Colleges Replacing Loans With Grants

Colleges Replacing Loans With Grants

Colleges are replacing student loans with grants in the same amount, according to an article in the Washington Post. So, instead of taking out a $5,000 loan to pay for college expenses, your college might just give you a $5,000 grant. This is a growing financial aid initiative to eliminate student loans at some of the nation’s most expensive colleges. No-loan pledges can even make college free for some students, if they would need full financial aid to attend. This movement started during the 2007-2008 school year, and now more than 70 colleges offer this program to some of their neediest students. Four years later, some of these stud ... Read More About Colleges Replacing Loans With Grants

How To Fix American Schools

How To Fix American Schools

There has been a lot of talk and buzz about how bad the American education system is, why it’s so bad and whose fault it is. And on the fault side, nearly everyone who is connected to education has been blamed for the lackluster system. But, what happens when we stop talking about why it stinks, and start trying to make it better? The District Administration tried to answer that question. The 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) compared the achievement gains between American and foreign students. It found that American students were not achieving as quickly or as strongly as many other foreign countries, thus start ... Read More About How To Fix American Schools

Why Students Struggle With History Classes

Why Students Struggle With History Classes

Who was North Korea’s ally in the Korean War against American troops? No googling please. See, history isn’t that easy after all. If you said China, without googling, pat yourself on the back and grumble about how uninformed your fellow Americans are. But the fact of the matter is very few high school seniors were able to correctly answer that question, and most fourth graders cannot identify why Abraham Lincoln is an important historical figure. American students are simply less proficient in their nation’s history than any other subject, according to an article in the New York Times. Nationally, 12 percent of high schoo ... Read More About Why Students Struggle With History Classes

Why Recess Should Be Before Lunch

Why Recess Should Be Before Lunch

Typically, most school children eat lunch then head off to recess. That’s just the way the curriculum has been set for years. But, what’s more appealing to little Johnny an apple or a game of dodge ball outside? He’s probably just eating some of his sandwich and his snack pack, trying to get to his game of dodge ball as fast as possible. But, kids will actually finish their whole lunch if they eat after recess, giving them the nutrition they need, according to an article in the District Administration. “We tell kids not to eat and swim right away. And yet here we are, telling them that the quicker they eat, the quic ... Read More About Why Recess Should Be Before Lunch

How Teachers Can Support And Evaluate Other Teachers

How Teachers Can Support And Evaluate Other Teachers

You’re a teacher. Your performance is evaluated by teachers, judged and rated by teachers. Your mentor is a teacher, and your boss is a teacher. Imagine that. Would you love it or hate it? What if you’re a student or parent – how do you feel then? The Montgomery County Public Schools system in Rockville, Maryland has a unique process of teachers evaluating other teachers, according to an article in the New York Times. Stronger teachers provide support to weaker ones, and teachers there also have the power to fire weaker teachers if they do not improve.  The program, Peer Assistance and Review (PAR), allows more senior ... Read More About How Teachers Can Support And Evaluate Other Teachers