Math Activities for Preschoolers

These days, kids are growing up so fast that it has become difficult to match up to them at times. I have a niece who is 3 ½ years old and is so brilliant that, at times, I question if I was that smart and understanding when I was her age. Every time I look at her, she comes home from preschool and tells me all that has happened over the week, it actually makes me feel that at her age, she might just be one of the most intelligent kids I've come across. And the reason behind this is, that kids nowadays are being challenged, more so that they are developing their brains at such an incredible rate, that we have to catch up to them. They have to learn so many different things like letters, alphabets, names of animals, vegetables, and fruits, art and music, mathematics, identify colors, shapes, and objects, numbers, and so much more. Keeping that in mind, we have put together this article which concentrates on fun math activities for preschoolers to do at home and in school. So what are we waiting for? Let's get right to it.

Preschool Math Activities

In the following section, we have listed some fun, interesting, and educational games for preschool kids related to math. Whether you are at home or in school, these math activities will definitely get them excited every time.

Leaping Frog
First of all, you will require an open space where you can lay a blue and a green tarp to substitute as a pond and lily pads, respectively. Place the lily pads across the pond (close to one another so that the kids can jump from one lily pad to another). You will have the kids line up and one by one, each kid will jump from one lily pad to the next. As he/she does so, they have to count the number of lily pads they crossed. This way, each kid will get a chance to be a frog and their counting revision can also be done. When there are more kids doing this activity, you can also have them count as the "frog" jumps from lily pad to another.

Nursery Rhyme
For our next math activities for preschoolers at home or school, we will require help from a nursery rhyme - One, Two, Buckle My Shoe. Here's what you need to do. According to the rhyme - One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, close the door. Five, six, pick up sticks. Seven, eight, lay them straight. Nine, ten, a big fat hen. Now, as you sing this rhyme, hold that many objects in your hand and have the kids count them.

Addition & Subtraction
If you are searching for some fun problem solving activities for kids, then here's one they'll love. Take a big box and mark it as "Treasure Box" or "Cashier's Box". For this addition and subtraction activity, you can use any items such as crayons, chocolates, balls, toys, etc. Now, have the kids gather around, place the box and the items in front of them. Have one kid say a number. Let's say if he/she said 4, then you will add 4 items inside the box. Then, another kid will say another number, like 7. So you will ask them that there are already 4 items inside the box. How many more items you need to add in order to get the number to 7. One by one, the kids can say numbers and this way you can explain the addition and subtraction calculations to them.

Printing Numbers
We've got a brain power game that can be used as math activities for preschoolers. Have the kids watched the movie 101 Dalmatians? If not, then you need to have them watch this movie. One, the movie will help with this activity and two, it's a great kids' movie. What you need to do is copy the dalmatian pattern on blank papers. Now for the spots on the dog patterns, leave blank circles with no color. Write down numbers on the paper, next to the pattern. Depending on the number of kids in school, you will write those numbers. Have each kid hold a crayon and copy the number written on the paper and print it inside the blank circles. Once they are finished, all the spots will have numbers printed on.

Preschool Field Trip Ideas

Preschool is a great time period in the life of children. Why? Because it is during this time that they learn to get out into the world and come out of the niche and comfort zone that their homes provide for them. They learn to interact with other kids their age and understand the social skills like sharing, different etiquette forms, and how one has to be a part of society. One very important factor that is seen to work in this direction are field trips. Field trips provide for ways in which practical knowledge can be imparted to the kids. These field trips introduce the kids to varied stimuli and help them learn about newer things and concepts. In this direction then, there is always a need for newer and better preschool field trip ideas. It is some of these ideas that we shall be looking into in the following article, continue reading for more details.

Pointers to Remember

Some things have to be kept in mind when one arranges for these field trips so that the trip can be a successful. Here are some of the ideas that need to be looked into:

• Choose a location based on the season that you're planning to take the trip.
• Make sure that you choose a location that is safe. Do the necessary background search of the place before arranging for a trip.
• If possible, visit the place personally and check for the amenities before hand.
• It is important that you prepare the kids before you take them for the trip. Let them have an idea of what they are going to see there and what is expected of them.
• Encourage them to ask questions at the trip so that they learn better.
• Keep a list of emergency numbers ready at all times.
• Brief the kids on how to contact you if there is ever a problem.

Field Trip Ideas for Preschool

Now the deal with preschool is that it is a curious age for kids. They want to be exploring newer things and learning about newer concepts all the time. It is this need that has to be looked into at the time of arranging for field trips. Something that will get them to learn about newer concepts and ideas. In that direction then, let us look into some of the preschool field trip ideas that will help to teach them about newer concepts and ideas.

Water Park
Water parks are a hot favorite when it comes to preschooler field trips. And can you blame them? There is guaranteed fun that is promised for the kids. So much water, so many rides and the chance to simply freak out and have a blast. Make it more fun by holding a session of water aerobics or playing certain water sports in the swimming area.

Animal Farms
This is a great way for the kids to get interested in animals and learn about pet care. Taking them to animal farms or pet stores will allow them to see the animals up close and observe their mannerisms, eating habits and the like. This can be taken as their first experience at learning about the different kinds of animals, the foods they eat, their voices and more. Along with that they will learn about more important lessons like caring for animals, treating them with resp

Enlisting in the Army

You may have heard that a good score in ASVAB is the first significance in the long drawn journey of finally being selected in the army. It's a significant step no doubt, but it's not the only step. There are numerous qualifications which you must meet before being considered for enlisting in the army. Some of these qualifications are related to educational background and others are psychological and physical.

Requirements for Enlisting in the Army

To enlist in the army you need to be at least 18 years of age, but if you have the permission of your parents, you can enlist at 17 as well. You must be a citizen of the country or must have a green card, and at least possess a high school diploma. Once you fulfill all these requirements, you can take the ASVAB test which you must pass, after which you would also have to pass the Military Entrance Processing Station medical exam. At the time of your appointment, the number of dependents can't be more than 2. As far as your physical health is concerned, you must be healthy enough to be included in the army. You will be required to go through a physical exam to see if you can handle the rigorous training, and your height, weight and body mass index would also be measured.

There are several documents which you would need to carry along during the application process. Social security card, driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, medical history and school diplomas are some of the documents which you will need. Read more on requirements to join the army.

Enlisting in the Army With a College Degree

Even though the basic educational qualification to enlist in the army is a high school diploma, you can still apply for a job in the army if you have a bachelor's degree. If you are enlisting in the army with a bachelor's degree, you are entitled to additional bonuses which is usually around US $8,000. This amount is over and above the compensation and benefits which you are entitled to. You may also be appointed to a higher rank if you have additional college credits to show. More on military ranks.

Re-enlisting in the Army

If you want to continue in the army after the expiry of the term of service date, you can re-enlist within 3 to 24 months. You can re-enlist either by your own choice or if the army needs you. In case you re-enlist by your own choice, you must commit a particular number of years to the army. Usually the number of years is between 3 to 6 years. There are bonus programs for re-enlisting which may feature a lump sum payment, and this amount is usually between US $10,000 to 40,000. You may like to know more onmilitary retirement benefits.

Benefits of Enlisting in the Army

As far as the benefits are concerned, a job in the army is one of the best places to be. Recognizing the necessity of caring for its men, the army has come up with numerous benefits which are tax free. With the kind of job you would be entailed to do, the leave policy in the army is generous. At the end of each year you get a leave of four weeks, and the best part is, it's with pay. You can be off to anywhere you please, without worrying about your paycheck. In addition to that, you don't need to work on national holidays and weekends. However, this is applicable only if you are posted in a peace time zone. If you are posted in a combat zone, you won't be able to get leaves, but would be compensated with combat pay.

As far as your health care goes, you are entitled to health coverage not only for you but your dependents as well. The health care policy is such that it provides medical and dental coverage at very little or no cost for you. You can also avail medical facilities in the Military Treatment Facility for you and family. In addition to that, you can avail facilities which pay for students debts and college besides admitting your children in military schools.

Enlisting in the Navy

One of the prime wings of the US defense forces, the US navy is known for its might and power all over the world. The US navy offers plethora of career opportunities for students. There are innumerable branches starting from sailors, captains, officers to various engineering, applied sciences, medical, arts and humanities stream job requirements in the US navy. Navy is one of the most rewarding and prestigious careers, offering tremendous growth and stability. Being selected in the navy is always a dream for many young aspirants. Enlisting in the navy requires some simple procedures to follow that have been discussed in this article. Prior to that, if you are in any doubt that why to join the US navy, then let us discuss various reasons that will automatically conclude your query with a satisfactory answer. Read more on military schools

Benefits of Enlisting in the Navy

Keep aside the financial rewards at bay and you will find that the US navy offers you much more than monetary benefits. It offers you a class living and teaches you to live life in a daring way! And everyday at navy, life is full of zest, enthusiasm, courage and loads of challenges. Cadets and officers in navy just don't breathe, they live life every moment! And if you leave aside even these intangible benefits, here are some tangible advantages of enlisting in the navy.

• As a sailor or officer, you can extend your educational careers to amazing levels. You can have the opportunity to learn world class technology and earn college or advanced degrees. And mind you, these degrees have tremendous value even in the civil life.
• As you advance in the navy, you have the opportunity to grow your rankings with your performance. Leading and commanding a US navy team gives you leadership opportunities. And higher your designation in the navy, better are the services enjoyed by you.
• The compensation packages in the US navy along with significant tax incentives and health care insurance plans are certainly one of the best in the country. Various states also offer housing, meal and other tax benefits and various life insurance covers at very inexpensive premiums.
• Vacations are fixed for every rank officers and they can get up to 30 paid days leave every year and if they don't take the leave for that year, it is transferred to the next year, that is 60 days leave!! Quite a deserving leave owing to the fact that their work demands tremendous endurance and physical/mental work.
• Imagine an opportunity to watch 100 ports around the globe, traveling on military flights for free or on very negligible fees, staying in military apartments for families and tax free shopping!! Traveling across the globe is a rare opportunity that Navy's women and men enjoy and that too extensive traveling. Besides that, navy officers are entitled to various recreational facilities on low costs!

Requirements for Enlisting in the Navy

If you are enlisting in the navy with a bachelor's degree, then you can apply for an officer's position. Generally, if you do not want to enlist in the navy with a college degree then even with high school graduate degree, GED or other high school equivalency requirements, you can enlist in the Navy however the post and office you are applying for may vary. To enlist in the navy with a college degree demands you to satisfy certain other conditions that are as follows:

• You must be less than 35 years old and more than 19 years of age. In urgent cases, waivers are granted for certain posts.
• Candidate must be a US citizen and in case of non-citizenship, there are various rules and clauses. Contact a registered navy recruiter to know if you are eligible for applying.
• A four-year BS or BA degree from an accredited university is the minimum educational requirement for being a naval officer.
• Drug abuse tests and medical and character standards are also inquired before enlisting in the navy.
• Single parents, those having more than two children under 18 years of age are not allowed to join the navy. Contact a navy recruiter for specific information.

How to Join the Army

The decision to join the army is a serious one and should never be taken lightly. It is also a tough decision since, if you get through, it may mean staying away from your family and loved ones for very long durations. However, the decision to join the army is one of the most novel career decisions one can ever make as such a decision is not propelled by mercenary motives alone - patriotism and service to nation are the major driving forces here! This is the most demanding government job as well! If fighting for and on behalf of your nation is what you are determined to do for the next 30-40 years of your life, here is all you need to know about how to join the army!

How to Join the US Army

Start with thinking and rethinking your decision and do extensive research on services, eligibility criteria, benefits and branch missions. Next, find out all you can about the ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - the military entrance test which is conducted by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command. Next, you need to prepare for your rendezvous with the recruiters. Gather information about typical questions asked by them and appropriate answers thereof and find out what all documents you need to carry on your big day. The most important part of your decision to join the army is your choice of service. If you haven’t decided on a particular service yet, compare all services and evaluate your job choice - decide whether you want to go for guard or reserve services, decide between enlisted and officer rank, etc. For your convenience, I am giving a few examples of how to join the army’s different branches and ranks.

How to Join the Army Rangers

As part of the rangers, you would be entrusted with the responsibilities of a dauntless warrior - to see death in the eye and march ahead fearlessly in the face of fatal adversities on the battleground! Make sure you have the guts to start with! If you feel you have it in you to face the most cunning and intimidating of enemies, begin building your stamina and train for strength and agility. Learn to swim and work out with weights and resistances. Once you apply for and ace the ASVAB, select advanced infantry training and apply for para trooper training. Once you come out successful in these trainings, approach your commanding officer to endorse your candidature for Ranger training. You will have to clear a few difficult physical tests - the Army Physical Fitness Test, the Combat Water Survival Test, the Ranger Assessment phase which goes on for six days, etc. - before you are given the green signal for commencing with Ranger training schedule. Make sure to complete your education before joining the army Rangers - remember, the strong make good soldiers but the intelligent make great soldiers!

How to Join the Army Reserves

When you take the ASVAB, your scores will suggest what Reserves job suits you best. When you meet the recruiters, let them know you wish to join the army Reserves and they will guide you and give you information regarding basic combat training as well as tell you about current special incentives related to enlisting. Your medical evaluation will include a complete medical check up, including test for drug and alcohol use, at the local Military Entrance Processing Station. Once you clear the medical evaluation, select the Reserve job of your choice by going through the Military Occupational Specialty list. Acknowledge and sign the enlistment and obligation contract documents to complete the procedure.

Green Beret Training

Well, this thing is not for those who are lighthearted at all. You need a lot of guts, grit and gumption to achieve this feat in the US Armed forces. What I am talking about is being an officer in United States Army Special Forces, which is the cream of the armed forces in the USA. They are believed to be the elite amongst the Special Forces. These are also called Green Berets. These are a special operations force of the US Army. The officers in these forces are trained in everything from riding a camel to dealing with guerrilla warfare and terrorism. It can be imagined how tough the selection training process would be for those who want to don the green beret. Selection notwithstanding, I will try and map the Green Beret training.

Green Beret Training Preparation

To begin with, allow me to tell you why is this elite and group of army officers called green berets. The reason behind the name Green Beret is the distinct and identifying head gear which these officials wear. Now coming back to training, here is more on preparation for getting into the US Special forces. First things first, let alone the training, the preparation itself is test of your physical and mental strength. The selection process is an ordeal which goes on for 24 days. The preparation course for that will be the ultimate test of your mental and physical mettle. For getting through to the course, the minimum requirement is to score atleast 260 points in the physical fitness test conducted by the army. That is, if you are in the age group between 17 to 21. Although this is the minimum necessary, to get into the training, this may not suffice and the aim should be to score 300, as the competition is intense. Just to give you an idea of the test, an individual might be asked to do 100 push ups in 2 minutes or run a couple of miles in 12 minutes or so. Thus, you can see that you have to be in a really top physical condition to go through in the US army green beret training.

Green Beret Training Elements

If Green Beret training preparation and test was a trailer, then the training is the whole film and that too a difficult one, with no cuts, no romance and no editing. It is sheer sweat and blood and with no respite. Now you might wonder how long is green beret training, considering it s tough. The answer to that is that the training goes on for around 55 to 95 weeks.

Element 1 - Brute Strength
Once the candidates are selected, they are sent to North Carolina, Fort Bragg for training. Then the first phase is where there is severe and back breaking physical training. It involves pull-ups, push-ups, running, swimming, running an obstacle course, rucksack marches and orienteering exercises. This is a major test of the brute force that these candidates can have. Also check outarmy boot camp.

Element 2 - Teaming up and Leadership
Needless to say, this part of Green Beret training, called as Q-Course is equally taxing as the first phase. This course endeavors to get the leadership skills in the cadets out as well as how well they gel with a team. This is an extremely rigorous regime and cadets are occupied the whole day, from time even before dawn to after dusk.

Element 3 - Real Time Training
There will be no point in just having strength and not knowing how to use in the appropriate situations. So another aspect of this training is to simulate real life army scenarios and see how the cadets do in it. For assisting the soldiers, for instance in a mock prisoners of war camps the soldiers get Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training (SERE). Which can help them in tackling the enemy in case they are caught.

Year-Round School Or Traditional: Which Is Better For Your Child?

Registering your child for school can be a daunting task. You want to provide the best education for your child as well as help them become a successful student. So, do you choose schools that are on a traditional or a year-round schedule? Traditional schedules operate usually on a nine-month basis, with no school for two to three months during the summer (a total of 180 hours of classroom time per year). Traditional schedules provide the same curriculum as year-round schools. However, the amount of time a child spends in the classroom each day is an extended time compared to a child in a year-round schedule. Conversely, the amount of time a child spends not going to school is an extended period of time also, whereas with a year-round schedule, students usually get three-week breaks several times during the year.

Year-round schools operate on a "track" schedule all year long with the exception of a few weeks between the ending of one school year and the beginning of the next. Track scheduling is a staggered system specifically designed to accommodate more children in a school. Usually a school has anywhere from 3-4 tracks and the start and end dates of those tracks are staggered. Regardless of when a specific track starts and stops, children go to school for nine weeks straight and then have a break of three weeks where they are not in school. When you hear a parent say their child is "tracked out," it means they are out of school on a break.

A lot of studies have been done to see whether children in a year-round program do better on their test scores as opposed to children in a traditional program. However, many of the studies were inconclusive, indicating that there was not a large difference in test scores between the two types of schedules. So when deciding which type of school is best for a child, parents may want to consider the other pros and cons of the two types of schedules. For many working families, the year-round program fits better with their lifestyle; finding childcare for a three-week period is a lot less daunting task than having to find childcare for a two-month period if both parents work. Year-round scheduling also affords families the opportunities to take small trips throughout the year rather than planning the typical summer vacation that was commonplace years ago before year-round schools existed. Some people would argue that having an extended period of time in the summer for children to be out of school gives them a longer time to "regroup and recoup" from the traditional program. But others argue that children tend to forget over the summer the things they have learned; and that the first two to three weeks of the new year are lost on "re-learning" what they forgot over the summer. Depending on the specific child and their educational needs, year-round schooling can provide more continuity for children who need a more structured environment.

Teacher feedback about the two types of schedules is varied as well. Some teachers find it to be a real hindrance when they have to pack up everything in their class at the end of nine weeks only to have to come in and set it up again three weeks later. Maintenance issues at the schools are a consideration as well, since children are in the school all year long. However, the results of many surveys show that teacher absenteeism is lower with year-round staff and the scheduling reduces teacher burnout. But coordination of track schedules is a drawback for teachers who have children, as they may be on different track-in and track-out dates from those that their children are on. Most systems, though, try to accommodate and place families on the same tracks.

Parents need to do their homework when deciding on year-round or traditional schedules. Asking your local school system for their opinions. If they have resources available for you to read, that’s a good place to start. Contacting your state board of education is another resource.

Schools Working Hard to Attract More Male Teachers

For decades women have bee campaigning to be welcomed into careers that have been traditionally dominated by men throughout history. Now the tables have turned. With the new academic year fast approaching, school districts, universities, and education groups are looking for innovative ways to attract more men into becoming teachers, a field that has been dominated by women since public schooling began. The goal of boosting the numbers of male teachers is twofold—to provide more male role models to children in classrooms, and to diversify the labor pool of dedicated teachers.

Only 21% of all teachers in the United States are men. In elementary schools the scales are even more unbalanced—only 9% of the teachers in early grades are men. Many educators believe that because men and women have different styles and approaches to teaching, a more balanced mix of female and male teachers in early grades will be of great benefit to students as they advance into middle grades and beyond. According to the National Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the U.S., the proportion of men teaching in the country today is at its lowest level in over 40 years.

Bryan Nelson is the founding director of MenTeach, a nonprofit organization that actively recruits men into the teaching profession. His group works to provide men who want to be teachers with mentors, stipends, and special training. According to Nelson, men must overcome several perceived barriers to the teaching profession, not the least of which are concerns about salary, the perception that teaching isn’t a manly career, and even parental fears that male teachers can be a threat to younger children. Nelson believes that increasing the number of male teachers will help add balance to school life for children while showing them that society values education over gender stereotypes. In his seminars and training classes, Nelson stresses the importance of having men in the classroom by appealing to their pride. "I tell them, 'Can you imagine what you're doing for these kids? You're a pioneer. You're teaching kids how to read. You're setting up their future."'

Many school districts are limited by federal anti-discrimination laws that limit their recruiting and hiring practices. Teachers should be hired based on skills and ability, but if two teachers have pedigrees that differ by only a minute margin, schools should be able to consider gender as a positive if it means they can increase the number of male teachers on staff. But federal guidelines prohibit any gender considerations when deciding which teachers to hire. "Your applicant pool is going to be tainted by your recruiting techniques if there's a gender bias," says Lisa Soronen, a staff attorney for the National School Boards Association. "The real way to get teaching to be a more attractive profession is to change the societal norms and structure of the profession. But no individual principal can do that."

There are beginning to be signs of change in the teaching profession that may start the ball rolling toward a more gender-balanced system. According to a Gallup analysis, teaching has re-emerged as one of the top career picks for teenage boys. But the same report noted that male teachers remain scarce in poor urban areas where school-aged children have no father or male role models at home. Clemson University has instituted a program titled Call Me MISTER, which partners nine schools in helping young black men become public school teachers. The students in the program get academic support, tuition assistance, and internships at local schools. The program’s director, Roy Jones, says that since many of the students never had a male teacher during their 12 years in public schools, they know firsthand what is missing in today’s classrooms. "There's just a difference—whether it's in style, voice intonation, just the presence of having a male in the classroom—that many boys respond to best," says Jones. So far, 15 men have finished the program and begun teaching in elementary schools throughout South Carolina. The National Education Association is working with the Call Me MISTER program in an effort to increase that number o 200. "It destroys stereotypes," Jones says. "There are young men out there, developing into professionals, who do want to pursue teaching, who do want to work with children. They just needed to find a vehicle."

Cheating Among U.S. Students--Making the Grade At Any Cost

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Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines cheating as "to violate rules dishonestly". This seems like a simple, straightforward definition, but judging from recent statistics, many U.S. high school students are working from an entirely different definition. A study done at Rutgers University in 2001 found that fifty-seven percent of U.S. high school students didn’t think that copying a few sentences without proper credit, sharing test answers, or getting answers from someone who had taken the test constituted cheating. So if those behaviors are not considered cheating, then what is?

Twenty to thirty years ago, cheating consisted of writing the answers to a test on your arm and then wearing a long-sleeved shirt to cover them up until they were needed, but cheating behaviors in American schools today have grown increasingly sophisticated. Some of the more low-tech, but still common, methods students try in the classroom are leaving an open textbook or notebook on the floor during a test (for classrooms with less vigilant teachers); or, a more easily camouflaged method, writing the answers on the back of a water-bottle label and then gluing it back on the bottle. What teacher would think to look inside the water bottle for hidden test answers?

The real explosion in ways that students cheat has occurred, as with so many other fields, in the area of technology. With so many students having MP3 players, digital cameras, and camera phones, it’s easy for students to pack notes or test answers into a portable, discrete gadget. There are also a number of websites available where students can, rather than completing the work themselves, purchase complete research papers. For the less devious-minded students out there, there are even websites that are exclusively dedicated to helping fellow students learn all about the the fine "art" of cheating, listing detailed instructions for all of the latest methods, rating them in terms of user-friendliness and the likelihood of being caught, and posting new methods submitted by visitors to the site.

With all of these reources now available to them, are U.S. students becoming more likely to cheat? Sadly, the numbers are not encouraging: an October 2006 report by the Josephson Institute revealed the following:
--62% of high school students lied to a teacher within the past twelve months about something significant
--33% copied an internet document within the past twelve months
--60% cheated during a test at school within the past twelve months

So where does all of this cheating begin? Sheryll L. Smith, of the Department of Psychology at Missouri Western, conducted a study in the 1990s to try to discover just when students begin to see particular behaviors as "cheating". When she questioned groups of first graders, she found that a large percentage of that age group believed that it was acceptable to engage in specific behaviors (some of which would be considered some form of "cheating" behavior). Asked about those same behaviors, groups of second and third graders whom Smith questioned considered those behaviors to be clearly "cheating" behaviors. The truly interesting thing about her study was this: students continued to consider those behaviors cheating from about the second grade on up, until they reached the sixth grade; that was the age group in which Smith found that, suddenly, those same behaviors were once again considered to be acceptable and no longer considered to be cheating.

Why is there a spike in the sixth grade in what students consider cheating, and why has there been such an increase in the acceptability of cheating as students move on to higher levels of schooling? One could certainly surmise that the shift in the acceptability of "cheating" behaviors is linked to more being demanded of students as they advance from grade level to grade level. American students report being under more pressure than ever to achieve high grades, especially those students bound for college. In a 2006 article for the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education, Jason M. Stephens considers several possible factors that may be contributing to the rise in cheating: first, that as more and more students do attend college, the competition for admission to colleges has increased, creating a corresponding increase in the pressure to attain ever-higher grades; students today suffer from a shortage of time needed to do their work carefully, perhaps due to increased participation in extracurricular activities (also related to creating a desirable college-application). In recent years, there has also been a great deal of publicity about the amount of homework which is assigned to U.S. students nightly.

Parents Charged $36 Per Day When Children Miss School for Play

School officials in Scotts Valley, CA, are fed up with parents taking their children out of school for family ski trips or vacations to Disneyland in the middle of the school year. The school has begun billing parents $36.13 per day that students miss school. That is how much they estimate the district loses based on a state formula that distributes school funding according to daily attendance. If students are not present, the state does not pay the daily allotment.

It may not sound like a large sum of money, but over the year the missed earnings add up and impact the bottom line of the school budget. According to the Scott Valley school administrators, "elective absences," or days missed for reasons other than illness, cost the district $223,000 during the 2005-2006 school year.

Does the school district have the authority to require parents to pay for these elective absences? Not technically. The bills are simply a request for reimbursement but parents are not required to pay or penalized if they do not.

However, in the affluent community of Scott Valley many parents are sending in the money, perhaps to ease their guilty consciences caused by taking their kids away from learning for a private family holiday. On the other hand, many parents are refusing to even accept the bills, calling the idea offensive. In California, approximately $66 billion dollars per year, nearly half of the annual state budget, is allocated to education. Parents do not see a reason to pay more.

The Scott Valley school district has an attendance of 2,800 students. Most of the parents in the area are employed in high-tech industries or management positions and had a median household income of $72,000 in 2000. The school sent these parents a letter in January entitled "If You Play, Please Pay."

The letter posed these questions to parents, "Are the ski slopes calling? Is the beach beckoning? Are you taking the kids to Disneyland midweek to avoid the crowds? If so, we would encourage you to reconsider. When your child misses school, there are consequences for the student and the district."

School district representative Brenda Spalding reports that the district received $2,000 within the first two weeks after parents received the letter.

One Scott Valley parent, Stan Wilson, took his two children out of school for a week for a trip to Hawaii. Wilson gladly paid more than the requested amount because the family was able to save so much money on the vacation due to their flexible schedule. Wilson considered the payment a tax-deductible donation and a fair request from the school district.

However, Scott Valley school district parent Helene Handy received three bills and letters explaining the charge, one for each of her children. Handy states, "I tossed it. It’s a public school. I’m not going to be told to pay when I have my kids out." Handy also added, "We’ve got to have a better way to pay for our schools."

School officials claim that the idea behind the payment is not only to help them reclaim the money lost due to absence, but also to discourage parents to take their children out of school for extra holidays.

Charlotte Multer, a Scott Valley PTA member, feels that the request for reimbursement is fair. "Our schools are duct-taped together and they're in portables. It's a shame.

Benefits of the Old—and New—One-Room Schoolhouse

Imagine sitting in a classroom with students of all ages while the teacher outlines a project that will incorporate various subjects and levels of difficulty, so that all can have a part. Such a description could well describe the one-room schoolhouse of the 19th century. Yet the same teaching methods are being used now in the 21st century, with good results.

Since one-room schoolhouses were common well into the 20th century, many today can look back with a sense of nostalgia at their own education in this kind of school. Perhaps, like me, you have heard stories of those days and marveled at how far we have come. As an example, my mother’s experiences attending a one-room schoolhouse in New York state include riding to school in a one horse open sleigh and huddling around a wood stove to keep warm.

However, this icon of early America is more than just a source of nostalgia; it is more than just an interesting and primitive part of our history. Rather than hindering their ultimate success in life, most students found attending this kind of school to be a beneficial experience. This number includes many well known people, such as the first American in space, Alan Shepard. The Ohio-based architect firm of Steed Hammond Paul Inc. has extensively researched solutions in educational architecture and the impact schoolhouse designs have on the ability to learn. Volume 4 of their Schoolhouse of Quality Magazine provides information about the history of one-room schoolhouses in the article,
The current, modern, method of grouping students by age is based on efficiency, copying the factory model of producing the largest output with the least input of time and expense. It might be argued that this arrangement is artificial or unnatural. Society in general is not divided in this way; neither are families or the work environment. Eventually children must learn to cope with the variety inherent in the world, including differences in age and ability.

Of course to be fair, the method of dividing students according to age has many benefits and works well for the majority. At the same time, there were some drawbacks to the one-room schools of the past. In many ways though, the old one-room schoolhouse concept was better than the modern method of age separation. This isn’t a secret.

Educators today recognize the benefits of the older method and have tried to duplicate it in various ways. These programs are usually referred to as ungraded, or nongraded. Students still have their progress reported by letter "grades" or some alternative method. The term "ungraded" refers to the fact that students aren’t labeled by strict "grade" divisions. Classes contain students of different ages and abilities, and these students benefit from staying with the same teacher, or teachers, for more than one year. Coupled with the more relaxed atmosphere in this arrangement, this allows the teacher and student to get to know each other better, thus enabling the teacher to give more personalized attention. It also allows individual students to progress as individuals. This means that gifted students are not held back because of their age. At the same time, students that may take longer to grasp a point are not pushed ahead because everyone else is moving forward, or left behind to repeat everything when it may be only a few things that are giving them trouble. This arrangement also lends itself to an integrated curriculum, with students learning things in a variety of subjects from a single project.

Multiple Shootings at Amish School Leave Four People Dead

along the 4800 block of Mine Road near Paradise Township, there has been another school shooting. Although every report of a school shooting is horrific, this one is particularly shocking. Early Monday morning there were reports of a hostage situation at a one-room Amish schoolhouse in the tiny town of Nickel Mines, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. There were also reports of multiple people being shot, and several being killed..

"So far six confirmed dead and the helicopters are pulling into (Lancaster General Hospital) like crazy," Lancaster County Coroner G. Gary Kirchner said Monday afternoon. Later reports indicated that there were only four fatalities, including the gunman. Eight others were wounded and listed as critical. "It will take a miracle for us not to lose more lives today," Pennsylvania Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said. A fourth girl died in the hospital Monday night.

The Wolf Rock schoolhouse serves about 30 students from first to eighth grade.

Witnesses said that a man named Roy entered the schoolhouse Monday morning and started making threats, WGAL reported. Some people in the Amish community learned about the situation and contacted police. The man ordered the male students to leave before opening fire on the remaining students, said state police spokesman Jack Lewis. Negotiations took place, but at some point, at least 10 shots were fired within the school, police said.

The Lancaster County 911 website reported that dozens of emergency units were dispatched to a "medical emergency" at 10:34 a.m. Monday.

John Lines of Lancaster General Hospital said that so far they have received three female patients ranging in age from 6 to 15. One of them is in critical condition. WGAL reported that the shooting does not involve the Faith Mennonite School or Bart-Colerain Elementary, which are near the scene.

Meanwhile, two schools in Las Vegas were locked down Monday morning while police searched for a teenager who had been spotted on a high school campus with a gun. Police said that there is no initial indication that the teenager, who was not a student, threatened anyone, but he ran from the school after being confronted by campus police. A handgun was found behind a nearby church, and both the high school and elementary school have been locked down while police search the surrounding neighborhoods for the teen.

Monday’s school incidents follow deadly shootings last week at schools in Wisconsin and Colorado. On Friday, a school principal was shot and killed in Cazenovia, Wisconsin, and a 15-year old student was charged with murder. Just two days earlier, a gunman held six girls hostage at a school in Bailey, Colorado, before killing a 16-year old girl and then himself.

The Debate over Lengthening Time in School

That’s the estimated price tag listed by the Education Commission for the States for lengthening the current public school year from 180 to 200 days. The extension will still be less than other countries. England’s school year runs 220 days. Japanese students spend 243 days in the classroom and German schools are open for 240 days.

Viewing that most school districts are scrambling for funding and politicians are seeking ways to lower property taxes, the likelihood of schools getting the money necessary to make such an extension is unlikely. That hasn’t stopped groups advocating the annual change, or other extra-time alterations to the school day, from carrying forward the idea of an altered school schedule.

According to the Gannett News Service, schools in a number of states have already altered the school year in some way. A pilot program in Massachusetts is being tested at 10 schools this year where the students are spending longer days in front of the teacher. Minnesota is debating adding five weeks to the school calendar, and other schools across the nation have added time to students’ class periods.

In a story by the Boston Globe, 20 Massachusetts districts have applied for grants to extend the school day citing concerns that current schedules do not give teachers enough time to tackle all of the subjects necessary to both comply with state and federal demands and still have time for liberal arts studies such as arts, music and physical education.

''Right now, as we think about our school," Mary Russo, principal of Boston's Murphy K-8 School, told the Globe. "We think about it as not having enough time within the confines of the 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. day to teach everything that needs to be taught, everything we'd want kids to have. The hours in the school day just aren't enough for us."

One of the kinks in modern American education is the controversial "No Child Left Behind" program that seeks to develop accountability for the nation’s schools. Accountability that most say is unlikely to happen under the current time structure.

"There is no way we’re going to meet that goal unless we do some radical things like adding time," said Jennifer Davis, president of Massachusetts 2020, a non-profit group intent on longer hours in school. "This is a very deep societal change we’re talking about, even though it makes a heck a of a lot of sense. It’s not easy and it’s not simple."

Beyond the compliance issue, there’s a more global competitiveness concern. At the high school level, German teens are required to log more than 3,500 hours of instruction on the core curriculum compared to about 1,500 hours for American students. This brings into relief the question of whether or not America can continue to turn out a significant technological workforce.

The current school schedule is one derived from America’s years as a primarily agrarian nation, experts say, and with the reformation to an industrialized nation should have come a revolution in education.

As the national debate continues, one thing is clear – school districts want to be successful, regardless of how additional time is implemented. But what must come, either from state or federal sources, is the backing to ensure that any such program has a chance of increasing a child’s access to education.

Pros and Cons of Prayer in School

There is an ongoing debate about whether prayer should be a part of the daily school or not. Some believe, there should be no religious dimension to education, while others argue in favor of prayers in school. Obviously, the idea of having prayers in school has its pros and cons. Looking at from a certain perspective, prayers in school are quite beneficial. But there is another angle to it that renders the prayers in school unnecessary. The argument continues. Let us look at the pros and cons of prayers in school.

Pros of Prayers in School
It is important to base education on moral values and principles. Making prayers a part of the daily schooling is indeed beneficial. It fosters a moral and an ethical spirit in the school children. Prayers have a power of creating a pious atmosphere that helps instill certain values such as humility and discipline in the students. This helps the school children realize the essence of the ethical values. Prayers in school encourage the students to believe in the value system the school and follow it.

Banning prayers in school could mean depriving the school children of their freedom of religion. Banning prayers is equal to being non-religious. According to those who think in favor of prayers in school, think of prayers as an essential element of the school routine. For them, it seems quite irreligious not to recite a prayer everyday, especially at the start of your school day. Moreover, prayers give the students an opportunity to observe their religion. School children are in a way motivated to respect their religion. School prayers give the students a platform to live by their values. Prayers in school thus reiterate the principles, which the children follow at home.

Those favoring the concept of the recital of prayers in school think that a school should not only train its students academically but should also cultivate the minds of the children. Prayers can help the school authorities to inculcate fundamental moral values in the students’ minds.

Cons of Prayers in School
Some do not feel the need to include prayers in the daily school activities. In their view, in a government-funded school, the religion followed by the government is unknowingly forced upon the school children. It is rather a violation of the principle of the freedom of religion. Prayers in school thus become a compulsion, no longer remaining a healthy practice. Moreover, there is already a provision for students to pray during their free time. This is sufficient to enable them observe their religion.

Those in disfavor of prayers in school feel that school is only an educational institution. They see no utility of religion becoming a part of it. They think it right to only academically train the students and not get involved into the religious aspect of their mind. Prayers can rather give rise to feelings of religious discrimination and inequality in the minds of the children. Students are unnecessarily exposed to the religious differences between each other.

The ones who disagree with the concept of prayers in school believe that school prayers eat up the time of the day. The time can rather be utilized in other courses or studies. Prayers are already a part of the values at home. Bringing them to the world of schooling in no way is beneficial. It might be too early an introduction to the idea of religion as such.

On the whole, every coin has two sides to it. It is up to each individual to believe in the pros of a concept or look at its cons. If the religious angle in prayers is hidden and the moral aspect highlighted, wont it be ideal to have prayers in school? Prayers are the means to unite, to contemplate about the values in life and a way to thank the Almighty for everything in life. School prayers, if put up before the children, with this aspect, will indeed constructively channelize their thoughts and emotions.

Importance of Technology in Schools

Technology is the need of the day. The technological advancements have made society take a leap towards success. Every technological reform is a small step towards advancement. Every new invention in technology is a step towards progress of mankind. Centuries ago, hardly anyone would have even dreamt of working on a computer. Generations of the yester years would have hardly imagined being able to communicate with people on the other side of the globe. But there were some intelligent minds to dared to dream of such revolutionary discoveries and they made the 'impossibles' possible. Ours as well as our future generations are lucky to be able to witness the technological reforms. We are fortunate enough to lead a life of luxury and comfort. Since ours are the times of technology, why not let the technological reform spread far and wide? Why not make the masses aware of the new technology? Why not equip the entire society with the knowledge of the new inventions in technology? The need to introduce technology at an early age in life, illustrates the importance of technology in schools.

Importance of Technology in Schools
As technology is bound to rule our present and future, it is good be obtain a know how of the technological reforms at the earliest. Children learn faster and can adapt to changes relatively easily. If they are trained during their school years, they have high chances of becoming experts in technology. An early beginning is always beneficial in the long run. When we know that technology is bound to be a part of their future, it is best to introduce them to it during school life. Instead of seeing them, struggle with learning later in life, it is advisable to give them a basic idea of the technological reforms.

Studies have shown that children conversant with technology show improvements in their writing, reading and math skills. Technology has also contributed to the decrease in drop out rates, improvement in student attendance and enhancement in their learning abilities. Technology in school benefits the children during their higher education. It lays a strong foundation of a successful professional life of an individual.

Computers can offer livelier explanations of various subjects. The Internet is an ocean of information, which can be harnessed for the rendition of information in school. The inclusion of technology in the process of learning makes learning an enjoyable activity, thus inviting greater interest from the kids. The knowledge from all around the world can be better brought about for the children and can be better assimilated by them.

The admin processes, the official procedures of school can be simplified by the means of technology. School records, the information about all the students and the teachers as also other school employees can efficiently be maintained by means of the advanced technology. The data pertaining to the school employees and students can effectively be stored in a school database. The school could have a library system, which by the utilization of technology can be maintained in an efficient manner. On similar line, the attendance records of the pupils and teachers can be maintained by means of a student database. Moreover, the school can host a website of its own holding information about the school. The introduction of technology in schools can thus result in a decreased use of paper and in bringing most of the school office work in an e-format.

Thus we see that technology not only benefits the school students but also eases the office work. It makes possible, a more effective way of storage and distribution of information. The realization of the importance of technology in schools and its successful implementation is a necessity. The introduction of technology in schools is the means to bridge seemingly log distance between the present and the future.

School Sued for Showing "Brokeback Mountain" to 8th Graders

jessica Turner, an eighth-grader at Ashburn Elementary School, claims that she suffered severe psychological distress after seeing the movie "Brokeback Mountain" with her fellow classmates. The film, a three-time Oscar winner, portrays the story of two rugged western cowboys who conceal their illicit homosexual love affair. Turner’s grandparents have stated that the girl was so traumatized by the film’s content that she required psychological counseling and treatment.

Turner along with her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are suing the Chicago Board of Education for approximately $500,000 in damages. Allegedly, a substitute teacher, referred to as "Ms. Buford," showed the R-rated film without permission from the students’ parents or guardians. The lawsuit, which was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday, detailed the episode in which a substitute teacher allegedly showed the R-rated movie to her class during the last school year.

According to the lawsuit, the substitute, Ms. Buford, asked a student to shut the door to the classroom before showing the controversial film. Her reasoning? "What happens in Ms. Buford’s class stays in Ms. Buford’s class." Perhaps someone should have told her that it was an elementary school, not Las Vegas.

Kenneth Richardson, the student’s grandfather and legal guardian, was understandably outraged over the incident. Richardson had filed a complaint in 2005 regarding literature used in the West Side school that contained curse words.

"This was the last straw," he said. "I feel the lawsuit was necessary because of the warning I had already given them on the literature they were giving out to children to read. I told them it was against our faith."

Also named in the lawsuit is Ashburn Elementary School Principal Jewel Diaz, who was reported to have known that the film was being shown to students.

Sharply Divided Supreme Court Votes 5-4 on Schools’ Integration

In what will likely be called a landmark decision regarding school integration, a distinctly divided U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 today to limit schools’ abilities to maintain diversity.

An unusually passionate discussion ensued in the Court. CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin reported that Chief Justice John Roberts compared the inability of a small number of white students to attend the school of their choice to black students in the 1950s being denied access to integrated education, to which Justice Stephen Breyer responded, "You’ve got to be kidding me."

The normally temperate atmosphere at this level of the court was further unsettled as Breyer added, "Never, in the history of this court, have so few done so much so quickly," referring to conservative Justices Roberts and Alioto pulling the Court to the right for many recent decisions. The Supreme Court has voted a close 5-4 in 22 recent cases.

Though both sides of the argument agreed that the goal was to fairly integrate schools’ racial diversity, the methods used by two schools in Seattle, Washington, and Louisville, Kentucky were seen as contrary to the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling in 1954.

"Before Brown, schoolchildren were told where they could and would not go to school based on color of their skin. The school districts in these cases have not carried the heavy burden of demonstrating that we should allow this once again – even for very different reasons," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the 41-page decision.

The justices voting with Roberts to limit the schools’ methods were Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Anthony Kennedy – who was seen as the swing vote.

Justice Kennedy, while voting with the majority, did state that he felt schools should be allowed to employ race as a criteria for admittance to school in limited circumstances. He wrote, "A compelling interest exists in avoiding racial isolation, an interest that a school district, in its discretion and expertise, may choose to pursue," but added that the schools involved in the current cases used "crude measures" that would "threaten to reduce children to racial chits valued and traded according to one school’s supply and another’s demand."

And while Kennedy agreed that the methods used in these particular cases were not suitable, he clarified where he differed from the majority opinion. "To the extent the plurality opinion suggests the Constitution mandates that state and local school authorities must accept the status quo of racial isolation in schools, it is, in my view, profoundly mistaken. In administering public schools, it is permissible to consider the schools' racial makeup and adopt general policies to encourage a diverse student body, one aspect of which is its racial composition."

He added that there were other ways in which to ensure racially balanced schools, such as "strategic site selection of new schools."
At Seattle schools, children are allowed to attend any school of their choice, unless there are more candidates than available spots. At that point, the schools employ what they term a "tie-breaker" policy, in which the applicant’s race is considered in comparison to the existing racial balance at the school.

In 2001 a group of chiefly white parents sued the school district, claiming their children were denied admittance to the schools of their choice based on their race.

Boarding High Schools

Boarding high schools are generally fee-charging educational institutions where some or all of the students study as well as reside in during the term, usually along with their teachers. Hence, the term ‘boarding school’ refers to providing lodging and food, along with educational facilities.

A Brief History of Boarding High Schools

When the British Empire spread during the colonial expansion, it gave rise to the classic British boarding school. The British colonial administrators who had to live abroad could therefore make sure that their children got the British upbringing that they wanted for them at the public schools back in the UK. This education became popular with the local rulers too, who sent their sons to these British boarding schools. Then, British-run boarding schools began to come up locally too where junior expatriates sent their children to. These boarding schools even began admitting selected children of the local populace who lived at considerable distances. These boarding schools inculcated their own cultural norms and values, thus becoming an effective method of de-culturizing the native populations from their own culture, in order to develop them into people who inculcated British ways and systems in order to help the British accomplish their imperial goals.

The Reasons for Opting for Boarding High Schools

Apart from cultural aspects, some of the other reasons parents sent their children to boarding high schools was that they could develop a wider perspective, and also give them better opportunities than they could provide. Boarding high schools can determine the culture of families for several generations, plus, by sending their children to a classy boarding school, parents have aspirations for better future prospects for their children since they are able to mix with children belonging to wealthy and upper classes on equal terms.

In the past, it used to be mostly boys who were sent to boarding schools. However, these days many girls are being sent to both boarding schools as well as private schools. The reasons for getting admitted into boarding high schools have changed too, being more focused on the academic and other requirements of the students.

Typical Characteristics Of Boarding High Schools

Boarding high schools are preparatory schools for college, and are known for their high academic standards, small sizes of classes, individualized attention students get from their teachers as well as advisors, and wide choices in the curricula.

Boarding high schools generally have a number of residential houses either within the school’s premises or close to the facilities of the school like sports facilities, dining rooms, and classrooms. Housemistresses and housemasters appointed in these residential houses assume a parental supervisory role, being responsible for the students in their house, especially outside school hours. They may be helped with the domestic management by a housekeeper, as well as other teaching faculty who supervise the students in the evenings.

The boarding facilities can vary at various boarding high schools. While some schools provide a common dining room where all the students have their meals, others may provide separate eating facilities for each residential house. The living accommodations in the houses can also differ from house to house and school to school. While in some there may be individual bathrooms for every room, others may have common bathrooms. Most boarding high school residential houses provide a common room where students can play games, read, and watch TV.

Apart from the usual facilities for academics like laboratories and classrooms, boarding high schools usually also provide various other facilities so that students can take part in extra-curricular activities like swimming pools, theaters, cinemas, squash courts, boating facilities, music rooms, and so on. Some boarding high schools also provide religious molding to the students and hence have a school chapel on the campus.

During regular holidays and the half-term break the students usually go home Special leave may also be granted during the weekends, allowing students to go somewhere or home. Boarding school students usually opt for a school that is within easy traveling distance from their homes so that they can visit their families often.

Many boarding schools also admit day-boarders, who attend school during the day along with the boarders and then go home after school. Even though they may live off-campus, they have their meals with the boarders at school.

Boarding Schools in India

Boarding School is a concept that is not openly advocated in India. About 20 years ago, it was only for the Non Resident Indians who wanted their children to be educated in India or for the super rich people who could not be bothered by the needs of their children and for a very few a means to tame down wild children.

But things are changing now, both in the way the parents and the society think and also in the boarding schools themselves. With the cost of living increasing dramatically almost everyday, both the parents have to work to support a healthy lifestyle. And if there is no grandparent to help bring up the child, then the child is either at the mercy of a maid or the boarding. Many parents are beginning to accept boarding school as a more viable option as consider it far safer and secure for the child. As for the changes in the boarding school, the schools have become less strict and allow more mid term breaks where the parents can whisk away the child over the weekend.

The famous boarding schools in India are located at Ooty and Dehradun. These schools are famous for their lush green campus which is surrounded by hills and valleys and also for the discipline and the values that instill in the children that pass through their schools. There are so any schools that provide boarding facilities in India today, you will not even have to send your child to another state. You can find some close by. All you need is type in a few details on the Internet and you will have all the information available at your fingertips. Almost all boarding schools have their own website which contains detailed information about all the facilities that are provided along with a detailed fee structure. If you are satisfied with the facilities and the fees are within your budget then you can approach the school and ask them to provide more details. You can even ask for the tour of the school to ensure that the descriptions provided on the website are true.

Boarding Schools in India – Facilities

As the boarding schools in India are located away from the cities usually in hill stations, they have a lot of space available at their disposal. This helps them provide many outdoor games facilities including swimming, lush green tennis courts, horse riding and mountain climbing.

Boarding Schools in India – Fees

The fees of the boarding schools in India can be pretty high. On an average the annual fees can start from $20,000 and the fees can increase exponentially depending on the boarding school and the facilities that the school will be providing. The fees include tuition, boarding, lodging, library, entertainment, maintenance, laundry, uniform and stationary fees.

Apart from this the parents are also provided a very long list of the items that they have to provide to the child at the time of joining. Some schools allow additional items that the parents can provide to their child but some schools are very strict and they only allow those items that are present in the list so much so that they do not allow an extra handkerchief either.

With all the advances in the Indian society, boarding schools are still a dicey topic in India. Not all parents are in favor and even today, a parent usually the mother gives up her career happily to bring up the child and support the family in every possible way. But, I am sure that over a period of time, if the boarding schools live up to everything they promise then this thinking will break and parents will be more confident in sending their children to the boarding school. It has to be a very symbiotic relationship and an effort has to be made from both the sides.

Further, the mental state of the child is very important to decide in the child is emotionally stable to settle down in the boarding school. In India especially, children see boarding school as a form of punishment and if you are planning on sending your child to the boarding school, then you must sit down with them and make them understand your reasons for sending them to the boarding school.

Team Games for Schools

School years are the founding years of our lives. It is during these years that we learn some of the most important lessons of life. Although we boast of having acquired and skills as a part of sophisticated management courses, we owe much of this education to our school years. It is during the years of school that we learn the importance of

and understand what

play a vital role in school life. They foster a team spirit in the school students and inculcate in them social and interpersonal skills. Team games help them learn the importance of working together towards a common goal. Team building activities help the students understand themselves and give them an opportunity to improve on their weaknesses. Here is a list of some interesting team games for schools.

Weave a Story

: This team game is about building a story from a random sequence of pictures. For the game, students need to be split into groups of five or six. The number of members in each team can vary depending on the number of pictures to be used. Each team is supposed to build a story out of the pictures given to each of its members. Team members are not allowed to show their pictures to the others in the group. They can only communicate verbally about the contents of the pictures. On understanding what each picture contains, the team requires to arrange the pictures in sequence to recreate the story. The team that is first to weave the story wins. This team game fosters

Dog and the Bone: This game is played between two teams. The teams line up in front of each other. Each team member is designated with a number or a letter of the alphabet. The same set of names is used for both the teams. An object is placed in an area between the two teams. The facilitator of the game calls out a name. The members from both the teams that bear the name announced need to rush to grab the object. The member, who manages to grab the ‘bone’ first, earns a point for his/her team.

Team Art and Craft: For this activity, the class is split into groups of three or four. Each team is supplied with some art material like color pens, art paper, glue and a pair of scissors. Each team is required to come up with something creative and innovative. The winner can be declared on the basis of the quality of the craftwork or depending on who finishes first. This activity fosters a team spirit in the children while also helping them develop creative skills.

Team Sports: Outdoor activities and sports serve as some of the best team games for schools.

, Frisbee and netball are some of the very interesting team games for schools. Exercise combined with fun and enjoyment is one of the most important

Conducting sports activities is vital to the overall development of the children.

So Much to Do

: This is an interesting team activity wherein the class is divided into groups of eight to ten and one of them is chosen as a leader. The facilitator needs to give each team a set of activities, which the team is required to carry out in a stipulated period of time. The set can contain brainstorming activities like solving , enlisting or celebrities and solving quizzes. It can also consist of activities like skipping, running races and treasure hunts. The team that finishes all the activities first, is declared the winner. This team game fosters unity and cooperation among the children and is filled with fun and entertainment. The students are sure to enjoy it.

Team games serve as an excellent source of enjoyment while also proving to be effective energizers. They foster sportsman skills in the children and help in the development of their personalities. Team games for schools are the best way to instill in the young minds the fundamental principles of

and are an effective way to tell the students that united they shall stand, divided they shall fall!

What is a Magnet School

The term magnet school is used more in the US than in any other nation in the world. These schools are public schools that have a specialized curriculum. Other countries that have similar kinds of schools, refer to them by different other names; for example in Britain such schools are called 'specialist schools'. Generally, if a child doesn't attend a magnet school, then the school he attends is called his home school (not to be confused with or base school, zone school, etc.

What is a Magnet School

Children normally go to which are in their zone, as defined by school boards, but in the magnet school concept, students are drawn from outside the zoned boundaries. Perhaps this ability to attract bright students from across boundaries is the reason why these schools are called magnet schools. Magnet schools offer specialized courses which the regular parochial schools do not and hence attract parents and children, thereby increasing the diversity of students on the campus. This is the reason why they are the most sought after schools in the US. Magnet schools have their own set of rules and instructions that are tougher and more stringent than those of other public schools. They also receive additional funding from outside and hence they are able to spend more on the student's education, , teachers, programs, etc.

History of Magnet Schools

Magnet schools emerged in the United States in the 1960s, as a way to deal with the racial and academic segregation in society. They intended to attract students from all races, communities and geographical areas without any discrimination, that is why the metaphor 'magnet school' was coined.Their main purpose was to:

• Encourage students from across different traditional school zones to enroll in the school.
• Provide good quality programs and educational opportunities, such that students and parents would be tempted to join the school.

The main aim was to create a school that would attract even meritorious students from poor and minority groups rather than forcing them to join and to thereby promote academic and racial desegregation. Over the last few years, there has been a sharp rise in the number of students applying to these schools, but due to limited seats, magnet schools are now filtering the process by conducting tests and admitting only 10-20 % of students who apply, namely those who score well in tests.

Advantages of Magnet Schools

• High academic achievements
• Provide parents more choice within the
• Help to desegregate public education.
• Specialized programs which help students achieve what they couldn't have in other public schools
• Progress in teaching methodologies

Arguments Against Corporal Punishment in Schools

The first and the foremost argument is that corporal punishment is in gross violation of a child's right of human dignity and physical integrity. It threatens the very foundation of principles of protection under the universally guaranteed right of protection. Many would counter this by stating the high discipline levels that emanate from relatively conservative societies which deal with their kids in harsher ways. But historically, it has been proven that these kids lack the general creative sense and ability to explore as compared to a kid, wherein freedom of expression holds more importance.

Understanding Implications of Corporal Punishment

In fact, in most of the countries where corporal punishment in go unchecked, teachers have actually stopped understanding child psychology. Spanking, in case of any misbehavior, may be an easy way out for the teachers to reign in the moment but its larger implications on the psyche of a kid can be devastating. Every action of children in their formative years is not a result of the own liberalized thinking. Teachers and even parents must understand that the kids behavioral problems is an influence and reflection of the social circumstances, which are impressed on him. This society is the very community of which the teacher is very much a part. Therefore, a reasoned approach for dealing with student issues, no matter how time consuming or brain storming it is, must be the way of dealing.

Corporal Punishment Effects

By hitting a child, a teacher is demonstrating his severe inability to deal with the situation in a reasoned way. For instance, in one school, a teacher used to regularly punish a student for coming to school dressed shabbily. The kid, who was a grade 4 student, also did not seem to budge. Everyday the same scene was repeated. The child entered the campus and the teacher, who was in charge of the discipline, and himself a strict 'adherent' of school rules, beat the child daily. The child never protested and even though angered and in pain, yet would bear the pain, without divulging the reason for his habit.

On a brief inquiry by the principal, it came to light that the child had lost his mother and his father was a big drunkard. There was no one at his home, who could dress him up for school. The father, was always lying around the house in a state of filth and the child somehow managed to get ready and come to school on his own. This incident points the lack of understanding exhibited by the teacher in dealing with the kid. It is very important for teachers to understand that a child's habit, is essentially a reflection of his environment. Therefore, before addressing child shortcomings, it is high time we introspect the factors influencing unwanted behavior in children.

Indian poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, who was a champion for the cause of a free development, and encouraging creative freedom and atmosphere for education, has apt lines in one of his poems. This poem brings out the notion of an ideal state, which we should strive to attain, but not a possibility without ending corporal punishment for our future generations and encouraging caring approach.

How to Start a Charter School

Charter schools are specialized average or below average performing students. They are regulated by a particular school district. Initially, charter schools are started as a part of existing school district before they can be run as a full fledged charter schools. This is because starting a charter school needs years of planning and implementation. More on
How to Start a Charter School?

Develop a Mission Statement
Developing a mission statement is important to get a clear vision of the ultimate mission of the charter school. Although, education forms the crux of this mission, there are several other factors that cannot be ignored. These include, understanding what are the expectations of parent community, the kind of expertise required for the faculty members etc. This enables to fulfill the expectations of the targeted section of the society.

Expertise in All areas
Since, chartered schools are started with a certain mission, it is imperative that they are equipped with necessary expertise to carry out the mission. This includes expertise of staff, faculty members as well as the school board members. Expertise is mandatory on all the personal levels. Similarly, all the state, district school laws must be strictly observed. All the regulations and requirements must be fulfilled expertly.

Form a Committee
An administering or a governing body consisting of people having an expertise in various areas, is to be formed. The committee must be capable of successfully implementing the ideas and beliefs of the charter school. The committee should ideally comprise of the representatives of all the sections that are involved in starting a charter school. These include members of state department, local school district officials, administration, faculty, politicians, concerned citizens, parents and even students.

Formulate Policies
The committee needs to formulate policies and devise techniques to implement them. The policies regarding building and maintenance of the school, discipline, admission of students, security issues, hiring of staff are of utmost significance. The committee members may take a cue from other charter schools while formulating the policies. The policies may have to be reevaluated from time to time depending upon the problems encountered while actually running the school.

Gather Funds
This is the most important phase of starting a charter school. A separate committee can be formed that will look into the financial matters of the charter school. The main aim of this committee would be to obtain grants from the Federal Government and also apply for loans from private corporate firms. Also, the committee needs to explore the options for low interest

Deal with Special Issues
Certain issues may arise while actually implementing a charter school. Such issues must be handled with special care. These issues are likely to arise when the entire to be converted into a charter school. During such time, the infrastructure and staff is in place, but the approach of running the school has to be changed drastically. This can lead to certain administration issues.

Hope this article has answered your question, how to start a charter school. Starting a charter school involves lots of money and efforts but if you have right people at right places, you can expect the things to go smoothly.

Accreditation: A Quick Primer

Have you ever wondered what accreditation is? Colleges around the world are accredited if they are recognized by their nation’s government as meeting certain quality standards. However, in the United States a quite different system is at work.

Accreditation in the United States is a mixture of private companies and government entities working together to ensure that a college or university provides an educational experience that meets certain standards.

There are two types of accrediting agencies in the United States; national and regional. Generally speaking, the regional agencies have more prestige. There are 6 major regional accrediting agencies that between them provide accreditation for the entire country. These agencies generally handle not only collegiate-level accreditation, but accreditation for all educational institutions, from elementary school to high

National accreditation agencies generally work with for-profit institutions that offer career, vocational, or technical programs. These schools may offer certificates or degrees. However, many of the schools that are regionally accredited will not accept credits that are accrued at a nationally accredited school. The reasons for this are beyond the scope of this article, but one reason commonly given is that the level of educational quality is not as high at a nationally accredited school.

While private agencies are responsible for the accreditation process, the United States Department of Education has a mandate to print a list of all accrediting agencies that are determined by the Secretary of Education to be reliable authorities on collegiate educational quality. Confused? You aren’t alone.

Legally, anyone can start an organization that claims to be an accrediting agency. Any educational organization can offer degrees. However, unless it is a real college that has been properly accredited, the student will receive a substandard education, if any. Degree mills (which offer degrees from nonexistent colleges) and diploma mills (which offer nonexistent degrees from real colleges) are used by less-than-conscientious job seekers to purchase credentials hoping to improve their resume and get a better-paying job.

However, the list of accrediting agencies published by the Department of Education helps to provide a standard by which schools can be judged. More importantly, students which attend schools that are accredited by agencies on that list are eligible to receive federal financial aid. If a school is not eligible to receive federal financial aid, odds are that it is not accredited.

In order to become accredited, a school must meet certain academic standards that are established by the body with which they seek accreditation. Once those standards are met, a self-evaluation is performed by the institution so that it can see how it measures up against similar academic programs. Eventually the accrediting agency will send an inspection team to perform an on-site evaluation. If the institution does meet the standards set by the accrediting agency, the agency grants either accreditation or preaccreditation status to the school. The agency then lists the school in an official publication. After that occurs, the school is monitored by the agency and re-evaluated on occasion to ensure that it continues to meet the standards of education that the accreditation agency has established.