29 Apr, 2011
College Work Work
For a lot of people, transitioning from college to work can be quite a shocker. During my own college years, I honestly thought I had it rough—going to class a few hours a day, studying for exams, writing papers, and working a part-time job on the weekends. After graduation, reality sunk in and I finally figured out just how good I’d really had it.
Most college seniors are so eager to walk across the stage and accept their degrees that they fail to realize just how different college and work really are. Sure, there’s that whole “paycheck” thing, but along with a regular salary comes a slew of responsibilities, bills, and the realization that college didn’t prepare you for half the stuff you’re about to experience.
Top 10 Differences Between College and Work
There are so many differences between college and work that it would be next to impossible to list them all, but I’ve covered 10 of the major ones below.
1. Appearances mat
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28 Apr, 2011
Appreciation Week Duncan Teacher Appreciation Teacher Appreciation Week
In an open letter to teachers nationwide sent in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6), U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan acknowledged that teachers are frustrated and have come under attack in recent months.
He writes:
[Y]ou are frustrated when teachers alone are blamed for educational failures that have roots in broken families, unsafe communities, misguided reforms, and underfunded schools systems. You rightfully believe that responsibility for educational quality should be shared by administrators, community, parents, and even students themselves.
He acknowledged that many teachers are fed up with the teach-to-the-test effects of No Child Left Behind, and with being the target of accountability measures that don’t factor in other elements of students’ lives.
Many of you have told me you are willing to be held accountable for outcomes over which you have some control, but you also want school leaders held accountable for creating a positive and supportive learning environment.
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28 Apr, 2011
by Connie Matthiessen
Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task.– educator Haim G.Ginott
Ive always enjoyed working at my kids school – helping out in the classroom or the school library — but when I leave the building after an hour or two, its hard to keep from breaking into a run. Its not that I dont love the kids, its just that being surrounded by quick, demanding, little people — all with different questions and moods and levels of understanding — is like being pecked by adorable but persistent chicks.
So I marvel that teachers do it all day every day — and that so manymanage to keep their patience, inspiration, and sense of humor. T
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28 Apr, 2011
So now there is a go-to piece of legislation for the “get the feds out of the buisness of K-12 education” crowd: The A-Plus Act.
Introduced in the Senate last week by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., the measure would give states way more leeway in using federal funding and building systems for holding schools accountable for student achievement.
In a nutshell, the bill would give states the option of setting their own targets for student performance. The states’ plans would have to be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Then states could pool money from a few, or all, federal ed programs and spend the funds more or less how they see fit. They could also set up their own accountability system. If states didn’t meet their performance goals, they’d have to revert back to the accountability system prescribed under the No Child Left Behind Act.
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27 Apr, 2011
Students Weigh Weigh
In a letter to University of Texas System regents, student leaders from the systems flagship campus, UT Austin, weighed in on the recent political dustup over the direction of higher education in Texas.
The students professed support for both technical and soft research, a declaration aimed at a cadre of reformers who believe research is overemphasized in academia, and that much of it is a waste of time.
Diluting the role of research in undergraduate education at UT would decrease the value of the degrees, the students wrote.
The letters co-signers include Carisa Nietsche, president of the Senate of College Councils; Natalie Butler, president of the UT Austin student government; and Manuel Gonzalez, president of the graduate student assembly.
The letter also said that students welcomed technology in the classroom, but preferred hybrid classes to fully online classes. That s
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23 Apr, 2011
Furlough Furlough Days
Schools are closed today in San Francisco.
Its not a holiday. Its another furlough day for students inthe cityspublic schools — one of four this year — in response to Californias fiscal crisis.
As a parent, furlough daysdrive me crazy.Myteens arethrilled to have the day off, of course, and their dad works at home so they arent on their own. But I know many working parents, particularly those with young children,who face the choice of finding a babysitter or leaving their kids unsupervised all day.
Meanwhile, ourchildren are already going to school in dilapidated buildings and learning from shabby, outdated books (one of my sonsworks out of atwenty-year-old math textbook), whilemusic, art and other programs are beingslashed. Teachers are forced to do more with less– thenblamed when students dont succeed.
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