| How to Impress Your Teachers Posted: 06 Dec 2017 04:00 PM PST Impressing your teachers is an important part of being a good student. Stay active and engaged in class. Answer and ask questions when possible, and follow your teacher's directions carefully. Always do your best in school and your teachers will surely be impressed. EditFocusing in Class - Follow your teacher's directions. Carefully read all directions for homework and other assignments. Write directions down if they're given orally, and if you forget the directions, ask teachers or your classmates for help.[1]
- For instance, if your essay assignment requires you to write in 12-point Times New Roman font, don't use 13-point Helvetica.
- Be polite and respectful toward your teachers. Show them respect by asking if they are doing well and saying hello when you pass them in the halls. If your teacher greets you with "Good morning!", return their greeting. Always use polite language when speaking to your teachers.[2]
- Show up to class on time. If you're constantly late (or worse, don't show up to class at all), your teachers will be quite disappointed. To impress your teachers, get to your classes on time.[3]
- If you have a doctor's appointment, sporting event, band concert, or other commitment that requires you to miss class, contact your teacher ahead of time and let them know. Ask for the homework and readings that are assigned that day.
- Focus on your teacher's lessons. When your teacher is speaking, look at and listen to them. If they write on the board, look at the board and take notes even if they don't ask you to. This will show you are actively engaged in the learning process.[4]
- While there are legitimate uses for laptops (such as taking notes), don't use your laptop or phone during class to chat with friends or browse social media.
- If your friends are a distraction, move your seat to sit away from them.
- Do your homework. Homework will probably make up a large chunk of your grade. Doing your homework well and turning it in on time will earn you the respect of your teachers, and will prepare you to participate in class discussions.[5]
- Sometimes homework takes longer than you first suspect it will. Do your homework as early as possible to ensure you have enough time to complete it.
- If you forget to do your homework, don't make up an excuse like, "Oh, my mom forgot to take it out of my backpack!" Take responsibility and tell the truth. You might still have a negative consequence, but your teacher will appreciate that you were responsible enough to admit your mistakes.
- Provide your teacher with feedback. Positive encouragement is the best type of feedback. If, for instance, you enjoyed a particular lecture or if your teacher helps you better understand a complicated topic, let them know. Getting positive feedback will help your teacher know what they're doing right and make them feel appreciated.[6]
- You can also provide constructive feedback regarding ways in which your teacher could improve. If you're a bit unclear on something your teacher said, ask them for additional examples after or outside of class (via email or using your class message boards, for instance).
- Dress nicely when the occasion requires it. In most cases, the way you dress is not a reflection of your interest in class. However, if you are making a presentation or giving a speech, your teacher might recommend that you dress in formal clothing. Heed your teacher's advice in these situations and dress in a professional manner.[7]
- Go beyond the class material. Spend time studying additional materials in order to gain a better grasp of the material your teacher is presenting. For instance, if you want to impress your German teacher, teach yourself some additional words and phrases that you can use on your homework or in class. In this way, you'll demonstrate that you have a real passion for the subject.[8]
- Use books, podcasts, videos, or articles to learn more about a given topic. Look for additional sources online and in your local library.
- You could also ask your teacher directly for additional materials. For instance, you might ask your teacher for other books on a topic you enjoyed.
EditIncreasing Your Participation - Ask questions in class. Your teachers will be very impressed if you ask thoughtful questions. The formulation of these questions will vary widely depending on the particular class you're in. Consider your teacher's lecture or the material you were assigned, then identify information that was not explained well (or at all).[9]
- For instance, if you read that a particular national crisis was solved by the passage of a new tax, you could ask your teacher who developed the tax, or how long it was in effect.
- Answer your teacher's questions. If you know the answer (or even think you know the answer) to your teacher's question, raise your hand and answer it. Don't be afraid to get an answer wrong; your teacher will appreciate your effort just the same.[10]
- Join in class discussions. Your teacher might sometimes invite comments from you and your classmates about a particular problem or topic they are lecturing about. During these period of open comment and exchange, share your thoughts and feelings in an open and honest way. Use the responses of your fellow students as well as the class material to come up with your own thoughts and comments.[11]
- Don't dominate the class discussion. Your teachers won't be impressed by you if your hog all the attention. Make a few smart points, then let others contribute.
- There is no "right" number of times you should ask or answer questions in class. If your class is large or if your teacher does not invite questions or comments, you might not be able to participate at all on some days.
- Offer to help your teacher in class. If your teacher is rearranging the desks or hanging posters up, ask them if they need help. Your thoughtfulness and generosity will impress them.[12]
- Encourage your friends to help out, too.
EditGoing Above and Beyond - Encourage improvements around your school. There are many ways to make your school better. Think about how you can make your school even better and write a respectful letter to your teachers about your concerns.[13]
- Open the letter with a series of positive comments about the current state of your school.
- After describing what you love about your school, transition into another paragraph that includes your request or suggestion for improving it. Use clear and direct language to describe both the problem and a potential solution.
- If you need help identifying ways in which your educational institution could improve, ask friends and peers for their thoughts. One possible area for improvement includes providing greater access for disabled students.
- Engage in community activism and write about your experiences. Volunteering to help poor or under-served communities in your city, launching a petition to improve public safety, or bringing a proposal to your city council to create a public park are all positive extracurricular activities that would impress your teachers. It will be hard to share these experiences with math and science teachers whose classes don't require much writing, but they could provide useful material for classes like English, speech, sociology, and history.[14]
- Act as a tutor for other students. If you are really skilled in a particular class, you could volunteer (or work) as a tutor. Look for opportunities to tutor others either through official channels (like a tutoring program organized through your school), or through your network of friends and peers.
- Start an in-school mentorship program for different grades. Your mentorship program might, for instance, pair older students with younger students in order to help them get studying tips and advice. Or you could start a mentorship program that empowers younger students to resist peer pressure.[15]
- After establishing the goals and methods of the program, enlist help from other students who want to act as mentors.
- Promote the program online and using fliers posted around your school to attract younger students who might be interested.
- Mentorship programs are very flexible. It's your program, so develop it in a way that will both serve your school and impress your teachers.
- Organize a canned food drive during a holiday season. A few weeks prior to Thanksgiving or another holiday, ask your teachers for permission to place bins or boxes in their classrooms. Encourage your classmates to bring canned or boxed goods to school to put in the bins. Donate the contents of the food drive to a nearby soup kitchen or food bank before the holiday arrives.[16]
- To increase participation, ask your teachers if they'll offer extra credit to students who donate canned goods.
- Be a leader by getting involved in student government. Taking on a role with the student council or another leadership position will really improve how your teachers think of you. The specific process by which you can become a member of student council or a related organization varies depending on your school.[17]
- In most cases, you'll have to develop a campaign, drum up support from your peers, and then face off against rivals to win an election.
- Leadership positions in school clubs might be less competitive. Talk to the current leadership of clubs you're interested in for details about how you can contribute.
- Do not interrupt when another student is talking.
- Don't talk with other students during a lecture. Always listen to the lecture carefully, as it makes a good impression on teachers.
- Let the teacher complete their explanation without interrupting them.
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| How to Recycle Tires Posted: 06 Dec 2017 08:00 AM PST Tire waste is a big problem in the world. If you want to do your part to help the environment, you might want to consider recycling or upcycling your used tires. You can take your old tires to your local recycling center, or even pay a tire retailer to recycle them for you. If you're interested in upcycling your old tires, you could make a tire swing, a tire planter, a tire sandbox, or even a tire table. EditRecycling Used Tires - Drop them off at a local recycling facility. Most recycling centers accept used tires. Simply load up your used tires and haul them to the closest recycling center in your area. You may also want to call first to ensure that they will take the tires before you make the trip.
- If you don't know where the closest recycling facility is, you can try searching online. There are many environmentally-friendly online sites that have gathered the information to make it easier for you to access recycling options near you.[1]
- Take your used tires to a specialty tire recycling processing center. Some companies specialize in cleaning up the waste caused by excess tires by recycling old tires and using the materials to create new, eco-friendly products. You can dump your tires at one of their processing facilities and feel confident that they will be reused in an innovative, eco-friendly way.[2]
- Search for such companies online and see if they have facilities near you.
- Look for a waste tire event in your area. Some communities host tire recycling events that rotate around to new locations. These initiatives are intended to help minimize the negative impact that waste tires can have on the environment and the community by providing easily accessible recycling opportunities for residents.[3]
- If you're not sure whether your area has waste tire events, you can try inquiring at your local landfill, recycling facility, or Department of Public Works.
- Pay a tire retailer to take them for you. Most tire retailers will collect used tires from customers for a small fee – usually between $5 and $20 USD, depending on the size and quantity of the tires. The retailer will take the tires off your hands and make sure they get to a proper recycling facility.[4]
- Remember that not all auto shops and tire retailers will accept used tires, so you should probably call first before you load up your used tires and drag them down to the shop.
EditRepurposing Old Tires - Make a tire swing. One of the most common ways to repurpose old tires is by turning them into tire swings. Simply screw 3 metal eyebolts into the top of a used tire (and secure them with washers and bolts on the underside), spaced evenly apart, and loop a piece of sturdy rope or metal chains through the eyebolt holes. Find a sturdy tree branch in your yard to hang the swing from.[5]
- You can screw 4 metal brackets into the top of the tire if you want to make it even more secure.
- Create a planter for your yard. Place the used tire on the ground in your yard. Choose your spot based on what types of plants you'll be planting. For plants that require a lot of sun, be sure to choose a sunny spot for the tire. Fill the inside of the used tire with dirt and potting soil, then plant some flowers inside. Be sure to water the plants regularly.[6]
- You might also want to consider painting the outside of the tire so that it looks nicer in your yard or garden. A green color would work well for this to blend in with the plant theme.
- You can even get extra fancy by wrapping the outside of the tire in old yarn or rope.[7]
- Make a sandbox for your kid. This option works the best with an old tractor tire, or another larger-sized tire. Paint the outside of the tire a fun color that the children will enjoy. Let the paint dry, then position it outside in your yard. Purchase several bags of sand from your local home improvement store and fill the inside of the tire with the sand.[8]
- Make sure you put down some plastic first, otherwise you'll get sand all in your yard if you ever want to get rid of the sandbox. You may also want to make a solid base for the sandbox by gluing a fitted piece of wood into the bottom inner opening of the tire.
- Put together a garden table. Take two old tires and paint their exteriors any color you'd like. You can paint both of them the same color or alternate colors or even paint an exciting pattern. Once the paint has dried, you should stack the tires, one on top of the other, and use some firm adhesive glue to connect the top and the bottom tires. After this, you can glue a table top to the uppermost tire. You can use a piece of wood, slate, or glass as the garden table top.
- Alternatively, you can make a decorative flat-top garden tire table by gluing a round piece of wood (the same size as the interior hole of the tire) inside the tire, and then gluing rope around the exterior.[9]
- Make a cute dog bed. Simply stuff some pillows inside the interior ring of your old tire until the surface level of the pillows is flush with the outer tire material. Then your pup can lay down on the soft, pillow interior of the tire just like a regular dog bed.[10]
- Be sure to thoroughly clean the tire with soap and waters (outdoors) before you give it to your dog to sleep on.
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| How to Perform a Baseball Slide Posted: 06 Dec 2017 12:00 AM PST When it's the bottom of the ninth and you're down by three runs, a well-executed slide into home plate could mean the difference between winning and losing. The keys to a game-winning slide are to drop down to your butt, fold one leg underneath you, and keep your core tight and your hands up in the air for stability. With a basic understanding of the basic mechanics of the maneuver and a little bit of practice, you'll have a slide that both you and the umpire can agree is "safe"! EditApproaching the Plate - Perform a slide when you're in danger of being tagged out. Before you launch yourself into a wild slide, make a split-second assessment to determine whether it's necessary to go to the ground. If the outfielder hasn't yet returned the ball, you can simply keep running. If they're poised to catch the ball as you're arriving at the plate, sliding may be your safest play in order to make a narrow save.
- Sliding allows players to make it to the safety of the plate while avoiding a tag out. However, it can also be used to avoid speeding past the plate by accident or prevent contact with another player on base.[1]
- Keep in mind that sliding has the potential to be dangerous, as other players will often be running over and around the base. If you mistime the maneuver, you could get trampled.
- Build up your momentum. Once you've made the call to slide, pick up your speed as you near the plate. Keep your steps smooth and steady, with your body leaning forward slightly. Unless you're moving at a decent speed, you won't go anywhere when you hit the ground.
- As you sit, your momentum will be transferred into the slide, carrying you to the plate swiftly and without wasted movement.
- Start your slide from the plate. Depending on how fast you're traveling, a slide may only carry you about the length of your own body. If you go into the slide too soon, you may come up short of the base. Waiting too long, on the other hand, could cause you to overshoot the base or lose control, resulting in a collision and possible injury.[2]
- The key to a successful slide is getting low right away and staying just out of tagging range.
- Make a note of the distance you achieve when you begin practicing your slide so you'll be able to find the best starting position for you.
EditExecuting the Slide - Drop down to your butt quickly. You've now reached top speed and you're coming up on the base quickly—it's time to initiate the slide. Without slowing down, push off with your rear foot and lower your weight straight down onto your backside. There's more cushioning there, making it the safest and least painful way to catch yourself.[3]
- While many players mistakenly believe that slides should be performed on one side, doing this can lead to knee, hip, or shoulder injuries.
- If you're unsure what part of your anatomy is touching down first, check the stains on your pants. If they're on the side and not the rear, it means you need to work on centering your body.[4]
- Tuck one leg underneath you. Keep one leg pointed straight out in front of you in the direction of the plate as you sink. Pick up the other leg and bend it out to the side until your foot rests behind the knee of your straight leg. Your legs should form a figure-4 shape when viewed from above.[5]
- The foot of your outstretched leg should be slightly off the ground, with your toes pointed towards the sky. A little clearance will prevent your cleat from catching as you slide.
- You can bend whichever leg is most comfortable for you. Try both ways and see which feels better.[6]
- Don't fold your knee straight back underneath your body. This will place a dangerous amount of strain on the joint.
- Keep your core tight. The moment you feel your butt touch the ground, squeeze your stomach muscles hard to keep your torso upright. You want your head high and your eyes on the plate throughout the entire slide.[7]
- It may help to imagine that you're doing a sit-up—in both movements, the goal is to keep your back and shoulders off the ground.
- A relaxed core takes away stability in the slide, which could kill your momentum or even cause you to hit your head.
- Raise your hands above your head as you complete the slide. Countless jammed fingers and sprained wrists have occurred because players tried to use their hands to steady themselves. The higher your hands are, the less tempted you'll be to place them on the ground. Make sure they stay at least at eye level until you come to a stop.[8]
- Keeping your arms up will also aid your balance, allowing you to make slight adjustments to your center of gravity.
- Fighting the urge to put your hands down while falling will be difficult at first. It may take quite a bit of practice before you're able to do it instinctively.
EditGetting Your Slide Down - Break your slide down into multiple phases. On your first few attempts, focus on one part of the slide at a time. First, walk (don't run) up to a predetermined mark that indicates when to begin your slide. Then, stop, sit down, and assume the position that you'll ultimately end up in. This way, you can learn the technique in bite-sized pieces.[9]
- Give yourself mental cues for each step—run, drop to your butt, bend your leg, engage your core, lift your arms. With time, these small but important details will become second nature.
- Work your way up to a faster speed. Once you have a feel for each phase of the slide, pick up the pace. Go from a walk to an easy trot, then from a trot to a jog, then to a run, and finally to an all-out sprint. Make sure you perform the move the exact same way each and every time to avoid picking up bad habits.[10]
- You may hurt yourself if you practice the slide at full speed without smaller progressions.
- Set up markers to help you get your distance down. Place an object on a flat, level stretch of ground. Lay a second object 3-5 feet behind it. Make an effort to sit down as you pass the first marker and stop when your outstretched leg reaches the second. Sticking to a preset distance will help improve the timing and precision of your slide.[11]
- The objects you use can be cones, bats, your gear bag, or anything else as long as they're plainly visible.
- Check the marks left behind on the field to see exactly where your slide started and ended.
- Practice safely. The baseball slide may look simple, but it takes hours of dedicated practice to pull off without putting you or other players at unnecessary risk. Be patient and force yourself to do too much too soon. You'll likely discover that it becomes a little easier with each session.
- After you become confident in your high-speed sliding abilities, you can begin incorporating the maneuver into games.
- Along with your speed, the type of surface you're playing on may affect the overall distance you get with your slide. On grass or turf, you'll encounter less resistance, whereas packed dirt creates drag that may slow your momentum a bit.
- To cut down on bumps, bruises, and scrapes, be sure to wear pants that cover your entire leg.
- Hitting the dirt over and over again takes a lot of energy, so wait until the end of practice to run through your sliding drills.
- Use a well-timed slide to coast to safety on a run or steal a base while the opposing team's defense is distracted.
- Sliding is a technique that should be in every baseball player's repertoire, but it's one that can lead to injury if not pulled off correctly.
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