Teachers, do you need an art project that will pique your students interests? everybody googles, right? Kindergartners even know what googling means. Well google has announced an art contest for students from K-12 grades.

Google’s contest is called “Doodle 4 Google.”

It involves designing a front page logo for google. Everybody is familiar with the multicolor google logo, and this art contest gives students a chance to design their own. It is not just anything, however. Students must do the design with following question in mind, “”If I Could Do Anything, I Would …”

There are a few other rules, like being submitted only on 8.5 x 11 paper.

You also have to register your class before March 17, 2010 and all entries are to be in by March 31st.

For more information, check out the contest at “Doodle 4 Google.”

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The one important thing that teachers can do to be effective is: Be there.

Sounds simple? Many teacher have a habit of not only not being accessible, but literally not showing up period.

You as the teacher of your students are the best one to be instructing them. Take as few sick days off as you can. Have your classroom discipline and classroom management down so that you are not working nights and weekends on school stuff. This will lead to burn-out, which will lead to you being tempted to take days off.

Teachers also need to make themselves available for tutoring. You are the best person to be doing this. See your students during lunch, and before and after school. If this sounds like it will be a hassle, do it once or twice a week. Make a point to allow your students to get help from you.

Making yourself available actually can lessen problems you have in class. If students know you are approachable outside of classtime, they just may be better behaved in class.

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If you are considering becoming a teacher, but don’t especially want to be with older kids, becoming an early childhood teacher may be just for you.

Teaching is an almost recession-proof career, although some districts have been doing a few layoffs. This is not the case for preschool teachers. The federal government has committed money in the stimulus bill to fund more of these early childhood education program. They are predicting an almost 25% increase in these positions.

If you wish to be a state certified preschool teacher, you probably will need to get an associates degree. If you want to be a kindergarten teacher, this will require a bachelors degree. Daycare in your home could also be a possibility, with no school, but stringent state rules.

Remember that if you teach in a field or area that is underserved, you may get student loans forgiven.

Besides being recession-proof, almost all teachers will get health care and retirement benefits.

>>More information on becoming a preschool teacher.

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School districts are laying off teachers, that’s true. But teaching in the right places, and the right subject, will almost always guarantee you a job. Now may be a good time to switch careers if you are thinking about your job security.

TEACH Grant Program is a federal funded program for people looking to be teachers. The grant is $4,000 a year. There are some rules for getting the money.

You must first agree to teach in an area or school that is underserved. A four year commitment to teach there is a must. If you fail to do that, you will have to pay back the money. It will be treated as a student loan.

You must be actively enrolled in a program that leads to teaching in a high demand area, such as math, science, special ed, and bilingual.

You also must maintain a 3.35 GPA.

$4,000 is not a bad bit of money to help you go back to school and complete a teaching credential.

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Valentine’s Day is coming up and teachers are probably looking for Valentine ideas. How about letting your students create Valentine’s and send them to the troops?

The week of Valentine’s Day this year is National Salute to Veterans Week. Many teachers and scout groups will be sending Valentine’s to hospitalized veterans. Your class can to!

Just contact your nearest VA hospital and ask how to deliver them!

Your students can not only do this as an art project, but they can practice writing as well. Let each student on their own or teacher led, come up with a few sentences of encouragement.

This is a great way to involve your students in a worthy and patriotic activity.

>>Click here for more information on Valentine’s for veterans!

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With people losing jobs that may never come back, many adults are rethinking their careers. Either changing completely, or moving to another facet of your current job, going back to school may be the only way. Even if you are no in danger of losing your job, you should getting other skills that make you more marketable and employable. Become a more valuable asset to your company and you will have more job security.

Here are some tips for adults who are returning to school.

You have to remember the time factor. Some adult college or training programs can take a couple of years. Can you handle this? If not, look for a certificate program or other options that may be shorter.

Do you really need to go back to school at this time? Many people are in panic mode. If you have not been laid off, furloughed, or fired, you need to assess the current situation you are in with your employer and boss.

If you don’t have a college degree, and most others around you do, then it may be prudent to get one.

Make a short list of reasons and goals you want to achieve by going back to school. Zero in on the one that will be right for you at this time.

Be sure you know how to pay for going back to college. There are more expenses than just college. You still will have your daily living expenses. Talk it over with your spouse and family. Sacrifices will need to be made by all.

As far as paying for your schooling, your employer may offer a tuition reimbursement program. Government student loans are automatic if you are taking the right number of courses and fill out the forms. But, it may not be enough to cover all expense. Other loans are available, but will need to be paid back. Remember that.

Your options for college should be local or online. You probably cannot travel a long way or move. Make sure the local colleges offer exactly what you want and need.

You don’t need to worry about fitting in as an older student. Most night schools are filled with adults passed the normal college age.

Many colleges have programs specifically for working adults.

Most colleges will not require an adult who goes back to school to meet the admission requirements of a kid right out of high school. Again, ask for any programs geared for adults.

Many adults are going back to school. This has caused colleges to think about offering more classes and programs for adults. This is actually one of the best times that it has ever been to go back to school. But it must be the right choice for you.

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Don’t go back to school just for the sake of going back to school.

Some school districts a while back decided to do away with letter grades, at least at some levels. They seem to have turned back to indeed give letter grades.

Another tweak has been to get rid of the letter “D” and just for from C to F. The reasoning is to raise the standards. That is, force students to do satisfactory work, or else fail. A D grade is in fact, supposed to be something less than satisfactory. We can’t argue that we should not be passing students who do less than satisfactory work. However, the standard for years has been to do just that. Allow a student a way out who does not fail, but does not do satisfactory either.

Now schools are going back to more letter grades. The data showed that eliminating the letter grade “D” has led to more failures, not exactly more passings.

And the flip side is going overboard on grades and GPA. We have now come up with honors, AP, and other useless terms to describe what is supposed to be a “harder” class. And reward these students with a letter grade higher than an “A.” This too, has led to GPA explosions that really don’t do a thing  for education. You can now have over an A average. What schools don’t tell you is that little is gained for the future of the students who take the so-called “harder” classes.

We need to stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Stop experimenting with students. They only have one chance. We run a test program, it fails or does not work out well, then what have we done to those students?

Education should not be politically correct. We should not care about feelings and perceptions of grades. If a student fails, they fail.

We think it is more prudent for a student to take regular classes and get As and Bs, rather than honors classes, get a lower grade, but somehow count it more.

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Many people work as substitute teachers while they are completing their credential, or waiting for a permanent job to open. But if you like kids, work well with them, have a little on the ball, don’t get frustrated easily, and need a part-time job, become a substitute teacher. You may like it and decide to become a regular teacher.

How do you become a substitute teacher?
Most states have similar rules. You probably need a bachelors degree and pass some sort of written test. In California for example, you need a bachelors degree, pass the CBEST Test, get finger printed and have a background check, and apply for a substitute teaching credential. Normally you can do this all through your local school district. Just come by the personnel office and tell them you want to be a substitute teacher. Normally districts hiring them on a constant basis, as some quit or get regular jobs.

Many times, the district will want you to attend a substitute teaching workshop or seminar to get you started.

Many people treat a substitute teaching position as if it were a babysitting job or crowd control. Most times it is, especially at the upper grade level. However, at younger grades, you actually get to teach and interact with students. Not a bad way to earn some money.

In large districts in California and across the country, substitutes make between $100 and $200 a day, even more for long term. Most times you need some type of higher credential to do a really long term sub position. That’s not a bad bit of money. However, some days can be quite unpleasant. Substitute teachers are not treated as well in the upper grades. But many love the upper grades and do just fine. Many stick with 4th grade and below.

Many districts are short on sub teachers, so the chances of you working 1 to 2 days a week is pretty good. Keep in mind that you are not guaranteed a daily job. Sometimes you work a lot, sometimes not at all.

Check into substitute teaching. It may lead to a future career as a teacher!

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Virginia seems to be at the forefront of alternative ways to be a teacher. One new one is the Career Switchers program. You have to pass a test, take some online classes, then get into the classroom and get help in classroom skills during scheduled meetings. It takes about 18 months to complete the program and costs a little over $3,000. Keep in mind that math and science teachers are in high demand, while others may need to wait for an opening. If you have a college degree and want to teach, check out the program.

There are other national alternative ways to become a teacher. The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence is another way, but not all states recognize it. Another large program is the New Teacher Project.

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Many teachers have found that they need to pay for some things out of their own pockets. Many times these are for extra, curriculum enriching projects that enhance the learning process. Many districts just cannot find extra money, so any alternative that teachers have for funding is great.

Teachers can put a project online and request the funds at DonorsChoose.org.

DonorsChoose.org is a charity that funds education projects. Teachers post their projects, and others choose to pay for it. Potential donors go to the website and look for projects they would like to fund. Other funds match it from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Here are a few tips for teachers to post projects. Do a quick search to see how a proposal should be written. It should fully explain all you want and need, as well as what you will do with it and how it will help your students. Give your proposal a title that will stand out. Ask funds for projects that can be reusable. Keep your initial proposals low, $200 to $400. Be patient. If you need something in the Fall, request it in June or July.

If you are a teacher who does have extra cash, perhaps you can even scan the site, DonorsChoose.org for small projects you can fund and help out a fellow teacher. Many projects are $50 or less.

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