Two focuses of my blog are General Education and Technology. The year of 2020 forced technology to the forefront in terms of education. In all likelihood, this trend is going to continue. The following sponsored post is entitled, What Is The Future Of Education?
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Advancements in technology and science are rapidly increasing. The speed at which these advancements are being made means that it may be difficult for the workforce to keep up. Compounded by this is the fact that there is a wealth of information at our fingertips. Knowledge and skills are becoming much more accessible at an unforeseen scale. What does all this mean for the future of education? There is no doubt that the internet and technology are changing the scope of education, and understanding what that means for yourself and society as a whole plays a critical role in how you think about curating a positive and progressive future.
The Inclusion of Technology
As with most industries in present day society, education and technology have already started integrating. This conversation has become especially pertinent after the coronavirus pandemic quarantined millions of students around the world. The inclusion of technology is critical for education, and building an infrastructure that maintains quality education at home is no easy task. Students and educators are becoming more aware of the pitfalls of educating online. Armed with this knowledge, now is the perfect time to integrate educational design projects that can ease the transition back to school and provide valuable feedback on the ways in which technology for educational purposes and the infrastructure used to maintain it, can be improved.
A Shift In Teaching Styles
As more people study education, it becomes glaringly obvious that the way people learn can vary widely. Understanding and catering towards different learning styles has been the focus of educators for years. As technology improves and becomes more deeply integrated into our daily lives, there is a chance that much wider variability between education and learning styles can be catered to. Structuring classrooms in a way that students work at their own pace and with educational materials that focus on variable skills is becoming more and more accessible, and will likely shift the way information is dispersed and learned.
Three focuses of my blog are Art, Career Discussions and General Education. If you’re passionate about music, there is the potential to transform your hobby into a career. Many people have dreamt of making the jump but didn’t know how. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Make Music More Than A Hobby.
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If you’re someone who has always been passionate about music and loves to play a range of instruments and sing, then you might be wondering how you can make your love of music into more than just a hobby and build a career out of it. The important thing is not to just sit around and wait for your music career to happen if you are serious about making a success out of your passion for music, then you need to make sure that you are actively taking steps to build your career in music.
Wondering what steps you can take to do that and to move your music career forward? Below are a few tips and suggestions to have a read of and take note of!
If you’re going to ensure that you give yourself the very best chance of building a successful music career, then it’s a good idea to take the time to hone your skills and improve in any areas that you are struggling with. Wondering how you can do that? Simple steps like taking a few more lessons, for instance, can help to make the process of honing your skills a little easier. You could also opt to learn more complex music by looking at music such as river flows in you sheet music, for instance. The more complex the music, the more you can hone your skills.
Start a YouTube channel
When it comes to getting noticed, it’s a good idea to consider starting a YouTube channel to help raise awareness of your music and sound. If you want to give yourself the very best chance of making an impact, it’s important that you think about how you can get yourself, and your music noticed. Starting a YouTube channel and building a following around that channel is a good step to take, and one that it’s worth considering. Setting up a YouTube channel is far easier than you might think, it’s just a case of knowing what steps to take, that’s all. Once you’ve got to grips with the process, it becomes far simpler and easier.
If YouTube isn’t your thing, then try TikTok or Instagram; even Facebook can be beneficial. Just ask Joey Armstrong, whose band released their first set of songs on MySpace!
Take every opportunity
To give your music career the very best chance of success, it’s important that you take hold of every opportunity that comes your way. This means that it’s important that you don’t turn down any opportunities that come your way, whether that’s playing at a friend’s wedding or taking part in a local concert, make sure to grab every opportunity with both hands. After all, when it comes to seeing success, building awareness is crucial and taking advantage of these kinds of opportunities can help you to do that. That’s why it’s important to take as many opportunities as you are offered.
There you have it, everything that you need to know about making music more than just a hobby. Hopefully, the guide above will help you to grow your love of music into more than just a fun pastime, and make it into a career.
A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions. Covid-19 has brought about a lot of unexpected changes, but there are careers that aren’t going away and in some instances are making a comeback. The following contributed post is entitled, Old-Fashioned Careers That Are Making a Comeback.
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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “old-fashioned” jobs? Maybe you’re envisioning a blacksmith, a shoe shiner, or someone who mends clothing. Well, those particular jobs might not be seeing a surge in popularity any time soon.
But, there are some timeless careers that are making a comeback. Many of these jobs became less popular as industries grew and people demanded faster services. Corporate chains began to take over and suffocate the small businesses that took pride in their work.
Now, though, people are experiencing a renewed sense of simplicity. In these uncertain times, consumers want to feel cared for again, by someone who knows what they’re doing. Whether you’re looking for a new job in light of COVID-19 or you just want to make a change in your career path, let’s look at some old-fashioned careers that are becoming popular once more.
Do you have a passion for cutting hair? Have you ever been told you have the skills for it, too? If so, you might consider becoming a barber. While chain salons are still popular throughout the world, there is nothing like sitting down with a barber or personal hairstylist and getting special, individualized treatment.
Barbers are known for taking extra time and care to do their job right. It’s not just about cutting hair. It’s about having a good conversation, shaving with care, and getting your client’s style just right. People want to feel pampered and taken care of, so there’s no question as to why the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that the job growth for barbers will increase by 10% over the next 14 years.
Locksmith
While locksmiths have never gone away, they aren’t often thought of when it comes to “modern” careers. In fact, you might be wondering why a locksmith is needed in this world of smart homes and digital door locks on commercial buildings.
Today, however, locksmiths do much more than just unlock doors. Many work long, successful careers in security, and some even specialize in electronic locks, especially for businesses. In this world where everyone is trying to stay safe and secure, locksmiths can help.
Carpenter
Working with wood has long been considered an art form. If it’s something you love to do, you can find success in a career as a carpenter.
This is another job that has never really “gone” anywhere. But, it’s becoming popular again as home construction is on the rise. People don’t want subpar carpentry when it comes to their homes or commercial buildings. If you specialize in carpentry and advertise yourself that way, you may be more likely to get hired as an independent contractor or by a construction company. Carpenters who take pride in their work are always going to stand out and be selected for job after job.
Of course, these are just a few examples of jobs that have stood the test of time. From farmers and leatherworkers to tailors and brewers, there are plenty of additional old-fashioned jobs that are making a comeback. People are ready for a slower pace, and some of these jobs can help to make that happen while you enjoy a fulfilling career.
Two key focuses of my blog are Art and General Education. Academics generate a unique pressure for students. As such it’s important to understand how to decompress and detach from those pressures. Music is one avenue for that. The following guest post is entitled, 3 Reasons Students Suffering from Academic Pressure Should Listen to Music.
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The psychology of music aims to understand how songs affect the human brain. It’s undeniable that music impacts listeners’ emotions and can prompt physiological responses like increased heartbeat and blood pressure. These phenomena urged scientists and psychologists to dig deep, and their discoveries are worth every student’s attention.
Most of the experiences linked to music are positive due to its ability to induce dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter linked with reward. This would explain why you turn to music when you’re happy or in need of some stress reliever. A part of you already knows that it’s beneficial to your health. Still, the more you understand why, the better you’ll utilize it in alleviating the academic pressure on your shoulders.
Regulates Mood
There are so many ways to ‘escape’ stressful situations, but none as accessible and cheap as music. Research shows that music regulates emotions, which may help you cope when you’re overwhelmed by the amount of study material on your desk.
Specific melodies and beats can also help disengage from events like deaths and breakups, and some promote focus when studying for an exam. Above all, music can help you embrace difficult experiences to articulate to others, giving you the mental and emotional space to process them.
The same applies even if you’re the one creating the music. The benefits amplify, though, because playing an instrument comes with its own set of advantages to one’s cognitive abilities. You’ll realize this if you sign up for violin lessons as an extra-curricular activity. Different musical scores invoke different experiences, but all of them work to regulate your mood.
Improves Your Memory
Stress makes it difficult for the brain to process new information, more so to store it in the hippocampus, which is responsible for long-term memory. For the brain to work more efficiently, it has to enter a state of calm. This is where music proves essential.
Scientists discovered that music aids in putting people in a state of meditation. The subsequent relaxation you enjoy enables your brain to resume its proper functions. This is the science behind video game songs, which is among the top recommended music for those who intend to be more productive in their tasks. These songs were designed to aid your focus or put you in a trance-like state. Because you’re more attuned to the sound than to your stressors, you’ll be able to absorb all your review materials and possibly ace tomorrow’s exam.
Boosts Cognitive Performance
The benefits of music on cognitive performance can vary depending on your personality type. Some find listening to music while studying or writing an essay distracting, while others consider it an essential part of their routine. Researches argue that the songs that boost cognitive performance are those that are less stimulative and more sedative.
Using video game music again as an example, you’ll notice that lyrics do not punctuate them because the aim is to let the gamers focus on completing tasks, which engages different cognitive faculties. Lyrics may demand the use of the same cognitive faculties and lead to distraction.
When you’re selecting music to help you study, try the classics. Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin could be the key to increase your productivity.
Take Advantage of Music
Academic pressure can have many detrimental effects on your health. Learning how to cope through music, whether by listening to it or creating it when you play an instrument, is an excellent means for you to ensure that you stay on top of your game at school.
“The higher education landscape is significantly different than what it was years ago. In addition to become more costly, it has also become much more competitive. As such, college prospects must make themselves as competitive as possible. “
A key focus of my blog is General Education. The higher education landscape is significantly different than what it was years ago. In addition to become more costly, it has also become much more competitive. As such, college prospects must make themselves as competitive as possible. The following contributed post is entitled, Landing A Place At The College Of Your Dreams!
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Getting into college may seem like a monumental process when you begin, but a place in the intuition of your dreams is within your grasp. College doesn’t have to be unattainable and your college search is just the beginning to figuring out what the best options are for your study and your future. College is something you can have if you want it and we’ve got you covered for all you need to know. There are even some things you can do, in particular, that will help make the application process easier and more effective, and make landing that place much more likely. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Getting into college may seem like a monumental process when you begin, but a place in the intuition of your dreams is within your grasp. There are even some things you can do, in particular, that will help make the application process easier and more effective, and make landing that place much more likely. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Maintain a high GPA in high school
Yes, that’s right; no one gets into their dream college without maintaining a high GPA throughout all four years of high school. You will find that students that meet these criteria will be among the first that colleges consider.
Of course, this means consistently hard work, although there are some things you can do to help maximize your chances of keeping your grades up. The first is to embrace organization, yes that’s right if you know what classes you need to be at, and what homework is due when you are much more likely to be able to stay on top of things.
Additionally, picking a high school that provides students with a customized learning pathway, tailored to their strengths and needs can make all the difference when it comes to keeping grades high. The good news is that many charter schools now offer the opportunity to follow a customized learning path online. Something that means you can get the optimum K12 school science from the comfort of your very own home, even during the pandemic.
Next, if you want to max out your chances of getting into the college you want, you must make an effort to grasp the ins and outs of the application process.
For example, most students don’t realize that many colleges will take either an SAT or an ACT score. Therefore you can take both tests and then only use the one in which you did the best, thus increasing your chance of being accepted.
Create a brag sheet to help teachers make recommendations for you
Finally, it is essential to remember that teachers and other recommendations can go a long way when it comes to securing a place in your dream college. Unfortunately, educational staff will be asked to complete many recommendations over the application period, which means they might not always have a good handle on what makes you stand out among the best and brightest in your year.
The good news is that you can make it easy for them to remember all your best qualities by creating a brag sheet and distributing this along with your request for a recommendation. The great thing about using this tactic is that you not only will ensure all your personal qualities are covered, but it makes writing a recommendation faster and easier for the staff to which you give it.
Consequently, your recommendation is likely to be more positive, and on time too, because it is less of a chore for the staff member to complete. It’s a win-win for everyone involved and could just tip the scales in your favour and get you a place at your coveted dream college.
Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and General Education. While it’s typically covered in many K-12 education core curricula, some adults still don’t understand the purpose of taxes, how they’re raised and how they’re abused by government officials. It’s a topic that every adult should have knowledge of. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Should Every Adult Learn About Tax Returns.
In my eyes, every adult should learn about tax returns. Ideally, this should begin when you’re a child – or at least when you’re in high school. It sounds like a boring topic, but tax is one of the most important parts of your adult life. Whether you own a business or not, you will pay tax. It is basically how the government gets the money to fund different projects in various communities. As much as people despise paying taxes, it’s a necessity for a successful country.
If you know nothing about tax returns, it’s well worth learning something new. To convince you that this is worthwhile, here’s why every adult should know something about tax returns:
Understand where your money goes
Learning about taxes helps you understand where your money goes. In essence, it teaches you why you have to pay a tax return. For small business owners and the self-employed, tax season is always a bummer. It can feel like you’re parting with hard-earned wages for no reason at all. By learning the ins and outs of taxes, it provides more context to the situation. You may still be irritated by paying your taxes, but at least you understand where the money goes and how it might benefit you in the future.
Pay the right amount
Similarly, gaining knowledge of tax returns allows you to pay the right amount. You will often fall on either side of the spectrum if you don’t know anything about tax returns. Some people pay far too much; others pay too little. If you pay too much, you basically do yourself an injustice as you could’ve held onto some money. Again, suppose you’re self-employed or running a business. In that case, this can be the difference between making a profit and breaking even. Obviously, paying too little is wrong as you can be hit with fines and criminal charges. By understanding tax returns, you will always pay as much as required.
Forge out a new career
Tax returns are an essential part of the world, and loads of people file them. As this entire article suggests, hardly anyone actually understands tax returns. Therefore, your knowledge could help you forge a new career. Take an online course to earn a tax preparer certification, and you can suddenly carry out tax returns for different people and businesses. This service is in demand, meaning you can earn a lot of money. It’s something you can do alongside your current job or as a career in its own right. Don’t just assume that learning about something is good from a personal development standpoint. It can also give you a leg up in life that leads you to more success.
In conclusion, learning about tax returns can be highly beneficial. It’s something all adults should do, and it should form part of an educational program geared towards money management. If I were in charge of education in this country, that would certainly be something I’d push forward. People grow up with pointless knowledge of things they never need in life. Instead, let’s teach people about crucial things like taxes, savings, and so on.
A key focus of my blog is General Education. No matter which sector you’re in, your vocabulary is absolutely critical. It will open and close doors for you, and it will shape people’s view of you. The following contributed post is entitled, What Can You do to Improve Your Vocabulary?
Having a strong vocabulary can put you at an advantage in several ways. It’s not all about sounding clever and confusing people with words that they don’t know. When you have a large vocabulary, you also have the knowledge behind the words. You can talk to people about different topics and understand a range of contexts. A larger vocabulary can also make you a good speaker and a good writer, not just by giving you big words to use but by helping you understand when it’s appropriate to use which words. If you want to expand your vocabulary, take a look at these ideas to do so.
Use a Dictionary and Thesaurus
Having a dictionary and thesaurus on hand can be really handy when you want to improve your vocabulary. You can look up words whenever you want, to find out what they mean or to find synonyms. Of course, it’s now much easier to carry a dictionary and thesaurus everywhere you go. You can have an app on your phone or find a website to use whenever you want to look up a word. And if you’re particularly dedicated to expanding your vocabulary, you can even read a dictionary or thesaurus for fun.
Challenge Yourself
Setting yourself word-related challenges can help you to learn more words. There are lots of different games you can play and ways you can challenge yourself. When you have a phone or tablet, you can take word games with you wherever you go. And if you want to cheat a little, you can also get Wordscapes answers and answers for a range of other mobile games. When you challenge yourself, you can find that you’ll push yourself more to learn new things. Compete with your friends or other people, and you will want to improve so that you can beat them.
You don’t necessarily have to focus on learning words to pick up new vocabulary. You can learn new words by reading, watching and listening to new things. You’re especially likely to learn new words if you explore topics that you’re not familiar with or enjoy things from different eras or countries. When you expand your horizons and open your mind to new things, you’re sure to come across new words to add to your vocabulary. Speak to new people too, and you could pick up new words from them.
Put New Words Into Use
Having a wide vocabulary isn’t much use if you never use it. Putting the words that you learn into use will help to cement them in your vocabulary. Whether you use them when you’re writing or employ them when you’re talking, it will give you the chance to show off what you’ve learned. However, it’s also important to know when to use new words. If it’s something obscure that most people won’t know, you could end up just having to reword what you’re saying so that people understand.
If you want to improve your vocabulary, you can work on it in a number of ways. Your improved vocabulary could even help you to find new opportunities in life.
A key focus of my blog is General Education. For those high school students who are aspiring to go off to college, it can be one of their biggest life decisions. There are a couple of factors to consider when applying to colleges. The following sponsored post is entitled, Applying to Colleges.
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The final year of high school has arrived or you are looking to begin a new career path. There are many steps for you to accomplish before you get your acceptance letter from the college of your choice. Here are a few to consider as you get started.
Look Into Your Grades
Contact your guidance counselor and ask for a copy of your transcript. If you have taken a standardized test, such as the PSAT, ACT, or SAT, find out the scores for those as well. You will need this information as you are looking into the colleges you are interested in. Many of these institutions require that you have a minimum grade point average to enroll. They will also ask for this data when you apply. However, they will only accept it from your high school or the testing corporation.
Evaluate Schools
Determine what you want to do after college and research schools that offer the majors required to accomplish this. If you are considering a position in the medical field, learn more about health degrees offered by these institutions and if they will help you get the job you want in the future. You should thoroughly investigate which college is best for you if you are looking for more traditional degrees as well. Set up a time to tour the campus and speak to an admissions counselor to get more information. However, with the precautions put into place with the Covid-19 virus, this might be done over the phone or by video chat.
Narrow Your Choices
Develop personal criteria along with the course of study that you plan to take to shorten the list of schools you have an interest in. This can include the cost to attend there, the scholarships that they offer, extracurricular activities that they may have, the number of students in the classroom, how far it is from your home, and other options. This should narrow down your selections to a manageable number to send your applications to.
Ask Your Current Instructors For Their Recommendation
When you send in your applications for admission, you will have to send in letters of recommendation from a few of your teachers as well. Consider ones that instruct classes that are similar to the major you plan to take or ones that you have a good rapport with. Ask for a time to meet with the teachers that you have chosen and make your request. You will need to provide an email or physical address to send the letter to. You might want to follow up with either the college or the instructor to ensure that they have been sent.
Write Your Essay
Many colleges and universities require that you submit an essay with your application. This document is normally a few hundred words about yourself. It gives the institution insight into how well you can write and what type of student you are. Start constructing this early in your senior year and ask others to edit it before you send it to the schools that you are interested in.
Two key focuses of my blog are Current Events and General Education. History is a core course in many curricula. It’s not always taken seriously, but it has the ability shape minds and the perceptions of whole populations of people. The following contributed post is entitled, Why History Can Reshape And Politics.
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History itself, written from the stories of towns, people and written into books, helps form new views and changes within communities and within people. We tend to separate history into oral and written. The first usually narrates the actions of invisible men, while the second tends to narrate the clichés of prominent men in order not to be forgotten. The muse of history is considered to be Klio, daughter of Zeus and Memorial. Its name comes from the ancient Greek verb close, which means I narrate or make something known. According to Nietzsche, from the birth of Christ, the zero point of history, history as the truth of human life was detached from its essential character, fell into a linear record of events regardless of the unfolding of life, but also of the future of man. Life began to degenerate, from the moment people stopped associating history with life and vital action. The famous German thinker is by no means against history, on the contrary he argues that historical knowledge is valuable, as long as we know how to use it, so that it serves life and offers outlets to promote its security.
The Mayor of Irvington NJ has learned all too well some incredible political lessons from both history and D. Bilal Beasley who taught him the possibility of change. So why do we learn so much from history and from books when these experiences have not directly affected us ourselves? Well, that is because that we do learn from other people’s mistakes and not always from our own, because of the effect it may have on us indirectly. This is seen throughout black history.
Philosophers argue that humans, unlike prehistoric animals, can not learn to forget, since their past experiences follow them every step of the way and often act as an obstacle to their subsequent evolution. To define the limits within which the oblivion of the past occurs, we must avoid making history the undertaker of the present, we must know exactly how great is the plastic power of an individual or a people, a power that helps him to transformed by incorporating the past and the foreign, replacing the lost, and reshaping from within the broken forms. In this way, the ahistorical and the historical are considered equally necessary for the “hygiene of life” of an individual, a people and a culture.
Undoubtedly, our age is superior in terms of knowledge of the past. Psychoanalysis itself has highlighted both individually and collectively the need to study the past, as it provides us with a measure of the speed and dynamics of our own movement. In the psychoanalytic process the subject is historicized, he writes his own history, he subscribes to the present conversing with his past in view of the future. If we think about it, culture is nothing more than transforming involuntary and instinctive action into possibility, after all. So yes we do learn from our history books, our choices and those around us, but the more we read, the more we immerse ourselves into possible change.
Two of the focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and General Education. In important part of the education sector is Special Education. There will always be a need for Special Education teachers and their valuable skills. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Gain A Career In Special Education Teaching.
Special education teachers play an essential role in the education system. They help and support children with a wide variety of different mental and physical needs to ensure that they get the maximum benefit from their education.
Special education teachers support children with differing needs including dyslexia, hearing and visual impairments, autism, and emotional disturbance. It can be a very challenging role, however, if you are interested in this career, it can also be very rewarding in many respects.
This type of teacher can often be found in the classroom supporting children on a one-to-one basis, however, they may sometimes teach whole classes.
In this article, we’ll discuss the role of a special education teacher and how you can get a career in this area.
What Skills Are Required
First and foremost, when looking for a career as a special educator you will need to demonstrate excellent communication skills. This is so that educators are able to interact effectively with students, parents, and other educators. Being able to communicate with students with very specific needs is essential. That means that they must be patient listeners who are able to get the message across as required.
In addition to communication skills, you will also need good IT skills and the ability to keep accurate records of each and every student’s progress. Technology will also come into play when it comes to helping students access the technology required within their education as well as any study support aids that they may need.
You will need to have a good understanding of the specific special needs of the students that you are teaching. Knowing specifically how to communicate in a positive way can be learned, but having the patience to deliver education in this way takes the right personal skills.
For teachers working with hearing impaired, they will need to know how to communicate using sign language.
Above all else, special education teachers need to have a positive and encouraging demeanor. They need to be creative thinkers with flexibility and the ability to motivate and inspire all of their students while helping build confidence and encourage learning. They also need to be resilient. There may be times when teaching special needs students can be challenging.
What Training Will Be Required
The type of qualifications will vary depending on where you are applying to become a special education teacher. In the United States, special educators are required to hold a license in addition to their qualifications.
You will need to at least have a bachelor’s level degree in special education in order to be considered for licensing. You may need a master’s degree in some areas.
In addition to a degree, you may need a qualification such as Dyslexia Professional Development and Dyslexia Training or other specific additional courses relating to a certain aspect of special needs education. This might be additional training delivering education to visually impaired students, or managing and teaching students with behavioral issues.
Because there are always developments in this field, training is often ongoing and you may be encouraged to keep engaging in your personal and professional development throughout your career. This may mean regular training days, or it could mean taking a part-time course alongside your work.
What Are The Alternative Career Options?
If the classroom setting is not for you, there are other options for helping others while making use of the skills and qualifications that you might have gained for working in the special education sector.
Because the special educator role can be very mentally and physically demanding, it is not uncommon for people to change lanes in their careers as they progress so that they can continue putting their hard-earned skills to good use in a different setting.
The types of jobs that are available with this skillset might include management level roles in special educational needs schools, recreational therapists, or occupational therapist.
A recreational therapist will have obtained a degree in recreational therapy or something very similar. This type of therapist will work with people who have cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities. As part of their job roles, they will assess those that they work with and create and implement training plans and programs. They may use activities such as art, music, sport, and theater in beneficial and therapeutic ways.
An occupational therapist will have obtained a master’s level qualification in a related subject. Occupational therapists will treat those who are disabled or injured through the use of various different types of therapy.
