BIG SALE TODAY ONLY!!
Dr. Seuss Freebie
I hope everyone is enjoying their week. I have a great freebie for you today! It is a smartboard attendance file. It has some super-cute graphics!! I hope you enjoy it!!
Math education: Arguing over false choices
By Dr. Joseph Ganem, professor of physics, Loyola University
Imagine a football coach who does not spend practices drilling his team and running plays. Instead, players watch videos of football games, analyze and diagram the actions, discuss the reasons that some plays work and others don't, and plan strategies for upcoming games. His reason for this approach is that drill work is tedious, repetitive, and exhausting. Players will enjoy practice much more if they can study the underlying strategies and concepts of football, have engaging discussions, and learn to think like a professional football player.
We would call such a coach delusional, not because of what he is doing, but because of what he is not doing. Obviously everything he is doing needs to be done, but his team will not stand a chance on an actual football field without putting in hours of tedious, repetitive, and exhausting drill work.
For an activity that has a kinesthetic component it is immediately obvious that learning it will only be possible through repetitive drill work. No one would entertain the notion that they could learn to play tennis by watching the Wimbledon tournament on television, learn to play piano by attending a concert at Carnegie Hall, or learn to dance by going to a performance of the New York City ballet. But, if the activity lacks a kinesthetic component somehow, what should still be obvious no longer is.
Consider the debates on math education that have run on for decades. Should students be taught standard algorithms for operations such as multiplication and division and focus on getting correct answers, or should students be taught conceptual thinking and focus on discovering mathematical knowledge on their own? Educators have argued both sides of this issue, but in reality it is a false choice.
Without a conceptual understanding of math the subject is of little use. Applying math to real-world problems and knowing if the results of a mathematical analysis make sense requires an understanding of the concepts. But, it is not possible to have a conceptual understanding without with the extensive practice, memorization, and drill work needed to achieve computational fluency.
I tell my students that expertise in any subject, math or otherwise, has three components - facts, skills, and understanding. Each of these components is learned in a different way. Facts are static and must be memorized. Skills are actions that must be practiced in order to become proficient. Understanding evolves and comes only through experience and reflection.
This way in which I think about learning is different than the widely influential Bloom's taxonomy. Bloom saw learning as a hierarchical process, while I see it as an iterative process. Bloom saw separate learning domains - cognitive, affective, and psychomotor - that each had their own hierarchy, while I see the iterative learning process as being much the same in each of the different learning domains.
In Bloom's taxonomy, first published in 1956, the hierarchy in the cognitive domain from the bottom up is: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. In this model of learning, comprehension (or understanding in updated terminology) is necessary before students can actually do something with their new knowledge. Hence many educational reform movements in the decades following the taxonomy have emphasized "conceptual" learning over practice. However, I disagree with the idea that a conceptual understanding is necessary before higher order activities, such as application, analysis, and synthesis can take place, because understanding is an ongoing process.
Chess as Example
For example, consider learning chess. It is an activity without a kinesthetic component hence it would fall under Bloom's cognitive domain of learning. But no one would believe that the game could be mastered without practice, or that novice players could discover the principles of strong play on their own.
To learn chess an aspiring player must memorize the names and movements of the pieces, and the object and rules of the game. These are what I refer to as facts. But the acquisition of skill in playing the game requires a program of study and practice. In order to improve, players must read texts on chess tactics and strategies and attempt to implement those ideas by playing actual games. There is no substitute for practice, but at the same time players must learn additional facts (acquire more knowledge).
However, an understanding of chess evolves in time. A novice, a skilled player, and a grandmaster can all look at the same chess position. The novice will see individual pieces. The skilled player will see groups of pieces. The grandmaster will see the entire position.
But if the grandmaster articulated his understanding of the entire position to the novice, the narrative would be of limited use. The novice would not have the knowledge base and the skills necessary to make sense of most of what a grandmaster would say about a given chess position. But that does not mean that the novice is incapable of applying, analyzing and synthesizing chess ideas. Those ideas might be relatively crude, and obvious to the grandmaster, but the process is necessary to reach a high level of understanding. It is for these reasons that I view learning as an iterative process.
Expertise
Experts are experts because they do think about their subject of expertise differently than novices. But those thought processes cannot be transferred directly to a student, they must develop through study and practice, and there is no shortcut to that development. This should be especially obvious in a subject such as math but apparently it is not.
Many years ago, before calculators and optical scanners had been invented, I made a purchase at a bakery counter tended to by a young woman who had to pencil in prices on the bags of pastries being sold. I asked for 5 donuts priced at 26 cents each. She placed them in a paper bag and on the outside of the bag she computed 26 x 5 using the standard algorithm for multiplication that I, and countless other students, had learned in grade school. She of course was very proficient at multiplication problems using this method, because throughout the day, everyday, a steady stream of customers patronized the bakery counter.
Before she could write out the problem, I said to her: "It's $1.30." She completed the problem, writing all the steps on the bag, and the result was $1.30. Startled by my seeming clairvoyance, she looked at me for an explanation. She knew of no other way to multiply but the standard algorithm, and that process required time and writing. How could I multiply the numbers instantly in my head and arrive at the correct answer?
I said to her: "If the donuts were 20 cents each how much would 5 cost?"
She replied:" A dollar."
I said: "And what is 5 times 6?"
She understood immediately what I had done, but only because she was already proficient at multiplication. If I tried to teach my methods for doing mental math to people not already proficient in the use of standard algorithms, my explanations would lead to confusion rather than enlightenment.
Real learning is iterative, not hierarchical, and it doesn't matter whether the subject is, to use Bloom's terminology, in the cognitive, affective, or psychomotor, learning domains. However, the desire of educators to systematize learning often leads to rigid ideologies riddled with false choices. The argument over whether math instruction should focus on concepts or computation is in many ways analogous to the argument on whether reading instruction should focus on phonics or whole language. Fluent readers use and understand both approaches.
Likewise, learning math is an iterative process that cycles between concepts and computation. Experts in math are proficient in both because it is impossible to master one without the other.
###
Joseph Ganem, Ph.D., is a professor of physics at Loyola University Maryland, and author of the award-winning book on personal finance: The Two Headed Quarter: How to See Through Deceptive Numbers and Save Money on Everything You Buy. It shows how numbers fool consumers when they make financial decisions. For more information on this award-winning book, visit TheTwoHeadedQuarter.com. His article is reprinted here with permission of Dr. Ganem. This article was previously published on The Daily Riff.
Note from Laurie Rogers: If you would like to submit a guest column on public education, please write to me at wlroge@comcast.net . Please limit columns to about 1,000 words, give or take a few. Columns might be edited for length, content or grammar. You may remain anonymous to the public, however I must know who you are. All decisions on guest columns are the sole right and responsibility of Laurie Rogers.
"The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding.The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it. And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither. For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man."----Khalil Gibran, "On Teaching," The Prophet
Imagine a football coach who does not spend practices drilling his team and running plays. Instead, players watch videos of football games, analyze and diagram the actions, discuss the reasons that some plays work and others don't, and plan strategies for upcoming games. His reason for this approach is that drill work is tedious, repetitive, and exhausting. Players will enjoy practice much more if they can study the underlying strategies and concepts of football, have engaging discussions, and learn to think like a professional football player.
We would call such a coach delusional, not because of what he is doing, but because of what he is not doing. Obviously everything he is doing needs to be done, but his team will not stand a chance on an actual football field without putting in hours of tedious, repetitive, and exhausting drill work.
For an activity that has a kinesthetic component it is immediately obvious that learning it will only be possible through repetitive drill work. No one would entertain the notion that they could learn to play tennis by watching the Wimbledon tournament on television, learn to play piano by attending a concert at Carnegie Hall, or learn to dance by going to a performance of the New York City ballet. But, if the activity lacks a kinesthetic component somehow, what should still be obvious no longer is.
Consider the debates on math education that have run on for decades. Should students be taught standard algorithms for operations such as multiplication and division and focus on getting correct answers, or should students be taught conceptual thinking and focus on discovering mathematical knowledge on their own? Educators have argued both sides of this issue, but in reality it is a false choice.
Without a conceptual understanding of math the subject is of little use. Applying math to real-world problems and knowing if the results of a mathematical analysis make sense requires an understanding of the concepts. But, it is not possible to have a conceptual understanding without with the extensive practice, memorization, and drill work needed to achieve computational fluency.
I tell my students that expertise in any subject, math or otherwise, has three components - facts, skills, and understanding. Each of these components is learned in a different way. Facts are static and must be memorized. Skills are actions that must be practiced in order to become proficient. Understanding evolves and comes only through experience and reflection.
This way in which I think about learning is different than the widely influential Bloom's taxonomy. Bloom saw learning as a hierarchical process, while I see it as an iterative process. Bloom saw separate learning domains - cognitive, affective, and psychomotor - that each had their own hierarchy, while I see the iterative learning process as being much the same in each of the different learning domains.
In Bloom's taxonomy, first published in 1956, the hierarchy in the cognitive domain from the bottom up is: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. In this model of learning, comprehension (or understanding in updated terminology) is necessary before students can actually do something with their new knowledge. Hence many educational reform movements in the decades following the taxonomy have emphasized "conceptual" learning over practice. However, I disagree with the idea that a conceptual understanding is necessary before higher order activities, such as application, analysis, and synthesis can take place, because understanding is an ongoing process.
Chess as Example
For example, consider learning chess. It is an activity without a kinesthetic component hence it would fall under Bloom's cognitive domain of learning. But no one would believe that the game could be mastered without practice, or that novice players could discover the principles of strong play on their own.
To learn chess an aspiring player must memorize the names and movements of the pieces, and the object and rules of the game. These are what I refer to as facts. But the acquisition of skill in playing the game requires a program of study and practice. In order to improve, players must read texts on chess tactics and strategies and attempt to implement those ideas by playing actual games. There is no substitute for practice, but at the same time players must learn additional facts (acquire more knowledge).
However, an understanding of chess evolves in time. A novice, a skilled player, and a grandmaster can all look at the same chess position. The novice will see individual pieces. The skilled player will see groups of pieces. The grandmaster will see the entire position.
But if the grandmaster articulated his understanding of the entire position to the novice, the narrative would be of limited use. The novice would not have the knowledge base and the skills necessary to make sense of most of what a grandmaster would say about a given chess position. But that does not mean that the novice is incapable of applying, analyzing and synthesizing chess ideas. Those ideas might be relatively crude, and obvious to the grandmaster, but the process is necessary to reach a high level of understanding. It is for these reasons that I view learning as an iterative process.
Expertise
Experts are experts because they do think about their subject of expertise differently than novices. But those thought processes cannot be transferred directly to a student, they must develop through study and practice, and there is no shortcut to that development. This should be especially obvious in a subject such as math but apparently it is not.
Many years ago, before calculators and optical scanners had been invented, I made a purchase at a bakery counter tended to by a young woman who had to pencil in prices on the bags of pastries being sold. I asked for 5 donuts priced at 26 cents each. She placed them in a paper bag and on the outside of the bag she computed 26 x 5 using the standard algorithm for multiplication that I, and countless other students, had learned in grade school. She of course was very proficient at multiplication problems using this method, because throughout the day, everyday, a steady stream of customers patronized the bakery counter.
Before she could write out the problem, I said to her: "It's $1.30." She completed the problem, writing all the steps on the bag, and the result was $1.30. Startled by my seeming clairvoyance, she looked at me for an explanation. She knew of no other way to multiply but the standard algorithm, and that process required time and writing. How could I multiply the numbers instantly in my head and arrive at the correct answer?
I said to her: "If the donuts were 20 cents each how much would 5 cost?"
She replied:" A dollar."
I said: "And what is 5 times 6?"
She understood immediately what I had done, but only because she was already proficient at multiplication. If I tried to teach my methods for doing mental math to people not already proficient in the use of standard algorithms, my explanations would lead to confusion rather than enlightenment.
Real learning is iterative, not hierarchical, and it doesn't matter whether the subject is, to use Bloom's terminology, in the cognitive, affective, or psychomotor, learning domains. However, the desire of educators to systematize learning often leads to rigid ideologies riddled with false choices. The argument over whether math instruction should focus on concepts or computation is in many ways analogous to the argument on whether reading instruction should focus on phonics or whole language. Fluent readers use and understand both approaches.
Likewise, learning math is an iterative process that cycles between concepts and computation. Experts in math are proficient in both because it is impossible to master one without the other.
###
Joseph Ganem, Ph.D., is a professor of physics at Loyola University Maryland, and author of the award-winning book on personal finance: The Two Headed Quarter: How to See Through Deceptive Numbers and Save Money on Everything You Buy. It shows how numbers fool consumers when they make financial decisions. For more information on this award-winning book, visit TheTwoHeadedQuarter.com. His article is reprinted here with permission of Dr. Ganem. This article was previously published on The Daily Riff.
Note from Laurie Rogers: If you would like to submit a guest column on public education, please write to me at wlroge@comcast.net . Please limit columns to about 1,000 words, give or take a few. Columns might be edited for length, content or grammar. You may remain anonymous to the public, however I must know who you are. All decisions on guest columns are the sole right and responsibility of Laurie Rogers.
Dr. Seuss Dress Up?
Leap Day Sale
Beginning Kids Education
Education of the is consisting of the first eight decades of life. Knowledge is very essential at this stage and help to correct the development. It is usually based on studying through perform method. The research shows that the first eight living youngsters are crucial, and now, their heads are developing a lot. Knowledge of the allows Kid's brain produces in a healthy way.
Education performs a huge role in community. It's also very essential to invest in exercising their kids. While studying in university, children affiliate with other children and their families. Training to help them comprehend the community and to create excellent behavior and behaviour. The instructor should focus on the community around them games they perform, and create links. Educational activity to help children understand about and create the business abilities and values.
There are several benefits you will see early kid decades education. Has a positive effect on children. Knowledge common that youngsters are very inquisitive to understand everything and respond according to what they are seeing, hearing and reaching. This ability to understand and to change the instructor should observe the initial phases of kids die better people.
Education for Kids allows the family to connect. It allows you comprehend others and communicate themselves well. It allows to comprehend the community and have excellent interaction abilities. The youngsters are comfortable with children the same age, and find buddies who are to them and socialize with them.
Education educates children the importance of working together and getting other children. Knowledge when they are young is carried out mainly in sports and entertainment of the to improve their mental and physical. Beginning Childhood Knowledge is a source for the kid to flourish in all aspects. It is also essential for parents to proper take health care of their kids at this age to be a excellent person on the planet. They must spend a while playing with their kids.
The early children education much more connections between scientists. Kids will be taught in the allowance and, on the other hand, buddies, and create their language and numeracy. By the end of 3 decades of age a kid is expected to gather and put away what he used. Essentially, pre-school class room, elements are organized so that youngsters can take elements they need to begin a activity title or complete a venture and after the overall activity / venture is finished you can take these elements back. In short, the first kid decades education must include a incapacity component of appropriate exercising.
The national research in the United States has determined that youngsters who received early kid decades education, childcare or proper health care of the head a launch capacity to enter educational institutions of college than other children who were reinforced by mother or father at home, family health care or babysitters.
Education performs a huge role in community. It's also very essential to invest in exercising their kids. While studying in university, children affiliate with other children and their families. Training to help them comprehend the community and to create excellent behavior and behaviour. The instructor should focus on the community around them games they perform, and create links. Educational activity to help children understand about and create the business abilities and values.
There are several benefits you will see early kid decades education. Has a positive effect on children. Knowledge common that youngsters are very inquisitive to understand everything and respond according to what they are seeing, hearing and reaching. This ability to understand and to change the instructor should observe the initial phases of kids die better people.
Education for Kids allows the family to connect. It allows you comprehend others and communicate themselves well. It allows to comprehend the community and have excellent interaction abilities. The youngsters are comfortable with children the same age, and find buddies who are to them and socialize with them.
Education educates children the importance of working together and getting other children. Knowledge when they are young is carried out mainly in sports and entertainment of the to improve their mental and physical. Beginning Childhood Knowledge is a source for the kid to flourish in all aspects. It is also essential for parents to proper take health care of their kids at this age to be a excellent person on the planet. They must spend a while playing with their kids.
The early children education much more connections between scientists. Kids will be taught in the allowance and, on the other hand, buddies, and create their language and numeracy. By the end of 3 decades of age a kid is expected to gather and put away what he used. Essentially, pre-school class room, elements are organized so that youngsters can take elements they need to begin a activity title or complete a venture and after the overall activity / venture is finished you can take these elements back. In short, the first kid decades education must include a incapacity component of appropriate exercising.
The national research in the United States has determined that youngsters who received early kid decades education, childcare or proper health care of the head a launch capacity to enter educational institutions of college than other children who were reinforced by mother or father at home, family health care or babysitters.
Happy TpT Birthday!
Dr. Seuss Day and Workstations
I think most teachers just love Dr. Seuss and all of his wonderful books. I recently stumbled across a new blog (The 3am Teacher) that I already love and has made my life so much easier. She has so many wonderful freebies and amazing graphics. Her graphics are so wonderful I had to buy them FULL PRICE!! (I never pay full price for anything!!) My husband gives me a hard time, because I am such a sales stalker! Anyway, I used her amazing graphics to create my new March Themed Workstations. I created a bundle and I also have them each listed separately. I hope you will check out both!!
(I did use a few graphics from scrappindoodles.com and http://amandacreation.com/ and https://www.thistlegirldesigns.com/shop/ as well.)
(I did use a few graphics from scrappindoodles.com and http://amandacreation.com/ and https://www.thistlegirldesigns.com/shop/ as well.)
Now a freebie for you! Monster pointers you can make using craft sticks. Click HERE!!
The Need for Kid Researchers in Schools
It was a sad day for the entire university when one of my class partners dedicated destruction. The purpose behind the loss was that he had unsuccessful in his numbers examination. He was a studious student and nobody could make it out how it occurred. Later, the university power took a strict decision and made it necessary for the learners to seek advice from the psychologists before the beginning of the examinations.
They had even hired regular psychologists in university. There are many learners who are introverts and fight share their issues with anybody, even their mother and father and friends. And, many of the learners are sufferers of depressive problem, which is a psychological problem. Such learners get frustrated without any purpose, and need to be requested often if they are experiencing any type of problem in their life.
School psychologists are the same psychologists that we discover in doctors or to whom we go to seek advice from anything regarding any sort of psychological issues. School psychologists cope generally with academic mindset in order to recognize and deal with the studying and individuality issues of the kids and the teenagers. These types of psychologists are qualified in mindset, knowledge, child and young development, family and being a parent methods, studying concepts, & individuality concepts and child and young psychopathology. They are knowledgeable to bring out psychological academic analysis and therapy, and appointment in the honest and management requirements of the occupation.
School mindset came into everyday living in the overdue 17 and early Twenty-first hundreds of years during the beginning of the French mindset. The field of university mindset is related to both medical and efficient mindset. Though, the idea of university mindset surfaced from efficient mindset, School psychologists mainly focus on the habits of kids, their studying procedure and their structural life. Their treatment would include finding out the causes of their habits on the studying procedure.
The main slogan of both medical and university psychologists was to improve the psychological health of the kids. School psychologists are not only masters in mindset but also in knowledge. They seek advice from and cope with the social, psychological, academic and individuality issues that many kids, teenagers and even youths experience. The job leads of university psychologists in Native indian are less than that in the United States. But these days, Native indian academic institutions are also looking for university psychologists to prevent kids from taking any severe actions and relying on any type of criminal offense.
In Native indian the ability of talking to a psychological therapist is still not a very friendly act, but now most private and Worldwide academic institutions are making it necessary for their learners determined with individuality issues. It is necessary for them to seek advice from with the psychologists before the beginning of the examination time. Though it has been demonstrated that the idea of getting psychologists in the academic institutions has assisted the kids and their mother and father a lot but it is also the liability of the mother and father and the professors to keep a watch over the kids and talk to them in a friendly manner.
Flower Parts Collage
We started a new unit on plants in science this week. We began by learning the different parts of a flower. We created ripped paper collages of flowers and labeled the parts. The kids enjoyed it and it was a great fine motor activity as well!
This is only 1 of the activities in my newest unit. It contains:
5 mini books
graphic organizers
4 science experiments with journal pages for each
1 poetry lesson
2 workstation activities
2 art lessons
Here's the Table of Contents:
pg. 4-8 Plants mini book
pg. 9-12 Parts of a Flower
pg. 13-14 Graphic organizers
pg. 15-18 Trees mini book
pg. 19-20 Graphic Organizers
pg. 21-24 Plants We Eat mini book
pg. 25 Graphic Organizer
pg. 26-29 Fruits and Vegetables mini book
pg. 30-32 Graphic Organizers
pg. 33-34 Cinquain Poetry Mini lesson
pg. 35-37 Fruit and Vegetable Sort
pg. 38-39 Experiment 1
pg. 40-43 Experiment 2
pg. 44-45 Experiment 3
pg. 46-48 Experiment 4
pg. 49-53 Art activity
pg. 54-57 What's the Buzz Syllable Sort Workstation
Hop over to TpT if you are interested! It will be free until Sunday afternoon so download quickly! I would appreciate any feedback on the unit!
This is only 1 of the activities in my newest unit. It contains:
5 mini books
graphic organizers
4 science experiments with journal pages for each
1 poetry lesson
2 workstation activities
2 art lessons
Here's the Table of Contents:
pg. 4-8 Plants mini book
pg. 9-12 Parts of a Flower
pg. 13-14 Graphic organizers
pg. 15-18 Trees mini book
pg. 19-20 Graphic Organizers
pg. 21-24 Plants We Eat mini book
pg. 25 Graphic Organizer
pg. 26-29 Fruits and Vegetables mini book
pg. 30-32 Graphic Organizers
pg. 33-34 Cinquain Poetry Mini lesson
pg. 35-37 Fruit and Vegetable Sort
pg. 38-39 Experiment 1
pg. 40-43 Experiment 2
pg. 44-45 Experiment 3
pg. 46-48 Experiment 4
pg. 49-53 Art activity
pg. 54-57 What's the Buzz Syllable Sort Workstation
Hop over to TpT if you are interested! It will be free until Sunday afternoon so download quickly! I would appreciate any feedback on the unit!
Leadership seems filled with predators and sheep. Where are the sheepdogs?
By Laurie H. Rogers
(True sheepdogs don’t pretend to be other than what they are, unless operating undercover. Some need a significant emotional event before finding their inner sheepdog. Some need a break from sheepdoggery, thus making them appear to be sheep. But once awoken to a threat, I think all true sheepdogs begin sheepdogging. Look at what happened after 9-11. And for a powerful look at some real sheepdogs, see the 2012 movie "An Act of Valor.")
My friend shook his head. He accepted my premise, but he said leopards don’t change their spots, thus mixing his metaphors yet nevertheless making his point. The pretense doesn’t change the nature of the beast, he said. A predator pretending to be a sheep still is a predator. A sheep pretending to be a sheepdog still is a sheep. The question is: How much damage does the pretense do, beyond the damage done by the inherent nature of the beast?
I thought about this analogy, while pondering the public-education mess. And make no mistake about it: It’s a mess.
In 2011, I asked a board director who remained silent in a public meeting about math, “Why didn’t you tell the people the truth?” His answer: “It wouldn’t be good for me.” I asked a principal who remained silent why he didn’t speak up. “I just came to watch.” I asked a teacher who remained silent why she didn’t speak up. “I was scared.” Later, I asked a legislative aide why his boss didn't help me with my efforts. “He’s staying out of it,” was the answer.
K-12 education isn’t supposed to be about the adults. (Naturally, the adults don't appear to see it that way.) The schools’ mission is to impart sufficient academics. If they don’t do that, they have failed. Clearly, children aren’t being adequately prepared, yet we keep hearing that things are improving and they just need a tighter grip on our wallet. Do we even have any sheepdogs in district leadership?
Some teachers appear to be sheepdogs, although being a teacher and a sheepdog in Spokane certainly is fraught with peril. When a local teacher put on an excellent candidate forum last election season, she faced harsh union/district/media pushback, as if she had done something wrong. More to the point, district employees again got the message: Do NOT speak up. At all. (And they don't.)
But those who care about the children must find a way to speak up … or risk being complicit.
Meanwhile, parents have been called "sheep" by various so-called leaders. The 1% in charge gives parents a warped view of the school district and its outcomes, then blames them and calls them sheep. Parents and teachers don’t realize how their views have been shaped by hidden agendas, little real accountability or transparency, pots of money, barrels of ink, and/or few apparent scruples. They don’t know that most high-school graduates and college hopefuls leave the K-12 system with few usable skills in math or grammar. And they don't know that many in leadership and the media chose to not leave their kids to founder in a failing public system.
It’s time we reconsidered who’s in the 1%. We’ve been well-trained to think of the 1% as Wall Street “fat cats” and execs in large companies who care more about profits than people. But the 1% isn’t just about money. It’s also about political influence, opportunities and social position.
The 1% includes district superintendents, board directors and administrators who seem more interested in ego, money, power and pet education theories than in the children. The 1% includes union leadership – accountable to almost no one – which uses its clout to heavily influence elections and ballot propositions. The 1% includes influential, allegedly “grass-roots” groups such as the League of Education Voters, Stand for Children, and Citizens for Spokane Schools (CFSS).
CFSS spread its well-heeled influence around Spokane with daily ads in the newspaper (“vote yes”), huge billboards (“vote yes”), signs everywhere (“vote yes,”) and an embarrassing amount of media assistance (“vote yes”). How much money was that, anyway? A more accurate name for CFSS might be: “Citizens – Using Pots of Money from Somebody to Get More of Your Tax Dollars.”
The 1% includes a huge number of legislators who seem unaware of the real problems in public education. “I know a lot about it,” a representative assured me. Yet, they push tax increases, useless mandates and counterproductive programs on all of us. How many have actually examined district budgets, claims, curricula, outcomes, election activity, threats or expenditures?
The 1% encompasses most of Congress, along with certain people in the White House.
The 1% includes Bill Gates, who carries a perplexing amount of influence over public education, despite the fact that he and other corporatists aren’t accountable to the public for this influence in any real way. When you have pockets as deep as his, everyone listens, whether or not a) you know what you’re talking about, b) you’re effective, or c) it’s appropriate for you to interfere. Math advocates can’t get a sliver of respect anywhere, whereas Gates can get it while still in his jammies.
The 1% includes the U.S. Department of Education, the NGA, CCSSO, Achieve, the WEA, NEA, AFT, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Broad Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Texas Instruments, Pearson Education, OSPI, Educational Service Districts, most of the media, and many other people and groups who work with the districts, make money off the districts, hope to make money off the districts, or just prefer to hang out with the 1%.
I wonder: How many sheepdogs are in that 1%? Sheepdogs wouldn’t stand by while children are harmed by loopy edu-fads. Sheepdogs wouldn’t allow taxpayers to be ripped off, voters to be obstructed, and parents to be deceived (then blamed). Sheepdogs wouldn’t dream of saving their own children and then staying silent as other people’s children are betrayed.
True sheepdogs know the job is tough, there are barriers, others will obstruct – perhaps even be dangerous –and that there are consequences to being a sheepdog, but they accept that the job is the job, what’s right is right, and it’s their job to protect the flock. Education sheepdogs are knowledgeable and experienced, with solid research and data. The predators and sheep have little more than, “We want it this way.” Yet, despite our solid arguments, public education doesn’t change – other than to cost us more as it continues to deteriorate.
And so I wonder: How many of the “sheep” and how many of the “sheepdogs” in government and leadership actually are the predators, just engaging in pretense? Or, perhaps, and this is generous, living in denial.
P.S. For a powerful look at some real sheepdogs, see the 2012 movie "An Act of Valor," in which key roles are played by active-duty SEALS.
Honest, unflinching and disturbingly realistic, "An Act of Valor" is a rare show of respect from the entertainment industry for the nation's military. I tip my hat to all of those involved.
Please note: The information in this post is copyrighted.
The proper citation is: Rogers, L. (February 2012). “Leadership seems filled with predators and sheep. Where are the sheepdogs?" Retrieved (date) from the Betrayed Web site: http://betrayed-whyeducationisfailing.blogspot.com/
This article was published Feb. 19, 2012 on Education Views at: http://educationviews.org/2012/02/19/leadership-seems-filled-with-predators-and-sheep-where-are-the-sheepdogs/
"Truth is isolating."
- according to a community member who would know
- according to a community member who would know
"It's easy to win when you cheat."
- according to a child who cares about fairness
- according to a child who cares about fairness
A good friend of mine, whose perspective I value, said there are three kinds of people in the world: Sheep, sheepdogs and predators. It’s an immediately clarifying way to view oneself and the world. I argued that there are more kinds of people than that. There are:
- sheep pretending to be sheepdogs,
- sheep pretending to be predators,
- predators pretending to be sheep,
- predators pretending to be sheepdogs.
My friend shook his head. He accepted my premise, but he said leopards don’t change their spots, thus mixing his metaphors yet nevertheless making his point. The pretense doesn’t change the nature of the beast, he said. A predator pretending to be a sheep still is a predator. A sheep pretending to be a sheepdog still is a sheep. The question is: How much damage does the pretense do, beyond the damage done by the inherent nature of the beast?
I thought about this analogy, while pondering the public-education mess. And make no mistake about it: It’s a mess.
- The mission of sufficient academics is not being accomplished;
- Taxpayers pay through the nose while continually hearing how stingy they are;
- Legislators attempt to undermine the people’s right to make decisions for their children, while also attempting to raise taxes and place more burdens on schools;
- The federal government (via the U.S. Department of Education) is staging what many see as an illegal coup;
- Vendors hover like vultures, waiting to pick at the taxpayer carcass;
- Children struggle, fail, dropout or test into remedial classes that about half cannot pass;
- School districts claim that student data have gone up and budgets have gone down, when the truth for most of us is that student knowledge has gone down and budgets have gone up;
- (Allegedly grass-roots) citizen groups beat voters over the head demanding that we “vote yes” – allegedly for the kids;
- Unions have excessive power with insufficient accountability;
- Media sycophantically suck up to districts while blaming dissenters.
It’s bleak out there, and I wonder, “Where are the sheepdogs?” Everyone in education claims to look out for the people, yet the mess keeps getting worse and more expensive. At one time, we had leaders who fought for the right thing, stood up vocally against the wrong thing, and worked on the people’s behalf rather than for their own interests. Where the heck are they?
Many sheepdogs work in military installations around the country and world. I’ve been lucky to have known several. Quiet sheepdogs in the general population make a living and raise their family. But in leadership, and especially in education leadership, outspoken sheepdogs are hard to find.
No one said being a sheepdog is easy or popular. Standing up to a mob isn’t for sissies. The only people who love sheepdogs are other sheepdogs and a very few sheep. (The predators certainly don’t love them.)
Sheepdogs need courage – not an absence of fear, but a determination to persevere in the face of fear. They must find courage when they don’t feel it. In addition, sheepdogs need knowledge. They have to be able to see the threat in order to fight it. Knowledge is power, which is why the predators work so hard to keep knowledge from them.
Although I have multiple character flaws (just ask my teenager), I really do care – about right and wrong, about the vulnerable, about serving my honor, and about doing my best. We’re all responsible for making wrong things right, even when the going gets tough or we just don't feel like it. But I have run up against a mob, and I believe my values aren’t widely shared there.
From 2007-2012, I came to see that many state and district administrators and superintendents, governors, government appointees, edu-wonks, board directors, union leaders, members of the media, businesspeople who feed off of the public trough, and a disturbing number of elected officials show little sign of knowing or caring what other people’s children are learning -- or about what students know when (or if) they graduate. They don't appear to see their role as providing absolute truth to the people. Instead, their priorities, it seems, are money, ego, power and allies; getting along with the powerful; proving they’re right; pushing their political/social agenda; and squishing out the dissenters.
Some would go so far as to rip the Public Records Act right out of the people’s hands.
Many sheepdogs work in military installations around the country and world. I’ve been lucky to have known several. Quiet sheepdogs in the general population make a living and raise their family. But in leadership, and especially in education leadership, outspoken sheepdogs are hard to find.
No one said being a sheepdog is easy or popular. Standing up to a mob isn’t for sissies. The only people who love sheepdogs are other sheepdogs and a very few sheep. (The predators certainly don’t love them.)
Sheepdogs need courage – not an absence of fear, but a determination to persevere in the face of fear. They must find courage when they don’t feel it. In addition, sheepdogs need knowledge. They have to be able to see the threat in order to fight it. Knowledge is power, which is why the predators work so hard to keep knowledge from them.
Although I have multiple character flaws (just ask my teenager), I really do care – about right and wrong, about the vulnerable, about serving my honor, and about doing my best. We’re all responsible for making wrong things right, even when the going gets tough or we just don't feel like it. But I have run up against a mob, and I believe my values aren’t widely shared there.
From 2007-2012, I came to see that many state and district administrators and superintendents, governors, government appointees, edu-wonks, board directors, union leaders, members of the media, businesspeople who feed off of the public trough, and a disturbing number of elected officials show little sign of knowing or caring what other people’s children are learning -- or about what students know when (or if) they graduate. They don't appear to see their role as providing absolute truth to the people. Instead, their priorities, it seems, are money, ego, power and allies; getting along with the powerful; proving they’re right; pushing their political/social agenda; and squishing out the dissenters.
Some would go so far as to rip the Public Records Act right out of the people’s hands.
- See Spokane Public Schools’ 2012 Legislative Priorities, Item 3B, which was to push for a law that would allow school districts to charge the public for the cost of providing public records.
- Spokane Sen. Lisa Brown’s bill SB 6576 would require all school districts to charge the public for the cost of providing public records.
- SB 6351 would allow public agencies to limit responses to public records requests. The bill leads with a discussion of inmates, but the new language is written generally, so as to encompass everyone. It allows public agencies (the government) to threaten citizens (the people) with legal action over public records requests, to file for injunctions, and to reject future requests from repeat requesters.
- SB 5062 would place the onus on requesters to know what's missing from public records, and to somehow itemize missing records before taking legal action. It would allow all agencies to take 30 extra days to produce missing records if someone notices their absence, thus avoiding penalties for a willful failure to provide them initially.
- SB 6345 would give eight appointed people the power to redo state government. Meetings would not be subject to the Public Records Act, or to the Open Meetings Act. Decisions could be made in executive sessions that exclude the public. Proposals may not be amended in committee, and passed bills would be final. (That's a little kingdom, right there.)
In 2011, I asked a board director who remained silent in a public meeting about math, “Why didn’t you tell the people the truth?” His answer: “It wouldn’t be good for me.” I asked a principal who remained silent why he didn’t speak up. “I just came to watch.” I asked a teacher who remained silent why she didn’t speak up. “I was scared.” Later, I asked a legislative aide why his boss didn't help me with my efforts. “He’s staying out of it,” was the answer.
K-12 education isn’t supposed to be about the adults. (Naturally, the adults don't appear to see it that way.) The schools’ mission is to impart sufficient academics. If they don’t do that, they have failed. Clearly, children aren’t being adequately prepared, yet we keep hearing that things are improving and they just need a tighter grip on our wallet. Do we even have any sheepdogs in district leadership?
Some teachers appear to be sheepdogs, although being a teacher and a sheepdog in Spokane certainly is fraught with peril. When a local teacher put on an excellent candidate forum last election season, she faced harsh union/district/media pushback, as if she had done something wrong. More to the point, district employees again got the message: Do NOT speak up. At all. (And they don't.)
But those who care about the children must find a way to speak up … or risk being complicit.
Meanwhile, parents have been called "sheep" by various so-called leaders. The 1% in charge gives parents a warped view of the school district and its outcomes, then blames them and calls them sheep. Parents and teachers don’t realize how their views have been shaped by hidden agendas, little real accountability or transparency, pots of money, barrels of ink, and/or few apparent scruples. They don’t know that most high-school graduates and college hopefuls leave the K-12 system with few usable skills in math or grammar. And they don't know that many in leadership and the media chose to not leave their kids to founder in a failing public system.
It’s time we reconsidered who’s in the 1%. We’ve been well-trained to think of the 1% as Wall Street “fat cats” and execs in large companies who care more about profits than people. But the 1% isn’t just about money. It’s also about political influence, opportunities and social position.
The 1% includes district superintendents, board directors and administrators who seem more interested in ego, money, power and pet education theories than in the children. The 1% includes union leadership – accountable to almost no one – which uses its clout to heavily influence elections and ballot propositions. The 1% includes influential, allegedly “grass-roots” groups such as the League of Education Voters, Stand for Children, and Citizens for Spokane Schools (CFSS).
CFSS spread its well-heeled influence around Spokane with daily ads in the newspaper (“vote yes”), huge billboards (“vote yes”), signs everywhere (“vote yes,”) and an embarrassing amount of media assistance (“vote yes”). How much money was that, anyway? A more accurate name for CFSS might be: “Citizens – Using Pots of Money from Somebody to Get More of Your Tax Dollars.”
The 1% includes a huge number of legislators who seem unaware of the real problems in public education. “I know a lot about it,” a representative assured me. Yet, they push tax increases, useless mandates and counterproductive programs on all of us. How many have actually examined district budgets, claims, curricula, outcomes, election activity, threats or expenditures?
The 1% encompasses most of Congress, along with certain people in the White House.
The 1% includes Bill Gates, who carries a perplexing amount of influence over public education, despite the fact that he and other corporatists aren’t accountable to the public for this influence in any real way. When you have pockets as deep as his, everyone listens, whether or not a) you know what you’re talking about, b) you’re effective, or c) it’s appropriate for you to interfere. Math advocates can’t get a sliver of respect anywhere, whereas Gates can get it while still in his jammies.
The 1% includes the U.S. Department of Education, the NGA, CCSSO, Achieve, the WEA, NEA, AFT, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Broad Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Texas Instruments, Pearson Education, OSPI, Educational Service Districts, most of the media, and many other people and groups who work with the districts, make money off the districts, hope to make money off the districts, or just prefer to hang out with the 1%.
I wonder: How many sheepdogs are in that 1%? Sheepdogs wouldn’t stand by while children are harmed by loopy edu-fads. Sheepdogs wouldn’t allow taxpayers to be ripped off, voters to be obstructed, and parents to be deceived (then blamed). Sheepdogs wouldn’t dream of saving their own children and then staying silent as other people’s children are betrayed.
True sheepdogs know the job is tough, there are barriers, others will obstruct – perhaps even be dangerous –and that there are consequences to being a sheepdog, but they accept that the job is the job, what’s right is right, and it’s their job to protect the flock. Education sheepdogs are knowledgeable and experienced, with solid research and data. The predators and sheep have little more than, “We want it this way.” Yet, despite our solid arguments, public education doesn’t change – other than to cost us more as it continues to deteriorate.
And so I wonder: How many of the “sheep” and how many of the “sheepdogs” in government and leadership actually are the predators, just engaging in pretense? Or, perhaps, and this is generous, living in denial.
P.S. For a powerful look at some real sheepdogs, see the 2012 movie "An Act of Valor," in which key roles are played by active-duty SEALS.
Honest, unflinching and disturbingly realistic, "An Act of Valor" is a rare show of respect from the entertainment industry for the nation's military. I tip my hat to all of those involved.
Please note: The information in this post is copyrighted.
The proper citation is: Rogers, L. (February 2012). “Leadership seems filled with predators and sheep. Where are the sheepdogs?" Retrieved (date) from the Betrayed Web site: http://betrayed-whyeducationisfailing.blogspot.com/
This article was published Feb. 19, 2012 on Education Views at: http://educationviews.org/2012/02/19/leadership-seems-filled-with-predators-and-sheep-where-are-the-sheepdogs/
What You Must Show Your Preschooler
Many associates of my mothers technology did not even go to university. Many associates of my technology did not even go to child. With my daughters technology child has become a necessary part of planning for official understanding. Actually for most kids, official understanding actually begins with child. That does not mean that child understanding begins the first day of child. Actually, if you want your kid to effective in child and beyond then you must get ready your kid for child. What are some of the things you will need to show your preschooler?
First and major you must help your kid become as separate as possible. This means potty training and primary cleanliness as well as the ability to outfit themselves. Ready your kid psychologically and psychologically for the idea of flexibility from you and other main care providers. Preschool professors are obviously thoughtful and helpful but they will not be able to give the same level of attention many kids are comfortable to from their main care provider.
There are also some primary principles that kids must understand. These training will be hard during child but if a kid grasps them before child that is even better. This includes understanding of colors and forms. Do not spend a lot of time exploration this understanding into your kid, but instead gently present it to your kid through everyday lifestyle. Name the colors of the clothing your kid will wear that day. Point out various forms during the day or even cut food into a shape of the day.
Begin utilizing your child early to present the characters of the abc and then as those are acquired begin presenting the beginning mail appears to be. Again, make these training fun and informal as you go about yourself. In the same way, activate on keeping track of as you prepare, clean and outfit.
Why must you get ready your child for preschool? As I outlined in the starting passage, the academic bar is regularly being brought up. Kindergarten is no longer about planning. Real understanding goals are set and kids understand examining and numbers. They begin studying several examining principles and are expected to depend to 100 in university. First quality learners are examining and performing complicated numbers and money problems. Children can enter child without any understanding of flexibility, colors, forms, characters, and numbers, but a lead can help them be more effective in child and then later in official understanding.
A kid who begins university not knowing these principles will be behind and may never get found up. Even worse, this late begin will eliminate the kid's confidence and self respect as well as cause the kid to dislike university and studying. Some kids can get over these difficulties and go on to become effective but all too many kids continue to don't succeed throughout university and lifestyle. Which would you rather for your kid's future? If you want your kid to be successful in child, official understanding, and lifestyle then you should work on the key principles long before education begins.
First and major you must help your kid become as separate as possible. This means potty training and primary cleanliness as well as the ability to outfit themselves. Ready your kid psychologically and psychologically for the idea of flexibility from you and other main care providers. Preschool professors are obviously thoughtful and helpful but they will not be able to give the same level of attention many kids are comfortable to from their main care provider.
There are also some primary principles that kids must understand. These training will be hard during child but if a kid grasps them before child that is even better. This includes understanding of colors and forms. Do not spend a lot of time exploration this understanding into your kid, but instead gently present it to your kid through everyday lifestyle. Name the colors of the clothing your kid will wear that day. Point out various forms during the day or even cut food into a shape of the day.
Begin utilizing your child early to present the characters of the abc and then as those are acquired begin presenting the beginning mail appears to be. Again, make these training fun and informal as you go about yourself. In the same way, activate on keeping track of as you prepare, clean and outfit.
Why must you get ready your child for preschool? As I outlined in the starting passage, the academic bar is regularly being brought up. Kindergarten is no longer about planning. Real understanding goals are set and kids understand examining and numbers. They begin studying several examining principles and are expected to depend to 100 in university. First quality learners are examining and performing complicated numbers and money problems. Children can enter child without any understanding of flexibility, colors, forms, characters, and numbers, but a lead can help them be more effective in child and then later in official understanding.
A kid who begins university not knowing these principles will be behind and may never get found up. Even worse, this late begin will eliminate the kid's confidence and self respect as well as cause the kid to dislike university and studying. Some kids can get over these difficulties and go on to become effective but all too many kids continue to don't succeed throughout university and lifestyle. Which would you rather for your kid's future? If you want your kid to be successful in child, official understanding, and lifestyle then you should work on the key principles long before education begins.
8 Guidelines To Get ready Your Kid For The First Day Of The School!
After you have chosen to deliver your son or daughter to university, you have to make your son or daughter for the first day of the university.The first day of the university can be both interesting as well as traumatic for both kids and mother and father.
Whether your son or daughter is starting school, day wellness care or baby's room university, here are some suggestions to help your son or daughter from this challenging situation.
Tips to make your son or daughter for the first day of the school:
1. Check out the university in advance: You should set time aside to take your son or daughter to the university. Motivate your son or daughter to satisfy his professors and visit his category room. This way your son or daughter can become acquainted with his category room location and professors.
2. Try to connect your son or daughter to other kids in progress : It will be terrifying to go to the university if your son or daughter does not know any one in the category room.
As a mother or father, you can take the variety of the other learners from the university and create a call before the university begins. You can plan for a get-together with other mother and father and their kids so that they will all have buddies on the first day of the university.
3. Provide your son or daughter a opportunity to interact socially : If your son or daughter has already invested in a childcare, then it will be easy to interact socially for him. If you have offered home childcare before, then he would have been alone and will be challenging to interact socially. Therefore, you have to take your son or daughter to the community camp or play categories frequently so that his social abilities will create with the connections between other kids before the first day of the university.
4. Build your son or daughter to know about school schedule : If you are viewing the university in progress, you can discuss to the instructor so that the instructor can manage the circumstances for you. But, if you could not look at the university in progress, you have to describe about the schedule of school in progress. You have to describe your son or daughter that instructor is in charge, playthings that are present in the university are for every one, no battling with other kids and one child can discuss at the same period in the category.
5. Make a opportunity to your son or daughter to understand self wellness care skills: You have to create your son or daughter to understand basic self wellness care abilities before the university begins.
It will become easier for you once the university begins. Once they understand the self wellness care abilities, they will use outfit on their own, use the shoes and take their bag to go to university.
6. Try to convenience the brain of your child: If your son or daughter is troubled about university, discover out the issues he has and try to relaxation his thoughts. Your child can have list of issues like: he may not be able to go for restroom promptly or which bus to get on after the university.
You should guarantee him that your instructor will show the restroom on first day to all the learners of the category and he/she will look out for him when it is plenty of a opportunity to get back into the bus after the university.
7. Help your son or daughter to load up all the products before night: You should help your son or daughter in packaging all the products the university expected before evening. Create the name of your son or daughter on the rucksack, meal bag and so on. When you brand the products of your son or daughter, they will not mix with the other can suffer possessions. When you are packaging all the elements, describe your son or daughter why them are necessary for him so that he can load up to university after few days.
8. Health appointment must: Before the university beginning, take your son or daughter to the doctor to screen for perspective, listening to and other wellness issues, as these issues can create it challenging for your son or daughter to benefit from the university actions.
Also discover whether there are any vaccines that should be given to your son or daughter at that age. When you create sure that your son or daughter is healthy, you can be a part of your son or daughter in the university.
Why Your Kid Needs Phonics Instruction
How Phonics Allows
Phonics helps kids by given them a system to use to study. Instead of having to remember all of the terms in the terminology, they just have to comprehend the appears to be that characters make. This is far more possible for most kids, especially those with examining problems.
When you consider the factor that there are nearly 1 thousand terms in the British terminology, you will comprehend why it is so challenging for many kids to comprehend to study by learning each term independently. In evaluation, phonics needs kids to comprehend 44 appears to be, or phonemes. This is something most kids, if not all, can achieve. While we do gradually come to a factor where we identify personal terms, phonics is the beginning that kids need to start taking on terms they do not know.
Phonics performs for all kids, regardless of what their personal battles may be. Children who are never study to at house may have a more problem studying to study, but they can do it with phonics instructions. Also, coaching kids with studying problems becomes much simpler when phonics is used, as it gives the kids the “code” for studying to create and study.
Phonics, Composing, and Punctuational
Another advantage of phonics instructions is that it connections in immediately with examining and writing instructions. Children who are offered with a phonics knowledge are almost always better authors and spellers than those who are necessary to comprehend examining one term at the same period. Most phonics applications have kids studying examining, writing, and punctuation part by part, a collaboration that child progression professionals experience performs well.
Phonics and Your Kid's University
You found that despite these advantages, your son or daughter is not studying phonics in his school. This is sad, but the truth is that many educational institutions are following a different examining viewpoint that uses vision terms rather than phonics. If you discover this to be real and your son or daughter is having difficulties to comprehend to study, there are some elements you can do to help.
One choice, of course, is to consider creating house schooling atmosphere. If you have the a little necessary to efficiently house schooling, you can do this and prevent the problem completely. However, many mother and father experience more relaxed with their kids in a conventional school. If you experience this way, you need to do elements at house to offer phonics instructions to your son or daughter.
One way to do this is to seek the services of a teacher who uses phonics. However, this can become costly. A better choice is to use a software that is phonics centered and methodical in its strategy to examining instructions. Outfits a system, prevent one that is too much like a activity title. Instead, select something that is fun but will definitely offer your son or daughter with a phonics-based knowledge. Kid Typeface is a good example of this type of system. This entertaining artificial phonics system gives you the capability to offer phonics knowledge from a K-12 examining professional in the relaxation of your own house at a very cost-effective price. You can quickly supplement phonics instructions into your child’s day if you use his system.
Phonics helps kids by given them a system to use to study. Instead of having to remember all of the terms in the terminology, they just have to comprehend the appears to be that characters make. This is far more possible for most kids, especially those with examining problems.
When you consider the factor that there are nearly 1 thousand terms in the British terminology, you will comprehend why it is so challenging for many kids to comprehend to study by learning each term independently. In evaluation, phonics needs kids to comprehend 44 appears to be, or phonemes. This is something most kids, if not all, can achieve. While we do gradually come to a factor where we identify personal terms, phonics is the beginning that kids need to start taking on terms they do not know.
Phonics performs for all kids, regardless of what their personal battles may be. Children who are never study to at house may have a more problem studying to study, but they can do it with phonics instructions. Also, coaching kids with studying problems becomes much simpler when phonics is used, as it gives the kids the “code” for studying to create and study.
Phonics, Composing, and Punctuational
Another advantage of phonics instructions is that it connections in immediately with examining and writing instructions. Children who are offered with a phonics knowledge are almost always better authors and spellers than those who are necessary to comprehend examining one term at the same period. Most phonics applications have kids studying examining, writing, and punctuation part by part, a collaboration that child progression professionals experience performs well.
Phonics and Your Kid's University
You found that despite these advantages, your son or daughter is not studying phonics in his school. This is sad, but the truth is that many educational institutions are following a different examining viewpoint that uses vision terms rather than phonics. If you discover this to be real and your son or daughter is having difficulties to comprehend to study, there are some elements you can do to help.
One choice, of course, is to consider creating house schooling atmosphere. If you have the a little necessary to efficiently house schooling, you can do this and prevent the problem completely. However, many mother and father experience more relaxed with their kids in a conventional school. If you experience this way, you need to do elements at house to offer phonics instructions to your son or daughter.
One way to do this is to seek the services of a teacher who uses phonics. However, this can become costly. A better choice is to use a software that is phonics centered and methodical in its strategy to examining instructions. Outfits a system, prevent one that is too much like a activity title. Instead, select something that is fun but will definitely offer your son or daughter with a phonics-based knowledge. Kid Typeface is a good example of this type of system. This entertaining artificial phonics system gives you the capability to offer phonics knowledge from a K-12 examining professional in the relaxation of your own house at a very cost-effective price. You can quickly supplement phonics instructions into your child’s day if you use his system.
Fraction Paintings
We are still working on fractions. As a fun "test" the students painted a fraction flower arrangement. First, each student rolled a die to determine what their denominator was. They sketched out a vase and drew the correct number of flowers in the vase. They rolled the die again until they rolled a smaller number than their denominator. That number became their numerator. They painted that number of flowers any color they chose. Then they painted the remainder of their flowers and added details to their vase. They titled their painting using a fraction of a color.
Lay the Foundation for Your Profession with Group and Kid Research Foundations
If you're new to North america, it is sometimes hard to find a significant career due to the difficulties of the language buffer. However, there are ways to get over those difficulties and become an important member of Canada's employees. That's where Centennial School's Kid Research workout comes in.
Taking two semesters (one year) to complete, the starting in Group and Kid Research Footings understands and can handle the needs of ESL students. It is also designed for adult students. That's because system staff are experienced, thoughtful and assisting professionals who have an expertise in both Group and Kid Research. Not only that, but staff also ensure that they utilize ESL collaborative coaching techniques.
To utilize for the starting, Centennial Higher knowledge desires students to present at minimal an New york Additional School Qualification (OSSD) or comparative or be 19 years of age or older. Also required is the necessary British 12C or U or abilities analysis or comparative. However, control of minimal entrance specifications does not guarantee admittance to the system. Candidates should be recommended that the system is only open for admittance to applicants who have been recommended and served to register by the Centennial Higher knowledge Assessment and Counseling Centre. Candidates cannot utilize directly to ontariocolleges.ca for admittance to this system.
Once you have been accepted, the system, which works as a road to further knowledge, helps students to create educational and expert abilities that will assist in success in their system of option. Subjects that are covered in Group and Kid Research Footings involve health and first aid, presenting mindset, expert exercise and values, foundations in community and child studies and others. To check out a full list of courses in the Kid Research workout, visit the course summarize page.
Also developed in this system is an understanding of personal and expert specifications of the different occupations within the Group Solutions and Kid Research areas. This guarantees that students are well aware of what is needed to succeed advancing. Finally, students will engage in indicative exercise that will help to create their abilities, interaction proficiency and much more. When the system has been completed efficiently, students obtain an New york Higher knowledge Document and utilize to a Centennial Higher knowledge system of their option.
With their solid educational foundation from the multidisciplinary Group Solutions and Kid Research Footings system, students will be qualified for a very broad range of applications. Kid studies course is an excellent way to serve town. These applications includd: Early Childhood Education, Kid and Youth Personnel, Developing Assistance Personnel, Group and The law Solutions, Police Footings, Entertainment and Pleasurable Solutions and Social Assistance Personnel.
To utilize for the starting, Centennial Higher knowledge desires students to present at minimal an New york Additional School Qualification (OSSD) or comparative or be 19 years of age or older. Also required is the necessary British 12C or U or abilities analysis or comparative. However, control of minimal entrance specifications does not guarantee admittance to the system. Candidates should be recommended that the system is only open for admittance to applicants who have been recommended and served to register by the Centennial Higher knowledge Assessment and Counseling Centre. Candidates cannot utilize directly to ontariocolleges.ca for admittance to this system.
Once you have been accepted, the system, which works as a road to further knowledge, helps students to create educational and expert abilities that will assist in success in their system of option. Subjects that are covered in Group and Kid Research Footings involve health and first aid, presenting mindset, expert exercise and values, foundations in community and child studies and others. To check out a full list of courses in the Kid Research workout, visit the course summarize page.
Also developed in this system is an understanding of personal and expert specifications of the different occupations within the Group Solutions and Kid Research areas. This guarantees that students are well aware of what is needed to succeed advancing. Finally, students will engage in indicative exercise that will help to create their abilities, interaction proficiency and much more. When the system has been completed efficiently, students obtain an New york Higher knowledge Document and utilize to a Centennial Higher knowledge system of their option.
With their solid educational foundation from the multidisciplinary Group Solutions and Kid Research Footings system, students will be qualified for a very broad range of applications. Kid studies course is an excellent way to serve town. These applications includd: Early Childhood Education, Kid and Youth Personnel, Developing Assistance Personnel, Group and The law Solutions, Police Footings, Entertainment and Pleasurable Solutions and Social Assistance Personnel.
How to pick the appropriate academic Playthings For Babies
How to pick the appropriate academic Playthings For Babies
Babies need pleasure for their perceptive progression. The earlier weeks are specifically essential because this could be when infants need to know-how new emotions to create their thoughts and nerve system. academic toys and games for infants offer the exclusive stimulus for their progression. These toys and games can assistance infants analysis concerning the amazing community near to them.
There is recognized like a wide choice of academic kid toys and games available today. They are normally marked for recommended age groups in the services which means you will know what toys and games are appropriate for the kid at a specific age. Playthings captivate infants and retain them content while helping them develop and analysis new things.
Age-Appropriate kid Toys
Most kid toys and games are marked using the recommended age that the kid must acquire when generating using the toy. There certainly are a few ulterior purposes for putting an age suggestions.
One essential objective for putting a recommended age on the toy is safety. Babies and extremely younger kids usually create items within their mouth. Playthings that integrate small elements are not safe and seem for infants because of choking risks. When buying a toy for the kid, spend interest for that age suggestions.
Another objective why toys and games are marked by age is because of perceptive progression. Most toys and games experienced been attempt to assess how very easily kids of many different age groups operate them. if you actually give your kid a toy appropriate for his age, he will need fulfillment in enjoying with it as well as the toy will assistance activate his thoughts and develop his website abilities. Your kid could have pleasure while learning. providing your kid a toy recommended for more mature infants will only create him really feel disappointed. once the toy is recommended for an more mature kid, create it apart right up until your kid is more mature enough for it.
How academic kid Playthings develop Skills
So lots of items that grownups hold for provided are unusual, new and amazing for infants. Cell phones and music containers are beneficial for one four day period more mature infants. A cell promotes the kid to see item with his eyes. listening to to music energizes the child's listening to and promotes him to pay attention.
As the kid age groups, academic toys and games for infants will even more develop his emotional and website abilities. Rattles and prevents will assistance the kid analysis the way in which to understand things. activity gymnasiums will activate the kid to conquer and bat at things. These toys and games will assistance the kid identify achieve cause and effect. Playthings with exclusive designs, seems and activities will improve his website and intellectual abilities.
Continue to offer your kid academic toys and games as he age groups. Babies really like putting and searching toys and games. in addition they take fulfillment in putting small things into bigger ones, then disposal them out. electronic toys and games that create exclusive seems and lighting up are also fun. exactly the exact same is genuine for toy creatures that talk and toys and games which they are able to force or pull.
Don't forget one of the extremely best academic toy of all - books. analysis for the kid on the regular basis. this could activate his perceptive success by growing his interest period and improving his language. analyzing for the kid will also develop his speech abilities. Board courses are extremely best for younger infants because they are able to hold up against getting manhandled and chewed on by your small one.
Babies analysis by enjoying. offer academic toys and games for the kid and view him develop new abilities and analysis concerning the globe near to him.
Babies need pleasure for their perceptive progression. The earlier weeks are specifically essential because this could be when infants need to know-how new emotions to create their thoughts and nerve system. academic toys and games for infants offer the exclusive stimulus for their progression. These toys and games can assistance infants analysis concerning the amazing community near to them.
There is recognized like a wide choice of academic kid toys and games available today. They are normally marked for recommended age groups in the services which means you will know what toys and games are appropriate for the kid at a specific age. Playthings captivate infants and retain them content while helping them develop and analysis new things.
Age-Appropriate kid Toys
Most kid toys and games are marked using the recommended age that the kid must acquire when generating using the toy. There certainly are a few ulterior purposes for putting an age suggestions.
One essential objective for putting a recommended age on the toy is safety. Babies and extremely younger kids usually create items within their mouth. Playthings that integrate small elements are not safe and seem for infants because of choking risks. When buying a toy for the kid, spend interest for that age suggestions.
Another objective why toys and games are marked by age is because of perceptive progression. Most toys and games experienced been attempt to assess how very easily kids of many different age groups operate them. if you actually give your kid a toy appropriate for his age, he will need fulfillment in enjoying with it as well as the toy will assistance activate his thoughts and develop his website abilities. Your kid could have pleasure while learning. providing your kid a toy recommended for more mature infants will only create him really feel disappointed. once the toy is recommended for an more mature kid, create it apart right up until your kid is more mature enough for it.
How academic kid Playthings develop Skills
So lots of items that grownups hold for provided are unusual, new and amazing for infants. Cell phones and music containers are beneficial for one four day period more mature infants. A cell promotes the kid to see item with his eyes. listening to to music energizes the child's listening to and promotes him to pay attention.
As the kid age groups, academic toys and games for infants will even more develop his emotional and website abilities. Rattles and prevents will assistance the kid analysis the way in which to understand things. activity gymnasiums will activate the kid to conquer and bat at things. These toys and games will assistance the kid identify achieve cause and effect. Playthings with exclusive designs, seems and activities will improve his website and intellectual abilities.
Continue to offer your kid academic toys and games as he age groups. Babies really like putting and searching toys and games. in addition they take fulfillment in putting small things into bigger ones, then disposal them out. electronic toys and games that create exclusive seems and lighting up are also fun. exactly the exact same is genuine for toy creatures that talk and toys and games which they are able to force or pull.
Don't forget one of the extremely best academic toy of all - books. analysis for the kid on the regular basis. this could activate his perceptive success by growing his interest period and improving his language. analyzing for the kid will also develop his speech abilities. Board courses are extremely best for younger infants because they are able to hold up against getting manhandled and chewed on by your small one.
Babies analysis by enjoying. offer academic toys and games for the kid and view him develop new abilities and analysis concerning the globe near to him.
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How Can Online Games Be Educative
Gaming is one field that has always been shrouded in controversy when it comes to its categorization. There has been a lot of debate about it being a simple leisure activity and having no other benefits whatsoever. Maybe to some extent that classification was justified as earlier forms of games only served the generic purpose of having fun but nowadays game creators are inculcating educative aspects and elements to games which provide them a broader spectrum. This approach of merging learning elements with fun activities is not new but is only a recent addition to the world of gaming. Online 3D miniclip games are a good example of how online games can be educative.
Child behavioral experts who made an observation at schools where miniclip games were introduced amongst the students are of unanimous opinion that it significantly increased the students overall aptitude towards studies and they displayed increased concentration learning their lessons this way. 3D games such as subtraction triangle which teaches pupils basic mathematics or word scramble which hones their vocabulary are fast being adopted by educational institutes around the world.
Children respond very well to such games where learning is intricately woven with fun filled elements so much so that a new terminology has been coined known as "Edutainment", this has given birth to a whole new style of game development where the game developer must be cognizant of the delicacies and requirements of the young recipient's mind frame. Due diligence must be paid to strike a perfect balance between fun elements and inclusion of course material.
Online games can be very effective in providing an alternative way of teaching children effective interpersonal skills and critical thinking which if taught using conventional teaching methods might be considered bland and monotonous by the students. In layman's term, online educative games spice it all up! Another advantage which is associated with games is improvement of reflex actions and motor skills as most games require the players to exhibit certain degree of agility and quick thinking.
The above dissertation is further cemented by a study conducted by UK group which had this outcome "The UK study concluded that simulation and adventure games - such as Sim City and RollerCoaster Tycoon, where players create societies or build theme parks, developed children's strategic thinking and planning skills".
Most miniclips games are flash based and utilize adobe studios incredible shockwave player to render really immersing and engrossing gaming environment. An alternate player is also available which also displays the games with all their functionality known as the unity player.
Child behavioral experts who made an observation at schools where miniclip games were introduced amongst the students are of unanimous opinion that it significantly increased the students overall aptitude towards studies and they displayed increased concentration learning their lessons this way. 3D games such as subtraction triangle which teaches pupils basic mathematics or word scramble which hones their vocabulary are fast being adopted by educational institutes around the world.
Children respond very well to such games where learning is intricately woven with fun filled elements so much so that a new terminology has been coined known as "Edutainment", this has given birth to a whole new style of game development where the game developer must be cognizant of the delicacies and requirements of the young recipient's mind frame. Due diligence must be paid to strike a perfect balance between fun elements and inclusion of course material.
Online games can be very effective in providing an alternative way of teaching children effective interpersonal skills and critical thinking which if taught using conventional teaching methods might be considered bland and monotonous by the students. In layman's term, online educative games spice it all up! Another advantage which is associated with games is improvement of reflex actions and motor skills as most games require the players to exhibit certain degree of agility and quick thinking.
The above dissertation is further cemented by a study conducted by UK group which had this outcome "The UK study concluded that simulation and adventure games - such as Sim City and RollerCoaster Tycoon, where players create societies or build theme parks, developed children's strategic thinking and planning skills".
Most miniclips games are flash based and utilize adobe studios incredible shockwave player to render really immersing and engrossing gaming environment. An alternate player is also available which also displays the games with all their functionality known as the unity player.
Ideal presents For Babies - educational Toys
With so an dxtraordinary offer of child presents that can be found to select from, it could possibly be considered a touch challenging to select an correct product for just about any baby. Usually, child presents are granted through a child shower, and primarily granted are sensible objects that mom and father would condition for their upcoming child. among one of the most common are clothes, however, often possess a short existence span, since the child will sooner or afterwards outgrow them. picking perfect child presents is required in a really impression which they are able to support produce the child's mind. this really is precisely where educational toys are routinely one of the most ideal choice.
A great choice of child toy can last for just about any lengthy time period of time, furthermore to may also support produce the psychological progress using the baby. There are so an extraordinary offer of toys to select from, but they are not produced the same. people that are educational or development, when extendedly employed will give a massive advantage for the small one. They possess a essential part through the child's cognitive progress furthermore to to enrich the child's logical, interpersonal and dilemma solving skills. one more great phase about educational toys are they are relatively inexpensive, which signifies that grownup men and females on tight can certainly avail them.
There are different types of educational child toys to select from. grownup men and females can choose a specific type they want. For example, if there are lots of indications how the child is displaying resourcefulness at an earlier age, it will be perfect to purchase him/her toys that may support cultivate this sort of skill. This may be also accustomed to some child who is displaying an ability in conditions of logical thinking. These indicators could possibly be really evident at an earlier age using the child, so why not help his/her capabilities and/or expertise and give developmental toys that may give a marvelous help?
Choosing one of the most ideal educational toy for the child could possibly also include looking on the attributes of equally parents. For example, once the mom and father equally have great ratings in conditions of academics, then it could possibly be that their child inherits that edge, as a finish off result it will be considered a intelligent idea to some developmental toy that may support produce the logic and dilemma solving technique using the child. for another hand, once the mom and father are some what artistic, choose art-related toys for their baby.
Aside from toys, there are also other revolutionary child objects that make developmental means to enrich the child. They could possibly be convertible child clothing like outfits or jackets that may transform in to a toy, pillow, or etc. These types of child objects will make marvelous presents for child showers, as they are not merely sensible to use, but in inclusion purpose to support produce the child's mind.
Some with one of the most common educational toys for youthful children consist of personalized child books, board games, musical instruments, and toys that produce moves and sound. These chhld presents could possibly be obtained on collection at acceptable prices, and the majority of them could possibly be personalized possessing a child's name, monograms, or etc., making them personalized child presents for child showers, christening, or baby's 1st birthday.
A great choice of child toy can last for just about any lengthy time period of time, furthermore to may also support produce the psychological progress using the baby. There are so an extraordinary offer of toys to select from, but they are not produced the same. people that are educational or development, when extendedly employed will give a massive advantage for the small one. They possess a essential part through the child's cognitive progress furthermore to to enrich the child's logical, interpersonal and dilemma solving skills. one more great phase about educational toys are they are relatively inexpensive, which signifies that grownup men and females on tight can certainly avail them.
There are different types of educational child toys to select from. grownup men and females can choose a specific type they want. For example, if there are lots of indications how the child is displaying resourcefulness at an earlier age, it will be perfect to purchase him/her toys that may support cultivate this sort of skill. This may be also accustomed to some child who is displaying an ability in conditions of logical thinking. These indicators could possibly be really evident at an earlier age using the child, so why not help his/her capabilities and/or expertise and give developmental toys that may give a marvelous help?
Choosing one of the most ideal educational toy for the child could possibly also include looking on the attributes of equally parents. For example, once the mom and father equally have great ratings in conditions of academics, then it could possibly be that their child inherits that edge, as a finish off result it will be considered a intelligent idea to some developmental toy that may support produce the logic and dilemma solving technique using the child. for another hand, once the mom and father are some what artistic, choose art-related toys for their baby.
Aside from toys, there are also other revolutionary child objects that make developmental means to enrich the child. They could possibly be convertible child clothing like outfits or jackets that may transform in to a toy, pillow, or etc. These types of child objects will make marvelous presents for child showers, as they are not merely sensible to use, but in inclusion purpose to support produce the child's mind.
Some with one of the most common educational toys for youthful children consist of personalized child books, board games, musical instruments, and toys that produce moves and sound. These chhld presents could possibly be obtained on collection at acceptable prices, and the majority of them could possibly be personalized possessing a child's name, monograms, or etc., making them personalized child presents for child showers, christening, or baby's 1st birthday.
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