Coaching Certification – It’s Not Important, But What Is?

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In the coaching profession it is not necessary to get a coaching certification. In other words just about anyone can begin coaching without prior certification from any school or institution. Although there are some places that are making moves to regulate the profession, getting a coaching certification is not a requirement to be great at what you do.

What makes a great coach?

Having a coaching certification is not the basis for one to be considered an amazing coach. If you have prior experience in your field of expertise and you have the zeal and passion to support others then you may have what it takes to be a successful professional coach. You know the ins and outs of the business because you’ve been there done it. Anyone can start their own coaching business with virtually zero training or certifications.

However there is one “training” activity all successful coaches partake in consistently. They are always being coached themselves by a coach who is ahead of where they want to be. It makes sense right? If a coach wants to help their clients grow they must be growing themselves. This is where the true learning comes from. Being coached regularly is the best way to improve as a coach and a mentor.

But in case you’re wondering why there are people who want to get certified, they were indoctrinated by coaching organizations and schools. They believe it’s essential and that’s why these institutions exist to certify them.

Many people want to get certified because they want a validation that they are good coaches. But the truth is, it is highly possible to be certified even if you are not that good of a coach. In the same way that there are many great coaches that exist out there without coaching certification.

There is nothing wrong with getting a coaching certification, but then again there is no guarantee that a certified coach can deliver better results than an uncertified one. In fact, anyone with a printer can claim that they are certified coach-and I mean anyone who may not even have experience in business or in other fields. Who knows right?

If a coaching certification doesn’t matter then, what does?

Experience, ability, a great system-these are just few of the elements that matter when it comes to choosing a business coach. Clients want to invest in people who can help them; a person whom they believe in. And coaches must have a solid background in business or in other fields in order for them to gain the respect and trust of their clients.

Experience in their field can speak for itself. Bill Gates, for example, does not need to be certified in order for him to become a successful business coach. Ask yourself, does he need a certification?

What’s also important is whether or not the he or she was able to deliver desirable results for her or his previous clients. Was she or he able to improve a business, achieve goals or improve relationships? This is an effective way to measure whether or not a coach has a system that works for their clients.

The most important reasons why certain coaches succeed in their field is their irreversible passion for what they do. Coaches can make a great difference in people’s lives only when they have a heart for coaching. And having a coaching certification cannot replace passion, experience, real and raw skills.

Dog Training Books For Shar Pei Training

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It is possible to train the Shar Peis successfully if the trainer is patient and consistent. The dogs are good learners and they are quite intelligent. But the training can be complicated, and hence has to be handled with care. Friends and strangers alike admire a well-behaved dog and the family can feel proud of it. In the beginning the Shar Pei obedience training takes a long time, because the puppy is learning and experiencing a lot for the first time. Once this initial stage is over, the process speeds up. Nevertheless training sessions should be short, otherwise there can be a lot of frustration for you and the puppy if things don’t work out the way you want them.

The Shar Pei obedience training should be simple and the two most important factors are rewards and praises. Use simple commands like sit and play, because the dog understands these short commands easily. Long commands like sit down here puppy or stay there, don’t move may be too long to capture the dog’s attention. Also be generous with praises and rewards towards the dog.

As mentioned earlier, giving rewards to the puppy during the Shar Pei obedience training is a way to make the puppy reproduce good behavior. Any good behavior pattern from it should immediately be praised and rewarded. This is much more beneficial to the Shar Pei obedience training than punishment for poor behavior. Each Shar Pei puppy goes all out to please its trainer, and is therefore eager to perform well at every step. The reward will automatically inculcate a desire to repeat the behavior.

Puppy kindergarten and socialization classes are the places where the Shar Pei obedience training can take place. Here they learn good manners and they also learn that they should not get too excited or distracted when other dogs and people surround them. For older dogs fun training classes could provide them with mental stimulation. Six months is the ideal age to start Shar Pei obedience training classes, but they can be sent there even earlier.

The traditional training and the motivation-based training are the two kinds of Shar Pei obedience training. The motivation-based training is better than the traditional training because it builds up a relationship between the dog and its owner and even its entire family. The traditional training has a different approach and shows the dog what it should not do.

A positive trainer is important for the Shar Pei obedience training, as he should be able to understand the problem behaviors of the Shar Pei well. He teaches the dog the basic obedience exercises and also other exercises related to hygiene, nutrition and simple health basics. Good manners should be imparted as well.

There are many dog training books available in the market and there are websites too, where any dog owner could get advice and help regarding Shar Pei obedience training. Two books to be recommended are “Sit Stay Fetch” and “Dog Training Secrets” which provide good training guides to puppies.

Visual Art Education: An Entry Way for the Rejected Youth

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There are various youth who are graduates from a pool of educational levels who due to their poor performances in the junior, senior and tertiary institutions are staying at home aimlessly. These youngsters receive the displeasure of parents, friends and other family members because of their ill performances in their examinations. Most of them are rejected in the society, mocked at and even insulted. Some parents even decide not to fend for these youngsters because they are beefed that they have thrown their financial resources in the drain. Should these youths be allowed to waste away in the community? Certainly not! These young ones can be taken through visual art education which is the best education sector for teaching practical skills in art of which they can set up their enterprises on their own.

Art education offers array of training in various fields such as Sculpting, Picture making, Graphic designing, Textile designing, Fashion designing and production, Ceramic production, Pottery production, Basketry and Cane fabrication, Leatherwork productions and a lot more. Training in these facets of art education will pave a way for skill and even talent development of these rejected youth largely as a result of poor academic performances. These learners are taken through various drawing lessons that serve as a foundation for specialization into various aspects of visual art education.

Educational trips and industrial attachments in existing art industries and small-scale enterprises by some successful learners which is part of the art curriculum help learners to experience how they can work with their acquired skills in the job market and practical ways of establishing or setting up enterprise even cottage ones in their own apartments. This great exposure is a source of inspiration for these learners.
One wonderful hallmark of visual art education is its less theoretical component and great emphasis to practical lessons. This caters for the theory-academically dull students who are however serious and hardworking. These students through numerous encouragements are able to pave their own creative paths in various parts of visual art education.

Learners are also required to hold end of term exhibitions where they display their artistic productions in classrooms for the entire student body, parents, friends and visitors to view, appreciate, criticize and even buy some of their products. No wonder majority of them are able to have a pool of customers interested in their line of creativity even before completing the programme. Managers of artistic firms even lease with teachers and hand pick excellent students for employment after their education.

Indeed, visual art education offers great opportunities of which the rejected youth in the community can tap for their skill development and future job survival. Parents who are saddened with the weak performances of their wards in other subject areas and as a result are giving up on them must enroll them in visual art education to help them gain practical, workable skills. The government and other private organizations must provide needed funding and resources to the art departments and institutions in the country for practical demonstrations and exercises. This will in a long way assist serious but needy students to equally partake in the practical lessons that usually demand the purchase of tools and materials.

It is an established fact, with numerous evidences that visual art education is indeed the surest home for the rejected youth in the community.

Coach, I Just Want A Chance to be a College Coach

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The first step toward getting closer to making the leap into college coaching is an easy one. By making the decision that you will take any job you can get to start out is the best way to approach it. Too often young coaches wait for the “right position” to come along instead of rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty. I teach a proven system that has helped over 80 coaches reach the collegiate level. This article is full of tips and advice on how to turn dreams into reality.

Making assumptions on the job market in college basketball is a common mistake by prospective coaches. There are about 6,000 college coaching jobs including all collegiate levels in our country. The number of job available and the type of positions that come open will depend on the level. Division I schools have up to 7 positions that make up their total staff. An NAIA school may have a head coach with multiple duties and possibly an assistant position.

Future college coaches must become students of the industry and thoroughly investigate all levels and programs. The type of jobs available today include:

1. Head Coach

2. Assistant Coach–Full time, full pay

3. Unpaid Assistant Coach–Full time coaching duties with no pay

4. Volunteer Assistant Coach–Limited duties

5. Graduate Assistant–Coach and work on your degree

6. Graduate Manager–Go to school on your own and help out the program

7. Director of Basketball Operations–A non-coaching position but a great way to break in

8. Video Coordinator–Your job is video, video, video!

9. Grab Bag–I’ve heard of all kinds of positions like recruiting coordinator, assistant recruiting coordinator, camp director, assistant video director, or “sandwich boy.”

The attitude I encourage coaches to have is one of abundance, not scarcity. Thinking that each school will have “some kind” of position available should be your thought process. Think of things in this manner: What are you really after?

A graduate assistant position or just any coaching position? . I believe that a graduate degree is nice to get along the way, but if you are truly focused on reaching your goal of coaching in college, you must eliminate the obstacle of the graduate degree. Why? When you look only at GA coaching positions you easily cut your opportunities in half! When you are just trying to get your foot in the door you need to get involved in as many jobs as possible. You want the numbers on your side, not against you. I’ve known guys that had the ability to pursue 30 jobs at the same time and manage them all. In the end, he always CHOSE the job he wanted the most. You must look at it as a numbers game. Reality and history say that those trying to enter college coaching have a very small chance to get one of them. Let’s say 10%. So if you go after 10 jobs as hard as you can, you will be very fortunate to get one.

Now, if you go after 30 jobs as hard as you can, then your chances are much greater. Even with that effort, you still may not land a job. Do you know the effort, hours, and perseverance it takes to actively pursue 10 jobs? Ask someone who has and it will explain why 90% of the young guys that “say they want to be college coaches” have no clue what it takes. Bottom line is that this 90% know what they WANT, but do not have or are not willing to commit and invest into the process it will take to go after 10 jobs! If seen it hundreds of times! The good news is that YOU may be a part of the 10% and if that is true, you have a shot at landing a job………not a guarantee by any means, but a shot. That’s all you can ask for!

Determine HOW bad you want to do this, then make a plan and go for it. My Teleseminar, “The Path to College Coaching” will greatly enhance your chances and reduce wasted effort as your pursue your dream job.

Writing Music Or Writing Lyrics – Which Comes First?

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What’s the best way to begin writing a new song? Do you start writing music first, or do you start with lyrics?

What’s The Right Approach?

I don’t think there is one “right” way to go about writing a song. There are tons of hit songs that are written one way, and just as many that are written the other. It all comes down to what works for you. I’ve written many songs using each approach. I think I write better lyrics when I write them first, but a more interesting melody when I start with that. I’m still working on perfecting my craft. Having said that, I believe the melody is the most important part of the song. It’s the melody that grabs us in the first place. If we have a great melody, the listener will stick around long enough to listen to the words. Of course, at that point we had better have some great lyrics to keep their interest.

Writing From Emotion

When writing a song, whichever approach I choose I always write from emotion. Let me explain: If I’ve written some lyrics which I feel are good, I notice the emotions I feel when reading through them. I use this as a starting point. It tells me what the overall feel of the melody should be. When writing melody first I notice the emotions I feel when listening to the music. Then I use this to tell me what the song might be about.

Putting It All Together

Whichever way you approach it, you have to fit what you’re writing with what you’ve already written. The lyrics you’ve written will dictate the rhythm and flow of the melody, and vice-versa. But remember that nothing needs to be carved in stone. Always be open to changing and tweaking lines of words or melody to make them fit together nicely. Sometimes I like five lines of lyrics in the second verse, when there are only four in the first verse. So when writing music I will accommodate that with an extra line of melody.

Which Way Is Best For You?

I enjoy using either approach when writing a song. I guess it helps to keep it fresh for me. If you always write one way, try it the other way. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Dog Training School From Home Works

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How many times has it been said that a dog trainer needs to be contacted? While time and time again intentions are good it gets harder to find the time to take your pet to dog training school. It would be so much easier to have train your dog in the home and yard. It seems that this would be better since the dog would be in a familiar environment. As well, there would be fewer distractions. Socialization can still occur when walking the dog, taking the dog to pet stores and going to dog parks. All family members can be involved in the training process so there is better consistency.

Costs of taking your pet to a dog training school can run high compared to at home training. When a training class is held at a facility they are typically once per week. Classes can be more frequent when completed at home. With the proper reference materials it will be possible to get any questions answered. Home training classes can also cover more areas of concern. These could be potty training, grooming, exercise, diet, separation anxiety and biting. Rather than be exposed to trainers who a pet is uncomfortable with it is best to stick with family members to train dogs.

Some people who set up in home dog training school use media resources to educate the owners on proper training techniques. These resources are nice to have on hand even if a dog training facility is selected. This way there can be reinforcements to help when needed. They are not usually very costly. Others can even borrow them so more use is made of the money spent on video classes. Experts who are skilled in dog training make these visual aids. There is no need to be concerned about lack of professional information.

Be sure to check around with other dog owners and on the internet for dog training resources. Look at the pros and cons of in house training. Dog training school, whether at a local training school or at home, gives an animal a sense of having control in their own environment. As a result, there is less chance of aggressive behavior and less chance of fear. It is vital to train a dog in whatever setting works best for the family. Consistency is a must and patience will be tested. Keep in mind that pets will be challenging but the benefits outweigh any concerns.

Sailing Schools Provide Recreational Not Commercial Instruction

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Whether your aim is to day sail in enclosed waters or navigate the globe, attending a sailing school may be a wise decision. Sailing instruction schools have courses across all knowledge levels. They provide instruction across many sailing topics including crewing, helming, handling the sails, seamanship, inshore navigation, coastal navigation and open-ocean (both electronic and celestial).

Many schools in Australia are affiliated with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) based in England. Key trainers are RYA qualified as instructors or examiners. The RYA course is thought by many to be the best, most comprehensive instruction program for recreational yacht sailors in the world. The accreditation of an Australian sail school provides its students with a qualification that, once completed, has world recognition. Some schools are also approved by the coast guard.

A Yachting Australia-RYA National Yacht Training Scheme was established during 2008. The Scheme provides for harmonisation of course content and delivery as well as global recognition of qualifications gained in Australia. Training schools were allowed three years to upgrade their qualifications and fleet. Full integration period extends to 31 December 2010. Schools seeking RYA affiliation must be fully compliant by that date.

A typical sail school instruction program starts with a Competent Crew unit (5 days). Next comes the Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and, finally, the challenging RYA Yachtmaster units. Each course provides critical competencies. Competent Crew training is of benefit even to most long time dinghy sailors. Students are not required to complete all preceding three course units to gain full RYA Yachtmaster standing. They may start the program at any stage, so long as they have acquired all the knowledge of prior units.

Schools conduct their practical on-board sessions on yachts provided by the school. Those sessions proceed even in wet and windy weather. Students learn how to maneuver a yacht in heavy winds, up to gale force.

RYA-accredited schools we will train individuals on their own boat and provide private lessons on request. However they will not alter the fundamental format of the course since they must meet the criteria set by the RYA.

Sailing schools do not provide training for the STCW 95 endorsement. It is a commercial qualification and details for it are best obtained from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) website. In brief, it requires at least four basic requirements. First, the lowest formal certification the applicant must hold is the Master V Unrestricted. Second, the sea time completed by the applicant must be approved by AMSA. Third, the applicant must be at least twenty years of age. Fourth, the applicant must complete the Master III theory course which requires about eight months full time study.

Learning Easy Piano – Fast Ways to Learn Piano

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Trying to learn easy piano may seem like it would be hard to do. In all honestly it is not as hard as some may think. Children pick up learning piano easier, so if you are thinking about getting them enrolled in lessons, you should definitely consider having them trying it online. Children already like being on the computer, so why not make it educational at the same time. They will love the learning experience and enjoy learning all of their favorite songs.

Although learning piano is easier for children, it can be easy for adults when you find what works for you. To learn easy piano you just have to be committed to do about 20 minutes each day. When you get better though, you will be wanting to play for a lot longer. With just beginning it is easier to just start with a short period of time, so that you do not get overwhelmed with all that there may be to learn.

People do learn at different speeds depending on what way they go about it, an easy way to begin would be to learn scales. Then from there you will get comfortable with the white and black keys. That is one way to begin to learn easy piano. Sometimes it is good to hear the different octaves, so that you hear the high and low notes.

Whether you are old or young thinking about learning piano, you can definitely do it in no time. Just all you need is some commitment and a little bit of time and you will be on your way!

Cramming and How to Outwit Its Defeating Downsides

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You feel miserable. Every word won’t sink in. Panic clouds your mind. Exams can make us sick, but not for a few.

Certainly, cramming is not the best option though; it can even worsen your performance due to information overload. Overload occurs when too much data jam your brain beyond its power to manage, given the time constraint. The likelihood of retrieving information being blocked is big once you cram this way-thus the cliché “mental block”.

During hell days, the last minutes you spend are just as critical as the days of preparation. Here are my helpful tips I recollected from my experiences:

1. If the proctor is nice enough to let you prepare within at least 5 minutes, whether express or implied, recite your way down your memory lane. When retrieving information from memory, prefer mental and oral, rather than writing. Writing can have a disadvantage during essay exams, it may push you unconsciously to write and leave your effort to mercy, even though you’re not hitting the point, on a second thought. Also, oral retrieval boosts your confidence and morale. Retrieving orally lets you focus as you listen to yourself while you murmur. Just don’t make it annoying to your seatmates. Making easier retrieval strategies is way more intelligent than reviewing and rereading in a compulsive repetition. But, of course, what are you rehearsing if your mind is empty?..You’re dead with guns without bullets! So, at least possess these bright tactics and tips as your preparations:

2. Develop skill and appreciation in writing your notes. Unlike your grade school years, you should be writing based on what you have understood. So, you have to load up learning in real-time, and put it in a nutshell. Be quick in scribbling down notes. Before you even write, first, listen and get the major point. When the teacher takes long in elaborating ideas, through examples and storytelling with your classmates, you knew it’s time to put down the whole point. Discourage yourself from transcribing all the paragraph, or group of sentences you see on the power point presentation. Think first, and analyze if the statements contribute to the thesis of the topic, title, chapter, and the subject. Discriminate writing of notes is much wiser, effective, and spares your time and energy in the future. If you feel you got lost in doldrums during lectures, be guided by the title of the topic or lesson.

3. There’s no rule of thumb that applies to all type of exams across academic subjects. Math 101, College Algebra and Trigonometry, Natural Science, Physics, Psychology, History, Social Sciences, Management 101, Marketing, Law subjects-still so many that you can’t manage in a single portfolio. But, you can categorize them intelligently with your multi-pronged strategy. Natural science and history needs a conscious memorization, since the theories, taxonomy, events in history may be too strange, not unless you’ve mastered them during your formative years. Psychology and social sciences are more interesting because they are based on experiential knowledge, and you’ll easily understand the theories because it’s talking of your human behavior, which you are sane and capable enough to have been aware of. Management and marketing subjects also deal with concepts and theories relevant to the study of humans as a bigger group. These fields of knowledge have to be articulated in a jargon to sound more academic and accurate. Not unless you get to appreciate the technical words being used, you would have difficulty in delivering the essential ideas which build up the structured concept. Here, effective communication in a medium of language being used makes the separator between the good and average.

4. Concept map. A good tool to retrieve the knowledge from your memory is a conceivable concept tree. This makes an exhaustive and organized outline of the points you won’t have to mess up with during essay type of exams.

The Advantages of Music Education Part 1

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When I ask parents, “Why do your children need music education?” I often get a generalized answer like, “My child studies for himself.” Drawing from my own life experience, I can tell you this with absolute confidence: the more clearly and more precisely we know what we want, the quicker and easier we get it.

To understand the advantage of musical education, let’s talk about the music lessons in more detail, beginning with the most simple and popular art – the art of singing.

The voice is given to a person from the moment he is born as the means of a congenital, unconditional, protective reflex. Later, the person learns to use the sounds produced to develop a speaking and then a singing voice. By singing songs or humming tunes, children have an opportunity to accumulate musical impressions and acoustical experience, develop an ear for music, and learn to use the natural musical instrument, the voice. The skillful use of a singing voice is one of the main advantages for the development of child’s musical abilities. Even simply singing for your own pleasure can bring a lot of positive moments into your life. Also, singing activates the functioning in the left (logic) and right (figurative) hemispheres of a brain. As a result, the working capacity of the child increases. Singing also promotes attention and improves the mood.

How can singing positively influence children’s health? Singing actively develops and strengthens the respiratory system, which is especially important at the early age. It also naturally trains the muscles of the throat and vocal chords. Because the respiratory system is closely connected with the cardiovascular system, the child, being engaged in respiratory gymnastics during singing, thereby strengthens his health. Singing also promotes the development of musical abilities such as hearing, memory, sense of rhythm, and time/tempo.

Many of you have probably heard that singing can cure such speech impediments such as stuttering. I can confirm this fact with confidence – by using my own techniques, I helped one of my daughters eliminate this problem within two years. The fact is that while singing, words are sounded lingeringly, which helps the child pronounce separate sounds and syllables more precisely. In other words, singing is the cure to many language and speech difficulties, such as stuttering! Well-chosen drills combined with a child’s desire to get rid of an unpleasant impediment are the keystone to success.

In addition, proper speech characterizes correct thinking. Thus, after eliminating a stutter, your child’s susceptibility to general studying and learning at public school will improve due to the resultant emotional liberation.

Children who sing regularly are also very focused. They easily learn foreign languages, they are more diligent in comparison to other children, and they are able to study and absorb any training much easier.

Singing in vocal ensemble or choir is also beneficial. This way, children get to develop additional qualities as musicians. For example, harmonic hearing is a skill in which a person hears and distinguishes a number of tones that sound simultaneously, as well as the sense of ensemble. (Ensemble, from the French, means “together.”) By becoming part of a choir or vocal ensemble, the child starts to understand and feel his own importance and power. Besides, who would scoff at the ability to have a beautiful and well-trained voice? Let’s admit it: it would be very pleasant to talk with such a person – and hopefully, hear him sing!