Week Six: International Schools and blogs

At www.isvilliage.com/schools/, there was a blog that discussed Thailand International Schools being on a PR blitz. After reading this particular blog, I learned that there are more than 100 International schools through out Thailand that prepare to showcase their capabilities and qualities to parents and businesses in an effort to promote the country's international education market. The event is aimed at attracting more local international students to take up studies within the country and helping Thai trade representatives from Asian countries-China, Vietnam, India, and Combodia to expand business opportunities as well. Thailand has 361 International education institutions nationwide. More than 26,000 International students come to study in Thailand each year, and more than 70,000 students take International programs. Study tools such as software, stationary, textbooks, and games will be on display at the event. At the bottom of the page there is room for viewers to write a response to this blog. I thought this was very interesting because there were so many schools in Thailand and other surrounding countries as well. There were even short blogs on each page that descibed each school, the importance of their programs, and the curriculum which outlines their program for the named particular grades.

At http://www.amjad248.com/, there was a blog where Amjad talked about a educational insistute called The Khartoum International Community School. The cost of attending this particular school is outrageous. Tuition fees for infants and toddlers attending the nursery is $8,000. Tuition fees for 10th and 11th grade is $15,000, and $16,500 for students attending this school in the 12th or 13th grade. These were prices for children to receive a normal education from this particular institution. Other schools with the same International curriculum in the area cost 70% less than this institution. The Khartoum School is owned by one of the leading corporations in Sudan, DALGROUP. Children who study at this institution are children of diplomats, businessmen, and most high ranked employees of the DALGROUP. Many students responded to Amjad's blogs by dicussing these "ridiculous" prices and how they felt about receiving an education from this institution.

At www.billkralovec.com/category/international-school-of-belgrade/ , Bill's blog discusses how a construction project manager and the school director is working to expand the school. The size of the high school building is being doubled, a new computer lab was added, and several storage areas were added to the ground floor. The former computer lab was converted into a library, and Bill's office was moved to the center where a normal principal's office should be. The Science laboratory was also improved. The 1st floor is now the core area for student learning. New Mathematics, Humanities, and Language classrooms were built on this particular floor. The hallways and stairwells were enlarged so that students could be provided with more locker space for storing their personal belongings. The 2nd floor has a spectacular new art studio. Bill believes that students will be inspired by expansive views of Southern Forest Valleys of Belgrade. There is a large room that serves as a place for student assemblies and teacher meetings. Bill strongly believes that the new changes will definitely improve student learning. On this particular blogspot page, Bill also discussed Staff Developments, Administrative Retreats, and others things that the staff of this school did together as a group.

Week Five: Blogs in K-12 Classrooms

Blogging has become very common in classrooms all over the world. It is a way for parents, teachers, and activists to share information with one another. Although it is beginning to become a huge means for communication in the world of Education, blogging has caused several problems for some schools participating in these blogging sites. As I searched the web for information on blogs in schools, I came across several interesting sites that had appealing information within their blogs. These blogs were either written by parents, teachers, activists, and some students as well.
At http://district229.typepad.com/, I read information on blogging in Chicago Schools. This site shared information about things that were going on in the community socially,as well as politically. It discusses schools and their attempt to succeed academically as a whole student body. There was some very important information on this site as well. It revealed how more than 200 schools in Chicago are being removed from improvement status as a result to their student performance attendence and graduation rates. This blog spot also seems to be a place where parents, teachers, and activists read the latest news, share the latest gossip, and find out what's going on in other parts of the city. Personally, I feel that this could be a good or bad result for students having access to these blog sites.
At http://theworldisyourcampus.wordpress.com/, blogs discussed issues about how half of Minnesota schools are failing under the "No Child Left Behind" act. Several school funding is being cut for services that have been established to help English Language Learners and children with special needs. This has become a great burden to many parents and educators as well. At http://blog.alfranken.com/, the issue of high school drop-outs in Minnesota is being efficiently evaluated. There had been consideration of raising the drop-out age from 16 to 18. Their intent would be to force most of the state's thousands of high school drop-outs to stay in school. They would like to take the opportunity to teach kids how to recognize when their time is being wasted, and to encourage them to seek better options. Their goal in this attempt would be to try to increase the college attendence and graduation rate.

Week Four: The Fisch Bowl: Did You Know?

This movie was very interesting to me. Although I felt as if it was a really inspiring film, its contents bothered my spirit as a student and educator in the United states. Great Britain seems to be a very successful country in the field of education, which was a surprise to me. The film states that Great Britain has several important strengths that the United States lack. It is the richest country in the world, has the largest military system, a strong education system, the highest standard of living, it has a current world standard value, and it is the center world of business and finance. In the United States, there is a great concern in each one of these areas. We hear talk about how soldiers are sent to Iraq everyday, yet we lose more men in the war than any other country. Several Soldiers are sent there two or three times because of a lack of military support. Businesses and homes face foreclosures, government-funded programs are cut, School system staff are laid off, and there has been a major rise in gas prices and other things in the economy due to the demand for oil and a lack of currency. There is also more violence in the school systems due to overcrowding and a lack of motivation and purpose in our young people.
In 2006, there were only a total of 1.3 million college graduates in the United States, while in other countries such as India and China, the graduation rate was over 3 million. This bothers me a great deal as an educator. More businesses are beginning to require a higher education before any person may even be considered for a job opportunity. Yet the United States struggles with the drop-out rate in our countries. This raises the question of What can we do as educators to help with this weakness in our country? It may be a difficult task, but not an impossible one. This is why my passion to educate students is so deep. Whatever it takes to help students succeed in school, and motivation of a greater education is not a choice for me. It is a duty. We as educators should pull together to come up with a system that could help young people in every area of their education.
The U.S. Department of labor predicts that learners will not be very successful in the workplace. They actually believe that today's learner's will have up to 14 jobs before they become stable in the workforce. I feel as if we as educators, as well as parents, should begin to instill the importance of responsibility, commitment, pride, and dedication in our children's jobs and careers. We should try to teach these children and encourage them to become that successful worker. The best way to inspire is to lead by example. This is where the parents come in. The parents are the first and best teacher of their children. Parents are their to instill and inspire, while we try to help motivate, encourage, and reinforce what the children are already being taught. One thing I have learned over the course of my journey to success is that nobody is what statistics says they are going to be unless you become that person. What you make out of your life depends on you, and how important it is for you to be successful. Yes many of us have children young and we think that it is the end of the world, but it's not. Just remember one thing. If you don't have anything to give to yourself, then you won't have anything to give to your children!

Week Three: Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, and Students Statewide (ACCESS)

ACCESS is an education initiative of the Alabama Department Of Education, which provides opportunitied for high school students to engage in Advanced Placement courses they do not have access to in their educational institution. The courses offered on this site are Interactive VideoConferencing, Web-based, and Summer School Programs. The 2008-2009 Interactive VideoConferencing offers Honors and AP courses in Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, Health Education, Career Technical, and Foreign Languages such as French, German, Latin, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. Web-based courses are Instructional offerings in the same areas of education, AP Art classes, and includes The Alabama High School Graduation Remedian Materials for the subjects of Language, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Science, and Social Studies. The 2008 Summer School courses are module offerings in the same areas of education, including Creative Writing, Psychology, Career Technical coordinated studies, and the AHSGE Remediation Modules for the subjects of Language, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
ACCESS provides a site with course descriptions which provides information on grade level, credits, prerequisites, testing requirements, materials needed for each course, and gives a brief description of each course provided on the site for students. Course offerings lists materials needed for The Alabama High School Graduation Exam Remediation, Website links to The Interactive VideoConferencing (IVC) courses, and The ACCESS Distance Learning Support Center Regions. These regions are located at The madison City Schools, The University Of Alabama, and Troy University. This portion of the ACCESS site also provides contact information for The ACCESS Distance Learning Technology Initiatives located in Montgomery, Alabama. Students are provided with four tools used to aide them in their AP studies called ChemLab, Gramatice, Math Type, and Software Products. ChemLab is an interactive lab simulation for Windows and Mac OS computer users. Gramatice is an equation plotter with numerical and calculuc features, which is easy to use for students. Math Type adds equations to virtually and application that has insert object command, which allows students to paste objects and drag graphical images across their computer screens. Software Products are also available for download to approved students.
ACCESS provides educators with new and innovative ways to motivate their students, ideas to expand teaching knowledge, and the opportunity to share their expertise with students anywhere in the state. ACCESS provides technology in instruction, video conferencing resources, and supporting organizations of the ACCESS program. This site also provides informational brochures for students, educators, and parents as well. The ACCESS website also provides a link for The Alabama Virtual Library by the office of the Governor & Alabama State Legislature. This links students, teachers, and citizens to a AVL Tutorial and Advocacy Resources to access essential library information resources. The AVL also contains primary online databases for magazines, journals, and newspaper articles for research. The Alabama Virtual Library raises the level of excellence in schools and communities across the state. The AVL Council meets every other month and a tentative schedule of their meetings are posted on the website for any public viewer wanting to attend them. Participating AVL Agencies, Council Representative, and Bylaws for Alabama Virtual Library Council is also provided on this portion of the website.
Other valuable resources provided on the ACCESS website include a Summary of External Evaluation of Alabama, ACCESS Initiative Phase 3 Report, HippoCampos (Informational) Powerpoint, AETA Presentations, Educational Forum Presentation, Support Center Regional Meetings Presentation, Final Exam Exemption Form, 2007-2010 ACCESS Plan, ACCESS Distance Learning School Acknowledgement Form, Counselors Registration Presentation Brochures, AETA 2007 Presentations, Powerpoint from Support Regional Meetings, and The ACCESS Distance Learning Policies. This website and information can be retrieved at accessdl.state.al.us.