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HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP GRIEVING
CHILDREN
Death, as the saying goes, is certain. And so is the fact that many
kids in school will come face-to-face with the death of a close
relative or friend. The U.S. Bureau of Census estimates that more
than 2 million children and adolescents under 18 have experienced
the death of a parent.
In 2000, 4 percent of single parents were widowed, and about 14
percent of their households included children under 12. Figure in
the deaths of other close relatives and friends, and many more
children are affected by grief.
Schools need to reach out to grieving students, writes Susan Black,
but they also need to remember that grief knows no boundaries.
Sometimes it spills over to teachers and other school staff members
who, like their students, need guidance to handle their own shock
and suffering. Schools cannot compensate for children’s severe
losses, and teachers and counselors cannot assuage children’s grief
alone. But schools should be prepared to help bereaved students work
through their grief. Parents and teachers should remember that they
"cannot shield grieving children from sorrow," says Nancy McEntire.
But they can guide and comfort children through their mourning and
bereavement. This article from American School Board Journal
outlines both effective strategies and well-intentioned yet harmful
approaches for helping grieving children.
SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
Criticism of public education has become so rampant that many
Americans are left wondering whether anything is going right with
public schools. Negative media reports about education, publicity
about schools that don't meet state standards or federal
accountability requirements, and disparaging comments from critics
of public education can contribute to the misimpression that public
education is in worse shape than ever -- and that’s just not the
case. U.S. public schools have improved in many ways since the
movement to reform education by raising standards first took shape
20 years ago, says the Washington-based Center on Education Policy.
In its
recent report, "Do You Know the Latest Good News About American
Education?", CEP looks at positive trends and outlines 24 indicators
of success in five main categories: school participation and
course-taking, student achievement, school climate and public
support, teachers, and higher education. "By plainly stating the
facts and graphing the numbers, we hope to dispel common
misconceptions about public schools." It also points to areas where
more work needs to be done to ensure that all students receive a
quality education.
DOES GOD HAVE A PLACE IN
SCIENCE CLASS?
The growing organization and clout of the intelligent design
movement and the prevalence of opinion that humans did not develop
from an earlier species are beginning to alter the way that most
fundamental tenets of biology are presented in public schools,
reports Claudia Wallis. What could possibly be wrong with presenting
more than one point of view on a topic that divides so many
Americans? But to biologists, it reeks of faith-based science. And
that is provocative not only because it rekindles a turf battle that
goes all the way back to the Middle Ages, but because it comes at a
time when American science is perceived as being under fresh
assault, both politically and competitively. In a Harris Poll
conducted in June, 55% of 1,000 adults surveyed said that children
should be taught creationism and intelligent design along with
evolution in public schools. The same poll found that 54% did not
believe humans had developed from an earlier species.
STUDY IDENTIFIES EFFECTIVE
APPROACHES FOR PRINCIPAL EDUCATION
Principals play a vital role in setting the direction for successful
schools, but a shortfall in qualified leaders is hindering many
American schools from providing effective education for all
students. These are among the first findings from a major research
effort currently underway to gain a clearer understanding of what is
known about principal preparation and development, what works and
how to create scalable models that can bring effective leadership to
all America's schools. The project, titled "School Leadership Study:
Developing Successful Principals," is taking place in several
phases. The first phase examines existing knowledge in the field.
Investigators identify the ways that school leadership and school
performance are closely linked, examine the essential skills of good
leadership, key features of effective principal education programs,
structures of effective programs, and successful financing and
policy reform strategies. "The role of the principal has swelled in
recent years to include a staggering array of responsibilities,"
said Stephen Davis. "Principals are expected to be educational
visionaries, instructional leaders, assessment experts,
disciplinarians, community builders, public relations experts,
budget analysts, facility managers, special programs administrators,
and guardians of various legal, contractual, and policy mandates and
initiatives. Traditional methods of preparing administrators are no
longer adequate to meet the leadership challenges posed by modern
schools. There are programs that have successfully managed this new
reality, and our goal is to identify the effective practices in
these programs so that they can be replicated."
DOES MONEY TRANSFORM SCHOOLS?
In Illinois, how much money a school has -- and whether it can offer
extras like foreign languages and AP classes, or even pay for basic
facilities -- depends mostly on where that school is. The difference
in annual spending between the wealthiest district and the poorest
has grown to $19,361 per pupil, according to the most recent
school-spending data and a Chicago Tribune analysis. It's a
staggering figure even in a state known for wide funding gaps, and
Illinois is starting to give the kind of attention to the issue that
courts have forced in a handful of other states. Still, even as
education reformers call for higher taxes and increased funds for
the poorest districts, others point out that more money often
doesn't lead to better schools. The factors that improve student
performance often seem a fuzzy list of hard-to-define assets like
good teachers, effective principals, smaller classes, and the right
curricula, only some of which are directly related to dollars. But
it's also hard, reports Amanda Paulson, to get away from at least a
few cash-related questions. "Just giving more money doesn't solve
the problems of achievement," says Kevin Carey, director of policy
research for the Education Trust. "But in order to run an effective
school, you have to have enough money and you have to spend it well.
It's not an either-or situation."
LAWS CUT SCHOOL CONTROL AT
LOCAL LEVEL
Arizona built its education system on "local control." Once powerful
and independent governing boards firmly directed each of the state's
more than 220 districts and were answerable mainly to district
voters. But new federal and state laws swept in a massive reform
movement and swept away much of that power and independence. It has
left district school board members feeling the pressure of dividing
up limited money, while caught between new mandates to push basic
reading and math skills and their voters, many of whom are upset
about changes board members are powerless to stop. Like it or not,
writes Pat Kossan, this education reform movement is rolling on
without, and sometimes over, locally elected school boards with
unhappy results for some members.
INADEQUATE PREPARATION OF
DROPOUTS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
A Department of Labor report released Monday finds that America's
high schools are not sufficiently preparing emerging dropouts for
the demands of unemployment. In a letter introducing the report,
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao explained that schools routinely fail to
impart dropouts with the critical lying- and sitting-around skills
they need to thrive in today's jobless market. "Our public high
schools place too much focus on preparing kids for professional
careers," Chao said. "This waste of resources leaves our dropouts,
the majority of whom have no chance of ever finding a job, wholly
unprepared to sleep till 1 p.m., or watch daytime television while
eating ramen noodles out of an upturned Frisbee."
According to the study, America's weakest academic performers also
drop out of high school without ever having learned to steal beer
money from their housemates' change jars or wash their hair with bar
soap. "This oversight cannot continue if our kids are to become
unproductive citizens," Chao said. "The future dregs of society are
not being served.
Despite massive cuts in recent decades, some remnants of math and
science instruction continue to plague many school districts. These
courses, Chao argued, waste valuable time and money. Secretary of
Education Margaret Spellings defended the nation's public-school
system. "Educators do a lot to ensure that the most hopeless
students slip through the cracks,"
Spellings said. "Arbitrary rules, irregularly enforced discipline,
and pointless paperwork are just the first things that come to
mind." She added: "Easy grading encourages students to be sloppy and
late handing in homework -- a skill that makes future deadbeats very
competitive in stonewalling landlords and bill collectors." (Note to
readers: this article is intended to be satirical.)
IS MIDDLE SCHOOL BAD FOR KIDS?
For the past decade, middle schools have been the educational
setting for roughly two-thirds of students in Grades 6 through 8.
But increasingly, communities are questioning whether they really
are the best choice for this volatile age group. Changes in middle
school structure are driven largely by a series of studies that
depict U.S. middle schools as the place where kids lose their way
academically and socially -- in many cases never to resurface.
Middle schools were originally intended to be nurturing places, but
it hasn't been easy to pull that off, says Harry Finks, who wrote
one of the first handbooks for middle school staff: "You want to
create a dialogue, so that an eighth-grade boy can come up to you
and say, 'Man, my guinea pig died and I'm really upset.' Most
schools don't have that atmosphere." Those who champion middle
schools, however, say that done right, such schools offer leadership
opportunities, a caring environment plus a rich variety of courses,
facilities and subject-matter specialists that K-8s can't begin to
match. But educators on both sides of the debate tend to agree that
how the grades are packaged ultimately matters less than what's
happening inside the school. "The exact configuration is a
distraction," says Anthony Jackson. What counts, he says, is good
instruction and caring relationships. "You can make that happen in a
stand-alone middle school or a K-8 school," Jackson adds, although
he believes that schools with more than 100 kids per grade should be
broken up into smaller units. Hiring qualified teachers and giving
them time to plan and upgrade skills is also critical. Nationally,
only about 1 in 4 middle school teachers has special certification
for teaching middle school grades.
RAISING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF
BLACK BOYS
Black boys spend more time in special education, spend less time in
advanced placement or college prep courses, and receive more
disciplinary suspensions and expulsions than any other group in U.S.
schools today.
"This
problem is not genetic," states author and education consultant
Jawanza Kunjufu. "It is systemic." In many cases, a debilitating
combination of inadequate resources and low expectations in schools
that serve large numbers of black boys results in this group being
held back, researchers say. Jordan and his colleagues report that
these schools have "more than their fair share of teachers who are
out of field or long-term substitutes. And often the curriculum and
the expectations are quite low."
Experts tracking black boys in schools also cite inattention to
gender learning styles, misinterpretation and abuse of zero
tolerance policies, negative peer pressure, and lack of commitment
to create a culture of care and nurturance for black boys. The
downward trend for black boys in school and society will not end
unless educators and community and business leaders make black boys
"the litmus test for their personal leadership," says Rosa Smith. As
a former school superintendent, she encourages school administrators
to lead in ways that nurture "this student group most vulnerable to
school failure." To improve the achievement of black boys, she
advises school leaders to bring together reciprocal layers of
communication, data collection, early education, accountability, and
literacy instruction.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND CONTROVERSY
IGNITES THE SILVER SCREEN
Filmmaker Lerone Wilson, 23, never envisioned himself producing a
politically charged hour-long television documentary on the federal
education program. Nevertheless two and a half years later, the
resulting film "No Child Left Behind" will air in late August in
selected public television markets. During the course of his senior
year at the New York University film school, Wilson spent a great
deal of time tutoring students at PS217 as part of a work/study
program. It was there that he became familiar with many educators’
discontent with the new legislation.
The
film, which was designed to be a balanced look into the issues
surrounding the NCLB program, has shown to be highly polarizing.
Complaints concerning its alleged political leanings continue from
liberals and conservatives alike. "I've seen lots of hurtful and
offensive remarks flung around surrounding this issue. But after
producing this film I've realized it’s not out of ill will, rather
because it’s an issue that lots of people have a vested interest in,
and care passionately about."
Having
attended schools in both Southfield, and Birmingham, Lerone spends a
great deal the film’s time exploring a controversial aspect of the
NCLB discussion, the black/white achievement gap. "Growing up I
studied in these two demographically distinct school districts. I
always wondered why despite the negligible economic differences, one
group consistently outperformed the other. This really bothered me."
Wilson said. While he and his production company don't intend to
single-handedly solve the issues raised in the film, they do hope to
have an impact upon social discourse. View the film trailer online
at the link above.
NEW RESEARCH ON BABIES YIELDS CLUES FOR LATER LEARNING
Babies are far more sophisticated intellectually than we once
believed, reports Pat Wingert and Martha Brant. Armed with some new
information, pediatricians are starting to change the way they
evaluate their youngest patients. In addition to tracking physical
development, they are now focusing much more deeply on emotional
advancement. The research shows how powerful emotional well-being is
to a child's future health. A baby who fails to meet certain key
"emotional milestones" may have trouble learning to speak, read and,
later, do well in school. By reading emotional responses, doctors
have begun to discover ways to tell if a baby as young as 3 months
is showing early signs of possible psychological disorders,
including depression, anxiety, learning disabilities and perhaps
autism.
"Instead of just asking if they're crawling or sitting, we're asking
more questions about how they share their world with their
caregivers," says Dr. Chet Johnson. "Do they point to things? When
they see a new person, how do they react? How children do on social
and emotional and language skills are better predictors of success
in adulthood than motor skills are." The goal: in the
not-too-distant future, researchers hope doctors will routinely
identify at-risk kids years earlier than they do now--giving parents
crucial extra time to turn things around.
4-H’s CROP OF NON-FARM KIDS
When family members go to 4-H meetings, they plan ethnic menus,
create sewing patterns with globe-spanning cultural references,
encourage the timid to start backyard gardens, maybe growing just a
squash or two. The 4-H was founded in 1902 with a mission to help
children from 8 to 18 years old develop skills for living. (The four
H's mean: Head, Heart, Hands and Health.) But the 4-H is not just
about life on farms anymore. The 4-H is reaching out to families in
cities and suburbs, while keeping its traditional base of farm-based
youth. "The 4-H is opening up a lot," said Alganesh Piechocinski.
"We do a lot of outreach, and we're bringing in kids with a lot of
different ethnic backgrounds: African American, Asian, Hispanic. We
are bringing in kids from urban areas who want to know more about
animals, and we are teaching them about healthy living, eating
nutritiously." The changing nature of the 4-H and its quest to be
more relevant and inclusive were the leading issues during the
National 4-H's centennial in 2002. In a report submitted to the
Secretary of Agriculture, the organization's leaders pledged a
greater focus on mentoring, education, diversity and civic
engagement.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Data from the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) shows how
prevalent various features of professional development activities
were among public school teachers. During the 1999–2000 school year,
teachers were asked about their professional development activities
during the previous 12 months. Some 59 percent of public school
teachers participated in professional development focused on content
in the subject matter they taught and 73 percent participated in
professional development focused on methods of teaching. A majority
of teachers reported receiving eight or fewer hours of professional
development in either subject matter content or teaching methods. In
terms of the format of professional development activities, 95
percent of teachers attended a workshop, conference, or other
training session in the previous year, compared with 42 percent who
participated in mentoring, peer observation, or coaching.
Seventy-four percent of teachers participated in regularly scheduled
collaboration with other teachers on issues of instruction. SASS
asked school principals to report on how important various
influences were on the determination of teacher professional
development activities. More than half of public school principals
reported a school improvement plan or state or local academic
standards as very important influences on determining the content of
teacher professional development activities; 26 percent of
principals called teacher preferences a very important influence.
TEACHING TEACHERS: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Good teachers form the foundation
of good schools, and improving teachers' skills and knowledge is one
of the most important investments of time and money that local,
state, and national leaders make in education. Yet with the wide
variety of professional development options available, which methods
have the most impact on student learning? Read more in the new issue
of Research Points, the quarterly research brief on education
published by the American Educational Research Association.
NEW MAGAZINE ANNOUNCED
Since 1984, "Black Issues In Higher Education" magazine has
addressed issues of access and equity in U.S. higher education and
provided timely news, provocative commentary and in-depth special
reports on myriad issues affecting students of color and others
underrepresented in the nation’s colleges and universities. With the
August 25, 2005 edition, the magazine will become "DIVERSE Issues In
Higher Education," expanding its focus to include matters affecting
all people of color. To obtain a complimentary copy of the new
magazine, write, call or email your request (including full mailing
address) to:
DIVERSE, Suite B-8,
10520 Warwick Avenue,
Fairfax, VA, 22030.
Telephone: (703) 385-2980.
Email:
subscriptions@cmapublishing.com |
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"Promoting Critical Collaboration
Between Teachers and Media Specialists"
The Thomson Gale TEAMS Award recognizes and encourages the critical
collaboration between the teacher and media specialist to promote
learning and increase student achievement. Maximum Award: $2,500.
Eligibility: All K-12 public and private schools in the United
States and Canada. Deadline:
September 9, 2005.
"Healthy
Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program (HTPC)"
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services seeks to stimulate
innovative community-based programs that employ prevention
strategies to promote access to health care for children and their
families nationwide. HTPC funding supports direct service projects,
not research projects. Maximum Award: $50,000. Eligibility:
Independent school districts, Nonprofits with 501 (c)(3) IRS status,
and Individuals. Deadline: September 12, 2005.
"Read Across America Library
Books Awards"
The NEA Foundation announces a new award to help public schools
serving economically disadvantaged students purchase books for
school libraries. The foundation makes these $5,000 awards on behalf
of the National Education Association (NEA), with generous support
from Warner Brothers, Inc. The applicant must be a member of the NEA.
Applications will be accepted only as email attachments. Two
deadlines: September 15, 2005 and February 1, 2006.
"Public
School Performing Arts Professional Development Programs"
The Dana Foundation has extended its longtime interest in education
to the support of innovative professional development programs
leading to improved teaching of the performing arts in public
schools. Maximum Award: $75,000. Eligibility: Projects for
Professional artists teaching performing arts in public schools or
In-school arts specialists who teach performing arts in the public
schools that originate in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los
Angeles; and their surrounding areas within a fifty-mile radius. No
awards to individuals. Deadline for Letter of Intent: August 31,
2005.
"American School Board
Journal's 12th Annual Magna Awards"
Entries are now being accepted for a national contest that honors
outstanding programs developed or supported by school boards.
October 1, 2005, is the entry deadline for the contest, sponsored in
conjunction with Sodexho School Services. An independent panel of
judges will select up to 24 winners, with cash prizes awarded to
grand prize winners in the contest's three enrollment categories
(under 5,000, 5,000 to 20,000 and more than 20,000). All of the
winning programs will be featured in a special print supplement to
ASBJ in the spring of 2006. They also will be featured online as
well as at the Luncheon for School Leaders, held in conjunction with
the National School Boards Association's Annual Conference. The 2006
conference will be held April 8-11 in New Orleans. For more
information, call
703-838-6739 or visit the Magna Awards website above.
"National
Geographic Teacher Grant Program"
National Geographic Teacher Grant Program to promote geographic
literacy for all children. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility:
Teachers K-12. Deadline: September 02, 2005.
"Best Buy
Te@ch Awards"
Best Buy te@ch awards will award up to 1200 $2500 Best Buy gift
cards to
non-profit (tax-exempt) K-12 schools located within 50 miles of a
Best Buy
store. Awards will be granted to schools that demonstrate the
integration of interactive technology into the curriculum as a way of making
learning
fun for students. Awards must be used by the schools to sustain or
expand
existing programs that integrate interactive technology into the
curriculum. Maximum Award: $2,500. Eligibility: certified teachers,
specialists and/or principals of K-12 schools. Deadline: September
30,
2005.
"Siemens Westinghouse
Competition"
The Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science & Technology
recognizes remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth
for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves
through science research. Through this competition, students have an
opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research
projects that they complete in high school. Students may submit
research reports either individually or in teams of two or three
members. Students whose projects are selected for further
competition are invited to give an oral and poster presentation at
one of the six regional events hosted by partner universities. At
each of these regional competitions an individual and a team are
selected as Regional Winners. These students receive scholarships of
$1,000 each as a regional finalist (including team members) and
$3,000 each as an individual regional winner. The winning team will
receive $6,000 to be divided among team members. Regional winners
then receive an invitation to advance to the National Competition in
New York City. In the national competition, students' presentations
are judged by research scientists recruited for their specific
expertise in the area of research for each project. The top
individual and team winners receive additional scholarships of
$100,000. Runners up receive scholarships ranging from $10,000 to
$50,000. Deadline:
October 3, 2005.
"Mini-Grant Program for
Service-Learning"
Constitutional Rights Foundation's Robinson Mini-Grant Program for
service-learning projects designed to address serious community
issues. Maximum Award: $500. Eligibility: K-12. Deadline:
October 14, 2005.
"Vernier Software &
Technology/NSTA Tech Award"
This award recognizes the innovative use of data collection
technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or handheld in the
science classroom. Maximum Award: $1,000 in cash and $2,000 in
prizes. Eligibility: Current teachers of science in grades
K-College. Deadline: October 15.
"ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Award"
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Outstanding
Educator Award seeks to recognize a teacher under the age of 40 who
demonstrates excellence in his or her profession. Criteria include a
positive impact on students, creativity in the classroom, and
leadership in his or her school or district. Maximum Award: $10,000.
Eligibility: teachers under age 40. Deadline: October 15.
"Do Something BRICK
Awards"
The Do Something BRICK Awards honors 6 outstanding youth leaders who
develop projects to improve their community. Maximum Award: $5,000
scholarship and a $5,000 grant. Eligibility: Students age 18 and
under. Deadline: November 1, 2005.
"Aerospace Education Foundation
Educator Grants"
This program is designed to promote aerospace education activities.
The program encourages development of innovative aerospace
activities within the prescribed curriculum. The program also
encourages establishing an active relationship between the school
and the local Air Force Association organization. Maximum Award:
varies. Eligibility: K-12 classrooms. Deadline: November 15, 2005.
"SeaWorld/Busch
Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards"
2006 SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards
recognize the outstanding efforts of students and teachers across
the country who are working at the grassroots level to protect and
preserve the environment. Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: All
schools (grades K-12). Deadline: Wednesday, November 30, 2005.
"National
Schools of Character"
The National Schools of Character (NSOC) Awards program has a
twofold purpose:
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1.
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To identify exemplary schools and districts to serve as
models for others; and |
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2.
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To help schools and districts improve their efforts in
effective character education. |
Maximum Award: $2000. Eligibility: To be eligible, a school must
have been engaged in character education for a minimum of three
full years, starting no later than December 2002 for the 2006
awards. Districts need to have been engaged in character
education for a minimum of four full years, starting no later
than December 2001. Smaller administrative units that maintain a
separate identity within a large district may apply in the
district category, e.g., a school pyramid or cluster. Deadline:
December 05, 2005.
"Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program"
The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program (JFMF) provides
U.S.
primary and secondary school teachers and administrators with the
opportunity to participate in three-week study visits to Japan and
to
return home with a follow-on plan designed to introduce Japanese
culture
to American students. Each year, up to 600 teachers and
administrators,
including participants from all 50 states and the District of
Columbia,
are selected to participate in the JFMF program. The JFMF Program
features an orientation to Japan followed by visits to primary and
secondary schools, teacher training colleges, cultural sites, and
industrial facilities. Meetings with Japanese teachers and students
and a
homestay with a Japanese family are also key components of the
program.
Participants return home to share their new knowledge with students,
colleagues, and the local community, ensuring that more than just
the
individual participants profit from the experience. As an additional
benefit to participants, graduate level credits are also available.
The
deadline for applications for the 2006 program is
December 10, 2005.
"Show Me
the Money: Tips & Resources for Successful Grant Writing"
Many educators have found that outside funding, in the form of
grants, allows them to provide their students with educational
experiences and materials their own districts can't afford. Learn
how they get those grants -- and how you can get one too. Included:
Practical tips to help first-time grant writers get the grants they
need.
"Department of
Education Forecast of Funding"
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under
which the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite
applications for new awards for FY 2005 and provides actual or
estimated deadline dates for the transmittal of applications under
these programs. The lists are in the form of charts -- organized
according to the Department's principal program offices -- and
includes previously announced programs and competitions, as well as
those planned for announcement at a later date.
Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official
application notice of the Department of Education. They expect to
provide regular updates to this document.
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