Homeroom Period for Thursday, May 17, 2012

Posted by Patrick Hogan on May 17, 2012 in Hogan's Homeroom | 0 comments

Hello everyone. Lots of interesting links today, so let’s get down to business:

• Did you know the College Board, the organization behind the SATS and the AP tests has a new president? The job goes to David Coleman, who previously helped establish the Common Core state standards. The New York Times has an interesting profile on him, including some of his critiques of student writing practices.
• The Boston Globe reports in a mostly local story on how budget crunches have taken their toll on elementary foreign language programs. Might be worth keeping an eye on, at least two districts in the Cedar Rapids area begin Spanish instruction in Kindergarten.
• I’m not quite sure why there would be “disbelief” over fewer students passing Florida standardized tests after they were made more difficult (as reported by NPR). What did they expect, more students to pass?
• Will Richardson writes about a tech-focused school in Downington, Penn., that aims to “leap over” the state’s standardized tests.
• Another New York Times article on a growing problem with the proliferation of charter schools and other schools of choice in New York City: schools are becoming less diverse. The Quick and the Ed has a good analysis of the article’s information as well.

Homeroom Period is a daily roundup of education news by Gazette reporter Patrick Hogan created using the following sources as well as links from Twitter. If you have a link or blog you’d like to share, post it in the comments or e-mail it to patrick.hogan@sourcemedia.net.

Get Ready, Iowa Event June 14-15 focuses on school readiness

Posted by Trace Pickering on May 17, 2012 in Don't Miss | 0 comments

get-ready-iowa-schedule

Website

On June 14-15, the Delta Center and the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies will be hosting a two-day workshop called, “Get Ready Iowa: Partnering to enhance the school readiness of Iowa’s children”. This workshop will bring in some of the top researchers in the world on school readiness to discuss recent findings from both basic research and intervention efforts.

Homeroom Period for Wednesday, May 16, 2011

Posted by Patrick Hogan on May 16, 2012 in Hogan's Homeroom | 0 comments

Good morning and here are today’s top links in the world of education news.

• The headline on this Huffington Post article asks whether or not the new Common Core standards will help improve student literacy. The story to me seems to be more about the top books read by teens in recent years. It’s interesting information either way.
• The Register reports that the Des Moines School Board will meet to discuss developments at the district’s only charter school during a work session this evening. It’s one of the newest out of Iowa’s very small charter school population, and has been plagued by scandal during its first year of operation.
• Guest blogger Alison Arnold at UNI Professor Nick Pace’s blog talks about how Des Moines’ Future Pathways program tries to make school more interesting for 17-21 year-olds who are working to complete their high school education. She shared this video one of her students created as part of a project on the Congo.
  
• In the never-ending debate over the role of technology in schools, the Washington Post takes a look at two schools in the D.C. area that perch on opposite ends of that spectrum.

Homeroom Period is a daily roundup of education news by Gazette reporter Patrick Hogan created using the following sources as well as links from Twitter. If you have a link or blog you’d like to share, post it in the comments or e-mail it to patrick.hogan@sourcemedia.net.

Virtual Reality Educational Pathfinders (VREP) Adds Popular User Social Network

Posted by Trace Pickering on May 15, 2012 in Recent News | 0 comments

VREP, which has grown exponentially in Iowa and across other states, has added a nifty social networking and sharing site to its efforts. To see it and join the conversation, go here.

The Advanced Placement Debate – Share Your Thoughts

Posted by Trace Pickering on May 15, 2012 in Don't Miss | 0 comments

With the publication of the annual “Top 500 High Schools” list a few weeks ago comes the annual debate about the merits and appropriate role for AP courses. In Iowa, Cedar Rapids is the focal point where two high schools are very focused on expanding AP for students. The district is also now opening up high school courses to 8th graders – the top 10% of test scorers. One might assume that this will further expand AP as these students matriculate.

Here is a link to a balanced set of opinions and, despite it being a bit old, still seems relevant.

I’m anxious to start a dialogue, discussion, and article/data sharing around this topic. Here is a recent article by our own Patrick Hogan on the rankings: http://thegazette.com/2012/04/25/eastern-iowa-schools-continue-to-top-advanced-placement-index/

This from Scott Weingold, a leader in helping families navigate and fund college for their children:

It’s one of the frequent questions that come up from families we talk to… “How much does Advanced Placement help in the college admissions process? Is it worth it?”

The truth is, it’s best – like anything else – to understand the pros and cons. Here they are from our vantage point… Then you can decide for yourself if Advanced Placement is right for you.

Scott

The Pros and Cons of Advanced Placement

While it’s true that Advanced Placement courses and subject tests can help you get into the college of your dreams, there are some potential drawbacks as well. First, the Pros:

The Positives of Advanced Placement

• Taking an AP class will usually get your GPA knocked upwards. Depending how your particular school rates them, AP classes can be worth a full grade higher (That’s how some students end up with GPAs greater than the theoretically-perfect 4.0.) And even if your school doesn’t inflate AP grades, many college admission offices will do it for you.

• Good AP scores can reduce your eventual college course load – and, potentially, your time in college. Generally speaking, a high score – at least three, but often a four or five out of the five-point Advance Placement test – will equate to one semester of the equivalent test. So, if you place out of four courses – it’s possible to bypass an entire semester of college – which could save tens of thousands of dollars. Even placing out of one or two classes can lead to a semester of part-time student status… and significant savings.

• College Admissions offices usually view AP classes as an indicator of “initiative.” By taking the more challenging path, schools know you aren’t scared to push yourself. In addition, since AP classes are supposed to be college level, you are showing schools that you are fully capable of doing the necessary work.

The Potential Negatives of Advanced Placement

• Your AP scores could have zero bearing on your admissions. That’s a whole lot of work that may not have much to do with which college you get into – especially if your colleges don’t inflate grades according to the difficulty of courses.

• Not all colleges accept AP scores for course credit, or factor in any GPA bump from the AP.

• AP classes and study takes an inordinate amount of time. It isn’t unusual to have two or three hours of homework out of an AP class. That’s time you can’t pursue other studies, can’t devote to extracurriculars, and can’t practice for the SAT – all things that definitely will help you get into college.

The long and the short of it is this: AP courses can pay off in the long run (for example, if you were to graduate early), but there are no guarantees.

As always, the answer depends on you. One thing is certain though – when deciding whether to pursue AP courses, at least find out how your favorite colleges deal with AP credits.

OK…

Please share your thoughts and impressions. Is this the best answer for transforming our schools? What role should AP play? Or any other thoughts or ideas you might have.

(In full disclosure, my two daughters have been or are enrolled in one of the “top 500″ high schools and I believe that while AP might have some utility for students trying to get into Ivy League-type schools, it is largely a “faster assembly line” model of education. I do not believe it is THE or even one of the best ways to transform our educational system. It is still based upon the old model of education: tight time-bound schedules, point accumulation, inside a classroom, and evaluated on a single high-stakes exam.  Further, the national publication determining the “best” 500 high schools in America bases its ranking on 3 narrow criteria – focused almost exclusively on AP and IB. It seems to me it takes much more than this to be one of America’s great high schools.)