Education Short List

In the past two weeks there have been so many print articles and news stories about education that have gotten me fired up. Too many for me to take them one by one and present them to you. So here I have complied a few, with my added commentary, for you to peruse.

Evening News with Katie Couric — All teachers being fired from schools in Rhode Island

This story focused on a school district in Rhode Island that is planning on firing ALL of the teachers at one of its schools. The reason why? Not meeting NCLB standards and it gives them a chance to get approximately $2 million in national aid.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/23/eveningnews/main6236348.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;3

Video of Evening News Program

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6236440n&tag=related;photovideo

Firing All Teachers in Rhode Island School

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Longview Principal Fired for Funds

Very similar to the previous story, a principal is fired for low test scores and the hopes of millions in federal financial aid.
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Popular-Longview-principal-forced-to-quit-by-low-scores-84807537.html

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Oregon’s Online Education Choices

Since families, students and parents alike, are ‘fed up’ with the public school options, there is an increase in alternative school settings. One of the largest of those being online schools.
http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/going-school-online/

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Oregon’s Failing Schools

Also from Oregon, the state releases the new data and research on the success rates of the public school system.
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/01/report_oregon_fails_at_measuri.html

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Commentary on President’s Education Address

President Obama’s March 1st speech on Education
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/us/02obama.html

President Obama on Education, Specifically Commencement
http://www.whitehouse.gov/commencement

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All of these articles talk about education, how it’s failing, and how ‘we’ are going to make it better. And it frustrates me deeply. Firing a principal? Firing all of the teachers? NCLB? The whole point of school is to gain an education – TO LEARN. Test scores aren’t the only indicator of learning. And, each student and school operates under different circumstances. How is an all English speaking upper class school able to compare with an all English learning language school? It can’t. And for some reason we continue to treat them as the same. Until the playing field is equalled out, the schools will never be the same. And lots of children, teachers, and schools will get left behind. and forgotten.

It may not be the most PC thing to say, but here it is. Not everyone was meant to go to college. Some people are really happy not going to school or being in a big corporation. There are also lots of people who are self-made who never receive a high formal education. Unfortunately those percentages are decreasing, as the escalating pressure to receive an a degree (and now even an advanced degree) rises.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, that as society puts more demands on people to go to college for a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s (even a Ph.D.) that the tuition for this amazing experience and education continues to rise as well. So, as more individuals feel the societal pressure to attend a university, there is an insurmountable pile of debt attached to that. Even though a person who goes to college may be doing so to increase their chances of getting a better paying job, it can be counteracted by the tens of thousands of dollars spent on their education. I am a perfect example of this, as I went to school for seven years to not be in education but to have the 90,000 debt associated with wanting to be an educator.

Here is an article I found that discusses the rising molehill of debt new graduates have to pay. And really, what do they have to show for it?

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2009/12/student_loan_debt_climbs_to_re.html

All too often articles and the news talk about how teachers aren’t getting the job done. Here, CNN has a Money article about jobs that don’t pay well enough for what the profession calls for. Are you surprised to know that teaching is on there? I wasn’t either.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/pf/0910/gallery.stressful_jobs/15.html

Okay, so you’ve gone through the whole process and now you are about to start your first day of subbing. Here are some pointers and tips to get you through the first day, as well as the others, without a snag.

1. Show up early
a. Most schools ask that you be there 30 minutes prior to the start of school. From my experience, it would be wise to be there at least 45 minutes early. You will appreciate that extra time to get settled. You also don’t know what surprises could be waiting for you (aka, morning duty) that would take away from your prep time.

2. Eat lunch in the teachers’ lounge
a. Although it may sound overwhelming to go into the ‘teachers’ lounge; it’s a smart move for your career as a substitute teacher. Here you will learn more about the teacher and class of students you are working with, You can ask questions, seek advice or assistance; but most importantly is this. By making yourself know to other educators and instructors – you will have a greater likelihood of getting on those teachers preferred substitute pick list.
b. If you are subbing in a school you are familiar with (live near, have children that go to school there, etc) make sure to keep all conversation on a professional course. You don’t want to engage in gossip; you never know who you could be talking to or about. Plus, you don’t want to ruin your chances of being asked to come back to the school.
c. Play Meet and Greet with all staff and faculty that you meet along the way. Make your presence known on the campus; these could be your future co-workers; but at least, for today, they are your guidance to a successful day.

3. Notes for you, Notes for the Teacher
a. This is the biggest portion for me, as an educator. By leaving detailed notes of what you accomplished and what happened today – you are helping me to then be able to flow seamlessly into the next day. But when I don’t know how the previous day went, I spend more time the next day, before each class, playing catch up.
b. Be sure to also take detailed notes for yourself. Mention the students you liked or didn’t; what you liked about the classroom, things that you would take away from the day and put into your own room. Make notes of the school environment, other teachers, principal and school staff. These are all valuable points to note, especially if you plan on being a teacher in the future.
c. On a side note, I spent 4 years substituting. So these pointers come from solid experience.

4. Remember It’s Not Your Room
a. Act like a guest in your best friend’s parent’s house. It may not be your taste, but it’s still someone’s home right now. Be respectful of the way it is laid out and set up. Realize too, that the teacher isn’t always aware of what you, as a new person, need in the room. Take your time to find books and paper; ask the students for assistance – or another teacher.

5. Bring some time filler activities
a. Find time during the day to play with the students, or offer free time
b. It’s been my experience that having a few extra activities that can fill empty time are always a plus. These activities have been successful for me. Play around the world with math flashcards, give extra recess, have quiet reading time, for younger kids read them a story, have them clean up the room for candy.
c. Teachers know that some lesson can run fast or be longer than they anticipated. But it’s easier for the classroom teacher to deal with that than it is for a substitute. For that reason, it’s good to have some time fillers.
d. You could use the ‘Caterpillar Game’ http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Caterpillar-Word-Game

6. Know Your Audience
a. These students sitting before you are excited to have you there; skeptical of what you are going to make the day like, and hoping to get away with things that their regular teacher wouldn’t let them.
b. Now to the reason why you are there – the students. Think back to when you were in school and how thrilled you were to have a substitute teacher. These students sitting in front of you are thinking exactly the same thing. Furthermore, these students’ main teacher knows exactly what their students are thinking too.
c. Keep in mind that you are there to teach, not to dictate. Don’t take an iron first approach; but don’t walk in wanting to be their best friend. If you want to make a career in education, or subbing, know that teacher recommendations – not student ones – are the ones that get you back in the classroom.

7. Bring Your Own Lunch
a. Kind of seems like a ‘duh’ but you would be surprised at how many people waste their lunch town scrambling to find something to eat. By already having your lunch, it allows to you eat and relax with the other educators. Plus you will have time to get prepared for the on-goings in the afternoon.

Remember to relax and breathe. It’s almost a guarantee that there will be a surprise the first day; and it’s almost as likely that no one but you will notice it. I really believe that subbing is a fantastic way to get into education. I learned more from my days as a sub on how to be a teacher than I did through the whole of my graduate school program.

Another blog that I like that discusses how to become a teacher and substitute teaching is Road to Teaching, http://roadtoteaching.com/

This article came from The Week Magazine.

Think twice before you delete all those request from “annoying people” looking to befriend you on Facebook or LinkedIn, said Julia Angwin in The Wall Street Journal. “These acquaintances could come in very handy when looking for a job or a new career.” In fact, so-called weak ties may be a bigger asset in a job search than your closest circle of friends. “Your weak ties are your window on the world,” says Stanford professor Mark Granovetter, adding that he accepts friends requests, “if I know the person, whether I like them or not.”

But inviting more people into your social network raises the question of how much to reveal about yourself online.

I have another article I am working on, and how to best utilize a social networking site.
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For the time being, here are a list of recommended sites that help to watch over your online and internet personas.

Claimid.com – a free service to help tailor your online identity. You can pool together personal information by ‘claiming’ relevant content from the Internet, then share the resulting profile with others.

Google.com/profiles – a “personal branding tool” similar to ClaimID. Users set up profiles with their personal info and links to all web content they would like associated with them – such as Twitter feed or a company website. Whenever your name is searched, your profile appears on the first page of results.

Reputationdefender.com — a site that will “monitor everything that is said about you online,” for $15 a month. It combs the Web, presenting you with all the pages in which you are mentioned, and allows you to rank what info you’d like to appear first when people search for you online.

Something new that I am going to be doing on this blog is to do website reviews. The title gives it away really, but it’s going to be going through the pros and cons of working with this site. If you ever have a recommendation for a site review, I’d be happy to look at it.

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Teachers Pay Teachers

Here is a really fantastic resource for educators, or previous instructors. I stumbled upon it about six months ago. I consider it to be like an Ebay for educators. They call it, “an open marketplace for teachers.” Basically you can post lessons, worksheets, any education-related tools on there. Then you decide if you want to sell them for a price or for free. For each item sold, you earn money.

The two things that I love about this forum is that, one – I can find reliable and tested products from real educators. And two, that I can show my wares and creations to other teachers to earn a little extra moola.

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Here is my profile on Teachers Pay Teachers

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rosshalde-Pak-4

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

For the nearly 10% of Americans out of a job, revamping your resume is key. And to those looking for make a change in position or career, it’s time to make adjustments to your CV as well. Here are the Top 6 steps to improve your resume.

1. Add new skills

a. Learn how to use Photo Shop? Just finished a scuba diving class? Taking Spanish lessons? These are all valuable skills that you have – put it on your resume.

2. Don’t have any new skills? Find one

a. Maybe now is the time to enroll in a class at your local community college. Learn a skill, meet potential friends, make new work connections. Attend a workshop

3. Update the language

a. This isn’t to say that you should use slang, but modernize your language. Instead of ‘keyboarding’ using typing or computer speed. Words per minute.

4. Update each part of resume

a. When was the last time you looked at your resume? Probably the last time you were looking for a job. Are there parts to your previous positions that you forgot to mention? Also check that your phone number, address, and email are correct. Revisit what skills and duties your previous jobs held. Didn’t you do more than just filing and sorting mail? Wasn’t there connect with vendors involved with your college role?

5. Volunteer

a. Volunteering is a great way to spruce up your resume. It’s gets you out of the house, helping out with organizations you want to support, lets you meet new people, and build future work connections.
Volunteering is something that will be mentioned in more detail in another post this week. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, think about financial contributions you have given to charities or non-profits, those can be included.

6. Change the Fonts

a. It might sound silly or frivolous – but just like giving a room a new coat of paint, changing your font size or style can bring new life to your resume. Obviously this isn’t the most crucial aspect; but it can be the little touches that catch an employer’s attention.

“Many job listings use the word ‘must,’ not ‘it would be nice to,’” according to Dave Opton, CEO and founder of ExecuNet. “If it says you must have experience in X, then tailor your resume to show that,” Opton says.

If you’re answering a job listing, be sure you respond in exactly the way the company wants. And be aware that if you’re not applying for a specific job but rather sending out dozens or hundreds of form letters, your resume is likely to end up in companies’ spam folders.

Now take another look at your resume. Get a second opinion, and a third. Does it present you in the right light? Is it professionally formatted? Does it feature accomplishments, rather than merely job titles and dates?

Although making changes to your resume isn’t a guarantee of landing that new position, it will give you greater confidence in what your abilities and qualifications are. Plus, it will speak more clearly of who you are to potential employers.

Good Luck!

**Addendum on 10/30/09**

– Make sure that for each position you are applying for, that you tailor your resume to fit that position. Look at what the requirements, descriptions, and responsibilities; from there you want to ensure that your resume includes those skills. This does not mean that you should lie. However, if your general resume states “telemarketing”, and the job description says, ‘includes talking to potential customers on the phone’, you should alter your resume to include that. The same applies to the cover letter that you send to potential employers.

– Keep a separate computer file for all applied positions. Title the resume as the position you applied for ( PDX Tutors tutor); that way, when you are asked for an interview you can guarantee that you take the correct resume and cover letter.

– Remember to give details to the schooling that you’ve had. Don’t just put that you went to college, add some of the classes, skills you learned, workshops you attended.

This past summer, Martin Lindstrom wrote an article for Parade Magazine about how to become indispensable at your job. I feel that this article is very valuable in helping people in focusing on what they themselves bring to the table; what their real potential and assets are. This article is also a segway into a future blog post I am working on – about how to improve your resume.

The global economy has taken a big hit, and millions of Americans have lost their jobs. All of us, it seems, are vulnerable. How can you increase the odds that you won’t become a grim statistic of company downsizing?

The answer? Create your own personal brand. In today’s uncertain financial environment, if you’re just another face at the water cooler, you run a far greater risk of ending up in the unemployment line. Branding yourself is one of the best preventive strategies to make sure you survive and even thrive in the workplace. Think of your personal brand as a bankaccount that will only increase in worth the more effort, thought, imagination, and resources you put into it. Here are a few tips on how to get started.

Define who you are (and who you aren’t)

Ask yourself what makes you different from your colleagues at work. Your punctuality and sense of responsibility? Your ability to juggle multiple tasks without losing your cool? One of the best ways to create a personal brand is to take two everyday tasks and combine them in an extraordinary way. For example, let’s say you’re a cashier in a big-box store and you enjoy sitting in its fast-food emporium during your breaks. Is there anything you’ve observed that might be valuable for management to know about—for instance, that customers wish there were more prepackaged sandwiches and salads? Let management know. By sharing your observations, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition.

Become well known for one thing

Think for a moment about the high-profile brands that surround us every day. They each have a single phrase you can instantly apply to them: Google (search engine), Volvo (safe car), Coca-Cola (all-American), Marlboros (cowboys—hey, sorry, but it’s the truth).

Now, what’s the one adjective or phrase you imagine comes to mind when your co-workers think about you? Listener? Mentor? Funny? Dependable? Captain Crisis? If there isn’t one, then create it. Next, begin to live it. Why just a single word? Because as a culture, we are flooded with too much information, whether we’re tweeting, e-mailing, juggling cellphone calls. Amid this barrage of white noise, individuals who can attract attention via a simple association have a decided advantage.

Communicate your brand

Once you’ve decided on the phrase that best sums you up, consider making an impression online. I can hear you now: “I can’t start a website! What on earth would I put on it?” C’mon—t he Internet is the most influential medium in the world, and creating a personal website is easy and inexpensive. Ask yourself: What do I have to say that’s fresh and provocative? If you can come up with some intriguing observations or a new angle or point of view, then you’re well on your way to creating a solid online presence.

For example: A young guy was working at the Gap when he got an idea for a video blog: a gay man giving advice about fashion trends. Hundreds of thousands of hits later (not to mention increased traffic across Gap stores nationwide), the employee had made his mark. By doling out free, useful, tongue-in-cheek advice from a novel perspective, he succeeded in creating an indelible personal brand.

Create a signature look

Now that you’ve figured out what sets you apart from the other faces in the crowd, make sure you keep at it! Most famous people, for example, have one component or element that makes them instantly recognizable, appealing, or mysterious. It could be Clint Eastwood’s squint, Barack Obama’s cool intelligence, or Will Ferrell’s goofiness, just to take three examples. Believe me, these elements aren’t going anywhere soon.

For most of my career as a global-branding expert, I’ve dressed head-to-toe in black. (That’s me in the photo. What can I say? I like black). Apart from my work, it’s how people recognize me, occasionally even in the streets. Every now and then, I mix things up by wearing other colors. And guess what? People walk right past me, completely oblivious. So, without being flamboyant about it, find a signature look that works for you, then stick with it. You’ll become the equivalent of a celebrity in your office—and ensure you keep your job long after the recession has become a distant memory.

Leave a personal mark behind

Most business cards bore you silly, right? You tuck them inside your wallet or purse, then promptly forget about them. My advice: Create a distinctive mark or “signature” that other people can’t get out of their minds. It can be a logo, a symbol, or a saying you affix to the end of your personal e-mails. Once again, combine two elements that have nothing to do with each other—flying monkeys, for example. Whenever I think about The Wizard of Oz, those horrible flying monkeys spring immediately to mind. Why? Because as we all know, monkeys don’t have wings (at least the ones I know). If you create an equally dramatic mark or signature, I guarantee no one will ever overlook you.

Martin Lindstrom, an international marketing expert, is the author of “Buyology: Truth and Lies About What We Buy.”

www.parade.com/news/2009/07/12-how-to-be-indispensable-at-work.html

Remember when we were in junior high or high school? When you would call the girl or boy you liked, dial their number and then hang up real quick once they answered? Ahh, the good ol’ days. Or remember watching the Simpsons and listening to Bart crank call Moe’s Tavern? Funny stuff that Bart.

Ring Ring...crazy person on the line

Since starting my own business, a tutoring company, I have had some annoying, albeit interesting, crank calls. Five of those that were especially crazy stick out in my memories.

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– A girl called saying she was a homeless Romanian gypsy; wanted to learn how to read and write. She was homeless but wanted to pay by check. When I asked where Romania was, she said North Africa. When I asked her how she found out about our company, she said she looked it up on the internet. How exactly does a homeless person who can’t read or write or spell know how to search on the internet?

– A man called, after business hours, and left a message. In a very weird voice said, “Umm, I want, I want some of your tutoring…yea, yea, I want to get tutored. Hahahahah ‘F&^k You.’ My number is 555-555-5555″ The idiot left his phone number to that horrid message.

— A girl called to say that she doesn’t know how to read or write, but has to get her GED. She ran out of her trust fund and now needed an education. When I asked what was the last grade she completed, she said 10th grade. I asked if she knew how to read/write to that level – she said yes, but not after that. And that her trust fund ran out so now she needed to learn.

— A man called wanting tutoring for his special needs son. Wanted his son to learn ‘basic life skills.’ I actually believed this one, so I showed up to the appointment. No father, no son. When I called the phone number given to me – it was disconnected.

—A mother ‘desperate’ for tutoring for her son made me schedule a weekend appointment. I showed up, so did she — without the son. Instead of the consultation she wanted all of our forms and paperwork so she could take it home (all of our documents are copyrighted). She said to bill her for the time. Never could do that without an address or a consultation. Never heard from again.

There are other ones, but those are definitely the five weirdest.

Even though it takes time away from my day to handle crank phone calls, I learn a very valuable lesson from them.

When I first started my business, I would show up to all of the booked appointments, even when the customer didn’t. It was a loss of my time and my money. Each one of those ‘no show’ consultations led to a major change in our company’s policy. Now, for each consult we require a depost. Since the inception of the deposit requirement, I have only had one person never show up.

By looking at the whole picture, it’s easy to be irritated. But for me, I think it’s funny. Come on, how many homeless Romanian gypsies do you know that have a checking account? Plus, now, I’ve learned from those experiences, made my company stronger, and I am more protected from the gypsies.

Last weekend on the Wall Street Journal Report, an interview was conducted with John W. Rogers, Jr., Ariel Investments CEO and Founder. He and Maria Bartiromo discussed how it is necessary for children in school to learn more about investments and the stock market. He also mentioned how it should also be the responsibilities of companies to create workshops and leadership opportunities for students to learn about investing and responsible financing.

Here is the interview. I’d be interested to know your thoughts.

John Rogers Jr. Interview