December 2011
For-Profit Teacher Certification: Money Over Quality? Dec 30, 2011
As for-profit teacher certification programs have grown in popularity, their standards and methods are coming under heightened scrutiny. Are these programs more interested in producing high quality teachers or a profit? It may be difficult to...
Raising Kids Isn't What It Used To Be: Tips for New Grandparents Dec 30, 2011
If you're a new grandparent, you may be surprised by how much has changed since your kids were young. Many aspects of parenting today may seem confusing, excessive or just downright silly. But these changes have important logic behind them, and...
Auld Lang Syne: Exploring New Year's Traditions Dec 29, 2011
New Year's Day is almost here. While your child may be familiar with many New Year's traditions that are popular in America, does he or she know where they came from? What about traditions from around the world? This is a great chance to explore...
Middle School Blues: A Tough Transition Dec 29, 2011
It's often presumed that the move from middle school to high school is the most challenging and difficult transition students face. Recent studies have shown, however, that the transition into middle school has far more potential to disrupt a...
Reading, Writing and Raising Hens? Dec 28, 2011
Your child may have no intention of becoming a farmer. Perhaps even having a garden as an adult is unlikely. Still, as students around the country are learning, when schools add farming to the school day, students benefit in numerous ways.
Robot-Building Enhances Math and Science Skills Dec 28, 2011
Recently, middle school students across the country formed teams and built programmable, interactive robots that they entered into task-driven competitions. The robots could maneuver through obstacle courses and even retrieve specific objects....
'Windfall' Helps Texas School District Dec 27, 2011
Many cash-strapped school districts across the United States likely wish they could harness the wind to generate revenue. In some West Texas schools, that's exactly what's being done. Is this an isolated circumstance or is it the possible...
Does Reading Aloud Help Kids Love Reading? Dec 27, 2011
More than 30 years ago, journalist Jim Trelease made a discovery: kids who read for pleasure were for the most part ones who had been read to on a daily basis. This discovery lead to his writing what is considered a 'ground-breaking' book and...
Is Reading No Longer a Stand-Alone Subject? Dec 27, 2011
Reading is fundamental, but should it be taught as a standalone subject? One county school system in Maryland is proposing no. But the importance of reading in academic achievement has been well-documented, making the school system's proposal...
Chocolate Milk: Bad for Kids, But Great for Runners? Dec 27, 2011
If you're confused about chocolate milk, then you must be following the news. While schools are banning the kid favorite, athletes are championing it as a wonderful recovery tool. In a complicated twist, both the proponents and opponents of...
10 Top Math Apps for Elementary School Children Dec 22, 2011
Is your child struggling with math in elementary school? You may be able to get him or her excited about learning math by using an educational app on your iPad, iPhone, Android or other mobile device. Here are ten apps for elementary school...
The Shortest Day: Learning About the Winter Solstice Dec 22, 2011
December 22nd is the winter solstice. This astronomically significant milestone is a fantastic opportunity to teach your kids about science and the role of this special day in our everyday lives. Just because it's the year's shortest day doesn't...
What Makes a Good Principal? Dec 21, 2011
While the teachers may be the people with whom your child interacts most at school, the principal plays a critical role that impacts your child's experience in countless ways. It takes a diverse skill set to be a strong principal, including...
Is Physical Education Essential? Dec 21, 2011
Controversy erupted when a Florida lawmaker tried to eliminate the physical education requirement for middle school students in the state. While the bill had a logical motivation, many experts believe its implementation could be disastrous.
Congress Says 'No' to School Lunch Changes Dec 20, 2011
Can the federal government tell our children what and what not to eat? Apparently not, at least according to Congress. Lawmakers recently rejected changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that were targeting 'bad' foods found...
Many States Opting to Leave Behind 'No Child Left Behind' Dec 20, 2011
In early 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. Since its inception, the law has been met with confusion and animosity. Recently, President Obama has agreed to provide waivers that would allow states to opt...
The Science of the Teenage Brain Dec 16, 2011
In Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale,' a shepherd wishes 'there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry,...
5 New Money-Saving Tips for Parents Dec 16, 2011
Kids are expensive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that a child born to a middle-income family in 2010 will cost $226,920 to raise over the next 17 years. But there are ways to reduce the financial burden. As a perk, many of the ideas...
Do Charter Schools Have a Place for Disabled Students? Dec 15, 2011
Charter schools are exploding in popularity throughout the nation, yet they're not without controversy. In the past few months, charter schools in a variety of cities have been plagued with accusations of discrimination against students with...
Nowhere To Go: Being Transgendered in High School Dec 15, 2011
Many high school students face bullying and harassment. Among the most often targeted are those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ). Within that group, transgendered students face a particularly...
Are 'Early Warning Systems' for Potential Dropouts Working? Dec 14, 2011
While the high school dropout rate across the country is alarming, it does not have to be inevitable. Many believe that identifying and reacting to early signs of dropping out can prevent some kids from doing so. To that end, some school...
Why Math Skills Are Up, But Reading Skills Are Down Dec 14, 2011
The results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests are in, and the news is mixed: basically, kids can do math, but if there are word problems they might have difficulty reading them. Why are there larger gains in math and...
Oregon School Says 'No' to Grant Tied to Performance-Based Pay Dec 13, 2011
At a time when budget cuts and spending woes have schools scrambling to pay for programs, extracurricular activities and even supplies, it is almost inconceivable that a school district could actually turn down millions of dollars in grant money....
Are Children Under Eight 'Screen Addicts'? Dec 13, 2011
Are America's children spending too much time in front of TV, computer and smartphone screens? According to a recent study, the answer is yes, more time than ever before. And while some apps and TV shows might be geared toward building skills in...
Do Standardized Tests Make Teachers Cheat? Dec 12, 2011
In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law. The bill aimed to improve standards and performance in public schools across the nation. That goal is currently pursued through rigorous standardized testing, the results of which trigger...
School Soda Bans May Not Work Dec 12, 2011
With a growing obesity epidemic, many schools have banned soda and other sugary drinks. The goal is to reduce easy access to unhealthy beverages and thereby improve student health. Yet a new report suggests that these bans may be largely...
5 Tips for Beating the Winter Studying Blues Dec 09, 2011
At this time of the year, with the shorter days and colder weather, studying can be more of a challenge. Whether your child is grappling with seasonal affective disorder or is just hitting a wall in the middle of the school year, there are ways...
New York Public School Students Get Physical Dec 09, 2011
Are today's kids fit by any standards? With childhood obesity on the rise and physical education programs increasingly falling victim to school budget cuts across the nation, most would likely answer that question with a resounding 'No!' But New...
Sex Ed: What It Is and What It Isn't Dec 08, 2011
Few topics in education are as controversial as sex education and there are often significant misunderstandings about what is and isn't taught in schools throughout the country. As it turns out, the content of sex education varies significantly...
What Is It About Boys and School Suspensions? Dec 08, 2011
Boys are far more likely than girls to act out in school and face suspensions. This behavior has long-term effects well beyond high school. New research seeks to explore the question of how this gender gap may originate in troubled home lives, as...
Dolly Parton Helps Blind Children Read For Free Dec 07, 2011
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has provided over 34 million free books to children since 1996. Starting in 2012, they'll cross a new frontier by providing braille and audio books to blind children, thereby reaching an entirely new audience of...
Are Children of Military Parents More Violent? Dec 07, 2011
War is hell...on children. According to a recent study conducted in the state of Washington, an alarming percentage of children with at least one parent in the military exhibit violent behavior. Considering that two million children in the United...
5 Times when 'Second Best' for Your Kids Might be Best for Your Family Dec 06, 2011
Too many times life teaches us that second best is not good enough. The loser of the Super Bowl, for instance, doesn't run around boasting, 'We're number two!' Whether they're pressured from outside sources or by their own expectations, many...
Should You Send Your Child to a Single-Sex School? Dec 06, 2011
Can students learn better in a single-sex setting compared to a co-ed environment? Some studies have concluded that boys and girls can benefit from learning when separated rather than being in the same classroom. Does the practice have any...
Online Schools: Worth the Expense? Dec 05, 2011
A Colorado news team recently uncovered startling information about that state's online schools. Many parents turn to online schools as early as kindergarten in order to hopefully provide a more technologically progressive and innovative...
Is the Department of Education Doomed? Dec 05, 2011
The Department of Education has many supporters. None of them, however, are currently running to become the Republican candidate for president in the 2012 election. All of the Republican candidates have shown an outspoken hostility to the...
The 2011 National Book Award Recognizes Young People's Literature Dec 02, 2011
Thanhha Lai's 'Inside Out & Back Again' just won the 2011 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Both this novel and the award's other finalists, which are described here, are an excellent place to look for the latest in powerful and...
Your Move: Does Chess Have a Place in School Curriculum? Dec 02, 2011
Can playing chess make you smarter? Maybe not...but some, including Hungarian-born chess grandmaster Susan Polgar, believe that it can bring several academic benefits to elementary schoolchildren. Are schools willing to include this popular game...
Head Custodian Saves the Day for Athletes Dec 01, 2011
At a time when school budgets are being slashed to the bone, perhaps no other programs have been dealt more serious blows than sports. For the most part, these cuts seem to be hitting high school sports programs the hardest. But at one...
Does Science Stand a Chance Against English and Math? Dec 01, 2011
Even while the Obama administration pushes for increased focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, California has virtually removed science from many of its elementary schools. Blame has been placed on everything from...