How to have a coach for every teacher, without breaking the bank

Every good athlete needs a coach to help them improve their practice, from student athletes to superstars like LeBron James and Serena Williams. This same principle can—and should—be applied to our teachers.

Teacher effectiveness is an essential factor to ensure that each student is achieving their highest potential in school. In my suburban Chicago district, Maine Township High School District 207, each and every one of our teachers receives coaching on a regular basis. In fact, this year’s seniors are the first class to go through a district where every teacher was coached every year.

Teachers Coaching Teachers…Read More

Online recruiting service helps link athletes with colleges

Founded by former Duke swimmer Ryan Spoon in 2000 to streamline recruiting in swimming and diving for athletes and coaches, the service has expanded to other sports.

When Rachel Cho decided at the beginning of her senior year of high school in British Columbia to pursue a collegiate running career in the United States, she hadn’t even heard of Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

Less than six months later, she accepted a scholarship offer to the Division II school more than 3,000 miles away.

The school and athlete got connected in what has become an increasingly popular fashion, by using the website beRecruited.com. Like a form of online dating to connect interested athletes and schools, beRecruited has brought efficiency to what had been an overwhelming process.…Read More

Should student athletes profit from video game sales?

The NCAA licenses student-athlete's images to video game makers.

Basketball star Ed O’Bannon and quarterback Sam Keller each earned most valuable player awards during their collegiate careers. Now, years after playing their final games, they are pursuing what they consider a more significant collegiate legacy: They are attempting through federal lawsuits to force the NCAA to share its annual revenues with student athletes—including money earned through the sale of video games bearing the athletes’ likenesses.

“There are millions and millions of dollars being made off the sweat and grind of the student athlete,” O’Bannon said. “Student athletes see none of that other than their education.”

O’Bannon’s lawsuit seeks a share of the money the NCAA earns from licensing former players’ images in commercials, DVDs, and through video game sales.…Read More