Tag Archives: education

Halloween Ghost Jug Decorations

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Stationed on a walkway or porch, these homemade lanterns will extend a ghostly greeting and good-bye to all your holiday visitors.

Materials
  • Clean plastic gallon milk jugs
  • Black permanent marker
  • Craft knife
  • String of 50 clear low-wattage holiday lights
Instructions
  1. Draw ghost eyes and mouths on the jugs. Tip: Leave the caps on while you do this, so the jugs don’t dent.
  2. Use the craft knife to cut a half-dollar-size hole in the back of each jug (a parent’s job).
  3. Arrange the ghosts near each other and string the lights between them, stuffing several bulbs into each of the jugs.

Culture Fest 2011!

                                  Host Families, Au Pairs, Children and all friends are invited to attend

 

Cultural Fest!

2011

Sponsored by Au Pair In America

 

Hosted by Hatboro-Horsham Educational Foundation (HHEF)

 Visitors will be treated to the sights, sounds, and flavors from the many cultures that make our world go around.

Area restaurants will provide tastes of their own special cuisine.  There are many international flavors all around us and we will bring them together for this very special celebration.

  Date:  Sunday – May 15, 2011

 Time:  12pm to 3pm

 Place:  Hatboro-Horsham High School

             899 Horsham Road

             Horsham, PA  19044

 Website for directions: 

www.hatboro-horsham.org/domain/190

 Please RSVP to your Counselor

Janet Kratzke: jckratzke@yahoo.com

 (Host Family Workshop requirement will be fulfilled by attending this event)

St Patrick’s Day Parade in Philadelphia

The 2011 Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade Returns March 13, With 20,000 Performers In Marching Bands, Dance Groups, Floats And More

 

The 241st St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place March 13. (Photo courtesy Irish Philadelphia) 

Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is actually the city’s largest parade, with 20,000 participants representing more than 150 groups including marching bands, dance groups, youth groups, Irish associations and floats.

Thousands of festively green-bedecked spectators line the Ben Franklin Parkway to enjoy the parade each year, a religious and cultural celebration of St. Patrick, on the Sunday prior to St. Patrick’s Day (this year’s parade: March 13, beginning at 11 a.m.). The first documented St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Parade in Philadelphia was held in 1771, marking this year’s the 241st year.

The parade begins at 16th and JFK Boulevard before making its way down the Ben Franklin Parkway. Click here for the full parade route. Some best bets for vantage points include Logan Circle and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where a dance floor will be set up at Eakins Oval.

A series of awards are given to parade performers, ranging from Outstanding Float to the group that best exemplifies the spirit of the parade, so you can weigh your own opinions against the judges’ decisions, revealed Wednesday, April 13, 6-9 p.m. at a ceremony at Finnigan’s Wake.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a Philadelphia tradition, is a celebration not to be missed. If the weather is less than exemplary, you can watch it live on CW Philly 57 from noon to 3 p.m.; it will also stream live on the station’s website. And also check out Hear Philly’s look at St. Patrick’s Day bar tours in Philadelphia for an added layer of holiday fun.

Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade
When: Sunday, March 13, beginning at 11 a.m.
Where: Begins at 16th and JFK Boulevard
Cost: FREE
More info: www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com

Au Pair In America partners with AAA

 

AAA

The most trusted choice for live-in childcare, Au Pair in America has partnered with AAA, the nation’s most trusted name in driver safety and instruction, to offer a custom course specifically designed for au pairs. This course differs from those offered in your community, in that AAA has taken the best of several of their courses, adapted them to be the most accessible to the au pair population, with special focus on driver and child passenger safety.  Key components of the course include:

  • Driver Safety
  • Child passenger safety (car seats, communication, expectations)
  • Communication and traffic devices
  • Vehicle Awareness (understanding what your vehicle is “telling you.”)
  • Reducing Risks while Driving (includes defensive driving techniques, phone/texting issues, and drinking and driving awareness)

kids-car-safety-toddler

This  AAA course designed exclusively for Au Pair In America.  Course includes a combination of lecture, group exercises, video/other media to ensure the maximum understanding to speakers of other languages or newly arrived to the US participants.

 

  young-woman-driving

 

All Host Families with au pairs arriving into the USA in 2011 will receive more information about this new course and how their au pair can be enrolled!

ABC’s of Winter Fun

snowflake

A is for Art – try drawing, painting or gluing
B is for Baking – bake a dessert together for dinner
C is for Clay – Use non-hardening clay or play dough to shape and mold
D is for Dance – put on a lively tape
E is for Exercise – be sure to get some everyday
F is for Friends – invite some over
G is for Greenhouse – find a local greenhouse to visit to enjoy the sights and smells
H is for House – make a playhouse from a large appliance box
I is for Ice skating – take the children to a local rink
J is for Jigsaw puzzle – be sure to pick one that isn’t too difficult
K is for Kitchen science – try a safe experiment
L is for Library – borrow some new books
M is for Movie – make one with a video camera, or watch one
N is for Necklace – make one out of cereal or macaroni
O is for Origami – learn to make simple paper creations
P is for Puppets – socks make easy and fun puppets – put on a show!
Q is for Quiet Time – everyone needs some of this
R is for Reading aloud – choose a good book and a comfortable place to sit
S is for Seeds and Suet – put out food for the birds and watch them eat
T is for Tent – make one from old blankets and chairs
U is for Unplugged – do a day with no TV
V is for Variety – try something new everyday
W is for Walk – take one in any weather (be sure to dress appropriately)
X is for Xylophone – make your own with glasses, water and a metal spoon
Y is for Year – make a calendar or scrapbook to remember the year
Z is for Zoo – visit the animals

2011 Sojourner Douglas Weekend courses.

One of the choices available to our au pairs to complete their education component while in the US is the option to take weekend courses at accredited and APIA approved colleges. I have had lots of au pairs take the Sojourner Douglass weekend courses and they have been very pleased.  They have told me that the instructors and staff are helpful and professional, the courses are interesting and the facilities are nice.  Below you will find information on their upcoming course offerings.

Sojourner Douglass College, Division of Professional and Continuing Studies

The full 2011 schedule is available and posted on their website.  The winter courses are filling up quickly.

The following are offered as Two Weekend Programs:

  • Interior Design
  • English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • Foreign Languages
    • Travel Spanish
    • Travel French

  New for 2011, Non-lodging courses:

  • Microsoft Software Certification:
    • Word
    • Excel 
    • PowerPoint
  • Art History Course that occurs in Washington, DC
  • Volunteerism Course 

 

Registration is ongoing and can be completed online by visiting www.weekendprogram.org Early registration is encouraged. For more information about our courses please visit the website

2011 Schedule of Weekend Classes (subject to change based on enrollment)

January 8-9, 2011 – TOEFL Review Course

January 8-9, 2011 – American Language and Culture,

January 22-23, 2011 – American Government and Personal Development

January 22-23, 2011 – Computer Software/Certification: Word (Non-lodging Course)

January 22-23 and March 12-13, 2011 – Interior Design Two Weekend Program

March 5-6, 2011 – American Culture and Tourism

March 5-6 and May 7-8, 2011 – Hospitality and Tourism Two Weekend Program

March 12-13, 2011 – American Language and Culture

March 12-13 and April 9-10, 2011 – Travel Spanish Two Weekend Course

March 12-13 and April 30-May 1, 2011 – English as a Second Language Two Weekend Course

March 12-13, 2011 – Computer Software/Certification: PowerPoint (Non-lodging Course)

March 12, 19, 26 – Art History (Non-lodging Course), Washington, D.C.

April 2-3, 2011 – Caring for Special Needs Children and American Culture

April 2-3 and June 11-12, 2011 – Child Care Two Weekend Program

April 9-10, 2011 – Understanding American Language Culture and Government 

April 30 and May 1 – Volunteerism in America (Non-lodging Course)

May 7-8, 2011 – American Culture and Personal Development

May 7-8 and June 11-12, 2011 – Travel French Two Weekend Program

May 14, 21, 28 – Art History (Non-lodging Course), Washington, D.C.

  

To register visit our new website:  www.weekendprogram.org

Please note the location of Weekend Courses:

The Conference Center at the Maritime Institute

692 Maritime Boulevard Linthicum, MD 21090-1952

(410)-859-5700 Front Desk ext 0

For questions call Angela Garnett, Program Coordinator at 301-213-2404 or email: info@weekendprogram.org

Check out Education links.

It’s time to start thinking about what you will do for the winter semester (starts in January.)  Don’t wait until the last minute or the class you want could be fully enrolled.

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Check out the new links under education options.  There are great options for everyone in our cluster.

Reminder:

Au Pairs and Au Pair Extraordinaires need to complete 6 credit hours or 8 CEUs (continuing education units) or 72-80 classroom hours during their year.

Educare Companions need to complete 12 credit hours or 16 CEUs (continuing education units) or 144-160 classroom hours during their year.

APIA Advantage Course-UCLA Extension program

The next UCLA APIA Advantage Course will run from January 10 – May 16. Registration is already open at www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs
 
The cost of the class is $500 and it satisfies the education requirement for au pairs or half the requirement for EduCare companions.

American Studies Online is a 19-week media-rich, mostly self-paced online course of study. Designed specifically in cooperation with the American Institute For Foreign Study’s Au Pair in America program, UCLA Extension’s course offers successful participants 6 quarter units (4 semester units) and a certificate of completion from UCLA Extension.

 

Participants will read lessons, engage in activities, write, share resources, network with one another, and even collaborate on special projects – all designed to further their understanding of US culture.

The Community Involvement segment of the program takes the au pairs into face-to-face contact with the community. Au pairs will relate these experiences to their academic coursework in American Studies Online.

The interdisciplinary course of study will include:
• US History
• Arts in the US
• US literature
• Career counseling
• English language study (optional)
• TOEFL preparation (optional)

Each group is assigned a “Course Manager” who acts as an “online concierge” to provide high levels of service to ensure a rewarding and trouble-free educational experience.

For further information call (310) 206-6671 or email online@uclaextension.edu