According to the article, this principal was removed “because the Burlington School District wanted to qualify for up to $3 million in federal stimulus money for its dozen schools.”

The number of children that could benefit from the funding simply outweighed the cost of losing a great principal. I wouldn’t want to have to make that call.

Under the NCLB rules, for a district to qualify, schools with very low test scores must do one of the following: close down; be replaced by a charter; remove the principal and half the staff; or remove the principal and transform the school. (You knew that, right?)

Yes, the school at which she was principal was indeed a low performer when held up to federal standards, but her students were different: 

• Thirty-seven of 39 fifth graders were refugees or special ed students.

• About half of the 230 students are foreign-born, collectively speaking 30 languages.

• Many have been traumatized.

• One-third see one of the school’s three caseworkers.

Ms. Irvine, the article said, received rave reviews from parents, peers, and her superiors. She developed a new arts curriculum and often worked 80-hour weeks in service to her students and the district.

Her tenacity to help students succeed simply did not stand a chance against the take-no-prisoners policy currently in place by the Department of Education.

As I see it, it would be hard to allow for exceptions under NCLB, as almost every school can give valid reasons why performance is down. Yet, it seems a tragedy that effective principals like Ms. Irvine must be casualties in the fight being waged to save public education. She was indeed one of the good guys.

Someone smart (whom I don’t know) once said, “There is zero intelligence when you start applying zero tolerance across the board.

So how do we keep the good, get rid of the bad, and still fight the good fight? More importantly, what should we do with the casualties?

As responsible parents, we also want our children to have all the opportunities to succeed academically and beyond. This has led to a new trend for toddlers. If you have the money, you can enroll your child in test prep and tutoring for four-year-olds.

The New York Times recently ran an article investigating this hot trend. With the fierce competition for acceptance into gifted programs, many parents have turned to programs that will give their kids an advantage over other pre-kindergarten students.

According to the article, Bige Doruk opened Bright Kids NYC in 2009 to help kids prepare:

She runs a two-month ‘boot camp’ for the gifted test in the fall that includes eight one-on-one 45-minute sessions and two test-prep books for $1,075.

The demand, Doruk says, continues to increase.

As a parent, I understand the urge to give my (brilliant) kid every opportunity that money can buy, I have to ask myself if the test is actually evaluating how gifted a child actually is. Instead, it seems we’re testing knowledge which, in my book, is a totally different game. Perhaps we’re testing how much money parents are willing to spend to get their children into a good school, leaving those without the means in an inequitable situation.

At ODYSSEYWARE, we believe that every student should be given every advantage necessary to compete and excel academically. With customizable online curriculum that can accommodate the learning styles of gifted students as well as those at-risk, students can begin at the appropriate place, and accelerate through the courses at a pace that works for them. This levels the playing field for many kids who haven’t had all the advantages but want to succeed.

Early learning is important for kids. The learning gap seems to widen every day as wealth, not ability, determines what is “gifted.” In addition, when children become test scores instead of living, breathing, brilliant, and curious little learners, we are passing over some of the best and the brightest, and this costs our entire society.

Teachers are usually left to deal with this problem on an individual or class basis. The good news is, a recent study conducted at a private Rhode Island high school indicates that pushing back school start times by as little as 30 minutes may put teens in a better place to learn. For the study, school started one half hour later than usual for students in grades 9-12. As a result, students showed every indication of improved motivation and less depression and fatigue.

According to the study The Impact of Delaying School Start Time on Adolescent Sleep, Mood, and Behavior,

Once a later start time is implemented, average bedtimes were 18 minutes earlier, and the mean duration of sleep for the teens on school nights increased by 45 minutes, from seven hours and seven minutes to seven hours and 52 minutes. Also, the percent of students getting less than seven hours of sleep decreased by 79.4 percent. . .

After a two-month study of 200 students, research found fewer fatigue-related complaints and increased class attendance. What do others have to say about this moving back of the clock to accommodate sleepy-eyed learners?

Delaying school start times is not a new idea. In fact, many school officials have not changed school start times, even with evidence of its benefits, as it affects a complete shift in everyday routines. School starts are predictable, argue some, and set the rhythm for the entire community. A shift in school start time would mean a shift in life.

It’s also important to consider that students’ bedtimes also affect the number of quality sleep hours teens receive.

Yet, an increase in sleep has proven positive effects in many studies, including the areas of health, mood, attention, memory, behavior, quality of life, and academic performance. Sleep deprivation is also linked to increased incidence of automobile accidents, decreased exercise, higher risks for obesity, and an increased risk for stimulant use, said the study.

One of the best things for students using ODYSSEYWARE and their teachers is that they can complete coursework 24-7 when they are most productive and alert. Easier for students. Easier for teachers. Better for learning.

Is starting the school day later something you would consider at your school? What other ways do you fight fatigue in the classroom?

• In the classroom, hard work does not automatically equal success.
• I would much rather teach a “C” student who is working hard than an “A” student who is disruptive.
• Bathroom breaks are a luxury.
• Teaching is my calling, not my job.
• While money is important (I have financial responsibilities, too), making a difference is why I do what I do.
• I don’t need a Christmas present, but a thank you note would make my week.
• I’m not teaching just because I love my subject. I’m teaching because I value you and see your potential.
• I wake up at night and worry about the student who is making bad life choices.
• My teaching responsibilities don’t end at 3:10. If I’m watching the local game, driving down Main Street, or walking through Wal-Mart and see you being disrespectful to someone else, I will say something.
• No, I’m not your parent, but sometimes I feel like I am.
• I know when you’re having problems at home, and no one even has to tell me about it.
• My job is hard—so hard, in fact, that I’ve considered trying something else.
• Everything is personal to me: whether a student tries on schoolwork, whether a student swears at me, whether a student suffers from an injustice.
• If I grew a thick skin, I wouldn’t like myself.
• I would give anything for a lunch hour.
• Sometimes I use up all my patience at school and have none left for my own children.
• I call you “my kids” because I love you as if you were my own.
• Teaching can be lonely.
• I think the class clown is funny, too.
• I sometimes have to try really hard not to answer sarcasm with sarcasm.
• Mistakes can be good.
• I don’t like everyone. In fact, I probably even have favorites, and I’m not even sorry about that.

I’m sure you have truths of your own, but maybe you’ve never taken the time to put them down. My hope is that before you begin your teaching next year, you will think about your own teaching truisms and use the comment section below as a sounding board.

One year the staff at my school decided that early parent-teacher conferences would be more beneficial to our students. Instead of waiting until the semester was half over, we held conferences only three or four weeks into the school year. This, we thought, would give all of us time to correct any educational or behavioral problem areas that the teachers noticed.

Now, some teachers have a knack for memorizing names of students. While I tried every year to get the names of my 120-plus students straight, I always struggled with a few, and this particular year, I taught two Dustins. The first was an energetic, motivated student who had not earned anything less than an “A” on assignments. The second Dustin was not a bad kid, but he was average in every way I could see.

On the evening of conferences, I was prepared, as usual, with my summaries of each student’s grade. When average Dustin’s dad came in, I beamed at him. I showed him the correct scores but had the image of the smiling, energetic Dustin who was always raising his hand and was polite and respectful to other students. I gave the behavior report of spectacular Dustin to the parent of average Dustin and was alarmed to realize my error as soon as the parent walked out the door. “No one will be the wiser,” I reasoned.

The next day, average Dustin did not shuffle into the classroom. He did not drop into his seat as though he’d been on a hundred-mile walk. He did not rest his head on his desk. Average Dustin made eye contact, smiled, and participated. Average Dustin, in fact, gave spectacular Dustin a run for his money.

I was ashamed.

In my mind, I realized I had compartmentalized students into neat little categories (you’ve heard of them, perhaps): the lazy kids, the class clowns, the discipline problems, the overachievers, the not-so-smart students, the popular kids, and the average Joes. Unfortunately, my esteem went to the overachievers, the bulk of my attention went to the discipline problems, and average Joes had no place in my classroom. I realized then that my attitude about kids had to change.

Even though I struggled with this throughout my teaching career, I figured out that I needed to find something I liked or had in common with every student. For some of the students with significant behavioral issues that I didn’t appreciate, it took nearly a semester before I could find something I could like. I do know, however, that once I found one thing to appreciate about every student, I returned to school like average Dustin did, with a hope that things would be better.

The GED was created as a way for WWII veterans to get high school accreditation without going back to high school after the war, but it has become a popular alternative for students who, for their own reasons, would like to have the benefits of a diploma without doing the seat time.

Often called an “equivalency” test, the GED (General Education Development) does not always hold the same weight as a high school diploma. In theory, those who earn a GED pass have almost the same opportunities in academic and business sectors as those who hold a diploma. In practice, many employers and even the US military view the GED as somewhat less preferable.

A diploma from an accredited high school indicates that a student has mastered a broad range of coursework and has the academic background to successfully advance into college work. The GED, on the other hand, seems to carry a stigma that, for some reason, a student wasn’t able to handle the rigor of high school or persevere through the coursework necessary to earn a diploma. While this assumption may be false for some students, and GED testing may be their best alternative, attaining a high school diploma affords candidates a better start as they enter the “real world.”

Studies also suggest that the GED is not equivalent to a high school diploma.

Although GED recipients have the same measured academic ability as high school graduates who do not attend college, they have the economic and social outcomes of otherwise similar dropouts without certification. Despite measures of cognitive ability similar to high school graduates, GED recipients perform significantly worse in all dimensions when compared to them (Heckman and Rubinstein, 2001).

To offer today’s students the best hope for success, we must do what we can to guide them toward staying in school and earning a high school diploma. One of the most effective ways to give at-risk students a chance is with Internet-based curriculum. Available online, credit recovery courses allow students who have previously failed a course to repeat only the material they don’t know and then take a test on the comprehensive course content. It is an efficient second chance for many students, who face the choice of getting a diploma, taking the GED, or becoming a dropout statistic.

Yes, the GED is an alternative to a diploma. We must realize that students don’t come to the test without a history. Many are taking this test instead of finishing school because they don’t possess the non-cognitive skills it takes to go the distance. When we offer them tools to achieve academic success, they may learn these important skills. With programs like ODYSSEYWARE’s Prescriptive Credit Recovery, perhaps these students can leave their history behind, experience achievement, and walk toward a bright future.

What do you do to encourage at-risk students to stay in school? Do you offer a credit recovery program? What are the benefits to credit recovery programs?

Today, it’s easy to take for granted quick and simple accessibility to the information highway(unless, of course, you have no computer, no Internet-connected mobile device, and no iPad™).

According to a survey conducted last year by Pew Internet & American Life Project,

• 74% of American adults (ages 18 and older) use the Internet.

• 60% of American adults use broadband connections at home.

• 55% of American adults connect to the Internet wirelessly, either through WiFi or WiMax via their laptops or handheld electronic devices.

Disconnectedness affects not only individuals, but schools. Students in areas where access is not available, affordable, or reliable have no way to tap into the learning, creative, and collaborative opportunities available on the Internet.

In early 2009, Congress directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a National Broadband Plan to ensure every American has “access to broadband capability.” Released in March, it has beneficial implications in the education sector:

1. Modernize broadband infrastructure to support 21st century teaching and learning.

Through the FCC’s E-rate program, 97 percent of American schools now have Internet access. Reliability, speed, and availability, especially in rural and low-income districts, remain as challenges. Additionally, the ever-expanding advances in technology continue to change and increase the technology needs of schools. By updating this program and others, we can meet these challenges for more American students and help education keep the pace with the world outside.

2. Expand access to broadband with common sense reforms.

The plan also proposes more flexibility for schools and libraries to extend their Internet resources into the communities they serve. Changes to the E-rate program will promote more affordable broadband and wireless solutions, allowing schools to grant community access to school networks for programs like adult education and after school tutoring.

 3. Improve access to high quality online instruction.

A growing number of students and schools are turning to online learning solutions for specialized, elective, and core curriculum. Learning opportunities and teaching resources are now global, supporting collaboration, creativity, and individualized learning. The world of education has indeed become interactive. The national plan supports this education migration that takes learning beyond the walls of the classroom.

4. Unlock the power of educational data.

Teachers, parents, schools, and government agencies need quick access to accurate, relevant data, with strong student privacy provisions, to make informed decisions that will improve educational outcomes. Broadband technology will help give teachers the data they need to help students succeed. Parents can take a more active role in the education of their children when information regarding progress and school programs are readily available.

Perhaps this broadband plan seems like overkill in a world where you take high-speed Internet access for granted, but digital equity is NOT a reality–at least not yet. The implementation of the National Broadband Plan will give every school, every community, and every child a portal to a world of self-directed discovery and teacher-led exploration. All of our children will have the opportunity to develop the digital skills required to participate in our 21st century economy and society.

Why is high-speed, broadband access important to you school and your community? What is the most beneficial aspect of broadband access in your life?

At a time when a united front is beneficial for the union, there is some opposition to the blanket statement of “no confidence,” especially for delegates from states with strong proposals for education grants before the Department of Education. According to Education Week, some educators believe the vote does not accurately reflect the diversity of opinion that exists within and outside of the union.

One supporter quoted in Education Week said, “The Race to the Top is a gun with bullets in it to take out teachers, public education, and the union itself.”

In the age of reform, it seems as if no one can quite agree on the best strategy or route to get the necessary results. State decision makers want more money to keep their districts in the black; teachers are skeptical of programs in which they may be held accountable and perhaps fired because of a particular school’s low performance; and everyone wants data-driven decision making to pinpoint trouble spots and make a correction.

The question I don’t hear in this discussion is “What are the best ways to make sure our kids are learning?” It’s the kids that need to win the Race to the Top – not schools, teachers, unions, or politicians.

What do you think about the Blueprint for Reform? Is it a roadmap for success or a race students cannot win?

Despite the security concern, cloud computing has so many benefits that it’s difficult to ignore, or so said Nashville professional development specialist Richard Alcantar during a session at ISTE in Denver.

By acknowledging and addressing the challenges to cloud computing with appropriate safeguards and protocols in place, schools can and should implement its use, he said.

This whole way of thinking about storage of information and data is new to educators. But like all things technological, it emerged and is evolving. Ten years ago, who would have believed that we would be able to access the Internet from our personal phones? Who would have thought that we could watch news online in real-time and collaborate with teachers on the other side of the globe?

Collaboration is one of the biggest benefits to the cloud. Teachers in one school can share curriculum ideas, best practices, and creative classroom activities with each other, students can visit China instead of reading about it, and IT departments can minimize the time, money, and energy spent upgrading systems. Yes, the benefits are great if we can overcome the hard edges.

“Whether IT wants it to happen or not, it’s going to happen,” Alcantar said of the continuing move toward cloud applications in schools. “These changes are too big, they’re not going to stop them. But we need to know their concerns are legitimate, and we need to listen.”

As technology evolves, ODYSSEYWARE evolves. Our online curriculum is updated and improved while you sleep. New system enhancements announced recently are one way that you benefit. You take care of the teaching. We take care of the storage so you experience no hard edges.

How does your school use the cloud? What have you done to ensure information security? Can you imagine a world where the computer is simply a tool to access a world of information? Tell us what you think.

After a teary kiss goodbye, I sped off to work and turned on the news for a reality check, which it gladly delivered.

According to CNN and health.com, said the concerned voice on the radio, there’s new evidence that playing video games and watching TV appear to have “the same link to attention problems.”

I am committed to raising a child with an adequate attention span, but the ten-hour trip from Chicago would have been nearly impossible without the DVD player. Yes, I did let him watch two whole kid movies that were (sort of) educational. (Mommy guilt closes in.)

My son is almost three. He doesn’t play video games, but he loves to watch Fireman Sam and Rescue Heroes. I breathe easier knowing that if we simply skim off a few minutes here and there and continue to read, put puzzles together, sing, dance, and go for bug hunts, we’ll be nurturing the whole child.

On the other hand, this news story did make me think about computers and learning games in the classroom. As more and more students increasingly choose online learning options, we must ask ourselves if we are creating a generation of kids with less than adequate attention spans who are accustomed to fast-paced stimulation from video games and television.

I checked out the findings at CNN.com and here’s what I found:

According to C. Shawn Green, Ph.D, a postdoctoral associate in the department of psychology at the University of Minnesota,

A child who is capable of playing a video game for hours on end obviously does not have a global problem with paying attention. The question, then, is why are they able to pay attention to a game but not in school? What expectancies have the games set up that aren’t being delivered in a school setting?

There’s a question worth asking. What must we do as educators to make learning as exciting as gaming in the virtual world, and how can we teach our kids to balance the thrill of the competition with the satisfaction of quiet thought and critical thinking?

As a mother, these are things I think about all the time, so we will continue to read books, draw zoo animals, and plant gardens. In the meantime, it is our job as 21st century educators and parents to engage students in their learning, with and without games.

With a wide range of multisensory lessons in both core and elective courses, ODYSSEYWARE online curriculum engages the game players, the test-takers, the readers, and the listeners. With the support of parents and educators who pay attention, students can be exposed to many learning experiences that prepare them for a bright future and attention spans that are just fine.

Do you think video games are effective learning tools? Do they disrupt other types of learning for teens?