  |
|
|
|
Barbara Pytel's BlogPosted by Barbara Pytel Instead of going directly to a four-year college, students are choosing to attend the first two years at a junior college and later transfer. How much of a savings is it? Tuition Costs The average tuition rate at a junior college is $2,361 for 30 credit hours. At a public university, tuition averages nearly $7,500. Students can attend two years at a junior college for less money than one year at a state university. Couples that have children at an older age don't want to go into debt 5-7 years prior to retirement and choose junior colleges as a way to keep debt down. Class Closeouts Traditionally, large universities have problems with classes filling up leaving students on a waiting list. Now, junior colleges are beginning to have the same problem. With record numbers of students on campus and tight budgets, junior colleges have waiting lists for students to enter certain programs. Technical jobs are hot and the place to get training is also at junior colleges. And, Baby Boomers are sending their youngest off to colleges in record numbers. This adds to the congestion. But, these big numbers are not expected to last so colleges don't want to build and hire only to fire.Posted by Barbara Pytel College tuition has always been a struggle for parents. After receiving thirteen years of free education in public schools, price tags of $26,000 per year are staggering. However, recently there is a new crunch. Why? Parents Are Older Women are choosing to have careers first and become parents later. With the recent trend of women becoming first time mothers in their late 30's and early 40's, the college issues comes much later in life. Student Loans Less Available Private loan companies are cutting back in the loans they give for college. Many banks do not issue private students at all. And, in the recent low interest era, many companies will lose money if they issue loans. In the past year, 50 lenders have pulled out of the student loan business. College Tuition Rising While everything is rising in costs, college tuition has recently risen much faster than inflation and parent income. Over the last 40 years, incomes have risen 304% but college tuition has risen much more. Public college tuition has risen 844% and private college tuition has risen 778%. So, if it seems much harder for parents to pay for college--it is! In some cases, college costs have tripled from what their parents paid for their college expenses after allowing for inflation. Age Factor Now throw in the fact that parents are taking out loans at the age of 55 or 60 instead of 40 or 45 and we find a crises. The FAFSA does have an age factor built into it. The older the parents, the less they are expected to take out in loans. However, colleges are not obliged to honor the FAFSA's Expected Family Contribution. Parents are now being forced to take money from their retirement funds to pay for college, leaving them underfunded for the golden years. Source: Sue Asci, InvestmentNews.com, June 30, 2008Posted by Barbara Pytel Lori Drew, the mother who posed as a teenage boy on MySpace, is not being charged with cyber-bullying. She is being charged with
Posted by Barbara Pytel Children's Hospital in Boston performed research on 380 children ages 8 months to 2 years. How many were found to be deficient in vitamin D? 40% of children failed to have an adequate level of the very important vitamin. What is necessary for prevention?
Posted by Barbara Pytel The Midwest is known for wheat, hogs, cattle, soybeans, corn and wind. The large open spaces which make the land great for farming with 24 row equipment also leaves little to reduce wind. The U.S. Department of Energy is promoting a national initiative to help students understand the renewable power of wind. The states involved in this initiative are
Posted by Barbara Pytel The federal government had Plan B in place for failing students--tutoring. Plan B isn't working very well. A recent study shows that in
Posted by Barbara Pytel Nicholas Carr recently wrote an article in The Atlantic Monthly stating that reading information on the internet has actually shortened our attention spans. Carr believes that when we click and scan, we are creating a habit that will discourage us from reading in depth. Carr argues that reading for information on the internet
Posted by Barbara Pytel Occasionally we hear about a student having a perfect ACT score of 36 when it makes the news. And, that is a big deal. But, a Polish immigrant really has people scratching their heads. Five years ago, Luke (Lukasz in Polish) entered a New York 7th grade with poor English-speaking skills. Today, the 18-year-old has been accepted by
Posted by Barbara Pytel Choking games are not new. Signs are bruises or red marks around the neck. Students often do this to each other taking turns but sometimes they try and duplicate the sensation on themselves. Today's news story just brings our attention back to this routelle game...you may make it and you might not. Young children do not realize they may die playing this game. Even when told, they think it can't happen to them. Related article: CuttingPosted by Barbara Pytel It is assumed that "better" students prep for the ACT. They buy the official ACT study guide or take the expensive prep classes from Sylvan or Kaplan. Which students are declining in performance? A Study The lead author of from High School to the Future: ACT Preparation--Too Much, Too Late, Elaine Allensworth, states that the study revealed three problems:
Posted by Barbara Pytel The SAT has enjoyed great popularity for generations and proclaims that the test is a predictor of success. The higher the SAT score, the more likely a student is to succeed in college--or so says the College Board, owner of the SAT. Some colleges are starting to think that may not be the case. Many in the educational field are not great supporters of the SAT because many talented students do not do well on the tests. The colleges are then depriving students admission that could be successful in spite of not doing all that well on the SAT. Right-brained students create circumstances in their head to make each answer possibly correct. They get totally confused taking this multiple choice test and end up getting a lower score than possible. Minority students (Hispanics and blacks) do not do as well as white students on the SAT. Because of this, college campuses do not have the desired diversity if relying on the SAT for admission. The University of California dropped the SAT requirement in 2001 for this very reason. Approximately 30% of 4-year universities have the SAT listed as optional. Of course, that means that 70% do require the SAT or ACT. While the great test takers will continue to hail the benefits of the SAT, students that are not good test takers have choices. Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel Parents turn out the lights and say good night to their children, but the kids are on MySpace or Facebook until 1 a.m. Who else is out there enjoying their company? Well, we know who three of them are. Child predator #1: a 32 year old convicted of aggravated sexual assault on a minor. Child predator #2: a 24 year old convicted of endangering the welfare of a child. Child predator #3: 34 year old convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and sexual assault. While there may be no evidence that these men attempted to lure any teens into meetings with them, New Jersey law forbids them even being on the sites. The men may face up to 18 months in jail, a $10,000 fine and could have their parole revoked. Computers were seized along with a mobile phone and Web cam. How Prevalent? January of 2008, MySpace found thousands of registered sex offenders on its site. Facebook found 23 registered just in New Jersey. This is every parents nightmare. While New York has a similar law, it is easy to ignore and difficult to monitor. New York is sending 25,000 letters to sex offenders warning them of this law and asking them for their online names, email and user names. The bottom line is that teens and parents must be vigilant. The threat is always there. Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel There are scholarship scam sites and you need to be careful. How do you know it is a scam? The site will ask you for money and guarantee the scholarships. There are no guaranteed scholarships. Even if the site offers you a money back guarantee, it is unlikely you will get any money returned. Never pay for scholarships! The following are sites that are free and credible: www.Fastweb.com offers millions of scholarships. You must register on the site and spent a little time filling out a questionnaire that highlights your interests and talents. Soon after completing the interest inventory, you will begin receiving scholarship applications. Check them out and apply for those that match your personality and interests. www.collegeboard.com is a site managed by the College Board. This organization is in charge of the SAT college testing. This site has information on locating internships and grants in addition to scholarships. www.fastaid.com and www.petersons.com are two more sites to explore. You must remember that scholarships may be lost once found. If students let grades drop, a scholarship may be lost that was based on a grade point average. Students may also lose scholarships by putting inappropriate messages and pictures on the internet. A Google search may produce less than flattering images and scholarships may be pulled. Keep looking for scholarships during summer vacation. It's not too late. Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel President Bush recently proposed that Congress buy billions of dollars in federal student loans to ensure students can borrow what they need for college. How Much Is Borrowed? In 2007, students and families borrowed
Posted by Barbara Pytel After analyzing 15,349 students, a study concludes that there is a similar pattern with friends and eating disorders. If there is one eating disorder, there are more within the peer group or a school. Therefore, the study concludes that instead of working with individual students, education should be throughout a school. Eating disorders characteristics may include
Posted by Barbara Pytel There has been so much information recently on how boys learn differently than girls do. While most of us have heard or read about academies for boys springing up all over the nation and same sex classrooms, do we really know how to teach girls and boys differently? Some books are being written on this topic to enlighten us. Principal Kelly King has written the book, Strategies for Teaching Boys and Girls. Her school was recently mentioned in the Newsweek article on educating boys. This information comes in both elementary and secondary levels. Other books are Teaching the Male Brain: How Boys Think by Abigail Norfleet James; The Boys and Girls Learn Differently by Michael Gurian; The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons From Failure by Michael Gurian and Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax. Strategies for Teaching Boys and Girls—Secondary level: A Workbook for Educators by Michael Gurian is a guide for teachers using Gurian Institute’s research. The books are rated by readers on Amazon.com. Who knows? Little changes in how we teach each gender could make a difference to our students.Posted by Barbara Pytel A Tomah High School student, named only A.P., was in art class. The assignment was to draw a landscape which he did. However, he added a cross with the words, "John 3:16 A sign of peace". His teacher, Julie Millin, asked him to remove the reference to the Bible and he refused. In fact, when she showed him a policy he had signed giving up his constitutional rights, he tore it up. He was given two detentions. [Todd Richmond, journaltimesonline.com, March 31, 2008] A.P. has hired David Cortman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal advocacy group. Cortman says, "Where is the tolerance for religious beliefs? The whole purpose of art is to reflect your own personal experience." [Todd Richmond, journaltimesonline.com, March 31, 2008] While A.P. is not allowed to show any religious beliefs or symbols, the same school has the following on display within the building:
Posted by Barbara Pytel The world was stunned to learn of Megan's suicide in October of 2006 in St. Louis, MO after it was revealed that she was duped by a fraudulent MySpace account that involved an adult neighbor in the on-line harassment. Since that time, many communities have passed laws against online harassment demanding a punishment for those that prey on others in this manner. The girl who participated in the hoax? Ashley Grills was recently on "Good Morning America" and stated that she was so distraught after Megan's death that she tried to commit suicide herself. The Grills family now has an unlisted telephone number and doors are not opened to media. And, what about the adult that thought this was a great idea? Lori Drew has hired an attorney and is awaiting to see if federal prosecutors will file charges against her. Thom Mrozek, speaking for the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, states that he may not comment. Meanwhile, Ashley Grills has been given immunity to testify against Drew. Source: msnbc Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel This is a great, heartwarming story on MSNBC. In the middle of the first grade classroom sits a 70-year-old gentleman learning how to read. He is surrounded by children young enough to be his great-grandchildren. They are learning together. Born the son of a sharecropper, Alferd Williams worked his entire life and never had the opportunity to go to school. At 70 he decided to learn how to read. He commented that it is really nice to be able to read the signs in the stores instead of walking and walking to find items. How does the teacher feel about this situation? She loves having him in class. And the students? They flock to him. Alferd has shown us that it is never too late to learn how to read. Source: MSNBC Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel You bomb a test and get a 40%. All your hard work has just gone down the tubes. You are getting a D in the class and it is so hard to dig out of this hole. An F Is An Automatic I Harvey High School is in it's second year of not accepting a zero from students nor an F. Superintendent Michael Hanlon says, "What is better, that a student drops out or a student who makes early mistakes and goes on to graduate?" [Kim Wheeler, wkyc.com, March 20, 2008] Hanlon's school gives the students that just failed a test an I for incomplete. The student is retaught and given an opportunity to retake the test by a deadline. What if they still fail? If the student has tried to learn the material but still fails, they receive a 50% and and not a zero. Zeros are devastating to a grade average and very discouraging to students. Zeros also do not give an accurate overview of the student's grade. Controversy Some criticize Hanlon stating he has lowered the bar. However, this attitude does not take into account a student's ability, home life, emotional state and poverty. Hanlon says if a student is failing, it is the responsibility of the school district to find out where the breakdown is and get the student help. He hopes to have a higher graduation rate. Glasser Philosophy William Glasser has a similar philosophy. He believes that reteaching is necessary until students understand the material. Glasser does not subscribe to the "we have to keep moving even if lose a few" philosophy that is in place in many schools. Supt. Hanlon says this move has taken the school from a teaching philosophy to a learning environment. Source: Kim Wheeler, wkyc.com, Cleveland, OH Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel The National Education Association has developed a 12-point plan to help students stay in school. The points are well-founded but how is this to be funded? One point suggests offering a graduation center for students ages 19-21 that want to return and get a diploma. Another point suggests that students should receive individual attention. That is very difficult in a large school and can even be challenging in a small school. Funding is key to implementing the NEA Plan. Demographics Who are the students that drop out?
Posted by Barbara Pytel Building a school in Ohio just became a little more complicated. Not only must it be safe and functional--it must now be green. Schools that do comply with the LEED specifications are found to use
Posted by Barbara Pytel A new bill passed the Kansas Senate mandating cyberbullying be included in all bullying policies. The schools already address bullying but will now also address cyberbullying. What is cyberbullying? "Bullying is any intentional gesture or written, verbal or physical threat severe enough to create an abusive atmosphere." [The Kansas City Star, Feb. 26, 2008] Just what is included under this new bill?
Posted by Barbara Pytel Cook County's Sheriff Department is giving seminars to school administrators on what to do in case the school is under siege by someone with a gun. Detective Robert Carroll says, "You are far less likely as a student to die as a victim of fire than you are of violence." The seminar did not give schools specific instructions on how to safeguard students but it did emphasize that schools need to have a plan customized to each classroom within the school. Many schools are doing the following to improve safety:
Posted by Barbara Pytel Reasons Change As Children Get Older ABC News featured a research video on lying this month on "Primetime." How many kids lie? A study at Oberlin College in Ohio found that by the time children are teenagers, 98% have lied. What do they lie about?
Posted by Barbara Pytel Chula Vista, CA So, you've dropped out and realize you've made a big mistake. Perhaps, you ran away from home or were sent away. Maybe you were bored or had a baby. You now decide that your future is going to be a dead end without that diploma. Students in this situation may enroll at Bounce Back School for three hours a day. Students do not go from one class to another when the bell rings. They work at their own pace with two teachers. What if students don't show up for school? The school tracks them down. Someone may even show up at your door. Charter School Bounce Back School has been open as a charter for six years. 105 students attend in shifts with two teachers assisting along with a counselor and aide. Students like the format of keeping up with themselves instead of keeping up with other students. They work at their pace without any concern for what other students are doing. A sophomore taking a math glass may be seated next to a senior taking government. Finances The Sweetwater district expects the charter school to be profitable. The district receives funding for returning dropouts and is district is very focused in bringing students back to receive a high school diploma. Related articles: Houston Less Than 50% Graduate, School Counselors Overwhelmed Read previous articles on Educational Issues. Copyright article 2008 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.Posted by Barbara Pytel Double Standard? I have observed athletes being treated a notch better than other students by not only the students but by teachers, as well. This has not been true in every school but in some. A recent study shows that even on playgrounds in elementary school, athletic students hold a higher regard than nonathletic students. $11.5 Million So, it should come as no surprise that a Manhattan federal court jury found Anucha Browne Sanders deserved $11.5 million for sexual harassment. The Knicks coach, Isiah Thomas, was found guilty and the additional punitive damages have not even been tallied. An additional $4 million is being considered for legal fees and compensatory damages. In spite of Thomas calling Sanders a "bitch" in nearly every sentence and making racist remarks about whites, Thomas loudly maintains his innocence. Madison Square Garden is not expected to appeal the decision. [Kati Cornell, nypost.com, December 11, 2007] High Schools I remember an incident at a former school where high school basketball stars threw pennies at the cheerleaders while doing routines. Of course, this horrified the crowd but the boys were quite proud of their insult. The following week, the boys poured Pepsi down the front of the cheerleaders sweaters. When the girls complained to the superintendent, they were told that the athletes could not be punished for expressing their constitutional first amendment rights. The cheerleaders all quit. The coach and principal wanted to punish the players but were ordered not to--winning was everything. The school had an "obligation to keep morale high" for the team stated the superintendent. So, it is probably no surprise that some athletes think that rules don't apply to them. They go out into the real world thinking the rules are the same as they were in high school....but they aren't. Read previous articles on Educational Issues.Posted by Barbara Pytel Probationary Teacher Probationary teachers may be dismissed without reason. That is not what the jury decided happened. Danielle Coziahr was teaching third grade at Silver Wing Elementary School in Otay Mesa in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. In May 2005, Coziahr received a favorable job evaluation from her principal two months after the birth of a child. She was asked to serve on the leadership team. It sounded like she was on her way. New Principal Alex Cortes, new principal, arrived for the 2005-2006 school year. On the first day of school, Coziahr asked for a private, locked room in which she could pump breast milk. Cortes waited two days to give her the room. By the end of the first week, she was no longer on the leadership team. The rest of the year continued to be stressful with a retaliation pattern that continued without end. No Longer a Good Teacher Cortes gave Coziahr a poor recommendation stating she was not effective teaching language arts and students were not engaged in her class. Test scores also declined. Blackballed When Coziahr tried to get a different job in several school over the next 18 months. She found that no one would hire her within a reasonable driving distance. It is then that she took legal action against the school. Jury Decision The jury did not buy the fact that Coziahr suddenly became a poor teacher. Jury members also decided that the new principal was discriminatory against her because of her needs as a woman. And, since the actions of the school prevented her from teaching, she was awarded $1,012,720. This amount covered
Posted by Barbara Pytel John Breen wanted to help his son prepare for the SAT. He knew that knowing vocabulary words is key to doing well on the standardized college entrance exam. So, he programmed a site with over 10,000 words. But, he also added a twist that would help feed the world. On the left side of the page, there is a word with four definition options. If the user clicks on the correct answer, a wooden bowl on the right side of the page fills with 20 grains of rice. 20 grains of rice has now been donated to feed the hungry in the world. It takes 18,000-20,000 grains of rice to feed an adult for one day. 4 billion grains of rice have been won for the project, or 160 metric tons which is enough to feed 200,000 people a day. Who visits the site?
Posted by Barbara Pytel Thirty years ago, parents that home-schooled their children were rare and did so for one of two reasons:
Posted by Barbara Pytel Bully Buttons Schools are installing permanent and portable cameras that are put into motion by anyone in the hallway witnessing bullying or harassment. Students merely push the button to activate the camera. The cameras are wireless and feed into computers in the office with a pop up screen showing the event. Teachers are alerted immediately and the harassment is recorded for evidence. The Bully Buttons resemble the popular Staples Easy button. Strangers on Tape The cameras are placed on playgrounds to monitor recess time but do not replace teachers. The machines are monitored inside the building and may pick up a stranger near the playground or entering. The cameras also tape strangers in the hallways. The Cost A small school could install the system for around $5000 and a larger school for $20,000. The "buttons" may be moved if new locations for harassment have been found. Students often find new locations when the old ones fall under surveillance. Other Methods In recent years, schools have attempted other methods to stop bullying.
Posted by Barbara Pytel Three Reasons Fear of abuse accusations. Males are more likely to be accused of abuse. Even when cleared, the reputation of the teacher has been tainted. Many wonder, "Was he really innocent or did he get away with something?" Low status of being a teacher. The education profession does not have the same respect as other professions. If a teacher has six or seven years of college and an attorney has the same, who would be more highly respected? Most people would say the attorney. Low pay for time spent working. Teachers often work all summer to prepare a new curriculum for no pay. They correct papers all evening and receive no pay after 4:00 when they leave school. Teachers take college credit classes to keep certification current at their own cost. And, they often pay for many classroom supplies out of their own pockets. Teachers often qualify for food stamps and subsidized housing. [Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News, December 3, 2007] Research In spite of teachers quitting after only a few years and dropout rates up to 60% in some schools, education is not on the front burner for the next presidential campaign. I have a difficult time understanding this. Related articles: Boys Lag Behind Girls, Same-Sex School Update Read previous articles on Educational Issues. Copyright article 2008 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.Posted by Barbara Pytel Enough Is Enough Jamie Story, Houston Chronicle, made comments on Houston’s high drop out rates and has asked citizens to consider school choice as an alternative to the problem. Is Houston the only major city in Texas with such appalling graduation rates? No, San Antonio and Dallas are right behind Houston. 93 students drop out of Texas public schools -- each hour of every day. School Choice Research Researcher Jay Greene of the Manhattan Institute found that when parents are allowed school choice the graduation rates improve. How does school choice work? For every student that chooses to attend a private school, there is $5000 to $13,000 that does not go to the public school. Instead, a "reduced amount" of funding follows the student to the private school. Actually, the voucher system is a savings to taxpayers. School vouchers recently failed in Utah. Story states that the voucher system creates competition and both the private and public sector improve. Lack of competition often produces apathy. Milwaukee Milwaukee has the oldest voucher system in the U.S. and the program has been a great cost saving to taxpayers. And Milwaukee’s public school graduation rates have improved under the 16 years of school choice. Story issues the challenge to give school choice a chance in Texas. Source: Jamie Story, chron.com, Jan. 29, 2007 Related articles: 10% of Schools Dropout Factories, School Proficiencies Inconsistent Read previous articles on Educational Issues. Copyright article 2008 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
