Recently, two studies conducted by George Mason University have concluded that children who bully others are likely doing so out of a desire for attention and acceptance by their peers. One study is based upon the patterns of aggression observed of 1,822 adults who suffer from social anxiety disorder. From the study it was found the one of five reported increased levels of aggressive behavior.
IPS teacher goes from mutiny to best in class
Indianapolis Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Michael Anderson, 31-year-old math teacher at Howe High School, shares the method behind his success. Now in his third year of teaching, Anderson is a strong advocate of becoming a strong educator through an emotional connection with students and according to the Indy Star article below, “Anderson says his recipe for success in the classroom is simple: Earn students’ respect, create an environment where it’s safe for them to try and even fail, and then make the material relevant to their lives.â€
Anderson makes math come alive with real-life examples relevant to his student’s lives. Recently, he asked students about their cell phone bills while teaching systems of equations. These real-life connections are the basis for LifeBound’s materials and build on making emotional connections with students so that they become interested in the material and invested in mastering the skills. To learn more about LifeBound’s materials visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
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ARTICLE:
IPS teacher goes from mutiny to best in class
Indy Star
By Andy Gammill
May 21, 2010
Michael Anderson says his recipe for success in the classroom is simple: Earn students’ respect, create an environment where it’s safe for them to try and even fail, and then make the material relevant to their lives.
It’s a method Indianapolis Public Schools applauded Thursday when it named Anderson, a 31-year-old math teacher at Howe High School, the district’s Teacher of the Year.
To view this entire article visit www.indystar.com
Science Center gets $200,000 grant for Web-based game for girls
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
Encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers is an ongoing focus in education. The Carnegie Science Center’s new project, Click!Online, is designed to get more girls engaged in science and gaming technology and recently won $200,000 in the MacArthur Digital Media and Learning Competition.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article below, “Click!Online, will be a Web-based game for girls featuring a fictional “spy school” called the Click! Agency. Through the agency, girls will network to solve mysteries in biomedical science, environmental protection and expressive technology. Meanwhile, online “senior agents” will mentor the players, emphasizing critical thinking, problem solving, group sourcing and social action to solve real-world challenges. Spy girls can share results with each other around the world.â€
In today’s global marketplace emphasizing 21st century skills, it is important for all students to develop both the ability to think critically and problem-solve. These skills, coupled with a familiarity with technology and the aptitude to adapt to its ever-evolving applications, give students the tools to succeed in school, college and career. That is why LifeBound recently published CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING FOR TEENAGERS, as well as, revised both MAJORING IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE and MAKING THE MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL to now include chapters on technology. To receive a free copy of these books call 1-877-737-8510 or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Science Center gets $200,000 grant for Web-based game for girls
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
By Sally Kalson
The Carnegie Science Center has won $200,000 in the MacArthur Digital Media and Learning Competition for a new project designed to get more girls engaged in science and gaming technology.
To view this entire article visit www.post-gazette.com
Analysis Ties 4th Grade Reading Failure to Poverty
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
According to a new study, “eighty-five percent of poor 4th graders in predominantly low-income schools are failing to reach ‘proficient’ levels in reading on federal tests.†Prompting the Annie E. Casey Foundation to lead a 10-year initiative to improve 3rd grade reading levels.
“EARLY WARNING!: Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters,†reports that “It’s crucial that children master grade-level reading by 3rd grade, because that’s when instruction moves from a focus on learning to read to reading to learn.â€
LifeBound’s books, designed for grades 5-12, encourage reading by starting with topics such as self-awareness and building from there. Students are naturally interested in themselves and when students read about something they are interested in they enjoy it and ultimately read better. To learn more about LifeBound’s books visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
Education Week
May 17, 2010
Analysis Ties 4th Grade Reading Failure to Poverty
By Debra Viadero
Eighty-five percent of poor 4th graders in predominantly low-income schools are failing to reach “proficient†levels in reading on federal tests, according to a new study by a national foundation that is gearing up to lead a 10-year effort to raise 3rd graders’ reading proficiency.
“The evidence is clear that those students who do not read well have a very tough time succeeding in school and graduating from high schools and going on to successful careers and lives,†Ralph R. Smith, the executive vice president of the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation, said in an interview. “The Casey Foundation is putting a stake in the ground on grade-level reading by the end of the 3rd grade.â€
To view this entire article visit www.edweek.org
New Group Will Help Community Colleges Become More Globally Focused
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
The Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges aims to work with two-year institutions to help them strengthen their global focus. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education article below, “they will work to recruit more students from overseas and to build greater recognition of the American community-college system abroad.†The end goal is to ensure students graduate prepared for a global marketplace.
Community College students in America need to know about the world—cultures, economic disparities, languages, nuances in working environments—to be world-class ready upon graduation. This world knowledge can and should begin in high school and be emphasized throughout college. Almost every classroom has a rich ability to draw out the history and background of each student in that class, whether they are foreign born or their families immigrated to the U.S. hundreds of years ago. When students know more about the world, they will know more about themselves.
LifeBound shares this goal. All LifeBound materials profile international students and enforce 21st century skills so that students successfully transition from fifth through twelfth grade, graduate high school and enter college well aware of the world around them. Our get ready for college book, JUNIOR GUIDE TO SENIOR YEAR SUCCESS, for example, features college essays from students in Shanghai and Bangladesh as well as perspectives from people around the world who are solving the world’s greatest problems. Schools and curricula that promote worldwide understanding will help all students succeed in the years to come.
ARTICLE:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
May 13, 2010
New Group Will Help Community Colleges Become More Globally Focused
By Karin Fischer
Several veterans of international education have started a new membership organization that will seek to help community colleges become more globally focused.
The Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges will work with two-year institutions to recruit more students from overseas and to build greater recognition of the American community-college system abroad.
To view this entire article visit www.chronicle.com
Stumbling blocks remain for newly minted teachers, career-switchers
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
Career-changers currently account for one-third of all new teachers in the U.S. Despite massive budget cuts in education, according to the Hechinger Report article below new teachers are in high demand and, “both President Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, unhappy with the quality of teachers trained in traditional education schools, are pushing new models to attract career-changes into the field. In a series of speeches last fall, Secretary Duncan criticized education schools for not adequately preparing teachers for a global economy, saying they must focus on helping teachers learn the practical skills of running classrooms.â€
Many believe programs similar to a doctor’s residency would help career-changers, as well as traditional students, make connections between classroom theory and real life application and practice. No matter the career field you choose, classroom knowledge alone is never sufficient and this is especially true for teachers. New teachers face differing student demographics, school cultures and varying subjects. That’s why at LifeBound we recommend academic coaches training. This hands-on training imparts the importance of asking powerful questions and holding students and co-workers accountable to encourage success – an invaluable skill for educators of any subject, in any environment. To learn more about academic coaches training visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
The Hechinger Report
May 12, 2010
Stumbling blocks remain for newly minted teachers, career-switchers
By Alexandra Moses
Ana Arroyo-Montano spent the first year in front of her class fearing she’d be fired.
After training in the Boston Teacher Residency program, the business major with five years’ experience in financial aid services wasn’t prepared for a room of kindergartners who didn’t speak English.
“Here I had all these kids and they’re lagging behind all the general-ed kids, and I’m wondering if it’s me,†she says. “José can’t count in English yet. Is that because it’s developmental? Is it because he doesn’t understand a word I’m saying?â€
Career-changers like Arroyo-Montano are increasingly entering classrooms across the country. Their numbers have doubled over the last 20 years, in part due to alternative certification programs that welcome professionals from diverse backgrounds. There’s a new push to expand these pathways as states scramble to increase their chances of winning second-round money in President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top competition, which is aimed at reforming and improving U.S. education.
To view this entire article visit www.hechingerreport.com
Nation has high college remedial education rate
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
The data on remedial courses in college is startling. According to the Associated Press article below:
• Nationwide, about a third of first-year students in 2007-08 had taken at least one remedial course, according to the U.S. Department of Education. At public two-year colleges, that number rises to about 42 percent.
• In a 2007 ACT National Curriculum Survey of college professors, 65 percent said their states poorly prepare students for college-level coursework.
• The Alliance for Excellent Education estimates the nation loses $3.7 billion a year because students are not learning basic needed skills, including $1.4 billion to provide remedial education for students who have recently completed high school.
High schools today teach a broad understanding of a wide range of subjects, but college requires more specific skills and knowledge. Also, the recent focus on higher education has pushed academically weak students into college when they would otherwise prefer vocational training. “We’re telling kids you’ll be a third-class citizen if you don’t go to college,” said Marty Nemko, an education policy consultant and author. “And colleges are taking kids who in previous generations would not have gone to college.”
Properly preparing college-bound students, while giving students options such as apprenticeship programs similar to those offered in Finland, Japan and Germany would create a stronger workforce and ultimately strengthen the US economy. LifeBound’s books are designed to make cross-curricular connections with the courses students are already studying so that they connect their learning in class to their lives and other courses. Our new book, LEADERSHIP FOR TEENAGERS: From Antiquity to the 21st Century, exemplifies this strategy while helping students build the practical skills they need to make a difference in school, their community and the world as a whole.
ARTICLE:
Nation has high college remedial education rate
By CHRISTINE ARMARIO
Associated Press
May 11, 2010
DAVIE, Fla. — Professor Derron Bowen teaches high school math to college students, patiently chalking equations on the board on basic arithmetic topics such as the speed of a driver on a a 20-hour trip.
Bowen’s class at Broward College in South Florida is for students who didn’t score high enough on an entrance test to get into college-level math. In all, about two-thirds of students entering the community college need to take at least one remedial course in math, English or reading.
Nationwide, about a third of first-year students in 2007-08 had taken at least one remedial course, according to the U.S. Department of Education. At public two-year colleges, that number rises to about 42 percent.
Education observers worry that the vast numbers of students coming to college unprepared will pose a major roadblock to President Barack Obama’s goal for the United States to once again lead the world in college degrees.
To view this entire article visit www.google.com
Brevard school offers new take on tutoring
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
Since February, Brevard Public Schools in Rockledge, Florida has offered two online evening tutoring sessions four days a week for Kennedy Middle School students. The hour-long sessions with teachers from Kennedy Middle offer extra help in math, science, language arts and Spanish. Officials say they are so impressed with the program, they want to expand it countywide.
According to the Florida Today article below, “Previously, about 10 percent of the school’s more than 700 students attended traditional tutoring sessions held after school on campus. About 37 percent of the school’s students have taken part in the online tutoring.†Developed and organized by Kennedy teacher Amanda Van Ess, she says “It brings out the students who are afraid to ask questions in the classroom. The kids are really loving the interaction not only with their teacher, but also with their peers. It allows them to learn in a way they are comfortable, using the computer.”
Students aren’t the only benefactors. The online tutoring program gives parents a break from costly tutoring programs and scheduling/transportation conflicts with work. Teachers involved in the program also enjoy the convenience of working from home instead of arriving at school early and/or leaving late.
Tutoring is an integral part of education and in order to encourage, inspire and motivate students to succeed in difficult subjects, coaching skills are a must. LifeBound trains educators, administrator and parents on academic coaching skills such as asking powerful questions. To learn more about how LifeBound’s academic coaches training can benefit you in your role as a tutor visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
Brevard school offers new take on tutoring
More students participating in online program vs. traditional
BY MICHELLE SPITZER
FLORIDA TODAY
May 6, 2010
ROCKLEDGE — Once a week at 7 p.m., Carolyn Phillips, a Kennedy Middle eighth-grader, logs on to her home computer, and her Spanish teacher’s face pops up on the screen.
“How many of you remember what tener means?” Leonardo Nicaragua asks Carolyn and about a dozen of her classmates who participate in an after-school online tutoring session.
Some students use microphones attached to their computers to answer their teacher. Carolyn types the correct response “to have,” which pops up on the screen for everyone in the session to see.
“This is much more fun than being at school, because I’m home, and I can take breaks or get a snack,” the 14-year-old said while her 2-year-old sister played behind her and her mom peeked in from time to time.
To view this entire article visit www.floridatoday.com
Teaching Secrets: 10 To-Dos for New Teachers
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
In the below Teacher Magazine article online at edweek.org, author and middle school math and science teacher, Marsha Ratzel, provides 10 tips for new middle school teachers on how best to prepare their curriculum and become acquainted with their students and school community.
Preparation is the key to first day of school and year-long classroom success. As Ratzel states in her Teaching Secret #1, working with an experienced teacher several weeks before school starts to discuss goals is a must for effectively teaching curriculum new to you. That is why at LifeBound we work with districts to train faculty for summer academies, advisory courses and provide professional development on academic coaching. To learn more about LifeBound’s materials and services visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
Teacher Magazine
Published: May 5, 2010
Teaching Secrets: 10 To-Dos for New Teachers
By Marsha Ratzel
College commencements are in the air, and while the thoughts of some new teacher graduates are no doubt turning to the beach or summer jobs, other freshly minted educators are already envisioning their first classrooms full of students, each with his or her own special learning needs.
It’s an exciting but also anxious time, as the experienced professionals in the Teacher Leaders Network know well. So for those early birds lucky enough to have found a teaching position in the current down-sized economy and eager to begin, we offer our first Teaching Secrets article of 2010, tailored to the particular needs of new teachers in the “tween†grades.
To view the entire article visit www.edweek.org
Lingering Seniors Get a Soft Shove From Cal State
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
Students with more credit hours than necessary to graduate, but chose to stay in college for more than four years, or “super seniors,†are now seeing a push from California State’s 23 campuses. Due to budget cuts that led to enrollment reductions, the campuses hope to encourage super seniors to graduate in order to make room for new students.
The Cal State administration feels this program is a low-cost way to reduce enrollment pressures and possibly raise their graduation rate (in the fall of 2008, 3 percent of all undergraduates at the Northridge campus alone consisted of super seniors). Each campus will take differing actions, but according to the Chronicle of Higher Education article below, “most will involve holding departments responsible for super seniors, expanding focused advising services, and setting new limits on financial aid.â€
The difficulty will be determining which students are staying to party and avoid the real world of work and which students are truly lost, trying to find their desired career path through trial and error. College is a time of self-discovery and character building, and like with most things, each person is on their own clock. We don’t want to rush students through such a pivotal time in their lives. That’s why LifeBound’s materials help 5-12 grade students discover their gifts and talents, become emotionally intelligent, encourage critical and creative thinking and develop effective study habits – to lead them to earlier self-discovery and prepare them for academic, social and emotional success in order to make the most of college. My book, MAJORING IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, is a great resource for students unsure of their direction in life and seeking guidance. To learn more about LifeBound’s resources or to request a free review copy of any of our texts visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
Chronicle of Higher Education
May 2, 2010
Lingering Seniors Get a Soft Shove From Cal State
Like other colleges, the system seeks to help longtime students move on
By Josh Keller
Northridge, Calif.
California State University at Northridge just wants Randy Vitangcol to graduate already.
Mr. Vitangcol has been in college since 2005. He is on his second major. By the time he plans to finish college next spring, he expects to have amassed twice as many credit hours as he needs to complete the requirements for his current major, financial services.
“I’ve been in college for so long, sometimes it feels like I don’t know anything else,” he admits. He compares himself to Van Wilder, one of a long line of cinematic college students who party endlessly and studiously avoid graduation.
The Cal State system has historically taken a lax attitude toward “super seniors,” students with large numbers of credit hours who linger in college for more than four years. But no more. After budget cuts forced sharp enrollment reductions over the past few years, many of the system’s 23 campuses have taken aggressive measures to thin their ranks and make room for new blood.
To view this entire article visit www.chronicle.com