Political Correctness in Education Has Gone Too Far

There are lots of reasons why parents home school their kids. Some feel the schools aren't safe, and it's true some are not. Some parents worry about drugs, some worry about bullying. Yes, indeed, those can be factors. But the main reason home schooling exists is because many parents do not trust the public schools anymore. They don't trust the schools to teach their kids correctly, the right information, or do it in the way they would with integrity, decency, and honesty.
Political correctness in our schools is also a reason I hear when I interview home schooling parents, and interestingly enough, over the years I've talked to 100s all over America. But how bad is the PC world of education these days? Well, some parents get irate when explaining some of the stories and experiences they've encountered. And in listening to their critique, well, I cannot say I much blame them.
In fact, in a story I almost cannot believe which was printed in an E-School News article Titled; "White-washing of Literary Classics Paints Controversy" in the February 2011 edition there was an article where "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was actually modified as to not offend black students. Yep, they modified Mark Twain's work. Can you imagine modifying a literary classic like that, and then having the kids read it without telling them it has been modified? Talk about lack of integrity! I am appalled.
But it brings me to another point, you ought to have your home-schooled children also read; "Lies My Teacher Told Me" as part of their at home curriculum as well. It just blows me away that we can have adults in our educational system pull something so childish. And if it really is "that bad" having a book with a black-slave in it, then just don't have them read it at all, but modifying it, changing anything is absolutely unethical in every way - but it's even worse, because the educational system which demands ethical students is doing it.
What does this teach our children I ask? Scary stuff indeed, but luckily the story was picked up by CNNs Anderson Cooper and played on TV to get the word out. Could it get any worse you wonder? Sure it could, especially when everyone plays along and no one stands up and says; "Hey, wait just one minute here!"
Well, I hope you've enjoyed today's topic, and I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

5 Key Points to Lead You to Currency Trading Success

If you want to win at forex trading, then you can it's a learned skill. That's the good news however 95% of traders lose and you must understand the following key points and make them part of your essential forex education. If you do, you will win...

Here are your key points, in no particular order of importance - there all important.

1. Forex Trading is NOT Easy!

Most traders just think they can buy $100 buck robot or get a mentor and someone will lead them to success. This is naïve and you know, if you want success at anything you need to work at the basics and do your homework.

Don't believe the sire fire systems or forex robots which never have a real track record, just a back tested simulation and keep in mind trading forward is what counts and that's hard.

Sure it's hard but that's why forex trading offers such huge rewards in terms of the effort you put in.

2. You are Responsible

If you accept you are responsible for your destiny, you will put in the effort to get the right forex education. You will learn a simple forex trading strategy which is robust, you understand and can have confidence in. If you have confidence then you will be able to acquire the next key trait.

3. Discipline is the Key

When you trade forex you are going to lose, the market is going to make you look a fool but that's life in forex and doesn't mean you can't win - you can.

What you must do is, have the discipline to apply you forex trading strategy through periods of losses, until you hit a home run. To win you must learn to lose gracefully in the short term and keep your eyes on the long term prize.

Many traders believe they can trade with little or no drawdown. They listen to the so called experts but the truth is - you will have to face weeks of losses at a time and discipline is needed in these periods, for you to emerge a winner.

4. You Need to Trade in Isolation

In society we are taught to agree with the crowd but in forex trading this leads to disaster, as 95% of traders lose money. You have to stay away from the herd and even when your emotions are telling you to conform, you need to stand aside. Get sucked into the herd mentality and you will end up with the 95% of losers.

5. Patience

Not only do you need patience to wait for the right opportunities, you also need patience to take your losses and more importantly, to run your profits.

Many traders get so excited when they have a profit, they move to soon to protect it or bank it; whereas if they hung on they could have made huge gains.

Becoming a Winner

If you want to become a winner in forex, you need all the above attributes and if you do achieve them, you will be on the way to currency trading success. They can lead you to a great second income or even a life changing one, in around 30 minutes a day.

Children and Music Education

Well let me tell you the good news....

Music lessons in childhood and particularly before the age of 7 can have a lasting effect on a child's development.

Here are some facts and figures:
1. Students in high-quality school music programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district.

2. Students in top-quality music programs scored 22% better in English and 20% better in math than students in deficient music programs.

3. Students in top-quality instrumental programs scored 19% higher in English than students in schools without a music program.

4. Students in top quality instrumental programs scored 17% higher in Math than children in schools without a music program.

5. Students at schools with excellent music programs had higher English and Math test scores across the country than students in schools with low-quality music programs.

6. Students in all regions with lower-quality instrumental programs scored higher in English and Math than students who had no music at all.

MENC (Music Educators National Conference) Journal of Research in Music Education, Winter 2006, vol. 54, No. 4, pgs. 293- 307; "Examination of Relationship between Participation in School Music Programs of Differing Quality and Standardized Test Results" Christopher M. Johnson and Jenny E. Memmott, University of Kansas

Students of the arts continue to outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) according to reports by the College Entrance Examination Board.

In 2006, SAT takers with coursework/experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts.

Scores for those with coursework in music appreciation were 62 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math portion.

Can Your Kids Benefit From a Financial Education Video For Teens?

Everyone has seen on recent newscasts, the stories about homeowners in foreclosure who didn't take the time to read and comprehend completely, their loan contracts. Is it that simple? Why didn't they just sit down at a table for an hour and study it in full? The truth of the matter, is that even if they had tried, the majority of them wouldn't even be able comprehend them in full.

Its Only Going to Get Worse in the Future

Just try to read the three page fine print average credit card contract! Not only are the actual basic functions of today's financial contracts far more intricate and confusing but they are also loaded with new terms and phrases that make them impossible for the average person to comprehend. The bad news is that it is only going to get worse in the future, as new government regulations on financial and lending institutions are imposed.

Packed With Easy to Understand Information

Fortunately for today's parents there are financial education videos for teens that can be procured online. Will your teen watch and study one until he or she understands its content completely? Probably not, but these videos are so loaded with relevant material that they will come away with something lodged in their head that will find a use in their future.

Will Your Teen Be Ready for the Next Recession?

Even if all that they come away with, is a basic understanding of the roller coaster economic cycles that the U.S. economy has been going through since its beginnings, that will be a big step. It will mean that just maybe they will be prepared and ready for the next recession that will undoubtedly hit in another twelve years or so.

Prepare Your Teen Now

By then they will most likely have a home and family of their own and will be even less likely to take your advice. This means that now is the time to do what you can to prepare the hard-head for the future that is waiting for them with a financial education video for teens.