A school district in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has recently implemented a new program to help junior high school students improve their reading and comprehension skills. The federally-funded program, called Read 180, teaches students reading skills and supplements the existing curriculum.
A Self-Appointed Teacher Runs a One-Man ‘Academy’ on YouTube
CAROL’S SUMMARY:
Salman Khan, 33-year-old began making lecture videos from his home studio in 2006; and has now become The Khan Academy on YouTube. Khan has created over 1,400 videos on various academic subjects. Khan states in the article below, “The Khan Academy explicitly challenges many of higher-education’s most sacred assumptions: that professional academics make the best teachers; that hour long lectures are the best way to relate material; and that in-person teaching is better than videos. Mr. Khan argues that his little lectures disprove all of that.†Khan has received over $150,000 in donations and has helped many students further understand classroom material. “When I called a couple of students who posted enthusiastic posts to Facebook, they said they saw it as a helpful supplement to the classroom experience,†said Khan.
YouTube is a great way to communicate with others and to share new ideas. Creative thinking is important in achieving academic success. Not every student learns the same way and having alternative teaching options is another way to help students become more successful. LifeBound’s materials designed for grades 5-12 promote students to be creative. Through tips and helpful strategies students can become more academically and career successful.. LifeBound is currently networking through Facebook, Twitter, and a blog page. To learn more about LifeBound’s materials visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com.
ARTICLE:
A Self-Appointed Teacher Runs a One-Man ‘Academy’ on YouTube
Are his 10-minute lectures the future?
The Chronicle of Higher Education
June 6, 2010
The most popular educator on YouTube does not have a Ph.D. He has never taught at a college or university. And he delivers all of his lectures from a bedroom closet.
This upstart is Salman Khan, a 33-year-old who quit his job as a financial analyst to spend more time making homemade lecture videos in his home studio. His unusual teaching materials started as a way to tutor his faraway cousins, but his lectures have grown into an online phenomenon—and a kind of protest against what he sees as a flawed educational system.
http://chronicle.com/article/A-Self-Appointed-Teacher-Runs/65793/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Common Set of Nationwide Standards to be Reviewed Over the Summer
Carol’s Summary:
 The Council of Chief School Officers and the National Governors Association announced a set of nationwide standards for math and English on Wednesday, which, if accepted by states, would standardize the curriculum of public schools around the country. The motivation behind the concept of standardized learning is to increase academic achievement and level the field for all students regardless of what state they live in.
According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative website, the English language standards include learning to write logical, research-based arguments as well as to be thoroughly prepared for college-level reading and vocabulary upon completing high school. For math, one of the main goals is to ensure that students are prepared for algebra by the eighth grade.
 Education Secretary Arne Duncan has accepted the authorization of the national guidelines as a part of the criteria for Race to the Top, the competition in which states vie for education funding. Various education groups also advocate the standards and are encouraging states to consider incorporating them into their curriculum.
Curriculum, whether it is standardized or unique, is one of the most important aspects of academics and education. It is at the core of what helps students to learn and accomplish their goals. LifeBound’s curriculum and books are used in schools and classrooms to supplement the existing curriculum that many schools use to help their students succeed. Visit www.lifebound.com or email contact@lifebound.com for more details and information on LifeBound’s books and curriculum.
Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/06/AR2010060603062.html
The Answer Sheet: Common state standards are no more than part of the answer
By Valerie Strauss
Special to The Washington Post
Monday, June 7, 2010
So now we have a set of standards for math and English language arts that were designed for all states to adopt so learning could be more uniform across the country.
On Wednesday, the folks behind the initiative — the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association — released the standards, which spell out what children are expected to learn in those two subjects from kindergarten through high school.
College awareness: How much is too much?
Carol’s Summary:
A Michigan School district has recently started a program to inform children about college options from as early as preschool and kindergarten, which begs the question: How early is too early for children to start thinking about college?Â
During the district’s week-long college awareness program, elementary school children write about what career they’d like to have and even take a walking tour of Eastern Michigan University. There are concerns that a program like this may put too much pressure on such young children.
In San Francisco schools, a program was announced to begin next fall that will provide a college savings fund for each child entering kindergarten in one of their public schools. Between $50 and $100 in deposits will be put in each child’s account annually, and they will also be encouraged to start thinking about college at an early age.
While it is important for children to think about college and what they would like to do in the future, what age is an appropriate time to do so? At LifeBound, we believe it is important to discuss the importance of all stages of education in all stages of life.
Our book Success in Middle School introduces students to the possibility of going to college and what steps to take to succeed throughout middle school and beyond, in order to build and maintain a strong academic basis for attending college. For more information about Success in Middle School and other Lifebound books, visit www.lifebound.com or e-mail contact@lifebound.com.
Article:
The Washington Post
June 3, 2010
College awareness: How much is too much?
By Valerie Strauss
How old should children be before they are asked to start worrying about going to college? Eight years old? Ten? Thirteen? Fifteen?
How about 5?
Here’s part of a story in the Detroit News about an early awareness program in the Kalamazoo School district:
At age 5, Jeremiah Kagumba spoke often of playing professional basketball. But after his elementary school held a college awareness week, he decided he would become a doctor.
To read the full article:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/higher-education/college-awareness-in-kindergar.html
Thirty-Five States, D.C. Vie for Education Funding
Carol’s Summary:
               The Federal Government’s Race to the Top competition, which grants funding for education reform, is going into its second phase after Tuesday night’s application deadline. Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia applied for the second round of the competition, where states are rewarded grants for their efforts to reform the education system.
States will win grants based on their efforts towards amending curriculum, improving low-performing and underprivileged schools, as well as for the methods by which they employ and train teachers. There is a total of $3.4 billion dollars to be presented to the states that demonstrate the most efforts towards changing their schools.
In the first round, forty states applied for funds, with Delaware and Tennessee winning a combined $600 million. Three states have not re-applied, while states like Alaska and Texas did not apply for funds in either round of the competition. The finalists will be named around July 26, and by the end of September the winners will be decided. It is predicted that between 10-15 states will receive Race to the Top grants.
Many schools use LifeBound books in their classrooms to apply lessons to real-life situations, thus making learning more purposeful and suitable to students’ needs. Books such as Making the Most out of High School offer curriculum that is unique and allows teachers, students and parents to teach and learn with more hands-on strategies. The methods that LifeBound teaches are carefully researched and tested to ensure academic success.
While many schools are cutting budgets right and left, we are working to meet districts in creative ways to bring the best programs possible to students and teachers. For more information about Lifebound’s books and curriculum, visit www.lifebound.com or e-mail contact@lifebound.com.
Article:
Wall Street Journal
Thirty-Five States, D.C. Vie for Education Funding
Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia applied for the second phase of the Race to the Top federal education competition as the application deadline passed Tuesday night.
The states are hoping to win a piece of the $3.4 billion available under President Barack Obama’s signature education initiative.
Race to the Top aims to spur innovation by rewarding states that promote charter schools, tie teacher pay to student achievement and intervene in low-performing schools.
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