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Lindsay Andreas

National Governors Association - 0 views

  • increase student participation in rigorous college preparatory courses, better align expectations between high school and postsecondary education, hold these systems accountable, and ensure students graduate from high school ready for college or the workplace in the global economy.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      An important part of our mission as secondary educators is to prepare students for either post-secondary work and the workplace.
  • While states invest significant resources in education programs, governors also recognize and appreciate the federal government’s contribution to provide additional resources or assistance for those most in need.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      It is important to remember the break-down in financing, and therefore, where real power lies. If we want policy change, we need to know the most effective avenues for lobbying. We may think Obama sets the education policy agenda but the reality is, governors have a lot of power and persuasion in the field. For example, it always amazes me how different public higher education systems are, and this is because certain states have made it a priority to fund higher education greatly.
  • In this new economy and era of education reform, now is the time to reform postsecondary education by increasing relevance and rigor, accountability, and linkages with kindergarten-12th grade (K-12) education and the workplace, and by expanding financial aid to students of all ages.
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  • Provide capacity-building incentives to states to increase teacher supply and retention, as well as education research.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      On the national level, you only seem to hear about accountability but it is refreshing to see that the NGA takes a lot more into account. I really feel like they are better in touch with the realities of education policy.
  • Authorize states to provide diverse learning options and assessment options, including the option for growth models, determined at the state level.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Again, they are concerned with other models of assessment for accountability. I think it is safe to say no one disagrees that there should be accountability but the approach varies greatly and I am more aligned with NGA approaches.
  • Congress should refrain from establishing any federal mandates to ensure maximum state and local flexibility to create aligned systems.
  • A one-size-fits all approach to high school learning is outdated and does not support the diverse needs of students. Governors encourage Congress to support state and local policies and programs that expand the availability of learning opportunities for students of all ages including, but not limited to, virtual school options, service learning, internships, apprenticeships, programs addressing out-of-school-youth, alternative learning programs, and the availability of financial aid.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Thank you! School choices and meeting diverse needs. I really like their recommendations, they want to leave room for discretion.
  • Maximum flexibility in designing state accountability systems, including testing and other indicators of achievement, is critical to preserve the unique balance involving federal funding, local control of education, and state responsibility for system-wide reform. Maximum flexibility in state testing will help improve how students are assessed for academic proficiency and postsecondary readiness. Flexibility should include the option for states to utilize growth measures to assess student performance.
  • Teachers and school leaders must receive the professional support and training needed to provide students with the skills necessary to compete in a global society, particularly in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), literacy, and international and language studies.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I think the support issue is very relevant because of my experience at McKinley. They are in the process of introducing AP and a STEM program but the teachers are confused about how it should work, I think if they were given more support and guidance, things would run much more smoothly.
  • High schools must compete with other more highly compensated professions for teachers and school leaders, especially in the areas of mathematics and science. Congress should continue to support and expand state-administered pilot projects on performance pay, especially in critical shortage areas or hard-to-staff schools.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      There are a lot of bright young people that don't think about getting into the education profession because it doesn't pay enough and doesn't get enough respect. I really do believe we must make the profession more attractive in order to get the best pool of professionals.
  • Federal policies should encourage—not discourage—promising state efforts in dual enrollment programs that permit students to obtain high quality college-level credits or provide the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized credential while still in secondary school.
  • Congress also should support state efforts that encourage more students to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework and pay for student AP testing.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I don't necessarily know if I believe in these programs, I'm undecided. I did AP in H.S. and I don't know if I get the point exactly, however, if you are going to do these programs, make sure it is clear the goal of having such programs.
  • The use of a high school graduation rate in any accountability framework must serve as an incentive to promote state and local innovation to better engage and educate every student, and count all students who graduate from high school. Congress and the Administration should work closely with governors to ensure the proper use and application of the NGA Voluntary High School Graduation Rate.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I think this is so on point, sometimes we do all this testing and numbers/stats but don't even know why we are using them. If we use them to better innovate, that seems like a good thing to me.
  • Governors believe that career and technical education programs and career and technical education teacher certification requirements should reflect the need to better integrate career and academic curriculum and integrate career professionals into the career and technical education teaching corps.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Amen! I believe in a balance between theory and practice, you need both! Let's invest in prep, it's not the most popular thing because it takes time to see the results but I think it is important and worth the wait.
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    This is the National Governors Association, education policy website, specifically, I have selected the policy position on High School Reform, as it is most pertinent to us, the end goes into higher education but that is for another time. The NGA is one of the best education policy sites. As we know, the states are the primary forces in setting education agendas and it is important to see what bi-partisan work they are doing. Governors are usually very influential in education politics.
Lindsay Andreas

The Urban Institute | Teachers - 0 views

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    This is a list of articles surrounding current teacher policy issues compiled by the Urban Institute. There is also a tab on the left side of the page that lists other education policy issues of interest. Since, many of us will be doing our practicums and/or student teaching in DC, an urban schooling environment, it is important to keep on top of the current debates.
Laura Wood

Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools - 1 views

  • Civic Education on the Daily Show!
    • Laura Wood
       
      "In early March, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured former Supreme Court Justice (and current CMS co-chair) Sandra Day O'Connor discussing the importance of the civic mission of schools. Click to watch the video."
  • Civic Mission of Schools Report
    • Laura Wood
       
      My thesis draws heavily from this report. It's fantastic. "Written and endorsed by more than 50 scholars and education practitioners, The Civic Mission of Schools report summarizes the status of and need for civic learning in schools, kindergarten through 12th grade. It analyzes trends in American political and civic engagement; identifies promising approaches to educating students for democracy; and offers recommendations to educators, policymakers, government officials and funders."
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    From the website: "The Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools is a coalition of over forty partner organizations working to improve civic education in America's schools. The Campaign's goal is to increase and improve civic learning in grades K-12 by working for policies that implement the recommendations of the Civic Mission of Schools report. This includes efforts to bring about changes in national, state, and local education policy."
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    They also have civic lesson plans under resources and a toolkit for advocating for the civic mission of schools which I, personally, think is critically important in this age of education for economy, and such.
Laura Wood

What Kids Can Do - 4 views

  • stay informed
    • Laura Wood
       
      From the website: "Based in Providence, R.I., What Kids Can Do (WKCD) is a national nonprofit founded in January 2001 by an educator and journalist . . . they felt an urgent need to promote perceptions of young people as valued resources, not problems, and to advocate for learning that engages students as knowledge creators and not simply test takers. Just as urgent, they believed, was the need to bring youth voices to policy debates about school, society, and world affairs. Using the Internet, print, and broadcast media, WKCD presses before the broadest audience possible a dual message: the power of what young people can accomplish when given the opportunities and supports they need and what they can contribute when we take their voices and ideas seriously. The youth who concern WKCD most are those marginalized by poverty, race, and language. On this website, WKCD presents young people's lives, learning, and work, and their partnerships with adults both in and out of school. Our community of readers stretches from youth organizers in some of this country's toughest urban areas to policy makers at the national level. We believe that a good story well told crosses geographies, generations, class and race, and position. Our publishing arm, Next Generation Press, honors the power of youth as social documenters, knowledge creators, and advisors to educators, peers, and parents. WKCD is a grant maker, too, collaborating with youth on multimedia, curricula, and research that expand current views of what constitutes challenging learning and achievement. Starting in 2006, WKCD began working with youth worldwide. WKCD has become an international leader in bringing the promise of young people to the attention of the adults whose encouragement can make all the difference."
  • Youth in Policy: Civics2
    • Laura Wood
       
      Here they have collected various articles about how youth around the country and around the globe have been actively involved in policy making and shaping. This may be great to get teachers and students started thinking about project ideas or to inspire students (and teachers!) that students really can make a difference.
  • Want to bring public attentionto your work? WKCD invitessubmissions from youth andeducators worldwide.
    • Laura Wood
       
      ARG! My diigo isn't working at all. Very frustrating. I have to highlight stuff four times and then add the comments in on this page. Technology is not my friend this week.
    • Laura Wood
       
      So if you do a rad civics project with your students, students can then write an article about what they did and send it in to WKCD. They will then put it up on this cite and your students will have something to be uber proud of. This is another reason to make sure you photo document rad projects.
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    • Laura Wood
       
      Similarly, one of the links on this page is to news articles from around the country where kids are making a difference. A teacher might assign students to check out some of the ways that students are getting things done and getting noticed in order to inspire kids, get their creative juices flowing, etc.
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    Articles on what kids in the US have done politically, with pictures! Collected by a journalist and an educator.
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    This is the organization run by the author of "Fires in the High School Bathroom." As the only permanent staff are journalists and web designers (and the staff is tiny!). I believe they just collect and make available student stories (as well as apparently offering grants!) rather than actually participating or spearheading any projects themselves. They do publish works every so often - I believe collections of the things students have done.
Joellen Kriss

'Race to the Top' - we expected better - 0 views

    • Joellen Kriss
       
      Strong start, right out of the gate!
  • From the perspective of a classroom teacher, reform must be rooted in classroom practice and supported by research.
  • Public education faces complex problems and won't be fixed by simplistic solutions. Standardized tests can be a useful tool among others to assess student learning. But it is too narrow of a measure on which to base a student's grade, let alone gauge a teacher's performance.
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  • States must enact a laundry list of federally mandated "reforms" to qualify for the competition. Duncan and Obama call this initiative "Race to the Top."
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      Hittleman talks about how they'd looked forward to education law that helped, and race to the top doesn't look that much different from NCLB
  • funding mandates are controversial because they have never been shown to improve student learning.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      Totally on target with the fact that there's so much more to education than tests and standards.
  • No Child Left Behind, an education law that focused on one-size-fits-all standardized testing.
  • A portfolio that includes multiple-choice tests but also essays, research projects, homework and classroom presentations gives a much more complete picture of student achievement.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      A very well rounded argument, bringing in all of the factors outside of the classroom that affect learning.
  • Likewise, to judge teacher effectiveness solely on student test scores ignores a range of factors outside a teacher's control, including support (or lack of it) in the home, changes in the student's situation from year to year, or even whether the student happened to be sick on the day of the test.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      At the end of the day, teachers want reforms that WORK, made by people who know about teaching from first hand experience.
  • We are for reforms that work, which include standards-based and common curricula that have multiple source assessments; student data available for classroom teacher use based on a comprehensive approach; smaller class sizes; new teacher mentoring; and peer assistance and review. What we oppose are reforms based on the latest bright idea that has caught the eye of a politician or pundit with no experience teaching.
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    Marty Hittelman offers one of the most comprehensive, well rounded opinions on the current policy reforms being enacted. It covers everything, which might be something I think because I agree with it all, but just read it. It's pretty good.
Erin Power

Reauthorization of ESEA: Why We Can't Wait -- Secretary Arne Duncan's Remarks at the Mo... - 1 views

    • Joellen Kriss
       
      What a conundrum this is...
  • People want support from Washington but not interference. They want accountability but not oversight. They want national leadership but not at the expense of local control.
  • And now that I'm here I'm even more convinced that the best solutions begin with parents and teachers working together in the home and the classroom.
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  • Many teachers complain bitterly about NCLB's emphasis on testing. Principals hate being labeled as failures. Superintendents say it wasn't adequately funded.
  • And many parents just view it as a toxic brand that isn't helping children learn.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      I like how he/his speech writers recognize here that schooling is something that belongs to the states. It seems like he's saying that the federal government is just stepping in for a moment, until things start going well.
  • Until states develop better assessments—which we will support and fund through Race to the Top—we must rely on standardized tests to monitor progress—but this is an important area for reform and an important conversation to have.
  • it places too much emphasis on absolute test scores rather than student growth—and it is overly prescriptive in some ways while it is too blunt an instrument of reform in others.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      SUPER DUPER BINGO! NCLB encourages hig TESTING standards, but not LEARNING standards!! Good for you Arne (that's what he wants his staff to call him...in case you didn't know.)
  • NCLB is that it doesn't encourage high learning standards. In fact, it inadvertently encourages states to lower them. The net effect is that we are lying to children and parents by telling kids they are succeeding when, in fact, they are not.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      This is one of the issues in my practicum schools and one of the big debates there right now.
  • They are simply not ready for college-level work when they leave high school.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      ...because the goals are and always have been, decent, but the means, are and always have been, bad (to keep it clean.)
  • In my view, we should be tight on the goals—with clear standards set by states that truly prepare young people for college and careers—but we should be loose on the means for meeting those goals.
  • We don't believe that local educators need a prescription for success. But they do need a common definition of success—focused on student achievement, high school graduation and success and attainment in college.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      But do they really?
  • Before we do, however, we want to hear from you. We want your input.
  • We don't need another study. We must stop simply admiring the problem. We need action.
  • And so the work of reauthorizing ESEA begins in states and districts across America—among educators and policy makers, parents and community leaders. This work is as urgent as it is important.
  • And yet we are still waiting for the day when every child in America has a high quality education that prepares him or her for the future.
  • Our shared goals are clear: higher quality schools; improved student achievement; more students going to college; closing the achievement gap; and more opportunities for children to learn and succeed.
  • Let's build a law that respects the honored, noble status of educators—who should be valued as skilled professionals rather than mere practitioners and compensated accordingly.
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    Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's speech at the Monthly Stakeholders meeting this past week. It's a part of a series of town hall style meetings that the secretary is holding with those who have a stake in the policy they will be shaping: teachers, parents and others. The speech is interesting mostly because, what he's calling for sounds great to me, but I wonder if there's any possibility of anything this reasonable ever happening. Secretary Duncan seems like an ok guy (didn't know he is a former superintendent) but I still wonder what the next big thing is going to turn out to be and how/if it's going to help.
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    The Duncan speech we were talking about in class
Alan Edwards

Op-Ed Columnist - More Schools, Not Troops - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • Dispatching more troops to Afghanistan would be a monumental bet and probably a bad one, most likely a waste of lives and resources that might simply empower the Taliban. In particular, one of the most compelling ar
    • Alan Edwards
       
      I botched this quote up with the highlighter, but the jist is that instead of considering deploying 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, Obama should consider building 40,000 more schools in Afghanistan.
  • a single additional soldier stationed in Afghanistan for one year, we could build roughly 20 schools there.
  • guments against more troops rests on this stunning trade-off: For the cost o
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  • guments against more troops rests on this stunning trade-off:
  • Matthew P. Hoh, an American military veteran who was the top civilian officer in Zabul Province, resigned over Afghan policy, as The Washington Post reported this week. Mr. Hoh argues that our military presence is feeding the insurgency, not quelling it.
  • Education isn’t a panacea, and no policy in Afghanistan is a sure bet. But all in all, the evidence suggests that education can help foster a virtuous cycle that promotes stability and moderation.
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    The author mentions the book "Three Cups of Tea." It is a really awesome book. I own it, if anyone wants to borrow it.
David Loudon

Online High School Economics Lessons - 1 views

    • David Loudon
       
      This site is NOT a list of primary or secondary sources but rather offers creative lesson plans, as well as the links to important materials for the plans, for teaching economics in a high school setting.
    • David Loudon
       
      Fantastic links of materials in each lesson plan to use for the lesson.
    • David Loudon
       
      This site is a valuable tool for teachers, especially those who don't feel very comfortable with economics but want to look at the practical implications of it with their students. I would definately use this site.
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    A list of very good detailed lesson plans for a high school economic class related to different country and the economic policies that they pursue.
Laura Wood

Rethinking Schools Online - 0 views

  • Check out these Rethinking Schools Publications
    • Laura Wood
       
      Rethinking schools offers some fantastic resources for teachers. The Rethinking Globalization text has activities for all ages to start making students aware of the global nature of our lives and to help them to take action instead of being passive consumers of world goods/culture.
  • Teaching for Environmental Justice
    • Laura Wood
       
      Articles, resources, and publications from teachers and educators that subscribe to critical pedagogy. The information is based in opinion, theory, historical documents, and cool lesson plans and curriculum ideas. I recommend checking out the articles that are here, and checking out some of their publications from a library (or from me, I have "Rethinking Globalization").
    • Laura Wood
       
      MAPS!
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    Rethinking Schools is an organization committed to equity and to the vision that public education is central to the creation of a humane, caring, multiracial democracy. While writing for a broad audience, Rethinking Schools emphasizes problems facing urban schools, particularly issues of race. Rethinking Schools tries to balance classroom practice and educational theory. It is an activist publication, with articles written by and for teachers, parents, and students. It also addresses key policy issues, such as vouchers and marketplace-oriented reforms, funding equity, and school-to-work.
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    This is my go-to site! Thanks for posting it!
Lindsay Andreas

Comedian urges Hispanic students to stay in school - washingtonpost.com - 0 views

  • One in five Hispanic teens drops out of high school, according to U.S. Education Department statistics. That's about twice the rate for black students and more than three times the rate among white students.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      I found this statistic about hispanic drop-out rates really alarming. Considering that the Hispanic population is quickly growing, education policy makers should be moving this to the forefront of their concerns.
  • . "A lot of Latino students look at the sticker price and think, if my family makes $18-20,000 a year, I can't afford it," said Deborah Santiago, vice president of policy and research for Excelencia in Education, a Washington-based advocacy organization.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      This was something that I personally ran into in my practicum. Better information needs to be distributed regarding college financing. There is a stigma in lower-income areas about taking out college loans and a lot of misinformation. When I taught a lesson on saving and investment for an Economics class, I spent the majority of the lesson answering questions regarding this and reminding students that college is an investment and that it will pay-off in the end. An example that worked really well was the game of Life, since many students have played it. In the board game if you go to college in the beginning, you will end up in the better retirement home in the end.
  • He told Wheaton students about a guidance counselor who encouraged him to go to college, and about his time at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, where he became disillusioned, started partying and stopped studying. "I went from being the first in my family to go to college to becoming another Latino statistic: a dropout," he said.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Both parts struck me. Encouragement is so important, because if your teacher doesn't encourage you, who will after all? Second, a problem we have at McKinley is that students that go to college get distracted and overwhelmed by college and dropout the first year. This is important on two fronts, we need better college prep programs in high school and also the colleges and universities need better support systems for first generation college students.
Lindsay Andreas

D.C. Lays Off 229 Teachers to Help Close Budget Gap - washingtonpost.com - 1 views

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    When I was there on Wednesday, the firings were supposed to happen. I can't even imagine what the last two days were like, waiting and waiting. No matter what you feel about the firings, the way in which they were done, were completely inappropriate and there was far more disruption than needed to happen. I hope my teacher is still there this week.
Jonathon Gordon

PBS Teachers | Resources For The Classroom - 1 views

    • David Loudon
       
      You can select different time periods/themes to search through. The four most prominent sections are Civics, World History, U.S. History and Cultural Studies.
    • David Loudon
       
      The problem with this site is that the links they provide are not often scholarly, and as such aren't as reliable as other sources may be.
  • Source: NOVA 60.0 1 Article/Essay Discover the story of how Dale Larson saved 29 schoolchildren during a 1928 tornado in Thurston County, Nebraska. Imagine how the events of that tornado would have been different with the current advances in severe weather warning systems. Details » Tags: 6-8, 9-12, Science & Tech, Social Studies, Geology & Natural Disasters, Meteorology, Historical Perspective
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      Searching on this site is extremely easy. By using tags similar to DIIGO, teachers can search for exact lessons or ideas to improve lessons. 
  • the.News: Woody Biomass - Nebraska Source: PBS NewsHour 60.0 0 Resource Set Analyze the use of woody biomass as a fuel. Understand the carbon cycle, calculate your carbon footprint and formulate a policy position on using woody biomass to produce energy. Details »
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      Classroom resources are not limited to just lesson plans, they also include on/offline activities for students; grade level specific in all cases. 
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  • Earth Days: Technology - Conveniences and Consequences Source: American Experience
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      The sources from this site come from various PBS programs including "American Experience", "PBS Newshour", and "NOVA". 
  • Classroom Resources Discussions Professional Development Classroom Resources
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      This is a great website for teachers. It is a credible source of information with multiple options for improving lessons plans. 
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    This website is provided by PBS for teachers to use to help with different classroom applications. It offers teachers the ability get classroom resources, start discussion boards with other educators, and professional development tools. 
Lauren Olson

World Heritage Centre - World Heritage List - 1 views

shared by Lauren Olson on 19 Sep 10 - Cached
    • Lauren Olson
       
      This would be a good "jumping off" point for a discussion on what it means to protect a culture and how a culture can be threatened. I would definitely use this in any middle-high school course
    • Lauren Olson
       
      Hidden in this tab are chances for students to get involved in policy discussions across the world. For example, the Ibero-American Youth Forum was just held in Seville, Spain for spanish speaking youth interested in discussing global tourism and global landscapes. These are great opportunities to get students involved in international issues.
Jonathon Gordon

The Civil War | PBS - 2 views

  • The Civil War is now available on DVD. Visit Shop PBS for more information.Support outstanding programs like The Civil War</em
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    This site provides accurate information on the American Civil War. Using sources from the award winning Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War" which provide any social studies teacher with accurate information yo use in designing lesson plans. 
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    How might teachers use this site?
Adrea Lawrence

Collection Development and Policies - Acquisitions (Library of Congress) - 0 views

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    List of Collections Overviews in LC's Acquisitions
Adrea Lawrence

Educators and Students - Maps of Indian Territory, the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers' Enro... - 0 views

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    The National Archives Digital Classroom: Primary Sources, Activities and Training for Educators and Students.
jbdrury

School sports trying to navigate around Rosh Hashana - 0 views

    • jbdrury
       
      Rosh Hashanah technically never falls on a Friday by nature of the Jewish calendar, but with its start at sundown this complicates matters for extra-curricular sports
    • jbdrury
       
      Those who share my EDU 522 class will find this statement interesting, pertaining to this last Tuesday's conversation
  • "Obviously, everyone is welcome to have their religious freedom but I would think religious freedom is something an individual could address on an individual basis
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  • Newton said if the team is unable to compete, it would cut an important race out of his schedule,
  • I really didn't understand the intent of (the decision not allowing athletes to compete during the holiday) from the get-go," Strack said. "I think (the school district) got themselves into a bind by setting a policy that they probably didn't need, but then not wanting to backtrack on it."
    • jbdrury
       
      A common thread in discussions about "minority" holidays being recognized is the notion that we are being "overly PC" - little recognition as to the religious origins of winter and spring break
  • "Our teams are not competing [Friday and Saturday] because we would not want any our kids to miss opportunities to compete with the rest of the team," Robinson said.
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    This is a two-part posting relating to Rosh Hashana, which starts at sundown today (September 18th). It began as an attempt to find out which school districts officially recognize the holiday. Unfortunately in most searches I come up with a variety of disturbing, virulent comments about having to recognize "minority" holidays, etc.
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