Entry bubble Help for Teachers

By: Colleen | February 13, 2008 | Category: General

Amongst my group of friends, I am the oddball. This has a little to do with my taste in music, but more so that I am not a teacher. While it's not ENTIRELY the case, it sure seems like all of my friends are teachers.

My best friend commands a tribe of 5th graders. My high school partner in crime teaches middle school English (a feat that deserves a medal—battling the awkward braces years and all). My college accomplice? 3rd grade. Next door neighbor/sandbox buddy? She's also holding down the 5th grade. And finally, my roommate—kindergarten and first grade.

Because of these relationships, I am privy to the daily trials and tribulations that come with life when one educates the youth of America. Some of my favorites?

  • Weekly battles to secure the "best" times on the lamination machine user schedule.
  • Highly contested space on hallway bulletin boards

I had little insight or potential solutions to problems of this realm until recently.

Due to the frigid weather we've been experiencing lately, the kids have been denied their typical outdoor recess. 25+ kids trapped inside for playtime is taking years off my poor roommate's life.

Finally able to help her out, I talked to her about Kids.gov. This super cool site is filled with games and activities—perfect for indoor fun. All of the 1,300 links are federally approved, so parents and educators can be assured they are safe and appropriate. It also offers homework help. I wish I had the "Ask Dr. Math" site when I was a kid. Could have saved my parents and sister a few headaches (or gray hairs)!

Besides fun and educational information for kids, Kids.gov has a full section specifically for teachers. It has tons of lesson plans, activity ideas, and helpful tools for the classroom.

Once they have the kids entertained, teachers can also find useful links at USA.gov. It's a great resource to mix up straight from textbook lessons, or add some spice to a topic that can be a bit mundane. Like free stuff? Check out the cool posters, printed materials, and lesson plans from Pueblo.

Go forth and mold those young minds!

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Entry bubble Financing College

By: Sam | January 23, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

My sister is in her last semester of high school, and of course, everyone’s favorite question is “Where do you want to go to college?”  Right now, it’s between five schools-2 public and 3 private. Even though the jury is still out on what colors she’ll be wearing next fall, one thing is for certain-college costs are painfully high.  graduation cap with diploma and money

It’s been 10 years since I went to college, and during that time, the average cost of tuition and fees has risen by 57% at private four-year colleges and 69% at four-year public colleges  These figures from the College Board may have you feeling a little light-headed, but the costs can be managed thanks to the power of compounding interest.

Since every family’s situation is different, you’ll need to find a savings method that works for you.  In doing so, you’ll want to consider factors like your tax bracket, child’s age, how much financial aid you expect to receive, etc.  Then, you can use these helpful college financing calculators to figure out how much you’ll need to save. 

Once you’ve determined this figure, you need to decide on a savings vehicle.  In addition to mutual funds, brokerage accounts, and bank savings accounts, there are also some tax-advantaged alternatives available to help.  Here are some options:

And remember you don’t necessarily have to save for the entire four years.  Grants, loans, and scholarships can help make affording college a little easier.  Here are some resources to get you started:

 Students

Parents

 

| Comments [2] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: college   education   grants   loans   money   sam   scholarships   students   usa.gov