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Teachers? Curriculum? Administration? What is the key success factor for a school? According to Deborah Kenny, author of "Born to Rise" and founder of the Harlem Village Academies, it is culture. By creating an environment of learning and structure, HVA fulfills the vision of educational opportunity regardless of zip code. Review or New? discusses how to cope with the low pressure and easy material encountered in the start of the new school year. "Is Algebra Necessary?" Part II looks at the merits of studying Math and the gatekeeper aspect. The video is on regression: a statistical process that can find if two variables are related (height vs shoe size) or if they are unrelated (height vs weight).
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Recommended Reading
Deborah Kenny may have known she was on the right track when she announced her plans to open charter schools in Harlem and her friends thought she was crazy! Her zeal to create the same educational opportunity her own kids had in suburbia led her to wonder "Is it the teachers? Curriculum? Administration?" But she found that culture was the key success factor that encourages students and teachers to be their best. Check out this Facebook photo from Harlem Village Academies student orientation
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Review or New? The New School Year
That old material is buried under other subjects or maybe just under summer vacation. So teachers will dust it off and begin the school year with review rather than new material. While revisiting old skills and knowledge can be helpful, it can also make Math a bit easy and therefore a lower priority in the beginning of the school year. So please take notes and do homework (aka independent practice) even if it seems old hat because the new Math is coming!!
Rick Lavoie Reflections on a New School Year
10 Study Habits to Improve Grades and Performance
How to Succeed in Math from www.weusemath.org
Starting the School Year on the Right Foot
Natl Assn of School Psychologists Back to School Tips for Parents
9 Ways to a Better Morning Routine |
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Is Algebra Necessary? Part II
Andrew Hacker may have been concerned about low graduation rates in Is Algebra Necessary? as Algebra is a gatekeeper that keeps students from meeting their educational goals (like high school graduation). But many postsecondary students cannot pass placement tests in arithmetic, reading and writing especially at community colleges. Is Algebra the "right" Math? Some say Stats and Personal Finance would be great replacements but as of now, it is critical that students learn the current college expectations:ACT/SAT/placement tests.
Does College Mean College Level Work? draft by R Schwartz
Is Algebra (Anything?) Necesssary Response by Forbes magazine
Should We Be Teaching Algebra? Steve Perry Capital Prep on CNN
Scientific American Abandoning Algebra is Not the Answer
Why Mom Needs To Get A Grip on Math Phobia
To Learn the Value of Algebra, Just Ask an Eighth Grader
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