Report from Center for American Progress report: Kids say school is too easy

In Critical thinking is an essential trait of an educated person, moi said:

There is a great deal of dissatisfaction with the state of education in America. A lot of that dissatisfaction comes from the belief that the education system fails to actually educate children and to teach them critical thinking skills. The University of Maine at Augusta defines an educated person:

An educated person exhibits knowledge and wisdom; recognizes and respects the diversity of nature and society; demonstrates problem solving skills; engages in planning and managing practices; navigates the on-line world; writes and speaks well; acts with integrity; and appreciates the traditions of art, culture, and ideas. Developing these abilities is a life-long process. http://www.uma.edu/educatedperson.html

Essential to this definition is the development of critical thinking skills.

Melinda Burns writes in the Miller-McCune article, No Debate: Kids Can Learn By Arguing about Columbia professor Deanna Kuhn’s assertion that developing debate skills in children helps to develop critical thinking skills. http://www.miller-mccune.com/education/no-debate-kids-can-learn-by-arguing-38932/ The key is developing the idea that facts should be used to support an opinion. https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/critical-thinking-is-an-essential-trait-of-an-educated-person/

The Center for American Progress has just published Do Schools Challenge our Students? What Student Surveys Tell Us About the State of Education in the U.S. by Ulrich Boser and Lindsay Rosenthal

Here is the press release from the Center for American Progress:

RELEASE: American Students Say Schoolwork Is Too Easy

Surveys Reveal Critical Information About the State of Education

July 10, 2012

Contact: Katie Peters
Phone: 202.741.6285
Email: kpeters@americanprogress.org

Read the report.

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress released a new state-by-state analysis of student surveys that looks at the rigor of school work and how much students are engaged in an education that will prepare them for college and the modern workplace.

The report found, for instance, that 37 percent of fourth graders say their math work is often or always too easy. Almost a third of middle schoolers report they read less than five pages a day at home or at school. And in a competitive global economy where the mastery of science is increasingly crucial, 72 percent of eighth-grade science students say they are not being taught engineering and technology, according to the analysis of a federal database. What’s more, a significant number of students across grade levels say they do not understand what their teacher is saying.

“Over the past few years, many states have engaged in promising reforms that address the issues raised by this report. But our findings suggest we need to do far more to improve the learning experience for all students,” said Ulrich Boser, co-author of the report and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. “We hope that the findings and recommendations outlined in this report foster new and better ways to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.”

The findings come at a key time. Researchers increasingly believe that surveys of students can provide important insights into a teacher’s effectiveness. When the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation released findings from their Measures of Effective Teaching project last year, they found that student feedback was a far better predictor of a teacher’s performance than more traditional indicators of success such as whether a teacher had a master’s degree. The mounting evidence on the importance of student surveys has been shaping policy at the state and local level as well. Still, this important source of information—the student—has yet to find its full voice.

The report’s authors, Ulrich Boser and Lindsay Rosenthal, examined one of the richest sources of national student survey data and conducted an analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress’s background surveys. Key national findings from the analysis include:

Many schools are not challenging students, and large percentages of students report that their school work is “too easy.” Nearly one-third of eighth-grade math students nationwide report that their math work is often or always too easy. Among high schoolers, 21 percent of 12th graders say their math work is often or always too easy, while more than half report that their civics and history work is often or always too easy.

Many students are not engaged in rigorous learning activities. Almost a third of eighth-grade students report reading less than five pages a day either in school or for homework. They also report that they rarely write lengthy answers to reading questions on tests, and just a third of students write long answers on reading tests less than once or twice per year. Thirty-nine percent of 12th-grade students say they hardly ever or once or twice a month write about what they read in class.

Students don’t have access to key science and technology learning opportunities. Most teenagers say their schools don’t provide important learning opportunities in science and technology. For instance, 72 percent of eighth-grade students say they are not taught about engineering and technology.

Too many students don’t understand their teacher’s questions and report that they are not learning during class. Nationwide, less than two-thirds of middle-school students and just under 50 percent of 12th-grade students report they feel like they are always or almost always learning in math class. Students also report difficulty understanding their teacher’s questions.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to have access to more rigorous learning opportunities. Seventy-four percent of higher-income fourth-grade students say they often or always understand what their science teacher is saying, compared with just 56 percent of lower-income fourth-grade students.

Based on these key findings, the analysis provides the following recommendations:

Policymakers must continue to push for higher, more challenging standards. Districts, states, and the federal government must invest in raising the bar so all students graduate from high school ready for college and the workplace. This includes expecting more of teachers, parents, and our schools.

Students need more rigorous learning opportunities, and our nation needs to figure out ways to provide all students with the teachers—and the teaching—that they deserve. For instance, we need to do more to promote next-generation teacher evaluation systems that give teachers the feedback that they need.

Researchers and educators should continue to develop student surveys. While the National Assessment of Educational Progress surveys clearly tell us something about students’ experiences in their classroom, more sophisticated survey instruments must be developed to capture student perspectives.

Read the report:Do Schools Challenge our Students? What Student Surveys Tell Us About the State of Education in the U.S. by Ulrich Boser and Lindsay Rosenthal

Related Resources:

Interactive Map: How Much Are Students Learning

State Data: A State-by-state breakdown of selected student survey results

To speak with a CAP expert on this topic, please contact Katie Peters at kpeters@americanprogress.org or 202.741.6285.

Education is a partnership between the student, parent(s) or guardian(s), the teacher(s), and the school. All parts of the partnership must be active and involved. Parents are an important part because they enforce lessons learned at school by reading to their children and taking their children for regular library time.

Study: Early mastery of fractions is a predictor of math success https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/study-early-mastery-of-fractions-is-a-predictor-of-math-success/

Pros and cons of homework https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/pros-and-cons-of-homework/

Research papers: Student Motivation: An Overlooked Piece of School Reform https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/research-papers-student-motivation-an-overlooked-piece-of-school-reform/

Study: When teachers overcompensate for prejudice https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/study-when-teachers-overcompensate-for-prejudice/

Cultural literacy: Is there necessary core knowledge to be academically successful? https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/cultural-literacy-is-there-necessary-core-knowledge-to-be-academically-successful/

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: Center for American Progress, Critical Thinking, Do Schools Challenge our Students What Student Surveys Tell Us About the State of Education in the U.S., Educated Person, Homework, Literacy, No Debate: Kids Can Learn By Arguing

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Categories Dr Wilda

Report from The Compensation Technical Working Group: Teacher compensation in Washington

9 Jul

In Is it true that the dumbest become teachers? Moi wrote:

Dave Eggers and NÍnive Clements Calegari have a provocative article in the New York Times, The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries

At the moment, the average teacher’s pay is on par with that of a toll taker or bartender. Teachers make 14 percent less than professionals in other occupations that require similar levels of education. In real terms, teachers’ salaries have declined for 30 years. The average starting salary is $39,000; the average ending salary — after 25 years in the profession — is $67,000. This prices teachers out of home ownership in 32 metropolitan areas, and makes raising a family on one salary near impossible… https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/is-it-true-that-the-dumbest-become-teachers/

More researchers are looking at teacher salaries as an element of attracting and retaining quality teachers.

The Compensation Technical Working Group began researching teacher compensation in Washington:

Compensation Technical Work Group

Beginning in July 2011, as outlined in RCW 28A.400.201, the Compensation Working Group* began the process of developing an enhanced, collaboratively designed salary allocation model.

The new salary allocation model should align educator development and certification with compensation. It must also:

Attract and retain the highest quality educators

Reduce the number of tiers within the existing salary allocation model

Account for regions of the state where it may be difficult to recruit and retain teachers

Determine the role and types of bonuses available

Provide a solution to accomplish salary equalization over a set number of years

Include cost estimates, including a recognition that staff on the existing salary schedule have an option to be grandfathered permanently to the existing salary schedule

Conduct a comparative labor market analysis of school employee salaries and other compensation

Provide a concurrent implementation schedule

On June 30, 2012, the working group submitted its report to the Legislature:

Compensation Technical Working Group Report (Full Report, 178 pages)

Or download by section:

Executive Summary

Main Report

Appendix 1 – Statutory Charge – RCW 28A.400.201

Appendix 2 – Background and History

Appendix 3 – Deliberation and Input

Appendix 4 – Comparable Labor Market Analysis

Appendix 5 – Salary Allocation Model Supplemental Information

Appendix 6 – Additional Recommendations

Appendix 7 – Roles and Types of Bonuses

Appendix 8 – Recruitment and Retention

Questions? Email us | Subscribe to our email list

The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession summarized the report as follows:

After a year of study and work, the State’s Compensation Technical Work Group has released their recommendations to revamp the way the State pays educators and other staff in K-12 education.

Some of the highlights of their recommendations include:

Increasing the starting salary of teachers and educational staff associates to $48,687, which is about $15,000 more.

Aligning the salary allocation model to the career continuum for educators, which would recognize a teacher’s movement from a residency certificate to a professional certificate, etc.

Investing in 10 professional development days.

Allocating mentors and instructional coaches in the Basic Education Funding Formula

CSTP gathered survey responses from over 400 NBCTs about their feelings towards the draft recommendations. Their responses were presented to their Work Group in June. Click the NBCT Survey Summary.

Next stop for these recommendations? The Quality Education Council who is made up of legislators, agency heads and educators. These recommendations can not be implemented without legislative action. To read the Work Group report, click here.

Teacher compensation is subject to a lot of political wrangling.

Peter Callaghan of the News Tribune has written an incisive analysis of the report in the article, Teacher pay report has a lot to shock, and to like:

Under a law adopted in 1981, all teacher pay for delivering basic education must come from the state and is not subject to bargaining. In amendments approved in 1983, teachers can bargain to tap levy dollars but only for extra duties.

That additional pay can be granted only through supplemental contracts defining the extra time and responsibilities to be delivered or for “implementing specific measurable innovative activities.” This has become known as TRI pay (Time, Responsibility and Incentive.”)

But the task force’s group of education “stakeholders” – superintendents, board members, principals, finance officers and teacher union representatives – admitted it doesn’t work that way.

“… after reviewing collective bargaining agreements and sharing professional experiences with TRI contracts, the (working group) overwhelmingly concluded that TRI contracts are most often used to increase the salary allocations of staff performing basic education functions,” the final report states.

There are many reasons for this violation of law, but the working group lands on just one – the districts and their teachers had to do it to make up for shortcomings in allocations for basic teacher pay by the state Legislature.

Another reason for the gradual erosion of the rules is that unions bargained hard for it, school boards gave in and the state looked the other way. Blaming the Legislature alone means the working group members didn’t have to point fingers at one another.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/07/08/2208161/teacher-pay-report-has-a-lot-to.html#storylink=cpy

The answer to why there are not more quality teachers is not simple.

Education Trust report: Retaining teachers in high-poverty areas https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/education-trust-report-retaining-teachers-in-high-poverty-areas/

Teachers running schools https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/teachers-running-schools/

Report: Measuring teacher effectiveness https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/report-measuring-teacher-effectiveness/

Urban teacher residencies https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/urban-teacher-residencies/

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: Teacher Compensation, Teacher Evaluation, Teacher Pay, Teacher pay report has a lot to shock and to like, Teacher Recruitment, teacher Retention, Teacher Salary, The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, The Compensation Technical Working Group, The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries

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Categories Dr Wilda

Toxic dangers in schools

8 Jul

Moi blogs about education issues so the reader could be perplexed sometimes because moi often writes about other things like nutrition, families, and personal responsibility issues. Why? The reader might ask? Because children will have the most success in school if they are ready to learn. Ready to learn includes proper nutrition for a healthy body and the optimum situation for children is a healthy family. Many of societies’ problems would be lessened if the goal was a healthy child in a healthy family. Environmental Lawyers.Com describes the types of environmental risks in schools in the article, Environmental Hazards at School:

An environmental hazard is a chemical or pollutant in the environment that causes you to become ill or injured. While American’s have become more conscious of hazardous material in the environment as a result of the rise in environmental litigation, plenty of environmental hazards still exist.

Types of Environmental Hazards in Schools

In 1954, the school board in Niagara Falls New York built a school on top of 21,000 tons of toxic waste. The school boards knew about the toxic waste, and choose to build the 99th Street School anyway. This school was part of the Love Canal Disaster, and students began coming down with illnesses including asthma, epilepsy, and even leukemia.

While Love Canal was a long time ago, potential environmental hazards still exist in schools today. Many of these hazards result from improper retrofitting of school buildings, and could potentially give rise to environmental litigation if students develop health problems as a result of exposure to contaminants.

Lead Paint Exposure: Some older buildings, including schools, still have lead paint. Exposure to lead paint can lead to learning disabilities and other problems, especially in children.

Contaminated Water: Schools that have lingering lead paint may also have older lead arsenic pipes. The lead in these pipes can lead to contaminants in the drinking water. While most schools test water periodically, it may be a good idea to send your child with bottled water to avoid lead effects.

Toxic Mold: Like lead paint, toxic mold and mold poisoning is a problem that plagues older buildings. Mold exposure can cause mold symptoms ranging from asthma to a severe lung infection that makes breathing difficult.

Asbestos: Prior to the 1970’s, asbestos was widely used in insulation and building tiles. Removal of asbestos is dangerous and expensive, and as a result there is still asbestos present in many schools. The EPA does not mandate that schools removal all asbestos, but does require schools with asbestos material to have periodic inspections and file regular reports on the results.

Pesticides: Pesticides are used on the lawns and grounds of schools. Children may be more susceptible to injury from exposure to pesticides, since their brains are still developing.

Air Pollution: Tightly sealed schools without proper ventilation can also create situations where children are exposed to airborne hazards. The EPA has provided an Indoor Air Quality Kit for schools designed to help schools test the air quality and ensure it is safe for kids to breathe.

Environmental Justice and Hazards in Schools

Some evidence suggests that economically disadvantaged neighborhoods tend to be more adversely affected by environmental hazards. School buildings in lower income neighborhoods tend to be older, and there may be less money for construction and updating the building. As a result, there may be more environmental contaminants and hazards present.

The EPA recognizes this disproportionate impact, and Environmental Justice Groups are working to help correct the inequalities. http://www.environmentallawyers.com/regulations/school-health-hazards.htm

The Healthy Schools Coalition advocates for healthier and safer environments in schools.

The position paper of the Healthy Schools Coalition describes the following environmental issues:

Coalition for Healthier Schools

Position Statement and Policy Recommendations

…providing the platform and the forum for school environmental health…since

School factors affecting health

Many school environmental factors can affect the health of children and employees. Too many schools are sited near industrial plants or toxic waste sites; some are sited on abandoned landfills. Many school facilities are poorly maintained. Schools are more densely occupied and more intensively used than office buildings, magnifying problems. Thousands of schools are severely overcrowded, which compromises ventilation systems, acoustics, food service, recess, and sanitation and lavatories. Children also spend extra hours in vehicles or buses when their schools are beyond safe walking and biking distances.

The U.S. EPA has estimated that up to half of all schools have problems with indoor environmental quality. Children and staff are all affected by:

 polluted indoor air and outdoor air

 toxic chemical and pesticide uses; chemical spills

 mold infestations

 asbestos, radon

 lead in paint and drinking water

 inadequate chemical management

 poor siting, design, engineering

 hazardous materials purchased and stored onsite

 heavy metals and other toxics, such as mercury, CCA, PCBs

Results of unhealthy schools:

 60% of all children suffer health and learning problems due solely to the conditions of their schools.

 child and staff health problems and absenteeism

 asthma, allergies, headaches, fatigue, nausea, rashes and chronic illnesses

 Sick Building Syndrome/Building Related Illness

 more medication use by children and staff

 learning and behavior difficulties that worsen

 greater liability for school districts

 lower achievement,

And, reduced revenues due to poor attendance.

Asthma is the leading cause of absenteeism from chronic illness. Asthma is also a leading work-related disease of teachers and custodians—they get it on the job.

Coalition Position

When the nation is committed to raising academic performance and honoring each child’s potential, and to improving the environment of every neighborhood, we have a moral obligation to protect all children and to accommodate children and personnel who already have impairments. To promote child and adult health, improve education, and create healthier communities, all schools should:

 adopt high performance design and siting standards

 promote and sustain quality indoor air

 use safer cleaning and maintenance products

 use non-toxic products for instruction

 use integrated pest control and weed control

 provide quality lighting, including daylighting

 provide good acoustics and noise control

 select durable, easy-to-clean flooring

 offer wholesome food and exercise opportunities

 provide safe spaces for outdoor activities

 build or retrofit facilities for energy and other resource efficiencies

 remediate lead, CCA, PCBs, mold infestations, and clean out old chemicals.

http://www.healthyschools.org/CHS_PosStatement.pdf

Tim Walker and Cindy Long report in NEA Today:

An estimated 14 million American children attend public schools that are in urgent need of extensive repair or replacement and have unhealthy environmental conditions, including poor air quality, unsafe drinking water and inadequate safety systems. http://neatoday.org/2012/01/10/cnn-indoor-air-quality/

The Agency for Toxic Effects and Disease Registry (ATEDR) has some good information about the effects of toxins on children.

In Principles of Pediatric Environmental Health: What Are Special Considerations Regarding Toxic Exposures to Young and School-age Children, as Well as Adolescents? ATEDR reports:

Young Child (2 to 6 years old)

With the newly acquired ability to run, climb, ride tricycles, and perform other mobile and exploratory activities, the young child’s environment expands, as does the risk of exposure.

Many of a young child’s toxic exposures may occur from ingestion. If the child’s diet is deficient in iron or calcium, the small intestine avidly absorbs lead….

School-aged Children (6 to 12 years old)

School-aged children spend increasingly greater amounts of time in outdoor, school, and after-school environments. They may be exposed to outdoor air pollution, including

widespread air pollutants,

ozone, particulates, and

nitrogen and sulfur oxides.

These result primarily from fossil fuel combustion. Although these pollutants concentrate in urban and industrial areas, they are windborne and distribute widely. Local pockets of intense exposure may result from toxic air and soil pollutants emanating from hazardous waste sites, leaking underground storage tanks, or local industry. One example of a localized toxic exposure adverse effect was seen in children exposed to high doses of lead released into the air from a lead smelter in Idaho. When tested 15 to 20 years later, these children showed reduced neurobehavioral and peripheral nerve function [ATSDR 1997b]….

In addition, some school age children engage in activity such as

lawn care,

yard work, and

trash pickup.

These and other work situations may put them at risk for exposures to hazardous substances such as pesticides used to treat lawns.

Adolescents (12 to 18 years old)

But nothing more than just adolescent behavior may result in toxic exposures. Risk-taking behaviors of adolescents may include exploring off-limit industrial waste sites or abandoned buildings. For example, in one reported case, teenagers took elemental mercury from an old industrial facility and played with and spilled the elemental mercury in homes and cars [Nadakavukaren 2000]. Teens may also climb utility towers or experiment with psychoactive substances (inhalant abuse, for example). Cigarette smoking and other tobacco use often begins during adolescence. For more information about adolescent tobacco use see CDC Office of Smoking and Health at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco

Compared with younger children, adolescents are more likely to engage in hobbies and school activities involving exposure to

solvents,

caustics, or

other dangerous chemicals.

Few schools include basic training in industrial hygiene as a foundation for safety at work, at school, or while enjoying hobbies.

Many adolescents may encounter workplace hazards through after-school employment. Working adolescents tend to move in and out of the labor market, changing jobs and work schedules in response to employer needs or their own life circumstances [Committee on the Health and Safety Implications of Child Labor 1998]. In the United States, adolescents work predominately in retail and service sectors. These are frequently at entry-level jobs in

exterior painting of homes,

fast-food restaurants,

gas stations and automotive repair shops,

nursing homes,

parks and recreation, and

retail stores.

Such work may expose adolescents to commercial cleaners, paint thinners, solvents, and corrosives by inhalation or splashes to the skin or eyes. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that, on average, 67 workers under age 18 died from work-related injuries each year during 1992-2000 [NIOSH 2003]. In 1998, an estimated 77,000 required treatment in hospital emergency departments [NIOSH 2003]….

Metabolic Vulnerability of Adolescents

Metabolic processes change during adolescence. Changes in cytochrome P450 expression [Nebert and Gonzalez 1987] result in a decrease in the metabolism rate of some xenobiotics dependent on the cytochrome CYP (P450) – for example, the concentration of theophylline increases in blood [Gitterman and Bearer 2001]. The metabolic rate of some xenobiotics is reduced in response to the increased secretion of growth hormone, steroids, or both that occur during the adolescent years [Gitterman and Bearer 2001]. The implications of these changes on the metabolism of environmental contaminants are areas of intense research. By the end of puberty, the metabolism of some xenobiotics achieves adult levels.

Puberty results in the rapid growth, division, and differentiation of many cells; these changes may result in vulnerabilities. Profound scientific and public interest in endocrine disruptors – that is, chemicals with hormonal properties that mimic the actions of naturally occurring hormones – reflects concerns about the effect of chemicals on the developing reproductive system. Even lung development in later childhood and adolescence may be disrupted by chronic exposure to air pollutants, including

acid vapors,

elemental carbon,

nitrogen dioxide, and

particulate matter [Gauderman et al. 2004].

Citation:

Principles of Pediatric Environmental Health
What Are Special Considerations Regarding Toxic Exposures to Young and School-age Children, as Well as Adolescents?

Course: WB2089
CE Original Date: February 15, 2012
CE Expiration Date: February 15, 2014
Download Printer-Friendly version [PDF – 819 KB]

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=27&po=10

The Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with dealing with environmental toxins.

The Environmental Protection Agency has many resources:

Healthy School Environment Resources

Healthy School Environment Resources is your gateway to on-line resources to help facility managers, school administrators, architects, design engineers, school nurses, parents, teachers and staff address environmental health issues in schools.

Chemical Use & Management
Chemical Purchasing, Chemical Cleanout, Construction, Chemical Management Regulation, On-Site Chemical Management, Sources of Chemicals in Schools, Pest Management

Design, Construction and Renovation
Financing, Asthma, Indoor Air Quality, Construction, Commissioning, Mold & Moisture, Waste Reduction, Drinking Water, Renovation, Chemicals, Recycling, Siting, High Performance Schools, Ventilation, Environmentally Preferable Products, Pest Management, Radon, Cleaning

Energy Efficiency
Ventilation, Construction

Environmental Education

Facility Operations and Maintenance
Mold & Moisture, Renovation, Indoor Air Quality, Pest Management, Ventilation, Cleaning, Construction, Recycling, High Performance Schools

Indoor Environmental Quality
Mercury, PCBs, Asbestos, Chemicals, Lead, Pest Management, High Performance Schools, Ventilation, Indoor Air Quality, Environmentally Preferable Products, Asthma, Mold & Moisture, Construction, Radon

Legislation and Regulation

Outdoor Air Pollution
Ultraviolet Radiation, Asbestos, Diesel School Buses

Portable Classrooms
Commissioning, High Performance Schools, Ventilation, Indoor Air Quality, Cleaning, Construction

Safety/Preparedness

School Facility Assessment Tools
Construction

Waste
Recycling, Composting, Construction, Waste Reduction

Waste Reduction

Water
Construction, Groundwater, Water Quality, Stormwater, Drinking Water, Water Conservation

This society will not have healthy children without having healthy home and school environments.

A healthy child in a healthy family who attends a healthy school in a healthy neighborhood ©

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: Agency for Toxic Effects and Disease Registry, Environmental Hazards at School, Environmental Lawyers.Com, Environmental Protection Agency, Healthy School Environment Resources, Healthy Schools Coalition, Principles of Pediatric Environmental Health What Are Special Considerations Regarding Toxic Exposures to Young and School-age Children as Well as Adolescents?, Toxic

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Categories Dr Wilda

Battling teen addiction: ‘Recovery high schools’

8 Jul

Teen substance abuse is at epidemic levels.

What is Substance Abuse?

HELPGUIDE.ORG defines substance abuse and also describes some of the traits of a substance abuser. Although, the focus of this article is children and teens who abuse various substances, there is a widespread problem with their parents and caretakers. A recent report found that many children live with parents who are substance abusers Often children who evidence signs of a substance abuse problem come from homes where there is a substance abuse problem. That problem may be generational.

eMedicineHealth lists some of the causes of substance abuse:

Substance Abuse Causes

Use and abuse of substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, and illegal drugs may begin in childhood or the teen years. Certain risk factors may increase someone’s likelihood to abuse substances.

· Factors within a family that influence a child’s early development have been shown to be related to increased risk of drug abuse.

o Chaotic home environment

o Ineffective parenting

o Lack of nurturing and parental attachment

· Factors related to a child’s socialization outside the family may also increase risk of drug abuse.

o Inappropriately aggressive or shy behavior in the classroom

o Poor social coping skills

o Poor school performance

o Association with a deviant peer group

o Perception of approval of drug use behavior

Substance abuse is often a manifestation of other problems that child has either at home or poor social relations including low self esteem. Dr. Alan Leshner summarizes the reasons children use drugs in why do Sally and Johnny use drugs?

How Can You Recognize the Signs of Substance Abuse?

Parents provides general signs of substance abuse and also gives specific signs of alcohol abuse, and several different drugs, narcotics, and inhalants. The general warning signs are:

· Changes in friends

· Negative changes in schoolwork, missing school, or declining grades

· Increased secrecy about possessions or activities

· Use of incense, room deodorant, or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors

· Subtle changes in conversations with friends, e.g. more secretive, using “coded” language

· Change in clothing choices: new fascination with clothes that highlight drug use

· Increase in borrowing money

· Evidence of drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc.

· Evidence of use of inhalant products (such as hairspray, nail polish, correction fluid, common household products); Rags and paper bags are sometimes used as accessories

· Bottles of eye drops, which may be used to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils

· New use of mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol

· Missing prescription drugs—especially narcotics and mood stabilizers

Remember, these are very general signs, specific drugs, narcotics, and other substances may have different signs, it is important to read the specific signs. One way of helping children recover and continue with their lives is a “Recovery High School.”

Huffington Post is reporting in the article, ‘Recovery High’ Schools Help Students Battling Addiction (VIDEO):

At Northshore Recovery High School in Beverly, Massachusetts, teachers are not only focused on helping their students pass their classes and graduate — faculty members also play an active role in helping the student body overcome addiction. There are an increasing number of “recovery high schools” like this one opening across the country, where students are finding a safe haven with peers who are similarly committed to recovery from drug and alcohol addictions.

“There was a 50/50 chance of me either dying or getting better,” former Northshore student Alyssa Dedrick told NBC. “I think going to a recovery school really increased my odds, not only of recovery, but of survival in general.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/06/recovery-high-school-help_n_1654041.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education

All Treatment. Com provides a really good explanation of “Recovery High Schools.”

All Treatment interviewed Helene Cross, President and CEO of Fairbanks (in association with LaVerna Lodge) and Rachelle Gardner, Director of Adolescent Services at Fairbanks and COO for Hope Academy :

AT: What is a recovery high school?

Rachelle Gardner: It’s a school that provides a safe and sober environment, where young people can achieve academic success and also success in maintaining sobriety and support. It’s an environment that fosters relationships and long-term sobriety, giving young people the support in order to do that, and being able to achieve academic success, which in a normal traditional school, they haven’t been able to achieve. This gives young people hope and a chance to go on to secondary education, whether that is a community college or a large university.

This gives young people hope and a chance to go on to secondary education

AT: Who makes a good candidate for recovery high school?

RG: A young person who is willing to address their addiction issues, willing to receive support around staying sober and who want to achieve academic success. The two key points are that they want to be sober and they are interested in their education. If those two answers are ‘yes’ then a support system can be built around them in any type of recovery school.

Helene Cross: We should highlight the distinction between a recovery school and a treatment school. In recovery school, a young person has gone through treatment first and they have those tools that you learn in treatment, so there’s a common language and an opportunity to interact with peers in that culture using those tools.

RG: Most of the students are also receiving some sort of therapeutic support outside of the school. So they’re in an intensive outpatient program, family counseling, they’re seeing a private therapist, or they’re in some sort of halfway house. Since they’re treatment issues are dealt with outside of the school, the school is there to wrap their arms around them and support them in their recovery efforts.

AT: What should students and parents know before attending recovery high school?

HC: It’s a small school. One of the things parents want to know is how it is different than a normal school. We need to emphasize the difference in the way we teach and the fact that we understand recovery and provide this supportive environment, but there are some things they will sacrifice. A small school doesn’t have a football team, and a small charter school with a limit budget doesn’t have money for electives. We have talented teachers who can teach art and creative writing and music and we can play sports outside, but we don’t have organized sports the same way a normal school would. So they need to balance the sacrifices against the important goal – if we support the recovery and academic success, then this young person who is very vulnerable in terms of being able to graduate, will graduate. Sometimes it’s harder for the parent to give up their aspirations of their daughter being the homecoming queen or their son being a football star, but that’s a decision they have to make. http://www.alltreatment.com/rehab-center-information-and-questions/rehab-interviews-recovery-high-schools

In Underage drinking costs society big-time, moi said: Assuming you are not one of those ill-advised parents who supply their child with alcohol or drugs like marijuana in an attempt to be hip or cool, suspicions that your child may have a substance abuse problem are a concern. Confirmation that your child has a substance abuse problem can be heartbreaking. Even children whose parents have seemingly done everything right can become involved with drugs. The best defense is knowledge about your child, your child’s friends, and your child’s activities. You need to be aware of what is influencing your child https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/underage-drinking-costs-society-big-time/

Resources:

Association of Recovery Schools http://www.recoveryschools.org/

Recovery High Schools: Giving Students a Second Chance http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/addiction/recovery-high-schools-giving-students-a-second-chance

Seattle Children’s Institute study: Supportive middle school teachers affect a kid’s alcohol use https://drwilda.wordpress.com/tag/substance-abuse/

The rich are different: Mercer Island underage drinking https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/the-rich-are-different-mercer-island-underage-drinking/

Schools have to deal with depressed and troubled children https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/schools-have-to-deal-with-depressed-and-troubled-children/

New study about substance abuse and kids https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/new-study-about-substance-abuse-and-kids/

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: 'Recovery High' Schools Help Students Battling Addiction, All Treatment. Com, eMedicineHealth, HELPGUIDE.ORG, Recovery High School, Teen Addiction, Teen Substance Abuse, why do Sally and Johnny use drugs?

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Categories Dr Wilda

Parents must exercise oversight of media use by children

7 Jul

In Monitoring the media use by kids, moi said:

Bullying is increasingly a problem in schools and the new venue for bullies has become the Internet. Kristanda Cooper writes in the Florida A & M student paper about Social Media is New Venue for Cyber Bullying of Children

With the emergence of Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace, bullying has moved from the schoolyard into people’s homes via the Internet.

There are more children enduring harsh harassment from their peers that they are deciding to end their lives to escape the verbal and physical abuse.

In January, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince, an Irish native who moved to Northampton, Mass. with her family, ended her life due to pressures of being bullied and harassed at school. For five months, Prince was harassed verbally and via the Internet. According to CBSnews.com, the day Prince ended her life, was the day she was “pelted with a beverage container and cursed at as she walked home from school.” Nine teens are currently facing charges of stalking, criminal harassment and violating Prince’s rights.

Sadly, Prince’s story is not the first.

Stephanie Clifford has an article in the New York Times, Teaching About the Web Includes Troublesome Parts It is important for parents to know how their children are using social media not only for the prevention of the child becoming a victim of bullies, but also to ensure that their child is not the aggressor. https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/monitoring-the-media-use-by-kids/

Michele Molnar writes in the Education Week article, Does Parents’ Role Include Close Monitoring of Online Activities?

In “It’s Modern Parental Involvement,” National PTA President Betsy Landers recently wrote for the New York Times expressing her view that parents should “try to stay a step ahead—or at least keep up with—new media and technology to protect their children.”

Well, good luck with that! I suspect some of the most technologically adept among us adults can still be stymied by a savvy teen bent on circumventing our social media prowess. But, I digress. Landers’ points are interesting and earnest.

She continued that it’s the parents’ responsibility “to protect their children, at least until these children become adults. Parental use of all available resources, including electronic monitoring tools, should not be considered an invasion of privacy; it’s simply modern involvement….”

Other viewpoints in the series include:

Surveillance Shouldn’t Replace Digital Literacy

Safety Trumps Privacy

Kids Respond to Dialogue, Not Snooping

It’s OK to Pry, Especially When They’re Young

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/parentsandthepublic/2012/07/does_parents_role_include_close_monitoring_of_online_activities.html?intc=es

Many parents are asking the question of whether they should spy on their kids?

Perhaps the best advice comes from Carleton Kendrick in the Family Education article, Spying on Kids

Staying connected

So how do you make sure your teens are on the straight and narrow? You can’t. And don’t think you can forbid them to experiment with risky behavior. That’s what they’re good at during this stage, along with testing your limits. You can help them stay healthy, safe, and secure by doing the following:

Keep communicating with your teens, even if they don’t seem to be listening. Talk about topics that interest them.
Respect and ask their opinions.
Give them privacy. That doesn’t mean you can’t knock on their door when you want to talk.
Set limits on their behavior based on your values and principles. They will grudgingly respect you for this.
Continually tell them and show them you believe in who they are rather than what they accomplish.
Seek professional help if your teen’s abnormal behaviors last more than three weeks.

A 1997 landmark adolescent health study, which interviewed over 12,000 teenagers, concluded that the single greatest protection against high-risk teenage behavior, like substance abuse and suicide, is a strong emotional connection to a parent. Tough as it may be, you should always try to connect with them. And leave the spying to James Bond. It will only drive away the children you wish to bring closer.

In truth, a close relationship with your child will probably be more effective than spying. Put down that Blackberry, iPhone, and Droid and try connecting with your child. You should not only know who your children’s friends are, but you should know the parents of your children’s friends. Many parents have the house where all the kids hang out because they want to know what is going on with their kids. Often parents volunteer to chauffeur kids because that gives them the opportunity to listen to what kids are talking about. It is important to know the values of the families of your kid’s friends. Do they furnish liquor to underage kids, for example? How do they feel about teen sex and is their house the place where kids meet for sex?

So, in answer to the question should you spy on your Kids? Depends on the child. Some children are more susceptible to peer pressure and impulsive behavior than others. They will require more and possibly more intrusive direction. Others really are free range children and have the resources and judgment to make good decisions in a variety of circumstances. Even within a family there will be different needs and abilities. The difficulty for parents is to make the appropriate judgments and still give each child the feeling that they have been treated fairly. Still, for some kids, it is not out of line for parents to be snoops, they just might save the child and themselves a lot of heartache.

Protecting your child from predators https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/protecting-your-child-from-predators/

Social media spreads eating disorder ‘Thinspiration’ https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/social-media-spreads-eating-disorder-thinspiration/

Children’s sensory overload from technology https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/childrens-sensory-overload-from-technology/

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: Bullying, Children and Families, Cyberbullying, Does Parents' Role Include Close Monitoring of Online Activities?, It's Modern Parental Involvement, Social Media, Social Media is New Venue for Cyber Bullying of Children, Spying on Kids, Teaching About the Web Includes Troublesome Parts

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Categories Dr Wilda

Boys of color: Resources from the Boys Initiative

6 Jul

Moi wrote in The teaching profession needs more males and teachers of color:

Moi believes that good and gifted teachers come in all colors, shapes, sizes, and both genders. Teachers are often role models and mentors which is why a diverse teaching profession is desirable. Huffington Post has the interesting article, Few Minority Teachers In Classrooms, Gap Attributed To Bias And Low Graduation Rates which discusses why there are fewer teachers of color in the profession.

Minority students will likely outnumber white students in the next decade or two, but the failure of the national teacher demographic to keep up with that trend is hurting minority students who tend to benefit from teachers with similar backgrounds.

Minority students make up more than 40 percent of the national public school population, while only 17 percent of the country’s teachers are minorities, according to a report released this week by the Center for American Progress….

In a second report, the CAP notes that in more than 40 percent of the nation’s public schools, there are no minority teachers at all. The dearth of diversity in the teaching force could show that fewer minorities are interested in teaching or that there are fewer minorities qualified to teach. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/few-minority-teachers-in-_n_1089020.html?ref=email_share

The lack of diversity in the teaching profession has been a subject of comment for years.

In 2004, the Council for Exceptional Children wrote in the article,New Report Says More Diverse Teachers Reduces the Achievement Gap for Students of Color:

Representation of Diverse Teachers in the Workforce

The number of diverse teachers does not represent the number of diverse students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2003):

· In 2001-2002, 60 percent of public school students were White, 17 percent Black, 17 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1 percent American Indian/Alaska Native.

· According to 2001 data, 90 percent of public school teachers were White, 6 percent Black, and fewer than 5 percent of other races.

· Approximately 40 percent of schools had no teachers of color on staff….

The Impact of Diverse Teachers on Student Achievement
Increasing the percentage of diverse teachers not only impacts the social development of diverse students, it also is directly connected to closing the achievement gap of these students. Research shows that a number of significant school achievement markers are positively affected when diverse students are taught by diverse teachers, including attendance, disciplinary referrals, dropout rates, overall satisfaction with school, self-concept, cultural competence, and the students’ sense of the relevance of school. In addition, studies show that

o Diverse students tend to have higher academic, personal, and social performance when taught by teachers from their own ethnic group.

o Diverse teachers have demonstrated that when diverse students are taught with culturally responsive techniques and with content-specific approaches usually reserved for students with gifts and talents, their academic performance improves significantly.

o Diverse teachers have higher performance expectations for students from their own ethnic group.

Other advantages of increasing the number of diverse teachers are: more diverse teachers would increase the number of role models for diverse students; provide opportunities for all students to learn about ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity; enrich diverse students learning; and serve as cultural brokers for students, other educators, and parents. http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=6240&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CAT=none

A diverse teaching corps is needed not only to mirror the society, but because the continuing family meltdown has broadened the duties of schools.https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/the-teaching-profession-needs-more-males-and-teachers-of-color/

There is an argument about the state of boys of color in this society. Many say the objective observable evidence points to a crisis.

Moi supports the Boys Initiative. Here is information about the Boys Initiative:

An increasing number of our boys and young men are not achieving to their full potential. The problem affects all of our boys and young men, regardless of race or ethnicity. While the problem is far more significant and chronic among minority youth, achievement also eludes white young men.

Besides young men themselves, this trend impacts their potential life partners, our communities, and our nation. The US and the world are becoming increasingly economically competitive. For the success of our society as well as our young men it is therefore essential that we begin to address this issue in a meaningful way.

We launched The Boys Initiative to tackle this important issue. Because young men start out as boys, the Initiative is a national campaign to shed light on both boys’ underachievement and young men’s FAILURE TO LAUNCH.

The MISSION of the Initiative is to serve as a BIG TENT, to shed light on these trends, to foster dialogue and debate about them, and to collaborate on solutions with those who are committed to the futures of our nation’s youth.

Our goal is to be an INFORMATION AND ACTION HUB. We do this by partnering and building coalitions with organizations that represent the interests of girls and women, boys and men, parents and teachers and adolescent health care providers, among a host of other individuals, organizations and professionals devoted to the wellbeing of our nation’s youth. The Boys Initiative does not endorse or advocate for any particular point of view or proposed solution.

http://www.theboysinitiative.org/

Here is an example of the information available at their site:

Welcome toThe Minority Report, a publication ofMinority Male Youth 2005, a project of

The Boys Initiative

W.K. Kellogg Foundation Promotes Racial Healing with New Online Documentary

blackgivesback.com, June 29, 2012

Emotion Restriction and Discrimination Increase Depression in Minority Men
Rates of depression among African-American men are significantly lower than those found in African-American women, yet the suicide rates of African-American men are higher. This disparity caused Wizdom Powell Hammond, Ph.D., of the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina to explore possible causes. Hammond recently conducted a study that looked at how adhering to masculine norms affected rates of depression among African-American men. Hammond wanted to determine if these men were underrepresented because they avoided help-seeking. Men who hold themselves to the masculine ideal of emotional restriction may internalize their feelings, especially feelings of stress, and avoid help-seeking for mental health issues such as depression.
Good Therapy, June 15, 2012

How Minority Millennials Are Driving Politics
Last Sunday, I was one of the estimated 40,000 people who attended a “silent march” in New York City organized by the NAACP to protest the New York Police Department’s “stop-and-frisk” policy, which disproportionately impacts black and Latino males. One young black woman marching directly in front of me was holding a sign that said, “silence is violence.” When I asked her what it meant, she said, “A lot of us have problems with the whole silent march thing. The problem is we have been silent too long.” It seemed she was not alone – there were other young blacks and Latinos who chafed at the request that they march in silence, chanting slogans like “New York cops, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.
Time, June 21, 2012

Guest Voz: Latino inmate sentenced as juvenile speaks out on Supreme Court’s life without parole for youth
Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion abolishing life without parole (LWOP) sentences for the 2,500 prisoners across the U.S. who were condemned to die in prison for crimes they were convicted of as juveniles. Courts will now have discretion to impose a lesser sentence in those cases and consider age as a factor in sentencing. Juveniles can receive LWOP sentences, however, it is a discretionary sentence now, not a mandatory sentence in cases involving homicide. Prisoners all ready serving LWOP sentences for crimes they were convicted of as juveniles are now eligible for resentencing. How that process occurs will vary by state.
Latina Lista, June 25, 2012

Near-Westside Indy mentorship program provides positive male role models

They come from different family backgrounds and neighborhoods, but on Friday nights at the Rhodius Park Family Center, about 30 teenage boys meet for a common goal: learning how to become responsible young men. The teens are part of Boys II Men, a mentorship program founded in 1995 by Lars “Edward” Rascoe III, a former teacher for Pike Township Schools and a school administrator for Eastern Star Jewel Christian Academy. The group connects students in Grades 7-9 with positive male role models and promotes civic engagement, academic achievement, personal responsibility and respect for women. To date, more than 2,500 young men have participated in Boys II Men.

Indy Star, June 25, 2012

High court ruling on juvenile life sentences offers thousands of inmates a chance at freedom

The Supreme Court ruling that banned states from imposing mandatory life sentences on juveniles offers an unexpected chance at freedom to more than 2,000 inmates who had almost no hope they would ever get out.

In more than two dozen states, lawyers can now ask for new sentences. And judges will have discretion to look beyond the crime at other factors such as a prisoner’s age at the time of the offense, the person’s background and perhaps evidence that an inmate has changed while incarcerated.

The Washington Post, June 26, 2012

Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act, A Boon To Minority Health In The U.S.

In a largely unexpected turn, the U.S. Supreme Court declared nearly the entire Affordable Care Act a constitutional and fully legal shift in the American health care system. The court’s decision will be dissected today by legal scholars, health care experts, sharp-tonged commentators and ordinary Americans. But what may not be so widely discussed or understood is the sweeping effect that the court’s decision will likely have on minority health in the United States, according to health care economists and policy analysts. That broad benefit to minorities is a point the Obama administration itself has made — though somewhat infrequently — and one that’s likely to be invoked more often after the favorable ruling, as the presidential election fight intensifies.

The Huffington Post, June 28, 2012

The Unfair Criminalization of Gay and Transgender Youth

Gay, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth are significantly over-represented in the juvenile justice system-approximately 300,000 gay and transgender youth are arrested and/or detained each year, of which more than 60 percent are black or Latino. Though gay and transgender youth represent just 5 percent to 7 percent of the nation’s overall youth population, they compose 13 percent to 15 percent of those currently in the juvenile justice system. These high rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system are a result of gay and transgender youth abandonment by their families and communities, and victimization in their schools-sad realities that place this group of young people at a heightened risk of entering the school-to-prison pipeline.

Center for American Progress, June 29, 2012

Lawmakers reach out to at-risk boys, men

At 15, Erik Montreal is a recovering alcoholic.

The Coachella Valley High School junior began to drink at 13, but now celebrates sobriety after receiving help from the Riverside County Latino Commission. On Friday, he shared his story of addiction and recovery before the California State Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color, which held a four-hour hearing at Bobby Duke Middle School in Coachella.

Erik was one of about 24 speakers to share personal stories that emphasized the importance of support for minority men and boys who endure deteriorating schools, poor living conditions, violence and significant social prejudice.

My Desert, June 30, 2012

Anger runs deep over Supreme Court rejection of youth sentencing laws

Verle Mangum was 17 years old and high on methamphetamine when he took a baseball bat to a mother and her 11-year-old daughter after the mother caught him having sex with the daughter in her Clifton home. His sentence for their brutal murders was mandatory life in prison without parole. Mangum is 33 now. He had little hope of ever seeing the outside of prison walls, until a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week determined that his sentence, and those of 49 other prisoners in Colorado and about 2,600 across the country, is unconstitutional.

The ruling found that juveniles could not be sentenced to mandatory life in prison without parole.

Denver Post, July 01, 2012.

Juvenile justice: Courts turn focus to rehabilitation

It might seem like a simple process: commit a crime, go to court, go to jail.

But what if the offender is just a kid?

For juvenile courts, they’re continually striking a balance between punishing offenders and trying help them through counseling and mentoring programs, said Doug Schonauer, Coshocton County Probate and Juvenile Court administrator.

Schonauer has worked for the juvenile court 19 years, and during that time, he’s noticed a shift toward rehabilitation rather than punishment, he said. Various studies have shown rehabilitation works better with youth than adults, so that has become the court’s focus, Schonauer said.

Coshocton Tribune, July 01, 2012

Young Black Males’ Writing Workshop at UIC Spawns National Curricula

A summer writing institute for adolescent black males based at the University of Illinois at Chicago is advancing literacy around the country through two curricula based on it. Scholastic, Inc. recently launched “On the Record,” a middle-school school curriculum by Alfred Tatum, director of the UIC Reading Clinic. Last year, Scholastic published Tatum’s “ID,” a writing curriculum for high school.

Tatum based both curricula on the principles of his African American Adolescent Male Summer Literacy Institute, featured last fall in a PBS special, “Too Important to Fail,” by journalist Tavis Smiley.

Newswise, July 07, 2012

5 Latino-Inspired Books for Boys

NBC Latino, July 04, 2012

Young people of multiple disadvantaged groups face worse health due to more discrimination
An Indiana University study found that teens and young adults who are members of multiple minority or disadvantaged groups face more discrimination than their more privileged peers and, as a result, report worse mental and physical health.
Medical Press.

UN-traditional Father’s Day message: Don’t become a father unless you can make the commitment to YOUR child https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/un-traditional-fathers-day-message-dont-become-a-father-unless-you-can-make-the-commitment-to-your-child/

Study: The plight of African-American boys in Oakland, California https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/study-the-plight-of-african-american-boys-in-oakland-california/

Dr. Wilda says this about that ©

Tags: African American, Boys Initiative, Boys of color, Council for Exceptional Children, Diversity, Few Minority Teachers In Classrooms Gap Attributed To Bias And Low Graduation Rates, Gender Gap, New Report Says More Diverse Teachers Reduces the Achievement Gap for Students of Color:

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Categories Dr Wilda

Teachers unions are losing members

4 Jul

All politics is local.

Thomas P. O’Neill

Moi would like to modify that quote a bit to all education is local and occurs at the neighborhood school. We really should not be imposing a straight jacket on education by using a one-size-fits-all approach. Every school, in fact, every classroom is its own little microclimate. We should be looking at strategies which work with a given population of children.

A Healthy Child In A Healthy Family Who Attends A Healthy School In A Healthy Neighborhood. ©

The question which increasingly asked is whether teachers unions help or hinder education.

PBS has a great history of teaching, Only A Teacher: Teaching Timeline which discusses unionization:

Unions

There are two national teachers unions in the United States today, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The NEA was founded in 1857 as a policy-making organization, one that hoped to influence the national debate about schools and schooling. Over the next hundred years, it played a significant role in standardizing teacher training and curriculum. Until the 1960s, the NEA tended to represent the interests of school administrators and educators from colleges and universities.

The AFT, on the other hand, was always much more of a grass-roots teachers’ organization. It was formed in 1897 as the Chicago Teachers Federation, with the explicit aim of improving teachers’ salaries and pensions. Catherine Goggin and Margaret Haley allied the CFT with the labor movement, going so far as to join the American Federation of Labor – an act that horrified everyone who wanted to see teaching as genteel, white-collar employment. At the same time, the union conceived its work in terms of broader social improvement, bettering the lives of the poor and the alienated. By 1916, several local unions had come together to form the AFT. In the 1940s, the AFT began collective bargaining with local school boards, which again horrified some people. Collective bargaining always carries the threat of strikes, and teachers, as servants of the community, were long seen as both too indispensable and too noble to engage in work stoppages. The issue of strikes remains contentious today.

Teacher militancy has waxed and waned over the past 50 years. But many teachers believe that whatever gains they have made — in pay, benefits, job security and working conditions — have come from the efforts of their unions. Today, the NEA and AFT flirt with the idea of merging and have made significant strides towards combining their memberships. Their common interests — greater professionalization, increased authority for educators, enhanced clout in Washington, better working conditions and improved schools — dictate working together, and perhaps even becoming one very powerful union. http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/timeline.html

See, “Understanding the History of Teachers Unions,” a Panel Discussion with Diane Ravitch http://webscript.princeton.edu/~sfer/blog/2010/12/understanding-the-history-of-teachers-unions-a-panel-discussion-with-diane-ravitch/

Greg Toppo writes in the USA Today article, USA’s top teachers union losing members:

The National Education Association (NEA) has lost more than 100,000 members since 2010. By 2014, union projections show, it could lose a cumulative total of about 308,000 full-time teachers and other workers, a 16% drop from 2010. Lost dues will shrink NEA’s budget an estimated $65 million, or 18%.

NEA calls the membership losses “unprecedented” and predicts they may be a sign of things to come. “Things will never go back to the way they were,” reads its 2012-14 strategic plan, citing changing teacher demographics, attempts by some states to restrict public employee collective bargaining rights and an “explosion” in online learning that could sideline flesh-and-blood teachers. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-06-28/Teacher-unions-education/55993750/1

There must be a way to introduce variation into the education system. To the extent that teachers unions hinder the variation in the system, they become a hindrance.

Quiet Riot: Insurgents Take On Teachers’ Unions
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2087980,00.html#ixzz1zgjC7qGS

Can Teachers Unions Do Education Reform? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204124204577151254006748714.html

Tags: “Understanding the History of Teachers Unions” a Panel Discussion, Only A Teacher Teaching Timeline, Teachers unions, unionization, USA's top teachers union losing members

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Categories Dr Wilda

ACT to assess college readiness for 3rd-10th Grades

4 Jul

There have been a number of cheating scandals over the past couple of years. Benjamin Herold has a riveting blog post at The Notebook which describes itself as “An independent voice for parents, educators, students, and friends of Philadelphia Public Schools.” In the post, Confession of A Cheating Teacher Herold reports:

She said she knows she’s a good teacher.

But she still helped her students cheat.

“What I did was wrong, but I don’t feel guilty about it,” said a veteran Philadelphia English teacher who shared her story with the Notebook/NewsWorks.

During a series of recent interviews, the teacher said she regularly provided prohibited assistance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams to 11th graders at a city neighborhood high school. At various times, she said, she gave the students definitions for unfamiliar words, discussed with students reading passages they didn’t understand, and commented on their writing samples.

On a few occasions, she said, she even pointed them to the correct answers on difficult questions.

“They’d have a hard time, and I’d break it down for them,” said the teacher matter-of-factly.

Such actions are possible grounds for termination. As a result, the Notebook/NewsWorks agreed to protect her identity.

The teacher came forward following the recent publication of a 2009 report that identified dozens of schools across Pennsylvania and Philadelphia that had statistically suspicious test results. Though her school was not among those flagged, she claims that adult cheating there was “rampant.”

The Notebook/NewsWorks is also withholding the name of her former school. because the details of her account have been only partially corroborated.

But her story seems worth telling.

During multiple conversations with the Notebook/NewsWorks, both on the phone and in person, the teacher provided a detailed, consistent account of her own actions to abet cheating. Her compelling personal testimonial highlighted frequently shared concerns about the conditions that high-stakes testing have created in urban public schools. The Notebook and NewsWorks believe that her confession sheds important light on the recent spate of cheating scandals across the country….

She said she knows she’s a good teacher.

But she still helped her students cheat.

“What I did was wrong, but I don’t feel guilty about it,” said a veteran Philadelphia English teacher who shared her story with the Notebook/NewsWorks.

During a series of recent interviews, the teacher said she regularly provided prohibited assistance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams to 11th graders at a city neighborhood high school. At various times, she said, she gave the students definitions for unfamiliar words, discussed with students reading passages they didn’t understand, and commented on their writing samples.

On a few occasions, she said, she even pointed them to the correct answers on difficult questions.

“They’d have a hard time, and I’d break it down for them,” said the teacher matter-of-factly.

Such actions are possible grounds for termination. As a result, the Notebook/NewsWorks agreed to protect her identity.

The teacher came forward following the recent publication of a 2009 report that identified dozens of schools across Pennsylvania and Philadelphia that had statistically suspicious test results. Though her school was not among those flagged, she claims that adult cheating there was “rampant.”

The Notebook/NewsWorks is also withholding the name of her former school. because the details of her account have been only partially corroborated.

But her story seems worth telling.

During multiple conversations with the Notebook/NewsWorks, both on the phone and in person, the teacher provided a detailed, consistent account of her own actions to abet cheating. Her compelling personal testimonial highlighted frequently shared concerns about the conditions that high-stakes testing have created in urban public schools. The Notebook and NewsWorks believe that her confession sheds important light on the recent spate of cheating scandals across the country.

One might ask what the confessions of a cheating teacher have to do with the announcement by ACT that they will begin offering a series of assessments to measure skills needed in high school and college. Although, it is in the early stage of development, one could question whether this assessment will turn into a high-stakes test with pressures on students, teachers, and schools. Admittedly, it is early.

Caralee Adams writes in the Education Week article, ACT to Roll Out Career and College Readiness Tests for 3rd-10th Grades:

ACT Inc. announced today that it is developing a new series of assessments for every grade level, from 3rd through 10th, to measure skills needed in college and careers.

The tests, which would be administered digitally and provide instant feedback to teachers, will be piloted in states this fall and scheduled to be launched in 2014, says Jon Erickson, the president of education for ACT, the Iowa City, Iowa-based nonprofit testing company.

The “next generation” assessment will be pegged to the Common Core State Standards and cover the four areas now on the ACT: English, reading, math, and science.

“It connects all the grades—elementary school through high school—to measure growth and development,” says Erickson. “It informs teaching, as students progress, to intervene at early ages.”

The assessment would look beyond academics to get a complete picture of the whole student, he says. There would be interest inventories for students, as well as assessment of behavioral skills for students and teachers to evaluate.

It will fill a niche as the first digital, longitudinal assessment to connect student performance across grades, both in and out of the classroom, according to the ACT. The hope is to get information on students’ weaknesses and strengths earlier so teachers can make adjustments to improve their chances of success.

ACT has not arrived at a cost for the assessment system, but it intends to offer it in modules for states, districts, or schools to buy to administer to all students. As a nonprofit organization, Erickson says ACT wants to keep pricing affordable and at the lowest price acceptable to states. Teachers could choose to use all or part of the assessment, likely in the classroom during the typical school day. ACT is still field-testing the system so the length of the assessment is not set.

With digital delivery of the test, students would have automatic scoring and real-time assessments, says Erickson. (There would be pencil-and-paper testing to accommodate schools that would not be equipped with computers.) The assessment would include a combination of multiple-choice, open-response, and interactive items that would incorporate some creativity into testing, he adds. It would be both formative and summative for accountability purposes….

Just how states might use the new assessment is uncertain. It could replace the current state test, be given as a lead-up to the test, or used as a supplement for it, he says.

ACT developed the test in response to needs expressed by states to improve college and career readiness, says Erickson. Providing integrated testing from elementary to high school, with the ACT as the capstone in 11th grade, “will be a game changer,” he adds. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/college_bound/2012/07/act_plans_to_roll_out_career_and_college_readiness_tests_for_3rd-10th_grades.html?intc=es

There is no magic bullet or “Holy Grail” in education. There is only what works to produce academic achievement in each population of children. That is why school choice is so important.

There must be a way to introduce variation into the education system. The testing straightjacket is strangling innovation and corrupting the system. Yes, there should be a way to measure results and people must be held accountable, but relying solely on tests, especially when not taking into consideration where different populations of children are when they arrive at school is lunacy.

Jonathan Cohn’s ‘The Two Year Window’ https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/jonathan-cohns-the-two-year-window/

What , if anything, do education tests mean? https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/what-if-anything-do-education-tests-mean/

Tags: ACT, ACT to Roll Out Career and College Readiness Tests for 3rd-10th Grades:, Confession of A Cheating Teacher, High Stakes Testing, Testing, The Notebook

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Dr Wilda

Homeschooled kids make the grade for college

2 Jul

In Homeschooling is becoming more mainstream, moi said:

Parents and others often think of school choice in terms of public school or private school. There is another option and that is homeschooling.Homeschooling is one option in the school choice menu. There are fewer children being homeschooled than there are in private schools. There are fewer children in private education, which includes homeschools than in public education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the vast majority of students attend public schools. Complete statistics can be found at Fast Education Facts

The question, which will be discussed at the end of this comment, is: What is so scary about school choice? After all, the vast majority of children are enrolled in public school and school choice is not going to change that.

What is Homeschooling?

Family Education defines homeschooling.

Homeschooling means learning outside of the public or private school environment. The word “home” is not really accurate, and neither is “school.” For most families, their “schooling” involves being out and about each day, learning from the rich resources available in their community, environment, and through interactions with other families who homeschool.

Essentially, homeschooling involves a commitment by a parent or guardian to oversees their child or teen’s educational development. There are almost two million homeschoolers in this country.

There is no one federal law, which governs homeschooling. Each state regulates homeschooling, so state law must be consulted. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has a summary of each state’s laws. State Homeschool Laws The American Homeschool Association (AHA) has resources such as FAQ and the history of homeschooling at AHA

Kelsey Sheehy writes in the U.S. News article, Home-Schooled Teens Ripe for College:

But parents and students from the home-schooling community say the nontraditional method yields teens that are more independent and therefore better prepared for college life.

More than 2 million U.S. students in grades K-12 were home-schooled in 2010, accounting for nearly 4 percent of all school-aged children, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. Studies suggest that those who go on to college will outperform their peers.

Students coming from a home school graduated college at a higher rate than their peers—66.7 percent compared to 57.5 percent—and earned higher grade point averages along the way, according to a study that compared students at one doctoral university from 2004-2009.

They’re also better socialized than most high school students, says Joe Kelly, an author and parenting expert who home-schooled his twin daughters….http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2012/06/01/home-schooled-teens-ripe-for-college

https://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/homeschooling-is-becoming-more-mainstream/

Melissa Venable, Ph.D. has a great article at Online College.Org. about homeschooled kids and college.

In the article, 15 Key Facts About Homeschooled Kids in College, Dr. Venable writes:

Homeschoolers often enter college with more credit

Homeschooled students are able to work at their own pace, and as a result, students have the freedom to move significantly faster than those in a traditional classroom. Michael Cogan, a researcher at the University of St. Thomas, discovered that homeschool students typically earn more college credits before their freshman year than traditional students, with 14.7 credits for homeschoolers, and 6.0 for traditional students. Earning college credit before freshman year can save thousands of dollars and shave time off of a degree. The 14.7 average credits for homeschoolers represent a full semester of freshman year, which is typically 12-15 credit hours.

Homeschool students do better on the SAT and ACT

Perhaps benefiting from personalized test prep, homeschool students typically score higher on standardized college admissions tests. The homeschool average for the ACT was 22.5 in 2003, compared with the national average of 20.8. The SAT was no different, with a homeschool average of 1092 in 2002, and a national average of 1020. ACT and SAT scores are very important for college admissions and even financial aid, so doing well on these tests is vital to a great college experience.

Homeschool GPAs are consistently higher

As a homeschooled student, you work on a flexible schedule. Young children may rely greatly on their parents for scheduling and instruction, but high schoolers typically become more autonomous in their studies, learning key skills for success as independent students in college. Research indicates that this time spent learning how to study independently pays off, as homeschoolers typically have higher GPAs than the rest of their class. Homeschool freshmen have higher GPAs in their first semester at college, with 3.37 GPAs for homeschoolers, and 3.08 for the rest. This trend continues with an overall freshman GPA of 3.41 vs. 3.12, and senior GPAs of 3.46 vs. 3.16, indicating that homeschoolers are better prepared for college.

Homeschooled students are more likely to attend college

Homeschooled students seem to be more likely to participate in college-level education. As reported by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, more than 74% of home educated adults between 18-24 have taken college level courses. This rate is much higher than the general US population, which comes in at 46% for the same age range.

Homeschoolers are everywhere

Patrick Henry College is one college that specifically caters to the homeschool population, but homeschoolers are increasingly accepted in a wide variety of colleges and universities. In fact, homeschoolers are now in over 900 different colleges and universities, many of them with rigorous admissions. Some of these colleges include Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Rice University.

Homeschooled students are more likely to graduate

Making it to college is one thing, but actually sticking around and graduating is another. Students who have homeschooled will typically do better than other students, with a slightly higher retention rate, at 88.6% vs 87.6% for traditional students. Graduation rates show a higher disparity between homeschoolers and the national average, with 66.7% of homeschooled students graduating, compared to 57.5%.

Some colleges actively recruit homeschool students

Homeschool students have proven themselves to be so outstanding that several colleges have begun to actively recruit them. Boston University, Nyack College, and Dartmouth are among them, with a Dartmouth College admissions officer recognizing, “The applications [from homeschoolers] I’ve come across are outstanding. Homeschoolers have a distinct advantage because of the individualized instruction they have received.”

Homeschooled students are very likely to succeed in college

Research and probability indicates that homeschooled students typically do very well in college, not just academically, but socially as well. Skills learned in homeschooling translate very well to the college campus, with strong self-discipline and motivation. Colleges recognize this advantage, including Brown University representative Joyce Reed, who shares, “These kids are the epitome of Brown students.” She believes they make a good fit with the university because “they’ve learned to be self-directed, they take risks, they face challenges with total fervor, and they don’t back off.”

High school transcripts are often not required for college admissions

Although traditional students will typically be expected to submit their high school transcript, homeschooled students usually do not need one, submitting other information instead. Sixty-eight percent of US universities will accept parent-prepared transcripts. Others will take portfolios, with letters of recommendation, ACT or SAT test scores, essays, and more, allowing homeschooled applicants flexibility in admissions.

Homeschoolers can play college sports

As long as they meet standardized guidelines, homeschooled athletes can be awarded freshman eligibility to participate in college level sports. The number of homeschooled students participating in sports is growing as well, with up to 10 each year in 1988-1993, and as many as 75 students in the late 90s. Homeschool waiver applicants are typically approved, and in the 1998-1999 school year all applicants in Divisions I and II were approved, indicating not only an increased interest in college sports from homeschoolers, but an excellent openness in participation.

Many homeschoolers are National Merit Scholars

The National Merit Scholar program is an academic competition offering prestige and cold hard scholarship cash for high achieving students. The number of homeschool National Merit Scholars is increasing at a high rate: in 1995, there were 21 homeschool finalists, compared with 129 in 2003, a 500% increase. Homeschoolers are clearly doing well in their studies, and as a result, are reaping the rewards in scholarship money to use in school.

Homeschooled students may have higher college acceptance rates

Colleges and universities often recognize that homeschooled students tend to be exceptional in their academic performance, and combined with advanced studies and extracurricular activities, make great candidates for admission. In addition to actively seeking out homeschooled applicants, colleges may also be accepting more of them. In the fall of 1999, Stanford University accepted 27% of homeschooled applicants. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s an incredible number when you consider that this rate is twice the acceptance rate experienced by public and private school students admitted in the same semester.

Homeschool students are often in honors programs

High achieving homeschool students can benefit from advanced curriculum in college, which is why so many of them end up in honors programs once they go on to study at universities. At Ball State University, most homeschooled freshmen were admitted at a higher level than regular students. Eighty percent of homeschool students were admitted to “upper levels of admission,” and 67% were in the Honors College.

Homeschooled students may receive federal financial aid

Due to some confusion in the past, homeschooled students may have had to obtain a GED in order to qualify for financial aid. But the Homeschool Legal Defense Association indicates that laws have changed, and as long as students have completed their education “in a homeschool setting that is treated as a homeschool or a private school under state law,” they are eligible for federal financial aid without a GED.

Many scholarships are available to homeschooled students

Traditional scholarships are often open to homeschooled students, but there are also some created specifically for the homeschool crowd. In an effort to attract stellar homeschooled students for admission, colleges are developing homeschool scholarships. Belhaven offers $1,000 per year, College of the Southwest awards up to $3,150 each year, and Nyack College will give up to $12,000. With the high cost of a college education, these scholarships can really pay off for homeschoolers.

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/09/13/15-key-facts-about-homeschooled-kids-in-college/

Many of our children are “unschooled” and a far greater number are “uneducated.” One can be “unschooled” or “uneducated” no matter the setting. As a society, we should be focused on making sure that each child receives a good basic education. There are many ways to reach that goal. There is nothing scary about the fact that some parents make the choice to homeschool. The focus should not be on the particular setting or institution type. The focus should be on proper assessment of each child to ensure that child is receiving a good basic education and the foundation for later success in life.

Tags: 15 Key Facts About Homeschooled Kids in College, Family Education, Home-Schooled Teens Ripe for College, Homeschooling, National Home Education Research Institute, The Home School Legal Defense Association

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Dr Wilda

Surviving a ‘diploma mill’

1 Jul

The Washington Post described the scope of the “diploma mill” problem in Hundreds Linked to Diploma Mill Dr. Bruce Johnson wrote the Diploma Fraud. Com article, Students Beware! Diploma Mills Still Exist:

How extensive is the diploma mill problem? According to the article PhD, The Easy Way, published in the Chicago Tribune, it is estimated that 9,600 people may have bought fake degrees from a now shuttered St. Regis University in Washington state, and among the student roster were police officers and a Chicago Public Schools instructor. Several St. Regis employees pled guilty to fraud and that is only the tip of the phony degree iceberg. If it seems too good to be true that you can obtain a degree without going to class, well, it probably is. It may seem difficult to imagine that anyone could purchase a degree in this manner, especially with increased attention to accreditation and regulation of financial aid. However, diploma mills still exist – they offer degrees at for a substantially reduced investment and the transaction is often completed with a phone call or an email. The type of degree received is usually based upon a description of your life experience. All you need to provide is payment and suddenly you’re “qualified” for a new career, which is never a good idea to follow. In Diploma Mill Concerns Extend Beyond Fraud, George Gollin, a board member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, an accrediting authority recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, noted that “it is difficult to pin down how many diploma mills exist, or how many bogus degrees are bought each year;” however, he estimates that at one time “companies sold 100,000 to 200,000 phony degrees a year.” http://diplomafraud.com/2012/02/23/students-beware-diploma-mills-still-exist/

What is a Diploma Mill?

The Missouri Department of Higher Education defines a “diploma mill” as :

What is a “diploma mill?”

A dictionary definition is “an unaccredited school or college that grants relatively worthless diplomas, as for a fee.”

Alternatively, a diploma mill might be described as an institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or, because of the lack of proper standards, worthless….

The key point is “diploma mills” have few standards.

How to Spot a Diploma Mill?

There is an excellent article at ELearners.Com which tells you how to spot <a href="

They often have names similar to well-known colleges or universities, but fail to mention an accrediting agency or name a fake accrediting agency.

The organization frequently changes addresses, sometimes moving from state to state.

Written materials typically include numerous spelling and grammatical errors, sometimes on the diploma itself.

Overemphasis on the speed and brevity with which someone can receive a degree (e.g. “Call now and have your degree shipped to you overnight!”).

Degrees can be earned in far less time than normal (e.g. 27 days) or the diploma is printed with a specific backdate.

There is no selectivity in admissions, or any questions about previous test scores or detailed academic history.

No interaction with professors or faculty (e.g. only two emails are received from a professor).

Degree requirements are vague or unspecified, lacking class descriptions and without any mention of how many credit hours are required to complete a program.

Tuition and fees are typically on a per-degree basis.

Grade point average (GPA) and academic honors (e.g. Summa Cum Laude) can be specified at the time of purchase.

Buyer beware, if it seems too easy and too good to be true, you probably should investigate the accreditation of the school.

What to Do If You are enrolled in a Diploma Mill?

The first step is not to enroll in a diploma mill in the first place. Jennifer Williamson of Distance-Education.org has written the great article, What to Do If You’re Enrolled in a Diploma Mill:

But maybe you didn’t spot these signs up front—for whatever reason—and you’ve been fooled by a diploma mill into parting with your money. While it’s not likely you’ll get your money back, there are a few things you can do.

First: stop giving them your money

If you’re involved in paying tuition with the school, stop paying immediately.

Do not, under any circumstance, list the degree on your resume

List an unaccredited degree on your resume and you not only risk your reputation—you risk your job. It’s better not to have a degree at all than to have a degree from a diploma mill—and companies do check these credentials, sometimes years after the person has been hired.

Ask for a refund in writing

If you’re sure you’re enrolled in a diploma mill, send a letter immediately requesting a refund of all tuition money you’ve paid. Send it by registered mail, explain why you want the refund, and make a copy for your own records. It’s doubtful that the diploma mill will send back your money, but it’s worth a shot—and the letter may be useful if you want to take your complaint to court.

Notify the authorities

Tell your state’s attorney general office what’s happened—there should be a way to file complaints on the attorney general’s website. It’s possible that the attorney general’s office will choose to go after the diploma mill.

Report to the Better Business Bureau

Reporting to the Better Business Bureau is a good move because it will serve to warn other potential students about the school. The reporting process only takes a few minutes and can be done entirely online, and the Bureau may be able to help you resolve the complaint.

If you’ve been had by a diploma mill, you don’t have a lot of options. But you can go public with your grievance and it’s possible law enforcement will decide to go after the school. Tell your attorney general and notify the Better Business Bureau. Stop doing assignments and paying tuition to the school. Send a registered letter outlining the reason why you want a refund, but don’t count on getting your money back. Don’t list your unaccredited degree on your resume or try to let your employer think your degree is real. If you do, you could experience some negative repercussions. http://www.distance-education.org/Articles/What-to-Do-If-You-re-Enrolled-in-a-Diploma-Mill-220.html

If you have been sucked into a diploma mill scheme, at the federal level, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can go to Federal Trade Commission Complaint and you can report fraud to your state. Consumer Fraud Reporting.Org lists how to contact your state attorney general. http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/stateattorneygenerallist.php

Resources:

Diploma Mill Degrees Too Good to Be True http://www.cmn.com/2012/06/diploma-mill-degrees-too-good-to-be-true/

How to Spot a Diploma Mill http://www.onlinecollegedegrees.net/avoiding-cheap-education

Beware of diploma millshttps://drwilda.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/beware-of-diploma-mills/

Tags: Consumer Fraud Reporting.Org, Diploma Mill, Diploma Mills and Fake Degrees, Distance-Education.org, Fake Degrees, Hundreds Linked to Diploma Mill, Students Beware Diploma Mills Still Exist, What to Do If You're Enrolled in a Diploma Mill

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Dr Wilda

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Principles of Pediatric Environmental Health
What Are Special Considerations Regarding Toxic Exposures to Young and School-age Children, as Well as Adolescents?

Quiet Riot: Insurgents Take On Teachers’ Unions
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2087980,00.html#ixzz1zgjC7qGS