CB Education Blog

It does not matter if you are a Doctor, a Lawyer or an infantry soldier in the Army if you want to be the best and get ahead, you will need to take risks.

A doctor may have to take risks when working with a patient. The Doctor may have to experiment with different forms of medications or new surgical procedures when all else has failed in an attempt to help the patient.

A lawyer may have to argue a case in an unorthodox manner to win the case, but if the lawyer wants to become the top lawyer and make millions of dollars fighting high profile cases lots of risks have to be taken.

A soldier may have to take a risk and run thru gunfire to save another injured soldier, to complete their mission, or just to secure an area from being overrun by enemy troops, after going days with little to no sleep, but if a soldier wants to get promotions and eventually lead men into battle they also need to take risks.

These risks are not unlike someone looking to get rich in a casino, they have to be willing to risk everything they have to get that million dollar payoff. If you play it safe in a casino you may get lucky and win a big jackpot on the slot machines, but if you want to make millions you are going to have to play games such as Poker, Blackjack, Roulette and Craps . These are the games that with some skill, some luck and a lot of risk taking you can retire off your winnings.

The same can be said about life in general. No one gets ahead in life from playing it safe. You will not meet your special someone if you are too afraid to risk getting rejected by someone, you will never get that big promotion unless you take risks at your job.

It is very important to continue to take risks in life. To stop taking risks means to stand still in life. Standing still in life is one of the main causes of depression. These are usually the people afraid to confront the boss and tell him that they demand a raise; they are the ones that allow life to pass them by out of fear. The entire purpose of fear is to stop you from taking a risk.

Fear is nothing more then the unknown. If you have always wanted to quit your job and open a shop but you are too afraid to do it, this is because you are afraid of failing and risking what you already have.

It is important to learn to take risks in life if you want to be happy, you may not always get the things you risked for, but you will know that you tried, and in the end it does not matter in my opinion if you succeed or not it is how many risks you try to make that is the real test of how successful you are.

Just remember if no one took risks we would be a world without flight and probably no automotive vehicles at all, maybe we would have no electricity. So risk truly is needed to improve the world.

Military high schools today are claiming they are not the “punishment” places they used to be. Remember hearing the phrase, {or maybe you actually were told this by your parents}, “If you don’t straighten up, your going to military school.” Today, military schools in general want to change their image, and they don’t take teen’s who don’t want to be there anymore either. Many young people have graduated from military high school every year, and they want to dispel the myths that have surrounded military high schools for years. Some of these myths may sound familiar to you.

Military High Schools Are For Students With Discipline Problems. {MYTH}

Military high schools may offer a more structured and disciplinary environment for young people, but they do not accept students with server disciplinary problems. Especially if it involves drug abuse and the law.

Military High Schools Are A Harsh and Cold Environment. {MYTH}

These schools are one of the safest schools of any possible educational choices you can make for your child. The structure and personal accountability taught in the military high school environments develops confidence, plus the positive adult interaction tends to be greater than in other high schools and even within their own homes.

Military High Schools Condone Hazing and Physical Abuse. {MYTH}

Military high schools stress safety and concern for the well-being of each other above all other considerations. Military high schools must abide by the local, state, and federal laws concerning physical treatment of students.

Military High Schools Train Students for the Armed Forces. {MYTH}

Military high schools teach students how to live using the structure of the military system when it comes to responsibility, leadership, honor, discipline, and pride within the atmosphere that encourages spiritual, mental and physical growth. Military high schools are educational institutions that encourage their students to go to college-not the military service.

Military Schools do not offer a strong college prep curriculum. {MYTH}

Military high schools are prep schools, preparing young adults for college life. Military high schools tech very effective study skills in preparation for college environment. Military high schools actually boast a high level of college enrollment for their students.

Military high schools are really making a comeback, so much so that for the first time since 1965, two new military high schools are being planned. Parents are starting to realize that military high schools have the ability to provide a disciplined environment because they have complete control over who is admitted, who stays, and the type of behavior that is expected from the teens. However, this does not mean that military high school is only for the rich, they are a great low-cost alternative to other prep schools and any child may apply. Military high schools provide teens with a safe, structured, and caring environment that provides them with the leadership training, personal growth and a better foundation for higher education and life. Military high school may be a great choice for your child’s future.

The “explosive consonants”

Earlier we said that the vowels are an important factor in hearing a “foreign” accent. But it is not only the vowels. The consonants also must be mastered.

When we say that English consonants are “explosives”, we mean that they are pronounced with a sudden release of air. It is this characteristic that marks the accent of an English speaker when they try to speak your language. You should try to speak like an American and you will be reaching for the American English way of pronouncing the consonant. It is the characteristic explosive nature of the English consonant that is the basis of so many jokes about the pronunciation of the English speaker who is learning other languages.

Pronounce the following sentence with the most exaggerated American accent that you can: “Peter, answer me! Can you talk?”

Did you exaggerate the words Peter, can you talk? If you did, the sounds that sound bad in your language are correct in English.

Most of my students are shy and speak with a low voice because they think that they do not pronounce correctly. In this way, they will never pronounce correctly because they do not exercise the pronunciation. They do not hear their mistakes; they do not feel the effort of reaching for the correct sounds, and worse of all, they begin to say, “Well, they understand me and that’s what counts.”

Don’t be afraid! You have to exaggerate the English sounds now to be able to pronounce them normally later on in your progress with the language.

What are the sounds that give away the English speaker? The explosives. And the mispronunciation of these same sounds is what makes up the foreign accent.

When you pronounce the words Peter, can you talk? in your language you probably don’t use as much force as in English. For the “p” of the word Pedro, Pierre, or Piotr, you close your lips and then you open them for the sound to come out. It is the same with the “t” of the work talk.

However, in English you have to expel a little blast of air to make the sound of the “p” and the “t”; that’s why they call the sounds “explosive”, because they make a litlle “explosion”!

The teachers of Spanish to English speakers have to teach them to NOT expel the air for these sounds. They often make them say words like “pap

One of the great mysteries and puzzles of our time is Atlantis. Despite the passage of thousands of years, no one has been able to solve the enigma of Atlantis.

The Puzzle That Is The Atlantis Enigma

Plato was the person that started all of the trouble regarding Atlantis. In his Timaeus and Critias narratives, he talked of Atlantis in glowing terms. He identified it as a large island located in the Atlantic Ocean. By large, we mean huge. Plato claimed it was the size of North Africa! The people of Atlantis supposedly controlled much of the Mediterranean, but were defeated by the ancestors of the Greeks. Both societies were then destroyed in “a great deluge.”

With just these snippets of information, one might assume Plato was taking some liberties in his writing. Then an odd thing occurred. Archeologists discovered Egyptian records detailing Atlantis, its ruling family and a utopian type culture. There are a lot of timing inconsistencies between the two stories, but the race to discover Atlantis has been on ever since. We do, after all, like a good puzzle.

So, where is Atlantis? Therein is the problem. The descriptions are so vague that Atlantis could be just about anywhere. Heck, you might be sitting above the main city as you read this. At one time or another, popular theory has suggested Atlantis is Antarctica, Turkey, North America, South America, Santorini, Crete, Indonesia and a pure figment of someone’s imagination. After years of searching, the imagination theory seems the most credible.

Although theorists rage back and forth, there was one event during Plato’s lifetime that might have given rise to the basis for the Atlantis story. A massive earthquake hit the City of Helike. Located on the shores of the Corinth Bay, it literally sank into the sea. Both then and now, you can take a boat out over the city and look down upon the ruins of Helike. Does this make Helike the lost civilization of Atlantis? It is unlikely since Helike was a basic Greek city. Still, it certainly could have formed the basis of the Atlantis tales.

Is Atlantis a real place or just a tale from wily, old Plato? You will have to decide for yourself by getting out there and solving the puzzle.

A recent poll asked whether English teachers should have a degree of some type. Approximately 64% of the respondents thought they should have a degree for teaching ESL: quite a high “yes” because, as always, there were some “don’t know” meanings that makes the “no” camp very small.

I am generally in favor of teachers being first educated to degree level. This is not some arbitrary snobbery or elitism. Teaching requires a trained mind. A teacher has to be analytical, methodical and able to reason. By following a first degree, a person is required to flex all these mental muscles. This is not to say that people without degrees do not have these abilities, but the degree is at least a tangible piece of evidence to show an employer.

Then a teacher needs to be mature. Dealing with students is not always easy and an immature person could be overwhelmed by the pressures. By setting a degree as the pre-training threshold for teachers, we also by default, ensure that the teacher is not too young.

It is possible to train in teaching English in just four weeks. By requiring teachers to have a degree, we should be ensuring that the person has some intellectual furniture. Teachers need to be well informed to command respect. So, yes, on balance, I think that English teachers should be educated to a degree level.

But, I hear the opposition say, what about people who have all these qualities but never had the opportunity to study at a university? Well, I am happy to accept that there will be exceptions. If a person can demonstrate that his or her capabilities are equal to those of a person who has completed their higher education, then that’s fine by me. But let them remain exceptions. I don’t see why we should hesitate to set high standards for the profession as the general rule. After all, nearly all professions today require a degree, don’t they?

The United Kingdom is one of the most popular study destinations for foreign students. Every year the number of international students coming to the country to study is rapidly and constantly increasing, and that is not very surprising. Through the years, many UK-based universities have been successfully increasing their reputation so that they would be more recognized throughout the globe.

With numerous foreign students enrolling in major UK universities, there are many exposed problems and setbacks. Since the UK is a modern and western country, foreign students especially from Asia and Africa are finding it hard to initially cope and adjust to the prevailing culture and many foreign students do not last the stay of their studying course in the UK due to culture shock. However, those students should have striven to do better, as the UK will not (and shouldn’t really) adjust to accommodate them. They should assert themselves to cope up with the British environment and norms.

Here are several simple tips that will help many foreign students survive studying in the UK:

- Foreign students are assigned mentors who are faculty members. Make sure you regularly consult with your mentor and ask for guidance and help about specific academic challenges.

- Always seek help and assistance from your university’s student advice/support centre. Such centres have been established to answer your every query, whether it is about academia, socialising or visa extension. You can also ask about comfortable lodgings as well as referrals for part-time jobs if you need one.

- Try to interact with other foreign students of the same nationality as yours. You will be more comfortable interacting with them and asking them advice and recommendations about many things related to your stay at the university.

Overall, British universities are cordial to foreign students, just be observant and equally friendly, and you will survive.

The Goldmark Report in 1923 was the first to recommend that the entry level of education for professional practice as a registered nurse should be a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), and heated debate has raged among nurses over the issue ever since.

Diploma and Associate Degree RN’s will clearly tell you that they can run rings around BSN program graduates when it comes to patient care. They’ll explain that they have more actual clinical experience and patient care know how in their little finger than a new BSN grad, and 99% of the time they’re right about that! I’ll be the first to admit that if I get seriously ill I’m hoping that my nurse graduated from a diploma program like the one they used to offer at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Those nurses had so much training and hands on care experience by the time they graduated that few physicians could hold a candle to them on their best day.

This isn’t about whether BSN nurses are better than ADN or Diploma nurses

Up until a few years ago I would have been just as emotional as the next nurse in arguing against the very idea of making the BSN degree the minimum educational level to practice as a professional nurse. The arguments were many and seemed to make sense &ndash no difference in pay for a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma nurse, we all do the same job etc….

But The Times, They Are a Changing…. And so has my point of view

“Rapidly expanding clinical knowledge and mounting complexities in health care mandate that professional nurses possess educational preparation commensurate with the diversified responsibilities required of them. As health care shifts from hospital-centered, inpatient care to more primary and preventive care throughout the community, the health system requires registered nurses who not only can practice across multiple settings - both within and beyond hospitals - but can function with more independence in clinical decision making, case management, provision of direct bedside care, supervision of unlicensed aides and other support personnel, guiding patients through the maze of health care resources, and educating patients on treatment regimens and adoption of healthy lifestyles. In particular, preparation of the entry-level professional nurse requires a greater orientation to community-based primary health care, and an emphasis on health promotion, maintenance, and cost-effective coordinated care.” (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Position Statement, Dec. 2000)

Nursing is a dynamic profession and lifelong learning is essential for nurses to stay current with the increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. In other words, the needs of our patients are changing, as we must change in order to be prepared to better serve that need.

BSN degree nurses are better prepared to meet patient needs

The main difference in study between an ADN and BSN is the emphasis on additional education in leadership and management, wellness, and community nursing. BSN prepared nurses possess greater knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction as well as illness and disease management and are prepared to assist individuals, groups, and communities to prevent disease and achieve optimum levels of wellness. As nurses expand their role and move further into providing more community based primary care delivery the need for BSN prepared nurses is apparent.

Having a BSN degree means more career opportunities

The health system’s increasing demand for front-line primary care, and the accelerating drive toward managed care, prevention, and cost-efficiency, are driving the nation’s need for nurses who are prepared to practice in non-structured setting and interact directly with the public in matters of providing health and prevention services to the community, and that requires a BSN prepared nurse for starters.

Am I saying that every RN should become a BSN?

No, of course not! That’s an individual choice each of you needs to make for yourselves. Don’t do it for money. In many cases there’s no benefit in pay for having a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma- at least initially. The truth however is that increased education leads to increased responsibilities and increased career opportunities which give rise in turn to increased pay.

BSN nurses will have more career options than ADN and Diploma nurses. Diploma nursing programs and all but extinct anymore and I expect the ADN programs will vanish sometime in the future as well, but those of you who are already licensed will continue to be able to practice as an RN. You might find your job opportunities becoming narrower in the near future however. North Dakota has required all new nurse hires to possess a BSN degree since 1987. The New York State Board has similar legislation pending. The Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs began requiring all new hires to possess at least a BSN degree in 2005. Who knows what’s coming next?

Having a BSN degree allows more opportunity for employment, increased responsibility, and career progression. It opens the door for professional certification in specialty areas of nursing practice and leads to an expanded role as a provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of patient care as well as provides the foundation for graduate education.

Today’s working RN’s can attain a BSN degree without sacrificing their present job or income by going through an accredited online program. Programs are available that offer NLN accredited LPN to RN/BSN degrees, RN to BSN degrees, RN/ BSN to Master’s degrees, and even PhD in Nursing. Your employer’s education benefits often cover the expense of advancing your degree and tuition assistance is available for those who need additional help.

Nurses wishing to explore available online nursing degree options can learn more by visiting Medi-Smart.com’s online nursing school directory at medi-smart.com/schools.htm. Medi-Smart is a nursing resource and education site for nurses by an experienced nurse and you can interact with fellow nurses as well as student nurses in the nursing discussion forums while you’re there.

Healthcare delivery is changing. Nurses need to change along with it to meet the need.

Beware of the three ways of getting fooled into giving up your money through seemingly innocent money-making schemes. Scams are all around us and it can be found in every single area of life, but more so in such areas where the risk is greater such as when dealing with credit cards, bank accounts and other activities which involve sending or receiving money online.

The Bank/Credit Card Email Scam:

If you get an email asking you to sign up to your bank account or credit card through the email because your privacy is under danger or just to receive a free gift or something: BEWARE! Do not sign up through the internet address provided in the email. If the email does make you anxious, go to the bank or credit card site using the address you know already or through searching the search engines.

How Does This Scam Work?

The senders of the email know that only a very few will sign up but that is all they need. When you signed up to the bogus internet address, they got your user and password. Now its time for them to party!

The Missing Millionaire Scam:

If you receive an email saying that they represent a dead or missing former ruler, high-ranking official or businessman from an African, Gulf or even Russian: BEWARE! They offer you a chance to earn anything between one to five percent of ten to fifty million. And for your co-operation only. Don’t get sucked into this, for though they speak of giving you money, they will receive cash and from your account.

How Does This Scam Work?

They will ask you for your bank details in order to transfer the cash and then they will use that to transfer a small amount. Now, once you trust them, they will ask you for more personal and secure details because they “need” that to transfer the entire sum in and out of your account. What they won’t tell you is that they will transfer all the money out from your account: theirs and yours.

The Make Money Fast Scam:

This is the most innocent of the lot, but that is also why it is the most dangerous. These are so-called companies that advertise that if you only sign up and use their system, you will mint money. Please do not fall for such schemes. They will pay you some money but then once trust is built, they will fleece your bank account. Remember that quick money scams are the surest and fastest way to lose all your money!

Conclusion:

Whatever you do online, always remember that the internet is not a safe place. Treat it like you would treat any other business venture and bring up your guard. If you play it safe and check out the companies before committing, you will be able to guard yourself against losing money to crooks.

The origins of contemporary bingo go back to 16th century Italy, where the lottery game Lo Giuoco del Lotto dItalia was introduced. The popular chance game was introduced to North America in the late 1920s by the name of Beano. A toy salesperson of New York was responsible for changing the name of the game into Bingo and to the increase of its popularity throughout the US.

In the late 18th century, the original Italian lotto game made its way to France. Historical evidence shows that a game called Le Lotto was popular among the French high society who used to play the game in parties and social gatherings.

Le Lotto used to be played with special cards that were divided into three rows and nine columns. Each of the three columns consists of 10 numbers, while each column had five random number and four blank spaces in it. Each player had a different lotto card where he used to mark the number announced by the caller. The first player to cover one row won the game.

By the 19th century, the lotto game spread around Europe and started to serve as a didactic childrens game. In the 1850s, several educational lotto games had entered the German toys market. The lotto games purpose was to teach children how to spell words, how to multiply numbers, etc.

By 1920s, a similar version to the lotto game, known as beano was popular at county fairs throughout the US. In beano, the players placed beans on their cards to mark the called out number. The first player who completed a full row on his card, used to yell out Beano!, until one night in December 1929, when a New Yorker toys salesperson by the name of Edwin S. Lowe visited a country fair outside Jacksonville, Georgia.

On his way back to New York, Lowe had purchased beano equipment including dried beans, a rubber numbering stamp and cardboard. At his New York home, Lowe has been hosting friendly beano games. During one game, one excited winner who had managed to complete a full row stuttered out Bingo, instead of Beano. Listening to the excited stuttering girl, Edwin S. Lowe thoughts went away. Lowe decided to develop a new game that would be called Bingo.

While Lowe’s Bingo game was making its first steps in the market, a Pennsylvanian priest asked Lowe to use the game for charity purpose. After a short tryout period, the priest had found out that the bingo game causes the churches to lose money. Since the variety of bingo cards was limited, each bingo game ended up in more than five winners.

In order to develop the game and to lower the probabilities of winning, Lowe approached Prof. Carl Leffler, a mathematician from Columbia University. Leffler was asked to create bigger variety of bingo cards that each of them will have unique combination of numbers. By 1930, Lowe had 6,000 bingo cards and Prof. Leffler went insane.

Since then, the popularity of the bingo game as a fundraiser continued to grow. In less than five years, about 10,000 weekly bingo games took place throughout North America. Lowe’s company grew to employ several thousands of employees and to occupy more than 60 presses 24 hours a day.

Now, bingo is one of the most popular chance games in the world. It is played in churches, schools, local bingo halls and land based casinos in the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world.

So its 1:30 am and there you are at the computer trying to refresh the email inbox page. The big test is tomorrow and your Professor still hasn’t replied back, but why? Contrary to popular belief, that your Professor wants you to fail, the problem could stem from the fact that your email never reached him/her. Hence, the purpose of this guide is to show students how to write an effective email to their Professors.

The From Field

Always use your University or College email address when sending an email to your professor. This not only assures the professor that you are indeed a student but also avoids your email from getting put in the spam box. Many Universities and Colleges now employ a system of only allowing emails to be received from certain domains anything else (hotmail, yahoo…etc) is either automatically put in the spam box or is forwarded to the Professor as a potential spam.

Example:

Astudentuniversity.edu

The To Field

This is the single most important field, if you mess up in here there you can kiss your email good bye. Avoid putting the Professor’s name with the email (A Prof ), since not all emailing system can handle this format. It is always best to send your email to the Professor’s University or College account, since that is the email account that your Professor checks, or should check, the most. And again before sending the email double check to verify that email address was typed correctly.

Example:

Aprofuniverstiy.edu

The Subject Field

The subject field should be of the following format:

CollegeName-CourceCode-Title-Subject

CollegeName: Is the name of your post secondary institution (America Learning College, Boston University…etc). Yes I do realize that this may seem a bit redundant but it is important. Most Professors (Usually new Professors) teach at one or more Universities and Colleges at any given term, and the email from those institutions gets forwarded to one main address, usually their ISP email address. So to keep things organized its best to write the name of the College or University in the Subject Field.

CourseCode- Is the code name of the course (MTH140, CPS124, GEF345…etc). It’s best to keep the letters Capital and no spaces between the number and letter.

Title: Over here you type in the title of your subject. (Test 1, Midterm, Exam, Assignment 5…etc)

Subject: Over here you type in what concern or problem you might have (Due Date Issue, Missed Test Issue, HW Problem #45…etc). Remember to keep it brief, no more then 5 words.

Example:

Boston College-MTH140-Assignment 4-HW Problem #45

The Text Body Field

Try to keep things simple, clean and to the point. By that I mean no 2 page emails or fancy fonts and color, remember your first priority is to convey your message not to show off your email editing skills. Start off with writing the Professors name (Prof C.Mcgill, Prof U.Stan…etc). Move on to the subject of your email, as a reminder restate the Course Code and Title Field (During the Monday’s MTH140 class you stated for Assignment 4). The next line should state the problem or concern. Remember to provide details and avoid repetitions. Its best to end the email with a salutatory statement (Thank You, Yours Truly..etc) and use your name, student number and College or University name as signature.

Example:

Prof C. Mcgill,

During the Monday’s MTH140 class you stated for Assignment 4 question #41 to use the second derivative theorem. However, I am having trouble as to how to find the delta X? In particular, during the situation when time is 3 seconds and delta Y is 0. Do we set delta Y to Ymin and solve from there?

Thank You

_________________

Any Student

#:0101010101

Boston University

Things to Keep In Mind

- Give a minimum of one weekday for Professors to reply back, before sending another email.

- Avoid sending multiple duplicate emails at any one given time.

- Try to send emails during weekdays and if possible during the Professors office hours.

- Try to be respectful and Professional (i.e. no offensive language, spell check…etc).

- Avoid taking out frustration by spamming the Professors email box.