Rather than fall prey to a toxic environment of complaints and negativity that can sometimes permeate conversations about education, you can act in ways that keep your practice vital for students and you. The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is offering intensive one-day “Transformative Teachers” workshops for high school and middle school teachers, creating a supportive community of teachers with the tools and methods for fostering resilient and ethical young leaders. Continue reading
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Infographic from Best Colleges Online: Teacher Tenure and Unions
Infographic from Best Colleges Online
The topics of teacher tenure and the role of unions have been frequently debated issues for a long time in the education community. Proponents of unions suggest that they protect teachers from unfair practices and school politics; opponents argue that unions give educators too much power and may have outlived their usefulness. An infographic from Best Colleges Online shows the history of teachers unions and showcases the pros and cons of the hot-button topic.
We’d like to hear from you. What do you think about the issue? Do you think that the pros or the cons of teacher tenure win out? Leave us a comment to share your thoughts.
To check out a full-size of the infographic and to find more resources about the teacher tenure controversy, please visit Best Colleges Online.
Grant: P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education
The P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education makes grants for new or evolving programs that integrate the arts into educational programming. The purpose is to aid and support teachers who wish to establish an effective learning tool using the arts in teaching children who learn differently.
Maximum award: $1,000
Eligibility: programs for children K-12
Deadline: September 30, 2012
Note: WGBY is not affiliated with this grant program. Please contact the funder directly with questions. UPDATE: This grant program is now closed.
Technology aids student-teacher-parent communications
From e-School News, by Laura Devaney, Managing Editor —
“Connecting in the 21st Century,” a report from Project Tomorrow and Blackboard Inc., based on data from Project Tomorrow’s 2010 Speak Up survey, reveals new information about the way parents, students, and teachers communicate with one another. It identifies as a key trend the “growing need for more effective, timely, and targeted communication between the school and home.”
The report addresses key issues such as:
- Do administrators recognize the value of effective communication with parents as a key factor for improving student outcomes?
- How are schools and districts tapping into emerging technologies to connect with parents?
- Do parents have different expectations today regarding information they receive from their child’s school?
- How are teachers leveraging technology tools to instruct and provide feedback to students?
- Do parents’ perceptions on the efficacy of school-to-home communications have any relationship with their attitudes regarding their child’s school?
As one would expect, the results point directly to the critical need for good school-to-home communications and how today’s technology can help accomplish that goal. Read the full post for the full story.
Take a Survey About Sid the Science Kid Preschool Resources
The Sid the Science Kid team needs your help. They are designing a new family weekend resource and want to hear from you to shape its development. While still in its primary design stages, this weekend resource will likely be a set of activities that will bridge science learning in preschool from Friday-Monday.
They are especially interested in hearing from parents, caregivers, and heads of households, as you will be our primary users; but have included a separate survey for teachers, as we want to blend the weekend resource into existing classroom routines.
Parents and heads of households, please click here to access the Family Survey. Educators, please click here to access the Educator Survey.
PBS announces winners of the PBS Teachers Innovation Awards
PBS Teachers is proud to announce the winning entries for the 2011 PBS Teachers Innovation Awards. Each first place winner will receive a week long “Innovation Immersion Experience” at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, a SMART Slate™ wireless slate, a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course, and a totebag of PBS gifts.
We checked out the winners’ gallery: fantastic work! Check it out for some great classroom ideas from this year’s honored winners.