A New Challenge for Teachers: Encouraging Girls in Science, Math and IT Related Studies and Careers

One key challenge educators face is the importance of encouraging girls to excel in math, science and computer science studies. As technology continues to drive the world of business, those challenged or generally disinterested in science and math will be left behind. In fact, that's exactly what's happening.

Although women make up approximately 50% of the general work force in the U.S., they only represent 9% of workers in the science and engineering community. With such a low percentage of female interest, the government is expecting increased worker shortages through the first decade of the 21st century for the information technology (IT) industry.

The core worker in the IT industry are computer engineers, systems analysts, programmers and computer scientists, which includes database administrators, computer support personnel and all other computer scientists. These are all careers that relate directly back to high school math and science, in addition to computer science studies.

Growth projections by The Bureau of Labor Statistics' indicate that the current graduation rate of those in undergraduate computer, information sciences and technology programs aren't high enough to sustain the industry's growth. In addition, they acknowledged that the even greater decrease of women into the computer science pipeline will have a profound effect on the industry.

These researchers believe that the low representation of women in computer science at the undergraduate level is inherited from the secondary school level, where girls do not participate in computer science courses and related activities as much as boys. Although girls are often well represented in earlier computing courses, they shy away from advanced courses. One possible reason for this is because of the increased focus on the technical and math course requirements.

This leads us back to math and science studies in elementary and high school, and yet another growing concern within the scientific community.

We currently believe that our nation's future economic prosperity and global competition depends on both scientific progress and our adaptability in the fields of science, technology and engineering. As our society shifts from a resource-intensive society to a knowledge-intensive economy, it is critical for all of us to develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to this new community.

With this in mind, knowledge of math and science has now become essential for those pursuing a high-status and well-paid job in our new technologically advanced workforce.

Again, the science community is concerned that industry growth in the early 21st century will far out pace that of graduates. Once again, research has suggested that the root of this problem can be traced back to elementary and high school classrooms.

In going back to the classroom, a study by the National Assessment of Education Progress discovered that girls score below the national mean on all science achievement items and express negatives attitudes towards science. The study acknowledged that societal, education and personal factors all contribute to this funding, but stressed that differences within the science classroom may be one of the biggest contributing factors.

So what factors are discouraging girls from excelling in math, science and computer science studies in high school? Research has shown a number of different issues that need to be addressed. They believe that girls are not presented with adequate information about science-related career opportunities and their prerequisites, and that high school counselors often do not encourage further courses in math and science. In addition, texts, the media and many adults often project sex-stereotyped views of science and scientists.

A lack of development of spatial ability skills may also be an issue, which could be fostered in shop and mechanical drawing classes. Girls also have fewer experiences with science activities and equipment, which are often stereotyped as being masculine.

In order to encourage girls in the pursuit of math and science, teachers are encouraged to maintain well-equipped, organized and perceptually stimulating classrooms, use non-sexist language and examples, include information on women scientists and stress creatively and basic skills and provide career information.

In addition, math and science teachers should use laboratories, discussions and weekly quizzes as their primary modes of instruction or teaching strategies and supplement those activities with field trips and guest speakers. If possible, teachers should also encourage parental involvement.

Studies have also shown that teachers, both male and female, who were successful in motivating girls to continue to study science, practiced what is called "directed intervention". They asked girls to assist with demonstrations, which required these students to perform and not merely record, in the laboratories, and in science-related fieldtrips.

When it comes to computer science studies, a similar approach can be taken. Although these studies do involved math, programming and technical issues, computer science educators need to be aware that working with computers involves much more than that. It also requires fully developed verbal and interpersonal skills - an area in which girls tend to excel at.

In order to attract more girls to the study, teachers should concentrate on applications and not just on math or programming. That's because girls generally don't get as excited about computers for their gadget value, as boys do. Instead, girls become more interested and engaged when technology is discussed in terms of it's usefulness for problem solving.

Computer science educators should also impart to girls the important need for women in the industry and outline more career options. For example, jobs are not just limited to programming; individuals are needed to help solve business problems with technology solutions. The industry itself is focused on solving problems, and developing solutions to help business continue to grow.

Conclusion:

By introducing science, math and computer science in a positive manner to girls in all levels of education, we may be able to turn the tide and see more and more women choose careers in these important fields. If we truly believe children are our future, now is the time to ensure that they have a place in the future we have created.

Valerie Giles owns and operates Cyber-Prof: Teacher Resource Site [http://www.cyber-prof.com] an educational web site that specializes in resources for school and teacher supplies [http://www.cyber-prof.com]. Free stuff for teachers, teaching strategies, K-8, educational toys and games, back to school, classroom technology and home school curriculum. [http://www.cyber-prof.com]

Massage Classes- Basic and Advanced Training

Find Massage Classes in the United States and Canada. If you have chosen to apply to any one of several massage classes, it is essential that you examine the particular course of study prior to enrollment. If you are primarily seeking introductory massage classes, a number of healing arts schools and technical schools may provide brief workshops and seminars in which you may participate to get an overview of this healing art.

Massage classes and courses may vary. For the most part, general curriculums include in-depth massage classes in Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and sports massage; in addition to kinesiology, anatomy and physiology. However, more advanced massage classes are offered in lengthier educational programs that encompass over 500 training hours. In massage classes and courses such as these, students can learn about animal/equine massage, acupressure, Chinese medical massage, Thai massage, meridian therapy, medical massage, geriatric massage, among several others.

Some massage classes and courses introduce students to other alternative healing arts like herbology, natural healthcare, holistic nutrition, touch therapy and the like.

Dependent upon the school or college in which you choose to apply, it is always important that you review massage classes carefully to determine whether the course meets all criteria for certification and/or licensing. While the minimum standard for most massage schools is at least 300 training hours, some massage classes entail over 1,000 clinical hours. You will find, too, that a growing number of healing arts schools are beginning to offer massage classes, which are geared toward degrees and diplomas. These career-training programs encompass basic studies as well as more comprehensive training in a wide range of massage modalities - including massage classes in craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, Trigger Point therapy, Rolfing, shiatsu, Lomi Lomi, and more.

The best way to determine which massage classes are most beneficial to your professional aspirations is to visit your local massage therapist or wellness clinic and job-shadow a professional practitioner. Ask about the specific techniques that the massage therapist uses and what massage classes s/he took to perform his/her job. In many cases, these natural healthcare providers will be more than happy to explain the different types of massage, and which massage classes are best suited to specific bodywork careers.

Of course the more advanced massage classes one takes, chances are that this will only enhance overall professional aspects. Today, certified massage therapists can earn over $30 per hour - depending on education and experience.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage classes, let career training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs [http://school.holisticjunction.com/clickcount.php?id=6634739&goto=http://www.holisticjunction.com/search.cfm] near you.

Massage Classes – Basic and Advanced Training
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Health Administration Degree Options and Career Choices

Earning a health administration degree can open a lot of doors in terms of possible career choices after you graduate. There are many decisions to make when it comes to where you will go to school for your degree. After you graduate, you will inevitably have to put together a resume which will state where you went to school for college. Where you end up going to school will be very important for a number of reasons. Employers will look at your educational experience in order to determine whether or not you are qualified for the position you're applying for. In order to increase your chances of getting your dream job, you will certainly want to put a lot of thought into where you will go to school.

There are a lot of different jobs in the healthcare industry, so you will want to think about which career choice will make you the happiest and also which one you are best suited to. Some people prefer to administer treatments to patients directly, while others enjoy being on the administrative side of things. A health administrator is generally responsible for running the day to day operations of a health organization such as a hospital. This involves a lot of work and decision-making which you may or may not be suited for, because not everyone is.

A healthcare administrator also oversees the treatment of patients occasionally, making sure that treatment is up to the standards of the hospital or medical organization they are overseeing. The responsibilities you will have in this type of position do vary greatly depending on where you work, but the truly important thing is getting a degree which will allow you to gain access to one of these jobs. When you are looking through all of the different possible schools, take into consideration which ones have the best programs, because you will want to learn as much as possible and get a degree from a reputable accredited college or university.

You will most likely be required to take general education credits as well. Even though it may not seem like all of the classes you have to take in college with be pertinent to your career choice, sometimes you find down the road that they are. This is business side of the healthcare industry, so you will have to have a natural interest for the administrative aspect which goes unnoticed by many. It is essentially all of the operations that happen "behind the scenes".

Learn more about Social Work Programs and Scholarships for Social Work

5 Promises that Can Take Your Life and Career to New Heights

In 1982, the year I turned 28, I realized my life was headed all wrong.

I had gone into nursing wide-eyed, thinking I could make a difference--even improve the state of healthcare. Then I bumped up against the reality that no matter how hard I worked, my efforts would never make a dent. My financial advancement was also moving far too slowly, and I was forgetting what it was like to have fun on the job.

It wasn't easy admitting I'd chosen the wrong career. I had worked hard to become an RN, earn my bachelor's degree, then my master's, and had worked six years in the hospital. Now my passion was dying and my potential was wasting away.

That was 60 million dollars ago. And that's when I first made my 5 Promises. I have renewed them daily for more than two decades. These 5 Promises transformed not only my career but my entire life. I promise they'll work for you, too.

PROMISE #1-- I Will Live and Work a Passionate Life.

One of my passions was ignited in me when I was eight years old. For hours each day I taught an imaginary class. I was so absorbed with my class that my dad would come in and break it up to encourage me to play outside with my real friends. To this day I have no idea what I was teaching, but I was darned passionate about it.

At eight years old teaching was play. At 28, I turned that passion for teaching into a business, and I've been playing ever since. When I left hospital nursing to start my legal nurse consulting business, I promised myself I would work only my passions. Later, when I started teaching other nurses how to become legal nurse consultants, as The New York Times reported, I "crossed nursing with the law and created a new profession." That's the kind of Big Thing that can happen when you commit to Promise 1, to living and working a passionate life.

PROMISE #2--I Will Go for It or Reject It Outright.

If you want something better for your life and career, you owe it to yourself to go for it or reject it outright. Don't wait for the conditions to be perfect. That will never happen. People who wait or dabble usually end up at their retirement party rewarded with a glass of watery punch and a piece of white cake. Own up to your passions, then step out and grab hold of them with both hands.

Despite a fear of cliff-hanging heights, I stepped out of an airplane at 14,000 feet to sky dive. I was terrified. Once out of the plane's cabin I couldn't step back in. I was truly committed, even if not by choice, and the exhilaration I felt later at overcoming that lifelong fear proved to be a catalyst for future accomplishments.

Most of us stay in the safe cabin of everyday life. We never step out into the audacious dreams that smolder and spark inside us. What would your life look like if you didn't have the choice of that safe cabin? If your only option was to grab that dream and jump into it? To go all the way once you made the jump?

Fear will freeze you in place. Don't tell yourself, "One day, some day, I might get around to living my dreams." With that attitude one day, some day, you're sipping that punch thinking about all the things you didn't do.

If you want something, go for it all the way and go for it now.

PROMISE #3 - I Will Take One Action Step a Day Toward My Passionate Vision.

Dreams and visions are great, but without action they are nothing more than hallucinations. Without action your visions scud away and dissolve like clouds. I've met many people much smarter than I am who had dreams and ideas but didn't do anything with them. They didn't take action.

When a national news anchor from CNN asked me how I got to where I am today, in light of my humble beginnings, the answer was easy--one step at a time. I lacked business savvy, but with each small step I gained both knowledge and momentum. What I learned in the process and what still applies now is that it is less important what I do and more important that I do something.

By taking action every day you develop the habit and discipline to make your vision a reality. When you focus not just on the idea but on making it happen, you stay in motion, not just dreaming your passions but living them.

PROMISE #4-- I Commit to Being a Success Student for Life.

All great athletes and performers practice every day. Even after they achieve a level of success, they continue to practice and take instruction from their coaches, learning new ways to reach higher levels. They are lifetime students.

Becoming a success student for life is about practicing being successful. What's hard today is easy tomorrow--with practice.

It is a myth to think you can launch a successful career or succeed in other life goals without learning, even if your driving desire is as intuitive as being a full-time mom.

Even as a successful CEO, I still learn every day--from my students, staff members, favorite writers, speakers and other business experts.

PROMISE #5--I Believe As a Woman I Really Can Do Anything.

I was lucky to go to an all girls' high school. Co-ed schools have advantages, too, but when I grew up men were expected to be the business geniuses, women to be helpful homemakers. I gained confidence in those formative years from not having teachers telling me the boys were smarter or calling on them instead of me. As a young woman I honestly believed I could do anything. Believing you can do it is 90% of the win.

Any time I have hesitated to go for it, it was because I had stopped believing in myself the way I did in those glorious adolescent years. Today, when an opportunity arises and I find myself hesitating, I remember, "I'm a woman. I can do anything." I think back to my past success as an RN in the hospital, making split-second decisions that were the difference between life and death for my patients. Then I remind myself: If I could save lives in the middle of the night while the rest of the world was sleeping and a doctor was nowhere in sight, surely I could make effective decisions in my career and life.

Find your own example, a personal or career accomplishment that gives you pride and encouragement, then use it to bolster your resolve. Any time you're not grabbing the opportunity, tell yourself, "I am a woman and I can do anything!"

Sometimes we make a promise, set about achieving a goal, and we do achieve it, but then it's over. Success is a journey. Apply these 5 Promises daily--you'll take your career and life to new heights. Promise BIG and promise NOW.

Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982. She is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business's Oscar) as Mentor of the Year. Vickie has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs. She is the author of Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn't Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now, coming March 2006 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Preorder this anticipated bestseller now at http://www.Amazon.com
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A Teaching Career

The individuals, who play one of the biggest parts in a child's life, second only to parents, are teachers. They help to form the intellectual and social development that occurs during the early years, making it a very challenging career, but also one that is very rewarding. They need excellent communication skills plus the ability to motivate and inspire. They have the responsibility of creating the environment and providing the tools that are necessary for children to learn.

Teachers will typically use a classroom to share knowledge with their students, helping them to learn and use concepts in the subjects of math, English, science, geography and history. In an English class, they help students to develop and improve reading skills, as well as writing and grammar. The advancement of computer literacy skills may be part of the curriculum too. Just a few of the duties that they perform include preparing and assigning lessons, meeting with school staff and parents, and developing and administering tests that have to be graded.

Along with the normal class activities, a teaching career may also involve extracurricular activities, such as going with students on field trips, providing assistance with study halls, helping the students with their college or job choices and helping them fill out scholarship forms, as well as participating in educational conferences or workshops. Most of the pre-school and/or kindergarten (and sometimes elementary) teachers are given to one specific class and will teach a number of different subjects to that class. The middle and high school instructors normally concentrate on only one subject and will teach that same subject to many different classes during different times of the day.

Teaching is definitely a very rewarding occupation but it can also be frustrating. This can happen when they have to handle disrespectful or unmotivated students, and possibly worse, violent or unruly ones. Often times this form of education in the public school systems is even more frustrating when you have to deal with large size classes, heavy work loads and sometimes unreasonable parents.

Normally, a teacher who chooses to pursue their career at a private school usually has a smaller class size, more control of the curriculum and the performance standards. Many times students who attend a private school tend to feel more motivated because those schools are sometimes more selective when it comes to their admission policies. Yet no matter if the work environment is a public or private school, quite a bit depends on such factors as the where the school is located, management policies and educational benchmarks. Generally, a teacher works over 40 hours per week once you consider the school duties that are performed outside of the classroom.

Melissa Spaulding is an experienced author and has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit her latest website over at http://www.artsandcollectibles.com This site helps people collect, price and sell Vintage Fenton Art Glass

SAP Training Courses - Its Future and Career Prospects

SAP is the world's largest Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software organization. Usually SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products in data processing. SAP has developed a curriculum of courses over the years which especially aim in educating the IT professionals about their products and modules. Recently they have expanded their program of certification to include associate, professionals, and also master levels of expertise.

In Associate certification there is a foundation knowledge which is required by a SAP consultant and also includes the tests to verify that they have a broad understanding of SAP solutions, knowledge and skills. Professional certification is related with proven project experience, business process knowledge and a deeper understanding of SAP solutions. In the level of Master Certification there is a requirement of broad knowledge of SAP project experience. It also requires the ability to make use of this knowledge in creation of future IT vision.

The certification exams for SAP are globally recognized. It consists of practical questions that are process oriented and which are also specific to a given software release. SAP also examines students for their practical job experience. So the candidates must be well familiar with the area of the business relevant to their chosen track.

If any candidate is new to SAP then it is a good place to start and also to complete one of their overview courses. While going for SAP, there are two entry level courses. First is SAP01 which aims towards the business consultants. Second is SAPTEC and it aims towards the technical consultants. The duration for these two courses is three days. If any student is having greater understanding of SAP then he or she may progress to one of SAP's certification courses. If someone is studying for certification then it is recommended to attend the class room sessions though it is not required. Some of the SAP Training Curriculum offers courses in the following areas -

1. Financials

2. System Administration

3. Enterprise Portal Development

4. Solution Overviews

5. Training for SMB

6. Product Lifecycle Management

7. Human Resources

8. NetWeaver (including SAP Technology)

SAP solution is related with the in-depth knowledge of the business process that is involved in each business area. Only obtaining a SAP exam will not guarantee your career but if it is combined with any experience of any industry then chances of better career will be maximized. So it is necessary to obtain a SAP certification program in addition to experience of industry.

Get the list of best Institutes for ERP Courses. Find information about SAP ERP Course Fees and duration of the course.

Enrollment Time For Medical Transcription Classes

The enrollment time for medical transcription classes varies from location to location and the different websites that essentially offer these classes also have different enrollment times for various classes.

The length of time it takes for you to earn a degree in some cases ultimately depends on you. However, if you are going through a college and going to a classroom the length of time could take less time or more time.

In many cases when taking the medical transcription classes via the Internet this is no exception. The enrollment time however for many of the online classes to be completed is usually any where from twelve to eighteen months. But once again, this type of class learning depends on the individual. Depending on how much you do each day or night also has an effect on how long it will essentially take you. However, many of the classes do have a definite completion date to go by. This is usually a very fair amount of time in which individuals are able to complete the classes well in advance of the date, and get the degree they are working for.

This is an ever-increasing class becoming more popular every day among those who want a career in the medical field. Simply due in parts that many people are getting older and need health care. According to the experts opinions this is why there is a greater need for more people who are qualified to do this job.

Those who have succeeded in their enrollment time for medical transcription classes and now have a degree would not change one thing. According to these people the time it took to obtain the degree and finish the classes was a benefit to their career style as far as the outcome.

To learn more about medical transcription classes visit http://www.medicaltranscriptionsalaries.com/medical_transcription_classes.htm where you will find tips, resources and articles about online medical transcription schools and medical transcription salaries.