Social media checklist of dos and donts for teachers

Social media checklist of dos and donts for teachersSocial media is such a strong form of communication that can either help or hinder your career.Since 81% of the United States is on social media, you have to remember that whatever you post is never truly private from students and parents. As a teacher, it is tough to be under the punktlicht at all times but dont worry we got you coveredThis checklist can help you make the necessary changes to your social media profiles and be aware of what content you post in the future. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) With these simple dos and donts for teachers on social media you will learn what is the best practices for your career as a teacher.Source Daily Genius

How To Deal With Maternity Leave Guilt

How To Deal With Maternity Leave Guilt My final days at work before going on my first maternity leave felt like the black-and-white tornado scene in The Wizard of Oz. Swirling around me were a tangled web of work commitments and the impending feeling that my world will be flipped upside-down when the baby arrived. Some days I was able to reach the stillness of the center of the storm, watching the world spin around me, but most days I was in a feverish spin with the rest of it.Not knowing how to deal with the immensity of the unknown once baby arrived, I dug my heels in even harder. I worked more, thinking, How would they get it all done without me? I felt bad about leaving for three months (after all, I had never taken a break longer than my three-week wedding/honeymoon). My guilt about going on maternity leave was manifesting as feelings of obligation, anxiety and insecurity that drove me to overwork.What are the signs that you feel guilty about going on maternity leave?Previously I had defined my self-worth by my performance review ratings. If I didnt work, how would I define myself? Who would I be after returning from maternity leave?If youve suffered from pre-maternity leave guilt, youve probably experienced the following Feeling anxious about leaving your boss with your responsibilities while away Feeling like work projects will be unfinished or fail because you wont be tzu siche Worry that your co-workers and managers perceptions of you as an invaluable team member will fade Wondering whether your job security is at risk Feeling like you will miss out on important project or career advancement Worry that you will not want to come back after having a childOn the surface, those all sound legit but at the heart of it, if you really dig deep, going onmaternity leavewill mean that you will change. You will physically change, your priorities will shift to the baby, your relationship to the value of work might change and so on. Change is scary.How can you cope with maternity leave guilt?First, make sure all your ducks are in a row. Our maternity leave checklist can help you organize everything before you head out it covers negotiations with your boss, making plans for coverage and more.Next, lift your glass of sparkling water. Lets cheers to the fact that your guilt means you care about your job, your career and the people you work with. But lets explore the motives behind the feeling so you can foster a healthy attitude and avoid the all-too-common female response guilt1. Physical demands.Lets start with the most obvious demand placed on a pregnant working woman her physical demands. The belastung trimester is physically exhausting. As a busy working professional you may not be giving yourself enough rest, walks and breaks. Its critical to tend to your physical wellbeing so you have the stamina for work and home.TipSchedule in a physical break on work days, whether its walking at break time or stretching in the afternoon. On one of the 20 bathroom trips, take a detour outside for some fresh air. UseKegal Trainerapp to get the most important muscles in shape for childbirth.2. Mental distraction.Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker atPsychology Todaysays there are pros and cons to mom guilt. The emotions can motivate you to take action or force you to look at some hidden emotions eating away at you. But guilt is an acute and often reoccurring form of stress that can take a toll on a working mother. And the feelings of guilt about going on maternity leave can be especially heavy.Tip Keep your mind free from additional stressful thoughts. Allow for moments of quiet, restful time in your day. It can be as quick and easy as takingthree secondsto breathe before you get out of your car. This will help to leave work stress at work.3. Share your plan.One of the biggest areas of stress and guilt for the pregnant moms I coach is the lack of a transition plan. This is not the time to do this alone. Talk to other new moms at your office, consult with your HR team and speak to your spouse about what how you would like your post-maternity leave experience to pan out.Tip Create amaternity leave planwell in advance of your last day. This plan should start off reassuring the organization of your commitment, explaining who will do the work while you are away and how your responsibilities will be assigned.This plan also needs to advocate for a transition phase once you are back at work. All too often working mothers begin a whole new cycle of guilt upon their return. Clearly stating your need for flex hours or reduced workload for a certain timeframe will mitigate the work pressure, especially during those first weeks back at the office.Returning from maternity leaveWhen I returned, I couldnt see my own feet, let alone see how I could do it all. My guilt welled up because I didnt get a plan together that clearly communicated how my work would be covered and I didnt have the courage to assert a humane transition period.Whe n I finally communicated my plan and voiced my fears to my husband who was more than willing to help, my guilt subsided.So before you depart on leave, make sure you have a plan, a self-care regimen and a healthy outlook on your return--Elaine is a Working Mom Support Coach on a mission de-stress maternity leave and propel a nation of thriving working mothers. From her own emotionally traumatic return-to-work after her first daughter (HOT MESS), ThriveMomma.com was born. She coaches new moms on of return-to-work readiness, time management and mindful living. And consults for corporations on paternity transition planning and work/life policies to retain and nurture working parents.

An Evening with Zyngas Women Leaders in Gaming

An Evening with Zyngas Women Leaders in Gaming Attention Toronto-based gaming and tech professionals PowerToFly is thrilled to be partnering with Zynga, a global leader in interactive entertainment, to present a one-night-only evening of networking and tech talks led by Zyngas women tech leaders. This is your chance to meet the women behind franchises like CSR Racing, Empires Puzzles, Merge Dragons, Words With Friends and Zynga Poker. We have plenty of other fun surprises in store for the night so you wont want to miss itThe event will be held on Wednesday, July 17th from 600pm to 800pm at 110 Spadina Ave, Suite 900, Toronto. Although this programming is geared toward womens experiences, we welcome all genders at our events.Agenda (Subject to Change)Check-In Networking over Food RefreshmentsEvent Kickoff by PowerToFlyKeynote Address by Martin Edelman, Senior Director, Toronto Development ServicesTech Talk Product Demo by Di Chang, Senior Director, Engineering Whitney Mak, Engine ering Manager and Jackie Fong, Sr User Experience DesignerPanel Discussion + Audience QA featuring from ZyngaDi Chang, Senior Director, EngineeringWhitney Mak, Engineering ManagerRebecca Robinson, Sr HR Business PartnerJackie Fong, Sr User Experience DesignerNetworking Continues over Food RefreshmentsZynga actively cultivates a culture of diversity, creativity, and growth in the pursuit of their core mission Connecting the World Through Games. Zynga offers competitive pay, industry leading perks and benefits, and an environment committed to success for all.50% female representation on the Zynga Board of DirectorsRecognized by Comparably for Best CEO for Women and Best Company for DiversityWomen at Zynga and zPride are our most active Employee Resource GroupsCharter member of the California Pay Equity PledgeSignatory in Human Rights Campaign Business Statement for Transgender EqualityMost teams can accommodate a flexible work scheduleChampion of Gamers for Good - Zyngas Charitable M atch ProgramzCares enables our employees to give back through volunteering opportunitiesZynga is focused on building a stable and durable businessAbout our Events All RSVPd attendees are welcome, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, or age. If you require accommodation to fully participate in this event, please emaille hipowertofly.com, and we will contact you to discuss your specific needs.Unfortunately, PowerToFly and Zynga cannot admit outside recruiters to this particular event. Please email hipowertofly.com if you have any questions about this policy.Related Articles Around the Web Zynga Aki Merced

5 weak words that make your writing less effective

5 weak words that make your writing less effective5 weak words that make your writing less effectiveI cant stand frail, weak writing. And neither can you. You know when youve read content that compels you to do something that matters and when something bores you to tears. You may just not know exactly why.And you need to be able to identify those words that weaken your writing so that you can stamp them out of your vocabulary.Words are the lifeblood of your writing. Theyre what you use to build credibility or diminish it.Words matter. Theyre what make your arguments more compelling, your prose stronger, and your craft more captivating.Untrained writers can be careless with their words. It takes discipline to use these tools well. Here are five lazy words that make your writing weaker and how to fix themStuffStuff is a lazy word. Only use it sparingly when youre intentionally trying to be informal.Instead, use a more descriptive noun.ThingsThings is another lazy word. People often ove ruse it. While not always inappropriate, it also should be used on rare occasions.Things is nondescript and can often be replaced with much better nouns, such as reasons or elements or issues and so onGotGot is a terrible verb. It means obtaining something or can also be used as a helping verb like have. More often than not, got can usually go away.Instead of saying I got up, say I woke up.Instead of saying, I got a baseball, say, I have a baseball or I found a baseball.Not only is got a lazy word it is also vague. In the belastung sentence does got mean found or have?Was/Is/Are/AmOften people will say something like, I was there or We were at the party.In these cases, the writers are using different versions of the verb to be when they could be employing better action words.For example, you could instead say, I stood silently in the kitchen or My wife and I arrived late to the party.WentWent is like are. There are a hundred other verbs that you could exchange for went.Instead of sa ying, I went to the store, you could say, I walked to the store or, I drove my car to buy some groceries at the store.Went is a lame word - vague, boring, lackluster.As are am, got, stuff, and things. Here are a few more words and phrases to use sparinglyveryallimportantused toeveryneverfeelseemthinkoftenalmostbigsmallhave gotjustStop using them in your writing.Or at very least, think twice before whipping out a simplistic, overused word like are.Words lose their meaning when we use them carelessly. Take your time, carefully considering how you will utilize the best words possible.When you write, your copy wields great potential. Dont squander it.This article first appeared on Medium.

Appen Work-At-Home Opportunities

Appen Work-At-Home OpportunitiesAppen Work-At-Home OpportunitiesAppen prides itself on being an award-winninglanguage technology solutions and consulting firm. Many of the companysindependent contractors are fluent in one or more of the 120 languages and dialects. Its services include data collection, transcription, data annotation, search relevance evaluation, social media evaluation, and linguistic consulting. Appen partners with technology and e-commerce companies to help them expand into global markets. Types of Work-at-Home Opportunities The company offers many of its existing employees the option to work from home or any location worldwide. However, it also has a number of freelance or independent contractor positions that are home-based. These include jobs in TranslationSocial media evaluationCrowdsourcing projectsTranscriptionSearch evaluationLocalizationSourcingData annotation Search evaluation positions require up to five hours of availability per day Monday through Fri day. Web search evaluators must complete a qualification process that involves completing a review of qualification materials and a series of exams. The process may take up to 25 to 40 hours of commitment over one to three weeks. The training is free. Crowdsourcing is the term Appen uses to describe its micro jobs. These ansprechbar tasks require no training and pay pennies per task. The company claims top crowdsourcers can make up to $25 an hour. Applying for Work Go to the Appen Opportunitiespage at theAppen website, where current needs are listed, and a search field is available to narrow your search.Work from home jobs are listed as Remote. If you dont see a position in your language or location, you may register with the company and be notified when a suitable project is available. Qualifications Qualifications vary for the different positions. Some, particularly translation positions, require a college degree, but most dont. All language-related positions require some test of your language abilities. For search evaluation jobs, you must be a native or near-native speaker in the required language. Languages that Appen works in include dialects of Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Bakhtiari, Basque, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, Gallego, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Kermanji, Korean, Kurdish Sorani, Laki, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luri, Malayalam, Malagasy, Mandarin, Marathi, Mazanderani, Oriya, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wu and Xiang. Its likely the company will add more languages, so check its website for the latest needs. Remote Technical Requirements Work-at-home independent contractors must provide a computer that is less than three years old,antivirus software and high-speed Internet. The computer must run Microsoft Windows Vista or newer or Mac OS operating system. No tablets are allowed. Some projects might require a headset with a microphone that uses VOIP. Pay and Benefits Many of theindependent contracting positions such as search evaluators, translators, and data annotators pay an hourly rate. Crowdsourcing projects are paid at a rate per hit, which varies. Payments of a $50 minimum are made on a bimonthly basis.

Is apple cider vinegar good for you A doctor weighs in

Is apple cider vinegar good for you A doctor weighs inIs apple cider vinegar good for you A doctor weighs inWhen my brother and I were kids back in the 80s, we loved going to Long John Silvers.But it wasnt just for the fish.It was for the vinegar malt vinegar. We would uncap a bottle at the table and swig that tangy, delicious nectar of the gods straight.Are most of you repulsed? Probably. Were we way ahead of our time? Apparently.Some social media and online searches would have us believe that drinking vinegar is a cure-all. Our friends and colleagues will regale us with stories of the healing power of apple cider vinegar for whatever problem we may have just mentioned. Oh, that backache from mowing? Vinegar. That last 10 pounds? Vinegar will melt that right off. Syphilis, again? You know it vinegar.As a practicing physician and professor of medicine, people ask me about the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar all the time. I enjoy those moments, because we can talk about the (extensive) history of vinegar, and then distill the conversations to how it could, maybe, benefit them.A cure for colds, the plague and obesity?Historically, vinegar has been used for many ailments. A few examples are that of the famous Greek physician Hippocrates, who recommended vinegar for the treatment of cough and colds, and that of the Italian physician Tommaso Del Garbo, who, during an outbreak of plague in 1348, washed his hands, face and mouth with vinegar in the hopes of preventing infection.Vinegar and water has been a refreshing drink from the time of Roman soldiers to modern athletes who drink it to slake their thirst. Ancient and modern cultures the world over have found good uses for sour wine.While there is plenty of historical and anecdotal testimony to the virtues of vinegar, what does medical research have to say on the subject of vinegar and health?The most reliable evidence for the health benefits of vinegar come from a few humans studies involving apple cider vinegar. One study demonstrated that apple cider vinegar can improve after-meal blood glucose levels in insulin-resistant subjects. In 11 people who were pre-diabetic, drinking 20 milliliters, a little mora than one tablespoon, of apple cider vinegar lowered their blood sugar levels 30-60 minutes after eating more than a placebo did. Thats good but it was only demonstrated in 11 pre-diabetic people.Another study on obese adults demonstrated a significant reduction in weight, fat mass and triglycerides. Researchers selected 155 obese Japanese adults to ingest either 15 ml, about one tablespoon, or 30 ml, a little more than two tablespoons, of vinegar daily, or a placebo drink, and followed their weight, fat mass and triglycerides. In both the 15 ml and 30 ml group, researchers saw a reduction in all three markers. While these studies need confirmation by larger studies, they are encouraging.Studies in animals, mostly rats, show that vinegar can potentially reduce blood pressure and abdominal fat cells. These help build the case for followup studies in humans, but any benefit claims based only on animal studies is premature.In all, the health benefits we suspect vinegar has need to be confirmed by larger human studies, and this will certainly happen as researchers build on what has been studied in humans and animals to date.Is there any harm in it?Is there any evidence that vinegar is bad for you? Not really. Unless you are drinking excessive amounts of it (duh), or drinking a high acetic acid concentration vinegar such as distilled white vinegar used for cleaning (consumable vinegars acetic acid content is only 4 to 8 percent), or rubbing it in your eyes (ouch), or heating it in a lead vat as the Romans did to make it sweet. Then, yeah, thats unhealthy.Also, dont heat any kind of food in lead vats. Thats always bad.So have your fish and chips and vinegar. Its not hurting you. It may not be doing you all the good that youre hoping that it will and it certainly is not a cure-all. But it is something that people all over the world will be enjoying with you. Now raise high that bottle of malt vinegar with me, and lets drink to our health.Gabriel Neal, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Texas AM University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How to Find a Substitute Teacher Job

How to Find a Substitute Teacher JobHow to Find a Substitute Teacher JobSubstitute teaching can be a terrific part-time, flexible job for parents, retirees, and others looking for employment during daytime school hours. Its also a great way to return to a teaching career after a break to raise children, care for family members, or pursue other career interests. Working as a sub is a good option for many people because you dont need to accept any assignment that doesnt fit in with your schedule. If you have a child home sick, you dont need to take a call. If you have a vacation planned or have another part-time job, the hours can be tailored to fit your needs. Many districts dont require a teaching certificate for substitute teachers or teachers aides. Typically, districts will ask for a four-year degree, although some may accept an associate degree or even a high school diploma for substitute teachers aide positions. Protocols vary by state and county, and even by the district in som e areas. Find out your districts requirements before you get started. How to Find a Substitute Teacher Jobs You can check with the main office in your school district, check the website, or look on your countys Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) website for prerequisites for the position and how to apply. Usually, you will find an application to fill out online and some other paperwork that you may need to submit. There may be an essay question on the application where you will have the opportunity to outline the qualities and experiences you possess that qualify you as a sub. What Youll Need to Apply Professional references are important for every job but theyre especially important when youre applying for a substitute teaching job because you can be sure that the employer will call them. Obviously, your character, reliability, and skills are crucial for a job that involves working with children and young adults, so school districts are very likely to follo w up. When choosing references, be sure to select people who can attest to the quality of your work, including your ability to manage a classroom and your relevant teaching skills. Your references should also be able to emphasize your professionalism, reliability, and flexibility. A current resume, focusing on your applicable strengths. If you have experience teaching a certain subject, highlight that. In general, a good teacher resume should emphasize your education, credentials, teaching experience, and accomplishments. Be sure to tailor your resume to this specific job (in other words, dont send a resume thats geared toward a full-time job, when youre applying to be a sub). Create a customized resume for each job and have a trusted friend proofread your application materials before you submit. Testing and certification. Again, each state has its own requirements and some districts impose further conditions. For example, New York State requires substitute teachers to be certified or working toward certification or limits them to working 40 days per school district per year. To become certified, prospective teachers much take New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) the Educating All Students test, the Content Specialty Test (for example, Gifted Education), and the edTPA (formerly the Teacher Performance Assessment). Training requirements. Many school districts also have online or in-person training requirements, dealing with child abuse, bullying, hazardous materials, etc., to make sure that you are equipped to keep students safe. Some of these seminars may also have a fee associated with them.Background checks. Most districts will require fingerprinting and a background check which will cost a mnznominal fee. A background check may contain information on your work history, credit, criminal record, and so on. Getting on the Call List Once they have received all your materials, you will likely be contacted about any further seminars yo u are required to attend, and any additional requirements needed to complete your application. Once you have completed all the required training, and have been thoroughly investigated, your name will go on a call list. Even though its called a call list, you may be notified by text or email instead of by a phone call when there are subbing opportunities. Often, certified teachers will be called first, unless someone has a specific request. Make sure that all the teachers you know are aware once your name is added to the list because many districts allow them to request specific substitutes.