A School By Any Other Name

What’s a six letter word for the place your children go each day to learn important life lessons? It’s not a trick question. The answer is SCHOOL. Unless, of course, you live in the United Kingdom. Students attending Watercliffe Meadow Primary in Sheffield, UK no longer attend “school.” Rather, educational leaders there have decided to refer to their building as a “place of learning.” According to news reports, the head teacher of Watercliffe Meadow Primary recently confirmed that administrators dropped the word “school” from the place of learning’s name. Watercliffe Meadow leaders explained the decision this way: “We decided from … Continue reading

Common Items that May Be Outlawed at School

In the first week of second grade, my son was reprimanded by his teacher. It was not for talking or for not completing his work. It was for giving a gift to the teacher, one that was greatly appreciated by his teacher in first grade. Policy changes in school may make some common items illegal to bring or have in school. Some rules may make perfect sense to parents when items are outlawed, while others may leave you scratching your head in confusion. Some schools outlaw certain items, while others are perfectly fine with these things. Here is a guide … Continue reading

Education Blog in Review: December 1st Through December 14th

Do you know exactly what goes on at your child’s school? You might be surprised. Look for future posts about this topic. Meanwhile check out the blog posts from the past two weeks. December 1st Education Blog in Review: November 17th Through November 30th Stay ahead of the latest in Education with the Education Blog. December 2nd Education Blog Month in Review: November By November, students have settled in to the routine of school. The month of November brought with it lots of education news, from sex education and ethics in the classroom to upcoming policy changes that may affect … Continue reading

Volunteering When You Have Other Children

Schools usually need a lot of volunteers throughout the year. There are many activities, programs, lessons and fundraisers that require parental help. And being a parent who volunteers helps you get to know what the school environment is like. You will also meet other parents, teachers and staff through volunteering. Increasingly though, it is becoming the norm for schools to ban any children from school property if they are not students. Our school used to be open to having siblings visit the classroom, but these days they are not even allowed during official visiting days or even school pageants. Since … Continue reading

Education Blog Month in Review: November

By November, students have settled in to the routine of school. The month of November brought with it lots of education news, from sex education and ethics in the classroom to upcoming policy changes that may affect when some students graduate. Check here to review any important posts that you may have missed. November 3rd Schools Required to Improve Dropout Rates Last month, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced a new set of regulations that are aimed at making high schools accountable for high school drop out rates. November 7th New Plans to Graduate Kids in 10th Grade The last two … Continue reading

Are We Apathetic About Student Ethics?

A lot of our focus on ethics in education has to do with the environment for our students, what they are being taught, how they are being taught and who is teaching it to them. But how often do we focus on the ethics of the students themselves, before they even enter the classroom? A new survey given to high school students says that 64 percent of high school students have cheated on a test. A whopping 30 percent have stolen from a store within the past year. The survey was conducted by Josephson Institute, a Los Angeles-based ethics institute. … Continue reading

Community Colleges Gaining in Popularity

When it comes to higher education, community colleges haven’t enjoyed a great deal of admiration from the educational community. In days where having a four-year-degree is pretty much mandatory for business and a masters degree is even better, two-year colleges aren’t usually seen as the first choice for many students. But that perception is changing. Community colleges are gaining in popularity presently, and both students and parents are seeing the benefit of these colleges. The Associated Press is reporting an increase of community college enrollment of 8 percent this past fall. Why the change? Well in theory, it is probably … Continue reading

Education Blog in Review: November 3rd Through November 16th

Education is a serious topic. Make sure you know all of the current news by reading the education blog. Here is a review of all of the articles posted here in the past two weeks. November 3rd Schools Required to Improve Dropout Rates Last month, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced a new set of regulations that are aimed at making high schools accountable for high school drop out rates. November 7th New Plans to Graduate Kids in 10th Grade The last two years of high school are generally spent preparing for college and enjoying the last hurrahs of senior year, … Continue reading

Bill Cosby Speaks Out About Obama Win

Given all that we know about Bill Cosby, would any of us really be surprised if President-elect Barack Obama asked the actor to become an advisor on education issues? I know I wouldn’t. The award-winning actor/comedian/author turned education advocate isn’t publicly addressing offers by Obama (right now anyway), but he is speaking out about his influence on the nation’s first African-American president. There’s an argument circulating around media-types that Cosby’s mega-successful NBC sitcom “The Cosby Show” (which aired from 1984-1992) laid the groundwork for President-elect Obama by presenting an appealing black family to influential young voters, who grew up equipped … Continue reading

Will Obama Make Education Top Priority?

During his campaign, Barack Obama said that educational reform is an issue that is near to his heart, but will it be his number one priority? The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) doesn’t think so. The president-elect of the United States of America has a huge job ahead of him. He is inheriting the leadership of a country with many issues, from war to a falling economy, inadequate health care to students who are graduating unprepared for the workforce. The educational system is in crisis. Cuts in spending are being made all over the country by local boards of education due … Continue reading