October 29th, 2011
A version of this post originally appeared at Socially Produced, a blog written by Fernando Reyes, a 10th grade World History instructor at Yes Prep SW, in Houston, and is reprinted with his permission. A first-year teacher, Mr. Reyes works predominantly with students from low-income communities and ethnic minorities. He is a Yale University Teacher Preparation program graduate rp.
YES Prep SW is a high-performing charter school. When I say high-performing, I mean it: our test scores are among the highest in the state, we send 100% of our students to four-year colleges, and the selectivity of the colleges our students is only increasing.
I recently showed a quiz on Islam I was giving my students to a couple of friends of mine who have attended college and taken classes on Islam. The quiz covered material they would have covered in their college classes in 3-4 weeks of class. I did it in four classes, with a bit of homework. My students did well. I can confidently say that I have great students and that they work hard.
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October 27th, 2011
The common-core standards in English/language arts and mathematics are generally aligned to the leading state standards, international standards, and university standards at the high-school-exit level, but are more rigorous in some content areas, says a report released Wednesday.
Researchers at the Educational Policy Improvement Center, or EPIC, a Eugene, Ore.-based research organization, compared the content and curriculum standards for California and Massachusetts; the , a collection of competencies and skills for secondary students that complements the state’s high school standards; theInternational Baccalaureate standards; and the Knowledge and Skills for University Success, a set of expectations endorsed by 28 research universities and used by the College Board as a reference in its own standards.
Tags: Standards, State Standards
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October 21st, 2011
The president of the NCAA is meeting with the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics on Monday. Commission Co-Chair Brit Kirwan tells Michel Martin that efforts to commercialize college sports have generated enormous revenues, and that is endangering the integrity of higher education. He adds that a large portion of that money is going into coaches’ salaries.
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October 20th, 2011
Strategy 1: Search Engine Optimization
The error many network marketers make is not spending time on Search Engine Optimization or SEO. In order to perform a successful SEO campaign you must identify your target market, determine what keywords or phrases your prospective customers are likely to search, and optimize your website accordingly. To get the most out of SEO you must have a good understanding of how and why it works. Without this your efforts will be in vain. Learn and implement search engine optimization strategies.
Method 2: Link Building
Once your website pages are appropriately optimized, your next step is to raise your link popularity by building as many quality inbound links as you can. There are many ways to accomplish this mission. First, submit your website to as many reliable Search Engines and online directories as possible. Next, exhibit your savvy by writing articles related to your website and submit them to top article directories.
Tags: Engine, Search Engine
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October 15th, 2011
UNC-Chapel Hill officials issued statements this week disputing comments a sports writer wrote in a blog about the new board chairman’s professional connection to media organizations and his involvement in discussions about the NCAA’s probe into the football program.
Wade Hargrove, a Raleigh lawyer, became chairman of the board this summer, the day Tar Heel football coach Butch Davis was fired.
Eddy Landreth, an area sports writer, wrote in a blog post that Hargrove had failed to disclose details about his law practice construed by the columnist to be “a potential conflict of interest.”
Hargrove, a senior partner in the Raleigh offices of the Brooks Pierce law firm, has spent most of his professional career representing media organizations on issues large and small.
Landreth mentioned The News & Observer as a client of Hargrove and his firm.
For years, The N&O has been represented by the Raleigh firm now known as Stevens Martin Vaughn and Tadych.
Tags: Chairman, Hill Officials
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October 14th, 2011
This Wall Street Journal online piece about New Orleans’ efforts to improve its schools was forwarded to me by my colleague Mike Hashimoto. It centers on the work of the city’s new superintendent and the effort to give students in New Orleans more choices.
What struck me is the urgency that Superintendent John White is bringing to his work and the expansion of charter schools across the city.
What do you think about his work and New Orleans’ approach?
Would you like to see Dallas get a superintendent like White and expand charter operations?
If so, why?
If not, why not?
Tags: New Orleans, Schools
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October 10th, 2011
Nearly a third of teachers have been subjected to a false allegation by a pupil, a poll has revealed.
Featured on ITVs Tonight programme, the survey by the NASUWT teaching union discovered that a total of 30 per cent of teachers had been falsely accused of something by one of their students.
Virtually every teacher questioned (99 per cent) said they were concerned that a student would make allegations against them.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “False allegations from pupils are hugely damaging.
“They can end the careers of school staff and blight their private lives as a result of the stress.”
She added that ultimately pupils are the ones losing out as good teachers are removed from the classroom.
The study also found that two-thirds of teachers would question breaking up a fight for fear of students making an accusation against them.
One secondary school teacher told the ATL that in the school they work in it is a trend for students to try and get teachers into trouble if they are reprimanded.
The teacher cited an example of one student falsely reporting a teacher for inappropriate physical contact so that they could switch classes.
Dr Boustead commented that while protection of children is paramount, it should not come at the expense of natural justice.
A primary school teacher who was the victim of a spurious allegation has told how a false allegation stays on record and can lead to future prejudices.
Discussing their experience, they said: “Its terrifying, shocking and very upsetting.
Tags: Subject, Teachers Subject
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