Nationwide Reading And Math Abilities

Nationwide Reading And Math Abilities 12th grade students reading/math scores increased slightly, since their record lows in 2005, according to federal results released November 18th, cited by an article in The New York Times. These reading and math tests comprise the National Assessment of Education Progress test. The Department of Education administered this test to what it determined to be a representative sample of about 50,000 12th grade students nationwide in the spring of 2009. The Department of Education stated that the average 12th grade student scored 288 on the reading assessment portion on a 500-point scale marking a slight increase from the average 2005 score of 286. Roughly 38% of 12th grade students scored at or above the tests proficiency level. If we go back almost 20 years and compare todays national reading results, these scores are not quite what they should be, said Steven Paine, a member of the National Assessment Governing Board. Paine noted that these increases represent mild short-term improvements but long-term decreases. The average test score dropped four points from 292 in 1992 to 288 in 2009. Naturally, students who said they read a lot scored much higher on the reading assessment test than students who said they read little. Students who said they read 20 or more pages every day for school scored 25 points higher than those who reported only reading five or fewer pages a day. For the math assessment test, average 12th graders scores increased from 150 in 2005 to 153 this year. The math assessment is scored on a 300-point scale. Twenty-six percent of 12th graders scored at or above the proficiency level in 2009. These scores cannot be compared to any test scores before 2005 because the governing board changed the test that year. However, in comparison, the 2006-administered national assessment of economics test showed that 42 percent of 12th graders were proficient. On the most recent science and history assessments 18 and 13 percent, respectively, of 12th graders scored proficient. Educators and school policy makers closely examine the assessment test scores, looking for slight nuances of improvements. However, officials have not yet determined if these improvements are significant. Significance depends on the tests margin for error, which increases as the number of test takers decreases. Test administers noted that it is a big challenge within itself simply to persuade high school students to take the test seriously, performing to the best of their abilities. Students are not scored individually; so there is no incentive to perform well and no consequences of performing poorly.

College Search Tip Narrow Down Your Application Choices

College Search Tip Narrow Down Your Application Choices What is a search without knowing what youre searching for? Sure, you are searching for the right college to attend, but how can you really make that selection if you dont know exactly what it is you want? You've been working with that ACT tutor and perfecting your GPA - but additionally, no college search should commence without a precise understanding of the kind of experience youre looking for. The details are infinite and require a lot of attention. Applying to a bunch of schools just because you feel like you should is not a fruitful plan, because just knowing that you want to go to college is not enough. It is not enough for your future and is certainly not enough for a worthy selection of applications choices. Moreover, the ultimate way to land on a worthy selection of application choices is to learn how to rule out certain options. This college search is a long and important process; you dont have time to waste on schools that you wouldnt really be happy attending or dont legitimately want to go to. While it is smart to put together a wide collection of schools you are interested in at the very beginning, you must weed out the less fulfilling options as soon as possible. Do this by going through the different aspects of the college experience that make up a school. Identify one by one what you want out of each particular aspect and once you have determined them successfully, you can see how they apply to your wide, initial selection of applications. You may also want to check out this college search tip on how to keep and use a calendar. The various elements you should evaluate are: Distance from home: Are you okay with being hundreds of miles away from your family? Or do you need the safe comfort of your parents being just a short, safe drive away? Think hard about this because it will be one thing you definitely cant undo once you move away. If you easily get homesick and are already nervous about living on your own, try to keep your selection of schools in a close radius. On the other hand, if you want nothing more than to get out of your hometown and be somewhere completely different, exploring colleges on the other side of the country could be great for you. If a school doesnt match the criteria you set in this category, it can easily be pushed aside. Programs offered: Think about what youd like to study and double-check that every school youre applying to offers a good program for it. Never assume that all schools teach everything. Especially if your field of study is a little more off the beaten path, it would be wise to thoroughly go through the course catalogs and lists of available majors, just to be sure your intellectual curiosity can be satisfied. No student should have to settle for a field of study theyre not crazy about just because their first choice wasnt offered. If a school does not provide sufficient learning opportunities for your intended major, move on. Clubs available: Colleges are widely known for having an insane amount of clubs/organizations on campus. In fact, youre likely to be overwhelmed with the things offered that you never saw at your high school. However, maybe an extracurricular from high school was really important to you and it would be painful to give up your regular schedule with it. This activity will probably be available at most of the colleges youre looking at, but it may not be as prominent. For instance, it may not be as popular in a particular city or type of university. It may not receive a lot of funding or get participation in a lot of events. If you see this exhibited at a certain college and the thought of it makes you unhappy, cut that school out and find ones that do give your activity the attention you believe it deserves. Furthermore, if you never really hooked onto any extracurriculars in high school, go through these club lists at your various college options and see which places have organizations that jump out at you. Joining groups like these is one of the best ways to meet people and get acclimated in college, so do not lessen its importance. You may also want to take a look at these tips on how to choose your extracurricular activities. Transportation: Are you bringing your car to college? Make sure the parking situation isnt a nightmare and make sure you can afford it. Find out which schools require freshmen to park in a lot that is four bus rides away, or which schools reside in towns with especially unsafe street parking. Maybe youre not bringing a car and this isnt an issue, but are you bringing a bike as many college students do? Check to see if the campus is too hilly or if bikes get stolen a lot. Finally, examine the public transportation those schools offer in general and determine how effective the systems are. Take note if bus routes confuse you or if walking everywhere drives you crazy. These are things to consider when eliminating schools due to the transportation aspect. Student body size: Some students get intimidated by large schools, some get bored out of their minds by small schools. Which category do you fit in? Perhaps youre like most people and are a mix between the two. In that case, medium-sized schools work, too. All in all, school size makes a huge impact on a specific college experience, so pay attention to it and decide what atmosphere you want before you apply to a place with a student body that will frighten you. By answering what you want about the most basic elements of college, youll have a much easier time narrowing down your choices. Decide on the things that are most important to you that you just cant live without and watch how they so simply factor into your choices. Having only the best schools (for you personally) to choose from when going into application mode will start to seem a lot more possible.

Ocean Decomposers Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace

Ocean Decomposers Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace Decomposers is a component of an ecosystem composed mainly of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi etc. They are known as micro consumers or saprotrophs or osmotrophs.They act on dead bodies of plants and animals and are responsible for breaking down of complex materials of dead protoplasm into simpler ones. The substances liberated during the decomposition are released into the environment to be reused again by the producers. The micro consumers decompose the complex dead bodies of plants and animals and convert them into simple forms. They play a vital role in the return of mineral elements into the medium. When temperature conditions are favorable, decomposition occurs more rapidly.70% of the earths surface is occupied by oceans. There are a large number of decomposers in oceans. The ocean is divided in to many zones based on the depth and the light availability .Two major divisions of the oceans are recognized-pelagic and benthic zones. The pelagic zones include the sunlit surface waters while the benthic zone includes the ocean floor. Different types of decomposers are found in different zones. Some of the decomposers in ocean include bacteria, fungi, Sea slugs, brittle star, hag fish, sea gulls, sea worms etc. The decomposers break down the dead remains making it into nutrients for the ocean. If there are no decomposers, the producers wont get any nutrients and hence they become extinct. When producers are not there, the primary consumers wont get food and they become vanish. The secondary consumers in turn wont get food and finally the whole organisms dies and thus the food chain become collapsed.

Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand - Introvert Whisperer Can YOU Handle the Truth About You and Your Personal Brand? Your personal brand is totally in your control and its how people come to experience you because of what you do consistently. Do you know what your personal brand is?   If not, you need to get feedback that is objective and specific.   While your perception of you is important, it’s also distorted to a degree by your history and worldview.   That’s why you need to calibrate your perception against how others view you. Getting honest, open feedback can be tricky but let me tell you what the trickiest part happens to be:   Hearing it. I’ve yet to know of a person that doesn’t over react to anything negative (or suggestions for improvement).   There is a fairly common wave of reactions that happens afterward.   The first wave is to feel crushed or hurt.   The next wave is to feel defeated followed by denial and rationalization.   I hear things like “I don’t like that person anyway.   Why should I listen to them?” or “I know they said that about me but I don’t believe it. (or don’t care)” None of those reactions is helpful if you can’t or don’t move past them or try to find a reason why it’s wrong. Keep in mind that feedback is a gift as it is so rare. I think the best thing you can do when you get feedback is to pursue a balance in how you react to it.   Swinging from hurt to denial is not balanced.   You first need to recognize that there may be some tough messages for you so be prepared to stay as objective as possible.   Look for themes or trends in what is being said.   Test for things that ring true.   Don’t pick apart specific words as words usually have a broad meaning for most people.   Use your judgment about what feedback you will actively address and what will you revisit at a future time. The main thing you want to do is to think through the behavior that you need to modify in order to shift how others view you.   It’s been my experience that most people need to tweak a few things but rarely is a major overhaul needed. Your goal is to craft a personal brand that supports your next career step and figuring out what it is today may take some courage.   You got this! Go to top Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression. Get your copy now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Do Smartphones Make Stupid Parents English Listening Exercise

Do Smartphones Make Stupid Parents English Listening Exercise We often complain about teenagers that spend all of their time with family looking at the screens on their phones, but what about adults?What happens to children when the adults around them spend their time paying attention to their cellphones, rather than their children? This weeks English listening exercise is about a study that was done on this subject. The results are very interesting. And, just to make it clear that were not judging anyone, I often feel like I spend too much time on my phone when Im with my daughter. Im thinking about leaving it at home when I take her to the park from now on! 1. She started noticing how often parents _______ their kids in favor of a mobile device. 2. The baby kept making smiles and faces at the mom and she wasnt _______   __ any of it. link to pick up 3. How many of the parents used the mobile device? 4. These _____ to ______ interactions are the primary way children learn. 5. What did kids do when parents were absorbed in their mobile devices? 6. What part of your brain is engaged when you are texting and answering emails? 7. What did one child call his fathers phone? 8. Do we know how this disconnection will affect the children? What do you think will be the outcome?

Learn English Adjectives that Describe People and Personality

Learn English Adjectives that Describe People and Personality What type of person are you? Are you sensible and calm in a crisis? Perhaps you are sociable and enjoy going out with friends and family. How would your friends and colleagues describe your personality? There are many adjectives that describe people and personality in the English language. Some of them you can use to describe  positive  personality qualities, these are called positive adjectives. There are also adjectives that describe people in a negative way, so-called negative adjectives. Lets have a closer look. Adjectives that Describe People and Personality Cathy works as a carer in a home for elderly people. She needs to be patient with the old people she looks after. She must be hard-working, because she has long shifts with only a short break and her duties include lifting and carrying. Cathy is always calm under pressure and can be relied on in an emergency. Cathy’s boss David says she is the ideal person for her job and a great team member.Steve teaches maths in a secondary school. He is confident about working with large groups of teenagers. Steve is intelligent and able to explain maths in a way his pupils can understand. He is sociable and enjoys organising the end of term party for the other teachers. Steve’s colleagues like having him around.Rob enjoys swimming and belongs to a local club. He is the fastest swimmer in his county for backstroke. Rob is very competitive and always likes to win at whatever sport he plays. He hopes to get a place in the national swimming team and represent his country at the next championships . Rob’s coach says he always turns up for training sessions and is very reliable.Lisa is a hairdresser who owns her own business. She is charming to her customers and enjoys helping them to look their best. People like coming to her salon to get their hair cut, because Lisa is a sociable person who loves her work. English Adjectives that Describe People - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: Positive and Negative Personality Adjectives Positive Patient Confident Intelligent Reliable Sensible Charming Negative Impatient Shy Stupid Unreliable Foolish Unpleasant Vocabulary - Adjectives that Describe People and Personality Patient â€" someone who is not in a hurry and can spend time helping other people.Hard-working a person who puts a lot of effort into their work.Calm a person who is relaxed and not nervous.Confident someone who is self-assured and able to succeed.Intelligent someone who has the ability to learn and understand things quickly.Reliable a person who can be depended on to do what they say.Sensible â€" a person who can be trusted to make the right decision.Sociable â€" someone who is friendly and enjoys the company of other people.Competitive â€" a person who likes to win at games or sports. They may be bad losers.Charming someone who has an attractive personality that makes people like them.Ambitious someone who has a strong desire to do well or to be successful.Generous someone who is happy to give more money, time and help than is usual.Arrogant someone who thinks that he/she is better than other people.Aggressive someone who often figths and argues with other people.Cheerful someone who feels happy.Easy-going someone who is relaxed and not worried about what other people do, someone who is very easy to get on with.Responsible someone who is able to act sensibly and make his own decisions.Honest someone who always tells the truth.Tolerant someone who is able to accept other peoples ideas even if he/she doesnt agree with them.Dull a boring person, someone who has no personality.Thick stupid.Down-to-earth someone who is sensible and realistic in things they say or do.Pretentious someone who pretends to be very important.Spontaneous someone who acts in an open and natural way, capable of making decisions without planning.Witty someone who is very quick thinking and clever with wordsFlexible someone who adapts quickly to new situations and doesnt mind changeRuthless someone who is determined to get what they want and not caring about othersShrewd someone who is good at judging people and situationsPushy someone who tries hard to get what they want, especially in a rude wayConceited someone who thinks that they are very important, celver, etcConscientious someone who takes care in doing things properly and carefullyAssertive someone who behaves confidently in order that people take notice of what they sayDiffident someone who is not confident, a shy personHow would you describe yourself? Or people you like? Try to use adjectives from this article.  You can also use  adjectives to describe physical appearance if you would like to describe how they look like.

Technical T-Level qualifications - Tutor Hunt Blog

Technical T-Level qualifications Technical T-Level qualifications Technical T-Level qualificationsSecondary SchoolsIt is possible that many people, focusing more on the financial side of the report, missed the important education announcement in Wednesday`s budget. What the Chancellor Philip Hammond declared was, according to a treasury source, `the most ambitious post-16 education reform since the introduction of A-levels 70 years ago.` Mr Hammond unveiled new `world class routes` - qualifications which will be equal to A-Levels, but specifically designed to benefit those entering the job market. In simple terms, these proposals state that the number of technical qualifications (currently approximating an astounding 13,000) will be streamlined down to a mere 15. It is hoped this simplification, and codification of the practical, specific job related qualifications, will both encourage more students to take them up, and provide them with real skills for their profession of choice once they leave school. The chancellor has spoken of a `productivity gap` standing between the UK, and other developed nations, both in Europe, and further afield. Speaking in the House of Commons last year Mr Hammond made the shocking statement that a UK worker takes five days to produce what a German worker can make in only four. Even this may be a generous ratio, as the Chancellor went on to say that The UK `lags behind` Germany and US productivity by 30% `We lag behind the US and Germany by some 30 percentage points. But we also lag France by over 20 and Italy by 8,` the Chancellor went on to say - concluding these figures `have to change if we are to build an economy that works for everyone.` The introduction of 15 new qualifications - T-levels - as they are being called, certainly seem to be germane the change the chancellor was speaking of. A major financial investment was also part of his new proposal: 500 million pounds a year will be allocated to ease the introduction of the new courses, and ensure they become a ongoing feature of the secondary school education system. Specific details about the new T-Levels are currently scarce, but it is likely that engineering, construction, and manufacturing will be amongst the course offered. Courses focusing on business management are also possible, along with administration, hospitality and catering. Teenagers will be taught the fundamentals of actually running a business, managing staff, dealing with finances. These new courses certainly seem like a step in the right direction for the UK`s education system, especially with so many businesses complaining that school leavers are often completely lacking in any practical, work related skills. Thanks to an economy that has grown quicker than was expected in the latter quarter of 2016, the Chancellor is expected to have access to an extra 12 billion; and it is expected some the funds will be used to attenuate losses inflicted on small firms by the rise in business rates. A large portion of this money is planned to be safeguarded, kept back just incase the economy suffers during the Brexit negotiations. It seems the Chancellor intends to rise technical training, and practical job related skills, up to an equal level as University education. This certainly seems to be a laudable strategy: the UK has a chance to seize the Brexit opportunity, and become a stronger manufacturer. A source at the Treasury has said: `Now that we`re leaving Europe, we really need to up our game on this stuff. We cannot wait. We will soon be competing with every other country after Brexit.` At the moment the UK`s productivity lags shamefully behind other developed nations; but with a workforce possessing more practical skills, this disappointing placement can hopefully be improved. The schedule is for the 15 new T-Levels to be offered from 2019. 2 years ago0Add a Comment

Shake It Up 5 Ways to Upgrade Breakfast

Shake It Up 5 Ways to Upgrade Breakfast Image via allrecipes.com Click here for a two-minute video on how to prepare omelets IN A BAG. Can it get any easier to make breakfast?! From Plain Toast to Avocado, Bacon, Egg Toast I am guilty of just spreading butter on my toast in the morning as a lazy “hack.” Paired with a cup of coffee, I can’t think of a more unhealthy breakfast. Unless you’re counting not eating at all. Image via foodmento.com Toast can be upgraded with very few ingredients. Here are some basic steps: Step 1: Cook an egg, poached or sunny-side up, and some bacon. Step 2: Slice, or mash up, half of an avocado. Step 3: Toast your sliced bread. Step 4: Place toast on a  plate and top it off with egg, bacon, and avocado. For Step 4, you can order the toppings in  any way you’d like. However, I’ve learned that laying the avocado first keeps the egg and bacon firmly in place. Think of it as the glue in your wonderful toast. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and enjoy. From Oatmeal to Fruit, Nuts Oats Mix You are lying to yourself if you say you genuinely like eating oatmeal. No matter how healthy oatmeal is for your heart, its bland taste is just not how you want to start your day. Image via pinterest.com Luckily, you can always mix any kind of nuts and fruit into your bowl to add some flavor. For those that want to increase their intake of vitamins and minerals, here are some superfoods you can add to your oatmeal  for a healthy kick. From Apple to Assorted Fruit Bowl Who else is guilty of running out the door with just a fruit from the fruit bowl in hand? Whether you’re rushing to class or late for work, you should know that one fruit will not give you enough energy for a few hours. Image via pinterest.com Instead, try tossing in various fruits and mixing them in a bowl. Bag the mixed fruit and refrigerate in sizable portions overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a variety of sweet snacks ready to go, and you won’t have to do any preparing at all! From Banana Shake to Energy Boost Smoothie During my first attempts at meal-planning, I figured that a fruit shake would make for a quick and easy breakfast trick. Did you know you can save your money on Juiceland or Jamba Juice by making your own healthy smoothies at home? Image via allrecipes.com Researchers and athletes both agree that a shake should be more than just a blend of banana, ice, milk, and sugar. Here are a few tips to strengthening your liquid breakfast meal: 1. Add a green base. You want to eat something that will give you the energy to get through your day. Kale and spinach are great bases to get your dose of fiber. 2. Substitute sugar with honey. The less you eat processed sugar, the healthier and better your body will feel. Honey is naturally made. 3. Freeze your fruit. You can buy bagged frozen fruit or chop up your fruit and freeze them in Ziplock bags. 4. Add half of an avocado. I am not just saying this because it’s my favorite thing to eat. According to Victoria, of Bon Appétit Magazine, “You’ll get lots of potassium, B-complex vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.” Avocados are also great for satisfying hunger and lowering bad cholesterol. Consider preparing your smoothie ingredients the night before so you can easily blend them in the morning. (Tip: use your assorted fruit that you’ve already sized and prepped!) You can also make various kinds of smoothies by using different ingredients. Maybe a green smoothie on a Monday and a mango smoothie on Tuesday? Either way, variety is key to not tiring of liquid meals!