Two veteran teachers in a school each teach a secondary World Geography class. They have approximately the same class sizes, the same content, and the same access to technology. The students of the first teacher groan at the mention of his subject, while the students of the second teacher can't wait to get to class. So what is making the difference???
In this case it has to do with the pedagogy each has elected to use.
Faculty and Staff Use of Social Media: Sample Policy
Social media—including sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, and other online discussion forums—has extended its reach into many areas of modern life, including (or especially) the lives of students, as well as teachers and administrators. While the origins of these services are social in nature (i.e., not job-related), they have evolved to the point where certain uses of these outlets may impact the reputation and well-being of your school and its members (for example, if they inadvertently serve as a conduit facilitating inappropriate relationships between students and faculty/staff). Due to this possibility, the use of social media resources becomes part of the school’s appropriate purview with respect to employees.
Budget Cuts Mean an Opportunity to Reach Out to Public School Students
Every day, there are stories in the news that public school districts are forced to cut programs for budgetary reasons. Chances are this has happened in your community. This can be a perfect opportunity to offer after-school, evening, or weekend programs to your community that will introduce your school to a wider audience.
College Degree Provides the Best Guarantee of Economic Mobility
Low-income students miss out on college for two key reasons: they don't know how much it actually costs, and they're not aware of how to get access to billions of dollars in financial aid, according to a report from Pew's Economic Mobility Project.
This matters because postsecondary education is among the most important factors in determining whether a person achieves the American Dream of upward economic mobility, according to the report, titled Promoting Economic Mobility by Increasing Postsecondary Education.
Has 'General Education' Gone the Way of the Dinosaur?
There's a new free, online "college guidance" tool for students and parents. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is appalled at the state of higher education, finding that many major colleges and universities no longer require classes in what it has identified as seven key subjects: composition, literature, foreign language, history, economics, mathematics, and science. This lack of "general education" will have a significant impact on the country's ability to innovate and compete in the global marketplace, the nonprofit organization says.
10 Resolutions for a Great School Year
The Apple, a Web site "Where Teachers Meet and Learn," is an ongoing source of information, communication, and inspiration for teachers. Among the resources at www.theapple.com are news, lessons, videos, as well as "Ask a Teacher" and "In the Workplace" forums. Recently, the site posted these 10 ways for teachers to boost their job satisfaction and effectiveness in the classroom.
Teens' Online Interactions Can Put Their Digital Reputations at Risk
Today's instant-access electronic environment provides a range of opportunities for learning, communication, and interaction. But teens can be careless in the way they present themselves online, and those short-term actions can have long-term repercussions.
Another 'Reality' Show?
This one's especially for those of you in the upper division. Let's say that you don't get enough drama around college applications and acceptances in your day-to-day working life. Someone out there in TV world has your back.
Foreign Language Instruction: Research Tackles Ongoing Debates
Research conducted at Northwestern University in Illinois has important implications in two areas—for educators dealing with the ongoing debate about "how early is too early" to start teaching students a foreign language, and for schools that offer dual-language immersion programs.
Forget Swine Flu—It's Senioritis!
No doubt you've noticed there's an infectious disease spreading among your upper division's graduates-to-be—the dreaded "senioritis".
Characterized by high spirits, low motivation, and short attention spans, the condition has rarely proved fatal. However, the consequences this year may be more serious. In fact, students whose academic standing drops may face having a college acceptance withdrawn.