Sunday, April 28, 2013

What do students really need to learn?



With the announcement that states can submit waiver requests, it would appear that the No Child Left Behind legislation is for all intents and purposes coming to an end a year early. Most educators are NOT sad about this. In fact, they are relieved. It’s not that educators are opposed to accountability and certainly most aren’t opposed to high standards, but the idea that 100% of students will reach an arbitrary (yes, I really mean arbitrary) score on the same day flies in the face of efforts to differentiate instructional practices based on the needs of the learner.

First let me defend my use of the word, ‘arbitrary.’ I’m not suggesting that the ‘powers that be’ grabbed a random number and decided this was the target score that every student should achieve. I recognize that a lot more thought went into deciding what the ‘cut’ score should be–(i.e. the minimum score every student would be expected to achieve.) However, I am suggesting that the ‘cut’ scores varied greatly from one state to the next as did the content being measured etc. In my mind, the variation between the knowledge students were expected to master coupled with the variation in acceptable scores from one state to the next points to a somewhat random and arbitrary determination.

This brings me to the question at hand…. “What do ALL students really need to learn and be able to do IF they are going to graduate from our K-12 schools and become productive members of society?” I want to emphasize the word ALL in this question, because I believe we REQUIRE kids to do many things that may not support their individual path in life. Oh sure, ‘those things’ may be important for another student, but does it make sense to ‘standardize’ learning to the point that all students are expected to complete the same requirements even though elements of it don’t meet their needs?

OK… I’m sure you’re ready for me to tell you at this point what I believe all kids MUST know and be able to do. As much as I hate to disappoint you, the purpose of this post was not to define the minimum ‘curriculum’ but rather to draw attention to the need for us to work together and redefine it. I would suggest that high stakes tests should measure what we really believe ALL kids must know and be able to do. I would also suggest if these tests really measure important knowledge and skills, successful adults should be able to pass them.

States across the country are preparing their waiver requests from elements in the NCLB legislation. Many have adopted Common Core Standards and most of those have joined one of the consortiums charged with writing assessments to measure the standards. I’m just wondering if we’ll get closer to getting it right. It seems we should measure the outcome which we desire, and I’m wondering if we are committed to preparing kids for success in their life or to take assessments that measure content knowledge?

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Tips On How To Succeed In College



Check out all the grants and scholarships that your school provides so that you can have some help in paying for your education. There are many unique scholarships out there, including one for left handed people. There are various state and federal grants that don’t require repayment.
College is an exciting time, but you may also feel a bit nervous about what is in store. Still, it is important to remember that you will be fine. You should make sure you focus on your classes, even though you are free to do what you want now. Remember that you are in college to get your education and experience independent living.

There is no one to wash your clothes and feed you anymore. Choose healthy foods, get eight hours of sleep every night, and study as much as possible. Try to have a schedule that revolves around studying, going to class and taking care of yourself. Bad habits and a bad diet will affect both your health and your grades.

Try registering for classes that you are interested in instead of opting for “easy” classes. Giving yourself a challenge is rewarding. You’ll learn more from harder classes and potentially build contacts that will assist you in your future career.

The sooner you start preparing for college the better, just don’t get too anxious. Make sure your grades stay high. Volunteer work is also important to give your resume a positive image. Compare schools that you are interested in. Don’t let the stress overtake you, though.

Sit down and think about whether going to college straight from high school is right for you. Some students actually benefit from a year off between high school and college. You have to do what’s right for you. Just be sure you think everything through prior to making a decision.

Set aside a good amount of time to study everyday. The more you spend applying yourself to your education, the more rewarded you will be. It is okay to socialize, but treat college as if it were a job. If you do well with your college career, you can expect a happier and more fulfilling life.

You need to socialize during orientation and at certain events. Many people move to places where they do not know other people and that can make them feel out of place and lonely. Introduce yourself to new people, make some new friends and you will see that college can be fun.

Read your study notes right before you go to sleep the night before an exam. This will allow you to process this information while you sleep. Your brain will help fill in the gaps of missing pieces of knowledge so that you’ll find that you understand more information in the morning.

Even if you are an exemplary student, you are sure to face a great many challenges in college. Suddenly you are in charge of most of the decisions in your life. Using the tips and hints from the article above, you can create a college plan that will work for you and help you get through college and even have time for fun.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Student Centered Learning



In the due process of education student plays a vital role. He is at the receiving end with the pure motive of acquire knowledge and information in the form of education. Student centered learning is a concept where students are the pivotal element in the process of education. Education process basically involves teachers, students and administrators.

Students acquire education; teachers deliver education while administrators manage the working of the educational institution. Teacher centered learning is where teacher is in the center playing active role while students are at the receptive end with a passive role. While student centered learning is where students are active, participating in their process of learning.

Education format was basically followed as a teacher giving instructions to the students and students are expected at the receiving end to grasp all the information delivered by the teacher. However with the advancement of science and technology and changing era the approach towards education also changed. Instead of just depending on the teachers and revisions, students started making attempts for group study and peer learning. This gave emergence to student centered education, a process where student themselves decide on their learning format and selection.

Student centered Learning facilitates active participation of students in the learning process from the independent point of view. In this process students are supposed to utilize all their class time composing the new formats of learning materials being an active participant. The classrooms are promoted by utilizing valuable learning skills that builds the students with ability of achieving far-reaching learning goals that leads to the motivating factor amongst the students. Learning also leads to the development of intellectual as well as personal growth. When student himself makes attempt to learn something in his format it has a faster effect on his intellect as well as knowledge. A teacher centered classroom can turn into student centered class room only when the teacher gauges the diverse background of the learners.

Integration of student centered class room in the curriculum

Reinforces Students motivation towards education.
Upholds group or peer learning.
Reduces troublesome behavior.
Fosters Student-Teacher bond.
Student is responsible for his own learning.

Student centered learning has brought a drastic change in the teaching methods also. The approach for reaching and learning is evolving spontaneously with new and trendy ways to reach the learners. Learning becomes more productive when teachers allow the students to explore their own routes towards academic success. This success is more or less achieved when learners are thoroughly engaged with the active learning process. In this format teacher is just a medium for students to acquire knowledge and is just supposed to guide the students with new version of the learning material.

Student centered learning provides students with the opportunity to their own format of learning to the curriculum and apply it as this process provides an exclusive learning objective. Though teacher provides genuine and appropriate opinions student is expected to generate knowledge. With a good rapport amongst the teacher-student and effective communication teacher can gauge students needs interest and overall commitment towards learning material.

Student centered learning enables the student to be a facilitating factor in his own learning process. Student centered learning is one of the best option for higher education and learning process as higher education more or less evolves group discussions, peer learning and team work.

Education upgraded my life and writing became my passion since then. Internet became the easiest medium for me to share my opinion, acquire information or enroll for Online Universities and Distance University

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Educational Activities for High School Students



Educational activities for high school students will bring cooperative learning, cooperative learning is a type of classroom environment in which small teams work together to learn a particular subject or educational activities. This type of learning activities is to create positive interdependence, face to face interaction, individual and group accountability, interpersonal and small group skills and group processing. Incorporating these social activities into the classroom may not only improve the social skills of students, but it may help students of lesser ability to learn from those who do not require as much instruction.

There are many activities from educational activities at school there are many students in high school students are probably played this game as children. It was fun then, and surprisingly, it is still a fun game for high school students. Games will make learning activities more fun and enjoyable, they will enjoy their learning activities in educational activities. There are many ways to increase your students creativity by games, one of the most popular games is role playing, through role playing it will give your students chance and experience in learning activities. Give the opportunity for one group to role play, it will give your students chance to be entertaining in front of the class and also give them a chance to learn a material with different way. Educational activities with role play it will give your students benefit. It is will makes your students give contributed to something that they get to share with their friends in the classroom.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

How College Students Can Save Money: 10 Money Saving Tips



1. Monitor your monthly expenses.

Every month, you need to sit down and write down all expenses you might have during the month. For example, this may include:

Tuition
Room and board
School supplies (books, computer costs, etc)
Food
Transportation
Insurance
Medical
Phone
Personal (Hair cuts, toiletries, etc)
Clothing
Gifts/charitable giving
Emergency fund contributions
Make sure that your expenses are less than your projected income for the month. If you have a variable income, it would be a good idea to project income equal to the worst financial month you’ve had in the past 6 months. Be conservative in your estimates, you don’t want to get half way through the month and realize you’re out of cash!

2. Buy and borrow used textbooks.

Textbooks can be expensive — very expensive! When you’re spending hundreds of dollars on new textbooks every few months, that really adds up! It can be easy to walk into the bookstore and grab what you need, but with a little extra effort, you can save thousands of dollars over the course of your education.

Find any students who have previously taken the class you’re attending. Ask your teachers if you can use older editions of books, and borrow as many textbooks as possible. The investment of your time into finding bargain literature is well worth the effort. Maybe even consider renting textbooks with a site like Chegg.com. You can also check out these Chegg coupon codes and helpful links.

3. Get a debit card that pays rewards

Many college students start themselves off to a terrible financial start by getting into credit card debt. You can avoid this and earn some great rewards by using a cash back debit card that will pay you for using it.

4. Dine at the cafeteria.

Fast food and eating out can really drain your bank account. Instead, try getting deals at the cafeteria! Many colleges will offer discount cards for low income students and bundle meal deals if you ask.

5. Seek student discounts around town.

Even though you’re on a strict budget, you have to still find time for fun! Going to the movies can be expensive — try asking for a student discount! Theaters and entertainment venues often provide a healthy discount for those dedicated to their education.

You can also find great discounts on insurance from your local agent. Occasionally, insurance companies will provide discounts with proof of high grades.

Everywhere you go, ask if there are any student discounts. You’ll find that you can save a great deal of money on computers, entertainment, insurance, food, and more!

6. Find flexible, high-income jobs.

To help pay your tuition, fees, and other miscellaneous costs, finding a great side job can be the difference between failure and success. It’s important to seek something that doesn’t have set hours — you choose when to work! School is your main focus. Organize side jobs that you can easily place on your calendar.

7. Ask for roommate accountability.

Sticking to your budget isn’t always a piece of cake. Sometimes, it can be more like pulling teeth. Few people are self-motivated, and most need some sort of accountability. If you have a roommate, explain to them the financial plan you’re on and ask them to check in on you every so often. Make sure this is something they are happy doing, and you’ll find more motivation to stay on track!

8. Stay busy, spend less!

One of the best ways to save money in college is to stay busy with your schoolwork! The more involved you are in activities that don’t require expense, it’ll be easier to save those dollars! Try joining clubs and sports that won’t break the bank.

9. Keep transportation simple and inexpensive.

To save big on transportation, live on campus. The less you have to travel the better, as vehicle maintenance, fuel, car insurance, and other costs can represent a large portion of your budget. If you have to travel, try a bicycle and only drive when absolutely necessary. Make use of the resources you have around you!

10. Actively seek career opportunities as you learn!

Just because you’re in school doesn’t mean you have to wait for graduation to start exploring career opportunities. Attend occupational fairs and seminars. Talk with business owners in the community. Network! Network! Network! The more groundwork you do in college, the better off you’ll be when you hit the streets with your resume.

Final Thoughts

It’s admirable that you’re attending college, but merely attending is not enough. By utilizing these top 10 tips, you’ll be well on your way to greater financial health and will have built a solid foundation you can stand on throughout the rest of your life. Your education needs to be a beneficial process. Don’t let mismanagement of your personal finances weigh down your opportunities. You can be successful. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning and positive financial habits. You’ll be so glad you did.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

14 Steps to Meaningful Student Blogging



So you have heard about blogging with your students and you are considering taking the plunge but just not sure what or how to do it? I am here to tell you; blogging with my students has been one of the most enriching educational experiences we have had this year, and that says a lot. So to get you started, here is what I have learned:

Pick an easy platform, both for you and the students. I used Kidblog with great success, it fit our needs, it is free and it offers easy moderation. There are other great alternatives out there such as WordPress or EduBlogs
Teach them how to blog first. We did an excellent paper blogging lesson first (found on the blog of McTeach), which brought up why we were blogging and how to do it appropriately. This got the students excited, interested as well as got them thinking about what great comments look and sound like.
Talk safety! We assume some students know how to be safe, but don't assume it; teach them the do's and dont's. I came up with the lesson of why the Internet is like the mall and it really worked. I also sent home safety plans for students and parents to discuss and we discussed it throughout the year.
Teach them how to comment. In order for blogging to be effective, comments are needed, but if students don't know how to properly comment they will lose out on part of the experience. We discuss how to thank people, how to answer their questions, and most importantly, how to ask questions back. This is all part of common conversational knowledge that all kids should be taught any way.
Start small. The first post was an introduction of themselves. It was an easy topic and something they really liked to do. They then got to comment on each others post as well which started to build community.
Include parents. Parents always know what we are doing and are invited to comment. The students loved the extra connection and parents loved seeing what the kids were doing.
Connect with one or two classes to be buddies. While comments from around the world are phenomenal, the connections are what it is all about. So reach out on Twitter or through the most excellent #comments4kids and set up something more permanent. The students relish getting to know one another and the comments become even more worthwhile. Thanks Mr. Gary's class in Egypt and Mr. Reuter's 6th grade class in Merton, Wisconsin for being our buddies.
Speaking of #comments4kids, this excellent site created by Will Chamberlain is a must for anyone blogging with students. Link their blog to it and ask people to comment, tweet it out with the hashtag #comments4kids, and use it to find classes to comment on.
Visit other classroom blogs. Show them how other kids use it and have it inspire them. Blogs can be found through Twitter or the comments4kids site.
Let them explore. My students love to play around with font, color, and images. They taught each other how to do anything fancy and also let each other know when font or color choices were poor. This was a way for students to come into their own as creative writers and also start to think about creating their online identity.
Don't grade! Blogging is meant to be a way to practice writing for an audience and learning to respond to critique, not a graded paper. I would often tell students my requirements and even make them go back and edit but I never ever chastised them for mistakes made.
Challenge them. Often students would ask to write about topics but we also had a blogging challenge almost weekly. This was my way of finding out what they really thought about fourth grade, their dreams, their hopes and their lives. The kids always wondered what the next challenge would be and looked forward to writing them. We would also share creative writing pieces from class, create diaries of work we did, and share our op.ed. pieces.
Map the connections. We have a world map in our classroom that we use to push pin people we connect with, it is amazing to see it grow and what a geography lesson is has turned out to be. Students are acutely aware of where Egypt, Alabama, New York and other places in the news are because they have connected with people there.
Give it time! Some students took to it right away, others weren't so sure, and yet they all ended up loving it. The sheer mass of paper I have had to print to create their writing portfolio is staggering and it shows how ingrained it became in our classroom. I now have kids blogging when they are sick, out of school or just because.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

How to Get Good Grades in High School



The number one quest for students is to get good grades in high school. Some students seem to get good grades so naturally whereas others struggle terribly just to get C’s. This is not due to intelligence entirely, rather how to receive good grades involves various factors.
The following are some factors that will help you get good grades in high school:
Take good care of your body
First of all, it is important to be sure that your body and brain are receiving the proper amount of necessary nutrition. Take a multivitamin everyday. This is an easy thing to do that does not cost a lot of money but it can really give you the calmness and the mental focus to study and concentrate. Next, be certain that you are getting enough sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep you cannot fully do your best academically. Finally, try to maintain a state of relaxation. Do not become too stressed out about things. Just relax and focus on your work. It is the most important thing right now.
General rules to follow
You must attend class. In order to get good grades in high school you must come to every class. Do not miss classes or you are only making it so much harder for yourself to succeed. Next, be sure that you can see the front of the classroom and the board. Sometimes, people do not realize that they need glasses. Be sure that you can see everything in sharp focus. If you can’t, then get an eye exam to see if you may need corrective eyewear. Also, consider changing where you sit if people around you are too loud, you can’t see or you are distracted in class for any reason.
Specific studying tips
To get good grades in high school, you must study.
Pre-select the location where you are going to study and make sure that it is a quiet, distraction-free environment.
Study at the very same time every day in order to make studying a habit. Also, schedule your breaks in. Some people need more breaks than others. Schedule as many breaks as you find necessary for yourself.
Also, make sure you know the basics before moving on to a harder skill. This is particularly true in mathematics. Be sure you have the foundation down before you try to build the house.
Another studying strategy is to use index cards and repeat all the information aloud to yourself. Do not worry if you seem to be talking to yourself. You need to memorize your information and using index cards and repeating aloud to yourself is the best way.
These are some tips to get good grades in high school. Use them and watch your GPA go straight up!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

How to teach your children to love reading!



Here are some super tips to inspire your children to love reading:

Be a good reading role model: Make sure your child sees you reading often, even if it’s a magazine.
Make reading fun by reading books your children enjoy.
Read at the same time of day or in the same place, so your child knows the routine.
Promise to buy your children the books they want.
Set up 20 minute read-a-thons.
Take your child to the library.
Give books as a gift to them, and other friends.
Always read out loud to your children, even if they’re old enough to read to themselves.
Add drama to stories to make them more exciting.
Bring books to life, by doing activities like crafts, cooking, and trips related to the book.
Put labels all over the house, and get your children to read them regularly.
If your child asks a factual question, look up the answer together.
Have your child to describe to you what’s happening on the pages.
Encourage your child to ask questions.
Keep it short with toddlers. Keep reading to them even while they play.
Try rhyming books, to help develop their ear.
Have your child draw the characters.