Anti-Bullying: Programs, Unintended Consequences, and the Golden Rule
Sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me. So says the children’s rhyme that harkens all the way back to the 1800’s. Oh, if only it were so. Meanness abounds still, and in today’s toxic, Internet-happy society, it’s sometimes taken to new...
Worthwhile Education Websites: 11/20/2013
*** www.nps.gov/teachers ~ This National Park Service site offers "distance learning, field trips, and curricular materials," plus professional development opportunities for teachers" and says, "The parks are America's greatest classroom. ..." ***...
It’s an Education Fact: 11/20/2013
1) America invests some $600 billion every year in education. 2) American taxpayers will soon spend $1 billion a year to help families pay private school tuition, but there is little evidence that the program yields academic gains. 3) A SmartBrief on EdTech poll found...
Quotable Education Quotes: 11/18/2013
** "In an American society that values originality and creativity, it makes no sense to subject millions of students to 'one-size-fits-all' testing that inspires uniform skills and conformity." ~ Katrin Park, former United Nations staff member ** "Out of context, test...
Education-Related Sites to Visit: 11/13/2013
*** www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnfall12/Fall2012.pdf ~ This site features the FDIC's primer, "For Young Adults and Teens: Quick Tips for Managing Your Money." *** www.usmint.gov/kids ~ Here, kids learn all about the mint via games, toons, and more. ***...
It’s an Education Fact: 11/12/2013
1) A Thomas B. Fordham Institute estimates that the total cost of implementing the Common Core standards will be between $3 billion and $12 billion depending on which approaches states use. 2) A Scholastic poll of more than 2,000 teachers finds that 75% of them think...
Quotable Quotes: 11/11/2013
** "For years now, federal education policy has largely ignored the issue of poverty, with too many school reformers arguing that citing the effects of living in poverty as a big obstacle to achievement in schools is 'an excuse.' Schools, they say, can overcome...
Quotable Education Quotes:
** "What's so atrocious is that Eric Holder, the Obama Department of Justice, [is] using the same rules intended to protect low-income children, intended to allow them to go to better schools, now wants to use those same rules to force these kids to go back to failing...
Education News Update: 10/31/2013
1Teacher prep programs hoping for approval must now show that candidates in districts are satisfied with the quality of their training and document that their grads then boost student achievement. Plus, entering candidates must carry a 3.0 GPA with college admission...
Education-Related Websites to Visit: 10/30/2013
*** http://powermylearning.org ~ Here you'll "find and use thousands of free games, videos, and interactives in all major K-12 subjects and aligned to the Common Core"--all designed with educators, parents, and students in mind. *** https://nationalzoo.si.edu/kids ~...
It’s an Education Fact: 10/29/2013
1) Teachers in traditional public schools average almost 14 years of experience. 2) The number of teachers with 5 or fewer years of experience role to 28% in 2007-08 from 17% in 1987-88. 3) A SmaartBrief on Ed Tech poll finds that 86.67% of respondents are excited...
Quotable Education-Related Quotes: 10/28/2013
** "... These days, any school with low test scores is called a 'failing school' without any inquiry into the circumstances of the school. Instead of closing the school or privatizing it, the responsible officials should act to improve the school. ... Firing the staff...
Making Education News: 10/24/2013
1. California's move to suspend most of its accountability testing for one year as it transitions from its own state assessments to field testing the Common Core tests caused Education Secretary to threaten withholding funding if the state proceeds. 2. The...
Education-Related Websites to Visit: 10/23/2013
*** www.googlelittrips.com ~ These are "free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth." *** https://edshelf.com ~ This is "a directory of websites, mobile apps, and desktop programs that are rated...
Making Education News: 10/17/2013
1. The final application for the second Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge is now available. Up for grabs: $280 million, of which Pennsylvania is for hoping for $52.2 million. 2. The Gates Foundation has already pumped more than $160 million into developing and...
Education Websites to Visit: 10/16/2013
*** www.ReadyCommonCore.com ~ Saying, "We make harder easier," this site offers instructional materials, full-length practice tests, a teacher resource book, and an online Teacher Toolbox. *** http://creativecommons.org ~ This site, "helps you share your knowledge and...
Education Facts: 10/15/2013
1) The U.S. ranked 30th in math literacy, 20th in science, and 14th in reading on the international PISA test. 2) Says the U.S. Department of Education, only 25% of our 52 million K-12 students are performing on par with those in the highest-performing countries. 3)...
Education Quotables: 10/14/2013
** "There is no question that American society is becoming increasingly callous and coarse, and part of the reason is that derelict moms and dad refuse to set boundaries for their children. Many parents are distracted and care more about themselves than their...
Education News: 10/3/2013
1. Due to parental concerns, the Chicago Public Schools is moving from 25 standardized tests a year to 10. 2. Teach for America will add 400 teachers in 9 cities--including 286 in D.C.--thanks to a $20 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation, which has also...
It’s an Education Fact: 10/2/2013
1. Obama has changed the PLUS loan program to help thousands of families qualify for college financial aid. Those denied PLUS loans are eligible for an extra $4,000 that carry lower interest rates. 2. The House bill to revise ESEA (aka NCLB) now promotes...
