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Michelle Snow

“I’m amazed and honored that she chose me,” said John Alemany, Michelle Snow’s 12th grade Spanish teacher.“She's a star basketball player. I would have thought for sure she’d pick one of her coaches.” “Sports came easy to me,” explains Michelle. “Spanish was a challenge, and Mr. Alemany didn’t give up on me. “He has this amazing positive energy. And he genuinely cares. You can’t imagine what a difference that makes.” Behind every famous person is
a fabulous teacher

Education News: September 16, 2005

Following are some of the top headlines from the world of education for the week ending September 16, 2005.

IBM to encourage employees to become math and science teachers
(Source: The Boston Herald, 9/16/05)
IBM is starting a new program to financially support employees who want to leave the company to become math and science teachers. In its trial phase, up to 100 IBM employees will be eligible for the program. The company has created the program because of widespread concern that the U.S. is lagging behind in education, especially in math and science.

Lawmaker and educator propose incentive pay for teachers in troubled schools
(Source: The New York Times, 9/16/05)
Teachers College President Arthur Levine and Representative Charles Rangel are pushing city officials to better compensate teachers in the area’s troubled schools. The plan includes monetary rewards of $10,000 a year to persuade teachers to remain in New York’s low-achieving schools. A directive to provide teachers with an 11-month school year and a 25% salary bonus is also looming large on the educational horizon.

Teachers reach learners across the web
(Source: CNN.com, 9/16/05)
Veteran teachers are now utilizing the Internet to answer questions and pique the interests of students across the country. Sites such as “Ask Bob,” run by Robert Stewart, aid students with questions about oceans, while Henry Fliegler, a retired engineer, will happily assist with inquiries in mathematics. While both services are free to users there are also pay sites available to students in need.

Arizona governor lays out national school plan
(Source: azcentral.com, 9/15/05)
Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona who is presently a part of a task force to research contemporary educational approaches has established a nationwide educational proposal. Her plan insists on more time in the classroom for all students, as well as universal preschool, a standardized curriculum for all 50 states, full-day kindergarten, and schools that operate year-round.

Elite colleges open doors for displaced students
(Source: CNN.com, 9/14/05)
America’s most exclusive schools are doing their part in accommodating displaced undergraduate and graduate students as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Students who were originally enrolled in Gulf Coast universities are taking up residence at the likes of MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Brown, and Yale. Students will be granted visitor’s status and given educational accommodations until their original institution is reinstated.

U.S. world position in education slipping
(Source: CNN.com, 9/13/05)
In a recent study the U.S. ranked ninth among nations for the percentage of the population holding at least a high school diploma and seventh for the percentage holding a college degree. In both cases in the past twenty years the U.S. ranked first in both categories. Exceptional performers were Finland, Korea, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, and Belgium. While many American schools continue to be rated exceptionally, there is an immediate concern for the widening achievement gap between low-performing and high-performing schools.