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Original Post: Online Schools

Eureka 849924 Teacher Reward Kit

Just finishing college with a teacher’s certificate? Taught in American schools for X years and it hasn’t turned out to be all you thought it would be? Maybe you should give international teaching a try.

Ever heard of someone using their teaching skills overseas? Here’s one example. Kelly Blackwell proposes a challenge on her website. Through an audio blurb, she gives at least three benefits available to those who give international teaching a try. First, her students in foreign countries are often more motivated and disciplined than those in North America. Second, she enjoys longer holidays since her school year is usually about 180 days. This allows time to tour the country and experience the culture firsthand. Third, she claims there is less pressure compared to western schools. She is also provided with a salary adequate for her needs with allowance for travel.

What are the steps to getting your resume considered in an international school? One website describes the experience of a couple in obtaining an international teaching position in Tanzania. This resource suggests the best place to learn about some of the over 4000 international schools is by attending a college’s recruitment fair. The experience described sounds something like an auction where prospective teachers have minutes to present themselves, a little longer to interview, and expectations to make a decision before the two days are over. If you’re interested in seeking employment abroad, you should attend something like this prepared, with your personal goals and interests already decided.

Of course, a major interest in international schools would be English teachers, preferably ones who spoke clearly and who knew English grammar well. Depending on a countries’ interest in teaching English, such a position could vary from self-supporting to lucrative. But when considering a position, salary should not be the only, or even the main criterion. After all, cost of living may diminish a handsome salary to mere subsistence. Do your homework before applying to any particular school. Besides ESL (English as a second language opportunities), some large companies provide employee education and this may include English, especially for companies working closely with American clients. Some foreign universities are increasingly offering summer immersion English courses to post-graduate students who are moving to an English speaking country to finish their education. This is a promising short term opportunity that may be long enough for someone to get a taste of international teaching before he or she commits to a longer period.

Reading about other countries and cultures is theory; being there allows one to experience it firsthand. Through an international teaching experience, a teacher can be paid to do what he or she loves and as a bonus, see the world as well.

Original Post: Online Schools

Consider the Rewards of International Teaching

Sight words are the most commonly used words in the English language. They include such words as – if, but, and, the and many more. These words hold our language together and do not usually add much specific meaning to the context. They are important for early readers to know automatically so as to maintain reading fluency. Sight words, or high frequency words, are not meant to be analyzed or sounded out, just learned by sight.

There are many different high frequency word lists produced over the years. My favorite is the widely used Dolch Sight Word List. It has been used in schools for years and the list is not too long, just 220 words. Make up word cards using the Dolch list , about 4 words per A4 sheet is a good size, laminate them and have some fun playing sight word games and activities. A set of laminated sight word cards is very useful and important addition to your teacher resources.

1. Play the Battleships game as a whole class or with a partner. Place the words on a grid instead of the battleships.

2. Play coin toss – words on floor – children take turns to toss a coin onto a word and say that word.

3. During the conferencing or editing stages of children’s writing, have a box of mini blank cards available. These are about 10cm x 3 cm. Children use these cards when looking for words on word wall, boxes, on charts, in story books, to write the words on. They then take these smaller versions back to their writing to edit their spelling.

4. Play the game – What am I? – I am red, I have 3 letters, and I start with n.

5. Make a letter twister chart with chalk on a concrete floor, children place their feet and hands on the letters to spell words.

6. Children make their own word wall / dictionary using photocopied small words and scrapbooks labeled with a letter of the alphabet on each page… can be added to throughout the year

7. Use the sight words to play a game of – hangman.

8. Count how many times certain sight words can be found in children’s reading books, or whole class big books.

9. Play dominoes using same end letter / beginning letter. Children love these sorts of hands-on sight word games.

10. Using an erasable pen – children practice their letter recognition by drawing a ring around certain letters on the laminated sight word cards.

11. As a class or in small groups, play the game – Chinese Whispers – one child picks a word card, looks at it and whispers it around the circle. Last person has to find the card with that word on it.

12. Using erasable marker pens, children find different phonic blend such as wh, ee, ay within the laminated words.

13. Using chalk on concrete, children practice writing the sight words.

14. Turn handwriting practice into sight word games by using erasable pens for children to trace over the letters of the laminated sight words.

15. Place words in alphabetical order.

Make sure a set of laminated sight words becomes an integral part of your teaching resources arsenal. I have used my set forever. They were always available to the children and were never just tucked away – only to be seen during – look and say – sessions. Make use of sight word games to make it fun.

Now, go and have some fun with those sight words!

Original Post: Online Schools

Top 15 Sight Word Games and Activities

Everyone needs instruction at some point in life. Friendly instructors help us get through the rough patches and set us on the right path. In some societies, a teacher is treated as the closest thing to God. It is a teacher who helps the struggling child to grasp the difficult concepts of mathematics and science. Teachers impart wisdom and open life’s doors for us.

The business world is full of nuances and complexities. Professionals have to learn to be aware of subtle aspects. Having the right business attitude can make the difference, though of course it’s important to also have the knowledge and intelligence about the field of operations. People think that if you just change management, that will solve everything, but the solution is usually more complicated than that.

Many people that are successful in business are intelligent, dynamic, energetic, and driven. There are numerous business management books on the market, and it may make some readers think that they know just about everything. But, theoretical smarts alone will almost never bring you success in any field, and that includes business and commerce.

If this had not been the case, millions of avid readers who are do it yourself types could have become executives, and even company presidents. In reality, professional success usually requires a degree of expert guidance. Here, management coaching often comes into play. It is different from, though it may sound very much like, such assistance as mentor support or more traditional forms of coaching.

Management coaching helps millions of companies evaluate their operations and figure out ways to help their employees improve their performance. In a competitive environment, no business should go without doing this because they risk falling behind their competitors. The IT section, for example, is known for its focus on team building and helping to motivate workers and management. They hire management coaches to help employees define success, set goals and achieve the motivation to get themselves to achieve them.

As corporations compete nowadays to employ renowned management coaches, internet companies hold their own with IT firms. Both have come to recognize management coaching as a valuable route to greater prosperity. E-commerce is the battleground of experts. Those with motivation and the proper guidance toward “positivity” will be most successful at contributing to the company’s success.

The world of business has no room for unintelligent people; it is a game of mental prowess and attitude. You cannot just change management and expect that all problems related to your business will disappear. In reality, professional success usually requires a degree of expert guidance. Here, management coaching often comes into play. It is different from, though it may sound very much like, such assistance as mentor support or more traditional forms of coaching. Amidst today’s competitive market for the most renowned management coaches, internet companies are rapidly catching up to IT companies.

Original Post: Online Schools

Management Coaching In The 21st Century

Homeschooling, while it affords you certain freedoms when educating your child, is not always easy. But there are things that you can do to make homeschooling easier for yourself as a parent. The following tips may help make your job as a homeschooling parent a little easier.

You can always look to the Internet. when in doubt about a particular method, go online to look for a new method. In fact, the Internet can help with just about every homeschool need. Want to keep the little one busy while you work with an older child? you can find coloring sheets, worksheets, mazes, and puzzles online.

Find a complete curriculum. Complete curriculums make homeschooling easier for the parent. Rather than having to search through dozens of catalogs to find just the right curriculum, choose a complete curriculum from the start. This can save you time and money in the long run.

Take it easy. nobody starts off as the perfect teacher even if you have an education degree, you most likely will make mistakes along the way. Cut yourself some slack. Learn from the mistakes and try not to repeat them again.

Give your children the chance to help themselves. You can’t be expected to be an expert in everything. If your child wants to learn something you don’t know, let them follow their interests. You will be surprised when you realize they can learn a lot on their own.

Seek the help from others. When in doubt about anything dealing with homeschooling, seek the advice from those who have been homeschooling for longer than you. Even though they may not have dealt with exactly what you’re dealing with, chances are they will be able to give you advice or point you in the right direction. Take advantage of your homeschooling peers’ offers of help, there might be a time where you’ll be able to return the favor.

Online communities are available. If you don’t know people that homeschool in your local area, there are literally hundreds of homeschooling communities on the Internet. Search online for homeschooling groups or forums. They can be found in every state, and even some outside of the United States. You may have to register to join a homeschool group or forum, but you can be as active as you like and remain anonymous if you like.

Homeschooling isn’t always hard. Many parents choose to homeschool is the ease and freedom associated with it. If things do get difficult, however, these tips can help make homeschooling a little bit easier. Look for more tips and resources at the Complete Homeschool Guide http://www.completehomeschoolguide.com.

Original Post: Online Schools

Homeschool Help – Tips to Make Homeschooling Easier for Parents

Parents who do any kind of research about homeschooling learn that it is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Each year, 7 to 15% more parents make the decision to homeschool their children.

Right now there are close to two million children who are learning from homeschooling programs.

Even though homeschooling is a widely debated topic, the evidence proves that homeschooled children thrive. And more than often do better than their public educated counterparts. Homeschooled children excel on standardized tests and have no problem in college.

A passion for lifelong learning is passed on to children who are taught at home. Most families homeschool their children with college as a goal.

When families use homeschooling programs, they have some flexibility. Children don’t just learn basic skills and knowledge: They master the concepts. Since children set the learning pace, there are no time constraints that pressure children to finish a concept and move on to the next before they’re ready.

Children who are homeschooled only compete with themselves. They don’t have to worry about keeping up with others. They also have the luxury of more one-on-one time with the teacher. Lessons can also be adjusted to fit the child’s needs.

Just as an example, say your child is proficient in English but has a hard time doing math. You might use homeschooling programs that focus more strongly on math and spend less time on English.

This is one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling programs. Not only are you working closely with your child’s learning speed, you are also factoring in your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

There are no time schedules, which is another great thing about homeschooling programs. Homeschooling is usually at home, so parents can decide when it’s convenient to have lessons.

This isn’t to say that having a routine or a schedule isn’t important. It does mean that you have a lot of flexibility to begin and end a lesson whenever you want to. You can end sooner when your child finishes his or her work.

Homeschooling programs offer another luxury: The ability to teach in a safe, secure environment. Parents can choose to create a learning environment that is comfortable for their children.

If your child is learning about animals or plants, you might decide to have school lessons at a museum or a zoo.

With homeschooling programs you have the flexibility of incorporating more fieldtrips that help with learning. Sometimes these are more practical than lecturing as if you were in a traditional classroom.

Original Post: Online Schools

How to Choose Homeschooling Programs That Fit Your Style

Are you planning to start homeschooling your children? You might be feeling intimidated or overwhelmed, but you don’t have to be. You love your children and want them to have the best education possible–what more could a child ask for in a teacher?

Your permission to teach your children comes from God, and your ability outweighs what a public education could give your child. Once you are committed to start homeschooling, you will be able to provide the best education for your children.

If you feel like you are lacking the skills and knowledge necessary to teach your children, you can learn right beside them. You can teach what you already know, and when you feel like your knowledge is limited, you can read out loud and learn together.

When you start homeschooling you will be concerned about money. Homeschooling can be free or low costing. If you can afford to purchase some curriculum items, do so prayerfully and with caution.

Do you have a public library close to where you live? You have a vast resource available to you. You have access not just to a wide variety of books, but also research volumes, magazines, videos, cassettes, homeschooling programs, phonics tapes, foreign language aids, and even computers.

Don’t forget to build your own home library. You can add to your book collection without spending a lot of money by finding good books at thrift stores, garage sales, and online.

The entire schooling process begins with the basics, something parents quickly learn after they start homeschooling. Reading aloud to your child is one of the best things you can do together. Emphasize the importance of the written word.

When you start homeschooling, you can ease your children into a routine–an especially good idea if they are just old enough to start going to public school. Until you see success, you can begin by teaching one subject at a time.

It’s best to begin with phonics. You can soon move on to other subjects such as reading, writing in cursive, and creative writing. You’ll also want to bring math into the picture eventually.

You can find a variety of resources to help you teach these subjects. You can start homeschooling your children and feel successful. And the great thing is that you don’t have to do it alone.

Original Post: Online Schools

Should I Start Homeschooling?

North Kansas City Schools Have Only a Limited Amount of Funding Available

North Kansas City schools need to receive enough funding to ensure that students have the tools they need to learn. The problem with school budgets in general (not just the budget for North Kansas schools) is that the people in charge of those funds tend to forget exactly where the money comes from. The government can only collect so much in taxes, after all.

The challenge faced by North Kansas City schools is how to keep costs in line, while still providing a quality education. Since the vast majority of school board spending is on salaries, this is the budget item that might fist be examined for possible cuts. School business is a tough business. Teacher salaries are always a topic for debate and yet talented teachers are in demand and schools are finding it difficult to address budget needs at the teacher level.

Budget Goals at North Kansas City Schools Can Be Met Without Cutting Staff

I applaud the decision taken by board officials responsible for North Kansas City schools in deciding to look at where the public’s tax dollars are being spent and make some changes where the lion’s share of the money is being spent. No jobs will be cut, but the board officials at North Kansas City schools will be making adjustments to make better use of the human resources they already have.

The easy approach, by far, would be to get the axe out and start swinging. I was very glad to read that any reductions in the staff working at North Kansas City schools will be done through attrition. The schools can be thought of as being in the service industry; they get funding to provide educational services to our young people.

When you start cutting back too deep or too quickly, the quality of that service will suffer. When the quality of education suffers, then we will all end up paying for it. The children going through North Kansas City schools are our future leaders. If we start cutting the budgets for North Kansas City schools without having a detailed plan in place, we may end up with a generation that is not well prepared for life as adults when they finish school.

We use a portion of our tax dollars to invest in the next generation because we know those young people are worth it. The board officials need to spend those funds wisely, and that may mean making changes to class size or choosing not to run some courses where there isn’t enough interest to justify keeping them going. North Kansas City schools are on the right track; more school districts need to follow in their footsteps.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Kansas City Missouri school district.

Original Post: Online Schools

Trimming The Budget At North Kansas City Schools Good News

Los Angeles schools who attend these failing schools (approximately 13 in all) may feel like they are being taken care of by their school board, if they take the time to even think about it. Most likely, they have their minds on other, more pressing (to them) matters, such as living in poverty, learning to speak English, learning with disabilities and whether or not to stay in school at all.

These students attending these Los Angeles schools may look to their school as a place of sanctuary, but given the habit of teens to bring wear their problems on their sleeves, it’s doubtful that even the best school can offer much sanctuary from a stressful life.

The Plan: Inspired or Misguided?

So is the “Plan” misguided? I believe that the leaders of Los Angeles schools truly want to improve their schools that need improving. Is the plan the best way to go? Well, let’s take a look at a few of its high points.

• Local Control – individual Los Angeles schools will be given control over how they will improve. With district support, these Los Angeles schools can use what methods work best for their particular students. (One has to wonder, however, that if the administrators of these Los Angeles schools were doing their best in the first place, whether the problems would be as extensive as they currently are.)

• Rigorous Curriculum – Setting a higher standard for students to reach is all well and good, but if the students attending these failing Los Angeles schools are already behind, (and it’s a good bet that this is so, especially if we’re talking about those in danger of dropping out or with learning disabilities) it’s hard to see how raising the bar will help. Perhaps more concentration should go into getting these students of Los Angeles schools back on track academically speaking.

• High Quality Instruction – This simply means putting better teachers in the classrooms. Too often, low-achieving schools are the dumping ground for what’s wrong with the teaching profession; they’ll take any assignment they can get in order to keep their jobs. They’re teaching for the paycheck (as unbelievable as THAT may be) and little else. Improving teacher quality is imperative; principals have got to be able to rearrange, reassign, retrain or even FIRE ineffective teaching staff. Failing teachers working at failing Los Angeles schools really do not deserve job security. We wouldn’t accept that from a doctor, lawyer, policeman or even preacher, so why should teaching be any different?

While these are only a few areas which are addressed in “The Strategic Plan for High Priority Schools”, it is easy to see that Los Angeles schools have their work cut out for them. Reform is necessary, and won’t be simple. Hopefully, the leaders of Los Angeles schools will stick to their jobs for the long haul and fix what’s wrong with these Los Angeles schools.

Patricia Hawke is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations and education for relocating families. For more information please visit Los Angeles Unified School District

Original Post: Online Schools

Can Strategy Save Failing Los Angeles Schools?

In the first classroom, where the students were leaning about biography, the teacher asked them to read the first two chapters of The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myers. But only half the class read the chapters. A few students just looked at the photographs, two students wrote notes to each other, one put her head on her desk, and several others began doodling. Roughly five minutes into the silent reading period, the teacher gathered the non-reading students and read the chapters aloud to them. When class ended, she sighed. “What else can I do? They can’t read the book, so I read it to them.” This is one way to manage whole-class reading. But there is another way.

In the second classroom – in the same school – the teacher read aloud a passage from Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull. As she read, she modeled cause/effect strategy by thinking aloud and answering students’ questions about her thinking process. Next, she gave students instructions for silent reading: They were to read the next two chapters of their book, jotting down tough words on self-stick notes. Each student was reading a biography at his or her own level. Some pairs read the same title, but most students had their own specially chosen books. As the group read, the teacher held individual conferences. When she met with Josh, she focused on making inferences. Keisha and Carla practiced using context clues. With David, she focused on causes and effects. Each conference lasted no more than a few minutes.

You’re probably thinking that you’d have a much better chance of reaching all your learners if your classroom looked more like the second one. But maybe you don’t know how to do it. Here are the 10 most frequently asked questions I get from teachers on differentiating reading instruction. I hope they’ll help you diversity, too!

How do I get started with differentiation?

The first step is to move away from organizing your teaching around single books. Instead, choose a genre from which all books will be drawn, and pick a topic or theme. You can then focus on a particular issue that is present in all texts. Students studying realistic fiction, for instance, might discuss what constitutes a family, and what determines whether their relationship is smooth or rocky. If you have students read different books on the same topic, they’ll be able to bring a variety of ideas and perspectives to their discussions. Besides, using different texts means students will be able to advertise great books to one another!

How do I find books at each student’s reading level?

I ask students to use the “three-finger method” to see if a book is just right for them. Have students open their book to a age near the middle and read it. Using the fingers on one hand, students should count the number of words they can’t say or don’t understand. If students get past three fingers, the book is too hard. The book is “just right” if students understand and can say all but two or three words and if they can retell what they read. Of course, as you get to know your students better, you will be able to predict what kind of books will be just right for each one. Then you can gather books from your local library, school library, or reading resource room. Also, check out book club offerings or host a book fair at your school. Keep a small monthly allowance for searching local yard sales, and collect reading material from friends, family members, and neighbors, too.

What does a unit plan look like? How much planning do I need to do in advance?

I suggest making an overall plan for each unit, including the theme, your choice of reading and vocabulary strategies for modeling and student practice, the selection of read-alouds, a variety of independent texts for students to choose from, journal entry assignments, and tiered projects that meet the varied reading and writing levels of students in your class, as well as their particular interests. You know your class best.

Should I have individual conferences with students? What should I cover?

Meet with students individually while the group is doing silent reading. You might talk about a reading strategy you’re working on or discuss specific aspects of text structure. For students who read far below grade level, you’ll want to check their general comprehension before talking about these topics. Ask them to retell part of the text. You can also work with students on using context clues or discussing how your theme connects to the text they’re reading. Students who can work independently can have partner conferences and then turn in a paper showing what they discussed.

How do I keep conferences to only five minutes?

The key is to focus the conference on a single topic. For example, if you’re holding a conference on a specific reading strategy, first have the student explain the strategy and tell how it helps her understand what she reads. Then, have the student open her book and read one page aloud to you, doing a think-aloud to show how she applies the strategy to her independent text. Take notes on the student’s performance, and provide scaffolding as needed. To make sure you don’t lose track of time, us a kitchen timer.

How do I assess students when they have different assignments?

Try using journal entries. If I want to grade students on their comprehension of realistic fiction, I might ask them to write journal entries that tell how they drew conclusions about a character’s personality, what changed from the beginning to the end of the book, what the conflict was, and so on. Also try using tiered activities; that is, give students a menu of activities at different levels. Tiered activities can help you discover students’ levels because students will usually choose activities they know they can complete successfully.

Should I organize students into groups so they can discuss their reading?

Absolutely! I like to take some of the week’s class time to meet with small groups for a 10- to 15-minute discussion. During these discussions, ask group members to talk about an open-ended genre question (for biography, Do you feel the person’s accomplishments were positive or negative? Why?), or you can ask them to connect their book to an issue you’ve been discussing. Holding these conferences reinforces the social aspects of reading, and moves interaction beyond you and the student to the whole group.

My students are reading so many different books. do I need to read them all?

The answer is — fortunately — no! You can try to skim several books before a unit starts, but don’t be discouraged if it’s not possible to get to know them all. You’ll be able to determine whether a student has read a book by the amount of detail he offers in his discussion. When you get a response such as, “The main character is a detective, and she’s really smart. She solves the whole mystery,” you should definitely probe further. Ask the student to give examples of why he thinks the character is smart and how she solves the mystery. If the student can’t do this, he may not have read the book or he may have found it too difficult. Ask gently, “Why is it tough for you to remember the details?” If the book was too hard, give the student a few other choices.

Does every student need to read the same number of books?

No. Your stronger readers may choose longer texts, which means they will read fewer books. Meanwhile, struggling readers may read shorter texts but read more of them. Negotiate with your class the minimum number of books they should read in a unit. Prepare a schedule with reading and writing due dates, and remind students of the dates often. Help students budget their time by scaffolding the process. For example, break down a writing assignment into chunks (drafting, revising, publishing) and give a due date for each step. This way, you can offer students feedback between each step, further scaffolding their final outcomes.

What do I do if students don’t complete their reading assignments?

This situation must be handled with care in order to build trust and help students develop a passion for reading. One of my students, Zach, arrived at school announcing that he disliked reading and hadn’t done any of the summer reading. “Are you going to call my mom?” he asked. I told him we would try to work it out together. We had several lunch meetings during which I found out more about Zach’s reading struggles and about his personal interests. After we found books that suited his needs, Zach began to enjoy reading and did a lot of it. By the time he asked me if he still had summer reading to make up, I told him that he already had!

As teachers, our most basic goal is to reach each and every one of our students. By implementing differentiated instruction, you can meet your students where they are and provide the scaffolding and inspiration they need to move forward.

Differentiating Reading Instruction: How to Teach Reading to Meet the Needs of Each Student, reflects and offers ways to deal with the fact that middle school classes include students reading at a diverse range of instructional levels. To learn more about Robb?s books, classroom libraries, recommendations, teaching and parent tips, and more, visit Laura Robb.

Original Post: Online Schools

But They All Read At Different Levels

Participating in this year’s event will be representatives from Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brasil. Representatives and teachers from Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua are also expected to attend and participate. The Venezuelan chapter will host the event this year. Its National Coordinator is Professor Mirna Sojo Sojo. She will be assisted by Maritza Lopez, Arturo Perez and a host of other dedicated and forward thinking educators.

While discussing the conference with Professor Sojo and when perusing the informational materials that have been distributed, the theme of emancipating the educational process is a recurring one. But emancipating it from what, some might ask? Could the answer be status quo governments? Many in the United States are convinced that the educational process is not geared toward developing people but controlling them and preparing them to perform tasks that serve the interests of government and big business. Apparently this train of thought is prevalent in other countries as well. Could it be that progressive educators in the United States can look to educators in South America for a measure of guidance?

The aims of the conference include deepening the interchange of experiences among teachers from the participating countries, strengthening the learning experience and teaching techniques, recognizing the teaching experiences that promote forms of organization, articulating proposals that perpetuate the production and sharing of knowledge between teachers and communities, recognizing the educational experiences that spring from the communities and empowering the conference’s mobilization movement within the participating countries.

The central themes that will be covered during the conference are various but interrelated. They include:

(1)Exploration of what goes into making a teacher or educator. Taken into consideration are the teacher’s personal, practical and preparatory experiences, and how they influence his or her ability to relate to and interact with those who are being taught;

(2)Exploration of practical and innovative teaching methods. The construction and development of curricula take front stage during this segment;

(3)Exploration of political projects that focus on what actions teachers can take to emancipate the formal educational process. How can teachers harness their power so that formal education is made more responsive to the needs of individuals within a community as opposed to the needs of governments and corporations? What can teachers do to facilitate the incorporation of multiculturalism, ethnic experiences, multiple languages and other such factors that tend to be neglected or trivialized by status quo educators and administrators;

(4)Exploration of emerging educational techniques and experiences; and

(5)Exploration of scientific and occupational initiatives.

The conference, which is held every two years, will begin on July 13, 2008 and continue until July 20. The organizers have separated Venezuela into fifty expeditionary school district routes. For the first four days, each participant will stay in one of these districts. Each district will accommodate between 15 and 25 participants, who will be able to meet with teachers and members of the community, interchange ideas and objectives and discover how to make community objectives a more integral part of the education process. Participants from other countries will thereby have the opportunity to actually experience what teachers and community members experience and emancipate the educational process by augmenting the role and relevance of community priorities. Attendees will spend the final three days in or near Caracas, attending workshops and meetings that bring most of the participants together.

In the words of Professor Sojo, “As a consequence of this conference, we want to produce a document that makes a strong case for an educational alternative free of neoliberal and capitalist influences. A high quality, free education that is beneficial to our communities can be provided.”

The Fifth Ibero-American Conference of Teachers and Researchers is open to participation by non Spanish speaking educators, and translators are in place to accommodate them. For more information google “redcires.”

Mba Mbulu is an independent educator specializing in the politics of history, particularly as it relates to people of African descent throughout the world. He is the founder of Aset University, author of several books and creator of an alternative education curriculum. He can be contacted at mmbulu@asetbooks.com www.asetbooks.com AsetUniversity

Original Post: Online Schools

South American Educators Meet To Redefine Their Sociopolitical Role

Tips for Test Taking from Detroit Schools

There are three distinct stages of test-taking according to Detroit Schools: before the test, day of the test, and after the test. Knowing what to do in each stage can be the most helpful in helping a child prepare for a test.

? Before the Test: In the weeks before a test, parents should be asking to see their child’s homework assignments. Parents should sit down with their children and discuss the reasons why he or she thinks they are getting the questions wrong. Parents should help children not just with answers to the questions but how those answers were arrived at. When a parent is stumped too, call the teacher. Detroit Schools have gone to lengths ensuring that all on their teaching staff are highly qualified. Parents of Detroit students should not hesitate to call and ask questions regarding their child’s progress.

Parents can also make sure that their child has adequate space to do homework in a quiet and well lit area. A rule of thumb for home work, depending upon age is 20 minutes of study for each hour of class 5 days a week through Jr. High. In High School that number increases to 30 minutes. Friday and Saturday nights can be rest nights with Sunday through Thursday nights being study nights. Effort and accountability are key lessons parents can teach their children. Detroit Schools recommend that parents give lots of praise for a job well done. The younger the child, the more he is actively seeking parental approval.

? Day of the Test: On the day of the test, Detroit Schools recommend that parents make sure their child is well rested and well fed with a hearty breakfast. Studies have shown that a student who has eaten breakfast performs better on tests. Also parents should be sure that the student arrives to school on time and is calm and relaxed. Reassure him that everything will go well and that he or she is ready. Also parents should re assure that as long as their child has done their best, everything will turn out alright. Detroit Schools will take it from there!

? After the Test: After the test is graded and sent home, parents should go over it with their children. Detroit Schools wants parents to ask their children questions about the test. If the student marked a question wrong but knows the right answer, there might be an underlying problem. Concerned parents should contact their teacher. Detroit Schools welcomes calls to teachers, principals, or counselors in order to resolve any problems.

Taking an active role in a child’s education is a parental responsibility!

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Detroit Public Schools

Original Post: Online Schools

Tips For Test Taking In Detroit Schools

What are Charlotte Schools’ Specific Goals for the Future?

? Lowering Ratios: Ratios are a part of life for most school districts and the Charlotte Schools are no different. The teacher student ratios are what are most concerning administrators and faculty alike. As more children move attend the district schools, more and more pressure is placed on existing teachers because their classroom numbers keep growing. Charlotte Schools are responding by hiring more teachers to lower the ratio of teachers to students. After all, the more interaction that a child has with his or her teacher, the better chance for academic success he or she will have.

? High Standards: Charlotte Schools desires to have best schools in the area. They aim to accomplish this goal by remaining uncompromised on their time tested academic standards but ensuring that new teacher hires meet a quality that will be up to the task. The burden of educational accomplishment falls not just at the base of the teachers. It is viewed as a three way contract. Students are expected to be motivated in their education and to learn more as the district expands it’s academic standards instead of contracting them. Administrators will be expected to handle the fiscal responsibility of keeping Charlotte Schools modern while also a desirable place for high quality teachers. Teachers will be expected to develop themselves more professionally, and the entire school will be expected to increase its performance on every level. High standards in Charlotte Schools require that motivated and talented people are putting forth their best effort.

Implementing the Goals of Charlotte Schools

Charlotte Schools need help in implementing their goals. They want parents to provide their children with help he or she needs academically succeed. Such needs include making positive learning environment at home and the encouragement to ask questions about homework or any problem he or she might be facing. In order to achieve high standards, children need their parents. Parents should ensure the child has adequate work space and enough time to finish his or her homework. Most importantly, encourage school attendance. The more he or she attends, the more he or she will learn.

Parents are encouraged to be active within the school district as well. One can see a myriad of volunteer opportunities at their child’s school. Learning is a community event and more should participate in the school system in order to help it run better. Join the PTA. Coach a sport. Get active in children’s education!

Overall, in our Country their seems to be an increasing trend toward placing education further on the back burner in favor of other more interesting things like helping students at home, we’re watching television or surfing the internet with the mentality that learning should only take place at school. This couldn’t be more wrong. Learning in the home begins at birth and into adulthood. If we parents take an active role in their children’s education, efforts like those taking place in the Charlotte Schools will fall well short of their potential.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

Original Post: Online Schools

Goals Of Charlotte Schools

Going to acting schools is definitely not an uplifting or an encouraging experience. A lot of people take children acting classes when they are kids as a way to improve the chances of getting into school plays and to have some fun in a rewarding hobby, but it usually doesn’t go any further than that. Acting school is serious business. In an acting class for teens, you will be flooded with praise for the slightest thing you do right. Even if you are a miserable actor with no chance of ever succeeding in anything, it doesn’t matter. You could be Keanu Reeves himself, and the teacher would still pretend that you had talent. This is why so many people get involved in theater and film majors later in life ? their childhood drama class coaches tricked them into it.

Acting schools are some of the bleakest places on earth. You see, for actors everything is about appearance ? that is the nature of the trade. Acting schools, for this reason, are truly cutthroat places. Everyone tries to disguise their own imperfections and insecurities, coming across as confident, self-assured, and above the rest. Nonetheless, everyone in acting schools is surrounded by other people like this. This means that, behind the scenes, everyone drowns in there own insecurities. If you are in your early 20s and in acting school, it means that you probably haven’t landed any serious roles ? few actors have by this age. Nevertheless, your days as an actor are already numbered. For film acting, you start early or you start never.

I first started taking acting classes in New York a few years ago. I was going through film school at the time, but I was realizing that I didn’t want to direct. I simply didn’t have it in me. I thought that I would gain more from transferring to a full-time acting school, and I did pretty well in the auditions. I wish I hadn’t gotten in in retrospect. Acting schools are the pits. Once you get that first taste of the potential for fame and fortune, it is hard to give up, but this doesn’t mean you are going to succeed. Basically, acting schools play with your emotions. There is nothing more glamorous than the famous actor, but there is also nothing more pathetic than a would be actor who has failed. Many fail and few succeed.

Original Post: Online Schools

Acting Schools