A Well Rounded Education for a Better Future
Are Colleges As We Know Them Endangered? Andrew Delbanco teaches humanities at Columbia University and he says college is in many ways an endangered institution – threatened by many forces including high costs and globalization. State schools are dealing with cutbacks in funding from state governments and faculty at research universities are pressured to publish research and academic papers – which can result in less time for teaching undergraduates. Whilst some are able to turn to programs like CLEP, and the clep exam prep options available, to help with this, others are unable to. But what’s also happening is that students are turning away from the humanities, which Delbanco sees as a problem. Instead of
ACT vs. SAT: Which one is right for your child?
By Carissa Handrinos Deciding on a college is a daunting task for both parents and students. With so many things to focus on like grades, location, programs, personal statements, etc., the college application process becomes overwhelming. Not to mention, having to research all of the potential schools and reviewing all of the Ivy League rankings can be a daunting task. On top of all that, there are college admission tests, more commonly known as the ACT and the SAT. Both parents and students fret about the tests and their respective scores, sometimes for no reason. Colleges nationwide accept both tests; even Ivy league schools like Harvard claim that they have no preference, equally accepting applications
Math Anxiety Changes Childrens' Brains
Stanford University researchers mapped the brains of kids doing math problems using MRI scans. They found solid biological evidence that confirms what educators have known for decades: Students with math anxiety don’t perform as well as they could because their brains are working differently. The Palo Alto Weekly provides details:
Bilingual Brain May Be Better
Researchers have reported that bilingualism may help the brain process information more rapidly and effectively. The reason may have to do with the brain's increased demands to monitor the environment for the language spoken at any given moment. The Takeaway of WNYC-FM and Public Radio International reports: Americans have long debated whether the U.S. should have an official state language. The issue has been back in the spotlight in recent days since Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum said, "There are other states with more than one language, like Hawaii, but to be a state of the United States, English must be the principal language." However, recent studies show that switching between languages may actually make you
Standardized Test Scores Can Improve When Kids Told They Can Fail, Study Finds
A Berkeley, California teacher finds that telling her middle school students that mistakes are a natural part of learning — and that it’s OK to make a mistake — helps them later perform better on tests. Her findings are backed up a new study by two French researchers who found telling students that failure is a natural element of learning, rather than pressuring students to succeed or boosting ego and self-esteem, actually may increase their academic performance.
Math Tutor a Devoted Teacher without Equal
Ms. Marney Rich Keenan of The Detroit News wrote about Mr. Doug Shonk, math tutor and former high school teacher. His influence goes beyond numbers, formulae and series. Math tutor a devoted teacher without equal by Marney Rich Keenan The Detroit News March 16, 2012 at 1:00 am This past week, we said goodbye to an unsung hero in academia these days: our math tutor. For an untold number of pre-exam nights in the past year, Doug Shonk, a 50-year veteran math teacher, has sat side-by-side at our dining room table with our 17-year-old daughter, untangling the intricate maze that is calculus. With each lesson imparted, Doug is careful never to move from Step 1
