First up, John Tierney in The Atlantic prophesizes The Coming Revolution in Public Education.  In his piece, Tierney heralds the end of the standardized-testing regime and asserts that true education reform will necessarily focus on high-poverty schools and the impact of economic inequality.  See if you agree with his arguments. 

In a related article, EdWeek started some chatter with its review of the latest education-related book entitled Closing the Opportunity Gap.  The book contains a series of essays from a wide range of education activists including Linda Darling-Hammond, focusing on ...]]> As the education debate coalesces around wider issues ranging from closing the opportunity gap to income inequality, a wide range of talented authors continue to share their thoughts on the issue.  Here at the SAReads Round-Up, we select the very best of these new offerings to recommend to our readers.

First up, John Tierney in The Atlantic prophesizes The Coming Revolution in Public Education.  In his piece, Tierney heralds the end of the standardized-testing regime and asserts that true education reform will necessarily focus on high-poverty schools and the impact of economic inequality.  See if you agree with his arguments. 

In a related article, EdWeek started some chatter with its review of the latest education-related book entitled Closing the Opportunity Gap.  The book contains a series of essays from a wide range of education activists including Linda Darling-Hammond, focusing on making the “pivot from standards-based reform to supports-based reform.”  Looking to purchase a copy?  Click here to order from Amazon.

Meanwhile, for those who like to dig deep, the wonks at Foreign Affairs offer up an international perspective on Why American Education Fails.  This is a long piece but definitely worth your time.

Along the same vein, Michael Rebell rails against cuts to education spending in his piece in The American Interest entitled The Kids Are Not Alright.

Finally, to end on a brighter note, Julie Blair notes in her blurb on EdWeek that the San Antonio Pre-K Push Gets (the) Obama Administration Spotlight.

That’s it for this week’s Round-Up.  Hope everyone has a great week.  See you next Monday!

The following is a short interview with Katelyn Tarwater, an SAReads tutor and an education major at Texas A&M University at San Antonio.

What inspired you to become an SAReads tutor?

During the summer of 2007 I was a teachers aide for an after school care program. At that time I realized that I wanted to become a teacher. I loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces, helping them learn new material, and completing complicated tasks. Any opportunity that I am given to help a child succeed I take it. There is nothing greater than seeing a child succeed, because you helped them.

What is the most rewarding aspect of tutoring your students?

The most rewarding aspect of being an SAReads tutor has been the ability to shape the minds of young children. I not only love to teach academics, but ...]]>

During the summer of 2007 I was a teachers aide for an after school care program. At that time I realized that I wanted to become a teacher. I loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces, helping them learn new material, and completing complicated tasks. Any opportunity that I am given to help a child succeed I take it. There is nothing greater than seeing a child succeed, because you helped them.

The most rewarding aspect of being an SAReads tutor has been the ability to shape the minds of young children. I not only love to teach academics, but I love to teach children that anything is possible as long as they put their mind to it. For me it is so rewarding to see these childrens’ confidence grow, because I believed in them.

Celia Garza is an attorney with Hoblit Ferguson Darling LLP and a member of the Rotary Club of San Antonio.  She began volunteering with SAReads as a reading tutor this fall.  Note: Students’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

With your busy schedule, what inspired you to volunteer your time as a reading tutor?

My father is a middle school teacher and has shared with me his concerns about the literacy rates of our younger generation. Realizing that reading can open so many doors for a student, I wanted to help elementary students not only meet their grade level reading goals, but surpass them, in order to ensure these students access to any opportunities they wish to explore.

Tell us a bit about your first couple of sessions with your students?

     Josh is a 1st grade student. Within our first couple ...]]>

Celia Garza is an attorney with Hoblit Ferguson Darling LLP and a member of the Rotary Club of San Antonio.  She began volunteering with SAReads as a reading tutor this fall.  Note: Students’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

With your busy schedule, what inspired you to volunteer your time as a reading tutor?

My father is a middle school teacher and has shared with me his concerns about the literacy rates of our younger generation. Realizing that reading can open so many doors for a student, I wanted to help elementary students not only meet their grade level reading goals, but surpass them, in order to ensure these students access to any opportunities they wish to explore.

Tell us a bit about your first couple of sessions with your students?

     Josh is a 1^st grade student. Within our first couple of sessions, I quickly realized that he is a bright and imaginative young boy. He is excited about our sessions and excels at the weekly activities. He really excels at the rhyming games we play. At first, he was a little hesitant when matching up rhyming words, and would look to me first for affirmation before making his choices. However, as the weeks have progressed, he has gained the confidence to match up words on his own.

    Stephanie is in Kindergarten. She is very sweet and talkative and loves to tell me about what she learns in school.  Stephanie is a quick learner and flies through the weekly activities. She enjoys reading the different books we pick out each week during our sessions.  Stephanie is very bright and takes her time sounding out each word in the book, without having to rely on just the pictures for clues.

Why should other San Antonians consider becoming an SAReads tutor?

These children want to learn and are so eager to read with you. The 30 minutes a week you spend with a student will make a huge impact on their life.

First up, an article in New Geography is the latest to weigh in on the heated debate as to whether a college education justifies the cost. Along those same lines, Bloomberg offers five reasons for declining college enrollments.

Next, the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds in its latest survey that young Americans (aged 18-34) are more likely to have read a book during the past year than their older counterparts. This data seems to contradict the prevailing perception that younger Americans are less likely to be active readers than mature Americans.

Finally, Texas Public Radio reports that every living San Antonio mayor attended a press conference in support of the Pre-K ...]]> In this week’s SAReads Round-Up, New Geography asks if college is worth it, Bloomberg examines why college enrollments are dropping, and NPR wonders if preschool can save the world?

First up, an article in New Geography is the latest to weigh in on the heated debate as to whether a college education justifies the cost. Along those same lines, Bloomberg offers five reasons for declining college enrollments.

Next, the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds in its latest survey that young Americans (aged 18-34) are more likely to have read a book during the past year than their older counterparts. This data seems to contradict the prevailing perception that younger Americans are less likely to be active readers than mature Americans.

Finally, Texas Public Radio reports that every living San Antonio mayor attended a press conference in support of the Pre-K 4 SA initiative and in a related piece, NPR posits that preschool can indeed save the world.

First up, the Atlantic turns the cultural punching bag of the “helicopter parent” on its head, arguing that what we really need are more of them.  

In a similar vein, the New York Times highlights the academic disadvantages that accrue to low-income children as a result of their vocabulary deficit.  A piece on the Core Knowledge blog, operated by education advocate E.D. Hirsch goes even further, arguing that Demographics Isn’t Destiny.  Vocabulary is Destiny.

Next, EdWeek blogs that neuroscientists are researching the possibility that, in the future, brain imaging scans will be able to identify young children at risk of becoming below-average readers in a process they refer to as neuroprognosis.

Finally, The New York ...]]> In this week’s Round-Up, EdWeek finds the “sweet spot” at the edge of science fiction, the Atlantic is recruiting more helicopter parents and the New York Times illustrates the consequences of living with a poverty of words.

First up, the Atlantic turns the cultural punching bag of the “helicopter parent” on its head, arguing that what we really need are more of them.  

In a similar vein, the New York Times highlights the academic disadvantages that accrue to low-income children as a result of their vocabulary deficit.  A piece on the Core Knowledge blog, operated by education advocate E.D. Hirsch goes even further, arguing that Demographics Isn’t Destiny.  Vocabulary is Destiny.

Next, EdWeek blogs that neuroscientists are researching the possibility that, in the future, brain imaging scans will be able to identify young children at risk of becoming below-average readers in a process they refer to as neuroprognosis.

Finally, The New York Times publishes a controversial piece on physicians prescribing ADHD drugs to overcome issues associated with poverty and overcrowded schools.  Thanks for stopping by SAReads.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

First up, the Brookings Institute has released a new study entitled, Pathways to the Middle Class: Balancing Personal and Public Responsibilities.  While we all know that a conventionally middle class upbringing brings with it all sorts of advantages, the Brookings study identifies the key milestones that make that lifestyle possible.  For those of you who prefer the Cliff’s Notes version, there’s a nice little summary by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic.

Next, Time magazine reviews the latest education reform film in ‘Won’t Back Down’: Why This Education Film Matters.  Far more interesting, however, is the accompanying analysis of the critical importance of grade-level reading and the Matthew Effect.

Meanwhile, Salon and Atlantic duke it out with Education: ...]]> Happy Monday, one and all.  In this week’s Round-Up, Time examines the Matthew Effect, the Brookings Institute reveals What’s Keeping American Kids out of the Middle Class and San Antonio’s Pre-K initiative officially hits the big time.

First up, the Brookings Institute has released a new study entitled, Pathways to the Middle Class: Balancing Personal and Public Responsibilities.  While we all know that a conventionally middle class upbringing brings with it all sorts of advantages, the Brookings study identifies the key milestones that make that lifestyle possible.  For those of you who prefer the Cliff’s Notes version, there’s a nice little summary by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic.

Next, Time magazine reviews the latest education reform film in ‘Won’t Back Down’: Why This Education Film Matters.  Far more interesting, however, is the accompanying analysis of the critical importance of grade-level reading and the Matthew Effect.

Meanwhile, Salon and Atlantic duke it out with Education: The Economy’s Great Elixir and How Liberal Arts Colleges Are Failing America, respectively.

Finally, in early ed news, Education Nation highlights Cincinnati’s “cradle to career support network” and The Economist weighs in on San Antonio’s Pre-K initiative.

That’s it for the Round-Up.  Have a great week everyone.

Chicago Strike

While both sides now claim victory at the end of the seven-day strike that shut down most of Chicago’s schools, several publications are debating the larger significance of the work stoppage.  First up, the Atlantic offers “The Super Bowl of School Reform: What the Chicago Teacher Strike is Really About” followed by “The Strike – and the Stakes” posted to the Fordham Institute’s site.

Teacher Tech

EdWeek shines a spotlight on the rapidly expanding educational technology industry in its piece, “Startup Hopefuls Test Ideas with Educators”, while the New America Foundation counters with the ominously titled “The Machines are Taking Over.”

Inside the Schools

NPR examines whether Teachers’ Expectations Can Influence How Students Perform and ...]]> In this week’s Round-Up, we review the fall-out from the Chicago Teachers’ Union strike, examine the ways in which edu-entrepreneurship is altering the education landscape and view Judy Gelles’ thought-provoking piece entitled “Life Through the Eyes of a 4th Grader.”

Chicago Strike

While both sides now claim victory at the end of the seven-day strike that shut down most of Chicago’s schools, several publications are debating the larger significance of the work stoppage.  First up, the Atlantic offers “The Super Bowl of School Reform: What the Chicago Teacher Strike is Really About” followed by “The Strike – and the Stakes” posted to the Fordham Institute’s site.

Teacher Tech

EdWeek shines a spotlight on the rapidly expanding educational technology industry in its piece, “Startup Hopefuls Test Ideas with Educators”, while the New America Foundation counters with the ominously titled “The Machines are Taking Over.”

Inside the Schools

NPR examines whether Teachers’ Expectations Can Influence How Students Perform and the NYT’ Nocera discovers How to Fix the Schools.

Why It All Matters

Judy Gelles reminds us why we expend so much ink (and so many pixels) on the issue of children’s education as she looks at Life Through the Eyes of a 4th Grader.

As always, we appreciate you taking the time to visit the Round-Up and look forward to your comments.  Have a great week everybody!

In this week’s Round-Up, we ask who is most likely to be bullied, what is holding our our children back and where in the U.S. can you receive the best childcare?

First up, an article in the New York Times illustrates that, unsurprisingly, autistic children are more likely to be bullied in school. Just another reminder (and opportunity) to teach our children compassion.

Next, we have two very impassioned takes on the key factor that causes a student to succeed or fail. Daniel Akst in Newsday laments that “poverty, not bad teachers, is what plagues our schools.” Akst points out that according to Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University, U.S. schools that have fewer than ten percent of students on free or reduced lunch programs score highest in the world on international reading exams.  In contrast, NPR reviews Paul Tough’s new book, How Children Succeed.  Tough argues that success in school, ...]]>

In this week’s Round-Up, we ask who is most likely to be bullied, what is holding our our children back and where in the U.S. can you receive the best childcare?

First up, an article in the New York Times illustrates that, unsurprisingly, autistic children are more likely to be bullied in school. Just another reminder (and opportunity) to teach our children compassion.

Next, we have two very impassioned takes on the key factor that causes a student to succeed or fail. Daniel Akst in Newsday laments that “poverty, not bad teachers, is what plagues our schools.” Akst points out that according to Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University, U.S. schools that have fewer than ten percent of students on free or reduced lunch programs score highest in the world on international reading exams.  In contrast, NPR reviews Paul Tough’s new book, How Children Succeed.  Tough argues that success in school, and in life, comes down to more intrinsic traits such as motivation and persistence.

On the school choice front, the NY Times illustrates the need for parents to have access to up-to-date data in their story “School Choice is no Cure All.”  Meanwhile, EdWeek details the threat posed to traditional Catholic schools by the growing number of charters.

Finally, as we begin the new school year, EdWeek shares the hopes and wishes of big-hearted teachers from across the nation and The New America Foundation lets you know where to find the nation’s best child care.  Just make sure you can drop and give them twenty.

As always, we appreciate your comments and suggestions on the Round-Up.  Have a great week everyone!

In this week’s Round-Up, Juan Williams airs his scathing critique of Chicago’s public schools, EducationNext reviews “Multiplication is for White People” and the Christian Science Monitor asks Are Great Teachers Made not Born?

First up, pundit Juan Williams releases his documentary “A Tale of Two Missions”, contrasting the culture at Noble Street College Prep Charter Schools with those of the Chicago Public School system.  The fight between the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Rahm Emanuel adds a farcical element to this otherwise tragic tale of dysfunction.  And while we’re on the subject of our nation’s urban schools, EducationNext reviews Lisa Delpit’s incendiary new book, “Education is for White People: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children.”

Next up, the Huffington Post highlights George Washington University’s “Face the Facts” initiative, which compares the unemployment rates and lifetime salaries of those who earn a college degree versus those who don’t.  Not to be outdone, the Georgetown University Public ...]]>

SAReads Round-Up August 22nd Edition

In this week’s Round-Up, Juan Williams airs his scathing critique of Chicago’s public schools, EducationNext reviews “Multiplication is for White People” and the Christian Science Monitor asks Are Great Teachers Made not Born?

First up, pundit Juan Williams releases his documentary “A Tale of Two Missions”, contrasting the culture at Noble Street College Prep Charter Schools with those of the Chicago Public School system.  The fight between the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Rahm Emanuel adds a farcical element to this otherwise tragic tale of dysfunction.  And while we’re on the subject of our nation’s urban schools, EducationNext reviews Lisa Delpit’s incendiary new book, “Education is for White People: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children.”

Next up, the Huffington Post highlights George Washington University’s “Face the Facts” initiative, which compares the unemployment rates and lifetime salaries of those who earn a college degree versus those who don’t.  Not to be outdone, the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute covers similar territory in its publication “The College Advantage: Weathering the Economic Storm.”

Finally, the Christian Science Monitors wonders if great teachers are made, not born, in their piece entitled “Back to School: How to Measure a Good Teacher,” while the Harvard Education Letter examines the “Nine Ways the Common Core Will Change Classroom Practice.”

Thanks for stopping by, we hope you enjoyed this week’s Round-Up.  As always, we appreciate your comments.  Have a great week everyone!