7 Ways to Make Just About Any OWIE Feel Better

Trips, spills, stumbles and falls are all a part of growing up. Whether you have a little one that isn’t quite steady on her feet yet or an older child who’s part daredevil, you’re likely to spend a fair amount of your parenting time trying to ease owies and boo-boos. From the psychological to the physiological, here are the top seven ways to ease the pain that comes with a minor injury.

1. Bandages – Kids are fascinated with adhesive bandages, especially if they’re decorated with a favorite superhero, princess or cartoon character. Whipping out a box of festive, brightly colored bandages is a surefire way to dry those tears.
2. Kisses – Anyone who’s ever been a kid knows that nothing soothes an owie like kisses. The feeling of being cared for and comforted when they’re injured can make kids forget about the sting of a skinned knee or bruised elbow. A kiss or two and a little bit of fussing will make boo-boos all better in no time.
3. Anesthetic Spray – For slightly more serious owies that might be relatively painful, an anesthetic spray or antibacterial ointment with pain reliever is your best bet. Using this method in addition to the kisses and colorful bandages will have your child back up and at ‘em in the blink of an eye.
4. Aloe Vera – For owies of the burn variety, the juice of this miracle plant is a lifesaver. It’s most effective straight from the plant, so parents with a green thumb might want to cultivate a specimen or two. Effective for sunburns and stove-burns alike, you’re sure to find plenty of uses for an Aloe plant.
5. Ice Packs – Covering an ice-pack with a fabric sleeve featuring favorite characters or kid-friendly colors are great for distracting from injuries that could swell or bruise. Often, children are more panicked at the sight of an injury than suffering actual pain, so covering an owie from sight and applying ice to reduce swelling can help to keep anxiety at bay.
6. A Sense of Humor – Laughter is infectious, and few are as susceptible to a fit of giggles as a small child. Making silly faces and joking as you patch your little one up can turn tears into chuckles, especially if you’re laughing along with them. Singing a favorite silly song is another good method of distraction; with a little luck and a bit of persistence, they’ll sing along with you as you treat and bandage their battle wounds.
7. A Special Treat – An extra few minutes of playtime, a favorite snack that you don’t serve often or a day of watching videos are all good ways of dealing with injuries that are slightly more serious than your average bumps and bruises. Though most parents limit screen time, it’s probably okay to make an exception if your youngster had to visit the doctor or get stitched up as a result of their owie.

Every child is different, so it may take some trial and error to find the method that works best for your family when dealing with owies, bumps, bruises and boo-boos. You’re sure to have plenty of practice; from the moment they start walking until they leave for college, you’ll be treating one injury or another.

Taken From Nanny Jobs

The 10 Absolute Coolest College Professors

College professors aren’t typically revered for their coolness; too many stereotypes of tweed jackets with leather patches abound. But the truth is that college professors really can be pretty cool, sometimes by studying and teaching really awesome things, sometimes just for being all-around interesting people. We’ve found ten of these college professors (listed without regard to ranking), who are all cool and intriguing in their own unique ways. Consider yourself lucky if you’ve got someone like them on campus, and be sure to share your favorite cool professor in the comments.

1. Walter Lewin, Professor of Physics Emeritus, MIT

   Dr. Walter Lewin is a physics professor at MIT and a Dutch-American astrophysicist. Let’s be honest, just mentioning that someone is an astrophysicist automatically gives them cool points. But clearly, Lewin does not need them. He has become famous through MIT’s Open Courseware and Academic Earth’s educational videos as the professor who makes physics come alive through demonstrations that leave students wildly entertained. His lectures are downright awesome, and interesting enough to make even the not-at-all-scientific among us watch with delight. If you haven’t been lucky enough to catch Lewin’s antics yet, please do take a moment to check out his promo including some of his greatest moments. Shooting a rifle in class, swinging on a ball like a schoolkid, and pulling elephant bones out from under a table are just a few of the delights Lewin shares with his students. We just love this guy, and with his crazy hair and awesome accent, we think he’d be perfect playing himself in a superhero comic.

2. Scott Metzger, Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Texas San Antonio

   Professor Metzger certainly isn’t the first professor to drink or even brew beer, but he’s on a very short list of professors that currently own and operate a commercial brewery. (Note: Cal Poly professor Raul Cano owns Fossil Fuels Brewing, which brews with ancient yeast extracted from 25 million- to 45 million-year-old amber. Really, just like Jurassic Park. We bet he’s a cool guy, too.) But Metzger isn’t just an economics professor who goes home to play with calculators or whatever it is that regular economics professors do in their free time. He applies his economics knowledge to real life in his own small business, San Antonio brewpub Freetail Brewing Company, which by itself is pretty darn impressive. Metzger also created an economic analysis for the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Economic Impact and Potential of the Texas Craft Brewing Industry, to prove why, in a nutshell, beer is good for Texas, and even shared his insight into how business concepts from craft beer might be useful in other industries through TEDx. But perhaps the coolest thing Metzger has done lately is write a cease and desist response that made its way around the Internet, in which he drew a T-Rex waving a white flag and carbon copied the Flying Spaghetti Monster, winning the admiration of thousands of beer nerds on the Internet. Oh, and apparently he has a “hot” rating on Rate My Professors.

3. Missy Cummings, Associate Professor of Aeronautics, MIT

   Walter Lewin is not the only cool professor at MIT; we think Missy Cummings is pretty fabulous, too. Actually, now that we think about it, Lewin and Cummins probably hang out together all the time, playing with their flying surveillance drones and batteries made out of cans and water. Cummings designs semi-autonomous flying surveillance drones operated by, get this, smart phones, which just sounds way more interesting than anything we’ve ever done in our lives. So interesting, in fact, that she went on The Colbert Report to share her work. She even makes the possibility of a robot takeover seem like it’s not such a big deal. Colbert asked her, “How do I know that this flying little robot here is R2D2 and not the HAL 9000?” Cummings responded, “Because it has an American flag on it.” We should also mention that Cummings was full of awesome before she ever started her work with MIT: she was one of the first ever female fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy.

4. Dr. Mitch Earleywine, Professor of Psychology, SUNY Albany

   Dr. Mitch Earleywine’s cool professor pedigree primarily comes from his involvement with NORML, an organization working to legalize marijuana. Now, we know good and well that supporting marijuana isn’t necessarily a cool thing to everyone, but we think that anyone can appreciate a college professor who is open-minded enough to discuss typically recreational drugs from an academic standpoint. According to an interview with Capitol Outsider, Earleywine actually started out in alcohol research but quickly learned that students were more interested in marijuana, and simply followed that path. We’re really impressed that Prof. Earleywine appreciated and listened to his students enough to move from one area of research to another. You can find Earleywine delivering straight talk on the latest news and claims about marijuana, and even publishing books like the Parent’s Guide to Marijuana which by all reports, is a fair and balanced book about drugs, something we thought might not ever exist. But really, the thing we appreciate most about Earleywine is that he uses phrases like “what burns my ass” when sharing his frustration about distorted research.

5. Dr. Jesse Weiss, Associate Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies, University of the Ozarks

   We think that college professors can be pretty heroic. After all, they are fountains of knowledge, encouragement, and inspiration that actually take the time to share what they know with students, and for that, just about every professor out there is a hero. But Dr. Jesse Weiss made things awesomely literal by customizing action figures to represent himself and his real-life colleagues, all with the help of just a Dremel, paint, and modeling compound. What a superbly nerdy way to show your appreciation for your colleagues! Weiss’ professional profile reveals that he does a fine job applying academic appreciation to pop culture, and has even been known to use comic books and graphic novels in his teachings. Of course, Weiss isn’t all nerd; he is into sports, as a sponsor of the Disc Golf Association on campus.

6. Henry Pontell, Professor of Criminology, Law & Society, University of California Irvine

   Criminology professor Henry Pontell is a pretty popular guy these days. His area of research focuses on white collar and corporate crime, a subject that is of increasing interest due to recent scandals in the media including Bernie Madoff’s multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme. According to a 2002 profile, Pontell has been waiting decades for people to understand just how terrible white collar crime really is, so he must be really pleased with the attention white collar crime is getting today. And thank goodness, because Pontell is now being tapped to share his knowledge with just about everyone important in Washington, working with the U.S. Senate and Department of Justice, as well as the FBI and Secret Service. We’d like to think that Pontell is moonlighting as a spy uncovering corporate crimes for the FBI, but of course, no one’s going to share that kind of classified information with us.

7. James Miller, Professor of Theater and Speech, University of Wisconsin-Stout

   James Miller has made this list because he’s an unabashed fan of Firefly, while at the same time a champion of free speech. Miller found himself in trouble with the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s police chief, who removed a Firefly poster from his office door after determining that it was a public safety threat because it included the word “kill.” And instead of just finding a new poster to put up in its place, Miller fought back, responding with killer lines including, “How dare you act in a fascistic manner and then sign your email “respectfully!” Respect liberty and respect my first amendment rights,” and in response to threatened disorderly conduct charges, “Don’t threaten me with charges that have no basis in reality — I am a committed pacifist and a devotee of non-violence, and I don’t appreciate card carrying members of the NRA who are wearing side arms and truncheons lecturing me about violence.” Strong fighting words for sure, but Miller did not have to fight back alone, and he was soon joined by FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and none other than legendary author Neil Gaiman, who came together to produce a video in his defense. After earning this support, Miller won the fight and the campus backed down, as Firefly nerds everywhere supported their right to celebrate their dearly departed show.

8. Maria Klawe, President, Harvey Mudd College

   Technically, Maria Klawe is a college president instead of a professor, but we just can’t resist giving credit where credit is due. She’s simply that awesome. Klawe has been a rising star since her grad school days: while working her second PhD at the University of Toronto, she was offered a faculty position before she even completed her studies. Pretty awesome, but we’re really in awe of her work at Harvey Mudd College, where she’s shown other women just how great it is to work in computer science. Since her arrival in 2006, she has more than tripled the number of women pursuing computer science majors, bumping the college’s female computer science quotient to an incredible 42%. Her positive changes have earned the recognition of high profile groups in tech, and she’s now on the board of both Microsoft and Broadcom. She’s also well known for her watercolor paintings, but perhaps our favorite thing about Klawe is that she skateboards around campus.

9. Mark Haub, Professor of Human Nutrition, Kansas State University

   How does professor Mark Haub stay so thin? By eating Twinkies, of course, just like any normal nutrition professor. In 2010, Haub made headlines by following a “convenience store diet” for 10 weeks, eating Hostess, Little Debbie, Oreos, and Doritos with one important rule: he could only eat 1,800 calories or less each day. He lost an impressive 27 pounds in those short 10 weeks. Haub wins the cool prize for hilariously bucking common knowledge, while proving a very important point about the role of calorie counting and portion sizes in weight loss.

10. Randy Pausch, Professor of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction and Design, Carnegie Mellon University

    Randy Pausch is the only non-living professor on this list, but like so many other incredible professors, his legacy has lived on beyond his own life. In August 2007, Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was told he had just three to six months of good health left. The following month, he delivered an incredibly powerful lecture that has been viewed by millions, and even led to a book he co-authored before his death, called The Last Lecture. We think Pausch is one of the coolest professors in the world for taking a terminal diagnosis and turning it into an incredible opportunity to impact millions of people even after his life was over.

Taken From Best Colleges Online

15 Famously Successful People Who Credit Their Teachers

There’s no question that teachers can have an incredible impact on the lives of their students. Great teachers can spark inspiration, confidence, and instill values that last a lifetime, well beyond the confines of a classroom. For these 15 celebrities and public figures, their teachers helped cultivate their self-confidence and talent, allowing them to lead famously successful lives. Read on to find out how teachers made a difference in the extraordinary lives of these former students.

1. Brian Williams: Famous news anchor Brian Williams has been called the "Walter Cronkite of the 21st century." He’s the anchor and managing editor of NBC news and is clearly doing very well these days, but had it not been for an inspiring teacher, he might not have done so well. Williams credits his success to the help of an English literature teacher, Mr. Bob Kitzin, who Williams says, "turned me around." Williams was a young man who could go either way, down a dark path or a great one, and Mr. Kitzin helped him go the right way, making him excited about learning. Williams says that without him, he "wouldn’t have become a serious thinker in life."
2. Patti LaBelle: Grammy Award-winning singer Patti LaBelle has a special place in her heart for her high school teacher, Ms. Eileen Brown. LaBelle says that Ms. Brown was her mentor and very helpful not just to the singer herself, but her family as well. She has continued their special relationship, and the two have remained good friends, speaking often on the phone.
3. President Bill Clinton: Bill Clinton is best known for two things: his legacy as the 42nd president of the United States, and his love of playing the saxophone. Clinton’s high school band director, Mr. Virgil Spurlin, helped to grow both of Clinton’s identities. Mr. Spurlin didn’t just support Clinton and his classmates as they developed musically, he took an interest in their lives and was always there to help if they were having trouble at home or in school. Clinton says that he has thought of Mr. Spurlin and his influence all his life, staying in touch with him until he passed away. He believes that his years with Mr. Spurlin made him what he is today, and that he convinced him that he could "organize and run things," doing whatever he wanted to do in life.
4. Bipasha Basu: Bipasha Basu is now a famous Bollywood actress, but she wasn’t always so comfortable in the limelight. As a young girl, she was very shy and uncomfortable with public speaking. Yet her teachers helped her work past her shyness and become the outgoing woman she is today. Basu says, "I want to thank all my teachers in school for who I am today. I was an academically good student but my personality developed because of their encouragement. They gave me responsibilities like being a prefect and then the head girl of the school. My shyness of public speaking went away. Happy Teachers Day! Respect for all the teachers."
5. Maya Angelou: So many schoolkids read Maya Angelou’s works in class, but without the help of a teacher, those works might not ever have existed. Angelou’s neighbor-turned-teacher, Mrs. Flowers, encouraged her to read, taking her to the library and telling her to read every book within the small room. As she read, Angelou found a love of poetry, a love that was deepened as Mrs. Flowers had her come to her house and read to her, so that Angelou could really learn to love poetry as she spoke it aloud. Thanks to Mrs. Flowers, we are able to enjoy the voice of Maya Angelou today.
6. Jerry Penacoli: Extra host and multiple Emmy Award-winner Jerry Penacoli is well versed in culture, but that might not have been the case if it wasn’t for his drama teacher, Mr. Bauer. Penacoli credits Mr. Bauer with taking him to Philadelphia to experience the theater and ballet, things that his parents could not afford to do for him. Mr. Bauer encouraged him to open up and try out for school plays, and even wrote him a glowing letter of recommendation when it came time for Penacoli to go to college. It was this letter, and Mr. Bauer’s encouragement, that helped Penacoli earn a full scholarship to college, and a lifetime of success.
7. Senator John McCain: Senator John McCain has been a naval aviator, prisoner of war, a Senator for nearly 30 years, and even almost became president. He’s lived an amazing life, and much of his success is due to his high school teacher, Mr. William Ravenel, a World War II veteran. At the time, McCain was living a transient life as the son of a naval officer, and Mr. Ravenel gave him what McCain calls "some moorings and a compass," as he taught not just English, but values, standards, and morals. Mr. Ravenel was admirable, and stood out as an example that McCain and his fellow students wanted to follow. McCain says that Mr. Ravenel’s lessons taught him about real honor, lessons he drew upon even as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Mr. Ravenel’s influence over McCain’s life was incredible, and McCain says that he was an inspirational man, not just to him, but his fellow classmates as well.
8. Narada Michael Walden: Narada Michael Walden has met and worked with the likes of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin as a three-time Grammy Award-winning producer. But before he met these famous singers, he was encouraged by a Catholic school nun in 3rd grade, who was very supportive of his talent in playing the bongo drums, even getting him to enter and win the talent show, sparking a lifelong love of music. That talent was further curated in high school by Walden’s band teacher, Mr. Agney, who supported his love of playing the high school drums, as he even became the drum major and led the whole band. It was this young love of music, and great support from his teachers, that helped Walden become prominent and successful within the industry.
9. Hilary Swank: Hilary Swank is an Academy Award-winning actress and one of the leading ladies of Hollywood, but she came from humble beginnings. Her very first acting job came in elementary school, when Mr. Sellereit at Happy Valley Elementary gave her a part in the school production of The Jungle Book. Even after so many years, Swank has not forgotten about the impact that Mr. Sellereit had on her life: after receiving her Academy Award, she told an interviewer that she wanted to say hi to him and thank him, pointing out that it was a skit he had her perform in his class that helped her find her calling. Mr. Sellereit is still teaching, and says that Swank’s recognition "is really an honor and I’m really embarrassed."
10. Tom Brokaw: Former anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, Tom Brokaw is a trusted face to many. He has stood out as a leader in the news world, and that’s thanks to his schoolteacher, Mrs. Frances Morrow. Brokaw credits her with spotting him early on, encouraging him to read above his grade level and be imaginative in class. Brokaw says that with her support, he was able to build confidence, a trait that has served him well in his lifetime. The two were able to meet up once again years later, as Brokaw took her to lunch and thanked her for her influence on his life.
11. Oprah Winfrey: Oprah Winfrey is a teacher and mentor to many around the world, but she got her start with the help of her fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Duncan. Winfrey says of her teacher, "I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Duncan." Winfrey says that Mrs. Duncan believed in her and made her embrace a love of learning, and one of the defining moments of her life was in Mrs. Duncan’s classroom when Winfrey was no longer afraid to be smart. In 1989, Winfrey’s producers surprised her by bringing Mrs. Duncan in as a guest on the show, and she was able to publicly thank her beloved teacher.
12. Richard Dreyfuss: Richard Dreyfuss played a high school music teacher in Mr. Holland’s Opus, and the success that brought him to that amazing role can be credited to a very grumpy teacher, Mrs. Wilcox. Dreyfuss’ inspiring teacher does not have the usual story, though — instead of inspiration and support, Mrs. Wilcox made Dreyfuss successful because she had no patience and constantly expected the class to fail. It sounds like a harsh stance to take with students, but Dreyfuss insists it worked for him. He says that everything he came to love in his life was learned in her class, and as Mr. Holland’s Opus opened, he was compelled to track her down and say thank you. To that, Mrs. Wilcox said, "Thank you very much" and promptly hung up.
13. Bill Gates: Can you imagine a world without Microsoft? Without the help of Bill Gates’ teachers, the software giant might never have been created. Gates is one of the world’s most famous dropouts, leaving Harvard behind to found Microsoft. But even he acknowledges that he would not be where he is today without the guidance of his math and drama teachers growing up. Gates says, "There’s no way there would have been a Microsoft without what they did." He’s now put his staggering amount of money where his mouth is. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates and his wife donate millions to expanding educational opportunities worldwide.
14. Antwone Fisher: Antwone Fisher, today a New York Times best-selling author, spent his childhood in foster homes, but he found trust in an elementary school teacher, Mrs. Profitt. Fisher says that Mrs. Profitt was the first adult he ever trusted, because she spoke to her students with a tone of respect. He believes that being in her class made all the difference in his life, and he and his classmates took her trust and confidence with them into their lives.
15. Megan Mullally: Will and Grace star Megan Mullally hadn’t considered a career in acting until she was cast in a high school role by her English teacher Mr. Surbeck. Assigned the role of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Mullally had to read her parts aloud in class, and it was the first time she’d ever done any kind of acting. In that moment, the wheels began turning and Mullally was inspired to follow acting into what has now become a successful career.

Taken From Online Universities

10 Musicians Who Got Their Start Playing in the Streets

If you're low on cash and believe yourself to be an aural visionary, strap up your gunnysack, hop the next plane or 18-wheeler, and get thee to a highly trafficked street corner. If you're a kid from the suburbs that's hellbent on proving that you have a marketable excess of soul because you took six months of guitar lessons once when you were 14, this goes double for you. Your tortured genius can be discovered: just become a street performer. Busking, as the gerund goes, is the act of performing on the streets for money, and lots of acts and actors have forged careers from these beginnings. Take a few lessons from these ten musicians who got their start playing in the streets, and you'll be playing your way to fame via abject poverty in no time flat.

1. Edith Piaf

   A 4-foot-8 French musical giant, Edith Piaf is the Muhammad Ali of the soulful ballad. The child of a street performer, France's "little sparrow" was discovered in her teens while singing in the alley outside of a nightclub. She went on to become the most celebrated songbird in all of France. Brought to the minds of a new generation through the biopic La Vie En Rose, for which Marion Cotillard won an Oscar for Best Actress, true fans of the classics have always loved Piaf's voice. She embodies the soul of Paris, and is unrivaled in her abilities to communicate complex emotions through her timelessly palatable tunes.

   Be Sure To Check Out: Piaf's entire canon of work. Right now. Or, if you're super lame and only into dramatic retellings stocked with Hollywood's finest, La Vie En Rose is a pretty good movie. Watch Piaf sing "Milord" below.

2. The Blue Man Group

   The Blue Man Group got their start performing in body paint on the streets and parks of New York City. Inventors of the drumbone and other eccentric instruments, this group of performance artists now supports a production staff of 50, was nominated for a Grammy, and performs to fans and freaks worldwide.

   Be Sure To Check Out: The Brazilian band Uakti, precursors to The Blue Man Group, and this wacky video, below.

3. Every Great Blues Musician, Ever

   What is it about the blues that lends itself to street performance? This distinctly American, primitive genre might indeed be best performed by those who have taken to the streets. Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, B. B. King — many of the greatest (and lesser) blues musicians have gotten their start via busking.

   Be Sure To Check Out: Martin Scorsese's The Blues for PBS is a good introduction, if you're not already familiar with the genre. For lifelong fans, watch Seasick Steve's performance on Top Gear for an injection of some new life into your blues repertoire.

4. Jimmy Buffett

   For every frat guy with a guitar that has swayed with his friends to "Margaritaville", you should know that with the magic art of busking (and being friends with Jerry Jeff Walker), you really could be the next Jimmy Buffett. Although he's now the prophet of the laid-back lifestyle and a frequent wearer of Hawaiian shirts, Buffet got his start performing in the streets of New Orleans in the late '60s and early '70s, while working as a journalist and musician in Nashville. Walker famously took Buffett to Key West for a busking expidition in 1971, and the rest is history. Writing autobiographic and poetic mammoths such as "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude" and "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw," Buffett parlayed his street performing into a career of music and entrepreneurship.

   Be Sure To Check Out: The last 45 minutes of any frat party. You'll hear 'em all.

5. Pierce Brosnan

   Former James Bond and Remington Steele, the crooning Mamma Mia! star got his start playing in the streets — with fire. Legend has it that a fire-eater teaching topless women the art caught Brosnan's eye, and he signed up to be one as well (a fire-eater, not a topless woman). After street performing for awhile, he was discovered by a circus agent, and from there found his calling as an actor.

   Be Sure To Check Out: This video clip of Pierce Brosnan awfully and comically lip-syncing to his own voice.

6. Woody Guthrie

   American folk music and its underrepresented formative place in future genres, politics, and social trends is absolutely grandfathered by the great Woody Guthrie. One of the only good things to ever come out of Oklahoma, Guthrie began his legendary and prolific fascist-hatin' career by busking there for meals or small change. Father of Arlo, mentor of Bob Dylan, and a fantastic musician in his own right, Guthrie's philosophy punctuated his un-derivative tunes.

   Be Sure To Check Out: Mermaid Avenue, Volumes 1 and 2. British musician, activist, and former busker Billy Bragg and the hip, transcendent Chicago band Wilco cranked out these two albums using found lyrics of Guthrie's and original melodies of their own.

7. The Violent Femmes

   Do you have a thinly veiled alt-grunge self-indulgent masterpiece just waiting in the wings? If so, you should try your hand at street performing. In the early days of this Wisconsin-based band, the Violent Femmes could often be found playing coffee houses and street corners, and were indeed discovered while busking in 1981 by a member of The Pretenders.

   Be Sure To Check Out: The Violent Femmes covering Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".

8. Eminem

   Everyone knows Eminem's from the streets. A child of Detroit's trailer park 8 Mile and star of the movie of the same name, Eminem launched one of the most controversial and successful music careers of all time by rap battling after hours near a Detroit junior high school.

   Be Sure To Check Out: 8 Mile, if you haven't seen it.

9. Janis Joplin

   The hippies with the most street cred all started out in the streets. Gritty and full of hurt, Joplin's persona carved out her place in the turbulent times of the '60s and early '70s, while her pipes firmly cemented her as one of the greatest rock 'n' roll/blues/folk singers in history.

   Be Sure To Check Out: Festival Express. This incredible documentary has a smattering of great moments from buskers-turned-rockstars, like Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead.

10. Steve Martin

    Not entirely famous for his music, funnyman Steve Martin performed comedy and played banjo on the streets before his big break. Abandoning busking to enjoy a lifetime of success in television and film, long-time lover of bluegrass music has recently set up the Steve Martin Bluegrass Prize for excellence in banjo.

    Be Sure To Check Out: Steve Martin narrating a cross-media celebration called The Banjo Project.

Taken From Renter's Insurance

50 Great Google+ Tips for School Librarians

Google has long dominated in the battle for supremacy between online search engines and is a great resource for information, but with Google+, things get taken a step further as Google becomes even more of an Internet giant. Many stand to benefit from Google's move into the social media realm, including school libraries. With integrations, new opportunities for communication, resources for organizing information, and more, there are so many ways school librarians can use Google+ to improve what libraries offer and enrich the learning experience for students. Read on, and we'll take a look at 50 great tips for getting the most out of Google+ as a school librarian.

Communication

Stay in touch with students, teachers, parents, and more through these cool tools and ideas for using Google+ as a communication hub.

1. Create polls: Choose films for movie night, pick games, and more through the use of polling on Google+.
2. Keep teachers informed: Use Google+ to stay connected with school teachers and make sure that they're always up to date on the latest offerings from the library.
3. Offer a Google+ reference desk: With the Messenger feature, you can answer reference questions and more.
4. Use instant uploading: Keep your school library on the cutting edge of updates by using instant uploads to share photos and videos from your mobile phone.
5. Be responsive: Check out +mentions, messages, and other notifications on Google+ and be sure to interact back whenever possible.
6. Find new people through search: Search is what Google does best, and you can find new people to follow on Google+ by searching for a keyword or location.
7. Get personalized: Create a custom URL to make it easy for students and teachers to get connected with your school library page.
8. Check out suggestions: Be sure to pay attention to the suggestions Google+ offers for you to find interesting people to follow.
9. Organize your PLN: With Google+, you can organize and extend your PLN and expand your staff learning.
10. Share what's going on at school: Share exciting content about your school library with media, events, and more.
11. Have a Page: This one's simple: be sure to set up a Google Plus Page for your school library, to serve as a jumping off point for connections and resources.

Circles

Find great ways to organize your groups and get better connected through Google+ using these ideas for Circles.

1. Connect with authors: Stay in touch with authors and reading resources in your Circles.
2. Make targeted announcements: Share targeted messages within your groups, with different updates for teachers, students, and even parents.
3. Create micro-circles: Don't be afraid to create even tiny circles, which will help you broadcast tailored messages to group project members, volunteers, and other important library groups.
4. Create study groups: Make circles for students to connect with discussions, book readings, exams, and more.
5. Cut down on the noise: Use Circles to carefully compartmentalize the people and pages you want to listen to the most, and check on the right people at the right times.
6. Set up circles for students and others: Google+ offers the option to put your followers into a variety of different categories, so take advantage of it and put students, staff, and teachers in groups of their own.

Hangouts

Check out these tips to find out how you can use Hangouts to host chats, reference desk hours, and more, all through Google+.

1. Use Hangouts for library learning: If you can't get students to come into the library for seminars on using tools and resources, go to where they are and host chats through Google+ Hangouts.
2. Host guest panels: Bring in professors, experts, and other guest speakers through Hangouts that you can share with your school.
3. Join Hangouts: See what Hangouts are happening, and join in on ones that are helpful and relevant to your work as a librarian.
4. Hold "librarian hours": Host times when students can check in with you for help and ask questions, before, during, and after school.
5. Host Q&A sessions: Offer sessions for guidance, Q&A, and resource gathering using Hangouts.
6. Host language learning chats: Put together live chats for students to share with learners and language buddies around the world on Google+.

Integrations

Through these integrations, Google+ plays nice with great tools for learning and librarianship.

1. Google+ Badge: Direct users and students to your page with a badge on your library page.
2. Google Translate: Chat around the world and gather international knowledge for your school by using Google Translate with Google+ Hangout.
3. Google Docs: Create documents in Google Docs, and you can easily share them through Google+. This is great for news, resources, and more.
4. Google Calendar: Share events, important dates, and more by integrating Google Calendar with Google+.

Information Sharing

Google is a hub of information, so it's not hard to imagine that Google+ only builds upon that. Here are a few ideas for sharing information within or beyond your school library with Google+.

1. Share your Reader posts: If you're using Google Reader, share interesting items with your library on Google+.
2. Create public sparks: Sparks allow you to type in keywords and build a stream of information, sharing links and resources with your circle, and creating a great place for students to find information.
3. Share a variety of documents with the school: Share notes from staff meetings, documents, and more within relevant circles.
4. Do lots of listening: Google+ is a great resource to share with students, but it's even better for gathering information and learning as a librarian.
5. Join educational circles: Google+ and social media in general offer an incredible opportunity for connecting with and learning from school librarians and educators around the world, so be sure to seek them out and join circles you can learn from.
6. Archive interactions: Use Google+'s "Data Liberation" feature to download student interactions and assignments, making them available to share with instructors.
7. Every post has a permalink: Click any post's timestamp to get a permalink that can be shared with colleagues who aren't on Google+.
8. Share links: Through Google+, you can share links to e-reserves with the whole school.
9. Save important content: Create a private Circle just for yourself, and share important content with that Circle. No one else has to see it, but your posts will be archived in that stream.
10. Convert your Hangouts to YouTube videos: Turn Hangout interactions into YouTube videos to share great things that were brought up with those who could not attend.

Efficiency

Maximize your time in Google+ by putting these efficiency ideas to work.

1. Start important circles with a period: Circles with a first character of a period will be displayed at the top, followed by those with an asterisk.
2. Cross-post your updates: Even if you're on Google+, chances are you haven't quite abandoned Facebook and Twitter yet. Instead of taking the time to update all three separately, use a tool like Start G+ to cross-post updates all at once.
3. Mute annoying posts: Commenting on posts is a great way to engage, but some threads just get out of control, clogging up your stream. Fortunately, you can mute them temporarily.
4. Use shortcuts: You can post and use Google+ quickly by taking advantage of keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys.
5. Manage your notification settings: Be careful about getting distracted by notifications by changing your settings to tune out what's not important.
6. Tune out the stream: The Google+ stream represents a fire hose of information. Tone it down by checking out updates in Circles instead.
7. Pay attention to your stats: Find out when students are most likely to tune in and take action with stats, and be sure to do most of your activity at that time of day.
8. Collapse comment threads: Power-browse through your stream by shortening the amount of information you read. Simply click on the comment threads you actually want to expand and read.

Privacy

Protect your privacy, and that of the library, school, and students, by using these privacy tips for Google+.

1. Cut your email out: Check out your Google+ settings to edit who is allowed to send you an email from your profile.
2. Remember that public posts are indexed by Google: You should always be careful about what you post online on behalf of the library, but it's especially important to remember that Google+ will index all public posts for the world to see.
3. Control what you share: Carefully share only what you really need to by carefully selecting who sees what you're posting in Google+.
4. It is possible to block users: Although libraries should aim for an inclusive Google+ environment, abusive users can be blocked if necessary.
5. Disable instant upload: Instant Upload is a great feature, but only if you want it. Think about whether or not it works for you and your library.

Taken From Online College

10 Big Reasons We Need to Reinvent the School Year

The American school year has been largely unchanged for decades, despite evolutions in culture, demographics, technology, and a wide range of other social and economic factors. In our increasingly global economy, this is starting to become a disadvantage, especially as students in many school districts are struggling to meet national standards and are simply unable to keep up with their international counterparts, many of whom spend many more hours in the classroom than they do.

While there is no one magic solution to reforming schools, many districts around the nation have sought to level the playing field by adding more time to the school day or school year to more closely match those of other nations. While some changes have been more successful than others, what is clear is that the school year that worked for students decades ago simply isn’t practical for today’s students. Read on to find out some of the biggest reasons many are moving to extend or rearrange the school year for American students.

1. Flexibility in the length of high school could help students better prepare for college.

   For high school students performing at the high and low ends of the spectrum, some reforms to the school year could be a good thing. In some communities, highly-motivated students are being allowed to finish their high school course work in only three years, rather than four. This opens up opportunities for them to take on internships or get some of their general education requirements for college out of the way, and keeps them challenged and motivated rather than bored in classes that are too easy for them. Of course, some high school students aren’t ready for the challenges of college and the working world when they’re only 16 or 17. Other school districts are proposing programs that offer students a five-year high school program, with students graduating not only with their diplomas but also with an Associate’s or two years’ worth of college credits. With a tough job market out there, anything that equips students with more skills to make it on their own is probably a good thing, and greater flexibility in the length of high school could be one way to accomplish that.

2. Students do better with a shorter summer break.

   Summer break may be fun for students, but it doesn’t do their grades or test scores any favors. In fact, studies have found that students often regress over a long summer break, forgetting as much as two months of information in science and math. Many schools around the nation have begun switching to year-round schedules which still allow students (and teachers) time off, but spread it out throughout the year so the impact of time away from school is reduced.

3. Longer school years have an even more profound impact on poor, urban settings.

   While all students stand to benefit from more time spent in school, studies are showing that students from poor, urban neighborhoods see the biggest gains from longer schools years. There are a variety of reasons for this, and some aren’t directly related to learning itself. In fact, one of the primary reasons for the benefit is that more time spent in school reduces time spent on the streets and unsupervised, where many disadvantaged children often get in trouble. Also, students from wealthier areas often see less of a gain from longer school years because they are more likely than their poorer counterparts to engage in educational activities while away from school, like visiting museums, going to the library, or even taking lessons.

4. Longer school days and years offer advantages for working parents.

   When schools get out around 3 p.m. and have numerous months off during the year, most working parents have to find someone to care for their children. This can mean extra costs and a lot of stress for working moms and dads, and that’s part of the reason why many are big fans of extended time spent in school. With a growing number of families headed by a single parent or by two working parents and childcare costs that can go into the thousands each month, it isn’t hard to see why less free time for kids would be supported by a lot of parents.

5. Studies have shown that longer school years can help.

   Studies on longer school years and extended days have produced mixed results. Some have found no connection between more school hours and better performance, while others have come to quite the opposite conclusion. While it’s unlikely that these previous studies will ever be entirely reconciled, a review of dozens of studies conducted over the past decade or more has shown that, in general, the longer students spend in school, the better off they are. While it may not be the ideal for every student, in some communities extending the school year could help students boost test scores, improve grades, and even reduce dropout rates.

6. The reasons behind the creation of summer vacation don’t really apply to modern life.

   Back in the day, many Americans worked on farms and the nation as a whole was far more rural. Families needed children at home during the summer to help work in the fields, but this isn’t really the norm for most families anymore. That’s one of the reasons many people are calling for a school year that more accurately reflects the needs of modern kids and their families, spreading out break times or allowing students fewer days off throughout the year.

7. Students often simply don’t have time to learn everything they need in a school year.

   Trying to meet state standards, help individual students, and make it though a whole textbook in a year is a pretty impossible task for most teachers working in the U.S. There simply isn’t enough time during the school year to get to each lesson they need to cover, and some report barely being able to make it through half of a standard textbook on math and science. Part of the problem is having to review material after long breaks like those in the summer but many feel they simply need more school days in order to be able to touch on material that students in other nations are learning. As a result, U.S. students often lag behind their foreign counterparts, with huge gaps in math and science achievement scores for some grade levels.

8. Some states are showing big gains with more school hours.

   Looking for a successful example of where changing up the school year has really worked? Take a look at results from a wide range of Massachusetts schools that participated in a program that extended their school days. Many of the schools reported big gains in test scores and student achievement, though the results weren’t consistent across the board. Administrators believe that this is because a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, even when it comes to extending school hours, and that each school needs to determine the best model for its students and local community to see the best results.

9. Year-round school can also impact students’ overall health and well-being.

   The benefits of year-round schooling aren’t just found in higher GPAs and test scores. Other, less obvious effects of students spending more time in school can be found as well, especially in children who get their meals from school. Summer breaks and afternoons at home unsupervised often lead to students consuming greater amounts of junk food, rather than the healthier (or at least more balanced) meals provided by school cafeterias. In schools where students are still required to participate in gym, required exercise may also have a big impact on the health and well-being of students.

10. Quantity isn’t always a cure if quality is an issue.

    All the extra time in the world won’t help students if they’re not learning what they need to learn in schools, through good teachers and strong curricula. While many districts have been focusing on lengthening the school year or extending days, studies have shown that the quality of education students receive is a pivotal factor in determining whether those extra hours will actually make a difference. It’s important to remember that a longer school year, while possibly an effective way of helping students learn, is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to reforming education in the U.S.

Taken From Online Colleges

10 Ways to Learn How to Type

Learning to type is one of those crucial skills that everyone needs to know, especially considering how commonplace computers are becoming. They’re in our offices, our homes, our schools, our cell phones… they’re everywhere. Some employers have even made typing skills a job requirement, having prospective employees take typing tests before they even interview. Mastering this skill early on is the best way to tackle it.

1. Texting – You may think this is a joke, but with how often kids are on their cell phones these days and the fact that most cell phones keyboards mimic computer keyboards, texting really is making people better and more adept at typing. While it may not be the preferred way for kids to learn how to type, it is rather effective…
2. Typing games – Any game that makes a learning experience fun is a great way to get kids involved and ‘studying’. A lot of typing games are so geared towards looking like a game that kids don’t even realize how much information they’re absorbing in the process. For instance, when I was growing up I learned how to type playing Mario Teaches Typing – it was set up exactly like the Mario video games and every letter you typed correctly made Mario jump up and bump a coin out.
3. Typing sentences – While it may be a little more boring than learning to type while also playing Mario, typing certain sentences repeatedly will help you learn the lay of the keyboard and get comfortable with all of the letters, obscure ones included. Sentences like “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” and “pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs” are effective sentences to practice typing when you’re trying to learn how to type without looking at the keyboard.
4. Websites – There are a plethora of websites out there that are geared towards teaching you how to type correctly – some free and some for a fee. Websites are a nice tool to use because you can access them virtually anywhere with an internet connection and practice to your heart’s content.
5. Software – Contrary to websites, you can also buy software to install on your laptop or desktop computer that will help you learn the ins and outs of typing. The benefit to having software is that you don’t need an internet connection to be able to use it. It will also give you all of the relevant information you need to know, like your accuracy rate and speed at typing.
6. Typing Tests – The internet has plenty of online typing tests you can take to gauge how good you are at typing under pressure. Most of them are timed and some of them don’t allow you to delete so that you can see how well you type without backspacing. You should consider taking a typing test throughout your learning experience to assess your progress and see your improvements.
7. Toy Computers – If you want your kids to learn how to type early on you should consider investing in a toy computer for them that has preloaded games and quizzes on them so that they can get familiar with the keyboard layout while they’re still young. This allows it to become almost second nature.
8. Computer Classes – Most schools and local colleges will offer typing courses that you can enroll in throughout the year that will teach you or your children everything you need to know about typing correctly and effectively. Since no one wants to use the hunt and peck method for forever, these are a good way to learn correct techniques and have a teacher there to ask questions to when you hit a snag in the learning process.
9. Practice with the keys covered – One way to get comfortable with typing without looking at the keyboard is to cover kid’s hands while they’re typing so they are forced to learn the layout of the keyboard and rely on instinct to type the right letters.
10. Hide the letters with colored tape – Another way to get kids used to typing without relying on looking at the keyboard is to place colored masking tape over the different letters on the keys. Cover the letters that each finger uses with the same colored tape so that they remember which finger touches what. This will help them learn to keep fingers on the home row and to branch out to the top and bottom rows accordingly.

Learning to type is a key skill that everyone should learn at some point in their lives and one that you will never regret investing time in perfecting. Plus it can be a fun experience if you engage the right tools to help you along the way.

Taken From Change of Address