I fired my periodontist today

If you want to know why, you can read this open letter I wrote to him, the jerk. Since I wrote that letter, however, I've had time to think that if only I could have a dialogue with him, maybe all would not be lost. I thought we could communicate (when I was not under local anesthetic and emotional duress), and find some common ground.

The best part of this plan was getting to use my newly-acquired feedback giving skills (thanks Phoenix!). First, I asked him if now was a good time to talk about what transpired during the surgery, then, I asked him if I could give him some feedback. He actively hemmed and hawed. Have you ever seen anyone actually make the sounds, "hemm" and "haw" while they cock their head sideways? Well, I have. But he agreed. So I put my discourse on.

I had him for about four minutes. He was following along my line of reasoning, and sort of nodding, and sort of watching me suspiciously. I think it was around the word "misogynistic" that I lost him. He glazed. I kept going like an adrenaline-powered steamroller. I had to say my piece! But in the middle of my speechifying, he got up, interrupting me mid-sentence, and killed a fly on the window. I am not joking. He actually did.

And then I knew that was it. So, using my awesome feedback-giving skill-set, I summed up what I thought he was saying: "So, you are telling me that you will make absolutely no effort to change, nor will you suspend your need to talk during surgical procedures, nor will you apologize?" He answered in the affirmative. So I fired him.

I feel vindicated. I feel like I have asserted my right to be a girl, to have feelings, to be treated nicely, to express myself, and to fucking fire someone who refuses to make my life (and dental aesthetics) better.

black lipstick and caviar

French Vogue, via

Cafes In Damascus

View from the Bosphorous, Istanbul

"And Mahomet turned aside, and would not enter the fair city: ' It is,' said he, ' too delicious.' "

LANGUIDLY the night-wind bloweth From the gardens round, Where the clear Barrada floweth With a lulling sound. Not the lute-note's sweet shiver Can such music find, As is on a wandering river, On a wandering wind. There the Moslem leaneth, dreaming O'er the inward world, While around the fragrant steaming Of the smoke is curled. Rising from the coffee berry, Dark grape of the South; Or the pipe of polished cherry, With its amber mouth. Cooled by passing through the water, Gurgling as it flows— Scented by the Summer's daughter, June's impassioned rose. By that rose's spirit haunted Are the dreams that rise, Of far lands, and lives enchanted, And of deep black eyes. Thus with some sweet dream's assistance, Float they down life's stream; Would to heaven our whole existence Could be such a dream! • The cafes are perhaps the greatest luxury that a stranger finds in Damascus. Gardens, klosquel, fountains, and groves, are abundant around every Eastern capital; but cafes on the very bosom of a rapid river, and bathed by its waves, are peculiar to this ancient city : they are formed so as to exclude the rays of the sun while they admit the breeze. ---Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Having never read any L.E.L. before, I chose this poem because the title reminds me of Byron's sumptuousness and the East-meets-West quality of hanging about in Istanbul. It was Ramadan when I was there. At  the call to prayer, as the sun descended, Turkish families would begin eating elaborate picnics under the backlit-beauty of the Blue Mosque. That, or they would tear open bags of take-away McDonald's-- as the time to break the fast approached, there was a line-up around the block. 



Reading this poem aloud to myself, I am reminded of Keats more than of Byron. Perhaps it's the meditative quality, or the way this sensual experience-- looking onto the river, seeing the mosque in the distance, smelling the spicy coffee-- quickly becomes inward-looking and dreamlike. Like Keats, she writes a rich imagined life. Also, there is the feeling I get that L.E.L. herself never visited Syria (google scholar reveals no evidence... though she did sail to the Cape Coast in 1838 where she died of an overdose of prussic acid.) The Barada is the main river running through Damascus, the capital of Syria.



In the Memoir prefacing her collected works, she is described as the kind of woman with whom I would have gotten along, but I can imagine her butting heads with Wordsworth:


"...a creature of town and social life. The bulk of her existence was spent in Hans-place, Sloane-street, Chelsea. Like Charles Lamb, she was so moulded to London habits and tastes, that that was the world'to her. The country was not to her what it is to those who have passed a happy youth there, and learned to sympathize with its spirit and enjoy its calm. In one respect she was right. Those who look for society alone in the country, are not likely to be much pleased with the change from London, where every species of Intelligence concentrates; where the rust of intellectual sloth is briskly rubbed off; and old prejudices, which often lie like fogs in low still Books in the country, are blown away by the lively winds of discussion. Dr. Sam. Johnson, said on one occasion: " Sir, the man that is tired of London, is tired of life;" and on another, in reply to a question asked him of his preferences, while in Scotland, "the finest sight I saw, was the road to London."

An Open Letter to my Periodontist

Dear Dr. ---,

After having a bone graft in the front of my mouth this morning, I felt inspired to write you this letter, to let you know that I am thinking of you. When I walked in the door and was greeted by your smiling secretary, it's true that I was not terribly excited to be there. But I smiled. Brave-faced, grinning toothlessly, I was going to face this day with fortitude and the Buddhist precepts of non-reaction I so admire.*

Your dental technician froze my mouth and your dental assistant industriously sterilized tools. She asked me if I needed to tell her anything, and when I waited for her to turn around and look at me while I responded (she never did) I began to feel less like a punchy PhD student with a personality and life-story all my own, and more like a piece of dental equipment in need of tuning up. She said, "I'm listening!" while scrubbing the countertop. To her vigorous shoulders I tried to explain my medical history.

Now, the star of the show, Dr. ---, you came in the door. I didn't smile at you, it's true. I was nervous. I had recurring images of the scalpel slicing my gum tissue apart like Dexter does to his victim's cheeks right before he saws their bodies into roast-sized pieces and throws them in the ocean. You asked me how I was and I think I responded, "wondrous." At the time, I believed that you would note the sarcasm and chuckle to yourself, thinking that those who use humor to relieve tension are often the most ill at ease. Uncomfortable. Scared, even. Now that I know you better, however, it is clear to me that you lack even the most basic level of human empathy.

There were more needles. You pricked in a carefree way, most unlike the dental technician, who had been gentle and slow. I winced. Your dental assistant asked you about your lawn. Had you gotten around to it? No, came your reply, you had to go look at some tables, and then get groceries, and had not had time for the lawn. Ah, said your assistant. Mine really needs some attention. Oh yeah? Yeah. It's a mess. How's your mother? Oh she's good. You know she's deaf in one ear. She had her hearing aid turned way up the other day and I scared her half to death when I turned the radio on, she was like, ---- (the dental assistant must have done a shocking rendition of her mother's half-dead face because you stopped working on my mouth to look up and chortle). How are the kids? Oh, good. You know. I'm taking Bobby golfing. Nine holes? No, he can do eighteen these days. That's great. He's a trooper. And it was at this point that I felt the pressure of the scalpel and the scraping of skin away from bone. There was no pain. Only a feeling of stress and discomfort as my heart started to race. As your especially inane conversation began to pick up again, I stopped you.

Excuse me? I said in a small, slurred voice.

Yes?

Could you please not gossip while you work on me, it's making me very nervous. I'm feeling really anxious.

At this point, you could have said something like, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were feeling so unhappy. Our conversation can definitely wait twenty minutes while we finish here. And I would have felt a little better, and probably would have focused more on my yogic breathing, and probably would not have started crying or hyperventilating. But instead, you, Dr. ----, chose to respond in this manner:

We're not gossiping. We do this all day every day, so we're going to just continue talking, thank you very much.

Your tone of voice was incredibly rude and haughty; there was no room for me in this room, apparently. I am just a mouth with teeth in it and I should shut up. As you continued to saw away at my jawbone and gums, I began to cry, because I was helpless.

You stopped working. You said, should I just close you up and we can do this another day then? You commanded me to close my mouth around some gauze, and then you got up and left the room. To give me time to "cool off."

The dental assistant asked me if I was okay. She lectured me about breathing. She told me to try harder and then to "try differently." You came back into the room and asked me if I was ready to "work together on this."

When I replied in the affirmative, you asked your assistant about her weekend. She was planning on going to a fortieth birthday party, perhaps. Perhaps? Like, you don't know whether or not you will go, or you don't know if you are actually invited (chuckle). Oh, I don't know if I am going to go. I've got a running schedule and I don't know if I can be bothered. You know, I like to run around MacKenzie. Lot's of trees. Oh yeah? Pine trees. Really? Yeah, it's lovely. Nice. ...And your brother? How's he? He's great. Tried to Skype him yesterday. Did it work? Not bad. Little grainy. Oh yeah, it can be like that.

As you are suturing my gumline, all I can think is how self-absorbed you are. No longer am I worried about my surgery. Congratulations, my mind is now on other things. Like, who can't stop the most boring conversation in the world for twenty minutes in order to make the life of one patient a little bit better? I am thinking about how little respect you have for me. I am thinking about how incredibly pointed all your questions are, as if you now have something invested in keeping the conversation going. And I am thinking about your dental assistant, and how she keeps inviting you to ask questions, and how she responds in kind. Both of you are assholes. That is what I am thinking. I start breathing rapidly. The remains of my tears have turned into that hyperventilating breathing thing that occurs at the end of a good cry.

You push the chair back, stand up. As you leave the room again, Dr. ----, you say to me "You're being awfully high-maintenance."

If I was anyone other than a slender young woman, would that comment have left your lips? Let me respond, Dr. ----, by saying that you are misogynistic and your ego is so big it leaves no room for kindness or empathy. You are disrespectful because you make too much money doing a job that requires, apparently, so little effort that having a completely unrelated conversation while doing it is actually a necessity. You are mean, Dr. ----. If I am being perfectly honest here, you hurt my feelings by not respecting me, and while you were in a position of total power (if you don't shut-up your mouth will be fucked) you expect me to comply and treat me like nothing.

I am so angry at you, Dr. ----. I am sitting here, waiting for the freezing to wear off so I can pop a Tylenol 3, and I am seething with rage that you should be so awful. If I was a man, would you have acted thus? If I was even a middle-aged woman? I'm willing to guess not. I am shocked and amazed and angry.

My greatest wish, at the moment, is that this letter reaches you in a dream, or a nightmare.

Sincerely,

Carmen Faye


* see the Tibetan Book of Thoroughbred Training.

Faculty Experiences with Bullying in Higher Education: Causes, Consequences, and Management

...Surprisingly, university-based researchers have paid relatively little attention to bullying in their own backyards. This is an interesting oversight for a number of reasons. First, it stands in contrast to reliable evidence of other forms of hostile and demeaning behaviors on campus such as student and faculty incivility in the classroom (e.g., Braxton & Bayer, 2004). Second, the quality of interpersonal relations, such as collegiality, is an important factor in retention of faculty (Norman, Ambrose, & Huston, 2006). Third, the extensive literature on conflict and misconduct in higher education (Cameron, Meyers, & Olswang, 2005; Euben & Lee, 2006; Holton, 1998) highlights the structural and interpersonal opportunities for disagreement and potentially for hostility in such settings. Finally, the academic environment has a number of organizational and work features that increase the likelihood of hostile interpersonal behaviors (Neuman & Baron, 2003; Twale & De Luca, 2008).

While academics have paid little systematic empirical research attention to bullying in academic settings, this has not been the case in several popular online outlets and more traditional trade publications. For example, http://bulliedacademics.blogspot.com and www.mobbingportal. com/index.html represent some online destinations. In terms of a respected “industry” publication, the Chronicle of Higher Education has published numerous articles recently on the hostility and mistreatment that occurs on campuses (e.g., Fogg, 2008; Gravois, 2006). This suggests that academic settings are worthy and in need of concerted attention by researchers in workplace aggression and bullying.

...First, the rates of bullying seem relatively high when compared to those noted in the general population, which range from 2% to 5% in Scandinavian countries, 10% to 20% in the UK, and 10% to 14% in the United States (Keashly & Jagatic, in press; Rayner & Cooper, 2006).

...in our recent study conducted with university employees (Keashly & Neuman, 2008), colleagues were more likely to be identified as bullies by faculty (63.4%), while superiors were more likely to be identified as bullies by frontline staff (52.9%). Contrary to the current emphasis on student incivility, faculty concern about workplace harassment was more likely to be associated with colleagues (especially senior colleagues) and superiors much more frequently than with students. These findings support the importance of focusing on faculty behaviors in understanding bullying in academic settings.

Another observation is that the experiences reported involved two or more actors, that is, mobbing. Westhues (2004), in discussing the mobbing of professors by their colleagues and administrators, has argued that the experience of being mobbed is very different from the experience (however upsetting) of being harassed by a single actor. In our 2008 sample, we found that rates of mobbing differed as a function of the occupational group being studied. Faculty members were almost twice as likely as staff to report being the victims of mobbing by three or more actors (14.5% vs. 8%, respectively). Frontline (nonacademic) staff members, on the other hand, were 1.5 times more likely to be bullied by a single perpetrator. These occupational group differences, and the possibility of some differences in antecedents, consequences, and dynamics, support our focus on faculty experiences for this article.

When bullying/mobbing occurs, it tends to be long-standing. McKay et al. (2008) found that 21% of their sample reported bullying that had persisted for more than five years in duration. In our 2008 study, 32% of the overall sample (faculty, staff, administrators, etc.) reported bullying lasting for more than three years. This percentage increased to 49% when we focused on faculty. It may be that academia is a particularly vulnerable setting for such persistent aggression as a result of tenure, which has faculty and some staff in very long-term relationships with one another... Further, while ensuring a “job for life,” tenure may also restrict mobility so that once a situation goes bad, there are few options for leaving.

...Of all the types of bullying discussed in the literature (e.g., Einarsen & Mikkelsen, 2003), the behaviors most frequently cited in academia involve threats to professional status and isolating and obstructional behavior (i.e., thwarting the target’s ability to obtain important objectives)...

Proposition 1: When faculty bullying does occur, aggression will be indirect (as opposed to direct) in form, given the norms of academic discourse and collegiality...

Proposition 2: Tenured faculty exposed to bullying will be more likely than untenured faculty to “retire on the job,” or lower the quality of their courses, or less likely to engage in “discretionary” service-related behavior...

In sum, the studies reviewed here suggest that workplace aggression, bullying, and mobbing are part of the academic landscape, and their impact not only can be damaging to the targets and bystanders, but also may adversely affect the learning environment and the institution itself...

Proposition 3: In general, perceived norm violations will result in higher levels of direct aggression and bullying on the part of senior (as opposed to junior) tenured faculty members.

Proposition 4: Senior (tenured) faculty members will direct their aggression and bullying against untenured faculty members who are lower in rank, students, or staff.

Proposition 5: Senior faculty members will be more likely to engage in indirect forms of aggression against colleagues of equal rank, department chairs, and other senior administrators...

Proposition 6: The experience of frustration and stress among junior (untenured) faculty will result in higher levels of indirect and passive aggression against the perceived source(s) of that frustration and stress...

Proposition 7: Increased levels of cost-cutting measures will be associated with increased levels of negative affect, unpleasant physiological arousal, and, ultimately, workplace aggression and bullying by faculty...

This analysis suggests that faculty may have little motivation (or perceive themselves as not having the “legitimate” authority) to handle issues with “difficult” colleagues—allowing situations to escalate, resulting in a toxic climate and an increased likelihood of aggression and bullying. Recent research suggests that faculty find such circumstances difficult and often intolerable. For example, Ambrose, Huston, and Norman (2005) found that lack of collegiality was a key influence in the dissatisfaction of current and former faculty, resulting in their decisions to leave their institutions...

We believe that we have demonstrated that aggression and bullying is part of faculty experiences, and the potential consequences of these behaviors... Over the past 10–15 years, researchers have learned quite a bit about workplace aggression and bullying in a variety of organizational settings, but very limited attention has been focused on bullying in the academy. We have suggested there are contextual factors that seem unique to institutions of higher education that have been strongly linked to the onset of aggression both theoretically and empirically. Consequently, we believe that there is sufficient justification for pursuing more systematic research on bullying and aggression to better understand the nature, causes, consequences, and management of such damaging behaviors within institutions of higher education...

Keashly, L. & Neuman, J.H. (2010). Faculty Experiences with Bullying in Higher Education: Causes, Consequences, and Management. Administrative Theory & Praxis, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 48–70.

The Tibetan Book of Thoroughbred Training

I'm rereading Jane Smiley's Horse Heaven, one of my favourite books of all time. To be perfectly honest, I've got it on booktape, so I'm actually re-listening. One of the characters, a horsetrainer named Farley, has a poster tacked to his door...

The Tibetan Book of Thoroughbred Training

1. Do not pay attention or investigate; leave your mind to its own sphere

2. Do not see any fault anywhere

3. Do not take anything to heart

4. Do not hanker after signs of progress

5. Although this may be called inattention, do not fall prey to laziness

6. Be in a state of constant inspection

(Tilda Swinton pic via)

muster the troops!

It's been too too long

since I've done enough sitting around-- I mean, work-- that I feel the need to update you, personal blogspot. I mean, Turkey was amazing. I had lots of adventures. But I was so busy having adventures that I had no time to update you about all the shenanigans.

Teaching Online In College Degree Courses

Online college degree courses have changed the way we view education and with it there has been a surge in demand for professors and teachers in online colleges. Online enrollment is growing rapidly with colleges offering entire degree programs via internet and with some colleges even offering extra curricular courses to supplement their regular courses. Teaching online opens up a new adjunct in a teacher's life as he grows to accept the challenges in modern education system and learns a lot of different ways to touch the students.

Technological advancements has made it possible for teachers to engage in online teaching, provided they have a master's degree in the core curriculum subject. Most colleges are engaging in quality distance learning programs to provide their students an effective way to be educated at reasonable costs. Teaching online in college degree courses is growing as more students are migrating from their regular classes to online classes to earn their bachelor degree or their online master degree.

Every online teacher must understand that time management is of utmost importance. Teaching at multiple online college classes for a variety of online universities would require a lot of time but if one can effectively manage his time then he would easily acquire an income that equals a corporate check. Internet connection and laptop is of paramount need without which an online teacher can never access online college classrooms. Teachers need to be available online to answer the queries of the students and engage in discussions and homework to understand the students.

The biggest benefit of online teaching is that it is available 24/7 for any person to enroll and gain learning. Even working adults come forward to join online degree courses because they can afford the flexible time schedule.

Online teachers should always be aware of these situations. They must be prepared to dedicate a fair amount of their everyday time and teach the students effectively. Teaching online in college degree courses requires continued discourse and discussion and sometimes giving feedback and answering questions in almost real time can get difficult and time consuming. Thus, every online teacher must be prepared to be dedicated and self-disciplined to meet the school's deadlines and participate in discussion threads to establish connection with the students. All in all, online teaching can be a very fruitful experience and it is sure to lead you to better avenues of earning.

Traditional Online College Degree Programs

Traditional colleges have been expanding their traditional college degrees, to the online world and making traditional online degree programs easy to access for those who cannot attend a traditional campus. For those who have a work life and are unable to, finish their schooling in the traditional way, will be able to have more flexibility with this setup as they are able to do it from the comforts of their own home. This way allows them more freedom to attend work, and go about doing their day to day activities in a more freeing way, than they would if they had to go to a traditional school.

Traditional online college degree programs, still provide students with the same curriculum that is offered to the students who attend campus. This online programs ranges from associate programs, to bachelor programs, to masters and even doctrine programs that can be accessed online. These traditional online college degree programs give students the same experiences of being a student as they would be if they were attending a traditional college campus.

As student online, taking traditional online college degree programs, you will still be able to receive assistance from teachers, a curriculum, a timetable, lecture notes and assignments. By having access to all of this information is a must, as this will ensure that you will do well in your degree. If you are applying to an online school that doesn't have any of these features you will need to look else where, and find a school that will give you all the assistance that you need just like a traditional college.

As a student taking traditional online college degree programs, you will need to have access to a reliable computer, as well as reliable internet. Failure to have reliable equipment will make it very difficult for you to complete this course, and receive all the information on your assignments and assignment deadlines that you will need.

All though there is more flexibility with studying a traditional online college degree programs, test and exam times will be set and will need to be done as they are allocated by the school. This only ensures that you have the same treatment as students who attend traditional campus, as they to have to sit allocated test and exams.

When looking for a traditional online college degree programs, ensure that it has all the requirements that it needs to give you the right education for the degree that you are completing, and do your background checking. This schools who are enabling students to take traditional online college degree programs, need to be accredited by the education board, if they are not, then your certificate will have no legitimacy.

Education Degrees For Aspiring Teachers

Those who aspire to the challenges of teaching are required to obtain certain Education degrees to be considered for employment by a school. If you have always thought you would be a great teacher, you will want to obtain one or more degrees in Education from a good college or university degree program.

There are several levels of Education degrees available, as well as many specialties you can choose. If you are just out of high school, you will want to choose a good undergraduate degree program to obtain your Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Arts (AA) degree with an emphasis on Education. Depending on the specific focus of your studies, you could qualify to be a teacher's aide with an AS or AA degree.

If your goal is to instruct elementary or high school students, you can qualify with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Elementary Education or Bachelor of Science (BS) with an emphasis on a specific area such as science or mathematics. Those who are interested in teaching at the college level will be required to hold a minimum of a Master's degree in Education; oftentimes the best universities will only hire professors who hold a Doctorate Degree (depending on the specific field of instruction).

To be sure, advanced degrees are offered by hundreds of good, campus-based colleges and universities. Even more exciting, it is possible to earn valuable Education degrees online, at both the graduate and postgraduate levels. This is welcome news for those who are already employed full time and unable to miss work to go back to college. Online degree programs could allow you to learn to be a teacher at times and locations that are convenient to you.

So, if teaching is the occupation you most desire, there is no reason to hesitate. Contact a few of the colleges on our website that offer Degrees in Education and request more information to help you choose the right academic path for you

Online Teaching Program - The Alternative Option to Earn Your Teaching Credentials

Earning a teaching certification has never been easier with the available of online education programs. Today, many colleges which offer teaching degree programs have made their courses available online. The online teaching programs provide teachers who wish to pursue advanced career training in their teaching field an alternative option to complete their courses without affecting with their teaching job.

Online learning programs are becoming increasing popular mainly due to the advantages that benefits most working individuals: the lessons are accessible 24/7 and you can access the learning materials from anywhere either at your workplace or from your comfort home. Teachers who are also parents will find online teaching program a good option to earn their teaching credentials while continue to stay focus on their family.

Although there are many advantages of taking the courses online, it may not benefit you if you are not the right candidate to be a successful online student. There are a few things that you need to take into consideration before you decide to earn your teaching credentials through online learning media. Online learning is different from the traditional class-based learning style; it requires you to have very good reading comprehension because the learning materials are mainly in text format. Self-motivation is another important element that an online learner should equip with if you want to successful complete your study. Additionally, you should have the basic knowledge on using online tools such as email, online chat and discussion forum because these are the major communication channels among online students and lecturers. Once, you have confirmed that you are able to adapt to the online learning style, then you should not face any problem in earning our teaching credential through online teaching program.

The online teaching programs with various specializations cover almost all teaching fields such as adult education, corporate training, curriculum design, distance education, early childhood education, education administration, K-12 education and special education. Hence, you should be able to find the online courses that meet the area of interest in earning your teaching credentials.

Although there may be too many schools that offer online teaching programs and it may causes some difficulties to choose one that the best fit your teaching needs; But, requesting information from these schools is never been easier through online request form offer by various education portals or the school's website.

What you need to do is fill up the free information request form and the information will be sent to your email address within minutes. Once, you have received the online teaching program information, review careful to ensure the courses offered in the program meet you teaching goal and the school which offers the program is properly accredited by an accrediting agency before you enroll into the online teaching program.

Online Teaching Jobs Offer Opportunities For Teachers

The classic model of the teacher and tutor revolved around the student and instructor in the same room working on a particular subject. This mode of instruction had remained unchanged for centuries. Today, the internet has dramatically altered the way students and teachers conduct their business. This alteration has certainly proven to be for the better since students can access help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and on any subject. For the teacher, there is another added benefit: there are many great opportunities for online teaching jobs.

These online teaching jobs have many excellent benefits associated with them. For starters, these jobs can be performed right from home and with little additional cost and overhead. All that is needed is a reliable high speed internet connection and viable online communications programs such as Skype and webcam systems. Yes, mere basic internet communication devices are all that is needed to be 'in business' with online teaching jobs.

And it is no secret that a lucrative income can be procured from online teaching jobs. The fees associated with a quality tutorial service can be more than fair. Those looking for a solid work from home job would most definitely benefit from working with such a service.

However, it is important to point out that one does need to possess the proper qualifications for online teaching jobs. These are most certainly not fly by night opportunities that anyone can just sign on with. Skill and experience is mandatory in order to procure an offer from a reputable job service. In general, a formal education in the subject and related experience are requirements for being able to teach the subject.

Formal education requirements can range depending upon the service that is hiring. Some may accept a 2 year degree while others may require a 4 year degree. And the age of the student you are teaching may have an impact on the educational requirement as well. There is no standardization here so offers will vary depending upon the service that you work with. But, if you have a strong education in the subject of your experience, you will probably not find too many impediments to landing a job.

Prior teaching experience is another plus although there will be services that are willing to hire those with limited experience in this area. Again, the criteria will vary depending upon the service that is explored. In general, most services are not extremely strict on experience requirements unless the course material being taught is intended to be highly specialized.

There are services that offer online teaching jobs and the quality ones are definitely worth looking into. Reliable services that have fair and timely payment plans are most definitely more helpful than those services that are low paying and inconsistent payers as well. The legitimate companies will certainly provide fair pay and reliable payments. That is why working with established and legitimate companies is recommended to those in search of online teaching jobs.

College Funding and Student Loans

Most students do not have a college education handed to them. They have to figure out where they are going to obtain college funding for housing and other needs, and college tuition for the schooling itself. Many students have saved money for college during their high school years by working. Many parents give their children some funding towards college. But there is usually a gap between what funds the student has and what he or she really needs to attend college, whether it is a local school or not.

There are two main sources for education financing. One of these resources is federal financial aid, provided for students whose families are not able to afford the expenses of a college education. This financial aid must be repaid, but there is no interest on the loan unless the student does not repay it after the grace period expires.

Another resource is financial aid or federal student loans that are provided for students whose families can reasonably afford to pay for college. These college loans have interest attached to them, but at a reasonable rate, usually lower than private loans. There are also private loans, usually through a bank or financial institution, but the interest rates are higher than federal student loans.

Some students find that their first student loan did not cover all their years of schooling and all their needs during that time. They may opt to take out another student loan at a later date. That leaves them with multiple loans to repay after they finish college and can be overwhelming. After they finish college and it comes time to repay the loans, the federal government offers to allow them to consolidate student loans, sometimes at a lower rate than the original loans.

Tips For Getting Scholarships

College isn't cheap. It's a serious investment that can have a wonderful return. If you are concerned about finding money for college, you have options. You can apply for grants, grab yourself a loan or two, or look for scholarships.

Looking for scholarships can be a challenge, because there are so many out there, and the application processes are usually pretty involving. It takes work to track down a scholarship that you qualify for. Once you find one, you have to put together an application package with essays, forms and transcripts. This whole process can seem a bit tedious, but when you consider the possible benefits, it really makes sense try.

Here are some tips for getting scholarship money for college:

Start early. Begin applying for college scholarships immediately after you complete the seventh grade. Okay, so that might be a little bit to early to start applying, but it's never to early to start pondering. If you have athletic abilities, hone them and use them as a tool to pay for school. If you're good at music or art or writing or making films or anything, find a way to get paid for being special and creative.

Use the Internet to search the world for scholarships. There's millions of dollars in aid to be had, but you have to apply for it. Look a little bit everyday, and if you find a scholarship that you can apply for, don't hesitate. Get your application in immediately.

Look for scholarships while in high school. You're going to need to have funding lined up for you when you get to college. Utilize your time in high school wisely, so that by the time you get to school, you already have plenty of funding options on the table.

Check out your universities scholarship programs. Find out what scholarships are specific to your college and major. If a former student set up a fund to help kids in your situation, you better know about it and turn in an application.

See if your employer offers any scholarships. Get a job at a fast food place and apply for their corporate dollars. The business will have nice press, and you will have a nice check.

If you don't get to go to school for free, it's not the end of the world, but it's also not the end of your scholarship search. Keep looking for ways to reduce the financial burdens of college. Always keep searching, and you're bound to find something that you qualify for. If you apply and get rejected, use it as motivation. If you let the disappointment get to you, you'll forget how proactive bout your life this whole scholarship search has made you.

Tips on Finding University Scholarships and Other Funding

When considering your career, it is also important to think about the education. Many businesses will not hire without a college education. Canada offers many wonderful universities to choose from for furthering your education. If you are worried over how to pay for a college education, there are many options to choose from such as scholarships or a work program.

The work study programs offered through a university will give you employment on the campus and the part of the money you earn will be used for financing classes. It is a great way to gain experience and pay for your education.

Another option is to apply for grants. The grants are government money you apply for to help with financing your education. A grant will normally pay for an entire semester of classes as well as books. The grants are not required to be paid back and you can receive a grant for each semester.

Student loans are also available, however, these need to be repaid so should be used as a last resort for financing. If you do not complete the education and drop out at any time, you will be required to immediately begin repayment.

A scholarship is an excellent way to fund your education. They are sometimes in small amounts so you may have to apply for several or you can apply for them as well as other means of paying for the classes. Scholarships are available in vast amounts for a large variety of options such as the school you choose or some are available only to women or those of a specific ethnic background. Many times while in high school scholarships will be offered for good grades or specific sport programs.

A good education is important in Canada and the country is very good about the funding's they offer. The universities are excellent in Canada as well. There is funding available through various means such as writing a good essay and doing well on an entrance exam.

The sooner you begin to research the funding possibilities to continue your education the more options you will have. Each university will have additional funding available and they vary according to the school.
If you have been a stay at home mom or are now retired, it is still a perfect time to further your education. It is not unusual for many older adults to go back and complete their educations that they were unable to complete earlier. The best time to go is straight from high school, however, for many that is not possible. There are many funding options available for older adults returning to college.

While in high school getting a position as a volunteer is a great way to seek out possible options for careers. A great many of the businesses that hire volunteers will also provide funding for educations if you continue to work with them following graduation.

There are many excellent choices for Canadian universities and many different available scholarships. The more applications and essays you write, the larger your odds are of getting additional funding for school. For more options go online and search college funding and begin filling out the numerous responses you will get.

Online Degree in Education

An online degree in education is one of the most rewarding degrees you can earn especially if you are an aspiring teacher. Almost everything we learn must be delivered by some sort of teacher. Trainers, instructors, counselors, almost any one can be a teacher.

Education now is one of the largest industries in today's society. Because there are teachers needed everywhere, job opportunities are vast for those who graduate with an online degree. There are many different career paths you can choose from. Some include pre school teachers, elementary school, high school, principals, etc. But the choices are not just limited to schools; there are teaching careers in the culinary industry, driving schools, and many other choices. The flexibility of choosing the subject that you enjoy is what makes this career so rewarding to yourself and to others. There is no standard certification for educators, but almost all of these careers require a degree. A bachelor's degree is the standard for educational careers. The US Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook states that the market for education jobs will increase faster than expected to 2016. Teachers can make a salary of around $47,000 annually, but this amount can be affected by the school or industry they decide to teach in.

Our parents have taught us everything when we weren't able to go out and experience things on our own. Without their teachings, we wouldn't be able to learn to speak, walk, or even eat. If education is a career field you want to pursue, then getting your online degree in education is essential to be certified in teaching. An online degree will allow you to continue work while earning your degree at your own pace.

Online Degree Tips - Your Guide To Online Degree Programs

Deciding if an online business degree is right for you is an easy task. With the wide selection of programs, flexibility and personalized formatting, an online business degree is a great choice for any one new to the business world or those that are very experienced but looking to learn more.

To decide which online business degree is right for you, it is best to decide what your career goals are or what your current job calls for. For instance, if you want to start your own small business, then a degree in marketing may be your best bet. But, if you are currently a manager at your place of business then a leadership degree may get you the skills you need to get a promotion and a raise in your current career.

Other individuals may pursue an online business degree in order to change careers. Many nurses, teachers and other non-business career holders seek online degrees while working at their regular job.

Applying is easy. All you need is a high school diploma or G.E.D and a wilingness to learn. Depending on your previous college experience and work history, you may be able to obtain your business degree in as little as six months.

Before deciding on a university that you are interested in, make sure that they are accredited and the staff has extensive experience in the field that you are interested in.

Once you have decided to enroll, getting started is easy. Most colleges offer year round enrollment so that individuals can get started on their studies right away. After enrolling, most online programs make the coursework available for immediate download so that you can start that very day itself.

What are the Advantages to Completing an Online Bachelors Degree?

An online bachelors degree is a four-year college degree that an individual completes and earns through the Internet. The biggest benefit of an online bachelors degree is that it usually takes less time to complete.

Most individuals can complete their online bachelors degree in as little as three years. If you have prior college credits to transfer or relevant work history to consider, then you can complete your degree in as little as six months.

Another benefit to completing an online bachelors degree is that the course work is extremely flexible. Classes can be taken any time throughout the day and you never have to leave your house. All course work is completed via the Internet either through downloadable lessons or virtual class times.

The average online bachelors degree program requires at least twenty hours of course work a week. But since the course are completed online, individuals can work faster or slower, depending on their schedule, as long as the course is completed within the allowed time frame.

The standard time frame for the course work of an online bachelors degree is one class every five weeks. This schedule allows a student to concentrate solely on one class or module at a time ensuring that they learn all of the information presented in that session. This is an advantage over traditional four year colleges because with an online program you can devote your time to each session without being distracted by other classes and information.

Tuition payment is also easier with an online program. Online degree programs qualify for the same tuition assistance that on-site programs do. Therefore, individuals can apply for student loans, payment plans and employer reimbursement programs. Plus, some online colleges allow the student to pay as they go, cutting down on upfront college costs.

Earning an online bachelors degree is a perfect way for individuals that are currently employed full time to further their careers. By studying online, individuals can keep their regular job and still earn a degree in record time.

To qualify for enrollment, you are only required to have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Since no prior college education is required, online degrees are also the perfect choice for someone that must work full time to pay for.

If you are contemplating earning your bachelors degree, then an online bachelors degree program is definitely worth researching.

Why You Should Choose an Accredited Online Degree

An accredited online degree is a college degree that is received through Internet studies offered by an accredited college. This means that the school or university that is offering the degree has been approved by a national or state board of education.

In order to offer an accredited online degree a college must offer its course work and lesson requirements to the board of education for approval. The board will then go through that course work and make sure that it adheres to the industry standards for completion.

When contemplating completing any type of degree over the Internet it is best to do so with an accredited online degree provider. Accredited degrees are more reputable and the credits transfer to other schools should you ever decide to further your education again.

Online degrees can come in many forms. You can earn an associate's degree, bachelors or masters degree or even a course completion certification diploma.

To earn a masters accredited degree online, you must first possess a bachelors degree from a regular or online college.

To earn a bachelors accredited online degree, you need to have at least a high school diploma or G.E.D.
With both degrees, you can shorten the amount of time it takes to complete by having prior college credits or related work experience.

It usually takes about three years to complete an accredited online degree. This time frame is based on a curriculum of at least twenty hours of course work a week. Some degrees, like a specialized law degree, can take up to four years to complete.

By choosing an accredited online degree program as opposed to a regular degree program, you are choosing a degree of a higher standard. With an accredited degree, there will be more choices opened up to you and more occasions for advancement.

What are Accredited Online Degree Programs?

Accredited online degree programs are college programs that are offered over the Internet by certified schools and universities. Accredited online degree programs are tested and approved by state or national education review boards.

There are many different types being offered on the Internet. These programs include degrees in many different fields such as accounting, law, business management and healthcare.

A few well-known schools that offer accredited online degree programs are Phoenix University, Concord Law School and Pierce University. Accredited online degree programs usually offer a completely off-site program, meaning that the student can access everything they will need to earn a degree from the comfort of their own home.

Also, these online degree programs usually offer downloadable lessons that can be accessed and completed at any time during the day or night. However, some programs do require the attendance of virtual meetings or classes that are put on at certain times throughout the day via the Internet.

To find out which degree program is right for you, you first need to choose a field of education that interests you. After defining your field of interest, seek out a school that specializes in that field.

Accredited online degree programs are very useful for those individuals seeking to further their education while continuing full-time at their present job. Some even offer credits for work already completed in the same field as the sought after degree. These credits are usually based on work or life experience. Also, some programs accept credits from other colleges.

Applying prior credits toward accredited online degree programs will help to shorten the length of time required to receive your new bachelor's or master's degree. While some programs can take up to four years to complete, prior credits can reduce your education time by up to two years.

How to Get Your Bachelors Degree Online

Getting a bachelors degree online can be a fast and easy way to further your career. But before you enroll, there are a few important things you need to know.

First, you'll want to make sure that the college that offers the online degree is accredited. School and universities are accredited on a state or national level. This accreditation means that a board of education has researched and approved the schools curriculum and course work.

Next, you will want to make sure that the school is highly recognized and that the bachelors degree is transferable. This helps because someday you may want to further your education by completing your masters degree and you will need to be able to transfer your bachelors credits.

Prerequisite to getting a bachelors degree from any university, you must first have at least a high school diploma or a G.E.D. It also helps to have some college or previous work experience under your belt. If you have previous college credits, then they can be applied toward your bachelors degree program and shorten the length of time that you will need to be enrolled in school.

Without previous college credits, most bachelors degree online programs take up to three years to complete. This time frame is based on an individual that takes at least twenty hours of course work a week. With prior college credits, or by spending more time on course work each week, some individuals can complete their bachelors degree online program in as little as one year.

To decide which college or university to enroll with, it is best to decide what type of degree program you need. Many colleges offer these programs but some specialize in different fields. For example, a person who wants a bachelors degree in business night want to go with Ashworth College, while a person that wants an education degree would want to go with Penn State University.

Once you have chosen a bachelors degree online program, you need to research its class schedule. Many online programs allow you to download the course work and complete it on your own schedule, but some programs require that you log on to the Internet for virtual class sessions a few times a week at a designated time.

The Secrets of Successful Online Degree Programs

Online degree programs are now very attractive for a lot of people. The reason is not just because of the current unemployment levels, which is higher for non-college graduates, but the degree of difference between the earnings of degree holders and non-degree holders is significant.

You can use an online higher education to strengthen your competitive edge in the job market and take your career to the next level. For instance, If you're an engineer with a bachelor's degree, your chances of career advancement would be enhanced if you get an engineering masters degree.

You can earn your degree from your home at your own time. An Internet school is open 24/ 7. You have no parking fees, or car maintenance cost to contend with. The tuition is cheaper than traditional college tuition. You don't have to physically attend classes. Your studies can take place at home, work, or on the road. You do not have to pay for child care because you have to go to school.

You should, however, not obtain your degree from a non-accredited university or college . Make sure that the college you enroll with is accredited by the relevant authority, and that the school is also accredited to run the degree program.

Also find out whether the degrees awarded by the school indicate that you got it from the Internet. Some schools indicate on their degrees that it is obtained from the world wide web while others don't. I would rather you enroll with a school that does not label your degree.

It is also important that your school has a physical brick and mortar college; this will make your degree more respectable to employers.

Some people think that such a degree is inferior to a traditional degree, but I want you to know that if your degree comes from a respected college such as Kaplan University, employers will not neglect it. It is not true that it is easier to obtain an online degree; a lot of work goes into it.

One disadvantage of Internet education is that while in physical classes student's interaction is a major benefit, that is not applicable with Internet education where studies are self-paced and self-directed. Studying in a physical campus provides you with the opportunity of learning from not only teachers but from fellow students, too.

All said, online degree programs have helped many people to upgrade their qualification for higher positions in their careers. You can give it a shot. If you are a frosh looking to study at home for a first degree, endeavor top it up with a masters degree to enhance your chances of easily finding employment.

Teachers Use Online College For Further Career Growth

Current and prospective teachers who choose to further their education by enrolling in campus-based or online colleges could obtain the skills they will need to improve the performance of their students and receive pay raises. Online college courses toward an accredited degree can be completed after a teacher's regular workday, so as not to compromise the schedule of the teacher.

In an effort to improve the American education system, President Obama has announced several initiatives that are intended to increase the quality of learning at public schools. Education is extremely important for future generations, and the government is taking the time and resources to develop programs that will benefit students in the long term.

For example, the Race to the Top Initiative requires schools to compete for additional funding, which could lead to improvements at several institutions before any federal financing is released. These improvements are exciting for teachers and students alike.

Part of this program will reward teachers based on their students' performance on standardized tests. Teachers who are able to inspire their pupils and enable them to do well on these examinations will be eligible for pay raises. These educators will also receive in-depth reviews by administrators before they are awarded higher salaries. This will ensure that teachers are retaining the knowledge they learn during their course studies.

Consequently, teachers who enroll in campus-based and online colleges will be able to stay abreast of motivational techniques that can help them achieve greater earnings. Those who further their education in schools online will be able to complete their coursework on their own time, which could ensure they do not fall behind on their professional responsibilities.

In addition, students who prove they can complete a classroom-based or online degree program while they foster the success of their own students, can show their supervisors they are valuable employees. Educators who are engaged in higher learning may stay more closely connected to their field and be able to relate to their pupils. This also exposes teachers to the most up to date educational tools available to pass on to their students.

Teachers who choose to work at schools that require a great deal of help may be able to receive tuition assistance or loan forgiveness. Because these institutions need a lot of work, educators who are up for the challenge may be able to accelerate their career development, as even subtle improvements could help them earn pay raises. This uptick in salary is a great relief for teachers, as there have been so many budget cuts and other economic issues impacting individuals for the last several years.

As schools across the country vie for federal grants, teachers who have stayed up-to-date with educational trends, and who have the skills to motivate their students, will be in high demand. Additionally, educators who have stuck with their employers through times of hardship and earned an accredited degree may be more likely to benefit from government funding, which could help them pay for tuition at a campus-based or online college. Those moving into the education field after obtaining an associates degree will find nearly the same incentives to earn further accreditation.

Special Education Degrees Online

Special education entails using individualized and systematically monitored teaching procedures, adapted materials and techniques and other interventions designed to provide additional services and support to help learners with special needs achieve their particular educational goals. The nature of this field will require specially trained educators to help these students learn and the ability to identify their special needs whether physical, social or educational.

Requirements to Become Online Special Education Teacher

To become a special education teacher, students must complete a degree program in special education along a with a teacher education certificate.
Online Bachelor Degrees in Special Education

A Bachelor degree program in special education typically takes four years to complete and will require a high school diploma or GED. The program provides teaching in general education that includes online courses in foundations of teaching, interdisciplinary studies, effective teaching practices for special education and instructional teaching. Students will undergo supervised practice teaching (in a special school for students with disabilities) and completion of a professional portfolio. Students who successfully complete the program will have acquired the effective teaching skills needed to teach learners with mild to moderate disabilities. The program leads to licensure in special education.

Master’s Degree in Special Education

The Master of education degree in special education caters specifically to special education teachers with teacher certification who wish to advance their studies in the field of special education. Participants of the Masters in special education degree program will acquire specialized training and in-depth instructional courses from experienced professionals within their respected fields. These courses will cover areas of learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional and physical disabilities. Participants must have access to a class of children with special needs so they may be able to complete all programmed assignments given during the course.


Employment Outlook for Special Education Teachers

Special educators can obtain employment in public and private school systems, counseling centers, mental facilities, military, private learning centers and places of safety. The type of job offers received will depend on your level of qualification and area of specialization.


Salary Range for Special Education Teachers

The salary for special education teachers varies widely depending on the level of training and experience, area of specialization and source of employment. Special education teachers working in a preschool, kindergarten or elementary schools can earn up to $45,000 per year. Those teaching in private institutions or corporations can earn over $60,000 per year, PhD holders within the field can earn up $100,000 per year.

Source:articlebase.com

Online Bachelor Degree Education an Investment in Your Future

Bachelor degree education is a traditional degree required to receive a minimum educational excellence. It is a college level education offered by almost all the colleges and universities the world over. It is generally a four year course. However, some colleges and universities also take three to five years to complete the bachelor degree courses.

Bachelor’s degree is also popularly known as the undergraduate course. The students enroll for a suitable undergraduate program of their own choice. After completing the course successfully, the student is awarded with the bachelor’s degree certificate. A student can take up a major subject along with few other related subjects to complete the undergraduate course.

Bachelor degrees education is also known as Baccalaureate degree. Bachelor’s degree is taken up after finishing high school level education from any recognized and accredited schools or charter schools. Most of the colleges, bachelor degree schools and universities offer courses in arts, humanities and science. Moreover, there are colleges, which offer undergraduate courses specifically in commerce and business. These three streams consist of all the academic subjects, which are taken up for an undergraduate course.

Apart from the academic courses, online bachelors degree programs are also offered in the fields of music, fine arts, professional and technical courses. Degrees in business, management, fine arts, pharmacy, law and engineering are offered as undergraduate courses. Almost all the students who have completed their school education can pursue undergraduate courses. However, for specialized studies, magnet schools background helps in the process of selection. This degree is very relevant for everyone, who wishes to pursue higher studies or other professional courses to prepare for a specific career from the beginning.

A bachelor degree program is also offered for the students, who are doing a major or honors in Education. A bachelor degree in this subject is meant for those who want to be a teacher in future. Thus, these can also be called as teacher education programs. Hence, a degree in education will suffice to make a teacher for primary and secondary level schools. A good bachelor degree teacher is what every school needs today.

Since the advent of Internet, various colleges and universities have started to offer bachelor degree education online. While in these cases, the whole course is offered by the colleges and universities online, the students do not need to attend regular classes.

Besides online bachelor degrees offered by the colleges and universities are also available in most of these countries and many of them offer an accredited online bachelor degree . The colleges, which offer distance bachelor degree education, have the same courses as the regular ones as well as the certificates as the distance learning bachelor’s degree graduate. However, there are colleges and universities, which award a regular degree even for a student of bachelor degree education distance.

The undergraduate courses and duration for various subjects may differ from one country to another. Countries like USA, Canada, Australia and Britain have their own courses in undergraduate programs, but the relevance of a graduate degree is respected and valued in the same way in all the countries. So even if you are applying at a foreign university for post-graduate programs, a bachelor degree from your home country will help you a lot. Many developing and under developed countries have taken various measures to educate the mass population and they have taken up measures to promote advanced higher education policy.

Certified education is one of the most important stepping stones in one’s life. So to achieve a better position in work and to secure a brighter future, one needs to pursue most diligently a bachelor degree education.

Source:articlebase.com

How To Become a Teacher

If you want to become a school teacher, one of the first choices you should make is between elementary and secondary school teaching, because the educational requirements differ.
In either case, three common elements are likely to be:

• A bachelor's degree. Elementary school teachers are more likely to major in education itself, while secondary school teachers tend to major in the subject they intend to teach and supplement that with a teaching preparation program. Courses specific to education include topics such as classroom methods, teaching philosophies, child psychology, and basic computer literacy. Some states may require that you ultimately complete a master's degree
  
  
  
  
• A student-teaching internship. While not universally required, a student-teaching internship is frequently part of a degree program in education. This hands-on experience will not only enrich your appreciation of your studies in education, but it will also give you an early indication of whether this career path is really for you.
• State licensure/certification. This is required for public school teachers in all 50 states. The exact qualifications vary from state to state, and frequently are specific to different grade levels.

Benefits of Becoming a Teacher
The following are some of the tangible benefits of becoming a teacher:

• Median teacher salaries are clearly above the national median. There are also opportunities to earn by taking on added responsibilities, such as administration or coaching, and/or by working during the summer.
• Job growth is expected to be solid. Overall, employment growth in education is expected to be similar to the overall national rate, with elementary education projected to enjoy the strongest growth.
• Plentiful jobs. Education is one of the largest occupations in the country, with jobs found in just about every community.
• Job security. While no job is completely isolated from economic changes, teaching is much less cyclical than many occupations, and less vulnerable to outsourcing.

Those are some of the more tangible benefits to teaching. The intangible benefits come from the difference you can make, and this starts with your commitment to becoming an outstanding teacher.
12 Attributes of Effective Teachers
Excellent teachers employ a variety of different approaches, but the following are 12 attributes of effective teachers:

1. Competence. A good teacher commands respect by being a master of his or her subject.
2. Authority. Teachers must be clearly in control of the classroom, and not afraid to use appropriate discipline to retain order.
3. Energy. Students quickly tune out an unenthusiastic teacher. Effective teachers must have the energy to cope with the demands of the job, and a dynamic enough personality to cultivate an enthusiasm for learning.
4. Clarity. Would-be teachers should work on communication skills, especially how to get complex ideas across succinctly and accessibly.
5. Preparation. Starting out, some teachers are staggered by the workload, but with good preparation it becomes more manageable with time.
6. Open-mindedness. Teachers can encourage intellectual curiosity by being willing to listen to and present points of view other than their own.
7. Currency. While some subjects don't change much from year to year, teachers must stay current in their fields and keep their teaching material fresh.
8. Respectful in answering questions. Often, students will get more out of the answers to questions than out of prepared materials.
9. Uses emphasis. Repetition breeds retention, so teachers should preview and summarize each day's material.
10. Engaged. Knowing the material is not enough; a teacher must be able to relate to students as individuals. This need not mean being a friend to your students, but it does mean being accessible enough to show you care about whether each one of them succeeds or fails.
11. Receptive. To ensure effectiveness, teachers should be open to, and actively seek, feedback which indicates how well they are getting the message across.
12. Provides feedback. Besides being receptive to feedback themselves, teachers should give their students individualized feedback designed to show them how they can improve.

Becoming a teacher can be a path to a stable career with a good income. On top of that, it can also be an opportunity to be remembered as a positive influence for many years to come.

The Rise Of Online Degree Programs

Within the past decade, online degree programs have multiplied at an astounding rate. While several schools have been based on these non-traditional programs (though, for the sake of neutrality and so as not to unfairly give advertising to one program or another, I will refrain from giving these schools specific mention), many “traditional” brick-and-mortar schools have also begun offering online courses and, in some cases, complete online degree programs. In fact, colleges and universities ranging from community colleges up through Ivy League schools have embraced the use of technology as a learning vehicle; in a sense, this signals maturing of online degree programs.

What spawned this shift in academia? The answer lies in the affordability of computing technology coupled with the improved connectivity offered through the Internet. More people worldwide have access to personal computers and high-speed Internet connections, though identification of accurate statistics still proves difficult. These technologies have enabled schools to provide learning environments that meet modern student needs and accreditation requirements.

Some schools have established evening or weekend programs in an attempt to entice more non-traditional students. Even these programs pose challenges to the working adult, who may have to sacrifice attendance due to work or family obligations. Military students are also ideal candidates for online programs. In the 1990s, deployed service members aboard naval vessels enjoyed onboard college courses from universities that specialized in distance learning. In some cases, faculty members qualified to teach a number of courses were deployed on board the ship, thus offering service members the opportunity to continue studies while deployed.

Online degree programs satisfy most of the needs of current degree seekers, particularly the needs of “working adults.” Society has become faster-paced in the past two decades, and often we are inundated with information and are expected to increase productivity within the fixed confines of a day. As a result, the ability to attend traditional programs can be difficult, if not impossible, for prospective students. Online degree programs eliminate the time constraints, allowing students to avoid traffic, meet work and family obligations, and provide a 24/7 classroom environment. All told, online degree programs afford more students the opportunity to attain academic goals than ever before.

Delivery of online programs varies greatly depending on the school and the specific program. Some schools offer some online courses, but require physical attendance at a local campus for the student to meet graduation requirements. Other schools offer completely online programs; in theory, a student could complete an entire degree program online without ever setting foot on campus. The key to selecting a suitable program depends on the individual, as some students need some physical interaction with faculty and students, while others can complete degree programs completely online from the safety and comfort of their homes. Deciding on the best combination of online coursework depends on the individual. Many of the schools originally founded on online degree programs have established local campuses in major metropolitan areas.

Few can argue that online degree programs are quickly gaining acceptance among employers, students, and traditional academic professionals. Online degree programs will continue to provide a vehicle for students to attain degrees that might not be possible through traditional means. Ongoing improvements in technology offer additional promise in the growth and availability of these programs.

Bullying at work: the impact of shame among university and college lecturers

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the concept of shame within the context of workplace bullying. Despite a decade or more of international research into bullying at work, there is little or no evidence for explicit exploration of shame amongst those who have experienced bullying. Based on content analysis from the narratives of 15 college and university lecturers who were self-selecting victims of bullying we find clear evidence for feelings of shame which appear to last long after the bullying episodes have ended...

The escalation of workplace bullying

The growth of workplace bullying both in terms of research, and as an organisational phenomena in the UK, has been spectacular since 1993. Although known by a number of different names including ‘mobbing’ (Leymann, 1996; Zapf et al ., 1996), harassment (Bjorqvist et al., 1994), bullying (Einarsen & Skogstad, 1996; Lewis, 1999), workplace harassment (Brodsky, 1976) and emotional abuse (Keashly, 1998) amongst others, the central core of these differing concepts are ‘systematic mistreatment’ of an individual which, if unabated, results in severe problems for the victim (Einarsen et al ., 2003). The reported growth of bullying inside organisations appears widespread, regardless of geography. Studies undertaken in the UK (for example, Hoel & Cooper, 2000; UNISON, 1997), Scandinavia and Europe (for example, Einarsen & Skogstad, 1996; Vartia, 1996) and Australia (for example, McCarthy et al ., 1996; Richards & Freeman, 2002) have all shown increasing numbers of employees being exposed to bullying behaviours. Part of the reason for this increase in reports of bullying might be the product of amplified coverage by numerous media (Lewis, 2002) and to the growth in litigation and subsequent attention to policy and procedures by organisations and trade unions (Lewis & Rayner, 2003). These different narratives coupled with talk amongst victims, colleagues and ‘canteen lawyers’ provide fertile ground for multiple socially constructed realities of workplace bullying as a phenomenon rapidly on the increase...

Supporting the bullied victim

According to Leymann and Gustafsson (1996) and Matthiesen et al. (2003), bullied victims suffer from a lack of social support in work, which is central to coping with the experience of bullying and in mitigating health and stress symptoms. Hubert (2003) explains that from her experience of dealing with bullied victims, people get pushed from person to person or even institution to institution. Could this process of ‘push’ result in further feelings of shame? Hubert (2003) suggests that the initial desire to offer help to people who have been bullied operates merely as a referral service rather than any real practicable source of assistance. Even when referral to organisational departments who are supposed to assist bullied victims actually takes place, research suggests outcomes can often be unsatisfactory. Both Adams (1992) and Rayner (1998) report how it is often the junior ‘bullied’ individual who is relocated and not the ‘senior’ bully. This sense of injustice might well result in thoughts of shame as one is moved to new surroundings, new colleagues or even new work tasks. Here it is the victim who may suffer feelings of shame for not being able to deal with the original situation...

According to Hubert (2003), inappropriate advice on bullying can often result in escalation of the conflict. Witnesses or bystanders can be drawn into the conflict to such an extent that a ‘conflict of fear’ establishes itself (see Rayner, 1999, for example). Within this enculturation of fear, people become too scared to report bullying or believe that management know about it but will not take appropriate action to deal with it (Rayner, 1999). Liefooghe (2001) showed how employees at a UK bank were reluctant to speak out against bullying, despite assurances of nonreprisal for doing so. Instead, Liefooghe (2001) found more subtle intimidation and discreet forms of bullying occurring as a result...

Given the wider evidence of links between shame and depression, what evidence exists for similar associations in the bullying literature? Although there is limited discussion in the workplace bullying literature about shame, there are clear signals that this construct exists for bullied victims. Regardless of the source of the bullying behaviours, the shame impact, if prolonged and selectively targeted, is the same. Recipients are worn down, frustrated or intimidated, and severe cases can suffer with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Einarsen & Mikkelsen, 2003)...

Whilst some bullied victims found it difficult to concede they were victims, they also sought comfort in sharing their experiences with colleagues rather than with legitimised authorities. This contradicts the notion of shame as an isolatory experience. The fact that some victims of bullying seek colleague support during or after a bullying episode may indicate there is a collective need to administer retributive justice that they are unlikely to find within the corridors of personnel or their trades union. Their feelings of humiliation as to what was happening to them can only truly be understood by sharing their experiences with those who have also been bullied, or simply with those who know and understand the context. Neither personnel nor their union representatives seem to be able to undertake this role. This is partly because the bullied victims are experiencing shame at having to expose themselves to authority and also because they have feelings of humiliation for failing to deal with the issues themselves...

In trying to better understand workplace bullying it might serve researchers and those charged with dealing with the aftermath of an event to consider the importance of the shame construct, the ramifications of which are destructive, debilitating and long lasting.

Lewis, D. (2004). Bullying at work: the impact of shame among university and college lecturers, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 281-299.