Source: New York Times CHICAGO — The sixth graders at Newton Bateman, a public elementary school here with a classic red brick facade, know the Google drill. In a social-science class last year, the students each grabbed a Google-powered laptop. They opened Google Classroom, an app where teachers make assignments. Then they clicked on Google Docs, a writing program, and began composing essays. Looking up from her laptop, Masuma Khan, then 11 years old, said her essay explored how schooling in ancient Athens differed from her own. “Back then, they had wooden tablets and they had to take all of their notes on it,” she said. “Nowadays, we can just do it in Google Docs.” Chicago Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the United States, with about 381,000 students, is at the forefront of a profound shift in American education: the Googlification of the classroom. In…
Source: CNN Washington (CNN) – Former first lady Michelle Obama expressed concern Friday over the Trump administration’s decision to scale back school meal nutritional requirements. “You have to stop and think, ‘Why don’t you want our kids to have good food at school? What is wrong with you, and why is that a partisan issue?” Obama said at the annual summit of the Partnership for a Healthier America, a nonprofit that works with the private and public sectors to fight childhood obesity. “Why would that be political?” Obama’s comments come a little over a week after Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a proclamation that relaxes standards for the upcoming school year in three key areas: whole grains, salt and milk. Under the new proclamation, states will be able to grant exemptions to schools experiencing hardship in meeting the 100% whole-grain-rich standard. Schools will no longer need…
Happy National Teacher’s Appreciation Day! Teachers should be celebrated everyday, but today is the official day of Teacher Appreciation. We take our hats off to all educators of every level from early child-hood to collegiate and beyond. Teachers instill the lasting influence & impact on millions of children everyday, and can completely influence and enhance communities and societies. Today we recommend reaching out to a teacher you know and thanking them for making a lasting impact on the generations of tomorrow. Without you’re hard work and dedication we would not be able to read this article, develop as active contributors to society or succeed. Thank you! Here are 15 companies who are providing their own way of thanking teachers: Aerosoles- If you’re looking for a new pair of work shoes, now is the time to buy. Aerosoles is giving teachers 15 percent off any footwear item…
Colleen’s Corner is excited to announce our first ever fundraising event of the season! Colleen’s Summer Kickoff Brunch! In addition to a NYC style brunch buffet featuring loaded scrambled eggs, French toast, and Texas sliders, please come and enjoy bottomless mimosas, bloody mary’s and Bud Lights! For those of you feeling the ‘luck of the Irish’, there will be a 50/50 raffle! Event Details When: Saturday, May 20th from 12pm – 3pm Where: Sidebar NYC (118 E. 15th St. – Corner of E. 15th St & Irving Place) What: NYC Style Brunch Buffet Plus Bottomless Drinks (Beer/Mimosas/Bloody Mary’s) Price: $50 (Price includes food, drinks, tip, and donation to Colleen’s Corner) This event is SOLD OUT…
One study of 5,000 children’s books found that a quarter had no female characters, and less than 20% featured a woman with a job. But a new wave of books and writers is helping to fix that disparity The book is called Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, but reading a handful of its 100 stories about some of the most brilliant women in history at bedtime might not be a good idea. Featuring spies, pirates, astronauts, activists, scientists, writers, sports stars and more, many of the stories are so thrilling and uplifting your child’s heart may beat a little faster, her mind racing with possibilities. If she leaps out of bed to get to work, blame the authors. Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli launched their crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter and IndieGogo, with the aim of raising $40,000 (£32,000) to create and print 1,000…
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jennifer Garner has called on Congress to do more to support early childhood education. The actress testified Thursday on Capitol Hill in support of education programs for preschoolers in poverty. Garner recalled growing up in West Virginia around children in poverty. She told lawmakers that she “couldn’t stand up for them back then, but I can stand up for their families now.” She says by investing in early childhood education programs, like Head Start, “we can intervene in these children’s lives in time to make a difference.” Garner is a mother of three and was testifying before a House subcommittee on behalf of child advocacy group Save the Children. Garner is a member of the organization’s board of trustees. © 2017 Associated Press…
My Mom often said that reading allowed children to escape the physical boundary of their environment to explore the infinite world of possibilities; which is especially true in low-income areas. A couple weeks back my family and I visited an early-childhood school in Passaic, NJ, where my Mom spent the majority of her tenure as an educator and teacher coach. During our visit we discussed an opportunity to start a lending library and online parent education resource for children and their parents to promote reading literacy and comprehension. Our vision is to provide access to great children’s books to children who don’t currently have children suitable books readily available. We also are in the process of developing a parent focused website (ColleensCorner.net) to empower parents to read to their children as often as possible. Numerous studies show that the earlier a child is read to…
