Class Learning verses Online Classes: What Fits Your Teenager?

As technology continues to influence and change our way of living, parents are now faced with the consideration of allowing their teenagers to prepare for or begin college through online courses for credit. During the past five years or so, a great deal of development in this area has been taking place, all with the backing of the U.S. Department of Education. There are, however, a number of pros and cons when it comes to this modern method of study, and launching young adults out into the world is a heavy responsibility. Most parents want to get through the process with no regrets, so it is wise to take the time to determine if online classes would actually be a good fit for your teenager.


Let’s face it: not all kids and family situations are alike. What works well for some may spell disaster for others. With the growing number of options available in educating our children, this should certainly be considered from more than one perspective. Whether you’ve sent your son or daughter through public or private school, or even educated them at home, the subject of entry-level online college courses is very likely to come up at some point before or after high school graduation.

Considering all the angles when it comes to online education may mean doing some personal research and evaluation. Web-based education has some fantastic benefits, but there are additionally some serious drawbacks. Allowing a teen to stay home in front of a computer for extended periods of time could possibly have health or psychological disadvantages. Parents needs to assess things such as the physical condition and mental health of their children. Some parents may also wonder if they actually want to encourage more screen time in a lifestyle already loaded with digital activity. On the flipside, there are cases where studying online may be a hindrance to teens with more outgoing personalities, leading to a sense of isolation, or at minimum feeling somewhat separated from other people. Those are the students that truly need to have face-to-face interaction with others and will learn better in that environment.

Another big consideration ought to be the student’s learning and communication style. Teens whose learning styles lean more toward the auditory than visual or who are more kinetic learners may do better in the usual face-to-face classroom setting than sitting in front of a laptop screen loaded heavily with text. If this seems like a big mystery, it may be sensible and wise to consult a professional for some input or learning style testing just to be sure. Some community colleges even offer this sort of help in their student services departments.

It isn’t uncommon for older teenagers to take a gap year before starting a rigorous academic program, and in fact it’s becoming something of a trend. While some use the gap year for travel and a complete break from school, others may combine a few courses of study with travel opportunities. Still other students simply need a time to gear up gradually, or do some soul-searching and exploration of ideas before making the big break from home. Online courses may fit in well with any of these situations. Students might find that studying via the Internet before leaving home is a safe way to make decisions while still living under their parents’ roof. This can also be a time to test the waters, get a better feel for the responsibilities of college, and the demands and workload involved with being a more advanced, full-time student.

Some high school students engage in programs that allow for dual credit. This option not only provides credit toward high school graduation, but gives students a head start in college. If saving money is a big issue for parents and their kids, encouraging an early start with online courses could save thousands of dollars. Programs are popping up both on the Internet and through local community and state colleges, and there will be more in time. So whether high school students go for dual credit or want to have a gentle start to their college careers, big savings can be realized through taking courses online.

Taking advantage of online college courses is a viable option for many families, but it is understandably not everyone’s cup of tea. Parents should definitely weigh it all out before allowing or encouraging their teens to sign up for this route. One way or another, online college courses are here to stay as we move more and more into an electronic society.

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40 Brilliant Negotiation Tricks Every ‘B’ School Student Should Know

While some people are born with great negotiation skills, most of us have to put forth a lot of effort and learn through trial, error and practice what works and what doesn’t. Whether you’re in business school right now or have just graduated, these negotiation tactics are good to know when you’re in the heat of things and can help you get the better end of a deal– no matter what it is.


Business Basics
These negotiation tactics and tricks will help you lead in business no matter what you’re trying to get, whether it’s a raise or a better deal on a new refrigerator.

1. Patience. You might want to pounce on any opportunity, but sometimes patience can truly be a virtue. Wait for just the right time to play your cards and you could see a much better payoff.
2. Persistence. While sometimes being overly persistent can do you in, finding the right balance between drive and stalking can be a great way to get what you want. Showing whomever you’re negotiating with that you’re serious about what you want can really help your case.
3. Research. The more you know, the greater advantage you’ll have in a negotiation situation. Whether you’re buying a car, trying to get a job, asking for a raise or just about anything else, knowledge is power.
4. Split the Difference. No matter whom it favors more, this negotiation tactic appears fair and may help to seal the deal. It works best when used in conjunction with other methods, like anchoring or legitimacy.
5. Be in demand. Letting it slip that you’re considering other offers can help make businesses more eager to hire you or to bump up your salary.
6. The Innocent Question. No questions in a negotiation are innocent. All can be used to glean information that can help tip the negotiation in favor of one party over another. So, ask away. It’ll make you seem friendlier, keep things running smoothly and make you smarter.
7. Never Make the First Offer. In most situations, you don’t want to be the one making the first offer – it could garner you less than you might have gotten otherwise. Stick it out until you’re forced to ask.
8. Ask for More. Want to get the best deal? Always ask for more than you actually want or are willing to settle for.
9. Accentuate the Positive. One great way to approach a negotiation is by knowing both the strong and weak points of your side. Accentuate the good stuff while putting little emphasis on the bad. For instance, if you’re selling a house, focus on the big pool in the backyard, not the proximity to the airport.
10. Strong and silent. It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes the best thing you can do for your negotiations is to sit down and shut up. Silence can make people nervous and uneasy and much more willing to please.
11. The Trade Off. Here you’ll find a tactic that works because it appears to be very fair and even-handed. In it, both parties agree to make concessions– but each without really knowing the true value of what they’re conceding.
12. Ignoring No. In most cases, ignoring it when someone says “no” can get you in big trouble, but in negotiations it’s sometimes understood that no really means maybe, under the right circumstances. To counter no, you’ll need to react by asking the other party to tell you about it and lay out just where they stand. It forces them to play their hand and could let you actually negotiate a better deal.
13. Stalling. Delaying and stalling negotiations can work if you’re trying to wear down the other side and get them to give in just to be done with the whole affair.
14. Aristotle’s Appeals. Your powers of persuasion will be much stronger when you employ these three: ethos, pathos and logos. In English, that means appeal to ethics and reputation, emotion, or logic.

Buying
If you’re looking to buy, no matter if it’s a big or small purchase, consider these methods of negotiation.

1. Take up their time. The more time you take up when someone is trying to sell you something, the more they’ll want to ensure that you don’t walk away.
2. Be reluctant. Always make it seem as if you’re just looking and you’re not ready to buy yet. If you let on you’re ready to make a purchase, prices may go up.
3. Bracket. When you’re negotiating, you likely have a place where you want to end up. To use this method, make a counteroffer that averages out with the initial offer right at where you want to be.
4. Walk Away. Sometimes all it takes to seal the deal is to walk away. Once the seller knows you’re willing to give it up, they may be more willing to negotiate.
5. The Wince. A wince or flinch will physically show your displeasure with a particular deal– just don’t overdo it. Follow it up with a bit of silence and things could be uncomfortable– and that’s just what you want. This method works with both ends of the deal, so watch out.
6. Nibbling. When trying to get the best deal, sometimes you can still negotiate even after the main part is settled. These small nibbles seem like little concessions, but can really add up.
7. Big Favor, Little Favor. In this situation, you’ll make an outrageous request for a concession. It will, of course, be denied. Then you’ll make a much smaller request, which was your intention all along, which will seem much fairer, and is more likely to be accepted in comparison with your previous request.
8. The Calculated Blow-Up. While it won’t work in all situations where you’ll be negotiating, sometimes a fake blow-up can get you what you want. Whether that’s a refund from a store or a better deal with a seller, that’s up to you.
9. Do Better. This tactic involves simply asking the other party to do better than what they’re offering. If they can’t, you’ll have to walk away.
10. Low Key. It can be helpful not to appear too enthusiastic during business negotiations. You want to have something to hold back and not let on how much you really want to make the deal.
11. The Red Herring. In a red herring situation, you’ll make a miniscule point of contention into something huge. This will distract from the concessions you’re really trying to get the other side to make, which will seem small now, in comparison to this huge other, actually unimportant issue that you’ve raised.
12. Low-Balling. When you’re buying, make an offer so low you know it’ll never be accepted. Then, any other offer you make will seem much more reasonable.

Selling
If you’re on the selling end, then these negotiation tactics may suit your needs better and help you make the most from any deal.

1. Pre-conditioning. You can start using this tactic before you even meet with the other party by laying out your terms before he or she even has a chance to think about a counter-move.
2. Anchoring. Studies have shown that when people are torn when making an uncertain decision, they tend to anchor on certain information. You can use this to your advantage in your negotiations and set the tone of what will take place.
3. Hot Potato. In this tactic, someone can take their problem and make it yours, or vice versa. If there’s a hitch in a deal, this tactic involves using it as a negotiation point, asking the other party to move in your direction to solve the problem.
4. Higher Authority. To use this tactic, you’ll have to act as though you don’t have the final approval on whether or not to make a deal and will have to check with your partner, boss, etc. Of course, this higher authority won’t like the deal and will return with a counteroffer.
5. Legitimacy. Find some outside sources to support your side of the negotiation, and whomever you’re negotiation with is bound to believe it. This bias can gain you a big advantage in any negotiation.
6. The Withdrawn Offer. Want to trick the other party into thinking they’ve gotten an amazing deal? Use this ruse. Pretend to withdraw your offer because it’s too low or won’t work for you, and the other side is likely to pounce on it.
7. The Other Buyer. Your buyer will be a little more motivated to negotiate if he or she is alerted to the presence of another buyer. If they really want what you’re selling, this tactic can score you a better deal and close it faster.
8. Decoys. In this tactic, you’ll create something that you do not care about, but which you treat as if is very important. Then you’ll offer to give it up. It can help you get something you want without having to give up much of anything.
9. Give it a human face. One way to get the better end of a deal is to make the other party feel connected to you. If they don’t want to hurt you, your business partners or your family then it’ll be a lot more difficult for them to play hardball with you.
10. Good Guy, Bad Guy. If you’ve got a negotiation partner, you can try out this method. One of you will play the nice guy; the other will be a bit of a pill. The nice guy will close the deal after the not-so-nice guy blows up.
11. Funny Money. You can help make big amounts of money seem piddling by dividing them out into costs per day. This tactic works because buyers will things the amount is small, but it will add up to a hefty sum in your pocket.
12. The Trial Balloon. This tactic can work wonders when selling, because it lets you get clues about the other party’s plans without compromising your position or having to make a real commitment.
13. The Presumptive Close. Asking a question that implies that a deal has already been made can help to push negotiations along. Dealing with issues like how payments will be made and trades completed can change the mindset of the other party.
14. Puppy Dog Close. This sale is named after a technique used by pet store salespeople. It offers to let the other side try out the deal (or new pet) for a trial period. If they’re not happy, they can renege. It works because not only is the sale made by the negotiator but by the mechanics of the deal (or the pet) itself.

Special guest post by Rose King

Sue Scheff: Parenting Resolutions You Can Learn From

Big Book of Parenting Solutions, by Dr. Michele Borba is more than just a parenting book. It offers sound advice, proven results, in depth research with statistics to substantiate the solutions. Check out the inside SLIDESHOW of informational pages, click here. Be sure to watch the video below - you will meet Michele Borba and find out why this book is the answer to keeping your parenting resolutions - all in one concise book.

Michele Borba Has Answers to Parents Everyday Challenges & Worries


101 topics the author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions can address



CHARACTER
26. Bad Manners
27. Cheats
28. Insensitive
29. Intolerant
30. Lying
31. Materialistic
32. Not Knowing Right from Wrong
33. Poor Sport
34. Selfish and Spoiled
35. Steals
36. Ungrateful

EMOTIONS

37. Angry
38. Dependent
39. Fearful
40. Grief
41. Homesick
42. Perfectionist
43. Pessimistic
44. Sensitive
45. Shy
46. Separation Anxiety
47. Stressed
48. Worried About the World

Next we will get into the Social Scene, you won't want to miss this. Coming soon.

<<<<Did you miss the first 25 reasons to for parenting resolutions? Go back.


Resolution Reminder: Parenting 2010 - Getting ten steps ahead of your kids with technology.

Sue Scheff: Parenting - The Difference Between Large Schools and Small Schools

Source: Education.com

Size Matters: The Difference Between Big and Small Schools

By: by Merry Gordon

“Supersize me!” While this approach may be a deal in the world of fast food, is it equally effective in education? Or is there something to be said for the iconic one-room schoolhouse of the 19th century? No real concurrence exists on optimal school size, and both small and large schools offer experiences that can add to your child’s academic experience.

Good Things Come in Small Packages: What’s So Great About Small Schools?

It’s a matter of logic: smaller schools typically have smaller classes, and low teacher-student ratios translate into more focus on your child and his education. From a cognitive standpoint, scaling back class size is good because it offers the opportunity to delve deeper into the curriculum and move through it at a faster pace. In fact, many studies show improvement in instructional quality and academic success at small schools. It’s equally beneficial from a social standpoint—fewer students in the room make class participation inescapable, but also usually less intimidating. The size of such schools actually promotes belongingness; it becomes difficult for kids to go unnoticed and slip through the proverbial cracks. The Chicago Public School system small schools website puts it this way: “Smaller numbers of students, a more intimate and personalized learning environment, and a cohesive vision among teachers characterize small schools.”

Smaller schools operate more like a community than a corporation. They frequently have a greater sense of unity, especially if they are built around a particular belief system (religious, educational, cultural, philosophical, etc.) shared by the parents and faculty alike. Another reason for this close-knit feel is that there are often more opportunities for kids to participate. Take, for example, a typical high school sports team. In a big school, competition is fierce for a coveted few spots; those students who make the team gain a personal investment in the school, while those who don’t make the roster—and their families, by extension—may walk away feeling marginalized. In smaller schools the chance for student participation is recurrently higher because students are required rather than redundant; as a result, children in smaller schools and their families have more of a stake in their school.

Larger than Life: What’s So Great About Big Schools?

On the other hand, larger schools can be equally advantageous for different reasons. One of the primary arguments for large schools is the curricular diversity, or variety of classes, they offer. While small schools may only be economically equipped to offer Spanish, for instance, larger schools might offer instruction in Japanese, German and French as well, or offer more opportunities for gifted education, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate coursework. Large schools generally have more to offer students in the way of extracurricular activities too. Take, for example, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School in Dade County, Florida. Over 4500 students strong, it boasts more than 60 clubs and activities that range from salsa dance to Amnesty International—and that’s not even counting their sports programs. This large school also delivers on academics, ranking within Newsweek’s top 5% of high schools in the U.S. for its graduation rate and Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate test scores. Big schools are also succeeding at the elementary level. Grenada Elementary School in Grenada, Mississippi, has a Kidzeum for their 1800 K-3 students. The Kidzeum, “the first full-scale school-based children's museum,” according to the Grenada website, has been honored by Business Week and American School Board Journal for excellence in education. Clearly, big things are happening at big schools.

Big schools also tend to have more diversity in their student body. A varied representation of ethnicities, creeds and races at a school can mean more multiethnic, philosophical and interracial dialog. Historically, the benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in education have been viewed in this way, as explained in 2007 by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights: “Recent studies have shown that students of all racial or ethnic groups who attend more diverse schools have a higher comfort level with members of racial and ethnic groups different than their own, an increased sense of civic awareness, and a greater desire to live and work in multiracial settings relative to their segregated peers.” As we move toward a more global marketplace, this ease with diversity can benefit kids in both their future personal and business relationships.

Size alone does not determine a school’s success, but it certainly can be a contributing factor to the success of your child. Whether big or small, embrace what your child’s school has to offer and make the most of the upcoming school year.