Watch & listen instead of reading:

There has been a lot of debate about what the government is doing to stave off a so-called double-dip recession. Some say it will cause runaway inflation; others say it’s simply delaying the inevitable. Robert Prechter says DEFLATION is the true concern.

It’s true that Robert Prechter is a polarizing figure in the world of finance. Some write off his technical analysis theories as esoteric market hocus-pocus. Others swear by the natural order of the markets, which is why they believe Elliott waves and Fibonacci are the purest forms of technical analysis.

Whatever your opinion, it’s hard to deny that Prechter is on to something. Virtually no one has called the crisis like him.

MarketWatch columnist Peter Brimelow recently reported, “Over the past three years, Prechter’s bearishness paid off handsomely. It’s up an annualized 5.25% against negative 8.12% annualized for the total return Wilshire 5000.”

Some might say it’s luck. Those familiar with Prechter’s writing call it unique insight.

After all, who else warned (as early as 2002, early enough to take action) about the impending tops in real estate, commodities and stocks or about defaulting pension plans, municipal bankruptcies and massive bank failures — plus a huge rally in the once-”doomed” U.S. dollar?

Only Prechter.

Read Prechter’s candid answers for free, and find out where he thinks the markets are heading next. Access the 20-page report now from the link below.

Download This Free Report Now

As we look for signs of the economy to improve, many Americans are taking the opportunity to return to school. Some feel a college degree will provide better job security, and others look to study a new field altogether.

Nursing programs are attracting many new students. The demand for nurses is increasing for many reasons according to the 2002 report of the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professionals. Among them is a rapidly aging population. As the baby boom generation ages, it will demand that more health care services be provided by more health care professionals. During the next 25 years, the over-age-65 population will increase at five times the rate of those under 65.

Three faculty members from Brown Mackie College – Kansas City, Kan. share their varied experiences in nursing and offer a closer look at career opportunities in the field.

Terese Plesser, nursing program director at Brown Mackie College – Kansas City, says, “A two-year associate’s degree prepares graduates for entry-level positions at hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. From there a consideration is obtaining a bachelor of science in nursing degree, which widens career possibilities to management and education positions.”

Nursing offers varied choices in terms of work settings and areas of concentration. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, hospices, physician’s offices, and home health care companies all employ nurses. Sherry Payne is a Brown Mackie College – Kansas City faculty member who teaches obstetrics and pediatrics and brings rich nursing career experience to the classroom. With a bachelor’s degree, she entered nursing with a focus on labor and delivery.

Finding great satisfaction in her work, she stayed within the field of obstetric care. She now teaches others who wish to enter the field. “I have great appreciation for my leap from a clinical setting to teaching. I see it as a way to expand on my personal vision of the world of maternity in a greater way,” says Payne.

Personal vision seems to be a common thread running through nursing students today. “Many students show up after an encounter with nursing that has a lifelong impact,” Payne continues. “A positive experience with the healthcare system plants a seed. They see nursing as a lifetime mission, not just a job. It’s a passion, a true vocation.”

Other examples of the diverse experiences a nursing degree can deliver are seen within the career of Pat Frost, a Brown Mackie College – Kansas City faculty member who also teaches obstetrics and pediatrics. She began her career in the U.S. Air Force as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit and spent time doing postpartum care. Back in civilian life, she worked with an ophthalmologist, then for several schools, as a special needs nurse and instructor of anatomy and physiology.

From there she returned to a clinical setting as an IV therapy nurse before coming back to education at Brown Mackie College. “I’m working now on a master’s degree in nursing education,” Frost says. “It is satisfying to see students come out of the classroom not only knowing facts and figures, but also learning about improving their lives.”

These three professionals agree that nursing affords them opportunities to affect others in a positive way. “Nursing calls on many skills in a given day,” says Plesser. “We are technologists dealing with medical equipment that changes frequently, diplomats dealing with sometimes difficult people, and educators telling patients about disease processes.”

Interaction is a key component. Nurses interact with doctors, patients, families of patients, and each other. Payne adds, “Nurses are supportive of each other. We know when to delegate and when to collaborate. We sometimes work holidays and celebrate together. We become family.”

Plesser says, “The nice thing about nursing is if you get tired of one thing, you can try something else in another area.”

Across the country, colleges and universities are embracing innovative, digital technologies and customized learning platforms to drive academic achievement. While print textbooks remain the foundation of higher education course materials, publishers are creating new digital applications that enable institutions and faculty to become more effective, and engage digital learners to enhance their academic achievement and succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy.

Educational publishers recognize the power of today’s technology and devices like the iPod and Amazon Kindle to adapt to how students learn. They’re studying how students interact with these tools and process information, and how instructors teach, to design new ways to make learning a more effective, efficient, and personalized experience for students.

“By observing thousands of students and their learning styles, we’ve ascertained a great deal about their work habits, study plans, and other learning preferences. This information is being used by today’s publishers to create digital tools to connect students to content on a new level and empower them to succeed,” says Ed Stanford, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education. “A transformation is occurring on campuses across the country as students embrace technology in every aspect of learning.”

McGraw-Hill’s Connect for example, is a powerful, web-based assessment and learning platform that assists both instructor and student. One feature of Connect can assess a student’s knowledge by delivering appropriate questions at the right time to help them master course content. It’s one more major development in educational technology that is helping students learn more efficiently and achieve greater success academically.

Students studying for midterms and finals now have online tools to test themselves, share notes, and listen online to key concepts from lectures. Digital assessment tools are also becoming mainstream. At some schools, introductory math fail rates are as high as 50 percent due mainly to inaccurate course placement. Today, students who once failed are now succeeding, thanks to an innovative Web-based software system that ensures accurate course placement and can even provide individualized learning plans.

Artificial intelligence now provides the power behind new tutoring software for accounting courses that is proven to increase test scores by at least a full letter grade. Then there’s GradeGuru.com, an online note-sharing Web site for students, which operates as an online study group to help students engage in their coursework.

College courses, departments, and in a few cases entire campuses are experimenting with going digital by replacing print textbooks with eBook versions of course content. EBooks are digital resources that allow students to search, highlight and print content, share notes and create personal study guides directly on their computers, iPods or digital reading devices. Available through online marketplaces like CourseSmart, eBooks truly engage students, making it easier for them to learn and offering cost-savings of almost half the price of print textbooks.

To test this concept, in 2008, more than 500 students at Northwest Missouri State University participated in an eBook trial to investigate the usefulness and efficacy of eBooks compared to traditional print textbooks. Once students learned how to use eBooks and work the technology behind them, they found tremendous value in the convenience and accessibility of digital course content.

Today’s educators and publishers are working together to craft the best learning solutions for colleges and universities. Innovative digital tools are being developed to not only make learning easier and more effective, but most importantly to better prepare students for the world that awaits.

As your older children board the bus to go back to school, it can be difficult for the younger ones. They’re not only losing a play companion, but may feel they’re missing out on an exciting new world. But never fear, there are plenty of ways you can bring the wonderment of the classroom into your house so your younger children won’t feel left behind.

* Create the right atmosphere.
By having a desk, craft items and maybe even a backpack of his own, your child can easily imagine he’s in a classroom setting. Plus, as younger children age, you can reuse the space by transforming the school-play area into a homework and study zone.

* Find toys that offer “teachable moments.”
There are many toys you can purchase that help develop math skills, creativity and body coordination as part of the fun. For example, take the TRIO building set of bricks, sticks and panels from Fisher-Price. Building sets improve hand-eye coordination, help children develop spatial relationships, determine shapes and classifications, and encourage creativity.

“You will often see toddlers enjoying the process of stacking things up; as they get a little older, they move outward, building bridges and walling things in. As children get close to 5 years, they use more complex patterns with greater symmetry, creating more representational structures like a building, tree or animal,” says Cynthia Lynn-Garbe, a senior child researcher at Fisher-Price. “The bricks, sticks and panels of the TRIO building system let children experiment with how things fit together, then advance to creating more complex structures.”

And would you guess that building sets not only encourage creativity and fine motor skill development but also encourage language skills? Lynn-Garbe suggests having your child build something without telling you what it is. You can then ask about the creation, what it’s used for and who lives there, making guesses as you continue to encourage your child to use her imagination as she tells a story about what she built. “Building can offer family fun as well as touch on some really important skill development that may just spark that engineer or architect of the future,” Lynn-Garbe says.

* Turn household chores into a learning opportunity.
Having children help with household chores not only teaches them responsibility, but it also gives you an excellent chance to be a teacher. For example, if you’re doing laundry, have your child help you sort the clothes by color. Sure, it will take longer, but your child will soon be able to recognize different colors and understand the concepts of sorting and organizing. Or if you’re cooking, let your child help measure so they can grasp simple fractions – without even knowing it.

* Play with music.
There are lots of creative ways you can introduce your child to the world of music. For example, play music on the TV or stereo and let children keep the rhythm while dancing around, playing a toy drum or clapping their hands. You can even help your child make colorful streamer ribbons to dance with, adding more fun to the activity. As they get older, introduce your child to reading music and playing a small keyboard or other easy instruments.

By having their own school at home, your younger children will not only have fun, but be better prepared when it’s their turn to get on the bus in the morning.

Reading can be easier for kids to pick up and a more enjoyable activity when parents start early, as early as the day they’re born, says Dr. Robert Titzer. Research proves that early readers tend to enjoy reading more, do better in school and are less likely to drop out than those children with poor reading skills. However, myths surrounding early reading persist and include:

Myth: I don’t need to focus on reading at home. All children will learn how to read by the end of kindergarten.

Studies show that if a child is not reading at grade level by the end of the first grade, chances are very slim that he will ever catch up to grade level. Forty percent of 8-year-olds cannot read independently, which indicates the reading skills acquired in kindergarten are not enough.

Myth: It’s harmful to my child to learn how to read early because they’ll be ahead of the rest of their class.

Children who enter school already equipped with reading skills have higher self-esteem than children who do not, according to research.

Myth: A focus on learning to read is pushing a child too hard. Just let kids be kids.

Reading is a great way to spark imagination and early readers often have a lifelong love of books. The key is for parents to make reading fun, never a chore.

Titzer, a renowned infant learning and development expert, developed the Your Baby Can Read early language development system to change how and when children learn to read. Generally designed for children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, the system uses tools like games, word cards, educational DVDs and music to help parents teach children how to read and to make it a fun activity for everyone.

Titzer offers the following tips to help parents encourage their young children to read:

* Start reading with your child from the day they’re born. A baby’s brain thrives on stimulation and, while it may not seem like they’re paying attention, they’re absorbing everything going on around them.

* Make reading fun. Use different character voices, act out a story, set aside a special story time with all family members and encourage children to participate in everything from turning pages to pointing out words.

* Use multimedia learning to appeal to different personality types and learning styles.

* Have a variety of books on hand and a comfortable place to read each day.

* Visit the library and encourage children to choose books they’re interested in.

By reading books early and often with your child, you’ll be helping to jump-start a lifetime of enjoyment of language and of academic success. Dr. Seuss books are popular and win awards because they engage your child’s intellect and imagination.

Studies have identified the many benefits of early literacy development:

• A sense of closeness and intimacy between parent and child
• Expanded vocabulary and writing skills over other children not read to as often
• Healthy social and emotional development
• Longer attention spans
• Enhanced imaginative and critical thinking skills
• Better levels of concentration

This is a great time to sign your child up for the Dr. Seuss & His Friends Book Club! Join now and you get 2 hardcover books FREE when you buy The Cat in the Hat for $4.99 plus shipping. Plus a FREE tote bag!. No obligation to continue.

Click here or on the banner to get more details and to give your child the gift of reading.

With so many products and programs focused on helping your child learn to read, math skills can easily be lost in the shuffle. While a recent study from Northwestern University concluded that early math proficiency is the most important predictor for a student’s academic success, too many children in this country are behind in math and too many parents don’t know what to do to help. Parents shouldn’t ignore the role math plays in their child’s future.

In addition to helping your child with their assigned homework, here are a few tips to help them improve their math skills and build the foundation for a lifetime of successful learning.

Have fun counting
*Find ways to play counting games during the day, such as counting the number of stairs, the number of red cars you pass while driving, and the number of spoons needed to set the table
*Have your child count the number of cookies (or slices of bread) needed for everyone in the family to get two
*Cook with your child and have your child measure the amounts for the ingredients
*Ask your child to find the right coins to pay for an item

Play music together
*March in a parade around the house to the beat
*Beat a simple pattern on a “drum” and have your child copy you. Then have your child be the leader
*Sign your child up for music lessons

Play family games that require math skills
*Play card games like Go Fish, Crazy Eights and Rummy
*Play board games like Candy Land or Checkers or Trouble
*Try Yahtzee

One of the most innovative products created to help kids learn math is DreamBox Learning K-2 Math (www.dreambox.com). The engaging, Web-based adventure was developed to increase learning by placing each child at the correct starting point and continuously adapting all aspects of the experience to make sure kids are learning in a way that meets their particular learning needs and preferences.

Elementary school teacher Kathleen Marshall has been using DreamBox Learning K-2 Math in her classroom and recommends parents use it at home with their children. “I have never before seen 30 students sit mesmerized in front of a computer screen having great fun doing math that is appropriate for their needs,” she says. “One of my English Language Learner (ELL) students turned with a glowing grin and said, ‘Mrs. Marshall, now I can do math!’ I nearly cried.”

Math matters and it’s as important to give kids a solid understanding of numbers as it is for them to learn how to read. Investing in all aspects of your young child’s education is sure to pay dividends throughout their journey into middle school, high school and beyond. Spending time at home counting, organizing and playing math games with your child is not only a great investment in their future, it’s a great way to spend quality time together as well.