Class Dismissed!! Summer School In Session?!

HOWDY CLASS!!

Sad to say that our semester has quickly come to an end...
I sincerely hope you all have learned something new from tuning in to my class, or simply pondered longer on certain things from what I have spoken about.

With that being said, the end of the semester is the most crucial time of the year. This will make or break your student's grades and determine whether or not they will officially move on to the next grade level. Be sure to monitor your student's final assignments and check their progress. If you find that your student will be held back, there are a few things you can do to get them back on track.

• Place your student in a tutoring program to ensure they get one-on-one assistance with any problem subjects.
• Speak to your school about any possible educational summer programs being held in your area.
• If given the option, enroll your student in summer school so they can learn what they previously missed, and hopefully advance with their classmates to the next level in the fall.

When it comes to situations as such, do not think there aren't options. Speak to your student's teacher, principal, counselor, or anybody at the school. If your child is in a bind, there is someone who will be willing to help them succeed.

I enjoyed working in this class & wish the best for you all & the children's futures. Remember, education has to start somewhere & that is in elementary school. Good luck & I'm signing off!!!
Miss Crystal <3

Final Review: TAKS Prep

Howdy!!!

Semester is coming to an end so I'm glad you're here!
Since the semester is almost over, that means the TAKS is approaching quickly. What can you do for last minute preparation? Well I have a few tips listed below that will prepare your children for this test. Also below is the link to the Texas Education Agency that has practice tests accessible to you!

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3839&menu_id=793

• Review previously learned strategies

It's important for your children to review the strategies their teacher taught them for TAKS. This will ensure that come test day, they will know exactly what to do as soon as they open their test and no time will be wasted. It has been mentioned that many students freeze up when they open their tests, just from nerves and forget to use their strategies. Be sure to practice them so it will come natural and the student will automatically do them!

• Ask the teacher for any extra practice sheets & what your student needs to focus on

Now would be the time if not already done to ask the teacher if your student has any problem areas. If so, request the teacher send home some extra sheets with problems in that area so you can review them with your student. Any additional time you put towards TAKS now will definitely help!

• Rest up the night before & BEAT THE TAKS!!

It might sound juvenile but studies in the past have shown that students who get a good nights rest the night before the test, as well as a balanced breakfast the morning of are more prepared and relaxed, ready to conquer the test. Doing so will ensure your children are not yawning from exhaustion and not focusing on the actual test.

I hope these tips along with the website have helped. Keep up the good work and like I said BEAT THE TAKS!!
Miss Crystal :)

Free Day: Extra Activities for the Kids

Howdy Class!!

Glad to see  your faces again!
Today, I want to touch on the subjest of additional educational activities for elementary school children. By this I mean activities that are not required of the children.

One particular activity I am referring to is the Spelling Bee. Recently, some of my kids at work have decided to enter the Spelling Bee through their school.Why is this a great idea? Well, this gives the children the opportunity to challenge themselves in learning vocabulary they might not typically learn. This also is the chance for elementary age children to become more comfortable in speaking in front of large groups of people.

In watching my kids prepare for their Spelling Bee, I have seen so many changes in them.

1. Their grammar and vocabulary overall has improved.
2. They are more confident in working with others.
3. They are more prone to asking questions about something they are unsure of.
4. They have gained new friends they might not have have interacted with before.

Not only are these children involved improving their learning skills, but they are having a great time doing it! Everyone should encourage their children to participate in the Spelling Bee! Learn, Laugh, & Spell!!!

Thanks for stopping in & I will see you next class!
Miss Crystal

Group Assignment: Importance of Working Together

HOWDY CLASS!!

Glad to see you all back!
Today, I wanted to speak to you all about the importance of group work/working together. As I stated when I first began this blog, I work at a few elementary school in the B/CS area as a tutor coordinator. In doing so, I have learned important aspect of elementary, that help build children in their education to further themselves.

One idea that has proved positive and helpful to children's education is working in groups, as well as being able to work with your child's teacher to see what your child might need assistance on. I recall,  back when I was in primary school, the time of day when we were split up to work in groups. This time is crucial at the elementary age because children need to be exposed to that. They need the opportunity to see how others work, and eventually they will develop their own strategies to learn as everyone else does. It is also important for children to work together at this time for developmental purposes. They will learn how someone their age should interact with others, and overall this will build social skills.

The next idea I mentioned  was working with a child's teacher to check their progress. This is very important, in that you can learn alot about a child from their teacher. Speaking to them would be the time to learn about a child's behavior and how they are progressing academically. Not enough parents ask questions about their kids or take the initiative to see what needs work. There are so many cases in which children have learning disabilities, yet their parents are unaware and no action is taken. This is why it is so important to talk to your child's teachers.

How do you feel about children working in groups? working with the teacher? What else can be done to help the children advance themselves?

Thanks for your views & I hope to see you back soon :)

Miss Crystal

Extra Credit: Back to the Basics of Reading

Howdy Class!!!


Thanks for dropping in for another lesson :)
In searching the ever popular LA Times Newspaper, I found an article regarding the reading reform taking place in Los Angeles schools. Please refer to the link provided below to read this article by Howard Blume of the Los Angeles Times.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0330-reading-20110330,0,7946885.story


Blume's article discusses the current reform that Los Angeles school officials have put into action. This involves the reading program that has been used for years to teach students how to read. Open Court was the previously used program. The complaints toward this program and why it was replaced are that it was simply dated, expensive, and gave no room for teachers to venture out in their own ways to teach their students. The new reading program California Treasures is said to give teachers the support they need to succeed in teaching their kids how to read, as well as giving a little room in curriculum.

To sum up the pros of this new California Treasures program in comparison old Open Court program:

• Breaks down goals of lesson with strategies provided to meet these goals
• Provides different approaches to teach different levels of reading
• Gives educators the chance to create their own lesson plans

Overall, the new program being implemented seems like the best decision for Los Angeles Elementary schools right now. At the end of the day, as long as the students learn to read on the correct level they should, it does not matter what reading program the government provides us. Reading is fundamental and without it, students are not fully capable of moving forward in learning.

Thanks for stopping by & hope to see you next time class!!!
Miss Crystal <3

Review: Hard Work Pays Off!

Howdy & Welcome Back Class!!!

In the news March 14th, I found a success story that I felt needed additional attention! The article for this story can be found by clicking the link provided below:

http://www.theeagle.com/schools/Bryan-school-gets--50K


In summary, this article celebrates the accomplishment of Bryan's Milam Elementary School. The school was awarded $50,000 by the Teacher Advancement Program, which aims to support teachers and their strategies used to better their schools. The school was presented this prestigious award because of their:

• Commitment to advancing careers
• Professionally developing teachers
• Rigourous teacher evaluations
• Performance based compensation

These criteria are what set Milam Elementary apart from the other schools & brought home the grant they deserved. Principal Tracy Spies has turned the school around and this is proved in their awarding of this grant. Milam was known to have low teacher retention rates, as well as a high percentage of students needing government assistance. Setting that aside, Spies created a strategy and got the school back to where it needed to be. Now that the school has this money, I am sure that they will use it as a reminder that anything truly is possible and for teacher effectiveness to remain at an above average level.

Hope you enjoyed discussing this accomplishment & you'll  continue to stop by!

Miss Crystal

Extra Credit: Hopefully You get a Head Start...

Howdy!!!

Thanks for stopping by today! Well, the topic up for discussion is the possible closure of early childhood education centers in San Antonio Independent School District. To give you a little background information on this situation, follow the link below to read the article from San Antonio's News Homepage.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/SAISD-rethinks-pre-K-closures-1048980.php


Now that you're up to speed, let us hit some main points about this issue. The topic at hand is the possible closure of early childhood education centers. Why is this such a big issue? Well, children tend to have an easier transition into elementary school if they attend some sort of pre-k program. I personally attended pre-k for half of a day, the year before I started Kindergarten. It was not as much of a shock once I made it to elementary school and by then I was use to a class atmosphere with other children. More importantly, I got a head start on learning the basics of the alphabet, numbers, and patterns before kinder. This is the main point of early education centers.

This particular issue hits closer to home for me because my sister teaches a Head Start class through an elementary school in San Antonio. Her program is not at risk for closure, but I know this situation will affect her and all the other teachers in the district. If these four centers are closed, parents will then be forced to consider Head Start programs for their children. Now, these programs are great for kids, but there are limited spots for children in these programs. I can confidently say there will not be enough spots for everyone to join. Another issue at hand is that if these current education centers remain open for another year, there program will likely change to half days. Like I stated before, I only attended pre-k for half of a day. At the time I did not realize the conflict this might pose to some parents. We were fortunate enough to have grandparents to watch us until our parents finished work for the day, but what about those who don't? Again, this makes Head Start programs look even more enticing since they are full school day programs, but there would not be room for everyone. If these centers close, I'm sure Head Start would have to create some sort of interview criteria for membership since so many people would probably apply to enroll.

• These early education centers are truly needed in SAISD.
• If they close, Head Start programs will be overwhelmed with enrollment applications.
• There is not enough room for all these younger students in the district to attend the Head Start programs around the district.
• If these centers remain open for the next year, they will be cut down to half days, leaving inconvenience to some parents.
• Proposed that parents could pay fees (like tuition) in order to keep students for full school day.
• We need these programs to kick start the learning of our youth before they are formally introduced to elementary school.

Overall, the district needs to come to some type of middle ground to continue these programs for younger students. Enrolling 3 yr. olds into early childhood education programs is very beneficial in that they learn to work with other children, they begin learning the basics of kinder before they get there, and it makes for a better transition into school, in comparison to daycare. What are your thoughts on this situation?!

Thanks for your time & I hope you return for my next lesson :)
Miss Crystal

Review Topic: Integration in the Schools?

Welcome Back!!!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by again! The topic I will be touching on today is a proposal concerning integration in schools. Integration you ask? Yes, this issue is still prevalent in schools. An article from the New York Times sparked this post and I wanted to share my thoughts on it. If you are not familiar with this article, please feel free to click the link below and it will direct you to it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/education/28winerip.html?_r=2&ref=education

The Wake County Public System in Raleigh, North Carolina has brought this issue to the attention, which has raised many questions. The overall concern of the public system is the criteria for integrating their schools. First this system consisted of socioeconomic integration, mixing poor and rich children. The next plan tried was to assign children to schools closest to their neighborhood. This was unsuccessful because children in poor neighborhoods were all together, while children in rich neighborhoods were grouped together. Recently, it has been proposed that schools in the districts be integrated by achievement. The suggestion was to mix 70% of students who scored exceedingly well on tests with 30% of students who were below satisfactory levels.

• This particular plan would be beneficial to all students involved.
• The above level students would still be receiving an exceptional education with other students at their level to strive off of.
• The lower level students would get the opportunity to improve their skills by receiving an exceptional education, as well as gaining confidence from working alongside more advanced students.
• All the schools would average out in test scores, eligible to still receive government funding.
• There would be no schools extremely low in academics.

Overall I think this integration plan would work well for this particular school system, as well as any school districts. It is fair to everyone and all the children get an opportunity to succeed in great schools. How do you all feel about this proposal? Do you think it would be a positive change for all the children involved? Leave comments please & I will see you next time!!!

Miss Crystal

Extra Credit: After School Tutoring!

Hello All!!!

Well, I have had an eventful week and wanted to share some exciting news with you all. Like I stated before, I work as a tutor Coordinator in an elementary school. This past week, I was pleased to accept an additional position as a tutor in the Champions program! I am beyond excited about this opportunity and would love for you all to take a look at the program website! The link is listed below

http://www.discoverchampions.com/main/do/Home

How does this tie into my blog topic you ask? Well, as I have been working in different elementary schools the past few years, I have noticed things. One in particular is the fact that there are tutoring programs readily available to students and these programs are not being accessed to the fullest potential. I state this because there are constantly students who struggle with keeping up in class or with a specific subject. I know it is hectic for parents to sit and do homework with their children everyday, especially if they have more than one child or work duties to handle after hours. The point I am trying to make is, if there are programs available to help your student learn and complete assignments from school, possibly putting them ahead in class, why would you not take advantage of it? Now, some programs require a cost but some are free of charge so there is no excuse. My hopes are that more parents will take the initiative to place their children in after school tutoring programs to help along their schooling. Yes your children will get the opportunity to play and burn off some steam after school if that's what you're worried about...but they will be sure to complete all of their studies before they step a foot on the playground!!! Please if you have children or know of friends that do who might need some extra assistance, look into the after school tutoring programs in your area!

Until next time,
Miss Crystal

Quiz 1: School Efficiency

Welcome back!

This week I wanted to touch on the subject of efficiency in schools in regards to current budget cuts and changes in school districts. An article about this all sparked my thoughts so I decided I would speak about it this week. The article is called "U.S study hopes to increase school efficiency," from Yahoo News and is linked below for you to view.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110119/us_nm/us_education_efficiency

In summary, there is a study being conducted in the United States considering the efficiency of teaching in schools and how to increase this efficiency if it's lacking. The study suggested that with budget cuts and layoffs, schools need to be more conscious of spending and possibly reevaluate how much is being spent on certain departments. It was suggested that more money go into actual teaching instead of administration. Doing so would provide schools with more money to fund better or more dedicated teachers, in return teaching children more efficiently with the school time provided, resulting in children learning more and scoring higher on proficiency/standardized tests.

That might have been a lot of information to swallow so take a moment to digest.
...........

There are a few points I would like to draw from this article. I agree with the reasoning behind the study, which is to make schools more efficient in spending/teaching their students. I think the main point of school is slightly overshadowed though. Students go to school to learn the basics, in education and life itself. At the end of the day, if a student is learning efficiently, everything else will fall into place. Sometimes I feel that school districts focus too much on preparing students for testing, which will determine their funding. That is the underline for them. Yes it is important to have the funds to run an exceptional school, but if you don't have the support of hard working teachers and thriving students then the money is worthless. I will speak on standardized testing another day, but I feel it is partially to blame in this situation. Districts should want their teachers to be efficient no matter what. Children are sent to school for a reason, so why waste time and not teach them like they should be taught? I applaud the U.S. for having good intentions in making sure schools are using their resources wisely but let us not forget why we are solely here.

Thanks for your time and hope you stop by for next week's discussion!

Reading Assignment 1: Punishment for Better Education

Welcome back!

Before I begin on the topic for this week, I would like to explain the format of my future entries so you have something to look forward to. I am focusing on issues regarding primary education and the education system as a whole in the U.S. To aid in my progression, I plan to direct my entry each week towards a current event about my topic. I will provide a link to the news report, give my views on the issue in general, and leave everyone with a few questions to ponder/comment on.

This week, we will cover the issue of school district boundaries & how this affects the level of education students may receive. A story which has caught much attention was reported January 26, 2011 about Kelley Williams-Bolar's situation. If you have not already read the story, follow the link provided below.
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/26/ohio-mom-kelley-williams-bolar-jailed-for-lying-about-kids-scho/

To sum up the story briefly, Kelley wanted her children to receive an exceptional education and simply would not in the district she lived in. She took it upon herself to move her children to a better school in another district. Once the school found out, Kelley was indicted. She was taken to court and convicted of 2 counts of tampering with records and served jail time.

There are a few issues I have with this woman's situation. Is it so wrong to want your own kids to get an acceptable education? It is apparent that the area Kelley lived in was not ideal for her and her family. She wanted to give her daughters the chance to succeed. One thing that was down-played in this story is the fact that Kelley currently works in the educational system as a special needs teaching assistant and is working on her education degree. This information flew under the radar I'm sure because it reveals that teachers simply don't earn enough. If they did, this woman would have never been in this predicament. She could afford to live in a better area, sending her children to a better schools.

My second stance is on the fact that the schools involved are public institutions, not private. Not to disrespect public schools at all, seeing as I attended public schools all the way through high school, it is a point I must make. All public schools do not receive the same amount of funding, therefore not being equal in learning environments for the kids. Funding depends on test scores, and it is a fact that lower economic areas do not have the best scores in the district. Working in a school, I know Mrs. Williams-Bolar is aware of this, which I'm sure fueled her actions.

Overall, I feel her conviction was over the top and unnecessary. Teachers should have the option to send their own children to any school of their choice. If they choose to send them out of their district, they should be required to pay a reasonable fee and be done. These schools get so money hungry that they forget about the main purpose of school, to teach. There should be no reason to punish this woman. What are your thoughts? Would you risk your life in order to ensure your children receive a better education? Kelley Williams-Bolar did...

Submit your thoughts and I will see you next class!

First Day of School...Introduction

Greetings!

My name is Crystal. I am a senior English major at Texas A&M University. Welcome to my classroom!

In addition to being a full time student, I work at a local elementary school as a tutor. Now, I have 3 years under my belt, but that does not make me an expertise on this subject. I am simply here to express my opinions and relate them to the issues around me.

What is my main purpose of this blog? Well, I plan to discuss the importance of primary school education in relation to preparing students for a successful future, as well as different programs implemented to ensure the youth is progressing in education. Working in a school setting has opened my eyes to many things going on in my community, as well as the education system as a whole. When it comes down to the facts, I am confident in stating that elementary school helps set the pace for someone's future in education. You learn the basics in primary school and build on from there. Now, what happens if you do not learn the basics? This is a common problem that is seen, or shall I say overlooked at times, in schools. There are children who coast through the system, under the radar, without truly learning the basics. When this happens, they fall behind their classmates and peers. At this point, the student must play "catch-up" to meet standard requirements set for them. Without the motivation and encouragement from others, some students remain below average in school all the way through high school. Situations as such are not true for all students, but in communities with low socioeconomic statuses, it is common and unfortunate. Does this happen around the world? Yes. Should it happen? Goodness no. Are there ways to improve the system and elimate this problem? Slowly but surely, yes. Over the course of my blog entries I will speak about situations I have encountered concerning issues in primary education, any current instances around the U.S., and steps that are and can be taken to solve the problem.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you will follow me through this journey in discovering the building blocks of education!