A Town in the Land on the Planet in a Galaxy...

Bill Harley wrote a folk song entitled Milky Way.  In this song he talks about living in the Milky Way where there is a “fine star called the sun” around which “a planet spins,” that has lands with towns and streets with very fine people living on them. He is, of course, speaking of us on Earth.  In the play, Six Degrees of Separation, written by John Guare in 1990 and translated into a film in 1993, the “existential premise that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else in the world by a chain of no more than six acquaintances” was explored.  Both of these speak to the fact that we live in one world that is shrinking every day.  We can now travel to most anywhere in the world within 24 hours.  If we don’t want a face-to-face conversation, a plethora of web-based solutions exists.  While wonderful and exciting on many fronts, the dilemma for American youth is that they are often ill prepared to be successful in a global environment.  

Learner-Centered Education

By CynDee Zandes
This article is written by a member of our expert blogging community.

As a principal I heard teachers say, “I taught it.  I don’t know why the students didn’t do better on the quiz.”  The problem with this statement is twofold.  The first is this:  How is it possible to “teach” something if no one “learned” anything?  The second is that this comment is from the perspective of what has occurred from the teacher’s vantage point instead of what has occurred from the students’ or the learner’s point of view.

Obsolete

By CynDee Zandes
This article is written by a member of our expert blogging community.

In a Mind Shift blog post from July 20, 2012, 10 Things In School That Should Be Obsolete, author Greg Stack lists the following:

Afterschool Embraces the Common Core

By CynDee Zandes

This article is written by a member of our expert blogging community.

With new Common Core standards rolling out, educators everywhere are preparing for change. As the education reform conversation continues, how does afterschool fit in?

In an article published in the Bakersfield California on Sunday, July 22, 2012, staff writer Jorge Barrientos stated, “Teachers and school administrators across the county…are gearing up for massive changes in the classroom designed to improve math and English instruction.” He attributes this to the “new Common Core Standards [which] strive to make students critical thinkers, not just memorizers.” In other words, the Common Core will authentically focus on educating young people and preparing them for the 21st century workplace.

What is the purpose of education?

This post was written by C4K Senior Consultant, Aleah Rosario. 

This question agitates scholars, teachers, statesmen, every group, in fact, of thoughtful men and women," Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in the 1930 article, "Good Citizenship: The Purpose of Education," in Pictorial Review. While its answer may never be completely agreed upon by all, the question itself is a good reminder of the potential impact we have as educators in the lives of young people - after and out-of-school included. To showcase how the purpose of education has evolved over time, ASCD recently created this infographic:

Consult4Kids Launches New Webinar Series for PLs, SCs and MMs

You heard right! Consult4Kids is starting a new webinar series for Program Leaders* (PLs), Site Coordinators* (SCs) and Middle Managers* (MMs) starting Tuesday, July 17th, 2012. Webinars will be scheduled for every 3rd Tuesday of the month. A complete schedule with Webinar topics for each group will be available soon.

Where is Your Staff Development Challenge?

High staff turnover may become a challenge for frontline staff to maintain a consistent, quality after school program. C4K is here to help, providing materials to ensure your staff receives topline training on YOUR time! Get FREE 30-DAY access to our staff development website, use referral code kids250 when registering!