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If you're like most people you can use some extra storage space, and one good place to find just that is under your bed. Sure, they make such under-the-bed storage systems, which you can purchase and put together, but why pay for a kit when you can easily make them yourself.

There are various items that you can use to make the under-bed storage containers but it requires something with sides, to hold your stuff in place, and something that's not too tall, so that it will easily slide under the bed. One idea is to use ordinary drawers.

You can often find drawers, in or out of the dresser, at yard sales, flea markets and old country stores. If you must purchase the entire dresser to get the drawers, make sure it's inexpensive enough to justify throwing the cabinet out - or use the cabinet as a toy box or other handy item.

Casters have been used for years to move heavy items around but now you can purchase the new, improved version of casters. The objects are generally round and have ball bearings installed on one side. They aren't tall, like casters, making them perfect for under-bed storage usage. Find these handy helpers at most home improvement stores and some department stores. You can also order them online and from magazines.

Purchase the flat casters and put one under each corner of each drawer. If there's enough room you can place two drawers, side-by-side, on each side of the bed. Be sure and know how much room you have to work with before purchasing the drawers.

Another way to get the under-bed drawers is to purchase cheap cardboard sets. They come in with a cardboard cabinet that you put together. Use the cabinet portion for another project and implement the drawers for the under-bed storage system. Again, use the flat casters to make it easy to slide the drawers.

For twin and other small beds consider smaller items for storage units, such as serving trays. The trays must have four sides, to keep stuff from falling out, but they will easily fit on a couple of casters and slide in and out of their space. They're perfect for using in kids' rooms.

Look around in household departments to find all types of wire racks. They make them to hold shoes while in the dryer, for holding cleaning supplies, and for all sorts of purposes. The wire racks are great for storing blankets, pillows and other bedroom items. You can also purchase hard plastic bins of all shapes and sizes which can hold quite a bit, then scoot under the bed.

Many people complain that their homes don't offer enough storage space but you can make extra room by creating a set of under-bed storage units. You'll be surprised at how much neater you can keep your bedroom, and just how much storage room there is under your bed!

Our southern border encompasses 2,100 miles, and this includes some mountain ranges. Why President Bush thinks that putting up a 700 mile fence that is half the length of the border is going to help solve the illegal immigration problem, I have no idea. Another issue is that apparently there is no money to build this fence. So, while the president has signed into being the Secure Fence Act of 2006, it appears at least at this point that the bill is simply words on paper. Without funding I do not see how it is going to be built.

However, putting aside the fact that there is most likely no money to build this fence, which is not surprising when you consider the amount of money that is going into the Iraq War, will this fence keep out illegal immigrants? I don't believe so. Fences can be climbed, cut through with wire cutters or saws, and crawled under, maybe not easily but it is still possible. All you have to do is watch a dog who wants to get out of his yard dig a hole underneath the fence and wiggle out, and you'll see what I mean. If someone is determined to get into the United States illegally, they are going to find a way, fence or no fence.

Another problem is the fact the fence is not going to cover the entire width of the border, there are still going to be 700 miles of open border for illegals to go through. What is to stop them from going around the fence? Other than the border patrol which is overworked as it is, and not a guarantee because they cannot be everywhere at once, nothing.

There are even further problems with this plan though, which consist of the fact that there has been an increase in migrant deaths since 1995, which is around the time the US government began cracking down hard through the border patrol. 3,000 immigrants have lost their lives in remote parts of the Southwest since 1995. Migrants who are already desperate to find a better way of life in the United States, are going to become even more so with this fence, if it is built. The fence is not going to stop them, and it is not just the male migrants who have been dying, and who are going to die, but women and children.

While I have heard it said in the media that the President of Mexico encourages poor Mexicans to go illegally to the United States for jobs, and I disagree with this policy if he does do so, I also think the fence sends a wrong message. The message is “stay out, we don't need you, and we don't want to work with you.” I think that is cutting our noses off despite our faces. While I do not condone illegal immigration, I understand the reasons behind it. There is a demand for the services of migrants in this country, and they do produce, purchase goods here, and some even pay taxes, so there is a benefit to their being here. To send a message saying in effect, “go home, we don't need you, and anyone else don't bother coming,” could be the death knell to our economy in the longterm.

And there is a final problem that is rarely if ever addressed and that is the indigenous populations which live on both sides of the border. A fence going up is going to restrict their abilities to get to sacred grounds to perform ceremonies, and access to relatives which live on the opposite border. From what I can see, little if any input was requested from Indian tribes as to what the impact of such a fence might be on them. Nor does anyone in our government appear to be trying to make sure that treaties are not being broken. While there has been talk of an “indigenous card” for Natives, I do not see this happening anytime soon. Also, how is it determined who gets a card, and who does not? Mandatory genetic testing? That raises some real red flags for me, discrimination is alive and well, and while I personally would not have a problem with being tested, I could see this being used to discriminate.

I personally think this is just one more way for President Bush to grandstand, and try and take people's minds off of the fact that he has lied to the citizens of this country on more than one occasion, is bungling the Iraq war, and doesn't really know what he is doing, and so is making it up as he goes along. I agree we need to protect our southern border, but signing a bill for a border fence that isn't going to work, is going to foster ill will among our international neighbors, our Indigenous nations, our legal international citizens, and for which the money does not exist to build it, is not the way to stop illegal immigration. It only creates more problems for which we must then find further solutions, and we have enough of those already without adding more.

There is a large portion of the American public currently suffering from a mental illness of some sort. From depression to schizophrenia, the range of illnesses are as wide and varied as the types of people who are afflicted with them. The pharmaceutical industry has responded to mental illness with a number of psychotropic drugs - and new treatments are becoming available all the time.

So, if there are so many different psychiatric medications available, why are there still so many people struggling to contain their mental illnesses. According to a report from the Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research, located at Indiana University, most people are reluctant to take such medications, despite the fact that they believe they work.

There have been drastic improvements in removing the social stigma that has surrounded mental illness for decades. However, the stigma surrounding the medications remain. Many experts believe that this is the reason more people don't take advantage of the medications to help control their illnesses.

IU sociology professor Jack Martin, lead author of the report, said in a statement: “Most people believe that mental health problems are amenable to treatment. They also agree that psychiatric medications are effective. Yet our survey shows that while Americans are aware of this, most have serious reservations about personally taking these medications.”

Some of the other findings of the survey, which received responses from 1,400 people, were:

* Almost half of those who responded to the survey said that psychiatric medications should be halted when the symptoms of the illness disappear

* Those who have the most positive attitudes towards psychiatric medications are likely to be older and white

* About 2/3 of Americans says that psychiatric drugs help people with mental illnesses deal with the everyday stress of life and helps to improve relationships in their daily lives

A study published in 2001 in the American Journal of Psychiatry is in line with Martin's theory. According to the author of that study, Jo Anne Sirey, Ph.D., of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, the patients perception of stigma for psychotropic medications influences the treatment behavior.

The study looked at 92 new cases of depressions, 63 of which were patients between the ages of 18-64 years and 29 that were 65-year-old and up. The perception of a stigma was assessed in the patient at the start of treatment and reassessed during the course of treatment. It was found that all of the patients had some sort of negative view of people with mental illness and the treatments that go with it.

However, while there seems to be a stigma among the patients themselves, not everyone believes that the stigma runs deep within society itself. Psychologist Dr. John Grohol disagrees with the stigma attached to treatment theories. ” I actually don't think there's that much stigma in the general population for taking a psychiatric medication. May have been more true a decade or so ago, but it's almost a status symbol to be taking an antidepressant or Ritalin these days.”

Grohol says the benefits of taking psychiatric medications to treat mental illness outweigh the drawbacks and is a far better option than not being treated at all. Part of the stigma attached to medicinal treatments for diabetes it the perception that medications change personalities. Grohol says this is simply not the case. “Medications don't change personalities, but they do often impact a person's mood (which may appear like a personality change to others). Mood affects how we interact with others, so medications can significantly alter those interactions with their beneficial effects.”

Geography isn’t about memorizing countries, rivers, oceans and all the rest of that stuff we remember from school. It is about how our world works. It’s about cultures and peoples, about how the climate and weather creates the opportunity for cultural growth, it is about our world. Geography can be exciting and fun, even entertaining.

I’ve searched around the internet for a few great educational web sites and games that are also entertaining and fun. Whether you are a home school parent, or a parent of a 3rd grader in a school with 1,000 kids, or if you are a kid (old or young) that loves learning about our world, here are some of my favorite places:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com  Check out this great site, for fun and trivia about our world, and the people in our world. Information about The Geography Bee contest, held in Washington, D.C., USA each year, is also here on the National Geographic website. The site has a cool kid’s magazine online, really cool science experiments, a bunch of terrific games and more geography information and fun than I have seen anywhere else. National Geographic covers such diverse topics as animals and oceans, kids in different cultures, crafts, cooking and recipes, and some great travel information. (Can you tell I like this site?) Try the Wild and Wacky Add-Your-Own Words stories. I had a lot of fun doing the Royal Vacation and the Egyptian Diary stories. The kids I care for had fun, too.

http://www.triviaplaza.com  Trivia and quizzes covering geography, science, nature, and just about anything you would want to know about our world. Quizzes come in on different levels, and you can learn about the trivia by searching the web, or design your own trivia quizzes, based on the subjects you are learning currently. There are many geography quizzes, and a lot of other subjects, such as science, computers, music, movies and literature.

http://www.cloudnet.com  Cloud Net is a fantastic database of lesson plans, covering all subjects and a range of grade and age groups. The geography section is just one of the subject areas I’ve used, and there are new lesson plans added frequently. Take a peek at the multicultural lesson plans – such as the complete lesson plan for holding a multicultural fair and the multicultural ‘pavilion’ for home or classroom.

http://lessonplancentral.com  Lesson Plan Central is just what it sounds like. In the Geography section, there are terrific lesson plans for homeschooled and on-site schooled children. Some of my favorites are on the need to preserve the earth’s biodiversity, a lesson plan called “Know Your Rites”, which goes into interesting detail about coming of age ceremonies around the world, and a plan for learning about mummification processes and culture in diverse cultures, called “Mummies Unwrapped”.

Homeschooled or ‘normal’ schooled, kids of all ages can learn to love geography. Personally, I think that parents who take on the responsibility of offering their children a wide range of educational choices are doing them the biggest favor of all. Homeschoolers often have a great home library, and access all kinds of resources. Parents of site-schooled children can build a library, too, complete with the tools for learning and exploring our world. Outfit your home learning area with a globe, maps, books and games (check out Where in the World is Carmen San Diego for kids) or projects – Geography Wizardry for Kids, by Barrons, has around 200 cool and educational activities for kids and parents. You can learn to make a map, design a postage stamp of your own, find out how fossils got where they are, and more.

Make learning fun, whether to enrich your school’s programs or to explore the world without a school at all. And, share in the fun with your children; you never know where you will want to know the educational culture of the Akha tribespeople of Thailand, or the puberty rites of the Yanomamo culture in Brazil. Besides, why should kids have ALL the fun!

A quick update for my Indian friends!!! Rakhi Ka Swayamvar finally ends today with Rakhi choosing Elesh as her groom. However, if you hoped she would tie the knot on National TV; you're in for a surprise.

The effervecent actress said on her interview with The TImes Of India, “I'm not getting married, now. I'm selecting someone from the show to be my life partner. It's more of an engagement. So far, I've dated the contestants on camera. Now, I'll date the man I select off camera. I need to know the person well and I can't gamble with my life for the sake of entertainment. There will be no saat pheres, maang mein sindoor or wearing a mangalsutra just yet. If after knowing the person well, I feel that he's my Prince Charming, I'll tie the knot.”

And for those who are wondering what Rakhi Ka Swayamvar is all about? It's a popular Bollywood show with popular actress, Rakhi Sawant who chooses her groom between 16 guys. The show will be aired today in the US on NDTV Imagine at 9pm.

Stay tuned, friends!!!!

In business and in ordinary life, we are often required to engage in public speaking. Whether you're opening a meeting on the job, giving a toast at a wedding, or participating in a competition, you need to know how to write a quality speech. While there are numerous resources to help you tackle the often frightening task of public speaking, what do you do when it comes to actually penning the words you must pronounce? Learn how to use humor, anecdotes, quotations, and rhetorical devices to make your speech captivating. 

Open with a Joke or an Anecdote You can grab your audience's attention by opening your speech with some humor or an interesting story. Which is more appropriate will depends upon your audience. In a solemn setting, you will of course want to avoid levity, or, if your comic delivery is not renowned, you may also want to rely on an attention-grabbing story instead.

Whether you choose a joke or an anecdote, it must tie in to the main purpose of your speech. If you can't find a moment of levity in a real life situation or recall an appropriate story on your own, you can turn to various books that offer such ideas. 2400 Jokes to Brighten Your Speeches by Robert Orben (Wilshire Book Company, 1989, ISBN 0879804254), Winning With One Liners by Pat Williams (HCI, 2002, 075730057X), and The Friar's Club Encyclopedia of Jokes compiled by H. Aaron Cohl (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 1997, ISBN 1884822630) are but three of many print sources for jokes. Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes by Andre Bernard and Clifton Fadiman (Little, Brown, 2000, ISBN 0316082678) provides anecdotes featuring more than 2,000 people from around the world. The anecdotes span a variety of fields, from science to the arts, and include both the comical and the tragic.

If you do choose to employ humor, be certain to avoid offending your audience. Always choose a joke that is appropriate for your audience, and be aware that jokes can occasionally fall flat. While successful jokes may earn you more accolades than anecdotes, often an anecdote is the safer course.

Using Quotations “Though old the thought and oft expressed,” wrote James Russell Lowell, “'tis his at last who says it best.” And if someone can say it better than you, why not borrow his or her words? Ambrose Bierce cynically defined quoting as “the act of repeating erroneously the words of another.” But you can attempt to avoid misquotation by accessing a reference guide. While numerous internet websites offer access to a variety of quotations, you can best find a quote that is appropriate for your subject matter (and that is more likely to be accurate) by consulting Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (Little, Brown; 17th edition, 2002, ISBN 0316084603). This famous tome was first published in 1855 and it is updated periodically. Although still stocked with proverbs, passages, and phrases from ancient literature, the latest edition is also peppered with the words of 20th century popular culture icons, including Jerry Seinfeld and Bob Dylan. In addition to the famous Familiar Quotations, Bartlett's boasts books on business and love quotations as well.

Remember: always give credit where credit is due. You can introduce your quotations with phrases like “As ___ said,” or “In the words of ___.” Never allow the audience to assume your borrowed words belong to you. 

Employing Rhetorical Devices The speech, like the poem or the short story, is an art form of its own. As such, it requires the use of special techniques known as rhetorical devices. Rhetorical devices, which often employ repetition, lend a cadence to your words, so that the listener is more likely to stay in tune and remember your message. Here are a handful of such devices you can use to make your speech sparkle:

antanaclasis - repeating a word, but using it in a different sense the second time; for instance: “I hear the sound of glass breaking, and I sound the alarm.”

anadiplosis - beginning a phrase with the ending of a previous phrase; for example: “Her beautiful face he could never forget, forget her brilliant eyes…”

ploce - repeating a word within a line; for instance:: “I know it, know it well…”

polyptoton - repeating words from the same grammatical root, as in “It was very tempting to attempt the climb…”.

anaphora - beginning two or more lines the same way, as did Martin Luther King in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech: “One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled . . . One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty . . . One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished . . . ”

anadiplosis - beginning a phrase with the ending of the prior phrase; for example: “The time is now. Now is the time to awake.”

antimetabole - repeating a phrase in the opposite order. As Christ is quoted in the King James Bible: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

isocolon - repeating words or sounds in phrases that are the same length: “Under so much painful, so much powerful stress”

anastrophe - turning natural word order around, as in “to her I gave it” rather than “I gave it to her.” This can add emphasis when used selectively, but be careful not to sound too unnatural or stilted.

epizeuxis - repeating a word with no words in between; for instance: “never, never should you give up.”

alliteration - repeating initial consonant sounds as in “beautiful, brilliant bride”

assonance - repeating similar vowel sounds, as in “I aspire to a high title”

You certainly don't have to memorize all of the complicated academic labels to use these rhetorical devices, but this list should give you a general idea of the many ways you can employ repetition of words, sounds, and phrases to add rhythm and emphasis to your words.

Put Your Tools to Work Jokes, anecdotes, quotations, and rhetorical devices are essential tools for writing a great speech. But these tools are not enough by themselves. They are the implements that will inspire listeners to grasp your meaning, but you must first have a message to grasp. As Dr. Ralph Smedley has written, “Merely to make a speech is not enough. The speech must mean something, lead to something. . . Every speech should be directed to the accomplishment of some definite purpose.” You know your purpose: simply employ these tools to communicate it to your audience.

Lo que no debemos alimentar a los niños

Obesidad en niños que tienen 6-11 años:
14% de niños Americanos estaban sobrepeso en 2005
22% de niños Hispanicos estaban sobrepeso en 2005
Un nuevo estudio sugero que uno en cuatro niños sobrepesos muestra señales de tener tipo II diabetis
60% tienen un factor para enfermedades del corazón

Es difícil alimentar niños hoy. Hay tantas tempaciones de comida mala como Wendy’s y McDonald’s por ejemplo. Padres van a éstos restaurantes porque pueden pedir comida rápidamente. Les gustan el “Happy Meal” a los niños. La comida contiene mucha grasa y sal. También está servido en una caja brillante con juguetes.

Necesitamos aprender lo que debemos alimentar y cocinar para nuestros niños. ¡Más que 22 porciento de niños están sobrepeso! ¡No están en buen salud! La comida que servimos a nuestros niños está causando diabetis y enfermedades del corazón. Tenemos que empezar ahora y cambiar las vidas de nuestros muchachos.

Niños necesitan granos. Necesitan frutas y vegetales frescos. Ellos necesitan calcio para sus huesos y proteinas como en pescado, pollo, huevos, y carne. Éstas comidas proveen vitaminas, minerales, y otros nutrimentos que ayudan construir los cuerpos.

Los niños no necesitan comer mucho azúcar. En 1800, un Americano comía 12 libras de azúcar cada año. En 1990, la gente estaba comiendo 137 libras cada año. William Tamborlane, MD, al Yale University dice que azúcar influye el comportamiento de los niños. Cuando comen cosas con azúcar, sus cuerpos producen más adrenalina. Ésta causa ellos a ser ingobernable y paseadores. El piso de adrenalina viene casi cuatro horas despues de comer.

Prepara un desayuno que contiene fibra. Sirve harina de avena, bananas, bayas, y panqueques de todo el grano. La adrenalina puede quedar constante con éstas comidas. Pon más comidas de fibra como frutas y pan de todo el grano en sus fiambreras.

Jugos de fruta contienen muchos azucares simples sin mucha fibra. No son buenos para la salud. Jugos dan calorías y nutrimentos sin causando la persona sentirse llena. Niños que beben más que 12 onzas de jugos de fruta son más bajos y gorditos que los niños que no beben jugos.

Muchachos no necesitan candidades largas de harina blanca. En nuestros cuerpos, es la misma como azúcar. Provee calorías que cambiar niveles de energía y aumenta grasa en el cuerpo.
El riesgo de diabetis aumenta de comer pan blanco, arroz blanco, y papas fritas. Compra harina y cereales de todo el grano como Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Total, y Wheaties. years need 25 to 35 grams per day).

Busca cajas que tienen las ingredientes siguientes: “whole wheat” o otro todo grano. “Made with whole wheat” o “Made with whole grain” no es el mismo. Están preparados con todo el grano y otras cosas. Así el producto final no es totalmente de todo el grano. También, no compres “wheat flour” o “enriched wheat flour” porque son harina blanca.

Niños no necesitan muchas cantidades de grasa. Papas fritas, hamburguesas con queso, y dulces son malos. Un programa que se llama Lifeform by Fitnesoft (www.fitnesoft.com) muestra que comes en comidas. Tiene más que 13,000 comidas. Elige cuales comidas comieron los niños a cada hora de comer. Contiene nombres como Big Mac y Jello. El programa hace un análisis de nutrimentos que han comido y también identifica cuales nutrimentos que les faltan.

Podemos cambiar comidas en las vidas de los niños, en casa y en las escuelas y en restaurantes también. El ejemplo que comenzamos hoy es lo que los niños siguirán en el futuro. ¡Si comen bueno hoy, suerte es que comerán bueno por las edades!

In the early part of the 20th century, mortgages were difficult to get, and had to be renewed annually. If you fell on hard times, you lost your home. Depression-era government programs such as the FHA, which still serve homeowners to this day, changed the whole picture, and today achieving that American Dream has become a lot easier. But still, for some of us, it needs to be easier still.

The biggest obstacle for most potential homebuyers is the down payment. A standard bank mortgage will require a 20 percent down payment - unfortunately, more savings than most Americans have. The good news is, that big down payment isn't always necessary, and in some cases, you can get a home for very little, or even nothing down. Here are a few tips on how to reduce the initial outlay.

The first and most obvious way to avoid a big down payment is to have spotless credit, a reasonable debt level and a solid job you have been at for more than a year. Bankers will love you, and will be more willing to write you a mortgage with 10 percent, or perhaps even five percent down. But, not everyone falls into this banker's “sweet spot,” and in fact, more people are falling out of it than ever before. If you're not in this category, don't despair. There are still other options.

In some, but not all cases, you may use a gift or a loan from a third party to make up your down payment. FHA loans allow for 100 percent of your down payment to come from a gift, so if you are fortunate enough to have someone who wants to give that to you (think wedding present), you may be able to get the mortgage you want. Similarly, if you have a 401(k) program with your employer, you may well have enough funds in there to finance your down payment, and many loan programs allow you to use borrowed 401(k) proceeds for a down payment.

In almost every case, however, if you down payment does not meet the 20 percent threshold, you will be required to purchase mortgage insurance, which will add significantly to your monthly payment. This type of insurance protects the borrower in case you default.

Another possibility, if you have an anxious seller, is to convince the seller to carry a second mortgage for the required 20 percent down. This not only eliminates the need to put up a cash down payment; it also eliminates the need for mortgage insurance, since in this case, the first mortgage would not exceed 80 percent. Second mortgages for down payments may also be had from finance or mortgage companies, although be aware that these seconds will carry a significantly higher interest rate than the first mortgage. Also, do be aware that seconds taken out for the purpose of down payment will often have a balloon payment clause.

Homebuyers with modest incomes may qualify for a “Fannie Mae 97″ loan, which requires only three percent down. The FHA has similar three percent programs. These programs do have limits, and are meant for purchases of modest homes - so if you've got your eye on a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, you're out of luck on this front. Also, don't forget that the U.S. does have programs to help its veterans, and if you're a vet, you may be able to get a mortgage with nothing down, courtesy of Uncle Sam as a thank-you for your service.

Check with your local city and county governments as well. There are often programs available to help local homeowners, especially those who are willing to purchase a home in an area targeted for redevelopment.

Lastly, an option frequently used in areas where home prices are below average and the market is slow, is to purchase a home using a “land contract,” sometimes known as a “wraparound mortgage.” This is a private instrument between buyer and seller, in which the buyer pays the seller monthly payments directly instead of obtaining the proceeds from a mortgage company. Because you do not have to meet any bank's qualifications, and the seller is often very motivated, these types of homes are often possible to get with no money down. Caution should be used however, since the seller may have existing mortgages on the property, and if the seller defaults, your land contract becomes void.

If you have seen decorative wall art with fun sayings throughout home décor stores, you know how expensive those little pieces of decoration can be. Thankfully, it is just as easy to make your own! This 'Live Laugh Love' tin art is simple, and can be completed by even the most beginning of crafters. Make one for your own home, or give as a fantastic housewarming gift to a friend or family member.

For this project, you will need:

- Eight inch tin “scroll” tile (available in stores and online at Viking Wood Crafts)

- Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Surface Conditioner

- Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Marshmallow

- Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Emperor Blue

- Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Victorian Rose

- Delta Perm Enamel Satin Gloss

- Medium grit sandpaper

- Masking tape

- Sponge brush

- Artist's paintbrush

- Two inch set of “Casual Primitive Alphabet” stencils (available online at Primitive Stenciling)

- Decorative plate stand (optional)

- Newspaper

Cover your workspace well with newspaper to prevent any stains or drips and to make cleanup far easier. With the sponge brush, coat the entire eight inch tin scroll tile with Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Surface Conditioner. Let the conditioner dry on the tin for over a half an hour.

Again using the sponge brush, apply a thick coat of Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Marshmallow to the tin. Allow the paint to dry for an hour or longer. Gently “scuff” areas of the paint with medium grit sandpaper for an antiqued and aged look.

With masking tape adhere the stencils to spell “Live” onto the smooth center of your tin. Using an artist's paintbrush and Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Victorian Rose, fill in the words. Dry completely.

Reposition the stencils to spell out “Laugh” onto your tin tile, underneath the last word. Again using the artist's brush, fill in the lettering with Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Emperor Blue. Once again, dry completely.

Finally, position the words “Love” onto your tin underneath the other two sentiments. Use Delta Perm Enamel Air Dry Paint in Victorian Rose to fill in the color of the words with an artist's paintbrush. Let the tile set several hours to dry.

With the sponge brush, coat the entire tin tile with Delta Perm Enamel Satin Gloss. Allow the tin art to dry overnight. Place in a decorative plate stand for easy display and enjoy!

1. What are the behavior expectations in your classroom? Are the classroom rules posted and consistently enforced? It is very important that classroom rules and behavior expectations are clear to students. The rules need to be posted and referred to during the year. The classroom rules need to be consistently enforced. The teacher should teach the rules, they should not be just “made up as we go along”.
2. What is your classroom behavior management system? (This should be more than just punishment for breaking rules.) A behavior management system should include teaching and consistently enforcing rules and expectations mentioned above as well as routines. There should be many routines: Coming into class, lining up, transitioning from one activity to the next, getting ready to go home, collecting and passing out papers, (this is just a short list). There should be privileges such as computer time or free time for reading/art/writing, or some other reward that is in place that can be earned or lost depending on whether or not rules are followed. An office referral for breaking the rules is not a behavior management system.
3. What kind of homework do you assign and how often? This lets the teacher know that you are interested in making sure that your child's homework gets done. Additionally, you will know how often to expect homework (every day, twice a week, on Fridays only). Children are more likely to do homework if they know that their parents are expecting it to come home and be done.
4. What will my child be learning this year (or what goals do you have for my child this year)? This will give you some idea as to what you can expect your child to know by the end of the year. Don't expect a detailed list of every skill and topic that will be covered. You should expect to hear, things like, “We will learn to multiply. We will learn to write a book report. By the end of the year, your child should be able to read this book (insert example book here)”. You should have some idea of what your child is expected to learn so that you will know whether or not your child is learning what is expected.
5. What can I do to help reinforce school rules at home? Teachers love to hear this question and it's counterpart “What can I do to help my child learn at home?” It demonstrates that the parent intends to be involved with the child's learning. Education is a partnership between home and school. This question demonstrates that you are willing to be a partner with the teacher. It also lets your child know that you will be expecting to talk with the teacher regularly and expect your child to learn and behave at school.
6. What are your views about parents visiting the class? Parents are always allowed to visit the school. However, most schools have policies regarding visitors. Visitors are nearly always required to check in at the office so that the school can keep track of who is there and why. From a school safety standpoint, that makes sense. Additionally, unexpected visits can sometimes disrupt a lesson. The teacher may prefer that you not enter the classroom until there is a break in the instruction or that you enter as quietly as possible. It is nice to ask and shows the teacher that you respect the class instruction time but of course parents can come to school as often as they like.
7. Can I stop in to talk to you anytime? Do you prefer certain times? Should I call for an appointment first? Teachers welcome communication with parents. However, parents often forget that teachers' days do not end when the kids go home. There is grading to do, lesson planning, staff meetings and other meetings. Often that is the only time that teachers have to return phone calls. If you come during the school day, the teacher will likely not be able to stop and talk because he or she is conducting class. Some teachers do not mind parents stopping by after school without notice, others would prefer knowing that you are coming (even if it is just five minutes ahead of time). It is good to ask because not all teachers have the same work style. However, you may want to keep in mind that calling first ensures that you will be able to talk to the teacher, if the teacher is in a meeting with another parent, district personnel, or a staff meeting, you may not be able to speak with them just then.|
8. Will I be contacted if my child falls behind or has other problems at school? How soon will I be contacted, as soon as you notice there may be a problem or sometime later? This question serves as notice that you want to be kept informed of your child's progress and notified if there is a problem. I should add that you may want to ask that you be notified as soon as the teacher suspects a problem (your child is falling behind, not catching on, having trouble with a bully, or is becoming a bully). Teachers often notice patterns. You will not likely be contacted after just one poor score on a spelling test but it would be reasonable to ask that if the teacher notices a pattern, that you be notified as soon as possible.
9. Are there after school programs such as sports or tutoring available? Schools vary in the programs that are available after school. If after school programs are something that you are interested in, you will likely need to ask to learn about them.
10. Is there a school or class website where I can go for information and announcements? This, again, lets the teacher know that you are an interested and involved parent. Many teachers and schools are now using the internet as a way to keep parents informed. It is good to ask for that information even if it would have been offered anyway, just to be sure that you have it.