This week’s Education News Round-Up discusses important changes in the New York City Public school system, the current state of STEM education and a very special opportunity given to Chicago public school students.
A Special Lecture for Chicago High School Students
This Monday, the students of Chicago’s Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center attended a guest lecture by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union. With t…
April has been a busy month for education reform, and this week’s news round-up covers recent legislation aiming to make important changes.
The 2012 Race to the Top Fund Invests in Early Education Reform
The Race to the Top Fund is an initiative by the Obama Administration that allocated over $4 billion in grants to education reform and invites states to apply for funding to create their own education improvement plans. On Apr…
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education, also known as STEM education, affects all aspects of society, but during the last two decades, there has been an overall decline STEM interest among American students. STEM is an important part of an advanced economy, and it is essential that today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders in STEM.
Each state has responded to this STEM crisis in their own way. New York has enacted several initiatives to improve the quality of STEM education in the state and to further engage students in an attempt to inspire the…
The next advancement in the grading of standardized tests is already underway with a new initiative to automate the assessment of essays. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, an organization that offers grants for efforts in education, environmentalism and global development, is planning to award $100,000 to the designers of a software that will accurately and automatically grade student essays for state tests.
This competition will be an effort to streamline the scoring of standardized tests by reducing the costs and mini…
In today’s social media-driven culture, there is ongoing debate as to what is considered appropriate online behavior, particularly on Facebook. While it’s true that everyone has a right to privacy and self expression, there is no denying the that there is no privacy on Facebook. Limitations can be placed on who can see your profile, but there are no restrictions on your friends sharing what you post with their network. This in a way makes Facebook a public forum, and users should have the understanding that everything posted can easily be shared with someone it may not have been meant for.
Appropriate Facebook conduct is necessary for all users -- from job seekers whose in…
Jeff Delp is the principal of Willis Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona. He has worked in the Chandler Unified School District for 12 years, also teaching math and science. Jeff is a strong supporter of incorporating technology and social media into education to expand and enhance the learning experience. He believes technology is important to a well-rounded education and that it can individualize instruction, allowing students to learn in the way that is best for them. Jeff is active on Twitter and publishes a blog, Molehills out of Mountains, which was nominated for an EduBlog award for Best Administrator Blog of the Year.
On Becoming a Teacher…
