Louisiana moves forward with controversial career-track curriculum: Louisiana education officials say they are working to ensure that a new career-diploma program enacted in about a dozen districts holds real value for students. While the program has been criticized as a lowering of academic standards, state officials say the program is intended to engage students who would otherwise drop out of school. While the new track was approved by legislators in July, the state board of education is expected to finish developing the specifics of the program in December. (Education Week)
Schools take part in zero-gravity butterfly experiment: Students are taking part in an experiment to see how caterpillars become monarch butterflies. Acting as the control groups for the experiment, the two classes are monitoring the progress of their specially grown caterpillars while NASA astronauts a million feet above Earth's surface conduct a similar experiment in zero gravity. More than 400 classrooms in the eastern U.S. are also taking part in the experiment, which is partially sponsored by the Monarch Watch program at the University of Kansas. (The Register-Mail)
Teach for America makes debut in Minnesota schools: The national service program Teach for America made its debut in Minnesota this year, bringing in 43 new teachers to help narrow the achievement gap in the state's most disadvantaged schools. The new teachers are recent college graduates who will earn their certifications during their two-year commitment to Minnesota classrooms. Program officials say participants are smart and willing to work hard, but representatives of the state teachers union have expressed concerns about placing untrained teachers in the state's neediest classrooms. (Star Tribune)
Seminars help Catholic educators better understand Jewish faith: A group of educators from Catholic schools in the Los Angeles area recently took part in the Bearing Witness program designed to enhance Catholic school educators' understanding of anti-Semitism and the history of the Jewish-Catholic relationship. "My understanding has been so enriched, and I can share that with my students," said a teacher who participated. Sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, the Bearing Witness program was founded in 1996 and offers seminars nationwide. (Los Angeles Times)
Kansas school to be first to offer engineering at the elementary level: A Kansas school district is set to become the first in the nation to offer engineering classes at the elementary-school level. The Derby school district began offering engineering courses in middle and high schools this year, but a pilot program next year will bring aerospace engineering lessons to a district elementary school. The curriculum is designed by Project Lead the Way and will include hands-on and computer-based activities. (The Wichita Eagle)
Unlocking the methods to narrowing the achievement gap: Leroy Anderson Elementary School in San Jose, Calif., has been successful at closing the achievement gap among minority students and their white peers by having the same high expectations for all students, assessing students constantly and having a high level of family involvement. Successful schools are using data to influence instruction and creative teaching methods that include computer-based instruction, but Anderson's principal says the secret is "believing that kids can and will learn." (The New York Times)
White House to hold science fair to recognize student inventors: President Barack Obama announced plans to showcase student inventors at a new national science fair to be held at the White House next year, saying student science achievers should be honored with the same enthusiasm offered to student-athletes. "Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and entertainers as role models," Obama said. (The Washington Post)
Maryland schools pilot hand-held devices to improve test-taking: Some students in a Maryland district will soon begin taking tests using hand-held devices resembling remote controls as part of a pilot program intended to free up time for instruction. Students will use iRespond devices to take tests more quickly, and teachers will receive scores instantly -- allowing them to tailor instruction to meet student needs. "It's going to make the life of a teacher much easier. ... It will really help us to pinpoint who needs what," one teacher said. "I feel like it's almost going to give [students] that motivation for testing again." (The Sun)
Obama administration set to announce STEM education campaign: President Barack Obama is set to unveil a campaign to encourage students -- particularly in middle school and high school -- to study science, technology, engineering and math. Focusing mainly on extracurricular study, Educate to Innovate will enlist the help of leaders in STEM fields as well as corporations. However, some say the initiative should focus instead on STEM classroom learning and teacher quality. "I think a lot of this is good, but it is missing more than half of what needs to be done," an education researcher said. (The New York Times)
Independent-study charter gives California students a fresh start: A new independent-study charter school in California's San Diego County is using personalized instruction to offer a fresh academic start for its students, many of whom are working to support families or have dropped out of more traditional schools. Much of the instruction at the charter school is one-on-one or in classes of up to 10 students. Without the extracurricular frills offered at conventional schools, a business-like atmosphere sets the stage for students to take their education more seriously, the school's principal said. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
No comments:
Post a Comment