Bad Boss Survival Guide for Introverts - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Bad Boss Survival Guide for Introverts - Introvert Whisperer Bad Boss Survival Guide for Introverts Robert Conrad May 19, 2015 Emotional Intelligence, Office Politics One response Go to top Being an introvert isn’t easy all the time, considering the fact that people who don’t know them personally may consider them aloof, cold and disconnected. So imagine placing them in a bustling work environment with a terrible and aggressive boss. If this sounds like a recipe for disaster for all parties involved, it doesn’t have to be. My Own Bad Boss Experience Unfortunately, I witnessed this exact scenario in my previous foodservice job. Granted, a noisy line cook job may not have been the best job choice for this specific introvert (named “Steve” here), but couple that mistake with our easily angered boss (named “Jon” here) and all of a sudden, our workplace became a veritable powder keg. If Steve felt that he had a firm grasp of the information being relayed by Jon, he would become eager to get to the task at hand and turn away. This would always result in Jon losing his temper and begin grilling my poor, introverted coworker, who would then uselessly try to adjust his behavior in an attempt to diffuse the situation. This continued until one day, Jon had enough and actually put his hands on Steve after he made a third mistake in his food production. With Jon still yelling at him, Steve took off his hat and apron, placed them on the shelf, walked off of the line, and out the front door without a word. But, did Jon learn his lesson? How It All Played Out Unfortunately, he didn’t. After 4 months on the job, I finally quit too, unable to handle the constant verbal and physical barrages we all endured. Through word of mouth, I heard that Jon was summarily let go from his position after the store owner caught wind of his behavior. I haven’t seen him since, and for that, I’m grateful, but I always think of this and how Steve could have potentially found a way to survive Jon’s focused rage, towards him especially, during his time with us. His reaction didn’t carry a final word, and there was no final straw followed by months of him and Jon “not talking to each other”, but it resonated with me how cruel Jon could be. Since both Steve and I were in subordinate positions (Jon liked to fire people), we couldn’t expect him to change his behavior, but Steve and I later found that we had the power to change ours, for sanity’s sake. Jon was simply an overall unhappy person ill-fitted for the position he held, and should have been let go long ago. Considering Steve’s introverted personality, we found that his emotional intelligence wasn’t sufficient enough to see when Jon’s temper was about to explode. Had he been able to pick up on Jon’s highly volatile emotional cues, he would have been able to adjust his behavior more easily. In fact, a boost in emotional intelligence can do wonders for introverts by allowing them to: Remain calm under pressure, Resolve conflict effectively, and Be empathetic to their colleagues. Even better, with a boost in emotional intelligence, Steve could adjust his nonverbal communication to appear (and perhaps feel) more open when others are speaking with him. His anxiousness to return to the task at hand may seem cold to some, and to volatile people like Jon, it was a blatant sign of “disrespect” that should be killed with fire. I lost touch with Steve over time, but I made it my personal goal to help him try to make sense of the incredibly ridiculous situation we all endured. And as for myself, I’ve grown wiser, too. I may have taught Steve how to boost his emotional intelligence (something I’ve always excelled at), but he taught me how to take a stand when the circumstances call for it. Go to top What’s the most uncomfortable work experience you’ve ever had? Share your experience in the comments! Image: Flickr Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today! Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

What to Know When Colleges Visit Your High School

What to Know When Colleges Visit Your High School The following piece was written by Rachel Korn. Rachel has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is a former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer, as well as the founder of her own admissions consulting firm. Investigating colleges demands intensive work reading websites/blogs/books, talking with your guidance counselor, contacting current college students and alumni, touring campuses, and attending presentations and fairs. Sometimes, however, you have the easy opportunity to meet with a college representative right in your own high school during your school day. Every year, college admissions officers travel the U.S. and the world conducting high school visits (HSVs), typically dropping by four to five high schools per day to meet with students in their own environments. Meetings are often conducted in guidance offices and you need to obtain permission to leave class for them make sure you investigate the procedures and policies at your school. Admissions officers normally start planning fall HSV travel in the summer. They dig into their files with itineraries and data from previous years visits to brainstorm and build new schedules that support recruitment needs. After confirming the visits, the colleges send out notifications announcing the dates, times, and meeting locations look for such notifications on your high schools bulletin boards and website. How does a college pick the high schools to visit? There are two major criteria:1.A high school is a feeder school, one from which several students apply annually. Students may or may not be admitted in large numbers, but many apply. Even if the admission rate is low, the college wants to maintain a strong relationship with the high school and ensure that applicant numbers stay strong and grow.2.A high school has potential to send the right kind of applicants. Such a school may currently send few or zero applicants, but its students with valued demographics might apply with increased exposure to the college. These may be high schools in states from which the college does not receive enough applications, schools with desired ethnic diversity, and low-income high schools. Colleges experiment with HSVs to see if in-person visits can break any barriers to applying and encourage more applications. What happens during the visit? Admissions officers are often allocated little time for HSVs, but they will describe the unique aspects of their schools, provide informational materials, put you on their mailing lists, and allow some brief questions. Afterwards, they will write up their impressions of your school and record the number of attendees for future planning, noting successes and problems and making recommendations for the next travel season. They will also likely later be reading your applications, working with your guidance counselor, and serving as your contact people for follow-up questions in the coming admissions season. After conducting hundreds of HSVs across the U.S. in my career, I believe that nothing tells me more about your community than a glimpse into your high school. Colleges ability to get into your environment (as much as their time and budgets permit) allows a deeper understanding of your application. HSVs provide you easy access to college information, but they are equally important to the colleges: in admissions committees, the representatives can describe what they saw in your school and help advocate for you better with a deeper picture of your background. Visit RachelsAdmissions Consultingsite. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

SAT Test Dates Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

SAT Test Dates Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace SAT test is conducted many times a year and students can register online on the official website of the College Board to take the test. U.S and U.S territories registration dates and deadlines for 2013-14 Test dates Test Regular registration deadline Late registration deadline (Late fee applied) October 5, 2013 SAT Subject Tests September 6, 2013 September 20, 2013 November 2, 2013 SAT Subject Tests October 3, 2013 October 18, 2013 December 7, 2013 SAT Subject Tests November 8, 2013 November 22, 2013 January 25, 2014 SAT Subject Tests December 27, 2013 January 10, 2014 March 8, 2014 SAT only February 7, 2014 February 21, 2014 May 3, 2014 SAT Subject Tests April 4, 2014 April 18, 2014 June 7, 2014 SAT Subject Tests May 9, 2014 May 23, 2014

Functional Behavioral Assessments

Functional Behavioral Assessments When a child with ADHD is struggling in the classroom, knowing how to help isnt always easy, especially when the usual strategies arent working. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to a childs behavior and ability to stay focused. Some are related to a teachers instructional style and the content of lessons, while others relate to the physical space in the classroom and how conducive it is to learning for a child with ADHD. The daily classroom schedule and amount of physical activity on any given day also have a big impact on child behavior, not to mention the influence of classmates on both behavior and the ability to stay focused and on task. Its not surprising that teachers and parents often feel like they are at loss for how to help a child when they are struggling during the school day. Fortunately, there is a tool that is highly effective at parsing out the factors that need to be addressed in order to improve behavior and focus in the classroom: a functional behavioral assessment (FBA). What is a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)? An FBA is a tool used by educators, psychologists, and counselors to identify the behaviors that are interfering with a childs success, the factors that are reinforcing or maintaining these behaviors, and strategies that will help change the behaviors. Often, a functional behavioral assessment is used within the context of an individualized education plan (IEP) when a child is not meeting their IEP goals. However, an FBA can be helpful for any student who is exhibiting challenging behaviors that are not responding to typical school interventions. How is an FBA Conducted? Every FBA includes five steps: Step 1: Define the Target Behavior. The target behavior is the challenging behavior that needs to be changed. For example, Elliot is off-task 80% of the time during classwork. The target behavior is defined through interviews with teachers, the student, and/or school administrators, as well as a review of records. Step 2: Collect Data. Data is collected through classroom observations, a review of records or materials, and rating scales. Direct observation is often the primary method of data collection, but as in our example, samples of complete and incomplete work could be gathered for specific periods of time to identify patterns when a student is completing more work or less work. Step 3: Develop a Hypothesis. The hypothesis is the working theory or best guess why the behavior is happening. Often, the hypothesis focuses on things that happen right before the behavior (known as antecedents) or right after the behavior (rewards or negative consequences associated with the behavior). Sometimes the hypothesis focuses on things that happened earlier in the day or at home (e.g. Elliot completes less work on days when he arrives at school late, or on days when he had difficulty sleeping the night before). Other times, the hypothesis includes things related to the classroom environment (e.g. Elliot is often distracted by his talkative neighbor). Step 4: Plan the Intervention. A written behavior intervention plan is presented that directly targets the factors included in the hypothesis. The plan can include new skills that will be taught to the child, modifications to the classroom setting or to the instructional style used to teach certain lessons, and modifications to classwork and homework assignments. The use of specific classroom management strategies is also often included in the plan for kids with ADHD. Step 5: Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Plan. After the plan has been in place for a fixed amount of time, the FBA team conducts a follow-up evaluation. Usually, this evaluation relies on the same methods of data collection that were used in Step 2. If the plan is working, then it will be kept in place. If the plan is not helping to change the target behavior, then the team will develop a new hypothesis and repeat the intervention and evaluation steps until the target behavior has improved. When a child with ADHD is struggling in the classroom, and typical interventions arent helping, an FBA can be an excellent resource. The FBA process often results in interventions that are effective even when nothing else has worked so far, and can have a lasting impact on a childs ability to succeed in the classroom. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

Recognize Signs Your Child May Need a Math Tutor - NJ Tutors - Private Tutoring

Recognize Signs Your Child May Need a Math Tutor - NJ Tutors BobbiM May 16, 2015 It is the dream of every parent to see their children excel in their studies. However, for some kids it can be tougher than for others. As we all know, children have different attention spans, learning abilities and willpower to learn and discover things. There are children who will study and excel on their own. On the other hand, there are also some who need to be pushed or assistance so that they can be where you want them to be. As many of you know, mathematics is considered to be one of the most difficult subjects to comprehend. This is why it is recommended that you closely monitor how your child is doing in this particular subject. Because with math, more than any other topic, if you start slipping and getting behind, it is very difficult to catch up. Everything builds on previous topics and it can be very hard to get back on track. With that in mind, here are some signs that will tell you that your child needs a math tutor: Slipping grades This is most probably the easiest sign to spot. If you wish to figure out the math skills of your child, there is no better way to do it than looking at his report card. If your child has been getting straight Cs, Ds or worse, F, then it is about time that you think about hiring a tutor to guide and help him or her get back on track. For us, we’ve found that in our area, using a New Jersey math tutor has made sure that my son doesn’t slip any further. In fact, his grades are now moving upwards in math. Lack of enthusiasm in math Oftentimes, children love to discover and learn new things. Since most of the children do not have a negative perception of math, they may get excited in learning how to count money, how to tell the time, how to subtract and much more. In the event that your child is not getting enthusiastic over this subject, that may be a bad signal for you. Increased frustration or anger on the topic Oftentimes a child’s frustration and anger with the topic is just hiding the fact that they simply don’t understand what’s going on. So lashing out or saying things are “stupid” (how often have you heard that one?) is a cry for assistance and or showing that their learning in math has become derailed. For us a quick search for “math tutor NJ” gave us options that’s helped our 7th grader move from a C grade to an A- at the moment. These are some of the simple signals that you must take into consideration. In the event that you wish to dig deeper, the best thing that you can do is to talk to your childs teacher. By doing so, you will be able to understand your childs behavior when dealing with math. Since you are not able to be with your child inside the classroom, talking with the teacher is the best way to know how he is performing in school. Finding a Math Tutor in NJ: In the event that your child is losing interest in math or is having some problems understanding math, a math tutor can surely help. Once you have spotted these very obvious signs, it is best that you figure out what is causing all these issues. That might take some talking to teachers as well as your child to find out more information.  Additionally, it is also time for you to look for a tutor in NJ  who can provide your child the guidance he needs. The best way to find New Jersey tutors is to do your research. You can ask your friends or family for recommendations. It is also helpful if you can check out the reviews of the math tutors in your area. Keep in mind that you should continue monitoring your childs progress to know if he is improving or not even if you have a tutor. And a good tutor that knows their subject will also be able to let you know how your child is progressing within a couple of sessions. If you enjoyed this post, please share it on Twitter and Facebook, stumble it on Stumbleupon or pin it to Pinterest!  Share buttons below,  thank you! You Might Also Enjoy: In 9th Grade Math I Got a C, Now What?

Three Ways You Can Improve Your Personal Statement

Three Ways You Can Improve Your Personal Statement There are many challenging elements to preparing your college application. For many students, though, writing a personal statement ranks as one of the most challenging. On a few sheets of paper, you must name your most likeable traits, past experiences, extracurricular activities, future plans, and reason for wanting to attend a particular college. That's a lot of information to condense into a short essay! The goal is to avoid bragging or sounding indecisive. To make this process less gruelling, here are a few tips on how to create a memorable personal statement: 1. Use Examples Admissions committees see thousands of applications, so many personal statements may sound quite similar to them. Stand out from the crowd by letting your statement show your personality, values, hopes, and passions. Don't go on and on about yourself; rather, leave the impression that you're being genuine. A good way to do this is by livening up your essay with specific examples. You don't have to use long, drawn-out stories. Mention well-placed anecdotes of how you took action to reach a goal or were personally inspired by someone. This can be a powerful tool for catching the committee's attention. 2. Break it up with Short Paragraphs You may have a lot to say. Your personal statement could be brilliant, but a bunch of run-on sentences and rambling stories are sure to detract from that. Write in short paragraphs and pay close attention to sentence structure. Read and re-read your essay out loud to yourself until the words flow smoothly and you've gotten rid of awkward phrases or poor grammar. In addition, be sure to check spelling thoroughly. First impressions are lasting; a committee will likely disregard a student's application because of poor grammar and spelling errors. 3. Talk about the School The statement you're writing is a personal one, but it's important to remember that it's not all about you. You are sharing who you are with the admissions committee, but you should also talk about the school and what attracted you to it. Do some research into the programs that are of interest to you, and spend some time talking about how they could enhance your college experience. Lastly, note what qualities would make you an ideal candidate for the school or program to which you're applying. End by reiterating how your attendance at the institution will figure into your post-college plans and prospective career.

How to increase your chances of landing an English teaching job abroad

How to increase your chances of landing an English teaching job abroad Around the world, there’s a sky-high and ever-growing demand for English teachers to work at local schools. After all, English is seen as the global language of business, with one in four people able to speak or understand it worldwide. The usefulness of knowing English is pushing more people to learnâ€"from young professionals to parents enrolling their children in schools to the parents themselves. With this elevated level of demand, you might assume that landing an ESL job is an easy feat, especially as a native or fully fluent speaker of English. If you can communicate in English with excellent pronunciation, spelling, and grammar, what else could you need? The truth is, you need more than your English fluency to impress an international school looking to hire a new ESL teacher. With hundreds of qualified applicants competing for the same jobs, your application needs to rise above the field, rather than falling flat. Let’s walk through the items you should complete on your to-do list before submitting your application to teach English abroad. Earn a TEFL certificate First things first: to teach English abroad, you should have a TEFL certificate. While there are some teaching jobs available for those who lack a TEFL certificate, far more opportunities will be open to you if you get certified. And even the jobs don’t ask for a TEFL certificate, will view your application more favorably if you have one. If you aren’t certified in TEFL, there’s a high chance that your application will be passed over. Going into an ESL classroom without a TEFL certificate is a lot like driving a car without driving lessons. Even if you guide the car to its destination, you’re bound to hit a few curbs along the way. To truly thrive as an English teacher, you need to learn how to become one. This is where the TEFL certificate comes in. Usually requiring around 120 hours to complete, a reputable TEFL certification program will teach you what you need to know about teaching English abroad, from lesson planning to engage your students. It’s the key to unlocking a successful career as an ESL teacher abroad. Cultivate teaching experience beyond ESL Some schools abroad will hire inexperienced ESL teachers, who are totally green to teaching. However, and this is a big however, having previous teaching experience will open up many more doors for you. When we say “previous teaching experience,” we want you to think outside of the boxâ€"or outside of the classroom, so to speak. Sure, having the experience of teaching in a classroom setting would be amazing, and if you have it, we applaud you! But if you don’t, there’s no reason to panic. Working with kids or adults in any teaching capacity can easily boost your job application. For instance, tutoring children through a local agency in your city is a great place to start. Or even teaching an artistic or athletic skill to students, such as violin, creative writing, gymnastics, or pottery. These types of vocations show your willingness and ability to guide students through the process of learning. You can even gather recommendations from your past students. Their written praise of you, as a teacher, is an excellent way to show your commitment to teaching, plus showcase how enjoyable it is to learn from you. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Strengthen your ESL resume and cover letter In most instances, your resume and cover letter are a potential employer’s first introduction to you. To enhance your chances of getting an interview, it’s imperative that both documents be flawless, from the grammar and spelling to the information conveyed by them. If you have the budget for it, we recommend hiring a professional resume consultant to look over your teaching application. However, a trusted friend will do in a pinch, especially if you pick someone with proven English language skills. Ensure your resume is fully up-to-date and highlights your previous teaching experience, such as tutoring and teaching in your home country. Past jobs where you worked with children or young adults are also highly valued by international schools. So, if you were employed as a nanny, camp counselor, or even as a swimming instructor, those jobs should be listed on your CV. On a related note, your cover letter needs to be airtight. Ask someone to proofread your writing for errors, and ensure that the letter paints a clear picture of why you want to work at their school as an ESL teacher and how you’re an ideal candidate, including a detailed summary of your skills and experience. And finallyâ€"make sure the information in your resume is the exact same as what you provide in the “experience” section of your Teacher Profile that you have registered on Teach Away. If schools see that this information does not overlap exactly, they will be confused. Practice being interviewed for an ESL job Landing a job interview with your dream school is a great first step towards working there. But keep in mind: it’s still only the first step! For a real shot at earning the job, you need to nail your interview, and practicing is the best way to do that. We recommend enlisting a friend to help, who can ask you direct questions (and follow-up questions) about your relevant work experience, ESL teaching skills, and reasons why you’re the perfect candidate for their school. But if you’re feeling too shy, just interview yourself in front of your bathroom mirror! You can also find more tips here: 4 ways to prepare for your teach abroad interview. If you want to teach English abroad, take chances When you’re searching for an ESL teaching job abroad, don’t be afraid to be ambitious. If you’re interested in a cool position, send off an application to that school. Never tell yourself that you’re being overly ambitious or engage in negative self-talk like “I bet the other applicants are way more qualified than me, so why even try?” Be bold. Take chances. The worst thing that could happen is that you don’t hear back. But what if that school reads your application and likes what they see? You never know until you try. And hey, if you’ve followed our list, that means you’re working hard to be the most qualified applicant that you can be. So, put yourself out there and see what happens! Your dream job could be right around the corner.