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1. Portal For Nonprofits 2.
No Social Problem Left Behind (from Public Education Weekly Newsblast) If
the politicians who enacted the No Child Left Behind law really believed it
would accomplish the noble goal expressed in its title, then they clearly do
not understand the daunting challenges facing our public-education system and
they should not be making education policy, writes Ron Wolk, a Public Education
Network board member. No Child Left Behind is designed to force schools that
enroll disproportionate numbers of poor, minority and non-English-speaking students
to make every one of them proficient. But it's pure folly to expect schools to
accomplish this as long as we tolerate the widespread poverty and racism that
almost guarantee that such students will be at risk of academic failure. This
is not to say that society's problems must all be solved before our schools can
succeed with poor, minority and immigrant students. There is no doubt that too
many of the country's public schools are failing because of the way they are
organized and the way that they do business, especially those serving the
neediest students. We urgently need to change our public schools -- to make
them smaller and more diverse in their offerings; to focus more on the child,
and personalize education; to anchor them in the real world and make them more
relevant to the needs, interests and talents of the students; and to make them
more flexible. No Child Left Behind, with its punitive provisions and
overemphasis on standardized testing, does none of these things. It is likely
to do more harm than good. There
are, however, some provisions of No Child Left Behind that could help improve
schools, such as programs to improve teacher quality and provide opportunities
for professional development; increased choice for students in low-performing schools;
and emphasis on improving reading instruction. But even these provisions have
been compromised because the president and the Congress weren't committed
enough to provide the necessary funding to implement them. Where No Child Left
Behind will ultimately take us is unclear. At worst, it may lead to chaos and
even less public confidence in public education. At best, it may fade away,
because it cannot be implemented. Meanwhile, if the federal enforcers keep
tightening the noose, the majority of schools are likely to be on the
endangered list. http://www.publiceducation.org/papersopeds-wolk_102203.asp 3. Last but not Least: Personal Surfing At Work Can Be A Good Thing "Personal Web usage in the
workplace has a negative perception, especially among administrators who often
see it as inefficient and creating a decrease in work productivity," says
Simmers. But according to the authors' research, personal surfing at work can
result in better time management, lower stress levels, improved skill sets and
a happier balance between work and personal life. (AP 5 Nov 2003) http://apnews.excite.com/article/20031105/D7UKH7E81.html |
