New Year’s
Resolution 2012:
Be Dazzling
T
he truth: so much of school is still about those three R’s. Every student who graduates from high school today needs to be able to (1) read and understand an appropriately complex piece of writing and have something interesting to say about it, (2) write a finished piece of work, and (3) 'do the math.'
And everyone who teaches knows how extraordinarily difficult it is to ensure that all students live up to these basic requirements. But there is a danger in this effort: a push toward ... well, toward boredom.
Full Story and more...
Everything in Moderation – Screen-Time “Do’s” and “Don’ts”
When I was growing up, I had to go next door to my grandfather's house if I wanted to watch TV...and then only with special permission and limitations. I couldn’t just watch any old thing, and I certainly couldn’t watch for hours. The belief was that some TV was okay, but it always came after homework and never was as important as a good book. Today, media engagement and "screen time" for our children is a different beast. Smart phones, Social media, viral videos, DirecTV's five thousand channels, portable gaming and music devices… these provide so many ways to plug in to media, and to multiple media outlets at the same time. Studies indicate that screen time is way up for our kids. A Kaiser Family Foundation study in 2010 found the average American youth takes in eight hours of media time per day, ten hours if you include times when more than one form of media is engaged in at once.
Leading Reform, Research and Innovation
N
ew Roads’ Center for Effective Learning (C4EL) has been very busy this year with expanded research and community outreach, and with continuing development and refinement of the Learning Tool - especially with respect to its ability to inform the assessment process.
Previous Reflections
November 2011
One Size Does Not Fit All: Differentiated Learning at New Roads Elementary
September 2011
Collaboration, Commitment, Communication
June 2011
“Student-Driven Learning Man Festival Heating Up for June 8th
February 2011
“Black History Month...
Again? ...Still?”
December 2010
“Giving ’til It Feels Good
- An Earnest Plea”
November 2010
As Bill & Ted* would say, school should... “Be excellent!”
October 2010
"...and I feel fine ...no, not really"
September 2010
"...but words will never hurt me?"
2010-2011 NEWS ARCHIVES