Saturday, November 26, 2011

Quick Hits

Program aims to engage Ariz. students in STEM study:  A program developed at Arizona State University has ASU students, as well as high-school students in Advanced Placement chemistry, conducting hands-on science experiments with K-12 students to help spark interest among the younger students. The Science is Fun program, which is funded in part by the National Science Foundation, is aimed at preparing more students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math. (The Arizona Republic)

Why teachers should determine which students work together:  Teachers -- not students -- should determine which students work together in groups, says instructional coach David Ginsburg. In this blog, he writes teachers are better equipped to strategically match students based in part on their skills, teamwork abilities, behavior and other qualities. He encourages teachers to form diverse groups. (Coach G's Teaching Tips)

Online K-12 schools partner with top universities:  Students who attend the online Education Program for Gifted Youth will now receive diplomas from Stanford Online High School, after the university agreed to attach its name to the online institution. Supporters say the partnership marks a significant milestone for online K-12 learning and the alignment of secondary and higher education. Critics, however, fear such partnerships could lend credibility to lower-quality programs. (The New York Times) 

More young people are affected by text-based bullying:  Twenty-four percent of more than 1,500 youths aged 10 to 15 who were surveyed in 2008 said they were harassed via text messages, up from about 14% in a 2007 survey of the same respondents, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics. However, researchers found no increase in rates of exposure to violence, harassment, bullying or unwanted sexual encounters online during the same time frame. (Reuters), (WebMD) 

Editorial - Why California is right to pass on a NCLB waiver:  California is not expected to apply for a waiver from some of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, a policy that is supported by the Los Angeles Times' editorial board. The editors agree with Gov. Jerry Brown, who has said the Education Department is asking too much of states in exchange for the waivers, particularly in requiring them to make student achievement a "significant factor" in teacher evaluations. The state's current system for holding schools accountable and its plans to improve education are more promising than the federal proposals, the editors write. (Los Angeles Times)

Some private schools incorporate elements of a farming heritage:  Several private prep schools are incorporating agriculture into their curriculum and engaging students in the farm-to-table movement with working farms on campus. Some schools, such as the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., are including elements of a farming heritage alongside rigorous academics and are growing enough vegetables to avoid outside purchasing this year. "We're not serving foie gras," said Joshua Hahn, assistant head of schools and director of environmental initiatives. "We're just growing enough staples to service our dining hall for the year." (The New York Times)

How to teach elementary-school students about money:  In this blog, teacher Brian Page writes about the importance of teaching elementary-school students about money. The concept can be challenging for young students, and Page recommends teachers begin by reviewing the National Standards for K-12 Personal Finance Education. Page also includes several online resources for teachers, such as BizWorld and a lesson his own high-school students prepared for third-grade students. (Brian Page's blog)

Should teachers receive "cultural competency" training?:  More schools in Indiana and the U.S. are providing "cultural competency" training for teachers to help promote understanding among students and teachers and capitalize on diversity in the classroom. Some are critical of the concept that students from different backgrounds require different styles of instruction. Others say this strategy is effective because many teachers in urban schools are from racial and socio-economic backgrounds that differ from their students. (The Indianapolis Star)    

Khan Academy site to allow uploaded content from teachers:  The Khan Academy, an online repository of educational videos, soon will allow teachers to upload their own instructional videos to the academy's collection, and create and customize their own "knowledge maps" for their classes. "The deal will be, you can use our tools if we can put your stuff onto our noncommercial public domain," the site's founder Salman Khan said. "We don't know how it'll turn out, but we suspect there will be some amazing things put up." (KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog)

Who will pay for Ohio's switch to online testing?:  Ohio schools will switch to online state tests in three years, but questions remain about how to pay for the computers and software needed for the change, plus how much the transition will cost. While some officials hope the state will shoulder the financial burden, others anticipate the cost will be transferred to local districts. "How things are implemented and what resources there are, that's a conversation that is ongoing," state education official Dennis Evans said. "We're still working on identifying all the resources and challenges and opportunities that lay ahead." (Dayton Daily News)

One teacher's path to the classroom:  Jessica Nevitt, a first-year teacher working at The Dwight School in New York City, writes in this essay about the training she received in preparation of becoming a teacher. As part of a master's program at Teachers College, Nevitt worked alongside mentors or cooperating teachers in several public-school classrooms, where she experienced both successes and failures as she transitioned into her new role. (The New York Times)

House OKs bill that would block school-nutrition standards:  The House of Representatives has approved a spending bill that would block government efforts to improve nutrition standards in school meals. The food industry says the standards would have required companies to change products in ways not acceptable to children. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pledged that students still will have more fruit and vegetables, grains and low-fat dairy and less salt. (Reuters)

ASU implements changes to its teacher-education program:  Arizona State University, home to the country's largest undergraduate education program, has implemented significant changes to its teacher-training curriculum. Under the school's new iTeachAZ program, students will be required to demonstrate mastery of the Teacher Advancement Program framework during a yearlong stint in the classroom, with the goal being to produce graduates who are as effective as second-year educators when they are in their first year of teaching. (Education Week)

Iowa delays new teacher-pay plan:  A new teacher-pay plan in Iowa will be tabled for least 12 months to give policymakers time to study the cost and structure of this proposal as well as alternatives. Gov. Terry Branstad proposed the four-tiered pay structure, which calls for higher starting salaries and requires teachers to demonstrate effectiveness for advancement, as part of his education blueprint for the state, but questions arose about the cost of implementing the program. (The Des Moines Register)

Website, app create digital side to Flat Stanley Project:  Technology is increasing interest in the long-running education and literacy phenomenon known as the Flat Stanley Project, in which paper versions of the children's book character Stanley Lambchop traveled the world. The project, which was founded by former Canadian teacher Dale Hubert, now has a website and a free iPhone application developed under a new iteration called Flatter World, with new digital tools that allow students to create avatars or insert a "flat" person into any photo. (Suzie Boss' blog)

4 comments:

Aliena Howard said...

Some private schools incorporate elements of a farming heritage:

I think it is extremely important to incorporate agriculture into a school’s curriculum as a mandatory subject alongside reading and mathematics. In the article above, it was mentioned that students entering Hotchkiss School in Connecticut are the “cream of the crop” academically, and yet there is a serious disconnect between them and the land around them. For example, an incoming class of one hundred ten students were surveyed to see how many had planted a seed and watched it grow. Only twelve students raised their hands. There exists a serious disconnect between a knowledge of the origin of real food and what the citizens of this country actually do know. Think about how many of our country’s fellow citizens have large waistlines (overfed) and undernourished bodies (heart disease, chronic illnesses, diabetes type II, cardiovascular illnesses, etc.). Introducing agriculture back into our schools nationwide is a very important initiative. I applaud these schools’ efforts to teach their students sustainability initiatives, awareness about their bodies’ needs and those of the environments’, and continually educating the youth that will one day serve this country with tools they have learned at school and in their communities.

Zachary Martini said...

Some private schools incorporate elements of a farming heritage:

I found this article very interesting. I think it is a great idea for the private school to incorporate agriculture. Teaching students how to take care of themselves. Growing food and taking care of animals then later taking the food and animal to create a dish. This method helps students not only learn how to do for themselves but creates an understanding. The students have a better understanding of how and where their food comes from which gives students more gratitude for their food. I think agriculture should be an important subject in schools. Agriculture allows for students to develop skills that allow them to eat healthier and save money. Planting seeds and growing ones own vegetables is cheaper than going to the store and buying the food, also the food is healthier. I think schools not just private schools should look into incorporating agriculture into the curriculum because agriculture will allow students to truly experience what they are learning while developing skills.

Elisha Arnold said...

House protects pizza as a vegetable:

How can pizza be considered a vegetable? It is mostly carbohydrates and grease! When I was in school we had little rectangle pizza's that left a puddle of grease when you picked it up and if I'm not mistaken these are the types of pizzas that are still served today. How is that considered to be healthy enough for our students to eat?
It is horrifying that the government is more concerned for the welfare of these businesses as apposed to the welfare of our children. The fact that these companies (and the government by supporting them) think that changing their products to create healthier foods is bad because it would be unpalatable to students is distressing. When has it been a great idea to cater to the picky eaters? Some nutrition is what these kids need in their diets!
I understand that funding is short and costs have to be considered, but ruling that pizza, french fries, and the sort are healthy enough for our kids to eat every week is just sad. An average person would not even cook these meals on a weekly basis so why should our students be subject to these unhealthy meals?

Zac Martini said...

Why teachers should determine which students work together:

Teachers have one of the most important jobs in America. In order for teachers to be at their best first they must understand their students. This will allow for the teachers to use what they know to better educate the students. Therefore I agree that teachers should arrange groups. Teachers will know who works best with who. If a group is chosen randomly then two students who dislike each other may be put into the same group and then the teacher will be telling them to stop arguing the whole time instead of the students learning. Students that are struggling just need to be given a chance and be understood. Teachers will know what is best and can put a struggling student into a group that will best help him or her excel. Teachers are held to helping students reach their full potential and in order to achieve this a teacher needs to give the students the correct tools to achieve. Putting students in a particular group that will help them excel is a way a teacher can give students the tools to excel. A teacher needs to be in charge of his or her classroom so that the students can have the best chance to learn.