380-Green Belt Park, Denton

I have to commute about 55 minutes one way to work everyday. It is a long and boring drive during which I just put the car on cruise control and let it run at 60-70 mph depending on where I am on the road. There are couple of places which do offer some relief from the otherwise boring scenery. The first place is where Lewisville Lake intersects the highway and the second is where the 380-Green Belt is located. Wide, long bridges have been built at both the places so that only those who are really interested in getting into either area will pull over and the rest will just drive on. I stop by sometimes at the 380-Green Belt Park to spend a few minutes amidst old trees and nature.

If you are wondering what 380 stands for, it is the highway that I travel on and on which the park is located. It is also known as the University drive because the Texas Woman's University is located on this thoroughfare in the city of Denton. Of course this park is part of the Texas State Park System and as such it requires entry fees, which I don't have to pay because I bought a State Park Pass way back in May 2011. I am glad I did, now I can get into any state park by just waving my card and not bother about having to pay entry fees.

What I like about this green belt area is that the trees here are really old and tall. The place does look like a true green belt, unlike some others I have been to which looks more like a manicured golf course with grass all over and not a single tree. Here there are several thousand trees, and I'd not be surprised if I were to sight any wildlife. Here are some pictures for you to know what the park looks like.

Earn a teaching degree from a renowned university from the comforts of your home!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

For people who have a job it is often impossible to attend regular college and earn a degree. Especially when a higher degree is essential for career advancement, it becomes highly challenging for individuals to decide on the future course of action. Thanks to the proliferation of high speed internet there is the possibility of earning most of the degrees online.

A case in point is the Masters in Teaching degree offered by the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC. The unique program provides aspiring teachers an opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university without having to leave their present jobs or alter their schedules. According to the program information, classes are held online and are highly interactive. The program is an accelerated one which combines some field-based experiences and can be completed in as little as 12 months.

The best part of the program is its unique and fantastic tuition reimbursement program. Along with becoming an integral member of the elite USC Trojan family, students have the opportunity to get complete tuition reimbursement. Still unsure whether this program works for you? Just visit the MAT@USC Student blog and hear about the experiences of actual students who are in or have completed the program.

If you haven't already heard about USC, then here is a small intro. The school has been around over 100 years and has been educating teachers since its inception. USC has been known as a research institution and its School of Education has been ranked #22 in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report.

Now do you want any more information. If you do then just visit their website.

Earn a Masters Degree in Teaching Online

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of the most important aspects of modern life is a need for acquiring new skills and certifications. It is not possible for everyone to go back to school and acquire new degrees. Thankfully new technologies have enabled prospective students to learn online without having to step out of their home/ office. The biggest benefit of studying online in my opinion is flexibility. One doesn't have to go to school at a specific time to attend classes, it is possible to go through the lectures at your leisure.

I recently came across the program information of the prestigious USC Rossier School of Education. They are currently a Masters of Arts degree in teaching for those who are teachers and aspiring educators. The USC is a well renowned research university and certification from this school is recognized across the country.

Though online the program is highly interactive and combines a wide array of field-based experiences of students. The program is designed in such a way that you complete a Masters degree in just 12 months while most regular programs take nearly 2 years to complete. By studying at the USC you will become an integral part of the elite USC TRojan family.

The best motivator perhaps is their amazing tuition reimbursement and scholarship program. You can more information at MAT@USC Student blog where the insights of current and past students are detailed.

Study online to Earn Prestigious Master of Arts in Teaching Degree

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

Higher Education is a sure shot gateway to better career, greater earnings, enhanced respect, broadening of intellectual horizons and of course a better quality of life. Unfortunately all of us have not been lucky enough to go to graduate school when we were young. Some of us had to start working early and had neither the means nor the time to go to the university. There are many among my friends who would like to go back to school, earn a masters degree, but are unable to do so due to clashing schedules.

It is also a reality that in today's ever changing jobs marketplace one needs to be constantly upgrading skills, acquiring new knowledge to have the competitive advantage. This is specially so for teachers and those that are contemplating becoming teachers. I recently came across a fantastic online masters degree program for current and aspiring teachers/ educators, from the USC Rossier School of Education.

The program aptly titled Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT@USC) is completely online and offered by none other than the University of Southern California, considered an elite research institution. As I read more about the program information I am totally impressed by its interactivity and fast pace that enables students to complete a Masters degree in just 12 months. The two features of the program that attracted me the most was the phenomenal tuition reimbursement program of the university and the rare chance to become member of the USC Trojan Family.

Though the program is completely online there are field work opportunities at the student's local area. The university will work with you to schedule field activities for you.

These advantages seem too good to be true or at least that is what I felt when I first read through them. On further research I came to know that USC is an internationally recognized school with over 100 years of history of educating teachers. USC was ranked #22 in the US and #9 among private universities by the US News and World Report. With such high credentials I would be glad to graduate from the USC.

Online Education - The Way Forward

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

To remain ahead in our career it is important that we get trained and retrained so that we keep abreast of the latest happenings in the job marketplace. Often times it is necessary to go back to school and take some classes to equip ourselves with new skills to advance our career at the work place. With a full time job and family most people find it difficult to go to school. The best solution for these people is online education.

I recently came across this superbly interactive online education course which combines theoretical knowledge with on-the-job experiences. The program information says that it is being offered by the USC Rossier School of Education. The school's MAT@USC is a great place for teachers offers both current and aspiring to earn a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree. The best part of this offer is that one can set their own schedules for classes and study, because the entire program is online.

There are several perks of studying online at USC, the first thing being the program being online and accelerated so what would take 2 years in a traditional brick and mortar classroom setting, you will complete in just 12 months. They have a tuition reimbursement program to help you to pay for college.

Well what is so great about USC you might ask. For starters what does the fact that USC has been ranked #22 in the US and #9 among private universities by the US News and World Report? Impressive! The school has been teaching teachers since the past century. The school is extending all the benefits and status of regular full time students to its online students also, including free lifetime Alumni Association memberships.

I would say this is a great opportunity for anyone who wishes to become a teacher. Explore the unlimited learning opportunities at USC and advance your career.

Campus Rumpus

Summer classes started on Monday and things have become atrociously busy since then. Six hours of classes every evening with at least one quiz, test or exam every day. This semester is short, just five weeks, 20 days of classes and in that we need to cover 10 quizzes, 5 tests, 3 exams and one comprehensive final exam. What does this mean? 18 out of 20 days we will be having something or the other. The only way to excel or get an A grade is to obtain 90-100 in every one of the test, quiz or exam.

When I first started college in the US last year somethings were shocking. For one thing students never address professors as sir/ madame, it was by their name. On the contrary some professors address students as sir and madame. Something almost impossible in India... at least in my college days.

When I told people that I was studying, they would ask me "Which school do you go to?" Initially I wondered whether I look like a high school kid or are they pulling my leg. But later I came to know that here, a university is referred to a school and a PhD research scholar is also going to "school".

Students come in and go out of classes whenever they please, no need to ask permission of the faculty.

Most students come into class carrying bottles of cool drinks, tall mugs of coffee/ tea, snack boxes, sandwiches, etc. Classes are like picnic spots, students can eat, drink, chew gum, etc. The only requirement is to listen to the lecture and not disturb other students. Even professors bring drinks and sip on during the lecture. This never happened in India. I remember in my college days if anyone was found eating in class, he/ she would be sent out.

There are hundreds of similar differences I could write about. For now this is enough I guess. Would like to know your thoughts.