Teacher education

USAEyes is the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance, a nonprofit Lasik patient advocacy organization. Here are some interesting notes about USAEyes.
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Alcohol Policy UK have one of their regular places on local media stories that focus on enforcement activities around young people and alcohol.

On this occasion the areas covered are Durham, Shirley, Shoreham, Caerfifili and Swindon.

Filed under: alcohol

Funding priorities AERC fornbsp;2007 .

Thanks to Alcohol Policy UK for pointing out the Alcohol Education Research Council published their priorities for funding for next year:

This year the Council will accept good research or application development in any sector, however, priority will be given to projects related to the following areas: drinking. Specifically the influence of advertising, new media, new product development, point of sale promotions and price promotions should be examined, both individually and collectively. This work could include qualitative methods and longitudinal as well as cross sectional studies.

-Summarize high-quality evidence relating to effective and cost effective public policy, including taxation, price and availability. Consider all barriers to implementation.

AERC – info about the AERCs priorities

Filed under: alcohol , research

Drink and Drugs News highlight a series of criticisms Conservatives # 8217, Social Justice Group # 8217, with reliance on paper Includes what we said:budget, after assessment, should be primarily directed to detoxification as part of rehabilitation, with the unique advantage of the prison setting and length of sentence. (Section 3.3.3), a therapeutic community and 12-step programs in every prison wing. We propose an extension of the existing 16 such special programs (which are currently mainly of RAPT and Phoenix Futures) for each prison in the yard. (Section 3.3.3) Our immediate recommendations within the current framework is to:

One of the other blogs devoted to the virtual school is to decide on Schools Online (DAOS) note that this blog is no longer available . I know  t think it would be unfair to characterize this as a blog with a specific agenda (like most blogs, websites and even do). On the page purposes, it has two major goals:I ‘ll post more about this attempt to destory public education, then I  sure). I  Trackbacks I posted on their blog and I  confident that they can correct me if I wrong.and at the federal level?
-Can the e-learning to help students make progress towards the objectives of the No Child Left Behind? most burning right now? And, do you have any thoughts about your responses to those two questions?

If you fall more into the educator category, which two questions do you see as the most burning right now? And, do you have any thoughts about your responses to those two questions?

Tags: virtual school , cyber school , charter school , high school , education

mrschili
March 15, 2007 at 6:03 am

Welcome, Saintseester! I love my readers, and new ones make me happy!

Just to update you all on this little situation; I’ve not heard a peep from our boy Dave. My suspicion is that I called his bluff; he wanted me to cave to his (oh so eloquent) argument without calling anyone else in on the party. I’m pretty sure he’s smart enough to know that his “excelent” and “factual” research paper would probably get a LOWER grade from another teacher, and he’s not willing to risk that.

What I didn’t point out to him when he complained about how little the extra credit changed his grade was that, while I was taking four zeroes off his average, he was adding two ON by not doing his homework. I’m a drooling moron when it comes to math, but even *I* can figure out the effects of that!

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9 Comments.
Organic Mama
March 7, 2007 at 2:56 pm

DEEEEEP Breath.

Hey, there HAS to be a starting point. You are their teacher and you must continue to show them examples of good writing regularly so they see (god I hope so) how it can be done. Why not ask them if they think THEY can write as well as one of your fave pieces of short writing and when they say no, insist that they produce a list of the issues they see standing in their way. Who knows what you’ll get?

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HomeFireBlue
August 16, 2006 at 9:31 am

LOVE the stickers!

If you ever think of something you’d like to have on a bumpersticker (or magnet) just let me know and I’ll whip you one up in my store.

For free, of course, cuz I luv U.

Be patient about the job … it’s coming.

-Blue

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2 Comments.
Suzanne
August 10, 2006 at 9:16 am

I can understand believing that the Universe is sending you a message, but here’s my take on this. If you want to TEACH, then you should be TEACHING. Sign up as a substitute teacher to several schools, and get some great experience along the way. You said that in a couple of cases, teaching jobs went to people who have been subs in the district. If that’s one way to get a job, then go for it.

I’m sure you would enjoy working at the mechanic’s place. They sound like good people, and it would be an easy thing for you to get into. Perhaps too easy? Too tempting?

Girl, if you are serious about teaching, get out there and TEACH! And maybe this is just the Universe’s way of testing your commitment….

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2 Comments.
Mrs.Chili
August 5, 2006 at 8:42 pm

Really, BoDog? Why not? I think movies are a GREAT way to teach. There are a lot of really fantastic films out there that span a staggering bredth of subject, concept and emotion. Besides, who needs an excuse to show something as amazing as Glory?–>

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One of my doctoral students, Kelly Unger (see Kel Tech: KTI ), sent me this article a while ago – and since I have nothing else to post today (I have stuff, I just don’t have the time to write it with a number of irons in the fire with near-term deadlines), here it is:

Orlando Sentinel
http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/detail.jsp?key=172060&full=1

In Florida, virtual school could make classrooms history
Dave Weber
Sentinel Staff Writer
November 10, 2008

Thousands of Florida students may ditch public elementary and middle schools next year in favor of online classes at home — an option that could change the face of public education.

A new law that takes effect next fall requires every district in the state to set up an online school for kindergarten through eighth-grade students. They won’t have to get on the bus — or even get out of their PJs — to head to school at the family computer.

A handful of elementary- and middle-school students already are experimenting with virtual classes, withdrawing from regular schools and enrolling instead for online instruction. Students take a full range of courses, including reading, writing, math, science, history, art, music and even physical education.

“I am so excited about this that my goal is to go all the way through 12th grade,” said Joni Fussell, whose 8-year-old daughter has been studying at the kitchen computer in their Altamonte Springs home since January.

Taylor Fussell is enrolled in the state’s experimental online elementary school, which will be greatly expanded through the new law. The state has had online instruction for high-school students for 10 years, but it’s mostly used by those who want to take an extra course they can’t squeeze in at school.

The law passed by the Legislature last spring is designed to give parents more choice in how their elementary- and middle-school children are educated full time. Online instruction joins home schooling, charter schools and Florida’s on-again, off-again experiment with vouchers to private schools as a way of broadening the selection.

“The beauty of this is it is another choice for parents,” said Sonia Esposito, director of school choice for Osceola schools.

The state will pay for online instruction, providing districts about $6,000 per student — what they would get for a student who showed up at a regular school. But savings are expected in bus transportation, school construction and other areas.

All-or-none option

For those who take advantage of virtual instruction in elementary and middle school, it’s an all-or-none proposition. Unlike high school, if they sign up for online classes, they can’t continue to take some of their courses in regular schools and can’t compete in organized sports.

Fussell said she switched to online instruction at home because she was frustrated with her inability to influence Taylor’s progress at Altamonte Springs Elementary. Taylor, who had fallen behind in reading, is rapidly catching up online.

“If I am struggling, I just practice more,” she said. “And I get to stay home with my mom.”

A teacher working out of her home at an undisclosed Florida location supervises instruction for Taylor and dozens of other elementary students across the state. She monitors their work, talks with students individually online and holds virtual class meetings to discuss particular topics.

Back in the kitchen, Joni Fussell keeps Taylor on task, although there is flexibility for running errands or doing chores, as long as Taylor spends about five hours a day doing schoolwork. The program requires an adult at home to aid with instruction.

Fussell has everything she needs to supervise her daughter’s education. Last summer a delivery truck brought boxes of textbooks, work sheets, study materials and other classroom supplies, right down to a compass, magnifying glass and other nifty items for basic science experiments. Older kids even get microscopes.

Although the Fussells had a computer, it wasn’t necessary for them to own one. Kids who don’t have computers will get them free, along with free online service.

What’s missing, says Fussell, is 18 kids competing for one teacher’s attention, boring downtime in the classroom, distracting discipline incidents and playground bullying.

Students are tested, get report cards and must take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The virtual schools will receive letter grades from the state, and poorly performing providers will be weeded out.

Next year Fussell plans to have a second student at home, when her younger daughter Savannah, 5, a kindergartner at Altamonte Elementary, joins the virtual school. State law requires that students must previously have been in a regular public school before switching to the new virtual school, a provision that shuts out students who have been home-schooled for years.

‘I miss my friends’

Students, parents and educators say one drawback of virtual education is that kids studying at home don’t have the ready socialization opportunities they have at school.

“I miss my friends,” Taylor Fussell said.

But her mother builds Taylor’s social skills with outside activities such as church or playing with neighborhood children. The online school also has virtual clubs — chess club is one — and plans other activities such as spelling bees and science fairs.

Districts can come up with their own online elementary- and middle-school curriculum. But most districts, including Orange and Seminole, say the task is too daunting and they instead expect to contract the online instruction to existing virtual schools for a fee. Two now operate in the state: Florida Virtual School in partnership with Connections Academy, and Florida Virtual Academy, which the Fussells use. Others are expected to be approved by the Department of Education this winter.

Officials have no idea how many students will switch to the new online elementary and middle schools.

But if Florida Virtual School’s online courses for high-school students are any indication, it could take off. That program went from students completing 6,765 half-credit courses in 2001 to 137,450 courses last school year.

Of 44 states with online learning, more than half offer full or part-time elementary programs, with as many as 45,000 students taking part nationwide. Florida is among states leading in the movement.

Districts say they will decide by spring who will get the contracts for online instruction and that parents will be permitted to sign up their kids soon after.

Who gets to learn online *Students who are residents of the school district. *Those who have attended a Florida public school this year and been enrolled for both the February and October funding counts. Home-schoolers don’t qualify. *Students currently enrolled in the state’s virtual-instruction program. *Kindergarten students, only if they are enrolled in public schools this year for both the October and February funding counts, including Pre-K disabled students, those in the babies-of-teen-parents program and those repeating kindergarten. *A child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who was transferred to Florida during the past 12 months.

– SOURCES: Florida Department of Education, area school districts

Dave Weber can be reached at 407-320- 0915 or dweber@orlandosentinel.com.

drtombibey
April 18, 2008 at 2:08 pm

Wow chili! You do have your hands full.

There is an old saying in bluegrass: “We tune because we care.”

I guess something similar is true for folks who doctor, write, or teach, but that kind of e-mail is bound to test your patience.

Dr. B

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9 Comments.
Clix
April 13, 2008 at 7:50 am

Hm. ARE they pedagogical gold? If, after showing these emails to students and demonstrating what’s wrong with them, you still get similar emails… is it really working?

(This is something I wrestle with A LOT. Sometimes I’ll think that lesson X has worked better than lesson Y… but you know, it’s never with the same group of students, so maybe the lesson X group was more attentive and would’ve done just as well with lesson Y…)

I don’t think you’re in water that’s ETHICALLY murky, that’s for sure. Teachers use prior student work as samples all the time, and that’s stuff that’s turned in for a grade, not for use as an example. As long as you leave out identifying details, you’re fine.

OTOH, there’s something to be said against ridicule in general. I don’t think it’s an effective teaching method. The students who most need to see your real point – that stupid mistakes should be avoided – are the ones most likely to get caught up in the vicarious embarrassment and tune out what you really want them to hear.

Anyway, to make a long story short (well, short-ER at least!) I just don’t know. I think mostly it depends on your delivery.

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During informal conversations with some writer-friends, we have been encouraging each other to write stories for children — the kind that will be used in classrooms. The kind that will contain our culture and the values that we want to instill in our children. This is even before the MLE because we see the dearth in materials for classroom use.

As to retelling of folktales, I don’t recall any occasion discussing it with writer friends, but VF and I had talked about it sometime last year, before the launch of the Cabie-PINILI. We wondered about copyright issues should we start re-telling Ilocano folk lit. He calls it sarsarita di ugma — the kind that we heard from our grandparents. In fact, he tried to write two from memory, and one of them I have posted in Bilingual Pen. We both think his version needs some tweaks to make it more interesting for children.

I also have copies of the books by eugenio (borrowed from the NCCA library) and there really are so many interesting materials in there!

I would be interested to make projects such as this, not only because VF and I had talked about doing something like it, but because I really dream of writing (or rewriting) stories for children because frankly, I don’t want to read stories about weak women and other stereotypical western stories to my would-be children!

My observation among our writers is that they are able to produce good materials when there are contests (this includes me), because contests are good motivators, not because of the awards, but because they set deadlines and guidelines. There’s something about deadlines that fire at the writers’ creative juices. In fact, without contests and deadlines, I don’t think I could have written as much stories as I did last year. All of my stories were written three days before the deadlines some, even less.

If we can come up with programs, contests, activities etc, that could trigger our writers’ creative juices, it would really be good.

(Sorry manong no ti la napnapanan ti kunkunak. Diak suren no nasungbatak ti kunkunam dita ngato, basta nagtypeak lattan. Thanks. I hope I made sense. Hehe).

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QUESTION: Do you think the world governments are putting forth enough effort to stop and prevent human trafficking? If you had the means and power what would be your proposed resolution?

The movie Taken was released January 30, 2009. The action, adventure, and drama filled thriller made over 145 million dollars in the United States box office. The film portrayed a family distraught, because their young teenage daughter had been kidnapped on an international vacation. Her father, known as a “preventer”, saved his daughter from being bought and sold into the sex trafficking business.

The idea of a mainstream film revealing the devastating details of this ever-growing industry says that people worldwide are being affected by this epidemic. Therefore, it is up to world citizens to ask their country’s governments, “What are you doing about this issue?” and “How can you protect my family?” From the shocking stories, primetime specials and film portrayals of this industry, one would conclude that there is danger around ever corner.

Although human trafficking is a worldwide epidemic, many Americans are under the impression that young women and children are only being abducted from foreign countries, but they are sadly mistaken. There have been several incidents reported where children and young women have been abducted from several places which most wouldn’t believe to be perilous. It appears as if there is nothing our governments can do to reduce the occurrence of forced prostitution worldwide. While it may be easier to track criminals who put children and young women on the streets, those whom continue to move to different locations makes finding the missing persons a challenge for police officers and government officials.

Knowing that there may potentially be predators lurking around every corner, riding down your street or even in line behind you at the grocery store; one might ask is any place safe? Is there really anything the police and lawmakers can do to combat this violent epidemic? Though there are non-government agencies that battle for the enslaved children and young women being trafficked, and there have been laws passed making human trafficking a federal crime, there are still over 100,000 women and children being bought and sold in America everyday. As citizens of the world we must demand that the deplorable people that commit these horrible acts be severely punished.

By Karenia S. Ferguson

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- Thinking Things Through
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