Month: June 2016

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Many people struggle greatly with this topic of successfully writing of reports and essays from developing topics, conducting research to formulating their non-fiction documents. Indeed, it can be such a most unwelcomed task that some people consider having to develop original essays a cruel punishment.

The great news is that this short article provides guidance for all of these concerns. Moreover, it may open the door to a turnaround experience! Hopefully, this article can be a stepping stone to transforming these experiences of dread into confidence.

Join me as I pass onto you the successful strategies I have used with many professionals and students.

Strategy 1: Research. Regardless if one is writing fiction or nonfiction, the author must do sufficient research to provide substantial background for the work ahead. This research can take many forms, depending on the type of writing, but it is absolutely necessary to have deep, broad information to provide full detail and accuracy in the account.

Strategy 2: Determine Your Angle. Once you, the author, have the information, it is critical to determine your unique perspective or angle to approach the topic. How will you introduce your reader to this portrayal in unique way which will sustain his attention through a compelling account? Developing such an approach is a vital starting point.

Strategy 3. Discovering Your Concept Maps. In order to determine your unique approach, it may be helpful to write key points of information on paper or digital note cards. Examine the information and look for trends, patterns, and groupings of themes or topics. See if you can envision ways the information can be arranged to present it clearly and fully to the readers. In this manner, you may discover your unique angle, and certainly a good start on Strategy 4.

Strategy 4. Organize Your Work; Outline is not a nasty word! Our fourth grade teachers taught us to use outlines for our writing, but we all try to find a shortcut. After about 5 books and over 100 published articles and papers, I finally gave in and realized my teachers were right. Before I start writing in earnest, I now create a tentative outline that will morph with my work. It provides indispensable guidance and framing of my many hours of work. Colleagues I have worked with have found this approach equally as beneficial, and I expect you will as well.

Strategy 5. Cyclical Writing. The strategy of cyclical writing is a surprise to many professionals and students. Many people believe they must write documents from beginning to end in their entirety. Instead, I have found it very successful and rewarding to work through the outline in a cyclical manner. The first time through, I do a few sentences for each outline point; then maybe the next time through, I write a paragraph on each point. Finally, I begin settling down to write in different areas. By approaching the writing process in his manner, it keeps me focused on the big picture, the entire flow of the piece. Otherwise, the sections might become disjointed if 2 months are spent on one chapter before finally moving to the next. By working through all of the chapters and points repeatedly (iteratively) authors can weave together the style, voice, and flow of the content, details, and the plot or message.

Which one of the following has applied to your struggle with writing nonfiction in the past?

• Beginning the act of writing;
• Finding a unique angle for your next literary project; or
• Discovering a path through the process of putting your words on the real or virtual page?

Using the strategies described in this brief article, you have new ways to overcome these struggles.

Please let me hear from you about your success and if you have questions or related topics to suggest for future entries.

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Source by Dr.

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Each year teachers are faced with the daunting task of teaching
to a classroom of 20-30 individual students, each with their own
learning styles, interests, and abilities. Providing optimal
learning for such a diverse group can seem overwhelming. But,
there is a simple approach that can be used which will enable
all students to succeed, and that approach is simply using
variety and choice. Not only does this approach address the
multiple learning styles of students, but it also aides in making
them independent learners.

While the classroom still needs to have structure (routines,
rules, procedures), providing variety within that structured
environment can aide in providing optimal learning for all
students. Using a variety of instructional approaches such as
lectures, PowerPoint presentations, inquiry-based instruction,
hands-on experiments, project / problem-based learning, or
computer aided instruction, not only addresses the various
learning styles of the students in the classroom, but it can help
learners become more flexible in their learning. Most learners
do have a preferred learning style, however this does not mean
they are strictly dependent on that style to learn. They are
also comfortable with and able to learn from several other styles
as well. Exposing students to a wide variety of learning styles
will enable them to become more flexible learners.

It is also beneficial to vary the input devices used and the
resources made available in the classroom. Children have a wide
variety of preferred learning devices, therefore making as many
available as possible provides for this diversity. For example,
when presenting information use audio (songs, speeches,
interviews, etc.), video, books, posters, hands-on
manipulatives, food, and smells. Technology has made available
a wide range of resources, such as PowerPoint presentations,
live video feeds, chats, and communication. PowerPoint
presentations are a great way to present information using a
mixture of audio, video, animations (movement), and text. These
presentations can also be made available to the students via the
computer for them to review at their own pace. The internet /
computers also offer interactive learning activities that combine
movement, visuals, and sounds, such as virtual science
experiments. These allow students to conduct experiments
never before thought possible due to danger or lack of equipment.
Experiments can be Virtual found at Http://www.explorelearning.com .

Pre-exposure to material also aides in learning. The more
familiar students are with a subject the easier it is for new
learning to occur. Therefore, providing students with a
variety of pre-exposure materials can better prepare them for
new learning units. For example, monthly calendars that list
the upcoming themes, a classroom website with links to various
websites related to upcoming themes, books, magazines, maps,
posters, computer software, and manipulatives can be provided
for students to browse at their leisure. Providing a variety of
materials takes into consideration the learning preferences of
all students.

Novelty can be used to gain and keep students' attention.
People usually only pay attention to things that are of value or
things that are personally meaningful. Therefore, relating
learning to your students' real life experiences or interests
can catch and keep their attention. "Shock" them with an unusual
noise, experiment, video, song, etc. You can also present them
with a problem or project that relates to their real world in
order to gain their attention and interest at the beginning of
a unit. Issues such as environmental problems, problems with
long lines in the cafeteria, designing the perfect playground,
planning a field trip within the budget, local traffic issues,
etc. can all be considered. Making learning meaningful,
relevant, and interesting to your students not only gains their
initial attention, but keeps it throughout the lesson.

When planning your lessons it is beneficial to try to include as
many of the senses and / or Gardner's multiple intelligences
(Verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, kinesthetic, visual-
spatial, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist)
as possible. You can do this by using a variety of activities
in your plans such as songs, games, experiments, field trips,
real world experiences, interviews, guest speakers, physical
movement / exercise, small group activities, individual activities,
partner activities, cooking / food / snacks, hands-on experiences,
etc. Providing a variety of activities will enable students of
all ability levels to succeed.

Not only do students have diverse learning styles but varying
bio-cognitive cycles as well. Some students learn best in the
morning, some in the afternoon. Therefore, having a flexible
classroom schedule can provide for these differences. Also,
varying the times and types of assessments can give all students
a fair chance of showing their true abilities.

When applicable, it is beneficial to give students choice in
activities and assessments. This provides students
opportunities to showcase their individual talents and can aide
in classroom management as well. If students are constantly
dictated to and not given a voice or choice they can grow
resentful and "act out". Provide a variety of classroom
activities for students to choose from during structured and
unstructured times, give them several projects such as posters,
PowerPoint presentations, reports, interviews, videos, brochures,
etc. to choose from when assessing their knowledge. Giving
students choice provides them with a sense of empowerment over
their learning and can aide them in deciding what learning styles
and assessments work best for them, thus helping them become
more responsible for their own learning.

It would be a pretty boring world if all learners were the same.
Diversity makes the classroom more interesting and exciting.
Teachers should honor and respect the uniqueness of each
student by offering variety and choice in their classrooms. Not
only will this address the diverse needs of the students, but it
will also help them to become independent learners as well.
After all, is that not the goal of education?

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Source by Tina O'Block

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Professional Development for Educators

Professional development is an essential way for teachers to refine their strategies, methods, and understanding of their work. In order to provide educators with the tools they need, a market in professional development (also known simply as "PD") has developed around online and offline tools built for teacher training.

This list is a guide of the major and minor players in the PD field. Our analysis of each competitor shows PD 360 from School Improvement Network to have the most tools and training videos in the industry, and they are also one of the most inexpensive. Teachers can buy individual licenses to PD 360 for $ 125, but the most inexpensive method is to purchase a license for an entire school or district, which often drives the price well under $ 100 per license.

Each school and district must determine what their needs are and what is most effective. We hope to have been as open and objective as possible in the following analysis.

PD 360 – School Improvement Network

PD 360 has 1,500+ videos, training from 120 experts, 97 topics, a community of 700,000, new content added daily, and a year's complete access costs around $ 100 or less per teacher. The platform also integrates with an observation tool equipped with prescriptive technology, Common Core Standards training, and a unique product for Title I schools. PD 360's community is closed to the public.

Pros: You get the most bang for your buck. PD 360's entire platform costs less per teacher than one course from any of the competitors.

Cons: The platform is currently built in Flash.

Bottom line: School Improvement Network provides a true tour de force that is unstoppably effective and cost efficient.

EdWeb

EdWeb has a K12 Educator Store that sells eBooks and teacher aid materials, but it is not presented as a focused resource for teacher improvement. The store and its products are open and available to anyone, though the main product seems to be the online teacher community. The number of users is unpublished.

Pros: EdWeb sends out weekly emails to help subscribers stay up-to-date.

Cons: The community is open access, meaning that one does not have to be a teacher to participate in the forums. The user interface is very difficult to navigate and participation in the community is small.

Bottom line: EdWeb's site only provides forum capabilities-no professional development is connect to the community. EdWeb sends helpful emails, but the community is difficult to navigate.

Schoolnet

Schoolnet focuses on improving education through data analysis and positions itself as "the leader in data-driven education for K-12 school systems." They have an open-access community, and their website seems to provide professional development solutions la carte. The number of experts, users, and community participants is unpublished. Pearson Education purchased Schoolnet in April 2011.

Pros: Pearson Education will likely be able to expand Schoolnet's resources.

Cons: The community is open access. Their products are not one comprehensive whole.

Bottom line: Schoolnet provides free resources on their website to assist educators as much as possible. They have connected tools to their community, and Pearson Education will probably be able to expand Schoolnet's resources.

Edutopia

Edutopia is backed by the George Lucas Educational Foundation. Edutopia provides 150 free videos that average four minutes each, a community of over 100,000 members, and other free resources for educational professional development. The community is open access, so the public can and does participate in the forums.

Pros: The free materials are high quality and the community has good participation.

Cons: The materials and resources are limited, the community is open to the public, and the community is relatively small.

Bottom line: Edutopia may be one of the best free resources available to teachers, but the resources are very limited.

SimpleK12

SimpleK12 offers a community as the main professional development solution. The community does not have free registration as all other communities have in this competitive analysis; a registration fee of $ 297 per year will give a person access to the community. SimpleK12 claims to serve 500,000 worldwide and offer 500 hours of classroom technology how-to videos on the community.

Pros: If the community serves 500,000, then there could potentially be good participation.

Cons: There is no way to test the product without buying it, and it is quite expensive.

Bottom line: SimpleK12 is expensive and veiled.

Knowledge Delivery Systems

Knowledge Delivery Systems (KDS) has eClassroom, mVal, eWalk, and custom PD programs for some of its main products. KDS does not provide a community, but it does provide a way for educators who are following the same course to communicate with each other. The product eClassroom is the platform on which educators follow courses which they buy one at a time. The mVal product is an evaluation tool, and eWalk is a classroom walkthrough tool. KDS offers approximately 760 hours of training videos from 55 experts.

Pros: Educators have up to 760 hours of content from which to choose and evaluation tools that work effectively.

Cons: The observation and evaluation tools are not integrated with a professional development platform, KDS offers no community, and districts and teachers buy one course at a time.

Bottom line: KDS offers primarily specialty courses from which educators can gain college credit, but they are not meant to be a district-wide solution.

Teachscape

Teachscape offers courses that a school or district must buy one at a time. They offer 108 courses from 12 experts as of July 2011. Teachscape's tour de force is the 360-degree camera technology they employ with their classroom observation platform.

Pros: Teachscape boasts a 360-degree camera for their observation technology.

Cons: Teachscape's professional development, much like many other companies in the industry, is only available one course at a time from only twelve experts. They also do not offer an online professional learning community.

Bottom line: Teachscape provides extensive training, and any training must be universally applied.

ASCD

ASCD is a nonprofit organization that serves 160,000 educators in 148 countries with myriad products. ASCD offers several levels of membership, from a $ 25 student membership to a $ 219 premium membership (as of July 2011). ASCD offers several professional development solutions, including PD in Focus, a professional development platform with 90 hours of video and 49 experts. The community is theoretically open to all, but the group facilitator must approve each member.

Pros: ASCD has many resources at their disposal, meaning that users have the opportunity to access many resources in one place.

Cons: The resources are spread thin, and the actual PD training is minimal at only 90 hours, 55 hours, and a small community.

Bottom line: ASCD is affordable due to their membership breakdown. There are good resources, but those resources are spread thin.

PBS Teacherline

Teacherline provides PBS 130 graduate-level courses for teachers. They have recently added Peer Connection, their own online community. The courses and trainings are available one at a time, and separate licenses are purchased for each user.

Pros: The number of graduate courses available is tempting for anyone looking to advance in school while in his or her career.

Cons: The community is not free, and educators must pay for each resource that they use rather than having an open library. The licenses make providing specific training to multiple educators a logistical challenge.

Bottom line: PBS Teacherline is a good option if educators want to work toward a higher degree.

Learner.org

Annenberg Foundation has created Learner.org to provide free educational resources online. Learner.org has great resources for the average learner, but the site is not built for professional development on a district- or school-wide scale.

Pros: It's all quality, and it's all free.

Cons: Learner.org is not a viable resource for specific training as its PD content is limited.

Bottom line: Learner.org is the professional learner's dream, but it is not a source of training for classroom management or teaching techniques.

Staff Development for Educators

Staff Development for Educators (SDE) coordinates both traditional and online professional development. SDE does not provide a community on which to collaborate, and online courses are only available with individual licenses. Educators can choose any one of 54 courses to buy and follow online.

Pros: It is simple and straight-forward: each teacher buys a course and finishes it.

Cons: SDE does not provide a library, a community, or a true PD platform.

Bottom line: SDE started as a traditional PD company, and they have retained that model even in their online endeavors.

Please feel free to leave comments about aspects we may have missed, companies you have seen or used, and your honest-and respectful-opinion about what has worked for you.

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Source by Debra Myers

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Fluent readers have the capacity to read with accuracy, expression and speed, whilst getting the full understanding of the text. Today, there are many strategies available to help persons with fluency issues, whether they are reading silently or orally. The following article will highlight five of the key strategies for reading.

5 Key Strategies for Reading to Improve Fluency

1. Repetitive oral reading:

This type of reading is usually done on a one-on-one basis to help the reader improve his or her vocabulary and fluency. Repetitive oral reading can be an activity for an adult and child or children paired together in a classroom setting. For this exercise, an adult would choose a text with about 50 words. The child will read the selected text out loud several times, while the adult provides guided feedback which focuses on different components of fluency. The child's fluency level should increase after each reading. In the end, he or she should acquire the necessary skills to read the selected text out loud with the right level of fluency.

2. Guided oral reading:

This strategy is said to be the most effective tool to improve fluency, because it can help readers to develop word recognition and accuracy skills. This activity will require an adult to work one-on-one with a child. In this activity, the adult's role is to guide the child in applying the right strategies to understand the selected text instead of constantly correcting their abilities to read orally. In addition, if the child is reading without expressions the adult should ask guiding questions to help elicit the appropriate emotions for certain words.

3. Choral reading:

This is one of the most important strategies for reading to improve fluency. Choral reading allows children to read together, which is beneficial for the ones who are less fluent because they can follow the fluent readers to learn more. This learning tool is very powerful, especially for persons who need help with poetry reading.

4. Readers' theatre:

This reading strategy will work really well when used as an activity for a small group or an entire class. In readers' theatre, readers will learn how to perform dramatic scripts using just their voices. Generally, individuals will be assigned special roles and are given a chance to read the script silently. After that, they would read the script out loud while concentrating on fluency. During this exercise, teachers usually guide students to use the appropriate phrasing, expression and pacing. This strategy will be more effective when the group is reading the script out loud several times, since this will give them multiple practicing opportunities to read fluently.

5. Audio books:

The use of audio books will play a vital role when it comes to bridging the gaps between decoding and understanding. Generally, persons with a low level of fluency or those who are always struggling to read can benefit from listening to text when it's read out loud. These days, children who listen to audio books will quickly pick up on the appropriate prosody and speed for the reading task and can identify words more accurately.

Overall, the strategies for reading provide activities to improve fluency and comprehension skills. There are additional resources available if you want to find out more about the different reading strategies.

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Source by Norb Winslow

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Avalos and her colleagues published an article in the December 2007 issue of the Reading Teacher that discussed how they modified guided reading groups (MGR) for English Language Learners (ELLs).

Certainly many of us follow a Balanced Literacy framework of Modeled Reading, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, and Independent Reading to teach reading in our classroom. The question now is how to accommodate for our ESL students in our guided reading groups?

ESL and ELL students can benefit from some very specific instruction (delivered by guided reading):

1. detailed vocabulary instruction,

2. information (variables) concerning second-language (L2) text structure (ie semantics, syntax, and morphology)

3. Targeted (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP, ie academic language vs colloquial / social language) instruction

4. cultural relevance

5. reading, speaking, listening and writing practice.

As teachers, the reality is that we have many Special Education students and ESL students integrated into our regular classrooms. Here is one way to modify a guided reading lesson for our ESL students:

1. Determine objectives based on instructional needs

2. Group students by name and oral L2 instructional reading level

3. Select guided reading book based on objective and reading level

4. Analyze the text and identify challenges for ELL students

a. Semantics: vocabulary, figurative language, homophones

b. Grammar: complex syntax, punctuation

c. Text structure: narrative, expository

d. Concept (cultural relevance)

e. Strategy instruction (think alouds, prediction, etc)

Although many of us with ESL training will automatically by finding ways to adapt our reading program for our Engilsh Language Learners, it's still important to remember that explicit instruction of reading strategies is best practices for everyone – ranging from ESL students to our Special Education students to our mainstream students in the regular program.

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Source by Kisu Kuroneko

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In the Philippines today the length of Primary and Secondary schools is being debated whether to add another two more years in the usual six years primary and four years secondary, making secondary also six years for a total of twelve years in preparation to college education. School principals and teachers alike are divided. Paying parents in the privates schools are resistant while even non-paying parents in the public schools raise their brows on the plan of the government. Many sectors question the program for that would mean paying more and staying longer in school. Parents want their kids to finish school right away so that their children can help them alleviate their poverty. So what's the use of adding years in the 100-year long educational system when Filipino graduates all over the world are competitive. Below is a proposal based from a study the writer conducted on the Language and Literature program of Famy National High School Laguna, Philippines on the possible solution to help the lack of students preparation and exposure to Literature before they go to tertiary or higher education sans the issue of adding number of years in the secondary school.

A. RATIONALE:

After scanning the environment of the students, teachers and the materials available in Famy National High School in Laguna Philippines they both used when they had the English 4, the proponent saw the needs to prepare the fresh graduates from the Famy National High School by giving a preparatory crash course program in Literature to prepare them for the demands and rigors of college Literature courses.

The fourth-year high school students did not have enough exposure in learning Literature because the book they used entitled Moving Ahead in English published in 1999 which was framed on integrative approach hence, mastery of the four macro skills was emphasized throughout the year. The lessons they had in Literature was a mixed of World Literature, Asian Literature and Philippine Literature given after each lesson. Their exposure on Literature was not based on a solid foundation because the focus was more on language and not on Literature. Out of seven lessons, one was only given to Literature with questions focusing on the moral or didactic lessons. The students themselves looked at Literature as springboard lessons to language lessons without value for it as an art form.

The two teachers themselves assigned in teaching the fourth year were passionate teachers teaching the language lessons but they become less energetic when they reach the Literature lessons because students did not read. One teacher was BSE major in English graduate from Union College of Sta. Cruz, Laguna and the other was unit earner in Education with a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy. Both seldom attend seminars on the recent trends and issues in teaching Literature because of the scarcity of financial support from the school. Hence, their knowledge and strategies were based from their old undergraduate schema.

With these problems, the proponent indeed saw the needs of preparing the students through a crash course program in Literature with the following reasons:

1. inform students about the basics of Literature they never had in high school; 2. discuss literature, not as a springboard of language lessons, but as it is as an art; 3. prepare students to the demands of Literature courses in College and 4. immerse students on the recent trends, strategies and issues in learning Literature.

B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM: The crash course program in Literature primarily aims to prepare the incoming freshmen to College Literature courses that they never learned or encountered much in high school, not because they were not taught, but because the approach then was integrative of the four macro skills and Literature was used as springboard to language lessons. The crash course discusses the basics of Literature from concepts, theories, use of strategies, trends and issues in learning literature applied altogether in teaching the students. The program is only a crash course to be delivered in 45 hours with 3 hours per lesson. The fifteen-day sessions either in MWF (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) or TThS (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) schedules are devoted to classroom discussion and other recent activities that culminate in a variety show of poetry recitation, dramatization and choral recitation, activities which are also performed in college. It is in MWF or TThS schedule to give students time to read and accomplish their assignments on the lessons before coming to class.

C. PROPONENT OF THE PROGRAM The proponent of the program is Wilfredo M. Valois who is a current student in Doctor of Philosophy major in Literature at the Philippine Normal University, Manila. He has been teaching Literature subjects at the Royal and Pontifical University of Sto. Tomas (UST), Manila for twelve (12) years. He has taught subjects like Philippine Literature in English, Introduction to Literature and Classical World Literature.

D. FRAMEWORK OF THE PROGRAM With the advent of technology specifically the television, radio and internet, people have become less receptive to what is going on around them, rather, they become more dependent on what they watch, they see and what they hear rather than what they read. People's vision is blurred by the comfort what technology gives them hence forgetting the value of reading, the value of Literature. In the academe, with the focus on the communicative competence and other ever-changing approaches and theories, the teaching and learning of Literature is often dwarfed, minimized or even abandoned by many schools.

Carolina Garcia and Ophelia Diamante reminded readers that Literature must inform and entertain. A good literature must be able to awaken people from ignorance to enlightenment. Furthermore, they said that literature must have intellectual value, emotional value, spiritual value, universality, permanence, style and most of all artistry.

Similarly, Edilberto Tiempo says that literature or good literature is intended to move, it must seduce but a work's emotive quality must not assault the sensibility, it must be ungirded by reasonableness, by logic, it must complement and satisfy the intellect, it must have the inevitability.

The criteria on how the literary selections in this crash course program on Literature were based from Jose Garcia Villa's criteria as cited by Edilberto K. Tiempo's suggestions on what should be included in any anthology of Literature. They are substance and form. Jose Garcia villa said that he followed double standard of form and substance. Substance requires vitality of subject and significant selection of facts. Genuine substance is achieved only when a pulse beats through the correlated facts, for significant substance alone, if without beat of life, remain dead substance. To achieve validity, therefore, substance in fiction should be living as well as significant. The second test is form. It requires vigor of structure although form and substance in literature are a creative one and they are indivisible, still they are distinct. Thus making feasible this test of form. Form, in literature, is the adequate and beautiful externalization of substance. It is not restrictive, mold, but is free, yet artistically disciplined presentation of substance.

Literature liberates the mind and spirit as one reads through the pages. The experience one has in looking at a painting, listening to a classical music or a moving performance in a theatre is similar to the reading of a literary text. It moves the mind to think critically. It touches the heart with that emotive power when one reads poetry or reads a play. All these effects and more are experienced by readers or learners including the enthusiasts when they are arrested by powerful literary texts with beautiful form and substance.

Literature is an instrument to fight illiteracy. People have become dependent on moving pictures and flashed items that they tend to read less. People have become lazy readers if not none readers at all, hence elevating our status of illiteracy. Thanks to the government's effort in putting Alternative Learning System or ALS in various municipalities and barangays where teachers educate the illiterates. But the efforts are geared towards economic and not artistic. Hence, the debate on the conflict between "art for art's sake" (autonomy of the art) and "art for social awareness" (proletariat literature) is once again high. The crash course provides an answer to this debate as it hinges on bridging the gap and conflict between the autonomy of art and social awakening by giving students the artistic literary texts that will give them at the same time an awakening along the way in the study of literatures.

The program is designed to meet the needs set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to give at least six units of Literature courses across discipline in the general education. Namely, the two courses are Introduction to World Literatures and Regional Philippines Literatures. That when they proceed to college education, incoming freshmen will be more than ready to face the demands of the Literature courses without insecurity and ignorance due to lack of exposure and education in literatures.

E. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the crash course, incoming freshmen are expected to: 1. Define the meaning of literature; 2. Differentiate fiction and non-fiction; 3. Enumerate the five genres of literature; 4. Compare and contrast the features of narrative and poetry; 5. Draw or diagram the structure of a narrative plot; 6. Read a poem with emotions according to its type; 7. Explain the figures of speech used in the texts; 8. Identify characters in the short story, novel or drama; 9. Describe the setting in the short story, novel or drama; 10. Arrange logical sequence of plot in the short story, novel or drama; 11. Synthesize themes from the texts; 12. Trace the causes and effects of actions of characters in the texts; 13. Appreciate the text the culture of a country; 14. Identify an author and his / her work; 15. Analyze a text using different approaches in understanding literature; 16. Write a critique on the assigned literary text; 17. Recite effectively and individually a poem; 18. Dramatize effectively scenes from the text; 19. Mount a variety show highlighting poetry recitation, dramatization and choral recitation.

F. COURSE CONTENT: The crash course includes excerpts from Literature courses that Commission on Higher Education CHED has mandated what each college student should take across discipline. Namely they are:

LITERATURE 1: Regional Philippine Literatures

This course presents a survey of world literatures representing a gamut of human experiences as exemplified in different literary types and forms.

LITERATURE 2: Introduction to World Literatures

This course introduces students to representative literatures from the regions tackling the wide array of Filipino encounters and experiences as these are expressed through themes such as gender, racial identity, class and history

G. MATRIX OF COMPETENCIES / OBJECTIVES AND THEIR CORRESPONDING LESSONS:

Competencies / Objectives Lessons

1. Define the meaning of literature; Lesson on Introduction to Literature 2. Differentiate fiction and non-fiction; Lesson on Introduction to Literature 3. Enumerate the five genres of literature; Lesson on introduction to Literature 4. Compare and contrast the features of narrative and poetry; Lesson on Introduction to Literature 5. Draw or diagram the structure of a narrative plot; Lesson on Introduction to Literature 6. Read a poem with emotions according to its type; Lesson on Poetry 7. Explain the figures of speech used in the texts; Lesson on Poetry 8. Identify characters in the short story, novel or drama; Lesson in Fiction 9. Describe the setting in the short story, novel or drama; Lesson in Fiction 10. Arrange logical sequence of plot in the short story, novel or drama; Lesson in Fiction 11. Synthesize themes from the texts; All lessons 12. Trace the causes and effects of actions of characters in the texts; All lessons 13. Appreciate the text the culture of a country; All lessons 14. Identify an author and his / her work; All lessons 15. Analyze a text using different approaches in understanding literature;

All lessons 16. Write a critique on the assigned literary text lessons in poetry, short story, novel, drama and essay 17. Recite affectively and individually a poem; Lesson on Poetry 18. Dramatize effectively scenes from the text; Lesson on Fiction 19. Mount a variety show highlighting poetry recitation, dramatization and choral recitation. All lessons

H. SYLLABUS ON THE CRASH COURSE PROGRAM IN LITERATURE

Content / Topics Teaching / Learning Activities Time Allotment 1. An Overview on Literature a. Definition b. Reasons why we study literature

Group work brainstorming Discussion Timeline

3 hours

2. Kinds of Literature a. Fiction and non-fiction b. According to countries c. According to classification Library research Buzz group discussion Jigsaw puzzle Diagramming

3 hours

3. Seven (7) standards of good Literature a. Samples for each exemplifying each standard

Pair work Collage Poster-making 3 hours

4. Genres of Literatures a. Poetry b. Short story c. Novel d. Drama e. essay Popcorn discussion Diagramming Thought bubbles 3 hours

5. Poetry a. Nature and types b. Elements c. Figures of speech Lecture Chanting Diagramming 3 hours

6. Reading and analyzing of samples of poetry a. "God Said I made a Man" by Jose Garcia Villa b. "The Man of Earth" by Amador T. Daguio c. "Si Lola Isyang at ang Matandang Puno ng Kaimito" d. "Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost e. "I am Nobody" by Emily Dickenson f. A sonnet by William Shakespeare g. "Psalm 23" by King David Discussion Reading of the text Chanting of the text Unlocking vocabulary Role playing Pair work Synthesizing through slogan Write a critique paper 3 hours

7. Short Story a. Nature and types b. Elements Discussion Diagramming Library research 2 hours

8. Reading and discussing / analyzing of samples: a. "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife" by Manuel Arguilla b. "Harvest" by Loreto Paras Sulit c. "Footnote to Youth" by Jose Garcia Villa d. "The Lady and the Tiger" Anonymous e. "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry f. "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant Literary map Thought bubbles Comics strip Movie poster Radio drama Skit Role playing Tableaux Discussion Write a critique paper

4 hours

9. Novel a. Nature and types b. Elements Discussion diagramming 2 hours

10. Reading and discussing / analyzing of samples: a. An excerpt from America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan b. The Pearl by John Steinbeck Literary map Thought bubbles Comics strip Movie poster Radio drama Skit Role playing Tableaux Discussion Write a critique paper

4 hours

11. Drama a. Nature and types b. Elements Discussion Pair work Jigsaw puzzle 2 hours

12. Reading and discussing / analyzing of samples: a. "The World is an Apple" by Alberto Florentino b. "New Yorker in Tondo" by Marcelino Angana Thought bubbles Comics strip Movie poster Radio drama Skit Role playing Write a critique paper Tableaux Discussion

4 hours 13. Essay a. Nature and types b. Elements Discussion Diagramming 2 hours

14. Reading and discussing and analyzing of samples: a. "Heritage of Smallness" (an excerpt) by Nick Joaquin b. "On Having a Stomach" by Lin Yutang c. "Of Studies" by Francis Bacon Mock debate Pair work Buzz group discussion Slogan writing Discussion Write a critique paper 4 hours

15. Culminating Activity through a Variety Show of: a. Poetry recitation of "Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening" b. Skit or Dramatization of "New Yorker in Tondo" c. Choral Recitation of "God Said I Made a Man" Variety show Poetry recitation Dramatization Choral recitation 3 hours

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Source by Wilfredo M. Valois

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JOURNAL ENTRY 2

"A giant leap into the past – observational reflections in the classroom"

I was hit with a familiar sense of dejavu when walking through the gates of Glendowie College. I had been here before but in a different time. Passing the school corridors I passed a photo of myself taken by my first boyfriend for bursary photography in 1994. Is it really already 2004? I felt an eerie sense of stopped time, me with the same school bag, the same length hair and (unfortunately) same height. Nothing had changed at all, nothing except the reason for being here.

As an ex-student of Glendowie College this area of ​​school had been out of bounds. It was reserved only for 'appointments' with the Deputy Head or Principal. It felt like an absolute privilege to be here which made me feel all the more nervous. My hands were sweaty when I knocked on the Deputy Head's door but all anxiety disappeared as I received a very warm welcome. I was briefed on the school's policies and then on the classes I would be observing. I had been given 4 classes, a Year 13 accelerate English class, a Year 9 English class, a Year 10 Drama class and a Year 12 Media class. Before I headed towards the staffroom to meet my associates, I mentally prepared myself for what was going to be a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It had been exactly 10 years since I had stepped foot in these classes – only this time I would be introduced as their student teacher.

School had always been a positive experience for me. As a family we moved around a lot. I calculated I have attended 3 primary schools and 4 secondary schools during my 13 years of education. Schools offered structure and stability in an otherwise unstable environment. It was an arena where I could muck around with peers and explore my own skills and personality. I found school self-defining and the people I met and things I learnt impacted a great deal on who I am today.

My memories of particular teaching styles during school are a bit hazy. I probably never recognized them in terms of 'styles'. Instead we judged the teachers in terms of whether they were knowledgeable, approachable and showed an understanding of what 'struggles' we were all going through! (God, we had it easy then! If only we knew!).

Upon reflection I can certainly pinpoint those lessons that made lasting impressions. They were ones that had interest, choice, challenge and recognition. I remember my Year 9 science class at Takapuna Grammar held great interest for me because it was enjoyable and fun. The teacher was enthusiastic beyond belief. We used to work outside and hug trees in order to understand photosynthesis! His approach was very hands-on and involved loads of group-work. We were once given a choice of a topic which we had to research and present in pairs. I will never forget how much time my friend and I put into this project. We were thoroughly engaged, to the point where our presentation had the whole class lying on the floor for a whole period in an effort to try and hypnotise them. Style was therefore important to my learning. They nearly always had that certain bit of quirkiness or eccentricity that captured my interest.

Reflecting on my own experiences, the most effective teaching techniques that worked for me involved group projects; such as individual assignments where we were given a choice and ownership of what to study; character studies in Othello or being sent outside to write poetry. I wrote about an ant that I watched that morning and still have it to this day. If I were to focus on Gardner's seven intelligences I would say I learnt more where the teaching style was visual, interpersonal and intrapersonal. An example of this would be in 6th form history. I did not have an affinity to dates and politics however one lesson we were taken to see the Magnum Photography Exhibition. These photos changed my whole perspective on history. I did a study of Don McCullin's work and learned about history through his lenses. So in summary I think I tended to learn more through doing having to research, collate and compile information in a way that was understandable to me.

My classes from memory were of mixed ability. Although I was more aware of what my peers had done the night before than whether they were excelling or bombing out in the subject. There also tended to be a healthy bit of competition between some of us girls. We used to joke around about our marks and downplay it if we got a high mark, although secretly we were quite chuffed with ourselves. It is interesting to note I saw similar behaviour in both of my English classes. The intelligent students, seem to be the ones that tend not to take part in the discussions, they sit at the back and pretend not to care. Every now and then they will ask the teacher privately for some input, but hardly ever in front of their peers.

My time at Glendowie to observe particular teaching styles within 4 different classes was invaluable. Although I learnt much from shadowing one student and also from observing the media and drama classes, I am already over my 250 word limit (sorry), so will focus on what I observed within the two English classes.

To start with I can strongly say that all of my associates treated their classes with respect as a whole and then again as individuals. They made it their prerogative to know their students names and showed interest in their own lives outside of the classroom. For example the Year 9 English associate was involved in the school debating team, of which 4 were from her class and she included their accomplishments in discussion at the beginning of the lesson. This engaged their interest as they all want to hear about what their buddies have been up to, especially if the teacher had noticed!

My first impression of sitting in on a Year 9 English class was of 'ants in their pants'. These students had oodles of energy, excitement, cheekiness and an air of constant inquisitiveness. It was like diving into a pool of otters. They had just completed reading their novel 'The Whole of the Moon' and were about to embark on static images designing a poster and then onto speeches. As I was witness to one lesson on static images and the other 4 were watching speeches, I did not have a full opportunity to observe an exact teaching style, however the overall impression I was given was that the teaching style when handling these little otters was definitely 'direct instruction'. In comparison to Year 12 or 13 classes, where much of the learning seemed to be self directed and discussion based, these lessons tended to be teacher driven and inquiry based. I felt that the teaching style of laying down rules to begin with every day eg "bags off desk, books out, pens out and eyes this way thanks" meant there was a sense of routine for the class and a basic knowledge of what was expected of them.

The teacher gave specific instructions and probed them with many teacher directed questions eg "What makes an effective static image?" The teacher drew up a poster according to the class input which resulted in a lopsided attempt of a static image. This bought about a sense of hilarity to the class, but also proved the aim of the lesson – what to do and what not to do when planning their static images. This 'teacher is boss' type style also bought about a sense of respect for the teacher. I found that the tiniest of things would trigger the whole class off. One boy who was spotted to have his eyes closed during a speech had the class in an upheaval. The teacher let them have their laugh, dealt with the situation briefly and then used body language that they obviously recognized to mean 'it's time to focus'. If the teacher had not adopted this authoritarian style from the beginning of the year, the upheaval could easily have escalated. This type of style gave the class a focus, a spokesperson and a leader. A written task was usually expected of them at the end of the lesson which would be entered in their journals.

My year 13 was a contrast to this bundle of inquisitiveness. I felt like I had walked into a den of lionesses. Proud, sultry and indifferent. Heavily female dominated, there were only five boys who in comparison appeared easily distracted and in need of more instruction than their feline counterparts. As soon as I walked into the classroom I was instantly reminded of how I felt at that age. Pre-occupied with 'larger life issues' such as who was seeing who, setting full driver's license, part time jobs, what did I want to do after this year, what did I want to do with my life, feeling misunderstood by my parents and on top of all of these issues I had exams and assessments coming out of my ears. Life was very serious indeed!

The class had been described as an accelerated class, with several wanting to sit scholarship. However there were two boys who should not have been placed in this class who were under-achieving which the teacher had to take into account in her lessons. The teaching style was a mixture of direct instruction, class discussions and self directed learning. Within the two weeks I was there they were preparing for achievement standard 3.2, focusing on short stories. The texts that they were studying were similar to ones I had studied in my bursary year which covered themes of loss, grief and relationships. At The River, Dolls House, A Great Day Out, Hooks and Feelers, Sticks and Stones and The Birthday Party. All the teaching I observed within this class was inquiry based. They would read the stories; close read them together and then were asked to answer questions which were written on the board. In contrast to the Year 9 otters where answers were plentiful, if not, uncontrollable, I observed that it took much probing from the teacher to encourage answers from the Year 13 students. The answers required more critical thought but possibly also less inhibition. This class tended to work by discussing their answers quietly in pairs. One technique the teacher used was relating the stories to her own personal experiences. The class became really engaged in her story-telling and they tended to joke together on a mature level.

Overall my impressions of being an English teacher was 'Eek'. To be effective one truly needs to be a superhero. Multi-skilled, flexible, witty, highly organized and above all confident, in control and worthy of their respect. It is a lot to ask. Students in Year 9 can take the teacher on all sorts of tangents, whereas in Year 13 I feel one needs to encourage the students to take the teacher on tangents. Knowledgeable was one word that struck me as well. If anything, I feel that the passion for the subject needs to show. It needs to instill a spark in the students and motivate them to want to learn.

I guess one of my biggest shocks in the observation was something I had expected, but not quite so extreme. The issue of "Academic Learning Time '- or lack of it! Of the 40 or so lessons I observed about 10 of them were' replaced 'by guest speaker lectures in the hall, dean activities, camps or relievers. Almost all of them had some extra-curricular activity interruption at some point whether it be having to move to a different classroom, a sports announcement, a school play rehearsal announcement or merely students arriving late and disrupting the flow of the lesson. 60 minutes can very easily become 40 so it really emphasized the importance of flexibility, good planning and the alignment of goals to take these time constraints into account. An interesting tip I learnt was 'reading the class for indicators'. I learnt with the Year 9 class was that the teacher uses the girls at the back as an indicator of the entire class engagement. Apparently they are the brightest of the class and when she sees them off-task or talking, she knows that the whole class will erupt a few minutes later so she needs to intercept and re-engage them before they do.

As a whole I feel that I would fit in as a teacher in a smaller school such as Glendowie. The staff were incredibly friendly and interesting. We had some fantastic debates between the English and Science departments! The staffroom seemed to be an adult reflection of the cultures and personalities one would find in a classroom! Personally I find that supportive environment very important in any work I do. I feel that in a school like Glendowie one is also are given an opportunity to know the students on an individual basis. You can see them as personalities rather than just a mass of faces. As a student I have experienced larger schools (Takapuna Grammar) verses smaller schools (Glendowie) and my experiences of each were hugely different in terms of where I felt accepted and recognized. I do wonder if this may also be the same in the shoes of a teacher and the second placement is possibly an opportunity to explore this further.

My main aims for this year in doing this post graduate are to focus on building on my subject knowledge, my confidence to teach, the skills to plan, and the experience with hands-on teaching in order to identify what style I would like to adopt . I have a few larger schools in mind in order to focus on working in a larger subject department and my choices will probably be further filtered by the subject areas that are available in those schools.

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Source by Kate Ryan

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RBC Life is a health and wellness MLM company that was founded in 1991. It is located in Dallas, TX. It was formally known as Royal Body Care and Life Sciences, but they changed the name to the shorter RBC Life for their MLM opportunity. Clinton Howard founded the company, and they are currently a publicly traded company, and at the time of this article their stock is selling at less than fifty cents.

RBC Life offers five different types of products including Energy and Fitness and Anti-Aging. The newest product available in their product line is NeuroBright. It is based off of the broad-spectrum antioxidant Microhydrin, and combined with eight other antioxidants for a mixture that they call Microhydrin Plus. The effectiveness of this product has been debated by different scientists, but the evidence seems to point to the face that the ingredients are beneficial, and they help prevent mental illness such as Alzheimer's.

There are numerous ways available to make money with the RBC Life Compensation Plan. The most popular package is the business builder package which is $ 485 and includes $ 450 in personal products. The upfront elements of compensation are a direct bonus of $ 75 for signing up new distributors and a power bonus of up to $ 25 which goes 8 levels deep. As far as the residual income it is a binary compensation system with some extra bonuses and a bonus pool added in.

All in all RBC looks like a completely legitimate network marketing company. While there are many MLM health and wellness companies, that industry is estimated at nearly a trillion dollars. Marketing training seems to be the weakest part of RBC as they do not seem to be teaching the latest strategies for building a network marketing opportunity. They seem to preach the tired old methods of calling friends and family and holding home meetings which may work fine for some, but the vast majority of people are going to need to know cutting edge marketing strategies.

The easiest way for a beginner to see success in RBC Life is to leverage the power of the Internet to generate new leads everyday. Using old school network marketing tactics it is very difficult to have enough people to talk to. Old school network marketing techniques are no longer viable for most people. With the proper training and systems in place RBC Life would be a great company to grow a thriving organization.

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Source by Christopher Arlen Crawford

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Balanced literacy is a theory based on the idea that there are many different learning styles for children who are learning to read. There are many different teaching methods that are effective ways for teaching reading, but alone they do not always deliver for every student. With the variety of learning styles that the students bring into the classroom it is impossible to suggest that one method of teaching would effectively teach each student how to be a good reader. The balanced reading approach bases itself on the idea that a combination of teaching methods used together will teach a greater range of students more effectively.

Lev Vygotsky, a psychologist who focused on cognitive development, viewed learning as being integrated and socially based. This view of learning follows suit with the balanced literacy approach as it focuses on learning to read as a social activity, an integrated activity that requires students to read, write, listen, and speak, and requires engagement in classroom activities. All of these ideas from Vygotsky are found in balanced instruction. Students interact in small groups, integrate the different pieces of reading as listed above, and engage in activities that allow students to interactively learn to read. (Wilkinson, 2000)

Obviously, a major piece of balanced literacy is the instructional techniques. "While many teachers in today's schools are mandated to use prescriptive basal reading programs … a teacher should know much more to become an effective instructor of reading." (Bukowiecki, 2007) There is more than one way to teach reading to students, and the diversity and variety in the lessons can help students with all types of learning styles and needs learn to be effective readers. Before the instructional techniques can be described there is a critical theory behind reading instruction that needs to be addressed and understood, that theory is the five big ideas of reading.

The five big ideas are the backbone of reading instruction. "The National Reading Panel published its research results and recommendations in a report … this national report presented five key literacy topics – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension – that should be included in daily literacy instruction" (Bukowiecki , 2007) These five ideas are the individual pieces that teachers need to focus on to promote good readers. "Big ideas are fundamental concepts and principles that help students gain the broadest knowledge within an academic area, such as beginning reading, most efficiently." (Coyne, 2006)

Balanced literacy bases much of its success in the classroom to the five big ideas. "Big ideas focus attention on the most relevant aspects of reading instruction. They also function as anchoring concepts within which 'small' ideas can often be taught and understood." (Coyne, 2006) Through a balance of teaching methods all students are able to actively participate and learn in the classroom lessons, especially at risk students who are struggling with their reading. "Teachers working with at-risk students or students who are experiencing reading difficulties can use the five big ideas as a strategic focus for instruction and intervention because these ideas target critical areas in beginning reading." (Coyne, 2006)

There are many instructional techniques that can effectively teach the five big ideas and develop excellent readers. The first, and probably the most used in reading specialist classrooms, is the basal reading approach. This approach can be seen in classrooms where teachers do reading activities in small groups and in a specified area of ​​the classroom. The basal approach is "based on the assumption that students learn to read by reading, writing, and talking about meaningful topics." (Vacca, 2006) Many different genres of literature are able to be covered through expository and narrative texts. This approach is eclectic and follows suit with the bottom-up approach because it "presents skills to be taught in a sequence, or an interactive program, featuring unedited children's literature selections, strategy instruction, and writing opportunities." (Vacca, 2006)

Another approach to reading instruction is the language experience approach. This approach combines many different approaches, which is obviously a characteristic of balanced literacy. This strategy is "based on the idea that language should be used to communicate thoughts, ideas, and meaning." (Vacca, 2006) A great example of this approach is story dictation. Students are able to create lessons using their own language. Other popular pieces of the language experience approach include, "planned and continuous activities such as individual and group dictated stories, the building of word banks of known words, creative writing activities, oral reading of prose and poetry by teacher and students, directed reading- thinking lessons, the investigation of interests using multiple materials, and keeping records of student progress. " (Vacca, 2006)

The next type of instruction is integrated language arts. This method "extends the concept of language experience by immersing students in reading, writing, talking, listening, and viewing activities." (Vacca, 2006) Each of those topics listed in the previous quote should be taught together, rather than as isolated and separate commodities. Students grow by connecting with the combination of imaginative and informative literature. The most important aspect of integrating language arts is "so that students will learn how to use language to think clearly, strategically, critically, and creatively." (Vacca, 2006)

Literature based instruction is the next instructional technique to be discussed. This method accommodates the differences in student's reading abilities while focusing on the meaning, interest, and pleasure of reading. "An important part of classroom life should be reading, reading literature that makes children wonder, weep, laugh, shiver, and gasp." (Vacca, 2006) When students are thoroughly enjoying the material that they are reading they can fully immerse themselves into reading. The students, when using this method, choose their own books which personalizes reading and ensures that they are reading high interest materials. A good strategy used under this theory is based on the idea that "literature can be used as a springboard for writing – children can write different endings for stories or incidents in their own lives that reflect conflicts similar to ones about which they have read." (Vacca, 2006) Another extension of this technique is to allow students to use the same structure of an existing story and write their own following that structure. Students are able to feel control over their learning while advancing their reading and writing abilities.

The final instructional technique to be discussed is technology based instruction. With the changes in technology it should be no surprise that computers and the internet have changed the way that people read and write. Emails are a great tool that students can use to practice reading and writing. The invention of the CD-ROM also created an engaging way for students to practice their reading skills. In the classroom items such as smart boards, electromagnetic LCD pen monitors, and web-cams are changing the way that reading is taught. Word processors are a fun way for students to create texts and practice reading and writing. (Vacca, 2006)

All of these approaches that were pointed out can be used together in the balanced literacy approach to ensure that students are getting everything that they can from the reading lessons. The balance of strategies such as these discussed has been proven to be effective in the classroom. "A clear knowledge of comprehension strategies combined with an awareness of when and how to use them can provide readers … with an arsenal of tactics to ensure that they construct meaning as they read" (Vacca, 2006) As good as the balanced approach is for students, the downside is that it is quite difficult for teachers.

The balanced approach to teaching could be somewhat overwhelming for new teachers because it requires them to utilize different methods to teach the material. There is a great debate going on about how well teachers are being educated in reading instruction. In an article that surveyed teachers to find education patterns came to a simple conclusion that relates to the balanced approach. "Clearly there was a consensus that an effective preservice reading education would include balanced, practical methodologies across a number of reading related courses supplemented by multiple field experience opportunities." (Broemmel, 2006) This conclusion illustrates the idea that balance is necessary even for instructing adult teachers because it creates a diverse experience that everyone can benefit from.

Balanced literacy creates a diverse and eclectic approach to teaching learning. It utilizes numerous methods to include every student and promote effective and efficient readers by touching on the different learning styles. From struggling readers to advanced readers, all are able to benefit from the balanced literacy approach.

References

Broemmel, Amy D (2006) .No teacher left behind: valuing teacher voice in elementary reading teacher education reform. Reading Research and Instruction. 46.53.

Bukowiecki, Elaine M (2007) .Teaching children how to READ. Kappa Delta Pi Record. 43.58.

Coyne, Michael D (2006) .Beginning reading instruction for students at risk for reading disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic. 41.161.

Vacca, J, Vacca, R, Gove, M, Burkey, L, Lenhart, L, & McKeon, C (2006). Reading and learning to read. Boston: Pearson Publishing.

Wilkinson, Louise (2000) .Classroom language and literacy learning. Handbook of Reading Research. 3.

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Source by Maureen Archer

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The strategy myth is responsible for the failure of most businesses according to Tony Robbins in his White Paper, Mindset Over Marketing. Unfortunately, most would be entrepreneurs are doomed to fail because they do not truly understand what it takes to be successful. They follow conventional thinking and place their trust in the strategy myth, he says.

The strategy myth is based on the idea that the basics of business is a killer product, a great target market, and a well written business plan. This will not create lasting success says Tony, the success guru. While strategy is necessary, business owners first must establish the true foundation of entrepreneurial success; vision, passion, and mindset.

Anthony Robbins is a leadership and peak performance expert and he applies the 80/20 rule to the study of success. He states that in almost every circumstance, 80 percent of success is due to psychology-mindset, beliefs, and emotions-and only 20 percent is due to strategy or action.

See, I told you Tony Robbins agrees with me. This is something I harp on about all the time. Mindset, mindset, mindset. Tony and I do not come at this from exactly the same perspective, though. I've never heard him speak about the Law of Attraction, and I'm not sure if he subscribes to it or not.

Whether you believe in the LOA or not, like I do, one thing is certain. Anyone who makes a study of success would have to agree that mindset is an important factor in success, no matter what the exact reason is.

If that is the case then, why do so few business people actually place much emphasis on thinking or give it any serious consideration? Perhaps because since the advent of the Scientific Age, we have based our beliefs on evidence, on the concrete, on what we can see and touch. Mindset or thinking is somewhat ephemeral. It can not be seen or evaluated and it is hard to define.

Mindset is an internal practice and education and particularly business education and indeed all forms of knowledge are external forms like information or knowledge. We can control and evaluate external practices like balance sheets, business plans and strategies. How do we teach and evaluate thinking? How can we test beliefs and grade accordingly? The truth is we can not because our understanding of mindset is still largely theoretical.

As a High School teacher, I was appalled at the lack of interest in thinking as a subject even among the teachers, and I was also appalled at the initial results my students attained with the traditional information based teaching that I had been taught to apply.

Being the obsessive and (in those days) perfectionistic type, I had to come up with a method that would achieve better results. Unfortunately, most of my English and Social Science students just did not 'get' how to evaluate a topic, structure a response and write an effective essay, something that I could do easily. So, I asked myself, 'What process does my brain go through in order to achieve this task successfully?'

I quickly realised that if I taught my students how to think then they had the tools not only to write essays, but to understand the issues involved in any decision making activity. The results were staggering and the improvement in performance attracted the attention of the administration. Long story, but were my attempts to teach the teachers this process accepted and integrated into the school curriculum? Of course not, because Bertrand Russell was right when he said, 'Most people would rather die than think,' and that includes teachers.

As more and more people move into business and away from the security of the job market, it will become even more crucial for the study of business to include the teaching of thinking as a legitimate area of ​​study.

Until that time, I will continue to harp on about mindset, knowing that I am in good company with my mate Tony Robbins.

How much time and money do you invest in taking control of your mindset and learning to think like a true entrepreneur?

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Source by Madonna Robinson