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A song of loneliness, empathy and action
Howard Margolis EducationFor at least 100 times over the past several days, I’ve listened to Vivian Green’s rendition of "Oh, Freedom." Her performance was morally powerful, personally humbling, and haunting in a bittersweet way. In its courage and moral power, it offers lessons to those of us concerned about the needs and dignity of children and adults with disabilities.
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Do unto others: Advice for job interviewers in education
Debra Josephson Abrams EducationLying. Sleeping. Yawning. Stretching. Antagonizing. Talking on the phone. Talking and talking and talking and talking — and not listening. Asking illegal questions. Coming and going. Interviewers have a lot to learn. Throughout my nearly 30-year career in higher education, I've had my share of interviews, I've witnessed open fora in which others were interviewed, and colleagues have shared with me their interview stories.
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Monitoring accommodations for effective learning
Pamela Hill EducationStudents who receive special education services rely on accommodations to help them learn and to help make learning environments accessible. The accommodations are typically chosen by the special education team during a student's annual or initial Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meeting. Accommodations can also be added to a student's IEP at any other time that a change is deemed necessary.
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As economy improves, K-12 funding expansions top state priorities
Bambi Majumdar EducationK-12 public education is funded by federal, state and local governments in the United States. While the federal government contributes about 10 percent to the total amount, local taxes make up for the bulk of the fund, about 40-50 percent.
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ELL writing skills: Why they matter
Douglas Magrath EducationEven the most basic English language learners need to be exposed to the written code of the target language. The tasks must be as realistic as possible for these beginners. Writing is a survival skill in both the school and the community, but writing does not develop naturally.
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Accelerate learning with creative teaching techniques
Susan Kahn EducationJust as a famous chef buys the best quality organic foods to prepare a culinary delight, an expert learning specialist combines the best educational and brain research with creative teaching techniques to accelerate learning.
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Should teacher tests receive a failing grade?
Brian Stack EducationAs our nation continues to look for ways to hold our schools accountable for student learning through student tests such as PARCC and SBAC, we have also turned to raising the bar for teacher tests. Elizabeth Harris, a writer for The New York Times, examined the issue in a story last month entitled, "Tough Tests for Teachers, With Question of Bias."
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What do school leaders need to know about English learners? The basics
Erick Herrmann EducationEach new school year, countless new administrators move into school leadership positions. There are many, many topics, skills and procedures that need to be learned, relearned or determined as the new school year starts. At times, leaders follow similar policies and procedures put into place previously. Others change policies and procedures to meet their own unique vision.
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How the BRRRRR strategy can help you chill out at IEP meetings
Howard Margolis EducationIf your child will soon have a new Individualized Education Program (IEP), you have to ensure it meets all his (or her) educational needs. Ideally, to develop a high quality IEP, you’ll work cooperatively with the school's IEP team members. But what if you disagree with them? What if you believe they're just trying to save money and don't care about your child?
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Does class size matter in education?
Bambi Majumdar EducationTexas school districts were in the spotlight again as recent reports revealed thousands of elementary classes exceeding their set 22-pupil maximum size limit. The number of classrooms that exceeded this limit in 2014 was up to 5,883, meaning 130,000 K-4 students were crammed in together.
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