by on April 28, 2015

5 Quotes Celebrating Teacher Appreciation

teacher-james hickey phdTeacher appreciation is one way to let educators know that their contribution to society is highly valued and truly important for the future. Education is about more than just work in the classroom. Teachers must take time away from school to build lessons, rehearse the material, and offer a hand to struggling students. Unfortunately, too many teachers are underpaid and taken for granted. Bustle, an online news publication, has gathered several quotes that display gratitude for the teachers of the world. They want to recognize the work that teachers do all year around.

Brad Henry is the former Governor of Oklahoma. He comments that a, “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” Solomon P. Ortiz, a former U.S. Representative shares his thoughts by saying that, “Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” Ever Garrison is then cited for saying, “A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”

In school, many students are encouraged to become familiar with the literary works of John Steinbeck. Popular titles include “Of Mice and Men” and “The Grapes of Wrath”. When it comes to the importance of teachers, he says, “I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”

The founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung, believed teachers should be cherished. From his mouth, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.

For more quotes about why teachers are important, visit Bustle here.

 

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by on March 25, 2015

How to Save For College in 2015

Preparing for the financial responsibilities that come with sending a student to college can take a lifetime of planning. Tuition rates are already considered high and future projections only represent another expected hike. Follow these tips to better save for college.

Start Early

A savings has the ability to grow overtime. This logic results in less needing to be contributed over time. Waiting until the child is in high school will drastically cut the amount of money available to send your student off to college.

529 College Savings Account

The benefit of using this type of account is that the savings can build tax deferred. Also, funds used to pay costs related to college can avoid federal income taxes. Most account limits are $250,000 but withdrawals can only be used for college living and equipment costs.

Prepaid Tuition Plan

As college tuition rates increase year to year, a beneficial savings plan may be to use a plan that builds with a stagnant tuition number secured. In the past ten years, costs for a private nonprofit four year college has risen 24 percent. Due to state funding cuts, this spike is even more drastic. Families can select from either a state plan or the Private College 529 Plan. The locked in amount for the first will only apply to one particular state, whereas the private college plan covers a range of 270 private universities and institutions.

College Savings vs. Financial Aid

The FAFSA is a component of every child’s higher education that will be used to asses the eligibility for financial aid. It will take into account factors such as the EFC or Expected Family Contribution. The more a family makes, the less financial aid will be an option for the student attending school.

As time progresses, also be sure to keep up to date with any changes to government regulated programs and guidelines.

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by on February 10, 2015

Is Physical Education Important for Young Students?

team-james hickey phdThe St. Paul area of Minnesota is being strongly encouraged to acknowledge the health benefits of physical education and therefore increase the children’s exposure to these activities. Groups that have stepped forward to address this include the American Cancer Society and the Healthy Kids Coalition. Reasons for this include fighting childhood obesity and instilling valuable health lessons that will last a lifetime.

A few days ago, the Senate Education Committee held a meeting to assess the ramifications associated with the possibility of these changes. Several advocates stepped forward to share evidence that physical activity has a positive effect on brain activity in minors. Minnesota is struggling to meet the national standard of physical education time for children in grades K through 4. 150 minutes per week is the requirement and currently only one out of five schools in this area is meeting the criteria. A boost in physical education at this age with items such as more fitness testing and requiring more phys ed credits will help the students maintain a healthy lifestyle as they grow into adults.

These schools in need of a boost are lagging in the fitness area because of the extra time being directed toward reading, writing, and arithmetic. Some officials also argue that more gym time will take away from electives such as music and foreign language. A bill passed now also restricts schools from taking away recess as a punishment. The message attached to the old way was deemed as sending out the wrong signal. Activity is imperative and not necessarily a reward. Parents have also pointed out that the opportunity for greater movement helps children pay attention since they have an outlet to relieve built-up energy.

To learn more about this story, visit Kare 11 online here.

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by on January 15, 2015

President Obama’s Plan for Free Higher Education

obama-james hickey phdPresident Obama announced a plan to make higher education more accessible for all. He presented a plan to make community college free for students willing to work hard. This initiative is an outstanding step in a positive direction. Working students will have a chance to enroll in school full time which will increase their chances of graduation.

The increasing cost of college education has been an ongoing issue for many years. The cause of this stems back to institutions struggling to manage their costs and student funding getting cut by states with tight budget plans. These factors have led to increased tuition across the board. The federal government also plays a role in this pricing. Instead of holding schools accountable, the government offered grants, loans, and tax relief for students to help them afford their education. This approach has led to other problems. Students then become inundated with student loan debt while states are inclined to continue raising tuition under increasing state budget cuts. Enrollment was then allowed to stay high despite low income families struggling and parent income getting drained to pay tuition.

Community college is moving toward being free through President Obama’s proposal that 75 percent of tuition be paid by the federal government. This would apply to students who are taking classes at a half-time status or more. The remaining cost would be handled by the participating state. This model encourages states to manage their institutional costs for community colleges, where spending has not grown drastically over the past few years.

To read more about this forward moving education initiative, visit Slate.com here.

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by on December 9, 2014

Computer Science Education Week 2014

the-white-house-james hickey phdThe week of December 8, 2014 is Computer Science Education Week. This is a time where thirty middle school students from Newark, NJ and Brooklyn, NY were invited to the White House by President Obama. It was an opportunity to join in on an Hour of Code, where they learned computer programming basics through effective online tutorials suitable for learners of all ages.

Since last year, President Obama has been encouraging communities to raise their support for computer science education in schools for students in grades K-12. He released a call to educators, businesses, and non-profit organizations to aid in this effort. In America, technology skills are growing in importance and it is key that young students are apart of and well trained for this age.

The Obama Administration is introducing new ways to expand student access to computer science education. First, over sixty school districts are going to offer computer science courses. These districts have access to over four million students. Next, $20 million is going toward training 35,000 teachers to be equipped to lead computer science courses by 2016. The College Board will also begin to offer a new Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science course with partners Teach For America and the National Math and Science Initiative. Lastly, more efforts will be placed toward increasing the participation in computer science by women and under-represented persons.

Changes instituted by President Obama are necessary because more than half of all jobs in the areas of science, math, and technology are likely to be tied to computer science. Today, most K-12 schools don’t offer courses for this future trend. Therefore, it is important to prepare the students of today for tomorrow’s challenges. Find out more information on the White House Event here.

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by on November 4, 2014

Student Tracking Technology: Good or Bad?

lasers-james hickey phdMany schools have begun to use student tracking technology. Some of these practices include scanning fingerprints, detecting a specific vein in the palm, or reading the iris of an eye. This is possible through the use of biometric scanners. These methods are then used for taking attendance, to know where the student is located, or when they are conducting transactions at school, like buying lunch. Another option is the use of student ID cards that contain RFID or radio frequency chips.

School officials were looking for greater ways to approach security. RFID technology, for example, is one great piece of the puzzle. It’s a tool used alongside trained personnel and video cameras. Strategies like this have become even more important after dangerous school events like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

While some feel safe with infrastructures like biometric scanners and RFID, others challenge it’s necessity. Select lawmakers would argue this is just another form of government surveillance and parents should have the right to opt out. In Florida, a school system introduced a program that scanned the retinas of their students eyes as a way to know where they were on the school bus. Parents were not aware or able to provide consent for this to occur. As lawmakers stepped in, a ban was imposed on Florida schools which rejected the use of biometric identification. There is concern that this sensitive data could be hacked by governments and businesses. A dispute also exists when acknowledging that animals and prisoners are monitored with biometrics. Perhaps it is unethical for school children to fall in this same category.

Restrictions are continuously being applied to this form of security. Fry, the CEO of identiMetrics insists that parents have access to a higher level of transparency regarding the usage of these methods. They need to have the option to decline if they are uncomfortable with their children using these systems. The discussions should happen before the full program is deployed in the school system.

 

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by on October 1, 2014

Increased Graduation Rates & Skepticism

james hickey phdThe Good

Texas, the former home of a large number of underperforming students has seen an improvement. No longer known as “dropout factories,” Texas schools have seen a boost in overall graduation rates. The improvement was so great that in 2012, the state ranked at second place in the nation for highest percentage of high school students who earned their diplomas.

Skepticism

Leaders in the education field note the increase as a result of local and state level programs that were set in place. One of these included the restructuring of the state’s curriculum requirements due to a new law. However, the success is still viewed with skeptical eyes. In areas such a preparedness for college and career, the advancement has not been as significant. The Dallas Independent School District is the home of a dropout prevention initiative that has seen more and more students graduate. However, they made a statement that too many students are not “functionally literate” and this could hinder their progress in college and beyond.

High School Grads Turned College Drop Outs

Statistics are showing that many high school graduates who attend college may leave before they obtain their degrees. Over the last decade, a consistent 30% of students drop out before they complete their academic programs at four year institutions. At community colleges and two year schools, one third of students don’t return after their first year. The problem is that these students are not fully prepared to face the challenges of university life.

Attendance: A Loophole for Diplomas

Schools who were in need of boost in graduation rates, underwent a series of procedures and policy changes to increase numbers. Attendance was a big factor. Parameters were set to cater to students who would have normally passed despite their number of absences. Provisions were made where students could make up attendance hours and therefore qualify for their diplomas.

Conclusion

Leaders in education are pointing out that things may not be as good as they seem in these Texas high schools. Preparation for college is not where it should be and teens are missing out on valuable life lessons. The future of this state’s success will result in an undeniable session of scrutiny. For more information visit the New York Times article by Morgan Smith, here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/us/with-climbing-graduation-rates-come-renewed-doubts.html?ref=education&_r=0

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