Q: In order to stay true to your beliefs and values, you need to know what they are. Write a list of the values and things that are most important to you. Refer to that list whenever you're feeling uncertain about how you feel about things. Some common values are authenticity (being as genuine a person as you can), faith, kindness, justice, love, and respect. Learning to think for yourself isn’t going to have much of an impact if you don’t act on those thoughts. Once you’ve had time to think about things, make a decision about how you’ll act, and stick to it.  For example, if you’re trying to decide who to vote for, research to see how the candidates live up to your values. If you believe in authenticity, kindness, and respect, but one of the candidates goes against all that, he's probably not someone you want to vote for! When you are setting goals for yourself, make sure that your goals match up with your values. If you’re asking a friend questions about a certain issue, or if you’re asking them for evidence to support their point of view, they might try to pressure you into seeing things their way. Resist giving in to that peer pressure – especially if you have a lot of friends saying the same thing. Sometimes it’s best to just not respond, because the more you do, the more others might try to convince you of their point of view.  For example, if your friend says that vaccines are bad, you should ask them to support their claims. If they refuse, don't listen to them and do your own research. It's okay to respectfully disagree with people. For example, after stating your opinion, you could say: "You're entitled to your opinion and I appreciate you respecting mine.” If you’re making a decision or discussing something, and you just feel like something’s not right, listen to yourself! You often know what’s best for you and your life, as well as how you actually feel deep down about certain things. Don’t discount that little voice. Listen to it more often and it could help you to think for yourself.  For example, when choosing between two job offers, you might be pressured to take the higher-paying one, but your instincts might tell you to take the job where you'll be happier. Pick your battles as well. If you feel that the person you're talking to won't respond well to your opinion, you might want to keep your opinion to yourself.
A: Write down your values. Act according to your values. Resist peer pressure. Trust your instincts.

Q: If you are reading over a pre-shot video, make sure you can see the video from your recording area. You may also record the voice-over without the video, simplifying your job and allowing you to focus on speaking. However, if you need to react to the video then it is best to read with the video in the background. Whenever possible hit play on the video and microphone recorder at the same time. Then, when you start recording, you'll be perfectly synced up to the video. Standing opens up your chest cavity, allowing you to speak with a clear, unencumbered voice. It also allows you to be more animated, acting out some events so that you sink deeply into the character. You want to be 8-10 inches from the mic. Roughly the distance between your thumb and pinky if they are both extended out. If you do not have a sound-proofed room or recording booth you can still make one for yourself. The echoing sound will appear in your recording and keep your voice from sounding clear if you don't take the time to soundproof. Many amateurs have found that recording in a closet is easy: your clothes will naturally dampen the sound and you can put a towel or blanket on the floor and door to fully close it off.  The main goal is to get rid of or cover any hard surfaces, which reflect sound back to the microphone. If your mic has a "hyper-cardioid pattern," use it. This means that the sound is moving through the microphone and out the back instead of echoing around inside. You need to be able to hear your voice as you record, and quickly play back your audio to listen for any mistakes. Try and invest in good headphones, preferably over ear, that will provide the best playback of your voice over. " This sweet spot is tough to find, but it is the basis of all good voice-overs. Your voice tends to lose some character in a recording, so overemphasizing emotions and enunciation brings back the natural energy of your voice. To test this, try out 3-4 lines in the beginning of recording at various levels of energy. Play them back and adjust your voice accordingly, finding the one that sounds best in the recording, not when you are saying it out loud. You do not need to worry about speaking loudly into the microphone, just being clear and emotive. Inflection is the rhythm and tone of your speech. Many beginners like to start with all their sentences ending in "up" tones, like they are asking questions. Good inflection, however, is about varying your voice to sound natural and dynamic. A lot of this comes from "Acting out" your parts as you speak. For example, audiences can actually "hear" smiles, as it changes your tone of voice slightly into a happier register. These words only have a place in the voice-over if your script asks for them. "Uhm," "ahh," and "uhhhh" are all missed in everyday conversation, but they will be glaringly apparent in a recording, when the audience is only focusing on your voice. Focus on reading the script and nothing else. If you need to pause, just stay silent. This takes practice, but listening to your own recordings over and over again will help out.
A: Set the footage you're reading over up on a computer screen. Stand while delivering your lines. Make sure your recording room is silent and free of echo. Wear headphones. Speak a bit "larger than life. Focus on strong, varied inflection. Never say "uhm" or other filler noises.

Q: Team sports encourage friendly competition and help students cooperate and work together toward a common goal. Students can learn how to positively communicate with each other in a social setting while also running, jumping, and playing. Activities such as hockey, soccer, flag football, softball, and basketball are very popular in PE classes. You can spend a few weeks on each sport, or pick just 2-3 to focus on during the year. Individual activities that don't require a team, such as yoga, weight training, golf, frisbee, and aerobics, tend to stick with children into their adult lives. This is a great time to teach them the basics in a safe and supportive environment, to foster enjoyment of these activities that will last a lifetime. In large classes, breaking into multiple groups of five or six students to learn the fundamental skills of a sport or activity will help improve physical skills, social skills, and teamwork. You can have each group doing a specific activity at a station, and have them rotate every 10 minutes or longer. This provides variety and will help to keep students engaged. A well-designed curriculum will have activities that accommodate all student needs. You can include activities that are inclusive to students with different needs while still challenging more athletically-inclined students. For example, an activity such as yoga increases mobility, hand-eye coordination, and flexibility, but can be adjusted to be more or less challenging for individual student needs.
A:
Allow children to participate in team sports. Incorporate individual activities into the curriculum. Set up stations for small groups. Plan inclusive activities for all students.