Using The Law Of Reciprocity To Build Great Wealth

July 19th, 2009 at 04:09pm Under Education Law

Business owners and entrepreneurs often tap into the law of reciprocity without knowing it.

They’re inherently pre-programmed to participate in the worldwide truth of give and receive.  While there are those out there in this world who take take take, the vast majority of us swing to the other side of the scale and give give give.

Ever heard the quote – it’s better to give than receive?

Sure you have!  Not sure if it’s true because invariably when you give you do receive – it’s the law of reciprocity.

Whether you give time, knowledge, money or even tangible things – you get it back tenfold.

Let’s take a look at this law in action!

Influence and Reciprocity

If you’ve been in business for any length of time or even if you’ve just begun to research business models and strategies you’ve likely come across Dr Robert Cialdini and his laws of persuasion and influence.

They are, in no particular order,

- Commitment and Consistency – If people commit, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment.  This is used often in sales.  A sales person gets the potential customer to agree to a few ideas and thus sets the tone for the sale.

- Social Proof - People will do things that they see other people are doing.  The bandwagon mentality.  If other people are doing it then there must be some value or benefit to it.

- Authority – People will tend to obey authority figures.  Establish credibility and authority and people will be more likely to buy from you.

- Likeability - People are easily persuaded by other people that they like.

- Scarcity – Perceived scarcity will generate demand.  Buy now only 10 left – enough said!

- Reciprocity – People tend to return a favor.  This is often used in internet marketing by giving people lots of good content.  We’re talking books, reports, even products or at least trial versions of products.

The law of reciprocity at its most basic level tells us that if we give our prospects and customers something, whether it is a free product or service, excellent customer service, or even something as basic as tons of valuable information on a website or blog, then they will return the favor and make a purchase.  It’s a law that many business owners and entrepreneurs tap into without realizing it.  They do it unconsciously.

Networking and Reciprocity

That being said, the law of reciprocity doesn’t stop there.  It extends to your community – both your personal community and your professional community.

When you participate in your local community, whether it is through your church, through your child’s school, your local community education program, local team sports, your home owner’s association, the homeless shelter, your community’s cultural events and so on, you’re volunteering your time. You’re sharing your knowledge and experience with those who can most benefit from it.

For example if you own a business teaching copywriting strategies you can give back to the community by teaching free marketing writing courses through your local community education program or free university.  You can assist at the junior high or high school and help during writing labs or workshops.

So how does the law of reciprocity work if you’re volunteering your time in your community?

It just does.  Not very scientific, right?  Well the truth of the matter is that when you’re out and about meeting people and sharing your knowledge and experience you meet people who need your knowledge and experience and are willing to pay for it.  You meet people who are interested in your products and services and you meet people who present valuable business building opportunities.

It’s basic networking without the focus being about your or your business.  In fact, in my experience if you go out to help others with the idea that you’re going to get something back monetarily – it doesn’t work.  Instead, go out and help others, give back to your community and enjoy the feel good rewards you receive.  The wealth will follow naturally.

The same holds true if when you are networking professionally.  However instead of shaking hands and kissing babies with the hope that these same folks will come knocking at your metaphorical door (unless you own a brick and mortar business then it’s not so metaphorical?) connect with fellow business owners and entrepreneurs in an effort to education and to learn.  Networking by and large is about sharing knowledge and helping each other become better.

When you network professionally the more charitable your approach the more you will receive.  In today’s competitive marketplace the ones who survive long term are transparent and authentic.

The Universal Law of Reciprocity

The universal law of reciprocity pulls us out of our day to day actions, our day to day giving and receiving and puts it in the hands of whatever you believe is out there affecting your life – God, The Universe, an energetic force – it doesn’t really matter because the law is the same.  When you give, you receive.

It isn’t a matter of faith.  You don’t even have to believe in this law for it to be true.  In fact if you go into the world giving and expecting something back then it’s just not going to be as effective.  If you look at each good deed you do as a money in the bank – we’ll you’re taking all the fun out of it.  Instead, rest assured with the knowledge that every time you give you will receive.

Seriously.  This isn’t some new fangled spiritual, hippy, approach to wealth.  People have embraced and prospered with this knowledge for centuries.

So how can you use the law of reciprocity to prosper?

Become conscious of it.  Know that it is an influential factor in sales.  When you give away value, people are inclined to reciprocate.  That means integrate it into your sales and marketing strategy and tactics.  Use the law of reciprocity to influence your customers and prospects.

Network.  Get out and get involved both in your personal life and in your professional life.  The people that you meet are wide open doors of opportunity.  Greet them as such and be an opportunity for them. The wealth you will receive both personal and tangible – we’re talking about  both the joy of giving as well as the joy of the monetary benefits you will receive, will astound you.

Finally, simply accept that the law of reciprocity works. Don’t force it.  Enjoy it.  Sit back from time to time and ask yourself – Am I giving enough?  Take stock in the opportunities that have come your way simply by giving.  And then make a plan to give more.

The law of reciprocity is always in motion. Don’t let it slip between your fingers – use it to generate the great wealth you deserve.

Law Offices, Professional Image, And Marketing

July 18th, 2009 at 10:09pm Under Education Law

Face it. Financial bottom lines are affected by the fact we live in a world that judges a book by its cover. Pretty singers sell more records, court cases rank higher in the news if the person is attractive, and politicians are elected based on their image as much any other factor.
Looking at your own industry, don’t you have to fight the public’s perceptions? We see it on TV and in movies every day. More often than not, young lawyers, paralegals, and others just starting out in the profession are portrayed as cheap, petty, low-rent, and usually called “ambulance chasers.”
It’s not right, but this issue of image is one that you have to live with and learn to work with.
Let’s cut to the bottom line which is this: In today’s business climate, everyone should realize that a professional image is crucial to reputation and everyone could stand to improve theirs to some degree or other. It’s what you need to do to keep your individual firms alive. Therefore, let’s cover some opportunities for improvement using the acronym A.L.I.V.E.:
Appearance – Your physical persona and the way present yourself.
Letterhead – The level of professionalism demonstrated in your printed marketing materials.
Information – Accuracy and honesty; the keys to presenting the data gathered during a case.
Voice – How you communicate to everyone you’re associated with.
Education – The continual improvement to your professional knowledge base.
Appearance: People base a large percentage of their first impression on your appearance. When a client meets you for the first time, they’re sizing up your credibility, your ability as a legal professional, and deciding just how well you might conduct yourself in public. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression, so let’s look at a few pointers.
- Always dress in a professional manner. For men and women both, the attire should be “business professional,” which for men means suit and tie whenever possible, and for the ladies, business suits, nice skirt and blouse, or dresses. If you look unkempt or “second rate” the client will wonder how you’ll represent them while working their case.
- A close cousin to dress is personal grooming. Simply put, make sure your hair, facial hair, hands, nails, and teeth are all clean and well kept. By the way, how’s your breath? Always keep some mints handy.
- Keep jewelry at a minimum. Jewelry should follow the rule on colognes. It’s best to smell of nothing than to overpower with the wrong thing. A general jewelry guideline is no more than 2 rings per hand, no more than 2 thin necklaces, and either post or small-ring earrings. And… you guessed it, visible exotic piercings or tattoos are out if you’re going to be taken seriously by the legal community. The “Professional Image Dress” website at http://www.professionalimagedress.com has some good articles and checklists. Also, you’ll find some good books and magazines on business and professional image at your local library.
Letterhead: In some cases, the first contact someone may have with you might be one of your business cards. For our purposes though, “letterhead” refers to any printed material (paper or electronic) anyone outside your office might see.
- Business cards are a must. Make them distinctive, but with minimal content. Let your website or brochure carry the heavy content.
- On business cards, stationery, and your website stay away from trite, cliché, or negative icons such as someone running after an ambulance. In your web address, phone numbers, or email addresses, stay away from negative phrases like “makethempay@mylaw.com.” These might seem cute, but to many potential clients, they’re a turnoff.
- For stationery, choose quality paper and have your letterhead and envelopes, as well as your contracts, professionally produced by the same people who do your business cards. Make sure their color themes match. Your local print shop or office supply store should have everything you need. If there’s any one place you want to spend a little money, this is near the top of the list.
- If your stationery has a particular logo or color scheme, it should be reflected on your website, or vice versa. As with business cards, your website should be an exercise in minimalism after it’s done its job of relaying all the necessary information about your firm. Avoid animation, sound files, heavy graphics, flash, or anything else that makes your site slow to load. Slow loading or “busy looking” sites are more an annoyance than an attraction. Relatedly, though they might provide a tiny bit of pocket change per year, try to stay away from banner ads and other outside links on your home page. If you have outside links, put them all on your links page. You don’t want your client clicking off into cyberspace before they’ve read what a good job you can do for them.
- Stay away from blank notepads and manila folders. They’ll both get too messy too soon and not only will that make you look unprofessional and disorganized, but blank notepads make you look unprepared, and lost or disorganized notes lead to inaccurate reports and invoices. Invest a little time and/or money into buying or developing a comprehensive set of forms or an organizer system to use while assembling your case.
Information: In the legal business, the glass is neither half full nor half empty. It’s 50%. And, unless you know what’s in it, don’t speculate. “Just the facts Ma’am.” One of the biggest opportunities for a good impression, and naturally the most important, is the timely delivery of honest, accurate, information. Nothing will kill your image, reputation, and livelihood, like incomplete, inaccurate, biased, or late case work. Likewise, an inaccurate invoice can cost you by being either too low or too high.
- Rule one is, always has been, and always will be, “Use a good case management system.” Make sure everyone working for you uses the same system, and that your standards of accuracy start at the beginning, and continues through the whole case and through any follow-up you may ever have with that client. Then treat all of your other clients the same way.
- Use nice presentation folders for all your reports; even the “small dollar” ones. Each client is important to you from a marketing standpoint and therefore deserves to be treated with respect. Putting your work product on better stationery, in a well-organized format, and in an attractive presentation folder will provide a greater perceived value to your client. These people have probably paid a hefty sum for your service and a more professional report will help assure them that it was money well spent.
- With any kind of information transfer, the key word in today’s legal climate is “PRIVACY!” Reassure your clients in your contract, and in your final report that your relationship with them is as private as the law allows, and everything you do in connection with their case, before, during, or after the fact, will remain confidential. Loose lips not only sink ships, they destroy good client relationships.
Voice: Voice is a general term used to describe not only the actual verbal communication you have with your clients and others, but the “tone” your business has with those it deals with.
- When you answer the phone, do so cheerfully and actually smile. You can tell when someone’s not happy to be on the phone and so can others. This phone call might be your first contact with the next big client, so make it count.
- If you can’t personally answer every call, the next best thing is to have a receptionist or answering service. A person is always better than voice mail. Go with what you can afford, but since the phone call is one of your opportunities for a first impression, anyone answering the phone should be trained to be courteous, cheerful, informative, and as professional as possible.
- If voice mail is your only option, make the best of it. First, be smiling and cheerful when you record the message. Second, have the message convey your high standards. Say something like “As we’re extremely devoted to all our clients, we’re probably working a case on their behalf right now. However, YOU are just as important to us so please leave us your name and number and we’ll get back to you within the hour.” Then, if you say you’ll be back to them within the hour, actually do it. Prompt personal attention is a major plus in any business.
- Education and intelligence are just as necessary as a cheerful hello. You want people to know that you are every bit as qualified and capable as they could hope for. Therefore, when speaking with people, speak clearly, and choose your words carefully. They don’t have to be big words, but they do have to make sense, and grammar is important.
- The written word should follow the same rule. Make sure your business cards, letterhead, brochures, reports, invoices, and all other written documents use correct spelling and proper grammar. Though your client may be enamoured enough with your abilities as a legal professional to overlook a minor grammatical error, you never know who else of importance might see your report or correspondence.
Education: Here we continue where your writing skills leave off and cover the actual knowledge or skill base upon which your legal expertise is founded. Experience is the best teacher, but classroom education can certainly help keep you informed and up to date. Also, the fact that you are continually updating your expertise is impressive to most potential clients.
- Many states require continuing education. If your state does, you should publish this fact in your firm’s literature. If your state does not require CEU, you should still take it upon yourself to keep your own training updated and make that fact a prominent component of your marketing materials.
- Join professional organizations where possible. Many of them will offer various classes and training programs and the benefits of networking are considerable.
- Many online communication forums are professionally dedicated and will provide educational information and opportunities through either on-site or on-line courses, or through the hints, tips, and suggestions offered by members. One good online communication forum is found through “Yahoo Groups” at http://www.yahoogroups.com. The free registration is easy to complete, and all you’ll need to do is search through the groups using the phrase “private investigator” or other keywords associated with your specialty.
- Keep your library stocked. Many people learn as much from books and videos as they do in a classroom setting.
As you attend some of these educational functions, take the opportunity to look around you and either further your own education on this issue of appearance by studying your colleagues, or help improve the way they represent you by helping educate them as to the benefits of a more professional image.

6 Parenting Tips; How to Successfully Overcome Special Education Deceptions

July 18th, 2009 at 04:10pm Under Education Law

Are you a parent of a child with autism, who has been told things,that are not true about your child’s education, by disability educators? Are you a parent who is afraid to stand up to the

deceptions? Would you like to learn six disability advocacy tips, for standing up to some educators who are not truthful? This article will teach you easy to use parenting tips to help you in your fight for your child’s educational life. These tips along with knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will help you in your disability advocacy journey. I will give an example of a common lie that is heard by many parents, and follow up with six tips.

Lie: “I am sorry, we cannot give your child speech therapy, because the category your child receives special education under is a learning disability.” (Be sure that your child is tested in all areas of suspected disability! Some school personnel deny services without even testing the child, to see if the child needs services in a specific area such as speech).

Tip 1: Ask for, in writing, a copy of the state or federal law that the school person is using to deny needed special education services.(IDEA does not allow school districts to base services on labels, only educational needs). For example: “Could you please show me, in writing, the state or federal law that states that you have the right to deny my child an educational service that they need.”

Tip 2: If the disability educator made this statement in a verbal conversation, as soon as possible after the conversation, write the educator and quote what they said. Also, keep a copy. It may be necessary to write the special education person a couple of times, to get a response.

Tip 3: Use the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to strengthen your position. For Example: “IDEA states that the purpose of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and RELATED SERVICES designed to meet their UNIQUE NEEDS . . .Section 1400 Purposes.”

Tip 4: Tell the disability educator, in writing, that since they are not able to show you a state or federal law that states that your child’s label determines service (it doesn’t), that you stand by your position that your child needs speech therapy. Remember to be assertively persistent! Also, use testing to prove that your child is below age and grade equivalents to justify related services.

Tip 5: Consider getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), for your child with a qualified person. For example: If your child has autism, consider taking them to a qualified person who specializes in autism. Make sure they are willing to write a detailed report to include recommendations.

Tip 6: Send the independent educational evaluation report to schoolpersonnel, and ask for an IEP meeting to discuss the evaluator’s recommendations. If possible, have the evaluator participate by telephone. This article has given you six parenting tips that you can use to successfully overcome disability educator’s deceptions. You have the right to hold special educational personnel accountable for giving false information. Good luck in your advocacy journey!

6 Parenting Tips; How to Successfully Overcome Special Education Deceptions

July 18th, 2009 at 04:10pm Under Education Law

Are you a parent of a child with autism, who has been told things,that are not true about your child’s education, by disability educators? Are you a parent who is afraid to stand up to the

deceptions? Would you like to learn six disability advocacy tips, for standing up to some educators who are not truthful? This article will teach you easy to use parenting tips to help you in your fight for your child’s educational life. These tips along with knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will help you in your disability advocacy journey. I will give an example of a common lie that is heard by many parents, and follow up with six tips.

Lie: “I am sorry, we cannot give your child speech therapy, because the category your child receives special education under is a learning disability.” (Be sure that your child is tested in all areas of suspected disability! Some school personnel deny services without even testing the child, to see if the child needs services in a specific area such as speech).

Tip 1: Ask for, in writing, a copy of the state or federal law that the school person is using to deny needed special education services.(IDEA does not allow school districts to base services on labels, only educational needs). For example: “Could you please show me, in writing, the state or federal law that states that you have the right to deny my child an educational service that they need.”

Tip 2: If the disability educator made this statement in a verbal conversation, as soon as possible after the conversation, write the educator and quote what they said. Also, keep a copy. It may be necessary to write the special education person a couple of times, to get a response.

Tip 3: Use the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to strengthen your position. For Example: “IDEA states that the purpose of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and RELATED SERVICES designed to meet their UNIQUE NEEDS . . .Section 1400 Purposes.”

Tip 4: Tell the disability educator, in writing, that since they are not able to show you a state or federal law that states that your child’s label determines service (it doesn’t), that you stand by your position that your child needs speech therapy. Remember to be assertively persistent! Also, use testing to prove that your child is below age and grade equivalents to justify related services.

Tip 5: Consider getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), for your child with a qualified person. For example: If your child has autism, consider taking them to a qualified person who specializes in autism. Make sure they are willing to write a detailed report to include recommendations.

Tip 6: Send the independent educational evaluation report to schoolpersonnel, and ask for an IEP meeting to discuss the evaluator’s recommendations. If possible, have the evaluator participate by telephone. This article has given you six parenting tips that you can use to successfully overcome disability educator’s deceptions. You have the right to hold special educational personnel accountable for giving false information. Good luck in your advocacy journey!

6 Parenting Tips; How to Successfully Overcome Special Education Deceptions

July 18th, 2009 at 04:10pm Under Education Law

Are you a parent of a child with autism, who has been told things,that are not true about your child’s education, by disability educators? Are you a parent who is afraid to stand up to the

deceptions? Would you like to learn six disability advocacy tips, for standing up to some educators who are not truthful? This article will teach you easy to use parenting tips to help you in your fight for your child’s educational life. These tips along with knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will help you in your disability advocacy journey. I will give an example of a common lie that is heard by many parents, and follow up with six tips.

Lie: “I am sorry, we cannot give your child speech therapy, because the category your child receives special education under is a learning disability.” (Be sure that your child is tested in all areas of suspected disability! Some school personnel deny services without even testing the child, to see if the child needs services in a specific area such as speech).

Tip 1: Ask for, in writing, a copy of the state or federal law that the school person is using to deny needed special education services.(IDEA does not allow school districts to base services on labels, only educational needs). For example: “Could you please show me, in writing, the state or federal law that states that you have the right to deny my child an educational service that they need.”

Tip 2: If the disability educator made this statement in a verbal conversation, as soon as possible after the conversation, write the educator and quote what they said. Also, keep a copy. It may be necessary to write the special education person a couple of times, to get a response.

Tip 3: Use the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to strengthen your position. For Example: “IDEA states that the purpose of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and RELATED SERVICES designed to meet their UNIQUE NEEDS . . .Section 1400 Purposes.”

Tip 4: Tell the disability educator, in writing, that since they are not able to show you a state or federal law that states that your child’s label determines service (it doesn’t), that you stand by your position that your child needs speech therapy. Remember to be assertively persistent! Also, use testing to prove that your child is below age and grade equivalents to justify related services.

Tip 5: Consider getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), for your child with a qualified person. For example: If your child has autism, consider taking them to a qualified person who specializes in autism. Make sure they are willing to write a detailed report to include recommendations.

Tip 6: Send the independent educational evaluation report to schoolpersonnel, and ask for an IEP meeting to discuss the evaluator’s recommendations. If possible, have the evaluator participate by telephone. This article has given you six parenting tips that you can use to successfully overcome disability educator’s deceptions. You have the right to hold special educational personnel accountable for giving false information. Good luck in your advocacy journey!

Home Education in the UK

July 17th, 2009 at 10:10pm Under Education Law

Education is no longer considered a privilege. In most jurisdictions, ‘education’ is considered as an indispensable part of a child’s rights.

In the UK, education has always commanded a high priority in the society. The government, in turn, has always adopted a liberal education policy, as highlighted from the laws of the land. That’s why the concept of Home Education (HE) has always been an integral part of society in the UK.

Why Home Education?

Due to a multicultural and plural society as prevalent in the UK, the reasons for parents to opt for Home Education may vary. Some of the common factors influencing parents’ decisions regarding the educational needs of their children include:

Religious, philosophical, or spiritual compulsionsUnsatisfactory school systemLack of suitable schools in the localityTo meet the specific and/or special needs of some children, like those suffering from diseases such as Cerebral Palsy, autism etc.Failure of child and school management to effectively tackle certain conditions in school, like bullying, corporal punishment etc.Financial reasons etc.

Recently, the Parental Responsibility has emerged as one of the major reasons for Home-Educating children in the UK. More and more parents are trying to learn the art of true parenthood and are relishing the additional responsibility of being (actually) responsible for the growth of the thought process of the child.

Whatever may be the compelling circumstances, Home Education is here to stay, and is being increasingly preferred in the UK. An estimated 100,000 children between the ages of 5 and 16 are being given Home Education by their parents in the United Kingdom, and the figure is likely to increase in the coming years.

Benefits of Home Education

Home Education (tutorial-based teaching) has several advantages over classroom education (instructions-based teaching). Some of these include:

The child tends to receive individualistic and far more attention at home than at school. Comfortable home environment in the company of parents gives the child an ideal environment to learn.The absence of awe-inspiring teachers means quick feedback from the child to assess his/her learning capabilities.The Child can learn at their own pace, and follow their own curriculum and interests.Enhanced self-motivation and self-discipline in the child.Instilment of parental values instead of peer values in the child.Cultivation of courage to arrive at independent decisions.Avoid destructive competition in search of better grades from the peers and fellow students.Special children need special attention that can only be provided under home conditions.Above all, as a parental responsibility of teaching your child, nothing is more beneficial and satisfactory than to take complete responsibility of your child’s education.

Shortcomings of Home Education

One must also consider some disadvantages of Home Education before deciding the academic future of the child. Some of these include:

Non-development of social skills due to the absence of interaction with peers and teachers.Special expertise and skills required to teach may be lacking in the parents. Moreover, they might not be abreast of the latest technologies and teaching aids that might help the child learn better.Even both the parents combined may not know all the subjects required for the proper education of the child.Parents may ultimately spend a considerable amount of time equipping themselves with the skills to teach their child; thus, losing out on the chance to supplement the family income.Laboratories, gyms, and other facilities provided by school authorities may not be accessible from home.A child’s progress will not be adequately monitored, especially as they do not have to follow the National Curriculum or take SATs.

Home Education in UK – Legal Aspect

The UK is divided into different legal jurisdictions. For instance, there are different sets of laws applicable in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. However, substantially, all these jurisdictions follow similar legal principles and postulates, with minor variations.

Home Education has legal sanction in all three regions in the UK. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 (England and Wales), Sections 30 of Education (Scotland) Act 1980, and Article 45 of Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, are the relevant legal provisions that provide the requisite teeth to the concept of Home Education in the UK.

Here is the summary of these legalities as applicable in the UK:

Only ‘education’ is compulsory under UK laws and not ‘schooling’.No qualification is prescribed for the parents desirous of giving Home Education to their child.Parents are at absolute liberty to decide how they want their child to be educated at home.No compulsion of following the National Curriculum or observing school hours.Parents must ensure that their child receives an efficient full time education, suitable to his/her age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs the child may have.Parents are not legally obligated to inform the Local Education Authority (LEA) when they decide to educate their children at home. If the child has never been registered at a State school, or if you move to an area served by another LEA, you are not obliged to notify the LEA, although you may do so if you wish. If you are taking your child out of a state school in England or Wales, the head teacher must remove the child’s name from the register and inform the LEA. If your child has special needs and attends a special school, you need permission to deregister.However, if you are withdrawing your child from a State school in Scotland, the LEA must be informed.No special Government grants are available for Home Education in UK.No formal tests are required to pass by the child. However, the LEA may ask for information informally at intervals to monitor your child’s progress.There is no prohibition on the Home Education of a statemented child provided he/she is not attending a special school, in which case you need the consent of the LEA.Home-Educated children can take GCSEs as private candidates or as students of correspondence courses. However, it is not compulsory to take GCSEs.

To address the concern for social deprivation of Home-Educated children, in many areas, home educators meet regularly for social, educational, and other activities. Children also attend clubs, classes, sporting and leisure activities in the community. Children get to interact with people of all ages as well as their peers.

Education Accountability Version 2.0: a Letter to the Next President

July 17th, 2009 at 04:09pm Under Education Law

Dear Mr. President: Your education platform was filled with noble generalities. I suppose you thought you couldn’t get more specific because the No Child Left Behind Law is increasingly unpopular and unworkable, and there is no agreement about how to fix it. It is an issue that doesn’t lend itself to sound bites. To fix NCLB, you must first understand the skills that matter most in the 21st century and the ways in which the NCLB law is actually getting in the way of more meaningful accountability. And then you must invest in accountability “version 2.0.” Problem: Too few students are graduating from high school. The ones who do lack the essential skills they need for college, careers, and citizenship. Nearly one third of our students do not graduate from high school. This problem is not more widely known because states are not held accountable for improving their graduation rates. Additionally, states use different formulas for calculating their districts’ high school graduation rates, and almost all of them significantly overstate the numbers of students who graduate. Florida, for example, claims a seventy percent graduation rate, but the reality is closer to fifty-five percent. The majority of the students who do graduate from our nation’s public high schools are unprepared for college and the workplace. In the 21st century, the skills needed for careers, college, and citizenship have converged: Critical thinking, creative problem-solving, collaboration, and effective communication have become far more important than mere memorization and factual recall. However, at the high school level, states continue to test low level content knowledge and factual recall through multiple choice tests, and a passing score in even the most “rigorous” of these tests, such as the Massachusetts MCAS test, does not mean students are career and college-ready. Forty percent of the students who pass MCAS need remediation in college. Nationally, one out of every two students who starts college never completes a degree, and the main reason for this poor completion rate is students’ lack of college-level skills, not lack of subject content knowledge. Similarity, employers complain that most new employees lack proficiency in the “new basic” skills outlined above. Solution: The Department of Education should hold schools and districts accountable for their graduation rates and assess the skills that matter most. The Department of Education should require all school districts and states in the U.S. to report their high school graduation rates according to a common formula. To ensure that schools teach the skills that matter most, the Department of Education should “audit” school districts’ performance by testing representative sample populations of students with assessments that measure the most important skills. For example, the College and Work Readiness Assessment measures high school students’ analytic reasoning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills and compares them to the scores of freshmen in 250 colleges. (www.cae.org). Scores from tests like these will tell us whether our country is making progress in increasing the percentages of students who leave high school “college and work ready.” Scores of subgroups of students would be reported, as they are under the current law, to ensure that districts teach all students new skills. To create greater accountability, the Department of Education should issue and widely publicize an annual “report card” for every school district in the country. This short document would simply report the percent of students who graduate and the percent who graduate college-ready by subgroup. Transparency is a far more powerful way to create greater accountability than are the largely meaningless threats in the current law. States would then have the responsibility to develop strategies for helping their under-performing districts to improve. Problem: The accountability measurements for Adequate Yearly Progress incents states and districts to create a boring, dumbed-down, test prep curriculum, and there is no common standard for “proficient.” One major problem with the NCLB law is the unrealistic expectation that every school will improve the number of students who score “proficient” by a certain percent every year until 100 percent of the students in the nation are proficient by 2014. This expectation leads to two widespread practices: 1) Many states, like Mississippi and Wisconsin, create easy tests where the standard of “proficiency” is such a low bar that most students can pass; 2) To ensure that more students pass state tests, districts require teachers to teach the test content and give frequent practice tests, leaving no time for more interesting or enriching learning opportunities. Increasingly in this country, what gets tested is all that gets taught. The second major problem with the law is that it allows the standard of “proficiency” to be set by each state. So there are, in fact, fifty different standards of proficiency in this country. For example, students in Mississippi, who have traditionally been among the least literate in this country, are more “proficient” in reading than students in Minnesota, according to the two states’ test scores. Because the states’ standards vary so widely, their test scores tell us absolutely nothing about what students really know and can do. Solution: Create a national high school writing test, benchmark districts’ and states’ yearly progress to a common international standard, and make the unit of accountability the district, rather than individual students. Lack of writing skills is the number one complaint of both employers and college teachers. However, many states are no longer testing writing because they are not required to, and writing tests are expensive and time-consuming to score. To the extent that some states, like Massachusetts, test students’ writing, it is by requiring high school students merely to write a five paragraph essay. The solution is for the federal government to administer a two hour writing exam to demographic sample populations of eleventh graders in all states, as is done in many European countries. The essay question for the writing exam would be based on a major event or document in American History. For example: “Discuss the causes of the civil war and the ways in which these causes continue to influence current events in this country;” Or, “Which of the first ten amendments (which would be reproduced on the test) do you think is most important for a strong democracy and why.” The second solution to the lack of common standards is to use the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test results as the benchmark for progress in states’ education improvement efforts. American students are significantly outperformed by students in most other industrial nations, in part because the PISA tests require very little recall of information and much more application of knowledge to new problems. These are the skills that matter most in the real world, but they are not ones our students learn in their multiple choice world.  The incentive for states to improve their education outcomes is economic. States and school communities that have very low PISA scores, which would be widely publicized by the Department of Education, will not attract or keep businesses that demand all employees have 21st century skills. Finally, in order for states to be able to afford much higher quality tests, like the CWRA and PISA, they should no longer be required to test every student every year. State and district accountability can achieved by testing sample populations of students every year — a kind of educational audit. To do well on such tests, districts and schools would need to create local assessments for every student that were aligned with the new state and national tests. Each teacher would be regularly assessing all of his or her students to ensure that students who might be among those randomly chosen for the state and national tests would be well-prepared. Accountability 2.0 would focus schools and districts on preparing students for meaningful assessments which measure the skills that matter most in the 21st century. To prepare for these new tests, all students would be taught how to write, reason, analyze, pose thoughtful questions and solve problems. In short, they would learn the skills they need for college, careers, and citizenship, and they would be engaged in challenging and interesting work in their classes. Doing anything less that a version 2.0 of our accountability system puts our students’ and our country’s future at stake. ©2008 Tony Wagner

Autistic People And The Law – Know Your Rights Well!

July 17th, 2009 at 10:09am Under Education Law

If you have an autistic child, your rights are the prime things that you should learn and study. The constitution protects every American citizen, and special laws have been passed in order to protect autistic people and people suffering from other disabilities. If you know your rights and the laws that can protect your autistic dear ones, you will find yourself in a world with better opportunities, irrespective of disability, gender, ethnicity and race. Knowing ones laws helps create a world in which there is more tolerance.
The I.D.E.A is the first law that you should familiarize yourself with. This is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This act covers the age group 3-21 and provides special educational programs that autistic children require. This act gives the parents an active role to play when it comes to education that the school gives. First, you child will need to qualify under this act and a private professional makes this assessment. If your child qualifies, he or she gains the right to receive free public education according to her or his skill level. If the public school you choose does not have any provisions for such a program, it is mandatory that they create a program free of any charge.
Another act you need to know is the American Disabilities Act. This act prohibits discrimination based on disability in the workforce and with local and state government, the US congress, public accommodations, telecommunications and public transport. For instance, if a person suffers from autism, but has all the skills required for a particular job, he or she cannot be denied the job due to their condition.
There are many other laws that provide for autistic people to be constitutionally equal to everyone else. One of these laws states that autistic people have voting rights and all accommodations should be made to facilitate this. Another law states that no kind of housing can be denied to a person because he or she suffers from autism. There are many other laws providing for equality in many other aspects of life, and if someone you love is in a health care institution, you should study these laws well. You will help uphold justice if you know your laws and how it applies to your loved ones and to you. If you have any queries, local law officials will be willing and ready to answer them for you or provide you with sufficient material to clear your doubts. Ignorance is not a valid excuse. Therefore educate yourself regarding your laws so that you can protect yourself and autistic people around you.

Law Education in Sacramento, California

July 17th, 2009 at 04:09am Under Education Law

Finding the best law school in Sacramento can be a challenging process. There are many different schools offering several different programs and it may be difficult to decipher the differences between these schools and programs. It’s important to take a close look at these law schools and what they offer as far as courses, programs, degrees and guidance in career opportunities. Law Degree ProgramsWhen looking at what law courses a school offers, make sure that you see a wide variety. Take the time to read course descriptions so that you can get accustomed to how the school presents its information. The learning process is very personal to each individual and the only way to make sure your learning experience is the best possible is by making sure your personal needs are met. Different law schools are going to offer different law courses and this will help you determine which school is right for you. You may also want to consider the school’s requirements in order to complete a law degree. Requirements will vary according to the school and you may find that you feel you will get through one school’s law program easier and faster than another. Many people don’t realize that programs differ vastly and that finding the program that best fits you is one way to help guarantee a successful law education experience. Choosing the wrong law school or program can be detrimental to your learning and can lead to disappointments and failures that no one wants to face.Law career opportunities in Sacramento are another thing you will want to focus on when choosing your law school. Look up statistics on how different law schools place students in law careers. See which schools are helping to guide students to success in their careers and which ones seem to let students down in that area. You want to make sure you attend a law school that will be concerned with your success and will point you in the right direction upon graduating. Sacramento law schools can help place you in one of those positions is one that will truly result in feeling all your hard work has been paid off. Researching law schools in Sacramento before choosing one is a wise decision. The variety of law schools, programs, and courses available make it seem a bit overwhelming at first. However, by looking around and doing a bit of research you can narrow your choices and land on the one that meets your personal needs and is more likely to point you towards success in your law career.

Why Getting A Driver Education Is So Important?

July 16th, 2009 at 10:09pm Under Education Law

Every teenager dream of getting their license and driving their friends around town. You want to make sure that your child will have the proper training. Driver education courses are offered at almost every high school in the United States. These courses are designed to teach each student the correct way to drive and what the laws of their state are.

Drivers education programs are required by law teach teenagers how to drive. These courses give the new driver the needed tools to understand the rules of the road. A driver must understand what the rules are in order to drive safely.

Driver education is not teaching the child to turn the car on. There are many different aspects to driving the need to be taught. Driving education courses teach the driver judgment, common sense and defensive driving.

Driver education courses teach our children important factors about driving in all sorts of different weather. Winter and rainy weather are dangerous for even the most seasoned driver; a first time driver needs to be prepared. Driver courses can also teach a student how to avoid getting in accidents and how to drive in congested areas.

Driver education classes cover all aspects of driving from parking on a hill to deer crossing safety. These are all things that the driver needs to know. The instructor will also pass out driver manuals for the student to study when he or she is not in class. Since the inception of driver education classes in schools, the number of accidents involving teenage driving has been drastically reduced.

The law for student driver vary from state to state that driving courses must obey.

The most common rule that is in effect in almost every state is the 30:6 training method. It is very simple, 30 hours of classroom time learning the rules and laws, and 6 hours of driving time. Most of the time, the driving instructor will require more additional driving time.

Although teenagers look forward to drivers ed, when they are actually in the class, they find it very stressful. Some teenager will wait until they turn the legal age in their state to bypass having to take the classes. However, this is not recommended because the classroom time is needed to really understand the concept of driving.

Driver Education Programs

There are different types of driver education programs. Each driver education program was developed to ease you into different facets of driving.

The primary courses focus on obtaining a learners permit and taking the drivers test to get your license. You can also sign up for defensive driving courses, which is crucial for a teenager because it teaches them safe driving habits. This course is only available in classroom courses.

Another type of driver education course teaches the correct way to drive larger motor vehicles such as school buses and trucks. A special license called a CDL is needed to operate these types of vehicles.

Motorcycles also require a special license and educational classes are offered in every state.

For those brave parents who choose to teach their teenagers how to drive, there is Driver Ed in a box. These boxes contain instruction for parents on how to teach their teenager how to drive safely. The tools in this box teach safe driving habits through a series of seventeen videos, audiotapes, a student workbook, textbook and a parent companion and even training mirrors.

Online Education

There are two different aspects to teaching drivers education. The first part is to learn the rules of the road including safe driving habits. This is done through reading textbooks and taking written tests. The second part is to actually get out on the road and drive. Both of these are equally critical to know.

The first part of the training is where you get most of your knowledge. It is important that you understand it completely before you start your road training. In the past, if a student driver did not understand or it took longer for them to pass their tests, the student would end up repeating the course.

Today, there are online drivers educational courses that assist the student on learning these crucial lessons. This option is sought after because the student may have a lot of study or has to work. They can study at their own pace, and on their own time.

There are a number of different driver educational courses available today. They allow you to learn at your own pace, ensuring that when you take the test; you will pass and become a safe driver. However it is critical that you make sure that the driver educational classes that you take are DMV (department of motor vehicle) approved.

Summary:

In most states, the law requires that a teenager complete drivers ed in order to obtain their license. This will almost always include classroom time and road time. For parents who choose to teach their teenagers how to drive, there are special tools available to assist them in promoting safe driving habits.