The Art Of Note Taking

By following these ten steps, you will become a more efficient note taker and this will help improve your overall study skills. With good note taking skills, better grades are just around the corner.

1. If possible, sit near the front and center of the class. You will be less likely to become distracted and will probably find staying focused easier.

2. Use a binder instead of a traditional notebook. This way you can add, rearrange, or rewrite pages of your notes, insert handouts and assessments in the appropriate chronological order and review the material covered in the chapter/unit much easier.

3. Put headings and the date on all papers. Organize them chronologically in your binder.

4. Take notes on loose-leaf paper and keep them organized in a three-ring binder. Make sure that you hole punch and add all of the handouts, assignments, quizzes, tests, etc. to your binder. It usually is best if everything for the entire chapter/unit is kept in chronological order in your binder.

5. Think about what is being said before you write anything down. Do not write down everything the teacher says. Pick out important phrases, terms, and concepts to focus on.

6. Record any examples the teacher may give while lecturing. Examples are extremely important in creating connections in your brain and in helping to jog your memory while studying.

7. Look for cues that teachers give to indicate that something is important. For instance, they may repeat something a few times, change the volume or tone of their voice, write it on the board or overhead, and/or creates lists for you. Be sure to ask them to repeat what they have just said if you miss the initial cue but later realize that you should be writing the material down.

8. Leave some space between portions of your notes so you can make additional comments as you study or read the text.

9. Re-write or even re-TYPE your notes. Not only will your notes be much more organized and make studying easier, but the practice of re-writing notes gives you another opportunity to think about the material as you write or type it again. Make sure that you re-write them in a timely manner. The more time that passes between taking the original notes and re-writing them, the less effective this strategy is.

10. Review these notes often. The more times you see them, the easier it is to commit them to memory and the less time you will spend studying them prior to the test.

Go to www.live-etutor.com to learn more about online tutoring and watch a virtual tour inside of our online classroom. All tutors are screened, qualified and ready to help your child get better grades!

Test taking stratagies

These twelve tips will help you get through any test and as long as you prepared adequately for it, you will certainly get an A.

Come to the test prepared and feeling confident that you know the material. Make sure that you are not very hungry or very full and that you are well-rested. Avoid eating sugary or processed foods before the test. Avoid items such as candy, carbonated soft drinks, junk foods, and fried foods. Snack on fresh fruit or veggies immediately before to get your mind off the test and give you some sustenance.

Breathe. Relax. Imagine yourself acing the test. It is amazing what a little positive imagery can do for you.

Read ALL of the directions carefully. Reread them again once you have finished. Look through the test to see what types of questions are asked, how many questions, if there are any major essays, if you have choices about questions that you can answer, etc. Make sure you know how much each section is worth so you can budget your time.

If the test involves specific equations, conversions, dates or anything else that you must memorize, write it on the top or margin of the test paper as soon as the test is handed out. Remembering complicated equations and dates before you have answered any questions is a lot easier than trying to remember them after you have answered half of the test questions and you brain is starting to get tired.

Answer all easy questions first. This will help you get into the test taking mood and build confidence. Circle the numbers of the questions that you really have no idea about. You can come back to these later. Often times questions you answer later in the test might trigger something and help you answer a question that you were previously stuck on.

Narrow multiple choice answers down to the two you believe might be correct by crossing off the ones you positively know are not correct. This will improve your chances of guessing the right one.

True-False questions are often a favorite of some teachers and can be quite complicated at times. Keep in mind that every part of a true-false statement must be true in order to answer it as true. If any part is false, mark the entire statement false. You may want to underline the portion of the statement that you believe is false. If there are negatives in the statement such as “no or not”, and you are still not sure whether to mark it true or false, try re-reading the question without the “no or not”. Decide if this statement is true or false then answer the opposite on your test. Words indicating absoluteness (never, always, entirely, every, only, none) often tend to be used in false statements.

Try to construct concise answers that target the question and prove to the teacher that you know the material. Get right to the point in the first sentence or two of your answer. The rest of the answer should contain proof that you know what you are talking about. Give enough evidence to support your thoughts but don't over-answer the question. Writing a lot of fluff will usually leave the teacher thinking that you are writing for the sake of filling the space and that you really don't have a good handle on the correct answer.

Before you begin writing an essay, make sure you know exactly what the question is asking. Try to restate the question in your own words. If you can't do this with confidence, make a quick visit to the teacher and have him or her clarify it for you. Once confident in what the question is asking, take a few moments to get your thoughts together and write some notes in the margin or even create an outline on scrap paper if you have time.

If you find that you are running short on time and still have some open-ended questions left to answer, write something rather than leaving the space blank. Create a brief outline to show the teacher that you do know the answer, but you didn't have enough time to write an entire essay. You maybe able to get say more in an outline form than you can if you were only able to write a few opening sentences of your essay. Partial credit is better than no credit at all.

Once you believe you are finished with the test, reread everything again to be sure that you answered every question fully and completely. If you have time, cover up your answers with your hand or another sheet of paper and ask yourself what answer you would give if you had to answer the question again. Compare this answer with what you have already written down. Only change the original answer if you find that you made a silly mistake or originally misinterpreted the question. It is usually best to go with your original instinct when you are truly unsure of an answer.

Be neat. The last thing a teacher wants to do while correcting mounds of tests is to spend time deciphering what a student has illegibly written.


Go to http://www.live-etutor.com for to learn more about online tutoring and schedule a tutoring session for your child. All tutors are screened and qualified.

Ten Easy Ways to Help Kids Learn: A Brain-based Learning Strategy that Really Works

Susan's a math whiz and Caleb's an artist extraordinaire. That's, great but wouldn't it be better if Caleb could improve in math and Susan could develop some artistic skills? They can and it's easy.

Researchers have recently discovered that whole-brain learning or brain-based learning is an efficient and effective learning strategy that helps kids (parents and teachers, too) learn anything easily without struggling.

One feature of brain-based learning involves using both the right side and the left side of the brain. Although nobody is just left brain or just right brain, most of us have a dominance.

Susan's math aptitude means she is probably left-brain dominant, and Caleb, the artist, has a right-brain dominance.

Learning to read and write requires using both sides of the brain. So does learning math and even doing art. In fact, doing just about anything well, including thinking clearly, and even problem solving, involves using the right and left hemispheres of the front part of the brain.

How do you accomplish this? Easy. Just move across the center mid-line of your body. Every time you move your right arm to your left side or your left arm to your right side, you're crossing the mid-line and improving learning, thinking, and problem solving. Now you're using brain-based learning.

Works for kids. Works for you. Try these parenting tips and teacher resources today.

1. Give yourself a big hug.
2. Tell kids the only rule is to cross the mid-line of the body, right hand to left side, left hand to right side. Now let them invent ways of doing this.
3. Dance the hula. Or twirl a hula hoop.
4. Take a Brain Boosters TeleClass. Sign up at www.brainboostersforyourkids.com Or a Brain Gym class. Sign up at www.BrainGymClasses.com
5. Do the twist. (So you weren't dancing in the 50s and 60s? Ask somebody to show you how to twist or get a dance video.) Twist with the kids while you listen to some old Chubby Checker songs.
6. Rake some leaves with your kids, making sure you're raking off to the side instead of straight in front of you.
7. Play a board game. (Use your right hand to move your piece when it's in the left corner and vice versa.)
8. Practice using your non-dominant hand to reach for things on the opposite side of your body. Even writing and drawing with your non-dominant hand helps. (You'll get better with practice.)
9. Do Yoga and Tai Chi. Lots of moves cross the mid-line.
10. Cross your ankles and arms in front or in back when you're doing jumping jacks. Kids can usually do this. If you can't, try it in a swimming pool.

This brain-based learning strategy really isn't all that complicated. Lots of everyday kinds of activities get the whole brain active. Sitting around watching TV, however, isn't one of them! You and your kids have to move around and cross your mid- line. It's fun.

Teen Driver Education

For many teenagers these days obtaining their license is the biggest and most exciting step life has offered so far. Many are excited, some a little worried, but all should be prepared for what having a driver license means. This is where driver education courses enter into the picture. Not only do these courses teach teens to drive, but teach them ways in which to do so responsibly as well. The following paragraphs will highlight some topics covered in driver education courses and show why this type of education is extremely important for teens to obtain.

Teaches Vehicle Laws

One portion of most driver education courses centers around a textbook portion. In this area of the driver education course, one topic that is often discussed involves various vehicle laws that exist within that particular state where the teenager is learning to drive. This is a vital portion of the course as many states require that individuals take a written exam prior to obtaining a drivers license. On these particular exams students will be required to correctly answer questions pertaining to current vehicle laws. Having this intensive guided textbook course which focuses on vehicle laws will enable teens to learn the laws perhaps even more quickly than if they were studying the relative laws on their own.

Teaches Drug and Alcohol Awareness

Regardless of the fact that drugs are illegal as a rule and alcohol is illegal for individuals under a certain age, driver education courses still find it in the best interest of the teenager to promote drug and alcohol awareness and how this can affect one’s driving ability. Many teenagers are aware of the fact that drugs and alcohol can have potentially damaging effects; however, by teaching this in a structured course along with a variety of statistics and videos, it really sends the message out to the teenagers the damage that drinking and driving or doing drugs and driving can cause an individual. Therefore, it is vital that driver education courses stick with this type of course topic.

Vehicle Maintenance

Many driver education courses also have a portion of the course where individuals are taught various topics relating to vehicle maintenance. Along with knowing various vehicle laws and having the awareness of the potential dangers of drugs and alcohol with driving, it is also important for teens to know some basic information regarding vehicle maintenance. Prior to learning how to drive the vehicle, one should know how the vehicle works and how it can be maintained.

Driving Course

The second main portion of the course, along with the classroom portion, is the actual driving part. Once teenagers have gained the requisite knowledge regarding laws, awareness factors and maintenance, it is then time to get behind the wheel and teach them driving techniques. This is another benefit to having a structured driver education course. It teaches teens how to drive in the company of a certified driving instructor. Some driver education courses held by a school district, for example, will provide the actual training portion while in other areas teens will need to engage in this portion of driver education course on their own with a driving school. Wherever this portion of the driver education course is learned, it is crucial that teens take part in it.

Where to Take Driver Education Courses

Prior to signing up with a particular driver education course, it is important for teens and their parents to contact their local Department of Motor Vehicles or other governmental entity responsible for licensing drivers. Two questions which should be asked are whether driver education is required by the state and what forms of driver education courses are acceptable to satisfy that requirement. Once these questions are answered, the teen can then choose a driver education course to sign up for.

There are a few different places where the teen can take a driver education course. The first is through their high school. Many school districts offer driver education courses as part of the curriculum and this may be an option for the student. Another place to possibly sign up for a driver education course is with a professional driver education center where both classroom and actual driving courses will be taught. Lastly, there is a new and inventive way of engaging in a driver education course and that is online.

Online driver education courses are ones which have recently been gaining quite a bit of recognition. Not only are they great ways to learn course concepts but they are extremely convenient as well. One will most likely have to use a professional driving school for the road portion of the course, but with regard to classroom courses, the online version is a distinct possibility. It is highly advisable, however, that one check with their state to ensure that this type of course fulfillment is acceptable in order to meet the driver education requirement.

The previously mentioned topics are some of the wonderful benefits for teens who take driver education courses. Not only will the teens learn how to drive but also they will be taught how to do so in a safe and legal way. When looking for the perfect driver education course for teens to get involved in, just make sure that the one which is chosen is accepted by the state and that it features many of the components listed above. If this type of driver education course is selected, it may make the teen that much more ready to get behind the wheel.

Teenage Bodybuilding

Teenage bodybuilding is becoming ever more popular. Teenagers have always wanted to impress, and greater numbers than ever are looking to do this by having a spectacular body, with muscles to match. Finding the right advice for building muscle can be difficult for any age group, so here we give you some great teenage bodybuilding advice.



Tip 1

There is one area where teenage bodybuilding is no different from any other, and that is in the need to have a coherent plan. Do your research, decide exactly where you want to go with bodybuilding, and design a workout routine to fit. Just joining a gym and lifting weights without any clear goal in mind will be wasteful and counter productive. Work out a plan and focus on it.



Tip 2

Don't miss meals. A lot of teenagers are constantly on the move, and their diets and eating habits are often erratic. A vital part of teenage bodybuilding advice is to create a consistent diet plan and stick to it. Your workout plan will not achieve optimum results with a high enough calorific intake, and without enough of the right nutrients being absorbed.



Tip 3

Never go at it too hard. A teenage body is still developing, growing, and going through changes of hormones before becoming an adult. Teenage bodybuilding needs to be done with care, as the body may well have another short period of growth or weight gain to go through. Be patient with your bodybuilding, as you don't yet know the exact form your adult body will take!



Tip 4

Take in plenty of protein! Teenage bodybuilding is similar to any age group bodybuilding in this crucial aspect – protein is absolutely essential for muscle growth and repair. There is simply no way to get your muscles to grow if they are not fed enough protein, and your workouts could even have a detrimental effect, as your muscles will not have the nutrients they need to repair properly.



Take on board these teenage bodybuilding tips, and you will be starting your development in the right way.

Technology in the Classroom

Technology is revolutionizing the way Americans communicate and conduct business; yet, it has been slow to really take foot in our schools’ curriculums. Up until recently, technology has been introduced to students as an elective versus a complete integration and redefining of the way students are taught. The fact of the matter is, today, children are growing up in a world much different from what their parents and grandparents experienced. It is a world of computers, software, and wireless access to information on-the-fly. It is a world that requires a different set of skills to succeed; thus, it may be worth your while to investigate the role technology plays in your child’s schooling.

Studies show that the use of technology in the classroom is highly beneficial to students and teachers. Not only does it prepare students for the “real world,” it improves many skills that might not otherwise be fully cultivated. Because technology is so highly valued in America, students that become familiar and quite good at using it feel a sense of accomplishment, which improves self-esteem. When using technology, students are more likely to share their experiences with other students, promoting peer-to-peer tutoring and reducing the pressure teachers feel when being the only source of student assistance. In addition, students learn that there are numerous ways to solve problems and identify with how what they are learning actually applies to life outside of school.

Of course schools are limited by time and money, making it difficult to introduce anything new, especially expensive technologies that need constant maintenance and upgrades. However, if schools look at their overall program and revaluate how to accomplish the same tasks while utilizing technology, there may be more room to maneuver than originally thought. A parent’s best bet is to figure out how open the school is to change and how actively they are perusing these changes. Thus, when the opportunities arise to incorporate technology, the school will be more likely to embrace them.

Following are a list of questions that may be helpful in evaluating the technology initiatives at your child’s school:
• Is the use of technology in the classroom a school policy or an individual decision made by the teacher?
• What computer and technology skills are teachers expected to know?
• Are teachers provided training on popular and new technologies on a regular basis?
• What type of projects will my child be required to complete that promote the use of technology?
• Does the school have a computer lab or does each class have a single computer students are expected to share?
• What precautions are taken to ensure student safety when surfing the Web?

While it is important for schools to have an open mind about the use of technology in the classroom, parents need to support the efforts made by the school. Ask your child’s teacher and principal about the roadblocks and challenges they face in implementing the changes that would encourage the use of technology. There may be some things you can do on your end to spread up the process, be it educating other parents on the issue, donating money, or expressing your concerns to the school superintendent. Whatever you do, stay realistic about your expectations and keep the lines of communication open.


Acknowledgements
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/using_technology.htm
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/reasons.html

Teaching Space and the Solar System

Outer space and the solar system is one of the most interesting topics discussed in school because of the countless colorful heavenly bodies occupying the universe and the idea that there is actually something else outside of our world.
In the few decades since space exploration began, probes have reached the far regions of the solar system. The solar system is the group of celestial bodies, including Earth that orbits around the Milky Way galaxy. Some hundred billion stars can be found in the universe while more than 1,000 comets have been observed regularly through telescopes.

To give this topic a little twist, here are tips to have students “get it.”
As introduction to the subject, bring your students out of the classroom (at both daytime and nighttime if it’s possible) so they can see what makes up the sky. Explain that the solar system is made up of our sun and all of the heavenly bodies that travel around it. Once they have familiarized themselves to the concept of space and the solar system, you can start moving on.

The ten planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Xena) differ in characteristics. You can use a table to show these differences and characteristics. After showing how each is special from the other, you can let them pick a favorite planet, draw it the way they want it and explain why they chose it from the rest.

For more than 300 years there has been scientific discussions of the events that led to the formation of the solar system. And since it could be quite time-consuming to talk about the theories concerning the origin of life in the solar system, you may use film or other visual presentations as tools to better explain it.

A telescope is another effective device used to magnify or enlarge the image of a distant object. It is a very important tool for astronomers. It enables them to see much farther into space than is possible with the human eye. What you can do is bring a telescope you can share with your students so everyone can have a glimpse on what’s out there in space through a very informal activity.
What is space exploration? The age of space exploration began in the sixth decade of the 20th century. Since that time, robot probes and human beings have ventured beyond the limits of the Earth’s atmosphere. Today, space explorations include the investigation of celestial objects ranging in size from cosmic dust to the giant planets of the solar system. Because of technology, humans are continuously discovering more about life and forces in space. The possibilities are endless.

Outer space and the solar system may be a very interesting topic but its long history of theoretical and practical developments can fuel a lot of questions. The key to space exploration lay in the production of the rocket engine, which made possible the lofting of objects beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. With this subject, remember you are teaching your students that the field of space exploration and the solar system relies heavily on communication and technology.

Teaching reading to your child

One of the most effective teaching methods for children is to use materials that the child has a natural interest in. Teaching reading to your child is no exception. Our kids (as I’m sure most kids) have a natural interest in animals. Right from the beginning we had great success using their natural curiosity and affection for animals to teach the basic formations and sounds that are associated with the letters and pictures. This naturally progressed into using the same to aid in teaching reading to them as well.

There are several children’s magazines available for you that are dedicated to the animal child connection. As our kids got a bit older we even subscribed to a couple of the magazines for them. You talk about generating an interest! Just wait till the kids realize that every so often the mailman brings them a present. They couldn’t wait and it certainly helped us with teaching reading to both of the kids. If your kids, are struggling to read or maybe struggling to get interested in reading, use a tool that they are naturally interested in. For us, the animal stories and magazines were a great way for us to get started teaching reading.

Find a magazine that seems to fit the age level of your child. For younger children, I recommend one that has big bright colorful pictures with interesting facts. One of our favorite children’s magazines is Zoobooks. Some even have interactive puzzles and games the child can play and learn. A simple search on the internet of “children + animals + magazine” will turn up many choices for you.

Teaching reading to your child is 100 times easier when you employ the use of a subject that children naturally want to know more about. In fact, one thing that we discovered was that once the one of the magazines had been used and was no longer current, they made great tools for the kids to cut some of the pictures out and make bulletin boards, calendars, and it made a great start in getting to the next level of reading by learning to make up their own stories and adventures using the pictures they cut out and the information from the magazines!

Whatever you choice of tools you are considering using to teach reading to your child, I highly recommend the use of some good children’s magazines.

Teaching Kids Early Organizational Skills

Understanding the organizational skills used by children has become increasingly complex and important-and organizational differences among students play a large role in determining which children get the most out of their educational experience.

"Many second and third graders have difficulty with organization. It simply doesn't come naturally to them," says Judy McAlear, a special education teacher in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Many seasoned teachers seem to prefer the use of folders to help teach organizational skills. For example, Nancy Boudon, who teaches first grade at Prospect Elementary School in Elyria, Ohio, has students carry a "Blue Dot Folder" in which they keep important papers and worksheets and a "Take Home Folder" with two pockets.

Another organizational tool used by teachers is Seat Sack™, a bright blue fabric storage bag that fits over the back of a student's classroom chair and holds folders, papers and other items. By adding another storage area to a child's desk area, teachers help eliminate "desk stuffing," a sloppy practice that inevitably leads to confusion and lost time.

Tips For Parents

• Teach your child how to store and transport papers and other items to and from school;

• Consider using "To Do" lists and "Chore Charts";

• Assign your child a specific time to study and do homework each day;

• Create a place for your child to complete homework. Be sure that location is stocked with appropriate supplies; and

• Offer plenty of praise when your child exhibits good organizational skills.

In addition, many teachers also agree that continual communication with parents is vital in teaching these and other skills. Face-to-face conferences, notes sent home with the students and, in Boudon's case, a personal Web site allow parents to keep current with classroom activities.

Teachers Explore New Methods for Teaching Literacy in Long Island Schools

Sachem School District teachers completed another professional development activity thanks to the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. The program is called the Strategic Instructional Model (SIM) and looks at how teachers can improve literacy in low performing adolescents

The Strategic Instructional Model

Developed over 25 years of research, SIM works to help teachers recognize what lessons are of greatest importance and target those lessons towards a diverse group of learners. SIM rests on four philosophical principles:

• Low proficiency students can be taught in mainstream classrooms.
• Teacher’s aides, or support teachers, should concentrate on helping students develop learning strategies.
• Subject teachers should organize their lessons so that the material can be understood and remembered by low proficiency students.
• The students should be actively involved in deciding how to learn new strategies.

SIM works on two levels, one addressing the needs of the teacher and the other addressing the needs of the student. For teachers, SIM training provides a method for organizing information in ways that are most useful for students, so that they can understand what they learn and then be able to use it to accomplish tasks. For students, academic coaching develops learning strategies that can be applied to what they learn in school. These strategies range from learning ways to approach written texts, including informational readings and math word problems, as well as ways to express information in writing, as is often required on standardized tests.

Another important element of SIM is the way that it promotes teamwork among teachers, students, and parents. In deciding what content to teach to students, teachers and students work together to determine what information students need and what the best method of delivering that information is. This creates a feeling of comradery in the learning community and helps all stakeholders contribute to the overall success of students.

What Long Island Teachers are Saying About SIM

Many classroom teachers have welcomed SIM as a concrete approach to meeting the needs of their students. After observing a demonstration writing lesson conducted using the method, teacher Jill Kristoff comments, “The SIM sentence writing strategy is a very useful tool for children, teaching them grammar and sentence structure, as well as improving their writing; and because it is taught in steps, children of all abilities can be successful with it!”

What Long Island Schools Students are Saying About SIM

Students agree with their teachers that SIM offers them a lot of structure for understanding what they are learning. After observing the demonstration lesson conducted by University of Kansas teacher – trainer Dottie Turner, one student said, “Ms. Turner helped me a lot with sentences. She taught me what a good sentence needs. Now my sentences are much better with details, and they are not boring.” Another student also believed that she had benefited from the demonstration lesson and expressed her pride in participating in a professional development experience for her teacher. She commented: “The demo lesson was helpful to my writing. It was also a lot of fun. Teachers were sitting in the back, but they were not watching me. They were watching Ms. Turner. I loved that lesson!”

The Sachem School District community hopes that SIM will help local teachers and students achieve higher statewide assessment scores by including all students in the learning experience. The Strategic Instructional Model meets the guidelines for the No Child Left Behind Act and studies have shown improved academic performance for all students. Long Island schools welcome this added tool for improving the achievement of their students and look

Tax and School Finance Reform — Help or Hindrance to the Dallas Schools?

Securing enough funding for the Dallas schools is a problem experienced by many school districts in the United States. Most funding has become program specific, with government controlling its use and generally benefiting only a portion of the Dallas schools students. State funding has been scarce, requiring Dallas schools to rely upon local property and school taxes to cover the general needs of the schools. Additionally, federal government oversight creates a lot more administrative requirements. This means that many of the precious dollars the Dallas schools receive through government funding must be spent on administrative costs, rather than directly to benefit the students.

Recently, the Texas legislature passed new legislation for tax and school finance reform. Many are touting the law as especially good for Dallas schools. The law includes tax cuts to businesses, property tax cuts, strong taxpayer protections, and school funding and accountability improvements.

Here is how the new legislation affects the Dallas schools.

School Property Tax Control. Previously, the Dallas schools, along with other schools in Texas, could raise the school property tax rate by six cents per $100 of property every year — without voter approval. With the new legislation, any raise of the school property tax rate of more than four cents must have local voter approval. Additionally, the maximum school property tax was $1.50 per $100 of property. The new legislation will lower that maximum to $1.00 per $100 of property over the next two years.

More Accountability and Transparency. The new legislation not only requires even more bureaucracy for the Dallas schools, but they are required to make it available on the Internet. The Dallas schools will now be required to place detailed local school spending information on a web site for anyone to review. This new level of heavy oversight gives ammunition to anyone who wishes to get their name in the paper through official complaint to the legislators or even bogus court action. Some question whether this might lead to more costs to the Dallas schools to defend needed expenditures that benefit Dallas schools students, either directly or indirectly.

Teacher Compensation. On the upside, the new legislation includes a $2,000 teacher pay raise, sorely needed by Dallas schools teachers. A $250 million state teacher performance pay plan is also included in the law, of which Dallas schools will receive its portion. The performance plan is to encourage teaching innovation and excellence.

Overall, the new legislation puts $1.7 billion dollars of new money into schools across the state, dramatically increasing the state’s share of public school funding. Though this new legislation does take a burden off the Dallas schools property taxpayers by providing more state funding for general school expenditures, it does decrease the local dollars that do not carry the heavy price tag of red tape administration, as well as lowering the Dallas schools ability to raise funds locally.

Tampa Schools Prepare Students for the World of Tomorrow through Global Classrooms

The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), along with New York-based Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., has brought the Model United Nations to Tampa schools. Originally, only four high schools were participating and only as an extra-curricular activity. Now, over 50 teachers teach the Global Classrooms curriculum to students in over 120 classrooms in 35 Tampa schools. The program has the supported of Tampa schools District Social Studies Supervisors Dennis Holt and Martha Ford, as well as Tampa schools administrators, University of South Florida, and University of Tampa.

The Model United Nations program of Global Classrooms was developed by the UNA to enhance student understanding of international issues. Their hope is to develop strong leadership and critical-thinking skills in our youth, needed to shape a globally informed workforce in the future. To that end, a special Model UN teachers training program was recently developed that includes global trade, finance and development.

Global Classrooms deal with such critical world issues as human rights for refugees, prevention of nuclear terrorism, global economics, post-conflict transition, and UN Security Council reform — the same issues world diplomats deal with daily in the United Nations. It is an excellent educational opportunity for students in the Tampa schools.

Tampa schools participation increased in the Model UN program after the April 2006 conference, held at the Tampa Convention Center. More than 500 high schools and 600 middle schools participated in the conference of Global Classrooms.

Ambassador William H. Luers, president of the UNA-USA, addressed the Tampa schools students and students from other areas within the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Public Schools. Luers noted that children today must learn about the world to be prepared for tomorrow. The younger the child, the more open minded he or she will be.

Another speaker was Shaun King, former quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, current player for the Detroit Lions, and a favorite with Tampa schools’ students. Like Luers, King wants to see young people use all that talent they have. He believes it truly makes a difference, especially for children of single-parent and/or disadvantaged families.

The UNA-USA is a not-for-profit organization that develops innovative programs to engage Americans, especially the children, in issues of global concern. It promotes educational and humanitarian campaigns, as well as policy and advocacy programs. The UNA’s mission is to allow people to make a global impact at a local level.

The Model UN program would not be possible without the support of business. Merrill Lynch has donated more than $37 million in 2005 to charities with educational organizations receiving more than half. They are responsible for bringing the April Model UN conference to Tampa and underwrote the cost of implementing the program in the Tampa schools.

Together, the UNA and Merrill Lynch hope to bring the Model UN experience to urban public schools across the nation, as well as a diverse array of schools around the world.

It is a fact that the U.S. is losing its world economic edge by falling far behind other countries in preparing its youth for the global world issues of tomorrow. With programs, such as the No Child Left Behind that concentrates only on reading and mathematics skills, the children of the U.S. are missing an opportunity to know about the world and its issues. Bringing the Model UN program to students in areas like the Tampa schools is an essential step. Hopefully, more Tampa schools will participate in the future.

Take Stock in Children College Scholarships for Orlando Schools and Seminole County Public Schools

An Overview of the Take Stock in Children College Scholarship Program

Take Stock in Children is a statewide scholarship program being implemented by Orlando Schools and the Seminole County Public School system the program targets students with strong financial need as well as strong motivation to succeed in college. Beginning in eighth grade, students are invited to apply for the scholarships. These scholarships take the format of two years at a community college and then two years at a state university or college.

In order to be considered, both the student and the parents must sign a contract promising to follow the guidelines of Orlando Schools and Seminole County Public Schools. In addition, students must participate in a variety of Take Stock in Children activities throughout their high school years. Orlando and Seminole County Public School students must remain committed to graduating with their high school class and maintaining a drug and crime free student record.

The Take Stock in Children Program targets at – risk students in the Orlando and Seminole County Public Schools and helps them learn the skills they need to be successful in college. The motivating factor is that a successful Orlando and Seminole County Public School student becomes a successful adult able to give back to the Orlando and Seminole County Public Schools. The connection between the needs of the community and the needs of the student results in benefits for both.

Scholarships and Support

Since 1996, one hundred and seventeen students have been awarded the Take Stock in Children scholarship in the Orlando and Seminole County Public School area. The program has 69 high school students participating in Orlando and Seminole County Public Schools. 101 students have graduated and received their scholarships. The first student to graduate from college because of the program received a Bachelors of Science from the University of Central Florida.

The scholarship fund has purchased over $300,000 worth of Florida Prepaid College Scholarships for students in the state of Florida. These scholarships are waiting for the students currently participating in the middle and high school levels of the program. Orlando and Seminole County students active in the program have additional opportunities to attend workshops and seminars to help them prepare for college and build their individual skills throughout the school year.



Mentors

Each Orlando and Seminole County Public School student is paired with a community volunteer mentor who helps motivate and guide the student throughout high school. Mentors do not give a lot of time but they do provide a lot of support for students working towards the scholarship. Usually mentors meet with Orlando and Seminole County Public School students for thirty minutes once a week on the student’s high school campus. Mentors also participate in the Take Stock in Children workshops and activities. Mentors come from a range of backgrounds and are united by an interested in helping the youth of Orlando and Seminole County Public Schools achieve their dreams of a college education. In addition to the mentor role, there are often opportunities to sponsor a scholarship for an Orlando and Seminole County Public School student. Every donation is matched by the state of Florida, allowing more and more students to participate in the program.

Swimming Pool Landscaping

Landscaping around your pool can be a lot of fun. Picking out just the right plants that you love and that will complement your pool really can be very exciting. But when choosing your pool landscaping, it's important not to just be thinking about how the landscaping will look but also to think about what will ensure the safety of the swimmers and not be too hard for pool maintenance. Below are some simple steps to help you decide on some great pool landscaping.



A pool with plants and flowers planted all along its side can be very attractive. But remember that container plants or potted plants are easier to maintain, replace and rearrange. Another advantage is for plants that are sensitive to frost. These plants can be brought in for the winter and be moved outdoors again the next spring. And container plants really are beautiful as well.



To help with pool maintenance and safety, don't plant flowers, plants, or shrubs that will hang over the pool. These are bound to drop something into the water whether it be pollen, stems, or petals. Also move the plants that tend to have a lot of droppings at least eight feet from the pool. Along these same lines, it's wise to choose plants and shrubs that drop their leaves in a short period so you only have to do one cleanup.



Plants that have shorter leaves tend to be less likely to have their droppings blown away by the wind and blown right into the pool. Also avoid evergreens such as live oaks and pines. They may seem like a good choice but they drop needles, pine cones, flowers, and acorns for months.



Also make sure to take your privacy into consideration and set up a fence or a large trellis to block the view of passer-bys or your neighbor's window.



And lastly, while you are deciding on your pool landscaping, talk to your local nursery about plants that tend to do well in your climate and soil. Be sure to tell that you are landscaping around a pool and ask how far away the plants should be. They are the professionals and should be able to offer some very good advice. Landscaping your pool doesn't have to be a chore. In actuality, it should add to the beauty of your pool and make it that much more enjoyable!

Summer HEAT 2006 Offers Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers in Miami – Dade County School District

An Overview of Summer Heat 2006

Miami Schools are offering a range of summer professional development courses for its public school teachers and administrators in order to help teachers meet federal requirements and learn new methods and approaches to teaching. Teachers are eligible to take one Summer Heat course. These courses will be offered during June and July. Most courses last about a week and meet from 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM daily.

The teacher must attend every day of the session in order to receive Master Plan Points. The Miami – Dade County School District’s Master Plan Points Program help teachers earn the graduate level credits that they need to meet the Highly Qualified Teacher Status outlined by the No Child Left Behind Act. Six Master Plan Points per day are awarded for all the courses with the exception of those that grant actual college credit.

Professional Development for Teachers

Miami – Dade County School District teachers benefit from a range of courses that help focus their teaching on special at – risk groups as well as providing instruction in key subject areas. Many courses focus on the needs of children with Limited English Proficiency. These courses help teachers improve literacy of Limited English Proficiency students as well as learn culturally sensitive techniques for including such children in the general classroom. Other special groups include children with autism and children with behavioral problems.

In addition to these special groups, Miami – Dade County School District teachers have the opportunity to enrich their teaching of various core subjects. Courses abound in all aspects of literacy and mathematics as well as science, the arts, and social studies. Both elementary and secondary education is covered, including preparation for teaching the Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations at the secondary school level. On the other end of the spectrum, special attention is also given to the design and implementation of Pre – Kindergarten curriculum. Miami – Dade County School District teachers are also given the opportunity to explore general instructional methods to promote leadership in the classroom, including the Continuous Improvement Model (CIM), Object – Based Learning, and many others.

Professional Development for Administrators

Miami – Dade County School District administrators also benefit from the Summer Heat course offerings. Principals, Principal Trainees, and other support staff have opportunities to learn how to improve their own performance and to help motivate the teachers on their staffs. The Principal Preparation Program runs courses for Principal Trainee both in their first and second year of training. Several meetings of the Assistant Principal Academy are scheduled to help teachers make the transition to administrative roles. In addition, the role of the school psychologist and the teacher – counselor are also explored in various course offerings. The School Support Team also has a variety of courses to choose form in learning how to implement school reform.

University and Community Partnerships

Miami – Dade County School District teachers and administrators rely on the support of many university and community partners. Courses take place at many Miami – Dade County area schools in addition to universities and private businesses. Barry University, the University of Miami, the University of South Florida, and Florida International University all offer their campuses for professional development courses. The Miami Lakes Educational Center also plays a vital role in providing a location for Miami – Dade County School District teachers and administrators to

Study Skills That Will Help You Get Straight A's

By following these twelve tips, you will be guaranteed to get straight AAAAA's. Read each tip carefully.

1. Find a quiet area in your house in which you are comfortable and can isolate yourself from distractions. Be sure that this space includes a chair, table or desk, and sufficient lighting. Ask others not to disturb you while you are in this special location and turn off all phones, beepers, televisions, videos, music, or anything else that your mind will wander to instead of focusing on the schoolwork.

2. Find the best time to study. Some students tend to do their best work as soon as they get home from school while they are still in the school mode. Others need a break and don't settle down to study until after practice, playtime, a nap, dinner and/or family time. Just be sure to allow yourself enough time to get everything done and still get enough sleep each night.

3. Organize your day, week, month, etc. Set aside a specific time each day to do your homework and study. Decide on a reasonable minimum amount of time that you will spend in this quiet place each day. For instance, lets say you decide on 45 minutes as a reasonable amount of time to dedicate to schoolwork each day. This means that even if homework is completed in the first 35 minutes that you will still stay in this area and study or review notes for the next 10 minutes until the 45 is up.

4. Reward yourself for sticking to your schedule and being productive. Decide on an activity to do once your study time is completed. Plan on watching a television show later in the evening. Tell yourself that you will play five minutes of a video game for every fifteen minutes that you study. Create goals and their rewards before you start studying and work hard to reach them each and every day.

5. Variety is important. Vary the topics that you are spending time studying. Get the mandatory homework out of the way first and then go back and spend the additional time reviewing material from different courses each day. If you spent extra time reviewing history yesterday, spend the additional time on science tonight. Some subject areas may require more time than others. You should get a feel for this a month or so into the school year.

6. Study the difficult subjects first and get them out of the way. You will be able to absorb material quicker and make more connections when you are mentally fresh.

7. Take regular study breaks. This can also serve as a mini-reward. For instance, tell yourself that you are going to get a drink or snack or listen to a specific song after you finish re-copying your notes for science. Make the breaks short, 3-6 minutes or so, so you won't get side-tracked or lose focus for the day.

8. Don't just re-read notes or the text. Ask questions. Create flash-cards. Redo assignments. Create time-lines. Play games. Re-write your notes. Get someone to quiz you. Find websites online that review the same material. Make up questions that you think will be on the test. Create new outlines of the material by writing some specific topics and filling in the details from memory. Studying should be an active process, not just time spent re-reading something.

9. When you need to remember a group of terms use the first letter of each to create a word (acronym) or a sentence (acrostic). For instance, an easy way to remember the five Great Lakes is the word “HOMES”. By just remembering the word “homes” you can easily remember the names of the five Great Lakes . H stands for Huron, O for Ontario , M for Michigan , and so on. You can also create silly sentences to help you remember long lists of terms. For instance, remembering the sentence “Martha Visits Every Monday, Just Stays Until Noon, Period”, will help you remember the planets in the order they are found. M for Mercury, V for visits, E for Earth, etc.

10. Become a teacher. Find someone who is willing to listen to you –, a classmate (this would be a great review for them), Mom or Dad, a sibling, the family dog – and explain your notes to them. Have them (except the dog) ask questions about the material that they themselves don't understand. It's amazing how much you can retain when you have to actually teach material to someone.

11. Repetition, repetition, repetition. The material should become second nature to you by the time test day arrives. If it is not, then you need to devote more time to preparing for the test.

12. Exercise often and before you sit down to study. Research shows that students retain more after being physically active. Go to soccer practice, take a jog, rough-house with your dog, break a sweat first, then settle down and focus on your school work.

Go to www.live-etutor.com to learn more about online tutoring and watch a virtual tour inside of our online classroom. All tutors are screened, qualified and ready to help your child get better grades!

Special Education Needs Causing Financial Crisis in California Schools

Now, I am all for special education for children with disabilities. I attended school at a time when such children were either put into “special” schools or thrown in with the general student population to sink or swim on their own. It was a terrible inequity. It finally was addressed in the 1970s with a law designed to correct such discrimination by giving these children the civil right to an equal opportunity to learn. The law covered children from birth to age 22, guaranteeing them the right to a free and “appropriate” public education. It is the ambiguous word “appropriate” written into the law that is creating a crisis for the California schools, according to Nanette Asimov, staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.

The article cited a situation of one California schools child with a disability. The assigned public middle school offered special college prep classes, daily help from a special education expert, a laptop computer, extra time for tests, the opportunity to temporarily leave class if the child’s had an anxiety attack, and a special advocate to smooth over any problems with teachers.

The parents hired a special consultant instead, who found alternative schooling opportunities — all were private schools and all were out-of-state. They settled on a boarding school in Maine, outside the main city, that had one-tenth of the enrollment of the California schools. The one thing this school did not offer was a special education program. The mother said that smaller classrooms and a smaller campus were more important than a special education program. Since the possibility of anxiety attacks was mentioned in the article, no one can truly judge the merit of this situation except the child’s physician and/or psychologist.

After the child was placed into the private school, the parents then hired an attorney, who specializes in special education cases, to file papers with the court demanding the California schools pay four years of tuition and family travel costs between California and Maine. Tuition was $30,000 annually. The California schools met the demands.

This is only one such case in the California schools, which may or may not have been justified. The problem is that it is not the only case. In 2005, there were 3,763 California schools children with disabilities that were the focus of formal complaints — the vast majority of which came from parents. This is triple the number of only ten years ago, and the numbers are growing.

With a cost of almost $40,000 to go to a court hearing and the possibility of an expensive judgment, the California schools attempt to settle cases before they get that far. In 2005, ten percent of the California schools’ cases went to a full hearing — 386 in all. The remaining 90 percent were resolved through confidential settlements. With 700,000 special needs students currently in the California schools and already paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for private placements, the school system is headed for a financial crisis.

In 2004, the California schools received $4.1 billion for special education from the government and local sources. It was still not enough to pay these extra settlement costs, and the California schools had to take $1.6 billion from the regular class budget. Twenty-eight percent of the special education expenditures that year came from the regular education budget.

California schools educators complain that parents who are able to afford an attorney are assured more opportunities for their children than those who cannot afford to do so, creating an inequity between the haves and have-nots. Additionally, special education teachers see benefits to special programs, such as horseback riding therapy, but acknowledge that such parent demands are not education related. California schools parents and educators are at odds.

Parents are making tuition payment demands of the California schools for such programs as private day schools, boarding schools, summer camps, horseback riding therapy, and aqua therapy. Additionally, the California schools are expected to pay for computers, airfare, car rental, hotel stays, meals, new clothing and tailoring for the children, cell phone calls, stamps, gas and tolls, and future round-trip visits from time of enrollment until the children graduate from high school.

In all, the California schools are paying billions of dollars each year for private placements and auxiliary costs. It is creating an inequity for children the civil rights law was passed to protect and a financial crisis for the California schools.

I have to admit that I wanted every opportunity possible for my child to live a happy and normal adult life. I had a special needs child and spent many hours sitting in principals’ offices and at the school board demanding that his needs be met. I was thankful that he received access to the available offerings within the public school system.

In my view, however, it is not a question of right or wrong, justified expenditure or not. It is a question of the legislators going back and specifically defining the word “appropriate”. Until then, the California schools are borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, which means less opportunities all the way around.

Spanish Made Easy - Unlock Your Hidden Knowledge. Part 1

You might not realize it but you already know hundreds, if not thousands, of Spanish words? In these articles we will highlight all the ways in which the English and Spanish languages share hundreds of words, words that you will be able to use every day.



‘Ible And ‘Able Words



Any English that ends in ABLE or IBLE has a Spanish counterpart will almost always be the same.

As an example favorable, formidable, considerable, admirable and honorable all have the same in meanings in both languages.

This also applies to the IBLE words, words like combustible, comestible, horrible, terrible and impossible. What is also worth noting is that if the word can be split by the removal of the suffix (take the “ible” away from terrible and you have terror or “able” away from honorable to leave honor) then the start of word can be used in Spanish as well.

The words may be spelled the same in both languages and have the same normal ( normal is an English/Spanish word) meaning they are pronounced differently. A guide on how to pronounce Spanish words can be found in later articles.



Modern Words.



Languages evolve and develop as the years pass with the majority of new words that entering a language coming from the scientific or technological area (area is also an English/Spanish word).

Examples of shared words include; alcohol, eclipse, celestial, bacteria, aerosol, interface, laser, numeral, factor and television. New inventions will normally be called the same all over the world but as you can see the shared words come from all kinds of disciplines and the ones chosen here are only a tiny sample,

As emphasized, these will be subject to Spanish pronunciation changes.



Cultural Cossover.



With the advent of global communications the World is getting smaller, and as a result the cultural differences between countries too gets smaller. This leads to words crossing boundaries and being used in the everyday language of many languages, so words that have a heavy popular (popular is an English/Spanish word) cultural reference will quite often be usable.

Examples of this include things like; golf, director, hockey (sobre hielo, is ice hockey), album, comercial, comic, ballet, video, jersey and record.



Because this crossover works both ways, without knowing it, you will have come across many Spanish words in every day use, words in place names, words from cookery etc. Words like; adios (goodbye), bandido (bandit), cabana (hut), chorizo (sausage), empanada (pastry), cerveza (beer), Navidad (Christmas), diablo (devil), junta (committee), hacienda (home),

laguna (lagoon), macho (manly), padre (father) and tortilla (omelet).

Try one day noting how many Spanish words you come across, you may be surprised.



This is just the start of unlocking you hidden knowledge look out for part 2.

Spanish Made Easy - Unlocking Your Hidden Knowledge. Part 2

You might not realize it but you already know hundreds, if not thousands, of Spanish words? In these articles we will highlight all the ways in which the English and Spanish languages share hundreds of words, words that you will be able to use every day.



In the last article we looked at the words that have identical spellings in both languages,and identical meaning, in this article we will look at words which are spelled slightly differently but are so close as to be easily understandable and usable.





There Is No “TH” In Spanish.



There are many Spanish words that looks familiar but are subtly different. This is because you will hardly ever see T and H together in Spanish, so words in Spanish that look unfamiliar may become more obvious when an H is added . Examples of this include; Cathedral comes from catedral, thesis from tesis, marathon from maraton, thermal from termal and autor is author, I bet you can guess what matematico is?

The th sound is replaced by a flat t sound as in hat.



There Is No “TION” In Spanish.



Not only are there no TH words, but the Spanish language has no words that end in TION. This means that instead of edition we have edicion, the T is replaced by a C. when we know this its makes it easy to work out what these words mean; atencion, asociacion, coleccion, adicion, and combinacion.

There are obvious but slight changes in some of the spellings but knowing what to look for will help you identify words.

The sound of the word changes as well as the spelling, the sh sound of a word like edition, changes to a thee sound in edicion.



Adding A Vowel.



Many Spanish words differ from the English version by only one letter, that letter is usually a vowel and it comes at the end of a word. This is because the Spanish language (like many others) assigns a gender to lots of its words, if the gender is male the word ends in an O, if the gender is female it ends in an A.

A Spanish word like apartamento, is obviously apartment, it has been given the masculine ending. Other similar words are; busto (bust, as in sculpture), bulbo (bulb), cataclismo (cataclysm), concepto (concept), candidato (male candidate) and producto (product).

This means that words ending in A have been given the feminine ending, words like; acrobata (acrobat), candidata (female candidate), diagrama (diagram), epica (epic), ilusionista (illusionist) and planeta (planet).

As shown above words like candidate when Spanish can end in either O or A depending on the person being described, but that should not stop you realizing what the word is.



Spanish is a well defined, which means that the rules guiding its use are quite simple, but no language rule is ever water tight, though armed with the knowledge from these articles you should, hopefully, have expanded your Spanish vocabulary.

Spanish For Beginners - Pronunciation

We all find it hard when starting a new language, and one of the trickiest things can be pronunciation. What we will do is give you a quick run through of the rules and how they apply them to Spanish words





Welcome to Spanish for beginners, a pronunciation guide, the first thing we are are going to look at is the Spanish Alphabet.



a b c ch d e f g h i j k l ll m n ń o p q r s t u vx y z



Firstly we can see that there is on w, but we do have three new letters that are not in the English alphabet, ch, ll and ń. Lets start with the vowels.



Spanish For Beginners - Pronunciation - The Vowels



Unlike English vowels, Spanish vowels only have one sound.

a is said as in cat, not as in say.

e is said as in beg.

i is said as in feet, not as in sit.

o is said as in not, not as in note.

u is the exception, it has two options! it is said as in cool, unless it is between a g and an i, or a g and an e, then it is silent, even then if it has two dots over it ü, then you do pronounce it as described. Easy?



Spanish For Beginners - Pronunciation - The Consonants



We will look at the consonants the differ from the English consonants and leave the three new letters (ch,ll and ń) until the end.

b and v have the same sound, not as harsh as either of the English version, more a light breathy combination of the two.

c is pronounced as in cat, unless it is followed by an e or i, then it is pronounced like th in this.

d is very similar but slightly softer than the English version, especially if it falls at the end of a word.

h is silent.

j should not be said as in jump, instead it should be said like the ch in loch.

g has two sounds, its pronounced like an English j (as in jump) if followed by an e or i, and like an English g (as in girl) when followed by a, o and u.

qu is always pronounced like an English k, never a kw sound.

r is a letter you can have fun with, it should be rolled rrrr.

z is like the English th sound.



Go on have a go a go at few words now, try Havier, Valladolid, quiosco or Barcelona.





Spanish For Beginners - Pronunciation - Stress Rules



Spanish words are in three groups when it comes to stressing the right part of the word, by stress I mean where you vocally emphasize the word (try saying emphasize out-loud, you will stress the em at the start of the word).

The first group is every word apart from those that end in a consonant other than n or s. In this first group the stress is put on the last syllable as in calor, lavar or nacionalidad.



The second group, the words that end in a vowel or n or s. Here the stress is on the syllable before last as in Mexico, nacimiento or primavera.



The last group is nice and easy, if you see a word with a letter with an accent like a ń, then that is where the stress goes, as in marrón, fácil or también.



Well thats those are the ground rules for Spanish for beginners, I really hope they have helped, you can have great fun with Spanish, give it a try.

Snapshot of 2006-07 School Year for the Los Angeles Schools

The 2006-07 school year for the Los Angeles schools is still burdened with many of the same overcrowding problems and busing issues of the past; however, improvements are being made and the future is looking brighter.

The $19.2 billion school construction program has provided 12 new Los Angeles schools with 9,300 students attending and will surely alleviate some of the current overcrowding. The program, however, will not be completed until 2012. At that time, there will be enough new schools to return all schools to the traditional, two-semester calendar year; and students will be able to attend schools within their own neighborhood, rather than being bused where there is available space.

Currently, 184 schools are on year-round calendars. That means that an estimated 176,000 Los Angeles schools students will begin school on July 5, while the other children that attend the traditional schools are preparing for family vacations. They do not begin school until September.

Year-round Los Angeles schools operate on three or four staggered tracks in order to accommodate all the students enrolled. Students on B, C and D tracks begin school on July 5 of each year, while students on A track begin August 18.

The majority of Los Angeles schools are traditional, two-semester schools that have a September to June school calendar. This includes more than 390,000 kindergarten-through-twelfth graders that enjoy a normal school calendar year. With 712,000 students projected to enroll in Los Angeles schools this school year, the year-round schools are currently a fact of life.

To ensure students meet the July 5 start date, attendance counselors are assigned to the year-round Los Angeles schools during the first days. Children who are no-shows on the first day of school will find these counselors telephoning or visiting their parents to find out why. Attendance, on-time arrival, and being prepared to learn are essential with the overcrowding issue in the Los Angeles schools.

The 2006-07 school year will continue to include rigorous academics, which previously have resulted in improved student test scores in the Los Angeles schools. There are initiatives in place to further strengthen coursework in order to reduce the dropout rate, as well.

Class size for the eighth and ninth grade Algebra and Algebra Readiness classes will be reduced this year to allow for more individual instruction. Algebra skills are essential for graduation, as well as to meet college enrollment requirements. It has become a key subject for students to master, and the Los Angeles schools are giving them every opportunity to do so.

Additionally, low performing high schools will receive $36 million to transform their academics, facilities and operations in order to ensure Los Angeles schools students gain the necessary skills and graduate.

The Los Angeles schools are making great strides in student achievement and ensuring each student is given equal opportunity to succeed. Hopefully by 2012, the Los Angeles schools also will offer all students the traditional school year in their own neighborhoods, as well.

San Diego Schools Embrace the No Child Left Behind Program

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program is a federal law that governs elementary and secondary education and is funded by Federal Title I. Under the NCLB, school boards must ensure that their high poverty schools meet the educational needs of low-achieving students. The goal is to close the achievement gap between the high and low-performing students.

San Diego Schools are committed to delivering strong standards-based education with programs that are designed to improve student achievement in the gateway skills of reading, writing and mathematics. Along with this commitment, they have embraced the NCLB program, which benefits the San Diego schools and its students as follows:

• San Diego schools must provide greater accountability for results, which means an even better school district with higher scholastic achievement from its students;
• The district gains greater flexibility for spending federal money, allowing them to decide where the money best serves to improve student achievement;
• Parents have more options over their children, allowing them to choose a non-participating school over a NCLB school; and
• San Diego schools gain an increased emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work.

Of the 202 San Diego schools, 138 are eligible for the NCLB program. Schools are selected for the program if they have not made adequate annual progress for two or more consecutive years and serve students from high-poverty backgrounds. Annual state-required student achievement targets measure the progress of each of the 138 San Diego schools. There are currently 37 schools participating in the NCLB five-year program and designated as Program Improvement schools.

The following seven schools are in their first year of the program — Clairemont High, Creative, Performing and Media Arts Middle; Knox; Pershing Middle; Rosa Parks Elementary; Wangenheim Middle; and Washington.

In their second year are ALBA, Bayview Terrace, Correia Middle, Dana (5-6), Emerson/Bandini, Encanto, Garfield High, Logan, Madison, Montgomery Middle, Muir (K-12), and Twain.

The third-year San Diego schools are Garfield, Marston Middle, and Pacific Beach Middle.

Baker, Bell Middle, Clark Middle, Farb Middle, Hoover High, Kroc Middle, Morse High, O’Farrell Charter, Roosevelt Middle, Taft Middle, and Tubman Village Charter are in their fourth year.

Four San Diego schools are in their fifth year. They are Balboa, Gompers Secondary, Memorial Charter, and Wilson Middle.

Those schools highlighted above met their adequate yearly progress targets in 2005, showing remarkable improvement in student achievement.

During all years of the program, parents may choose to send their children to a designated non-participating school and receive transportation at San Diego schools expense.

During years two through five, free tutoring is provided to eligible students after school, based on academic need. Parents select from a state-approved list of service providers.

In year three of the program, the district will intervene, making additional options and services available.

The district develops plans for restructuring the San Diego schools that are in year four of the program. The plans include major reorganizations and fundamental reforms that affect the staffing and administration of the schools.

Any school still in the program in year five is restructured, according to the plan developed for the school in year four.

San Diego schools provide parents of children attending Program Improvement schools with information on a variety of education-related issues. Additionally, parents may request information on the professional qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals associated with their children.

Parents are asked to partner in their children’s education by participating in school events, volunteering on school administrative committees, volunteering in the classroom, and providing home support to further enable their children to learn.

San Diego schools serve nearly 136,000 students. The district is the second largest in California. They are committed to improving student achievement through modernized facilities and resources, enhanced classroom learning through challenging and proven teaching methods, and involving the community in the educational process. The NCLB is just one of the many programs instituted by the San Diego schools to serve and benefit the students educational needs.

San Diego Schools Closing Gap In Math

Article Body:

As the San Diego schools graduating class of 2007 begin their senior year, school district superintendents across San Diego County are celebrating. The San Diego County Schools announced in September that, as of the class of 2006, the gap in passing the crucial math portion of the state exit exam is nearly closed between black/Latino and white/Asian students.



The county school report represented three years worth of student testing. The results break a long-standing pattern of lagging scores for black and Latino students.



Across the nation, as well as in the San Diego schools, gaps have long been evident between races in many academic measures, such as SAT scores, dropout rates, and college prep course enrollment.



There are many theories as to why the gap exists. Some believe high-achieving minority students are condemned by their peers as “acting white”, while others believe that racism is built into the institution to discourage minorities from enrolling in rigorous courses. It is even believed that predominantly low-income, minority schools generally employ inexperienced or uncredentialed teachers.



Whatever the problem, it seems the San Diego schools and other districts in the county are resolving it. About three years ago, 42 school district superintendents, including the San Diego schools, pledged to help black and Latino students bring their math skills up to par. The Superintendents’ Achievement Gap Task Force closed the gap by using teacher training, prep courses, increased teaching time for struggling students, and a symposia for county educators to share techniques and results. A variety of methods were employed to ensure students had every opportunity to succeed.



By class of 2006 graduation day, 92.3 percent of blacks and Latinos had passed the test, and 98.5 percent of whites and Asians had passed. When the class of 2006 first took the exam two years ago, 65 percent of blacks and Latinos passed the math portion, with 90 percent of whites and Asians passing it.



The math portion of the California High School Exit Exam covers middle school math and some algebra. A score of at least 55 percent must be achieved to pass the exam. Students first take the exam in their sophomore year and have numerous chances in their junior and senior years to retake the exam. The test was first administered in 2001, but the requirement to pass or not receive a high school diploma was implemented with the class of 2006.



Passing the math portion is of particular concern to the San Diego schools, where 43 percent of its students fall into this lagging behind category. Latino children represent its largest racial or ethnic group.



San Diego schools Superintendent Carl Cohn pointed out the importance of this test. He said it means the difference between a lifetime of unemployment and/or incarceration and a successful lifestyle for San Diego schools students. “It makes all the difference in the world,” stated Cohn. “The test is genuinely high stakes.”



The National Center for Education Statistics underscores the San Diego schools superintendent’s remarks. It reports that, if a student enrolls in algebra in the eighth grade, the chances that student will apply to a four-year college almost doubles.



With all the good results for the county’s class of 2006, 1,207 students were denied diplomas, because they did not pass the math portion of the exit exam. Thus, for the San Diego schools, a gap is still a gap. San Diego schools officials acknowledge that more work needs to be done to bring blacks and Latinos’ pass rates up within the San Diego schools.

San Diego Schools Choice Program Means More Opportunities for Students but More Work for Parents

More than one-third of the students in the San Diego schools were enrolled in the Choice Program for the 2005-2006 school year. The program gives parents the ability to transfer their children from their assigned school to one that offers more academic opportunities or specific school attributes. The program offers six methods of eligibility.

Program Improvement School Choice. Children assigned to San Diego schools that have failed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) academic standards may apply to better-ranked San Diego schools. Students applying for transfer under this program generally receive a higher priority than others and receive free transportation. If in the future the assigned San Diego schools pass the NCLB standards, parents may choose to move their children back to the assigned schools or continue in the new schools.

Magnet Schools Program. These San Diego schools are each based upon a theme, such as performing arts, with the curriculum centered around it. Though they provide all the state required basics, students can immerse themselves in the particular subject; whereas in other schools, the theme may only be offered as an elective class or two. Magnet schools are designed to attract a diverse cross section of students from throughout the city. Free transportation is provided to students who live outside a specific mileage range. Acceptance priority is given based upon:

• Demographics — they encourage San Diego schools students living in demographic areas different from where the Magnet School is located to apply,
• Continuity — San Diego schools students in a performing arts elementary school, for example, would be given acceptance priority when applying to a performing arts middle and high school,
• Siblings — San Diego schools students with brothers or sisters already enrolled in the school are given priority,
• Program Improvement — receives a lower priority than the others listed above, and
• General Applications — receives the lowest priority.

Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP). VEEP was designed to provide a better racial and cultural integrated, educational experience in the San Diego schools. Predominantly Caucasian-populated schools are paired with minority schools for the program. Most transfer students receive free transportation.

Choice Program. Any San Diego schools student is eligible to apply to any school not in the Magnet program. Acceptance is based solely on the space available, and transportation is the parents’ responsibility.

Inter-District Transfer Program. Any student with the state may apply to any school within the San Diego schools. Like the Choice Program, acceptance is based solely on the space available, and transportation is the parents’ responsibility.

Charter Schools Program. These independent schools within the San Diego schools are on space available only and often use a random lottery for application acceptance. Some require that the students applying meet specific criteria. If you are interested in transferring your child to a Charter School, inquire early — they set their own application deadlines.

If you find that your child does not meet any of these criteria or their acceptance priority would be low, there are two other methods of gaining transfer acceptance that are not part of the overall Choice Program. They are through special request and the Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE). You may submit a special request to the San Diego schools, when your child’s assigned school does not offer specific coursework. These requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. If the GATE program is not offered in your child’s assigned school and your child qualifies, again you may request a transfer to a school that does.

Other than in the Charter Schools, applications to San Diego schools by March 15th for the following school year are given priority.

Though the Choice Program offers a great opportunity to all San Diego schools students, there are a lot of choices. With 212 public schools, including the 31 Magnet Schools and 35 Charter Schools, investigating the schools and their offerings can be overwhelming and time consuming for the parents.

San Diego schools officials offer the following advice:

• All schools offer the required basic coursework, so do not get caught up in “only one school will do” — look at the many other schools, too;
• Look beyond test scores — schools have a lot more to offer, such as specialized education programs;
• Visit the school campus — what looks good on paper may be different in reality, sometimes better and sometimes worse;
• Talk to parents and educators at the school, find out first-hand; and
• Ask if they offer parent seminars and tours before the application deadline.

If you are interested in applying for a transfer to any of the San Diego schools, begin early, list the criteria you wish to be provided by the school, look at all the available schools, choose those that seem to fit your requirements, and then thoroughly investigate each one. It is a lot of homework for the parents, but it can be the best foundation they can give their children.

This information on San Diego schools is brought to you by www.schoolsk-12.com.

San Antonio Independent School District Gears Up for College

San Antonio Schools held two college fairs as part of its GEAR UP program to help the class of 2012 get ready for college.

GEAR UP Fairs in the San Antonio Area

Current Sixth Grade students and their families attended college fairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Participants learned about basic college requirements, entrance examinations, and how to find financial aid. To add a little local flavor to the occasion, school cheerleaders and mariachis performed and refreshments were served.

GEAR UP

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federally funded grant given to states to increase the number of low income students enrolling in college. The grant provides funding for six years in order to promote one class of students in college readiness from sixth grade through twelfth grade. Some GEAR UP funds go toward college scholarships for needy students.

GEAR UP isn’t just for schools. Local businesses and community groups, including those with religious affiliations, can partner with local schools to provide college information for students. Each school or organization, however, is expected to match federal funding dollar for dollar, meaning that the non-federal contribution must be at least 50 percent.

Student Selection

GEAR UP funds can be used on a variety of student population groups by focusing on either a “cohort” or “priority students.” Each cohort must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• All of the students in a particular grade level at a participating school that has a seventh grade and in which at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Act.
• All of the students in a particular grade level who reside in public housing.

Priority students, on the other hand, are students who are eligible to be counted under one of the following laws:

• The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Title 1)
• Free or reduced price lunches under the National School Lunch Act
• Assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Title 1 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996)

Private school students also have a chance to participate if they meet any of the above requirements. In order to do so, a local education agency must act on their behalf and either an institute of higher learning or a local education agency is in charge of their finances. For private school students to participate, the private school itself must also be a partner in the grant.

Opportunities for the San Antonio Independent School District

The district has a lot to gain from the GEAR UP program in targeting students and their parents early on in the college decision making process. Beginning with sixth grade students, the program allows parents and students to develop gradually in undertaking the many responsibilities that come with applying for and paying for college. The class of 2012 is on its way to making a smooth transition into university education.

Report Cards Out — New York Schools Show Progress in Student Achievement but Graduation Rates in Trouble

The spring 2006 statewide report cards for New York Schools show that more schools are making progress in meeting their achievement goals for improvement in English and mathematics, as mandated by the state. Though achieving standards in middle school English is still a problem, fewer students have serious academic problems at the elementary and middle school levels, while more of these students are demonstrating higher standards in mathematics.

The performance of the elementary and middle schools has improved significantly. For example, the percentage of students meeting all standards almost doubled from 22 percent in year 2000 to 41 percent in 2005. The percentage of fourth graders with serious academic problems declined from 19 percent in year 2000 to only eight percent in 2005.

At the high school level, 64 percent of the students in the Class of 2005 graduated in a four-year period. More students are graduating each year and more are earning Regents Diplomas, but the graduation rate still is too low.

The New York schools report cards also showed a correlation between attendance and graduation rates. When attendance falls below 92 percent, the graduation rate declines significantly. When attendance is below 88 percent, the graduation rate plummets.

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills believes the graduation rate is much too low. Though student achievement is improving, Mills believes that new reforms are needed to improve the graduation rates of the future New York schools classes.

During the next few months, the New York schools will take a series of aggressive actions to solve the problem. Actions under consideration are:

• Set both graduation and attendance goals, measuring the results annually, and raising the levels each year;
• Hold each school accountable for meeting the targeted goals in both graduation and attendance by accelerating the Schools Under Registration Review (SURR) requirements;
• Reform current teaching standards by requiring all teachers to teach only in their certified areas by a certain date; and
• Monitor safety plans and violent incident data, and requiring reforms to ensure a safe learning environment for both students and teachers.

Additionally, the New York schools have partially completed a student record system, giving each student a unique statewide identifier. In the future, the identifiers will ensure that each student is counted within the school report cards. This allows for a more accurate measurement of a school’s progress and student achievement.

Reading-Comprehension Skills - Part II

Do you remember that 'reading' means understanding the author's message, not just calling out words? If you cannot answer comprehension questions after reading a page, you have not truly read anything.

There are specific reading-comprehension skills that will help you understand what you are reading. Whereas my last article focused on Main Idea, Predicting Outcomes, Inferences, and Fact or Opinion; this article will cover Context Clues, Cause and Effect, Drawing Conclusions, and Sequencing. When reading with your children, be sure to ask questions that reinforce these comprehension skills, especially during summer vacation or other long absences from school.

1. Context Clues - When you are reading, suppose you come across a word that you have never seen or heard before. If you understand the other words, sentences, and paragraphs that come before and after the new word, you will be able to figure out what that new word means.

Example: Two friends met and had a persiflage over lunch. They talked about
seeing a movie, going shopping, or going to the beach.

Can you tell that 'persiflage' means light, frivolous talk? The two friends did not discuss anything of major importance.

2. Cause and Effect - We all know that actions have consequences. Think of the actions as causes and the effects as their consequences.

Example: The Miami Heat want the fans to wear white during the NBA Finals
games. As a result, the seats in the arena are filled with fans wearing White Hot shirts!

WHY are the fans wearing White Hot shirts? They are wearing white shirts
BECAUSE the Miami Heat requested it. When you ask a why question (the effect), you want to know the reason (the cause). Clue phrases that indicate a cause is to follow include 'as a result' and 'in order to'.

3. Drawing Conclusions - Sometimes you will be asked a question about
information that has not been given. There will be enough clues, however, for
you to imply the meaning.

Example: Marvin was exuberant that his parents were allowing him to stay up past his bedtime so he could see the fireworks at a nearby park. Luckily, there would be a great view from his own patio! The fireworks were scheduled to start at 11:30 PM but, by 10:30, Marvin was feeling extremely tired. When he woke up the next morning, Marvin asked his mother why the fireworks had been cancelled.

Although the information is not directly given, you can draw the conclusion that Marvin was so tired that he fell asleep and missed the fireworks.

4. Sequencing - As the old saying goes, "Put one step in front of the other."
When you are putting directions or events in sequential order, you start at the beginning and go step-by-step, in a logical or chronological order, to reach a conclusion. Young children just learning this skill begin their sentences with First, Next, Then, and Last; older children do not necessarily need those key words.

Example: She rubbed some oil on top of it. My mom went to the store and bought a chicken. Into the oven it went! Following that, she sprinkled some
seasoning over it.

As written above, this story does not make sense. Who put oil on top of what? Do you really season a chicken after it is in the oven? (Basting does not count!) The correct version would read like this:

My mom went to the store and bought a chicken. She rubbed some oil on top of it. Following that, she sprinkled some seasoning over it. Into the oven it went!

To review, then, there are specific reading-comprehension skills that will aid
in your understanding of the written word. A few of these skills are context
clues, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, and sequencing.

I hope these examples are useful and have inspired your own creative thinking.

And remember...Reading is FUNdamental!

Randomizing Class Choices: Breaking Up the Monotony

Much has been said and written lately about providing students with choices. I'm all about any methods which will improve student involvement in class, giving them ownership in their learning. There are many ways to give students choices, options, or just to provide random results and change up the monotony. This article will discuss how to use random results in typical class situations.

One technique I use is drawing from a hat (or mug, box, basket, or other container). You can choose anything to put in the hat, and decide if you or the students will do the drawing. You can draw, or let your students pick. I try to keep the 'hat' above the chooser's head so there is no possible way to cheat on the draw.

In the hat I like to use different colored poker chips: white, red, and blue. We will use these for many applications, or at least any that involve three different outcomes. When grading freewrites, for example, drawing a blue chip means I take an immediate grade on the assignment

A white chip means "thank you for writing today", but we aren't going to grade it, just file the writing into your folder. A red chip indicates I'll collect the papers, read over them, grade them, and select a few to write comments upon. By drawing a chip, the students don't know if the assignment will be graded or not, so they must do their best. However, for the teacher, the students are writing more but you don't have to grade every paper!

We will also use the chips for minor homework assignments. Same idea - white is a no grade, blue goes immediately to the grade book. But on red chips, I'll allow a minute or two to fix mistakes before I collect them. It depends on the situation. It's that simple. And the students never know if the assignment will be graded or not, so they have to do their best just in case.
Another technique is to use strips of paper in a coffee mug for completely random choices. This is great for games like charades where students draw random words, topics, or choices. This could be used to randomly discuss class topics or answer questions.

I like to use this for choosing project topics. Put slips of paper numbered 1 through however many students are in the class. Fold the slips and then have students draw their own place in the waiting line. Whoever has the slip #1 gets first choice of topics, #2 chooses second, and so forth. No one can claim a biased order of selection! This is great for research paper topics, where you don't want students choosing the same topics.
We will also use small slips of colored paper to form random groups of students. If I want four different groups, figure how many students you want in each group and tear that many small slips of colored construction paper. Do this for each group, using different colors. I find this is a good use for scraps of paper left over after an art project (the thick paper holds up better). Then go around the room and let the students 'choose' their group. Collect the slips back after recording the groups & names so you can re-use the slips again.

You could use all sorts of everyday items to get random choices. Flip a coin in a two-choice situation. A die or pair of dice can give you even more choices. You could even use a deck of playing cards.

To randomly call upon students, we utilize note cards filled out with student names and personal information. At the beginning of the year, students write their name, parents' contact info, text book numbers, hobbies/interests, and other information on a regular 3 x 5 index card. I then collect these and pull them out, shuffle, and select a random card (with the student's name on it.) Voila! Random selection of students.

And if you want to ensure you call upon everyone equally, just don't shuffle the cards, and place the used card at the back of he deck. You can cycle through the card deck over and over, ensuring you're calling upon every student equally.

Cards, dice, coins, poker chips and simple slips of paper can be easily used to make random selections in class. We'd love to hear any other 'random acts' ideas and techniques you may have. We'll add them to this article and post them on our website with credit to you!


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For this article, and more on teaching and education, be sure to check out our website:
http://www.starteaching.com

Frank Holes, Jr. is the editor of the StarTeaching website and the bi-monthly newsletter, Features for Teachers. Check out our latest issue at:
http://www.starteaching.com/Features_for_Teachers_jan2.htm

You can contact Frank at:
editor@starteaching.com