News Herald – Juliann Talkington

Now that everyone has adjusted to the summer routine, it’s time to think about school again. The back-to-school transition is tough for everyone, including parents. Fortunately, gradual preparation during the last month of summer can make the change much easier.

First, make sure school paperwork is complete at least three weeks before school starts. It is very stressful to have to worry about paperwork issues when you are trying to make sure your child has a good “first day” experience.

Move your child to his/her school bedtime several weeks before classes begin. According to internal medicine doctor Jonathan L. Gelfand, children need eight to twelve hours of sleep each day, depending on their age. Last minute “lights out” and “wake up” changes often lead to cranky kids (and parents).

Prepare for homework. Have you child help you set-up a place to study about two weeks before school starts. Not only will this give him/her a place to work, but also should get him/her thinking about what it takes to be organized and successful at school.

Buy school supplies early. Many schools have lists available months before school starts which gives you plenty of time to purchase items without the stress of “day before school” shopping.

Go through your child’s closet and remove everything that is worn out or he/she has outgrown. Then make a list of exactly what he/she needs. This simple process will reduce the clutter and also help you avoid overspending. In addition, you should be able to get your child dressed quickly and easily in the morning.

Plan school day meals ahead of time. One simple way to make school day meals tasty, nutritious and cost effective is to do your shopping on the weekends when you have more time. This practice should reduce weekday stress and increase the amount of time you can spend with your kids. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you have plenty of healthy breakfast options.

Build friendships. You can ease the social transition for your child, by helping him/her “make friends” before school starts. Playgroups or gatherings with classmates several weeks before school begins are a good way to help children build bonds and generate positive excitement about school.

So think ahead. With a little advanced planning, the transition from summer to school can be a low stress, jitter-free, positive experience for you and your kids.

Tennessean – Jennifer Brooks

“That was then. By fall 2011, every public university in Tennessee will have eliminated remedial education classes. Remedial coursework will be offered only at the community college level, leaving colleges to overhaul their curriculum and technology so students can learn the material quickly.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“Finally! It is incredibly inefficient to have remedial courses at every college and university. When students reach the university they should be ready to handle university level work. Until the US gets its secondary education system turned around, it is best to allow community colleges to address college preparation deficiencies.”(more)

CNN Money (Yahoo!) – Chris Isidore

“We’ve entered a era where the United States will see more frequent recessions than anyone is used to,” Achuthan said. One of the big problems is that many of workers who have lost jobs were in industries that are not likely to recover their former strength. “We’ve got the wrong people in the wrong place with the wrong skills,” said John Silvia, chief economist with Wells Fargo Securities.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“The US loses 7.9 million jobs and school districts keep underperforming teachers, unnecessary overhead and outdated teaching approaches. If want our children to have good jobs, they must be better educated. Data suggests private schools and some charter schools (where they have not been overcome with regulation that stifles innovation) provide a higher quality education for less money. Since the traditional US public education system is not adequately preparing our children 21 Century jobs, maybe we need to let the private sector take over.”(more)

USA Today – Mary Beth Marklein

“Colleges and universities should adopt affirmative-action policies based on socioeconomic status, argues a new report that finds the most disadvantaged students on average score 784 points lower on the SAT than those from the wealthiest, most educated families.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“How does this help anyone? Kids that are ready to learn more advanced material are held back and those that are academically behind struggle and often drop out.  Instead we should be focused on providing kids with a better primary and secondary education, so students from all socioeconomic levels have the skills to succeed in college and compete for the best jobs.”

Miami Herald – Akilah Johnson

“The union representing Broward teachers is holding firm in its insistence that seniority be the only standard for deciding who is to be laid off.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“You have to be kidding me! It seems that the union is more interested in power than what is best for the students!”

News Herald – Juliann Talkington

We all want our children to find their passions and live happy, fulfilled lives. However, it is difficult to know how to help our kids find and follow their dreams.

According to a three-part study led by Geneviève Mageau, a psychology professor at the Université de Montréal in Canada, parental control can predict whether a child develops a harmonious or obsessive passion for an activity. According to this study, children are more likely to pursue pastimes when given an opportunity to pick and nurture their own passions.

However, complete freedom is not good for a child either. Harvard trained psychologist John Martin and University of California psychology professor Diane Baumrind suggest parents should make a child feel accepted, loved, valued and supported, but should also be firm about expectations and limits.

On top of the psychological issues, parents should consider the employment realities of the 21st Century. Bob Compton, executive producer of 2 Million Minutes and education advocate, says young people need different skills today than kids did 20 years ago. He argues that children need a broad intellectual foundation as well as skills in creativity, inventiveness, collaboration and critical thinking. Then, because technology changes so quickly, they need a zeal for continuous learning.

So rather than encouraging a child to find a passion early in life, education expert Carol Fertig suggests, “Adults should expose kids to a wide variety of experiences, and realize that youngsters may develop interests that are quite different from those enjoyed by the rest of the family.”

As children explore, they may be passionate about one thing and a few months later want to move on to something else. This is a good thing and should be encouraged as long as parents set guidelines about when a transition is acceptable. For example, quitting soccer in the middle of the season doesn’t send the right signals about commitment and follow through. However, encouraging a reevaluation at the end of the season is wise and allows a child the freedom to explore different things.

Most importantly, parents need to nudge kids without pressuring them. They need to take pride and show support, without trying to live vicariously through their children – a tough balancing act.

Remember, a passion has to be discovered. It cannot be enforced. A child needs a broad intellectual foundation, a supportive environment and the freedom to explore and find his/her passion him/herself.

Education Next – Paul E. Peterson and Carlos Xabel Lastra-Anadón

“Most state standards remain far below international level, with Tennessee, a Race to the Top Winner, at the very bottom”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“I was appalled by rankings for Florida and California: C 4th grade math, C+ 4th grade reading, C- in 8th grade math and C in 8th grade reading. One has to wonder what it means to be an “A” school in a “C” state. Or what it means to attend school in an “A” state, when education in the US is a below the international average (TIMSS testing, PISA testing).

Indianapolis Star – Andy Gammill

“Dozens of teachers and school administrators showed up Friday at the Indiana Department of Education to offer their evaluation of a new plan to issue letter grades for their schools. Their consensus: The proposal deserves an F.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“Why is there so much concern about evaluating schools based on performance? Don’t parents deserve to know how their child’s school is performing? The State of Florida has a similar system.”

Time – Kayla Webly

“At Garfield High School, he found that his primarily Mexican-American working-class students were oppressed by a culture of low expectations, and he began to overhaul the school’s math curriculum. His young charges did so well on the 1982 advanced-placement calculus exam that suspicious officials made a dozen of them retake the test. Each and every one passed.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“And rumor has it the union ran this guy out of teaching. How was this good for kids? It sounds like we need a million teachers just like him!”

Boston Globe – Tracy Jan

“As Boston seeks new revenue, cities around the country are grappling with how to squeeze more money from the colleges and other tax-exempt institutions, as recession and lower property tax revenues prompt municipalities to seek alternate ways to pay their bills.”(more)

Outside the Box – Juliann Talkington

“When times are tough, schools have to cut spending. Shouldn’t cities be forced to do the same?”