Education Short List

Do you sit in a drab cubicle day after day, while co-workers shoot up the corporate ladder? If you are stuck on the same rung and a promotion seems impossible, here are some possible reasons and what you can do to earn your own corner office.

1. You don’t dress for success
Although you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, what you wear at work does send a subconscious message to others. Jeans and sneakers, facial piercings, visible tattoos — these don’t say promote me. If you want to give the impression of power and authority, analyze what successful people in your office are wearing. Whatever their style, you will want to follow along to some degree because it makes you more approachable and creates a sense of camaraderie.

2. You do the bare minimum
Doing an okay job may be enough to remain employed, but it won’t help you earn a promotion. If you want to advance in your career, you will need to exceed your employer’s expectations, and you can’t do that by being the first person out the door at quitting time. It’s not to say that you have to work twelve hours a day to be noticed; but allow yourself to have flexibility to the hours you keep at work.

3. You aren’t visible enough
Here you have to demonstrate to the ‘higher-ups’ that you have leadership potential and drive. If a project that you’ve been working on has gone well, send a memo to the other team members (and your boss) praising the team’s successful efforts. Contribute more to meeting, don’t just sit there and doodle. Also, volunteer to be a part of other projects – but only if you can handle the additional workload. It doesn’t help to finally draw attention to yourself – when it is as the person who can’t finish their work.

4. You aren’t likeable
While the workplace isn’t a popularity contest, it is important to be friendly and interact well with others. don’t isolate yourself, it can be misconstrued as arrogant or condescending. Be professional, trustworthy, and positive. Being anything but could have an impact on your promotion potential.

5. Your work is sloppy
Whenever you have to do a write-up, send a letter or email, take the time to ensure that your work is grammatically correct. It sends the message that you didn’t care enough to proof your work before sending it out – which hurts your chances for a promotion. This is especially true, now that there is grammar check and spell check in nearly every application. It’s very important to pay attention to the little details.

6. You have the wrong focus
Instead of thinking that your boss “owes” you a promotion, consider how moving to a position with more responsibility will benefit the company. Convince your employer that your efforts and ideas with aide the company, as a whole, in achieving their goals.

All of these points are targeted directly at those that are hoping for a promotion; but they can be applied to other employment situations as well. For example, in this current economy, for people to keep their jobs they have to do more than the bare minimum and not complain about it. Also, it’s a good point to make sure that you are more visible – so when your organization is making cuts, that you aren’t one of those. As for having the wrong focus, this relates directly to improving your resume. Sprucing up your skills, and realizing what you are doing at work is a great way to align yourself for a promotion and to ensure that your goals are directly matched up with those of the company that you work for.

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Here are additional sources

moneysmartlife.com/how-to-get-the-promotion-you-deserve/

www.career-success-for-newbies.com/how-to-get-promoted.html

Okay, so you’ve gone through the whole process and now you are about to start your first day of subbing. Here are some pointers and tips to get you through the first day, as well as the others, without a snag.

1. Show up early
a. Most schools ask that you be there 30 minutes prior to the start of school. From my experience, it would be wise to be there at least 45 minutes early. You will appreciate that extra time to get settled. You also don’t know what surprises could be waiting for you (aka, morning duty) that would take away from your prep time.

2. Eat lunch in the teachers’ lounge
a. Although it may sound overwhelming to go into the ‘teachers’ lounge; it’s a smart move for your career as a substitute teacher. Here you will learn more about the teacher and class of students you are working with, You can ask questions, seek advice or assistance; but most importantly is this. By making yourself know to other educators and instructors – you will have a greater likelihood of getting on those teachers preferred substitute pick list.
b. If you are subbing in a school you are familiar with (live near, have children that go to school there, etc) make sure to keep all conversation on a professional course. You don’t want to engage in gossip; you never know who you could be talking to or about. Plus, you don’t want to ruin your chances of being asked to come back to the school.
c. Play Meet and Greet with all staff and faculty that you meet along the way. Make your presence known on the campus; these could be your future co-workers; but at least, for today, they are your guidance to a successful day.

3. Notes for you, Notes for the Teacher
a. This is the biggest portion for me, as an educator. By leaving detailed notes of what you accomplished and what happened today – you are helping me to then be able to flow seamlessly into the next day. But when I don’t know how the previous day went, I spend more time the next day, before each class, playing catch up.
b. Be sure to also take detailed notes for yourself. Mention the students you liked or didn’t; what you liked about the classroom, things that you would take away from the day and put into your own room. Make notes of the school environment, other teachers, principal and school staff. These are all valuable points to note, especially if you plan on being a teacher in the future.
c. On a side note, I spent 4 years substituting. So these pointers come from solid experience.

4. Remember It’s Not Your Room
a. Act like a guest in your best friend’s parent’s house. It may not be your taste, but it’s still someone’s home right now. Be respectful of the way it is laid out and set up. Realize too, that the teacher isn’t always aware of what you, as a new person, need in the room. Take your time to find books and paper; ask the students for assistance – or another teacher.

5. Bring some time filler activities
a. Find time during the day to play with the students, or offer free time
b. It’s been my experience that having a few extra activities that can fill empty time are always a plus. These activities have been successful for me. Play around the world with math flashcards, give extra recess, have quiet reading time, for younger kids read them a story, have them clean up the room for candy.
c. Teachers know that some lesson can run fast or be longer than they anticipated. But it’s easier for the classroom teacher to deal with that than it is for a substitute. For that reason, it’s good to have some time fillers.
d. You could use the ‘Caterpillar Game’ http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Caterpillar-Word-Game

6. Know Your Audience
a. These students sitting before you are excited to have you there; skeptical of what you are going to make the day like, and hoping to get away with things that their regular teacher wouldn’t let them.
b. Now to the reason why you are there – the students. Think back to when you were in school and how thrilled you were to have a substitute teacher. These students sitting in front of you are thinking exactly the same thing. Furthermore, these students’ main teacher knows exactly what their students are thinking too.
c. Keep in mind that you are there to teach, not to dictate. Don’t take an iron first approach; but don’t walk in wanting to be their best friend. If you want to make a career in education, or subbing, know that teacher recommendations – not student ones – are the ones that get you back in the classroom.

7. Bring Your Own Lunch
a. Kind of seems like a ‘duh’ but you would be surprised at how many people waste their lunch town scrambling to find something to eat. By already having your lunch, it allows to you eat and relax with the other educators. Plus you will have time to get prepared for the on-goings in the afternoon.

Remember to relax and breathe. It’s almost a guarantee that there will be a surprise the first day; and it’s almost as likely that no one but you will notice it. I really believe that subbing is a fantastic way to get into education. I learned more from my days as a sub on how to be a teacher than I did through the whole of my graduate school program.

Another blog that I like that discusses how to become a teacher and substitute teaching is Road to Teaching, http://roadtoteaching.com/

Interesting article from Yahoo

http://smallbusinessanswers.yahoo.com/overrated

Remember when we were in junior high or high school? When you would call the girl or boy you liked, dial their number and then hang up real quick once they answered? Ahh, the good ol’ days. Or remember watching the Simpsons and listening to Bart crank call Moe’s Tavern? Funny stuff that Bart.

Ring Ring...crazy person on the line

Since starting my own business, a tutoring company, I have had some annoying, albeit interesting, crank calls. Five of those that were especially crazy stick out in my memories.

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– A girl called saying she was a homeless Romanian gypsy; wanted to learn how to read and write. She was homeless but wanted to pay by check. When I asked where Romania was, she said North Africa. When I asked her how she found out about our company, she said she looked it up on the internet. How exactly does a homeless person who can’t read or write or spell know how to search on the internet?

– A man called, after business hours, and left a message. In a very weird voice said, “Umm, I want, I want some of your tutoring…yea, yea, I want to get tutored. Hahahahah ‘F&^k You.’ My number is 555-555-5555″ The idiot left his phone number to that horrid message.

— A girl called to say that she doesn’t know how to read or write, but has to get her GED. She ran out of her trust fund and now needed an education. When I asked what was the last grade she completed, she said 10th grade. I asked if she knew how to read/write to that level – she said yes, but not after that. And that her trust fund ran out so now she needed to learn.

— A man called wanting tutoring for his special needs son. Wanted his son to learn ‘basic life skills.’ I actually believed this one, so I showed up to the appointment. No father, no son. When I called the phone number given to me – it was disconnected.

—A mother ‘desperate’ for tutoring for her son made me schedule a weekend appointment. I showed up, so did she — without the son. Instead of the consultation she wanted all of our forms and paperwork so she could take it home (all of our documents are copyrighted). She said to bill her for the time. Never could do that without an address or a consultation. Never heard from again.

There are other ones, but those are definitely the five weirdest.

Even though it takes time away from my day to handle crank phone calls, I learn a very valuable lesson from them.

When I first started my business, I would show up to all of the booked appointments, even when the customer didn’t. It was a loss of my time and my money. Each one of those ‘no show’ consultations led to a major change in our company’s policy. Now, for each consult we require a depost. Since the inception of the deposit requirement, I have only had one person never show up.

By looking at the whole picture, it’s easy to be irritated. But for me, I think it’s funny. Come on, how many homeless Romanian gypsies do you know that have a checking account? Plus, now, I’ve learned from those experiences, made my company stronger, and I am more protected from the gypsies.

Although this blog is centered in Portland, Oregon I work diligently to provide information and resources that pertain to education and small businesses from around the United States. However, I found a list of statistics that are specifically about PDX and felt that this was an opportunity to shine a line on Oregon.

PDX Index for Small Businesses by Ariel Bleicher, printed in Portland Monthly Magazine

17 Age of Paresh Patel in 1992, when he started Courtesy Vending with one machine; today the company has 1,500 machines.

26 percent of small businesses owned by women in Oregon.

73 percent of small businesses in Oregon with no employees other than the owner (in other words, sole proprietorship).

95 percent of businesses in the metro area with fifty or less employees.

500 maximum number of employees a magazine publisher can hire and still qualify as a small business.

1,000 is the maximum number of employees a cereal manufacturer can hire and still qualify as a small business.

1,239 number of loans (totaling $273 million) the Small Business Administration granted to Portland businesses in 2008.

259,023 number of Oregonians employed by small businesses in Portland.

Do you know how your city or state compares?

In the current economic recession, more people are going through the interview process than a decade ago. For many people, they are entering a new market of hiring and interviewing. No longer are employers satisfied with people who have a bit of experience or a Bachelor’s degree. No longer is it assumed that every qualified job seeker is going to be given a face-to-face interview. Here are some tips for those new interviewees.

All of these steps deal with being prepared and focused; if you can’t do these you should ask your interviewer for the chance to reschedule. By doing so, it demonstrates to your potential boss that you are serious and passionate about performing well – in all situations. This is definitely a quality that employers are looking for.

1. Know What You Are Talking About
a. Know what you’re talking about
b. Have information about the company and position readily available

2. Use a Quiet Space
a. Somewhere in your home that is clear of distractions
b. Barking dogs, car traffic, and screaming kids don’t help
c. Aside from the noise aspect, these distractions will pull your focus away from the task at hand

3. Take Your Time
a. Don’t rush your answers
b. Speak clearly – be articulate and professional
c. Do Not use slang; ‘umm’, ‘ya know’ or ‘yup’ are not things your interviewer wants to hear

4. Have a Reliable Phone Line
a. If using a cell phone make sure that it has a clear and full range of signal
b. It is preferable to have a land line for these situation
c. Ignore or turn off your call waiting

5. Keep Your Resume and Cover Letter Handy
a. This is especially important if you have applied for multiple positions; you want to keep each one clear
b. This assists you in knowing what your interviewer is looking at
c. You are able to focus, highlight, and reiterate your ‘selling points’ to your interviewer

6. Take Notes
a. Remember, you may be receiving a 2nd interview or a face-to-face interview later on – these notes will be of assistance
b. You should write the name(s) and position(s) of people that you are speaking with
c. It is not uncommon to have group phone interviews [this was the case in my situation]
d. You will most likely not be able to recall all details said, so notes would be a smart asset.

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Recently, an article from The Week, was about phone interviews. It is included here.

It used to be that job candidates could “breeze through” phone interviews quickly by answering a few “softball questions,” said Sarah Needleman in the Wall Street Journal. But now that employers are faced with piles of qualified applicants, a phone interview can be more than just a formality. These days, it’s often a one-hour affair loaded with “the kinds of in-depth questions previously reserved for finalists.” That means you’ll want to prepare for it with the same diligence that you’d approach a face-to-face interview.

When it’s time for the interview, lock yourself in a quiet room armed with such essentials” as your resume and the company’s background information, said Joyce Lain Kennedy in the Hartford Courant. Remember to turn off the call-waiting feature. “Interruptions are unprofessional and show that details get away from you.” Make a conscious effort not to ramble, which is easy to do on the phone. Pithy, positive answers can be the difference between getting cut or getting another call back. If an interviewer calls you without advance warning, don’t try to improvise. “Say you have to leave immediately for an appointment, and pleasantly ask if you can reschedule.”

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On a side note, a few years ago I had a phone interview. It was definitely impromptu, I had no idea I was even being considered for the position. Although it went well, I did accept the job, it would have been helpful to know these bits of information. I would have taken the time to reschedule the interview, especially now that the market has changed for teaching roles. I would consider this to be a great piece of information to have.

Trying is a polite way of saying, failing. Trying not to eat meat, when you are already eating meat, trying to study more, when you really watching TV, trying to get your copyright material, when in actuality you haven’t even contacted the office.

By saying try is a way to give yourself permission to fail; it’s an excuse, a get of a jail free card. In some countries the word ‘try’ isn’t even a word – because it really doesn’t do anything to help explain what it is that you are doing. Either you are not eating meat or you are eating meat – there aren’t shades of grey.

The point of bringing this up, is that without even realizing it, by saying ‘try’ you are setting yourself up to fail. And it takes it’s toll on you – mentally and emotionally. There will be part of you that feels relieved that you have more time accomplish your task, but instead of being proactive – you are setting yourself up for failure. You also are more likely to feel bad about yourself. When you say, “I’m trying to complete this research paper”, and you really aren’t – there is a greater likelihood that you are going to mentally berate yourself for not doing the research paper. That is no way to go about completing your tasks that are important to you.

So instead, do this.

Think of new ways to describe what you are doing. Working Towards, cutting down, etc. But do it more incrementally it if that helps; take smaller steps. Or, if the task you have is a larger one – say making a business plan; set out which part you will do first. Then ou are making that your task, i.e. ‘Today I am going to lay out the marketing plan for the business plan, not ‘Today I’m going to try and finish my business plan.’

By using these methods and strategies you will notice that you are able to achieve more in a smaller amount of time. Plus, you will feel more confident about yourself and what you are accomplishing

Stop making excuses, start making changes. Today. Or at least, try to.

I stink at tests; taking them that is, not giving them. I am pretty great at giving tests. But really, what teacher isn’t? ☺ Which is why I always get so nervous when I have to take an exam.

I am a licensed teacher in two states; and to become so I have taken a total of thirteen (yes, 13) tests. This past June, on June 13th actually, I took test thirteen. And I was terrified.

It isn’t that I don’t feel comfortable with the material – quite the opposite I am very familiar with it; that being ESL, English as a Second Language. I taught ESL in two different states actually. Furthermore, I really enjoy the topic, the students that I get to help, and what it means to be an ESL teacher.

But that didn’t stop me from being completely petrified to take this exam. And really, it was probably the scariest of all the tests I’ve had to take.

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As a teacher, and a tutor, I have not only assisted my students (children and adults) in preparing for exams, I have taken classes on how to best help my students learn about their topics, as well as, give them studying and test taking strategies. Yet, when it came to applying those same strategies and techniques to my own study habits – I faltered in the beginning.

For the first two months that I knew I was taking this test, I didn’t study at all. The next month, I pulled out all of my old notebooks, teaching manuals, and graduate school textbooks. I glanced at them, chuckled at passages that reminded me of what I had taught. Then, two months before the exam I finally looked up online the requirements of the test – and I became very scared. “Auxiliary Verbs? Labial Consonant Blends? What is the significance of the Lau verdict?” Umm…what? I freaked out. I panicked. I had no idea what these terms meant and what their meaning was as it related to ESL.

Luckily, I had just finished tutoring an adult student on an exam. By reevaluating the study techniques I gave them, I realized what steps I needed to take to ensure I was to (hopefully) be successful on my exam.

For the remaining six weeks, I studied a bit each day, reviewed key philosophies, and went over important dates and individuals. In short, I did the work that I would have assigned to one of my students in order to assist them in being a successful test taker.

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A month ago, I took my exam. And today I received the results. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. In fact, I was so concerned about the outcome of this exam I barely told anyone that I took it.

I am thrilled to say – I PASSED! (Can I get a WooHoo??)

For me, taking this test was a reevaluation and reaffirmation of why I am in teaching. In the past, I would tell my students about my fear of exams, things that I would do to help me feel more confident; but now, I have fresh memories and experiences available to me. Ones that will allow me to grow as an educator and an entrepreneur.

Plus – it’s always better to tell people about tests you’ve taken once you’ve passed!!!

The majority of small businesses are ones that sell a product. Furthermore, when a person begins to consider self-employment it tends to be because they have an idea for a new product, or a way to make an existing one better. In order to ensure that you can move forward with your new idea, securing a patent is essential.

Below is a recent article I read from Popular Science; which lists the detailed steps it takes in getting a patent.

Be the first.
Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s site (Uspto.gov) to make sure an “idea like yours” hasn’t been patented.

Avoid the obvious.
Your idea should be a distinctive concept that someone with an “ordinary skill level” couldn’t have created.

Hire a patent draftsman.
Even if your invention makes complete sense to you, “at least one drawing” is necessary to meet federal patent requirements.

Hire a lawyer.
Having an attorney betters the chances of receiving a patent. But be careful not to hire any “shady” firm that demands a cut of the proceeds.

Be patient.
The patent process can take anywhere from “two to five” years. If people infringe on your idea during that time, give them notice and “collect damages” afterward.

Source: Popular Science

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/94730/Tip_of_the_week_How_to_secure_a_patent

Recently, I was tutoring a student who failed to bring any of his materials to our session. Luckily, we were at the library and I knew that we wouldn’t be spending the next hour staring at the ceiling. Instead, we used the Internet, the resource books, and free homework supplies from the library and created a powerful lesson that the student was then able to incorporate into his work at school.

That experience made me think that most people probably don’t realize just how much our local libraries are able to do for us. Practically everyone knows that their local library is the place to go and get books for free. And even though this is true, there are multiple resources available at the library that you might be missing out on.

1. Quiet Spaces

a. The library is a place where a person can take a book or magazine, find a quiet place to read, and just relax with their written material.
b. It’s also a great way to study or to conduct business there (I’ve seen people tutoring, using a Public Notary, and getting their taxes done at the library).
c. Most libraries have quiet areas to read; as well as couches, lounge chairs, and tables to work, read, or study on.

2. Free Resources

a. People already know about getting books there, but you can also rent DVDs, audiobooks, and CDs from the library. These can include David Bowie’s CDs, historical movies, and children’s programs.
b. Plus each library has pamphlets, brochures, newspapers, and magazines from organizations in the community – letting patrons know what is happening in their city.
c. The Internet is available as well for those who have a valid library card.

3. Knowledgeable Staff

a. Every library has licensed and well-trained librarians, technicians, and staff. From individuals who can assist you in doing research online, reserving books from other libraries, to finding out when the next class for Flower-Pressing is.

4. Seminars and Classes

a. From Toddler Time, Mommy and Me classes, Story Hour, to AARP enrollment programs, seminars on how to do your taxes, all the way to having local health care programs available – the library is a community resource.
b. Also ask a librarian about their ‘Cultural Pass’ – through the library, a person may be able to get a pass to their city’s museums and gardens without having to pay an admission price.
c. Most libraries have calendar of Events newsletters or brochures that highlight what news or programs will be coming there. Another of the great resources available.

5. Research Tools

a. Online Resources – downloading audiobooks, having an index to periodicals, utilizing microfiche, dictionaries, encyclopedias, business directories, and more. There are even some libraries that have lesson plans that teachers, schools, and homeschooling educators can use.
b. Inside of the library, all of the same online resources are available and more. Whether it is to find out about local city planning and development, research one of Shakespeare’s play, or to create a timeline of David Bowie’s catalog of musical achievements – there are a plethora of resources available from the library.

6. Community Outreach and Support

a. As mentioned in the seminars and classes component, local businesses and entrepreneurs can utilize the facilities and meeting rooms that are available at the library. This creates more opportunities for those establishments to connect with the local community.
b. Don’t forget about the free brochures, calendar of events, newsletters, periodicals, magazines! These materials from local groups, community partners, educational programs, performing arts organizations, etc. are available to the public. They can be found when looking at the community bulletin boards in the library.
c. With all that libraries provide to its residents, there are ways to give back – and the easiest of those is to volunteer. All libraries are looking for volunteers, and that doesn’t necessarily mean just adults. Children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly are all welcome to give some of their free-time to assist the library in maintaining their high level of service. There are also libraries that have partnerships with city agencies that assist adults with mental or physical limitations, in allowing them to gain on the job skill training.

Overall, it’s obvious that your library has many untapped resources that are just waiting for you to go and claim. Surely, whatever you are looking for – something fun or educational – the local services at your library will be there to assist you.