Dr. Marciene Mattleman
KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
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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.
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Graduation Yearbooks
If someone in your graduating class becomes famous, that high school or college yearbook may turn out to be valuable.
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Paycheck or Service?
More colleges are offering financial incentives and support for graduates who choose public service over big business.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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When Should Education Start?
Chicago has become a national proving ground for schooling during the first three years of a child's life.
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Ensuring Kids Better Vision
Poor vision affects tens of thousands of kids, handicapping them from doing well academically. FocusFirst can help.
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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'.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Recognizing Outstanding Teachers
Each year I help select the region's best teachers. It's not easy!
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Arts Improve Academics
How do you convince decision makers that such activities in the arts are important? Research!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Income Tax Isn't New
With tax day fast approaching, here's an 'income' tax history lesson.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Recognizing the Importance of Community Colleges
Charts showed that that the number of bachelor's degrees awarded annually in the US would drop by almost half, if not for community colleges.
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Celebrating Women
Each March the nation celebrates Women’s History Month and each year it’s good to take stock.
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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?'
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Greening Communities
The Urban Tree Connection assists blighted neighborhoods by transforming vacant lots into safe and functional places where neighbors can interact.
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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.
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Record School Enrollment
Each year since 1997, the nation has reportedly been breaking records in pre-K-12 enrollment.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Dealing with 'Spin'
According to a new book by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, 'spin' is polite for deception.
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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.
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Effects of Teacher Absenteeism
A new study suggests teacher absenteeism may be a contributing factor for low achieving kids.
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Does Time Spent on Studies Make a Difference?
A new documentary brings to light differences in time spent on studies between US students and those of China and India.
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Teaching About Genocide
More than 30 states have policies that direct schools to include teaching about genocide as part of the curriculum.
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The 2007 Word of the Year
The American Dialect Society has once again chosen its 'word of the year'.
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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.
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Study Abroad
After a few years of declining numbers, international study has revived.
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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.
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Ninth Grade Nation
'Ninth Grade Nation' is a program being implemented in Pittsburgh to try to reduce the number of high school dropouts.
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Online Databases of Teachers' Misdeeds
In four states, Ohio, Texas Vermont and recently Florida, the public can log on to check on teachers' misdeeds.
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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.
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Dealing with Troubled College Students
After 16 suicides in just over 10 years, Cornell University is taking action to help its troubled students.
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January - An Interesting Month
Many interesting things have happened in January.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Helping Kids Be Healthy
Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious health epidemic but 'Health eTools for Schools' may help.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Biomedical Technology
The drive to improve health and make lives easier has spawned exciting biotechnology opportunities in the Philadelphia region.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Age Makes a Difference
Two college professors have developed a 'Mindset' to remind those adults who are teaching kids of the differences in generations.
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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.
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Stemming the Dropout Rate
Philadelphia schools have a 45% dropout rate. Nationwide,educators are trying to come up with creative solutions to the problem.
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Plastics
Products made with plastic our prevalent in almost every industry and every aspect of our society - but they are not biodegradable.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Preparing Kids for Disasters
Strategies are being researched to determine whether emergency preparedness drills at schools heighten kids' fears about their safety.
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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.
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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.
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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 no differently than others.
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The Power of a Story
First Person Arts is a non-profit organization committed to the power of story, reaching across cultures to explore stories from all walks of life.
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Dracula
Although the vampire, Dracula, was created by Irish author, Bram Stoker, in 1897, the character lives on, especially in October near Halloween.
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Study Abroad
Temple University's president is encouraging students to study abroad by establishing a scholarship to pay their passport fees.
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The Impact of Videos and DVDs on Babies
Parents who are hoping DVDs and Videos for their babies will increase brain power need to learn about some new studies.
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Ballroom Dancing For Kids
Twice a week nearly 800 fifth graders in 14 Philadelphia-area classrooms are learning to ballroom dance - and learning skills many skills which translate well to everyday life.
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Fighting Discrimination of Familial Status
Even in this day and age some businesses see a person’s marital and family status as liabilities. That's why there's a move on in support of PA House and Senate Bills 280.
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Conflict Resolution Week
Recent shootings on playgrounds, random killings on streets and Philadelphia's high crime rate has many of our leaders seeking ways to reduce violence - including at school.
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Closing Catholic Schools
All over the country, the doors of Catholic schools have been closing for the last decade. Now, Washington, DC is considering a plan to convert the schools to publicly funded charter schools.
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Second Acts: Changing Careers
According to a reporting of graduate school applications, searches for altruistic fields have grown, while MBAs and other advanced degrees have fallen off.
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A 13-Year 'Reality' Show
One of the latest NBC projects is, reportedly, "Class of 2020", an attempt to follow a group of Los Angeles kids from kindergarten through high school graduation.
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Banned Books Week
Since 1982, the last week of September has been designated 'Banned Books Week', a time when schools, libraries and bookstores around the country celebrate the freedom to read.
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50 Year Celebration at Little Rock
There is a special web site commemorating the nationally noted event 50 years ago this month when nine African American students entered Little Rock High School.
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The Need for Substitute Teachers
Research indicates that everyday in the U.S., about 5 million kids in 274,000 classrooms have substitute teachers and the need for subs is reportedly a growing problem.
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What Teens and 'Tweens Do Online
Many parents and educators decry the fact that kids today spend 9 hours weekly on the Internet. Turns out, almost all of that time is spent accessing social networking sites.
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Rewarding Innovation
Eighteen government programs have been chosen as finalists in Harvard University's Innovations in American Government Award program. A mortgage rescue program is among them.
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Daycare for Children of Teen Parents
In an effort to keep teenage mothers from dropping out of school, daycare centers are now being established attached to many public schools.
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Economics Education of 12th Graders
With a focus on the global economy, for the first time the National Assessment of Educational Progress has measured the economics knowledge of high school students.
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Volunteers Step into the Breach
There is almost always a major outpouring of support from volunteers following a disaster such as 9/11, but there is an ongoing need for volunteers to address lingering disasters such as poverty and educational inequities.
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Comparing Education Priorities
An interesting report was recently issued by the National Center for Education Statistics comparing education systems of the G8 nations, a group of eight nations which represent 65% of the world's economy.
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Learning About Education from the Brits
The man who former British Prime Minister Tony Blair turned to to turn around England's worst schools is now in the States, trying to do the same for some of the schools here.
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Gaining Media Literacy
Literacy used to refer to reading and writing but now youngster who are inundated with electronic information need 'media' literacy skills as well.
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Significance of Labor Day
Labor Day for many people simply marks the end of summer and back to school; but the day has significance beyond that.
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College Seniors Weak on History
Most of the nation's colleges and universities are apparently falling short in educating students about significant events in history.
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Teenage Smoking
Ask most young teenagers if they've ever tried cigarettes and they'll admit they have - believing that a few times can't hurt anybody. However, a new report indicates otherwise.
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Learning and Earning
Although the importance of education has increased with regard to getting a job, this year 1.23 million students nationally will fail to graduate from high school.
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School Uniforms
More schools are requiring uniforms or restructuring what kids wear and more parents are objecting but judges tend to side with the schools.
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Time For Play
We need to remember that play isn’t wasting time, but allowing kids to think, create and find interests.
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Gender Bias
The National Academy of Sciences reports that four times more men than women who have doctorates in science and engineering have full time faculty positions.
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Teaching As a Career Change
Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program recruits and trains professionals who are making a career change and recent college graduates.
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Helping English Language Learners
Assessing the language skills of an increasing number of immigrant students can be time consuming but investing that time moves them more quickly into the mainstream.
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Surviving Without Electronics
A group of American University students were recently challenged to spend 24 hours free of all electronic media devices. For most, this was no easy task.
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Graduated Driver's License Programs
Last year 6,000 people, 15-20 years-old died in motor vehicle accidents. Graduated licensing programs reduce teen fatalities and should be adopted by all states.
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Weight Loss Can Be Taught
Weight loss is not about willpower.
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Helping Kids Solve Problems Peacefully
The Montessori Charter School is teaching children to solve problems peacefully at the 'peace' table.
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Training for Jobs
For almost every job, professional or otherwise, training is required. Research indicates person to person training is more effective than training online.
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City Sail
There are many programs in the region for kids and many unique ones including programs provided by City Sail, a local non-profit.
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Blogs
Blogging started to spread in 1999 providing commentary on food, politics and news. No doubt blogging is here to stay.
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Reading is Fundamental
Reading is Fundamental, or RIF, is a successful literacy program which began more than 4 decades ago with the donation of a few books by a former teacher.
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Child Labor
Kids are in the midst of enjoying their summer vacations; but that was not always the case.
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Responsibility for Early Dismissals
A New Jersey court has ruled that schools are responsible for informing parents or guardians about early dismissals after a 3rd grader, dismissed without parental notification, was hit by a car.
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Profile of College Presidents
Even though women head some of the most prestigious colleges in the country, 'college president' is still a position held most often by white Protestant men with a background in academia.
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Home-Schooled Kids Go Off to College
As college freshmen prepare to go to school this fall, part of that group are home-schoolers.
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Preparing For Emergencies
Recent terror attacks overseas have made those of us here in the U.S. more concerned about safety and preparedness. There's an emergency kit available through the Red Cross.
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Setting Up Family Foundations
Those who believe in 'giving back' want to instill those values in their families and friends. Setting up a family foundation insures the 'giving' will continue with future generations, even when others aren't involved.
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Helping Immigrants
The Nationalities Service Center,founded in 1921, helps immigrants make the transition to life in America by providing a broad range of social services.
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The Most Popular Kids' Names
The Social Security Administration keeps records of the most popular baby names dating back more than a decade. All this information is now available online.
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Book Censorship
As long as the written word has existed, it has been a target for censorship. Despite protests by those defending freedom of speech, challenges continue about books deemed inappropriate for young readers.
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Success Centers
Success Centers -- the name spells the purpose -- are places that motivate kids to prepare for their futures. Twelve Success Centers began last year in some of Philadelphia’s poorest high schools with the greatest need for academic and social assistance.
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Equity for Women Leaders
It’s March -- Women’s History Month -- and the history of women administrators in our public schools is not a good one. Think about it: of the schools that you’ve attended have there been many women at the helm?
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