Hechinger seminar inspires.What is the best way to educate our children, and how can educators be held accountable? The raging debate continues across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. as academics tackle the problems under a public microscope and researchers give us conflicting evaluations. Twenty-eight editorial writers and editors heard another round of lively debate at a spring seminar on education, sponsored by the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media, in partnership with NCEW NCEW National Conference of Editorial Writers . A thought-provoking host of panelists gave us their insights on vouchers, charter schools, accountability, teacher pay, and early childhood development. Lorraine Monroe, founder of the Frederick Douglass Academy Frederick Douglass Academy (also known as FDA), formerly known as IS 10, is a co-educational, public middle school and high school for grades 6-12 located in West Harlem. It is considered by many to be the best college preparatory school in Harlem as it offers programs such as SAT , a public school in Harlem, was quite an inspiration. Here's a woman who would not accept mediocrity and defied the odds by turning a troubled inner-city school into a roaring success. The diplomas held by her former students from some of the country's leading colleges and universities lend testimony to Monroe's accomplishments. Ruby Takanishi, president of the Foundation for Child Development and an expert on early childhood development, stimulated discussion on who should be served by preschool and what should be taught. Ensuring children are ready to learn when they start first grade is a continuing goal in most states. One of the more entertaining panels featured attorney Clint Bolick Clint Bolick (born December 26,1957 in Elizabeth, New Jersey[1]), is the director of the Goldwater Institute Center for Constitutional Litigation in Phoenix, Arizona. and professor Alex Molnar. Bolick, vice president and director of litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. for the Institute for Justice, was a defender in the 1998 Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin. ruling upholding the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Molnar, an education professor at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Education, was an expert witness against school choice in the Milwaukee case. In a heated debate, the two old foes showed they are no closer to reconciling their differences. Perhaps not as intense but just an enlightening was an early Sunday morning session allowing seminar participants to share editorial ideas. All editorial writers shared three samples of their education editorials with a small group of fellow writers for review, critique, and discussion. As a new editorial writer, it was interesting and motivating to hear what colleagues across the country have been doing on their pages. The session could have gone on for hours. Heated discussions occasionally had to be interrupted, and our group had to be pushed along to the next set of clips to ensure all the editorials were discussed. I learned as much from fellow writers as I did from the education professionals on the panels. This was my third Hechinger seminar. I attended two others in my previous assignment as a higher education writer. As always, I was introduced to new ideas on dealing with old topics and countless valuable resources. NCEW member Gloria Padilla an editorial writer with the San Antonio Express-News The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and . Hechinger seminars are directed by Gene Maeroff, a former national education correspondent for The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times. The institute is affiliated with Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (sometimes referred to simply as Teachers College; also referred to as Teachers College of Columbia University or the Columbia University Graduate School of Education in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . The weekend seminars are intense, well structured, and jam-packed with information on current education issues. The institute provides a $200 travel stipend and covers lodging and most meals, allowing a great opportunity for writers in editorial departments with limited travel and expense budgets. For information, see www.tc.columbia.edu/hechinger/ |
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