Pre-test scores give clues to students’ readiness
January 22nd, 2012
Most school systems around the country have their students participate in a “pre-test,” before sitting for either the SAT or ACT, which most colleges require. The ACT PLAN is offered to high school sophomores and the PSAT is administered in October to juniors.
What do the scores mean?
Many families are receiving the test results and are confused about how they should be interpreted.
ACT PLAN
As part of its College Readiness System, the ACT PLAN tests students in four areas: English, mathematics, reading and science. The tests measure curriculum-related knowledge, not test-taking strategies. The test results help parents and students select future courses by identifying a student’s current strengths and weaknesses.
Research on the ACT PLAN has determined that success on the PLAN is highly correlated with future success in Advanced Placement courses. The PLAN is as much a tool for parents as it is for guidance counselors and school administrators; helping them determine which courses should be offered.
The PLAN takes almost two hours (115 minutes) to complete, has 145 questions and scores are between 1 (low) and 32 (high).
Tags: Students, Students Readiness
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Larry Summers Calls Higher Education Stubborn and Anachronistic, Offers Suggestions
January 22nd, 2012
The following guest post is from Cedar Riener, assistant professor of Psychology at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He blogs about education reform, college teaching, history and philosophy of science at Cedars Digest, where this post also appears.
I squirmed a lot reading Larry Summers’ recent piece in the New York Times on where he thinks and hopes higher education will go in the future. Here’s a point by point analysis:
He begins by undermining his own credibility:
A paradox of American higher education is this: The expectations of leading universities do much to define what secondary schools teach, and much to establish a template for what it means to be an educated man or woman.
REALLY? Have you paid attention to any of the K-12 school reform of the administration you have been a part of? The encouraged emphasis on basic reading and math skills at the cost of social studies, science, physical education and extracurricular activities runs exactly counter to the template of colleges and universities in which diverse offerings, and choices of majors proliferate.
Tags: Education, Education Stubborn
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Closing the Achievement Gap for ESL/ELL Students
January 18th, 2012
The Latino achievement gap has been an ongoing challenge for years. Studies show an early and persistent gap between the achievement of Hispanic students and that of their white peers. The gap appears by the time students have reached the 3rd grade and remains fairly consistent throughout their school careers impacting graduation rates and college enrollment. This topic hits home for me, as it was the focus of my doctoral research at the University of Akron. My learning was that the Hispanic achievement gap is complex and multi-faceted steeped in cultural differences, language barriers, school climate, environmental factors, and student motivation. While there seems no debate about the disparity in achievement, weve yet to find a solution.
Federal funding for initiatives aimed at closing the gap is out there, but many of the dollars go unspent for various reasons. Educational experts do agree that reform for English language learners requires professional development, opportunities to improve parental involvement, and high-quality resources.
Tags: Achievement Gap, Students
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No cancellation or delay for JCPS Friday
January 14th, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After dismissing early Thursday afternoon due to weather, Jefferson County Public Schools will be open and on time Friday.
After monitoring the roads and information from the National Weather Service overnight, JCPS officials announced no delay or closing early Friday morning.
Thursday’s decision was based on the potential white-out conditions that were occurring. Officials said they were concerned with high winds and snow moving through Kentuckiana at the same time students were heading home from school.
WHAS11 News spoke with several parents outside Kammerer Middle School Thursday, and most of them said they agreed with the school district’s decision.
Even though JCPS is heads back to school Friday morning, several other schools in Kentuckiana are closed or on a delay. Click the link below for a complete list of closings and delays.
All School and business closings
Get the WHAS11 Louisville Weather app to stay on top of weather conditions, get the latest on school and business closings and track the snow in your area.
Tags: Delay Jcps, Friday
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Classes, Privacy and Professionalism
January 13th, 2012
Tradional outlook sounds bit funny. Well, here in the US one can see peak of professionalism.
None of the schools or instructors have anything to do with someones personal life.
I am in the USA and I am going to school. No one cares about your personal life.
They cannot even disclose your grades to your parents without your authorization.
Reason, they see you as responsible adults in college. Its not high school.
College life in the US is independent and free but beware its not fun stuff like bunking classes or chatting with friends all day or anything you might have seen while studying in India.
Its absolutely not like Kabhi Kabhi Aditi song movie or anything like Wake up Sid. Lol US schools could be far beyond your imagination of you expect stuff like this.
Its real professionalism over here. You come to class, take notes, submit assignments, learn or ask about your subject.
Thats the only relation between a professor and a student. You not gonna have same classmates every semester. Its such a difference experience.
Everyone has their own business to worry about.
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Getting to Know Your Android’s Pulse
January 13th, 2012
Everybody’s got to know a guy for something: Need your car fixed or need good seats for the upcoming concert? You know a guy. The same holds true for Android apps, and when it comes to these, Android Geeze is the go-to guy.
Except Android Geeze isn’t a person; it is an awesome website like Consumer Reports, but all about Androids. It’s a one-stop shop for hardware, software, and the latest news about the world’s hottest device.
Image Courtesy of Gail Jade Hamilton via Flickr
Phones & Tablets
If you’re in the market for a new phone or the latest tablet, stop by Android Geeze for in-depth comparisons, statistics and specifics on each model. Read more…
Tags: Android's Pulse
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Successful Work-At-Home Tips For Parents
January 12th, 2012
Image Via Flickr
It’s honorable to have a work-at-home job so you can be closer to your children. However, choosing this career path can be stressful and hard to manage. There are countless ways to organize your time and stay sane while being productive and a great parent — all while working from home. Here are some favorite tips!
Work Mobile
You don’t always have to work from your office. You can move your laptop around your home and work mobile. If you don’t already have a WiFi connection, subscribe for one. This way you can work from the couch, at the kitchen table while your kids do homework and even outside as they play. This allows you to sneak in time at random points of the day to read emails, do a quick task or make a quick Skype call. Read more…
Tags: online faxing
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