California STEM Initiatives
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and encompasses all of the subjects that fall beneath those umbrella categories. Although STEM education affects all aspects of society, the last two decades have seen an overall decline of student interest in STEM subjects in the United States. Each state has responded to this trend in their own way, and in California, many initiatives are in place to improve the quality of
The 10 Greatest T.V. Teachers of All Time
The classroom isn’t the only place where great teachers can influence children. Believe it or not, children can learn a lot from television! The following is a list of some of the most influential figures in educational television:
- 1.)
- Fred McFeely Rogers was a minister who began working in television to address the need for dynamic programming for children. His show, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, is one of the…
Targeting Children With Treats
On January 25, 2012, First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled new requirements for nutritional standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs across the nation. The official press release outlines the improvements to school lunch programs that are expected to enhance the health of children at school as well as lessen the childhood obesity trend. Under the new rules, schools will be required to double the servings of vegetables and fruits per meal.
In an effort to support the nutritional standards for school meals and our teachers and students, we have created an infographic, “Targeting Children with Treats” with statistics sharing lifestyle, consumption, and media activity relating to children. It takes …
Republican Presidential Candidates on Education Policy
The race for the Republican nomination in the 2012 general election is underway, and (if one hasn’t already) a GOP primary election is coming to a state near you. The four candidates have taken clear positions on domestic policies like job creation and government reform, and have been equally vocal about their plans for the future of American education. As a teacher, the decisions made by these potential presidential candidates at the federal level could influence where you teach, what you teach, who you teach, your salary and even how your performance is assessed. Therefore, it behooves you as an educator to be well-informed about the candidates’ policies in general, but it is especially important to be in the know about th…
New Teachers: The Joys & Challenges of 21st Century Learning
Patti Grayson is an elementary teacher in Virginia and a member of the Powerful Learning Practice Network. This year she's looping with fourth graders. She blogs at Patti's Ponderings. Follow her on Twitter @pattigrayson.
There has never been a question in my mind about the importance of teaching as a profession.
In fact, to me, teaching is a calling. It takes a special person to dedicate themselves to helping guide our youth in their academic, social, and emotional development.
After all, we know there is much more to the job than imparting knowledge. In the six hours a day children spend with us, we care for and nurture the whole child – not just their brains! As a boss of mine used to say: “We don’t teach science, math, and hist…
Today’s Teachers Must Become Connected Educators
By Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach
We live in an age of fast-paced change and, unfortunately, economic downturn. Most schools and school systems are not able to give us the kind of professional development we need, as often as we need it. But the good news is that we also live in an era of great technological proficiency, where many useful learning tools are available for free -- tools that are safe and fast and easy to use: information-gathering tools, knowledge-management tools and, best of all, tools for collaboration. If we are connected educators and we know how to leverage this ubiquitous technology to connect to other people who share our interes…