I have long been skeptical of Mr. Joel I. Klein’s qualifications for his leadership of the New York City school system, and certainly of his motives in doing so. In what seems to be a spreading epidemic, complete control of the school system was taken away from elected community school boards and usurped by Mayor Michael [...]
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The BioBus, a rolling science laboratory, could help to bring hands-on science education to underfunded programs. You can help the bus to keep rolling with just a few clicks. [...] I was recently cleaning out a box of old papers. I found some of my old report cards from when I was school and laughed at the comments. I also found some ‘thank you’ from some of the wonderful students that I taught over the years. The following is a piece from a card made by [...] …a story about a student I once taught to improve her writing skills and a question of whether or not this was truly a benefit for her… [...] With the technological advances of the 21st century does it make sense to continue teaching students with a 19th century mindset?, or do we need to update our concept of what it means to be literate in today’s world? [...]  Thus far, we have been exploring the concept of replacing the traditional paper bound book with an eReader for the purposes of classroom instruction, independent studying, and even for teacher administration. This post is going to take a look at that institution which, for many of us, is nearly synonymous with reading – the library. From the days of the first great library—the Royal Library of Alexandria—we have looked to these great buildings as collections of knowledge, symbols of humankind’s intellectual progression, and even a quiet respite away from the hustle and bustle of daily life where we can lose ourselves in the hunt for a mythic whale, travel to a fantasy land by climbing through a wardrobe, pore over the entries in a 19th century Ohio census record, or learn about biomechanical engineering, should we feel so inclined. Most of those books we are even allowed to take with us (provided we return them in a timely fashion and are local residents, or registered students). The question with any new technology is how will it affect what we have already been doing. I have posited the consideration of eBook readers and digital content becoming a replacement for textbooks and have yet to come up with a prediction for the future. Things get a little more serious when we talk about using these devices in the libraries. Continue reading eBooks in the Library (eBook Series Part 5)  Up to now we have been considering the use of eBooks and PDAs for students. This post will look at the use of this technology by teachers, and will consider its use as a direct teaching tool as well as an administrative assistant. Teachers often comment about the number of tasks that must be accomplished wihtout an assistant. At the same time, however, teaching seems to be one of the most resistant professions to change and the incorporiation of technology. Frequently, the failings of technology in the classroom are not from a lack of funding, but from the incomplete “buy-in” from faculty to actually use it. I have a few theories as to why that is—and it’s not just from inadequate training—and also some ideas about how technology, specifically, eBooks, eBook Readers and PDAs could become useful tools for teachers if they were in their hands, and also in the hands of the students. 
We have already looked at the practicality of eBook readers in general, and considered whether or not they have a place in higher education. In this post, we focus our attention on their possible uses in the classrooms of K-12 schools. While we have already discussed the possibility of obtaining college-level textbooks for eBook readers and found that although the availability is still lacking, it is possible. I found there is not much available for K-12 students, though. Several companies had some eBooks available for teachers and Pearson had one Honors and one AP Edition textbook that had eBooks available through their companion websites (but, you had to buy the paper edition in order to get access to it, which defeats the purpose). I began to think of some other ways that the devices could be used in the classroom to benefit students. Continue reading eBooks in the K-12 Schools (eBook Series Part 3) This post looks at how eBook Readers may (and may not) be put to good use on university campuses. [...]  As a techie and an avid reader, I have always been fascinated with eBooks. Today’s post is the first in a six-part series on the eBook and how it relates to our modern definition of literacy. With the release of Amazon’s Kindle 2, I thought we should first take a look at what eBooks are and the pros and cons of using them. I like the concept of the eBook… downloading an electronic file to my portable device that I can enjoy anywhere. But, in order for eReading to be feasible enough to get me to ditch the trusty paperback, some issues need to be worked out first. This is NOT a post urging everyone to throw out their home libraries, but rather a look at why a newer technology hasn’t been able to replace them… yet! A local columnist, who has been through medical school himself, wrote a column in today’s local rag sheet with his opinion of Brian Covello’s desire to become a doctor. Covello is the honor student I wrote about in a previous post who was arrested for robbing gas stations. Personally, I really appreciated the comment left [...] What do we do with high school and even elementary students who run into trouble with the law? Do we expel them?, send them to juvenile detention centers? Is there any obligation on the part of the schools to ensure the development of the whole child? Have schools lost their focus? This post looks at two recent crimes involving students and discusses how they should be treated upon their return to school. [...] In an Op/Ed in the New York Times published a week ago, contributors Douglas J. Besharov and Douglas M. Call go on the offensive against the Head Start program and what they see as a lack of progress. Without providing a clear argument as to what is causing the failings of the program they criticize [...]
As mentioned in a previous post, there are those out there that are opposed to Obama’s agenda on preschool education. Although many of the arguments are solidly formed and to be expected, there are a few out there who seem to get public education confused with propaganda.
As reported by Jennifer Medina in the New York Times article, In School for the First Time, Teenage Immigrants Struggle, students at this landmark school are drawn from a population classified as Students with Interrupted Formal Education. Though they have more challenges to overcome, these students must meet the same graduation requirements as their US-born counterparts whom have had many more years of formal study. Still, they have aspirations to live the American Dream, and are working hard to get there, despite the fact that, as English teacher Emily Grasso puts it, “They don’t always have a notion of what it means to be a student.” students appeared before a federal judge to provide testimony that they are still being cheated of an appropriate education … If there is to be a “change we can believe in”, my hope is that is will be to improve education for all students [...]
When we apply NCLB to a football league, the ridiculous scenarios that it sets up are revealed. If we would not put with these conditions for our sports teams, why we do allow them for our children? Is it too late to call an audible? [...]  Photo: Ben Garvin for The New York Times On January 9, the New York Times ran an article by Sara Rimer about immigrant students and their parents who are happier with their children in charter schools that cater to an international community. The article takes a good look at why these schools are more comfortable places for recent immigrant students as they learn English and become accustomed to American culture. Perhaps if we were to take a look at what other schools are not doing to make immigrant students feel more comfortable and to create the least-restrictive environment for them to learn we might be able to create a more effective classroom for all students. The State of Arizona has been ordered by a federal judge to increase funding of programs for English-Language Learners (ELLs) or else face fines up to $2 million per day. Reported by Education Week, the case will soon be heard by the US Supreme Court. The situation has gotten so complicated that even Ken W. Starr is now involved! The controversy is not about money, however, but about local control and who is to benefit from taxpayer dollars. Border states like Arizona have a high number of immigrants that may not be in the country legally and these make up the bulk of those ELL students. The real debate here is whether or not taxpayer dollars should be used to educate students who many people feel should not be allowed to use public schools or even be in the country in the first place. This is especially relevant in a state that has an disproportionately high number of immigrants. |
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A new school opened this past fall aims to work with new students – students who are not only new to the United States and New York City, but who maybe new to school – period. Named after the name of the island in New York Harbor known for the millions of immigrants that passed through it, 
A New World?
In relation to yesterday’s honor of Christopher Columbus and his “discovery” of “A New World”, I began thinking of the millions of people that were already living there. While they new it existed, their world changed with the arrival of Europeans as well. However, our history books don’t always teach us that. The video below may [...]