SensoryEdge Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Blog


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Value-Added Method of Teaching: Is it the Solution?

Not many dispute the fact that the education system in the United States is flawed. Teaching is a hard job and the pay is not that great. However many blame the powerful teachers unions for allowing poor teachers to keep their job and benefits while younger more eager teachers get put down for thinking of new methods to improve student performance.

There is no "right" answer to solve the multitude of issues surrounding education. However the U.S. should not lag behind any other country in education considering the fact that when Americans put their minds to it, we can be among the best in any area. We have the money, we have the resources, we have the best colleges with the brightest minds and think tanks to figure out the issues and advise about best practices.

There is no doubt we'll get it right eventually but there will be many battles, bruised egos, and law suits before the majority is happy with pre-k to 12 education.

There are two interesting articles in the October 18th Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times from writers Jason Song and Jason Felch. The articles discuss the Value-Added method of teaching. The writers explain that the value added approach attempts to level the playing field by focusing on growth rather than achievement. Using statistics, it tracks students improvement year to year, and uses that progress to estimate the effectiveness of teachers, principals, and schools.

The value-added method also challenges the following assumptions:
  • all teachers are equal
  • more money, more learning
  • teachers can't overcome a student's background
  • class size is key
  • bad teachers tend to teach in poor schools
  • teacher experience matters
  • teacher education matters
  • teacher credentials matter

If you're an educator or parent who has an opinion about the value-added method, please read the article and let us know your thoughts. The articles are located at
  • http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-myths18-2009oct18,0,4278154.story
  • and http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teacher-eval18-2009oct18,0,4471467.story

Labels: , ,


posted by SensoryEdge    0 commentsAddThis Social Bookmark Button





Monday, August 04, 2008

Exercising Our Children


Lately, the percentage of overweight children is on the rise. With the newest developments of video games, television programs and such, children are not getting as much exercise as they need. Their diets are consisting of more "junk" food because it is easier to grab while on the go. Yet, the question of how much exercise does your child need still remains. As well as, what does exercise consist of?

When you think of exercise, you probably picture yourself at the gym standing next to a beefy trainer who has you tuning in with muscles you haven't felt since high school. But unless you are bodybuilding your three year old, there is no need for a Hulk of a trainer to whip your baby in to shape. You can take the role of "trainer" yourself and make sure your child is getting the exercise they need. While focusing on endurance, strength, and flexibility, you can easily insure that your youngster is being provided with optimal exercise. At the playground, you see those three elements of fitness everywhere. Your children are playing Tag; you see an example of endurance. Crossing the monkey bars would utilize their strength, and simply bending down to tie their shoes is flexibility.

Daily exercise is crucial. But how much should they get a day? Well, for infants, you just need to focus on their motor development. Toddlers, however, need at least an hour and a half. This does not mean that you need to construct an exercise program, though you could. Preschoolers need about two hours and school children need at least an hour plus. Have new activities for them every day; such as riding a bicycle, playing basketball, soccer, etc. Or just run them around the jungle gym at a playground or take them swimming.

Lets make more than an effort. Make it part of your families daily lives to exercise and eat well balanced diets. Your children will be healthier for it; now what is the harm in that?

Labels: , ,


posted by SensoryEdge    0 commentsAddThis Social Bookmark Button





Sunday, July 06, 2008

Individualized Education Plans

If your child is struggling in school, you may request or be advised to start the process of an Individualized Education Plans (IEP). An IEP is held if a child is deemed to need additional help due to a learning disability or disorder such as Autism that may impair a childs physical ability, social interaction or communication skills.

This process can be scary for caretakers if they do not know the system or are not prepared to ask for the proper services their child may need. We have written an article about the IEP process that will guide you in this process. Remember, education is a business and unless you are ready to battle, you'll probably come up short in your fight to get the proper services. However, if you're prepared with knowledge or hire an advocate you stand a good chance of sucessfully navigating the system.

Labels: , , ,


posted by SensoryEdge    0 commentsAddThis Social Bookmark Button





Monday, June 23, 2008

Flipping for Phonics


Reading unlocks new worlds to children. They're able to learn on their own and discover the wonders of the written word. Some kids need an extra boost when it comes to reading. Phonics is an instructional method for teaching children to read in English. They learn to connect sounds with letters or groups of letters and then blend the sounds together to produce approximate pronunciations of unknown words.

We recently came across a phonics course that looked really fun and interactive for kids that might shy away from reading. The Hands on Phonics Method Flipping For Phonics has been an instant success and is recommended by educators as the MUST HAVE educational tool. Nova Southeastern University Parent resource centers recommends these products for early readers. This patented flip book is the only one of its kind on the market with 6 columns of letters allowing children to make up to 6 letter words. Flipping For Phonics is self contained easy to use, and child friendly.

Carefully chosen real life pictures represent pure phonetic sounds. This educational tool is used in public, charter and private schools, as well as at home use.
Two other products offered at www.flippingforphonics are a story book featuring 6 delightful word family stories and a musical CD. Recommended for children ages 2 - 7 however really like the fact that Flipping for Phonics can also be used for children with special needs, older children who didn't get a proper reading foundation, or adults who have a reading disability. The kinetic hands-on approach reinforces learning and makes learning to read fun and easy. Flipping for Phonics makes learning FUN and EASY.

In this example we built words with 'ending sounds' by flipping to the letters 'at' and changing the first letter only to make the words: 'bat', 'cat', 'mat' etc. You can just as easily build words with 'beginning sounds' instead and just change the last letter like: 'ba' - bad, bag, bam, ban. You could also keep the same first letter and last letter changing only the vowel like: 'bad', 'bed', 'bid', 'bud'.

The wonderful thing about Flipping for Phonics® is that it can be adapted to be used with whatever reading program you are currently using! In other words, you can:

Labels: , ,


posted by SensoryEdge    0 commentsAddThis Social Bookmark Button






Have a question? Our phone number is 800 734 8019 Fax 818 716 5376
.

Get an Instant 5% off Coupon emailed to you by joining our Newsletter.
Your First Name:

Your E-Mail Address:

Previous Articles
Budget Friendly Toys that Last

Winter Vacation from School: Know What?

Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids

Pretend Play in the Classroom

Make Thanksgiving More Enjoyable for Kids

As your kids get older you may find yourself bein...

Crossing the Midline: Bilateral Coordination

A Trip to the Doctor Can be Fun!

Fun Uses for Personalized Toys and Accessories

How To Avoid a Christmas Catastrophe: Batteries!

Syndication





Article Archives

Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Website