10 Books You Should (Re)Discover

School just ain't what it used to be. Or is it? Some books can take us back to our school days and teach us valuable lessons all over again. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Ahh, adventures in Paris--what could be better? Madeline and 11 other little girls live "in an old house in Paris," under the care and tutelage of Miss Clavel. This edition captures their exploits in three-dimensional pop-up spreads of selected scenes from the book based on Ludwig Bemelmans's original illustrations.

2. Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton
A gentle schoolmaster is ridiculed at first by his rowdy charges, but gradually his dignity and generosity gain the students' respect. Did you have a teacher you tortured, whom you later grew to admire? You're bound to identify your former teacher with Mr. Chips, who over the years has come to represent all beloved teachers, whose lessons extend beyond the classroom.

3. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
An heiress has a difficult time at boarding school after her father suddenly dies, leaving her penniless. No longer a "princess," she endures cruel treatment from the other students. Despite her change in fortunes, she remains determined to maintain her dignity and to give voice to her princess within.

4. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
What happens after Holden Caulfield flunks out of boarding school yet again? The school of hard knocks has some bitter--and often hilarious--lessons in store. Sixteen-year old Holden narrates this classic coming-of-age story, offering wry commentary on the "phoniness" of the adult world around him and hinting at the emptiness inside.

5. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Harriet is a young girl determined to be a famous writer. To gather material, she faithfully writes in her secret notebook everything she sees and hears while walking her daily "spy route." She makes brilliant observations of life's absurdities, and her writing career seems assured--until the notebook is discovered by her classmates who read it aloud. Suddenly, she finds herself a social outcast and the target of her vengeful classmates.

6. The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
The unbelievably popular series about life at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry starts with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. As you must know by now, Harry's unbearable childhood is transformed when an owl delivers a mysterious letter inviting him to attend a school for wizards. The young wizard-in-training encounters one adventure after another, and confronts the great destiny that awaits him. While you're waiting for the next novel in the series, have you reread the first one yet?

7. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
A tale of friendship and betrayal at a private New England school for boys during World War II. One is brainy and lonely. The other is handsome and athletic. The two form an intense bond that draws out both the best and worst in each. A Separate Peace is an unflinching look at the dark side of adolescence and a classic portrayal of the complexity of friendship.

8. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
An eccentric teacher in Edinburgh in the 1930s has a soft spot for all things Italian, including Il Duce. Is she liberating young minds or preaching fascism? A defense of individual thought in the face of unchecked conventionality, the novel explores Miss Brodie's intense, and ultimately dangerous, relationship with six of her students.

9. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
A teenager refuses to be bullied--into selling chocolate--and winds up in a larger battle. Did your school have fundraisers? Did you ever sell raffle tickets or wash cars? Well, things could be worse. When Jerry Renault refuses to sell chocolate for his school's fundraiser, he provokes such divisiveness that the entire social fabric of the school seems to come apart at the seams.

10. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Surviving fourth grade and a rambunctious little brother isn't easy--can Peter do it? His little brother Fudgie is so disgustingly cute and so meddlesome that Peter's often not sure if he'll be able to make it another day. If you have a younger brother or sister, Peter's story may sound all too familiar--but this time it's fun.

Yoga Teacher Training Aspects - Teach your Students about Tranquility

By Paul Jerard

Yoga has been shrouded in mysticism for thousands of years. This is not a bad thing, as the goals of Yoga are far beyond the pictures you see on the covers of Yoga magazines today. So, what are the real goals of Yoga?

Should you go into a long speech about Atman (the soul or true self), and the divine cosmic being (Brahman) becoming one? To be honest, I did once see a Yoga teacher go into an "elevator speech" about the union of self and the "Absolute," but he successfully scared his prospective students away, before their first lesson.

In a nut shell, there are many goals of Yoga, but make it simple for people who walk in the door. Just say: "Tranquility" and they will understand. Tranquility is just one word, which thoroughly explains what a student should be able to expect from his or her first Yoga class, and the following classes, as well.

The initial benefits of physically-oriented classes are balance, muscle tone, improved circulation, and a sense of well being. These are the most basic benefits of Hatha Yoga practice, and they yield a sense of harmony with the world around us.

So, when do you tell them about all the other fantastic benefits? Please let your students "enjoy the ride," as you did. Just because you can show them the deeper aspects, does not mean it is time to do so. Let them develop a sense of self-observance, bliss, wholeness, and tranquility, without all the dogma.

The Yoga teacher's mission is to guide students, when they need our help. We can accomplish this by letting them breathe and practice beyond the classroom. This is the only way a student can become self-sufficient. We cannot hover over our students like concerned foster parents, because we would take away their joy of discovering.

Ultimately, the best students will discover the "teacher within them." When this is accomplished, our students have learned the meaning of "Union." At this point, the student is seriously dedicated to his or her personal practice. Then, the serious questions will come, because an advanced student of Yoga will experience self-realization and spiritual growth.

If the questions do not come to you, do not worry about it. If a teacher constantly chatters, with free advice, no one will listen, because it is free. Loving parents also make this mistake, because they want to protect their children, but free advice is often ignored. Yoga teachers are no different. Keep your explanations simple and show your
students the way - when they are ready.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA.
http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Jerard

Secret Students

by Ysolt Usigan

For some nontraditional students, returning to school is an undercover endeavor. By day, they work traditional jobs: marketing professionals, office managers, and teachers. By night, they attend school, carefully separating their work lives from their student lives. These "academic moonlighters" are keeping their scholastic missions hush-hush in order to advance in their careers or venture off into new ones. Find out why they're keeping their educational alter egos a secret.

The reeducation of a corporate player
Paula Zobisch, 52, used education as an escape from corporate America. "I grew tired of working in the corporate environment--the politics, the very long hours," she explains. Zobisch, who had been working for a corporation as a marketing professional, yearned for a new start, and decided to add a Ph.D. to her credentials.

She enrolled in an online doctorate program because the degree would propel her forward, she believed. Zobisch didn't want a boss--she wanted to be one. She was able to dedicate time to her studies after work hours, so the flexibility enabled her to keep her endeavor a secret.


"The reason I was quiet about pursuing another degree was because I knew it would qualify me for a different career direction," explains Zobisch, "and I didn't want my former employer to think I was after someone's position."

As is the case with many secret students, Zobisch chose to circumvent the potential backlash by employing a don't ask, don't tell policy. "I didn't actually sneak [around with my studies], but I didn't call attention to the [fact that] I was balancing my career with school [either]."

As a result, Zobisch was exhausted most of the time. "My stomach and head hurt for a solid three-and-a-half years," she recalls. At the time, her days were 18 hours long. "There were times I actually couldn't remember which day of the week it was," she recalls. "There was so much to do that I was completely overwhelmed and thought about quitting several times."

But Zobisch persevered--she was intent on completing her studies and finding an escape from her job. She would come into work Monday morning, having spent an extra 40 hours on weekends doing schoolwork.

And still, when asked if she has any regrets, Zobisch, who is now a marketing consultant at Cox Communications, answers: "None! This turned out to be the career path of my dreams. Now I'm an independent consultant with flexible hours. My life has finally become my own."

Keeping secrets from family
In keeping her scholastic secret from her employer, Dianna B. (last name withheld to protect her identity) is also lying to her father. You see, the chiropractic-office manager works at her father's practice, while covertly taking undergraduate classes at night at Temple University in hopes of pursuing a career as a teacher.

"I've been working with my father for nine years," explains the 25-year-old who initially began working at her father's Pennsylvania office part time in high school. "I feel like I have a certain loyalty to him and his business."

Though she always wanted to earn a degree, she became content in the career security of the family business. "The money I make at my dad's practice is more than enough for me to survive and have extra." But now, Dianna B. says she wants more.

"Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to become a teacher," she points out. "I put the dream on hold--practically forgot about it--because I've been so busy keeping my father's business running. Everyday, a new role comes along and it spirals from there."

With each new responsibility, however, Dianna B. wishes she were elsewhere. "I want to influence the lives of children. I want to share my love of teaching and learning with them," she explains.

Sharing that aspiration with her dad is something Dianna is having a tough time bringing herself to do. "I don't want to give him any added stress. He recently had a heart attack," she explains. "For him to replace me would be difficult. He trusts me with many responsibilities ... you just can't get that level of trust with someone who's not family."

For now, Dianna B. is taking things slow. She's a part-time student, so her undergraduate endeavor could potentially take longer than four years. She's not sure how she will eventually break the news to her father about her true passion, but she hopes once she's close to earning her bachelor's degree, it will be a better time to tell her father the truth.

Gunning for the boss's job
For Tony Banning, going back to school is a secret he's guarding mainly because the promotion he is seeking is one his boss may resent.

"I'm not really going to school in 'secret,' but I don't care to tell my boss what's going on either," says the middle-school teacher who is simultaneously pursuing a master's degree in business administration. Banning's goal is to take on a bigger role on a school system--perhaps as an assistant principal or principal.

And even if his boss does find out that he's pursuing a master's--and gunning for his job--he doesn’t care. "There are plenty of schools that would take me if my principal didn't approve of my educational endeavors," he attests.

Toward that end, Banning keeps his master's studies separate from his day job. At first, Banning chose to school online because it was the best way for him to keep up with his day-to-day duties as a teacher and tasks as a family man. He realized that he has a personal preference for the traditional classroom, and is now attending a brick-and-mortar campus for his courses.

After he made the decision to school on campus, he was able to juggle some of his obligations by getting support from his family. "I've had to follow a strict schedule to keep everything in line," he explains. "My family has been understanding because in the grand scheme of things, this is what's best for all of us."

Banning sometimes is amazed at his accomplishments. "I don't know how I've managed to keep up with everything in my life--family, students, workshops, full-time and part-time work, school," he says. "One rule I follow, regardless of life's pressures, though, is to do whatever my wife wants to do on weekends."

Banning has seen couples split due to work and school pressures. "If you're going to take on the challenge of work and school, make sure your mate clearly understands what's going to take place in the months to come," he adds.

Whether or not you decide to be up front about your endeavors with your employer, family, or friends, that choice is yours. As these learners attest, sometimes it's just easier to keep your aspirations to yourself, and know you're doing what's best for you.

[via MSN]

Part Time Jobs for Students

By Matthew Walker

If you're a student looking for a part time job then I've got a great option that can bring in much more money than working down at the mall or you're local Pizza Hut. Internet marketing; and it's much easier than many people think.

It is probably one of the best part time jobs for students around and a great way to bring in some serious income. The problem is finding out how to go about doing it. You can waste a lot of time trying to find out for yourself and still not make a bean or you can learn the real tricks of the trade. Enter, Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is a comprehensive tutorial based site that can, if you're serious, quickly take you from novice affiliate marketer to expert with an ever increasing bank balance.

Here's just some of what you get:

• Tutorials - Learn the proper way to make money online, no bull, no gurus, this is the real deal. You'll be taught the best methods, from beginner to advanced.

• Forums - These are invaluable for picking up tips and the more experienced guys here are more than willing to help.

• Marketing Tools - A great set of top quality tools that will make life a lot easier in generating a good profit.

• Personal Advice - Any time you need help you can get advice from the two guys who founded Wealthy Affiliate, Kyle and Carson. This advice is priceless especially if you're stuck, and these guys make thousands from internet marketing every week!

• A Tool for Making Websites - Called "Site Rubix", this is the newest addition to the Wealthy Affiliate site. Make professional web sites quickly and easily without the need for know how.

Just couple of years ago, I was a second year student trying to find an easy way of making money online. To tell you the truth, before I signed up to Wealthy Affiliate I found it near impossible to make anything, but that's simply because I really wasn't clued up to the way it should be done. This is where Wealthy Affiliate really becomes a necessity. It was three months after joining that I started making some good cash. $70 a day! Those days of looking for part time jobs for students had finally come to an end and the income has been going up ever since.

Now, getting started in this is not easy, easy. It does require effort, patience and a certain amount of work, but when it does happen and you start making an income, the only way is up.
You keep learning, getting better and getting more successful. I now make around $200 a day and I'm a fairly small fish! I work nowhere near the amount I would if I worked full time and life is easy. It can also be for you!

Matthew Walker is successful internet marketer. Recently graduated from college he now makes a comfortable living of around $200 a day. Visit his site at QuitYourStudentJob.com to learn more about the best affiliate marketing tutorial site on the net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Walker

Foreign Students and Exchange Programs

By Nick Sanders

Students studying in their home country still have a chance of becoming a foreign student and studying in a foreign country. Through bilateral exchange programs between universities from different countries, several students are sent to study a few units in other universities.

Currently, more universities from all around the world are participating at such programs. The initial aim of such endeavours is exposing bright students to the culture and best practice of the other university. As the student goes back to his home university after an agreed period of the exchange period, he is expected to adopt and relay the best qualities and culture he observed in the other university form another country.

Usually student exchange programs do not require the student to complete their study in the other university. The two universities, the one where the student is currently enrolled and the other from another country, must have a binding bilateral agreement for the exchange program.

Several students from the agreeing universities will exchange with other students for a limited period of time. Usually, exchange students go to another university for a year or less.

To be able to qualify for such an education program, you must agree to the terms and conditions of the agreement. You should have completed at least a year of full-time studying at your current university. Your current university must also approve the units or programs you want to take up in the exchange university. Others will require you to be fluent in, or at least be knowledgeable about the language used at the other university. On top of all of this, you should exemplify your skills and intelligence by having an impressive academic record. As you fly to the other country to attend courses at the other university, you should always bear in mind that you are representing your university and your country. Be disciplined, but also friendly in nature.

Nick Sanders is the owner and founder of Supaproofread.com, an online proofreading and editing company, specialising in student, business and ESL proofreading and editing services.

For more Articles, Resources, News and Advice for International Students and International Study visit http://www.supaproofread.com Just want to read some plain and simple advice on succeeding as a foreign student? Then venture over to the Supaproofread blog - http://www.supaproofread.com/blog/ it’s an interesting read for writers, bloggers, students and business professionals interested in writing. Copyright © Supaproofread.com.

Information For College Students About Student Credit Cards

By Terrell D. James

Student credit cards are often easy for students to apply for in several places such as online, in bookstores, or on your college's campus, etc. Student credit cards are created for students in mind and may have special terms. Student credit cards usually are much easier to qualify for than a normal credit card, the reason why is because most students have low to no credit and limited funds to spend. Since students usually start with no credit, credit card companies will qualify the student for a card that has lower credit limit than a normal credit card. A card with a lower credit limit will help students to create a good credit history without coming into serious debt. Student credit cards provide students with a chance to learn to manage their finances responsibly and build a good credit report at the same time.

Why were student credit cards created?Creditors want to develop customer loyalty and a relationship with college students while they are in college, and hope this relationship increase when you gain employment after you are done with your studies. Credit cards that target students are often more lenient with the credit score and credit history standards and expectations, and often will have lower interest rates. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, credit limits are usually set low for a new student account, but if you pay at least your minimum payment when due on time monthly, the credit limit may be raised.

What credit card companies expect from studentsEven though usually is not expected for student to have a credit record, but bad credit may count against you as a bad mark. Since students often are unemployed, students should not bother to apply for a high limit credit card.

Students need to understand that when you use a credit he/she is borrowing money and need to pay it back by the due date. The faster the student pays, the less the student will owe to the credit card company. If a student fails to pay back the money, the card's balance will increase because of interest, and the credit card's interest rate itself may also increase.

Student credit cards are a great tool and may be need by many college students, especially those who may need the extra funds for buying books and other school materials. Student credit cards are offered to college students and many times the first chance for student to manage their own credit independently. You should not use student credit cards to go on a shopping spree as it is meant for necessary use or when there is an emergency occur.

Read more important and detailed information at What College Students Should Know About Credit Cards