I've been re-building my computer sytem the last week with a clean re-installation of the operating system and re-installing all my applications, including Radio Userland. I had many of my data files and apps backed up, but did lose some data, including some Radio postings. ____JH Read the rest ...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Calculating Potential
Calculating Potential
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece [...]
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece [...]
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece about the different tools available for students to use for figuring out their potential future earnings and what that might mean vis-รก-vis paying back their student loans.
Included in the list of future-salary calculators is the soon-to-be-launched Human Capital Score. It’s in beta right now, and can therefore currently be accessed for free by anyone who’s interested. (Once it’s officially launched, I’m assuming it’ll cost you in some way, shape, or form). Unlike traditional FICO scores, the Human Capital Score figures out a given student’s future ability to pay back the money they borrowed for college using the student’s SAT scores, their high school GPA, their undergraduate major and their undergrad GPA.
It’s interesting in so far as HCS is utilizing a different set of variables when calculating student loan factors. However, while I do appreciate it when the system tries new and exciting approaches to measuring people’s potential, I still tend to take issue with the obsessive need to measure people in the first place, especially when it comes to deciding who deserves how much education based on test scores and possible future earnings. Again with the standardized test scores meaning more than they should and the in-it-for-the-potential-to-do-good careers getting shafted.
Sampling of Salary Calculators:
SalaryExpert.com
Salary Wizard
Glassdoor.com
PayScale.com
National Association of Colleges and Employers (usually free at college career centers)
Posted by Alexa Harrington
Door Open or Closed?
Door Open or Closed?
There is no grey area in classifying me as a door-closed worker bee. I am hard-wired to focus with extreme intensity on tasks and goals and To Do lists. I can’t not be in motion. I’m one of those jackasses who looks forward with unquellable elation to a long-planned and well-deserved vacation, [...]
There is no grey area in classifying me as a door-closed worker bee. I am hard-wired to focus with extreme intensity on tasks and goals and To Do lists. I can’t not be in motion. I’m one of those jackasses who looks forward with unquellable elation to a long-planned and well-deserved vacation, [...]
There is no grey area in classifying me as a door-closed worker bee. I am hard-wired to focus with extreme intensity on tasks and goals and To Do lists. I can’t not be in motion. I’m one of those jackasses who looks forward with unquellable elation to a long-planned and well-deserved vacation, and by Day #3 I’m done with sitting around and reading and have begun cataloguing and alphabetizing anything that’s not nailed down. I know. I disgust even myself. And while no one has ever accused me of being a slacker, almost everyone who knows and loves me has told me (for my own good and for the sanity of those around me) that maybe it would be better if I took it down a notch, for Pete’s sake.
Too bad for me that, due to my preference for having the office door closed and for all distractions to be annihilated with my laser-beam eyes the moment they open their yaps to ask me a question or tell me something inane that has nothing whatsoever to do with my current task, I will probably not choose the problem or endeavor that will be important enough to catapult me to fame. Or so theorizes Richard Hamming in his talk, “You and Your Research.” I’m not a research scientist, but I think Hamming’s theory is applicable to all humans, regardless of their field.
This talk centered on Hamming’s observations and research on the question “Why do so few scientists make significant contributions and so many are forgotten in the long run?'’ From his more than forty years of experience, thirty of which were at Bell Laboratories, he has made a number of direct observations, asked very pointed questions of scientists about what, how, and why they did things, studied the lives of great scientists and great contributions, and has done introspection and studied theories of creativity. The talk is about what he has learned in terms of the properties of the individual scientists, their abilities, traits, working habits, attitudes, and philosophy.
Here’s what he had to say about those who work with the door open vs. those who prefer to work distraction-free:
I noticed the following facts about people who work with the door open or the door closed. I notice that if you have the door to your office closed, you get more work done today and tomorrow, and you are more productive than most. But 10 years later somehow you don’t know quite know what problems are worth working on; all the hard work you do is sort of tangential in importance. He who works with the door open gets all kinds of interruptions, but he also occasionally gets clues as to what the world is and what might be important. Now I cannot prove the cause and effect sequence because you might say, “The closed door is symbolic of a closed mind.'’ I don’t know. But I can say there is a pretty good correlation between those who work with the doors open and those who ultimately do important things, although people who work with doors closed often work harder. Somehow they seem to work on slightly the wrong thing - not much, but enough that they miss fame.
So, clearly I’m probably going to be missing the chance to take note of, and then solve, the big and interesting problems of our day. I know myself pretty well, and I could have told you years ago that I will always tend toward missing the important stuff as I will be too busy crossing s**t off of my list.
While I like the fact that I’m not a slacker, I am trying to re-wire myself enough so that I’ll be better able to stop the train and focus on the present day, instead of constantly looking to the horizon, which seems always to be the thing I’m trying to get to. (And for anyone who paid attention in Reality 101, please won’t you slap me and tell me again that it’s impossible to ever get to the horizon, which means I’ll never be finished, so its probably okay to just take a breather every now and then).
Posted by Alexa Harrington
(via Ben Casnocha)
AG Announces Arrest of Former School Secretary Accused of Altering Grades to Help Daughter
Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation have filed criminal charges against a Huntingdon County woman accused of using her position as a high school secretary to alter grades and test scores in order to enhance her daughter's class standing.
Continue reading ...
Monday, June 29, 2009
"Ryan, to her surprise, accepted an offer to take the position for a second term. Mostly, she says,..."
"Ryan, to her surprise, accepted an offer to take the position for a second term. Mostly, she says,..."
“Ryan, to her surprise, accepted an offer to take the position for a second term. Mostly, she says, she’s doing it because Carol died. “I have to do something,” she says. “I have to do something to keep me busy.” She may not want to be Ambassador of Poetry, but she has another project in mind: promoting community colleges. “There’s no glamour attached to attending one or being an instructor in one,” Ryan says. “But the quality of education and the commitment to education in community colleges is
“Ryan, to her surprise, accepted an offer to take the position for a second term. Mostly, she says, she’s doing it because Carol died. “I have to do something,” she says. “I have to do something to keep me busy.” She may not want to be Ambassador of Poetry, but she has another project in mind: promoting community colleges. “There’s no glamour attached to attending one or being an instructor in one,” Ryan says. “But the quality of education and the commitment to education in community colleges is
Massachusetts Educational Data Warehouse provides a host of tools
Massachusetts is not the first state to create a data warehouse for educational data, but it is early to the field with a really robust set of tools for analyzing a variety of student information.
Read the rest ...
School chief draws praise and barbs
School chief draws praise and barbs
School Committee members in the King Philip regional district quickly accepted retiring Superintendent Richard Robbat’s offer to work next school year without taking his $132,000 salary.
School Committee members in the King Philip regional district quickly accepted retiring Superintendent Richard Robbat’s offer to work next school year without taking his $132,000 salary.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition
Should be interesting to see what emerges from this new funding direction by the MacArthur Foundation. ____JH
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"Awards will be made in the two categories of Innovation and Knowledge-Networking. Innovation Awards ($100,000 and $250,000) will support learning pioneers, entrepreneurs, and builders of new digital learning environments for formal and informal learning. Knowledge-Networking Awards ($30,000 base award, to a total of $75,000 if budget warrants) will support communicators in connecting, mobilizing, circulating, or translating new ideas around digital media and learning. Entries to the Competition are due October 15, 2007.
Details and application requirements can be found at www.dmlcompetition.net. If you have comments or questions about the Competition that you would like to share publicly, we would love to hear from you via this Spotlight Blog."
'The parenting police' - you hit out at home education plans
Parents are hitting back at plans for what they believe are Big Brother-style powers to inspect home schooling.
Read more ...
Limit learning losses during summer vacation
It's called "the summer brain drain" because during those long, hot months away from school, kids supposedly forget a lot of what they had learned in class.
Read more ...
UCLA employees protest proposed pay cuts, furloughs
UCLA employees protest proposed pay cuts, furloughs
UC officials consider salary reductions of 4% to 8%, 21 unpaid days off or a combination. The cuts would close about one-fourth of an anticipated $800-million state funding shortfall.
More than 2,000 UCLA employees, including researchers, custodians, nurses and secretaries, gathered at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday to protest plans for pay cuts and furloughs proposed by the University of California.
UC officials consider salary reductions of 4% to 8%, 21 unpaid days off or a combination. The cuts would close about one-fourth of an anticipated $800-million state funding shortfall.
More than 2,000 UCLA employees, including researchers, custodians, nurses and secretaries, gathered at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday to protest plans for pay cuts and furloughs proposed by the University of California.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Valedictorian says Accelerated School barred her from making speech
Aurora Ponce says she was also deprived of a tutoring job she was counting on to help with coming college expenses after she took part in a protest over school cuts. Officials aren't talking.
Aurora Ponce is senior class president, boasts a near-perfect A average and is UC-bound with plans to study engineering.
Read more ...
Aurora Ponce is senior class president, boasts a near-perfect A average and is UC-bound with plans to study engineering.
Read more ...
Supreme Court victory for parents of disabled students
Justices rule that parents who remove a disabled child from public school can be reimbursed for private instruction. The court says a 'free, appropriate' education is a public duty.
The Supreme Court strengthened the rights of parents of children with disabilities on Monday and dealt a potentially costly setback to cash-strapped public school districts across the nation.
Read the rest ...
The Supreme Court strengthened the rights of parents of children with disabilities on Monday and dealt a potentially costly setback to cash-strapped public school districts across the nation.
Read the rest ...
Friday, June 26, 2009
Economy sending students back home to college
A few months ago, Rebecca Gottlieb faced a difficult choice: continue on at her $50,000-a-year private school in Massachusetts, or leave her new friends and life and enroll at a cheaper school near home in Washington. Continue reading ...
State Lawmakers Vote for Education Cuts
State Lawmakers Vote for Education Cuts
The state could break a promise to help thousands of students pay for college. A committee of lawmakers voted to cut financial aid programs, such as the promise scholarship.
Miles J. Zaremski: A Lot of Tired Feet Can Reform Health Care
Miles J. Zaremski: A Lot of Tired Feet Can Reform Health Care
Due to my background, an inquiry of me was made to join two organizations, the Illinois branch of Healthcare For American Now (HCAN) and Illinois Main Street Alliance, in their efforts to meet with Members of Congress from Illinois on June 24/25 regarding health care reform. HCAN is a nationwide effort representing some 30 million to bring about change in health care. Main Street Alliance represents small businesses countrywide, including 500 or so in Illinois. Led by Illinois Campaign Dire
Due to my background, an inquiry of me was made to join two organizations, the Illinois branch of Healthcare For American Now (HCAN) and Illinois Main Street Alliance, in their efforts to meet with Members of Congress from Illinois on June 24/25 regarding health care reform. HCAN is a nationwide effort representing some 30 million to bring about change in health care. Main Street Alliance represents small businesses countrywide, including 500 or so in Illinois. Led by Illinois Campaign Dire
Pa. mother charged with changing daughter's grades
Pa. mother charged with changing daughter's grades
A high school secretary illegally changed grades in a school computer system to improve her daughter's class standing, according to criminal charges filed Thursday.
A high school secretary illegally changed grades in a school computer system to improve her daughter's class standing, according to criminal charges filed Thursday.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
You Tube Edu
You Tube Edu
This site address at You Tube provides links to video courses and lectures from large universities. It's a useful one-stop starting point. __JH
This site address at You Tube provides links to video courses and lectures from large universities. It's a useful one-stop starting point. __JH
Graduate test goes where GRE doesn't: personality
Graduate test goes where GRE doesn't: personality
A new assessment by the Educational Testing Service aims at helping universities reduce attrition by evaluating the drive and integrity of an applicant.
Because nearly half of all students who start doctoral programs don't finish, educators have long wondered how best to judge applicants to graduate schools and reduce that attrition rate.
A new assessment by the Educational Testing Service aims at helping universities reduce attrition by evaluating the drive and integrity of an applicant.
Because nearly half of all students who start doctoral programs don't finish, educators have long wondered how best to judge applicants to graduate schools and reduce that attrition rate.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Now you see it...
Now you see it...
In the 10 years since I first fielded readers’ complaints about the phrase go missing, the British import has continued to spread in American English. It has also continued to irk some people: Grammar Girl, for instance, called it her audience’s peeve of the year for 2008. She added this advice to journalists: “Went missing actually isn’t wrong, but it ...
In the 10 years since I first fielded readers’ complaints about the phrase go missing, the British import has continued to spread in American English. It has also continued to irk some people: Grammar Girl, for instance, called it her audience’s peeve of the year for 2008. She added this advice to journalists: “Went missing actually isn’t wrong, but it ...
Confession, 1st DNA test likely focus of probe
Confession, 1st DNA test likely focus of probe
Confession, 1st DNA test likely focus of probe Yuichiro Nakamura, Takayuki Ojima and Makoto Inagaki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Why were false charges brought in such a serious crime as the Ashikaga murder? The Tokyo High Court gave the go-ahead for the retrial of Toshikazu Sugaya, 62, who was sentenced to life in prison over the killing of a 4-year-old girl in 1990 in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, but who has since been released. In the retrial at the Utsunomiya District Court, whic
Confession, 1st DNA test likely focus of probe Yuichiro Nakamura, Takayuki Ojima and Makoto Inagaki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Why were false charges brought in such a serious crime as the Ashikaga murder? The Tokyo High Court gave the go-ahead for the retrial of Toshikazu Sugaya, 62, who was sentenced to life in prison over the killing of a 4-year-old girl in 1990 in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, but who has since been released. In the retrial at the Utsunomiya District Court, whic
Oregon governor vetoes $5.8B school funding plan
Oregon governor vetoes $5.8B school funding plan
Gov. Ted Kulongoski made good on his promise to veto the Oregon Legislature's $5.8 billion school-funding plan Tuesday, though legislative leaders said they had the votes to overturn the measure.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski made good on his promise to veto the Oregon Legislature's $5.8 billion school-funding plan Tuesday, though legislative leaders said they had the votes to overturn the measure.
Next Generation Telecoms - FttH and Trans-sector Strategies
Next Generation Telecoms - FttH and Trans-sector Strategies
The deployment of FttH around the world is beginning to lead to exciting developments for the next generation of telecommunications. In particular, infrastructure based on FttH is providing the foundation for smart communities and cities where a number of technologies and services are combined to create an enhanced value proposition for residents. Smart homes connected to these networks can utilise services such as tele-health, e-education and e-government as well as access digital media and hig
The deployment of FttH around the world is beginning to lead to exciting developments for the next generation of telecommunications. In particular, infrastructure based on FttH is providing the foundation for smart communities and cities where a number of technologies and services are combined to create an enhanced value proposition for residents. Smart homes connected to these networks can utilise services such as tele-health, e-education and e-government as well as access digital media and hig
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
School Program Cuts Problem Behaviors In Fifth Graders In Half
School Program Cuts Problem Behaviors In Fifth Graders In Half
A study by Oregon State University researchers suggests that school-based prevention programs begun in elementary school can significantly reduce problem behaviors in students.
Supreme Court actions on Monday
The Supreme Court on Monday: -- Ruled that the Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. 1 in Austin, Texas, could opt out of the Voting Rights Act. The court, in an 8-1 decision, did not rule on whether the government's chief weapon against racial discrimination at polling places since the 1960s was constitutional. At issue was the section of the ... Continue reading ...
DREAMing Coast to Coast
DREAMing Coast to Coast
July 23rd is National Dream Act Graduation Day! On behalf of the undocumented youth in the United States, cities like Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago and Houston will be hosting a mock graduation in efforts to bring awareness to the struggles of the graduating, undocumented high school students. These youth, who by then will have received their high school diploma, will be limited to hard labor jobs under the table, never to be able to utilize their education, talents and abilities. In t
July 23rd is National Dream Act Graduation Day! On behalf of the undocumented youth in the United States, cities like Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago and Houston will be hosting a mock graduation in efforts to bring awareness to the struggles of the graduating, undocumented high school students. These youth, who by then will have received their high school diploma, will be limited to hard labor jobs under the table, never to be able to utilize their education, talents and abilities. In t
Monday, June 22, 2009
Charter school process faulted
Four months after it received state approval, the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School remains a focus of heated controversy in the city. Continue reading ...
Fundraising, scholarships help Keene, NH students
Fundraising, scholarships help Keene, NH students
Faculty and staff at Keene State College have dug into their own pockets to help students struggling with tuition.
Faculty and staff at Keene State College have dug into their own pockets to help students struggling with tuition.
Obama may need firmer hand on health care debate
Obama may need firmer hand on health care debate
President Barack Obama is seeing the downside of his light touch on revamping the nation's health care system.
President Barack Obama is seeing the downside of his light touch on revamping the nation's health care system.
Top majors line up with available jobs
A college student interested in philosophy or art history might have decided to major in them a few years ago.
Read the rest ...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Cuts cost L.A. Unified its Teach for America instructors for next year
Cuts cost L.A. Unified its Teach for America instructors for next year
The district, facing a steep budget shortfall, says it won't be able to afford new teachers from the program, which places college graduates in low-income schools.
The financially strapped Los Angeles Unified School District says it cannot afford to hire any new teachers next year from Teach for America, a prestigious program that places high-achieving college graduates in low-income, underperforming schools.
The district, facing a steep budget shortfall, says it won't be able to afford new teachers from the program, which places college graduates in low-income schools.
The financially strapped Los Angeles Unified School District says it cannot afford to hire any new teachers next year from Teach for America, a prestigious program that places high-achieving college graduates in low-income, underperforming schools.
Top majors line up with available jobs
Top majors line up with available jobs
A college student interested in philosophy or art history might have decided to major in them a few years ago.
Now you see it...
In the 10 years since I first fielded readers’ complaints about the phrase go missing, the British import has continued to spread in American English. It has also continued to irk some people: Grammar Girl, for instance, called it her audience’s peeve of the year for 2008. She added this advice to journalists: “Went missing actually isn’t wrong, but it ... Read more ...
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Keep Watching the Skies
Keep Watching the Skies
In case you’ve missed it, 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy . In keeping with the FFW promotion of science, I have a couple inspiring news items. Recently, a 14-year-old girl discovered a supernova. She is the youngest person ever to do so. I thought that it was cool to see someone so excited about discovery and science. She really makes me want to pick up a telescope and look for myself. Click here to view the embedded video. Also this week, NASA launched a rocket to the
In case you’ve missed it, 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy . In keeping with the FFW promotion of science, I have a couple inspiring news items. Recently, a 14-year-old girl discovered a supernova. She is the youngest person ever to do so. I thought that it was cool to see someone so excited about discovery and science. She really makes me want to pick up a telescope and look for myself. Click here to view the embedded video. Also this week, NASA launched a rocket to the
Calculating Potential
Calculating Potential
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece [...]
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece [...]
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece about the different tools available for students to use for figuring out their potential future earnings and what that might mean vis-รก-vis paying back their student loans.
Included in the list of future-salary calculators is the soon-to-be-launched Human Capital Score. It’s in beta right now, and can therefore currently be accessed for free by anyone who’s interested. (Once it’s officially launched, I’m assuming it’ll cost you in some way, shape, or form). Unlike traditional FICO scores, the Human Capital Score figures out a given student’s future ability to pay back the money they borrowed for college using the student’s SAT scores, their high school GPA, their undergraduate major and their undergrad GPA.
It’s interesting in so far as HCS is utilizing a different set of variables when calculating student loan factors. However, while I do appreciate it when the system tries new and exciting approaches to measuring people’s potential, I still tend to take issue with the obsessive need to measure people in the first place, especially when it comes to deciding who deserves how much education based on test scores and possible future earnings. Again with the standardized test scores meaning more than they should and the in-it-for-the-potential-to-do-good careers getting shafted.
Sampling of Salary Calculators:
SalaryExpert.com
Salary Wizard
Glassdoor.com
PayScale.com
National Association of Colleges and Employers (usually free at college career centers)
Posted by Alexa Harrington
USC basketball: Trojans hire Kevin O’Neill
USC basketball: Trojans hire Kevin O’Neill
USC has hired Kevin O’Neill to succeed Tim Floyd as men’s basketball coach. Here’s the school’s official announcement: LOS ANGELES–Kevin O’Neill, who has 13 years of collegiate and NBA head coaching experience, has been named the men’s basketball head coach at USC, Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett announced today (June 20). “We’re thrilled to have Kevin O’Neill as our men’s basketball coach,” said Garrett. “Kevin is the consummate coach. He knows his Xs and Os, he’s an excellent recru
USC has hired Kevin O’Neill to succeed Tim Floyd as men’s basketball coach. Here’s the school’s official announcement: LOS ANGELES–Kevin O’Neill, who has 13 years of collegiate and NBA head coaching experience, has been named the men’s basketball head coach at USC, Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett announced today (June 20). “We’re thrilled to have Kevin O’Neill as our men’s basketball coach,” said Garrett. “Kevin is the consummate coach. He knows his Xs and Os, he’s an excellent recru
Police raid Lawrence school superintendent's office
Police raid Lawrence school superintendent's office
State and local police searched the office of Lawrence school superintendent Wilfredo Laboy yesterday, in what was called an ongoing criminal investigation and the latest stain for the city’s schools. Investigators were at the office searching computers and paperwork, but officials would not identify Laboy as the target of the raid. Laboy was not in the office at the time ...
State and local police searched the office of Lawrence school superintendent Wilfredo Laboy yesterday, in what was called an ongoing criminal investigation and the latest stain for the city’s schools. Investigators were at the office searching computers and paperwork, but officials would not identify Laboy as the target of the raid. Laboy was not in the office at the time ...
Friday, June 19, 2009
Sweaty Mortarboards
Sweaty Mortarboards
It’s June, and the air is awash with the distinct scent of college graduates sweating in their rented caps and gowns. Here’s my positive spin on having the bad luck to be a college graduate looking for your first job when no one is hiring: the pressure’s pretty much off. Getting any [...]
It’s June, and the air is awash with the distinct scent of college graduates sweating in their rented caps and gowns. Here’s my positive spin on having the bad luck to be a college graduate looking for your first job when no one is hiring: the pressure’s pretty much off. Getting any [...]
It’s June, and the air is awash with the distinct scent of college graduates sweating in their rented caps and gowns. Here’s my positive spin on having the bad luck to be a college graduate looking for your first job when no one is hiring: the pressure’s pretty much off. Getting any job will do, which means you won’t have to leap any tall buildings right off the bat. Seriously, your parents will be stoked as long as you don’t end up back in their basement.
Going back to school is always an option. I mentioned previously that research has been done (I do love data) on college grads in the early 1980s who hid out in grad school instead of trying to find a job in a recession, and their future career trajectories and earning potential were in no way harmed.
If you’re sick of school (how is that even possible?) and don’t feel it’s necessary to add to your student loan tab, then by all means get to it and find a job. Here’s some advice (which you’ll be needing).
Further Reading and Resources:
100 Best Lifehack Lists for Recent College Grads
100 Useful Job Search Tools for Recent College Grads
About.com: Job Searching
Found Your Career
Jobs for College Grads and Career Changers
New Resource for Recent College Grads & Entry Level Job Seekers
One Day One Job: Entry Level Jobs for New College Grads
One Day One Internship
Stimulus Jobs for New College Grads
Teach for America Attracts More College Grads
The Best Job Markets for Recent College Grads
Tools for a Tough Market: 100 Resources for College Grads
Why Your College Grad Doesn’t Have a Job Yet…& 10 Things You Can Do to Fix That
Posted by Alexa Harrington
MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition
Should be interesting to see what emerges from this new funding direction by the MacArthur Foundation. ____JH
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"Awards will be made in the two categories of Innovation and Knowledge-Networking. Innovation Awards ($100,000 and $250,000) will support learning pioneers, entrepreneurs, and builders of new digital learning environments for formal and informal learning. Knowledge-Networking Awards ($30,000 base award, to a total of $75,000 if budget warrants) will support communicators in connecting, mobilizing, circulating, or translating new ideas around digital media and learning. Entries to the Competition are due October 15, 2007.
Details and application requirements can be found at www.dmlcompetition.net. If you have comments or questions about the Competition that you would like to share publicly, we would love to hear from you via this Spotlight Blog."
ACE Resources for Lifelong Learning Professionals
The American Council for Education maintains a useful set of pages for academics who work with adult learners. Included at the ACE site is information about Military Evaluation Programs, Government Relations, and Public Policy. (Of course not very many years ago, most students involved in distance education were included in the "adult learner" category, but today distance education is appealing to more and more younger students.) ___JH
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"For more than 60 years, ACE has helped adults gain access to a postsecondary education. We invite you to find out more about our programs and services."
Read the rest ...
New focus in pursuit of abuse by clergy
New focus in pursuit of abuse by clergy
Five weeks after an Irish commission released a devastating report about abuse at Catholic children’s institutions there, a Waltham-based organization is starting an effort to compile evidence about what it believes was a similar pattern of abuse at Catholic institutions in the United States.
Five weeks after an Irish commission released a devastating report about abuse at Catholic children’s institutions there, a Waltham-based organization is starting an effort to compile evidence about what it believes was a similar pattern of abuse at Catholic institutions in the United States.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
LectureShare
LectureShare
This new web tool makes it easy for instructors to share text, audio, and video with students. Registration is required, but free. Use the FAQ and About sections to orient to the resources. Also look at Ezra Katz's sample course LectureShare 101 (once registered). ____JH
(Thanks to Jane's E-Learning Pick of the Day for this reference.)
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- Give students access to course materials without the burden of maintaining your own webpage or the hassle of complex web-based solutions
- Post audio and video content easily
- Make class announcements that your students will actually read—via e-mail, RSS (coming soon), or SMS
- Effortlessly make your course available to anyone if you choose
California charter schools stronger in reading than math
California charter schools stronger in reading than math
A Stanford University study of charter schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia found, nationally, only 17% of charter schools do better academically than their public counterparts.
California charter schools outperform traditional public schools in reading but significantly lag in math, according to a national study released Monday by researchers at Stanford University.
A Stanford University study of charter schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia found, nationally, only 17% of charter schools do better academically than their public counterparts.
California charter schools outperform traditional public schools in reading but significantly lag in math, according to a national study released Monday by researchers at Stanford University.
The long road back
The long road back
The English High School, a historic icon and once one of Boston's premier learning institutions, has become one of the city's worst schools. This year, it must improve or face closure. This story is the first of several about the students, teachers, and headmaster at English as they try to reverse the school's troubled course.
The English High School, a historic icon and once one of Boston's premier learning institutions, has become one of the city's worst schools. This year, it must improve or face closure. This story is the first of several about the students, teachers, and headmaster at English as they try to reverse the school's troubled course.
Free Search Tools for Science Information
Free Search Tools for Science Information
This guideline information was cited in Open Access News. These tools will be useful to students and instructors in both science and technology. ____JH
"ResourceShelf has put together A Quick Look at a Few Free Science Search Tools. Among the tools and resources it covers are BioMed Central, CiteSeer, DOAJ, Global Science Gateway, Google Scholar, Highwire Press, Microsoft Live Search Academic, National Science Digital Library, OAIster, PubMed Central, Science.gov, Scirus, and Scitopia." [Open Access News]
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Brookings on regional economic performance
Brookings has developed a really cool MetroMonitor that will track the recession and recovery (likely a year after the recession ends) across America's 100 largest metropolitan areas. Here are some of their findings to date: A few metropolitan areas are beginning to showing signs of economic recovery, although none has completely recovered . McAllen is the only metropolitan area that saw growth in both employment and output during the first quarter of 2009. Employment also rose in New Hav Continue reading ...
Annenberg Broadband Media Resources
The Annenberg Foundation has provided instructional media to schools, colleges, and to public television for many years. Some of the Annenberg Media productions are now freely available online. Registration is required. The Teacher Resources are organized by discipline and age group and are searchable with key words. Some examples include "A World of Art," "The Constitution," "Human Geography," "In Search of the Novel," and "Seasons of Life." Although the materials are directed at teachers for use as supplements to classes, they will also be useful for students and adult learners.____JH
_____
"Annenberg Media is a unit of The Annenberg Foundation. Our mission is to advance excellent teaching in all disciplines throughout American K-12 schools. Former names of Annenberg Media are: Annenberg/CPB, The Annenberg/CPB Project, and The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project.
We pursue this mission by funding and broadly distributing multimedia resources for teachers to help them improve their own teaching practice and understanding of their subject. Annenberg Media makes use of telecommunications technologies—the Internet, including broadband video streaming, and satellite television broadcast—as well as hard copy media to disseminate these multimedia resources, ensuring that they reach as many teachers as possible."
Read the rest ...
High school students compete for auto repair crown
High school students compete for auto repair crown
For Matthew Ludwig and Justin Dwyer, their future in the auto industry is a bright one, unmarred by a slumping auto sales market and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings.
For Matthew Ludwig and Justin Dwyer, their future in the auto industry is a bright one, unmarred by a slumping auto sales market and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Crashing
I experienced a major crash of my computer and my backup system recently. Consequently, I've not been able to post messages for several days. Also, I've not been able to fully recover past messages. Hope to fully recover the system today or tomorrow.
JH
Read the rest ...
Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette Back Issues Available Online for Free PDF Download
Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette Back Issues Available Online for Free PDF Download
Are you interested in Irish genealogy? If so, then you should know about Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette . The Gazette is published by The Genealogical Society of Ireland, a membership society based in County Dublin, Ireland. The back issues of The Genealogical Gazette are available for FREE pdf download at: http://www.familyhistory.ie/backcopies.htm They date from October, 2007 through March of 2009. It’s a 4-page monthly - and very interesting…
Are you interested in Irish genealogy? If so, then you should know about Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette . The Gazette is published by The Genealogical Society of Ireland, a membership society based in County Dublin, Ireland. The back issues of The Genealogical Gazette are available for FREE pdf download at: http://www.familyhistory.ie/backcopies.htm They date from October, 2007 through March of 2009. It’s a 4-page monthly - and very interesting…
Teachers busted for cheating scheme: media
Chinese police have detained two high school teachers for providing students with electronic devices to help them cheat on the country's make-or-break college entrance exams, state media said Thursday.
Continue reading ...
Exam cheating probe widens in Jilin
Exam cheating probe widens in Jilin
The Ministry of Education yesterday vowed to crack down on the soaring cheating problem on college entrance exams and is working with provincial authorities to investigate the cheating scam in Songyuan, Jilin province.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Board of Ed Extends Landon’s Contract to 2012
Elliott Landon : Praised for leadership. Dave Matlow/WN file photo The Westport Board of Education has decided to extend Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon’s contract until 2012, board Chair Don O’Day announced tonight. O’Day made the announcement during a board ceremony honoring retiring teachers. Landon, 69, joined the Westport school system in 1999, succeeding Paul Kellerher. His current contact runs until 2010. Current and former board members and PTA presidents praised Continue reading ...
Confused yet? State grad requirements in flux
If you have middle school or high school student in your family, chances are you're at least a little confused about what is required to earn a high school diploma in the state of Washington.
Read more ...
Richard K. Overton dies at 81; convicted of fatally poisoning his wife
He was the center of a publicized Orange County murder trial after the death of his wife, a popular and outgoing school board member in the Capistrano Unified School District.
Richard K. Overton, the subject of one of Orange County's most riveting trials who was convicted of murdering his wife, a popular school board member, by slipping her poisons in 1988, has died, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed. He was 81.
Continue reading ...
Richard K. Overton, the subject of one of Orange County's most riveting trials who was convicted of murdering his wife, a popular school board member, by slipping her poisons in 1988, has died, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed. He was 81.
Continue reading ...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Bartlett parents asking state to investigate school's closing
Bartlett parents asking state to investigate school's closing
A group of parents of students at the Bartlett School, which this month shut its doors due to financial difficulties, has asked the state attorney general to investigate the Waltham nonprofit elementary school's board of trustees in connection with their financial decisions leading to its closing.
A group of parents of students at the Bartlett School, which this month shut its doors due to financial difficulties, has asked the state attorney general to investigate the Waltham nonprofit elementary school's board of trustees in connection with their financial decisions leading to its closing.
Maine lawmakers approve $150M bond package
Maine lawmakers approve $150M bond package
Some testy moments -- particularly over highway maintenance options that had Democrats and Republicans at odds -- marked the final hours of this year's regular session of the Maine Legislature.
Some testy moments -- particularly over highway maintenance options that had Democrats and Republicans at odds -- marked the final hours of this year's regular session of the Maine Legislature.
State college lays off 25 workers
State college lays off 25 workers
Salem State College has laid off 25 employees, including a number of longtime administrators, to help close a $9 million to $11 million projected budget shortfall for the next fiscal year.
Salem State College has laid off 25 employees, including a number of longtime administrators, to help close a $9 million to $11 million projected budget shortfall for the next fiscal year.
State college lays off 25 workers
Salem State College has laid off 25 employees, including a number of longtime administrators, to help close a $9 million to $11 million projected budget shortfall for the next fiscal year. Continue reading ...
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Manhattan Charter School Will Pay Teachers Six Figures
Manhattan Charter School Will Pay Teachers Six Figures
Based on the theory that quality teachers are the solution to low-performing students, a school has lured the country's best with high pay.
Spitting in the eye of mainstream education
Spitting in the eye of mainstream education
Three no-frills charter schools in Oakland mock liberal orthodoxy, teach strictly to the test -- and produce some of the state's top scores.
Not many schools in California recruit teachers with language like this: "We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism. . . . Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college-tainted oppression liberators need not apply."
Three no-frills charter schools in Oakland mock liberal orthodoxy, teach strictly to the test -- and produce some of the state's top scores.
Not many schools in California recruit teachers with language like this: "We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism. . . . Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college-tainted oppression liberators need not apply."
Review: Rancid, Rise Against
Repetition is a curse for many bands; for Rancid, it's a virtue. The stalwart punk band from California has been at it for almost 18 years, singing working-class anthems that mix street punk with rock, pop and ska. If you charged them with repeating themselves from one album to the next, they'd probably plead guilty and their fans would shout, "Hell, yeah." Friday night Rancid was on a three-band bill at the Uptown that included the Riverboat Gamblers and the headliners, Rise Against. A lot Continue reading ...
David Wiley's Open Course on Open Education
David Wiley's Open Course on Open Education
Here's the link the to wiki syllabus for David Wiley's Fall 2007 course about Open Education. There's still time to sign up for this online course. "The goals of the course are (1) to give you a firm grounding in the current state of the field of open education, including related topics like copyright, licensing, and sustainability, (2) to help you locate open education in the context of mainstream instructional technologies like learning objects, and (3) to get you thinking, writing, and dialoguing creatively and critically about current practices and possible alternative practices in open education." Those who don't want to participate in the course will still find value in the online readings and the links to OER sites. ____JH
Here's the link the to wiki syllabus for David Wiley's Fall 2007 course about Open Education. There's still time to sign up for this online course. "The goals of the course are (1) to give you a firm grounding in the current state of the field of open education, including related topics like copyright, licensing, and sustainability, (2) to help you locate open education in the context of mainstream instructional technologies like learning objects, and (3) to get you thinking, writing, and dialoguing creatively and critically about current practices and possible alternative practices in open education." Those who don't want to participate in the course will still find value in the online readings and the links to OER sites. ____JH
Friday, June 12, 2009
Newton doctor dies in fall from mountain - Boston Globe
The Associated Press Newton doctor dies in fall from mountain Boston Globe By Martin Finucane and Calvin Hennick He had climbed Mount Everest and Mount McKinley, won the respect of colleagues at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, and was known for his drive for excellence. 2 Mount McKinley climbers fall to their deaths The Associated Press National Briefing Los Angeles Times KAALtv.com - Minneapolis Star Tribune - WBUR - Mankato Free Press all 482 news articles View post: Newton doctor di Read the rest ...
Fear of Everything Else
Fear of Everything Else
Theoretically, the whole point of engaging in higher education is to move (at whatever time frame suits you) from childhood to career-having adulthood. My own personal—and impossibly dreamy–life path would involve never completing the education portion and really just avoiding the career part altogether. (Stupid money-necessitating reality. Why won’t anyone pay me [...]
Theoretically, the whole point of engaging in higher education is to move (at whatever time frame suits you) from childhood to career-having adulthood. My own personal—and impossibly dreamy–life path would involve never completing the education portion and really just avoiding the career part altogether. (Stupid money-necessitating reality. Why won’t anyone pay me [...]
Theoretically, the whole point of engaging in higher education is to move (at whatever time frame suits you) from childhood to career-having adulthood. My own personal—and impossibly dreamy–life path would involve never completing the education portion and really just avoiding the career part altogether. (Stupid money-necessitating reality. Why won’t anyone pay me to be a perpetual college student?) This is all by way of explaining that it’s because education and career are usually linked that I sometimes ditch higher education topics and stray over to the career side of the yard.
Dyske Suematsu wrote this essay pondering exactly what I’ve been mulling over in my noggin for years: Why is it that some obviously talented individuals can’t seem to succeed to the degree in which anyone who has seen evidence of their talent, thinks that they should? I had always theorized (as had Mr. Suematsu, as it turns out) that those less-than-successful types either weren’t able to pull themselves together and go out and seek their fortunes, or that they could just never find that one career niche that fit their talent and allowed them to blossom (as it were).
So what about the people who do kick ass on the career world? Are they more stupendous in their talent? What is it that separates them from the talented folks who don’t, erm, blast off into the clouds or whatever? Dyske Suematsu has a profound nugget of an explanation that makes a huge amount of sense to me. I’m simplifying, but basically his theory is this: Talented individuals are of two types, the ones who excel at Everything Else, and the ones who fear Everything Else.
‘Everything Else’ being all the other crap one has to put up with depending upon which career an individual has found themselves swimming in, i.e., a musician can’t play in a vacuum and become successful; he has to work all other aspects of a career in music (and work them really well) in order to get gigs, get paid, promote himself and his music, get a record deal, interview with the press, deal with masses of life-sucking people, etc. If he’s no good at Everything Else, or if he fears Everything Else, then his chances of success in his area of talent dwindle hugely.
So, to be blunt (that’s my special skill) we’ve all got some bit that we’re really damn good at. The trick to achieving success and happiness is to figure out your talent/special skill, find a career that utilizes it, and figure out a way to kick Everything Else’s ass. Alternatively, if you’re just not someone who is ever going to conquer your fear of Everything Else, then either accept the possibility that there will probably not be any super-freaky success in your future, or find the version of your talent-utilizing career that involves less of the Everything Else, like being a studio musician instead of a rock star.
Posted by Alexa Harrington
Free Search Tools for Science Information
This guideline information was cited in Open Access News. These tools will be useful to students and instructors in both science and technology. ____JH
"ResourceShelf has put together A Quick Look at a Few Free Science Search Tools. Among the tools and resources it covers are BioMed Central, CiteSeer, DOAJ, Global Science Gateway, Google Scholar, Highwire Press, Microsoft Live Search Academic, National Science Digital Library, OAIster, PubMed Central, Science.gov, Scirus, and Scitopia." [Open Access News]
Read more ...
Richard K. Overton dies at 81; convicted of fatally poisoning his wife
He was the center of a publicized Orange County murder trial after the death of his wife, a popular and outgoing school board member in the Capistrano Unified School District.
Richard K. Overton, the subject of one of Orange County's most riveting trials who was convicted of murdering his wife, a popular school board member, by slipping her poisons in 1988, has died, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed. He was 81. Continue reading ...
Richard K. Overton, the subject of one of Orange County's most riveting trials who was convicted of murdering his wife, a popular school board member, by slipping her poisons in 1988, has died, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed. He was 81.
Continue reading ...
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Calculating Potential
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece [...]
Setting really far over to the side the fact that I think everyone (even the humans I don’t particularly want to hang out, drink coffee, and chat about politics with) is entitled to an affordable college education, here’s a new take on calculating students loan factors. U.S. News and World Report has a piece about the different tools available for students to use for figuring out their potential future earnings and what that might mean vis-รก-vis paying back their student loans.
Included in the list of future-salary calculators is the soon-to-be-launched Human Capital Score. It’s in beta right now, and can therefore currently be accessed for free by anyone who’s interested. (Once it’s officially launched, I’m assuming it’ll cost you in some way, shape, or form). Unlike traditional FICO scores, the Human Capital Score figures out a given student’s future ability to pay back the money they borrowed for college using the student’s SAT scores, their high school GPA, their undergraduate major and their undergrad GPA.
It’s interesting in so far as HCS is utilizing a different set of variables when calculating student loan factors. However, while I do appreciate it when the system tries new and exciting approaches to measuring people’s potential, I still tend to take issue with the obsessive need to measure people in the first place, especially when it comes to deciding who deserves how much education based on test scores and possible future earnings. Again with the standardized test scores meaning more than they should and the in-it-for-the-potential-to-do-good careers getting shafted.
Sampling of Salary Calculators:
SalaryExpert.com
Salary Wizard
Glassdoor.com
PayScale.com
National Association of Colleges and Employers (usually free at college career centers)
Posted by Alexa Harrington
Continue reading ...
The Knowledge of Educators
The Knowledge of Educators
I’m not sure why it fascinates me so entirely, but the idea that every profession seems, on the surface, to involve only X number of thought processes and actions, when, in fact, the professional in question has a collection of education and experience that’s actually pretty vast in its breadth and depth. The world [...]
I’m not sure why it fascinates me so entirely, but the idea that every profession seems, on the surface, to involve only X number of thought processes and actions, when, in fact, the professional in question has a collection of education and experience that’s actually pretty vast in its breadth and depth. The world [...]
I’m not sure why it fascinates me so entirely, but the idea that every profession seems, on the surface, to involve only X number of thought processes and actions, when, in fact, the professional in question has a collection of education and experience that’s actually pretty vast in its breadth and depth. The world is full of these little iceberg-tip professionals, marching around and doing their professional thing, and the majority of what they know and draw from isn’t visible to the rest of us.
Educators in particular intrigue me. Have you ever heard a teacher explain some kid’s behavior issue to a freaking out parent? The teacher, who has done a certain amount of coursework in the field of child psychology, tends to be way less addled by little Billy’s behavior than Billy’s unglued parent, who has a degree in something totally unrelated to children and the teaching of them. The teacher has gallons of information to pull from about how kids’ minds work, how they develop, how they absorb new input, how they interact with other kids and with adults, and how they deal with their inner noise in conjunction with the chaos of their surroundings. Even Sesame Street, not a show to take molding young minds lightly, has developmental psychologists on its research staff.
For the record, education junkie though I may be, I’m just as fascinated by stockbroker icebergs, plumber icebergs, architect icebergs, chemist icebergs, and stock-car driving icebergs. I think I’m wired to always think about what’s behind the curtain and what’s hidden beneath the surface. I took a film class once (and only once) in college and I was wrecked for all movie watching for months. I couldn’t just watch a damn movie after that without my brain being overrun with thoughts about camera placement, shot angles, what the director was trying to show me, what the director wanted me to know about the plot (and when, and why, and on and on and on). It was annoying and exhausting and made watching a movie suck.
I stopped watching cartoons on Saturday mornings when I was about eleven because someone explained how each frame is drawn and colored, etc. and from then on all I could think about while watching Wiley Coyote were the poor animators and all the drawing they were having to do just so I could veg out while scarfing Corn Pops twice a month at Dad’s house.
Curiosity is basically good and necessary—mankind wouldn’t have gotten very far without it. But sometimes it’s less than calming to have the draining combination of innate curiosity and an impossible-to-turn-off obsessive side to one’s thought process. I can’t not think about stuff all the damn time. This is why I will end up on a nice, quiet tropical island someday with finite levels of input like moon phases, tide tables, mango season, and which book is next on my reading list.
Further Reading for Potential Teacher Icebergs:
Teaching Career Outlook
Education Schools
Child Psychology Degree
Educational Psychology Degree
Sesame Street and the ‘Whole Child’
‘Sesame Street’: The Show That Counts
Posted by Alexa Harrington
(Possibly) The End Of Helicopter Parenting
(Possibly) The End Of Helicopter Parenting
Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time would have a difficult time not clueing into the fact that I have negative feelings toward helicopter parents and their whacked-out Machiavellian ways. Is ‘Machiavellian’ too harsh? Then how about fu**ed-up, ruinously obsessive, and freakishly controlling? It’s possible that I may [...]
Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time would have a difficult time not clueing into the fact that I have negative feelings toward helicopter parents and their whacked-out Machiavellian ways. Is ‘Machiavellian’ too harsh? Then how about fu**ed-up, ruinously obsessive, and freakishly controlling? It’s possible that I may [...]
Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time would have a difficult time not clueing into the fact that I have negative feelings toward helicopter parents and their whacked-out Machiavellian ways. Is ‘Machiavellian’ too harsh? Then how about fu**ed-up, ruinously obsessive, and freakishly controlling?
It’s possible that I may have issues with parents who can’t seem to allow their children to (a) be themselves, and (b) have non-goal-oriented childhoods. The parents who die with the most Ivy-League-Degreed kid don’t win. That’s not even a category. Let it go. Kids should have only the job of growing into themselves; they are not here to make their parents look good.
Thankfully (as I’m this close to chucking the last vestige of professionalism right out the window) the end of the Helicopter-Parenting Era may be drawing to a close. Amy Benfer has written a gorgeously optimistic (and, yet, humorously sarcastic) article in Salon.com about the possible founder of the overly intense parenting trend, Lisa Belkin, and the new hands-off approach to raising whippersnappers:
Now Lisa Belkin certainly isn’t the only person responsible for the shameful way in which our discussion of parenting in the past decade has shifted to focus almost exclusively on the trials, tribulations, petty competitions and anxieties of a tiny group of very privileged families with children who seem to consider their individual child’s prospects of getting into the most exclusive schools more important than, say, ensuring an equitable access to education for this entire generation of children.
…Parenting trends do come and go. But it is genuinely shameful that over this past decade, women on both sides of the Mommy Wars — often self-identified feminist women — have allowed so many definitions of “good” parenting to become inextricably tied up with “affluence.” While all children need good food, healthcare, shelter and good schools, the helicopter parents, whoever the hell they were, allowed parenting to become a competition between children, in which your child’s well-being was directly proportionate to how much advantage he or she could score over the next kid. That, to me, is frankly immoral, and those are the kids I worry about. Hopefully they will grow up to be wiser — and kinder — than their own parents. More…
Now I can’t get that damn “Ding-dong the witch is dead” tune out of my day’s humming repertoire. I have Munchkin-fear, but it’s such a snappy little tune…
Previous Posts on High-Pressure Parenting (in Varying Degrees of Professionalism):
Acceptance
Awesome Parent
“Bursting the AP Bubble”
“College Panel Calls For Less Focus On SATs”
College Student Spy Cams
Find Your Happy Place
Media Frenzy Around High-Pressure College Admissions
Perpetual Perpetration
Play Doh-Smeared Credentials
Private College Counselors
Testing Season Begins
Posted by Alexa Harrington
MCAS results released today
MCAS results released today
The Massachusetts Department of Education today released the results of the 2008 MCAS tests and the department said statewide they show impressive math gains in all grades and strong improvement in eighth grade science and gains in English language arts, math and Science, Technology/Engineering in Grade 10.
The Massachusetts Department of Education today released the results of the 2008 MCAS tests and the department said statewide they show impressive math gains in all grades and strong improvement in eighth grade science and gains in English language arts, math and Science, Technology/Engineering in Grade 10.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Fear of Everything Else
Theoretically, the whole point of engaging in higher education is to move (at whatever time frame suits you) from childhood to career-having adulthood. My own personal—and impossibly dreamy–life path would involve never completing the education portion and really just avoiding the career part altogether. (Stupid money-necessitating reality. Why won’t anyone pay me [...]
Theoretically, the whole point of engaging in higher education is to move (at whatever time frame suits you) from childhood to career-having adulthood. My own personal—and impossibly dreamy–life path would involve never completing the education portion and really just avoiding the career part altogether. (Stupid money-necessitating reality. Why won’t anyone pay me to be a perpetual college student?) This is all by way of explaining that it’s because education and career are usually linked that I sometimes ditch higher education topics and stray over to the career side of the yard.
Dyske Suematsu wrote this essay pondering exactly what I’ve been mulling over in my noggin for years: Why is it that some obviously talented individuals can’t seem to succeed to the degree in which anyone who has seen evidence of their talent, thinks that they should? I had always theorized (as had Mr. Suematsu, as it turns out) that those less-than-successful types either weren’t able to pull themselves together and go out and seek their fortunes, or that they could just never find that one career niche that fit their talent and allowed them to blossom (as it were).
So what about the people who do kick ass on the career world? Are they more stupendous in their talent? What is it that separates them from the talented folks who don’t, erm, blast off into the clouds or whatever? Dyske Suematsu has a profound nugget of an explanation that makes a huge amount of sense to me. I’m simplifying, but basically his theory is this: Talented individuals are of two types, the ones who excel at Everything Else, and the ones who fear Everything Else.
‘Everything Else’ being all the other crap one has to put up with depending upon which career an individual has found themselves swimming in, i.e., a musician can’t play in a vacuum and become successful; he has to work all other aspects of a career in music (and work them really well) in order to get gigs, get paid, promote himself and his music, get a record deal, interview with the press, deal with masses of life-sucking people, etc. If he’s no good at Everything Else, or if he fears Everything Else, then his chances of success in his area of talent dwindle hugely.
So, to be blunt (that’s my special skill) we’ve all got some bit that we’re really damn good at. The trick to achieving success and happiness is to figure out your talent/special skill, find a career that utilizes it, and figure out a way to kick Everything Else’s ass. Alternatively, if you’re just not someone who is ever going to conquer your fear of Everything Else, then either accept the possibility that there will probably not be any super-freaky success in your future, or find the version of your talent-utilizing career that involves less of the Everything Else, like being a studio musician instead of a rock star.
Posted by Alexa Harrington
Read more ...Girls and Math: Blame the Culture, Not Ability
Girls and Math: Blame the Culture, Not Ability
Culture, not biology, might explain why females in some parts of the world don't perform as well as males in math.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Laying a foundation, mapping a better path
Susan Woods recognizes the irony: she's a black woman with no children spearheading a new summer program that's exclusively for young black boys.
Read the rest ...Investigators warn bank stress tests not enough
Investigators warn bank stress tests not enough
A government test of whether 19 major banks could survive a further downturn in the economy may have relied on too rosy a scenario and should be repeated, independent investigators say.
A government test of whether 19 major banks could survive a further downturn in the economy may have relied on too rosy a scenario and should be repeated, independent investigators say.
USD/JPY Daily Outlook
Intra-day forex trading signal by AceTrader : USD/JPY USD/JPY OUTLOOK - 97.55 Last Update At 09 Jun 2009 16:25 GMT As dlr has remained under pressure after break- ing sup at 97.87 (now res), suggesting erratic fall fm 98.90 top to retrace recent upmove remains in progress n weakness to 97.24 (prev. res) cannot be ruled out but reckon 96.95/98 wud hold. Turn short on recovery with stop as indicated, break wud risk 98.15/20, abv confirms low is made.. Range Forecast 97.25 / 97.65 Continue reading ...
Virtual charter schools push for cash
Virtual charter schools push for cash
INDIANAPOLIS -- Advocates for virtual charter schools were encouraged when Republican Gov.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Body found in Hudson River was UMass administrator
Relatives and colleagues of a 33-year-old University of Massachusetts administrator are trying to make sense of her death. Read more ...
Chicago aquarium teaches diners which fish to eat
A Shedd Aquarium sushi class advises eaters to choose fish that are abundant in the wild, not bluefin and yellowfin tuna and others that are overfished and face extinction.
After admiring the beauty of fish from all over the world, about 40 guests will retire to a room at the Shedd Aquarium today to learn how to slice 'em up and eat 'em raw.
Read more ...
After admiring the beauty of fish from all over the world, about 40 guests will retire to a room at the Shedd Aquarium today to learn how to slice 'em up and eat 'em raw.
Read more ...ACE Resources for Lifelong Learning Professionals
The American Council for Education maintains a useful set of pages for academics who work with adult learners. Included at the ACE site is information about Military Evaluation Programs, Government Relations, and Public Policy. (Of course not very many years ago, most students involved in distance education were included in the "adult learner" category, but today distance education is appealing to more and more younger students.) ___JH
_______
"For more than 60 years, ACE has helped adults gain access to a postsecondary education. We invite you to find out more about our programs and services."
Continue reading ...UAF to train special education teachers (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
UAF to train special education teachers (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
FAIRBANKS — The University of Alaska Board of Regents approved a pair of new special education training programs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.
FAIRBANKS — The University of Alaska Board of Regents approved a pair of new special education training programs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Mayors in NJ and CA popular 'tweeters'
Newark Mayor Cory Booker and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom are blazing a new trail in political discourse from opposite sides of the country as they build huge Internet followings on Twitter's fast-growing social network. Read the rest ...
Spitting in the eye of mainstream education
Three no-frills charter schools in Oakland mock liberal orthodoxy, teach strictly to the test -- and produce some of the state's top scores.
Not many schools in California recruit teachers with language like this: "We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism. . . . Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college-tainted oppression liberators need not apply." Read the rest ...
Not many schools in California recruit teachers with language like this: "We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism. . . . Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college-tainted oppression liberators need not apply."
Read the rest ...ZaidLearn--a New Blog about Open Learning Resources
This promising new weblog by Zaid Ali Alsagoff is devoted to open learning resources around the world; Zaid is located in Malaysia. His blog is especially valuable for its extensive listing of links to bloggers who write about eLearning and its multiple links to Learning Tools, eLearning sites, OpenCourseWare sites, University Podcasts, and Learning Repositories. Zaid is currently at work on a book about effective learning and teaching that is scheduled for release in June 2008. ____ JH
Continue reading ...Saturday, June 6, 2009
8th-grader skipping high school to attend college
8th-grader skipping high school to attend college
Aubrey Sparks is like any other 14-year-old girl. She enjoys giggling with her friends and listening to silly music.
Sex education, math under scrutiny: Lawmakers to discuss controversial issue (Deseret News)
Sex education arguments are finished for the State Board of Education but just beginning for legislators. Read more ...
PSAL is tix-ed off at Yanks and Department of Education ticket policy (New York Daily News)
PSAL is tix-ed off at Yanks and Department of Education ticket policy (New York Daily News)
High school baseball coaches are outraged at the Department of Education and the Yankees for creating a new ticket policy that will leave some fans unable to attend Tuesday's PSAL championship games at the new Yankee Stadium.
High school baseball coaches are outraged at the Department of Education and the Yankees for creating a new ticket policy that will leave some fans unable to attend Tuesday's PSAL championship games at the new Yankee Stadium.
Friday, June 5, 2009
8th-grader skipping high school to attend college
8th-grader skipping high school to attend college
Aubrey Sparks is like any other 14-year-old girl. She enjoys giggling with her friends and listening to silly music.
At Harvard, an intimate commencement
At Harvard, an intimate commencement
CAMBRIDGE - Between the pomp of the morning commencement exercises and the afternoon lineup of star-studded speeches, Harvard undergraduates retreated yesterday to the only homes they have known for the last three years, their residence halls, for an intimate ceremony that many say represents what graduation day is really about.
CAMBRIDGE - Between the pomp of the morning commencement exercises and the afternoon lineup of star-studded speeches, Harvard undergraduates retreated yesterday to the only homes they have known for the last three years, their residence halls, for an intimate ceremony that many say represents what graduation day is really about.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Memphis finds no evidence of cheating
Memphis will submit a lengthy document to the NCAA Committee on Infractions this weekend, claiming it found nothing in its internal investigation to support allegations that guard Derrick Rose had a pinch hitter take his SAT test or had any knowledge of any grade changes at his Chicago high school.
Read the rest ...Family Downsizing
Family Downsizing
Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg and his wife have reached a very difficult decision. Given the economic hard times, the couple has decided to lay off one of their children. At first, they tried reducing both of their children to part-time. “We tried it for a few days,” Rosenberg deadpans, “but it proved untenable.”One night, as I was tucking my daughter into bed, she looked me in the eyes and said, “Daddy, will you stay with me for a few minutes?”“I would love to, sweetheart,” I
Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg and his wife have reached a very difficult decision. Given the economic hard times, the couple has decided to lay off one of their children. At first, they tried reducing both of their children to part-time. “We tried it for a few days,” Rosenberg deadpans, “but it proved untenable.”One night, as I was tucking my daughter into bed, she looked me in the eyes and said, “Daddy, will you stay with me for a few minutes?”“I would love to, sweetheart,” I
FACTorial: Or, are you a d/Democrat?
FACTorial: Or, are you a d/Democrat?
Part 2 – Or, are you a d/Democrat? CJ Hinke May 20, 2009 What is democracy? It’s an issue to which I’ve been giving considerable thought. And, once again, I turn to Wikipedia: “The term democracy first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought… Plato contrasted democracy, the system of ‘rule by the governed’, with the alternative systems of monarchy …, oligarchy …and timocracy . [21] ”. I had to look up timocracy http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
Part 2 – Or, are you a d/Democrat? CJ Hinke May 20, 2009 What is democracy? It’s an issue to which I’ve been giving considerable thought. And, once again, I turn to Wikipedia: “The term democracy first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought… Plato contrasted democracy, the system of ‘rule by the governed’, with the alternative systems of monarchy …, oligarchy …and timocracy . [21] ”. I had to look up timocracy http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
Management schools to jointly help reform tertiary education
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants from the United Kingdom has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian institute of management accountants (IAMI) to help further develop international finance and management prof 2 Vote(s) Read the rest ...
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Effort to assist veterans education
Northeastern University announced yesterday that it will invest $2 million annually to help military veterans earn college degrees. Continue reading ...
Ex-Harvard College dean Ernest May dies at age 80
Ex-Harvard College dean Ernest May dies at age 80
Harvard University history professor and former dean Ernest May has died. He was 80. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences said May died Monday at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston from complications following surgery.
Harvard University history professor and former dean Ernest May has died. He was 80. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences said May died Monday at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston from complications following surgery.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
California lawmakers hear pleas not to further slash education
California lawmakers hear pleas not to further slash education
The very future of California is at stake, scores warn a joint Assembly and Senate budget committee, even as a possible $8.1 billion in education reductions looms.
As the state weighs cutting about $8.1 billion from public schools, colleges and universities, scores of educators, parents, students and others told lawmakers Monday that such reductions would jeopardize student success and safety in the short term and California's prosperity in the long term.
The very future of California is at stake, scores warn a joint Assembly and Senate budget committee, even as a possible $8.1 billion in education reductions looms.
As the state weighs cutting about $8.1 billion from public schools, colleges and universities, scores of educators, parents, students and others told lawmakers Monday that such reductions would jeopardize student success and safety in the short term and California's prosperity in the long term.
Memorable Commencement Addresses of 2009
Memorable Commencement Addresses of 2009
The past academic year was a landmark: Graduates saw the first black president elected and watched as a global recession unfolded, making their futures uncertain.
New NH education commissioner sworn in
New NH education commissioner sworn in
New Hampshire has a new education commissioner. Virginia Barry of Bridgewater has been sworn in. The Executive Council unanimously confirmed Gov. John Lynch's nomination of her on May 6.
New Hampshire has a new education commissioner. Virginia Barry of Bridgewater has been sworn in. The Executive Council unanimously confirmed Gov. John Lynch's nomination of her on May 6.
MCAS results released today
The Massachusetts Department of Education today released the results of the 2008 MCAS tests and the department said statewide they show impressive math gains in all grades and strong improvement in eighth grade science and gains in English language arts, math and Science, Technology/Engineering in Grade 10. Read more ...
At elite colleges, new aid for the middle
Some of the nation's most elite colleges, trying to ward off perceptions that they've become unaffordable to even high-income families, are bolstering their financial aid packages by offering grants to students whose parents earn as much as $180,000 a year. Continue reading ...
Monday, June 1, 2009
Report: Blago Eased Rezko Relative's Way To U Of I
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich attends a press conference for "I"m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!" at the Langham Hotel on April 24, 2009, in Pasadena, Calif.
Read the rest ...MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition
MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition
Should be interesting to see what emerges from this new funding direction by the MacArthur Foundation. ____JH
____
"Awards will be made in the two categories of Innovation and Knowledge-Networking. Innovation Awards ($100,000 and $250,000) will support learning pioneers, entrepreneurs, and builders of new digital learning environments for formal and informal learning. Knowledge-Networking Awards ($30,000 base award, to a total of $75,000 if budget warrants) will support communicators in connecting, mobilizing, circulating, or translating new ideas around digital media and learning. Entries to the Competition are due October 15, 2007.
Details and application requirements can be found at www.dmlcompetition.net. If you have comments or questions about the Competition that you would like to share publicly, we would love to hear from you via this Spotlight Blog."
Court upholds not guilty verdict in Samsung case
South Korea's Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted the former chairman of Samsung Electronics on breach of trust charges and threw out guilty verdicts in a related case.
Read more ...
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