if you get sick on the day when your paper is due. Arrange ahead of time to pick up and turn in papers for each other in the event of an emergency.
• A study partner will understand some methods or problems that you don’t. You will be able to explain some problems to your partner in return. It’s a trade-off.
• Your partner may be able to help you with your research skills. Meet your partner in the library and learn to use the resources together–then share what you know to help each other out. For example, one partner can learn to search databases while the other learns to find books on the shelves.
• You can benefit from sharing your strengths. One may be better with grammar, while the other is better with numbers.
• Study partners motivate each other and reduce the potential for procrastination.
• Study partners can be there if you forget important tools like a calculator, dictionary or even notebook paper.

That is why organizational skills are so important to school performance. Who can afford to score a big fat “0″ on a paper, just because we got lazy and didn’t pay attention to the due date? Who wants to get an “F” because we forgot to put our completed project in our book bag the night before it was due?

Poor organization skills can reduce your final scores by a whole letter grade. That’s why you should learn to use a day planner the right way.

Tips for Using a Planner

1. Pick the right planner. Take your time when choosing a pocket planner. Find one that fits inside a special pocket or pouch in your book bag if you can. Avoid planners with locks or zippers that will only annoy you. Little things like that will become a hassle and create bad habits.
2. Name your planner.Yes, give it a name. Why? You’re less likely to neglect something with a name and a strong identity. When you name an object you give it more of a presence in your life. Call it something goofy or something sentimental—it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to tell anybody if you don’t want to!
3. Make the planner a part of your daily routine. Carry it with you at all times and remember to check it every morning and every night.
4. Fill in your assignment due dates as soon as you learn them. Get in the habit of writing in your planner while you’re still in the classroom. Don’t put it off!
5. Learn to use backward planning. When you write a due date in your planner, go back a day or a week and give yourself a reminder that the due date is approaching.
6. Use a color-coding system. Keep some colored stickers on hand and use those for reminders that a due date or other important event is approaching. For instance, use a yellow caution sticker to serve as a warning two days before your research paper is due.
7. Put everything in your planner. You must remember that anything that takes up time, like a date or a ball game, will keep you from working on an assignment. If you don’t put these things in your planner as time out, you may not realize how limited your homework time really is. This leads to cramming and all-nighters.
8. Use flags. You can buy sticky-note flags and use them as tabs to indicate the end of a term or the due date of a large project. This is a great visual tool that serves as a constant reminder of a imminent due date.
9. Don’t discard old pages. You will always have important information in your planner that you’ll need to see again at a later date. Old phone numbers, reading assignments—you’ll want to remember those things later on.
10. Go ahead and congratulate yourself ahead of time. On the day after a big project is due, put in a reward appointment, like a trip to the mall or a meal out with friends. This can serve as positive reinforcement.

Things to Include in Your Planner

It is important to block off anything that consumes your time, in order to avoid conflict and crisis. Don’t forget:

• Regular blocks of homework time
• Assignment due dates
• Test dates
• Dances, parties, dates, celebrations
• Family gatherings, vacations, excursions
• SAT, ACT test dates
• Sign-up deadlines for standardized tests
• Fees—due dates
• Holidays
• College application due dates
• College visitation days
• It’s a good idea to include college dates even if you’re a freshman and you’re not applying or visiting colleges yet. You will become familiar with how rapidly test dates, application deadlines, and college visitation dates come and go.

Students should speak with parents and counselors and think carefully before deciding which type of diploma is best for them. Ideally, students should decide on a curriculum before starting their freshman year, although it is sometimes possible to “switch.”

Switching Diploma Tracks

In most cases, students are not “locked in” to a certain diploma track once they start on one. Students may start out on a track that becomes too demanding and switch to a new track at some point. But be warned! Switching tracks can be dangerous so choose subjects smartly.

Students who switch tracks often run the risk of overlooking a class requirement until late in their curriculum. This can lead to (yikes) summer school or (worse) late graduation.

High School Diploma Types

The type of diploma a student chooses will affect his or her future choices. For instance, students who choose to complete a vocational or technical prep diploma will be somewhat limited in their options after high school. In most cases, this type of degree prepares students for entering the workplace or enrolling in a technical college.

Many colleges require the completion of a college prep diploma as an admission requirement. If you have your heart set on a big university from your home state, be sure to check the minimum admission requirement and plan your diploma track accordingly.

More selective colleges like to see that students have completed a more rigorous curriculum than the one required in a general college prep diploma, and those colleges may require an honors diploma (or seal), an advanced college prep diploma, or an International Baccalaureate diploma.

Similar types of diplomas may have different names from state to state. For instance, some high schools offer a general diploma. Other school systems may call the same diploma type an academic diploma, a standard diploma, or a local diploma.

This type of diploma gives students greater flexibility in choosing courses, but it might limit the student’s choices for post-secondary options. Unless the student chooses courses very carefully, the general diploma probably won’t meet the minimum requirements of many selective colleges.

But there is an exception to every rule! Not all colleges use diplomas as a deciding factor when they consider students for acceptance. Many private colleges will accept general diplomas and even technical diplomas. Private colleges can set their own standards, since they do not have to follow state mandates.

• Technical/Vocational
  Students must complete a combination of academic courses and vocational or technical courses.
• General
  Student must complete a certain number of credits and maintain a minimum GPA.
• College Prep
  Students must complete a state-mandated curriculum and maintain a certain GPA.
• Honors College Prep
  Students must complete a state-mandated curriculum that is complemented by additional rigorous coursework. Students must achieve a high academic level and maintain a certain GPA.
• International Baccalaureate
  Students must complete a specific two-year international curriculum to meet standards set by The International Baccalaureate Organization. This challenging curriculum is normally completed in the final two years of high school by qualified students who have completed a highly academic pre-baccalaureate curriculum.

About Learning Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the scientific use of pure volatile chemical substances known as ‘essential oils’. Essential oils have been prized for their fragrance as well as their restorative effects on the body, mind and spirit for thousands of years. An aromatherapist is trained in various applications of these essential oils, such as aromatherapy massage, to promote good health.

An accredited training programme is ideal for those people wishing to become highly qualified clinical practitioners of aromatherapy. An aromatherapy course includes advanced training in areas such as aromatherapy for the aged and infirm, pregnancy, labour and infancy and reflexology plus highly specialised subjects covering the advanced clinical applications of essential oils and clinical aromatherapy modules dealing with aromatherapy treatment for different organ systems and advanced prescribing techniques.

Careers In Aromatherapy

The tools of an aromatherapist are essential oils, derived from plants for their aroma, and for their health-giving benefits to humans.

Qualified aromatherapy practitioners enjoy a benefit of their own – employment potential. Aromatherapy courses cover the principles and application of aromatheraphy as well as the underlying science, such as chemistry and pharmacology of essential oils, their actions, indications and contraindications.

It’s the perfect balance for a healthy start to your career.

Aromatherapy courses usually cover:

• History of aromatherapy
• Pharmacology of essential oils
• Aromatherapy massage
• Chemistry

Other Aromatherapy Career Pathways

• Beauty therapists who complete a recognized aromatherapy course may be eligible to sit the internationally recognised CIDESCO Diploma in Aromatherapy examination.
• Graduates of this course may be eligible to sit ITEC (International Therapy Examination Council) Diploma examinations. Fees are payable. ITEC is a leading UK based accreditation body

You can study aromatherapy from a registered institution by atending regular college or you can pursue a distance learning vocational program in aromatherapy. As long as it is an accredited course, you wil be well prepared for your career.

Test Taking Mistakes

Leaving an answer blank.

There is nothing wrong with skipping over a tough question to give yourself some extra time to think it over–just as long as you remember to go back to the question later. The danger is forgetting to go back to every question you’ve skipped. A blank answer is always a wrong answer!

Solution: Each time you skip a question, put a check mark beside it.

Answering a question twice.

ou’d be surprised how many times students choose two answers in multiple choice. This makes both answers wrong!
Solution: Review your work and make sure each true/false and multiple choice question only has one answer circled!

Transferring answers incorrectly from scratch paper.

The most frustrating mistake for math students is having an answer correct on the scratch paper, but transferring it wrong to the test!

Solution: Double check any work you transfer from a scratch sheet.

Circling the wrong multiple choice answer.

This is a costly mistake, but one that is very easy to make. You look over all the multiple choice answers and pick the one that is correct, but you circle the letter next to the correct answer—the one that doesn’t match your answer!

Solution: Make sure the letter/answer you indicate is the one you really mean to select.

Studying the wrong chapter.

Whenever you have a test coming up, make sure that you understand which chapters or lectures the test will cover. There are times when a teacher will test you on a specific chapter that is never discussed in class. On the other hand, the teacher’s lectures may cover three chapters, and the test may cover only one of those chapters. When that happens, you can end up studying material that won’t appear on your exam.

Solution: Always ask the teacher what chapters and lectures will be covered on a test.

Ignoring the clock.

One of the most common errors students commit when taking an essay test is failing to manage time. This is how you end up in a panic with 5 minutes to go and 5 unanswered questions staring back at you.

Solution: Always take the first few moments of an exam to assess the situation when it comes to essay questions and answers. Give yourself a time schedule and stick to it. Give yourself a set amount of time to outline and answer each essay question and stick to your plan!

Not Following Directions

If the teacher says “compare” and you “define,” you are going to lose points on your answer. There are certain directional words that you should understand and follow when you take a test.

Solution: Know the following directional words:

* Define: Provide a definition.
* Explain: Provide an answer that gives a complete overview or clear description of the problem and solution for a particular question.
* Analyze: Take apart a concept or a process, and explain it step by step.
* Contrast: Show differences.
* Compare: Show likenesses and differences.
* Diagram: Explain and draw a chart or other visual to illustrate your points.
* Outline: Provide an explanation with headings and subheadings.

Thinking Too Much

It’s easy to over-think a question and begin to doubt yourself. If you tend to second-guess yourself, you will inevitably change a right answer to a wrong answer.

Solution: If you are a thinker who tends to over-think, and you get a strong hunch when you first read an answer, go with it. Limit your thinking time if you know you tend to doubt your first instincts.

Technological Breakdown

If your pen runs out of ink and you can’t complete an exam, your blank answers are just as wrong as they would have been for any other reason. Running out of ink or breaking your pencil lead halfway through a test sometimes means leaving half your exam blank. And that leads to an F.

Solution: Always bring extra supplies to an exam.

Not putting name on test

There are times when failing to put your name on a test will result in a failing grade. This can happen when the test administrator doesn’t know the students, or when the teacher/administrator won’t see students again after the test is over (like at the end of a school year). In these special situations (or even if you have a very stern teacher) a test that doesn’t have a name attached to it will be tossed out.

Solution: Always write your name on a test before you get started!