From private school to public school

Posted on 08. Jul, 2009 by Katarina.

Hi all! I’m Katarina and I am excited to be interning for League of Education Voters again. I had such a great time in the LEV office last summer, I decided to return. Throughout my internship this summer I will be blogging weekly with a focus on the different school systems I have been a part of.

I have been a student of St. George School, Lakeside, ISWA (online school) and will be attending Franklin High School in the fall. Being a part of the private school system, online school system and now the public school system has helped me understand what quality education should mean for everyone.

Prior to last summer, I had only ever attended private schools. I was aware of some of the issues with public education, but I never took the time to really get into details. I was stuck in the mindset that if it wasn’t a problem at my school, it didn’t affect me. Once I began work with LEV, many of the issues were suddenly very real. I finally realized that no matter what school you attend, private or public, every student deserves a quality education. A quality education means a school which supports their students in every way, offers resources outside of the classroom, and provides top of the line teachers and counselors who model leadership. Most of all, quality education acknowledges that all students have the right and potential to succeed.

Now that I have attended schools outside of the private school world, I am more aware of the different approaches schools use and the problems that surface. They’re constantly trying to find the right balance between catering to students’ needs while being able to only offer so much. In my future posts, I hope to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each school system. Not every student goes through private, online and public education and I hope through my unique experience I can share a different perspective.

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Tiny Thinkers: WSU preliminary findings on early learning

Posted on 08. Jul, 2009 by Sara.

My earliest childhood memories involve watching the bilingual Muzzy videos at my grandparents’ house. Ah-eh-i-o-ooo! I’d croon in Spanglish as I watched the cartoons Juan and Sylvia speed off on their moped to escape the evil Corvax. My grandparents would glow with delight as I sang them the Spanish alphabet.

Then there were the Saturday mornings when my mom and I would listen to adventure stories on the radio or watch Wishbone on TV. Later, my mom would read to me from classics such as Ramona or Island of the Blue Dolphins. By the time I was in second grade, I could read Little Women by myself. I remember being thrilled when my piano teacher gave me Anne of Green Gables for mastering the Minuet in G.

So when I was assigned to research early learning, I didn’t need to see the statistics to know that early literacy is a vital part of early learning. It seems only natural to me that children who spend time reading with their parents are more academically advanced and socially-emotionally developed than their peers who don’t. Or that these same children are more passionate about pursuing an education and benefit from more teaching-savvy parents and better family bonding than their peers who don’t. I know that my personal growth was enhanced on every level by the time I spent goofing off, reenacting scenes from books for my friends and family.

A recent study by Dr. Sarah L. Tragesser, psychology professor at WSU, demonstrates those very points. The Findings on READY! For Kindergarten: Summary Report verifies that the early learning initiatives taken by Kennewick School District, dubbed READY! For Kindergarten, has had far-reaching results. The report summarizes its findings as follows:

• There is evidence that children whose parents participated in READY! for Kindergarten were more advanced as a result of the program
• There is evidence that the program also promoted Kindergarten readiness through increased socio-emotional development among children.
• There is evidence that children began to value educational activities as a result of the types of activities provided by the program and by participating in the program).
• There is evidence that parents gained increased skills and confidence in their ability to be teachers to their children.
• There is evidence that the program facilitated family bonding

More information about the Kennewick initiative and READY! For Kindergarten can be found on the following websites:

http://levfoundation.org/files/Promise_Section2.pdf

http://www.readyforkindergarten.org/

http://www.readingfoundation.org/

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You’re invited to a candid briefing on Year One of an innovative education reform effort

Posted on 08. Jul, 2009 by Chris.

This past school year, Technology Access Foundation, in partnership with the Federal Way Public Schools, launched the Technology Access Foundation Academy, an exciting new partnership that prepares students of color for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.

The results of this first year are in and you are invited to a briefing to share in their learning. Please join me on July 30^th to hear more about the work of this innovative approach. Event and registration information are pasted below.

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AP Scores; it’s all in the Teachers. Well, Mostly.

Posted on 08. Jul, 2009 by Xuan.

In 2008, a total of 2,674,296 Advanced Placement (AP) exams were taken nationally. Fifty-seven percent of those tests earned a score of 3 or above. A score between 3 and 5 is considered “passing” and often earns college credit, depending on the subject and the college’s policy.

In Washington State, 51,235 AP exams were taken and 59 percent of those earned a score of 3 or above. We’re just above the national average- woo hoo!

I took the AP European History Exam in 2008, earning a 3. I felt that I wasn’t prepared for the class at first, but luckily, I had a good teacher who got me ready for my first AP test. I don’t think I would’ve passed had he not lectured and given us pop quizzes. Sure, I studied and read, but I don’t think those combined were as helpful as his lectures.

At the time I was taking the AP Euro class, there were two other AP Euro teachers. Some of my friends had those teachers, and because they felt unprepared, they chose not to take the exam. One of the teachers had never taught AP classes before, so I can understand that they would have some difficulty with the new curriculum. My teacher had eight years of experience. I felt like a lucky student to be placed in his class. I bet my teacher had it rough starting out too, so I don’t blame the teacher with less experience. I still feel it was unfair for those students with other teachers to not take the test because they signed up for the same class I did, but they didn’t get the quality of learning I got thanks to my awesome teacher.

I think that a student’s personal dedication to getting a high grade on their AP’s play a large role in succeeding. However, the teacher’s motivation and effective methods for preparing the student make up a great deal of it too.

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Education news for July 8

Posted on 08. Jul, 2009 by Heather.

Water hazard: Has Washington crossed the Rubicon on high tuition at state universities?

No break for you: Newark starts a summer school aimed at Advanced Placement

Show me the money: Audit: States using stimulus just to stay afloat

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