Pacific Beach’s modern day Mary Poppins trades cans for books to help kids

Pacific Beach’s modern day Mary Poppins trades cans for books to help kids

Describing herself as a “modern day Mary Poppins,” Pacific Beach resident Trisha Goolsby swoops in not with an umbrella, but with a bag of recycled cans.

And in her version of Poppins magic, she turns the recycled goods into books for children.

It’s all part of her unique effort — the Cans4Books Community Initiative — to provide as many free books to local youngsters as possible.

Pacific Beach resident Trisha Goolsby holding stuffed monkey Rupert, one of the Cans4Books mascots.

Pacific Beach resident Trisha Goolsby holding stuffed monkey Rupert, one of the Cans4Books mascots.

(Elizabeth Marie Himchak)

Goolsby said she was inspired to start the initative during the pandemic.

“I took unemployment for a month, thinking the lockdown would be over soon,” said Goolsby, an in-home educational consultant. “My roommate drank a lot of sparkling water during that time and it sparked an idea.”

When one of her neighbors needed help paying bills, several of the surrounding homes pitched in with their CRV recycling items — including her roommate’s water bottles. The money raised was enough to cover the neighbor’s bills.

So in late 2020 Goolsby decided to aim a bit bigger with another recycling goal.

“I thought I’d just try and collect cans from everyone. I asked my neighbors and the Military Village to donate and every day I ended up picking up recycling,” she said.

An informational display on how recycling cans and plastic bottles can result in free books for children.

An informational display on how recycling cans and plastic bottles can result in free books for children.

(Elizabeth Marie Himchak)

By the end of December 2020, she said Cans4Books took in 3,599 aluminum cans, 823 plastic bottles and 252 glass bottles.

With the money received from the recycling efforts, she purchased and donated more than 200 children’s books.

Goolsby said the recycling continues when she buys the books.

“I know thrifting is a wonderful resource; I can get a paperback for 59 cents and a hardback for a dollar at the Goodwill store, plus I get a teacher discount,” she said.

Goolsby said, on average, with a dozen cans she can purchase a used paperback; with 20 cans she can purchase a $1 thrifted hardback, and with the money from 300 recycled cans she can purchase a $15 brand new book.

She makes sure the entire community is represented in her purchases, and searches out local children’s book authors and books in different languages.

“I realized it was totally do-able. And it was so simplistic — there didn’t even have to be any contact with anyone,” she said. “Recycling also creates good, sustainable habits, which will help our youth as they get older.”

She said the recycling program is also another way to reallocate government funding, so that money earned from recycling efforts is filtered back into the community.

Someone recycling a plastic water bottle at the Cans4Books display during CicloSDias in Pacific Beach.

Someone recycling a plastic water bottle at the Cans4Books display during CicloSDias in Pacific Beach.

(Elizabeth Marie Himchak)

As word of her organization spread throughout Pacific Beach and beyond, Goolsby said she ended up spending a lot of time driving around.

“In the beginning, I sometimes would need to pick up eight to 10 bags of recycling at a time. Since I only have a small car, I would have to rent a large truck to get the larger loads,” she explained.

That issue was resolved with the help of several community businesses.

Drop-off locations in Pacific Beach include Randal’s Sandals at 1033 Barnett Dr. and Cancer Books Headquarters at 4057 Promontory St.

In addition to PB, Cans4Books now includes the neighborhoods of North Park, South Park, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, University City and The Village at NTC.

Goolsby has partnered with even more local organizations, such as Shore Buddies, a San Diego-based organization which makes stuffed animals from recycled plastic bottles and also donates books.

She also receives books from fellow members of the Pacific Beach Woman’s Club and the Pacific Beach Town Council.

“At the end of last year, we received and donated more than 3,000 books,” she said. “Up to this point this year, we have already donated more than 4,000 books.”

Carol Posey of Point Loma is just one of numerous residents appreciative of Goolsby’s efforts.

“It works out beautifully because we can donate our recycling and we don’t have to go anywhere to do it,” Posey said. “It also helps out the kids in the community with books, so it’s a win-win.

“Trisha is so enthusiastic and passionate about her cause; she really wants to help the community and the kids,” Posey added.

Stuffed monkey RJ with some of the children’s books Tricia Goolsby purchased by recycling cans and plastic bottles.

Stuffed monkey RJ with some of the children’s books Tricia Goolsby purchased through proceeds from recycling cans and plastic bottles.

(Elizabeth Marie Himchak)

Husband-and-wife Rich Soublet and Lindsay Mineo of North Park also save their recyclables for Goolsby’s cause.

“Trisha has always been very enthusiastic, and encouraged us to get other people in our building to donate,” Mineo said. “She usually sends us a group text and picks it up from whoever has it ready. She makes it very easy, very convenient and I know it goes for a good cause.”

As part of her recycling efforts, Goolsby teams with BluLite Bonfires and PerfectFirst Beach Cleanups, meeting on the first and third Saturday of each month.

And like many of her other recycling efforts, she expanded her own goals for the cleanups.

“We are only conducting the beach cleanups for about an hour and a half at a time, so I wondered how we could continue to provide those resources to the community,” she said. “So I am committed to being on the PB Boardwalk every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

So far, Goolsby said she has been on the boardwalk several weekends in a row, resulting in more than 70 children’s books being donated and more bags of recycling being filled.

“I may extend my hours,” Goolsby said. “By creating a habitual space, it’s easy for people to grab a bag and fill it up. We have a reusable glove program, free bags and we educate the community on working together. All the little parts come together to create a much bigger impact.”

In her efforts to keep children involved with the recycling efforts, Goolsby can also be found with many of her small charges participating in street cleanups through Street Stewards, an organization in which individuals adopt neighborhood blocks and keep them clean of trash on a weekly basis.

And just as Mary Poppins sings “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun,” Goolsby brings a couple of tiny friends along for the beach and street cleanups. Rupert and RJ (short for Rupert Jr.) are a couple of stuffed monkeys. Since her clients’ children all know the pair of stuffed critters, it’s not much of a surprise they would be an integral part of her recycling efforts.

“Rupert is all about reading and kindness,” she said. “All the kids know him. RJ represents community and fundraiser.”

Similar to Free Little Libraries, in which residents set up book-sharing boxes at their homes which are available at all times, Goolsby said she hopes to place Rupert’s Bench Libraries in playgrounds all around the area.

The benches will be made out of recycled plastic and beach trash, and feature child-sized bookshelves on the side.

Trisha Goolsby talking with passersby on the Pacific Beach Boardwalk about her Cans4Books Community Initiative.

Trisha Goolsby talking with passersby on the Pacific Beach Boardwalk about her Cans4Books Community Initiative.

(Blair Kirby)

Goolsby herself has a Free Little Library outside her home and has set up three this year through Cans4Books. But she explained that many of the libraries are often filled with books for adults. She plans to keep her bench libraries filled with children’s books.

There is another difference between her benches and the Free Little Libraries.

“Because we are using recycling, I don’t expect people to exchange the books,” she said. “I want the kids to be able to get the books and keep them. With this concept, there will never not be books distributed in the community.”

Goolsby’s interest in expanding children’s reading opportunities ties in with her career. In August 2020 she founded Stellar At-Home Educaitonal Consultants, in which she provides educational services and consulting in children’s homes. Her stated goal is to help young children “be the best they can be.”

Goolsby said she is passionate about providing developmentally appropriate education for her young charges. Making sure kids have plenty of children’s books readily available is one of her core beliefs.

“The first five years of their lives, children are very impressionable; by providing them with positive skill sets, they are also provided with a strong foundation that will only continue to grow stronger as they grow older,” she said.

Goolsby has a Masters in Education with a concentration in early childhood and early childhood special education from Radford University in Virginia. Early childhood refers to pre-kindergarten through third grade. Early childhood special education is through age 5.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “Once I switched to early childhood, however, I fell in love.”

Goolsby said her 10 years as a nanny and nearly as many teaching in preschool taught her the importance of teaching children not just in a school setting, but in their home environment.

Joey and Amanda Ferrante agree. Goolsby has been working with their older children, Arabella, 5, and Jojo, 3, from their Point Loma home for about two years. Louie, 9 months, is a recent addition to the family.

“From my perspective, she has taught them that every moment in life is a moment you can take to learn, and to share kindness with everyone,” Amanda Ferrante said.

“She taught me it’s important to recycle and keep the earth healthy,” Arabella Ferrante said.

The scale of Goolsby’s recycling efforts and belief in the power of books for children is not for the faint of heart.

It must be some of the Mary Poppins magic allowing for Goolsby to accomplish so much. Her days are typically busy with picking up recycling from various locations, taking it to the CRV Recycling Center, distributing books, running her consulting business, attending local events and spreading the word about the Cans4Books Community Initiative.

“This is not for everyone, but I just love it, I get so much joy from it,” Goolsby said.

Goolsby can be reached through her website linqapp.com/cans4books or through Facebook at facebook.com/groups/cans4books.

For years, the state hasn’t paid its share of what it costs to educate students with disabilities. Now, more money is coming, but is it enough?

For years, the state hasn’t paid its share of what it costs to educate students with disabilities. Now, more money is coming, but is it enough?

All through testimony at the Capitol for the bump in funding, one particular school leader recalled how one district getting to eliminate a kindergarten instructor place, “to incorporate kindergarten and initial grade so that the modest rural school could fork out for a comprehensive-time distinctive schooling teacher,” said Tamera Durbin, who prospects Colorado Northeast BOCES, which serves as the administrative device for various small rural districts.

The legislation also sets up a committee to examine what it in fact fees to teach students with disabilities, and an examination of funding models in other states, some of which fund pupils at 3 situations the charge of other students. That committee will endorse changes to Colorado’s funding design.

State lawmakers are predicted to finalize the extensive price range invoice, which incorporates the more funding, future 7 days.

Special education class at Lincoln Elementary SchoolJenny Brundin/CPR News
A next-quality student’s crafting exercise through a unique education and learning aid session at Lincoln Elementary faculty in Denver Public Educational institutions.

Districts welcome the new income. But distinctive educators statewide are anxious the income will be used to shore up destinations in school budgets that had been lower to fund exclusive education

A person report estimates the actual further price tag on common for distinctive education college students is about $10,500.

“Were so far guiding in funding that even with the adjustment for this year of the $80 million, that will enable … but it doesn’t arrive near to masking the additional charges are that a district has that are giving those providers,” mentioned Tracie Rainey, executive director of the Colorado College Finance Project.

Denver Community Educational facilities spends $20 million on college students with mild wants, and $35 million on students with better wants.

 “Students with special desires have not been sufficiently funded for a lot of many years or definitely at any time,” mentioned Chuck Carpenter, main money officer for Denver General public Faculties. “This is overdue. This extra funding is likely to help DPS serve learners with exclusive requirements better by providing the resources that we have required for a prolonged time.

The monthly bill doesn’t, on the other hand, call for how the dollars will be put in. It could be employed to insert much more special education and learning services or offset the money districts have tapped from their common instruction budget.

“There is not a statutory necessity to enhance particular education and learning expenditures with these pounds,” explained Bill Sutter, main economical officer for Boulder Valley College District. “It is a reimbursement for what districts are now accomplishing.”

220406-SPECIAL-ED-TEACHER-DENVERHart Van Denburg/CPR Information
Treats on Jen Holtzmann’s desk in her particular instruction course at Lincoln Elementary University in Denver on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.

Boulder Valley College District receives about $7.5 million in state funding for learners with disabilities but spends an approximated $53 million. Because there is such a substantial hole, Sutter explained the district would have to have a large amount more condition pounds right before it always provides to exclusive schooling programming. All districts meet the needs in a student’s exclusive education and learning approach beneath federal regulation, nevertheless enhancing solutions and adding programs outside of required companies wants to suit inside a district’s assets.

“This is revenue coming in for the items that we’re by now shelling out on … that we have not been equipped to do something else no matter if it’s wages, or systems.”

There is remarkable tension on some districts that have not been ready to hold up with salaries for a total host of positions — paraeducators, lecturers, bus drivers, custodians — since the district has had to set methods into essential particular education expert services.

DPS special educator Jen Holtzmann hopes some of that revenue will raise wages and coaching desperately needed to seek the services of more paraprofessionals or to enable reduce caseloads. It’s tricky for her to think about funding has not seriously amplified considering the fact that 2006.

“2006! Which is the calendar year I graduated large university,” she reported. “I’ve been educating in this deficit for as long as I have identified. Would that signify one more fifty percent-time particular schooling trainer? That would be great.”

In Denver, educators want a seat at the table for how these cash must be put in.

Jenny Brundin/CPR Information
Bilingual speech language pathologist Michelle Horwitz has noticed an inequity in how unique education is funded.

What concerns me is that it’s doable that developing leaders compelled to make a hard determination … do I keep music or do I staff members special education to the comprehensive extent that I know is vital, or do I team it at 50 percent knowing that my unique educator has normally manufactured it do the job because they’ve experienced to,” claimed bilingual speech language pathologist Michelle Horwitz. “I don’t think individuals can do that anymore.”

She explained she’s noticed many colleagues depart due to the fact they know they can have a more substantial effects on little ones if they labored in outside facilities like pediatric clinics. Horwitz also needs specific educators at the desk mainly because in Denver, in which educational facilities set their own budgets, she reported she’s seen an inequity in how exclusive education and learning is funded in just about every constructing.

“We want to make certain all colleges can present the identical level of support for those college students.”

Jon Paul Load, director of the remarkable company office for Weld RE-4, is hopeful some districts will expend the dollars on investing in their distinctive training staff members to keep them, choosing incentives or rising paraprofessional salaries. He’d like to make investments in teaching teachers, paraprofessionals and the correct aid for pupils with disabilities. He mentioned his district intends to develop exclusive education and learning services like center-based mostly programming. 

“Ideally, what I would like to do is to have the potential to never ever have to send a kid outside the house of my district to get what they will need,” he explained.

Associate Professor Jessica Hunt Shares Benefits of Inclusive, Game-Based Learning Through National Webinars

Associate Professor Jessica Hunt Shares Benefits of Inclusive, Game-Based Learning Through National Webinars

For the earlier two years, NC State Higher education of Education Associate Professor Jessica Hunt has been creating and screening a new curriculum that will help learners with learning disabilities and problems superior fully grasp fractions even though exploring job opportunities in real-world STEM fields via recreation-based mostly understanding.

The match, termed Desire2B, and accompanying Design Arithmetic Instruction (ModelME) curriculum had been produced utilizing a 3-12 months, $1.4 million National Science Foundation ITEST grant awarded to Hunt and co-principal investigators Matthew Marino and Michelle Taub at the University of Central Florida in 2020

The match allows students to participate in as a customizable character named Bunny, who encounters 6 unique worlds relating to STEM and details and interaction technological innovation (ICT) careers. Problems in each individual globe are accessed by way of a universally developed interface with customizable options that allow accessible gameplay. Students are offered a selection of tools to use for every single problem to encourage them to use person tactics and approaches of reasoning.

The sport is at this time wrapping up a round of testing with instructors and students in Granville, Sampson and Durham counties in North Carolina, and Hunt has recently been invited to share about her function on a national phase. 

She introduced in March at the Middle for Innovation, Design and and Electronic Learning (CIDDL) “Supporting Educator Use of Recreation-Based Mastering Environments” webinar and, on April 11, she will current at the STEM Learning and Research Center (STELAR) webinar entitled “Creating Inclusive STEM Prospects for Learners with Disabilities: Formal Configurations.” The webinar will be offered for no cost to the community. 

“My colleagues, Dr. Matthew Marino and Dr. Michelle Taub, and I are so fired up about the get the job done that we are performing in the Model Arithmetic Schooling undertaking, and we really feel honored and fortunate to have a room to go over what we are finding out in two national venues,” she stated. “Having spaces to go over the do the job through the lens of activity-centered assessment and through the lens of developing inclusive STEM alternatives for pupils with disabilities relates nicely to the perform we are doing with the Model ME curriculum in elementary educational facilities.”

Down below, Hunt shares an update on her operate, the significance of giving a lot more STEM options to students with disabilities and the benefits of video game-based mastering. 

The next Q&A has been edited for duration and clarity. 

Can you share an update on exactly where the ModelME/Aspiration2B venture now stands?

We are at this time in feasibility screening with the game and wraparound curriculum. We have partnered with 9 elementary teachers throughout Granville County, Sampson County and Durham County to put into action the video game in their classrooms. So considerably, teachers have taught 17 of the 29 lessons, and we are mastering a large amount in phrases of how lecturers are applying the products as properly as students’ engagement and mastering in the match and in the curriculum.  

We hope to conclude this phase of the analysis by the beginning of May possibly with concentration groups to study much more about teachers’ perspectives of how Product ME supported their students’ portion understanding and their being familiar with of their students’ wondering. We will also converse with learners to greater have an understanding of their perspectives of gameplay. We will just take all of these data and examine them toward a remaining revision of both the activity by itself as effectively as the wraparound curriculum. We’ll test that final variation in a larger experimental study up coming spring.

Why is it so significant that far more STEM prospects are created available and accessible to pupils with disabilities?

Folks with disabilities are underutilized associates of the STEM and ICT workforce. Students with disabilities generally show one of a kind qualities that are significantly valuable in STEM and ICT careers, this sort of as sustained focus to detail, systematic procedural information and expertise, and the ability to conceptualize results and answers to advanced issues. 

College students with discovering disabilities (LD), in individual, comprise the largest subgroup of persons with disabilities served in K-12  educational facilities. However, these college students usually fail to take into account careers in STEM and ICT as early as elementary college, and instruction does not constantly handle the unique concerns of access to and development of STEM awareness for college students with disabilities. For example, college students with LD normally involve obtain to unique tools or objects to learn or convey their STEM understanding. They also gain from problems that enable for novel answers due to the fact of unexpected prior know-how brought to instruction. Both equally tutorial style and design aspects place students’ understanding as essential and valuable. Our challenge is doing work to create empirical proof demonstrating how the layout principles in the recreation and wraparound curriculum help instructors to capitalize on strengths whilst addressing individualistic requirements that learners convey to instruction. 

What are the added benefits of game-dependent studying for learners and educators?

Digital match-based mostly mathematics curricula are just one way to strengthen students’ engagement as very well as their discovering results. Summaries of gaming analysis have discovered the prospective of video games to improve STEM content material accessibility, increase collaborative trouble-fixing and enable students to take a look at arithmetic in strategies that were formerly inconceivable for pupils with disabilities. Other researchers uncovered students devoid of disabilities also profit from related instruction.

Our curriculum and embedded game was formulated making use of the Universal Style for Mastering (UDL) framework to increase accessibility and engagement by supplying conceptual knowing problems rooted in reliable STEM and ICT professions. Tutorials, motion adaptive prompting, and genuine formative and summative assessments are involved in just the consumer interface. Recreation-centered, dilemma-solving and after-game participate in discussion routines encourage connections and strategically url to Nationwide Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) specifications.

How is the Higher education of Education and learning preparing foreseeable future educators to recognize how and why to implement diverse styles of instruction (including activity-based mostly studying) for their students?

I consider a person of the lots of strengths of our higher education is in our collaborative approach to preparing instructors to realize students’ strengths and how they can leverage those strengths in instruction, which includes as a result of the use of online games, other systems and inclusive pedagogies.  College students can have interaction with faculty from across application places and even across departments!  The multidisciplinary mother nature of our get the job done in this article in the school supports a properly-rounded toolbox for academics to employ in their lecture rooms.

Hawaii DOE | Waikele Elementary leader honored as a 2022 National Outstanding Assistant Principal

Hawaii DOE | Waikele Elementary leader honored as a 2022 National Outstanding Assistant Principal

Hawaii DOE | Waikele Elementary leader honored as a 2022 National Outstanding Assistant PrincipalThe Countrywide Affiliation of Elementary Faculty Principals (NAESP) this week announced Waikele Elementary’s Stacy Kawamura as a 2022 National Remarkable Assistant Principal. Every calendar year NAESP acknowledges a decide on cohort of assistant principals from across the region. This year 22 assistant principals nationwide were regarded — 17 from elementary educational facilities and five from the middle college amount.

The NAESP National Excellent Assistant Principal System aims to advertise excellence in instructional leadership and calls interest to the elementary significance of the assistant principal. Honorees are acknowledged for demonstrating remarkable leadership and for placing large requirements for students, colleagues, mother and father and the neighborhood.

“As a previous principal, I know how crucial assistant principals are to a effective and thriving college group,” interim Superintendent Keith Hayashi mentioned. “I’ve had the enjoyment of working with Stacy via Waipahu Intricate collaborations and have viewed first-hand how she supports her staff and prioritizes the needs of all learners. She is passionate in supporting her faculty neighborhood and is truly dedicated to enriching the lives of others. We are extremely proud to have leaders like Stacy Kawamura serving within our Hawaiʻi public educational facilities.”

As vice principal of Waikele Elementary for the earlier seven decades, a person of Kawamura’s most considerable accomplishments has been assisting to acquire the school’s nationally distinctive academy pathway software. At first an arts academy plan, the college expanded the software to include age-suitable Vocation and Technical Education and learning (CTE) classes that align with the Waipahu Complex’s determination to university and job readiness. Kawamura helped articulate to academics the shift in focus by producing connections with other significant college academy courses. By means of Waikele Elementary’s academy pathway application — the initially of its type in the nation — learners are now exposed to a assortment of career chances, building their changeover to sophisticated location secondary schools a lot more seamless.

Kawamura has also helped acquire group partnerships with the school, which present alternatives for students to have interaction with their community and apply classroom classes to the actual earth. She is also credited with creating a qualified growth and mastering framework that has helped her college build a collaborative culture that engages school and employees. 

Waikele Elementary School Principal Sheldon Oshio praises Kawamura’s means as a chief to collaborate with colleagues and cultivate a beneficial finding out lifestyle. “Her enthusiasm, rapport and treatment for anyone is obvious,” Principal Oshio mentioned. “Mrs. Kawamura develops great interactions with family members and pupils, and communicates correctly. Earlier mentioned all, Mrs. Kawamura is a legitimate studying leader who prospects by example. Her management is appreciated and respected inside the college neighborhood.”

Kawamura earned a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Reports from the Washington College in St. Louis, a master’s diploma in secondary instruction from the University of Phoenix, and a second master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Prior to her vice principal job at Waikele Elementary, she served as a instructor at Pearl City High and Kapolei High.

Kawamura will be invited to Kentucky this July to get her award at the annual NAESP Pre-K-8 Countrywide Principals Conference. 

This recognition was created probable by users of the Hawaiʻi Elementary and Middle Educational institutions Directors Affiliation, the community affiliate of NAESP. It arrives as element of Countrywide Assistant Principals 7 days (April 4-8, 2022), which is celebrated each April to identify the important role assistant principals enjoy in the over-all tutorial achievement of learners nationwide.

Orem residents uneasy about vendor for school district feasibility study | News, Sports, Jobs

Orem residents uneasy about vendor for school district feasibility study | News, Sports, Jobs
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Courtesy Orem Metropolis

This undated photograph shows an aerial see of Orem. Town leaders are commissioning a feasibility study to see if the metropolis warrants its have faculty district.

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Orem is carrying out a feasibility study to determine the desirability for its possess district and it has some citizens angry.

There are a host of worries for inhabitants, to start with staying with the seller choice procedure — and a feasible conflict of desire with the operator of the company employed to do the review.

Discovery Schooling Consultants, LLC was chosen by Orem’s Director of Legislative Counsel Jesse L. Riddle. In announcing the chosen enterprise by means of press release it was famous that, “this extremely capable crew of experts has quite a few a long time of expertise in college district administration, educational management, curriculums and finance.”

It did not mention it has completed feasibility research on splitting districts. It also did not mention the organization was produced in February, with the formal title staying registered with the Point out of Utah on Feb. 7 of this 12 months.

On Monday the town declared that Discovery Education and learning Consultants would be the vendor and be paid out a sum of $30,000.

Apart from additional than 200 remarks relating to the new district and the vetting course of action, just one individual has filed a complaint with the Point out Auditor’s office environment versus Orem’s procurement officer Trevor Bell and his manager, Metropolis Manager Jamie Davidson. Bell is accountable for procuring the deal seller and Davidson is his excellent. Neither guy seemingly experienced involvement in the course of action, as it was assigned to the place of work of legislative council and was not place via a complete Request for Proposal.

The grievance, submitted by Jonathan Bejarano, a resident of Highland, also notes that, “Concerns that the seller collection criteria of ‘No conflicts of interest’ was not adopted as an elected city council member, Terry D. Peterson is buddies with F. LaVar Christensen, a member of the Discovery Instruction Consultants Staff.”

A call was put to Peterson on one of his two cellphone lines he owns but the phone was not returned.

“The system to solicit bids for a consultant to do an Orem University District feasibility review was not in violation of our buying plan, as it relates to the procurement of specialist providers (see Orem City Code 2-7-6),” stated Steven Downs, deputy city supervisor.

Bejarano submitted a Federal government Documents Access and Administration Act request to the metropolis asking for the names of those on the vetting committee. The response was, “Jesse L. Riddle is the identify. I vetted and chose the Firm, as directed by the City Council and in compliance with Utah Law. I did not make use of a ‘scoring card.’”

In the Arrangement for Consulting Expert services it notes that the consultant shall get the job done with the Director of the Business office of Legislative Counsel — Riddle.

From the GRAMA request, it appears the selection was vetted only by Riddle and no one particular on the council, attorney’s office or city administration had been concerned.

In a letter to Mayor Dave Youthful and the City Council, Orem resident Cissy Rasmussen notes her worries on the challenge.

“The alternative of Discovery Education Consultants and Dr. Paul McCarty will not fulfill your goals of impartial and independent. Even though I feel that facts are facts no matter of who shares them, in this scenario, the conflicts of fascination are so powerful that this examine can’t be taken very seriously. To be blunt, it will reflect poorly on you. It will destruction general public belief that you genuinely want a trusted, impartial analyze,” Rasmussen reported.

Rasmussen then sets forth her challenges with the contractor noting that, “many men and women have been sending me methods that they obtain troubling.”

Rasmussen stated that the most “egregious bias” is the truth that McCarty sales opportunities a team that wishes to break up the Canyons District to make a Draper district. She provides there is “no evidence that he (McCarty) has any working experience with undertaking this style of study.”

Draper’s Metropolis Council has no fascination in splitting with the Canyons District at this time and is not intrigued in the idea.

Orem would be a person of the initial contracts for the newly produced Discovery Education Consultants, if not the first.

Rasmussen shared an electronic mail she received from Draper resident Chad Iverson that says, “Paul McCarty is not an pro. He has under no circumstances performed a feasibility review in his lifetime. He doesn’t have the money expertise desired to perform this examine. He sat in my residing area in January and explained to me he felt it was his ‘calling’ to generate a secession from Canyons University District. … If you are looking for an impartial, third bash, to assess whether or not Orem really should secede from the ASD (Alpine School District), it definitely is not him.”

“Although this is 1 person’s belief, I uncover it worthwhile mainly because it displays once again that Dr. McCarty is deeply concerned in splitting university districts,” Rasmussen added. She requested the town, “Please redo the RFP approach and decide on a additional competent, less biased contractor. That will give all of us the greatest benefits for generating selections.”

Rasmussen shared information on two Facebook internet pages, Town of Orem Governing administration and Much more4Orem. Feedback, likes and shares were prolific with a variety of responses talking about the need for the review, expressing a drive to split from ASD, questioning the vendor’s selecting system and extra.

It seems for the moment that, pursuing a feasibility research, people have the prospect to communicate out on the examine and perhaps will have a opportunity to vote on it this November.

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Best Online Courses Of 2022: 5 Free Online Learning Platforms – Blog

Best Online Courses Of 2022: 5 Free Online Learning Platforms – Blog

Best Online Courses Of 2022: 5 Free Online Learning Platforms

Learning has changed rapidly over the last few years because of the internet and advanced technology. Today, you can take online lessons away from the traditional classroom. As a result, many people take advantage of this technology to advance their education.

In other words, you can take online classes from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection. However, some people don’t recognize the quality of education offered through the internet. According to Babson Research Group, only 30{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of students in the US take online classes.

You can register for online classes regardless of your age. More so, this new learning method lets you understand complex subjects. Besides, learning online allows you to influence other people’s lives. While in remote locations, you get knowledge faster. Moreover, you don’t need a top universities’ degree or certification to share your knowledge. Also, you can attend a traditional class while taking an online course. All you need is to plan your schedule well. We also selected learning institutions that offer quality online courses for our review.

We chose colleges that offer competitive online training programs. They had to have the required technological infrastructure to provide online classes. The majority, if not all, of distance learning, uses computer-based applications. We chose the five as our top picks based on the quality of their online courses. Let’s find out how these institutions deliver their information through online automation systems.

5 Best Sites For Free & Cheap Online Courses : 

  1. Oxford Language Club – Best Online Courses For Career-Focused Certificates
  2. Grinfer B.V – Smart Teaching Solutions Provider For Mastering Skills
  3. Rosetta Stone Language Courses – Popular Online Learning Services In Multiple Languages
  4. Udemy Typing Course – Trusted Educational Website With Accredited Online Degree Program
  5. Gordon Ramsey – Affordable E-Learning Site To Learn Best Degree Courses

Here are the detailed reviews of our top picks:

#1. Oxford Language Club – Best Online Courses For Career-Focused Certificates

 

From spoken English to comprehension, you can expand your command of the English language by taking online lessons. Oxford Language Club offers the best online training methods to help you build confidence in your spoken and written English. The essence of learning English is that many people speak it while transacting business, and it is also the language spoken throughout international business gatherings. It’s easier to grow your business network and learn new skills if you can speak English well.

The Oxford Club relies on adult learning experts, program developers, and brilliant language professors to provide the best online English tutorials. The college has in-house language technology specialists at ONIT. The team has since developed advanced learning interfaces to help non-native speakers learn to write and speak English like a native. Using multimedia resources such as streaming sound and video, the technology allows you to read the minds of native speakers and their speech patterns. Learners become programmed into becoming expert English speakers.

Highlights

Cost: IIt can be a costly luxury if you travel abroad to study a foreign language. Learning English on the internet is not only enjoyable but also inexpensive, as it eliminates the cost of travel and lodging. You have the freedom to choose your preferred institution, and you can incorporate your busy life with coursework schedules.

Create Your Schedule: The online environment is different from trying to fit everything within the traditional 9–5 hour period. The Oxford Language Club lets you organize your English coursework and timetable around your lifestyle. It means you can still learn English online while attending to your commitments. Sometimes we fall sick or get slowed down due to work pressure. Online classes let you take a break to deal with important things and then start back up later with no missed lessons.

Choose What You’d Like to Work On: The Oxford Language Club lets you choose what you want to study. Unlike the traditional method that follows a syllabus, online lessons give you the freedom to select the specific topic you wish to explore. So it’s up to you to choose the relevant subject to study at the right time for you. And if you want to make an English presentation but are nervous about it, the Oxford Language Club has ready tools. You only need to complete the presentation skills module on the website. And you are done.

Decide How Much You Do: While learning English online, the Language Club supports your learning pace according to your needs. That is to say, you control your rate, not your tutor. No one pushes you to keep up with everyone else, yet you lose nothing by moving at your speed. Again, you may choose to move faster through the coursework that you’ve understood well. Therefore, you do not fall behind or have to wait for other learners to catch up.

Benefit from Updated Content: Technology lets you move faster because you receive updates continuously. Because content on the internet gets updated constantly, you can access content through streaming videos, podcasts, audio, etc. With so much content available for free, you may get confused when choosing your online provider. Oxford Language Club is accredited to provide English lessons via the internet, so you can have peace of mind. Furthermore, their certificate programs are recognized much like in traditional on-campus learning.

Pros

  • An affordable option
  • You can enroll immediately
  • Fits your way of life
  • Study at your own pace
  • Abundant study materials
  • Interactive learning
  • Career Oriented Sessions on data science, computer science, web development & other programming languages

Cons

  • Isolation poses a risk
  • Isolation may lead to procrastination
  • Available to learners with internet connectivity

=> Click here to visit the official website of Oxford

#2. Grinfer B.V – Smart Teaching Solutions Provider For Mastering Skills

 

Grinfer B.V. provides teaching for teams such as employees and adult students. It sells coursework content on different subjects, including consulting and mentoring. The college offers personalized programs meant to promote the talent growth of individual members of a team. Courses are customized for groups and individuals to acquire creative skills through personalized learning. In addition, you can access their course materials using your personal computer or phone. Grinfer B.V. is accredited to provide over 1,200 online courses. You can access their online streaming webinars and workshops conducted by professional instructors. Furthermore, they add new content all the time, so teams or employees stay up to date with new technology.

Employers who train their workforce are likely to retain them for a long time. According to a recent survey, 87{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of adults were happy when their employers helped them learn about teamwork.

Online coursework material offered by Grinfer B.V. allows employers to build the best talent in their workplace. And this means being ahead in a fast-changing industry, thereby gaining a competitive advantage.

Highlights

Expertise & Experience: Grinfer B.V. is an online course developer; it has qualified professionals that develop online courses. Grinder has a defined strategy for creating online course material based on the knowledge and expertise of a knowledgeable team in different fields. These include a thorough implementation plan, evaluation criteria, systematic updating of content, and more. Such elaborate experience in the development of online courses means Grinfer understands the specific needs of your learners. So, having that previous experience, Grinfer offers appropriate learning solutions to online learners.

Quality of the Course: Grinfer evaluates the professional credentials of its online course designers, who must be subject matter experts. In addition, the institution ensures the system is interactive and engaging. Tests, tasks, and certificates are given out at the end of each course to make learning more effective for adults.

Recommendations: This college also updates its services using reviews from previous content users. Feedback from previous students allows Grinfer to introduce relevant changes and updates to their coursework.

Sample Courses: As an accredited web-based content developer, Grinfer also provides sample projects at no extra cost. The samples let you understand their teaching style, so you know if it matches your custom requirements. Grinder allows you to share past examples of various case studies. You can evaluate their approach based on these samples and their previous solutions.

Courses & Software for Learning Management: This institution also uses learning and management software tools to better understand the learner’s needs. And because online learning requires extensive planning, Grinder follows an organized system for content development. Whereas there is no single template to follow, the institution uses a systematic progression. Furthermore, this vendor uses flexible, adaptable resources to align with the learner’s requirements.

Pros

  • Affordable course material
  • Organized coursework
  • Qualified tutors
  • Updated content
  • A variety of course subjects

Cons

  • Inaccessible to low-income neighborhoods
  • Not available without an internet connection

=> Click here to visit the official website of Grinfer

#3. Rosetta Stone Language Courses – Popular Online Learning Services In Multiple Languages

Rosetta not only offers online courses in English but also in a variety of languages. The institution teaches Dutch, Spanish, Greek, French, German, Italian, and more. Whether you are studying a language in order to explore foreign cultures or work abroad, Rosetta Stone will help you. It offers language lessons that are designed to help you work and communicate fluently in foreign countries. These online language courses provide an excellent way for students to pass their AP or TOEFL exams. In addition, Rosetta customized these lessons to let you improve your writing skills.

You can get started at Rosetta Stone with self-paced lessons in Spanish. For instance, the first coursework module takes seven weeks. While at this stage, you learn basic verb conjugation and conversation skills. You also get to practice speaking and writing common phrases, as well as an introduction to Spanish culture. Move on to the second stage, which is also self-paced and leads you to acquire more vocabulary. Once you get past the first stage, you’ll have established a strong foundation, readying you for the next class. This learning procedure is replicated for the other languages as well.

Highlights

Comprehensive Learning Environment: Rosetta’s language app is reliable, having been in use for some time now. Once you learn to use the app, you get hooked on it due to its comprehensive features. So, if you want to learn a language from the beginning to the end, Rosetta is your best bet.

Image to Text Lessons: Whatever language you choose to learn, Rosetta Stone does not use “gimmick” learning methods. That is to say, they use images to emphasize an explanation. It’s you, the learner, who speaks to the image to bring it “to life” in a technique known as “Dynamic Immersion.” This technique lets you know how to speak the language in real-life situations.

Competition: Having been around for some time, Rosetta Stone is confident in using tools that work best. Once you choose Rosetta, be prepared to memorize verbs and nouns that will combine to create meaningful phrases. Rosetta also believes in the old-school “repeat-and-memorize” methods that are familiar to most of us.

Lesson Plans: Rosetta has been developing languages for the past 25 years. This is a lot of time for them to refine their learning methods. Rosetta doesn’t use lots of language aids; instead, they help you learn to speak naturally.

Pros

  • Tested and structured lesson format
  • Lessons taught by native speakers
  • Convenient learning for beginners
  • Immersive interface
  • Bonus give-away: “live” classes by professional tutors

Cons

  • Slightly expensive
  • Lacking translations

#4. Udemy Typing Course – Trusted Educational Website With Accredited Online Degree Program

You can do almost anything these days using a computer. So, you need to learn good typing skills. Udemy’s online typing classes provide a sure-fire way to learn to type. With Udymy’s app, you’ll find typing lessons ranging from beginner to advanced level. Besides, the app comes with lesson plans for families and groups. To fast-track your typing speed, the app comes with fun games designed to aid your typing effort. In other words, Udemy takes into account all types of learners to help you fit into their lesson plan.

Furthermore, you learn faster and improve your typing skills using their software’s fun games. You can also choose to start your typing in small intervals or extend your learning duration as you like. Udemy emphasizes that you practice every day, though you decide your pace. Udemy’s typing lessons are for students of all levels, and they also have packages for older learners. Their app allows you to create online accounts so you can download text and video content. You can save your downloads and use them for practice later. Of course, you may use your phone or PC to download this content.

Highlights

Different Learning Styles: Udemy uses available typing tools to help the learner progress. The strategy is to provide learners with equal opportunities to study and succeed. While some learners prefer video content, others like using different methods. This is why Udemy offers relevant tools for all learners. Besides, their typing lessons allow tutors to give live online lectures.

Study from any Location: You do not need to be in a particular place to take part in online typing classes. Internet technology makes online learning accessible and exciting. Udemy also has one-on-one video conferencing with the students. Typing lessons are self-paced, so you can progress at your convenience.

Choose When to Start: The excellent news about Udemy’s online typing classes is that you can start today. You don’t have to wait till the beginning of a semester like in traditional classes.

Student-teacher Interaction: Udemy bridges interaction between learners and teachers through interactive apps. Teachers and students access resources and share them. This enables learners to exchange comments about their typing challenges. Such is Udemy’s learning environment, with a unique student-centered classroom.

Pros

  • Less costly
  • Eliminates the need to commute
  • You become tech-savvy
  • Self-paced learning
  • Some free online courses accessible on taking a pack of courses

Cons

  • It’s easy to lose your focus
  • Internet connection bundles are required

#5. Gordon Ramsey Cooking Classes – Affordable E-Learning Site To Learn Best Degree Courses

Our choices for the food we eat have become more important than ever before. Nutritious foods help provide energy for our bodies. To reach our full potential, our bodies need fuel in the form of nutritious foods. In order for us to separate fiction from facts, we looked at several online cooking classes. Gordon Ramsey, as we found, provided the best online cooking classes. Learning from this course empowers you to deepen your expertise in food and nutrition. You not only learn culinary skills but more cooking techniques.

Gordon Ramsey’s course is the best starting point for you to launch your future catering services. Furthermore, you may end up becoming a fitness professional in the future. In their online lessons, Ramsey talks about how to eat healthily.

Today, Gordon Ramsey is the leading online cookery school with expert nutritionists. Besides, they back up their theory lessons with practical tuition via the Ramsey app. Students go through the learning period guided by an expert nutritionist and a chef. Gordon Ramsey releases weekly step-by-step video-based sessions to help you understand the theory.

Highlights

Student Support: Online learners need support to succeed just like their on-campus counterparts. Gordon Ramsey values their students, offering them personalized support services. Technical support also allows the learner to use the technology effectively. Ramsey also has student-oriented tools to help them succeed. Similarly, this school offers career and nutritional content that’s structured to help adult learners.

Dialog: Within a virtual discussion setup, students may review comments made by other learners before they give their responses. Ramsey also established structures that allow students time to prepare their responses. This method enables students to articulate their thoughts in great depth. So it means the learner doesn’t have to analyze comments on the spot as in traditional face-to-face discussion. With this kind of set-up, students have high-quality discussions about different aspects of cooking.

Expanded Network: Your ability to interact with teachers and learners from all regions of the world is a significant advantage. After completing your course, this interaction doesn’t end, meaning you have a more comprehensive contact network. While studying online, you may even meet your future employer or business partner. Connecting with other students on social media sites like LinkedIn helps you get more chances.

Creative Learning: An interactive learning environment is essential in an online classroom because it promotes creative thinking and self-direction. Many nutritional tutors apply interactive lessons in traditional classrooms, but Gordon Ramsey’s lesson plans provide broader facilitation. Virtual classrooms provide innovative approaches, allowing learners to be more creative rather than memorizing content. Learners and educators collaborate, creating a dynamic learning environment.

Pros

  • Self-paced
  • Study from home
  • Can begin learning immediately

Cons

  • A little pricey
  • No variety of courses

How We Made The List Of Free Online Course & Online Class Sites: 

We came up with our list of the best providers of online courses. Of course, considering how they approach the new learning system. So, with these factors in mind, we came up with this list.

After evaluating many online course providers, we dropped many of them. We found many online colleges lacking the capacity to offer effective online teaching. So, after sifting through many distance learning providers, we narrowed it down to the five on our list. These five had their automation systems routed using many computers. They also had strong linkage via secure internet servers.

Some environments may prevent the successful implementation of distance learning programs. Faculty members who are uncomfortable with change may slow down the process. So again, we had to interview the teaching staff to check their feelings about the new online courses. Other than positive responses, we liked their video and voice streaming management. The combination of channels (Skype, Zoom, YouTube) and video conferencing impressed us the most. For instance, the Oxford Language Club provided online streaming visuals over a wide bandwidth. Meaning, content reaches the students in real-time without intermittent breaks in traffic because they have servers only dedicated to online learning programs. So, regardless of where you are, you will receive streaming content and keep pace with others.

Many times, institutions rush to put in place online training courses. Of many of these, only those on our list had qualified curriculum professionals. An online curriculum should promote dialogue among learners using written communication. The above schools have successful participation and group interaction programs. These institutions have transformed their lesson plans to align with the industry’s demands.

What We Looked For

While evaluating these online course providers, we considered the following key factors:

  • Location: The advantage of taking online courses is access to quality online education. This is possible so long as you can connect to the internet. in the world. Additionally, online learning allows interaction between teachers and challenged students. The virtual classroom accommodates both non-disabled and challenged students in one class.
  • Time and Pace: Students should access online classes at any time within 24 hours. A learner wanting to use their time over the weekend should access the coursework. Online conferencing platforms let you plan your work schedule. Balancing between studies and other commitments is yet another advantage. Institutions on our list provide access to continuous lectures, including revising notes online.
  • Student-centered: Institutions offering online courses provide course books. Other than learning supplemental materials, students take part in an online discussion. Students often respond to topics that address their concerns. In this way, learners have control over their learning experience.
  • Equal Opportunities: Students in an online class enjoy a certain level of anonymity. This ends discrimination based on physical or other disabilities. Thus, the learner focuses attention on the subject at hand.
  • Access to Resources: Online course providers on our list have student exchange programs. Therefore, guest experts may provide lectures to a broader online student audience. They can refer learners to an online resource with links to relevant coursework. Learners would thus be able to access topics faster for their research.

Factors to Consider When Choosing The Online Learning Sites: 

Decide if you want to learn a particular skill or language. For instance, learning English for academic communication is different from studying English as a skill for business. Secondly, if you are not a native English speaker, you may focus on grammar or comprehension. You can, therefore, acquire more knowledge about the subject, gain an overall understanding, and use it as a skill. The best online learning programmes consider all aspects of the subject to enable the learner to acquire a complete understanding. If the subject is English, factors to consider would include grammar, vocabulary, listening comprehension, spelling, punctuation, and more.

  • Demand for Excellent Time-Management Skills

Learning online may allow you to study according to your lifestyle. But, you won’t succeed if you spend less time studying than the program requires. If people distract you or if you have the habit of doing your work at the last minute, learning online is not for you. Studying online is as challenging as traditional learning, regardless of your flexibility. Furthermore, you need strict time-management habits to enjoy the benefits of online classes.

  • Real Professors Teach Online Classes

As long as you take your online classes from an accredited service provider, a real professor will give you lectures. You might not meet them physically, but they will provide you with lesson plans like in regular classes. These teachers may even tutor on-campus lessons too. You’ll only interact with these teachers through discussion boards, online lectures, lessons, and other online learning platform.

You stand to gain a lot by enrolling in online courses. One significant benefit is that you have control over your learning speed. Online learning differs from traditional learning, where you can be slowed down or forced to speed up by your teacher. Again, you can take more time to concentrate on topics that you find difficult. Both the Oxford Language Club and Grinder B.V. help learners master their subjects without difficulty. While the Oxford Language Club allows learners to dedicate more time to areas where they need assistance, Grinfer provides relevant coursework. Fortunately, tutors at these online schools keep an eye on your progress and help you when you need it.

Oxford Language Club and Grinder B.V. offer trainer-led video lessons. These are self-paced lessons that focus on targeted learning, and this approach motivates the learners while making steady and measurable progress.

  • Expanding Career Opportunities

Do you want to expand your career opportunities? Learning to read, speak, and write English is an excellent idea, and you can acquire these skills by taking online English courses.

The colleges discussed above can also help you spice up your resume upon completing your online courses. Searching for a job can be time-consuming, yet you may not have the time to learn different skills at the college near you. It means you can update your resume, adding new skills immediately after you qualify. To improve your resume further, these colleges assist you by focusing on a specific skill set, thus preparing you to be competitive.

Another advantage of taking online courses at the above institutions is accessing industry experts with different skills. That is, you can decide to be guided by someone you respect. Of course, being taught by an expert inspires you to become successful in the future. You even gain first-hand knowledge to improve your skills faster than in a conventional classroom.

  • Greater Ability to Concentrate

As earlier mentioned, you can study online courses from whichever environment you choose. Again, you may revise your coursework when you are in the right mood. The colleges listed above don’t force you to watch to video lectures if you are not in the right state of mind.

FAQs About Online Educational Websites:

  1. Is the program accredited?

All five providers of online learning are accredited institutions. Whether the college is physically in a particular region or online, it must comply with various requirements. Accreditation of online course providers is not enough, so you should find out if you are eligible for federal funds. If you are a prospective online student looking for federal funds, find out your eligibility through the Department of Education.

  1. What is the provider’s reputation?

As a learner, you should check the credibility of any learning institution. Of course, those offering online courses or developingcertificate course content are no exception. Thankfully, these colleges are recognized providers. Part of this recognition is about the student’s employment prospects. Plus, their programs thrive as a result of specific market demands. These institutions also provide other successful programs that are an excellent indicator of their credibility.

  1. What is the program’s retention rate?

If many students don’t complete an online program, that could indicate a weakness in the trainer. It may signal a problem with aspects of the program such as engagement, delivery, or quality. However, the above colleges have customized their curriculum to align with their personalized needs.

  1. How long does it take to graduate?

To succeed through online courses, you should consider the program’s duration to graduate. Typically, online courses should take a shorter time to graduate, unlike semester-based calendars. It is good to request records of previous post-graduate students who succeeded in job placement. You will also get insights into the types of organizations that employ students who have completed these programs. Additionally, such data lets you know the competitiveness of the program.

  1. Are online courses cheap?

Although costs for online courses are relatively low, it is good to compare fees charged by different program providers. Costly online courses don’t translate into guaranteed employment outcomes. Again, not all affordable programs are low quality.

  1. How effective is the technology used?

Another aspect you should consider is the kind of technology used by the institution. The above institutions base their online learning on dynamic enhancement tools. For instance, the Oxford Language Club offers real-time engagement with faculty and staff, making collaboration easy for the learning experience.

  1. Are online courses graded as residential programs?

Take your time to explore program descriptions, and compare them with traditional course listings. Thankfully, the above top institutions offer online-based coursework designed for active participation. For instance, online labs allow learners to test and apply their knowledge while studying. Collaborative projects and forums let you build, connect, and share knowledge widely. You get to use the hands-on aspect of the program to address typical real-world situations.

Concluding – What Are The Free Online Courses For Learnings?

There is nothing wrong with conventional learning. Feel free to pursue your graduate level or degree if you desire. However, with many reputable providers of online courses, it means you have endless options for learning. Instead of looking for loans for unemployed, lok for this alternative way of learning. The ability to widen your scope of opportunities is a significant advantage. Again, the diversity of massive open online courses and the flexibility to learn at your own pace are additional advantages you get by studying online. Online learning removes cultural barriers that may stop you from studying. Finally, with online learning, you can go after a job that interests you without fear of being fired.