DiscoveryEducation.com - Diabetes

http://discoveryeducation.com/diabetes/

A relevant news article on the DiscoveryEducation.com is its webpage for diabetes. The site reads, “The more you know, the more you can help.” This statement couldn’t be more true. The site goes further to detail different facts about diabetes; it lists the prevalence, usual age of onset, and total economic cost. The site also offers five downloadable lesson plans, and student interactives (vividly colorful and informative videos). Diabetes is certainly a noteworthy, current issue in education.

DiscoveryEducation.com is an excellent resource for teachers and prospective teachers alike. It offers numerous, colorful resources that can not only better educate teachers on current education topics, but can help teachers with their lesson planning. The website has a lesson plans page, parent corner, current education news, science fair section, contests and grants, and much more relevant material. This webpage is accessible to any person who would like to view it and use its resources; however, if you would like to have full access to the website (extended lesson plans and countless videos to use in conjunction with any lesson), you must pay an additional fee.

What Makes an Elementary School the "Best"?

As I was surfing through the Orange Country Register Online, I noticed an article in which they ranked the top 164 elementary schools in Orange County. Before I started to read the article, I assumed that all of the schools would be in higher-income communities, but I found that the Register used far more interesting and fair criteria.

Not only do the schools range in diversity, community, and income, but I also found that the author of the article took the teaching methods into account. The authors say that,

"Teachers at Orange County's best public elementary schools strive to understand every child who passes through their doorways and vigorously reach out to each one, at the child's own level – and take that child by the hand, confidently, to the next level."

Sometimes I feel that being future teachers, we can become idealistic about what teaching will be like, and that there could be a very harsh reality in store for us. I think it's great that these reporters really took the teachers of these schools into consideration. These seem like great teachers, ones that we're being taught to become like, and I think it's really inspiring that it's these teachers that not only make these schools the best, but that they're also given credit for it.

You can view this website for the article: http://www.ocregister.com/news/-232746--.html

Integrating Arts in Education

Integrating the Arts in Education is something that we have learned and practiced throughout our teacher education. The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta is integrating the arts into education, and approaching teaching in a way that is different from how many classrooms run, but the students in the class are benefiting in many ways. How do you feel about integrating Arts in the Classroom? Do you agree with the way that the Ron Clark Academy is run, and would you want to implement this type of education in your classroom? Education should be about learning, and in our classroom we should be doing what best helps our students to learn. That should be the goal of our teaching.

A Hot Spot for Education News

After stumbling through the web looking for a news article or issue to blog about, I came across the website "Educationnext," (2009) which seems to be a website dedicated to posting anything and everything about education for elementary through high school. After scrolling down the home page I realized most of what I found in Google's search engine was conveniently at this website. I also noticed that you can register to this website and the website includes a personal blog for posts and comments. In my Foundations of Education course last semester I learned to appreciate and take interest in the news regarding education and issues regarding teaching and classroom management, etc. This website serves as a great example of a way to stay informed about the career we are involved with and how to better serve students, the school and the community by remaining informed and aware of the times in education. Some of the key articles I noticed were regarding President Obama and state standards and achievement, as well as, news articles related to charter schools (Found on the homepage). I am excited to search through this website to find out what other tools I can utilize to stay informed about education and to also keep this website in mind for future reading. I thought it was important to also note the mission statement of the website to obtain a better look at what the site promotes. Education Nexts' mission statement states they "present facts" at their face value, and "change" in education is "needed," and the site does not take sides but "goes where the evidence points" (President & Fellows of Harvard College, 2009, site mission statement). I encourage all of you to stay in touch with the news in education and to take a look at this website for there are many interesting articles. "Educationnext." (2009). President & Fellows of Harvard College and The Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University. http://educationnext.org/. The picture chosen is of the current published journal, as "Educationnext" is a website and a journal.

National Education Association

As we are all studying to become teachers I thought it would be good to share the national education association site. This site opens doors for many issues in the education world, for example the No Child Left Behind Act, educational funding, dropout prevention. It is a great way to keep connected with educational news as well as other teachers. It provides other tools, like how to integrate arts across the curriculum and includes articles that proves that arts is needed and can change children's thinking. It also includes lesson plans and suggestions for classroom management. This site is very informational and provides a network of connections. Check it out and keep connected with the education environment!

National Education Association

Health Education

Health education is so important for both teachers and students alike. In order for both to function and come to school every day to learn, they must be healthy. In the past, health education has been taught during P.E at least once or twice a week. Now, because schools are trying to cut back on costs, P.E is no longer offered in many schools, and or is offered for a limited time each week, thus health education is no longer taught as much as it should be. With diseases so easily spread in schools, and with childhood obesity on the rise,now more than ever it is important for students to learn about health, and it is important for teachers to incorporate it into their lessons. "KidsHealth in the classroom" offers valuable information on health for both kids, and teens alike and parents. Not only does it provide information on various types of illnesses, but it also includes information on how to stay healthy through exercise and eating right, information on how your body works, information on understanding your feelings and dealing with them, etc. In addition this website provides valuable information for teachers. It provides lesson plans based on the level or grade one teaches. Each lesson plan provides information, art projects, discussions, and tests on various health related issues. This site is a great resource for teachers, because they can learn about health issues or concerns in and outside of their classroom and then pass it on to their students. By teaching health to your students you can keep your students safe and healthy and by teaching your students about health early on, they can develop a better understanding on related issues, and they can develop a healthy lifestyle that they can continue later on in life.

Click here for Kids Health in the Classroom Website

In today's world I think that it is important that everyone be updated on the news of what is going on around the world. I know that we do not all have time to read the paper or look at online news sources. I believe that it is important as educators to keep students up to date on what is going on in the world. This is why I think that the CNN student news site is great for students to watch on a regular basis. It is a short video that talks about what is going on in the world and things that are related to the younger generations. Teachers could assign students to summarize it weekly or even let there students watch is a couple times a week. Having the knowledge of what is going on in the world is powerful and can help students feel smarter and more connected to the world.