Heidi McDonald saw her fourth-grade son, Ian, growing bored while memorizing his multiplication tables and figured he would make better progress if she could make the exercise fun, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. As an educational video and computer game designer for South Side-based Schell Games, Ms. McDonald is used to building educational concepts into games. For Ian, instead of creating a new game, she used his favorite computer game, Minecraft, as the learning vehicle. Together, through the game, they built structures with brick walls, with Ms. McDonald instructing Ian as to the number of bricks to use for the sides of the walls…
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Creating space for STEAM: science, technology, engineering, art, and math
Two foundations are giving $500,000 to 25 school districts in southwestern Pennsylvania, and most of the schools will use the money to create places where students can employ the latest technology to learn, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Each district will receive a $20,000 grant from the Grable and Benedum foundations. Many will use the grants to redesign an area of the library or a classroom where students can gather to focus on projects related to what is called STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math…
…Read More‘Radical’: Education reformer Michelle Rhee argues that tough love is best
Michelle Rhee headed the District of Columbia public school system from 2007 to 2010, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. She launched her administration by closing 23 schools, laying off 266 teachers and firing 36 principals, 22 assistant principals and 98 district office workers. She resigned in 2010 when the mayor, her political backer, lost his bid for re-election. Not surprisingly, she has come under withering criticism. Teachers and education activists have called her anti-teacher, ineffective and authoritarian. But it is hard to argue with her assertions…
…Read MorePittsburgh Schools superintendent turns down $20K pay raise
Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Linda Lane tonight turned down a pay raise again, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. For calendar 2012, Ms. Lane was awarded a $15,000 pay increase, but she declined it and her pay remained at $200,000. For calendar 2013, she was offered an additional raise of $5,000, which would have brought her pay to $220,000. However, she declined that as well, so she will be paid $200,000 for 2013. Over the two years, she has given up $35,000 in pay. The vote for the pay increase was 8-1, with Mark Brentley Sr. voting no. Mr. Brentley said he was not saying Ms. Lane was not “working very, very hard,” but he complained that there is not enough transparency…
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