http://www.411learn.com http://www.411learn.com en http://www.411learn.com/images/rss_logo.gif http://www.411learn.com 60 60 School and Homeschool Resources - 411 Learn K-12 Education Marketplace http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=2 Get a free random education quote for your website! You may choose from different education related quote databases and customize it by choosing the size and color of your random quotes. After choosing, html code is generated so you can simply copy and paste the quote where you want on your website. New databases and quotes will be added regularly. Fri, 11 Feb 2005 03:55:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=1 The 411 Learn K-12 Educational Marketplace serves to provide parents and educators of K-12 children an organized way of finding useful educational resources on the web. It is designed primarily for educational products or services. In the near future, many additional features will be included to 411 Learn to help you find additional learning information and resources to address the needs of your students. Free and sponsored links are available to all companies, schools, individuals, and organizations who offer K-12 educational products or services. Visitors to the website can access many of the features, yet they will not be able to participate and contribute fully to the site. For instance, members can submit and modify their own articles, add quality product or services links, make comments on links, receive the newsletter if they choose, use the message board, and customize their settings. Membership is free and private. 411 Learn is meant to be interactive so you can give your feedback on what websites, products or services worked for you, and those that did not. Also, when you find a website that we don't have, please add it to the directory so others may benefit as well. Members can also announce K-12 national events, new products or services, and updated and improved products in the Articles section of Marketplace. Finally, many more features are planned for 411 Learn. If there are other features or resources that you would like to see, please let me know. I will do my best to help. Daryl Hickman - 411 Learn Admin Sun, 6 Feb 2005 14:24:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=3 411 Learn now accepts free K-12 educational resource link submissions into the directory. Now when you submit a link you will have a choice of selecting up to three categories that are appropriate for the link. If the link is for a resource that charges a fee for its products or service, please do not place the link under a "Free Resources" category. The 411 Learn Directory was designed to separate vendor products and services apart from free resources from parents, teachers (like myself), non-profit organizations, and others who are offering free K-12 educational resources or services to the public without charge. Initially, I did not feel the need for another educational directory that had free resources, since there are so many great directories and searches out there. Yet, I would like to offer excellent free resource links as I find them and allow you to submit your suggested free resource links just in case a great resource is missed at other websites. After all, there are so many free resources from people who put a great deal of effort and time into making these resources available to us, it would be a shame to miss them. Thu, 3 Mar 2005 00:07:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=4 One of the latest addition to 411 Learn is the Education Quotebook. It offers hundreds of quotes related to education, teaching, learning, and life in general. Best of all, you can add your favorite quotes as well into the quotebook. I will also be adding more quotes to the quotebook as I find them. So please visit the quotebook and add your favorite quotes, or rate the quotes that are in the quotebook. Additionally, if you have a website you may add the free education quote code to your web page. More quotes and quote databases are being added to it as well. Thu, 3 Mar 2005 00:16:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=6 I have just added a collection of useful educational online tools that can be used by teachers, parents, or students to help them find the answers they are looking for. Best of all, these tools are FREE! This collection will be growing as I either find or build additional online tools. As I do, I will post them on thecool online educational tools. If you know of more free online tools that are not in this collection, please let me know using the message board on the 411Learn Home page. Sun, 12 Dec 1999 20:52:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=13 How much do you know about the Mayflower, Pilgrims, and Wampanoag Indians? Here are some interesting facts about them. Before the Pilgrims hired her, the Mayflower was in the wine trade with France; before that, she was in the fish trade with Norway. It took the Mayflower 66 days to reach Massachusetts. There was one baby born during the crossing of the Mayflower and he was named Oceanus Hopkins. The Pilgrims landed at Provincetown, MA, at the tip of Cape Cod, on November 11, 1620. Since the land was not good for farming, they moved to Plymouth. To eat, the Pilgrims used a knife, spoon, a large napkin, and fingers...no forks. They also shared plates and drinking vessels. In the Pilgrim household, the adults sat down to dinner and the children waited on them. Lobsters, clams, and mussels were considered "hard rations" when the food supply was low. Many Pilgrims thought that lobsters were fit only for pigs! The turkey was familiar poultry in England. It was brought to Europe 100 years earlier by the Spanish. There were only four married women who survived the first harsh winter from 1620-1621. They supervised the food preparations for the three-day harvest feast for the 50 colonists, Chief Massasoit, and the 90 Indians who attended. That event became known as "the first Thanksgiving." Pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce were not eaten at the first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims did eat roast wild fowl such as duck, goose, and turkey; corn meal; cod; sea bass; and venison brought by the Indians. Massasoit in the Wampanoag language means "Great Leader." His real name was Ousamequin or "Yellow Feather." The Wampanoag Indians of southeast Massachusetts were the people who befriended the Pilgrims. Their name means "People of the Dawn" and they continue to live on Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and inland. With the severe weather the world has been experiencing, now is a good time to reflect on all the positives in your life. Write them down to keep as a reference when times are rough! Sometimes, seeing them in print is an eye-opener; you might be surprised how long that list can get if you add all the little things. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone! I hope these ideas have been useful and have inspired your own creative thinking. And remember...Reading is FUNdamental! About the author: Freda J. Glatt, MS, retired from teaching after a 34-year career in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and develop a love for reading. Visit her site at http://www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental! Freda J. Glatt, M.S. Tue, 15 Nov 2005 05:53:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=18 If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy. If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence. If children live with tolerance, they learn patience. If children live with praise, they learn appreciation. If children live with acceptance, they learn to love. If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves. If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal. If children live with sharing, they learn generosity. If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness. If children live with fairness, they learn justice. If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect. If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them. If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live. Excerpted from the book CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE ©1998 by Dorothy Law Nolte and Rachel Harris The poem "Children Learn What They Live" ©Dorothy Law Nolte Used by permission of Workman Publishing co., New York All Rights Reserved Dorothy Law Nolte Mon, 21 Nov 2005 08:46:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=14 A week old baby wakes up in the middle of night, feeling the ache, want ready to eat. A toddler finally figuring out how to place that small piece of the puzzle back into the correct and fit able position. A child understands the process of actions and the consequences that follow the events when they do something they were told not to do. An adult thoughtfully placing a glass vase out of the reach of their jumping toddler. These are all examples of learning processes, we, as humans, have learned throughout our lives. Whether theses steps were built upon by learning in our different environments or conditions that were set forth before we were born, these patterns help create our ability to show the learning process and stages, or sequences, we eventually discover. There are so many theories about how we and why we develop certain behavior traits and whether these theories can solve our adult outcomes. From Nurture versus Nature to Erickson versus Piaget, these theories can help the caregiver set guidelines that will establish patterns for children to follow to better help them succeed in life. Helen Bee, author of Child and Adolescent Development, explains, "To understand children's development, we must understand both change and consistency, both universality and individuality" (Bee, 2000). Each child's development is set forth in a pattern that can be observed through the study of children. These observations are the basis for the developmental outline and can be seen by the changes that coincide with age, or through the physical growth of the child. This theory can be described best by Erickson who psychosocial development have been used to understand the learning process of children. Robert Feldmen writes, "each of Erickson's eight stages is represented as a pairing of the most positive and most negative aspects of the crisis period" (Feldman, 2000). Each stage is set to a specific age criteria and can be observed and classified according that chart. Bee adds, "the child in a new stage approaches tasks differently, sees the world differently, is preoccupied with different issues (Bee, 2002). These stages developed by Erickson really pinpoint the exact age level and what the child will and should be doing at that time. His steps are to be used throughout adulthood and are classified as physical and social developmental theories. These theories are very helpful to teachers because they can better the manage and base lesson plans on the groups learning level. The teacher will be able to understand the "crisis" the child will endeavor during that school year and can really pinpoint the learning stages which can help advance the students. This style can be helpful because the cognitive development can be useful in determining a child's identifiable patterns. Learning is defined in a psychology textbook as "a relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience" (Feldman, 2000). What this definitions explains is that learning is a behavior that can be seen and is best learned through experience and stages practiced throughout your life. Cognitive Development is described as, "the process by which a child's understanding of the world changes as a function of age and experience" (Feldman, 2000). Meaning that the child is in charge of the developmental change which is based on what the child has learned through trial and error rather than a set age limit, defined by Erickson. The best known theorist on this development would be Jean Piaget who, "maintains that these stages differ not only in the quantity of information acquired at each stage, but in the quality of knowledge of understanding as well" (Feldman, 2000). This theory is based on the child's ability to experience the world around them, with help from their primary caregiver, trial and error, etc. in order to form conclusions on why things happen and how they can control the situation. The child then builds on what they have learned and can be promoted to the next level of Piaget's theory, also known as scaffolding. This theory has more basis than other theories because it doesn't simple pigeon hole a child based on the age level rather it is based on the child's cognitive level and developmental ability. Children can progress at so many different rates and shouldn't be constricted to set categories in order to be thought of as educated. Both the psychoanalytic and the cognitive-development theory help parents, teachers, etc. show the need for understanding the child's process of learning and identifiable patterns. In order for both theories to be successful they need to be combined and thought of as guidelines, not strict standards, for the learning process. For example, the average child walks between the ages of 9-14 months, my child walked at 15 months, thus my son did not fall into this exact stage. Erickson's stages do express the standards that children can meet at set age levels. It presents the important of developing trust in a child at a young age. I found myself thinking if I had incorporated enough interaction and positive re-enforcement for my child between the ages of birth and a year in a half, Erickson's first stage. I then looked to see if I could help my child gain independence and freedom in the next 2 years, his next stage. As these ages are set by Erickson very specifically, it is important to remember that children progress at different times and in different levels and it would be hard to say that at exactly age 3 they moved to a new level. The Cognitive-Development Theory's confirms the idea that children's learning is supported by their experience in life. This would explain why after 6 different attempts to climb up the entertainment system, my son found that his toy boxed worked the best for balance and achieving his goal. It is through the these two theories and combining them together will the best results be established. A child of age 7, who cognitive development would suggest is self-centered, and Erickson would suggest is increasing the understanding of the world, can be combined into seeing that this child is trying to figure out who they are and how they will impact the world. In conclusion, adults need to understand the learning process and be able to identify the patterns children encounter throughout their childhood. A child needs to be understood, both physically and mentally, in order to gain the appropriate tools to succeed as an adult. Theories set guidelines that parents, teachers, etc. can follow in order to achieve that goal. Learning is a difficult thing, but because we have so many ideas and theories as to why children process it is easier to teach the necessary, age appropriate, environmentally correct lessons. References Bee, H. (2000). Child and Adolescent Development (9th ed.) [e-text]. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. Feldmen, R. (2000). Essentials of Understanding Psychology (4th ed.). Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts. About the author: Debbie Cluff is the owner of Links for Learning, an online tutoring and instant homework help site, www.links-for-learning.com. Links for Learning was established to help create a positive and quality educational environment for all students. Debbie has 2 children, with one on the way, and has been married for 5 years. She recieved her BA in Liberal Studies and Masters in Education She is currently in a first grade classroom. Debbie Cluff Tue, 15 Nov 2005 05:54:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=17 Children come in all shapes, sizes, personalities, and behavior traits. As a homeschooling parent you are more acutely aware of all of these traits in your child than anyone. Teaching your child is a tremendous challenge. Aside from the books, the alphabet, the numbers and such, there is a certain amount of behavior management that you must employ to successfully teach your child at home. Each child is different and motivates differently, some maintain their attention quite easily while there are some that do not. Some children may be strapped with actual behavior challenges. If the behavior becomes disruptive enough and constant enough that typical behavioral management techniques fail to produce change, it could be time to seek additional resources and testing for your child. This is generally true when managing the child's behavior becomes the focus of the day and actual learning is taking a back seat. This can be an additional burden if the disruptive child begins to affect your other children if you are indeed engaged homeschooling more than one of your kids at a time. If indeed a learning disability such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is determined then preventative measures can begin early on in your behavior management strategy. With many children perceived behavior problems can actually stem from a lack of success in whatever tasks you may have them attempting to learn. In other words the child initially struggles to learn what is presented or cannot perform the task well enough to perceive success and this results in the child not wanting to do the task or stay focused on the learning event because they feel they have little chance of success. Frustration builds, and so does the "attitude". Success begets success and motivation will run higher making your behavior management a much smaller part of your day if you do your best to ensure successes with your child's tasks then celebrate each of those accomplishments. As the successes rise behavior and discipline issues will decline. No one set of rules applies to all children. But barring the diagnosis of any of the more serious learning issues, reaching lofty goals and achieving high standards is accomplished by one small success at a time. About the author: Mary Joyce is a former educator, successful homeschool parent, and has written many articles on teaching your child at home for the Homeschool-Curriculum-4u website. Please visit http://www.homeschool-curriculum-4u.com for more of Mary's articles, resources on homeschool, homeschooling ideas, and curriculum. Mary Joyce Tue, 15 Nov 2005 05:56:00 GMT http://www.411learn.com/article.php?n=19 The Internet is a wonderful resource for schools and colleges, but it brings new problems to worry about. Stories about viruses, hackers and porn websites have become increasingly frequent in newspapers and on TV. For those in the education world, it can be difficult to separate the hype from the true risks, and to make decisions about how to tackle this problem. The reality is somewhere between the extremes of the doom-mongers and those who don't see a problem: yes, Internet security threats can cause major problems and need to be taken seriously, but with some basic planning and a reasonable level of investment, they can be kept firmly under control. Educational establishments today often have IT demands that are greater than many private companies, and schools and colleges may have 200 or more PCs networked together. With this level of IT systems, it's essential that there is the right level of Internet security in place to protect from hazards such as viruses, "spam" and inappropriate website content. However, schools and colleges have additional concerns to the private industry: - A duty of care to protect pupils from offensive material. - Students' often reckless attitude towards security. - Lack of time for the person in charge of IT - particularly if they are a teacher with an already heavy workload. - Lack of financial resources. Considering all this, it's a difficult job to keep Internet security protection up to a sufficiently high standard. The most common threats that need to be countered are: - Viruses: these are small computer programs that can be inadvertently transferred by email from other Internet communications, like file sharing, or on floppy disks or CDs. They may be harmless, or can cause serious damage like erasing files or sending out malicious emails from the infected machine. - Spam: this is a general term for junk or unsolicited email. The latest figures estimate that up to 90% of all email is spam - as well as the time it wastes for people to read and delete it, it uses up IT resources, and can be unpleasant. - Intrusions and hackers: computers outside the school's network can try and 'hack' into the network if there is no protection. This can give them access to files on the school's PCs, potentially including confidential and sensitive information. - Inappropriate website content: Internet users at the school or college could be looking at pornographic or other unsuitable material on websites - this is obviously particularly important to control for an educational establishment. So, how to block these threats? Many different solutions are available on the market, including hardware, software, and managed services. At a basic level, most educational establishments have some form of firewall to block unauthorised Internet access, and anti-virus software. Unfortunately, configuring them is far from easy. Once configured, they need to be updated every day to protect against new threats: a task that is time consuming, boring, and often ignored. The resulting lapses in security are frequently only discovered after a problem occurs. Offensive material on the Internet can be filtered out, and various software or hardware tools are available to block spam emails. Intrusion detection and prevention is also an essential to block against attacks since firewalls in themselves cannot block many intrusion attempts without also blocking legitimate traffic), and further security measures are required if schools want to enable staff to work remotely. Another issue to consider is how to handle teachers and students taking laptops home and then bringing them back onto the school network - possibly with a virus infection they've picked up away from the school. Here, the best approach is to put in place strict controls over which machines are allowed to be connected, and to ensure that all staff machines (and ideally those of pupils as well) have the latest anti-virus software installed, and that it is updated regularly. In practice, it's almost impossible to keep this level of control, and some level of protection is needed for the network and at the gateway from the school to the Internet. While the update for Microsoft's Windows XP operating system (called Service Pack 2) has made positive strides to improve security, it is no substitute for the security protections described above. Furthermore, many schools will still have PCs running older versions of Windows (2000, ME or 98), which don't offer the same safeguards as the latest Windows XP version. All of these security solutions require time-consuming monitoring and configuring, an investment in time to understand the systems, and in some cases further hardware to run them effectively on. Not something that your average IT manager, let alone teacher, has time for. In fact, the most costly part of Internet security is the IT expertise and time to configure, update and maintain the systems and software. Virus writers are also getting smarter at exploiting the human weaknesses of ICT managers. It's no coincidence that several recent major viruses have been released on Friday evenings, giving them the best chance of causing havoc with unprotected systems over the weekend before the harassed ICT staff can update their anti-virus software. To solve these issues, it's worth considering outsourcing Internet security. This provides fast, expert response to security threats, and updates against new dangers can be automatically provided. Costs are known up front, and outsourcing allows IT staff or teachers to concentrate on their core tasks - and to take holidays and weekends without the risk of leaving the school vulnerable! In conclusion, Internet security is a threat that educational establishments must take seriously, and must allocate sufficient resources to deal with. There are different threats that must all be blocked to ensure the establishment is complying with its legal and moral duties to protect staff and students. However, by putting in place the right combination of hardware and software tools, or by investing in an outsourced managed service or all-in-one security appliance, schools and colleges can tackle the security threat, and ensure their teachers and pupils can safely take advantage of the many benefits the Internet brings to education. About the author: By Simon Heron, Technical Director at Network Box UK Simon Heron Thu, 24 Nov 2005 18:42:00 GMT