Science Center Wonders

Kids Can Earn a Free Book This Summer from Barnes and Noble

Here's How It Works:

1. Kids read any 8 books.

2. Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs it when it's complete.

3. Children bring their completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 29th & September 2nd, 2008.

4. We'll give them a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.*

* Eligible books will be listed on the coupon. Choices must be made from eligible stock. No special orders. Limit of 1 form per school-age child (grades 1-6), please. Incomplete forms will be ineligible for free books.

King John and the Writing of the Magna Charta

My 13 year old and I have read “The Magna Charta” together and both learned an enormous amount of information concerning not only the Magna Charta but the history surrounding this document and the rulers who opposed or were forced into the signing of this Charta.

This book is written for the Middle School level and my son needed some help with pronunciation, definitions and discussion as we read. Many new concepts were introduced including how Kings ruled their lands during the Medieval time period, relationships between the Pope and King, the transfer of lands and dictatorship, relationships and fighting between rulers of different lands, the development of laws to protect the Kings people, and the progression and refinement of Charters which lead to the Magna Charta.

Although the focus of this book is primarily on King John’s life and his influence on the Magna Charta, this book is highly recommended for middle schoolers who would also like to learn about past rulers including King Henry, King Richard, King John, Stephen Langton, and other interesting subjects such as the Crusades, The Sheriff of Nottingham, Castles, Runnymede, the Siege of Rochester, the Pope, Hubert de Burgh, the Treaty of Lambeth, and very early American History related to the Magna Charta.

“The Magna Charta”
By James Daughery
Publisher: Beautiful Feet Books
ISBN: 0-9643803-5-8

Educate your children about safety and crime prevention

A fun and entertaining way to educate your children about safety and crime prevention.

Drugs, bullies, gangs, strangers - the potential dangers facing kids these days are numerous. You want them to be safe, but it's not always the easiest thing to sit them down and give them advice they're going to want to listen to (or remember). So why not try teaming up with McGruff the Crime Dog?

Parents and kids have been looking to McGruff for almost thirty years for facts and tips about safety and crime prevention - now you and your family can look to McGruff.org. The site is loaded with fun interactive games and stories, videos, downloads and advice, all featuring McGruff and his nephew Scruff, helping show your children how they can stay safe. There's even a section with information for parents and educators, so you can reinforce everything your kids are learning from the crime-fighting hound dog.

You don't have to teach your kids about safety alone - let McGruff give you a hand!

Visit McGruff.org

SimpleTuition is a solution for comparing student loans

SimpleTuition is a revolutionary solution for comparing student loans. They have assembled a free comparison tool with dozens of loans from multiple competing lenders. SimpleTuition can help you find the right student loan, whether you are an undergraduate, a graduate student, a parent of a college student or private school (K-12) student, or even returning to school.

Like other online shopping sites, SimpleTuition allows you to enter a few pieces of information and see sortable lists of student loans, including federal loans — like Stafford, PLUS and Graduate PLUS — and private student loans. No credit checks are conducted and no personal information is collected. Comparing student loans has never been more simple.

SimpleTuition's lists of loans are dynamically updated based on your changes to the loan amount, loan features or borrower benefits. Filter lists by loan attributes, see extensive details about each loan, and apply directly with your chosen lender online or by phone.

For those of you who already have student loans, SimpleTuition even includes a comparison resource for student loan consolidation. Combining multiple student loans into one loan with one payment could help lower monthly payments and stay organized. Enter your current student loan amounts and see the impact of consolidating those loans on the monthly payment, the total cost of the loan, and the length of the repayment period.

Ensure you make the most of your resources to pay for your education at SimpleTuition.

Loans shown on SimpleTuition.com are for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. The calculations on SimpleTuition.com are estimates and are intended for comparison purposes only. Lender information may change at any time. SimpleTuition assumes no responsibility errors or omissions in the information provided. SimpleTuition is not a lender and makes no representations or warranties about your eligibility for a particular loan. All credit decisions, including loan approval and the rates, terms and other costs of the loan you are offered, are the sole responsibility of the lenders and may vary based upon the lender you select. We urge you to review carefully each lender's loan application and promissory note for final loan terms, including incentives.

Global Warming - Hype or Real?

Much is being written and said about global warming. The drastic increase in wild fires in the western United States, consuming thousands of acres and hundreds of homes in recent years is just one example cited. Is the evidence for global warming convincing on a world-wide basis or is much of it just hype? What are the major concerns in terms of the economic and human devastation that global climate change could bring? Are there ways to reverse or minimize the trend, and how could humankind "weather" the decades ahead if planetary warming cannot be halted?

If the world population is to move from hype to understanding, there must be a great deal of education involved. The discovery channel, PBS, Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth” has started the long process of educating both the young and adults. My personal feeling is that the younger generation is much more inclined to believe the evidence and truly strive to make a difference. I have witnessed the older generations scoffing at the evidence and stating that media, TV, and politicians are causing the hype around the subject of global warming.

If these concerns are not heeded and global warming continues, the potential devastation of all sea-level cities and communities is guaranteed. Climate changes will alter growing seasons and crops in all countries world-wide. In addition, a potential mass extinction of animals and plants that are not adapted for warmer climates is nearly guaranteed.

Alternate energy sources that reduce global warming emissions are of course a high priority for those concerned. Even if we are not able to stop or slow down the warming trend of our planet, it would be wise to continue to adapt cleaner technology to be implemented in the present and future.

What are your thoughts, input, and suggestions?

College on your Mind? Here is a College Planning Tip

Please click on the following link to read my article:

College on your Mind? Here is a College Planning Tip

Book Review: “The Paper Doorway” Poetry by Dean Koontz

I recently gave my 12 year old son the assignment to reflect on poetry that he had recently read. His response was that he could not do the assignment, as he did not like poetry and had never really read any poetry.

My response to him went something like this “but you love poetry, and you recently were telling me about all the great little ‘stories’ you were reading in your Dean Koontz book.”

His response “That’s not poetry, I liked that book. It was full of funny little stories.”

We had a long discussion after about how poetry takes on many forms and brings many different emotions. The emotions that were felt with Koontz’s poetry made my son feel happy. All poetry is not like that and my son did later admit he enjoys poetry, especially Koontz’s poetry.

“The Paper Doorway” is filled with humorous, whimsical poetry for children of all ages. There are wonderful illustrations on nearly each page and each illustration contains a mouse for your child to find.

This is a must have book for all young readers which will expose them to the joys of poetry.

You want to be me?

We have all heard horror stories of innocent victims who have had their identity stolen from thieves. Credit cards charged to the max, bank accounts tapped into. My own mother had her credit card used by a fraudulent user a few months ago. I’m not sure if it will ever be straightened out.

My husband is compulsive about records and numbers. Nothing can go in the trash with a number, name, or account. I try to make a joke about it with my husband “really, no one wants to be you.” We have 2 shredders – just in case one breaks down :0 I realize that this could potentially be a serious problem, but the likelihood of it happening to any one person is low. It has been called a nightmare by many for the person who has their identity used. Therefore, we are vigilant with our records and “numbers.”

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) offers a PowerPoint presentation, streaming video, and multiple downloadable brochures to educate the public about ID theft. There are also various resources to help those who have had their identities stolen. These include what to do and how to file reports and complaints.

Educate yourself, family and children about Identity theft … I’ve heard that someone may want to be you!

Messages we send to children

In my house watching TV is a privilege that must be earned with good behavior and completion of all school work and chores. The reward is 1 hr of “screen” time. Our child can choose between computer, TV, game system, or supervised Internet play. Very rarely is TV chosen and as parents, we are elated that this is “given up.”

Pre-teen programming has many issues that send our child into rages. Violence, disrespect for adults, picking on other children, and the list continues. This is just speaking of the programming and not the commercials. The commercials promote a “want” atmosphere with a sedentary life of playing games via “screens”, eating and drinking unhealthy products filled with high fructose corn syrup, dyes, and other substances that a growing mind and body can do without.

Britain is taking a step in the right direction by discontinuing all commercial that promote Junk foods with high fat, sugar and salt. Below are a two UK links on this topic:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=JZGLP4G0WRRVJQFIQMFSFFWAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2006/05/18/nbeans118.xml

http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,1951310,00.html

What lead up to this ban? Who is responsible? We need to bring those people into the US and strive for the same outcome. We would still have to deal with many other issues surrounding poor children’s programming and commercials, but promoting healthy eating for this young generation may enable these young people to live a longer and healthier life.

Many schools are stepping in the right direction by banning junk on campus. Again, Britain is taking the lead and banning all junk foods in all schools across the country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4287712.stm

Students are still able to bring junk food to school with them. In reality, this problem needs to be more closely monitored by concerned parents who are striving to raise emotionally and physically healthy children.

On-line Degrees in Higher Education

I recently read a short snippet from the March 2007 “The New York Teacher.” There seems to be controversy over on-line degrees and whether a true degree is earned through this medium. It appears that specifically the University of Phoenix is raising questions as far as if the degrees obtained at this institution are valid.

“Among the findings of February’s Times report by Sam Dillon:
· Students race through course work in about half the time of traditional universities.
· Phoenix’s graduation rate of 16% is among the nation’s lowest, with many complaints from the students.
· The Apollo Group, the university’s parent corporation, has seen its stock plummet after the filing of a lawsuit alleging fraud in obtaining and processing financial aid, resulting in much turnover among top management.
· About 95% of Phoenix’s instructors are part-time, compared to an average of 47% percent across all universities, according to federal statistics.
· Academic quality is sketchy.”

These statements do raise serious “red flags.” Any degree, at any level, should be earned and competency must be met before an advanced degree is conferred. If this trend continues, I foresee a serious impact on students and universities providing the convenience to their students.

Do students truly need to sit in a classroom in order to learn? Can there be alternatives to learning, especially for older students who have family and job responsibilities and would be prevented to partake in the normal classroom situation?

I have taken courses through various means – traditional classroom, video and on-line. Through my experiences, I have preferred the on-line method. This method must be structured in a way as to prevent “sketchy” learning and to ensure the desired outcome. My on-line classes always included several “chats” with instructors/fellow learners, textbook reading, papers, discussions and assignments.

I personally feel that it is up to the individual to make the most of their higher education experience. If an on-line format is chosen, the student must be more disciplined and dedicated to the course. If the proper environment is provided, and the learner is truly committed to their education, this method can prove to be successful.

Knowledge & Children

Throughout the history of education, knowledge has been encouraged through the discovery of ideas from textbooks and teachers. But, according to Kincheloe, Slattery & Steinberg (2000, p.76), knowledge that is constructed and invented is worth the most and should be the emphasis of today’s model of education. Constructed knowledge produces a classroom environment where students are free to question the content and validity of both the text and curriculum. The pursuit of knowledge in this fashion will not only gain and hold student interest, but also encourages the application of new knowledge to the student’s life and will lay a foundation for the continuation of critical thinking skills.

Astington (1997, p.95) discusses the importance of students constructing knowledge with the guidance and assistance of educators. Through this process, all groups of students can participate and will benefit individually and together, as a class. This knowledge is needed by all students in order to acquire learning skills and discovery of the various subject areas taught in the classroom.

In addition, when first entering school, students should have the knowledge given to them by their parents. Parents who instill and talk to their children about other “people’s thoughts, wants, and feelings” (Astington, 1997, p.96), will foster an understanding of other students and society. All students need this basic knowledge as they begin the primary years of education. With this basic knowledge instilled in the young student, an educator will be able to guide the young mind to the construction and invention of new knowledge and ideas.

Astington, J.W. (1997). Reflective teaching and learning: children's and teachers' theories of mind. Teaching Education 9(2). 95-103.

Kincheloe, J.L., Slattery, P., & Steinberg, S.R. (2000). Contextualizing Teaching: Introduction to Education and Educational Foundations. New York: Longman.

Classroom Kit for National Poetry Month

If you are involved in educating children (a classroom or homeschool teacher, a school or public librarian, a reading specialist, a PTA member, an administrator, etc.) here’s a free gift for you.

Celebrate National Poetry Month and Young People’s Poetry Week, April 16-22, with a free classroom kit suitable for grades 2-5. The kit includes a full-color poster featuring a poem and art from Douglas Florian’s new poetry collection, Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. You’ll also receive a pack of special poetry-writing pencils for your students, a Florian author bio, and tips on writing poetry from Douglas Florian himself!

(Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery; offer good while supplies last.)

http://www.harcourtbooks.com/TK8/

Breathe

I’m ok, breathe it in
It’s my choice, breathe it in
It’s my money, breathe it in
It’s my life, breathe it in

I can’t breathe, breathe it in
I can’t walk, breathe it in
I can’t work, breathe it in
I can’t live, breathe it in

Stop
Too late

I hurt
I’m angry
Fix me… please

Suffering,
Gasping, hacking,
Desperate wishes,
No breath comes

No fond memories...

My father died prematurely. I do not have any memories of my father when he was healthy... he was always sick in my mind...Unable to walk many steps, unable to breathe...suffering slowly for 20 years.
There are no memories of running around with my father. No memories of playing ball, catch, tag, wrestling, or any other sport.

My memories include oxygen, hacking noises, hitting his back, and slow, agonizing walking when we ventured anywhere. There were pills, inhalers, hospital visits and aids that came to the house to take care of him. Stress, arguing, yelling, and constant fear gripped my house.

My father only met one of his five grandchildren. My oldest son, Marshall (now almost 12) attended his grandfather's funeral when he was 9 months old. There are no memories for any of them.

Marshall tells me regularly he will not follow in his grandfather's footsteps; he wishes he knew his grandfather. It makes both of us sad when he longs to have known him. He has asked to see and have pictures of him, so that he can feel a connection to what he has lost.

I am not the only daughter that has lost a parent to smoking. I have never touched, inhaled or smoked because of the loss that I experienced from this terrible, addictive, product that destroys families and lives.

If you have children, grandchildren or plan to have a family in the future, you should consider how this product may forever change the course of your life and your family.

There are many products and programs available, but from what I understand, there needs to be a need to stop. If you have approached this point in your life please get the help you need to accomplish this task.

Be sure to visit http://www.nicodermcq.com/ for more information to help you or someone you know quit smoking. At this site, you can find out more about your addiction. You can also find a support coach, or link up with someone else who is trying to quit. Develop your plan and become healthier today.

Is Education in the US Improving?

After reading the National Goals adopted by the former President Bush and Congress in 1989 and reflecting upon the situation in my school and many other schools, which are in the national spotlight, I am first inclined to say, what happened? Why have we not seen these goals followed through? What can we do to change this situation, in order to achieve these goals in a reasonable time? I will address each of the eight National Education goals of and reflect how or if they have been met at my school and note whether I feel the goal is still relevant.

The first National Education Goal was School Rediness. This goals states, "by the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn." In my school district there are a few "Head Start" programs available for pre-school children. These programs help to prepare pre-school children for kindergarten and routines found in school. However, there have not been enough programs implemented to prepare each child entering kindergarten in the City School District. Many parents are not even aware that their children should be entered into a preschool program that will give their child a successful start in the school system. In fact, many children are still not receiving proper health care, immunizations, and nutrition. Every child in the City School District does have the ability to eat breakfast before school and lunch during school hours. I feel that this goal is relevant. However, without additional funding for free services and parental support and understanding of this goal, children will not be prepared for school in the preschool years.

The second National Education Goal was School Completion. This goal states, "By the year 2000, the high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent." In my High School approximately 700 freshmen are admitted each year. Our graduation of seniors is approximately 110 each year, or 16% of our freshman class graduates. Therefore, our dropout rate is close to 84%. Our High School likes to hide this fact by creatively saying our students are being transferred to other sites in the City School District and to Alternative Programs. However, it is accurate to say that 84% of our incoming freshmen will not graduate from our high school. My high school's minority rate is close to 85% with 70% of students on some form of government assistance. There has not been a decrease in dropout rates in the last 10 years, in fact more students have dropped out because of higher graduation requirements and failure to pass New York State mandated competency tests. This goal is also still relevant. However, a better plan to attack the problem of dropouts especially in the minority population needs to be addressed.

The third National Education Goal was Student Achievement and Citizenship. This goal states, "by the year 2000, all students will leave grades 4, 8 and 12 having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our Nation's modern economy." From my experience at my High School, the students who are entering 9th grade are not entering with the competency needed in these various subject areas. They are simply being pushed through the grades because the middle schools are crowded and they cannot stay there. Many of my 9th grade students read at an elementary school level without comprehension of what they are reading. They are not familiar with how to use a ruler and must use a calculator for simple math problems. They are not aware of the world around them. They do not want to be responsible for their own deeds and rarely pick up after themselves after a science lab period or after eating their lunch in the cafeteria. I really worry about how these students will survive in the world once they drop out or graduate from High School. I do not think this goal is relevant to my current High School. Instead of demanding further testing and competency, we should try to enable students to see the connection between the subjects and material they are learning in High School and the "real world". Once students see this connection, they may be more willing to learn and explore and become responsible with their actions and belongings.

The fourth National Education Goal was Teacher Education and Professional Development. This goal states, "By the year 2000, the Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the next century." In my school district new teachers are given mentors and expected to attend a number of professional development programs throughout the school year. Many of these programs are convenient and located right in the same building in which you teach. Many are interesting and directly applicable to the classroom setting. I feel that this goal is relevant and educators should have the opportunity to continue to learn and network with other educators.

The fifth National Education Goal was Mathematics and Science. This goal states, "By the year 2000, United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science achievement." I feel that our country and my school are far from this goal. It is a well-known fact that the United States has not surpassed every known country in the fields of math and science. Our country is well behind several other industrialized counties whose children are more advanced in these fields. At the beginning of the school year, the freshmen science students in my classroom are not aware of measurements in the metric system and cannot distinguish between the metric and our US measurement system. Therefore, the concepts of the metric system are still not being taught in the younger grades. Additionally, there continues to be a decrease in the number of math and science teachers with a well-known shortage in these areas across the United States. I do not feel that this is a relevant goal for our country. Why does the United States need to be first? We should be more concerned with what are students are learning and retaining through the years, than the world ranking of our students is in a particular area.

The sixth National Education Goal was Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning. This goal states, "By the year 2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship." My students often tell me that they cannot get help to complete their homework because their parents can not read. Therefore, I am very aware that we, as a nation, have not reached this goal. Many of these adults feel that they have "gotten by" their entire life without the ability to read, so why start now. If we are to reach every adult, we must somehow change the attitudes of these adults in order to encourage them to learn this vital skill. This is an important goal for our country. We may not reach every adult, but we should certainly increase funding in order to do our best to teach every American who desires to learn how to read.

The seventh National Education Goal was Safe, Disciplines, and Alcohol - and Drug-Free Schools. This goal states, "By the year 2000, every school in the United States will be free of drugs, violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol and will offer a disciplined environment conductive to learning." Instead of our school becoming more organized and safe, our schools across the nation have become out of control. Rampant school shooting, drugs being sold on campus, students who outright threaten, abuse, and commit violent acts against other classmates, students who refuse to listen to authority figures, and this is unfortunately becoming the norm across America. Administrators tell educators that our schools are safe, but teachers often wonder why our schools are getting worse and not better. In my school, when I walk up and down stairwells and halls, I often smell pot being smoked, I see students walking out of classrooms, I hear students yelling and screaming in the classroom, I see students throwing objects at each other, etc. We have police officers permanently stationed at my school and sentries who are supposed to handle violent incidents or students who show defiance to authority. But their presence in my school is not a threat, students will continue to act in this way because they do not care about the consequences and there is no parental support to change these behaviors. As I look over all of these goals, to me this one is the most important and most relevant. We, as a nation and educators, need to take back control of our schools from the students.

The eighth National Education Goal of was Parental Participation. This goal states, "By the year 2000, every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children." In my school, there is an active PTA with very few members. During Parent-Teacher conferences, only a handful of parents come in to discuss their child's progress. I send notes home with my students and via the US mail and call parents on the telephone. Yet, parents do not overly support their child's education by becoming actively involved or initiating contact. Students often tell me that their parent will not help them on homework assignments or review their work. It is unfortunate that we are raising a generation of students who see the lack of parental support and will most likely continue this cycle with their own children. This goal is also important in the fact that in order to increase student participation and completion of work, we must have parental support. If the parents do not support the educators, the students will see not consequences when they do not complete assignments, do not learn material and fail a course or grade.

Overall, I feel that the educational goals previously mentioned have not been met. Is eighteen years not long enough? Should this type of work be extended over the next 25 or 50 years? It will be interesting to note what the educational goals for the new President will entail. I would like to see him or her address these goals, which have not been met.

"Out of Sync" High Schools

Keller’s (2001) article sites several important aspects of today’s youth which should be taken into account when reflecting on the high school experience. These include the studies that indicate the sleep rhythms of adolescents are quite different than adults. Teenagers tend to stay up later in the evening and sleep in later. In my current high school this is reflected by stragglers into school who tend to wake up late on a daily basis. We have an extended Homebase period every day. This gives students the time in the early am to socialize, visit teachers for extra help and catch up on homework that was not completed the previous night. Our extended Homebase period allows for nearly full attendance by the time school actually begins at 8:00 am. Other examples provided by Keller (2001) include that students are often rule-bound and schools do not build “on their desire to connect to the real world.” Many classes provide “too much seat time” and lack purpose.

Viadero (2001) continues with the observation that “1/2 of high school seniors leave school today with out the skills they need to succeed in work or further study.” In addition, in urban schools, “1/2 of freshmen disappear before reaching the end of the senior year.” In my current urban high school, this last quote is currently true. Our freshman incoming class is usually around 300 pupils, however or senor graduating class was just over 100 students. By the time the students reach the upper levels, many have chosen alternative GED programs, dropped out, or transferred to alternative vocational programs. We as educators are obviously not meeting the needs of today’s young students.

References:
Keller, B. (2001). Schools Seen as Out of Sync With Teens. World Wide Web: http://educationweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=33develop.h20
Viadero, D. (2001). Getting Serious About High School. World Wide Web: http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=30highschool.h20

Omega-3’s are they really important to your diet?

Having enough Omega-3’s in your diet, can make a difference to your mental and physical health and help you loose weight!

The hormones controlled by diet are far more powerful than any drug you’ll ever take. Maintaining hormonal equilibrium within a therapeutic range is essential for controlling inflammation and maximizing cellular rejuvenation by turning “on” and “off’ the flow of genetic information. This is the biochemical key for establishing a life-long strategy for weight control and risk-management of chronic disease.

Decreasing Inflammation
Excess weight gain is caused by inflammation within the fat cell. Left uncontrolled, this inflammation makes it increasingly difficult to stop the accumulation of body fat and reduce excess weight. When fat “goes bad” (becomes inflamed) powerful inflammatory hormones called eicosanoids trigger systemic inflammation throughout the body increasing numerous health risks related to heart, brain and immune function, just like a viral infection. This type of systemic inflammation “Silent Inflammation” because you cannot see it or feel it. Despite our inability to sense its presence, Silent Inflammation significantly increases the risk of chronic health disorders like problems with the heart and blood sugar levels. This explains why cutting calories and increasing exercise alone are not enough. First and foremost, you must control inflammation within the fat cells.

While there isn’t a single drug that can decrease inflammation within the fat cells, the foods you eat can! The reason fat cells become inflamed in the first place is caused by the accumulation of arachadonic acid (AA) as a result of diet especially one rich in refined carbohydrates that stimulate insulin production. Uncontrolled inflammation in the fat cells causes insulin resistance thus making you fatter while increasing inflammation levels throughout the body. Left unchecked, systemic inflammation compromises heart, brain, and immune function plus accelerates pre-mature aging.

Controlling Insulin
By eating the right combination of foods to reduce insulin coupled with adequate levels of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that the body cannot make and are seldom found in the average diet, you can better control insulin levels and in turn reduce Silent Inflammation both within fat cells and systemically. EPA decreases the levels of AA that generate the chronic pro-inflammatory responses while DHA stimulates certain genes useful in burning stored body fat at a faster rate. By controlling Silent Inflammation within the fat cells and throughout the body, you can achieve successful weight loss and simultaneously optimize heart, brain and immune function.

The orchestration of the above is essential for weight loss, and the foods you eat are critical to your success for controlling the ideal hormonal balance necessary to decrease inflammation and stabilize insulin. Inflammatory eicosanoids and elevated insulin levels increase as you age and must be normalized to help control this delicate hormonal balance. Every meal and snack determines this balance, good or bad, for the next 4-6 hours each and every day.

Want to learn More?
You can learn even more about Omega-3’s and their importance to your health in the previously published article: “Are you Omega-3 deficient?”http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976879333

Should Colleges Continue to Require the SAT/ACT?

In the United States, a high school diploma is normally conferred based on taking a certain number of courses, not on reaching a particular standard of achievement. There are no exams that all students nationwide must pass in order to be eligible for university study. Admission standards vary from institution to institution to the extent that some open-enrollment colleges and universities permit almost any student to attend. Unless students are among the few who plan on applying to highly selective institutions, there are no external incentives encouraging them to work hard and do well in difficult courses. Good grades were once the required currency for college admission, and a high school diploma was once a pretty good ticket to a decent job. But today good grades aren't necessary to enter most colleges.

The two exams that most commonly serve as a gateway to college in the United States, the SAT and ACT, are not based on the curriculum students study in school. College-bound students in the United States are not required to take any advanced subject-specific exams. The most common requirement of college-bound students is that they have obtained a minimal number of course credits, though this is not necessarily a reliable indicator of their academic performance. Very high grades and test scores, correlate strongly with success. Very low grades and scores usually mean failure. Those who take AP exams may do so in any subject in which the exams are offered, but there are no government or university requirements in terms of subject areas or numbers of exams to be taken. Current college/university standards require that institutions monitor and assess the progress of candidates, establish and publish criteria or outcomes for exit, and provide candidates appropriate academic and professional advisement from admission through completion of their education programs.

In New York State, all students have the option of taking "Regents" (college preparatory-level) courses during their secondary years and then taking Regents exams before they graduate. Students who do pass the exams will have this noted on their diplomas for all to see, and New York's state university system gives preference to students who score well on Regents exams. New York is the only state in which a large number of high school graduates participate in a curriculum-based examination system. The system works; notably, when you control for family income, parental education, race and gender, New York has the highest average SAT scores of any state.

Colleges and Universities enacting higher admission standards would need to notify applicants that to be accepted at this particular college/university, students will have to complete a college-preparatory curriculum and attain a minimum GPA, SAT/ACT score, or class rank. This may cause a decrease in enrollment due to lack of qualified applicants. However, the initial loss in enrollment can be made up over time if potential applicants realized that the quality of the institution had improved with increased standards.

Are Special Ed Students treated too Special?

It is without question that students with special needs may not be excluded from school based upon their handicap. However, the safety of other students may be at stake in some situations regarding students who are emotionally or behaviorally disturbed.

There was a specific situation that occurred in my classroom that put both regular ed students and a student who had an IEP for a learning disability as risk. With out anyone's knowledge, one of my IEP students had brought a cigarette lighter to school. During one of my classes, he flicked the lighter on under another students arm. I saw the flash of light, and immediately knew what he had done. I looked at him and asked him to go to his administrator's office and stay there until I came down at the end of the period. I also had a paraprofessional in my room (because of the number of special ed students in the room this period) and I asked him to walk the student to his administrator and tell the administrator what had happened. The para as well as most of the students in the classroom did not see the incident. Previous to this, the student had never had a problem in my class or any of his classes this year. He stated that he was not aware that a lighter was a weapon and now realized he should not have brought it to school. The student was suspended from my class for 3 days and given in school suspension and several after school detentions. If this had been a regular education student, I feel the consequences would have been much more severe, but he was protected by his classification.

Based on this situation and others, It is my opinion that special education students who are emotionally or behaviorally disturbed should be placed in a classroom where there is constant supervision and low teacher to student ratio's. These students need to be reminded of school rules and acceptable behavior more often than traditional regular education students.