Goals, Purposes, and Plans for the AIMS Center Colloquium Series
In an attempt to provide opportunities for the Mathematics and Science teaching communities around the region to keep abreast of both the research that the AIMS Center for Math & Science Education, and the broader research community are finding, the Center will be putting on a series of “Colloquium” talks. These talks will be given by a variety of experts in the field: members of the Research Team of the AIMS Center, and other experts from around the country.
This year we have 16 sessions. Each session will take place on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 4:30-6:00pm. All sessions will take place in theRichard Thiessen Conference Center at the AIMS Center for Math and Science Education located on the campus of Fresno Pacific University.
Professional Noticing: Inferring
AIMS Center Research Associates
Feb. 27, 2017
Vertical Threads in Mathematics
Carl Veater
Mar. 13, 2017
Professional Noticing: Deciding
AIMS Center Research Associates
Mar. 27, 2016
The State of Math Education in the State
Cathy Carroll
Apr. 10, 2017
Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice…
Manjula Joseph
Apr. 24, 2017
The Implications of Neuroscience on Learning
Richard Thiessen, Mel Riccardi, Steve Pauls
May 8, 2017
Literature Connections
Jon Dueck
For those unable to attend in person, a virtual option will be provided. Information for accessing the talk virtually will be posted on the home page a few days prior to the event.
Are you looking for what to say and what to think as you send your child off to college? How is this as hard as sending your child to kindergarten? Here are a few words that might help you. Share it and check the links out as well. This is a big move for your child going to college. I have been there and my heart goes out to all you moms! ~Sandy
College is a Privilege
Sure, I expected you to go and, in turn, you expected nothing less from yourself. But this in no way takes away from the fact that spending these years learning, growing and focused almost exclusively on yourself is a gift like none other. Think through the sweep of human history and try to guess how many people were given this opportunity. Only after you have acknowledged just how rare and special this gift is, will you respect this opportunity.
Best Years of Your Life
You have heard adults say it a hundred times and it may be true, but it is not automatically so. Imbibe deeply of all that a university has to offer. Heap your plate with its academic, athletic, cultural and social offerings. Never again will life mix youth, freedom, opportunity and resources together in quite this heady combination. If these are to be the very best years, you must make them so.
College is a Time like None Other
Everyone will want to meet you and there will be none of the social awkwardness that usually accompanies rushing up and speaking to total strangers. Do not squander this short window of opportunity, it will never come around again.
Drinking Dilemma
You are now in a place where alcohol is both tacitly allowed and legally forbidden. The only thing that stands between you and a very bad experience is your own good judgment. But here is the tricky part. You need to exercise that good judgment at the very moment when it is already impaired by alcohol.
Being Friends in High School was Easy
You sat in the same classes or did the same activities as your high school friends. In college, maintaining friendships is a bit more work. After college it is a lot more work. Investing in friendships now pays dividends forever, truly forever.
Living With Those Who Love You
It is your good fortune to never have lived in a place where no one loved you or frankly cared about you. At the outset, college is that place. Despite everyone’s outward cheer in the first weeks of college you will have no real friends. Sure you will know some kids, but these are not true friends, yet. They are still just acquaintances you really like. It is better to live amongst those you love, but it takes time and only you can make this happen.
Do Not Fool Yourself, I Was 18
When you look at me you probably see “Mom” and “Old.” Do not fool yourself. Not one fiber of my being has forgotten how it feels to be 18. If you have a problem, talk to me. Few things you will say will shock me and there is every chance, though admittedly just a chance, that I might have a good suggestion. And while the law may recognize you as an adult, I promise you that you still have much to learn.
I have loved you every moment of your life. Even as you prepare to move out, I shock myself by loving you even more. This love comes without strings, but life does not. If there are things you want to achieve, knowledge you want to gain, friends you want to make it is now entirely up to you.
Do any of these sound like you or your children? My son showed highly probable in 7 of the 7 at Dr. Amen’s Clinic. Poor guy! Below shows possible treatments. ~Sandy
Are There Really 7 Types of ADD?
Controversy surrounds Dr. Daniel Amen’s 7 types of ADD — each with its own unique ADHD symptoms, brain function, and neurotransmitter activity. What do you think of his theories and methodologies?
by Daniel G. Amen, M.D., double-board certified psychiatrist / photos credited to Amen Clinics
My ADD Is Not Your ADD
ADD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, autism, and other conditions are not single or simple disorders. They all have multiple types. ADD affects many areas of the brain—the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum primarily, but also the anterior cingulate, the temporal lobes, the basal ganglia, and the limbic system. The 7 types of ADD that I studied are based around three neurotransmitters—dopamine, serotonin, and GABA.
Classic ADD
This is the easiest type to spot of the 7 types of ADD: Primary symptoms are inattentiveness, distractibility, hyperactivity, disorganization, and impulsivity. Scans of the brain show normal brain activity at rest, and decreased activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex, during a concentration task. People with this type of ADD have decreased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and the basal ganglia, the last of which helps produce the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Treating Classic ADD
The goal here is to boost dopamine levels, which increases focus. I do it with either stimulating medications — Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, Concerta — or stimulating supplements like rhodiola, green tea, ginseng, and the amino acid L-tyrosine. Getting lots of physical activity also helps increase dopamine, as does taking fish oil that is higher in EPA than DHA.
Inattentive ADD
This type, as well as Classic ADD, have been described in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders since 1980. This type is associated with low activity in the prefrontal cortex and low dopamine levels. Symptoms are short attention span, distractibility, disorganization, procrastination. People with this type are not hyperactive or impulsive. They can be introverted and daydream a lot. Girls have this type as much as, or more than, boys.
Treating Inattentive ADD
Inattentive ADD is usually responsive to treatment. It is often possible to change the course of a person’s life if he or she is properly treated. The goal, as with Classic ADD, is to boost dopamine levels. I use the supplements like the amino acid L-tyrosine, which is a building block of dopamine. Take it on an empty stomach for maximum effect. I often prescribe a stimulant like Adderall, Vyvanse or Concerta. I put patients on a high-protein, lower-carbohydrate diet, and I have them exercise.
Over-Focused ADD
Patients with this type have all of the core ADD symptoms, plus great trouble shifting attention. They get stuck or locked into negative thought patterns or behaviors. There is a deficiency of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. When the brain is scanned, you see that there’s too much activity in the area called the anterior cingulate gyrus, which is the brain’s gear shifter. This overactivity makes it difficult to go from thought to thought, task to task, and to be flexible.
Over-Focused ADD
Patients with this type have all of the core ADD symptoms, plus great trouble shifting attention. They get stuck or locked into negative thought patterns or behaviors. There is a deficiency of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. When the brain is scanned, you see that there’s too much activity in the area called the anterior cingulate gyrus, which is the brain’s gear shifter. This overactivity makes it difficult to go from thought to thought, task to task, and to be flexible.
Temporal Lobe ADD
Of the 7 types of ADD, this type has core ADD symptoms along with temporal lobe (TL) symptoms. The TL, located underneath your temple, is involved with memory, learning, mood stability, and visual processing of objects. People with this type have learning, memory, and behavioral problems, such as quick anger, aggression, and mild paranoia. When the brain is scanned, there are abnormalities in the temporal lobes and decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Treating Temporal Lobe ADD
I use the amino acid GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid) to calm neuronal activity and inhibit nerve cells from overfiring or firing erratically. Taking magnesium—80 percent of the population are low in this mineral—helps with anxiety and irritability. Anticonvulsant medications are often prescribed to help with mood instability. For learning and memory problems, I use gingko or vinpocetine.
Limbic ADD
This type looks like a combination of dysthymia or chronic low-level sadness and ADD. Symptoms are moodiness, low energy, frequent feelings of helplessness or excessive guilt, and chronic low self-esteem. It is not depression. This type is caused by too much activity in the limbic part of the brain (the mood control center) and decreased prefrontal cortex activity, whether concentrating on a task or at rest.
Treating Limbic ADD
The supplements that work best for this type of ADD are DL-phenylalanine (DLPA), L-tryosine, and SAMe (s-adenosyl-methionine). Wellbutrin is my favorite medication for this type of ADD. Researchers think it works by increasing dopamine. Imipramine is another option for this type. Exercise, fish oil, and the right diet will help a person with Limbic ADD better manage symptoms.
Ring of Fire ADD
Patients with this type don’t have an underactive prefrontal cortex, as with Classic and Inattentive ADD. Their entire brain is overactive. There is too much activity across the cerebral cortex and many of the other parts of the brain. I call it “ADD plus.” Symptoms include sensitivity to noise, light, touch; periods of mean, nasty behavior; unpredictable behavior; talking fast; anxiety and fearfulness. In brain scans, it looks like a ring of hyperactivity around the brain.
Treating Ring of Fire ADD
Stimulants, by themselves, may make symptoms worse. I start out with an elimination diet, if I suspect an allergy is involved, and boost the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin through supplements and medication, if necessary. I prescribe GABA, 5-HTP, and L-tyrosine supplements. If I prescribe medication, I start with one of the anticonvulsants. The blood pressure medicines guanfacine and clonidine may be helpful, calming overall hyperactivity.
Anxious ADD
People with this type have hallmark ADD symptoms, and they are anxious, tense, have physical stress symptoms like headaches and stomachaches, predict the worst, and freeze in anxiety-provoking situations, especially where they may be judged. When the brain is scanned, there is high activity in the basal ganglia, large structures deep in the brain that help produce dopamine.This is the opposite of most types of ADD, where there is low activity in that region.
Treating Anxious ADD
The treatment goal is to promote relaxation and boost GABA and dopamine levels. ADD stimulants, taken alone, make patients more anxious. I first use a range of “calming” supplements—L-theanine, relora, magnesium, and holy basil. Depending on the patient, I prescribe the tricyclic antidepressants imipramine or desipramine to lower anxiety. Neurofeedback also works to decrease symptoms of anxiety, especially to calm the prefrontal cortex.
As we move across the USA on our trip, we are noticing a large number of homeless. So many men, women, and children laying on the street. After researching, Mental Health Cuts seem to be the main culprit though the list below shares other reasons for homelessness. Check out the increase in children that are homeless. Also, look at the cuts by each state! How many students not being educated in any format? ~Sandy
“In 2004 the United States Conference of Mayors… surveyed the mayors of major cities on the extent and causes of urban homelessness and most of the mayors named the lack of affordable housing as a cause of homelessness…. The next three causes identified by mayors, in rank order, were mental illness or the lack of needed services, substance abuse and lack of needed services, and low-paying jobs. The lowest ranking cause, cited by five mayors, was prisoner reentry. Other causes cited were unemployment, domestic violence, and poverty.”
The major causes of homelessness include:
The failure of urban housing projects to provide safe, secure, and affordable housing to the poor.
The deinstitutionalization movement from the 1950s onwards in state mental health systems, to shift towards ‘community-based’ treatment of the mentally ill, as opposed to long-term commitment in institutions. There is disproportionally higher prevalence of mental disorders relative to other disease groups within homeless patient populations at both inpatient hospitals and hospital-based emergency departments.
Natural disasters that destroy homes: hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, etc. Places of employment are often destroyed too, causing unemployment and transience.
People who have served time in prison, have abused drugs and alcohol, or have a history of mental illness find it difficult to impossible to find employment for years at a time because of the use of computer background checks by potential employers.
According to the Institution of Housing in 2005, the U.S. Government has focused 42% more on foreign countries rather than homeless Americans, including homeless veterans.
People who are hiding in order to evade law enforcement.
Teenagers who flee or are thrown out by parents who disapprove of their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Overly complex building code that makes it difficult for most people to build. Traditional huts, cars, and tents are illegal, classified as substandard and may be removed by government, even though the occupant may own the land. Land owner cannot live on the land cheaply, and so sells the land and becomes homeless.
Foreclosures of homes, including foreclosure of apartment complexes which displaces tenants renting there.
Individuals who prefer homelessness and wish to remain off the grid for political and ideological purposes. Often self-identified as Gutter Punks or Urban Survivalists. The Department of Housing and Urban Development rarely reports on this counter-cultural movement since Gutter Punks and similar individuals often refuse to participate in governmental studies and do not seek governmental assistance for ideological or political purposes.
“In 2013, a Central Florida Commission on Homelessness study indicated that the region spends $31,000 a year per homeless person to cover “salaries of law-enforcement officers to arrest and transport homeless individuals — largely for nonviolent offenses such as trespassing, public intoxication or sleeping in parks — as well as the cost of jail stays, emergency-room visits and hospitalization for medical and psychiatric issues. This did not include “money spent by nonprofit agencies to feed, clothe and sometimes shelter these individuals”. In contrast, the report estimated the cost of permanent supportive housing at “$10,051 per person per year” and concluded that “[housing even half of the region’s chronically homeless population would save taxpayers $149 million during the next decade — even allowing for 10 percent to end up back on the streets again.” This particular study followed 107 long-term-homeless residents living in Orange, Osceola or Seminole Counties. There are similar studies showing large financial savings in Charlotte and Southeastern Colorado from focusing on simply housing the homeless.”
Have manners changed with new technology? Are you a Poor Listener? Check the list to see! Did Robert Fulghum have it right that we learned it all in kindergarten? Are manners about being a good servant or a giver?
In order to display better manners in the workplace, in the fun places and with your own family, please check out the attached posters, articles and Tim McGraw’s song! When we are not irritating each other, then real conversations can begin. ~Sandy
25 Manners Kids Should Know
Helping your child master these simple rules of etiquette will get him noticed — for all the right reasons. By David Lowry, Ph.D. from Parents Magazine
Your child’s rude ‘tude isn’t always intentional. Sometimes kids just don’t realize it’s impolite to interrupt, pick their nose, or loudly observe that the lady walking in front of them has a large behind. And in the hustle and bustle of daily life, busy moms and dads don’t always have the time to focus on etiquette. But if you reinforce these 25 must-do manners, you’ll raise a polite, kind, well-liked child.
Manner #1 – When asking for something, say “Please.”
Manner #2 – When receiving something, say “Thank you.”
Manner #3 – Do not interrupt grown-ups who are speaking with each other unless there is an emergency. They will notice you and respond when they are finished talking.
Manner #4 – If you do need to get somebody’s attention right away, the phrase “excuse me” is the most polite way for you to enter the conversation.
Manner #5 – When you have any doubt about doing something, ask permission first. It can save you from many hours of grief later.
Manner #6 – The world is not interested in what you dislike. Keep negative opinions to yourself, or between you and your friends, and out of earshot of adults.
Manner #7 – Do not comment on other people’s physical characteristics unless, of course, it’s to compliment them, which is always welcome.
Manner #8 – When people ask you how you are, tell them and then ask them how they are.
Manner #9 – When you have spent time at your friend’s house, remember to thank his or her parents for having you over and for the good time you had.
Manner #10 – Knock on closed doors — and wait to see if there’s a response — before entering.
Manner #11 – When you make a phone call, introduce yourself first and then ask if you can speak with the person you are calling.
Manner #12 – Be appreciative and say “thank you” for any gift you receive. In the age of e-mail, a handwritten thank-you note can have a powerful effect.
Manner #13 – Never use foul language in front of adults. Grown-ups already know all those words, and they find them boring and unpleasant.
Manner #14 – Don’t call people mean names.
Manner #15 – Do not make fun of anyone for any reason. Teasing shows others you are weak, and ganging up on someone else is cruel.
Manner #16 – Even if a play or an assembly is boring, sit through it quietly and pretend that you are interested. The performers and presenters are doing their best.
Manner #17 – If you bump into somebody, immediately say “Excuse me.”
Manner #18 – Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and don’t pick your nose in public
Manner #19 – As you walk through a door, look to see if you can hold it open for someone else.
Manner #20 – If you come across a parent, a teacher, or a neighbor working on something, ask if you can help. If they say “yes,” do so — you may learn something new.
Manner #21 – When an adult asks you for a favor, do it without grumbling and with a smile.
Manner #22- When someone helps you, say “thank you.” That person will likely want to help you again. This is especially true with teachers!
Manner #23 – Use eating utensils properly. If you are unsure how to do so, ask your parents to teach you or watch what adults do.
Manner #24 – Keep a napkin on your lap; use it to wipe your mouth when necessary.
Manner #25 – Don’t reach for things at the table; ask to have them passed.
Etiquette Rules For Our Times
Rob Asghar/CONTRIBUTOR TO FORBES
“It is impossible to overlook the extent to which civilization is built upon a renunciation of instinct,” Sigmund Freud said.
There’s always a tension between how much we should follow our instincts and how much we should yield to social conventions. But at times like ours, the tendency is to tilt too far toward our instincts, since the conventions are changing fast and there’s no consensus about them anyway. There’s a risk in that. You don’t know whom you might be offending or how you might be sabotaging your own success.
The original etiquette manuals of Western civilization were in fact success manuals. As author Steven Pinker notes, they taught knights and nobles how to conduct themselves in the court of the king—which is where we get the concepts of “courtly” and “courtesy.”
[See this related post for more on the history of manners, including Pinker’s provocative suggestion that the rise of manners at the dinner table helped bring about a steep decline in violence on the streets.]
I asked some tasteful and civilized friends and colleagues what an updated manual for 2014 would look like. Here are 27 rules to help you, whether at an office lunch, the company gym or the birthday party of your child’s schoolmate.
You’ll notice a common denominator in all of them: Think about other people’s feelings first because it’s not all about maximizing your personal convenience.
1. Texting “Hey, I’m running 20 minutes late” is not as acceptable as making the effort to be on time.
2. If you can’t attend an event that you’re formally invited to, don’t think that not RSVPing is the same as declining. And don’t RSVP at the last minute for an event that involves real planning by the host.
3. Show some decency around the office refrigerator: If you didn’t put the food in, don’t eat it. And take your leftovers home or throw them out before they morph into some radioactive nightmare.
4. Don’t bellow on your cell phone. Just because you can’t hear the other person well doesn’t mean the other person can’t hear you well.
5. Turn off the phone at a dinner party, and be in the moment. You’re annoying at least one person who thinks you have no social skills. At bare minimum, turn off the ringer so you can text and conspire in relative stealth.
6. Remember that if you feel a need to respond immediately to every incoming text, you’ll lose more in the eyes of the person who’s in front of you than you’ll gain from the unseen people who are benefiting from your efficiency.
7. When you get to the front of the line at Starbucks, don’t tell the barista to wait while you wrap up your phone discussion. The barista hates you, and so does everyone behind you. They are hoping the barista spits in your latte.
8. If you come late to an exercise class, don’t think you’re entitled to barge your way to your favorite spot in the front. And don’t block others from weight racks or other equipment—just step back three feet and make everyone happy.
9. Keep personal conversations and arguments off social networking sites. The dramatic airing of grievances is best done through SMS.
10. Moderate your use of cameras and video at events. Enjoy your time with colleagues, friends and family in the present and preserve only a memento for the future, rather than recording the entire thing to “relive” later in some “free” time that you’ll never actually have.
11. Remember how easily e-gossip can be forwarded along to the wrong person.
12. Just because you’re wearing headphones doesn’t mean you can tune out from social courtesies. For example, if you accidentally cross someone’s personal space, apologize graciously.
13. Don’t lend someone a book or item unless they specifically ask for it. They’re probably too busy to ever get around to it. They’ll feel guilty about that, and you’ll be annoyed that they didn’t appreciate it or even get around to returning it.
14. Don’t RSVP for an event, then not show. Now you’re not just being rude, but you’re costing the host money, and you’ve probably kept a lonely soul from being invited as a backup.
15. Don’t be the first or second person to talk on your cell phone in a public space (like a bus or train). If everyone’s doing it, you’re allowed some slack here.
16. Don’t show up at a party empty-handed, unless you’ve been instructed to — and sometimes not even then. Bring wine or dessert or a plant.
17. Use your turn signal at least 50% more than you use your middle finger.
18. Don’t make your dietary requirements everyone else’s dilemma. As one friend reminds me, “People who can eat dairy don’t just keep coconut oil-based butter around.”
19. If your children are invited to a friend’s house to play, they (and you) should also feel invited to help with the cleanup.
20. Don’t break up with someone by text. And don’t announce a death in the family by text. There are still times when phones or face-to-face are the best way to go.
21. Don’t take photos for posting on the People of Walmart page.
22. Don’t discuss sensitive personal issues on Facebook, especially if you’ve friended coworkers.
23. Your dog is cute, but he or she doesn’t have a pass to go anywhere. “I’m a huge dog lover,” says one colleague, “but don’t assume it’s okay to bring along your dog to my house. I can barely stand what my own dogs do to my house … I also don’t like people who bring their animals to Petco. Seriously, do you think your dog likes to shop? It’s just you seeking attention. You probably don’t even need anything at Petco… you’re just there because you can bring your dog in, and you think it’s cool to bring a dog out in public. Dogs don’t shop. They would rather be sniffing the pee on that trashcan outside by the front door than walking on slippery retail flooring.”
24. Double-check that your headphones are plugged-in before streaming your favorite Spotify station.
25. Don’t say, “I’m having a party. Bring your own food and drink.” That’s not a party.
26. If you’ve been invited to an event, be reluctant to ask for an upper ceiling on how many friends and relatives you can bring.
27. And finally, all the classics still apply. One working mother offers a quick review here:
Chew with your mouth closed; don’t talk with food in your mouth; keep your elbows off of the table while eating; wash your hands after going to the restroom. My children know better—so why do I see adults exhibiting such poor behavior? If you bump into someone, say excuse me. Don’t reach across someone’s face. Don’t board a plane when they’re loading group A and you are in group D. Don’t stay behind the crosswalk when you are making a left turn and thus prevent anyone else behind you from turning. Don’t let your kids act like wild monkeys in a restaurant. Don’t touch someone’s belly when she’s pregnant–or even when she isn’t. Don’t leave cupboard doors and drawers open—someone can get hurt. And don’t pull up to the exit gate in a parking lot without your ticket handy.”
That may seem like a lot, and to some it may seem like an uptight way to live. But just remember the basic success principle underlying all manners: Think about other people’s feelings first because it’s still not all about you.
31 ETIQUETTE RULES ALL MEN SHOULD FOLLOW – BY JACK ARCHER
Part of being both charming and just a good human being is having the right set of manners. Here’s a few reminders…
1.) Never push someone into a pool or off the dock.
2.) When going out to eat, always offer the seat that has the better view.
3.) If someone asks you for the salt or pepper, always hand them both.
4.) If you’re staying with a friend, never wake up after them.
5.) As a dinner guest, never salt your food before you taste it.
6.) Never get more drunk than the hosts of the party.
7.) Meet your date at your door, not in your car.
8.) At a sporting event, don’t take your seat in the middle of play.
9.) When a lady comes back from the bathroom while out to eat, stand up until she takes her seat. Tom Ford approves of this one.
10.) Never wear sunglasses inside unless you’re Jack Nicholson.
11.) Hold the door open for a woman. It’s old fashioned, sure, but classy.
12.) Always stand when shaking someones hand.
13.) When meeting someone for the first time, never fist-pound.
14.) In a crowded area, never take a seat. Let someone have it who needs it more.
15.) Write hand-written thank you notes after receiving gifts.
16.) Always bring something for the host, even if it’s just a bottle of wine or a 12-pack.
17.) Celebrate with grace, but don’t “humblebrag.”
18.) Place your knife and fork in the 4:20 (clock) position when you’re finished eating. That lets the host or server know you’re finished.
19.) Never check texts, emails, or Instagram when dining with someone.
20.) When introducing someone at work, always introduce the person with higher “rank” first. “Mr. CEO, this is Mark from marketing.”
21.) If you use the last of something, always replace it. Last cup of coffee, toilet paper, etc.
22.) When on speakerphone in a public area, always let the person you’re chatting with know that you are on speakerphone.
23.) When staying with someone, make your bed each morning.
24.) Never say something through the internet that you wouldn’t say to someones face.
25.) Never “one-up” a conversation.
26.) When telling a story, keep it short and sweet.
27.) Don’t give an opinion on a book or movie unless you’ve seen or read it.
28.) Check in with old friends regularly.
29.) Be liberal with your group texts.
30.) When borrowing a car from a friend, always return it with a full tank of gas.
31.) Whether you’re driving with a guest or in the passenger seat, never stay on the phone for longer than a minute. It’s rude to the other person who can’t listen to music and has to hear one-half of a conversation.
As a student that has worked your way through your high school diploma, do you wonder what is next? Did you look into colleges and feel you weren’t quite ready? Did you look at Trade Schools and wonder what trade am I really intrigued by? Did you think you were done with school forever and then realize that your parents won’t let you hang out on the couch watching tv or playing games, eat out of their refrigerator or prepare food for you the rest of your life? Maybe it’s time to consider a GAP YEAR.
What IS a gap year? It is a British term referring to a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education.
If that sounds like a great plan for you, look further into this article of all the possibilities. ~ Sandy
The USA Gap Year Fairs profile a broad range of Gap Year programs.
All the programs listed below are Keystone Programs; that is, they are registered to participate in the majority of our fairs across the country.
Below you will find a profile of each Gap Year program and a link to its full website. If there is a specific program you are interested in or a question you have regarding these programs, please feel free to contact them directly!
Dynamy Internship Year is the oldest and only residential internship program in the country. Our mission is to offer young people, ages 17-22, a transformational gap year (or semester) opportunity. Located in Worceste…
Thinking Beyond Borders’ gap year programs are specifically designed for students who are passionate about learning and are eager to create meaningful social change in the world. We combine deep cultural immersion, worki…
API Abroad is dedicated to providing comprehensive gap year and gap semester programs in Argentina, Chile, France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. API’s language and cultural immersion programs provide students with oppo…
Students from the USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia and more all come together as a Gapforce team to share their adventure. Over 15,000 global students have all participated on our professionally led gap year and study …
Venture Semester provides young adults with life-changing experiences in food, farming and leadership in the Green Mountains of Vermont. As a program of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, corps members live, lea…
Over one million students in the U.S. have benefited from Outward Bound’s unparalleled approach to “learning by doing.” Outward Bound in the U.S. traces its roots to 1962 when courses were developed to prepare young peop…
Expand your horizons through immersive service-based experiences with Cross-Cultural Solutions. With CCS, the possibilities are endless. We operate year-round in 10 exciting destinations across Africa, Asia, and Latin …
The Experiment in International Living provides summer abroad programs for high school students who want to connect deeply and engage meaningfully with the richness and complexities of another country. Participants explo…
Invest in your dreams on the ultimate study abroad experience. Achieve fluency, see the world, expand your international network – and launch your global future. Study for 6, 9 or 11 months and start in April, June, Se…
The Academy at Watkinson offers a pre-college year designed by YOU. While strengthening your transcript at a historic preparatory school, you can participate in intriguing internships, travel opportunities to amazing pla…
Carpe Diem programs are designed to safely challenge every student. Through service, travel, community and cultural exchange – our students receive a unique and personal insight into themselves and the cultures they live…
YFU advances intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and social responsibility through educational exchanges for youth, families and communities. The global YFU network, consisting of partners in more than 60 dif…
Since 1997, Youth International has been providing many people with the most exciting, fulfilling and educational experience of their life. Youth International is an experiential learning program that combines rugged int…
Summit Adventure is a nonprofit organization that uses experiential education, adventure, service and cross-cultural immersion as tools to move individuals and groups out of their comfort zone and into more reliance on G…
RIDGE Mountain Academy is a campus-based gap year enrichment program that revolves around mountain sports. Located in Whitefish, Montana, RIDGE is designed for male and female student athletes ages 17 to 20 that are inte…
Sea|mester offers a range of unique gap-year adventures where our students live full-time aboard either S/Y Ocean Star or S/Y Argo sailing from island to island, country to country or continent to continent in any number…
If you’re passionate about music – if you can’t wait to get home from school so that you can practice, if the highlight of your week is an orchestra rehearsal, if you scour the web for recordings or videos of your …
LEAPNOW runs LEAPYEAR, the only gap year program that is a full academic year in length, focuses equally on international travel and your inner journey and features a fully integrated and accredited year of college and r…
Visitoz – visit Australia – is the only organisation in Australia that guarantees jobs for young people coming to our country on a Work and Holiday Visa. The visa is for people between the ages of 18 and 30, but most pa…
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ARCC Programs has been offering programs for young adults since 1983. ARCC Gap Semester programs are an opportunity to live and learn in some of the greatest classrooms on earth. Our Semester programs take students on a …
Imagine studying Buddhism in the temples of Angkor Wat, examining communism in the Silk Market of Beijing, or observing efforts in ecological sustainability while scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef. Learning about th…
Founded in 1980, the Center for Interim Programs is the first independent gap-year counseling organization in the United States. For 35 years, Interim has been developing an extensive database of vetted programs and plac…
AMIGOS offers Gap Year and Gap Semester opportunities in Nicaragua, Colombia, and Brazil with the goal of empowering youth leaders and promoting community development throughout the Americas. Gap volunteers intern wit…
An overseas volunteer or internship placement is a great way to get experience of working in a team and overcoming challenges while having a great time in a beautiful location. You can also earn qualifications includin…
The HMI Gap is a semester of rock climbing, exploration, and conservation in the rugged American West and wild Patagonia.HMI Gap is for 18-22 year olds looking to discover more about the world and themselves through out…
Every program delivers a unique and varied experience. In all our program, you’ll get to travel to different locations and work on a range of different projects. One week you could be teaching local kids whilst livi…
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In the days before the world had been fully charted, mapmakers would draw dragons to represent lands that were still unknown. Bold explorers who ventured beyond the map’s edge were said to go “where there be dragons….
For nearly 50 years, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has been the leader in wilderness education. More than 221,000 students have learned and mastered outdoor skills, developed leadership, and studied envir…
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TREK is a working Christian gap program designed for 18 to 24 year olds seeking personal and spiritual growth while working in a seasonal job at Snow Mountain Ranch. The 2016-2017 TREK @Snow Mountain Ranch (TREK @SMR) w…
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How innovative to start your own university? Schools need to have open enrollment to raise the competition and I have seen it work in Oro Valley, Arizona. Tenure needs to dissolve or go back to “ten years”. To become an administrator, I beleive a teacher needs to have taught in a classroom for at least 10 years. Teachers need better pay to compare to other 5 year degrees and get paid much better for overtime and coaching. Common Core needs to be fully explained out to the public in terms everyone understands – math seems to be the most confusing. Spelling is definitely an issue today as technology-users depend on spell check. Getting the writing flow without worrying about spelling should not be an issue if students learn to go back and rewrite drafts. This is my opinion about education. ~Sandy
Republican presidential hopeful and celebrity billionaire Donald Trump has expressed his views on the Iraq War, the economy and immigration policy, but he hasn’t waded far into education policy. Although some of Trump’s statements have been fairly moderate or favorable to liberals, such as saying he opposes cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security and pointing out that a single-payer health care system works well in Canada and Scotland, Trump views on education fall in line with most of the Republican field. He supports school choice, opposes Common Core and is likely in favor of for-profit colleges.
Attacking Common Core Standards
He recently criticized two of his Republican opponents, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), for their positions on Common Core. Like most of the Republican field, with the exception of Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Bush, Trump has characterized Common Core as federal overreach. The standards were created by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers and states were not forced to adopt them.
Trump said of Bush’s support of Common Core standards on Fox’s On The Record, “I watched Jeb Bush … I think it’s pathetic what’s going on, his stance on Common Core … He’s in favor of Washington educating your children.”
Trump also pointed out Walker once supported Common Core and changed his position. Walker, like Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee (R), has been inconsistent in his position on Common Core and supported it before he came out against it.
Relaxing Regulations On For-Profit Colleges?
Trump started his own online for-profit college, Trump University, in 2005. It never received accreditation, but it also never attempted to get accreditation, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition to the website, Trump University sold CDs and DVDs but it did not offer degrees. The New York State Department of Education asked that it stop calling itself a university and shortly after it changed its name to Trump Entrepreneur Initiative. In 2013, the New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued the company, saying it misrepresented its classes. The legal battles continue, since a class action suit has been brought against the company by a student who spent $36,000 plus on Trump’s investing tips.
For-profit colleges have been in the news recently after falling attendance rates and increased federal scrutiny have made it more difficult for some for-profit colleges to operate.
Corinthian Colleges shut down all of its remaining campuses after the U.S. Department of Education found that it misrepresented job placement data. Education Management Corporation or EDMC, announced it would gradually shut down 15 of 52 campuses of The Art Institutes, leaving 5,400 students without a college. It recently delisted its common stock from Nasdaq after the Securities and Exchange Commission said it was not in compliance with SEC rules.
Although Trump hasn’t discussed for-profit colleges in terms of policy, as someone who once ran a for-profit college, he may be in favor of some of the measures Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) and Christie have suggested to support the growth of for-profit colleges, such as loosening rules on accreditation. Many of the candidates have ties to the for-profit college industry, but Trump is the only candidate who actually ran one — although it was never accredited as an actual university.
Cutting The U.S. Department Of Education ‘Way, Way, Way Down’
A popular political stance for Republicans in recent years has been to suggest eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) have said the department wasn’t worth keeping. In comparison, Trump’s position seems tame. He only wants to cut the department “way, way, way down.” He has not provided specifics on how much funding should be cut from the department, which administers Pell grants, provides overnight to the states to check on inequality of education between low-income and wealthy districts and is responsible for keeping national education data.
School Choice And Teachers Unions
In his 2000 book, The America We Deserve Trump supported vouchers and charter schools. In the same book, he also took a shot at teachers unions, and compared them to monopolies:
Defenders of the status quo insist that parental choice means the end of public schools. Let’s look at the facts. Right now, nine of ten children attend public schools. … When teachers’ unions say even the most minuscule program allowing school choice is a mortal threat, they’re saying: If we aren’t allowed to keep 90% of the market, we can’t survive.
In the book, Trump opposes what calls the “dumbing down” of school and blames things such as “creative spelling” and “empowerment,” saying he wants schools to challenge students and allow them to make mistakes. Creative spelling, or inventive spelling, is a pedagogical concept that allows children to spell their words in the way they speak them and then move on to learning how those words are typically spelled in the English language. Those who favor it argue that it fosters self esteem while the child is still learning, that knowledge is formed through our social and cultural context and that students who use inventive spelling may be more creative writers, while those who oppose it say it delays understanding of conventional spelling and requires more of a teacher’s time.
There are only Eight Mathematical Practice Standards. EASY, right? Below I have found 4 different ways to post it on your walls to help students. Don’t forget to check out reference pages at the bottom. Don’t get caught up in all the strange things you see online or in textbooks. Remember the goal is to be able to USE mathematics to make sense out of life. We want students to start to automate their brains to go through these steps. Let’s make math easier for all! ~Sandy
Common Core mathematics is a way to approach teaching so that students develop a mathematical mindset and see math in the world around them. We are making problem-solvers. No matter what your objectives, textbook, or grade level, the eight mathematical practice standards are a guide to good math instruction. Here they are in plain English with suggestions for incorporating them into your everyday math class.
As a teacher, I never depended on tenure. I didn’t need tenure. I was a hard working, organized, and productive member of many school staffs. When I hear teachers concerned about losing tenure, I wonder what they are doing to cause them to be concerned about losing their teaching position. Adminstators don’t have tenure. County Office Educational employees don’t have tenure. State and Federal Educational positions don’t have tenure. Educational careers depend on good educators on the team. The PIE team doesn’t worry about tenure because they are making a difference for students not hiding behind closed doors. Dead weight creates a problem for students, parents, coworkers and districts. Get rid of tenure and work for the sake of all stakeholders! ~Sandy
Teachers who can’t teach.
Ending tenure would rid classrooms of incompetents
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Anew study in the New England Journal of Medicine has a surprising conclusion. It finds that over the past decade, 1 percent of physicians accounted for 32 percent of malpractice claims. In other words, health care providers could eliminate one-third of malpractice and its associated health, legal and economic costs by removing the worst 1 percent of doctors.
It’s called the “law of the vital few” — better known as the 80/20 rule. It states that a disproportionate impact comes from a small input. Eighty-four percent of total income tax payments, for instance, are paid by 20 percent of earners. And more than two-thirds of all drunken-driving fatalities are caused by the tiny fraction of drivers with at least a 0.15 blood-alcohol level (the hard-core drunk drivers).
Perhaps nowhere is this rule more apparent than in the U.S. education system. Education economist Erik Hanushek has found that a small percentage of teachers are responsible for virtually all of the United States’ poor global education ranking. (U.S. students score worse on international tests than students from countries like Vietnam, Poland and Latvia.)
According to Mr. Hanushek, replacing the bottom 5-8 percent of teachers with average teachers could move the United States near the top of international education rankings. A 2013 study by a different group of researchers found that replacing the bottom 5 percent of teachers with average teachers would increases students’ lifetime income by approximately $250,000 per classroom per year. Getting rid of the worst teachers would improve productivity and economic output by trillions of dollars, says Mr. Hanushek.
Subpar teachers are complicit in poor student performance. According to the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress, one-quarter of eighth grade students do not have basic reading skills, and two-thirds don’t have “proficient” reading skills. About one-third of high school graduates who try to enlist in the armed forces are rejected for insufficient reading or basic math abilities.
Unskilled people have few employment prospects. As a result, there is currently a youth unemployment crisis in this country. The youth unemployment rate is more than triple the overall one and is much higher than that in certain parts of the country. In Washington D.C., whose schools are notoriously bad, the current youth unemployment rate is 30 percent.
The value of early-career work experience is well covered. Thomas Mroz of the University of North Carolina and Tim Savage of Welch Consulting find that someone who is jobless for just six months at the age of 22 will earn 8 percent less at 23 than someone without an employment gap. Economists at the University of Bristol found that men who were jobless in their youth earn 13 percent to 21 percent less at age 42 than their employed counterparts.
On the flip side, Christopher Ruhm of the University of Virginia and Charles Baum of Middle Tennessee State University conclude that those with early-career work experience — even a part-time or summer job — earn about 10 percent more per hour throughout their careers than those without such experience.
It’s said that there are three ways people leave a job: some quit, others are fired, and some quit and stay. It is this last group that is most troublesome in any workplace. To solve this youth unemployment crisis and its associated ramifications, teachers who quit and stay must be fired.
But it’s easier said than done. Militant teachers unions like the American Federation of Teachers led by Randi Weingarten make it virtually impossible to fire the worst teachers. Less than 0.1 percent of teachers are fired each year in major districts nationwide. As a colleague of hers once said, “Randi Weingarten would protect a dead body in the classroom. That’s her job.”
The single most effective reform to make it easier to fire ineffective teachers is ending tenure, which virtually guarantees teachers jobs for life after as little as two years in the classroom. “Teacher tenure, and the related onerous and costly requirements for dismissing an ineffective teacher,” says Mr. Hanushek, “have evolved into a system that almost completely insulates teachers from review, evaluation, or personnel decisions that would threaten their lifetime employment.”
The concept of tenure for grade school teachers is taken from the university system, which needs to protect professors who promote nontraditional theories and views in courses like religion and political theory. But there is no justification for this level of employment protection for people who teach junior high algebra or geography.
The end of teacher tenure is overdue. Doctors, lawyers and first responders are all accountable for results and failures. Why do grade school teachers get a pass? The sorry state of our schools and the reasons for it should be a 2016 campaign issue.
• Richard Berman is president of Berman and Co., a Washington public affairs firm.
