Dear Senator John Pederson,
I am both shocked and disappointed in the bill that you have introduced as SF 1291. I do not know how you can sleep at night knowing that you are trying to pass a bill that would eliminate Minnesota law that tells schools and districts how to serve students with disabilities. I work with a special needs boy, and it breaks my heart to even think of him not receiving the proper education that he so dearly needs and deserves. Every human being deserves a proper and fittind education. What you are trying to do is a disgrace. You would be doing children all over the state a great disservice. This bill, if enacted, would cause delays in service for children with disabilities, increase misunderstanding and complaints about special education services, and strip 50 years of protections from Minnesota’s special education system. Shouldnt we be trying to better serve these children? But no, what you want to do is cause mass confusion and put these children in a deeper hole then what they are already in. Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself this question: If my child had special needs and required special education, would I still support this bill? I would hope you would change your stance on such a critical issue.
Thank you,
Jesse Rischer
Monday
Incentives Offered to Raise College Graduation Rates
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/education/22college.html?ref=educationdepartment
In what amounts to a “Race to the Top” for higher education, the Obama administration is offering competitive grants and a new “tool kit” to help states increase their college completion rates. The campaign will include a new $20 million Comprehensive Grant Program for states that carry out plans intended to increase their graduation rates. The administration goal is for every American to get at least a year of post-high-school education, and for the United States’ college graduation percentage to rank first in the world by 2020. The United States lags behind several nations, with 42 percent of adults ages 25 to 34 earning college degrees. I personally think that this a joke. You cannot bribe universities with money to try and increase graduation rates. This is a student issue, not a university issue. The government should be putting money into programs that create better teachers to teach students. That is how you will increase graduation rates.
In what amounts to a “Race to the Top” for higher education, the Obama administration is offering competitive grants and a new “tool kit” to help states increase their college completion rates. The campaign will include a new $20 million Comprehensive Grant Program for states that carry out plans intended to increase their graduation rates. The administration goal is for every American to get at least a year of post-high-school education, and for the United States’ college graduation percentage to rank first in the world by 2020. The United States lags behind several nations, with 42 percent of adults ages 25 to 34 earning college degrees. I personally think that this a joke. You cannot bribe universities with money to try and increase graduation rates. This is a student issue, not a university issue. The government should be putting money into programs that create better teachers to teach students. That is how you will increase graduation rates.
American university uses Skype to orient international students
http://www.usaeducationguides.com/news/article/american-university-uses-skype-to-orient-international-students-688
When international students prepare to study abroad, they focus on large decisions, such as which school to choose and where to live. However there are many small details that need attention as well.
To assist new students with these arrangements, Pittsburg State University (PSU) has implemented a pre-orientation session using Skype. I think that this shows just how much technology can do for us. We are using it for things that I never thought to be possible. This is a great tool for international students. I hope that it makes their transition to the United States easier and more comfortable.
When international students prepare to study abroad, they focus on large decisions, such as which school to choose and where to live. However there are many small details that need attention as well.
To assist new students with these arrangements, Pittsburg State University (PSU) has implemented a pre-orientation session using Skype. I think that this shows just how much technology can do for us. We are using it for things that I never thought to be possible. This is a great tool for international students. I hope that it makes their transition to the United States easier and more comfortable.
Biden to Discuss New Guidelines About Campus Sex Crimes
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/education/04violence.html?_r=1&ref=educationdepartment
Vice president Biden is urging the nation’s schools and colleges to do more to prevent sexual violence, saying campus sex crimes often go unreported because victims fear that universities will not discipline offenders. I think that sexual violence is a major issue in college campuses everywhere. I think its good that it is being talked about and that we are trying to find ways to stop this alarming trend. An Internet-based survey of undergraduate women in 2007 at two public universities in which 19 percent of respondents reported that they had been victims of attempted or actual sexual assault while at college. That is very disturbing. Action needs to be taken now. We can not subject our students to this type of abuse. It is sickening and colleges need to be aware of the issue and do something to stop it.
Vice president Biden is urging the nation’s schools and colleges to do more to prevent sexual violence, saying campus sex crimes often go unreported because victims fear that universities will not discipline offenders. I think that sexual violence is a major issue in college campuses everywhere. I think its good that it is being talked about and that we are trying to find ways to stop this alarming trend. An Internet-based survey of undergraduate women in 2007 at two public universities in which 19 percent of respondents reported that they had been victims of attempted or actual sexual assault while at college. That is very disturbing. Action needs to be taken now. We can not subject our students to this type of abuse. It is sickening and colleges need to be aware of the issue and do something to stop it.
Group Presentation: Chapter 10
I thought that this group did a good job on their presentation. I learned a lot of new information and it was very smooth. They discussed the U.S. legal system as it pertains to schools, and ethics within a given school system. They also talked about teachers rights, collective bargaining, tenure and dismissal, teacher liability, academic freedom, and teachers private lives. I think that this is very important information to know as a future teacher.
Sunday
The Global Achievement Gap: Chapter 6
5 main points: Today's successfull schools have these things in common
- A different kind of school: These schools have personalization, real-world connections, and they all hold a common intellectual mission.
- A different kind of teacher: Teaching is different because the teachers focus is on the individual student. It is more of a student-centered philosophy on education.
- A different kind of student: The students are excited about school and they are confident in themselves because of their school and teachers. Creating an atmosphere of excitement makes students excited to learn.
- Successful schools are diverse: different kids do best in different kinds of environments. Diverse environments create learning opportunities. Kids learn from each other.
- Schools/ teachers listen to students and adjust accordingly: Student and teachers have better relationships. It is all about the students need. Whatever that can be done to improve the education of a student is done.
- A different kind of school: These schools have personalization, real-world connections, and they all hold a common intellectual mission.
- A different kind of teacher: Teaching is different because the teachers focus is on the individual student. It is more of a student-centered philosophy on education.
- A different kind of student: The students are excited about school and they are confident in themselves because of their school and teachers. Creating an atmosphere of excitement makes students excited to learn.
- Successful schools are diverse: different kids do best in different kinds of environments. Diverse environments create learning opportunities. Kids learn from each other.
- Schools/ teachers listen to students and adjust accordingly: Student and teachers have better relationships. It is all about the students need. Whatever that can be done to improve the education of a student is done.
The Finland Phenomonon
I thought that this was a very good documentary that showed that an educational system can actually work. The students in Finland are achieving at a very level, among the top in the world. They have come to realize that the teachers themselves are the root of every childs learning capabilities. Without a capable teacher, learning by students is very difficult. The standard for teachers in Finland are very different from those in the United States. There are very high standards to get into a teaching college. Only the best can be admitted to these schools. Finland has also came to the realization that it is not all about testing. You do not teach kids to test them. You teach them so they understand and dont forget the material. I remember so many times in high school you just have to memorize stuff for an exam and then you forget it two days later. What good does that do for you? The training that teachers receive in Finland better prepares them for future success with their students. And Finland's students are reaping the benefits from the system that is in place there.
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