Thursday, March 26, 2009

Want A Life? Get A Coach!

By Laura Hess

Whether your life is running smoothly or you face daily crises; you are happy in your career or looking for a change; your relationships are happy or there doesn't seem to be anyone for you, maybe a coach is in your future. Having a coach means youd have somebody in your life to get you to do the things you don't want to do so you can get to where you want to be.

And this is true even if your world looks to be working already. The fact is, anybody could benefit through employing a life coach. Ask yourself, "Am I willing, ready and able to change my life to get the results that I desire?" If you replied yes to each of the three parts, your time is now.

Coaching isn't a new profession. Athletes, actors and actresses, and musicians have engaged them for years. Executive coaches have been coaching in big companies for a long time - working with top management to make them more efficient managers.

There are three main things that make this new way of coaching different:

One - personal and professional coaching is possible for anybody who wants it. You decide you are prepared to change and that you want a coach. It is no longer decided by your boss or superior when the time is right.

2) Coaching is affordable. Basic fees for a individual coach can be handled in just about any budget, ranging from $200 to $500 per month. Group coaching can frequently be found for less.

3) Simplicity is key to the coaching relationship. Most coaching is done by telephone so scheduling is easy. If you have access to a phone, you can have a coach. With long distance being so affordable these days (often free), the cost for calls is minimal.

People hire a coach for many reasons. The one thread that people who hire coaches have in common is a strong desire to change something in their own life to create a future of their choosing.

When you resolve to hire a coach, though, don't merely hire the first one you meet. Do your homework. Make certain your coach has had the proper training in the skills of coaching from an recognized coach training school. Interview multiple coaches and get a feel for who they are and whether they have the experience to be effective coach for you.

Finally, use your gut. Trust your own instincts when it comes to making your choice. Notice how you feel when youre in conversation with each coach. The right coach for you will feel exactly right. Bear in mind, too, that at different times in your life, different coaches may be more right for you.

I know the power of coaching. I'm a coach and have been for 15 years but I still have my own coach. I have experienced the power of coaching in my own life and have been witness to some amazing changes in the lives of my clients

If you have any doubts, try it out for a while. There are few coaches who require a long-term commitment and youll know quickly if coaching is right for you. Just be prepared for change. At the right time and with the right coach, your life will be different.

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21st-Century Skills for 21st-Century Challenges

By Lauren Tyson

It is often difficult as a parent to watch a child make a choice that could possibly be detrimental to his or her future. We can only hope that their limited life experiences and education will train them for real world situations, but there is no absolute guarantee. The real world is not always black and white, and as adults, we know that kids and teens will encounter many forks in the road that will put that experience and education to the test.

We anticipate that the relationships they form with others in high school will be lasting and worthwhile, and college will set the stage for their entry into true adulthood. They will become the sum of their experiences, and when they finally take that first step into the real world, it is our hope that they will have a wealth of experience and education to fall back on to help them navigate the ever complicated maze of business and personal success.

But will these experiences be enough to guide them to success? While many teens and young adults will make it through life's obstacles without experiencing any disasters, others will falter through a series of missteps and mistakes that could potentially have a huge impact on their futures. Not only will they have to choose a path best suited to their particular skill set, but they will also have to face a world that is constantly changing and evolving.

But once the door is open, will students have the ability to walk through it? The current world crosses many global boundaries, cultures, and ways of thinking. It is up to maturing young professionals to navigate the storm of technological advancement, globalization and potential. These skills are called, "21st-century skills" by some and anyone who wants to advance needs them to succeed.

21st-century skills refer to the real-life skills that professionals will need to advance in the world of today. Entrepreneurs, business men and women, and professionals must be able to communicate effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds and be adaptable to change. Open-mindedness is essential when it comes to maintaining a cutting edge amongst their peers.

Most importantly, 21st-century skills give professionals the ability to adapt and continue to be active learners wherever they go. Learning to appreciate cultural differences, alternate modes of thinking, and diversity of opinion will increase both innovation and quality of work. Having these skills at an early age will give students and potential professionals an advantage over their peers, and can be instrumental in problem-solving situations.

Every student with aspirations of a bright future wants to land the job of their dreams. With 21st-century skills at their disposal, they can ensure that they keep it, and maintain an edge over their colleagues. For so many students, that reality seems light years away; but as parents, we understand how crucial these skills are for success. Giving a child the skills they need to survive in the mercurial nature of the business world is something every parent should invest in.

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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Why Should You Have A Plan Writing Essays?

By Nick Sanders

Writing a plan before starting an essay or project is always a good idea. It can help you formulate ideas and ensure that the structure of your final essay is appropriate and logical.

When you set out your essay plan it can be used for a traditional essay to be submitted or for you to plan your essay in an exam. And this will help you greatly in an exam as you will be able to plan your writing and know which direction you should go in.

Plans do not need to take up much time, as you can use keywords and phrases, make notes of important references and logically order it within 5 - 10 minutes. Planning also makes sure you have read the essay question carefully. Just rushing in can make you forget the question, or answer the wrong one. Planning gives you a minute or two to consider what you are being asked to do and make sure you fully understand.

An essay without a logical order, and a beginning, middle and end will automatically score lower. An essay argument is supposed to be coherent and easy to keep up with. If you run out of time, an examiner should be able to look at your plan and see clearly the approach you were taking, and the order that you were putting it in, as well as your key points and references.

If you are simply working on an essay to submit in the next week or so, then you will be able to refine your plan to suit you and make sure that you have taken all of the necessary research to discover all of the information that you will need to finalize your work. This plan will also help you eliminate any inconsistencies that you may have and also help you gather your ideas under one heading.

By having an essay plan you will be able to show yourself how you will primarily answer the question posed to you and therefore convey your understanding to the reader. You will, therefore, be able to formulate arguments both for and against current academic thinking and also be able to voice your opinions more clearly.

It is often recommended that you write your titles, your headings and your outline before you begin writing. This is so that your writing is definitely being directed the way that you want it to go, and stops you risking going off course. Producing these titles and then jotting information underneath will count as a plan, and make writing your first draft so much easier. It is a lot easier to focus if you have something to keep you on track.

To sum up, it is very important to plan, no matter where you are. In exams, a well written plan will only take ten minutes but will help you to gain points if you run out of time. It will also make sure you understood the question, help you to form a structure and remind you about key points you want to use.

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Saturday, March 21, 2009

6 Easy Steps To Your Essay Structure

By Nick Sanders

If you are at university and wanting to ensure that the essays you submit will be structured well and easy to be followed by your reader. This will mean that they will have a better chance of understanding your work and thus providing you with a good mark.

Being new to academia, you will need to understand the structure of the perfect essay. Also, you will want to understand that these essays on your degree course will be more complex than other that you have written at a lower level.

After all, you want to bet getting the best grades possible from the work that you submit, so if your essay or report is structured in the wrong way, then you may end up missing out on marks because your thoughts aren't clear and your argument is a little fumbled. Below I will set out some steps that you can take when thinking about the actual structure of your paper and what you will need to submit an essay you can be proud of.

Step 1. Organizing your work area will mean that it will be easier to sort through and understand all of your academic work. Also, you will want to make sure that you have everything else on your computer cleared away. Don't open Itunes and close down any other chat software that you may have on there. This is the time that you want to concentrate on your studies and ensure that you give it your full attention and potential.

Step 2. Be informed - Many people seem to think that they can look at a computer screen, type a few thousands words and hey presto you have an essay! Well, probably it would be an essay in an ideal world, but let me tell you that the world is far from ideal and in order to sound credible to anyone who is going to read your work, you need to be able to understand all of the material that you need to source, read and digest. If you havent got around to this stage yet, then feel free to go and learn about the subject you want to write, even if this is only an introduction.

Step 3. Always ask why? - You should continually ask why throughout your research, as you will want to get to the bottom of why something has been agreed between two authors or a number of authors. Simply collecting the information and presenting it to your readers just simply isn't a good option, you haven't finished the whole essay and thus you will need to understand that you should be evaluating and asking why is something as it is and why it shouldn't be something else. Completing your essays in this manner will allow you to understand the different areas that you should be including and how your paper can be structured better.

Understanding and establishing the different parts of your essay will be essential for the reader to comprehend where your essay is going to lead them. Therefore, having adequate signposts throughout your paper will mean that you should be able to guide your reader through your paper.

Answering why certain things have happened or arguments have ensued - this is probably the biggest part of your ability to show an understanding of the essay topic.

Step 4. Set the direction - You will want to understand and plan where your essay is going well in advance of actually getting down to writing your paper. You will need to understand that you should take each part and link it to the next. Also, you will need to think about direction in the flow of your arguments that the reader will be reading, and thus making sure you don't guide them down a road that is pointless to the overall meaning of the essay. All well-written essays have a solid structure and foundation to them and they make sure they know where to take the reader.

Step 5. Write it and Write well - actually getting down to the writing is a good start indeed, but structuring your writing to have a beginning, middle and end is the way to go. Every part of your essay should have an introduction, a central body allowing the reader to see your argument, and then a conclusion of the particular section that links and leads onto the next.

Step 6. Preparation - this is one of the most important things to possess when you are writing an essay and more important in any piece of academic essay. You will need to understand that you have to prepare and plan your argument as well as your overall goal of writing this particular essay. Some students will find it a lot easier than others to map out their thoughts on the essay that they are about to write, while others will find it a real mental challenge to do this. You need to understand that certain parts of your argument will belong in certain parts of your paper, and thus completing a plan and preparing beforehand will make this task significantly easier for you.

Once you have completed your essay, if you feel that you want to get the best available mark that you can, then you should look at having your essay proofread, edited and reviewed by an essay editor.

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Monday, March 16, 2009

Thai university to offer scholarships to Myanmar students

The Rangsit University of Thailand will hold a seminar in Yangon along with its university entrance examination to select Myanmar students who deserve scholarships, the local weekly Voice reported Sunday.
The seminar will take place on March 21 at the Park royal Hotel and two scholarships will be awarded each for five majoring subjects -- International Business, Information and Communication Technology, Communication Arts, Philosophy, Politics and Economics and International Hospitality Management.
The Rangsit University is the fifth leading university in Thailand having interchange programs with 50 universities from European, American and Asian countries which the scholarship winning students can select for their further study, the report said.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand government will also provide scholarships to pre-graduate Myanmar university students to help develop the country's human resources, an earlier report said.
The subjects to be studied in New Zealand cover basic education and health, administration, trade and development, and prevention of dispute and peace building.
In recent years, other countries such as Singapore, South Korea and China have also extended different scholarships to Myanmar students for the country's human resources development. These scholarship sponsoring institutions include Singapore's PSB Academy and TMC Education Group, South Korea's Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and National Institute For International Education (NIED) and China's Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU).
The study subjects are respectively linked with the fields of journalism, mass communications, public relations, accounting and finance, international business management and marketing, logistics management, e-business and e-commerce, construction management and property, and hospitality and tourism.

ASEAN foundation to provide research scholarship to Myanmar students

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foundation will provide research scholarship to Myanmar students to pursue master degree in the Singapore National university, the local Weekly Eleven reported today.
The foundation sets that the scholarship winning students are to work for at least two years in their mother country or one of ASEAN countries after getting master degree, the report said, adding that the application for the scholarship will close on March 25.
The ASEAN foundation was established in 1997 to support the continued development of the people in the ASEAN countries.
Meanwhile, other ASEAN member countries were also offering scholarship to Myanmar students in education and technological fields, according to earlier report.
The Nanyang Institute of Management (NIM) and the PSB Academy of Singapore made such offer for pursual of diploma in tourism and hospitality management program.
Besides, the Rangsit university of Thailand will also hold a seminar in Yangon along with its university entrance examination to select Myanmar students who deserve scholarships, other report said.
Moreover, a Malaysian company, the Petronas Oil Company, also granted scholarships to Myanmar students to study at the Petronas Technological University in January.

Three Ways You Can Pay For College

By Steve Sheehan

If you've been looking at colleges recently, you've probably been shocked at the expense. Just who in the world do these people think they are charging so much? If you want to go to college, though, you're going to have to come up with a way to pay, and this article is here to help.

As it turns out, there are three major ways of paying for college. The fist way is to simple earn or save enough money to pay for college straight up. Secondly, you can have money given to you, in the form of scholarships are grants. These are great! Finally, you can borrow money from several sources.

Let's talk about savings. The key with saving for college is to make sure that you're keeping as much money as possible. For this, you'll want a tax free college account. These are usually known as "529" plans, and offer a tax sheltered method of saving for college. This is the way to go if you can.

The best way to get money for college is through scholarships and grants since these will give you free money. The biggest key to getting this is to apply! So many people do not apply for scholarships, and thus leave a lot of money on the table. Don't let this be you.

If you can't come up with the money by any other means, you'll need to check into getting student loans. Student loans are typically low interest loans that you will have to repay over a long period of time after you graduate. These come in two flavors, government backed and private. Let's talk about both.

A government backed loan is typically a Stafford loan. These loans are given out to most students, with increasing amounts available each year. These are the best loans to have, as they give you the most flexibility and the lowest rates. A private loan, on the other hand, is just a regular loan from a bank that will come with its own interest rates and terms. These loans are typically not as flexible as the government options, and should be considered as a last resort.

Paying for college isn't easy, but I hope this has given you a good idea of what kind of options are out there. Best of luck!

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

Getting Scholarships: Tips to Success

By Stan Johnson

One of the biggest challenges you'll face as a student is simply paying for your school in the first place. With tuition rates rising faster than inflation, and the economy struggling, it is harder now than ever.

One of the best ways of helping to pay for college is to get scholarships. These do not have to be paid back like loans do. It is money that is there to help you finish school.

However, getting these scholarships isn't always easy. To get the scholarship, you have to achieve a cerain academic or athletic standard. This can't always be done.

However, you can greatly increase your chances of winning a scholarship in several ways. The first is to simply apply. It may seem odd, but the vast majority of students never even apply to most of the scholarship option they have. Many people give up before they start, thinking they have no chance. Be sure that you apply, since you probably have a much better shot than you think you do.

The second way of getting scholarships is to find your niche. If you've decided on a specific area of study, start looking into professional organizations that support your field. These groups will often offer you scholarships that will have much less competition than broader ones. This is golden if you act on it.

Also, never underestimate the importance of actually getting good grades. If you work hard and are motivated by the prospect of receiving scholarships, you might just surprise yourself with your own performance. Not to mention, this good performance will be good for your life, not just for the scholarship money.

This should get you started in finding scholarships. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to make sure you at least apply. This will get you much further than you probably imagine. Best of luck in your college career.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Choosing the Right Online School For You

By Michael Fleischner

There are many ways to complete your education or get a degree today that didnt exist just a few short years ago. Many traditional institutions offer online learning opportunities as well as truly online universities. The only difference is that online universities may not require any on campus work.

Going to school online requires that students are comfortable with doing assignments and learning online. Additionally, they need to be disciplined and do their work in a structured way. Unlike sitting in a classroom, online universities require students to log on to access work and assignments.

Selecting an online program is easy if you know how to search and what to look for. Start your search by doing an internet search for accredited universities. This means that the school's curriculum has been approved by an accrediting agency. This is important if you ever wish to transfer or have your credits count towards another degree.

The next step is to focus on the area you are seeking a degree in. If you want an online degree in nursing, then dont seek out schools with only one nursing program. There are a number of online schools that specialize in the discipline you are seeking. Find one that has a well established program.

Once you have narrowed your list of online programs that meet your criteria, begin to determine how long it will take you to complete the program. Also, what are the specific requirements you have to meet to graduate. Finally, determine the costs associated with the online degree you are seeking.

After your research is complete, its time to start the application process online. Completing school applications take some time so be sure to begin well in advance of any deadlines. Online schools are sometimes more flexible with admission dates but you should be well aware of class schedules. Making mistakes on your application could delay the process so be careful when completing your work.

Once you have completed your application, focus on what you will need to start your classes. Your class schedule will most likely be based on a semester and a specific time frame. You want to check to make sure that you have all the necessary materials and that you understand class requirements. Since there is not physical class to show up to, you will need to log on to complete assignments.

Make sure you have a good computer and reliable internet access. Online educators are not very tolerant of assignments that havent been completed because of difficulty accessing the internet. If you have a good computer and reliable internet access, you are ahead of the game and are likely to succeed. Attending school online is a great way to learn. Investigate online learning options and be sure to ask the right questions.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How To Win At College Entrance Essays

By Nick Sanders

A great college entrance essay will present a view of you that is compelling and personal. It will complete the rest of your application and ensure that you stand out from the crowd. Making a great impression is important here, as the entrance essay is a crucial part of your application that you have complete control over.

Keep personal focus - when your essay is read it must prove a single point that shows the admissions committee you are worthy of a place at their college. When they read your paper, they should be able to understand your argument and easily read your work from beginning to the end. Ask a friend or family member to go over your essay with you and think about how you can improve on what has been written. You should look to see if any parts will need re-writing, as you want to show the committee who you are, using past achievements and experience, and not tell them your whole life story.

If you struggle to think of what to write, then you should ask friends, family or past employers/teachers, they will be able to tell you the positive things about you that you should write about. You should pick the ones that most closely relate to the course you are applying for.

Facts are best - when you are writing your admissions essay will mean including some concrete facts to back up your opinions about your experiences. You will want to expand on the different aspects of these experiences: what you learnt as well as what you may not have had time to learn, and how these experiences have influence your future learning and motivation. You should always back up your own opinions with facts.

Avoid cliche writing by using specific details - again, saying that you want to be a teacher because you want to help children succeed is okay, but it is much better to say that your own teacher was committed to teaching you in fun ways, such as hatching your own chicks to learn their life cycle, and you wish to give other children a brilliant start to their education too.

Be yourself - following everyone else and writing about world peace, combating terrorism or solving the world's food shortage are all good topics to write about. But they have been beaten to death. Bring something new and interesting to the table and make sure you stand out from everyone else.

Add more to your CV - if you intend to simply rewrite your CV then you could be on the road to disaster. You will want to make sure that you include activities that you have done outside your CV, such as the different places that you have visited, if you have been part of a local community club or team and if there have been any occasions when you have take a key role in accomplishing something.

Dont use more words than you need too - making sentences too long and confusing will make your essay harder to understand. A lot of students make the mistake of trying to elongate sentences to look better; however, simple sentences are often better. If you have to add words to sentences, in order to meet the word count, then you are probably missing the point.

Make sure that you proofread your essay, as typos and errors can often be interpreted as carelessness or bad writing. Don't rely on your word processing software spell check, as it can miss simple mistakes, such as accepting fried instead of friend.

Asking a friend or teacher will also be a good idea. Their input will add a neutral aspect to your thoughts and it may be crucial for you to receive their opinion on your written admissions essay. This will help you produce an overall better piece of writing.

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Monday, March 2, 2009

The Different Parts To An Academic Thesis

By Nick Sanders

No doubt you are a student in academia at the moment, or you may even be a parent researching exactly what you son/daughter will be doing for their thesis. An academic thesis is a study that represents individual (or sometimes group) research, which is then concluded and grounded around written evidence, by the individual student; it is submitted in partial fulfillment of a degree at a recognised university.

There is a wide variety of topics that a student can choose to complete their research paper. Whichever topic they choose, they will most definitely be required to conducts both primary and secondary research. The primary study, which they conduct, should include some experiments and investigation into the main subject area. The research paper will then be evaluated for its originality and findings, and the influence that they will have on current academic understanding.

The main part of the thesis, the research, will often start a long time before the student is thinking about what hypothesis he/she is trying to prove or disprove. A plan is an ideal position to start the actual research process, planning what they want to achieve and by when, as theses will have a submission deadline.

This research stage of the course, which is when the thesis project is undertaken, is generally towards the end of the course, and on many postgraduate degree courses is the final element. For undergraduates, it will cover the final year of their course and will count heavily to their final degree grade.

On a postgraduate course, such as a masters degree, the thesis part of the course will be a separate module of the course and will be conducted over the summer term of the year; this will count between 5 and 20% of the final grade. Generally, all masters degrees will require the student to complete a thesis.

The thesis project is considered an important and key stage in the student earning their degree, and it is considered a vital and important part to the course. Submission guidelines are fair, but also strict; students will need to adhere to them if they intend to attend graduation.

Production of a thesis may require the student to put up a plausible defense in-front of the awarding panel, at their institution. Generally, only a few people will be chosen, and in some cases none, when they are submitting a thesis on an undergraduate degree or masters degree course. It is usually at this point where a defense is only seen for doctoral theses.

However, both undergraduate and masters degree students should be aware that they may be called to submit a defense to the awarding panel, as some institutions require a sample of students to do this. When defending a thesis, a student should refer to tangible examples that illustrate their research, opinions and conclusions presented.

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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Flubright for 2010-2011

Fulbright scholarship program restarted in Myanmar since academic year 2007-08. There are more than 15 Burmese Fulbrighters currently studying in different universities in the US.

The program opens its invitation for academic year 2010-11. Burmese applicants who have a Bachelor degree and valid standardized English test score; 575 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS are eligible to apply.
Application deadline:
1 May 2009

follow the link;
http://www.ngoinmyanmar.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=194

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