No-Zero grading policy requires retesting opportunities for failing students
Lowndes County Schools students in Georgia can relax a little--3rd through 8th graders can no longer receive zeros on assignments, the Huffington Post reports.
Month: February 2012
Opinion: The difference between good schools and effective schools
I just found a book review I wrote for The Elementary School Journal in 1986. The book I reviewed was McDonogh 15: Becoming a School by Lucianne Bond…
Watch: ‘Rape Tag’ playground game upsets parents
Parents are outraged after nearly two dozen 5th graders at Washington Elementary School in New Ulm, Minn., were caught playing a game called "rape tag," WCCO TV reports.
Pictures on lunch trays help students pick and eat their vegetables
Getting young children to eat their servings of fruits and veggies, particularly in school, has been a long and hard struggle for parents, schools and lawmakers over the…
National project aims to inspire the ‘model classroom’
This article is no longer available.
Pennsylvania teacher working for free gets surprise on Ellen Degeneres show
Teachers from the troubled Chester Upland School District in Pennsylvania made the news when they opted to continue teaching for free, after the district revealed that it could…
Colo. lawmakers consider trans-fat ban in schools
The nation's leanest state is taking aim at junk food in school cafeterias as it considers the nation's toughest school trans-fat ban, the Associated Press reports.
Value-added teacher evaluation goes on trial—literally
I’ve taken the liberty of dreaming up the court transcript ahead of time (using Q for the defense attorney’s questions and A for the plaintiff’s answers). Enjoy this…
Ousted Philadelphia superintendent denied unemployment bid
The state has denied the unemployment claim filed by the ousted former head of Philadelphia's public school system after she received a $900,000 contract buy-out, the Associated Press…
NY gov amps up pressure on teachers, legislature
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared Wednesday that the "Battle of Albany" is on, the Associated Press reports.
New report examines international ed-tech policies
A new report comparing educational technology use of K-12 students in 21 countries found that, despite global economic uncertainty, many countries are still investing in technology to improve…
High school cracks down on drugs by checking students’ text messages
This article is no longer available.
Online program will help guide Okla. students through Algebra I
This article is no longer available.
Teen atheist’s ACLU-led fight against prayer mural to cost RI city at least $173,000
Many Cranston, Rhode Island, citizens likely found themselves frustrated over 16-year-old Jessica Ahlquist's successful crusade against a prayer banner in her high school. Others, of course, supported her…
Senator says keeping teacher pay low ‘a biblical principle’
Someone alert the unions: raising teacher pay will actually make for worse teachers--according to one GOP lawmaker, the Huffington Post reports.
Pearson-backed startup aims to be the Zynga for learning
What if the 232 million people who log into Zynga's Facebook games each month instead spent hours working through online learning resources? Asks Mashable.
Competition promotes digital gaming in the classroom
Focusing on an hourlong lecture about American history or algebra can seem daunting to high school students, who are used to splitting their attention between texting, Tweeting, and…
Country music association donates $1.4 million to help students learn music
The Country Music Association is helping thousands of students learn music in school to the tune of $1.4 million, the Associated Press reports.
Digital Learning Day draws nearly 2 million students
This article is no longer available.
CoSN 2012: Empowering decision makers
Mobile devices and Web 2.0 participatory applications have become pervasive, yet our educational system is still based on an outdated industrial age model. The Consortium for School Networking’s…
Feds’ challenge to schools: Embrace digital textbooks
Are hardbound textbooks going the way of slide rules and typewriters in schools?
Scholastic.com helps teachers explore Black History Month in the classroom
As teachers make plans for Black History Month in their classrooms in February, Scholastic has built a set of free resources to help teach students about the African…
SMART Solutions for English Language Learners
[hana-flv-player video=”http://www.eschoolnews.com/files/2012/02/ELA-for-web.flv” width=”400″ height=”330″ description=”” player=”3″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /] See how educators at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in ... Read more
Apple iBooks 2 license agreement gets icy reception in higher education
Advocates for open-license textbooks in higher education, while largely unhappy with Apple’s new iBooks 2 platform, say the technology behemoth has done a favor for their movement: Apple’s…
Authorities probe use of seclusion rooms for disabled
Federal and state investigators are probing reports that disabled children at a public elementary school in Connecticut were locked in a room to control their behavior or as…
Utah schools start adopting open source textbooks
Utah classrooms may soon be making the switch to open-source online textbooks that can be cheaper and easier to update, the Associated Press reports.
Florida ‘Trigger bills’ ready to start power battle with educators
I'm a mom. I'm also a teacher. I have taught thousands of kids over the last 20 years of my career. When I walk into a school or…
‘Humble heroism’: 8 student-saving teachers
These educators didn't went beyond reading and arithmetic, and gave their pupils real-life lessons of selfless bravery, The Week reports.
Ravitch: Does Obama understand Race to the Top?
I don't know about you, but I am growing convinced that President Barack Obama doesn't know what Race to the Top is, says education historian Diane Ravitch for…
Save time & money with Chief’s WP2 Series short throw projector mounts
[hana-flv-player video=”http://www.eschoolnews.com/files/2012/02/Chief_Short_Throw.flv” width=”400″ height=”330″ description=”” player=”3″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”true” /] See how easy it is to install Chief’s all-new ... Read more
Meet our 2012 ‘Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award’ winners
Project-based learning, "bring your own device" policies, blended learning opportunities, and creative approaches to staff development are among the many successful ed-tech programs being led by our 2012…
Kentucky district’s ed-tech advice: Involve all stakeholders in planning
Fort Thomas Independent Schools in Kentucky has made it a priority to improve building security and efficiency, as well as student engagement and achievement, through the judicious use…
Viewpoint: The education competition myth
It's not whether competition works or whether it doesn't work; the question is whether it can exist at all. Just like capitalism is predicated on the free flow…
How to Evaluate Technology for Early Learners
This best practice guide will help you select top-quality technology and apps for the early learners in your education program. This toolkit offers a research-based approach to selecting…
Launching a Successful Interactive Whiteboard Implementation
Strategies and Tactics for Effective Teacher Training. This white paper offers a model for a successful approach to training teachers in the use of interactive whiteboards.
How to Have Fewer Bells and Whistles—and Better Safety as a Result
In this free whitepaper, you'll learn how to save money and improve safety by converging all your notification systems—including paging, school bells, and emergency communications—on a single infrastructure…