Badminton For Physical Education - What Products Can Take The Punishment!

Badminton has been an old standby for PE classes through the decades. A fantastic sport that can be played by youngsters and adults alike, badminton requires little equipment and offers an exciting workout that will improve eye hand coordination and agility.
Physical education equipment takes a beating and lightweight badminton rackets, birdies and nets are not known for their ability to withstand punishment.
While new racket materials such as titanium composites have become more prevalent there are a few standard models that are known to take a lickin and keep on racketing. You get the point!
This article will point out a few badminton racket models that physical education teachers across the country have depended on. We will also discuss badminton shuttlecocks and badminton nets that will help you run your physical education program.
Badminton Rackets:
While competitive badders through out the world may be in the market for high tech composite badminton rackets for physical education classes you should have one material on your mind steel, steel, steel.
There is no substitute for good old steel. Steel shaft, steel frame and even steel strings. Here are some popular models.
The Morley# M14539 badminton racket offers about as much steel as you can get into a racket without ending up with giant spatula.
The Morley#M14540 doesn't feature the steel strings but it does not lack in durability. Double steel shafts keep this badminton racket coming back for more, again and again.
The Morley# M14543 badminton racket is 2 inches shorter than a standard badminton racket. Measuring in at 24 inches in length it is designed for younger elementary school badminton players. It also features a durable steel shaft and a steel frame.
Other models that are popular at the institutional level are as follows.
Carlton Attack Ti, Carlton C9750, Carlton 313, ADA 76 Smack Excel, Yonex B460 and HL 110.
Some of these models feature aluminum shafts and frames but all of these models have proven themselves in the gymnasium and are a great value. These higher end models are still available at economy prices which makes them a great purchase for high school level physical education classes were durability may be a little less of a concern and a better playing racket is more important so students can excel.
Badminton Shuttlecocks & Birdies
Here it gets a little tricky. While steel rackets are usually some of the least expensive and best for PE classes when it comes to shuttlecocks cheapest is not always best. The least expensive shuttlecocks are plastic with rubber tip and should be considered only for backyard use.
They do not offer the best flight characteristics so they will actually make the game harder as the birdie appears to have a mind of its own in flight. They are a bargain though so you may want to have some on hand just in case.
The best models have a cork tip for better pop off of the racket and nylon skirts that perform well.
As for speed my advice is medium or blue speed as this is practical for all age groups.
In the color arena yellow has become increasingly popular for youngsters as they are easier to track in flight.
My pick for shuttlecocks for PE would be one of these or a mix.
Carlton T800 Yellow Blue Speed
Carlton C100 White Blue Speed
Yonex Mavis M300M White or Yellow
All of the above are of high quality for great playability. They will pop of the strings, fly in the direction you intended assuming you know how to use the racket and they are durable enough to survive physical education classes.
Badminton Nets
A lot of school accounts purchase our PE quality badminton net or economy nets which is fine but if your net will be used indoors may I suggest the M14563 institutional net. The difference, other than a few dollars, is that the institutional model features taped sides and bottom while the less expensive models are just net.
The taped sides and bottom make the net keep its shape better for a more professional look and better playability the tape also helps the net standout more and most importantly the taped sides and bottom make the net last longer and easier to roll for storage. Believe me the extra few bucks is well worth it.
If you are using the net outside however go with the cheapest model this will stand up to the elements best and provide more bang for your buck.
This little bit of advice should help you stretch your physical education equipment budget.
Badminton is a fantastic sport and teaching it to our children in physical education classes will help build healthy adults. The sport will improve coordination, balance and agility as well as building a healthy respect for competition.

Ken Morley III - has 11 years full time experience in the Team Sporting Goods business. As fourth generation at Morley Athletic Supply Company Inc. he has inside information regarding products for team sports and physical education.
He authors articles that offer product reviews for team sports supplies and equipment and articles that offer advice on how to run your programs more effectively by using the right products.

The Future of Public Education According to The Pragmatic Thinker

For years there has been a public outcry to "fix" the PUBLIC educational system of the United States. First of all, this will be impossible, because "fix" cannot be defined.
Some say that "fix" means to have better and more modern buildings. Some say to "fix" mean to pay teachers more. Some say to "fix" means to have our students pass progress tests. Some say to "fix" means to be able to have our students more effectively compete in the world arena of science and business. Some say to "fix' means give our students a better education in the basics of reading, writing, and math. Some say to "fix" means to give our students a more progressive, liberal education so they can live fuller and more complete lives. Some say we need to "fix" the educational system so students can choose what "they" want to do in life sooner and enter college with direction and focus. And the reasons for "fixing" the "broken" PUBLIC educational system go on and on.
I think the PUBLIC educational system is broken and cannot be fixed. The system is so bogged down in political bureaucracy, red tape, special interests, union politics, under funding, misuse of funds, misdirection, non-focus, status quo thinking, social rhetoric, unfunded programs, broken political promises, and under staffed, under qualified, and under paid administrators and teachers that the PUBLIC educational system can never be fixed. It is an impossible task.
It is no wonder that PRIVATE schools, alternative learning programs, home schooling, and online curriculums are becoming more and more popular with the "affluent" of our population. If you can afford a good education for your student, parents are pulling their students out of PUBLIC schools and enrolling them more and more in private programs of education.
It is my opinion and the opinion of many concerned citizens that from elementary school to college, our educational system, at its best, often drives the natural love of learning out of our kids and replaces it with such "skills" as following rules, keeping still and quiet, doing what is expected, cheating or procrastinating. And that's why, in most schools, being on time and sitting quietly are more important than critical thinking and innovative production. To prosper in this economy, students need to develop and master different skills - lifeskills such as resourcefulness, curiosity, innovation, as well as logical and verbal proficiency.
Most progressive educational professionals would agree with Bill Gates who told our nation's governors last year that the traditional urban high school is obsolete.
The reality of education is that the system for the most part is outdated, too expensive, and ineffective. Many educationally progressive countries offer PUBLIC funding for education from Kindergarten through University, where as in the United States most states don't offer Kindergarten classes, and all Public Education stops at the end of High School.
The primary reason we send our children to school is to enable them to choose the career of their choice, earn a good living and enjoy all that life has to offer. We all want to give our children the opportunity to prosper and provide well for their families.
Here is what has to be done if we are to give our citizens a better education which in turn gives our country more productivity in the world economy.
1. We need to PRIVATIZE all education in our country.
2. Education will be "funded" but not controlled by our government.
3. Each family will be given a certain amount of money (voucher) for each student of each age.
4. Parents can use this voucher to educate their students as they choose at any school or institution of their choice.
5. The government has NO say in the choices parents and students make. Our tax dollars only go to "fund" PUBLIC education in the PRIVATE sector.
6. When schools and institutions are made to "compete" for tuitions based on the performance of the teachers and educators, the quality of education will increase. If schools don't offer parents and students a quality education, parents and students will go some place else, and the school is out of business.
7. We need to also include a government funded college education or trade school education for all who want it. Most parents can't afford to send their students to college. Only about one in 17 (5.8%) young people from the nation's poorest families, those earning less than $35,377 a year, can expect to earn a bachelor's degree by age 24. For those from the nation's wealthiest families, those who earn about $85,000 or higher, it's better than one in two (50%.) This University funding would also be on a voucher basis also. There would still be private colleges who might not need the money (vouchers), but for the most part most colleges would welcome the money as a way to increase enrollment and increase the quality of the education they offer.
8. The obvious results of PRIVATIZING education is that not only schools would have to compete to get the student, by offering a quality educational program, but teachers could now offer their services in a FREE market. The fact is, the good teachers would be paid more. Schools would have to offer the good teachers more to keep them. If a good teacher could make twice as much at another school, because they are better qualified and had a "parent following," schools would have to get serious about offering teachers more money. More people would want to become teachers if they could get paid more. And just like in every business, in order to get the best, you have to pay them more.
9. Online schools would become more and more popular and accepted also. This is especially great for the "inter-city" areas and "rural" areas, where education has been hard to fund, and quality teachers hard to find.
10. On the "one student, one voucher" system, all communities are now able to compete equally for the best teachers and educators. Because of population (demand) in large cities and communities, some schools would have to hire more teachers. In the small cities they would need fewer teachers, but the "money" is the same per student.
11. By PRIVATIZING education, funded by the government with our tax dollars (as we currently do) we would be able to save money. The United States could keep the PUBLIC education budgets at a manageable level. Schools would have to compete for the funding and just like the "price wars" of car dealers, furniture stores, and all businesses, schools would have to continually strive to give parents and students "MORE education" for their money. This is Capitalism at its best.
12. The less government "control" of our PUBLIC education, the better. Government would have NO say or control whatsoever on the type of education parents chose for their students. Government would only FUND educational choices based on the government's education budget. The PRIVATE sector would have to compete just like any other private business for the money by offering a better, quality education to its customers (the parents and students.) The PUBLIC education system for the most part now is a MONOPOLY and doesn't have to "try harder." Just like the deregulation of the airlines, the telephone companies, etc., prices would go down (or in this case stay down) based on the economic rule of supply and demand. PRIVATIZING our PUBLIC education answers ALL the problems we currently face in our current PUBLIC education system.

The Best Educational Experiences in Washington, DC

Educational travel can give teachers and administrators a boost in exciting many students about their academic lessons. Travel brings curriculum to life while teaching lessons that students will need throughout their lives. As a former middle school principal I found that educational travel goes hand-in-hand with offering a total educational program to young adolescents. This is even more important today as teachers and principals are facing increased pressure to prepare students to pass mandated academic tests.
During my years teaching in middle school, I learned that young adolescents can gain a multitude of invaluable experiences from travel, learning both the information they will be able to apply in the classroom and skills that will help them develop personally. Unfortunately, some young people will never be able to take educational tours without involvement with their school. So, middle school educators can contribute to a young adolescent's complete education when they include education travel in their program.
Once you've decided to include travel in your student's education, there are important plans and decisions that will affect the overall success of their travel experience. This article focuses on selecting the best educational venues in Washington, DC for a class or grade level trip.
The best time to consider such a trip is during seventh or eighth grade when the middle school social studies curriculum focuses on U.S. history. An educational trip to Washington, DC coinciding with this year can provide substantial benefits to both the individual and the school as a whole.
All student groups that visit Washington, DC should tour the White House and the US Capitol. Their educational links to the classroom are countless. It's important to note that the popularity of these two sites coupled with the recent increase in national security now require that an appointment must be prescheduled by a Senator or State Representative.
Next, I recommend visiting as many of the following as possible:
 Ford's Theater and the Peterson House
 Arlington National Cemetery
 Smithsonian Museums
 Washington Monument
 Lincoln Monument
 Jefferson Memorial
 Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
 Iwo Jima Memorial
 Korean War Memorial
 Vietnam Veterans Memorial
 World War II Memorial
All of these sites have strong ties to the social studies curriculum and, best of all do not charge an admissions fee. Once you have decided to include them in a travel itinerary, the key is to make sure the students receive the strongest possible educational connections during the actual visit.
You can easily increase the educational value of the visit by using a reputable student tour provider like Travel Adventures that specializes in educational travel to plan your trip. To begin with, their experience will help prepare an itinerary that sequences the stops so that the students are not overwhelmed with information. Their experience will also present you with strategies for planning effective group visits. I strongly recommend you ask the travel provider about adding Washington, DC guides when visiting the monuments and memorials. Their historical knowledge base will only enhance the educational experience.
Another outstanding educational venue is Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to visiting the John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Challenger Astronaut Memorials, your student tour provider can schedule a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This ceremony adds depth to the educational value of the visit and allows those students selected for the ceremony the rare opportunity of interacting with an Army Honor Guard member.
A visit to the U.S. Holocaust Museum can be extremely educational especially if the students have studied this era in American history and/or read The Diary of Anne Frank in English class. The museum is self-guided. The emotional impact of the tour, coupled with their collection of newsprint, historical video and news reporting provides an outstanding educational experience for all visitors.
A student trip to Washington, DC should also include a visit to Mount Vernon - the estate of George Washington. The new Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, and a tour of the beautifully restored estate, outer buildings and the grounds have strong educational value.
Finally, I recommend that student groups traveling to Washington, D.C. schedule a cultural activity. Exposing young people to the arts and culture is invaluable to the overall development of the individual. One of the most popular activities is attending a theatrical performance at one of the area dinner theaters or a performance at the Kennedy Center. The theaters schedule age appropriate productions like "Beauty and the Beast or Fiddler on the Roof" to help make this opportunity both educational and entertaining.
In summary, educational travel to Washington, DC can add an important dimension to the total learning program at your school. I strongly recommend that you consider adding travel to the curriculum and visiting as many of the aforementioned venues as possible for the best educational value.

Take Your Education Career to the Top with a Doctorate in Education

If you're ready to take your degree in education to the highest level by earning your doctorate degree, the options with accredited online colleges and universities are numerous. Professionals in education have busy lives and extremely busy schedules. Making this commitment to educational advancement is no small decision. However, we are talking education, so the example you set when you earn the highest degree available to you expresses your strong belief in the importance of education to your community and the organization you lead.
Earn Your Doctorate in Education or Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Whether you're interested in earning your Doctorate in Education (EdD) or you prefer to pursue your Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD), you can find an online program that will meet your needs. Most individuals seeking these degrees are working professionals in education with master's degrees and teaching credentials.
Earn Your Degree Online and Never Miss a Beat in Your Professional Life
Choosing to pursue your doctorate in education online offers the convenience of studying wherever you are, thus making it easier to attend the program of your choice while continuing to fulfill professional and family obligations.
If you've never experienced online education previously, you can be sure that today's online education programs are designed to help you succeed while maintaining your busy lifestyle.
Earning your doctor of education degree (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) offers you the opportunity to choose the area of specialization which interests you most. Specialization can often give you an edge over other candidates for competitive jobs. If your career goals include top educational administration positions, attaining your Ph.D. or Ed.D. is usually preferred and will give you the competitive edge you need, regardless of the level. In higher education, a top level degree is essential for a top level position.
Why Earn Your Doctorate?
The US Department of Education lists education as the most popular master's degree and the most popular Ph.D. program in the U.S. Obviously this implicates heavy competition in the field - just one more reason to take your credentials and expertise to the next level by earning your doctorate in education.
The job market for educational administrators is projected to grow 23% from 2002 to 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook handbook. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average salary for a postsecondary education administrator is $75,800 and for all other education administrators is $66,580.
Online Education Opportunities
Top notch Accredited Online Colleges and Universities offer numerous programs online to help you reach your ultimate education goals. There are traditional programs available as well if your schedule allows classroom attendance. See what today's programs have to offer and find the right one to fit your needs at accredited online colleges. There's no time like the present to start moving ahead.

Online Education - A Time-Effective Mode Of Learning

Constructing one's daily schedule in the most 'time-effective' way is the key to success today, considering the pace at which everybody's life is running. Leverage the 'Time factor' and you have made it to the top. This explains the increasing significance of online education. This is why the number of online schools and colleges has increased significantly across in the United States (US) and other parts of the world. This indicates the growing shift towards online education.

Here are some of the most important advantages and benefits that online education offers, which you may consider in case you are looking out for various options to pursue higher education at your own pace and without disturbing your schedule.

Accessibility: Thanks to online education, the distance from the campus is no longer a barrier that separates education and the students. Today's generation of students has the advantage of utilizing their time effectively, since there is distant online education available to them. To access online learning, all that the students need to do is to install the contemporary communication equipment such as computer and Internet and enroll for the desired courses online.

Student-Centered Learning: The students dictate the learning experience in online education. Here because the teacher is not teaching you all the time, you have the liberty to prioritize your schedule and complete the assignments as per your convenience. In online mode of education, the students are at freedom to select their learning methodology. The choices available are audio, video, or oral components.

Fair Playing Field: Online education is growing in popularity also because it promises a level playing field for the people participating in it. Learning online does away the bias and colored decision-making based on ethnicity, physical appearance, race or gender of the student. Here, the sole criterion of evaluation is the performance of the student.

Convenience and Flexibility: Online mode of education offers the participants the flexibility of gaining access to the lessons online. This is very convenient and does not hamper the education process if the student is not staying at a convenient location. Moreover, online education and learning has overcome the barrier of time. This allows the students to attend lectures for various subjects as per their schedules. Therefore in online education the students have an opportunity to set the priority of their schedule and execute the tasks at hand accordingly.

Most students prefer online education because it eliminates the necessity of them going away from their parents to pursue their goal. With online education all you need to succeed in your courses is installation of contemporary communications equipment and motivation to succeed.

Interaction: Online mode of education offers an opportunity of purposeful interaction to the students at a higher level with their instructors as well as with their fellow students. The courses in online mode of education are designed in a way that each student gets an opportunity to offer their contribution to the discussions related to a subject and offer peer reviews.

Music Education and You

You don't have to have a musical education to appreciate music, but it does often change the way in which you listen to it, hopefully enhancing your enjoyment.
Most of us have experienced some degree of music education in our lives, and, perhaps surprisingly, it was not all at school, or with a music teacher. Some of it could have been at home (what radio stations did your parents listen to?); some at the cinema or at concerts; some, and often quite a lot, listening to music your friends play or like; some because you play an instrument and are hooked on music in a big way so keep on wanting to learn.
Many people are not aware of their own music education and if you asked them they would very possibly deny having any at all. Well they have, but they are just not aware of it.
If you come from a background whose family is into Rock Music you are likely to know more about that type of music than someone brought up in a family of classical musicians, or whose normal radio channels or hi-fi music is mainly classical, and of course vice versa. Whether you actually like the music is another matter, but having it surrounding you every day will allow you to at least have an opinion of your own. That is just as valuable education in its way as formal lessons in a formative way.
Once you decide whether you like it or not, you may be one of those many people who wish to take it a bit further and actually play an instrument. Will it be the lead electric guitar or the classical one? Will it be the drums or the timpani? The electric organ or the piano, the bass guitar or the double bass, clarinet or saxophone (all four) or perhaps the flute or trumpet? Nowadays they can all be used for an enormous number of what are now termed "genres" of music, so you could just as easily play jazz and classical trombone as Baroque harpsichord and synthesizer.
This may well, but certainly not always, depend upon the music you have been "exposed" to during your life. It really does not matter how old you are, which of course is the great thing about Music. You're never too old to learn and enjoy. Music education nowadays varies enormously amongst schools, families and friends. Many parents' favourites are still popular with the younger generation. Classical favourites tend to last an extra Century or two, though varying in popularity.
Formal music education comes in many guises. Schools throughout the world teach music to greater or lesser degrees. Most countries, of course, tend to their own country's music, but many now have more open minds, resulting in superb philharmonic and symphonic orchestras, along with the chamber music groups from such diverse places as China, Japan, Chile, USA, Russia, South Africa, Poland and many other countries, most of which have equally good modern popular bands too.
As well as having a basic music education at school, which can be very variable, both due to the school and the country, many children, and adults, take advantage of a private music teacher, usually to teach them the instrument of their choice. If you are lucky your formative music education will lead to a much better understanding of the music you listen to, and should certainly expand your musical horizons.
Local music appreciation classes abound and there are plenty of music teachers around. It would be nice to think that this article may encourage someone to listen more carefully to their own choice of music and try to pick out the violin/bass or whatever. It makes it much more interesting.

Why Online Degrees Are Becoming Popular

Most people have the same path when it comes to getting an education; graduate high school, then go to college. This path is actually becoming less traveled since online education is becoming more popular in society. There are many reasons as to why people now prefer to get their degrees online rather than by attending a traditional college.
The main reason that people prefer getting their degree online is because they can earn it on their own time and at their own pace. This is important since the economy has been suffering. Some people or families find they can't take years to attend a traditional college in order to get their degree; instead, most people go straight into the work force in order to support themselves and/or their families. With the development of online education, these people who go straight into the work force can still work towards earning their degree while still being able to hold down a full time job.
Another reason it's becoming more popular is because it costs less than most traditional colleges. When you pay tuition for a traditional college, you are normally paying for more than just the class you are taking. Tuition normally includes costs for upkeep to libraries and gyms, as well as pay for gym memberships, whether you use them or not. You will also pay fees that may not be included in the tuition, but that still add up really fast. Room and board, textbooks, and any equipment can be considered an added fee to your tuition. Online classes don't make you pay for the library or gym, plus, since you can work from just about anywhere, you save time and money on commuting to campus.
The types of degrees that you can get online have increased since when online education first began. People can now earn anything from an associate's degree to a PHD online. This gives people the convenience of continuing their education no matter what their level is. People who online have a high school degree or GED can apply to get their associates or bachelor's degree. Those who have at least a bachelor's degree can look at getting their masters or PHD.
Part of what is making it become so popular is that besides the different degree levels that are being offered, the majors and areas of study are growing. While some people may want to get a business degree online, others can get a degree in nursing or criminal justice. Since there are more subjects that people can get degrees in, there are more people whose needs are being met by these online colleges.
Another important and essential reason as to why online colleges are becoming more popular is because more programs are becoming accredited. When a college, any type of college, is accredited, it means that it has reached a high enough standard of education for that degree to become valid. Sadly, there are some online colleges that really are just degree mills, which means the degree you earn from that particular college, will not be recognized by other colleges and some employers. You can always check to see if the online college you want to attend is accredited by checking with the school its self, and even the state that it is in.