Tips to Become A Great Teacher

A teacher is a person who is very important to every student .A child would love to listen and abide by what his teacher says. So, when a teacher is so important to make a child’s future it is very important for a teacher to have good qualities. Blew are mentioned a few such qualities:-

1. You should have Empathy which is the ability to bond with your students, to understand their feelings and emotions. To communicate and come to their level and be compassionate towards them. One should be with them when they are upset and be happy when they are happy.
2. Have Positive Mental Attitude you should always be positive about things in life. Even when things are not going well look for something positive in it. So never discourage a child’s views.
3. Be Open to Change. Keeping the traditional views in mind is open to new ways, ideas, systems, and approaches. Keep an open mind and listen to others views and be adaptable to change.
4. Be a Role Model many people will see their future through you. SO be a good role model
5. Have a good Sense of Humor to be able to have a sense of humor with your student’s breaks the barrier and makes the atmosphere more relaxed and easy for learning. The students remain interested and alert. They love your class and the interaction.
6. Presentation Skills Our students are auditory, visual, Kinaesthetic learners. So your body language should be a mix of all three and you should communicate a positive vibe. Have a discussion instead of a lecture all the time and enjoy the conversation.
7. Calmness Be calm and in control with your students and de stress them and help them cope the aggression and negative attitude they are going through.
8. Respectful Each person is important in this world. If you respect your peer and your students they would respect you.

9. Creativity Be creative and have interesting teaching methods to motivate your students. You will be different and stand out in your class and the children would love your class and learn better.
10. Inspirational By helping your student realize his potential , interest, help them identify their talent , skill and abilities you can change his life and make him a successful person in this world .
TEACHER IS A PROFESSIONAL
Teaching is the most essential profession - The one that makes all other professions possible.
Teaching is the profession that is making the foundation for good citizens and  shaping education , molding the skills of our future workforce .
A teacher needs to realize that they have to have all those qualities in them which they want their students to have.
To be good role models including respect and behavior  
To be good time keepers  
To Dress appropriately
To learn to work under pressure
To communicate effectively and to express ones view.
To have good knowledge about their job
To fulfill your deadlines
The success of a school depends on how professional a teacher is   :-
• Your children score well
• How happy they are
• Which depends how you create a happy atmosphere?
• Which depends on how your mood is and how u feel?
A lot of factors affect a teachers teaching skill
• Knowledge of course
• Equally important is your temperament, atmosphere, mood feelings
• U can be disturbed/ Stressed for various reasons HOME / SCHOOL
But all this would affect your lecture / classroom atmosphere
For any professional it is very important to have a strong EQ
Remember you are in the school to benefit the child as much as u can.
We all have stresses from home / environment we need to cope with it .
That is where I want to bring in Emotion intelligence
EQ / EI ( EQ is how one measures EI )
EQ is as important as IQ
So a teacher should know

• How to deal with the inputs you get from the environment  
• How smart you are in managing your environment
• R u a team player
• How well u cope with each other, there is no hierarchy among teachers, you learn new things for the young and the young learns things for the experienced ones
• Should be stress free, relaxed, free to express your views your knowledge.  

About the guest author: Jenny Simpson writes for OC Nissan Garden Grove

She enjoys content and writing about the social sphere.

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Beat The Procrastination

Two of the biggest productivity killers are distractions and interruptions. If you can eliminate these two you WILL be more productive. There are a lot of systems, methods, and methodologies that cope with those productivity killers and we’ve tried most of them. However, there is one method that we have found to be the most useful for increasing your personal productivity and for getting things done. What we are about to show you is called the Pomodoro Technique.

The main idea behind the Pomodoro technique is something called “time-boxing” and it is a really simple time management technique. The basic premise is to firewall your attention for a small amount of time and mentally recharge after each interval of work. By completing small chunks of work you will build momentum so that you will feel more productive which in itself leads to getting more work done. This productivity tip works great for people who have to work at a desk, but you can also use it in different settings.

The Pomodoro technique is a way of managing time and becoming more productive by managing tasks in 25 minute intervals. All you need is a timer (also called a Pomodoro) for this technique to work. Here are the steps:

1. Identify what the task at hand is.
2. Set your Pomodoro to 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro is over.
4. Take a 5 minute break.
5. For every four Pomodoros take a longer break (15-20 minutes).

By completing each Pomodoro, you will feel more productive. 25 minutes is not too long and not too short to feel like you are working towards completing a task. By completing a Pomodoro you will feel more productive, feel more happy, and build momentum that will help you get more things done. It’s really that simple. Let’s take a look at each step and see how it all ties in with each other.

Step 1: Identify what the task at hand is

The first step is identifying what tasks you want to complete. If you are using a to-do or taks manager, go through your projects and decide which tasks you want to complete. If you are not using a to-do manager, grab a piece of paper and a pen. Write down all the tasks you want to complete today. Seriously, write them down.

A good idea is to prioritize your to-do list. Ask yourself, “What are my 3 most important tasks?” List them in that order. This is an important tactic to always tackle your most important tasks first.

Step 2: Set your Pomodoro to 25 minutes

The next thing you need is a timer. You can use an egg or physical time or a digital timer on your computer. It doesn’t really matter which one you use. I’ve used this physical digital timer in the past, and nowadays I use a software timer on my Mac.

Here are some links to timer software you can use. Our favorite is this Pomodoro application (Mac OS X)or you can use Focus Booster (Mac OS X / Windows).

Step 3: Work on the task until the Pomodoro is over

Now that you have your list of tasks and a timer, it is time to start working on your tasks. Start your timer (make sure it’s set to 25 minutes) and then start working on your task. As you are working, don’t focus on the timer. Use your attention for the task ahead of you.

Some important guidelines behind the Pomodoro technique:

• You can only work at the task at hand. No other tasks are allowed during your Pomodoro.
• When your Pomodoro ends, you stop right away. Even if you think you only need a few more minutes, stop.
• When you didn’t finish your work in a Pomodoro, move it to your next Pomodoro session.
• When you finish your tasks before the deadline, don’t stop. Review your completed work till the timer ends. Always finish the 25 minutes.

Step 4: Take a 5 minute break

Once your Pomodoro has ended, you take a 5 minute break. It is important that you disengage from work for a little bit to mentally recharge. This is really important, especially for people with short attention spans. Some things you can do on your little breaks are stretching, refilling your drink or using the bathroom. Getting away from your desk is a good idea because it makes disengaging a lot easier (not to mention the health benefits). Once your 5 minute break is over, either move on to the next task or finish your previous task.

Step 5: For every four Pomodoros take a longer break

This step is really important. Make sure that every 4 Pomodoros (so after 4 * (25+5) = 2 hours) you take a longer break. Do something else that is totally unrelated to your task. A good idea is to get something to eat, to fuel yourself. Some things we like to do are to take a little walk, or to have a small snack.

Also by changing your environment you will sometimes get a different perspective on problems and your tasks. Not to mention, like said earlier, it is easier to disengage from your work and mentally recharge.

So you might wonder how you exactly use this technique? Let me give you an example of how I use it. Whenever I’m starting my day, I look at my Omnifocus task manager and prioritize what tasks I’m going to complete today. The most important one is always the one I’m going to tackle first. Once I have a list of tasks, I’m going to start completing all of them one Pomodoro at a time. It’s really that simple, but so effective.

Caveats

The Pomodoro is not a solution for everyone nor for every task. It’s a great technique for people who work in office settings and sit behind a desk a lot. People with short attention spans love this time management technique. However, we wouldn’t advise using this for running errands or for people who do work that require long sessions of focus (e.g., coding).

It is a great way to beat procrastination at the start of your day. If you begin your day right, it is much easier to do things done later in the day. Some people use the Pomodoro technique to get started and once they have that momentum going, they just free flow the rest of the day. Use this technique to your own liking, because in the end, all that matters is that YOU are getting work done. It doesn’t matter how you do it then.

Next Action

Getting started with something is usually the largest hurdle for most people. First, implementing the Pomodoro technique requires that you need to be organized with your tasks. We highly recommend you use a to-do list manager. It does not have to be a software program, pen and paper work fine too. (You can read up on simple task and to do list management here.) The next step is to get yourself a timer and start working on your tasks.

We suggest you give this time management technique a try. So starting right now, download a software timer and hit a Pomodoro. Let us know in the comments below what you think of this time management technique.

PS. Personally, I like this technique a lot, and I read it from Asian Efficiency which is the origin of the post.

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How to Build A Positive Team

Editors' Choice Article Professionalism Developing this Vital Characteristic

You know that it's essential to be professional if you want to be a success. But what does "being professional" actually mean? For some, being professional might mean dressing smartly at work, or doing a good job. For others, being professional means having advanced degrees or other certifications, framed and hung on the office wall. Professionalism encompasses all of these definitions. But, it also covers much more. So, what is professionalism, and why does it matter? And how can you be completely professional in your day-to-day role? Are you a professional, all of the time? © iStockphoto/Neustockimages

In this article we'll explore all of these questions, so that you can present a really professional image in the workplace. Defining Professionalism The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as "the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person"; and it defines a profession as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation." These definitions imply that professionalism encompasses a number of different attributes, and, together, these attributes identify and define a professional. So, what are these attributes? Specialized Knowledge First and foremost, professionals are known for their specialized knowledge. They've made a deep personal commitment to develop and improve their skills, and, where appropriate, they have the degrees and certifications that serve as the foundation of this knowledge. Not all business areas have a stable core of knowledge (and the academic qualifications that go with this); not all areas demand extensive knowledge to practice successfully; and not all professionals have top degrees in their field. What matters, though, is that these professionals have worked in a serious, thoughtful, and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible. Competency Professionals get the job done. They're reliable, and they keep their promises. If circumstances arise that prevent them from delivering on their promises, they manage expectations up front, and they do their best to make the situation right. Professionals don't make excuses, but focus on finding solutions. Honesty and Integrity Professionals exhibit qualities such as honesty and integrity. They keep their word, and they can be trusted implicitly because of this. They never compromise their values, and will do the right thing, even when it means taking a harder road. More than this, true professionals are humble - if a project or job falls outside their scope of expertise, they're not afraid to admit this. They immediately ask for help when they need it, and they're willing to learn from others. Accountability  Professionals hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they've made a mistake. This personal accountability is closely tied to honesty and integrity, and it's a vital element in professionalism. Self-Regulation They also stay professional under pressure. For instance, imagine a customer service employee who's faced with an irate customer. Instead of getting upset or angry in return, the employee exhibits true professionalism by maintaining a calm, business-like demeanor, and by doing everything that she can to make the situation right. Genuine professionals show respect for the people around them, no matter what their role or situation. They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI) by considering the emotions and needs of others, and they don't let a bad day impact how they interact with colleagues or clients. Image Professionals look the part - they don't show up to work sloppily dressed, with unkempt hair. They're polished, and they dress appropriately for the situation. Because if this, they exude an air of confidence, and they gain respect for this. How to Exhibit Professionalism As you can see from these characteristics, professionals are the kind of people that others respect and value. They are a genuine credit to their organizations! This is why it's so important that we work to earn a professional reputation in the workplace. True professionals are the first to be considered for promotions, they are awarded valuable projects or clients, and they are routinely successful in their careers. Now that you have a clear view of what constitutes professionalism, are you demonstrating these characteristics to the people around you? It's likely you're already showing some characteristics, but you may find yourself lacking in others: to build your own professionalism, focus on improving each of these characteristics. (Focus on one at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed.) Additionally, here are some further strategies that will help you be more professional in the workplace: Build Expertise Don't let your knowledge and skills get outdated. Make a commitment to build expertise andstay up-to-date with your industry. Tip: Take our Bite-Sized Training session on Building Expert Power to find out how to build and maintain your own expert power. Develop Your Emotional Intelligence Professionals can sense the emotional needs of others. They're able to give clients and coworkers what they need, because they know how to listen actively and observe what's happening. So, if you want to improve your professionalism, focus on developing emotional intelligence. Honor Your Commitments Whenever you make a promise to your boss, colleagues, or clients, keep it. If it looks as if you won't be able to meet a deadline, let your boss, team, or client know as soon as sensibly possible. However, do what you can to avoid ending up in this situation! Don't make excuses - instead, focus on meeting expectations as best you can, and on making the situation right. Be Polite Be kind and polite and use good manners to everyone you come into contact with, no matter what their role is, and no matter how you're feeling. This might sound unimportant, but it makes a significant impact. Have the Tools You Need Do you show up to a client meeting lacking important samples? Or arrive at work, only to realize that you left a vital file at home? Or do you find yourself operating in situations where you don't have the skills needed to do a good job? True professionals are always prepared. This requires advance planning, timeliness, and attention. Focus on improving your time management and planning skills, so that you're always in control. Note: Although professionalism means keeping commitments, doing high quality work, and having expert status, occasionally the pursuit of these attributes might tempt you not to volunteer for projects that fall outside your "comfort zone." However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you shouldn't try! Analyze risks beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong, be honest about any skills gaps that you have, and work to fill them. Then do the best you possibly can! Key Points Professionalism is a trait that's highly valued in the workforce. It has many attributes, including: Specialized knowledge. Competency. Honesty and integrity. Respect. Accountability. Self-regulation. Image. To improve your own professionalism, focus on improving in each of these areas. You can also exude professionalism by being kind and polite to everyone, presenting a professional image in your attitude and dress, and showing up for work or meetings fully prepared. Origin: www.mindtools.com Submit Your Post: http://www.lolstudent.com/p/submit-guest-post.html

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Financial Planning and Budgeting

Financial Planning and Budgeting

One should always plan for future uncertainties and creating a budget, financial goals and an emergency fund will go a long way in meeting your financial obligation and handling any emergencies that may arise.
Budget is a very important aspect of financial planning and one which will enable you to achieve your financial and long term goals. People normally do not give much emphasis to a budget and they just have a rough idea of what is coming in and how much they are spending. Having a budget and sticking to it will enable you to have a micro image of the finances and you can cut down on unnecessary expenditure. You should see the budget as a route to delayed consumption. Start with a weekly or monthly budget depending on how you are paid and this switch to an annual budget or even a longer horizon if you can. Once the budget is set, you can channel the inwards into expenses and investments.
The next step is creating an emergency fund. Once you have created a balanced budget and eliminated debt, then you should start putting an emergency fund in place for all those unforeseen and unplanned financial situations that may arise like a medical emergency, car breakdown. You should normally have 2 months earning buffer for these emergencies and a 4 to 6 month buffer for critical situations like Job loss. Also have specific insurances and make the premium payment on time. You can use a credit card for these emergencies but you should normally avoid it and use the fund as credit card debt can be back breaker. You need to build the fund at regular intervals and put money into the basket so that it keeps growing. Any spare money above the budgetary amount goes into this. This fund should not be used for regular expenses like shopping or the new car that you want to buy.
The next important point is to create an increasing gap between your expenses and your income with your income rising and expenses falling. You may need to find substitutes instead of just cutting down. You would also need to reward yourself at regular intervals which will serve as an incentive to save and invest. Have a goal in mind for the reward and work towards it. The achievement of these goals will serve as a motivating factor for future goals. If you reduce your expenses, you have sparer money to pay off high cost debt and invest.

Once you have your budget planned out, then you need to find ways to increase your income. Proper investments with the savings made will give returns which will increase the income.

Always keep in mind that financial planning and sticking to it requires discipline and is a long term thing. Work to make it a habit.

About Guest Author: Kelly Jones writes for www.ocnissanirvine.com. She writes for blogs as a hobby and enjoys exploring new avenues in the social sphere.Submit Your Post: http://www.lolstudent.com/p/submit-guest-post.html

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How to Concentrate?

The Flow Model Balancing Challenge and Skills

How to Concentrate   Have you ever been so involved in doing something that     you lost track of time?   Everything around you - from the ringing of phones to     the people passing in the hallways -      seemed to fade away. Your attention was focused   entirely on what you were doing, and you     were so engaged that you might have missed lunch.   You felt energized, even joyful, about    what you were doing.    Most of us have had this experience at one time or another, and psychologists call it "flow."       When it happens, we lose our sense of self, and we move forward almost on instinct,      completely devoted to the task before us.

In this article, we'll examine flow in detail by looking into the Flow Model. We'll explore how the model can help us understand why we find some tasks much easier than others. We'll also look at how you can use the ideas behind the Flow Model to experience flow more often, so that you can be more productive. The Flow Model The Flow Model (see figure 1, below) was first introduced by positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He wrote about flow in his book "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience." Note: Csikszentmihalyi published his book in 1990, but didn't publish this version of the model until 1997. The model shows the emotional states that we're likely to experience when trying to complete a task, depending on the perceived difficulty of the challenge and our perceptions of our skill levels. For example, if the task isn't challenging and doesn't require a lot of skill, we're likely to feel apathy towards it. But facing a challenging task without the required skills could easily result in worry and anxiety. To find a balance, and to perform at our best, we need a challenge that is significant and interesting, and we need well-developed skills, so that we're confident that we can meet the challenge. This moves us to a position where we can experience "flow" (being totally involved and engaged in the activity). This state of flow is often observed in people who have mastered their business, art, sport, or hobby. They make whatever they're doing look easy, and they're totally engaged with it. 10 Components of Flow How do you know when you're experiencing flow? Csikszentmihalyi identified 10 experiences that go with this state: Having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. Being able to concentrate for a sustained period of time. Losing the feeling of consciousness of one's self. Finding that time passes quickly. Getting direct and immediate feedback. Experiencing a balance between your ability levels, and the challenge. Having a sense of personal control over the situation. Feeling that the activity is intrinsically rewarding. Lacking awareness of bodily needs. Being completely absorbed in the activity itself. Remember that all of these factors and experiences don't necessarily have to be in place for flow to happen. But you're likely to experience many of them when flow occurs. Three Conditions Csikszentmihalyi also identified three things that must be present if you want to enter a state of flow: Goals - Goals add motivation and structure to what you're doing. Whether you're learning a new piece of music or creating a presentation, you must be working towards a goal to experience flow. Balance - There must be a good balance between your perceived skill and the perceived challenge of the task. If one of these weighs more heavily than the other, flow probably won't occur. Feedback - You must have clear, immediate feedback, so that you can make changes and improve your performance. This can be feedback from other people, or the awareness that you're making progress with the task. Using the Flow Model To improve your chances of experiencing flow, do the following: Set goals - Goal setting is important in experiencing flow. Learning to set effective goals can help you develop the focus you need. Improve your concentration - Many things may distract you from your work, and achieving flow is more difficult when your focus is interrupted. Use strategies to improve your concentration, so that you're more productive and focused during the day. Build self-confidence - If you don't have confidence in your skills, tasks may seem much harder than they actually are. Our article on building self-confidence will show you how to develop yourself for success. Get feedback - Remember, feedback is an important requirement for flow. Make sure that appropriate feedback systems are in place, and learn how to give and receive feedback, so that you can help yourself - and others - improve. Make your work more challenging - Consider strategies such as job crafting to do this, and explore ways of creating more job satisfaction. Tip: Remember that simply increasing the amount of challenge doesn't guarantee flow. Csikszentmihalyi stressed that you experience flow only when you perceive the right opportunities. It happens because you're in the right mindset, not because you have "perfect conditions." Improve your skills - Doing a Personal SWOT Analysis, can help you identify the skills that you need to work on to be successful. You can then develop a plan for improving your skills to help you complete more challenging tasks. Coach yourself - If you don't have a mentor or coach to help you through challenging tasks, learn how to coach yourself. Note: No matter how much you love your job, it's almost impossible to experience flow in every task that you do! Our articles Overcoming Procrastination, Motivating Yourself, and Is This a "Morning Task"? explore strategies that help you complete less desirable, yet essential, tasks. The Inverted-U Model There's an overlap of ideas between the Flow Model and the Inverted-U Model - a popular and widely respected model that helps explain the relationship between performance and pressure. In the inverted-U graph, the vertical axis represents someone's level of performance, while the horizontal axis represents the pressure that he or she is under. According to the model, there's a "perfect medium" of pressure where people perform at their best. The Flow Model doesn't explain the loss of performance that occurs when pressure is too high - for example, when we're scared, or when we're overwhelmed by work. At these times, your productivity can drop and negative emotions like anxiety will increase dramatically. By using both of these models together, you're most likely to be able to enter and enjoy the state of flow. Key Points Flow is a state we enter when our perceived skills match the perceived challenge of the task that we're doing. When we're in a state of flow, we seem to forget time. The work we do may fill us with joy, and we lose our sense of self as we concentrate fully on the task. This is the state that we're in when we're doing our best work, and when we're at our most productive. The Flow Model shows the relationship between task complexity and your perceived skill level. You can use the model to find out why you're not achieving flow. It can also help you discover whether you need to improve your skills, or reduce the challenge of certain tasks, to help achieve flow. Origin: Mindtools.com Submit Your Post: http://www.lolstudent.com/p/submit-guest-post.html

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