Virtual schools are schools with distance education that are run by the state’s public school system. They are done web based and students get the information at home. They have the responsibility of state testing requirements and the school keeps the records of academic achievement.

Virtual schools within states have a curriculum for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Others have virtual schools for middle to high school students but this depends upon the state. Some states say that they have virtual schools for the full K-12 scope. The majority of schools have a full curriculum but some schools, which are still developing, have some classes in a few subjects. Check to see if your virtual school has a diploma. Some have a full curriculum but don’t have the diploma.

Virtual schools exist in states like: Missouri, Florida, Louisiana and Michigan. These schools may or may not have tuition charges. If the state funds the school, the students will be funded. Other states have a tuition fee like a private school. Virtual schools will allow people from different states to enroll. This means that if you reside in a state that does not have a virtual school, you can still be educated. If the enrollment is done in an out of state virtual school then the tuition can be higher in this case.

Virtual schools carry similar high standards like regular public schools. The instructors are teachers who are certified and work only for these schools, or work for the school as part of their contract with the district school. These schools try very hard to give high school students with good school experiences for life. Once a student gets in a virtual school they can at times join high school clubs. Some examples are foreign language club, science club, virtual school newspapers that is for journalists of the future and international clubs. There may even be science fairs online where participation can be done by students. Students may also be able to play sports. There will be variation on virtual school for sports so contact the district and find out about their policy before you enroll for this.

Parents can be confused as to whether or not these are homeschools. For the record, virtual schools are not homeschools. They think of students as public school students and receive money for the state for their enrollment. Students have to meet state testing requirements and all records are kept by the school.

A lot of states require no records or testing for homeschooled students, so the public school system still controls virtual school students. If you want to leave education that is government controlled, then virtual school will not be for you. If you want to keep your children at home safely, and still receive a good education, then virtual school will work for you.

Along these same lines having children is an incredible responsibility. No one knows this more than you and we all agree on the importance of a quality education. So, if you want to buy a home and you have children, you most likely are concerned with schools.

And even without children, buying a house in a school district known for providing quality education can make a difference in your home’s perceived value.

How does someone go about finding the best options in schools?

At this point some people will tell you to ask your real estate agent. Even though I was a real estate broker and sales person I wouldn’t recommend it. Why? Real estate agents know they can’t possibly keep up to date with every last detail about local schools. They are licensed to sell you a house. Selling homes is their expertise. For determining the quality of schools, it is important to do your own research.

Fortunately, there is a lot more public information available than 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. But before you start looking, determine your priorities and preferences first.

Here are some questions to ponder. How important is it to be close to your child’s school? This can vary greatly depending your family dynamics.

Is your child going to attend public school or do you intend to send them to a private or religious school?

In addition, school options can also include other types of schools. There are themed alternative schools in addition to hybrids of private and public enterprise, charter schools. There are magnet schools and there are some school districts that allow you to send your children to any school you select. Some families choose to home school their children. Most likely you already have some options in mind.

In a word, when looking for information the obvious place to begin is the internet. It is incredible what you can find out these days. For instance, a site called Great Schools provides simple steps to get information about schools throughout the entire United States.

In short, one would enter an address of a prospective home to receive names of nearest pre-schools, public elementary schools, public middle schools, and public high schools. It offers charter schools sorted by closest to farthest away. In addition, it also includes a complete list of private schools. All this information is available by simply searching with the term “local schools” on the particular site.

Searching on the internet is merely the first step. But if you want to be thorough, there is no better way than to put on your hiking boots and head over to a school and check it out for yourself. Potential home buyers who plan a face to face meeting will benefit.

Likewise, call the office ahead of time and make an appointment to talk to the principal. Ask questions. Call the school district. You can discuss what you are seeking specifically based on your son or daughter’s individuality and inquire into the educational performance records. What is an individual school’s track record in test scores and do they provide orchestra, drama clubs, and sport teams. If your child has special needs ask how the school district accommodates those issues.

Naturally, I have discussed several ways in this article to search out school information when you are going to buy a home. But I still have one more idea and I think it is the most important. Word of mouth. The most qualified critics for schools are the parents who actually send their children to these schools. Local PTA organizations, babysitting coops, and sport teams are just a few ways to find parents to compare notes with.

Accordingly, if you already live in the area you intend to buy a home in you may already know the answers to many of these questions. If you are relocating to a different state where everything is new, take heart. One way to meet other moms or dads is through your real estate person. After all, your Realtor may be your only connection to a new community.

Again, when buying a house, schools are deserving of substantial consideration whether you have children or not. If you have children first determine your preferred choices. Then search out the school information using the internet, speaking with school officials, calling the school district, and most importantly asking the best critics of all, other parents.

What is a Preparatory School

A preparatory school is a private school, independent of the Toronto public school system, that is designed to get students ready for college. Every aspect of the school is designed for college prep. Academics are emphasized more than extra-curricular activities, although extra-curriculars are available. This type of Toronto independent school typically has low student-to-teacher ratios. Because of this, the teachers are able to give the students more attention than they would likely receive in a public school. This, in theory, will give the students a better instructional environment.

Some prep schools are also boarding schools. Both local and out-of-town students can take advantage of the boarding option. By living at school, students are able to focus more on their academics without the distractions of home. Some prep schools are gender specific, another tactic that is designed to eliminate distractions from academics.

Many Toronto prep schools are just high schools, without a junior high or elementary. Some of the more elite schools will have a full program, but many parents choose this option only for the last four years of high school, as this is when the preparation for the university scene really begins.

What Is a Private School?

A private school in Toronto is simply a school that is independent from the Toronto public school system. This can be a preparatory school, but it may not be. Some Toronto private schools have a completely different focus, such as a Montessori approach to education or a vocational training focus. Preparatory schools are private schools, but not all private schools are preparatory schools.

All private schools, whether or not they are prep schools, charge tuition. In most cases, a preparatory school will have a high tuition requirement, because they are considered one of the best ways to prepare for college. In fact, some Toronto independent school options have tuition costs comparable to a college or university. Some have scholarship programs available for students with qualifying GPAs.

Choosing an Independent School

Parents who are interested in prep schools need to do their research before enrolling their students, because not all prep schools have the success statistics that would be assumed based on the cost of tuition. Ask the school for their statistics relating to the number of students who went on to complete a college or university program. Find out if the school has any records about the number of students who qualified for academic scholarships in college. Choose a preparatory school that has excellent numbers indicating the future success of their students.

Also, look for a school that has a well-rounded education. Some prep schools focus so strongly on academics that students are not taught other important life skills, such as proper physical fitness or financial planning on a personal budget level. While getting an education that prepares the child for college is important, it is just as important to prepare a child for real life, because not all students will attend college, no matter how well intentioned the parents and the school are.

Once you find a school that has excellent success reports combined with a well-rounded education, you have probably found the right school. Apply early, because most Toronto private schools fill up quickly, and some prep schools have stringent enrolment requirements. By choosing the right school carefully, you will prepare your student for college as well as you possibly can.

What happens if the Minneapolis school funding referendum fails this election?  What happens is the voters will be asked to approve it next year in November 2009 (when we vote in Minneapolis City Council elections). The Minneapolis School Board and referendum supporters have stated that if the Referendum fails this year, nothing “bad” will happen. This Referendum will have no effect on school funding in Minneapolis, for this year (2008-2009 school year) or next year (2009-2010 school year). It only affects school funding starting in 2010-2011.  

Why should people who support children and Minneapolis public schools vote NO on the Referendum this year? Because they believe that the children of Minneapolis deserve better than the current referendum proposal. The current referendum is flawed and incomplete. Working together the Minneapolis School Board, school administration and teachers union can do and should do much better for Minneapolis school children, than the current Referendum proposal.  The District needs to be much more specific about the actions steps it will take to achieve its stated goals, which I agree with.  Below are the things I want to know and I think all voters should know made before we support a referendum. Unfortunately, the only way to gets this information is for us to vote NO this year.   By voting NO we send a message to Minneapolis School Board, school administration and teachers union that they can do much better than the current Referendum proposal for Minneapolis school children.

Enrollment Decline

Minneapolis parents are voting with their children, by taking their children out of the Minneapolis School District and sending them to suburban districts. This is a major cause of the decline in enrollment in the Minneapolis School District. This says 10 times more about the Minneapolis school district than all the speeches, reports, editorials, and commercials on TV & radio etc. combined. Shouldn’t voters know the specific steps the School District is planning on taking to reverse this trend, before not after approving a $60 million tax increase?

School Closings

The School Board and administration will announce which schools they plan to close in February or March 2009.   I want an aggressive school closings plan because I want my tax dollars going to teacher salaries and not to pay for heat, lights and especially for repairing and maintaining buildings that are over 50 years old including several from the 1920s.  Others may want to keep neighborhood schools open, especially neighborhood elementary schools. Some people might vote No on the referendum if they knew their neighborhood elementary, middle and/or high schools was going to be closed.   We the voters and especially parents deserve to know which schools the District plans to close before we vote on this referendum not after.  Unfortunately, that means voting NO this year so we will know the District’s school closing plan before we vote next year.

Black White Achievement Gap

The achieve gap between black students and white students in Minneapolis public schools is among the very worst in the entire United States – worse than schools in Alabama or Mississippi.  The achievement gap has not really changed since it was first identified.

The Minneapolis school board, administration and teachers union say they want to close the achievement gap between black students and white students. Is the District committed to doing whatever takes to eliminate the black white achievement gap? Or is only planning to do what is easy and/or what is not controversial? If easy steps could reduce the gap, it would have been eliminated years ago. The only way to know the level of commitment is to know the specific action steps the School Board and Administration are committed to taking to close the black white student achievement gap. But the District has not shared with voters what specific steps it will take to close the achievement gap. I  want know and I believe that all voters, parents and especially black parents deserve to know if the School Board and Administration are willing to “take the heat” for making the unpopular and/or controversial  changes that will be necessary to close the black white student achievement gap, before approving a $60 million referendum not after approving the referendum.

Staff to Teacher ratio

Several years ago, a study of California schools revealed that California public school had one staff employee for every teacher. The California parochial schools had one staff employee for every six teachers.  Obviously a much higher percentage of revenue went to hiring teachers in the parochial schools than in the public schools. What is the staff to teacher ratio in the Minneapolis public schools? Do you know, because I don’t know?  Shouldn’t voters know the staff to teacher ratio before approving a $60 million tax increase not after approving a tax increase?

Union Contract

The current contract with the Minneapolis teachers union severely restricts School Board and Administration’s ability and flexibility to change teacher assignments to improve student performance. The current union contract is designed to protect the established seniority system. Teacher assignments (which grade they teach, subject and school location etc.) are based on seniority; not experience in a specific subject or grade, interest in specific the subject or grade etc.

In business if a company has problems with quality and/or low productivity at a particular manufacturing plant; do they send their least experienced mangers and/or poorest performing managers to that plant?  NO!! The company sends its best, most experienced managers to “turn around” the poorly performing manufacturing plant. The current union contract forces the District to send its newest and least experienced teachers to the schools with the poorest performance. The current contract does not see having teachers high on the seniority list assigned to a poorly performing school as a badge of honor.

The union contract prevents the District from paying a bonus to the best teachers, whose students show the biggest improvement on test scores. Shouldn’t teachers, that are extraordinary, be paid more than poor teachers? The current contract does not allow merit-based pay.

The current union contract also prevents the District from holding teachers accountable when their students perform poorly.  If a teacher’s students perform poorly on standardized tests one year that is a matter of concern. If a teacher’s students perform poorly on standardized tests five years in a row, which is a problem. Teachers, that consistently underperform, cause problems for the teacher that gets those students the following year.  Good teachers, that get students from poor performing teachers, have to do double work teach current grade work plus teach prior grade work that students did not learn because of the poor performing teacher. Good teachers have to double work because they care about getting the students back learning at grade level. Is this fair to students and good teachers?  Teacher under performance needs to be addressed, perhaps by additional training, coaching from successful teachers etc.  If a poor teacher does not improve after being a given reasonable time to improve, then that teacher needs to be terminated for the benefit of students and good teachers.

The vast majority of teachers high on seniority list, work hard to be good teachers.  But there are a few bad apples that stop working or are just putting in their time until they retire.  The slackers know that they will never ever be laid-off because of their seniority.  The school district needs a union contract that allows them to lay off these few bad apples for the benefit of students and
good teachers.

There are some senior teachers that have given up on black students. They feel no personal responsibility to go the extra mile to help black students who are behind catch up. They feel no personal responsibility if black students fail.  The School District needs a union contract that allows it to lay off teachers that have given up on black students for the benefit of students and good teachers.

The Minneapolis School District needs the leverage of passage of the school referendum to negotiate a more flexible and student friendly contact with the teacher’s union.  After the referendum what is the Union’s incentive to negotiate changes to the current contract? Voters deserve to know if the union will negotiate changes to the existing contract will allow performance-based pay, performance-based terminations and flexibility in teaching assignments before approving a $60 million referendum not after approving it.

These are the reasons I’m voting for Minneapolis school children by voting NO on the school referendum this year.  Children, parents and voter deserve more information and a better proposal than the current referendum. I hope that Minneapolis School Board, Administration and Teachers Union will provide Minneapolis voters and parents with the information we need to make an informed decision about voting YES next year.

Several years ago, the Minneapolis school district decided on the number of teacher to layoff, before even considering reductions in administrative positions.   To me this is backwards, decisions on the number of administrative positions are made first, before teacher layoffs are considered. 

How was the day of your little wonder when he went to school for the first time in his life? Shedding tears, screaming to go home, gazing at other tots-imitating them or start getting anxious? An euphoric aura envelops around the enthusiastic parents. Whatever it takes, everyone wants his or her child to be a part of the educated society. But providing education doesn’t include just fetching him admission in a good school. It involves tedious activities, especially when the school starts. Whether your child is going to school for the first time or going back to school from a long summer vacation, he has to be well equipped with the requirements needed at school. Providing kids with best schooling, best requisites and giving him efficient knowledge at home is not cakewalk. The students also take grave pain in completing their primary and high school grades throughout their childhood and tweenhood. However, the result of sincere and competent learning recompenses the efforts and pain taken by the parents and the students in unison.

You may want to give him the best possible stationery products that also suit your pouch simultaneously. Best quality books, pencils, geometry cases, sharpeners, Tiffin boxes, water bottles, school bags and so on. You might consider spacious school bags and high-grade water bottles for your child’s lunch requisites.

Often, attention is given mostly to purchasing of notebooks and writing instruments. Pencil boxes sharpeners and erasers might get the surplus importance. About school bags, you may mull over the outward show, or choose a spacious bag at the most. The features for selecting a school bag that you think are worth a thought may not be enough. Certainly, the very appearance and the size matters when talking about school bags. But when you explore, you will find that a lot of brainwork is implemented to pick out the appropriate choice.

Appearance matters! There are a variety of contemporary school bags available to pick from. You might find it difficult to choose the right one. Carry your son or daughter with you-because appearance matters. You would surely not want the newly bought school gear lying around at home, unused. If you want to purchase it yourself, you’ll have to be familiar with your kid’s choice-which can be risky. If you bought a bag with the latest cartoon characters embedded and if your son is a sport and sportsmen buff, then it is certainly a waste. Bags for young boys are available in cool colors with cartoon characters or sports’ illustrations. For young girls, bright colors, floral prints and cartoon characters are found on their school bags. But interests can be different with different kids. They might not follow the contemporary trend and want a design or a color, which can be unusual. For example, a girl may show distaste for girly shades like pink and blue. She may want something more smarts, boy-like and not typically girly.

Suppliers offer school bags with variety animal motifs, and environ-friendly symbols as well. Many companies manufacture models in association with PET, PU and TPU. School bags are also made with embellishments out of embroidery, beads and metals. Bags attached with stuffed plush toys are certainly alluring for the kids-they can remove the soft toy and play with, during their leisure. However, the look of the schoolbag is not enough to be considered. The other crucial aspects need added attention.

Consider convenience! Children are gripped with severe back problems due to very heavy school bags that they carry to school on a daily basis. They are forced to carry weights that they can’t carry off easily at their age-this in turn affects their fragile shoulders adversely. It is however recommended that school-going children must not carry more than 10-20 percent of their weight.

Manufacturers realize the children’s plight. Thus backpacks are available for maximum convenience. Backpacks are suggested for school going children since it allow spreading out the weight on both left and the right sides. An enduring school backpack has strong, padded and foam-cushioned shoulder straps, which are at least 3 inches wide. Makers of school bags also offer waist belts and straps for added support to the back, thus distributing the weight of the bag evenly. You should take the size of the bag into consideration. Let it not be overtly large or small. Moreover, to check the fitting and the grip, you may ask your child to wear the bag and adjust the straps according to his size. Encourage him to carry off the bag on both the shoulders to avoid stressing one shoulder.

Backpacks are available with wheels and handles too. But you must check with the school’s guidelines if they allow such a kind. However, dragging a wheeled bag for a long time may hurt children’s joints and arms. While considering these trolley backpacks, pay heed to the wheels and the handles-they shouldn’t be heavy. Dragging and carrying conversely can reduce the burden.

While we talk about sturdy straps and handles, it becomes imperative to choose a durable material too cause school bags go through enormous wear and tear every school day. Carriers for school requisites are known to be durable when they are both made of sturdy belts and long lasting material. School bags made of leather must be avoided at all costs to pass up the extra weight of the material, though it’s a robust pick!

Manufacturers offer school totes in lightweight materials such as nylon, canvas, PVC and microfiber, which also give durability. They are aware of the fact that school bags are meant to be getting dirty every now and then. They offer bags in easy-to-clean materials like nylon, PVC and water-resistant microfiber. Wash your son’s soiled school bag and get a new look every time.

Gone are the days when you saw students carrying dual compartment school gears. The age speaks of multi-tasking, multi-talent, multi-uses and multi-compartments. This encourages added filling. But if the bag is of an appropriate size, multi-compartments can organize the student’s varied items efficiently. These bags mostly come with durable zippers and the pockets help in organizing beverage containers, lunch boxes, umbrellas and much more. Novelty does not end here. They are available with straps that have compartments for stuffing cell phones mp3 players or I-pods. Multi-compartment school bags are available in different shapes and types.

It’s not just about convenient bags. You might want to purchase a school pack that should at least last a year. You want to pick the one that is also not heavy on your purse. But this doesn’t mean you opt for a cheap one, because it may hardly last a few months. Again, picking a super costly bag is not a wise decision, reason- the style of the bag might become outdated in a year or two, and your child may not want to use it any more. Moreover, the required size for a school bag can vary with time. A moderately costing school bag, with a design of your kid’s choice and a durable material with efficient usability will not be harsh on your pocket.

The variety is enormous, which one do you want? One of the most stylish ranges of bags that are in demand would be messenger bags. Those who do not want to show the bulky look of backpacks; they opt for swanky messenger bags. These bags are carried one-sided, useful for carrying school and college requisites. They can also be used for travelling and moderate shopping. Messenger bags or haversacks can be multi-flapped with varied pockets of different sizes. You can carry your books and files safely. However, messenger bags are not advisable for children who have to carry a heavy load of books. Since their shoulders and back are fragile, the excessive load will strain one of the shoulders causing severe damage. In fact, messenger bags are meant to carry little or moderate weight.

A mod
ish version of backpack is a sling bag. Also, it rests on one of the shoulders like a messenger bag, carried crossed. However, the sling bag rests on the back and doesn’t hang out on the either side. This bag can give good grip. But one cannot carry many loads, since the bag rests on one of the shoulders. This bag is preferable for carrying moderate or fewer loads. Sling bags are carried more for a trendy look.

Girls at school carry horizontal bags. If your girl child wants to be girly, a horizontal bag is most suitable. These book bags are available in attractive colors, floral prints, and pictures of Barbie and cartoon characters. Horizontal/rectangular bags do not have many compartments unlike backpacks. However, when you’re young lass is growing older and when she is about to go to high school she won’t want to carry the horizontal bag anymore. Horizontal school bags are for small schoolgirls.

Backpacks are a common form of school bags carried at school, liked by both boys and girls. Backpacks have provisions for multiple compartments. Moreover, different styles of backpacks give grip differently. Vest packs, rucksacks, hug bags are some of the styles of backpacks available for school going children. They have technical suspension system that reduce back and shoulder fatigue. To give added benefits, manufacturers have new ways to fulfill the demands of the school going wonders. This multi-utility luggage’s can be undoubtedly used for various other purposes, for e.g. travelling, hiking, adventure trips and other picnic excursions. So, if your child is going for a trip to the mountains with his school gang, you need not worry about purchasing a new bag for his expedition!

Waterproof school bags are an inevitable requisite where people experience rainfall. Children have to take care of their books and notes when they travel from home to school and come back. Waterproof bags are made of lightweight materials like nylon, polyester, microfiber and DWR-treated fabric. However, the material alone doesn’t protect your belongings. These bags have rain-guard zippers that don’t allow water to seep in and the bag has no open ends to allow water to leak in. water proof school bags are available of all types and shapes. These bags have replaced book bags made of jute, leather and denim.

Get Sporty! When was the last time you played a sport? It is hard to remember, isn’t it? But you can’t ask this question to a kid, because it’s his age to play and almost every day. Kids have to play to stimulate their minds and for physical growth and fitness. If he goes to the club to play tennis, you can’t expect him to carry his school bag, even though a backpack can serve the purpose. Buy him a duffel bag or a sports backpack. These bags are spacious and also available in waterproof style. Therefore they can serve students who go for swimming as well.

Trading school bags! A utility product, bags and school bags form an important feature of ‘back to school’ shopping in almost every household. The market for manufacturing bags for export is huge in regions like China and Taiwan. In India, the demand for school bags is huge for the locally manufactured ones, moreover due to their low price ranges. There is a niche demand for export brand school bags here in India, restricted to a few, due to their relatively high price ranges. Most of the bag-producing companies in India are adopting synthetic leather, denim and canvas for production purposes. Fabrics to make school bags are mostly soured from the local textile providers in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal. An Indian brand, D.M.Pakitwala, has created an image not only in India but also overseas for its quality and innovative designs.

He continued to delight in the film as the cast went about the task of staging a musical production based on their Senior Year of high school, while at the same time, the lead couple Troy and Gabriella were deciding what colleges they were going to attend. My son was intrigued, as he has yet to find out which of the several local kindergartens he is zoned for, and somehow identified with their situation.

When the movie reached its conclusion, a simulated graduation, complete with fireworks and marching band, and very reminiscent of the end of the movie Grease, he stood up in our living room and applauded, promising to watch the film again ‘each and every time it comes on from now until forever!’ While I hope that’s not the case, I wouldn’t hesitate to let him see the film, and the rest of the series (High School Musical and High School Musical 2) occasionally… at least until the sheer repetition drives me and his mother insane!

Pros
Future Needs: The use of computers and an understanding of how to use the Internet are already critical to modern society today in manifest directions. These include, the work environment, information gathering for work orpleasure, shopping, communications etc. and if true today, how much moretomorrow. The Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment predicts thatthe computer industry will continue to show the greatest growth of any industry in the USA. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than half of all workers used a computer on the job in September 2001. And nearly three-fourths of those workers connected to the Internet or used e-mail.

Early Skills Acquisition: As with all fundamental skills, the earlier the education system allows students to become familiar with technology the greater will be their depth of understanding and effectiveness in using it. It is immaterial to argue that skills acquired today by a five year old will not be relevant later in life because technology will develop beyond comprehension. This is because skills acquired can focus on an understanding of what computers can do rather than just how to interact with today’s computers. In addition, once the initial ground work has been obtained the potential for adaptation to a dynamic system can be incrementally updated in the same way as adults have to adapt to new technology.

Personalization: Computer based content allows a level of individual engagement and interactivity that comparative learning systems fail to deliver. By its nature learning with the computer is a one-on-one experience or at worst, small groups. This alleviates the paradigm of large classes with minimal personal intervention.

Learning Levels: Computers allow users to individualize their speed of attainment to suite their personal needs and capabilities. The speedy are not held back and those that need greater repetition are not passed over. Additionally special groupings can be more easily and effectively catered for.

Wide Distribution of Quality Teaching: Computer based learning allows the maximum effectiveness and distribution of the best quality teaching and content. A great teacher is not limited by the classroom but can reach out across the Internet to thousands either through building digital lessons or distance learning software and programs. Most distance learning systems today can be configured as live broadcasts with high levels of interactivity with the teacher. Now, here are the equally strong arguments against.

Con’s
Accessibility and Suitability: If an individual does not have access to a computer or does not understand the content through a language deficiency or cultural differences, they will be relegated to the digitally divided, 44 million at the last count just in the USA according to Professor Howard Besser, The Next Digital Divides.

Interfering with Natural Development: Young children should be utilizingtheir natural propensity for physically based activity rather than be ‘stuck’ infront of a computer. They already spend damaging amounts of time glued to televisions, as researchers have discovered, that impairs development. Our children, the Surgeon General warns, are the most sedentary generation ever.

Lack of Depth: Computer based content is a long way from offering the depth, flexibility and tried and tested results that a trained, dedicated and experienced teacher can offer children. In addition, the interaction with a sophisticated adult allows critical advanced vocabulary and personalization skills.

Quality of Content: Most digital content is overly simplistic in its structure. For example, a sum can only be wrong or right. The content will not explain to the student why the sum was wrong. A real teacher will mark a piece of work and offer the essential logic reasoning for the decision that will enable the student to gain a fundamental understanding of the system behind what constitutes correct/incorrect.

Health Hazards: Computers pose health hazards to children. The risks include repetitive stress injuries, eyestrain, obesity, social isolation, and, forsome, long-term physical, emotional, or intellectual developmental damage.

Safety: Children must be protected from the dangers of the Internet, stalkers, adult content, hate and violence. Filtering software is notoriously inefficient.

By no means am I attempting to articulate all the arguments or cover them inreal depth but just to raise some of the issues we all face. In my opinion both the Pros and Cons are very strong arguments all of which need serious consideration and answers.

Now to put this in to an importance perspective, digital technology is invading virtually every aspect of modern society and its impact is becoming fundamental to how we work, play and learn. Technology within education also has a huge role to play but its’ effectiveness and impact has not been studied in the depth and breadth that such a fundamental development requires.

In the work environment, mistakes in the use of technology are paid for inmonetary terms. How much less can we afford to make mistakes with introducing technology to our children, mistakes made here cost far more than damaged business, with education we are talking damaged lives. At the moment we just seem to be ‘throwing’ computers and the Internet at teachers and children, as I state above, without any real understanding of what we are actually doing to the children or should I call them ‘guinea pigs’.

The logic seems to be, at least on the governmental level, that we cannot afford for the coming generation not to be computer enabled, as this ability will be critical for a country to be economically competitive. In fact every country is being driven to ensure it’s digital competitiveness. At a governmental level this logic is difficult to fault but it is our job as educators and parents to ensure thatthe effectiveness of the headlong plunge is in the best interests of all the children.

My opinion is that large-scale research in to the issues needs to be carried out. Not on the scale of a few dozen subjects over weeks as many examples of current research do, but thousands or even tens of thousands of subjects over years.

These subjects need to be from 2 years to 8 years old. They need to bewidely dispersed geographically. Come from all levels of the social andattainment spectrum. In fact technology and the Internet is a perfect platform to carry out this type of research. I founded the Internet based Kindersite Project to enable researchers to accomplish this type of wide-scale program.

I believe that only significant research that studies thousands of subjectchildren over a long-term, years probably, will allow the educational community to really gain full and meaningful answers to the questions such as:

Does the early introduction of digital content positively or negatively affectyoung children?
What should be the parameters of the introduction (if any)?
What content types should be employed within the introductory process?
What constitutes ‘good’ or ‘bad’ content and why?
What parameters define ‘good’ or ‘bad’ content?
As a result of sustained and profound research, guidelines should be drawn. These guidelines should offer teachers and parents tried and tested parameters for the use of computers for their children at each age level. It should include areas such as; how long should a child use a computer over a period, maximum and minimum attainment levels to be expected for each age group based on set proficiency standards, how digital content should be integrated in to standard lesson plans in a similar way that other media isused.

Most importantly, set standards for educational content providers must be laid down that they must adhere to if they wish to produce educational content utilizable by educationalists.

In addition all young childrens’ content, educational or leisure should be labeled with its appropriateness for each age group. These standards should be defined by the research.

In conclusion, it is fairly obvious that computer based educational content is becoming a feature of schools, whether we like it or not. In the home we see increasing evidence that even the smallest children are gaining access to computers either with parents or through watching older siblings. It is unreasonable to expect to turn back the clock and bar children below a certain age from computers, this is unenforceable and ineffective.

It is our duty to ensure that clear usage standards are set, content guidelines are drawn and sites rated at a governmental level so that children, parents, caregivers and educators have a clear and safe basis for using computers and the Internet with their charges. Anything less is an abrogation of all our responsibility.

The key to free home schooling for your kid is to take advantage of resources already available to you, but you may not realize or think of it.

So read on and I’ll give you some ideas on where to start.

The biggest problem for most parents when deciding on home schooling is the need to create a home schooling curriculum catered to the needs of the child. Most parents would opt to purchase books or hire a professional to assist them in creating a home school curriculum. They typically cost anywhere from a hundred bucks all the way to a few thousand.

But do you know, the internet has free homeschooling information available? One example of such a site is homeschoolmum.com. There are many others as well. Home schooling forums also provides a platform for parents to interact and share knowledge on just about everything home schooling.

For buying books, you can head to ebay to pick up bargains. Another place is your local book dealer who may have books that they may give away. If even they do not have any books to give away, they usually have various discounts for book sets.

The benefits of getting your own book sets include the convenience of having these books in the comfort of your home. The costs of purchasing the books will be well worth it because your succeeding children can make use of these same books when they reach the same educational level.

Otherwise, you can visit your local library near your city. Your library will likely carry a huge wealth of books (some may no longer be sold in your regular bookstores!) that you can borrow when you need them.

Your regular school field trip can easily be replaced with the fraction of the cost. You can opt to see sites within the proximity of your home. Your city and your state may offer you a rich array of cultural and historical sites to visit. You can also opt to tie in education with whatever family trips and vacations you?d be making. Build a lesson around the family trip so that you can use this time and the money you spend in homeschooling your child as well.

With some planning and thought, you can make home schooling free in terms of financial cost and effort.

Education is not just attending school and learning facts. Your child should have to develop skills to meet the challenges of the future. A girls’ boarding school will give your girl the right environment to learn and grow. Girls in a boarding school find a close-knit community, wide variety of clubs, teams and activities that help to have a proper intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth.

A girls’ boarding school will enable your child to explore the world around her, both inside and out of the classroom. In the classroom they will have sharing and will have an equal exchange of ideas. She will get a competitive environment where she will learn to perform and dominate. In most of the schools the students remain busy on weekdays with their academic schedules, electives, extra curricular activities and evening studies. While on weekends they have a lot of relaxation, weekend trips, recreation and cultural outings.

The resident students and faculty of a girls’ boarding school form a community. The resident faculties are the disciplinarians and hand holders of the students. They always keep an eye to the girls, assist and guide them and offer counsel when necessary. They all form a family away from home. Sometimes the schools even take the resident girls to local malls, movie, shopping, amusement park and cultural events.

The girls’ boarding schools have lots of activities. What does your girl like? Is she interested in sports? Boarding schools, these days, have their own athletic centers featuring basketball and volleyball courts, fitness centers, aerobics room and also gymnasiums. Each school has a specialized gymnasium director to guide your child. If she is interested in music, there are music departments where she can have training in music. She will also have the opportunity to perform in music ensemble. The girls’ boarding schools also guide the students to express themselves artistically. They have special drawing, painting classes to develop their skills in drawing.

When your child is in a girls’ boarding school you may wonder whether your child is having proper nutrition. You need not have to worry about your child’s diet, as the boarding schools are on a mission to encourage the girls to have a proper and healthy choice regarding their daily menu. The schools promote healthier eating of the students by adding more nutritious and organic foods to their menu.

As girls start growing they may start to become interested in boys. If such happens to your child she will be more concerned about boys than her books. But studying in girls’ boarding school will protect your child from the impact of boys. Besides, the girls are not subject to sexual harassment in an all girls environment.

Social and emotional growth of the girls is the motto of the girls’ boarding schools. A good girls’ boarding school will not only offer your girl child with the support and guidance to develop her intellect, curiosity and creativity but also the school will help your child to build up her self-discipline and decision making skills and abilities.