Ways to Cope with the “Homework Gap”

The majority of students will end the school day with a batch of homework that they must complete. Today, many schools require students to make use of the internet in order to complete their work. This can be a big problem for students who fall into the “homework gap”. What’s the “homework gap”? It is the space between the students whose families have access to the internet at home – and the students whose families do not have internet access at home. Those who cannot access the internet at home are at a disadvantage. The Council of Economic Advisers released … Continue reading →

Types of Distance Learning Education

Distance learning or distance education is sometimes also considered home schooling. And while the two can overlap, they are really two different things. Usually home schooling is considered as instruction at home with a parent or tutor(s) and not associated with a school. With distance education, there is usually an outside instructor (as part of a formal school) that gives lessons, grades assignments and tests and sometimes interacts real time with a student, depending on the type of distance learning education course. This is the teacher mediated option (TMO), although the independent study option (ISO) is also considered distance learning. … Continue reading →

Email for Parent-Teacher Communication

Technology is everywhere. It has been creeping its way into education for many years now. Teachers are using technology to teach plans, find information, and gain new teaching ideas. Many schools now have websites of their own. Parents can browse the site and find out the latest school news, school events, and information about school staff. The latest in using technology in education is in communication with parents and other teachers. Teachers in various schools are now hooked on to instant messaging. They can quickly login in and talk with one another about ideas and classroom strengths and weaknesses. This … Continue reading →

No More Textbooks: Online Teaching Materials

In all areas of the country, technology is on the rise. Education has likely seen the greatest increase4 over the past few years. Teachers are now using more technology in their teaching and students are now using more technology in their learning. Technology has now become as much of a classroom necessity as paper pencil and chalkboard. Teachers are relying on technology for teaching ideas, teaching strategies, and even students and teacher communication. My district now completes lesson plans on line. Lesson plan books have become nearly extinct in my area. Teachers are assigning PowerPoint presentations and Internet research projects. … Continue reading →

More Thoughts about Schooling Online

My last article picked up a discussion from a previous topic about online schools and online public education. The article mainly focused on the area of Texas. Texas started its first full virtual public school. It along with a few other states are now giving the students an option of attending class online. The school described is greatly confused with homeschooling. While the child does stay at home, the parents are not the educators. The child is still taught by a certified teacher. There are over 500 students enrolled in the online public school. These students include those who need … Continue reading →

Canada Fights Cyberbullying

Each time that I think I could never hear of students carrying out more selfish, hurtful acts, one comes along and bewilders me even more. Students can be very harsh and thoughtless toward other students and teachers alike. In my county, we have had teachers’ cell phones stolen, tires slashed, and cleaners placed in drinks. However, it now appears that students are taking these acts of bullying to a new level. Technology is placing a new spin on how students can terrorize others. One teacher in Canada found this out the hard way. A group of students found her cell … Continue reading →

Technology in the Classroom

Technology is everywhere in today’s world. Cell phones, MP3 players, Ipods, and the Internet are the norm. Education is no exception. Most schools are now equipped with computer labs. Technology has now made its way into the academic curriculum. Along with math, English, science, social studies, and reading, teachers are now teaching technology skills. Many children are well capable of navigating through computer games when they begin school. Others use the Internet on a daily basis. Students have email addresses and computers at home. However, there is more to technology than surfing the web. Children need to know how to … Continue reading →

Does Your Child’s School Offer Edline?

You may or may not have heard of the Edline program. It’s being offered in more and more schools all the time. If it isn’t offered by your child’s school presently, you might want to request it. I think it’s a great program. Once your child’s school implements the program, all you have to do is create a free account at the Edline website. Then, you’ll have instant access to your child’s grades at any time. This is a great way to keep on top of things. While many schools do offer a progress report from time to time, it … Continue reading →

I Love Schools.com

Has anyone heard of this wonderful website? I spoke in another blog about how much teachers spend of their own money every year for their classrooms and their students. Teachers do it because it is necessary and because it enhances the learning experience of the students in the classroom Because it can be a pretty big financial burden for teachers each year to spend this money out of their own pockets, there is a great website that wants to help. www.iLoveSchools.com is a free donor site that matches people who wish to donate school supplies with the teachers who need … Continue reading →

More Online Learning Options

Online schooling is being recognized as a viable option not only for college, but also primary and secondary grades. Some opponents of virtual schooling especially in the early years have cited the lack of social outlets and peer to peer interaction as problematic. The wonderful minds behind online education have come up with some excellent ideas and resources for children to utilize in order to broaden their horizons. Some online schools now offer virtual clubs as well as field trips. A sampling of the clubs offered include: offers a wide variety of online clubs such as a science and chess … Continue reading →