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Should you get your MBA?
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIt used to be that a high school diploma was enough to land a good job. Then, a bachelor’s degree became the minimum standard. Now, it seems everyone is compelled to get a master’s degree. No job requires an MBA, but in many positions having the degree can validate that we possess a set of knowledge required for the role. Whether it is a perceived requirement in our industry, something to improve our network, or the pursuit of a lifelong dream, here are the reasons to — or not to — get an MBA.
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Why black and brown students get inferior educations: Segregation
Patrick Gleeson EducationIn recent years, more energy has been devoted to the pros and cons of affirmative action than probably any other education topic. But these arguments on what should or shouldn’t be done to help black and brown students skirt a far more fundamental issue, which even liberal educators and politicians often avoid: why do black and brown students need affirmative action or any other kind of race-based help to enjoy the same level of success in college enjoyed by Asian students and white students? Underlying the answers to that question are two seemingly contradictory bodies of fact.
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Can leadership be learned? The Wharton School seems to think so
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe May 9 Wall Street Journal featured a full-page story on a course at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School: "How to Be a Boss 101." Launched in January, the course is full of practical lessons aimed at building better managers. What's interesting to note is that this course is focused on undergraduates, as opposed to graduate students who often have work experience. This move is intentional. As more young people graduate and move into jobs at technology companies and consulting firms, they are finding themselves suddenly in charge.
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Can partnerships between public schools, universities help address the…
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) recent paper on teacher shortages states that the crisis is growing worse than ever in America. The real magnitude of the teacher shortage is even scarier when one considers the scarcity of credentialed teachers, more so in rural and low-income areas. One ray of hope comes from new school-university partnerships that aim to prepare future teachers by giving them real-life experience and, in the process, help fill funding gaps. One such example is the partnership between Ohio University and some of the state's school districts.
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Do ‘zero-tolerance’ policies in education really work?
Patrick Gleeson EducationIn principle, zero-tolerance policies in U.S. schools are obvious and almost indisputable. Some kinds of student behavior cannot be tolerated and must result in disciplinary responses that include expulsion. Students can't bring guns to school, for example; can’t attack teachers, or sell drugs on campus. In practice, however zero-tolerance policies have become fraught and widely disputed. Here's an overview of zero-tolerance policies in U.S. schools along with a sampling of opinion about their usefulness.
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Useful hints for ESL teachers: Part 2
Douglas Magrath EducationStudents need extra help understanding facets of language that go beyond grammar and syntax. Teachers may have to make extra efforts to help LEP learners. Teachers can look at their own cultures as a starting point. Another thing that a teacher can do is let his or her personality show. Stay on task, but it is OK to be different. Teachers should be sensitive to the students’ needs. Some may need more grammar; others may need more speaking while still others may need emotional support and advising.
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The needless struggles of struggling readers: Professional preparation…
Howard Margolis EducationOnce in special education, struggling readers (SRs), such as students with dyslexia or mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment, often make little or no progress in reading and writing. They often regress. This doesn’t make sense. After all, they have smaller classes taught by special education teachers. They have highly personalized Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that meet all their academic, physical, and social-emotional needs. They have case managers who closely monitor their progress, and when warranted, quickly call a meeting to make program adjustments. It sounds flawless. It’s not.
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A closer look at the College Board’s controversial ‘adversity…
Patrick Gleeson EducationIn yet another instance of the truism that no good deed goes unpunished, the College Board — which creates and administers SAT tests — seems to have angered educators of several political persuasions with its recently announced "adversity score," a tool designed to allow college admissions officers to take students’ hardships into account when deciding their college eligibility. Trying to compensate for student hardships without actually taking race into account seems like a plausible solution to the well-understood problem of inequality in education — unless you think about it.
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Security cameras in classrooms: The debate continues
Brian Stack EducationMy suburban New Hampshire high school, home to some 800 students and staff, is not unlike many a high school from coast to coast that has received a variety of security upgrades, including the expansion of our video surveillance network. What once was a limited system with just 10 cameras pointed in the most high-traffic parts of the campus is now a system approaching 100 individual cameras that record and save footage for nearly two months. As expansive as our security camera network is, we have drawn a line in the sand in terms of what footage we record.
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Building mathematical discourse with English learners
Erick Herrmann EducationLearning mathematics is a critical skill in the 21st century. Mathematics builds critical skills, such as problem solving and applying logic. While some claim that mathematics might be an easier subject area for English learners due to the nature of the subject, this is clearly not the case as mathematics requires a significant amount of language. The purpose of mathematical discourse is to deepen understanding of mathematical concepts. Teachers can facilitate mathematical discourse in their classrooms for English learners in a variety of ways.
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