December 2006 - Posts
An article on washingtonpost.com discusses IB (International Baccalaureate) classes that are available for students in some elementary schools. Parents wanting the best education for their young children were told to check out Randolph Elementary, a school
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Are magnet schools worth the commute? An article on washingtonpost.com gives us reasons to believe that they are. For Jamahl Stokes of Prince William County, the decision to attend the Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology 30 miles away in
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As students return to school after the winter break, many will have new electronic devices, including cellphones. It would be interesting to know how different schools are dealing with the problems that come with students having cellphones in school.
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A new, abbreviated language is emerging, thanks to computers and cell phones. Since students are so accustomed to this type of communication, they have a tendency to use it in formal writing. An article on washingtonpost.com talks about the IM shorthand.
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Some Texas schools used creative excuses when they appealed their ratings to the Texas Education Agency. An article by Joshua Benton on dallasnews.com included a few of the unusual, along with the sensible, reasons given by schools to persuade the TEA
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Even though the holidays are relaxing, public schools and testing never escape the news. An article on newyorktimes.com describes a small district concerned about its reputation and test scores for immigrant children. The article describes testing and
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Global warming gets a lot of press these days. Should it be a part of every science curriculum? An article on washingtonpost.com (12/27) brings up the plight of the polar bear. The Bush administration has decided to propose listing the polar bear as threatened
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An article on dallasmorningnews.com discusses the option (started in the late 1990's) provided by the Public Education Grant program to transfer a child to another school if his or her school is one of the state's lowest performing schools. The Texas
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A principal in McKinney, Texas, has been accused of showing favoritism to her daughter, who just happens to be a cheerleader at the same school. As noted on dallasmorningnews.com McKinney North Principal Linda Theret, who is on leave with pay, is accused
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As a new year is about to begin, I read on dallasmorningnews.com about a new term for kids. These are not the latch key kids who come home from school with a key and no one to greet them. These are 'unaccompanied kids' who have parents who lack parenting
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I just read an interesting article on NYtimes.com about college and vocational offerings for students with cognitive disabilities. You might have to sign up for a free subscription to the NYtimes.com to get the entire article, but it is well worth the
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Times are changing about what is acceptable to discuss in a public school setting. Teachers used to know that they had to stay away from religious subjects or they would get into serious trouble and probably even be fired. In an article in the New York
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A report from the washingtonpost.com mentions a group that encourages a return to the offering of vocational education classes for students. Students used to have the opportunity to take courses such as carpentry (wood shop) and home economics. Yes, students
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The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is a fictional story about twins born in the 1960's. Dr. David Henry, the father of the twins, is forced to deliver his own babies due to a snow storm. His son is born first and is a healthy baby boy. When the
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Do fifth graders really have to pass the TAKS math and reading tests in order to move on to sixth grade? Some Texas districts are holding fifth grade students who fail the math and reading TAKS tests more accountable than others. An article in DallsNews.com
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As if global warming isn't enough to worry about, Americans are now faced with the devastating news that our educational system must be changed drastically in order for us to survive and thrive as a nation. This news comes to us from a group known as
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