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07 Jan 12 From the Herald-Dispatch/Associated Press: Education audit urges dozens of changes

January 06, 2012 @ 08:30 PM

The Associated Press (http://www.herald-dispatch.com/x1384915826/Gov-releases-sweeping-review-of-education-system)

CHARLESTON — A sweeping review of West Virginia’s public schools released Friday offers scores of recommendations that its authors say can improve lagging student performance and save about $70 million a year statewide.

From a voluntary merit pay system for teachers and reduced workloads for new educators, to seizing on distance-learning technology and penalizing counties that fail to provide at least 180 days of instruction annually, the audit scrutinizes the state’s education system from practically every angle.

“The main thrust of this review is to make the West Virginia educational system more efficient, from top to bottom, so that tax dollars can be better spent educating our children,” the report from the consulting firms Public Works LLC and MGT said. (more…)

09 Aug 11 From Mind/Shift: 50 Reasons to Invite Facebook Into Your Classroom

50 Reasons to Invite Facebook Into Your Classroom

August 5, 2011

By Carol Brown

At its start, Facebook was once exclusively for college students. But as it has grown in popularity and become adopted by everyone from grad students to grandmas, its usefulness has grown, too. Educators are beginning to realize the powerful potential that Facebook has in the classroom, not as a distraction, but as a collaborative learning tool. While some schools and instructors may be wary of inviting such a temptingly fun procrastination platform into their classrooms, others have seen great benefits in using social media. In fact, teacher Elizabeth Delmatoff in Portland saw a 50% increase in grades after implementing a social media program in her classroom. How can Facebook benefit your class? Online College enumerates 50 ways.

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22 Jul 11 From Edutopia: Creating Classroom Rules with a Bill of Student Rights

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/bill-student-rights-classroom-rules-nicholas-provenzano

by Nicholas Provenzano

7/21/11

I am a Social Studies and English teacher by trade. I have a fondness for American Literature and History because they are woven together very closely. Indeed, they are two facets of the same innovative and collaborative process: Determining how our newly formed nation would function. When it comes to important American documents, I find myself teaching them in a government class and a literature class.

The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution are great guides for setting up classroom rules. By using them as a template, your students can also have a hand in creating the classroom environment.

In all of my classes, I have a basic set of rules regarding language, materials, homework, tests, etc. I place all of these in a syllabus and give a copy to each student. Within the first few weeks of school, we cover The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. We dive into the complaints the colonists had with the crown and discuss which side had the right to be angry. (more…)

18 Jul 11 Blogging with Windows Live Writer!

Blogging with Windows Live Writer
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