Blog 13: New Rules for School Meals

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/health/usda-school-lunches/index.html

USDA Issues New Rules for School Meals

Recently the USDA issued new rules regarding school lunches which states that lunches must include fruits and vegetables every day. Author of the article, Park, states that the meal programs, which feed about 32 million students in public and private schools, will have to reduce sodium, saturated fat and trans fats. Schools must also offer more whole grains as well as fat-free or low-fat milk varieties. Although this won't go in effect until July 1st, it is going to be affective to schools everywhere. The new nutrition standards are largely based on recommendations by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, as part of efforts to curb childhood obesity. Recent numbers show that about 17% of children in the United States are obese. First lady, Michelle Obama, stated  "When we send our kids to school, we expect that they won't be eating the kind of fatty, salty, sugary foods that we try to keep them from eating at home," Obama said in a news release. "We want the food they get at school to be the same kind of food we would serve at our own kitchen tables. “The USDA offered a free sample weekly lunch with before and after comparisons. In conclusions to the article, The School Nutrition Association, which represents 55,000 school nutrition professionals, said, "Through healthier choices and nutrition education, school meal programs have made tremendous strides to promote better food choices for America's students. These national nutrition standards will help school nutrition professionals build on their successes."

 This is a social global issue that affects schools everywhere because students need a nutritional school lunch to get them through school. The fact that America has been facing an issue of obesity for years now, there is something that has to be done to address the issue. Although it is a little harsh when Park says the students will be "forced to take the fruits and vegetables…" I believe there is no other way to provide them with the right nutrients. There is too much money going into pizza, fries, and cookies for students who need their "brain food". Students in elementary and middle schools might not care for the newly proposed meal plan, but parents and faculty are all for it, and in the end it will be better for students. The fact that the cafeteria staff argued that the kids will not eat it, is saying that they have no hope in the new programs. I believe that if they were to be a little more positive and understand that this is a worldwide issue, more people would be accepting to it.  

Blog 12: SAT cheating Scandal

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/education/after-cheating-scandal-sat-and-act-will-tighten-security.html?ref=education

According to the article by Anderson, cheating scandal by 12 students forces the whole nation to make changes to submitting a photo on their admission ticket. This will allow proctors for the SAT to compare picture ID's with their photo on their admission tickets. It started in Nassau County and district attorney, Kathleen Rice, and said that up to 50 students would be involved. Superintendents and principals have been in favor of making these changes for more than a decade. Anderson stated that it took an incident such as cheating for these changes to come into effect, and they will also have to provide their gender and age. Students were paid anywhere from $500-$3600 to take the test for someone else. In one incident a male student had been arrested for taking the test for a gender-neutral name and providing fake identification. Another one of the rules being made to the SAT and ACT is standby registration. Students were able to register the day of for the SAT, thus making it easier to provide fake ID's.

This is a social global issue because students across the world are trying to get around taking standardized testing, and providing fake identification. Getting into universities across the globe are becoming more and more competitive and students who compete around the testing system are not being honest with themselves and the Universities. Education everywhere is important not only in beginning and middle grades, but especially for higher levels. Many people who have become doctors, lawyers, teachers have worked hard to get where they are today and when students today provide false identification they are eliminating their chances of becoming someone. I believe that the government needs to step up and provide careful observation on students taking standardized tests everywhere because students will always find a way to get around doing something they don't have to do.

Blog #11: Teacher's Integrity Questioned

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17564311

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers says teachers have been forced to "manipulate results" and even "re-write students' work" to boost results. Results of end of year tests are starting to be valued over the education their students are receiving. Recently the union carried out research with 512 of its teacher members working in state schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It said teachers felt under increasing pressure to get pupils through tests and exams. About two-thirds of those surveyed were supplying pupils with more practice tests and running after-school classes or one-to-one classes. Teachers have admitted to raising the student’s test scores because they are afraid their students will not perform well, and therefore they will be subject to lose their job. Richardson, author of the article, states that others focused on the stress on pupils. There appeared to be a consensus among teachers that the pressure was damaging for pupils as well. Nine out of 10 teachers surveyed said they felt tests and exams were the biggest source of pressure on pupils and young people, causing increased anxiety for them.

This article came to my surprise because I was appalled to hear that adults and teachers were lying and cheating for their students. Educators across the world are supposed to be dependable and reliable in education our students. If a doctor cheats on his exams going through medical school, he could easily mess up while performing surgery on a patient one day. This is not at all ok, and I agree with DOE that something needs to be done if we are finding out about it. Students should want to learn and become smarter so they can go farther in life, but if teachers are the main source to providing cheating paths, then who are we to count on for our children to learn from? Although this is not the case for every teacher across the world, it does occur and this is something that needs to be taken control of.  Advancing in education is a major part of life in the United States and especially Europe. A lot of countries are prided on their intelligence amongst their students, and in order to continue that reputation, teachers must learn to be dependable and honest.  

Blog 10: Technology and Education

http://bostonherald.com/news/national/general/view/20120401schools_across_the_country_bring_ipads_to_the_classroom

Tate, author of article, describes this generation of schools to be on a digital revolution. More and more students are beginning to understand how to use technology and how it can help them in the classroom. China is a major exporter for the company Apple, which produces iPods, iPads, Mac computers, and all the high tech gadgets these days. Students across the world are becoming more comfortable with using iPads in the classroom in order to follow the teacher along with the lesson. "Kids are not only able to access material but use a number of tools to construct learning in a completely different way from what they've seen before," said Camilla Gagliolo, the instructional technology coordinator for Arlington Public Schools. Tate states that allowing students to use these in the classrooms opens up a new chapter for learning and wanting to come to school. It is also changing the way students interact with the teachers, and makes it a more personal learning environment. Teachers in digital classrooms have become learning coaches, moving around the room and giving students more one-on-one instruction. Educators who have embraced this approach said it better prepares students for the interactive environments they’ll encounter in their college and professional lives. The tablets offer a variety of uses for the students such as being able to take notes, use a calculator, edit movies, submit assignments, and many more. 

I really enjoyed reading Tate's article because I think this should have occurred a few years earlier. Although we are entering a digital revolution around the world, it still isn't effecting every school district in the United States, or even close to reaching schools across the world. I am a huge Apple supporter, and I believe that with the right tools, everyone can jump on board with this technology and improve the way students learn. It allows a closer connection between students and teachers, and it is considered a hands on activity, which allows students to feel more engaged in the topic, instead of waiting for one students to write the answer on the white board. Tate also makes a great point that although these are great for the classroom environment, it also is not the cheapest piece of equipment. One suggestion is that parents chip in and help buy them for their students. Although iPads are great investments in the long run, they, like any piece of technology for education, will have its advantages and disadvantages. 

Blog 9: Asian Universities Challenge US-UK

Asian Universities challenge US-UK Universities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/15/top-100-universities-times-higher-education

 

According to rankings, the Asian Universities have increased in the past year, and challenged spots for top Universities such as Harvard and MIT. Britain better Universities than China, but slowly they are coming in behind. The results, published as a league table by Times Higher Education magazine, places 44 US universities in the top 100, one fewer than last year, while Britain has 10, two fewer than last year. Japan and the Netherlands have five each in the top 100. Some of the UK's leading universities have dropped several places since last year, while China's universities have improved their performance. China is expanding its higher education system faster than most other countries in the world. Phil Baty, rankings editor at Times Higher Education magazine, said there was a clear risk that UK universities, other than Oxford and Cambridge, would be "relegated from the premier league … in the eyes of the world, with tangible and sustained damage". He states that "Perception is reality and it seems that we are perceived as a fading power," he said. There are several other league tables of the world's universities, but this one only ranks institutions on their reputation. Universities are likely to use the rankings to judge how much they should charge in tuition fees. "This is symptomatic of the chaos and confusion being created by the government as a result of their rapid changes to higher education. Trebling tuition fees and cutting funding to universities has damaged the promise of Britain and this has been reflected around the world."

I believe that this was an interesting article to read because it shows how competitive Universities can truly be. Although it is rather difficult to get into a University in the US, it is just as difficult to attend a University in Britain, and our biggest competitor, China. All Universities hold a reputation that is valuable to their name, but now they are starting to use that to their advantage and it is a deciding factor on how much tuition is going to be. Even a small public University such as UNCG has a good reputation, but nothing compared to Stanford, which is in the top 10. On a global perspective, this could be harmful because if Universities are raising their tuition because of their rankings being “likely” to increase, more people are going to feel pressured. They will feel pressured to go to a top school, pressured to pay the top dollar, and this could greatly affect our society.   

  

Blog 8: Education

Bigger classrooms, but smaller staff
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/index.html


If you compare schools all around the world, there are going to be classrooms with 5-10 students, and there will be classes with 30 plus students. Unfortunately this all depends on different factors; environment, budget, and the type of students in the classroom. In the article by Smith, she writes that the number of students per classroom more than tripled just over the last year. Smith argues that legislators say it is due to budget cuts, but many will agree it is not fair to go past the capacity in each classroom. By adding even just two students to a classroom, it intensifies the challenges for a teacher and planning out lessons. In addition to having too small of a classroom for more than 22 students, more and more classrooms are short of staff. Smith says that many teachers have students in their class that aren't even in their district for school. This puts even more pressure on the teachers to excel at their end of year standardized testing. In developing countries that have fewer students in their classroom see this as a good thing because they are able to focus on each individual students and cater to their needs and developing their education. 


As a future educator in public schools, I feel strongly about the number of schools increasing. I believe that there is not really anything we can do to avoid this, because it does depend on the type of school, the environment surrounding, and most importantly, the budget the school has. However, I don't think it is fair for one teacher to have 20 students and be able to plan an ideal lesson, where another teacher at the same school has 24 plus students. One day I hope to teach in Africa, where the focus on students receiving an education is valued more, and the classrooms are smaller than those in the United States. I believe that pulling staff from other schools and distributing them to less fortunate schools is unfair, and that legislators who disagree with that should find in their budget to hire more teachers. It is a profession that is always going to be needed. I agree with Smith and her opinions in the article. She states that classrooms are just not meant to hold over 20 students to 1 teacher and it impacts the students' learning in a major way. Schools are supposed to be a safe house for many children, where they can come and feel comfortable and learn, but at this rate it doesn't appear that way anymore. 

Education: Teacher Rankings

Rankings are sometimes not good enough...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/nyregion/in-new-york-teacher-ratings-good-test-scores-arent-always-good-enough.html?ref=education

Teacher ratings can be a deciding factor for parents on were they want their children to attend public school. The New York Education Department released ranking figures for teachers this past Friday and to many surprise, more than half were below average. The rankings are based on how well their students did on the standardized tests throughout the year. This is a worldwide issue because students are tested on the material being taught through curriculum and it determines how well the student is succeeding in the classroom. The article said it is a first glimpse to the public and parents on how well their student is performing. The reason this is a big deal, says head of department, Matthew Mittenthall, is because teacher evaluations stem from these rankings. Essentially it could determine whether a school will keep a teacher there or not. Every year students and teachers are expected to have higher scores and for the rankings to increase, but lately that has not been the case.

As a future educator for elementary students, I believe that there are some pros and cons to having teacher rankings. Looking at this situation from a worldly perspective it is not plausible to have teachers in third world countries being ranked for how well they are teaching their students. They are sometimes lucky enough to have a building to teach students in, let alone a top educator for students. However, in the United States there has always been emphasis on teachers being the best of the best because of the strict budget. A pro for teacher rankings is that they eliminate all of the “bad apples”. If you don’t have passion to teach students, then it will show and will reflect on their end of year tests. Also, if you are not following the curriculum, then the students probably aren’t learning anything, and having a poor teacher ranking will reflect poorly on your teacher evaluation. Some cons to having rankings are that the education department is able to distribute the strong teachers amongst weaker districts. 

Education

Taking a More Holistic Approach to Global Health Education

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/world/europe/20iht-educlede20.html?pagewanted=2&ref=educationandschools

Student’s main reason to be in school is to receive an education that will help them in the long run. Their goal is not to focus on being healthy everyday or preventing diseases in themselves and other peers. Dr. Piot is the director of a school who studies medicine in hope that diseases and sickness won’t spread to Europe and third world countries. He states that his school’s main purpose is to study sickness endemic to overseas territories which are usually carried by soldiers returning home. Now, addressing public health in school systems has become harder and harder because of factors such as socioeconomic status and politics. One solution that Dr. Piot has in mind is to think more broadly and taking into account things such as malnutrition, water contamination, inadequate health care, and government involvement. Students who are studying medicine to become doctors are taking a more holistic approach by visiting other countries where health is an issue and keeping students in school healthy is important as well. “We are not doing something right if we aren’t focusing on keeping our students healthy in our own education systems” says Dr. Piot.

I believe that taking a more holistic approach to health education is vital in today’s society for many of reasons. First, as Americans, we can become ignorant to the other countries around us and forget that we can work with them to keep our students healthy. More third world countries have bigger diseases to worry about such as students with AIDS, malaria, and diseases caught from contaminated water. Whereas people in the US deal with the flu, catching a cold, and chicken pox with students. If Dr. Piot trains students who are wanting to become doctors to go abroad and learn how to experience different diseases, they are learning on a broader scale. Training future doctors to improve their physical exams and to diagnose efficiently will prevent students from getting and staying sick. There will always be sick people in the world, and there will always be a need for doctors around the world to cure them. Dr. Piot is on the right track to making the world a better and healthier place for students.  

Blog 4: The Global Search for Education

The Global Search for Education: More from India

http://www.educationnews.org/international-uk/the-global-search-for-education-more-from-india/

The author of this article interviewed Dr. Madhave Chavan, CEO of the largest NGO in India, about poverty and education and what is being done about it. The biggest focus of the article was partnership with different countries, especially the US, and education programs. 1 in 5 children in the US live in poverty, therefore affecting their educational status. Although this is also a worse problem in India, Dr. Chavan says that if India schools partner up with US schools, they will look at how the US has developed over the past 2 centuries. Each day more and more the basic model of school is becoming outdated, and India is having a problem keeping up with it. Some of the biggest challenges that India faces are poverty and the struggle of build schools and maintain them enough for children to receive a good education. The plan is to start offering pre-school education to children who live in the slums of India, and from there started the launch for the Read India campaign to help Indians ages 6-14 learn how to read, write and do basic mathematics. Dr. Chavan said the biggest issue is training the teachers on how to give the children the best education they can receive. This will lead to improving quantity in schools and then eventually the quality of testing in each school.   

A child’s education, no matter what country you live in, is important for a stable future. Children around the world receive different types of education on different levels, but it is better than nothing. Having India partner with the US is a great first step in improving education around the world. Although many countries live in poverty, and some more than half their population, but Dr. Chavan is taking an initiative and has a vision for the children of India. Receiving an education is a social problem around the world because it is needed for everyday life, and to earn a living. In the article Dr. Chavan states that there is too much emphasis on textbooks and that we need to focus on health, sports, arts, and craftiness to give children a broader perspective of the world. I could not agree with this more, and I believe this is not only true for children in Indian schools, but also the US schools. Children need the opportunity to be more hands on and explore more things on their own. Although being able to read and write are critical objectives, I believe that Dr. Chavan partnering with the US to compare and contrast ideas with further expand both ends of education.   

The Mother of All Exams- Indian Culture

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/world/asia/02iht-letter02.html?_r=2&ref=educationandschools

The Joint Entrance Exam of the Indian Institutes of Technology is an exam that Indian boys have taken for many of years and it could determine the rest of their lives. According to the article it is such a big deal in the Indian culture that it is considered on the first acronyms that Indian boys learn. Nearly half a million boys took this exam and they are only competing for about 5,000 spots. Almost all citizens agree that this exam is far too hard and that something should be done to reduce the competition. In order for this to be done the Human Resource Development Industry is going to devise a plan for a new test to come out that would govern the admission process of several engineering institutes, including the famed I.I.T.’s. The nature of the new aptitude test, which is expected to debut in 2014, would be different from the J.E.E. The selection procedure, too, would be very different from what the I.I.T.’s use today. So, the type of person who enters the I.I.T.’s in the future may be very different. Opinion is divided on whether the new I.I.T. graduate will be better or worse than current alumni. 

This article was very interesting to write about because I have never heard of this type of exam in the Indian culture. From reading the article I gathered that the IIT was for upper class, literate families and it determined their success in life. Unlike the SAT, which some colleges don’t require anymore, this test is studied for over years and years and it could make or break an adolescent male’s life. I agree with the author in the statement he made that they should make a new test over the IIT. A statistic was shown that only 1 in 50 people crack the exam. It takes much coaching and practice to even begin studying for this exam, and I believe that if you’re a bad test taker one exam shouldn’t make a difference in your life goals.  

New Rules for School Meals Leads to Reducing Obesity

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/us/politics/new-school-lunch-rules-aimed-at-reducing-obesity.html?_r=1&ref=education

What Children Eat Matters!

After the Food Industry won a vote in Congress to block the administration from carrying out an earlier proposal that would have reduced starchy foods like potatoes and prohibited schools from counting a small amount of tomato paste on a slice of pizza as a vegetable. Michelle Obama and the Obama Administration took a visit to Parklawn Elementary School in Virginia, and announced the changes that were going to take place. Along with serving more greens and fruits in the daily meals served at school, all milk served must be low fat, and for the first time the rules set limits on levels of salt and trans fat. They also set a minimum and maximum calorie intake per day based on student age. However, the government estimates that the rules will add about $3.2 billion in costs to the program, about half the cost of the proposed rules that were blocked last year. Everyone seems to be happy about the new changes and the excitement it will bring to elementary schools, except the National Potato Council (yes, this is a real group).   

I believe that this is a really important topic to discuss especially in Elementary schools because it has gotten out of control. I think it is so easy for parents to just give kids whatever they want for breakfast and lunch, thinking that they’re young and it won’t affect them. Obesity can start in children at such a young age. Putting the money and effort into children’s school lunch can make a huge difference in their performance. Instead of consuming a high amount of sugar, it can be replaced with fruits and vegetables and the nutrition they need. Children need energy throughout the day and practicing healthy eating habits at school will eventually transfer to their homes and parents will be more likely to cook healthy meals instead of fast food for dinner. I think it was a great idea to pass a law like this, and although some people might blow it off as a waste of time, I think it was very considerate for Michelle Obama and their Administration team to take the time and visit elementary schools. I hope that all elementary schools will be able to catch on the new law passed and have children eat a healthy, solid meal every day. According to the article, “About 32 million children participate in school meal programs each day. The new rules are a major component of Mrs. Obama’s campaign to reduce the number of overweight children through exercise and better nutrition.” This is a positive step in the right direction of improving children in the education system. 

Education Slows in Recession

Growth in Prekindergarten Slows in Recession
ARE CHILDREN RECEIVING THE EDUCATION THEY NEED?




Not only has this recession been bad news for adults as they lose their jobs, it has also effected the younger ones as well. Budget cuts have slowly reduced the number of children that have been able to go to school, therefore pushing their education back as much as a whole year! Preschool is encouraged because of the pre-education it provides students before entering kindergarten. Basic skills are becoming more and more of a necessity (tying your shoes, being potty trained, not biting other students) and without preschool researchers say that students are an average 12-18 months behind their peers. New York Governor stated that “Pre-K is proven to be the most effective education strategy that we can invest in.”

 It is said that the longer you wait to start a child’s education, the earlier they will end up in prison. The reason that preschool is so important is because typically, state-funded prekindergarten programs have a narrower focus on education and cognitive development and serve a broader population.

Education should always be the number one focus for parents and their children. If children don’t start out with a strong education, their future is only going to continue the way they start. Although the recession and budget cuts have affected teachers and students, it is imperative that younger children are provided with the skills they need to start a strong education journey. Prekindergarten is a way for children to understand basic skills, how to make new friends, and be in a social environment that will prepare them for the future.  

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/expansion-pre-programs-curtailed-recession-15375666#.Txjt0KVrMhw