An Invisible Population - Deaf People There is an invisible population in the Greater Philadelphia region-- 400,000 deaf people, 90% of them surrounded by hearing families.
The Labor Market Has Changed With the labor market demanding a higher education, there is a move on to help first-in-family college students stay in school.
Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught? The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has provided $60 million in grants to more than 200 colleges promoting entrepreneurship.
Women in the Olympics Now we take women's participation for granted; but that hasn't always been so and there's still a good deal of inequity in womens' sports compared to mens'.
All That Jazz When most of us think of the world of jazz, we think of New York or Chicago. But jazz musicians will tell you that the University of North Texas is a jazz mecca.
Getting Boys to Read To get more boys to read, publishers are printing gross and gory books for the elusive boys market.
Uneasiness for Undocumented College Students Illegal immigrants can get a K-12 education in the states but access to college is not guaranteed and no education status changes their citizenship status.
Philadelphia's Civil War Museum The Civil War Museum in Philadelphia is temporarily closed but it houses a collection of memorabilia and the personal belongings of many soldiers who saw battle.
Helping the Working Poor There is consideration being given to a change in national policy that would require all working Americans to receive paid sick days.
Sharing College Exams on the Web There are a number of websites that post old college exams for students to reference. Is this cheating? It depends on whom you ask.
Tapping America's Soccer Talent The US has four million registered youth soccer players and European teams looking for talent have established formal ties with some US clubs.
An Unorthodox Approach to Becoming a Lawyer An unorthodox program at Franklin Pearce Law Center in New Hampshire prepares future lawyers with a non-traditional, hands on approach.
Rise in Teen Pregnancy The National Institutes for Health have just issued data reporting that for the first time in 15 years, there's been a rise in teen pregnancies.
Teaching Kids Independence More than 100 years after opening the Casa dei Bambini, the Children's House in Rome, Maria Montessori's methods of educating children still have currency.
Redefining Retirement Research indicates that 50% of those between 50 and 70 want to work. They want to be trained for encore careers and they want some income.
The High Costs of College Texts Kids in college these days who have to deal with high tuition and other big expenses are being hit with yet another financial burden.
Calling All Women A campaign by the PA Commission for Women is aimed at engaging women voters by telling them that their ballots can stimulate widespread change.
Can Small Colleges Afford Large Athletic Facilities? Presidents who have built their schools' reputations on scholarship worry whether their new multi-million dollar athletic facilities will detract from academics.
Different Formats for Books Some parents worry when their kids read only comics but for emerging readers, the graphic format makes sense. Some adults enjoy 'comics' too.
Performance Based Graduation Assessment This spring, all Rhode Island's high school graduates became the first in the nation to face mandated performance-based assessments as a requirement for earning a diploma.
Pain at the Pump for School Buses As school administrators finalize their budgets for next year, they're projecting rising costs for diesel, which fuels the buses and that means less money elsewhere.
Americans Still Concerned About Education While the cost of gas and job losses are what Americans are most upset about, a new survey suggests they still care about education.
Toning Down Middle School Graduation Ceremonies In an effort to discourage dropouts, administrators want kids not to think of 'finality' when 'graduating' from middle school, but rather the transition to high school.
Graduation Yearbooks If someone in your graduating class becomes famous, that high school or college yearbook may turn out to be valuable.
Paycheck or Service? More colleges are offering financial incentives and support for graduates who choose public service over big business.
Time-Off for Democracy One reason the US lags behind other countries in the number of people who vote is because many who want to, just can't get to the polls. This proposal may help.
Helping Young People Choose Careers NOW WHAT?, subtitled The Young Person’s Guide To Choosing A Career, is a welcome addition to the career- choice field.
Studying and Working Abroad The numbers of college graduates and students both studying and working abroad has increased by large numbers in the past few years.
Sex Abuse Prevention In South Carolina, 10,000 teachers, counselors, nurses and school administrators are being trained this summer to prevent sex abuse and recognize warning signs.
Record School Enrollment School districts nationwide now are preparing for next year's enrollment, and the numbers are expected to set a record of 50 million students.
Vacations Are Good for You It's recently been reported that about a third of employed Americans don't take all their vacation time. Research suggests their health may be at greater risk as a result.
Westpoint's War of Words There's controversy brewing at Westpoint over changing the words to "Alma Mater" and "The Corps", two songs song by cadets for almost one hundred years.
Big Words for Young Kids More fortunate kids hear more complicated words at home and this helps them to develop a stronger vocabulary, so critical to reading.
ReShaping 9th Grade More kids fail 9th grade than any other year, discipline and absentee rates are high and the dropout rate soars between 9th and 10th grade so, one educator is proposing some solutions.
Summer Reading In keeping with the summer reading season, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are all programming 'Catch the Reading Bug' for kids preschool to 6th grade.
Troubled College Students Nationally the suicide rate for college students has remained constant; however, several murder-suicides last year have heightened awareness of troubled kids on campuses.
Preschoolers Learn Math Through Board Games According to an article in Education Week, researchers are finding that board games are more than just fun, especially for kids from families with low incomes.
A 6th Grader Inspires Legislation A bill has been introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that will surely save lives--all because of a persuasive essay by a 6th grader more than two years ago.
A Showcase for Single Sex Education When a junior high principal had no money to spend on boosting test scores and dealing with severe discipline problems,she split the boys and girls into separate classrooms.
Colleges with No Tuition Kids who have little support either from their schools or families may have given up on the idea of enrolling in college. However, that shouldn't be the case.
Celebrating Those Who Fought in Wars The origins of Memorial Day are not clear. Originally called Decoration Day, more than twenty towns take claim as its birthplace.
A Look at Older Americans With advances in health care and science, older people are enjoying life in their 80s and even 90s and a recent survey suggests they are planning to work, and study into their older years.
Training Opportunities in Horticulture Those who never completed high school or who have a diploma yet have a hard time finding work, have a wonderful opportunity at Awbury Arboretum.
The Need for Civics Education Sandra Day O’Connor, recently retired Justice from the US Supreme Court, believing that 'Whatever adults learned in school didn't seem to stick,' will make civics education her primary focus.
When Should Education Start? Chicago has become a national proving ground for schooling during the first three years of a child's life.
Ensuring Kids Better Vision Poor vision affects tens of thousands of kids, handicapping them from doing well academically. FocusFirst can help.
If At First You Don't Succeed... The title of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal caught my attention 'If at First you don't Succeed, You're in Excellent Company'.
Arts in Public Education The Philadelphia public schools once had thriving arts programs; but in 2006, 67 of its 269 schools reportedly had no full-time music teacher and 55 had no art teacher.
Student Loan Relief Tufts University has just announced a new program, the first in the nation that will help students who go into public service after graduation pay off their student loans.
Future for Foster Kids Foster kids don't have the same advantage as the majority of kids who live with or depend upon their parents into adulthood. Foster kids are on their own at 18.
A Threat to Home Schooling Based on a 50-year-old law, a California appeals court has just ruled that parents in that state have no right to teach their kids at home.
Budget Share for Kids While overall spending on children's issues has increased 1.4% in the federal budget, over the past five years, in real terms, children have lost ground.
Arts Improve Academics How do you convince decision makers that such activities in the arts are important? Research!
Education Beats Incarceration Study after study shows that investment in education improves school performance and graduation rates and can reduce incarceration and health care costs.
Tech Companies with a Social Mission In the tech world, there are a growing number of 'hybrid' organizations, social enterprises generating revenue so that non profits need not rely on philanthropists.
Paying for Study Abroad Many colleges are fiancially challenged by study abroad programs because a school's fixed costs do not go down when students leave for a semester.
Tracking High School Dropouts and Graduates Given the variety, and at times conflicting ways in which to report high school dropout/graduation rates, the Secretary of Education is calling for states to use one federal formula for calculations.
Ballet in Baghdad An incredible story in the Los Angeles Times cites an oasis in a city of bloodshed where the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet has never closed and never stopped performances.
South Korea Internationally Just an hour or so outside South Korea's capitol, what was once a flatland of rice paddies and scrawny trees is evolving into an international hub for higher education.
Kids Talk About the Achievement Gap The achievement gap refers to the difference in academic achievement between ethnic groups--a problem that has confounded educators for 50 years.
Education as a National Priority Twenty-five years ago this month, the report, 'A Nation at Risk' shocked the public, calling our educational performance mediocre. Some still believe this to be true.
Urban Boarding Schools Looking for ways to help kids from low income families and those who are troubled, the Chicago public schools are planning urban boarding schools.
Income Tax Isn't New With tax day fast approaching, here's an 'income' tax history lesson.
Completing College In Philadelphia, it's estimated that there are more than 70,000 adults who started, but never completed college. Now there's help.
Getting Accepted to Elite Colleges A former admissions counselor at Dartmouth College, Joie Jager-Hyman, has written a book, just in time for the mailing of letters of acceptance or rejection.
Naming Famous Americans A recent poll of high school students asked them to name ten famous Americans, without naming presidents. They were asked to include five women who were not presidents’ wives.
Online Tutoring Looking at the busy lives of kids today, a brooklyn husband and wife decided to develop an online tutoring service, reasonably priced, with one-to-one instruction.
Comparing the U.S. to Other Nations I was surprised to learn, recently, that we're not as much of a movie-going nation as I imagined. But that is not the only category in which we fall short.
Celebrating Women Each March the nation celebrates Women’s History Month and each year it’s good to take stock.
Say Yes to Recess Vicky Schippers, the mother of five and the grandmother of four, in an article in Education Week, wonders 'what happened to recess?'
One Book, One Philadelphia This year's selection for One Book, One Philadelphia, What is the What, is - in my thinking - the best choice yet.
Volunteers Valued As California moves to organize and establish a corps of volunteers to help in the event of a disaster, we are reminded of the importance of having a well-organized team, should the need arise.
Engaging Young Voters According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the most effective way to get a new voter is a knock on the door by a peer.
Greening Communities The Urban Tree Connection assists blighted neighborhoods by transforming vacant lots into safe and functional places where neighbors can interact.
Microtrends: What's Happening in Society In Microtrends, a well known pollster, along with his co-author, draws a sometimes amusing and sometimes sad picture of society as most of us know it.
Record School Enrollment Each year since 1997, the nation has reportedly been breaking records in pre-K-12 enrollment.
Children in Poverty Although the national poverty rate for children declined in the 90s, it grew by more than 11% from 2000 to 2005 and 1.3 million more kids came into poverty.
Chess for Success If, as some experts believe, chess teaches strategy and helps players to predict a competitor's next move, it should become a part of higher education for future psychologists, businessmen and politicians.
Faculty Plagiarism Most colleges and universities bring up the issue of plagiarism at or even before freshman orientation. But a new report suggests faculty members must also be kept in check.
Extending School Days With pressure for kids to achieve better and focus on reading and math, many schools have added hours to the school day.
Dealing with 'Spin' According to a new book by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, 'spin' is polite for deception.
Creating Video Games - A Good Teaching Tool Some high school students are learning video-game design and many teachers believe such programming should be part of the curriculum.
Effects of Teacher Absenteeism A new study suggests teacher absenteeism may be a contributing factor for low achieving kids.
Teaching About Genocide More than 30 states have policies that direct schools to include teaching about genocide as part of the curriculum.
The 2007 Word of the Year The American Dialect Society has once again chosen its 'word of the year'.
A Call for Leadership Forty years after his death, there is need for a leader like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to point to what is wrong with our society and encourage civility rather than violent behavior.
Study Abroad After a few years of declining numbers, international study has revived.
Financial Aid for College Many kids not planning to go to college usually say that they can't afford it but some of the financial aid available may surprise you.
Ninth Grade Nation 'Ninth Grade Nation' is a program being implemented in Pittsburgh to try to reduce the number of high school dropouts.
Peer Project for Safe Driving In New Jersey there is reportely a high school program developed by students to educate sophomores, who are likely to be applying for learners' permits.
A New Year - 2008 It's hard to believe that it's 2008 but here we are, eight years later, with new prospects for the year ahead, the most important of which is the election of a president.
Looking Back At Achievements - 2007 The end of the year is a good time to reflect on some of the positive things that have happened and there have been many.
Odd News About Lead With the dangers of lead once again making headlines, it is nice to know Philadelphia has been protecting its children for years.
A Year of Giving It's not only the season of giving, it is apparently the year of giving as well with Americans donating almost $300 billion to charitable causes.
YOUTHadelphia Doing Good Funded by contributions from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies, YOUTHadelphia is an advisory board of young people engaging in philanthropy with the purpose of providing grants to youth-led initiatives.
Classrooms Are Virtually Anywhere Last fall, there were nearly 3.5 million college or graduate students who took at least one online course, and the trend is expected to grow rapidly.
Helping Kids Be Healthy Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious health epidemic but 'Health eTools for Schools' may help.
Teachers' Perceptions of Shorter Boys There have been many studies of how physical appearance affects how kids are perceived by teachers. A recent study shows shorter boys may be getting short-changed.
Helping Prisoners Re-Enter In 1787, an organization was founded to help prisoners. Two-hundred-twenty years later the Pennsylvania Prison Society is still working with even more to do.
University/Community Partnerships Most universities in urban areas feel a real commitment to their neighborhoods. Locally, Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania are good examples.
The Well-Being of Philadelphia's Kids A 'Community Report Card' indicates the advances or setbacks facing Philadelphia's kids depends on where they live.
Paying Teachers for Performance Whether it's called pay-for-performance, merit pay or incentive pay, the idea of compensating teachers for their students performance is not new, but here's a new twist.
Biomedical Technology The drive to improve health and make lives easier has spawned exciting biotechnology opportunities in the Philadelphia region.
IT Help at Night Presidium Learning plays an important role for students at hundreds of colleges and universities. Its customer service reps take calls 24/7 from students and staff needing help online.
Accountants And Auditors: A Shrinking Pool Since 2003, when the Sarbanes-Oxley Act -- requiring CEOs and CFOs to guarantee that their financial documents are correct – was passed, the need for technical staff to make sure their firms are compliant has surged.
Using Calculators In Teaching One education innovation that is still alive and well is the calculator: for four decades it has been a critical part of doing math.
Emerging Online Services Online services from tutoring to personal assistance have grown in popularity -- and many of the most successful ones are based in India.
Giving This month the New York Times published a section on “Giving,” perfect for Thanksgiving week and interesting in its variety. Among those highlighted are young people starting to give.
Applying to College It's not a fun time for high school seniors because it's college application time. Applying is full of tension as acceptances to more selective colleges have gotten harder.
Advantages of Going to Yale The latest edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education talks about the advantages of attending Yale—a promising start of a career and - possibly - your picture on a postage stamp.
Age Makes a Difference Two college professors have developed a 'Mindset' to remind those adults who are teaching kids of the differences in generations.
An Invisible Minority Did you know that we have an invisible minority in the Greater Philadelphia area-- the 350,000 individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Stemming the Dropout Rate Philadelphia schools have a 45% dropout rate. Nationwide,educators are trying to come up with creative solutions to the problem.
Plastics Products made with plastic our prevalent in almost every industry and every aspect of our society - but they are not biodegradable.
Early College High Schools Early college high schools are small schools on college campuses where students earn both a high school diploma and two years college credit toward a degree.
Poker - More Than Just Fun and Games Many of the country's most elite universities have professors who believe that poker is an exceptional game of skill that can be a powerful teaching tool.
The Global Science Race In an effort to keep up with scientific advances in China,the recently passed 'America Competes' Act stresses better trained science teachers at elementary and secondary schools.
Preparing Kids for Disasters Strategies are being researched to determine whether emergency preparedness drills at schools heighten kids' fears about their safety.
Financial Literacy for Women Most women don't know as much as they should about money, given that it's likely they'll be responsible for managing their own finances at some point in their lives.
What's In A Name? President Bush's 'No Child Left Behind' initiative may be on the way out - not the program, but the name.
Home-Schoolers Reach College Even though some admissions counselors are skeptical about student who've been home schooled, research shows they make the college transition
